Necessary Evil

Talking on the subject of anti-heroes, one would go amiss not mentioning the fact that most characters who are anti-heroes also happen to be demoniacally plagued characters. These anti-heroes use their connection to supernatural forces to wreak hell on those who have wronged them. These are angels born from Hell.

This gleeful fellow here is Spawn, along with other hellish anti-heroes like Etrigan the Demon, The Spectre and Ghost Rider, Spawn's powers and motives are driven from a past riddled with demons. He was once Al Simmons, a CIA agent betrayed by his partner and killed. Sent to Hell because of his violent work, Al sold his soul to a demon in exchange to see his wife again. He returned to the land of the living as a spawn of Hell and discovered his wife had moved on, married his best friend and raised a child. As Spawn he went on to fight both the demons of Hell and the angels of heaven, while also cleaning up street crime. Other anti-heroes have stories similar to Spawn's, trading their humanity and will for a chance to cheat death. What defines them as anti-heroes is that despite being cursed with supernatural powers, these men were never good men. Even before they were demons, they were intentional sinners. Rather than feel pity for anti-heroes like these, readers often envy them for not only having the tools necessary to live out violent fantasies, but to use them without regret.

No matter who you are, there has been a time in your life where you wish you could do something bad, to be the kind of monster that scares you. These men are forever bonded to their demons, a clear metaphor for the devils we keep locked behind our hearts. And like these anti-heroes, we control these devils and we can use them to influence our world. For better or for worse.