Spotlight on Devil-Slayer

Eric Simon Payne thought he found purpose in life when he accepted an offer to join a mysterious cult and underwent an initiation to become a "reaper" … until discovering the cult's plan to call forth a long-dead race of demons, that is. Equipped with a magical sword and cloak, he took the name Devil-Slayer and eagerly set out to stop the forces of evil (Marvel Spotlight #33).

But for all his good intentions, Devil-Slayer had a hard time as a hero.

On his first adventure, Devil-Slayer picked a fight with Deathlok, mistaking the cybernetic crimefighter for a demon.

Ironically, in the recap of his origin story, Devil-Slayer thought that his own self-described "eerie sixth sense" was one of the reasons the demonic cult originally recruited him.

Marvel Spotlight. Vol. 1. No. 33. April 1977. "(Don't Fear) The Reaper!" [Dedicated with appreciation to the Blue Öyster Cult.] David Anthony Kraft (author), Rick Buckler, Mike Masser, Arvell Jones, Klaus Janson (artists), Howard Bender (letterer), Don Warfield (colorist), Beth Bleckley (computer type), Archie Goodwin (editor).

Interestingly, as noted above, credits for Deathlok's "computer type" thoughts were separate from the letterer credits.

Secret Defenders vs. Original Defenders

A time-warp in Secret Defenders #23 found five members of the ever-changing team defending themselves against past versions of Hulk, Prince Namor, and Silver Surfer—transported from a time soon after the original Defenders formed. A misconstrued battle transpired between the two teams in #24.

With impressive strength, Sub-Mariner and Hulk fended off Cadaver, Dagger, Deathlok, and Drax of the Secret Defenders.

But the most telling showdown came between Silver Surfer and Shadowoman/Sepulcre, who imprisoned the cosmic champion in magic tendrils. When he broke free, the former herald of Galactus sensed that, in this era of the Secret Defenders, a cosmic barrier no longer trapped him on Earth. Feeling detached from the conflict, the Silver Surfer flew off into space.

Silver Surfer: At long last … the freedom which has ever been my heart's desire is attained! But at what price? The Earth sprawls out before me … as lush and green as any sphere I have ever beheld! Though my place of exit, it has also proven a land filled with awe and wonder aplenty! Though its inhabitants are often primitive and barbaric … they nurture within them a spare of greatness which may one day buoy them to heights! How thoughtless, how … human … of me, to place my own personal needs about those of the common good …

With a sense of moral obligation, the Surfer returned to Earth to rejoin the battle—just in time for the Defenders of two eras to discover a common threat at hand.

Tom Brevoort & Mike Kanterovich wrote Secret Defenders #23-24. Bill Wylie pencilled those issues.