Is Christmas this week? Well, you're getting Son of Satan.

For little apparent reason, I was watching grotty old possession/Satanism movies on Tubi last week: they were by-and-large not very good, but also seemed very matter-of-fact that Satan was going to get you and God would do just about nothing. I swear half of them ended with "Satan didn't get my soul, I'm free" then immediate death; and that's a happy ending? I'm legit surprised this sort of movie hasn't made a big comeback: I think people were disillusioned and unhappy for large chunks of the 70's, although compared to now, well...From 1976, Son of Satan #4, "Cloud of Witness!" Written by John Warner, layouts by (P.) Craig Russell, finishes by Sonny Trinidad.

Daimon Hellstrom had departed Arizona, after a battle with the Possessor that I've seen mentioned but don't think I've read yet. (I'm pretty sure I coughed up for Essential Marvel Horror #1 a bit ago; I need to sit down and read it!) Daimon was maybe trying to see what direction his life was going to take now, and Georgetown had called him in: a university upper-admin type wants him for the school's new para-psychology program, and wants posh librarian Amelia to work as his researcher, and maybe keep an eye on him. (The admin worries about bringing in someone so "unorthodox," as he views a picture of Daimon in full Son of Satan mode.) Hellstrom himself is greeted by the charming (and pale) Saripha Thames, and set up in a dorm room to rest.

Either through jet lag, his ongoing search for identity, or psychic attack; Daimon has a series of unsettling dreams, one of which involves his mother, who had wanted to be a nun at one point. She wasn't picked at the time, and ended up falling into the arms of Satan. (Or "Satan," as it were; Daimon's dad maybe was never the actual, capital-S Satan; but "Son of Marduk Kurios" would make for a terrible logo.) He's also visited by the mysterious Proffet, who shows him a bunch of symbols and portents and says he can change them. This is followed by a funeral for Saripha, and Daimon seemingly split into the Son of Satan, the Darksoul, and a cross-wielding Daimon. He awakens, to find himself in his Son costume, cape and trident out, as Proffet again appears: she didn't really know what the message meant either, that was for him to figure out.

Saripha, approaching the dorms, witnesses an explosion from Daimon's room, and rushes there to find him in his...she's not really sure what his outfit is, pajamas? But, there had been one other visitor on that floor, and they rush to check on them, and find...I'm not sure; I can't tell if they were supposed to be alive or dead, in bed or upside-down on the wall. Maybe it'll make sense next issue; I wouldn't bet on it.