The 1970s were a spooky time for Marvel: Ghosts, monsters, and ghouls ran rampant in series like The Tomb of Dracula and Ghost Rider. Stan Lee wasn't content with merely gesturing towards the occult, however — he wanted to take it as far as possible. Thus, he conceived of a comic starring Satan, entitled The Mark of Satan. Yes, that Satan. Why go for the halfway mark when it comes to evil, right?
Though Lee wanted this new series to star Old Scratch himself, editor Roy Thomas had other ideas. Thomas convinced Lee that people wouldn't buy a comic featuring Satan as the main character, even if he was the villain. Instead, Thomas proposed the comic feature the son of Satan, who could fluctuate between his demonic powers and his life on Earth. Lee loved it, and so the Marvel bullpen set to work.
The son of Satan was given the completely unsubtle name Daimon Hellstrom, and made his debut in 1973's Ghost Rider #1. Hellstrom was born, and the fans fell in love.
