El Diablo: Bio, Origin & History

Real Name: Lazarus Lane, Rafael Sandoval, and Chato Santana

First Appearance: All Star Western #2 (November, 1970)

Powers: Pyrokinesis

Affiliation: Suicide Squad

Enemies: Prison Riots

Did You Know: Chato has a supernatural horse named Sombra

A Little History

The story of El Diablo begins in the wild west. In this story, the viewer watches as a masked figure appears ready to fight a group of bandits who have stolen a stagecoach. With his reputation well known, the mere sight of him scared away the bandits.

As he approached and opened the stagecoach, he learned that its passengers were a doctor and a pregnant woman. For personal reasons, the doctor was unwilling to help the woman. Another passenger in the stagecoach said that she could help with the delivery and did exactly that.

With the robbery thwarted and the mother and child safe, El Diablo brought them to town and quickly disappeared.

In 1989, this version of El Diablo was replaced with a newer and more up-to-date version. We are introduced to a boy named Rafael Sandoval who is shown listening to his father’s stories of the Devil coming down and giving criminals what they deserved.

Shortly thereafter, Rafael’s father was killed in a work-safety accident. Unfortunately, the owner of the company went without punishment. Rafael was taken in by a priest and taught how to box. Eventually, he grew up and attended college with the purpose of becoming a lawyer.

Upon returning home, Rafael was elected to the city council. As he learned, the politics of the town prevented him from making a real difference. Unable to unearth the cause of a string of fires, Rafael took to wearing a costume and renamed himself El Diablo. Under his new visage, he caught the perpetrators and spent his life helping those most in need.

Even with Rafael was running around as El Diablo, the original El Diablo, Lazarus Lane was still around. It turns out that Lane was struck by a bolt of lightning and raised from the dead by an Indian shaman. At this moment, he was possessed by a demon whose mission was to exact justice on the world.

Jumping to the modern day, Lazarus Lane shows up in the hospital laying next to gang member, Chato Santana.

Fearing that they would be turned in, Chato’s gang appeared in the hospital up looking to kill him. As he lay fighting for his life, Chato found himself in the spirit world face-to-face with El Diablo. In order to escape death, he agreed to take the place of Lane as the new El Diablo.

Liked this article? Join the community on Reddit for the latest Marvel & DC news!