Lucifer Morningstar is a character who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is an adaptation of Lucifer—the fallen angel and devil of Christianity—and is one of the most powerful beings in the DC Universe. Though various versions of the Devil have been presented by DC Comics, this interpretation by Neil Gaiman debuted in The Sandman #4 in 1989. Lucifer appears primarily as a supporting character in The Sandman and as the protagonist of the spin-off Lucifer.
The spin-off series Lucifer (2000–2006) written by Mike Carey depicts his adventures on Earth, Heaven, and in the various other realms of his family's creations and in uncreated voids after abandoning Hell in The Sandman. Lucifer also appears as a supporting character in issues of The Spectre, and other DC Universe comics. Two angels, a human, and briefly Superman[1] have taken his place as ruler of Hell.
Lucifer made his live-action debut when Swedish actor Peter Stormare portrayed him in the film Constantine (2005), while an alternate version was portrayed by Welsh actor Tom Ellis in the Fox/Netflix series Lucifer (2016–2021) and the Arrowverse crossover "Crisis on Infinite Earths" (2019). English actress Gwendoline Christie portrays a third version of the character in the Netflix series The Sandman (2022–2025).
Fictional character biography
In the earlier related series The Sandman, written by Neil Gaiman, Lucifer abandoned his lordship over Hell. While Lucifer had previously appeared in various stereotypical guises in earlier DC Comics books, Gaiman's version was premised on the more heroic and morally grey incarnation present in English poet and prose writer John Milton's Paradise Lost. At Gaiman's request, the character was originally modeled after David Bowie at the time.[2]
In The Sandman, Lucifer is introduced as the Lord of Hell, having ruled for over ten billion years after rebelling three seconds against Creation. Over that time, he had led his defeated followers to Hell after they were cast out of Heaven, established dominance over the demons of Hell through manipulation, and fashioned his realm into a place of eternal torment to punish deceased sinners unworthy of entering Heaven.
However, at some point during his rule, Lucifer had grown weary of his existence. He became tired of the various stereotypes and prejudices that mortals held of the devil, such as the idea that he purchased or sought human souls (which was largely untrue), or that he forced mortals to commit evil acts. He was also fed up with having nothing to do in Hell and felt it an unfair punishment that he should remain there simply because he had rebelled once. In The Sandman story "
Powers and abilities
Lucifer is continuously described as a celestial being of incalculable power due to his dominion over the very substance and knowledge of the formation of Creation. Through this understanding, Lucifer can shape the matter and foundation of the creation into anything he can imagine, including matter, energy and more abstract concepts, such as time. He once shaped Big Bang energies released by the death of his brother Michael into a new universe.[10] In some ways, this makes him the most disadvantaged, though not the weakest, of the higher angelic host. He needs existing matter (and where that is unavailable, the Demiurgic power of the Archangel Michael or that of God Himself) to provide the foundation for him to shape. He may choose to temporarily abandon his powers, including his immortality. In the story titled "Lilith", it is logically implied that God could destroy him at His own whim, which makes Lucifer sometimes wonder why He has not dealt with him already. He is so dangerous and unpredictable that even Death does not apply to him. He is also able to draw out a human's deepest desires, but due to his belief in free will, allows them to choose whether or not they should act on them, even if they make the choice on an unconscious level. Lucifer always tells the truth, but much like other trickster deities and spirits, will sometimes conveniently omit key details to fool others into doing something wrong.
He is never without the formidable resources of his brilliant intellect and his unbending will or inner strength, which allowed him to defy and confront his Father, as well as many other formidable opponents, without fear or doubt. Although Lucifer's overt exercise of power is limited in the books, if he is provoked to violence, his preference seems to be to use fire and light as a weapon.
Other versions
- The Unofficial Guide to the DC Universe lists Lucifer as first having appeared in a dream in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #65 (1962).[11] He appears when Jimmy Olsen attempts to memorize a devil's food cake recipe with his alleged photographic memory and dreams that he is in France 300 years in the past. Putting on the clothing of a bandit who has ditched them, Jimmy is arrested and sent to rot in the Devil's Island penal colony. A bald man known as Lord L offers five years of freedom for people to escape in exchange for their souls. Convinced that the magic the man uses is technological in nature, assuming him to be an ancestor of Lex Luthor, he asks to be returned whence he came, believing Lord L will be long dead by then and unable to claim him. Lord L shows up at his front door, still bald but now with a goatee, and insists that he is Lucifer and has given him over 300 years extra, but will dine with him before taking him, but disappears when Jimmy serves him cake. Superman wakes Jimmy soon after and reveals that the card he memorized was really for angel food cake, and this is why Lucifer disappeared.
- In Weird Mystery Tales #4 (January–February 1973), a story by Jack Oleck and Ruben Yandoc depicts Lucifer, looking much like his present incarnation, save for a few panels in which he appeared as a more traditional
Reception
In 2010, IGN's named Lucifer as the 68th Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time.[13] Lucifer was ranked 38th by ComicsAlliance for their 50 sexiest male characters in comics.[14]
Collected editions
Paperback
Lucifer, including the Sandman Presents miniseries and the Lucifer: Nirvana one-shot, has been collected together into eleven trade paperbacks:
Reprint editions
Hardcover
Volume 2
In other media
Television
- Lucifer Morningstar appears in a self-titled TV series, portrayed by Tom Ellis.[20][21]
- Lucifer makes a cameo appearance in the Arrowverse crossover "Crisis on Infinite Earths", portrayed again by Tom Ellis.[22][23]
- Lucifer appears in The Sandman (2022), portrayed by Gwendoline Christie