Belial is an Archduke of Hell.
History[]
Belial became one of Lucifer Morningstar's co-rulers in Hell; part of the triumvirate formed with Lucifer and Beelzebub after a civil war in Hell destabilized the realm.
At the time John Constantine visited Hell, Belial was still part of the Triumvirate. He was succeeded by Azazel in the Triumvirate by the timeMorpheus visits in 1989.[1]
Behind the Scenes[]
- Belial is based on a figure from Judaeo-Christian myth, Belial, also referred to as Beliar, a demon. The name means "worthless" in Hebrew, and later came to represent the personification of the devil.
- Belial first appeared in DC Comics' World's Finest #269, where he is established as the father of Etrigan.
- The story line regarding Belial with the Triumvirate was established in other DC Comics, such as Swamp Thing. However, when Gaiman used that concept, his research showed that the names "Belial" and "Beelzebub" often describe the same entity, so he swapped this demon for Azazel. Other comics continued to use Belial, which can be explained by frequent infighting within the Triumvirate that might have led to members switching.