S.W. Manor

S.W. MANOR

Real Name: Stanley W. Manor

Class: Human magic-user

Occupation: Magician, businessman

Group Affiliation: None

Known Relatives: unnamed parents (deceased)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: L.A., California

First Appearance: Hellblazer #162 (July, 2001)

Powers: Manor had nearly unlimited wealth, and possessed some minor magic abilities.

History: (Hellblazer #173 (fb, BTS), 174 (fb, BTS)) - Manor's parents were murdered when he was young, and he became obsessed with the afterlife. He built a global manufacturing fortune, and collected items related to death, but he still felt empty inside. Outwardly he appeared to be a humanitarian, but he earned chunks of his money from drug trafficking and gun-running, and made a point to ruin the lives of anyone he could. His wealth made him untouchable, and even the President feared him after he manufactured a recession.

(Hellblazer #172 (fb)) - S.W. framed John Constantine, his former love, and now the man he hated the most, for murder, hiring "Lucky" Fermin to make sure Constantine held a gun before he committed suicide with it.

(Hellblazer #170-174) - Manor was a regular at L.A.'s adult clubs, desiring nothing less than the most extreme pain be inflicted on him. One night he saw John Constantine at the club, shocked that he'd survived the prison riot that supposedly killed him, and John gave him a kiss, thrilling and him and inciting his hatred. They started dating again, and Constantine presented him with a gift, dirt collected from Hell. He fulfilled Manor's greatest desire, using a flagellating ritual he summoned the shades of Manor's parents. They told Manor how disgusted they were by the man he'd become, and John left the traumatized Manor, laughing on his way out. He used his magic to talk to a bird that contacted Richie Fermin, who still blamed Constantine for the death of his brothers. Manor met John at the adult club, allowing Richie to pur the dirt from Hell on John, immolating him. Manor returned home, bleeding from lashes to his back, stared at his fake Clock of Rasputin, and shed a tear. After cleaning himself up he swore he saw John Constantine behind him. He had a fit, and made his assistant Fredo call Father Sean, a priest he had in his pocket. Sean met him in his Game Room that contained medical oddities, stuffed mounts, mummified bodies, and relics of Aztec civilization. All he wanted from Sean was to listen to his confession, and he went over his history with Constantine. He was going to sacrifice one of Sean's orphans to vampire bats, showing him the real reason he funded Sean's orphanage. Sean saved the boy, but was fatally wounded. Agent Turro, who'd been after Manor for a long time, arrived to arrest him for Constantine's murder. Manor fatally injured him, and the dying man said he saw Constantine. Manor wept for having murdered his true love, and committed suicide with a gun.

Comments: Created by Brian Azzarello & Guy Davis.