Bring on the Bad Guys: Red Skull #1 Preview
Red Skull's Broken Pact: When Marvel's Devil Demands Payment
In the shadowy corners of the Marvel universe, a dangerous transaction unfolds between two legendary villains. The latest preview of "Bring on the Bad Guys: Red Skull" reveals a tense confrontation with cosmic consequences. Deep within a clandestine Nazi research compound in 1945 Brandenburg, the notorious Red Skull stands convinced he's satisfied his unholy contract with the hell-lord Mephisto. Yet pacts forged in the supernatural realm seldom resolve as mortals anticipate.
The Devil's Bargain
Surveying Reinhard Kramer's body at the Nazi facility, Red Skull is certain his demonic obligation has been satisfied. He'd struck a deal with the Lord of Hell to capture Kramer's soul using an enchanted dagger - payment for undisclosed services from the demon. Physical evidence appears conclusive: Kramer's body lies motionless, his blood staining the ritual blade. But supernatural entities deal in metaphysical currency.
Mephisto materializes, immediately recognizing the critical failure. Despite the physical death, Kramer's soul remains unclaimed. The demon lord confronts Red Skull with icy precision, highlighting the distinction between taking a life and capturing an essence. This oversight threatens their entire arrangement and exposes the limitations of human understanding when trafficking with hellish forces.
Soul Forge Implications
This botched transaction carries greater significance than personal failure. As revealed in the preview, Mephisto and his disciple Sister Sorrow seek to activate the ancient Soul Forge - an artifact capable of dominating every soul on Earth. Their scheme requires specific souls tied to the occult Lords of Darkness lineage. Kramer's escaped spirit represents both a practical obstacle and symbolic warning about manipulating forces beyond mortal comprehension.
Mephisto's Gambit
The demon prince operates on an infernal timescale. His recruitment of Marvel's most notorious villains throughout history suggests meticulous, multi-layered scheming. Red Skull appears to be just one piece in a grander design. Mephisto's visible frustration at this failure indicates how crucial each component is to his apocalyptic vision. The preview hints that other villains may be entangled in similar soul-collection missions across different eras.
Eldritch History Resurfaces
Backstory panels reveal this conflict's ancient roots. Centuries earlier, the original Lords of Darkness attempted to dominate mankind using five enchanted daggers in a ritual that ended in betrayal and slaughter. Now these artifacts resurface in modern conflicts, their power undiminished. The connection between Kramer's failed capture and this forgotten order suggests hidden magical lineages that could threaten reality itself if exploited by Mephisto.
This preview sets up a compelling dynamic: a frustrated demon lord, a confused but dangerous human ally, and a missing soul that holds apocalyptic significance. The creative team masterfully blends historical settings with supernatural stakes, suggesting that Red Skull's usual political machinations have dragged him into a realm far beyond his expertise. As Mephisto's plan advances, readers are left wondering whether Kramer's soul escaped through happenstance, magical intervention, or something more profound - and what consequences this failure will unleash upon the Marvel Universe.