Major Story Arcs

David Kessler is engaged in the hippie ant-war movement in the 1960s. When that movement ends, he continues to try to do good by being a teacher for handicapped kids. Frustrated by the limits on how much good he could achieve, he goes on a trek for enlightenment in the Middle East.

There, he sees an angel, and is given divine power and a mission to spread the Word of God.

He starts healing people in the desert in Israel, and word spreads of his power. He gets a reputation as a Messiah. Cory Payne is among his converts.

However, Devil-Slayer is suspicious of the man who has entranced his wife, and gets the Defenders to investigate. They find that Kessler's healing powers are real--he cures Nighthawk's paralysis--but Daimon Hellstrom says that black magic can heal just like white magic. Kessler is enraged at the implications, and calls down an army of angels to prove his divine power.

The Defenders fight the angels. Dr. Strange realizes that Kessler has been fooled by demons, and is not evil himself. Instead, he has been possessed by Hyppokri, of the Six-Fingered Hand. Strange makes the angels' true appearance come through, revealing that they are all demons. Kessler can't handle the truth, and Hyppokri take him over. However, Kessler manages to fight him off, and kills himself on Devil-Slayer's sword rather than let the demons get a foothold on the world, letting his true goodness shine through in his final act.

Powers & Abilities

While possessed by Hyppokri, Kessler has able to heal people of major problems such as blindness and paralysis. He could summon demons and release magical energy bolts.