Real Name-- Esteban Corazon de Ablo (also known as Esteban Del Diablo)

Class-- magic user

Nationality-- Spanish

Affiliations-- Fantastic Four villain , liason to Gilded Lily , creator of the Primal Elementals and Dragon Man

Scale of Operations-- worldwide

Occupation-- alchemist

Powers-- Diablo's powers stem entirely form the huge arsenal of alchemical potions and pellets that he ahas discovered or concocted. His entire costume is lined with hidden pockets and pouches where he keeps his array of alchemical weapons. The diversity and extent of the effects of his alchemy at times seem magical in nature. Diablo's alchemy enables him to control or influence the molecules and elements in his own body, the bodies of others, or the environment itself.

Among the effect of his alchemy upon himself are the capacity to alter his appearance by making the flesh of his face and body pliable, and the capacity to change his human form into a blob of "nerveless protoplasm" thus protecting him from certain forms of harm. He also coats his mustache with a fast-healing Elixir of Rejuvenation to suck on.

Among the many alchemical mixtures giving him control ver others are a nerve gas pellet which causes paralysis, a sleeping potion, a potion permitting a dying person to resist death for a short time via cellular regeneration , a potion that renders a person inert by lowering his or her body temperature rapidly, and a pellet that makes a person susceptible to Diablo's hypnotic commands. In addition, he has demonstrated the ability to manipulate the emotions of others or to enhance their willpower.

Among the alchemical feats he can perform on non-organic matter a re temporary molecular transmutations such as stones into feathers, the molding of surface features to suit his whims, the generation of explosions equivalent to 50 pounds of TNT, the animation of inanimate matter, conversions of water into ice, and the creation and control of objects or beings composed of the ancient elements of fire, water, earth, and air.

Although the scope of Diablo's alchemical wizardry is wide, all of the feats are temporary in nature, lasting no more than several hours without repeated administrations. The only exceptions are the potion he used on Dragon Man to grant the robot rudimentary sentience, and his own longevity elixir, whose length of effectiveness is as yet unknown.

History-- Esteban Corazon de Ablo was born the son of a nobleman in early nineteenth century Spain. Curious and inventive by nature, the restless young man became fascinated with the ancient science of alchemy. Using funds borrowed from his inheritance. De Ablo began to roam Europe in search of documents and artifacts of ancient alchemy, as well as rare potions and herbs to experiment with. He also received aid from some forgotten, mysterious god from remote ages. Within a decade, he became the world's greatest living authority on the science, having discovered or concocted countless potions with bizarre properties.

Haughty and cunning, De Ablo began to put his alchemical knowledge to use for personal gain, becoming a ruthless tyrant and earning the name Diablo by those who suffered his lack of humanity. A group of saintly people, calling themselves the Order of the Deacons, rebelled against Diablo and forced him to flee from Spain and never to return.

Journeying to Transylvania, Diablo decided to settle there and set up permanent laboratory facilities. Under suspicious circumstances, Diablo acquired a spacious castle and began work. Although most of his potions had very transitory effects, Diablo discovered an elixir that could retard aging. Drinking it, he began a reign of terror over the surrounding Transylvanians for some time. He also met a new master, suggested to be Dracula himself, who showed him newer ways to improve his dark studies and may have turned him to a vampire. Soon, he became a notable master in the mysterious arts of scholomantics. During this time, he encountered and wooed the woman who later became known as Gilded Lily. Eventually, however, a mob of villagers led by one of the Order of Deacons revolted against his tyranny, catching the villain unaware and imprisoning him in a massive crypt.

Diablo remained trapped in the crypt until recent years, when he mesmerized the hero Thing (of the team Fantastic Four who were exploring the castle) and forced him to free him. Not having aged appreciably in his century of confinement, Diablo began to plot his alchemical conquests anew. The Fantastic Four defeated him, but he had returned on numerous occasions, most frequently opposed by the Fantastic Four. As Diablo found he could never return to Spain, he found in America the freedom he needed to continue to explore alchemy.

Early in his criminal career, Diablo was instrumental in creating the creature Dragon Man. Later, Diablo would often make vain promises to third world countries, including the Latin American Terre Verde and Tierra del Maiz, but his plans would be thwarted by costumed heroes (in the latter case, the Canadian team Alpha Flight). Another time, Diablo enhanced the misguided villain Darkoth the Death-Demon in order to defeat the Fantastic Four and their enemy Doctor Doom.

More recently, Diablo engaged in mystic ceremonies to allow the ancient deities of nature and spirit to reign again. As part of the ritual, he captured the Fantastic Four (and their ally, the Deaconess, the last of the Order, who hoped to banish Diablo once and for all), taking them to an extradimensional realm. The Four managed to escape, and the enthralled elemental demons that Diablo had used to capture the Four turned on him, trapping him and the Deaconess within the extradimensional realm.