Illustrated by: Scova
The Mane
"The Fancymen"
Paul Ianello began balding at a young age. After fruitlessly trying numerous pills, creams, and surgical treatments, Paul turned to the occult. He traveled around the world, meeting with masters of the dark arts in an attempt to regrow his hair practically bankrupting his father, a barber in Brooklyn, NY. Paul's father, who enjoyed a luscious, full head of hair well into his 60's, constantly mocked his son for his baldness. Somewhere in the deep jungles of South America, Paul met a witch doctor who cursed him with the Ancient Demon of the Mane- Ry'ar et Fel. The demon caused thick hair to grow like appendages from every follicle in Paul's body, able to form into whatever object he chooses, change density, even form a cutting edge. He returned to his father's barber shop with a full head of hair and his father praised it a miracle, but the demon fed off Paul's anger and resentment for his father and killed him. After a brief rampage through the city Paul managed to gain control and yelled out for a priest. There was an exorcism, successfully separating Paul from the demon, but he retained the demon's powers. Left with a shadow over his soul he fights to redeem himself after being so vain that his father paid the price.