The idea of making a deal with the Devil has appeared many times in works of popular culture. These pacts with the Devil can be found in many genres, including: books, music, comics, theater, movies, TV shows and games. When it comes to making a contract with the Devil, they all share the same prevailing desire, a mortal wants some worldly good for their own selfish gain, but in exchange, they must give up their soul for eternity.
Generally, when Satan is depicted in these works, he is represented as a red-skinned man with horns or pointed ears on his head, hooves or bird-legs, a forked tail or one with a stinger, and a pitchfork. When trying to blend in or deceive somebody, often he is represented as a plain human being, and, in some instances, only his voice is heard.
The theme enjoyed a long run of popularity in the 20th century. At one point Anthony Boucher, editor of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, "reported that fully 50 percent of his unsolicited submissions consisted of deal-with-the-devil stories or 'formalities of the hereafter', which as often as not involved the Devil".
In print Novels and short stories Auriol: or, The Elixir of Life by William Harrison Ainsworth "Bearskin", fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm, in which a man gains a fortune and a bride by entering into a pact with the devil. "The Bet", by Anton Chekhov The Black Spider (Die Schwarze Spinne; 1842), novella by Jeremias Gotthelf, (1842) "Choosing a Game", flash fiction story by Karl Johanson. A man must win a game of his choosing against the Devil, but the Devil gets the first move. The Demon Pope (1888), Madam Lucifer, short stories at Wikisource by Richard Garnett "The Devil and Daniel Webster", short story based on the Washington Irving story; by Stephen Vincent Benét "The Devil and Tom Walker" by Washington Irving, (1824) The Devil's Elixir, novel by E. T. A. Hoffmann, (1815) The Devil in Love, novel by Jacques Cazotte, (1772) The Devil in Velvet by John Dickson Carr, a deal with the devil allows the protagonist to travel back in time in order to solve a crime. The Devil to Pay in the Backlands, novel by Guimarães Rosa The Devil Upon Two Sticks (1707), novel by Alain-René Lesage Enoch Soames, by Max Beerbohm Faust, by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, (1808) "Gimmicks Three", by Isaac Asimov That Hell-Bound Train, by Robert Bloch Jack Faust, novel by Michael Swanwick Light From Uncommon Stars, novel by Ryka Aoki The Master and Margarita, novel by Mikhail Bulgakov Memnoch the Devil, by Anne Rice Melmoth the Wanderer, novel by Charles Maturin Mephisto, novel by Klaus Mann The Monk, novel by Matthew Gregory Lewis, (1796) Perelandra by C.S. Lewis, Professor Weston offers his soul to Satan for free, without asking for any return - with very terrible results Peter Schlemiel by Adelbert von Chamisso The Picture of Dorian Gray, novel by Oscar Wilde Dorian Gray vocally offers his soul in exchange for eternal youth so that a painting will age for him. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, Rachel sells her soul to the devil to get out of the Congo. Rosemary's Baby, novel by Ira Levin "Sir Dominick's Bargain" (1872), short story by Sheridan Le Fanu "Sold to Satan" by Mark Twain. Sparrow Hill Road and the related InCryptid series by Seanan McGuire, the crossroads itself is a malevolent deal-making entity. "St. John's Eve", short story by Nikolai Gogol Theophilus of Adana, a saint who made a deal with the devil, predates the Faust legend and is a likely partial inspiration. Timm Thaler, 1962 children's novel by German author James Krüss The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus, by Christopher Marlowe, (1592) The Unfortunate Fursey and The Return of Fursey, novels by Mervyn Wall. Vathek, novel by William Beckford, (1786)Rottensteiner, Franz, The Fantasy Book: An Illustrated History from Dracula to Tolkien. Collier Books, 1978, (pp. 20-21). The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant, novel by Douglass Wallop, Joe Boyd sells his soul to the Devil. "Young Goodman Brown", short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne Poems Pani Twardowska, poem by Adam Mickiewicz, in Polish folklore and literature, is a sorcerer who made a deal with the devil.
Comic books Baron Mordo, story line in Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme (1988) #5. the Black Panther, story line in Black Panther (1988) #3. Cynthia von Doom, Mephisto helped Cynthia get revenge against her oppressors. Death Note manga by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata; Light Yagami makes a pact with a Shinigami. Demon Candy: Parallel, an original English-language manga by Lord Dragon Master, Jonathan is tricked into selling his soul for a Klondike bar. Doctor Strange, story line in Doctor Strange: Damnation. Faust (2021) by and Jan Krauß the Ghost Rider, story line beginning in Marvel Spotlight (1971) #5. John Constantine, Hellblazer story line Dangerous Habits: John Constantine cons the Lords of Hell into curing his lung cancer. Kuroshitsuji or Black Butler, manga by Yana Toboso Loki, story line in Siege: Loki (2010) #1. Magik's son was born in between multiple dimensions; to keep him safe, Magik made a deal with Mephisto. Magma, storyline in New Mutants (vol. 3) #30. Me and the Devil Blues, a manga series by Akira Hiramoto, tells a fictionalized story of blues musician Robert Johnson making a deal with the devil in exchange for musical talent. the Scarlet Witch, Wanda once used Mephisto's soul to create two children for herself. the Silver Surfer, Mephisto tempts the Surfer with his heart's greatest desires. Spider-Man, story line in One More Day, The Amazing Spider-Man (1999) #544. Spider-Man makes a deal with Mephisto to save his dying Aunt May in exchange for erasing his marriage to Mary Jane Watson from history. Susan Storm, story line in Give the Devil His Due. Team Fortress 2 comics, The Naked and the Dead X-23, the Red Hulk, the Ghost Rider and Venom, story line in Venom (2011) #13.
In film
American Satan (2017): An aspiring rock band who all drop out of college and move to Los Angeles to try to become famous. Angel Heart (1987): The Devil tries to claim the soul he was promised by a man whose attempt to escape his deal resulted in him losing his memory. Angel on My Shoulder (1946). "Nick" offers gangster Eddie Kagle, freshly arrived in Hell, the opportunity to get revenge on his killer in exchange for taking the place of an honest judge (who looks exactly like Eddie) and discrediting him. However, things do not turn out the way Nick wants. Bedazzled (1967): The main character exchanges his soul for seven wishes, each of which leads to disaster, only for him to escape the deal when the Devil spares him out of pity. Bedazzled (2000), a remake of the aforementioned 1967 original, the main character making a different set of wishes that end when he uses his seventh and final wish to make an unselfish wish that negates his deal. Belladonna (1973), a film inspired by 19th century perceptions of medieval witchcraft; centres on a woman's pact with the Devil. Constantine (2004): Having informed Satan of his son's attempted coup of Hell, John Constantine asks Satan to repay their debt by releasing Isabel, the twin sister of Constantine's ally Angela, rather than simply asking Satan to bring him back to life. Satan's desire for Constantine's soul is thwarted by the realization that Constantine's self-sacrifice has earned him a place in Heaven, prompting Satan to allow Constantine's resurrection so that Constantine can have another chance to fall. Crossroads (1986): A young man attempts to investigate Robert Johnson's legend. Damn Yankees (1958): Middle-aged real estate agent and Senators fan sells soul to the Devil in return for becoming a star baseball player. The Day of the Beast (1995): A priest attempts to sell his soul to the Devil so that he can be there for the birth of the Antichrist so he can kill him. The Devil's Advocate (1997): A Florida attorney begins working for a law firm that is run by the Devil. The Devil and Max Devlin (1981): A crooked landlord, now deceased and in Hell, is offered redemption by the Devil if he succeeds in getting three others to forfeit their souls in exchange for his own. End of Days (1999): Satan offers to bring back the murdered family of ex-police officer Jericho Cane in exchange for information on a woman he is looking for. Faust (1994): Mixed live-action and animation, directed by Czech surrealist Jan Švankmajer. Faust: Love of the Damned (2000): A man sells his soul in order to get revenge on his girlfriend's killers, only to be turned into a demon in exchange. Ghost Rider (2007): Johnny Blaze sells his soul to the interdimensional demon Mephisto to cure his father's cancer. As with Faust, Mephisto takes liberties with his end of the bargain. Blaze's father survives his cancer, but dies in a stunt accident shortly afterward. Heartless (2009): Jamie Morgan makes a deal with Pappa B to have his birthmarks removed and to live a normal life; in return he is suddenly informed that the terms of the deal can change whenever Pappa B wishes it. H-E Double Hockey Sticks (1999): A demon-in-training convinces a rising hockey star to sell him his soul for the Stanley Cup. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009): Doctor Parnassus, a prominent storyteller, makes a deal with the Devil that allows him to keep telling his stories, unaware that the world will lose interest in his narrative style. The Mephisto Waltz (1971): People transfer their personalities from one body to another with Satan's help, each such change "paid for" by committing a murder. Needful Things (1993), based on Stephen King's 1991 novel of the same name. O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000): A trio of chain gang escapees in Depression-era Mississippi encounter a black youth named Tommy Johnson, who claims to have sold his soul to the Devil in exchange for being able to play the guitar. Pact with the Devil (2004): A modern retelling of the Oscar Wilde novel The Picture of Dorian Gray. The Phantom of the Opera (1989): Erik Destler makes a deal by selling his soul to the Devil in exchange for the world loving him for his music, but the deal comes with a price: a hideously disfigured face. Phantom of the Paradise (1974): Swan makes a pact with the Devil to remain youthful forever, with photos aging and festering in his place. Poor Devil (1973), a TV movie about a minor devil (Sammy Davis Jr.) trying to get the soul of a department store worker (Jack Klugman) on orders from Lucifer (Christopher Lee). Rosemary's Baby (1968): Guy Woodhouse offers his wife Rosemary to the Devil for wealth and success, resulting in the birth of the Antichrist. Satan Triumphant (, translit. Satana likuyushchiy) (1917) Pastor Talnoх urges the flock to fight temptations, but he falls victim to temptation himself. Satan appears, pushing him to theft and a spiritual fall. Shortcut to Happiness (2007): A modern film adaptation of the short story "The Devil and Daniel Webster". Sleepy Hollow (1999): Lady van Tassel pledges her soul to Satan and becomes a witch. At the film's climax, the Headless Horseman takes her into the Underworld to fulfill her end of the deal. Spawn (1997): A military soldier/assassin named Al Simmons sells his soul to the demon warlord Malebolgia to become his eternal servant and leader of his army in Armageddon, in order to return to Earth to see his beloved fiancé, Wanda Blake. The Temptation of Barbizon () Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny (2006): A rock group quests for a guitar pick that was once a tooth belonging to Satan, and which it is implied that all rock legends used to achieve their legendary status. The Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation of Toxie (1989): The Toxic Avenger makes a deal with the Devil in order to get money for the eye operation for his blind girlfriend, Claire.