Zé do Caixão

Coffin Joe is the English equivalent of Zé do Caixão. José Mojica Marins created the character in 1963 for the film At Midnight I'll Take Your Soul. The character went on to appear in many more films and as it gained popularity, the Coffin Joe persona appeared in television programs, songs, music videos and comic books. Although rarely mentioned in the films, Coffin Joe's true name is Josefel Zanatas. Coffin Joe wears a black suit, a cape and a top hat. His most notable features are his grotesquely long, curled fingernails. Marins grew his fingernails several inches long for the role, always wearing them in public in the style of the character. Coffin Joe is an evil, amoral character who considers himself superior to others and exploits them to suit his purposes. He hates morality and superstition (which he includes religion as) to the point of obsession. His central belief is that (self) imposed superstitious beliefs tend to prevent individual development, inhibit positive social change. Those who do not accept his central belief are considered to be weak, lack power, and limited in their ability to rationalize objectively. Those who share with him similar beliefs are considered to have power and intelligence above the 'normal' person.