Siniestro Total use Griffin's life as a means to chronicle both the evolution of blues during the 20th century and "the recent history of the United States, with all of its wonders and all of its atrocities".

As a young boy, Griffin was fascinated by the blues music played by itinerant bands, to the extent that the devil (which in this story adopts the name of Nick LeFreak) offers him a deal: eternal life and extraordinary musicianship in exchange for devoting his existence to spread blues (the devil's music, according to tradition) throughout the nation.

He spends a large portion of his life criss-crossing the United States in a desperate flight from LeFreak, and always producing new music with different bands wherever he goes.

In a final confrontation in New York City in 1999, Griffin manages to shoot LeFreak to death, but is arrested and sentenced to die in the electric chair.

He also realizes that the path he has taken in his travels traces a cross over the map of the United States, a sign that his life and death had been preordained, and that he is only a pawn in the struggle between Good and Evil.