Eclipso
Eclipso is a male comic supervillain who features in DC Comics.
Contents |
Biography
Origin
Eclipso was an entity said to had been created by God to serve as his embodiment of wrath. In God's name, the spirit was responsible for swelling the Earth and blanketing it in water as a Great Flood. The only survivors of man were Noah and those that resided on his Ark. God was said to had forgiven mankind though Eclipso did not where he overreached himself causing him to be brought low a a result. Unyielding in his anger and pride, the spirit was banished to a prison that would last for the rest of time. To replace Eclipso, a new spirit of vengeance was crated with this becoming the Spectre. (Spectre v3 #14) Meanwhile, the Black Diamond containing Eclipso came to be mined on Apokolips millennia ago where Darkseid shaped it into the Heart of Darkness thus creating Eclipso. (Countdown to Mystery v1 #1)
Returning from the Dark Continent of Africa, the Heart of Darkness was brought to London in the year 1891. Whilst there, Judge Pendleton had the gem given to a jeweller who was tasked with fashioning it into a jewel with the idea that this would weaken the seal over it. The jeweller completed the task without him being aware of the truth behind the gem and provided the diamond to Pendelton. The judge then used the rage in his heart over the rape and murder of his wife to allow himself to summon Eclipso who proceeded to possess the man's body. Thus, the banishment spell was weakened allowing Eclipso to be brought forth from the dark side of the moon and be freed on Earth once again. However, he came to find the human's will to get revenge for the death of his wife to be strong and thus went about to fulfil this goal. On the streets of London, he went on a rampage where he killed numerous people whilst on the search for Josie Pendelton's killers. He would ultimately kill them and even the police constables that opposed him. As a result, he freed himself from the will of Judge Pendelton and was ready to use his host body to conquer the world. By this point though, the sun was rising with Eclipso not aware that it's light would banish him back to his prison on the Moon. Judge Pendelton was freed from Eclipso's possession but at a time when the police opened fire on the man for the damage he had caused thus killing the man. However, Eclipso had already possessed another human vessel in the form of Irene Adler who was within a room with the curtains closed thus allowing him to remain in control of her where he used this body to murder the King of Bohemia. (Eclipso v1 #7) Overcome by rage, she become possessed by Eclipso and kills the king. Godfrey Norton contacts Sherlock Holmes, seeking to exorcise Eclipso from his wife. Eclipso in his spouse's body arrives, killing Norton. Watson, holding another one of the diamonds, becomes possessed, and upon seeing Holmes attacked, bludgeons the possessed Irene Norton. In a confrontation in a church, Watson is freed from Eclipso's possession and Irene dies. Shortly thereafter judge Pendleton receives one of the Heart of Darkness diamonds as a gift. Holding it, he remembers how his wife Josie was killed brutally, the murderer never caught. The vengeance begins as Pendleton becomes possessed by Eclipso. Pendleton destroys a prison, but the sun rises, turning him back to a human whereupon he falls to his death. (Eclipso v1 #8)
Roughly one week after this, over 100 black diamonds had been sold. Zeke and Deke came after the man who had the diamonds cut and steal all but one, which was enough for the man to become eclipsed and hunt down the two thugs and kill them. Unfortunately for Eclipso, they had already sold the gems. The mysterious man who had the diamonds cut was revealed to be Henry Gordon, the time traveling son of Bruce Gordon and Mona Bennett, who, dazed by his time travel (he intended to stop Eclipso) became the one who freed Eclipso. (Eclipso v1 #10)
In response, the Justice Society sought to confront Black Adam in Kahndaq with their response being to attack the heroes. Alex Montez used the power of Eclipso in the battle but failed to notice a cut on his skin that severed one of the binding glyphs on his body. This allowed the demon to assert more control over Montez and in mad state he killed Soseh Mykros. It was only then that he realised that Eclipso was taking control over his body and in desperation Alex decided to throw himself off the building in an effort to kill himself. This was done to prevent Eclipso from taking over with the demon laughing madly as his former host was now deceased. (JSA v1 #58)
Once again Bruce Gordon, Eclipso set about his plan at taking over the world and gathered individuals with ties to shadows. This saw him corrupt such people that included the Shade, Nightshade, Acrata, the Shadow Thief, Bete-Noir and Daniel-Crow-Brings-Darkness. (Justice League of America v2 #54) He then looked to shatter the Moon and drew out the Spectre in order to defeat him with this all being part of Eclipso's plan to conquer Earth. This was in an effort usurp control of the planet through which God channelled His influence into the universe. This brought him into conflict with the Justice League where they had to battle a number of heroes that fell under Eclipso's influence. Despite the villains plans, he was defeated when the heroes channelled their light attacks against him thus vanquishing him and leading to Bruce Gordon being restored to his body. (Justice League of America v2 #59)
Post-Flashpoint
Following the Flashpoint, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events.
Overview
Personality and attributes
He claimed that every time man had committed murder that he was there. Similarly, wherever paid was inflicted or rage was sated then one could find Eclipso there. (Eclipso v1 #7)
Powers and abilities
Originally, it was said that Eclipso was the embodiment of God's Wrath. (Spectre v3 #14)
Within a host body, he was able to make them invulnerable to gunfire. (Eclipso v1 #7)
The black gems were powerful items with them capable of generating a solid beam of invisible force after holding them before his naked eye. (Eclipso v1 #7)
Notes
- Eclipso was created by Bob Haney and Lee Elias where he made his first appearance in House of Secrets v1 #61 (August, 1963).
Alternate Versions
In other media
Television
- In Justice League, Eclipso appeared as an antagonist in the animated television series set in the DC Animated Universe in the episode "Eclipsed" though was not named in the episode. The character had a different backstory within the setting as he was the embodiment of the collective souls of a race of evil serpent men called the Ophidians. Long ago, this race were enemies until they were imprisoned in the black diamond known as the Heart of Darkness that was guarded by a line of protectors to prevent its release into the world.
- In Constantine, the Black Diamond appeared in the setting of the live-action television series in the episode "Angels and Ministers of Grace".
- In Stargirl, Eclipso appeared in the setting of the live-action television series where he was voiced by an uncredited voice actor in season 1 whilst he was portrayed by actors Jason Davis and Nick E. Tarabay in season 2. This version of Gordon was a former archaeologist who found the Black Diamond on Devil Island and eventually allowed Eclipso to take full control of his body. After killing Charles McNider's daughter, Rebecca, Eclipso ran afoul of the original Justice Society of America (JSA) before Starman killed Gordon and imprisoned Eclipso in the Black Diamond, which the heroes contained in their headquarters until the Injustice Society of America (ISA) attacked them and the Wizard claimed the Black Diamond.
Films
- In Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, Eclipso made a cameo appearance in the setting of the animated film adaptation.
Video games
- In DC Universe Online, Eclipso appeared as an antagonist in the setting of the MMORPG where he was voiced by actor Jason Liebrecht.
Appearances
- House of Secrets v1: (1963)
- Eclipso:
- JSA v1:
- Justice League of America v2:
- Justice League Dark v1:
External Links
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