Oblivion Bar

Oblivion Bar is a place that features in DC Comics.

History

Origin

The Oblivion Bar is "a place where all the magic types... can hang out and unwind without being bothered by the normals, or even the non-magical super crowd." It was "located in a tiny pocket dimension created by the overlap in a number of different universes," and has entrances in many places, including Atlanta, Georgia; New York; Gotham;[5] Metropolis; and New Orleans.[1] The Detroit entrance is in the back of a strip club.[6] Kid Devil has also used an entrance behind a Chinese restaurant in an unnamed city. These entrances are only visible to those with magic powers. Non-magical beings can only reach the Oblivion Bar by invitation — either by entering with someone magical or by carrying a book of matches with the "Oblivion" logo as a token of invitation and striking one. The doors drift from place to place over time, although they can be tracked and remain recognizable through magic.

It is not known how long the bar has existed. Detective Chimp (now a recovering alcoholic) has been living there for over 30 years. Jim Rook (Nightmaster) owned the bar from 2000–2007, but was not its first owner.[8] Rook found an entrance to the bar at the back of his shop, "The Oblivion Bookstore", which turns out to be in some of the bar's back rooms in the pocket universe in which it exists.[9][10] Whomer Boz was the landlord at that time, and he gave Rook a job as relief bartender. Jim then took over the bar when Whomer failed to return from one of his trips to another dimension (it transpires he was receiving treatment for a degenerative disease),[9] and employed Blue Devil as the Oblivion Bar bouncer.

Nightmaster and the Shadowpact team (including Blue Devil) disappear inside a blood bubble surrounding the town of Riverrock, Wyoming, and are presumed dead.[11] On their return a year later,[7] Nightmaster finds the bar open and being run by a telekinetic, Eddie "Flippy" Deacon. Deacon, who has flippers instead of hands and feet, was sold by his drug-addicted mother to a freak show when young, and later rescued by Batman from living rough after the carnival folded.[12] He then learned telekinesis, making him the perfect barman — he can "mix 23 cocktails at once while doing the laundry."[13] Eddie does not need a bouncer; he telepathically squeezes the throat of anyone causing trouble until they stop, as he demonstrates to the angel Zauriel and Blue Devil when they scrap in the bar.[14] He also refuses to return the bar to Jim Rook, citing that as the bar is in its own dimension, Earth laws on possession do not apply.

Before Eddie's time, there had been no trouble in the Oblivion Bar despite the disparate and motley crew of demons, monsters, magicians, and fairies that haunt it. It is rumoured that what happened to the last person to cause trouble in the Bar gave it its name. However, the bar is forced to close for a while when it is trashed by Eclipso and Mary Marvel,[15] although Shadowpact continue to use it as their base. Nightmaster eventually deeds the bar to Detective Chimp when he decides to stay in the Nightshade Dimension,[16] and Eddie is demoted to barman — as you do not argue with a chimp.

The Oblivion Bar is proud to be "the only known universe with its own happy hour" and has "internets access."[17] Even the phone works — though Eddie did not know it, it is powered by a magic stone from Gemworld and as long as you have the dimensional dialling code, you can dial anywhere. The bar also features a unique coatrack — Etrigan the Demon, who was turned to stone after Eli Stone, the Midnight Rider, shot him with his ghost guns when Etrigan invaded the bar looking for Blue Devil. He is likely to be there for some time, as the effect only wears off in daylight, which does not occur in the pocket dimension.[18] It also once contained a unique form of Kryptonite — Silver Kryptonite, in a box on the wall of the bar.

In their search to remove Kryptonite on Earth, Superman and Batman traced a sample of the substance to the Oblivion Bar. They then discovered that a mystical relic known as the Ach-om Rashay or Amulet of Mindfulness contained a core of Silver Kryptonite that came to Earth long ago. This had an effect on Superman who came to be exposed to the unique effects of the substance. (Superman/Batman v1 #46)

The Shadowpact sought to confront Mary Marvel when she became corrupted by the magic of Black Adam. However, she was accompanied by the Jean Loring Eclipso and instead attacked the team leading to the Shadowpact's defeat. (Countdown v1 #27)

Post-Flashpoint

Following the Flashpoint, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events. During Barbatos's attack on the mainstream Earth, the various heroes sought shelter at the Oblivion Bar as it was one of the few safe places in the world due to residing in a magical pocket dimension. (Dark Knights: Metal v1 #3)

In the aftermath, the Bar served as the gathering spot for various mystical heroes to pay their respect to the slain Nightmaster. (Justice League Dark v2 #5)

Overview

As such, it was a chronomaly as it was a place that existed outside normal space and time. (Superman/Batman v1 #46)

Notes

• The Oblivion Bar was created by Bill Willingham and Justiniano where it made its first appearance in Day of Vengeance v1 #1 (June, 2005).
• The Oblivion Bar was first presented in Day of Vengeance #1 (June 2005). Created by writer Bill Willingham and artist Justiniano, it was expanded upon by writer Matthew Sturges who took over writing the series from issue #17 (November 2007). Both featured the bar as an integral part of the Shadowpact comics title which ran for 25 issues from July 2006 through July 2008. All other appearances, such as in Superman/Batman #46 (April 2008) and Checkmate vol. 2, #9 (February 2007) have all been closely linked with members of Shadowpact's appearances in those titles, including a Christmas tale, "Christmas Spirits", in DCU Infinite Holiday Special (February 2007) featuring a Santa character, "Chris", and a reindeer in a humorous vignette.

Appearances

• Day of Vengeance v1:
• Shadowpact v1:
• Countdown v1:
• Superman/Batman v1:
• Dark Knights: Metal v1:
• Justice League Dark v2:

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