Hades (DC)
Hades is a male comic deity who features in DC Comics.
Contents |
Biography
Pre-Crisis
King Pluto
He bore swiftly down on the radiant maiden Persephone who was unable to escape his clutches. King Pluto had become smitten by her beauty and refused to go alone back to the dismal depths of the underworld. With a mighty blow of his fork, he disappeared into the underworld after having successfully kidnapping Persephone with this tale being recorded in Greek myths. (Wonder Woman v1 #16)
In 1946, King Pluto came to earth and abducted Lorrie, one of the Holliday Girls, back to Pluto where he divided her physical form from her emotions, revealing that he uses his victims' "color selves" made up of their emotions and memories as an energy source while turning their empty bodies into his servants. Etta Candy took a rocketship with a handful of other Holliday Girls to Pluto in pursuit and the girls were aided in their rescue of their fellow by Wonder Woman. Wonder Woman brought a dynamo from earth to show Pluto a different way to generate power without abducting women. While he was glad to use it he attempted to destroy his current captives and the Holliday Girls in order to use their bodies as servants. (Wonder Woman v1 #16)
At some point, the Anti-Monitor came to claim the underworld for himself where he offered an alliance to Hades. The Olympian god of the dead came to consider this proposal leading to his wife Kore leaving his realm. This resulted in the Anti-Monitor claiming that this was a sign that she did not love him and that they should be allies where they would rule over all. Thus, Hades came to serve his new master whose power had now taken over the underworld and bade him to strike at the gods of Olympus. This saw the god of the dead approaching Ares where together they worked to imprison the other Olympians. Ares himself was unaware of Hades alliance with the Anti-Monitor and instead sought to conquer the abode of the gods for himself. (Wonder Woman v1 #329)
Post-Crisis
Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events. Hades
Hades later joined Princess Diana and the spirit of Diana Rockwell in order to add his own knowledge about the latter's history. It was said that Hippolyta looked to honor Diana Rockwell and ordered a full warrior's funeral, complete with armor designed after the pilot's "coat-of-arms", the American flag. A suit of the armor, along with the pilot's sidearm, would be sealed away until the Great Contest some forty years later. Such is the Amazon Princess's true heritage: to bear the mantle and name of Themyscira's most honored heroine. (Wonder Woman v2 #12)
Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades journey to the secret resting place of their father Cronus, King of the Titans. Over their father's corpse, the three Gods forge a pact towards the birth of a new Olympus. (Wonder Woman v2 #18)
Post-Flashpoint
Following the Flashpoint, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events. Hades
Overview
Personality and attributes
Powers and abilities
It was said that Hades possessed a kind of Phantom Vision that allowed the god of the dead to see ghosts, spirits or invisible beings. (Superboy v1 #173)
The Army of the Dead consisted of shades of legends and warriors whose names were hallowed in epic stories. Their ranks could not die through ordinary means even at the hands of great warriors and those foes slain by them were risen to join the ranks of the dead. (Wonder Woman v1 #329)
As king of Hades, he served as the ruler of the Kingdom of Darkness. Entry was achieved in the outer world near Avernus from where sulphurous vapours arose. This cave allowed entry into Pluto's Kingdom and it was there that an altar was located where sacrifices were made to the gods of Olympus. (Sensation Comics v1 #46) Within his realm there existed the following parts of his domain:
- Condemned City : said to be the heart of Pluto's kingdom. (Sensation Comics v1 #46)
- Asphodel Meadows :
- Cavern of Souls :
- Elysian Fields :
- River Acheron :
- River Cocytus :
- River Phlegethon :
- River Lethe :
- River Styx :
- Tartarus :
Notes
- Hades was created by William Moulton Marston where he made his first appearance Wonder Woman v1 #16 (1946).
Alternate Versions
- In Smallville Season 11 v1 #18 (2013), an alternate version of Hades appeared in the comic adaptation of the live-action television series.
- In Wonder Woman: Future State v1 (2021), an alternate version of Hades appeared in the possible future timeline of Future State. This version was a shadowy humanoid with red eyes and a crown who years in the future was disturbed by the arrival of Wonder Woman Yara Flor into the Underworld. Angered at the intrusion, he demanded to know why she had come to his domain where she petitioned for the release of her comrade Potira. Hades though dismissed her but was convinced by his wife Persephone to grant the Amazon's wish. He then gave her a set time to find her comrade before the sands in his sandglass ran out. Flor managed to find Potira thus winning the deal but this angered Hades who sent a wave of spiders after the Amazons. Yara Flor attempted to escape the Underworld with Potira but failed as her comrade became trapped by debris and left behind as a result.
In other media
Television
- In the DC Animated Universe, Hades made a number of appearances in the shared continuity setting.
- In Justice League, Hades appeared as an antagonist in the two-part animated series episode "Paradise Lost" where he was voiced by actor John Rhys-Davies. As one of the Olympian Gods, Hades was a powerful deity who had handsome features with long black hair, a dark goatee along with black/silver armor. Long ago, he was involved with the Amazon Queen Hippolyta with the pair being lovers. During the Titanomachy, he pledged his support with the Titans that were attempting to overthrow Zeus in exchange for dominion over Earth. The plot failed and Hades was banished to Tartarus for his crimes. The Amazons of Themyscira were charged with guarding the doorway to the underworld to ensure the now demonic Hades never escaped his prison.
- In Justice League Unlimited, Hades returned in an appearance in the animated episode "The Balance" actor Bob Joles. It was revealed that whilst with Hippolyta the two lovers crafted a female statue from clay. After Hades was banished, Zeus brought the statue to life where it became her daughter Diana with Hades indirectly being her father.
- In Smallville, Hades did not appear in the live-action series but was rather one of the aliases used by Darkseid.
Films
- In Wonder Woman, Hades appeared in the animated movie where he was voiced by actor Oliver Platt. This version was overweight and employed the spirits of the dead as personal servants.
Video games
- In DC Universe Online, Hades appeared in the setting of the MMORPG where he was voiced by actor Mike MacRea. He was the boss in the Throne of the Dead raid, appeared as an ally in the Raising Hades duo. Hades also appeared in the final cutscenes of the God of Monsters raid.
Appearances
- Wonder Woman v1: (1946)
- Wonder Woman v2:
- War of the Gods v1:
- Wonder Woman v4:
- Future State: Wonder Woman v1: (2021)
External Links
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