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> Specials & Miscellaneous > Post Crisis > War Of The Gods #1
Book Title |
War Of The Gods |
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Issue Number: |
1 |
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Published: |
September 1991 |
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Cover Artists: |
George Perez |
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Writer: |
George Perez |
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Pencils: |
George Perez |
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Inker: |
Cynthia Martin |
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Letterer: |
Albert De Guzman |
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Colourist: |
Gene D'Angelo |
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Editor: |
Karen Berger, Tom Peyer |
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Story Title: |
Hellfire's Web |
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Comments: |
This is issue one of a four part crossover event written by George perez, who
at that time was also responsible for resurrecting and re-inventing Wonder Woman
after her "death" at the end of "Crisis on Infinite Earths".
The villain of the story is Circe and Diana herself features very prominently
in both this crossover and several other DC titles at that time. In fact, this
is the only crossover to date that can be classed as a Wonder Woman
crossover event and was intrinsic to the storyline in the main "Wonder
Woman" title, as well as tying up several loose end plot lines that had
been cleverly woven into the book over the prior months.
This issue is a companion to "Wonder Woman" #58,
whose events mirror and compliment those depicted in this title.
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Summary: |
Harmonia is summoned by the Fates once more and is told about the plans of
the Witch Circe, who has allied herself with a group of Bana Mighdall Amazons
living in the Amazon jungle. Circe has been collecting numerous ancient artifacts
under the direction of Dr. Konrad Kaslak. She intends to create a spell summoning
Gods from other pantheons in order to wage war against the Olympians. Eris and
Phobos are also in league with the Witch and as Harmonia tries to locate her
father, Ares, in order to speak with him, they plot their father's downfall
behind her back.
Meanwhile
on Themyscira, the Amazons debate recent events and Ipthime in particular demands
that they act to defend themselves. Euboea reminds her that the weaponry in
Man's World is too much for them to take on and Ipthime says that they Diana
has the power to protect them. Having already lost their Queen and their Captain,
she asks Wonder Woman how many others must be sacrificed before she takes action
- especially as they had only opened their shores to Man's World on her
request!
Pythia suggests that mystical forces must be responsible for everything suddenly
going so wrong so quickly but Ipthime is not convinced, especially as the Gods
have been damning by their absence. Suddenly Menalippe appears and that the
Gods have not abandoned them! As if in confirmation Hermes and Heracles appear
before the shocked Amazons. Wonder Woman asks Hermes why he had suddenly disappeared
after the Dr. Psycho incident and after all that has happened. Heracles tells
Wonder Woman that she is to be summoned to New Olympus for an audience with
the Gods and before she can protest is whisked away by the Messenger God, leaving
Heracles to remain among the bewildered Amazons.
Arriving at New olympus, Wonder Woman asks why the Gods have taken so long to
respond to her prayers. She is told that their silence was not of their choosing
and it has taken all of their combined power to summon her here. Although the
Gods new home is magnificent, there is a malignancy that courses through its
veins. No communication in or out was possible and it took Zeus most of his
power to enable Hermes to return to Earth. The Father of the Gods now lies in
a coma and a grim figure hovers over him silently. As Wonder Woman recognises
Pariah from her dreams she hears a scream of agony and looks up in horror to
see Donna Troy, otherwise knoan as the heroine Troia, suspended above New Olympus,
surrounded by coils of energy. The Gods explain that Troia had simply appeared
just after Hermes return to Olympus and even the Gods cannot breach the nimbus
that surrounds the girl.
Meanwhile, as per her instructions from the Fates, Harmonia makes her way to
Olympus via the river Styx on a boat steered by Charon the ferryman. She sees
Hades waiting at the shoreline to greet her but as she draws near realises it
is not Hades at all. As she shouts a warning though Charon uses his staff to
smash her with cosmic energy, sending her lifeless body toppling into the water!
Across the globe Super heroes begin finding their powers behaving wildly as
Circe continues to prepare her spell...
In the gloomy depths of the River Styx Harmonia finds herself floating into
the arms of Halciber Filius, the Son of the Roman God Vulcan. He saves her and
once back on the shore explains that she must understand the differences between
Roman and Olympian Gods if they are to work together. He tells the puzzled Goddess
that he knows that is happening here and had tried to stop it. His Gods had
desired a human champion but when he had proved uncooperative they had chosen
another.
Back on New Olympus Persephone, daughter of Demeter, betrays the Olympians by
leading the Roman Gods to it, headed by Pluto. The Roman God of the underworld
announces that they are here to reclaim Olympus for themselves! As the Greek
Gods prepare to defend their home Wonder Woman tries to reason with Jupiter,
who demand she faces him in combat. But Pluto reminds him to stick to the plan
and that just as the Olympians have their own champion, the Roman Gods have
theirs. With that Captain Marvel materialises and the skies suddenly
become wild with lightning. As chaos reigns Zeus emerges from his sick bed decked
out in warrior amour and challenges Jupiter to a fight to the death! Jupiter
replies that he is pleased to see the Olympians are going to make a fight of
this as he had feared the "sorceress would be right that this takeover
would be too easy!". Wonder Woman realises he is referring to Circe but
before she can intervene Captain Marvel attacks her!
Back on Earth Circe completes her spell and sends forth tendrils of energy across
the entire planet. As Earthquakes and storms rip across the world the people
think that the end has come! Satisfied, Circe leaves the altar of Hectate as
Dr. Kaslak, who has been watching from the shadows, steps forward, pleased that
his own secret plan is underway and hoping Circe does not realise what he has
done! But he is stopped in his tracks by the Amazon Pythia, who demands to know
where Julia Kapatelis is being held.
Meanwhile
on Olympus the battle continues to rage and Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel
go toe to toe. The Amazon Princess continues to try and reason with him, saying
that the whole universe will be destroyed by this madness but he seems possessed
and does not listen. She realises that his power is immense and she cannot simply
stay on the defense as there is too much at stake. She begins to fight back,
even if it is to the death! Zeus and Jupiter watch as Wonder Woman and Captain
marvel fly towards each other and disappear in a burst of energy as a lightning
bolt strikes!! Zeus demands to know why Jupiter has killed the two champions
but a bewildered Roman God replies that it had not been his lighting
bolt that had apparently vapourised the two combatants. They both then hear
Halciber Filius explain that he had torn a hole in the fabric of Olympus so
that Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel could pass through it, thus removing them
from Jupiter's influence!
In the Chaos Portal dividing Themyscira and Patriarch's World, Diana and her
opponent find themselves tumbling through the void. A blast of energy narrowly
misses them and they turn to see Hermes and Mercury in combat with each other!
Mercury orders Captain Marvel to destroy Hermes but he hesitates, seeming confused.
Wonder Woman sees her chance and wraps her magic lasso around Captain Marvel.
In one flashing, terrible moment even the unstable essence of chaos is torn
apart by forces beyond description. The Amazon Princess knows she is in some
inexplicable way responsible, together with the convulsing form of one of Earth's
mightiest mortals! She sees images of tortured spirits whirling around Captain
Marvel, wailing. She recognises one of the voices but before she can respond
Hermes uses the distraction to blast Mercury and the resulting shockwave sends
Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel flying off in opposite directions through holes
in Chaos' firmament! Wonder Woman lands back on Earth while Captain marvel is
flung far out into the reaches of the Universe, only to crash land in the middle
of an Alien Bar frequented by Lobo!
To be continued...
