Gods (DC Comics)
Encyclopedia
Various divine
characters have appeared in DC Comics
publications over the years. This includes figures from actual mythologies
and religions, as well as completely original ones.
Divinity
Divinity and divine are broadly applied but loosely defined terms, used variously within different faiths and belief systems — and even by different individuals within a given faith — to refer to some transcendent or transcendental power or deity, or its attributes or manifestations in...
characters have appeared in DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
publications over the years. This includes figures from actual mythologies
Mythologies
Mythologies is a book by Roland Barthes, published in 1957. It is a collection of essays taken from Les Lettres nouvelles, examining the tendency of contemporary social value systems to create modern myths...
and religions, as well as completely original ones.
Terrestrial
- The African Gods known as Orishas, are a pantheon of African elemental deities represented by the hotheaded thunder god Shango.
- The Atlantean gods worshipped by ancient AtlanteansHomo MagiHomo magi is a fictional sub-race of magic-using humans in the . The Homo magi first appeared in Justice League of America #164 , and were created by Gerry Conway and Dick Dillin.-Publication history:...
were Lords of Chaos and OrderLords of Chaos and OrderThe Lords of Chaos and Lords of Order are complementary groups of supernatural entities with godlike powers that appear in DC Comics. They have also been retconned into the histories of Amethyst, Doctor Fate, Kid Eternity, the Phantom Stranger, Shazam and Hawk and Dove...
named Chaon (chaos), Gemimn (order), Tynan the balancer, and Deedra. As seen in the series Arion, Lord of AtlantisArion (comics)Arion is a fictional sword and sorcery hero published by DC Comics. He debuted in Warlord #55 , and was created by Paul Kupperberg and Jan Duursema.-Publication history:...
. - The Egyptian gods, through Shazam, granted Black AdamBlack AdamBlack Adam is a fictional comic book character, created in 1945 by Otto Binder & C. C. Beck for Fawcett Comics. Originally created as a one-shot villain for Fawcett Comics' Marvel Family team of superheroes, Black Adam was revived as a recurring supervillain after DC Comics began publishing Captain...
his powers. Several other DC characters, such as HawkmanHawkmanHawkman is a fictional superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, the original Hawkman first appeared in Flash Comics #1, published by All-American Publications in 1940....
, are connected (directly or indirectly) to the Egyptian deities. - The wizard ShazamShazam (comics)Shazam is a comic book character created by Bill Parker and C. C. Beck for Fawcett Comics. He is an ancient sorcerer who gives young Billy Batson the power to transform into the superhero Captain Marvel...
was granted his original powers by a pantheon of now Forgotten gods named: Voldar, Lumian, Arel, Ribalvei, Elbiam and Marzosh. - The Greek gods have been featured in numerous comics, most notably in Wonder WomanWonder WomanWonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
and Hercules Unbound, later merged with the Roman Gods to re-form the Olympian Gods. They also empower the Greek hero known as the OlympianOlympian (comics)Olympian is a fictional character, a superhero published by DC Comics. Olympian first appeared in DC Comics Presents #46 , and was created by Nelson Bridwell and Alex Saviuk.-Fictional character biography:...
. - The Hindu godsHindu deitiesWithin Hinduism a large number of personal gods are worshipped as murtis. These beings are either aspects of the supreme Brahman, Avatars of the supreme being, or significantly powerful entities known as devas. The exact nature of belief in regards to each deity varies between differing Hindu...
as represented by RamaRama (comics)Rama is a fictional character based on Hindu Avatar Rama published by DC Comics, and a potential love interest of Wonder Woman. He first appears in Wonder Woman #148 series 2, , and was created by Eric Luke and Yanick Paquette....
were introduced in the pages of Wonder Woman. DeadmanDeadmanDeadman is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Strange Adventures #205 , and was created by Arnold Drake and Carmine Infantino.-Publication history:...
is given the power to possess any living being by a Hindu goddess (created for the purposes of the story) named Rama Kushna (a corruption of RamaRamaRama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
-KrishnaKrishnaKrishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
). - The Gods Of The Jejeune Realm appear in the comic book series VextVextVext is a fictional character created by Keith Giffen and the star of a short-lived 1999 comic book series published by DC Comics. The series was written by Keith Giffen, pencilled by Mike McKone, inked by Mark McKenna, lettered by Bob Lappan, and colored by Lovern Kindzierski with separations by...
. They are described as a pantheon of minor deities (invented for this series) that was broken up due to lack of worship, its members forced to live as normal humans. Although supposedly set in the DC Universe, it has not been referenced to since its cancellation. - The Gods Of Mu from the lost continent of MuMu (lost continent)Mu is the name of a hypothetical continent that allegedly existed in one of Earth's oceans, but disappeared at the dawn of human history.The concept and the name were proposed by 19th century traveler and writer Augustus Le Plongeon, who claimed that several ancient civilizations, such as those of...
, were trapped below the sea when it sank; they escaped briefly years ago but were recaptured by the Justice LeagueJustice LeagueThe Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....
(in Justice League of America v.1 #156) all except their goddess of love, who soon after was involved in the events surrounding the wedding of Ray Palmer and Jean LoringJean LoringJean Loring is a fictional character in comic books published by DC Comics, formerly associated with superhero the Atom for whom she was a supporting character and primary love interest. She first appeared in Showcase #34 , created by Gardner Fox and Gil Kane...
. - The Norse gods also exist in the DC universe, but are not as prevalent as in the Marvel UniverseMarvel UniverseThe Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
. A "ThorThorIn Norse mythology, Thor is a hammer-wielding god associated with thunder, lightning, storms, oak trees, strength, the protection of mankind, and also hallowing, healing, and fertility...
" battled The SandmanSandman (Wesley Dodds)Sandman , is a fictional superhero appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The first of several DC characters to bear the name, he was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Bert Christman....
but this may have been an impostor. The Justice Society was trapped in a limboLimboIn the theology of the Catholic Church, Limbo is a speculative idea about the afterlife condition of those who die in original sin without being assigned to the Hell of the damned. Limbo is not an official doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church or any other...
fighting off RagnarokRagnarökIn Norse mythology, Ragnarök is a series of future events, including a great battle foretold to ultimately result in the death of a number of major figures , the occurrence of various natural disasters, and the subsequent submersion of the world in water...
for a few years (in "The Last Days of the Justice Society" special) but this was later revealed to be false Ragnarok and they were later released. Some Norse gods later encountered both the New Gods and the Justice League on separate occasions. - The Parliament of TreesParliament of TreesThe Parliament of Trees is a fictional group of Plant Elementals in the form of trees, first appearing in Swamp Thing Vol. 2, #47. It is owned by DC Comics/Vertigo.-Fictional character biography:...
are Plant Elementals, and the "gods' of all plantlife on Earth. - The Roman gods were actually created when the Olympians split themselves in two in order to receive worship from both the Romans and the Greeks, not realizing that this was a trick by DarkseidDarkseidDarkseid is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
to weaken their power. After the events of the "War of The Gods", the duplicated deities merged. It was from some of these gods that Captain MarvelCaptain Marvel (DC Comics)Captain Marvel is a fictional comic book superhero, originally published by Fawcett Comics and later by DC Comics. Created in 1939 by artist C. C. Beck and writer Bill Parker, the character first appeared in Whiz Comics #2...
received his powers, as did the original Son of VulcanSon of VulcanSon of Vulcan is the name of two comic book characters, one created by Charlton Comics in 1965, the other by DC Comics in August 2005. Son of Vulcan was one of the characters DC Comics purchased from defunct Charlton Comics in 1983.-Charlton Comics:...
. Recently (in the miniseries The Trials of Shazam!) the Roman Gods are being treated as separate entities again, now known as the "Lords of Magic". Whether this is a retcon of their earlier origin or there is some other explanation for these beings has not been made clear yet. - The Titans of MythTitans of Myth (comics)The Titans of Myth are mythological deities who appear in the Teen Titans and Wonder Woman comic book series by DC Comics.-Pre-Crisis:...
were involved in Donna TroyDonna TroyDonna Troy is a comic book superheroine published by DC Comics. She first appeared in The Brave and the Bold vol. 1 #60 , and was created by Bob Haney and Bruno Premiani...
's original
Cosmic
- A Cancer godCancerCancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
, supposedly Russian in origin, has been encountered by both John ConstantineJohn ConstantineJohn Constantine is a fictional character, an occult detective anti-hero in comic books published by DC Comics, mostly under the Vertigo imprint. The character first appeared in Swamp Thing #37 , and was created by Alan Moore, Steve Bissette, John Totleben and Rick Veitch...
(Vertigo Comics) and the AtomAtom (comics)The Atom is a name shared by several fictional comic book superheroes from the DC Comics universe.There have been five characters who have shared the Atom codename. The original Golden Age Atom, Al Pratt, was created by Ben Flinton and Bill O'Connor and first appeared in All-American Publications'...
(DC Comics). - The EndlessEndless (comics)The Endless are a group of beings who embody powerful forces or aspects of the universe in the DC comic book series The Sandman, by Neil Gaiman. They have existed since the dawn of time and are thought to be among the most powerful beings in the universe...
exist separately and above all the gods. These cosmic beings interact with the various mythological pantheons and with mortals. - The Kryptonian gods RaoRao (comics)Rao is a fictional star in the DC Comics Universe. It is the red supergiant that the planet Krypton orbited....
(god of the sun) and Cythonna (goddess of ice) fought long battles against each other, referred to as "The Wars Of Fire and Ice". Other Kryptonian gods were Yuda (goddess of the moon), Telle (god of wisdom), Mordo (god of strength), and Lorra (goddess of beauty). - Martian gods worshipped by the Martian ManhunterMartian ManhunterThe Martian Manhunter is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in publications published by DC Comics. Created by writer Joseph Samachson and artist Joe Certa, the character first appeared in Detective Comics #225...
include H'ronmeer, the Martian god of death, fire, love and art (a masculine version of Death of the Endless), and Lord L'Zoril', the Martian God of Dream (Morpheus of the Endless). - The TriarchTriarchThe Triarch are fictional extraterrestrial deities published by DC Comics. They first appear in Trinity #1 , and were created by Gerard Jones and Gene Ha.-History:...
are the three creator gods of Maltus, the Maltusians later evolve into the Guardians of the UniverseGuardians of the UniverseThe Guardians of the Universe, alternatively known as the Guardians or Oans are a fictional extraterrestrial race in the DC Comics universe. They first appeared in Green Lantern Vol. 2 #1 , and were created by John Broome and Gil Kane. Here they do not reveal their existence to Hal, bringing his...
. The first god Daalon sired three children; Quarra the Creator, Archor the Sustainer and Tzodar the Destroyer. Note that The Triarch encountered by DC heroes were not actual gods, but transformed Oans. - The New GodsNew GodsThe New Gods are a fictional race appearing in publications by DC Comics, as well as the title for four series of comic books about those characters. They first appeared in New Gods #1 , and were created and designed by Jack Kirby....
are a race of giant alienExtraterrestrial life in popular cultureIn popular cultures, "extraterrestrials" are life forms — especially intelligent life forms— that are of extraterrestrial origin .-Historical ideas:-Pre-modern:...
gods invented by writer/artist Jack KirbyJack KirbyJack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....
for his Fourth WorldJack Kirby's Fourth World"The Fourth World" is the popular name given to a metaseries of interconnecting comic book titles written and drawn by Jack Kirby and published by DC Comics from 1970 to 1973. The characters and concepts were later integrated into the DC Universe....
Saga. They are descended from a Norselike race known as the 'Old Gods' who, billions of years ago, destroyed themselves in a great war, splitting their planet Urgrund in two; these halves would become the planets New GenesisNew GenesisNew Genesis is a fictional planet in the . This planet, along with Apokolips, is speculated to be near the constellation Orion...
and ApokolipsApokolipsIn the DC Comics fictional shared Universe, Apokolips is the planet ruled by Darkseid, established in Jack Kirby's Fourth World series. It is also integral to many DC Comics stories. The planet is considered the opposite of New Genesis....
. The destruction of Urgrund also unleashed the "Godwave"Genesis (DC Comics)"Genesis" was a comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self titled, four-issue, weekly mini-series and published by DC Comics in August 1997. The series was written by John Byrne and drawn by Ron Wagner and Joe Rubinstein...
upon the universe, a wave of energy that created the terrestrial gods. - The Presence, also known as 'The Voice', is the omnipresent deity of Judeo-Christian myhologyChristian mythologyChristian mythology is the body of myths associated with Christianity. In the study of mythology, the term "myth" refers to a traditional story, often one which is regarded as sacred and which explains how the world and its inhabitants came to have their present form.Classicist G.S. Kirk defines a...
. It presents itself as the actual creator of the universe. According to the Rama arc in Wonder Woman it is no more powerful than any other chief deity. Angelic and demonic characters such as The SpectreSpectre (comics)The Spectre is a fictional character and superhero who has appeared in numerous comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in a next issue ad in More Fun Comics #51 and received his first story the following month, #52...
, the Word, the Radiant, EclipsoEclipsoEclipso is a fictional supervillain in the DC Comics Universe. The character is the incarnation of the Wrath of God and the Angel of Vengeance that turned evil and was replaced by the Spectre...
, ZaurielZaurielZauriel is a fictional character in the DC Universe. Originally a guardian angel who served Heaven for millions of years, he willingly fell to Earth and becomes a superhero, having been a member of DC's all-star Justice League. He first appeared in JLA #6...
and LuciferLucifer (DC Comics)Lucifer is a DC Comics character that starred in an eponymous comic book published under the Vertigo imprint, whose entire run was written by Mike Carey...
were supposedly created by this being. - The SourceSource (comics)The Source was a metaphysical concept created by writer/artist Jack Kirby for his Fourth World series of comic books. It first appeared in New Gods #1, .-History:...
is a shared cosmic consciousnessCosmic consciousnessCosmic consciousness is the idea that the universe exists as an interconnected network of consciousness, with each conscious being linked to every other...
deified by the New GodsNew GodsThe New Gods are a fictional race appearing in publications by DC Comics, as well as the title for four series of comic books about those characters. They first appeared in New Gods #1 , and were created and designed by Jack Kirby....
. - The goddess X'HalX'HalX'Hal is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. She first appeared in New Teen Titans vol. 1, #24 .-Fictional character biography:...
is a fictional deity from the VegaVegaVega is the brightest star in the constellation Lyra, the fifth brightest star in the night sky and the second brightest star in the northern celestial hemisphere, after Arcturus...
star system.
Events involving the gods
- When DreamDream (comics)Dream is the fictional protagonist of DC Comics' Vertigo comic book series The Sandman, written by Neil Gaiman. One of the seven Endless, inconceivably powerful beings older and greater than gods, Dream is both lord and personification of all dreams and stories, all that is not in reality...
of the Endless obtained the keys to HellHellIn many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
, several pantheons competed to obtain them (note that these deities, such as ThorThorIn Norse mythology, Thor is a hammer-wielding god associated with thunder, lightning, storms, oak trees, strength, the protection of mankind, and also hallowing, healing, and fertility...
, are in the Vertigo imprint, and as such, may not resemble their mainstream counterparts) - The gods of various pantheons were tricked into battling each other by the sorceressMagician (fantasy)A magician, mage, sorcerer, sorceress, wizard, enchanter, enchantress, thaumaturge or a person known under one of many other possible terms is someone who uses or practices magic that derives from supernatural or occult sources...
, CirceCirceIn Greek mythology, Circe is a minor goddess of magic , described in Homer's Odyssey as "The loveliest of all immortals", living on the island of Aeaea, famous for her part in the adventures of Odysseus.By most accounts, Circe was the daughter of Helios, the god of the sun, and Perse, an Oceanid...
, in the War of the GodsWar of the Gods (comics)War of the Gods was an American four-issue comic book mini-series published by DC Comics in 1991.Primarily centered on the character Wonder Woman, this storyline was intended to celebrate the character's 50th anniversary. It was written and drawn by George Pérez, who would leave the Wonder Woman...
crossoverFictional crossoverA fictional crossover is the placement of two or more otherwise discrete fictional characters, settings, or universes into the context of a single story. They can arise from legal agreements between the relevant copyright holders, or because of unauthorized efforts by fans, or even amid common...
limited series. - Not long afterwards (in a Wonder Woman storyline) the Titans attacked the Hindu gods and the angels of the Silver CitySilver City (comics)The Silver City is a fictional location in stories published DC Universe. It is the home of beings known as Angels and of the The Presence, the primary deity of Judeo-Christian theology in the DC Universe...
. - Recently, ZeusZeus (DC Comics)Zeus is a fictional deity in the DC Comics universe, an interpretation of Zeus from Greek mythology. His appearances are most significant in stories of Wonder Woman .-Fictional character biography:...
was deposed as ruler of the Greco-Roman gods by his daughter AthenaAthenaIn Greek mythology, Athena, Athenê, or Athene , also referred to as Pallas Athena/Athene , is the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, warfare, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, justice, and skill. Minerva, Athena's Roman incarnation, embodies similar attributes. Athena is...
with help from Wonder Woman. - During the events of the Infinite CrisisInfinite CrisisInfinite Crisis is a 2005 - 2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, and a number of tie-in books...
limited series, the Olympians and Titans left the universe to escape the coming chaos. - At the end of the Amazons Attack!Amazons Attack!Amazons Attack! is a six-issue comic book limited series that was published by DC Comics. Written by Will Pfeifer and pencilled by Pete Woods, the first issue was released April 25, 2007.-Development:...
limited series, it was revealed that the Greek gods are currently captives of DarkseidDarkseidDarkseid is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
, and that Athena was being impersonated by Granny GoodnessGranny GoodnessGranny Goodness is a fictional character, a deity and supervillain published by DC Comics. Created by Jack Kirby, Granny Goodness was modeled on comedienne Phyllis Diller and first appeared in Mister Miracle vol...
.