Asmodel

Asmodel
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	JLA #7 (June 1997)
Created by	Grant Morrison (writer) Howard Porter (artist)
In-story information
Species	Fallen angel (Demon)
Place of origin	Hell
Abilities	Flight (usually via angelic wings), Immortality, Invulnerablity, Super strength, Super speed, Devastating Sonic Cry, Acidic Blood, Heat Vision, Projection of heavenly light, Master Military Strategist, Flaming Staff

Asmodel is a fictional fallen angel, a supervillain, and a comic book character published by DC Comics, his namesake deriving from the Asmodel of Christian theology, the Angel of April and Patience. He first appeared in JLA #7, and was created by Grant Morrison and Howard Porter. ^[1]

Fictional character biography

Asmodel was a King-Angel of the Bull Host of Heaven (the other three being Human, Eagle and Lion), and a general in the army of the Presence. His bull-like appearance is inspired by the astrological Asmodel, the guardian angel of people born in the sign of Taurus and the angel of May. Hoping to succeed where Lucifer failed, he planned to overthrow the Presence and claim the title of the Ruler over the Heavens. However, guardian angel Zauriel accidentally found out about Asmodel's plans. Zauriel, who had fallen in love with the woman he was tasked to protect, pleaded to be sent to Earth as a mortal, hoping to evade Asmodel as well as contact his beloved. ^{[2] [3]}

Asmodel sent a group of Bull Angels clad in material bodies after him. They were dispelled by Zauriel and the Justice League. Zauriel dispelled one of the angels with a sonic scream. Finally, Asmodel entered the mortal plane himself. He brought with him a mighty angelic chariot lowering itself over the city of San Francisco. The tops of many buildings were demolished, but the chariot itself was stopped by members of the Justice League. Meanwhile, the demon lord Neron allowed the Demons Three to slowly drag the Moon towards Earth itself. Asmodel confronted the League proper, searching for Zauriel. During all this, he claimed that his forces had caused an event on the fringes of creation so as to distract the attention of the Presence.

Superman (with the implied assistance of the Presence) eventually reversed the descent of the Moon and came to aid the League, but even he was barely able to hold off Asmodel. The Flash and Green Lantern, remembering Zauriel's sonic-banishment of one angel, conjured up a sound generator, which vaporized all angelic bodies in the area, including Asmodel's.

In Hell, Asmodel and his angels joined forces with Neron. Asmodel managed to return to Earth in the body of a small male child, attacking the Watchtower and killing the Martian Manhunter. Zauriel confronted Asmodel and destroyed the fleshy body.

Asmodel and Neron soon led an attack on Heaven itself. Despite the assistance of the Martian Manhunter's spirit, Asmodel managed to make his way into the throne room. Finding it empty, he learned the Presence was everywhere and everything and thus unconquerable.

Finally realizing that there was no true way he could ever succeed where Lucifer had failed, Asmodel turned to Neron for help, but the demon abandoned the former King-Angel. Sentenced to Hell yet again, Asmodel became Neron's prisoner. The Martian Manhunter returned to Earth when the Flash, along with much of the Justice League, revived him. ^[1]

Asmodel would later become involved with Neron again. Etrigan the Demon used the ashes of an angel's wing feather to bond Asmodel to the Spectre-Force itself, a heavenly force of power. Asmodel helped bring forth the armies of Hell to Earth itself. He personally killed an entire church full of scared, hiding humans. He and his forces were soon defeated by Earth's heroes. ^[4]

Powers and abilities

In his angelic form, Asmodel is invulnerable, has powerful reality-warping powers that could change the face of the world by force of will, can manipulate psionic energy, possesses unlimited telepathy and telekinesis, has total mental control over anyone or thing he wishes, has control over the weather or the elements and can command and transform energy and matter. He is able to recover from injury practically instantaneously, and he has demonstrated superhuman physical strength rivaling, if not exceeding, that of the Martian Manhunter and Superman (in his Blue Energy form).

Asmodel also demonstrates several angelic abilities and attributes in this form:

• He uses a different form of Zauriel's sonic flash, identified as a sub-sonic attack with enormous power; Asmodel himself claims that his was the voice that shattered the walls of Jericho
• A form of laser vision that was able to damage the Martian Manhunter
• The Light of Heaven projected directly from his eyes, driving all but the purest souls insane ^[5]
• According to the Ultimate Guide to the Justice League of America, a beat of Asmodel's heart was as thunderous as a thousand atomic bombs
• According to the DC Comics Encyclopedia Asmodel also possessed immortality, wielded a flaming staff, possessed super speed and flight, incredible military leadership skills (having few rivals) and acidic blood (according to the Ultimate Guide to the Justice League of America his blood is the universal solvent)
• Able to create mortal bodies for himself to inhabit or transform into his angelic form at will

He retains his power in his mortal body; he was able to breathe on the surface of the Moon and demonstrated enough strength to kill the Martian Manhunter. ^[6]

References

1. Jimenez, Phil (2008), "Asmodel", in Dougall, Alastair (ed.), The DC Comics Encyclopedia, London: Dorling Kindersley, p. 28, ISBN   978-0-7566-4119-1
2. JLA #6, June 1997
3. "JLA #6". Dcuguide.com. 1997-06-06. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2016-09-23.
4. Day of Judgement #1-5, November 1999
5. JLA #7, July 1997
6. JLA: Paradise Lost #1, January 1998

External links

• DCU Guide: Asmodel