Day of Vengeance is one of four limited series leading up to DC Comics' Infinite Crisis event. It focuses on the Spectre and other magical beings of the DC Universe, especially a hastily-formed group known as the Shadowpact. The series has tie-ins to other ongoing DC Comics series, including JSA #73-75 and #77 and Blood of the Demon #6-7. It is a prelude to Infinite Crisis #1.
Jean Loring, ex-wife of Ray Palmer (the Atom) and murderer of Sue Dibny in 2004's seven-issue limited series Identity Crisis, is transformed into a new version of the villainous Eclipso by mysterious forces. Loring escapes from her Arkham Asylum cell to unknown whereabouts. Meanwhile, the Spectre, the vengeful right hand of God, is now without a host since the revival of Hal Jordan. Eclipso persuades the Spectre that magic is evil because it breaks the laws of nature set by God. This logic makes sense to the hostless Spectre, who vows to destroy all magic.
The Shadowpact
Having witnessed his attack firsthand, the Enchantress summons the Ragman to the Mist Woods to save her from the Spectre, who has just defeated and killed "seven hundred combat trained sorcerers" who were having an informal gathering. As Blackbriar Thorn provides a distraction, they retreat to the Oblivion Bar, a bar between dimensions where magically powered beings meet to trade war stories. The subject of the day at the bar is the Spectre and his attacks on magic across the world. The bartender is Jim Rook (the Nightmaster) and the bouncer is Blue Devil. When the Enchantress proclaims that the magic world needs to make a stand against the Spectre, she gets no agreement, save for Detective Chimp.
Detective Chimp reveals that the Phantom Stranger, one of several "big-gun" magicians that the Ragman believes is better suited for this type of fight, has been turned into a mouse, emphasizing the importance of fighting the Spectre. These five are joined by Nightshade as the Shadowpact and they all agree to take the fight to the Spectre. While the mystics plan this attack, the ancient wizard Shazam recruits his champion Captain Marvel in a bid against the Spectre. Also notable is that the other "big-guns" mentioned by the patrons in the bar were Doctor Fate and Madame Xanadu. Both have already been disabled by the Spectre, Doctor Fate being imprisoned in the dimension within his helmet and Madame Xanadu having been blinded by the Spectre, disabling her abilities to interpret magic.
The first battle
Promotional art for Day of Vengeance #3 (August 2005) featuring the Spectre fighting Captain Marvel, art by Walt Simonson.
Through the Enchantress, the group, later named the Shadowpact, learn that the Spectre was being seduced and corrupted by Eclipso. They plan what is essentially a suicide mission to find the Spectre (and Eclipso), attack Eclipso with overwhelming surprise and numbers and to kill her, hoping to free the Spectre before he turns on them. As the Enchantress, Blue Devil, Ragman and Nightmaster teleport in, they happen on Captain Marvel fighting a duel of magic vs. spirit, which gives them the time and a chance to try to defeat Eclipso while the Spectre is distracted. Hoping to give Captain Marvel more time to hold off the Spectre (which gives them more time to defeat Eclipso), the Enchantress siphons magical energy first from herself; then from mystics around the world, including heroes such as Alan Scott, Zatanna, the Phantom Stranger (still in mouse form); villains like Blackbriar Thorn; and finally, ordinary mortals with little magic power, adding to Captain Marvel's own magical power. Meanwhile, Detective Chimp and Nightshade work on a backup plan by trying to bring back Black Alice, a girl with the power to steal another's magical abilities for a short period of time, leaving her target powerless. The Shadowpact defeats Eclipso when Blue Devil skewers Eclipso with his Trident of Lucifer, while Captain Marvel gains the upper hand over the Spectre, thanks to the tens of thousands of magic users supporting him. However, the strain of gathering such immense quantities of magic drives the Enchantress temporarily insane, and she releases her link to Captain Marvel to battle her own teammates. Captain Marvel's strength fades, and he is barely defeated by the Spectre. The Spectre, who is now heavily drained, rescues a stunned Eclipso, and Eclipso uses the last of her power to fly both of them away to safety. Blue Devil knocks the Enchantress out, and the Shadowpact return to the Oblivion Bar with Captain Marvel to regroup, surprised to be alive, and amazed to have temporarily beaten back the Spectre.
The second plan
The Shadowpact, along with Black Alice, decide on their next plan of attack: they will kill the Spectre and defeat Eclipso before she can complete her war on magic by using Black Alice's ability to steal powers. The plan reaches a snag, however, when a powerless Spectre is revealed to be an empty spirit who cannot be harmed. During her brief possession of the Spectre's powers, Black Alice uses them to help Nightshade send Eclipso into a perpetual orbit around the Sun, which weakens her power.
Captain Marvel, meanwhile, has returned to the Rock of Eternity, where the wizard Shazam reveals that he is ready to face the Spectre. The restored Spectre travels to the Rock of Eternity to battle the wizard Shazam, changing Captain Marvel back into Billy Batson, his alter ego, to keep him out of his way. The Phantom Stranger, returning to his human form, uses his powers to allow the Shadowpact and Black Alice to watch the battle between Shazam and the Spectre from Earth. After it appears that Shazam has beaten his opponent, the Spectre revives himself, drains the wizard of his powers, and kills him. The Rock of Eternity begins to disintegrate, and travels through several dimensions as it does so, eventually appearing in the sky above Gotham City before it explodes into "a billion pieces".
Conclusion
The destruction of the Rock frees an untold number beings of evil magic back into the world, among them the "living" embodiments of the Seven Deadly Sins, who were formerly trapped in stone statues in Shazam's throne room. The scarab belonging to the original Blue Beetle, which Shazam had acquired from his successor, Ted Kord, lands in El Paso, Texas. Billy Batson, unable to remember his magic word, is seen falling from the Rock above Gotham City; the scene leads directly into Infinite Crisis #1. The Shadowpact, meanwhile, agrees to continue the fight, but will do so without Black Alice, who, as she is still a teenager, plans to return home.
Day of Vengeance: Infinite Crisis Special #1 — "The Ninth Age of Magic"
In Day of Vengeance: Infinite Crisis Special #1, Zatanna leads a group of magical heroes to rebuild the Rock of Eternity, as the Shadowpact recover the Seven Deadly Sins of Man. Meanwhile above Earth, Nabu fights the Spectre. The Spectre kills Nabu, but the severity of this action is noticed by the Presence, who then sends the Spectre into a new host, Crispus Allen, as punishment for his actions.
After construction of the Rock is completed, Captain Marvel is told that he must remain in the Rock to keep it, and the forces contained within, stable. Nightshade is captured by Felix Faust on the orders of the Secret Society of Super Villains. The heroes are told by the dying Nabu that the Ninth Age of Magic has ended and that the Tenth Age will soon begin. Before entombing himself into the Rock, Captain Marvel hurls Nabu's helmet from the Rock at the suggestion of Detective Chimp, letting fate decide who will become the next Doctor Fate.
Collected editions
The series and other comics have been collected into a trade paperback:
Shazam (/ʃəˈzæm/), also known as The Wizard or Wizard Shazam, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Fawcett Comics and DC Comics, first appearing in Whiz Comics #2 created by C.C. Beck and Bill Parker.
The Spectre is the name of several antiheroes who appear in American comic books published by DC Comics. The original version first appeared in More Fun Comics #52. The character was created by Jerry Siegel and Bernard Baily although some sources attribute creator credit solely to Siegel, limiting Baily to being merely the artist assigned to the feature.
Captain Marvel, also known as Shazam and the Captain, is a superhero in American comic books originally published by Fawcett Comics and currently published by DC Comics. Artist C. C. Beck and writer Bill Parker created the character in 1939. Captain Marvel first appeared in Whiz Comics #2, published by Fawcett Comics. He is the alter ego of Billy Batson, a boy who, by speaking the magic word "SHAZAM!", is transformed into a costumed adult with the powers of superhuman strength, speed, flight, and other abilities. The character battles an extensive rogues' gallery, most of them working in tandem as the Monster Society of Evil, including primary archenemies Black Adam, Doctor Sivana and Mister Mind. Billy often shares his powers with other children, primarily his sister Mary Batson and their best friend/foster brother Freddy Freeman, who also transform into superheroes and fight crime with Billy as members of the Marvel Family, also known as the Shazam Family.
Black Adam, real name Teth-Adam, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He was created by Otto Binder and C. C. Beck, and first appeared in the debut issue of Fawcett Comics' The Marvel Family comic book in December 1945. Since DC Comics licensed and acquired Fawcett's characters in the 1970s, Black Adam has endured as one of the archenemies of the superhero Captain Marvel / Shazam and the Marvel Family, alongside Doctor Sivana and Mister Mind.
Nightshade is a superhero appearing in media published by DC Comics. Created by David Kaler and Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in Captain Atom #82 originally published by Charlton Comics.
Mary Marvel is a fictional character and superheroine originally published by Fawcett Comics and now owned by DC Comics. Created by Otto Binder and Marc Swayze, she first appeared in Captain Marvel Adventures #18. The character is a member of the Marvel / Shazam Family of heroes associated with the superhero Shazam / Captain Marvel and is one of the first female spin-offs of a major male superhero, and predates the introduction of Supergirl by more than a decade.
Blaze and Satanus are twin fictional demonic siblings appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Blaze first debuted in Action Comics #655, created by Roger Stern and Brett Breeding and first pencilled by Bob McLeod. Later, Satanus was created by Brett Breeding and debuted in The Adventures of Superman #493 by Jerry Ordway and Tom Grummett. The twin duo originally starred as Superman villains associated with the supernatural but were later revealed to be the children of the Wizard Shazam, Blaze respectively depicted as a powerful enemy of the Marvel Family.
The Marvel Family, also known as the Shazam Family, are a group of superheroes who originally appeared in books published by Fawcett Comics and were later acquired by DC Comics. Created in 1942 by writer Otto Binder and artist Marc Swayze, the team was created as an extension of Fawcett's Captain Marvel franchise, and included Marvel's sister Mary Marvel, their friend Captain Marvel Jr., and, at various times, a number of other characters as well.
Eclipso is a supervillain in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Haney and Lee Elias, the character would first appear in House of Secrets #61. The character bears notable similarities to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Jean Loring is a character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, formerly associated with the Atom, for whom she was a supporting character and primary love interest. She first appeared in Showcase #34, created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Gil Kane. The character appeared continually in minor roles until the 2004 storyline Identity Crisis, where she suffered a mental breakdown and was responsible for the deaths of Sue Dibny, wife of Elongated Man, and Jack Drake, father of the third Robin. This would later lead her to assume the mantle of the supervillain Eclipso.
Ragman, nicknamed the "tattered tatterdemalion of justice", is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He was originally created by writer Robert Kanigher and artist Joe Kubert in 1976. Originally presented as a man of Irish descent, the character was revised to have Jewish heritage and a connection to the Golem of Prague in a 1991 mini-series by Keith Giffen, Robert Loren Fleming, Pat Broderick, and Anthony Tollin. The same mini-series established Ragman's costume as a "Suit of Souls", repeatedly drawing him into conflict with mystical threats and granting him the power and skills of the souls it has collected. The suit sometimes desires to collect new souls, forcing Ragman to exert great will if he doesn't wish the suit to do so.
The Shadowpact is a fictional group of magic-based heroes who fought against the Spectre in the 2005 limited series Day of Vengeance, published by DC Comics.
Thaddeus Bodog Sivana is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bill Parker and C. C. Beck, the character is a recurring enemy of the superhero Captain Marvel, who first appeared in Whiz Comics #2 by Fawcett Comics. A mad scientist and inventor bent on world domination, Sivana was soon established as Captain Marvel's main archenemy during the Golden Age, appearing in over half of the Fawcett Captain Marvel stories published between 1939 and 1953.
Detective Chimp is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. A common chimpanzee who wears a deerstalker hat, Detective Chimp has superhuman-level intelligence and solves crimes, often with the help of the Bureau of Amplified Animals, a group of intelligent animals that also includes Rex the Wonder Dog. He was originally created in the final years of the Golden Age of Comic Books, continuing into the early years of the Silver Age.
Black Alice, real name Lori Zechlin, is a DC Comics character introduced in Birds of Prey #76. She uses her magical powers to prey on drug dealers in her hometown of Dayton, Ohio.
The Enchantress is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Haney and Howard Purcell, the character made her first appearance in Strange Adventures #187. Dr. June Moone is a freelance artist who becomes possessed by an entity originally known only as The Succubus. The resulting merge resulted in the Enchantress, a powerful sorceress considered to be one of the most dangerous black magic practitioners in the DC Universe. The character has often been depicted as both a villain and anti-hero, establishing herself as a member of various teams such as Shadowpact, the Suicide Squad, and the Sentinels of Magic. In more recent continuities, she is often cast as an ally and adversary for the Justice League Dark and a recurring member of the Suicide Squad.
The Nightmaster is a fictional character, a sword and sorcery hero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Showcase #82, and was created by Denny O'Neil and Jerry Grandenetti.
The Warlock's Daughter is a fictional character appearing in the American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bill Willingham and Rick Mays, the Warlock's Daughter first appears in Robin #121.
King Kull is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published originally by Fawcett Comics and currently by DC Comics. Created by Otto Binder and C. C. Beck, he originally first appeared in Fawcett Comics’ Captain Marvel Adventures in October 1951, and appeared from then until 1953 when the company ceased publishing its superhero titles. DC later acquired Fawcett's properties, and revived the character in the 1970s.
Blue Devil is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He first appeared in a special insert published in Fury of Firestorm #24. That story led directly into Blue Devil #1, also cover dated June 1984. He was created by Dan Mishkin, Gary Cohn, and Paris Cullins. The Blue Devil comic book ran for 31 issues and one annual. Blue Devil later appeared as a regular character in Shadowpact which ran for 25 issues.
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