Underworld Unleashed

Last updated
Underworld Unleashed
Uwu01.jpg
Cover of Underworld Unleashed #1 (November 1995) featuring Neron (top), Doctor Polaris I, Lex Luthor, the Joker, Circe I and Abra Kadabra (bottom, left to right), art by Howard Porter.
Publication information
Publisher DC Comics
Format Miniseries
Genre Superhero
Crossover
Publication dateNovember 1995 – late December 1995
No. of issues3, plus several tie-in issues and four one-shot issues
Main character(s) Justice League America
Neron
the Trickster I
Creative team as of November 1995
Created by Mark Waid
Howard Porter
Written byMark Waid
Artist(s)Howard Porter
Dan Green
Chris Eliopoulos
Dennis Janke
John Nyberg
Rick Taylor
Heroic Age (a.k.a. Pat Garrahy)
Penciller(s) Howard Porter
Inker(s) Dan Green (issues #1–2)
Dennis Janke (issue #3)
John Nyberg (issue #3)
Letterer(s) Chris Eliopoulos
Colorist(s) Rick Taylor (colorist)
Heroic Age (a.k.a. Pat Garrahy; color separator)
Editor(s) Brian Augustyn (editor)
Stephen Wacker (assistant editor)

Underworld Unleashed was a multi-title American comic book crossover event released by DC Comics in 1995.

Contents

The main theme of Underworld Unleashed involved the new ruler of Hell, a demon-lord named Neron, offering first many of the DC Universe supervillains and then a number of the DC Universe superheroes various deals in exchange for their souls. [1]

Plot

Neron dupes five of the Rogues who typically battle the Flash: Captain Boomerang I, Captain Cold, Heat Wave I, the Mirror Master II, and the Weather Wizard. He promises them a chance to go down in history as five of the greatest villains if they each engage in a specific destructive act. He does not tell them that it will cost them their lives and unleash him onto the Earth. Lex Luthor, the Joker, Circe I, Doctor Polaris I and Abra Kadabra become his Inner Council.

Neron sends magical candles to many supervillains. When they are all lit, they transport the villains to Neron's underworld realm. Many villains accept his offer, but some do not. The newly empowered villains are sent back to Earth to wreak havoc while Neron turns his attention to the superheroes. Along the way, the Trickster I comes to Neron, but does not make a deal with him. Instead, he helps Neron betray his Inner Council.

When the heroes come to Neron's realm looking to defeat him, they are corrupted by the influences of that realm. Trickster works out how Neron can be stopped, and instructs Captain Marvel to beat Neron at his own game by offering the demon his soul for purely selfless reasons. Unable to even touch the offer, Neron's work is reversed: breaking that one deal also broke all his others.

Collected editions

Related Research Articles

<i>Top 10</i> (comics) Comic book series

Top 10 is a superhero comic book limited series published by the America's Best Comics imprint of Wildstorm, itself an imprint of DC Comics. Written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Gene Ha and Zander Cannon, the series details the lives and work of the police force of Neopolis, a city in which almost everyone, from the police and criminals to civilians, children and even pets, has super powers and/or colourful costumes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alan Davis</span> English artist and writer

Alan Davis is an English artist and writer of comic books, known for his work on titles such as Captain Britain, The Uncanny X-Men, ClanDestine, Detective Comics, Excalibur, JLA: The Nail and JLA: Another Nail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blaze and Satanus</span> Comics character

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shade (character)</span> Comics character

The Shade is a comic book character developed in the 1940s for National Comics, first appearing in the pages of Flash Comics in a story titled "The Man Who Commanded the Night", scripted by Gardner Fox and illustrated by Hal Sharp. Debuting as a villain, the Shade was best known for fighting against two generations of superheroes, most notably the Golden Age and Silver Age versions of the Flash. He eventually became a mentor for Jack Knight, the son of the Golden Age Starman, Ted Knight, a hero the Shade had also fought.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Legends (comics)</span> Comic book crossover series by DC Comics

"Legends" was a comic book crossover story line that ran through a six-issue, self-titled limited series and various other titles published by DC Comics in 1986 and 1987. Each of the individual crossover/tie-in issues had a Legends Chapter # header added to their trade dress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neron (character)</span> Fictional demon, a comic book character published by DC Comics

Neron is a supervillain appearing in various American comic book stories published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Underworld Unleashed #1 and was created by Mark Waid and Howard Porter.

Copperhead is the name of several supervillains appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, mostly as enemies of the superhero Batman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spellbinder (DC Comics)</span> Comics character

The Spellbinder is the name of four fictional supervillains who appear in comic books published by DC Comics. Versions of the character have appeared on the animated series Batman Beyond and The Batman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harlequin (DC Comics)</span> Comics character

The Harlequin is the name of four clown-themed DC Comics characters.

<i>DC vs. Marvel</i> Comic book miniseries crossover

DC vs. Marvel is a comic book miniseries intercompany crossover published by DC Comics and Marvel Comics from April to May 1996. Each company would publish two issues of the miniseries, thus the title difference between issues #1 and 4 as DC vs. Marvel Comics from DC and issues #2–3 from Marvel as Marvel Comics vs. DC. The miniseries was written by Ron Marz and Peter David, with art by Dan Jurgens and Claudio Castellini.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Weather Wizard</span> Comics character

Weather Wizard (Mark Mardon) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.

Blockbuster is the name of four supervillains and a criminal organization appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The first one was primarily a foe of Batman and Robin, while the second was the archenemy to Nightwing. The latest version first appeared in the pages of the series 52 wherein he is directed into battle against Lex Luthor's team of superheroes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trickster (DC Comics)</span> Fictional characters, DC Comics supervillains of the Flash

The Trickster is a moniker used by three DC Comics supervillains, two of which are enemies of the Flash. Both have been members of the Rogues.

Sabbac is the name of three American comic book supervillains appearing in DC Comics. The original Sabbac debuted in Captain Marvel Jr. #4, and was created by Otto Binder and Al Carreno as an enemy of Captain Marvel Jr., while an updated version debuted in Outsiders #8, and was created by Judd Winick and Tom Raney as a nemesis for both Junior and the Outsiders superhero team. A third version was introduced in Justice League #10, and was created by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank as an adversary for the Shazam Family and an associate of Black Adam and the Seven Deadly Enemies of Man.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hellgrammite (comics)</span> DC Comics supervillain

Hellgrammite is a supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, commonly as an enemy of Superman, Batman, the Creeper, Green Arrow and Black Canary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tezcatlipoca (DC Comics)</span> Comics character

Tezcatlipoca is a name used by two distinct fictional characters appearing as supervillains in DC Comics publications and related media.

<i>JLA</i> (comic book) Comic book

JLA was a monthly comic book published by DC Comics from January 1997 to April 2006 featuring the Justice League of America. The series restarted DC's approach to the Justice League, which had initially featured most of the company's top-tier superheroes but shifted in the 1980s to featuring a rotating cast of established characters alongside newer ones and also saw that franchise expand to several spin-off series, diluting the prestige of the name brand. When relaunched by writer Grant Morrison, the team again focused on the most recognizable, powerful, and long-lasting heroes in DC's library.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hell (DC Comics)</span>

Hell is a fictional location, an infernal Underworld utilized in various American comic book stories published by DC Comics. It is the locational antithesis of the Silver City in Heaven. The DC Comics location known as Hell is heavily based on its depiction in Abrahamic mythology. Although several versions of Hell had briefly appeared in other DC Comics publications in the past, the official DC Comics concept of Hell was first properly established when it was mentioned in The Saga of the Swamp Thing #25–27 and was first seen in Swamp Thing Annual #2 (1985), all of which were written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Stephen Bissette and John Totleben.

<i>Reign in Hell</i>

Reign in Hell is a 2008-2009 comic book miniseries written by Keith Giffen, pencilled by Thomas Derenick, inked by Bill Sienkiewicz and published by DC Comics. The title is a reference to a line spoken by Lucifer in John Milton's epic poem Paradise Lost: "Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue Devil (DC Comics)</span> Fictional Superhero

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.

References

  1. Underworld Unleashed trade paperback (DC Comics, March 1998 ( ISBN   1-56389-447-5) and hardcover 25th Anniversary Edition (DC Comics, November 2020 ( ISBN   978-1779505781))