Whom Gods Destroy | |
---|---|
Publication information | |
Publisher | Elseworlds (DC Comics) |
Format | Mini-series |
Genre | |
Publication date | 1996 |
No. of issues | 4 |
Main character(s) | Superman Lois Lane Lana Lang |
Creative team | |
Written by | Chris Claremont |
Penciller(s) | Dusty Abell |
Inker(s) | Drew Geraci |
Letterer(s) | Tom Orzechowski |
Colorist(s) | Digital Chameleon Gloria Vasquez |
Editor(s) | Mike Carlin |
Whom Gods Destroy is a 1996 four-issue comic book mini-series, written by Chris Claremont, with artwork by Dusty Abell and Drew Geraci, under the Elseworlds imprint of DC Comics.
In a world where Superman has not aged a day since the Nazis won WWII, Clark Kent infiltrates Axis dominated Europe in pursuit of Lana Lang, who has fallen prey to the enchantress Circe, while Lois Lane finds herself transformed by the power of the ancient gods into a Wonder Woman.
An elseworld where The Third Reich never fell and Europe is kept under Nazi rule. Superman no longer ages due to his Kryptonian physiology, Lois Lane has visions of Superman gleefully killing people, including herself and Lana Lang, who has been abducted.
The search for Lana Lang takes Lois and Clark to Axis Europe, where Lana is being held. In flight Lois and Clark get attacked by harpies and trolls, causing the plane to crash land in Germany.
Lois soon discovers that the Reich is ruled by the god Adonis while Artemis and Athena oppose him. Wonder Woman has betrayed Paradise Island and is now part of the Reich. It is revealed that the Greek pantheon was in league with the Nazis, allowing them to employ mythological monsters to fight superheroes for world domination. A fight ensues between the German army and the Greek heroines. The sacrifice of the goddess Athena endows Lois with powers, transforming her into a new Wonder Woman.
Superman is transformed into an evil centaur by Circe. Lana gifted with the power of the Oracle of Delphi persuades the centaur Superman into realizing his true identity. Superman is transformed into a woman, for his crimes leading an harem of centaur Maenads were against women, therefore, he must take their place. The female Superman infiltrates the Great Hall of the Reich, guarded by the Minotaur. She succeeds in her task due to Lana's magical knowledge and Hephaestus help against Galatea. Lois, as the new Wonder Woman, defeats the Nazi Wonder Woman and ties her up with her magic lasso.
Finally, it is revealed that Zeus and Hera were playing a chess game, using the world as their chess pieces. Adonis is sent to be taken care of by Hades. Superman, Lois (now the new Wonder Woman) and Lana all live together on Superman's fortress on the moon in a polyamorous relation.
Lois Lane is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in Action Comics #1. Lois is an award-winning journalist for the Metropolis newspaper the Daily Planet and the primary love interest of the superhero Superman and his alter ego, Clark Kent. In DC continuity, she is also his wife and the mother of their son, Jon Kent, the newest Superboy in the DC Universe.
Supergirl is the name of several fictional superheroines appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The original, current, and most well known Supergirl is Kara Zor-El, the cousin of superhero Superman. The character made her first appearance in Action Comics #252 and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino.
Smallville is a fictional town in American comic books published by DC Comics. The childhood hometown of Superman, Smallville was first named in Superboy #2. The town, long in an unnamed US state that was first defined as Kansas in Superman: The Movie (1978), is the setting of many Superboy comics where Superboy defends Smallville from various threats. Since the 1978 appearance in Superman: The Movie, Smallville has been a setting in other non-comic book productions featuring Superboy / Superman.
Lana Lang is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Lana is a supporting character of Superman, a childhood friend and love interest of the young Clark Kent. She was created by writer Bill Finger and artist John Sikela, and first appeared in Superboy #10. The character has occasionally gained superhuman powers and assumes the superhero identities of Insect Queen and Superwoman.
Elseworlds is the publication imprint for American comic books produced by DC Comics for stories that take place outside the DC Universe canon. Elseworlds publications are set in alternate realities that deviate from the established continuity of DC's regular comics. The "Elseworlds" name was trademarked in 1989, the same year as the first Elseworlds publication.
Superman & Batman: Generations is the umbrella title of three Elseworlds comic book limited series published by DC Comics in the United States, written and illustrated by John Byrne. A major concept of the series is the avoidance of so-called comic book time; it places Superman, Batman, and the other members of the DC Universe in a single timeline, showing the characters aging and being replaced by their progeny.
Superwoman is the name of several fictional characters from DC Comics. Most of them are, like Supergirl, women with powers similar to those of Superman, like flight, invulnerability, and enhanced strength.
Themyscira is a fictional unitary sovereign city-state and archipelagic island nation appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Previously known as Paradise Island and the Amazon Isles, it first appeared in All Star Comics #8.
Circe is a fictional character appearing in DC Comics publications and related media. Based upon the eponymous Greek mythological figure who imprisoned Odysseus in Homer's Odyssey, she is a wicked sorceress and major recurring adversary of the superhero Wonder Woman. She has been presented variously since first appearing in 1949’s Wonder Woman #37, though her characterization has consistently retained a key set of features: immortality, stunning physical beauty, a powerful command over sorcery, a penchant for turning human beings into animals and often, a delight in humiliation.
The character of Superman was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, and has been continually published in a variety of DC Comics book titles since its premiere in 1938. There have been several versions of Superman over the years, both as the main hero in the stories as well as several alternative versions.
Hercules is a fictional Olympian god in the DC Universe based on the Greek demigod and hero of the same name.
Son of Superman is a comic book Elseworlds story, published by DC Comics. Written by Howard Chaykin and David Tischman, with art by J.H. Williams III and Mick Gray. Fifteen years after the disappearance of Superman, Clark Kent and Lois Lane's teenage son, Jon Kent, learns that he is the son of the Man of Steel, and has suddenly inherited his powers. Following his father's footsteps, Jon joins a rebel organization, that fights against the now completely corrupt U.S. government, and their plan for total economic segregation.
The Olympian Gods are characters based upon classical mythology who appear primarily in Wonder Woman, Captain Marvel and Aquaman comics.
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 on April 25, 2007. A series with the same name written by Josie Campbell as part of the Dawn of DC initiative ran for six issues between 2023 and 2024.
In most of the DC Comics media, the Multiverse is a "cosmic construct" that is composed of the many fictional universes the stories of DC media take place in. The worlds within the multiverse share a space and fate in common, and its structure has changed several times in the history of DC Comics.
"Superman: Doomed" is a Superman crossover story arc published by DC Comics starting in May 2014. The series is co-written by Greg Pak, Charles Soule and Scott Lobdell, with artwork by Ken Lashley, Aaron Kuder, and Tony Daniel.
Medusa is a fictional character appearing in DC Comics publications and related media, commonly as a recurring adversary of the superhero Wonder Woman. Based upon the eponymous Greek mythological figure whose story was chronicled in Ovid's Metamorphoses, she is a snake-haired Gorgon with the ability to turn living creatures to stone with her gaze. Since her debut in 1964, Medusa's physical appearance has been presented variously as DC Comics' continuities have shifted and evolved. Though she has routinely been depicted with snakes for hair, she has sometimes been shown as bipedal and sometimes with a serpentine lower body. However across continuities, she has consistently been written with the ghostly ability to possess or influence other beings after her physical body has been killed, as well as an uncanny capacity for resurrection after death. Her characterization has been that of a dangerous immortal creature who is at turns both vengeful and sympathetic.
Superman Reborn is a four-part crossover Superman storyline published by DC Comics in 2017, written by Dan Jurgens, Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason. The crossover appeared in Action Comics #975-976 and Superman #18-19. The event formally merges the New 52 Superman and the Post-Crisis Superman to form a new singular continuity and history.