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Gods of Olympus

Deilies of Ancien! Greece

Although for centuries thcy were worshippcd by the Greeks it remains unclear whcrc the Gods of Olympus first originated—was it on Eartli or in the pocket dimension of Olympus where they currently reside? Whcrever they camc front, their influence on this planet has fadcd over the last two millennia, although a handful of their number still walk the Eartli.

THE GOLDEN AGE

Childrcn orihcTiians.ihc tirsi gcner.mon of the Olympian Gods wcrc imprisoncd in the undcrworld realni of larum* as soon as they were horn. their father Cronos fcaring that they wnuki cventually ovcrthro\v him. I lis anxiety provcd to be \Nell founded: the last ofhis children. Zeus. avoided bcing mcarccratcd and, when he was old enough. freetl Ins siblings and led a rcn-year-Ioiig war against (!ronos.

Victorious. Zeus atul Ins siblings becamc the (lotls of Olympus. -•vorshippcd by peoples aeross Lurope. It was only when Ghristianity began to dominatc the Western world that the Gods chose to withdraw to the Olympus tliiuension and began to reducc their ties wuh the mortal realni.

Tho c&M cl Zeus was a bywerd tor toast ing and roveiry VAsł(j most cnio/od the carefree hedemsm of tho płace. $ome. indudng Ucous and Hora/os. yeamed for a sfcghtly moro chafenQng eomlorcu

Zeus <W not enbrefy *xovo ol tho MO

htsscn. Heroies. nad chosen to iead-

Although most of the Gods departed a handful either remained on the Larth or returned. time and agam. in the years that followed. Of those that stayed on Farth. Neptune (or Poseidon, as the Greeks called him) remained to watch over and l>e worshipped by the Atlanteans. while Hi lu.uiLs andWnus (Aphmditc to the Greeks) spent time living with mortals.

This Mortal Life

In 1948 Vcnus arrived in the US. taking up a post as an cditor at Boimy \lagazwc. In bctwccn writing teaiures. she spent her days bringing couples together. warding olTsuitors. and (biling various sinister plots. She then becainc a college professor at U( !LA.

Hercules became friciuls with the godTllOR and they fought with the Avi.nc.lrs. against the lriumvirate ofTcrror and the Red Guardian.

However.Venus’ and Hercules’ presenee on the liarth did not oserly plcasc Zeus. ruler of the Olympian Gods. He set tests forVenus forcing her to provc that bcing on the planet was worthwhile. Zeus’ treattnent of Hercules was much harsher: he strippesł Hercules ofhis iminortality and refused to let Inni return to Olympus. Fortunately for hununity. despite Zeus’ isolationist teudencies u is likely that these ancient _ Gods will continue

FACTFILE NOTABLE GODS ZEUS (Ruler of the Gods)

God of the Sky and Weather APOLLO God of Ught ARES God of War ARTEMIS Goddess of the Hunt ATHENA Goddess of Wadom ATLAS Moontain God BELLONA Goddess of DiSCOrd CUPIO God of Love DEIMOS God of Terror DEM ETER Goddess of Fertility DIONYSUS God of Winę GAEA Mother-Earth HEBE Goddess of Youth HEPHAESTUS God of F.re HERA Goddess of Mantage. Oueen of the Gods HERMES God of Commerce and Travel

NEPTUNE (POSEIDON)

God of the Sea

NOX GodofNight

PAN God of Shephords. Flocks

and Forests

PERSEPHONE Ouoon of tho Underwortd PHOBOS God of Foar PROMETHEUS Titan of forothought; benefoctor of maniund

PSYCHE Goddess of Ftdolity ond Adoration

TYPHON God of Wind VENUS (APHRODITE) Goddess of Love and Boauty BASE

Mount Olympus. Greece; later in an otherdimensional world

FIRST APPEARANCE

Journey Into Mystory Annual u 1 (1966)

Gods of Olympus

to walk amongst ordinary humans for a great many morę \ears. AD

ESSENTIAL STORYLINES

•    Vcnus *1-5

T>*» goddess Vcnus ceccrres **Mnr uf Bcouty WaGa7in»t and rtnon turg couples togetlw

•    Thor *126-131

Hercules lightS Thor who Ihen rescuos r»m irom the n&rhttrworid wtkkc ho nas toer impnsunfid Thor Hm frtórdsnp is s«mImI

•    Avcnger$ »281-285

Argored by in(ir«s suflerod by Hercuws. Zous oltocRS Ihe Ayengers and torbds tho 0>yn-(xis Gods bom trar.etinfl to Ewth