I have been reading Marvel Comics for a long time time now, and i have also read DC Comics from time to time and upon reading them, i have noticed a difference between the two in terms of cosmology. DC likes to attribute most of their cosmology to the Judeo-Christian Religion like characters such as the Presence, Lucifer, Michael, Jesus Christ, Heaven and so forth. Marvel on the other hand tend to be more vague with the description of their cosmology. We rarely see or hear words connected to to the Judeo-Christian religion. They don't use the terms angels, demons, the devil and God in the same way as it is traditionally portrayed.. Even though we all know that the supreme being in Marvel is known as The One Above All, his character is not connected to biblical context as his counter in DC Comics. So does that mean Marvel doesn't use any biblical influence in their stories? Well, in my opinion they have and if you would try to dissect each stories, you will discover some uncanny similarities in some of Marvel's major story arcs and that of the contents of the bible.
This whole idea hit me upon finishing X-Men: Second Coming which focuses mainly on the return of Hope Summers, the Mutant Messiah. I wondered why would they refer to her as the Messiah. I know she would be the savior of her people and deliver them from darkness, while some thinks of her as the Anti-Christ who will bring about the destruction of everything. Still, many questions keep echoing in my head. Who exactly is Hope Summers? Who chose her to be the Messiah? Most of the logical equation points to a particular red-head mutant who has circled life and death countless times, yes it's Jean Grey. So is she the reincarnation of Jean Grey or her own woman sent by divine intervention to undo the curse of the Scarlet Witch over reality? If Jean Grey really wanted to be reborn, why was it at the same time when all of the mutant race is facing total annihilation? Was this all just coincidence or was it all preordained? So many questions and so little answers. But upon further thinking, i think i figured out the whole scenario. I don't know if this theory is correct but this does makes some sense..
The whole problem started when the Wanda Maximoff, the Scarlet Witch, a woman with a broken mind suffered a nervous breakdown. She blamed mutants for all her burdens and pain. So by just uttering three simple words "NO MORE MUTANTS", she set reality she once warped to give everyone what they wanted back to normal, but also has uninvented an entire race. From millions, mutant numbers dwindled to merely hundreds in a blink of an eye.
Worse, no mutant births have come since that faithful day. The fate of the mutant race is sealed. Hank McCoy, went on a journey to find a way to undo what the Scarlet Witch did, but failed to find answers either with the help from science or magic nor from other realities and the future. The mutant race is on a dead end.
Then, just when you think all is gone, a light of hope came. A mutant birth like no other. A birth of a child who managed to overload Cerebra and cause a psychic feedback of epic proportions reminiscent to that of the Star of Bethlehem leading them to the child, the first and only mutant to be born after M-Day.
Her birth caused a power struggle between the remaining mutant population as everyone wants to put a claim on her. Some wants her to die for they believe that she is the harbinger of horrific end and others see her as the savior and will unite everyone in peace. For her safety she was sent to the future with Cable until her eventual return for her to play the role destiny has given to her.
After years with Cable in the future, Hope Summers returned to the present to do her role. Many died from the war including her father-figure Cable. At the last moment, Hope managed to unleash the power hidden deep within her and performed her role as her people's Messiah. After the bloody war, it was revealed the new mutant activity has manifested, signaling the return of her people, ultimately breaking the curse of the Scarlet Witch over her people.
It seems to be that the Phoenix Force of possibly Jean herself is behind the birth of Hope Summers. but how is that possible? Jean Grey is dead. She has been killed by Xorn disguised as Magneto via planetary scale stroke, though it was later revealed that Jean Grey's death was preordained by the Phoenix Force so that she could be reborn 150 years into the future and ascend as the White Phoenix of the Crown. It is now known that Hope Summers' biological mother is a woman named Louise Spalding, but what has Jean Grey and the Phoenix had to do with her birth? Those were the question plaguing me for a while now. After so much thingking and possible theory, the answer i can think of can be found in probably the most impossible source of inspiration for a Marvel comic book.. yes, the bible itself..
How did i come up with that theory you ask? Well let me explain..
We can associate these characters with some figures and characters mentioned in the bible. Wanda Maximoff, the Scarlet Witch for example can be associated with what the old text refer to as "The Whore of Babylon". According to the Book of Revelations, the "Whore of Babylon" was described as:
"And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication"
The Whore of Babylon is associated with the Antichrist and the Beast of Revelation by connection with an equally allegorical kingdom. The Whore's apocalyptic downfall is prophesied to take place in the hands of the beast with seven heads and ten horns. How those this connect with the Scarlet Witch? Well, aside from the obvious similarities between their clothing, we know that Wanda was the source of all the problems. But those these mean that Wanda Maximoff was evil? God, no! But we all know that the source of her powers is something far from being benevolent. According to the old text, the Whore is associated with the Beast and the Devil. Wanda Maximoff has been under demonic influence since her birth. Wanda was born in Mt. Wundagore in Eastern Europe. The very mountain where she was born is also where the essence of the primeval demon, the Elder God Chthon is imprisoned. Chthon blessed the newborn Wanda with a fraction of his unholy might as he seeks to use her as his vessel when the time comes that he can once again manifest his full demonic majesty back on Earth. I was also believed that he and the power that he gave her is what caused the Scarlet Witch's insanity. The Whore of Babylon is also depicted to be riding the Beast of the Sea, a monstrous dragon-like creature with seven heads. This creature is very reminiscent to the Elder God Set who is also known as the Serpent Emperor of the Seas. Set is also mystically connected to the Scarlet Witch by the power of the Serpent Crown which she once wore. According to the ancient texts, the downfall of the Whore of Babylon from the hands of the Beast and the Devil signals the start of the end. Likewise Wanda' nervous breakdown and eventual downfall from grace due to demonic influences is what started everyone's suffering.
The biblical text also says about a certain woman who will bear the savior. We can associate this figure to no other than Jean Grey. Jean Grey has been revealed to be one with the same being with the Phoenix Force. She is the Phoenix made flesh. Upon her death, she ascended to the White Hot Room which is the center of all creation and where the souls of the unborn and the departed waits for resurrection.. Like wise, the old text talks about a certain woman, described as:
" And a great sign appeared in heaven: A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars."
The bible talks of this woman who is clothed with the sun and wearing a crown of twelve stars. This woman is who will give birth to the savior of man. We know that Jean Grey is the Phoenix, and the Phoenix is Jean Grey. Jean as Phoenix is draped with the celestial flame of the Phoenix and after she has ascended, she is now referred to as the White Phoenix of the Crown. The Phoenix is the force behind creation itself. It is also the source of all life in the cosmos and the reservoir of all psionic energy in the multiverse/omniverse. We all know too that it was Jean and the Phoenix who is responsible for the birth of Hope Summers, but how is this possible? Jean is dead. I think the stories for the bible also holds the key into this mystery.
We know that Hope Summers was born in Alaska and has a biological mother named Louise Spalding. So we wonder how did Jean Grey influence the birth of the messiah.
The answer probably lies in the story of how the archangel Gabriel visited Mary and told her that she will conceive a child from divine intervention. We can assume that the same thing happened to Louise Spalding. A vision of Jean Grey may have appeared to Louise saying that she will give birth to the savior of this world. Hope mat have been conceived by the power of the Phoenix itself, justifying her connection with it. Jean may have sent her to undo what the Scarlet Witch did and restore the balance and status quo.
I know that these theories is purely speculation at the moment, but who know. Especially when it comes to the Phoenix, which is most of the time connected to a biblical connotation to some degree. Anyways thank you for letting me share this idea and please feel free to share what you think of it. Thank you very much..
Since i was a kid, i was very intrigued with the paranormal.. so with this, i enjoy reading comics that has a certain twist with the domain of the occult.. Now, how can we not discuss the occult without the demons.. This blog focuses mainly on the beloved demonic characters in Marvel.. from many demonic entities in Marvel, I've shorten the list to 10 of the baddest demons around in the entire marvel Continuity..
to decide who should be placed on the list, i made 5 criteria to consider. they are:
Power: the level of power of the demon Influence: the level of demonic influence they had to the universe Evilness: the extent of evil these demons possess Destruction: the extent of destruction the demon caused to the universe and such Defeats: the number of defeats the demon encountered from the hands of heroes, the lesser the defeats, the higher the score
each criteria is to be scored from 1 to 5, 5 being the highest..
Ready? then let the horror begin..
#10 - SURTUR
Surtur is the gigantic fire demon who possess powers of apocalyptic proportions, this demon has been plaguing Asgard since time immemorial. He also wields the Sword of Doom, a magical sword capable of manipulating mystical energies and breaking to inter-dimensional barriers. He also wields the sword known as Twilight which is capable of summoning hordes of demons.
As much as i love Surtur, i can only give him the tenth spot, for despite his powers, there are still some demons who had caused much trouble to the Universe, and spawned more horror than the gargantuan fire demon.
Nightmare was once just a servant to the ancient demon Shuma-Gorath, but later realize that his power is far too great to be just a mere servant. He then escaped to a splinter dimension now known as the Dream Dimension. Inside his realm, Nightmare is virtually omnipotent capable of controlling the dimension's reality and cast powerful spells. He also managed to manipulate the cosmic being Eternity by putting 1/3 of Earth's population to sleep but was foiled by the Ancient One. Nightmare is not you typical demonic stereotype but he nevertheless possess great power and great influence over the Universe through dreams, but even with all his powers, he only take the 9th place in this list.
Spawned somewhere in the beginning of time, The Dweller in Darkness is a demonic entity who feeds off the fears of sentient beings. In the universe that existed before the current one, the Dweller in Darkness caused a crack in the M'Kraan Crystal, the Nexus of all realities which caused a chain reaction and unleashed the power of the N-Galaxy within it, causing the destruction of the Universe. The Dweller hoped to feed off the fears of all living beings knowning that the end is near, but the Phoenix Force touched all the minds of all living beings in existence and united them in peace, foiling the Dweller's plan. This demon reminicent of Chthulu is a demon who once destroyed the enitre universe. Now, the Dweller is nothing more but a shadow of his former power, but still is capble of such destruction.
#07- SATANNISH Satannish is an extremely powerful Hell-Lord, said to be second only to Mephisto. Like other Hell-Lords, Satannish is known for granting mortals mystical power in exchange for their souls. Satannish is a demonic being of pure mystical energy, an embodiment of evil. The guise he most often employs around human sorcerers is that of a green-skinned, horned being with a second face in his stomach. Satannish is more akin to a supernatural force of nature than a being; as such he possesses "virtually unlimited" mystic power which can be used for a variety of effects. Despite his great powers, Satannish the Supreme is nothing more but a creation of the Dreaded Dormammu, and he still hasn't shown any feat that make him stand out as an individual.
Blackheart is the son of Mephisto which he created from the accumulated evil of a town due to centuries of murders. He possesses great power also as great or possibly even greater than his father. He also possesses high intelligence and telekinetic abilities capable of destroying an entire planet by the force of will. He seems to be at his strongest within the Dark Force Dimension.
Blackheart is one of the cooler characters on the list. He is extremely powerful and cunning which allowed him to seize his father's throne for a while. His powers are considerable, but sadly, the soulless son of Mephisto only takes the 6th spot on the list.
Set is an Elder God and a Class One demon. He has one of the first sentient life to be born on Earth. Because of his greed for power, he killed his own brother making him the first murderer on the planet's history. He possess vast mystical power and his sheer size is capable of coiling alternate Earths. He is the Lord of the Serpent Men and creator of the Serpent Crown. He is portrayed as a seven headed serpent similar to the Great Beast from the Sea mentioned in the Bible. His ravenous appetite of this serpent-god could never be sated. Set is one of the most powerful demons in existence and is easily be one of the top 3. But what gave the Greater Destroyer a slip in the ranking is his constant defeats since the Hyborean Age which makes the Serpent's Sea, a reflection of his power to recede considerably.
The dread Dormammu is a member of a race of beings made entirely of mystical energy known as the Faltines. He is the Lord of the Dark Dimension and being with more raw power than most mystical demons. He is also responsible for the creation of Satannish and he once dared enaged the cosmic entity Eternity in combat. Doctor Strange refers to Dormammu as his most terrible foe and a threat to all life in the universe that at full power no one can stand against. Dormammu may possess more raw power and have caused a great deal of trouble for the universe, but his impatience often gets the best of him resulting to his defeats.
Mephisto is one of the Class Two demons what were spawned from the energies released from the destruction of the Elder Gods. He is arguably the most powerful of the Hell-Lords and a prominent figure of evil in the universe. he rules his own realm he call Hell or Hades, a horrible place, where demons are tortured and torture others, and fiery pits of smoke and lava. Mephisto is nearly unstoppable while in his dimension, possessing power rival to a hungry Galactus.
Mephisto is far from being the most powerful demon on the list, but his influence and prominence catapulted him to 3rd place on this list. Mephisto is probably the most well known of the demons in Marvel, the quintessential Devil and lord of lies. The dread Dormammu may be more powerful, but Mephisto outclasses him by sheer fame and influence on man.
Shuma-Gorath is an ancient demon of the highest order. Within his native dimension, he is completely omnipotent. Shuma-Gorath once ruled Earth until the powerful sorcerer Sise-Neg banished him. Even powerful demons such as Dormammu expressed inferiority to Shuma-Gorath, and powerful Hell-Lords such as Mephisto and Satannish claimed themselves as rats in a great temple while they were at Shuma-Goarth's lesser realms.
Shuma-Gorath is without doubt one of the most powerful demons on the list, if not possibly the most powerful. But as of now, Shuma-Gorath is in deep slumber, and who knows what will happen if this horror awakens.
And the top of the list goes to the Demon among Demons and He who holds the Darkness. Chthon is and Elder God, brother to Set and a Class One demon. Within his realm, he is, for all intents and purposes omnipotent, with the power to reshape reality at will. He is the creator of the Darkhold, the Book of Sins which caused so much evil throughout recorded history. He is also responsible for all creatures of the night such as Vampires, Witches, Werewolves and Zombies. Chthon is also the primal devil himself that predates the Judeo-Christian teachings. He is the demon who had foretold the end of the Holy Catholic Church and of the world itself, known today as the "Malachy Prophecy". His mere presence is so strong that it almost killed the Sorcerer Supreme himself, Doctor Strange and if not for the sorcerer's faith in what he calls "something far subtler and far more majestic that the great shadow" then all is lost even for the Sorcerer Supreme himself.
What made Chthon superior than that of Shuma-Gorath in this list is not power. But rather, the demonic influence and pure horror that he had caused. He is the true devil according to the Holy Catholic Church in Marvel, the great shadow the creeps behind the feet of God. He is responsible for the corruption of the winged race of Akah Ma'at, celestial beings reminiscent of biblical angels. He also insigated the war been the corrupted winged beings known as the Asura and those still loyal of their creator, the Seraphim. His creations, the demons known as the N'Garai who onced ruled Earth were driven off to another dimension by the angel Lucifer and his army before his fall from grace. Even immensely powerful demons such as Mephisto and Dormammu invokes his unholy might, as well as the demon responsible for blessing Wanda Maximoff, the Scarlet Witch with powers beyond comprehension.
If you fear demons, then know one thing. and that is to fear Chthon above all others.
I love Comic Books.. Well all of us love Comic Books.. but for over 75 Years of comicbook publications, i thought i'd create a list of the Most Influencial and Significant moments and issues that had a great impact in the comicbook world..
#10:The Rise of the X-Men ( Giant Size X-Men, 1963, Issue # 1)
Come on? who doesn't know who the X-Men are? they are arguably the most well known of all super powered teams out there. The original cast of the team were only 5 super powered teens namely Cyclops, Beast, Angel, Iceman and Marvel Girl (Jean Grey) with their teacher and leader Professor Charles Xavier. It was a nice story, but what really gave the X-Men their fame and placed them on the pedestal of Comic Book legend was when the original members were re-casted and added neew chracters of different nationalities such as the Russian Colossus, the Austrian Nightcrawler, the Irish Banshee, the Japanesse Sunfire, the Native American Thunderbird, not to mention some of its most well known characters like the Afircan Storm and the Canadian Wolverine. Since then the fame of the X-Men grew exponentially and till now, it is still one of the most well known comicbook heroes in existence with 4 spin-off movies and still counting. The X-Men will surely live forever in the hearts of their ever loyal fans.
Famous Quote: "There's more to it than simply possessing super powers. To be an X-Man means possessing a strength of will--of self identity-- that nothing can subvert." ... "For better or worse, being an X-Man means not merely being born a mutant... but a Hero." - Storm
#09:DC’s removal of the Multiverse concept ( Crisis on Infinite Earths, 1985, Issues # 1 – 12)
Prior to Crisis on Infinite Earths, DC was notorious for its continuity problems. Most characters doesn't have a back story, within the comic books, was entirely self-consistent and reliable. Over the years, as new readers were introduced to the DC Universe, the "multiverse" theory — with its attendant multiple versions of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman served to confuse those who did not have a working knowledge of DC's history. As the volume of published work within the DC Universe became larger there were certain problems both with reconciling different plot points and in keeping track of differing versions of different characters. It doen't take long until DC was f'ed up by making many parallel Universes and Earths, and so they decided to scrap it all up. Crisis on Infinite Earths ended on one of the strongest notes in comic history. I can imagine the impact this made on the DC universe. Not just a superhero comic arc, this mega crossover extravaganza dealt with many themes of death, sacrifice, what life means, rebirth, lots of existensialism, belief, hope, and selflessness.
Famous Quote: "Worlds lived, worlds died. Nothing will ever be the same"- Psycho-Pirate
#08: Three Words that changed the Fate of Entire Marvel Universe (House of M, 2005, Issues # 1-8)
Though basically new, the House of M is a grand turn in the pages of the entire Marvel Universe. When the Wanda Maximoff, Scarlet Witch's fragile mind cannot keep up with all the events that came up (eg. events during Avengers Disassembled, the death of her children, witnessing the murder of her brother in the hands of their own father), she used her Chaos Reality warping Powers to create a reality founded on three words "NO MORE MUTANTS". The consequences of what the Scarlet Witch did during the House of M permanently shifted the possible futures in Marvel, most noticably is the decimination of the Mutant Genome during the event mutants refer to as the M Day, the worst day in Mutant History.
Famous Quote: "We're not the next step, we're not Gods.. we're freaks, Mutants! You chose this over us and you ruined us! Daddy... NO MORE MUTANTS.." - Scarlet Witch
#07:The Rise of Thanos and the Infinity Gaunlet ( Infinity War, 1992 Issues # 1– 6)
Arguably the best crossover within the Marvel Universe, the Infinity Wars is one of those issues that you can never get tire of reading over and over again. It is here where we can find the rise of Thanos and the unimaginable power of the Infinity Gems. Here we can see the valiant effort of all Earth heroes as they valiantly fought the Mad Titan Thanos. This series is considered a classic and a testament to the epic battle which is the Infinity War.
Famous Quote: "Fools taking up arms against omnipotence. They rush head-on into armageddon. So I shall provide them with a most glorious doomsday! The heavens will run red with blood. But in the end, as always, THANOS will stand triumphant." - Thanos
#06: The Best of Batman
(Batman: Year One, 1987, Issues # 404-407)
Probably the best batman series ever, Batman: Year One is arguable the best of all batman related titles to date. the series itself is also critically aclaimed. IGN Comics ranked Batman: Year One at the top of a list of the 25 greatest Batman graphic novels, saying that "no other book before or since has quite captured the realism, the grit and the humanity of Gordon and Batman so perfectly." The website added, "It's not only one of the most important comics ever written, it's also among the best."
Famous Quote: "Without warning it comes... crashing through the window of your study... and mine... I have seen it before... somewhere ...it frightened me... as a boy... frightened me... yes, Father. I shall become a bat." - Bruce Wayne
#05: First Appearance of the Wolverine ( Incredible Hulk, 1974, Issue # 180)
Wolverine is arguably the most famous comicbook character ever. Since his first introduction, Logan had captured the hearts of all comicbook readers. He has appeared in countless other titles and a film was even dedicated to him. This legendary hero has charmed veryone with his brutish yet endearing personality. and it is for sure, that Wolverine will be around even after the comicbook world stops turning.
Famous Quote: "I'm the best there is at what I do, but what I do isn't very nice." - Wolverine
#04: The Death of an Icon ( Superman: The Death of Superman, 1993, Vol. # 2)
This is about the tragic death of a comicbook icon. The Death and Return of Superman storyline brought in millions of readers to DC Comics, despite the entirety of the story being intertwined through numerous different comic series, including action Comics, Superman, Superman: The Man of Steel, and Adventures of Superman, among others. The cover of Superman (vol. 2) #75 became an iconic image: Superman's tattered cape wrapped around a pole, marking a makeshift grave. The Death of Superman storyline was a huge success - comic book fans that had never previously read a Superman title snatched up the issue en masse.
Famous Quote: "Just look at him. So sleek. So powerful. So... beautiful, like some great golden god made flesh. Of course, any sensible god would demand absolute obedience in return for his favor. But, no, our Man of Steel protects us, with no strings attached. The people? Hmph. They practically worship him anyway. Enjoy your reign while you may, Superman. For surely as night follows day, there comes a time when even gods must die." - Lex Luthor
#03:The First Major and Most Meaningful "Death" in Comic Book History ( The Dark Phoenix Saga Vol. 1 Issues # 101 – 108, 129 – 138)
The Dark Phoenix Saga is without doubt one most epic comic book classic there is. It revolves around Jean Grey, the mutant telepath who served as the host for the most powerful cosmic force in the Universe, the Phoenix Force. As Phoenix, she saved the Universe from ultimate destruction from the M'Krann Crystal. but due to the mental manipulation of Mastermind, she gave in into human sensations and transformed into the Dark Phoenix. In a unfortunate turn of events, Jean ultimately sacrificed her life in order to protect the Universe from her power. Jean showed that true power is not by being God, but rather in how much you are willing to sacrifice for all those that you loved. Her death is still is considered to be, the most meaningful death and ultimate sacrifice in comic book history.
Famous Quote: "Jean Grey could have lived to become a GOD, but it was more important to her is that she died as a HUMAN." - Uatu the Watcher
In 1962, Marvel Comics editor and head writer Stan Lee was casting about for a new superhero idea. He said that the idea for Spider-Man arose from a surge in teenage demand for comic books, and the desire to create a character with whom teens could identify. Spider-Man is one of the most popular and commercially successful superheroes. As Marvel's flagship character and company mascot, he has appeared in many forms of media, including several animated and live-action television shows, syndicated newspaper comic strips and a successful series of films starring actor Tobey Maguire as the "friendly neighborhood" hero.
Famous Quote: "Whatever life holds in store for me, I will never forget these words: "With great power comes great responsibility." This is my gift, my curse. Who am I? I'm Spiderman." - Peter Parker
#01: The Birth of a Comic Book Icon
( Action Comics, 1938, Issue # 1)
Well i guess this is not much of a surprise. The fact of the matter is, Superman is still and forever will be the greatest comicbook icon. Action Comics #1 is considered the most valuable comic for a given condition. Superman has fascinated scholars, with cultural theorist, commentators, and critics alike exploring the character's impact and role in the United States and the rest of the world.
Famous Quote: "This looks like a job for Superman" - Clark Kent
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