Assault on New Olympus, Part 2: Faithbomb

Yesterday

The Olympus Group is planning on launching their newest product called Continuum, which will destroy the Earth and replace it with a new world where the Olympian gods rule. Knowing that Hercules and his allies will try and stop them, Hera is preparing for the battle ahead. To this end, she has send Delphyne Gorgon — leader of the Amazons — to the forges of Hephaestus. He is already hard at work at making an army of golden automatons to help defend their corporate headquarters. Delphyne has come to have Hephaestus craft a new weapon that will allow Gorgon to match herself against Athena. When Hephaestus raises the fact that Hercules is coming with boy genius Amadeus Cho — someone that Delphyne has feelings for — she tells him to focus on the task at hand, assuring him that she will be able to do her job.[1]

Now

It is moments before the launch of Contiuum and the whole world is abuzz about what it could be, little knowing that it will end all life on Earth. As the clock ticks down, Hercules, Athena, Zeus,[2] and Amadeus Cho have led a team of Avengers — consisting of the Wasp (Hank Pym), Quicksilver (Pietro Maximoff), US Agent (John Walker), Spider-Man (Peter Parker), Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew), and Wolverine (Logan) — on an assault on the Olympus Group head office. In response to this invasion, Hera has summoned Typhon, Arachne, Argus, Delphyne Gorgon, Eris, the Huntsman, and Lamia to counter them. In the middle of the fight, the death god Thanatos arrives and proclaims that one of the combatants is destined to die in battle.[2]

Observing the battle from the sidelines, Amadeus notices that all of the heroes have been paired against Olympian beings that perfectly counter their abilities. Watching Thanatos looming of the fight, Amadeus tries to interfere with Herc’s battle with Typhon in order to prevent his death. He does so by throwing a stick at Spider-Woman, causing her venom blast to strike Typhon from behind, temporarily stunning him. Hercules, scolds Amadeus for interfering with his fight, saying he doesn’t need a mother. Athena also tries scolds Cho for trying to alter fate, distracting her long enough for Hera to strike Athena down with a bolt of lightning.

The battle is seeming like it is shifting in the favor of the Olympus Group, starting with the battle between Argus and the Wasp. Evenly matched at giant-size, Hank Pym shrinks down to wasp-size and is quickly snatched up by his foe.

Nearby, in the Olympus Group’s botanical garden, the Huntsman stalks his pray. As he searches, he speaks aloud about a long ago warrior named Cephalus. He was seduced by Eos, the goddess of the dawn, but resisted her advances. He also kept the gift she tried to woo him with, a spear that would always hit its mark. One day while out hunting, Cephalus heard something rustling in the woods and threw his spear. It was only when Cephalus went to find his kill that he discovered that he killed his wife. Horrified by what he had done, Cephalus then threw himself into the sea. He has told this story because it has parallels between his prey, Wolverine, and his former love known as Silver Fox.[3] That’s when Logan pounces out of the bush and attacks his opponent. Wolverine dodges the Huntsman’s spear, and attacks, saying that his story will end differently since he won’t die. However, the weapon thrown by the Huntsman swings back, the Huntsman continues his tale: Saying that Celphalus was banished to Tartarus as punishment for committing suicide. As the spear impales Logan from behind, the Huntsman reveals that Zeus took pity on Celphalus and resurrected him as the Huntsman!

Nearby, US Agent fights Eris, the sister of Ares, and the goddess of discord. John refuses to believe the Olympians are gods and threatens to break his vow to never strike a woman if she doesn’t lay off. Eris boasts that she can break a man of such rigid patriot as US Agent. She then floods his mind with the sins of America’s past: the genocide of Native Americans, black slavery, and the dropping of nuclear bombs during World War II. These horrific images cause Walker to collapse in a state of shock.

Spider-Man fights Arachne who is half-woman, half-spider. The web-slinger is to pre-occupied with mocking her name that he eventually gets snared in a net of webbing.[4]

Meanwhile, Amadeus Cho tries to convince Delphyne Gorgon to switch sides. However, she seeks to get revenge on Athena for cursing her to being a snake headed woman and sees fighting alongside Hera as a means to an end. Amadeus tries to convince her that he loves her just the way she is, and says that he won’t be able to if she resorts to murder.[5] While Delphyne understands this, the centuries of living as an outcast of mortal society is too great for her to give up her desires for revenge.

Nearby, both Zeus and Quicksilver find some kinsmanship over the fact that they find their opponents unworthy of their skills.[6] That’s when Hera notices Zeus and recognizes him as her husband, even though he is in the body of a young boy. She zaps Hercules with her lightning and orders Typhon to capture Zeus and flee to where Continuum is being held. Athena tries to follow after them but she is struck down by Delphyne who decides now is her chance to end the goddess who cursed her once and for all. She then puts on the helmet made for her by Hephaestus, which has holes cut into it to allow the snakes the make up her hair to pop out. Upon looking at Delphyne, Athena suddenly screams. Hercules, meanwhile, just misses catching Hera and Typhone as they flee into the elevator. He tries to smash the door open with his mace, but it is constructed from Adamantine and is near indestructable. Amadeus tries to calm his friend down, saying they’ll find another way.

Once they are in the room to Continuum, Hera confirms that the boy is indeed the resurrected Zeus. She is pleased to see show him what Continuum is. Created by the late Pythagoras Dupree, it is another universe where Hera hopes to install herself as a goddess. This new world will be fueled by the faith of the mortals who worship the idea of Continuum as a product. She then gleefully reveals that as this new universe is made up of anti-mater, it’s birth will destroy this universe in the process. Hearing this renders Zeus speechless.

Back downstairs, Amadeus notices that Thanatos is making his move and fears that he is going to claim Hercules’ soul. However, that’s when he also notices that Delphiyne Gorgon’s humanity has been restored. That’s when he realizes what is really going on, looking over his shoulder he is horrified to discover that Delphyne has turned Athena into stone!

Recurring Characters

Hercules, Amadeus Cho, Zeus, Athena, Hebe, Mighty Avengers (Wasp, Quicksilver, US Agent), New Avengers (Spider-Man, Wolverine, Spider-Woman), Olympus Group (Hera, Typhon, Arachne, Argus, Delphyne Gorgon, Eris, Hephaestus, Huntsman, Lamia, Thanatos)

Continuity Notes

1. Amadeus and Delphyne hit it off when they first met, but the budding romance was quashed before it could start after Delphyne slew Artume the leader of the Amazons. This made her their new queen. They couldn’t pursue a relationship as a result because Amazon law requires their leader to slay any mate she takes. See Incredible Hercules #121-125.

2. Thanatos is predicting the apparent death of Hercules, which will come to pass in Incredible Hercules #141.

3. Wolverine mentions how he was experimented upon by the Weapon X Program, this was chronicled in Marvel Comics Presents #72-84. Also mentioned is he romance with Silver Fox. The two were lovers prior to Logan being experimented upon. She was murdered by Sabretooth, as told in Wolverine (vol. 2) #10.

4. Spider-Man points out that there is an Arachne on Omega Flight. He is referring to Julia Carpenter, aka the second Spider-Woman, who joined that team in Civil War: The Initiative #1.

5. Per Incredible Hercules #128, Delphyne was among the women of Gorgon who worshiped Athena in ancient Greece. They were cursed by Athena after one of their members, Medusa, broke her vow of chastity.

6. Here, Zeus is depicted as a child, which happened after his death (Ares #5) and resurrection (Incredible Hercules #131). He will remain in this form until issue #141.

Godmarked, Part 3: Jimmy & The Atlasnauts

The Agents of Atlas — Jimmy Woo, Gorilla Man (Ken Hale), M-11, Namora, the Uranian (Bob Grayson), and Venus — are attempting to access the Olympus Group from underground in an bid to confront Aphrodite.[1] Trying to enter the building through an underground cavern, their path is blocked by a cyclops, a chimera, and an army of skeletal warriors. To try and sneak past, they use a combination of Venus’ siren song, the Uranian’s telepathy and hologram technology to make them appear to be Olympian warriors with Venus assuming the role of Aphrodite.

While this tricks most of the guards, the chimera takes notice that they don’t smell like Olympians. This blows their cover and they soon end up in a battle with the guards. As the fight breaks out, a satyr arrives to see what the commotion is and decides to raise the alarm.

As the Agents of Atlas struggle with their foes, the satyr contacts Aphrodite who has been at Avengers Tower making love to Ares. Catching the two while they are taking a break, the satyr tells Aphrodite that her impostor is in their midst!

Recurring Characters

Agents of Atlas (Jimmy Woo, Gorilla Man, M-11, Namora, the Uranian, Venus), Aphrodite, Ares

Continuity Notes

1. Aphrodite has an axe to grind with Venus, a Siren who she is mad over usurping her identity. See Agents of Atlas #5 and X-Men vs Agents of Atlas #1-2.