AMULET of PAZUZU

Classification: Magic item

Creator: Presumably Pazuzu

User/Possessors: Jane Austen, Hatshesut of Egypt, Hippolyte (Hippolyta), Howard the Duck, Joan of Arc, Queen Victoria, Suzi Pazuzu, Eleanor Roosevelt, Vicki of Humbabu

First Appearance: Howard the Duck III#3 (April, 2002)

Powers/Abilities/Functions: The Amulet of Pazuzu transforms its wearer into a gargantuanly-breasted killing machine, while the Amulet itself transformed into a powerful blade. The wielder of the blade could stab through bone and flesh and swing an adult male over his or her head with minimal effort. The limitations on the transformed warrior are undefined. Wearing the uranium amulet for prolonged periods of time can result in radiation poisoning.

 

 

 

 

History:
(Howard the Duck III#3 (fb)) - Thousands of years ago, in ancient Mesopotamia (or Sumer, or someplace like that), the priestesses of the demon Pazuzu, bringer of diseases, were engaged in a religious war with the priests of the god Marduk (or Baal, or Dagon, or whoever). One night, as the priestesses practiced their filth-gathering ritual in the water of the Tigris (or Euphrates, or Swanee, or some such river), the acolyte known as Vicki of Humbabu felt a strange cleansing sensation between her legs, like a summer's eve. The source of the odd sensation was a mysterious jewel, pulsing with arcane energies and disinfectant liquids. As she gazed into its facets, she heard the disembodied voice of Pazuzu: "Make a bracelet of purest uranium and wear this jewel on your wrist! You will develop vastly enlarged bazooms, and when your enemies strike, you alone shall be spared!"
    Vicki did as the voice instructed. Some time later, the attack came to pass, and all of the priestesses of Pazuzu were slain--all save Vicki. When the priests turned their wrath on her, she faced them unafraid and she was the chosen of Pazuzu, the stupendously endowed instrument of germ-ridden justice. She was the wielder of...the Doucheblade. As the voice had promised, Vicki alone survived. Fearing prosecution, she fled into the desert...where, unfortunately, she died of radiation poisoning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Howard the Duck III#3 (fb)) - Over the centuries, the blade passed from one woman warrior to the next, each Pazuzu chosen for her generation: Hatshesut of Egypt, Hippolyte, Joan of Arc, Jane Austen, Queen Victoria, Eleanor Roosevelt. Forty years ago, the Amulet vanished.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Howard the Duck III#3 (fb)) <A year before the main story>- The Amulet remained lost until a novelty salesman chanced upon it in a vacant lot in Cleveland and placed it in a claw machine in a doughnut shop near the District Seven Police Station.

(Howard the Duck III#3 (fb)) - Seeking the Amulet's power, Kenneth Flogg, used the claw machine, losing over $38, 000 in quarters before realizing that only the chosen one could liberate the Amulet from its prison. Flogg had his "servant," Ian Whippingham stake out the doughnut shop, waiting day and night for seven months until Detective Suzi Pazuzu snagged the bracelet on her first try.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Howard the Duck III#3) - Kenneth Flogg made a deal with the mad criminal Doctor Bong: Flogg would help him finish off his enemies Beverly Switzler and Howard the Duck if he would Bong Suzi Pazuzu into submission and bring the Amulet back to Flogg (who--in preparation for fulfilling the requirements to bear the Amulet--had already started the hormone treatments). Meanwhile, Det. Pazuzu, who had brought the vagrants Beverly and Howard (then in the form of a giant, humanoid mouse) into her station for questioning, began having visions of her ancestor's past in Mesopotamia (or Sumer, or someplace like that). Disoriented, Det. Pazuzu instructed that Bev and Howard be released, and she went home for the day. Realizing something was up with Det. Pazuzu, Howard and Bev followed her home. Arriving just as Bong and Whippingham approached, they watched as the delusional Suzi began to be affected by Amulet. She accepted the challenge, the pain, the garbled symbolism: "Make me one with the blade--two for the show--three to get ready, now go, man, go!" Her predecessors appeared before her in visions, telling her that to prove herself worthy she must solve these eternal riddles--or die! (1) Which tastes better--red or black licorice?; (2) Coffee, Tea--or me?; (3) War! Hungh! Good God, yawl--what is it good for?; (4) Sense--or Sensibility?; (5) Where do you buy your panties?; (6) How the Hell did they pick Scott Bakula for that show?
    The Amulet granting her the secrets of eternity, Suzi cried out the answers: "Black! You! Defense Contractors! Sensibility! Target! and They were drunk at the time!" and she began her transformation into the legendary warrior. Just then, however, Whippingham used his weapons to blow a hole in Suzi Pazuzu's wall, knocking her to the ground and sending the Amulet flying across the room.
    The Amulet landed on Howard's wrist, bathed him in its disinfectant liquids, and transformed him into the warrior of the Doucheblade, though still in mousey form. The transformed Howard was overcome by bloodlust, shoving the blade through Whippingham's skull and tossing him across the room in a display of gratuitous violence. Howard then leapt at Bong, who sidestepped his assault. Howard crashed into a table, and Bev pulled the blade from his armor, using it to drive Bong off. As Bong fled, the blade vanished, turning back into costume jewelry, and Howard returned to his mouse form. Bev gave the Amulet back to Suzi, and they left.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments: Created by by Steve Gerber, Glenn Fabry, Glenn Fabry, and Gary Leach.

    The indicia for Howard the Duck III#3 accidentally reprinted the indicia for Howard the Duck III#2.

    An obvious play on the character Witchblade, the weapon formed from the Amulet of Pazuzu was sometimes referred to as the Doucheblade, though I'll keep it PG here (since the Howard series was MAX).

    I don't particularly feel like doing a profile on all of the historical figures mentioned herein, though anyone else can take the information from the second flashback (and the images I'm providing) and use it to complete their own profiles on those characters.

Profile by Snood.

Clarifications:
Pazuzu, who empowered the Amulet of Pazuz, is presumably

The Amulet has no known connections to any other Amulets (see the Master List)

Vicki of Humbabu

 

 

    Thousands of years ago, in ancient Mesopotamia (or Sumer, or someplace like that), the priestesses of the demon Pazuzu, bringer of diseases, were engaged in a religious war with the priests of the god Marduk (or Baal, or Dagon, or whoever). One night, as the priestesses practiced their filth-gathering ritual in the water of the Tigris (or Euphrates, or Swanee, or some such river), the acolyte known as Vicki of Humbabu felt a strange cleansing sensation between her legs, like a summer's eve. The source of the odd sensation was a mysterious jewel, pulsing with arcane energies and disinfectant liquids. As she gazed into its facets, she heard the disembodied voice of Pazuzu: "Make a bracelet of purest uranium and wear this jewel on your wrist! You will develop vastly enlarged bazooms, and when your enemies strike, you alone shall be spared!"
    Vicki did as the voice instructed. Some time later, the attack came to pass, and all of the priestesses of Pazuzu were slain--all save Vicki. When the priests turned their wrath on her, she faced them unafraid and she was the chosen of Pazuzu, the stupendously endowed instrument of germ-ridden justice. She was the wielder of...the Doucheblade. As the voice had promised, Vicki alone survived. Fearing prosecution, she fled into the desert...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

...where, unfortunately, she died of radiation poisoning.

 

 

 

 

 

--Howard the Duck III#3 (3(fb)

 

Detective Suzi Pazuzu

 

 

    A former high school cheerleader and classmate of Beverly Switzler, she went on to become a Cleveland police officer, rising to the rank of detective. The chosen of Pazuzu for her generation, she was able to liberate the Amulet of Pazuzu from the claw machine in which it had been placed, and she wore it as a simple bracelet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    She investigated the devastation at Global Content.com and began seeking out those on its employee list. She happened across the vagrant Howard the Duck (then a mouse) and Beverly, the latter of whom was on Global Content.com's employee list. She questioned Bev on WTF Howard was, then brought them both to the station for questioning. After which Suzi began having visions of her ancestor's past in Mesopotamia (or Sumer, or someplace like that). Disoriented, Det. Pazuzu instructed that Bev and Howard be released, and she went home for the day. Realizing something was up with Det. Pazuzu, Howard and Bev followed her home. The Amulet began to transform Suzi, and she accepted its challenge and answered its eternal riddles. As she began to transform into the warrior of the Doucheblade, Ian Whippingham and Doctor Bong assaulted her home, knocking her to the ground and sending the Amulet flying. Howard was transformed instead and slew Whippingham, though Bev stopped Howard from slaying Bong, sending him running instead. After the Doucheblade had reverted back to the Amulet, Suzi only vaguely recalled what had happened. She realized she would be in a lot of trouble from internal affairs. Bev gave Suzi the Amulet back, and Suzi let her insults slide since they had saved Suzi's life.

 

 

--Howard the Duck III#2 (3 (fb) - BTS, 2-3

 

 

 

images:
Howard the Duck III#3, p8, panel 1 (priestesses of Pazuzu)
        p9, panel 2 (Amulet)
        p10, panel 1-3 (Vicki)
            panel 4-9 (other holders)
        p11, panel 1 (novelty salesman)
            panel 5 (Suzi)
        p17, panel 1 (Suzi begins transformation)
        p19, panel 1 (Howard transformed)

Howard the Duck III#2 (April 2002) - by Steve Gerber (writer), Paul Winslade (artist), Stuart Moore (editor)
Howard the Duck III#3 (May 2002) - by Steve Gerber (writer), Glenn Fabry (pencils), Glenn Fabry & Gary Leach (inks), Stuart Moore (editor)

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Last Updated: 05/12/12

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