CHIMERA

Real Name: Chimaera (original spelling)

Identity/Class: Extra-Dimensional Dragon (Olympus)

Occupation: Predator

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Amisodarus, Hera

Enemies: The Agents of Atlas (Gorilla Man (Kenneth Hale), Human Robot (M-11), Namora, Uranian (Robert Grayson), Venus, Jimmy Woo), Bellerophon

Known Relatives: Typhon (father), Echidna (mother, deceased), Selene (foster mother), Gaea (paternal grandmother/maternal great-aunt/maternal great-grandmother), Tartarus (paternal grandfather), Phorcys (maternal grandfather), Ceto (maternal grandmother), Cerberus, Ladon, Nemean Lion, Orthus (brothers), Hydra, Phaea, Maralith, Sphinx (sisters), Geryon, Pegasus (cousins), Gorgons (including Medusa), Graeae, Scylla, Sirens, Thoosa (aunts), Damballah, Dragon of the Moon, Sligguth, Yamato-no-Orichi (maternal great-uncle), Ishiti, Tartessus (maternal great-aunts), Set (maternal great-grandfather), Pontus (maternal great-grandfather), Chthon, Hyppus (paternal great-uncles/maternal great-great uncles), Issus, Oshtur (paternal great-aunts/maternal great-great-aunts), Demiurge (paternal great-grandfather/maternal great-great-grandfather), many other distant relatives

Aliases: None known

Base of Operations: New Olympus, formerly Ancient Lycia (now part of modern Turkey)

First Appearance: Incredible Hercules#138 (January, 2010)

Powers/Abilities: The Chimera is a huge two-headed dragon resembling a lion who can talk. His extra head possesses a combustible breath which can turn into flame capable of burning and incinerating anything in its line of vision. He also has exceptional olfactory senses and can detect and identify minute traces of odors. It is possible he can use its wings to fly. The Chimera resembles a huge lion with a second goat-like head, a huge set of feathered wings and a serpentine head with a third head at the end.

History: (Greek and Roman Mythology) - The Chimera is the off-spring of Typhon, the ancient opponent of the Olympian gods, and Echidna, the daughter of the giant Chrysaor. According to legend, it was reared by the Lycian chieftain, Amisodarus, possibly as a gift as a gods in order to help him seize the Lycian throne. Afterward, it was left to pillage and ransack the country-side, destroying cattle and setting fires. During the 14th Century, King Jobates of Lycia received the hero Bellerophon, sent to him from King Proetus of Tiryns, who wanted the hero disposed of without dirtying his own hands. Not wanting the stigma of murder on himself, King Jobates sent Bellerophon to slay the Chimera, certain the task would lead to his death. With the help of the Gods of Olympus, Bellerophon was able to tame the winged steed, Pegasus, as his ally and slay the Chimera with arrows, returning to Lycia to become his son-in-law and heir to the throne. 

( Incredible Hercules#138/2 (fb)- BTS) - At some point in the past, either Hera or Pluto had the Chimera restored to life. 

(Incredible Hercules#138/2) - The Chimera was placed on guard in the caverns under New Olympus accompanied by a cyclops and several skeleton warriors.

(Incredible Hercules#139/2) - In the caverns beneath the Olympus Group building, the Chimera encountered the Agents of Atlas. Upon sensing they were not Olympians, he spewed fire upon them, sparking a fire between the heroes and Hera's minions.

(Incredible Hercules#140/2) - The Chimera was forced to set its second head ablaze by Gorilla Man, causing him to flail around until he had rendered himself unconscious.

Comments: Adapted by Jeff Parker, Gabriel Hardman and Wil Quintana 

Mythological supplement from Crowell's Handbook of Classical Myth by Edward Tripp.

There is much to be missing from the story of the Chimera. For one, if the Chimera was reared by a Lycian chieftain, it would have to predate Echidna's murder by Argus Panoptes in Io's Generation in the Late 17th Century BC; yet Amisodarus is said to have had sons who died in the Trojan War (c. 1195-1185). I would explain this by identifying two separate kings with that name who existed separately and were later fused to one legendary figure (which happens). Two, I can't find a resource to explain WHY a mortal king would be allowed to sire the Chimera. As with most of the dragons of Classical Myth, it's likely the beast was actually a symbol for an invading army and over the years, the myth was condensed to its recent version. Third, there is an alternate version that the Chimera was immune to weapons, and that it was poisoned by the lead tip of Bellerophon's spear melted by its breath into its mouth, but this is just as likely just a modern take to the myth.

Profile by: Will U

Clarifications: Chimera is not to be confused with:

• Chimera, a three-piece mystical power amulet from Atlantis, @ Tomb of Dracula I#26 
• Chimera, Zuhn, Skrull commander, former partner of Howler, @ Marvel: Lost Generation#4 
• Chimera, female metamorph, member of Superia's Femizons, @ Captain America I#389
• Chimera, Paul Proust, member of Cat's Eye Security, @ Black Cat#1
• Chimera, back-up ship for Force Works, @ Force Works#16
• Chimera, interdimensional pirate, enemy of Landau, Luckman & Lake, @ Wolverine II#97 
• Chimera, denizen of an alternate future of 2099, @ Fantastic Four 2099#1
• Chimère, mutant from Genosha, @ Excalibur III#3

Images:

main pic- Incredible Hercules#139/2, page 3, panel 1-2

Issues: