ZEUS
ZEUS
Real Name: Zeus Panhellenios
Identity/Class: Extradimensional (Olympian god);
citizen of Olympus
generally believed a myth;
active from
Pre-Cataclysmic Era to present
Occupation: Adventurer; former monarch of Olympus
Group Membership: Olympian gods (outcast); formerly the Council of Godheads, Dodekatheon
Affiliations: Alflyse, Avengers, Beta Ray Bill,
Champions of Los Angeles, Hebe, New Warriors, Odin, Bambi Tessbacher, Thor, and the Asgardians;
possibly the "Gods
for the 80s";
formerly Aegina, Alcmene, Cyclopes (Arges, Brontes, Steropes), Centimanes/Hekatoncheries
(Briares, Gyges,
Kottus), Danae, Dione, Europa, Eurymedousa, Eurynome,
Gaea, Io, Leda, Leto,
Loki, Taylor Madison (creation), Maia, Metis, Mnemosyne, Orchomenan, Plouto, Semele, Themis;
formerly worshipped by people of Greece, Rome, and Nova Roma
Enemies: Amora the Enchantress, Cronus,
Dark Elves of Svartalfheim,
Dark Gods,
Demogorge,
Demon of the Mask Ephialtes, Gaea,
Gigantes, Kallikantzaroi,
Krokarr the Cruel, Loki,
Lords of the
Nether Worlds,
Lorelei (Asgardian), Taylor Madison, Malekith,
Manduu the Merciless,
Mephisto,
Mikaboshi and his agents, Otis,
Pluto,
Satan, Tartarus, Thanos,
Thog, Titans,
Typhon,
Y'Androgg;
formerly Avengers, Celestials, Thor, Zuras and the Eternals,
Ennead
Known Relatives: Ouranos (grandfather, deceased),
Gaea (grandmother);
Cronus (Chronus/Kronus, father, deceased), Rhea (mother);
Cyclopes (Arges, Brontes, Steropes), Centimanes/Hecatonchires/Hekatoncheries
(Briares, Gyges, Kottus),
Furies (Alecto, Megaera, Tisiphone), Giants (Callias), Titans (Coeus, Crius, Hyperion, Iapetus, Metis, Mnemosyne,
Oceanus, Phoebe, Tethys, Theia, Themis) (aunts and uncles) and their
descendents;
Antaeus,
Charybdis,
Thor Odinson, Typhon, numerous other children of Gaea (half-aunts and uncles),
various other extensive and extended relationships via Gaea;
Hera (wife, sister),
Neptune (Poseidon, brother), Pluto
(Hades, brother),
Demeter +
Vesta (sisters);
Ares,
Hephaestus (sons by Hera);
Minos, Rhadamanthus, Sarpedon (sons via Europa);
Aeacus (son via Aegina),
Apollo (son by Leto),
Dionysus (son by Semele),
Epaphus (son via Io), Hercules
(Heracles, son by Alcmene), Hermes (son by Maia), Myrmidon (son via Eurymedousa),
Perseus (son via Danae), Pollux (son via Leda), Tantalus (son via Plouto),
Tityus (son via Orchomenan);
Eris/Discord/Bellona,
Hebe (daughters by Hera);
Atropos, Clotho, Lachesis (Fates/Moirae/Norns, daughters by
Themis);
Aphrodite (daughter by Dione),
Artemis (daughter by Leto),
Athena (daughter by Metis),
Helen
of Troy (daughter by Leda, deceased), Joya
(daughter by Eurynome), Urania (daughter by Mnemomsyne);
Aeneas (grandson via Aphrodite), Asclepius/Asklepios
(grandson via Apollo), Autolycus (grandson via Hermes),
Cupid (Eros, grandson
via Aphrodite & Ares), Electryon (grandson via Perseus), Hyllus (grandson via
Hercules and Deianira), Libya (granddaughter via Epaphus),
Pan (grandson via
Hermes), Pelops (grandson via Tantalus),
Priapus (grandson via Dionysus and
Aphrodite), Sthenelus (grandson via Perseus), Telamon (grandson via Aeacus),
several unidentified grandchildren via Hercules and Megara (deceased);
Alcippe, Antiope,
Deimos, Diomedes, Diomedes' mares, Harmonia, Hiera,
Hippolyta,
Kyknos,
Lysippe, Melanippe, Monstro the Mighty, Oenomaus, Otrera, Orithya, Penthesilea,
Phobos, Phobos
(Alexander Aaron), Phlegyras, Thestius and allegedly Romulus & Remus (grandchildren via Ares);
Ajax (great-grandson via Telamon), Alcaeus (great-grandson
via Pelops), Belus (great-grandson via Libya),
Eurystheus (great-grandson via
Sthenelus);
Aerope (great-granddaughter via Minos), Alcmene
(great-granddaughter via Electryon, great-great-granddaughter via Eurydice),
Artume ("great-granddaughter" via Hippolyta), Eurydice (great-granddaughter via
Pelops),
Aegytpus (great-great-grandson via Belus), Menelaus
(great-great-grandson via Aerope), Amphitrion (great-great-grandson via Alcaeus)
Lynceus (great-great-great grandson via Aegyptus),
Abas (great-great-great-great grandson via Lynceus),
Acrisius (great-great-great-great-great grandson via
Abas),
Danae (great-great-great-great-great-great-granddaughter via
Acrisius)
Myrmidons (descendents)
Achelous,
Atlas, Augeus,
Bia,
Kratos,
Menoetius,
Nox,
Prometheus (cousins)
Neptunia (niece),
Persephone (niece/sister-in-law),
Argus, Chrysaor, Theseus, Triton (nephews),
Cadmus
(grandnephew via Neptune)
Geryon (grand-nephew via Chrysaor,
first cousin once removed via Callirhoe),
Amphitrite (sister-in-law);
Charon,
Echo, Livilla, Momos,
Sirens (including Venus) (first
cousins once removed);
Pandora, (creation)
numerous others!
Aliases: Jupiter (Roman name), Jove (Roman name), Iupiter Optimus Maximus, Diespiter Optimus Maximus, Mister Z
Base of Operations: Mobile on Earth
formerly Olympus
born on Mount Lycaeum, Arcadia (an area in the land that is
now Greece)
First Appearance: Venus#5 (June, 1949)
Powers/Abilities: Zeus, in adult form, could lift 90
tons, though he could further augment his strength via his energy powers. As
Olympian flesh and bone is three times denser than human tissue, he has
superhuman endurance and durability.
Like all Olympians, he is immortal; he has not aged since adulthood and is unable to die by conventional means. His godly life forms enables him to recover from most wounds in minutes. It would generally take an injury of such magnitude that it dispersed a major portion of his bodily molecules to kill him (even then, it may be possible for a god of equal power, such as Odin, or a number of lesser gods working together, to revive him).
Zeus, as an adult, was the most powerful of all the Olympian gods. He is best known for his ability to generate tremendous amounts of electricity in the form of lightning bolts (generally referred to as his thunderbolts) from his hands or from the sky. He can generate and manipulate other forms of energy as well, though only a small number of his powers have been depicted. He can create interdimensional apertures sufficient to transport the entire Olympian army. He can project his image, voice, and energy bolts from Olympus to Earth. He can alter his appearance, sometimes replicating the forms of other gods or mortals.
Zeus has limited precognitive abilities, and in ancient times maintained an oracle at Dodona.
Zeus sometimes travels via mystical horse drawn chariot.
Height: 6'7"
Weight: 560 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Red
History:
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe I#12: Zeus - BTS) - The Titan Cronus rose to power in the realm that would become Olympus after slaying his father, the sky god Ouranos. The fatally wounded Ouranos prophesized that Kronus would likewise be overthrown by one of his children.
(Incredible Hercules#130 (fb)) - Due to Gaea's prophecy that one of his children would overthrow him (much as he had slain his father Ouranus), Cronus swallowed each of his children as they emerged from Rhea's womb. Appalled, Rhea kept her sixth child, Zeus, from Cronus, hiding him in a cave beneath Crete, where he was suckled from the goat Almatheia.
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe I#12: Zeus) - Upon each of his children's birth, Kronus had them imprisoned in Tartarus, the most dismal section of the Olympian underworld now known as Hades. Appalled, Rhea concealed her sixth pregnancy from Kronus and secretly gave birth to Zeus on Mount Lycaeum, in Arcadia. Rhea gave the infant Zeus to the safekeeping of Gaea, who hid the baby in the cave of Dicte on Aegian Hill on the isle of Crete, where he was tended to by various minor goddesses. Zeus grew to adulthood among the shepherds of Mount Ida, Crete, and then set about taking revenge on Kronus. Zeus went down to Tartarus and freed his siblings, as well as the three original Cyclopes and the three Hekatoncheires, all six of whom Kronus had imprisoned there for fear they would help overthrow him. The grateful Cyclopes taught Zeus how to wield his energy-manipulating powers in battle. Zeus and his allies fought a ten year war with the Titans that ended with Zeus imprisoning most of the male Titans in Tartarus, after which Zeus became supreme ruler of Olympus.
(Incredible Hercules#130 (fb)) - A nearly adult Zeus poisoned Cronus' cup, forcing him to vomit up his siblings. Zeus led Pluto, Neptune and the other gods in the Titanomachy, slaying many of the Titans, including Cronus, and overthrowing their rule.
(Hulk vs. Hercules: When Titan's Collide (fb)) - Gaea aided Hades/Pluto, Poseidon/Neptune, and Zeus against Cronus and the Titans, who had enslaved her Cyclopes children.
(Champions#2 (fb) - BTS) - One of Zeus' thunderbolts felled the Titan Menoetius, in the process transforming his body into living energy.
(Hulk vs. Hercules: When Titan's Collide (fb) - BTS) - Zeus and his brethren imprisoned the Titans in Tartarus.
((Incredible Hercules#123 (fb)) - After defeating the Titans,
Zeus, Pluto, and Neptune drew lots to divide their conquered territory. Zeus won
the Heavens (Olympus), Pluto, the underworld (Hades), and Neptune, the seas --
with the surface world shared equally between them. To mark the boundary of
their dominion, Zeus commanded two eagles to fly in opposite directions. Where
they met was declared the center of the world. There they condemned the Titans'
general, Atlas, to hold the Heavens aloft as the Axis Mundi, the world axis, and
the continent where Atlas stood was christened "Atlantis," or "isle of Atlas."
Atlas' base was shifted to a new center each time the most
important nation in the world changed.
(Encyclopaedia Mythologica: Olympians - BTS) - Zeus further set Demeter to watch over the land, and Vesta to watch over the people.
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe I#12: Zeus) - Zeus married Hera, but engaged in many relationships with mortal women both before and during the Heroic Age of ancient Greece. Some of his children were gods, a number of whom joined the Olympian pantheon; others were humans, such as Helen of Troy.
(Encyclopaedia Mythologica: Olympians - BTS) - His potential rivals thus occupied elsewhere, Zeus ruled a peaceful Olympus for untold centuries while he and his siblings populated the realm through interbreeding with humans, Titans, and other races.
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition#9: Olympians - BTS) - Via Hera, Zeus fathered Ares, Hephaestus, Hebe, and Eris/Discord/Bellona
(Incredible Hercules#140 (fb)) - When Hera welcomed Hephaestus back to Olympus and arranged his marriage to Aphrodite, Zeus presided over the ceremony.
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #8: Olympians appendix) - Via the Titaness Themis, Zeus fathered the Fates/Moirae/Norns, Atropos, Clotho, Lachesis.
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition#9: Olympians - BTS) - Via Leto, Zeus fathered Apollo and Artemis.
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition#9: Olympians - BTS) - Via Maia, Zeus fathered Hermes.
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #8: Olympians appendix) - Via Eurynome, Zeus fathered Joya.
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #9: Olympians appendix) - Via Mnemosyne, Zeus fathered Urania.
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition#9: Olympians - BTS) - Via Dione, Zeus fathered Aphrodite.
(Incredible Hercules#127 (fb)) - Zeus impregnated the Titan Metis, after which the Fates warned that their child would be greater even than him, and so Zeus ate Metis to prevent this. After Zeus developed a massive headache, he had Hephaestus split his head open to relieve the pressure, and Athena emerged fully grown.
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition#15: Zeus - BTS) - Zeus, Hera, Neptune, Demeter, Vesta, together with Zeus' children Aphrodite, Apollo, Ares, Artermis, Athena, Hephaestus, and Hermes, comprised the membership of the high council of Olympian gods known as the Pantheon.
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition#15: Zeus - BTS) - Zeus and his fellow Olympians defeated a challenge to their rule by the giants Otis and Ephialtes.
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe I#12: Zeus) - After the end of the Hyborian era (8000 BC), as the civilization of ancient Greece began to arise, Zeus decided to make the presence of the Olympian gods known to the Greeks so that the Greeks would worship the Olympians. Zeus learned that the principal nexus between the Olympian dimension and Earth lay atop Greece's Mount Olympus (in modern day Pieria Prefecture, Greece), near Olympia, the principal city of the Eternals (Zeus decided to name the Gods own dimension after Mount Olympus following this discovery).
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition#15: Zeus - BTS) - The Olympian gods intervened frequently with human affairs initially.
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #8: Olympians appendix) - Via Aegina, Zeus fathered Aeacus.
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #8: Olympians appendix) - Via Io, Zeus fathered Epaphus.
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #9: Olympians appendix) - Via Eurymedousa, Zeus fathered Myrmidon.
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition#9: Olympians - BTS / Encyclopaedia Mythologica: Olympians) - The Olympian gods reached their peak of worship in Greece and then Rome from about 2500 BC to 500 AD.
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe I#12: Zeus) - Zeus
and Athena met with the Eternals Zuras and his daughter Zura. Noticing the
marked physical resemblances between Zeus and Zuras, and b/t Zura and herself,
Athena suggested the Olympian gods and the Eternals form an alliance in which
the Eternals would act as the gods' representatives on Earth. Both parties
enthusiastically agreed, and Zura took the name Thena to signify the sealing of
the pact.
However, over the years, many Eternals came to be thought of
by many humans to be not representatives of the Olympians, but the gods
themselves. This led to a growing resentment by the gods toward the Eternals.
(Incredible Hercules#130 (fb)) - Zeus romanced Semele, who fell in love with him. The jealous Hera tricked Semele into asking Zeus (who had sworn to grant her any wish) to reveal himself to her in all his glory. Feeling honor bound to comply, Zeus did so, and Semele was consumed by his energies.
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition#15: Zeus - BTS) - Via union with Seleme, Zeus fathered Dionysus.
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition#15: Zeus - BTS) - Vesta resigned her seat in the council in favor of another son of Zeus' Dionysus.
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #9: Olympians appendix) - Via Danae, Zeus fathered Perseus.
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #9: Olympians appendix) - Via Plouto, Zeus fathered Tantalus.
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #9: Olympians appendix) - Via Orchomenan, Zeus fathered Tityus.
(Incredible Hercules#130 (fb) - BTS) - Athena arranged for Zeus to father Hercules, a mortal with the power of the gods who would bear the lion's sign and could thus save the gods from a future attack.
(Incredible Hercules#116 (fb)/Incredible Hercules#126 (fb) - BTS) - Zeus took the form of Amphitryon and lay with his wife, Alcmene, that she might birth a savior for the world of gods and men from monsters and giants when they might rise in revolt against Olympus.
(Incredible Hercules#130 (fb)) - Zeus romanced Leda, leading to the son Pollux (see comments).
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #8: Olympians appendix) - Via Leda, Zeus fathered Helen of Troy.
(Incredible Hercules#130 (fb) / myth history) - Zeus romanced Europa, leading to the sons Minos, Rhadamanthus, and Sarpedon.
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition#15: Zeus - BTS / Hulk vs. Hercules: When Titan's Collide (fb)) - Pitying the Titans, Gaea sent her newest and fiercest children, the Giants, to battle the Olympian Gods.
(Incredible Hercules#130 (fb) - BTS) - The Fates had prophesized that no god could slay the Gigantes, just a mortal bearing the lion's sign.
(Incredible Hercules#130 (fb)) - Athena summoned Hercules to Olympus. As the gods struck down each Giant, they had Hercules smash the giant's brains in with an Adamantine mace. After Hercules dragged Alcyoneus out of his native Phlegra to overcome the land's power to heal him from any wound, Hercules first laid eyes on Zeus, who said to him "It's a start."
(Hulk vs. Hercules: When Titan's Collide (fb)) - Thanks to Hercules' involvement, Zeus and the Olympians triumphed over the Giants, banishing them to Tartarus as well.
(Encyclopaedia Mythologica: Typhon / Incredible Hercules#130 (fb) - BTS) - After the Olympian gods slaughtered and imprisoned the gigantes that the Elder Goddess and Earth mother Gaea had spawned and sent against the gods for their imprisonment of the Titans, Gaea mated with the primordial fires of Tartarus and sired the monstrous Typhon (fashioning him from the slaughtered gigantes' gore) to seek vengeance upon the gods. Typhon assaulted Olympus and initially bested Zeus, even cutting the sinews from Zeus' hands and feet.
(Incredible Hercules#141 (fb)) - Scared of Typhon the Olympians fled to Egypt as animals. Athena mocked Zeus for this cowardly move and he returned to Greece to fight Typhon once again.
(Encyclopaedia Mythologica: Typhon / Incredible Hercules#130 (fb) - BTS) - The tricksters Hermes and Pan made Typhon consume mortal food that made him sick.
(Encyclopaedia Mythologica: Typhon / Avengers I#49 (fb) - BTS / Incredible Hercules#130 (fb) - BTS) - Zeus defeated him in their second clash, imprisoning him within Mount Etna.
(Encyclopaedia Mythologica: Typhon / Incredible Hercules#130 (fb) - BTS) - Zeus was disgusted by Typhon's monstrous serpent-like form, and altered him to humanoid form.
(Avengers I#49 (fb)) - Zeus banished Typhon from Olympus forevermore.
(Incredible Hercules#116 (fb) ) - Ares demanded permission to intefere in the battle between his son Kyknos and Hercules on Earth, but Zeus insisted that he first consulted the Fates.
(Incredible Hercules#132 (fb) - BTS) - Zeus sent the Harpies to punish King Phineas by excreting on his feasts.
(Incredible
Hulk: Hercules Unleashed#1 (fb) / Incredible
Hercules#129 (fb)) - After Hercules burned himself to death to escape the pain
of Nessus' poison, Zeus split Hercules' divine aspect away from his mortal shade
and brought him to Olympus as a god. To appease Hera, whose jealous anger over
Hercules' adulterous origins had plagued Hercules his whole mortal life, Zeus
wed Hercules to Hera's favorite daughter.
(Incredible Hercules#130 (fb) - BTS) - At some point Zeus recognized that Hercules would retain some of his mortal sympathies, and he told Athena that creating Hercules was a mistake unworthy of ever succeeding Zeus.
(Journey into Mystery#74 (fb)) - Zeus gave Pandora a box, telling her to never open it.
(Ka-Zar (Quarterly) #1 (fb) - BTS) <Centuries ago> - Zeus created the Huntsman, endowing him from a fraction of his power and granting him the skill to track his victims and the power to create terror in the ones he stalked.
(Thor Annual#8) - Thor and Loki passed through a fissure near the portal to Olympus, arriving just outside Troy, circa 1200 BC (or thereabouts), where he befriended the Trojans and then tracked Aphrodite back to Olympus, where Zeus told him to return to his own time and place. Nonetheless, Thor interfered with the Olympians' efforts to aid various warriors. When Thor interfered with the conflict directly, Zeus became enraged and, goaded Hera and Athena, confronted Thor. When Thor refused to back down, Zeus transported them both away to Mount Ida to avoid injuring others and then assaulted Thor with his thunderbolts. Thor fought back, and the two fought with progressively more fury; the energies released warped time, such that months of the Trojan War passed during their conflict. When Zeus found that Thor was now fighting for Asgard's honor -- as he feared that if he met defeat Zeus might lead Olympus' forces to join with Hela and bring about Ragnarok -- Zeus called a halt to the combat, revealing his pact with Odin that their people would never war against each other. Taking Zeus at his word, Thor returned to the temporal fissure and returned to Asgard alongside Loki, only then finding out that Loki had aided Odysseus in the creation of the Trojan Horse.
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe I#12: Zeus) - Zeus' precognitive abilities allowed him, at the time of the Trojan War, to "remember" the Asgard-Olympus war, which occurred centuries afterward.
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: A to Z#8: Olympians) - At some point, the Olympians were drawn into conflict with the Ennead (aka Heliopolitan/Egyptian gods).
(Journey into Mystery Annual#1) - After Thor accidentally fell
through a portal between Asgard and Olympus, he encountered and battled
Hercules. After a fierce battle, Zeus appeared, halted the fighting, and noted
both as worthy. Thor honored him as the liege of his realm, and Zeus had
Hercules and Thor shake hands and pronounce their friendship before sending Thor
back to Asgard, burying the portal under numerous boulders thereafter.
(Thor I#289 (fb) - BTS) - Thor and Hercules forgot this encounter, for reasons known only to Odin and Zeus.
(Thor Annual#5) -
Circa 1000 AD, both Thor and
Hercules arrived on Earth in response to prayers from battling Vikings and
Grecian warriors (the latter of whom had been brought forward in time by
Zeus?). They got in such a fight that they decided to meet in one week
with their fellow gods by their sides, Olympians vs. Asgardians. Odin refused
such a war, but Thor organized the warriors anyway, while Loki posed as Thor and
provoked Zeus and the Olympians to join the war. While the two forces warred,
Odin met with Zeus, and they agreed to arrange a lesson to educate their
arrogant sons (and other gods), where each side would appear to win, but with
massive losses.
(Thor Annual#8 (fb) - BTS) - Zeus and Odin made a pact that Olympus and Asgard should never again raise arms against each other.
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe I#12: Zeus) - When Christianity replaced the worship of the Olympian gods in the Roman Empire, Zeus decided the time had come for the Olympian gods to break most of their ties with Earth. The only exception was that Neptune was still allowed to watch over his worshippers in undersea Atlantis. Pluto was chief among those who deplored Zeus' decree.
(Thor I#292 (fb) - BTS) - Zeus and the other Olympians made the decision to divorce themselves from Earth after mankind ceased to believe in them.
(Thor I#300 (fb)) - Zeus attended the meeting of the Council of Godheads in which they discussed the threat of the Celestials' judgment of Earth. Zeus accompanied Vishnu and Odin in confronting and assaulting Arishem, who was unaffected by their attacks and responded by burning the gateways between Earth and their respective realms. Arishem stopped short of permanently destroying the gateways, and his agent Ajak informed the gods that he would destroy the gateways unless they vowed, on behalf of all the other godheads, not to interfere with Celestials affairs for the next millennium. Realizing their might was no comparison to the Celestials', Zeus, Odin, and Vishnu bent their knees and made the pledge.
(Thor I#300 (fb) - BTS) - As part of their plan to battle the Celestials in 1000 years, Zeus and all of the other godheads instilled a fraction of their godly might into the Asgardian forged Destroyer armor.
(Thor I#301 (fb) - BTS) - Zeus and the other godheads agreed that the Asgardians would first challenge the Celestials in 1000 years, with the Olympians to follow.
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: A to Z#8: Olympians) - The various pantheons of Earth vowed they would never war against each other as a whole.
(Thor I#292 (fb) - BTS) - Zeus was long irritated by the existence of Olympia and the Eternals, whose existence seemed to mock the former glories of Olympus.
(Venus#5) - Venus was ordered by Jupiter to return to Olympus, but she claimed that her work on Earth (bringing couples together) was too important; Jupiter gave her one week to find a perfect couple to prove her point. Venus believed that Meg Saunders and her boyfriend Danny met the criteria, but Jupiter sent Apollo and Daphne to Earth under the aliases of "Renee Andre" and "Rona Belladonna" to break up the couple so that Venus would be forced to leave Earth. Venus saw through their efforts and helped Meg and Danny stay together, earning Jupiter's permission to remain on Earth.
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: A to Z#8: Olympians) - Zeus allowed several of the Olympians gods to interact with humanity, partially due to concern over Pluto, who had tired of Hades and now coveted Olympus.
(Venus#7) - Jupiter's jealous daughter Joya was envious of Venus' relationship with the mortal Whitney Hammond. In turn, Joya called for a trial of the gods for Venus, as she accused Venus of being a traitor for consorting with a human. Jupiter sent Mercury to Earth to find Venus, and Mercury brought her and Whitney to Olympus. However, Loki, whom the Olympian gods had banished to the underworld in an earlier trial some time ago, took the opportunity to invade Olympus. To appease Loki, Venus agreed to go with him back to the underworld. However "Venus" was actually a repentant Joya, who had switched appearances with Venus.
(Venus#12) - The petty Far Eastern despot Sultan Khorok had his minion Shabor find Venus for him, as Khorok wanted a new woman for his seraglio. Venus allowed herself to be taken in order to investigate Khorok.
Khorok, ruler of the oppressed people of
Cassarobia, held gladiatorial games, using lions in these death matches. The
Olympian gods, including Jupiter and Mercury, for some odd reason could not use
their powers in Cassarobia, so they called upon Loki (whose powers could work in
Cassarobia) to help Venus. Loki, charmed by Venus, decided to help, and sent
his demons to possess Khorok's lions.
Khorok had his aides use flame-throwers on the lions, and Venus called upon
Thor to save her. Thor appeared and created a storm, ruining the
flame-throwers. Afterward, Khorok was deposed.
(Venus#13) - The Creeping Death, a blob-type monster, went on a rampage, so Venus had Jupiter summon Thor. Thor blasted the Creeping Death so that it sustained an injury, setting off a chain reaction which caused all the cells in the Creeping Death to die.
(Amazing Adult Fantasy#13/2) <1962> - Feeling that humanity had made a mess of Earth, Zeus traveled there (apparently to Manhattan or another big city), intending to stop mankind from destroying itself. Remaining invisible until he landed, Zeus made a dramatic appearance and announced his presence, but despite the manner of his arrival, creation of lightning bolts, and his horse drawn chariot flying through the air, everyone thought it was a hoax, with several people trying to sign him up as a novelty act. Unable to convince anyone of his true identity, Zeus returned to Olympus in frustration, telling the other gods to nevermind humanity's fate, and that if they ever came to Olympus, the gods should head to the hills.
(Bizarre Adventures#32 - BTS) - In the 1980s, Zeus considered creating more topical gods. These "Gods for the Eighties," a group of topically relevant deities included Brooke of the Denim Shield (goddess of designer jeans), Cubicus Rubicus (god of infernal obsession), Walkman (god of cosmic indifference), Bromo (god of fast foods), Paranoia (two-headed god of both liberals and conservatives), Jiggle (goddess of the mindless television entertainment), and Ataros (god of the video arcade).
(Thor: Blood Oath#3) - Zeus and other gods magically observed a confrontation between Thor and Hercules, who was drunk, didn't remember meeting Thor, and had stolen Dionysus' wine-making pig. Zeus opined that his son could use a good kicking in the rear. As Thor tossed Hercules high into the air, Zeus chided him for his arrogance and sloth, and Hercules re-doubled his efforts, eventually catching a stunned Thor in a headlock.
(Thor: Blood Oath#4) - Thor struck down Hercules with lightning, which Zeus allowed, feeling that such defeat would be good for Hercules' excessive ego and gluttony. Grateful for the lesson Thor had given Hercules, Zeus transported Thor and his allies, the Warriors Three, to their next destination, Ireland.
(Thor I#129) - As Zeus and his brethren
enjoyed a party, Pluto appeared, announcing that Hercules had signed a contract
to replace him in Hades. Initially angry at Pluto for departing Hades without
his leave, Zeus was shocked by his revelation. Nonetheless, Zeus honored the
contract, but then instructed Hercules to find someone who would fight in his
stead while he was trapped in Hades.
(Thor I#130 - BTS) - Thor Odinson fought for Hercules, causing such disturbance in Hades that Pluto shredded the contact and returned there of his own will, freeing Hercules.
(Avengers I#38) - Amora the Enchantress, via alliance with Ares, duped Hercules into drinking the waters of the Fountain of Eros, which put him under her spell. She sent him to Earth to battle the Avengers. Though eventually the spell was broken, Zeus was furious upon learning that Hercules had come to Earth without his permission. Unconcerned with any explanation, Zeus banished Hercules to Earth for the span of one year.
(Avengers I#49 (fb)) - Typhon returned to Olympus and snuffed the Promethean Flame, which caused the Olympian gods, including Zeus, to the Land of Shades (connected to Hades).
(Avengers I#48 - BTS) - Zeus and the other gods were absent from Olympus when Hercules returned.
(Avengers I#49 - BTS) - Hercules battled Typhon but was also sent to the Land of Shades.
(Avengers I#50) - Initially not recognizing Hercules (who had shaven his beard during his time with the Avengers), Zeus suspected Hercules as the cause of the Olympians' banishment before learning Typhon to be the cause. Ares became irate for Zeus' forgiveness of Hercules, but Zeus angrily silenced Ares and denounced him as craven. Because of Hercules' mortal origins, Zeus was able to send him back to Earth, where he gathered his Avengers allies, returned to Olympus, defeated Typhon, re-lit the Promethean flames, and restored the Olympians to Olympus. Returning to his throne, Zeus had Kratos and Bia take Typhon to the Pit of Hades, ignoring Typhon's curse upon him. Zeus was pleased to learn Hercules had decided to remain in Olympus. Later that evening, Zeus held a celebration, and he and Hercules enjoyed a feast and some dancing girls.
(Silver Surfer I#4) - Zeus observed a gladiatorial combat in
which Hercules bested a giant monster.
Loki briefly glanced in on this occurrence when he considered
using Hercules as a pawn against the Silver Surfer, but decided against this for
fear of drawing the wrath of Olympus assembled.
(Thor I#164) - While Pluto assaulted Earth with mutates from the future of Earth-6943, battling Thor, Zeus appeared, banishing Pluto back to Hades.
(Ka-Zar (Quarterly) #1 (fb)) - When Zeus chided Hercules for
his insolence, Hercules irately accused him of trying to run his life. Though
Zeus tried to explain that he was merely offering advice, Hercules walked out in
mid-conversation, infuriating him. When Hebe reported that Hercules had returned
to Earth, Zeus summoned the Huntsman and instructed him to locate Hercules and
return him to Olympus by any means necessary.
(Sub-Mariner I#29) - Namor the Sub-Mariner knocked the Huntsman's staff from his hands, rendering him powerless and restoring Hercules' power. As Hercules prepared to finish off the Huntsman, Zeus' visage appeared above them. Having observed the battle, Zeus was reminded of mankind's nobility via Namor risking his life for Hercules and understood why Hercules enjoyed spending his time amongst humanity. Having reached an understanding with his father, Hercules agreed to return to Olympus, and Zeus transported both Hercules and the Huntsman there.
(Avengers I#100 (fb)) - Nearly overcome with a bout of
boredom, Zeus watched a struggle between Hercules and Phoebus in the Arena of
Immortals.
Meanwhile, armed with the Ebony Blade and in alliance with
Amora the Enchantress, Ares snuffed the Promethean Flame, and all Olympians save
the half-human Hercules were turned to crystal as their spirits were presumably
dispatched to the Land of Shades.
(Avengers I#100 - BTS) - After Thor and the Black Knight defeated Ares, the Promethean Flame was presumably re-lit, restoring the Olympians.
(Defenders I#4 (fb) - BTS) - Amora was placed in Zeus' captivity.
(Defenders I#4 (fb)) - Amora escaped when Zeus rested.
(Thor#221) - Having seen a vision of Hercules and Pluto
holding Krista prisoner in Hades, Thor stormed Asgard to assault Hercules.
Uncertain what to make of the situation initially, Zeus observed. Eventually, he
called an end to the fighting and forced Thor to explain himself. Zeus then
confirmed that Hercules had been by his side in Olympus for a fortnight, and
that Thor had been deceived, presumably by Pluto. Thor and Hercules united to
uncover the truth and rescue Krista.
(Thor#222) - When Hercules and Thor fought anew over who would battle Pluto, Zeus stopped them and chided them for their childlike behavior, instructing them to act as allies.
(Marvel Premiere#26) - After realizing Typhon had escaped Tartarus alongside the witch Cylla, Zeus located them on Earth where they had been battling Hercules, and returned them to Olympus. He bade Hercules farewell, noting him to be his most beloved son.
(Champions#2 (fb)) - Pluto made an alliance with Mephisto, Satan, the Demon of the Mask, some other members of the Lords of the Nether Realms, and a number of other demons (and presumably Death Gods) and threatened to use their power to invade Olympus to coerce Zeus' compliance with the forced marriages of Hercules to Hippolyta and Venus to Ares as a gesture of the harmony between Hades and Olympus. In truth, Pluto sought these marriages so that then Hercules and Venus could not oppose their spouses in an effort to overthrow Zeus.
(Champions#3 (fb) - BTS) - Pluto presumably promised the death of Zeus to those demons in order to gain their alliances.
(Champions#1 (fb) - BTS) - Zeus agreed that Hercules would wed Hippolyta and Venus would marry Ares.
(Champions#1 - BTS) - Pluto, Hippolyta, and Ares delivered Zeus' message to Hercules and Venus (and their allies in the then-forming Champions of Los Angeles, Angel/Warren Worthington, Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff, Ghost Rider/John Blaze/Zarathos, Iceman/Bobby Drake), threatening that should they resist these pairings that the universe would die.
(Champions#2) - After a brief battle, the heroes fled, and Pluto transported himself, Ares, and Hippolyta to Olympus to force Zeus to compel Hercules and Venus' obedience. Though it rankled him to do so, Zeus agreed to do so and dispatched the Huntsman to bring in Hercules and Venus; the Huntsman succeeded.
(Champions#3) - On the day of the planned marriages, Zeus lamented his son's fate and his own involvement in this. When he told Hercules he could not do anything to prevent this, Hercules called him a coward and a cur. When the remaining "Champions" arrived to save their allies, Zeus formed a force field to contain Hercules but allowed Hercules to strike the mocking Ares. Eventually Ghost Rider convinced Zeus that Pluto had likely offered his head on a platter in order to forge the union of demons and death gods against him. Zeus then banished Pluto back to Hades and apologized to Hercules and Venus, telling them to choose their foes' punishment. Venus chose forgiveness, convincing Zeus that they were already doomed to a Hell of their own making. Zeus dispatched the Champions back to Earth, parting on amicable terms with Hercules. Zeus and Dionysus prepared to partake of the enchanted mead Dionysus had brewed a fortnight past.
(Marvel Two-In-One#44 (fb) - BTS) - Krokarr, Manduu, and
Y'androgg, three giants from a shining star within Olympus' dimension abducted
Zeus (whose powers they magically constricted) and bound him within the Tower of
the Sun. The other Olympians were also captured and imprisoned in the Watergate.
(Marvel Two-In-One#44 (fb)) - Hercules enlisted the Thing (Ben Grimm) to defeat Y'androgg and Manduu and rescue Zeus. His own powers no longer limited, Zeus imprisoned Krokarr within an ice block, after which they liberated the other Olympians.
(Avengers I#173) - As Zeus held court in a dispute between two
minor Olympian gods, Korvac observed him from afar, confirming that Zeus was
unaware of his existence.
(Thor I#289 / 291 (fb) - BTS) - Zeus, flanked by Ares, Hercules, and Athena, confronted Odin as he forced his way into Olympus. Odin revealed that he had come to enlist the help of Olympus to prevent Thor and his allies, the Eternals from trying to save Earth from the Celestials' judgment.
(Thor I#291) - While Thor stood watch over Olympus as the
Eternals' Uni-Mind traveled to confront the Celestials, Zeus led the Olympian
gods and demi-gods, alongside Odin, to lay waste to Olympia and prevent the
Eternals' success. Thor attacked the Olympians when they began wrecking Olympus,
and Zeus considered teaching him a lesson, but Odin instead transformed Thor
back into Don Blake. The damage to the Uni-Mind formation tower disrupted the
Uni-Mind as planned, and Zeus told his warriors to prepare themselves for a
battle. After the Uni-Mind split back up into the Eternals, Zuras nearly
collapsed from the stress, and Zeus mocked his weakness: "Father Zuras" should
perhaps be called grandsire, eh, Lord Odin.
As the Eternals attacked the Olympians, Odin restored Thor,
who attacked him, while the recovered Zuras squared off against Zeus.
(Thor I#292) - Put in a position of killing Thor, Odin refused to do so, and called off the battle, much to the annoyance of Zeus, who had led the Olympians to battle at his request. Zuras ordered Zeus to take his people and leave, which nearly provoked Zeus into starting the battle anew. Ultimately, however, Zeus decided that the battle with the Eternals concerned the fate of Earth, which did not matter to the Olympians. Zeus further admitted that he had agreed to Odin's request due to reasons of old resentment between the Eternals and the Olympians.
(Thor I#300) - Zeus and the other godheads watched in horror from their realms as the Celestials melted the Destroyer, slaying all of the Asgardians animating it.
(Thor I#301 (fb) - BTS) - Zeus and the other godheads watched as Gaea's offering of the Young Gods appeased the Celestials, causing them to judge in humanity's favor.
(Thor I#301) - Thor met with Zeus, asking him to grant him a portion of his might, which, added to the power of each of the other godheads, would restore the Asgardians. Zeus happily agreed and granted Thor a fraction of Olympus' life force.
(Thor Annual#10) - Zeus, along with several other godheads, answered Odin's call, warning them that the Demogorge had been unleashed by various death gods. Per Odin's request, Zeus dispatched Apollo to join champions of the other realms in vanquishing the Demogorge.
(Marvel Comics Presents#12/3) - As the time approached when Hercules might ascend into the Olympian hierarchy, several gods attempted to deny him his birthright. To prove Hercules' worth, Zeus set up a situation where an Earthbound criminal tried to stab Hercules in the back, after which Zeus appeared and demanded Hercules slay the criminals for their crimes. When Hercules refused and vowed to fight to the death to save the misguided human, Zeus declared that Hercules had dispelled any objections against his worthiness.
(Hulk vs. Hercules: When Titan's Collide (fb)) - Gaea sent the
then virtually mindless Hulk from his Crossroads exile to Olympus in hopes of
punishing the gods for his children's continued imprisonment.
(Hulk vs. Hercules: When Titan's Collide (fb) - BTS) - Zeus sent Hermes to Earth to retrieve Hercules to help oppose the Hulk.
(Hulk vs. Hercules: When Titan's Collide (fb)) - As the Hulk arrived in the city of Olympus, Hercules arrived and fought him. Soon after, Cronus and the Giants broke free from Tartarus, the door sealing them there having been cracked by a previous fight between Ares and the Hulk. The Giants' release attracted the Demogorge, who intended to feed if Olympus fell to the giants; Zeus futilely ordered Demogorge to depart. One of the approaching giants hurled a spear through Zeus' shoulder, and Zeus exhorted Hercules to prove he had not been softened by his time on Earth and to bring him the head of every giant standing against them. Hercules led the slaughter and re-imprisonment of Cronus and the remaining giants, and Zeus praised his success.
(Avengers I#256 (fb) - BTS) - Hercules contacted Zeus, requesting new raiment to replace his, which had been destroyed in a recent battle. Zeus promised to send one of the family to deliver it.
(Avengers I#256 (fb) - BTS) - Zeus sent Apollo to Earth to deliver the new costume, hand-crafted by Hephaestus.
(New Mutants I#81 (fb)) - When Magma, Amara Aquilla, a former resident of Nova Roma, had a crisis of faith after seeing Hercules star in a low quality adventure movie, she prayed for guidance to Jove, and Zeus sent Hercules to encourage her. Magma and the New Mutants thought Hercules was just a super hero and not a real god, and Zeus -- upset over Hercules having caused her to doubt her faith-- refused to answer Hercules' requests to prove his existence, hoping to teach Hercules that gods needed the faith of mortals. After Hercules restored Magma's faith (by easy a dying boy (Jaime Suarez)'s last hours on Earth by telling tales of his past adventures), Zeus brought Jaime Suarez to Elysium to live the afterlife among heroes.
(Avengers I#284) - Ignoring the Wasp's instructions, a drunken Hercules rushed Avengers mansion and was beaten nearly to death by Goliath (Erik Josten), the Wrecking Crew, and Mr. Hyde, among others.
(Avengers I#279 - BTS) - Hermes took Hercules from his hospital room and departed out the window.
(Avengers I#281) - Thor, suffering from Hela's curse that made his bones frail and wearing body armor to protect himself, arrived in Olympus to investigate Hercules' disappearance. He was attacked and defeated by Olympians, as were the other Avengers left behind on Earth -- Black Knight, Captain America, Captain Marvel, Dr. Druid, and She-Hulk, who were brought to Olympus and placed in manacles alongside Thor. Upon reviving, Thor blamed Ares for the attacks, but then Zeus appeared and announced that the Avengers were to blame for Hercules injuries and would be punished via death by torment.
(Avengers I#282 (fb)) - Captain America attempted to explain the situation, but Zeus refused to listen. Thor then tried to convince Zeus to listen to him, but Zeus doubted his identity due to his different, armored and masked appearance and derided him as being servile to mortals. Enraged, Thor broke his restraints, but Zeus subdued him with an energy blast. With the exception of Thor, who was privately tortured in Hades by Pluto, the Avengers were imprisoned in Tartarus.
(Avengers I#282 - BTS) - Under Zeus' order, Neptune captured Namor and he was imprisoned in Tartarus alongside the other Avengers, but was freed by Prometheus, and Namor then freed the other Avengers who fought Pluto's forces to escape Hades.
(Avengers I#283) - While the Avengers fought their way out of
Hades, Zeus questioned Apollo how long it would be before he could break
Hercules out of his concussed delirium. As Hercules repeated his last words from
before his beating, voicing frustration at being forced to obey mortals, Zeus
vowed that the Avengers would pay. Apollo reminded Zeus how the Avengers had
helped them in the past, but Ares argued against him, and Zeus reiterated his
order that the Avengers must pay.
Prometheus showed the Avengers Zeus' stubborn behavior,
pointing out how hard it would be to convince him of his wrongness. The Avengers
resolved to try to convince other Olympians to aid them.
Artemis soon brought a captured Wasp before Zeus, and Zeus
condemned her as being the one who ordered Zeus about like a galley slave. Ares
then rushed in and reported that the Avengers had convinced several Olympians --
Aphrodite, Athena, and Hephaestus -- to aid them and that they were currently
meeting with Apollo over the fallen Hercules. Zeus soon appeared and subdued
those allied against him (including the Olympians) with a thunderbolt that
shattered Captain America's legs, and only Captain Marvel, Namor, She-Hulk, and
Thor escaped incapacitation.
(Avengers I#285 (fb) - BTS) - Hera ordered Hermes to shelter the most severely injured Avengers in Prometheus' base.
(Avengers I#284) - As the four remaining Avengers assaulted Zeus (aided by Ares, Artemis, and Dionysus), Hermes spirited Captain America, Dr. Druid, and Wasp to Prometheus' base, where Prometheus called upon Gaea to grant him the power to heal Hercules. As Captain Marvel, Namor, She-Hulk focused on Ares, Artemis, and Dionysus, Thor squared off against Zeus, but as Thor's weakened form began to fall, Captain Marvel focused her full power on Zeus; the energies released by Monica blinded and distracted Prometheus during his efforts, and Hercules awakened prematurely, still delusional, and attacked Prometheus and the Avengers. Zeus withstood Monica's assault and swiftly cast off Namor and She-Hulk when they attacked.
(Avengers I#285) - Dr. Druid forced Hercules to remember the
events leading up to his injuries; still enraged and delusional, Hercules cast
him off. Black Knight goaded Zeus into an attack and then used the Ebony Blade
to turn his attack back on him. The weakened Zeus was then battered by Namor,
She-Hulk, and Thor, in succession, and was staggered. When She-Hulk
taunted him, however, Zeus became enraged, and unleashed forces that dropped
them all. As Zeus threatened to slay Zeus, the recovering Hercules attempted to
stop him. Not recognizing Hercules in his rage (and because he was approaching
him from behind), Zeus batted him aside and then pummeled him savagely when he
renewed his efforts (including a punch that smashed Zeus through a forest).
She-Hulk and Thor stopped him long enough to force him to force him to realize
he had been fighting his own son. Humbled, Zeus approached Hercules, who told
him he was wrong about the Avengers. When Prometheus approached and backed
Hercules' stories, Zeus assumed he was lying and had manipulated Hercules' mind,
but Hera then arrived and revealed how Prometheus had sacrificed a portion of
his own life's essence to save Hercules. A shocked Zeus ended the battle and
allowed the Avengers to recover in Olympus. Apollo healed Captain America's
broken legs and Dr. Druid's concussion.
Zeus then brought the Avengers before a tribunal of the gods
where he announced his intention to atone for the wrongs done to the Avengers.
After discussing how mankind had suffered for the gods' careless ways, he
announced that no Olympians could set foot on Earth again. Neptune and Ares
argued, but Zeus silenced them with angry burst of energy. Zeus then took
Hercules away to talk.
(Solo Avengers#11/2) - Humiliated after he and other Olympians had suffered humility in battle with the Avengers, Dionysus brought a nuclear missile to Olympus, intending to blow it all up so they could die with a bang instead of a whimper. Per Zeus' plan, Hercules confronted Dionysus and then pretended to be on the verge of death at the hands of Dionysus' agent, Butcher T. Washington. Unwilling to cause Hercules death on his behalf, Dionysus banished Butcher and the missile to Ft. Knox. Dionysus asked Zeus' mercy, and Zeus nonetheless angered over his risking and disregarding the gods immortal souls, as well as defying his will by making mortal contact, transformed Dionysus into mortal form. As Dion, he ran Dion's Bar. Zeus thanked Hercules for his successful role.
(Thor I#398) - Zeus sensed Amora the Enchantress' scream of primal passion across the dimensions when Heimdall appeared to succumb to wounds delivered by Seth and his agents.
(Avengers Annual#17 (fb) - BTS) - Hercules received a code one
emergency activation signal, sent by Jocasta. Knowing Zeus was watching the
cosmic by-ways to determine if any Olympians were traveling to Earth, Hercules
stole one of Zeus' thunderbolts and used it to secretly travel to Hydrobase/Avengers
Island.
Hercules was subsequently evolved beyond godhood and vanished
from the physical plane during the struggle with the High Evolutionary.
(Thor
I#462) - When Thor suffered from warrior's madness, Pluto and Ares teamed up in
hopes of destroying Thor, but Thor beat Ares savagely, and Pluto fled with him.
While Zeus cavorted with some fair maidens (assuring them
that Hera wouldn't be upset about this, though they probably should spare her
the details), Pluto appeared before him with the injured Ares, claiming that
Thor had attacked them without provocation. Enraged, Zeus vowed to make Thor
pay.
(Thor I#463) - Pluto supplied Zeus with further false details of the battle with Thor, and Zeus; though Zeus considered Pluto to be lacking in honor, he was convinced of the truth by Ares severe injuries, and he reiterated his intent to take vengeance on Thor.
(Thor I#464 (fb) - BTS) - Zeus continued to believe Pluto's lies, and he pondered what course of action to take against Thor; Pluto plotted to get him to mete out Thor's punishment personally.
(Thor I#465) - When Zeus prepared to send Hermes to Asgard to demand Thor be turned over to him for punishment, but Pluto convinced him to deliver the message personally so there would be no chance Thor might ambush Hermes en route. Zeus ordered Hermes to fetch his armor.
(Thor I#466) - As the armored Zeus prepared to travel to Asgard, Sif appeared and begged his aid.
(Thor I#467) - Sif informed Zeus of Thor's warrior madness, but doubted truth of Pluto's story, believing Thor wouldn't do such a thing even in his fugue state. Knowing that Odin would eternally banish Thor if he learned of his warrior madness, Sif begged Zeus to at least delay his mission until she could disprove Pluto's claims. Zeus agreed that he may have been acting too hastily, but Pluto accused Sif of lying and challenged her to prove herself in the Circle of Combat; Sif accepted. Though he preferred to avoid the battle, Zeus allowed it as a matter of honor. Pluto disarmed Sif after a fierce struggle, but she teleported away by her Norn's stones, then teleported Ares away with her. She appealed to Ares' honor and convinced him to reveal the truth to Zeus, and Zeus angrily banished Pluto back to Hades, swearing to kill him if he ever left there. Though appreciating Ares honesty, Zeus assured him he would settle with him for his earlier actions. Zeus then apologized to Sif, but told her due to the danger a maddened Thor posed to Olympus and Asgard, he must inform Odin. Sif was able to convince Zeus to delay for three days before informing Odin, time in which she would try to cure Thor.
(Thor I#471 - BTS) - With Odin's undermining of Thor identified as the cause of Thor's madness, Thor was cured before Zeus ever had to inform Odin of the problem.
(Avengers Annual#23) - Typhon was freed by Loki as part of an arrangement between Loki and Pluto to destroy each other's enemies, Typhon traveled to Olympus and again extinguished the Promethean Flame, casting Zeus and the rest of the Olympian gods back down to the Land of Shades. The Avengers defeated Typhon and restored the Flame, returning the Olympians to existence. When Typhon refused to reveal who had helped him escape, Zeus asked Pluto, who was able to truthfully state that he had neither released Typhon nor was aware that he had escaped. Untrusting of Pluto, Zeus asked Persephone, who corroborated Pluto's answer. Zeus had Kratos and Bia cast Typhon back down to Tartarus while he pondered a way to punish him further.
(Avengers I#384 (fb) - BTS) - Ares informed Zeus of his contest with Hera to see which of them could hurt Hercules more.
(Avengers I#384 (fb) - BTS) - Intending to catch Hera in the act and knowing that she would most likely strike at someone Hercules loved, Zeus created the seemingly human woman Madison Taylor as the perfect soulmate for Hercules. As planned, Hercules fell in love with Taylor, and Hera prepared to slay Taylor in front of him.
(Avengers I#384 (fb) - BTS) - Zeus transformed Ares into a troll-like form and brought him to Earth.
(Avengers I#384) - Wearing trench coats and appearing in human
form, Zeus and Ares traveled to Taylor Madison's apartment and, learning she was
out with her new roommate, Ms. Jones, left to confront Jones and Madison; Zeus
correctly suspected Augustine Jones was Hera.
After Hera had provoked a fight with Hercules and the
Avengers, Zeus broke up the fight with a thunderbolt and announced that he had
been aware of Hera's scheme since its inception. When he revealed that he had
created Taylor, Hercules said he loved her anyway and begged Zeus to let her
stay with him. As Hercules embraced her one final time, Zeus ended her
existence. An infuriated Hercules attacked Zeus, who failed to see why he was so
upset, and stripped him of his immortality for his impudence before returning to
Olympus.
(Incredible Hulk: Hercules Unleashed#1) - Zeus looked in on a mortal father and son. Hera questioned his reasons, and upon finding him concerned about Hercules' welfare, she criticized him for his infidelity, especially with a mortal woman. Zeus angrily silenced her. Shortly thereafter, the Hulk nearly beat Hercules to death. When the Hulk paused, showing mercy, Zeus transported both to Olympus. Upon his recovery, Zeus granted him a boon, assuming he'd ask to have his immortality restored, but Hercules sought the then-missing Avengers' location instead. Though annoyed, Zeus offered to restore immortality anyway, but Hercules declined, feeling that the challenges and risks to a mortal were greater, which would make him a better person.
(Thor II#7 (fb) - BTS) - Via D'Chel the Deceptor, the Dark
Gods appeared in the forms of the Asgardian gods and assaulted the Olympians in
a battle that leveled Olympus. Having defeated the Olympians, the Dark Gods
mysteriously vanished, leaving the Olympians seeking vengeance on the
Asgardians.
(Thor II#7) - Zeus confronted Hercules and Thor when they came to Olympus seeking aid against the Dark Gods, denouncing Hercules as having turned his back on his birthright and accusing Thor's allies of the treacherous attack. Thor tried in vain to convince Zeus otherwise, and when Hercules accepted that Thor was telling the truth, Zeus banished them both from Olympus, sending them back to Earth.
(Thor Annual 2001) - After the Dark Gods defeat, Odin helped rebuild Olympus.
(New Warriors II#10 (fb) - BTS) - Hercules begged Zeus for transport to Olympus.
(New Warriors II#10) - Zeus reluctantly agreed, and Hercules brought the New Warriors (Aegis, Bolt, Namorita, Turbo) with him to Olympus, accusing Aegis of having stolen the Olympian artifact that empowered him. Zeus revealed that the aegis was a gift from Athena, who then appeared and confirmed this. The New Warriors were allowed to briefly stay and enjoy Olympus, but Zeus decided to allow Hercules to battle Aegis to test his worth. After the Warriors joined forces to briefly put Hercules at the disadvantage, Zeus commented that he should never question Athena's wisdom. Zeus ultimately decided that Aegis was worthy of representing Olympus. Bolt privately asked Zeus if he could cure him of the Legacy virus, but Zeus told him it was not for him to meddle thusly in the lives of mortals. Nonetheless, Zeus encouraged Bolt that he had the strength and courage to overcome this malady.
(Thor Annual 2001) - Due to the appearance of the Silent One, whose was harbinger of deadly threats, Zeus summoned Hercules and Thor to Asgard.
(Thor Annual 2001) - Hercules, Beta Ray Bill, and Thor knelt before Zeus in respect, after which the Silent One showed them of the threat and revealed to them a potential future of Reality-12387, in which Desak leveled Olympus and possibly slew Zeus.
(Defenders II#4) - When Pluto allied with the Asgardian Lorelei the Ice Queen and assaulted the Defenders, Zeus eventually discovered this and confronted Pluto over violating the order that restricted him to Hades. When Zeus threatened Lorelei, too, she and Pluto magically clouded Zeus' gaze and then teleported away.
(Thor II#45 (fb) - BTS) - After Odin had apparently perished in battle with Surtur and Thor had inherited his power and become ruler of Asgard, Zeus instructed Thor to obtain the legendary Chest of Strength.
(Thor II#45) - After Thor retrieved the Chest of Strength, Zeus revealed that it was for Thor and bade him open it. It contained a mirror that reflected the inner soul, which noted Thor's nobility and honor. Zeus assured him that he was more than the equal of his father's rule. He further told Thor that if he ever desired help, all of Olympus would stand by him.
(Thor II#50) - Thor came to Zeus, seeking his guidance with
respect to his dual ties to Asgard and Olympus. Zeus told Hercules he had found
the answer.
Shortly thereafter, Thor dedicated the Asgardians to aiding
the plights of mankind, and transported Asgard to above Manhattan.
(Marvel Universe: The End#1) - Thor traveled to Olympus to discuss the threat of Akhenaten with Zeus. Already aware of this, Zeus noted that Akhenaten had slain Hercules and his fellow Avengers. Zeus further noted that Akhenaten's power seemed unlimited and dwarfed even their combined power, and advised they gather allies of great power.
(Marvel Universe: The End#2 (fb) - BTS) - Zeus led Thor to a realm he described as neutral territory.
(Marvel Universe: The End#2) - Zeus summoned the other Godheads. They were soon joined by Atar, Horus, Hunab Ku, Izanagi, Ndriananahary (Buluku), Shou-Hsing, and Vishnu. Horus used the Eye of Ra to reveal Akhenaten's history, but Akhenaten sensed their meddling and assaulted them. Only Zeus and Thor escaped the attack.
(Marvel Universe: The End#3) - Zeus brought Thor to a meeting with Eternity and Infinity, but these cosmic beings revealed that he couldn't help as they had their visions limited to the here and now, presumably by Akhenaten himself.
(Marvel Universe: The End#4) - After Thanos attained the power of the Heart of the Infinite and used it to prevent Akhenaten from ever coming to power, thus diverging recent events to Reality-4321, Zeus and Thor, who retained memory of their diverged encounter with Akhenaten, met with the various cosmic powers to discuss Thanos' current threat to all existence.
(Marvel Universe: The End#5) - Zeus was among the cosmic entities, universal powers, and Earth residents who confronted and assaulted Thanos.
(Marvel Universe: The End#6) - Zeus joined his power to that
of the Living Tribunal, the Stranger, Lord Chaos, and others, but the Heart of
the Infinite's power enabled Thanos to vanquish and absorb them all, along with
all reality.
Thanos subsequently sacrificed his power to restore
existence.
(Thor II#61) - Zeus, alongside Brahma, Osiris, Shiva, Vishnu, and Yu-Huang summoned Thor to a Godheads meeting place. Zeus, Brahma, and Osiris, at least, seemed willing to let Thor take the place formerly occupied by Odin, but Shiva demanded Thor undergo the Koronkakkta, a test of character to prove his worth to join them. Thor passed the tests of awareness and insight, but failed the final test when he granted food to starving people, rather than teaching them how to obtain their own food; this violated their covenant of noninterference. After Thor departed, the other Godheads told Zeus of Thor's actions on Earth, fearing they would bring the Gods to the brink of war with humanity.
(Thor II#65) - Zeus again met with Brahma, Osiris, Shiva,
Vishnu, and Yu-Huang to discuss Thor's increasing control and direction of
mankind. Zeus counseled patience, noting that humanity tends to overcome
challenges.
When Thor restored life (but not soul) to a dead girl, Zeus
agreed that Thor was contending with forces beyond his comprehension. Vishnu
pointed out that human agents were plotting to end Asgard's threat, and advised
them to simply wait for this.
(Hercules III#4 (fb) - BTS) - Zeus formed the Olympus Group from the Dodekatheon (the twelve principal gods of the Olympian pantheon), bringing the Olympians to Earth as part of a corporation to preserve their connection to humanity...the loss of which he blamed for the recent Ragnarok that ended Asgard.
(Hercules III#2) - At the Olympus Group, Hermes interrupted some "dictation" between Zeus and his secretary, Bambi Tessbacher, informing him of Hercules new televised labors.
(Hercules III#4 (fb) - BTS) - Zeus deduced that Hera was behind these new labors.
(Hercules III#4) - Zeus held a meeting of the Olympus Group, preparing to ambush Hera with a baseball bat, but she vaporized it. She further explained that she would keep trying to destroy his bastard offspring as long as he had infidelities with mortal women. Zeus denied such actions, but when the voLUMPtious Bambi came in and brought him a latte, he gave up the argument. Hera took a vote, and all present save Zeus agreed that Hercules should continue his labors without Zeus' interference.
(Ares#1 (fb) - BTS) <An uncounted time ago, see comments> - After Hades/Pluto led an assault on Olympus that the gods could not fight off, the gods fatigued over the matter, and Zeus called in Ares to end it.
(Ares#1 (fb)) - After Ares slaughtered the forces of Hades,
cut them in half, burned into dust, and the dust made into bread for the victors
to eat (so that the attackers would never again be whole), Zeus explained to
some of the other disgusted gods that sometimes war required a warrior willing
to fight without compassion or hesitation, which was what they needed Ares for;
his soul was low, and he was the lord of destruction and rout. Zeus asked the
other gods to put up with Ares' presence only until man again called on him, and
then he would leave them.
Having heard then and having been disgusted by their
ingratitude and disrespect, Ares departed Olympus and dwelt among humanity.
(Ares#1 (fb) - BTS / ) - The evil Amatsu-Kami (Japanese god) Mikaboshi assaulted Olympus, and the Olympians were unable to fight him off. Zeus sent Hermes to recruit Ares to oppose Mikaboshi's forces.
(Ares#1 (fb) - BTS / Ares#2 (fb) - BTS) - Zeus had Hermes abduct Ares' son, Alexander Aaron, to force Ares to fight for Olympus. Alexander was taken to the city of the Myrmidons for protection.
(Ares#2) - Zeus spoke to Olympus' armies, rallying them with the presence of Achilles.
(Ares#2 - BTS) - After the previously invulnerable Achilles suffered serious wounds at Mikaboshi's hands, Zeus sent Achilles and a pair of Myrmidons to beg Ares' aid.
(Ares#2 - BTS) - Mikaboshi's forces slaughtered the Myrmidons and abducted Alexander.
(Ares#2 - BTS) - After they admitted that Zeus had them abduct Alexander, Ares agreed to accompany them, and Achilles used one of Zeus' thunderbolts to transport them to Olympus.
(Ares#2) - Zeus transported Ares, Achilles, and his two
Myrmidons to his halls. Zeus then separated Hercules and Ares when the two came
to blows over recent events, and he acknowledged that he had wronged him, as
well as that he had learned humility during his time with the mortals. The
furious Ares punched Zeus in the face and knocked him to the floor, but Zeus
struck Hercules with a thunderbolt to stop him from attacking Ares anew. Zeus
knelt and begged Ares to help him defeat Mikaboshi's forces and recover his son.
Meanwhile, Mikaboshi used magical poisons and deceit to begin
turning Alexander against Ares and Olympus.
(Ares#3) - Disgusted, Ares again struck Zeus, but Zeus stopped anyone from acting against Ares, admitting fault in alienating Ares, but also convincing Ares that the only way he might regain Alexander was by working with Olympus' forces to defeat Mikaboshi. Zeus subsequently attended a war meeting of Olympus' forces, during which Mikaboshi's forces assaulted them, breaching their walls.
(Ares#3 / Ares#4 (fb)) - As Hercules and Ares furiously fought Mikaboshi's forces, an aspect of Mikaboshi took the form of a chained Alexander Aaron. Seeing this, Zeus rushed to his side, freed him and embraced him, at which point Mikaboshi assaulted Zeus, piercing him through the chest from behind with his shadowy tendrils. The aspect (pet?) left Zeus for dead, returning to and re-merging with Mikaboshi.
(Ares#4) - Ajax discovered the fallen Zeus, and Zeus was brought to Asklepios, who noted that the wounds were unlike any he had ever seen.
(Ares#4 - BTS / Ares#5) - After five years of battle (though virtually no time had passed on Earth), Zeus joined Olympus' forces in assaulting Mikaboshi's stronghold.
(Ares#5) - Zeus was frustrated after Mikaboshi created a magical wall that sealed off Ares from Olympus' forces then unleashed monstrous serpents against the Olympians that were only stunned by Zeus' mightiest bolts. Zeus encouraged the Olympians to fight on, though he was distraught as his sons fell before Mikaboshi's forces. As Zeus rallied his power to assault Mikaboshi, the evil god instead skewered him through the chest again, mortally wounding him. With his last energies, Zeus purged Alexander of Mikaboshi's influence, and Alexander used the Mikaboshi-gifted Grasscutter sword to destroy Mikaboshi.
(Deadpool/GLI Summer Fun Spectacular) - Squirrel Girl aided Olympus' forces by helping deal with problems caused by Pluto (see comments).
(Incredible Hercules#123 - BTS) - After Zeus' death, Hera and Pluto earned his shares in the Olympus Group, as well as his divine thunderbolts.
(Incredible Hercules#129) - Athena guided Hercules and Amadeus Cho into Hades to recover Zeus from Tartarus. They eventually found Zeus helplessly enchained by Pluto, who announced his intent to hold a trial for Zeus.
(Incredible Hercules#130) - Zeus was hauled around in chains as Hercules fought Pluto's minions. Pluto offered the freedom of Amphitryon to Hercules if he departed, but Amphitryon pressured Hercules to stand by Zeus. When Pluto showed the 501 member jury, composed of Titans & Giants who perished in his wars, innocents struck down by his lightning and storms, and babes sacrificed on his altars, Hercules tried to explain that Zeus wasn't to blame for all such deaths, but Zeus struck down Hercules, telling him to be silent while Pluto proceeded. Pluto accused Zeus of being an imperfect god, arguing that his judgments should be rendered null and void, freeing all present in Hades while Zeus himself should be stripped of his standing by forced drinking from the River Lethe. Zeus argued that he, Neptune, and Pluto had drawn lots to divide up the world, and that Pluto should not complain over what he had once been proud to own/rule. Pluto first called Cronus, who noted the similarities between himself and Zeus, noting that Zeus deserved punishment even more than he. The next witness, Semele, tried to speak in Zeus' favor, but Pluto used Zeus' voluntary role in her death against Zeus. Typhon next spoke out, reviewing Zeus' violent slaughter of the gigantes. Zeus then spoke for himself, revealing that others could never understand the necessity of the decisions he made, and that they also could not live with taking responsibility for their own fates, rather than blaming him. When Hercules spoke on Zeus' behalf, noting that Zeus could not change and was thus not responsible for his own behavior, but Zeus struck him again, telling him that he had long ago told Athena that creating Hercules was a mistake. The jury voted unanimously against Zeus, but Hercules nonetheless prepared to fight for Zeus, telling Zeus he didn't need his love to do so. Pluto then unleashed Hercules' mortal shade ("the Lemur") to oppose Hercules.
(Incredible Hercules#131) - Pluto mocked Zeus for inspiring
little love in either Hercules incarnation, but Zeus noted that the greater good
was the sole mission of the gods' leader. He further warned Pluto that should he
succeed in destroying him and usurping his throne he would learn this the hard
way. Pluto accused Zeus of thinking Heaven, Earth, and Hades were equal lots,
then noted that once Zeus' sole defender was vanquished, he would be able to
force Zeus to drink from the Lethe. Pluto further noted how Hercules fought in
Zeus' name despite Zeus repeatedly spurning him. When Hercules' mortal shade
gained the advantage of his immortal incarnation and threatened to cast Hercules
down into Tartarus' endless abyss, Zeus stopped him. Noting how Hercules had
demonstrated great power by breaking from the Olympians' tradition of slaying
one's father and usurping his power, Zeus decided to embrace the power of change
by drinking from the River Lethe voluntarily. Zeus was thus remade, ascending to
the mortal world to be reborn in ignorance and irrelevance. Pluto, intending to
have power all Olympus and Earth, refused to honor his promise to free everyone
from Hades, but was then attacked by them, as Zeus' power had been what kept
everyone in Hades' under his control.
A youthful Zeus arrived on Earth in Atlantic City, New
Jersey, followed by Hercules, recognizing neither Hercules nor Athena.
(Incredible Hercules#132) - As Hercules tried to fill young Zeus in on their history as he and Athena en route to hide Zeus amongst the Avengers, they were assaulted by harpies sent by Hera, and Athena stayed behind to fight them off while Hercules and Zeus continued on. Zeus was angered that they had run away, but they were soon confronted by Balder (actually a disguised Malekith), who was seemingly besieged by Dark Elves and Trolls. Discovering his control of the weather, Zeus aided Hercules in defeating the attackers. With Thor banished from Asgard, "Balder" asked their aid against the Dark Elves. Hercules was going to decline due to the need to get Zeus to safety, but Zeus cajoled him, saying they must aid Balder and that Hercules needed to earn his honor. When the hag serving Balder revealed the leader of the Dark Elf treaty-breakers to be the beauteous Alflyse, both Hercules agreed to help, as long as Zeus promised not to tell Athena. "Balder" further convinced Hercules that he must pose as Thor (with his costume transformed by the hag, and Zeus acting as his weather control) in order to generate fear in the Elves. Hercules and Zeus then traveled to the Axis Mundi and used it to enter Asgard, after which they fought their way past the Kallikantzaroi and then broke through an enchanted gateway to arrive in the middle of a troll army.
(Incredible Hercules#134) - Though the trolls attacked them at first, Thor (Hercules) convinced them that he and Zeus were after Alfyse like the trolls. They fought giant spiders and bugs alongside the trolls, but when they finally reached Alfyse's castle, the trolls decided to kill their helpers. Thor (Hercules) asked Zeus to open the clouds, so the sun would hit the trolls. Zeus did as Thor (Hercules) asked, but the sunlight had no effect on the trolls. Zeus struck Thor (Hercules) with lightning for his attempt to defeat the trolls with trickery. Convinced by Zeus that challenging the trolls in combat was a more honorable way to deal with them, Thor (Hercules) knocked the trolls out with his mace. Thor (Hercules) and Zeus were then approached by Alfyse and her soldiers. In awe of Alfyse's beauty Thor (Hercules) struggled to say anything against her, but Zeus had no qualms to confront her about her plans to conquer Earth, but Alfyse assured them that she wasn't like her predecessor Malekith. Zeus watched as Thor (Hercules) tricked his way through trials to determine if he was the real Thor. When he asked Thor (Hercules) why they didn't fight Alfyse Thor (Hercules) ignored Zeus and went to bed with Alfyse. During night Zeus read stories about the real Thor and was even more disgusted at how Thor (Hercules) defiled Thor's name. Thor (Hercules) and Zeus were shocked when Alfyse revealed to not only invade Earth, but also Asgard to win back Thor (Hercules)'s birthright, who was declared King of Svartalfheim after spending the night with Alfyse. Nearby the Warriors Three appeared with the real Thor, dressed up as Hercules to oppose Queen Alfyse and her army.
(Incredible Hercules#136) - Zeus' ignored Thor (Hercules)'s to start a rain to stop Alfyse's invasion of Earth. When it started to rain Thor (Hercules) thought it was Zeus' doing, but it was actually Hercules (Thor), who came to fight Hercules to defend Asgard and Midgard. Alyse accepted the challenge when she saw the contract that granted her Asgard if Thor (Hercules) won. Still angry with Hercules Zeus rooted for Thor, who eventually defeated the false Thor (Hercules) in battle. When Malekith and Kurse attacked Zeus quickly took them down with a lightning bolt. Zeus revealed who he really was, but Alfyse wasn't mad at Hercules for being tricked into believing he was Thor because Hercules was such a great lover. Zeus was still mad at Hercules for cheapening eveything he ever touched, but the Thor and the Warriors Three convinced Zeus that everything Hercules did was to increase Zeus' honor.
(Assault on New Olympus Prologue#1) - Hercules brought Zeus to the Avengers Infinite Mansion where he asked Jocasta to take care of him. He later reunited with Hercules when Athena revealed to everyone Hera's plan to destroy humanity.
(Incredible Hercules#138) - Athena calmed down Zeus when USAgent's comments made him angry. He then joined Athena, Hercules, Amadeus and the Avengers in their attack on Olympus Group Tower where they were opposed by Hera and her forces.
(Incredible Hercules#139) - Zeus and Quicksilver fought Amazons when Hera recognized the young Zeus as her husband. She ordered Typhon to secure him and all three took the elevator to the Continuum chamber. Upstairs Hera explained Zeus her plan to create a new Earth and destroy this one for them and their followers.
(Incredible Hercules#140) - Zeus convinced Hera to stop her evil plan. She told Typhon to shut down Continuum, but the Titan planned to use it to create a pure world for Gaea, and let everyone on the old Earth die. Zeus and Hera attacked Typhon with lightning bolts, but Typhon absorbed them and used a lightning bolt on his own to decapitate Hera. A shocked Zeus saw Typhon reveal that he was wearing the aegis breastplate.
(Incredible Hercules#141) - Zeus attacked Typhon in retaliation for Hera's murder, but Typhon easily killed him. Reunited in death Hera and Zeus were taken to the underworld by Thanatos. Hercules rushed to the Continuum chamber where he found Zeus' corpse.
Comments: I don't know who wrote Venus#5, but that's
who adapted Zeus/Jupiter to the Marvel Universe (see clarifications, as
Zeus/Jupiter was actually used by others before this, but those appearances have
been revealed/ret-conned into other beings).
Adapted into the modern age of Marvel by Stan Lee, Jack
Kirby, and Vince Colletta.
Avengers I#38-50 was about one year real time, but certainly not one year Marvel time. Perhaps Hercules performance against Typhon encouraged Zeus to commute his sentence.
I'm not too much of a real world historian, but I'm skeptical about warriors of Greece battling Vikings. I think Greece fell under control of the Roman Empire around 250 BC or thereabouts, and that the Roman Empire was pretty much done before 500 AD, while the Vikings' period of activity didn't start until after 500 AD.
Marvel Premiere#26 before or after Thor#221-222?
Deadpool/GLI Summer Fun Spectacular takes place during the time after Zeus died, and so Squirrel Girl's comment that she aided Zeus either means that she actually aided Olympus/the Olympians (and merely thought she was aiding Zeus, unaware of Zeus' demise) or that the Olympians' interactions took place at a different (presumably earlier) time than the events on Earth, due to time passing differently in the worlds of Gods and men.
Regarding Thor Annual#5, Thor Annual#5 received affirmation
as having happened in Thor I#300. Thor I#300 and the Handbook entries for Zeus
and perhaps Hercules indicate that these Greek soldiers were actually brought
forward into the future by Hercules. Also, Thor I#300 establishes that this
battle happened around 1000 AD, when Odin joined with Zeus and Vishnu to oppose
the Celestials immediately afterward.
In the back of Avengers Index#1 (1987), Olshevsky notes that, regarding JIM
Annual#1, "if this is not an imaginary tale", then it probably took place during
the mid-December to February of Johnny Storm's high school senior year.
Thor Annual#8 references Journey Into Mystery Annual#1. Thor Annual#8 presented
a problem, too, since the blond Thor was accidentally sent to the time of the
Trojan war and encountered Zeus, who recognized him-even though Thor I#293 would
indicate that if any Thor existed then, it would have been the red-haired Thor,
as the Trojan War happened long before 7 BC. The letters page to Thor I#298 and
Zeus' Deluxe Edition Handbook entry indicate that Zeus knew about Thor thanks to
his oracles and their power of prophecy.
http://www.chronolo
Interesting Zeus sidebar;
After the end of the Hyborian Age, the Olympian gods sought worshipers on Earth.
(It seems unclear if the Olympian gods themselves existed during the Hyborian
Age. Once, the descendants of time-traveling Greeks, who had come to the
Hyborian Age from the time of Alexander the Great, encountered a native temporal
inhabitant of the Hyborian Age. This native temporal inhabitant of the Hyborian
Age, upon hearing these people invoke Zeus, stated "I never heard of a god or
demon named Zoos". This happened in Conan the Barbarian I#79-80.) Neptune became
the patron god of the water-breathing Atlanteans, worshiped as early 5800 BC.
Zeus sought that the Olympian gods be worshiped by the people of the land known
as Greece.
--John McDonagh
Thor Annual#8's endnote advertised that the next Thor Annual would reveal the untold saga of Aeneas and the true founding of Rome. This almost certainly would also have involved Thor and likely Zeus or other Olympians, but that story never made it to print, AFAIK. Thor Annual#9 was the one with Dormammu vs. Loki.
Castor and Polydeuces (Pollux in Roman) were the twin sons of Leda, and thus the brothers of Helen. According to some sources, the boys were fathered by Zeus in the form of a swan, and were then born from an egg. In another variation, Polydeuces was Zeus' son, while Castor was the son of Leda's husband, Tyndareus of Sparta. According to Homer, both twins were the son of Tyndareus. It is as yet unrevealed which of these variations is true for the Marvel Universe.
Just a cute
continuity tie-in if you want to be really technical, Zeus did appear
in the Marvel Super Special Magazine adaptation of the movie Xanadu.
There's really nothing in the entire magazine that really contradicts
anything in the Marvel continuity proper (aside from appearances, but,
you know, they're gods...they appear differently to each individual and
the whole thing was told from the perspective of dim bulb Sonny
Malone), it was published by Marvel, and, it's just fun. Plus it gives
nice visuals for all of the Muses.
--Ray S
In Zeus' All-New
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z HC#14 entry it was
confirmed that he created the Gods of the 80s.
--David A. Zuckerman
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
No KNOWN connections to:
images: (without ads)
Ka-Zar (Quarterly) #1, second story, p3, panel 1 (seated in green)
Thor Annual#5, p21, panel 1 (seated
in red with caduceus staff)
Journey into Mystery Annual#1, p13, panel 2 (red costume
with yellow cape)
Thor#129, p2, panel 1 (seated in green)
cover (mis-colored costume from interior, but better picture)
Hulk vs. Hercules: When Titan's Collide. p24, panel 4
(speared)
Incredible Hulk: Hercules Unleashed#1, p31, panel 3 (short haired, golden
pants)
p35, panel 4 (apotheosis of Hercules)
Thor#164, p15, panel 2 (shirtless, w/ sash)
Thor#221, p18, panel 6 (purple? robes on steps)
Marvel Two-In-One#44, p11, panel 3 (purple robes in Tower of the Sun)
Champions#2, p8, panel 1 (purple shirt, sleeveless)
Avengers I#173, p8, panel 4 (sitting, yellow robe)
Thor#292, p6, panel 5 (blue and orange robes)
Avengers#285, p18, panel 5 (glowing energy face)
Thor I#466,
second to last page, first panel
(armor) - scanned by David and uploaded to Marvel as
Zeus_supplement100.tif
Avengers I#384, p15, panel 1 - yellow + green costume with staff,
short hair
Thor II#7, p13, panel 1 - yellow + green costume with staff, long hair
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe I#12: Zeus - main image
Appearances:
Venus#5 (June, 1949)
Venus#7 (September, 1949)
Venus#12 (February, 1951) - Werner Roth (artist), Stan Lee (editor)
Venus#13 (April, 1951) - Bill Everett (writer/artist), Stan Lee (editor)
Journey into Mystery#74 (November, 1961) - Stan Lee (writer?/editor), Jack Kirby
(penciler), ?? (inker)
Amazing Adult Fantasy#13/2 (June, 1962) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Steve Ditko
(penciler/inker)
Journey into Mystery Annual#1 (1965) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Jack Kirby (penciler),
Vince Colletta (inker)
Thor#129 (June, 1966) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Jack Kirby (penciler), Vince
Colletta (inker)
Avengers I#38 (March, 1967) - Roy Thomas (writer), Don Heck (penciler), George
Bell (inker), Stan Lee (editor)
Avengers I#49-50 (February-March, 1968) - Roy Thomas (writer), John Buscema
(writer/inker), Stan Lee (editor)
Silver Surfer I#4 (February, 1969) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), John Buscema (penciler),
Sal Buscema (inker)
Thor I#164 (May, 1969) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Jack Kirby (penciler), Vince
Colletta (inker)
Ka-Zar (Quarterly) #1 (August, 1970) - Allyn Brodsky (script), Frank Springer (penciler),
Dick Ayers (inker), Stan Lee (editor)
Sub-Mariner I#29 (September, 1970) - Roy Thomas (writer), Sal Buscema (penciler),
Joe Gaudioso (inker), Stan Lee (editor)
Avengers I#100 (June, 1972) - Roy Thomas (writer), Barry Windsor Smith (penciler),
Barry Smith, Joe Sinnott, Syd Shores (inkers), Stan Lee (editor)
Defenders I#4 (February, 1973) - Steve Englehart (writer), Sal Buscema (penciler),
F. McLaughlin (inker), Roy Thomas (editor)
Thor#221 (March, 1974) - Gerry Conway (writer), John Buscema (penciler), Mike
Esposito (inker), Roy Thomas (editor)
Thor#222 (April, 1974) - Gerry Conway (writer), John Buscema (penciler), Joe
Sinnott (inker), Roy Thomas (editor)
Champions#1 (October, 1975) - Tony Isabella (writer), Don Heck (penciler), Mike
Esposito (inker), Marv Wolfman (editor)
Marvel Premiere#26 (November, 1975) - Bill Mantlo (writer), George Tuska (penciler),
Vince Colletta (inker), Marv Wolfman (editor)
Champions#2 (January, 1976) - Tony Isabella (writer), Don Heck (penciler), John
Tartag (inker), Marv Wolfman (editor)
Champions#3 (February, 1976) - Tony Isabella (plot), Bill Mantlo (script),
George Tuska (penciler), Vince Colletta (inker), Marv Wolfman (editor)
Thor Annual#5 (1976) - Steve Englehart (writer), John Buscema (penciler), Tony
Dezuniga (inker), Archie Goodwin (editor)
Marvel Two-In-One#44 (October, 1978) - Marv Wolfman (writer/editor), Bob Hall (penciler),
Frank Giacoia (inker)
Avengers I#173 (July, 1978) - Jim Shooter (story/editor-in-chief), David
Michelinie (writer), Sal Buscema (layouts), Jim Salicrup (assistant editor),
Roger Stern (editor)
Thor I#289 (November, 1979) - Roy Thomas (writer/editor), Keith Pollard (penciler),
Chic Stone (inker)
Thor Annual#8 (1979) - Roy Thomas (writer/editor), John Buscema (penciler), Tony
DeZuniga (inker)
Thor I#291 (January, 1980) - Roy Thomas (writer/editor), Keith Pollard (penciler),
Chic Stone (inker)
Thor I#292 (February, 1980) - Roy Thomas (writer/editor), Keith Pollard (penciler),
Chic Stone (inker)
Thor I#300 (October, 1980) - Mark Gruenwald & Ralph Macchio (writers), Keith
Pollard (penciler), Gene Day (inker), Jim Salicrup (editor)
Bizarre Adventures#32 (August, 1982) - Steve Smallwood (artist) - no writer
given
Thor Annual#10 (1982) - Alan Zelenetz (scripter/co-plotter), Bob Hall (penciler),
Rick Bryant/Joe Rubinstein/Andy Mushynsky/Al Gordon/Kevin Dzuban (inkers), Mark
Gruenwald (editor/co-plotter)
- note - Incredible Hulk II#300 (October, 1984)
Avengers I#256 (June, 1985) - Roger Stern (writer), John Buscema (breakdowns),
Tom Palmer (finisher), Mark Gruenwald (editor)
Avengers I#279 (May, 1987) - Roger Stern (writer), John Buscema (breakdowns),
Tom Palmer (finisher), Mark Gruenwald (editor)
Avengers I#281-285 (July-November, 1987) - Roger Stern (writer), John Buscema
(breakdowns), Tom Palmer (finisher), Mark Gruenwald (editor)
Avengers Annual#17 (1988) - Walt Simonson (writer), Mark Bright (penciler), Mike
& Valerie Gustovich (inker), Mark Gruenwald (editor)
Solo Avengers#11 (October, 1988) - Bob Layton (writer, breakdown art), Jackson
Guice (finished art), Mark Gruenwald (editor)
Thor I#398 (December, 1988) - Tom DeFalco (writer), Ron Frenz (penciler), Don
Heck (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Marvel Comics Presents#12/3 (Early February, 1989) - Chris Henderson (writer),
Don Heck (penciler), Randy Emberlin (inker), Mike Rockwitz (assistant editor),
Terry Kavanaugh (editor)
New Mutants I#81 (November, 1989) - Chris Claremont (writer), Louis Williams (penciler),
Josef Rubinstein (inker), Bob Harras (editor)
Thor I#462 (May, 1993) - Ron Marz and Jim Starlin (writers), Bruce Zick (penciler),
Mike DeCarlo (inker), Mike Rockwitz (editor), Ralph Macchio (group editor)
Thor I#463 (June, 1993) - Ron Marz (writer), Bruce Zick (penciler), Mike DeCarlo
(inker), Mike Rockwitz, Ralph Macchio, Tom DeFalco (editors)
Thor I#464 (July, 1993) - Ron Marz (writer), Bruce Zick (penciler), Mike DeCarlo
(inker), Mike Rockwitz (editor), Ralph Macchio (group editor)
Thor I#465 (August, 1993) - Ron Marz (writer), Bruce Zick (penciler), Mike
DeCarlo (inker), Mike Rockwitz (editor), Ralph Macchio (group editor)
Thor I#466 (September, 1993) - Ron Marz (writer), Bruce Zick (penciler), Mike
DeCarlo (inker), Mike Rockwitz, Ralph Macchio, Tom DeFalco (editors)
Thor I#467 (October, 1993) - Ron Marz (writer), Bruce Zick (penciler), Mike
DeCarlo (inker), Mike Rockwitz, Ralph Macchio, Tom DeFalco (editors)
Avengers Annual#23 (1994) - Roy Thomas (writer), John Buscema (artsit), Matt
Idelson (assistant editor), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Avengers I#384 (March, 1995) - Bob Harras and Terry Kavanaugh (writers), Mike
Deodato (penciler), Tom Palmer (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Incredible Hulk: Hercules Unleashed#1 (October, 1996) - Peter David (writer),
Mike Deodato, Jr. (artist), Mark Gruenwald (editor)
Thor II#7 (January, 1999) - Dan Jurgens (writer), John Romita, Jr. (penciler),
Klaus Janson (inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)
New Warriors II#10 (July, 2000) - Jay Faerber (writer), Jamal Ingle (penciler),
Walden Wong (inker), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Thor Annual 2001 - Dan Jurgens (writer), Tom Grummett (penciler), Al Vey, Karl
Kesel, Scott Hanna (inkers), Marc Sumerak (assistant editor), Tom Brevoort
(editor)
Defenders II#4 (June, 2001) - Kurt Busiek & Erik Larsen (writers), Ron Frenz (penciler),
Scott Hanna (inker), Marc Sumerak (assistant editor), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Thor II#45 (March, 2002) - Dan Jurgens (writer), Tom Raney (penciler), Scott
Hanna (inker), Marc Sumerak (assistant editor), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Thor II#50 (August, 2002) - Dan Jurgens (writer), Tom Raney (penciler), Scott
Hanna (inker), Marc Sumerak (assistant editor), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Marvel Universe: The End#1-6 (May-August, 2003) - bi-weekly - Jim Starlin (writer/pencils), Al Milgrom (inks),
Marc Sumerak and Andy Schmidt (assistant editors), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Thor II#61 (May, 2003) - Dan Jurgens (writer), Ben and Ray Lai (art), Marc
Sumerak and Andy Schmidt (assistant editors), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Thor II#65 (August, 2003) - Dan Jurgens (writer), Ben and Ray Lai (art), Marc
Sumerak and Andy Schmidt (assistant editors), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Thor II#61 (May, 2003) - Dan Jurgens (writer), Ben and Ray Lai (art), Marc
Sumerak and Andy Schmidt (assistant editors), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Hercules III#2 (July, 2005) - Frank Tieri (writer), Mark Texeira (penciler),
Jimmy Palmiotti (inker), Cory Sedlmeier (assistant editor), Axel Alonso (editor)
Hercules III#4 (September, 2005) - Frank Tieri (writer), Mark Texeira (penciler),
Jimmy Palmiotti (inker), Cory Sedlmeier (assistant editor), Axel Alonso (editor)
Thor: Blood Oath#3 (December, 2005) - Michael Avon Oeming (writer), Scott Kolins
(art), Molly Lazer, Andy Schmidt, & Aubrey Sitterson (assistant editors), Tom
Brevoort (editor)
Thor: Blood Oath#4 (January, 2006) - Michael Avon Oeming (writer), Scott Kolins
(art), Molly Lazer, Andy Schmidt, & Aubrey Sitterson (assistant editors), Tom
Brevoort (editor)
Ares#1-5 (March-July, 2006) - Michael Oeming (writer), Travel Foreman (penciler),
Derek Fridolfs (inker), Warren Simons (editor)
Deadpool/GLI Summer Fun Spectacular (September, 2007) - Fabian Nicieza & Dan
Slott (writers), Nelson (artist), Nicole Boose (editor)
Hulk vs. Hercules: When Titan's Collide (June, 2008) - Greg Pak & Fred Van Lente
(writers), Khoi Pham, Paul Neary, Dennis Calero (art, p1-2, 31), Eric Nguyen
(art, p3-7), Reilly Brown, Carlos Cuevas, Terry Pallot, Chris Sotomayor (art,
p8, 11-30), Boy Layton, Guru EFX (art, p9-10), Nathan Cosby (assistant editor),
Mark Paniccia (editor)
Incredible Hercules#123 (January, 2009) - Greg Pak & Fred Van Lente (writers),
Clayton Henry (penciler), Salva Espin (inker), Jordan White & Nathan Cosby
(assistant editor), Mark Paniccia (editor)
Incredible Hercules#126 (April, 2009) - Greg Pak & Fred Van Lente (writers),
Rodney Buchemi (penciler), Greg Adams (inker), Jordan White (assistant editor),
Mark Paniccia (editor)
Incredible Hercules#127 (May, 2009) Greg Pak & Fred van Lente (writers), Dietrich Smith
(penciler),
Cory Hamscher (inker), Jordan White (assistant editor), Mark Paniccia (editor)
Incredible Hercules#129 (July, 2009) -
Greg Pak & Fred van Lente (writers), Ryan Stegman
(penciler),
Terry Pallot (inker), Jordan White (assistant editor), Mark Paniccia (editor)
Incredible Hercules#130 (August, 2009) -
Greg Pak & Fred van Lente (writers), Ryan Stegman & Rodney
Buchemi (penciler),
Terry Pallot (inker), Jordan White (assistant editor), Mark Paniccia (editor)
Incredible Hercules#131 (September, 2009) -
Greg Pak & Fred van Lente (writers), Ryan Stegman (penciler),
Terry Pallot (inker), Jordan White (assistant editor), Mark Paniccia (editor)
Incredible Hercules#132 (October, 2009) -
Greg Pak & Fred van Lente (writers), Reilly Brown (penciler),
Nel DeCastro (inker), Jordan White (assistant editor), Mark Paniccia (editor)
Incredible Hercules#134 (November, 2009) -
Greg Pak & Fred van Lente (writers), Reilly Brown (penciler),
Nel DeCastro (inker), Mark Paniccia (editor)
Incredible Hercules#136 (December, 2009) -
Greg Pak & Fred van Lente (writers), Reilly Brown (penciler),
Nel DeCastro (inker), Mark Paniccia (editor)
Assault on New Olympus Prologue#1 (January, 2010) - Greg Pak & Fred
Van Lente (writers), Rodney Buchemi (artist), Mark Paniccia (editor)
Incredible Hercules#138 (January, 2010) - Greg Pak & Fred Van Lente
(writers), Rodney Buchemi (artist), Mark Paniccia (editor)
Incredible Hercules#139 (February, 2010) - Greg Pak & Fred Van
Lente (writers), Rodney Buchemi & Reilly Brown (artist), Mark
Paniccia (editor)
Incredible Hercules#140-141 (March-April, 2010) - Greg Pak & Fred
Van Lente (writers), Rodney Buchemi (artist), Mark Paniccia (editor)
First Posted: 09/07/2009
Last updated: 05/09/2015
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™ and
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like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com
Special Thanks to www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!