New Gods
New Gods | |
---|---|
Species publication information | |
Publisher | DC Comics |
First appearance | The New Gods #1 (February/March 1971) |
Created by | Jack Kirby (writer and artist) |
Characteristics | |
Place of origin | New Genesis, Apokolips |
Notable members | List of New Gods |
The New Gods or New Gods | |
Cover to The New Gods #1 (February/March 1971) Art by Jack Kirby | |
Series publication information | |
Publisher | DC Comics |
Schedule | Vol. 1 Bimonthly Vol. 2–4 Monthly |
Format | Vol. 1, 3, 4 Ongoing series Vol. 2 and Death of the New Gods Limited series |
Genre | |
Publication date | (Vol. 1) February/March 1971 – October/November 1972 (Vol. 1 continued) July 1977 – July/August 1978 (Vol. 2) June 1979 – November 1984 (Vol. 3) February 1979 – August 1991 (Vol. 4) October 1995 – February 1997 (Death of the New Gods) Early December 2007 – June 2008 |
Number of issues | Vol. 1 19 Vol. 2 6 Vol. 3 28 Vol. 4 15 Death of the New Gods 8 |
Creative team | |
Writer(s) | List
|
Penciller(s) | List
|
Inker(s) | List
|
Collected editions | |
Jack Kirby's New Gods | ISBN 1-56389-385-1 |
The New Gods are a fictional race appearing in the eponymous comic book series published by DC Comics, as well as selected other DC titles. Created and designed by Jack Kirby, they first appeared in February 1971 in New Gods #1.
Despite the creative strength of Kirby's material, the book's sales slipped steadily after a strong start. Despite the sales failure of the book, Kirby's work has remained an inspiration for future comics creators. Comics historian Les Daniels observed in 1995:
"Kirby's mix of slang and myth, science fiction and the Bible, made for a heady brew, but the scope of his vision has endured."[1]
Story setting
The New Gods are natives of the twin planets of New Genesis and Apokolips. New Genesis is an idyllic planet filled with unspoiled forests, mountains, and rivers that is ruled by the benevolent Highfather, while Apokolips is a nightmarish, polluted, and ruined dystopia filled with machinery and fire pits that is ruled by the tyrannical Darkseid. The two planets were once part of the same world, a planet called Urgrund (German for "primeval ground"), but it was split apart millennia ago after the death of the Old Gods during Ragnarök.[2]
The characters associated with the New Gods are often collectively referred to as "Jack Kirby's Fourth World". Kirby began the "Fourth World" in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #133 (Oct. 1970).[3][4] The New Gods first appeared in New Gods #1 (Feb.-March 1971)[5][6] and Forever People #1 (Feb.-March 1971).[7][8] Another "Fourth World" title Mister Miracle was launched in April 1971.[9][10] Various New Gods, notably Darkseid, went on to interact with other denizens of the DC Universe.[citation needed]
Biblical references
The twin planets
The twin planets New Genesis and Apokolips are clear references to the first and last books of the Bible, Genesis and Apocalypse respectively.
The biblical Book of Genesis recounts, among other things, of the creation of mankind, whom God placed in a garden where all was good. This earthly paradise, referred to as the Garden of Eden, was a place of perfection and bliss:
NABRE
Genesis 2
8The LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and placed there the man whom he had formed. 9 Out of the ground the LORD God made grow every tree that was delightful to look at and good for food, with the tree of life in the middle of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
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The biblical Book of Revelation (or "Apocalypse") on the other hand, makes references to Babylon the Great, also referred to as the whore of Babylon, which symbolizes the evil in mankind:
NABRE
Revelation 17
1 Then one of the seven angels who were holding the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come here. I will show you the judgment on the great harlot who lives near the many waters. 2 The kings of the earth have had intercourse with her, and the inhabitants of the earth became drunk on the wine of her harlotry.” 3Then he carried me away in spirit to a deserted place where I saw a woman seated on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names, with seven heads and ten horns. 4The woman was wearing purple and scarlet and adorned with gold, precious stones, and pearls. She held in her hand a gold cup that was filled with the abominable and sordid deeds of her harlotry. 5On her forehead was written a name, which is a mystery, “Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth.” 6 I saw that the woman was drunk on the blood of the holy ones and on the blood of the witnesses to Jesus.When I saw her I was greatly amazed. 7The angel said to me, “Why are you amazed? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, the beast with the seven heads and the ten horns. 8 The beast that you saw existed once but now exists no longer. It will come up from the abyss and is headed for destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world shall be amazed when they see the beast, because it existed once but exists no longer, and yet it will come again. 9Here is a clue for one who has wisdom. The seven heads represent seven hills upon which the woman sits. They also represent seven kings: 10five have already fallen, one still lives, and the last has not yet come, and when he comes he must remain only a short while. 11The beast that existed once but exists no longer is an eighth king, but really belongs to the seven and is headed for destruction. 12The ten horns that you saw represent ten kings who have not yet been crowned; they will receive royal authority along with the beast for one hour. 13They are of one mind and will give their power and authority to the beast. 14They will fight with the Lamb, but the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and king of kings, and those with him are called, chosen, and faithful.”15Then he said to me, “The waters that you saw where the harlot lives represent large numbers of peoples, nations, and tongues. 16The ten horns that you saw and the beast will hate the harlot; they will leave her desolate and naked; they will eat her flesh and consume her with fire. 17For God has put it into their minds to carry out his purpose and to make them come to an agreement to give their kingdom to the beast until the words of God are accomplished. 18The woman whom you saw represents the great city that has sovereignty over the kings of the earth.”
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The conflict between the twin planets
The conflict between the two planets symbolizes the struggle of good and evil on a grand mythic scale. However, despite unambiguously representing good, New Genesis and its inhabitants are not entirely perfect. Biographer Charles Hatfield writes, "The saga turns out to be not so simple, for Kirby — and this is revealing – blurs the seeming idealized perfection of New Genesis, adding complexity to his gods."[11] Similarly, John Morrow writes, "Kirby knew that his New Genesis was no heaven. Rather, it was more like the free West during the Cold War, which was threatened by forces from within as well as without."[12]
In Saint Augustine's The City of God (early 5th century), Babylon and Jerusalem referred to two spiritual cities which were spiritually at war with one another, throughout all of history:
Babylon [from Babel] is interpreted confusion, Jerusalem vision of peace. ...They are mingled, and from the very beginning of mankind mingled they run on unto the end of the world. ...Two loves make up these two cities: love of God makes Jerusalem, love of the world makes Babylon.[13]
They also represented two principles at war with one another, inside each individual person, even inside seemingly worldly Christian monarchs; thus Augustine could boast approvingly, "...believing [Christian] monarchs of this world came to the city of Rome, as to the head of Babylon: they went not to the temple of the Emperor, but to the tomb of the Fisherman."[14]
A prophecy foretold that Darkseid would meet his final defeat at the hands of Orion in a cataclysmic battle in the fiery Armaghetto slum of the planet Apokolips.
In the biblical Book of the Apocalypse, Armaggedon (from the Hebrew: Template:Script/Hebrew Har Məgīddō) is the prophesied location of a gathering of armies for a battle during the end times, which is variously interpreted as either a literal or a symbolic location. The term thus has come to be used in a generic sense to refer to any end of the world scenario. The "mount" of Megiddo in northern Israel was the location of various ancient battles, including one in the 15th century BC and one in 609 BC.
The Battle of Megiddo in 609 BC took place when Pharaoh Necho II of Egypt led his army to Carchemish (northern Syria) to join with his allies, the fading Neo-Assyrian Empire, against the surging Neo-Babylonian Empire. This required passing through territory controlled by the Kingdom of Judah. The Judaean king Josiah refused to let the Egyptians pass.[15] The Judaean forces battled the Egyptians at Megiddo, resulting in Josiah's death and his kingdom becoming a vassal state of Egypt. The battle is recorded in the Hebrew Bible, the Greek 1 Esdras, and the writings of Josephus (2 Kings 23:29;2Chronicles 35:20-27). King Josiah is described as a just and righteous king, who feared the Lord, epitomizing the forces of good in mankind. He was the promoter of a program of religious reform, in which he "began to seek the God of his father David" and he began to destroy the Baalist altars and images throughout Jerusalem and Judah:
NABRE
2Chronicles 34
1 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. 2He did what was right in the LORD’s sight, walking in the way of David his father, not turning right or left. 3 In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still a youth, he began to seek after the God of David his father. Then in his twelfth year he began to purify Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the asherahs, and the carved and molten images.
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King Josiah restored the temple of Jerusalem, which had been desecrated by the Assyrians after his father King Acaz had created an alliance with the Assyrian Empire:
NABRE
2Kings 22
2He did what was right in the LORD’s sight, walking in the way of David his father, not turning right or left.3 In his eighteenth year, King Josiah sent the scribe Shaphan, son of Azaliah, son of Meshullam, to the house of the LORD with these orders: 4“Go to the high priest Hilkiah and have him calculate the valuables that have been brought to the house of the LORD, which the doorkeepers have collected from the people. 5Then have him turn them over to the master workers in the house of the LORD, and have them give them to the ordinary workers who are in the house of the LORD to repair its breaches: 6to the carpenters, the builders, and the masons, and to purchase wood and hewn stone.
2Chronicles 34
8 In the eighteenth year of his reign, in order to purify the land and the temple, he sent Shaphan, son of Azaliah, Maaseiah, the ruler of the city, and Joah, son of Joahaz, the chancellor, to restore the house of the LORD, his God.
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The rulers of the twin planets
Likewise the rulers of the respective planets, Highfather and Darkseid (onomotopeic for "Dark Side"), refer to some extent to God the Father and to Satan.
Darkseid is the tyrannical ruler of the planet Apokolips whose ultimate goal is to enslave the universe by eliminating all hope and free will in sentient beings.[16]
Highfather, on the other hand, is a sage and a peacemaker. He was originally known as Izaya the Inheritor, a name which is a phonetic variant of the Old Testament prophet Isaiah. While he was known as Izaya, he could be somewhat compared to the God of the Old Testament under the guise of the God of war. In fact, when Darkseid plotted to instigate an interplanetary war by manipulating his own uncle Steppenwolf into raiding New Genesis and killing Izaya's wife, Avia, he wounded Izaya but purposefully did not kill him, so that Izaya would try to avenge the death of his wife by going after Steppenwolf. Izaya did in fact recover, and became a general in the ensuing war, eventually slaying Steppenwolf on the battlefield. After avenging his wife, Izaya grew sick of the wanton carnage of war and forsook his warrior ways. While wandering the ravaged lands of New Genesis looking for meaning, Izaya came across a mysterious wall where fiery messages appeared; messages from the Source, the mysterious benevolent force overseeing the universe. Izaya was linked to the Source, becoming a peacemaker and planetary leader under the title of Highfather.[17][18] The Source was perhaps inspired by Biblical prophecy, as a turning point of the faith of the People of Israel in God, from the ways of war to the ways of peace.
In the biblical Book of Genesis, God is sorrowed to see evil acts of hatred being committed among men, and regrets having created a being that chose to do evil, to the point of sending the Great Flood to destroy the humanity that had fallen to evil ways and restore the earth to its initial paradisiac state:
NABRE
Genesis 6
5 When the LORD saw how great the wickedness of human beings was on earth, and how every desire that their heart conceived was always nothing but evil, 6the LORD regretted making human beings on the earth, and his heart was grieved.7So the LORD said: I will wipe out from the earth the human beings I have created, and not only the human beings, but also the animals and the crawling things and the birds of the air, for I regret that I made them.
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However, God was moved to compassion upon seeing the faith of Noah, who accepted to build the Ark upon which two pairs of each living creature were saved. And thus He made a convenant with Noah to never again destroy mankind:
NABRE
Genesis 9
8 God said to Noah and to his sons with him: 9See, I am now establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you 10and with every living creature that was with you: the birds, the tame animals, and all the wild animals that were with you—all that came out of the ark. 11I will establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all creatures be destroyed by the waters of a flood; there shall not be another flood to devastate the earth. 12God said: This is the sign of the covenant that I am making between me and you and every living creature with you for all ages to come: 13 I set my bow in the clouds to serve as a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14When I bring clouds over the earth, and the bow appears in the clouds, 15I will remember my covenant between me and you and every living creature—every mortal being—so that the waters will never again become a flood to destroy every mortal being. 16When the bow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature—every mortal being that is on earth. 17God told Noah: This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and every mortal being that is on earth.
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The Prophets, such as Isaiah, speak of a God of compassion rather than a God of war and victory over enemies, as had been depicted in older times, such as in the Book of Psalms:
NABRE
Psalms 44
1For the leader. A maskil of the Korahites.2O God, we have heard with our own ears;our ancestors have told usThe deeds you did in their days,with your own hand in days of old:3You rooted out nations to plant them,crushed peoples and expelled them.4Not with their own swords did they conquer the land,nor did their own arms bring victory;It was your right hand, your own arm,the light of your face for you favored them.5You are my king and my God,who bestows victories on Jacob.6Through you we batter our foes;through your name we trample our adversaries.7Not in my bow do I trust,nor does my sword bring me victory.8You have brought us victory over our enemies,shamed those who hate us.9In God we have boasted all the day long;your name we will praise forever.Selah
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The Biblical Judges were depicted as carrying out just wars on God's behalf:
NABRE
2Samuel 22
35Who trained my hands for war,my arms to bend even a bow of bronze.
2Chronicles 32
8He has only an arm of flesh, but we have the LORD, our God, to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people took confidence from the words of Hezekiah, king of Judah.
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The prophet Isaiah speaks instead of a future of peace, in which there will be no more war:
NABRE
Isaiah 2
1 This is what Isaiah, son of Amoz, saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.2 In days to come,The mountain of the LORD’s houseshall be established as the highest mountainand raised above the hills.All nations shall stream toward it.3Many peoples shall come and say:“Come, let us go up to the LORD’s mountain,to the house of the God of Jacob,That he may instruct us in his ways,and we may walk in his paths.”For from Zion shall go forth instruction,and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.4 He shall judge between the nations,and set terms for many peoples.They shall beat their swords into plowsharesand their spears into pruning hooks;One nation shall not raise the sword against another,nor shall they train for war again.5 House of Jacob, come,let us walk in the light of the LORD!
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The sons of the rulers of the twin planets
Highfather has a son, Scott Free (also known as Mister Miracle), whose character is in some ways a reference to Jesus Christ as the Son of God, who came to free us from the power of Satan:
NABRE
Colossians 1
13He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
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Jesus, as Messiah, freed men and women who believed in Him from sickness and death, which are considered as the work of Satan who tries to hinder any form of true happiness for mankind. Jesus is thus considered, among other things, a miracle worker.
Jesus himself proclaimed this to be his mission as Messiah, when reading from the Prophet Isaiah in the synagogue of Nazareth:
NABRE
Luke 4
16He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the sabbath day. He stood up to read 17and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:18“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,because he has anointed meto bring glad tidings to the poor.He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captivesand recovery of sight to the blind,to let the oppressed go free,19and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.”20Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. 21He said to them, “Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”
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In the Gospels Jesus makes a number of references to His power to set us free from the slavery of sin and spiritual death:
NABRE
John 8
31Jesus then said to those Jews who believed in him, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, 32and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will become free’?” 34Jesus answered them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. 35A slave does not remain in a household forever, but a son always remains. 36So if a son frees you, then you will truly be free.
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- ↑ Daniels, Les (1995). "The Fourth World: New Gods on Newsprint". DC Comics: Sixty Years of the World's Favorite Comic Book Heroes. New York, New York: Bulfinch Press. p. 165. ISBN 0821220764.
- ↑ "The Unofficial Old Gods Biography". DCU Guide. Archived from the original on March 27, 2012. Retrieved 2010-10-19.
- ↑ Levitz, Paul (2010). "The Bronze Age 1970–1984". 75 Years of DC Comics The Art of Modern Mythmaking. Cologne, Germany: Taschen. p. 447. ISBN 9783836519816.
Kirby began introducing new elements to the DC Universe, building toward the introduction of a trio of new titles based on a complex mythology he called the Fourth World.
- ↑ McAvennie, Michael; Dolan, Hannah, ed. (2010). "1970s". DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 145. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9.
As the writer, artist, and editor of the Fourth World family of interlocking titles, each of which possessed its own distinct tone and theme, Jack Kirby cemented his legacy as a pioneer of grand-scale storytelling.
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has generic name (help) - ↑ New Gods at the Grand Comics Database
- ↑ Overstreet, Robert M. (2019). Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide (49th ed.). Timonium, Maryland: Gemstone Publishing. p. 901. ISBN 978-1603602334.
- ↑ Forever People at the Grand Comics Database
- ↑ Overstreet, p. 691
- ↑ Mister Miracle at the Grand Comics Database
- ↑ Overstreet, p. 879
- ↑ Hatfield, Charles (2011). Hand of Fire: The Comics Art of Jack Kirby. University Press of Mississippi. p. 196. ISBN 978-1617031786.
- ↑ Morrow, John (Spring 2019). "Gallery". The Jack Kirby Collector. 26 (76): 34. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
- ↑ "CHURCH FATHERS: Exposition on Psalm 65 (Augustine), 2". www.newadvent.org. Retrieved 2017-08-11.
- ↑ "CHURCH FATHERS: Exposition on Psalm 87 (Augustine), 7". www.newadvent.org. Retrieved 2017-08-11.
- ↑ Coogan, Michael David (2001). The Oxford History of the Biblical World. Oxford University Press. p. 261. ISBN 9780195139372.
- ↑ Greenberger, Robert; Pasko, Martin (2010). The Essential Superman Encyclopedia. Del Rey. pp. 71–was 73. ISBN 978-0-345-50108-0.
- ↑ New Gods vol. 1, #7 (Mar. 1972)
- ↑ Who's Who in the DC Universe vol. 1, #12 (Sep. 1991)
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