Eclipso
Encyclopedia
Eclipso is a fictional
supervillain
in the DC Comics
Universe
. The character is the incarnation of the Wrath of God
and the Angel of Vengeance that turned evil and was replaced by the Spectre
. Eclipso first appeared in House of Secrets #61 (August 1963) and was created by Bob Haney
and Lee Elias.
miniseries modified the character to be an evil and megalomaniacal entity. Eclipso's character laments the power he once had as a spirit of divine vengeance. Eclipso would frequently seek to possess beings of incredible power like Superman
, Lar Gand
, and Captain Marvel
to achieve his ends.
and Commissioner Gordon
as an in-joke), a scientist specializing in solar energy. While in the jungle in order to view a solar eclipse, Bruce was attacked by a tribal sorcerer named Mophir. Before plunging to his death off a cliff, Mophir managed to wound Bruce with a black diamond. After this, Bruce would find himself transformed into the villainous Eclipso whenever he was in the presence of an eclipse. An off-color (blue-grey or purple) circle would appear covering the rightmost two-thirds of his face, reminiscent of a partial eclipse. From this point on, Bruce would go through many Jekyll-and-Hyde-style misadventures in House of Secrets. During this period, Eclipso was portrayed as a more conventional villain, possessing super strength, partial invulnerability, and eye blasts (aided by his black diamond). Eventually, it would be found that any type of eclipse could summon Eclipso: lunar, solar, or any other object blocking out a light source. This was countered by the relatively easy way of banishing Eclipso. Any bright flash of light would turn him back into Bruce Gordon.
In the early 1990s, DC revamped Eclipso in a company crossover
built around the miniseries
Eclipso: The Darkness Within. Here it was retconned that Eclipso was not simply Bruce Gordon's dark half, but a vengeance demon who had possessed Gordon. It was also revealed that Eclipso's soul had originally been bound inside a giant black gemstone called the 'Heart of Darkness' in Africa, until a treasure-hunter found it in the late nineteenth century. He brought it to London in 1891 and had a jeweler cut into one thousand diamond shards. This weakened the binding spell enough to allow Eclipso to possess anyone who became angry while in contact with one of the diamonds. No longer was he limited to possessing Gordon during an eclipse. This was just a pretense, so Gordon would not know the truth about the black diamonds.
Over the next century, the Eclipso entity would now gather the diamond shards with the intention of destroying them all, which would free his true power. When Lar Gand
, passing through space, discovered Eclipso's palace on the moon and wandered inside, Eclipso claimed it "gave him a new idea" about possessing all of Earth's heroes and using them towards his ultimate goal, which was ostensibly the takeover of Earth and/or revenge against God for banishing him inside the Heart of Darkness. Why Eclipso had not thought of this approach before was not answered. He merely claimed he had spent the last several years "posing as a B-level villain" in order to remain undetected by Earth's heroes and had limited himself to targeting Gordon for the purpose of quashing Gordon's research into solar science. If Gordon had achieved his goal of making solar energy the planet's primary energy source, Eclipso would find it a very inhospitable place to live, as any solar-powered device could be used as a weapon against him.
The climax of the story saw several of Earth's heroes possessed by Eclipso and transported to the moon during an eclipse, another of his new abilities. He then absorbed these heroes into his own body, gaining their mass and also their inherent powers. Gordon led a group of heroes armed with solar weapons to the moon in an attempt to defeat Eclipso once and for all. The absorbed heroes were freed in the end, but only after Starman
Will Payton destroyed Eclipso's moon base by detonating his own solar-powered body. Eclipso's diamonds still remained on Earth.
, Bruce Gordon, and Bruce's fiancé, Mona Bennet. Cave's legs are broken and he is left on the border.
Bruce and Mona are taken on a tour and shown various horrific atrocities, such as dead children in piles. Assisted by the Creeper
, they manage to escape and form a group of heroes dubbed Shadow Fighters
. This group is led by Amanda Waller
, formerly of the Suicide Squad
. In issue #13 of the series, Eclipso defeats them conclusively, killing Wildcat II
(Yolanda Montez), the second Dr. Midnight, the Creeper, Commander Steel
, Manhunter IV (a Mark Shaw ringer), and Major Victory. Creeper has returned to action in his own series.
The Peacemaker
is also involved in this action. He dies when he crashes the helicopter he was flying, in order to destroy some Eclipso-controlled tanks. These tanks were attacking the sole surviving member of the Shadow Fighter attack force, Nemesis
.
The survivors of the Shadow Force, those who had not attacked Eclipso directly, reform. Eclipso attacks them with a Parador missile and they barely escape with their lives, using the teleporting power of Nightshade
. During the teleportation, Mona's father is stolen straight out the window of the vehicle they were in, but he later returns alive. The survivors arrive in the United Nations
building, just in time to foil another plot of Eclipso, mainly by landing their vehicle on his current victim.
Bruce Gordon and Mona Bennet would lead the Earth's superheroes in an attack on Parador, in an attempt to destroy him once and for all. During this attack, it is revealed that the reason Eclipso simply did not kill Bruce and Mona is that they would soon have an important child. The child would grow up, travel back in time and become the one who frees Eclipso from the diamond in the first place. Eclipso dared not kill Gordon or Bennett before they birth this child to not alter the events leading to his freedom.
Eclipso's threat was finally removed from the Earth when the Phantom Stranger
completes the long task of gathering all one thousand black diamonds from around the Earth and fusing them back together into the Heart of Darkness. This endeavor is occasionally slowed down by the need to combat various Eclipso-caused events, such as the murder of a crew of white slavers. Eclipso is once again trapped. His form, the long-possessed child of Mona and Bruce, evaporates in front of his parents.
gave key revelations about Eclipso. The Spectre was not the first embodiment of the wrath of God, but was Eclipso's replacement. Series writer John Ostrander
chose to portray this as a distinction between the Spectre's pursuit of vengeance and Eclipso's pursuit of revenge. In a Biblical context, Eclipso was responsible for Noah's Flood, while the Spectre was the Angel of Death who slew the first-born Egyptian children.
The Spectre puts the final nail in Eclipso's coffin by taking the Heart of Darkness from Earth, along with the remains of Eclipso's palace on the moon, burning them to ash with the holy power of God and casting the ashes into space.
, Creeper
, and Dove
, at the same time tasking a group of magi to recover and recombine the pieces of the heart of darkness.
In Countdown to Mystery #3, Crispus Allen
, the Spectre's current host, tracks down Bruce Gordon. In #4, Eclipso once again takes Gordon as a host. Then, in #5, Bruce is shown to have some control over Eclipso's powers, but can be overwhelmed by his persona if he uses too much at once. In #7, Bruce manages to free the heroes from their corruption, but is overwhelmed by Eclipso when his ex-wife is threatened. Eclipso then joins with the completed heart of darkness, exponentially increasing his powers and faces off against the Spectre. In #8, Bruce, spurred on by Crispus, finally manages to take control of Eclipso, although the two cannot be separated.
event, a mysterious being known as The Entity
tells Jade
to help her brother, Obsidian
"balance the darkness", as he will ultimately save her friends from an unidentified threat. As the Entity says this, a grinning vision of Eclipso appears behind Jade.
Following this, Eclipso reawakens within Bruce, destroying Diablo Island and apparently killing Mona in the process. Eclipso subsequently kidnaps the Shade
, Acrata
, Nightshade, Shadow Thief, a French supervillainess named Bette Noir and a Canadian superhero named Dark Crow, all of whom possess shadow-based abilities. After brainwashing his captives and bringing them under his mental control, Eclipso travels to an extradimensional plane, where he frees a demonic entity known as Sythunu, who agrees to serve Eclipso. With his small team ready, Eclipso travels to the Emerald City that Alan Scott
established on the moon, stating that he now wishes to capture Jade. After taking over Jade, Eclipso defeats and possesses the Justice League's reserve roster (consisting of Cyborg
, Doctor Light
, Red Tornado
, Animal Man
, Tasmanian Devil
, and Bulleteer
), and then badly injures the angel Zauriel
. With the Justice League outnumbered, Eclipso then reveals his ultimate goal is to somehow kill God. Eclipso then tortures Zauriel, causing his screams to attract the attention of the new Spectre, Crispus Allen
. The Spectre arrives on the moon, where Eclipso ambushes and kills him, absorbing the Spectre's powers upon his demise. With his newfound abilities, Eclipso reveals that God relies on the collective love of humanity in order to stay alive, and that by destroying the Earth, Eclipso will ultimately kill God once and for all. Just as the members of the JLA prepare to wage a counterattack, Eclipso destroys the moon, apparently dooming all life on Earth. With the moon destroyed, Eclipso then seemingly kills Donna Troy
, the physically strongest remaining member of the Justice League. However, it is ultimately revealed that Donna's death was an illusion conjured by Saint Walker
, who used his blue power ring to temporarily trap Eclipso in a state of euphoria. After the Atom and Starman break Eclipso's link to his brainwashed slaves, the combined heroes attack Eclipso together, defeating him.
Eclipso returns after several years' absence in the "Princes of Darkness" storyline in JSA
as an ally of the other villains Mordru
and Obsidian
. Alexander Montez, cousin of Yolanda, vows revenge on Eclipso for Yolanda's death. To this end, he gathers the 1,000 black diamonds, liquifies them and injects them into himself; all save one, which he keeps to evoke Eclipso. Exactly how Eclipso's diamonds had returned was unknown. Montez covers his body in tribal tattoos he claims he had learned about on Diablo Island. With these tattoos, Montez can summon all the powers of Eclipso by triggering the diamond with his anger, while remaining in control of himself and keeping Eclipso trapped within. As the new Eclipso, he joins the short-lived team of loose-cannon heroes assembled by Black Adam
, which was the subject of the subsequent storyline "Black Reign".
During Adam's reign in Kahndaq
, Alex becomes romantically involved with his teammate Soseh Mykros, the female Nemesis
. However, during a battle, one of Alex's binding glyphs (which keeps Eclipso in control) is broken via a shoulder wound. Eclipso soon kills Nemesis. Alex commits suicide in order to prevent Eclipso from controlling him further. This story was significant as it meant that Eclipso no longer had a limitless number of black diamonds waiting out in the world for him to utilize.
Interestingly, this incarnation of Eclipso was never shown using any power but his eye blasts.
In Countdown to Mystery #4, Alex's body is acquired by Eclipso's followers for an as-yet-unknown magic ritual. In #6, all of the black diamond fragments in his body are recombined into their original form.
. At this point, the wizard Shazam steps in by sending Captain Marvel to fight the possessed Eclipso-Superman. Thanks to Superman's weakness to magic, Captain Marvel is able to do a significant amount of damage to Eclipso. A prominent method of attack he uses is to continuously trigger his transformations in close proximity to Superman, resulting in the lightning striking Eclipso.
Eventually, Shazam himself removes Eclipso from Superman by calling upon the hostless Spectre himself to do it. The Spectre forces Eclipso back into a lone black diamond. The Spectre then warns Shazam that he has made an enemy of Eclipso and that the currently-hostless Spectre will no longer be able to defend him as he lacks the coherence necessary to effectively recall anything beyond his 'mission'. At the end of this series, the black diamond is seen appearing in Jean Loring
's cell in Arkham Asylum
.
In the Day of Vengeance
miniseries, which tied into the Infinite Crisis
event, Jean Loring
, ex-wife of Atom
(Ray Palmer) and murderer of Sue Dibny
as seen in the Identity Crisis miniseries, discovered the last black diamond in her prison cell, became the new Eclipso and tricks Spectre into attacking magic-based heroes as her revenge against Shazam, who was eventually slain while fighting the Spectre. After fending off multiple attacks upon herself, Eclipso-Loring was eventually teleported to a non-decaying orbit
around the sun by Nightshade
.
In the pages of Infinite Crisis
, it was revealed by Alexander Luthor, Jr.
that he had sent Superboy-Prime
to recover the black diamond and that the Psycho-Pirate
delivered it to Loring on Alex's orders and manipulated Eclipso into manipulating the Spectre. This was all done in the interests of breaking magic down into raw magical energy, which Alexander could use for his own ends. The death of Shazam was particularly useful, as his various champions then became a tether of power. All Alex had to do was capture one of them, make them say 'Shazam' and they would summon their lightning bolt to power his machine.
In Week Twenty-Seven of 52
, Ralph Dibny
, on a quest to restore his wife Sue to life and guided by the helmet of Doctor Fate
, approaches the Spectre
and promises to fulfill any bargain that the Spectre demands in order to restore his wife to life.
The Spectre, desiring revenge on Eclipso for his manipulations of him during the Infinite Crisis
but rendered incapable of taking it owing to his present lack of a host, orders Dibny to punish Eclipso in return for his wife's life. Dibny, realizing that this meant punishing Jean Loring
, his wife's murderer and temporarily granted the power of the Spectre, takes Eclipso back to the point at which she (as Jean Loring) murdered his wife and, restoring Jean's sanity, ruthlessly intends to trap her in a permanent time loop and force her to watch herself murder Sue Dibny over and over for all eternity.
Her sanity restored and Eclipso purged out of her, a terrified Loring tearfully begs for forgiveness, screaming that she was crazy when she murdered Sue and that it 'wasn't me!'. Dibny, affected by her pleas, his sense of compassion and his own feelings on watching his wife's death, finds himself incapable of such ruthlessness and refuses to complete his pact with the Spectre, returning Eclipso to her orbit around the sun.
She has most recently been seen in Blue Beetle
#16, searching for a new host. Having come to the conclusion that her hosts' corrupted souls are a cause of her failures, she tries to possess a baby with great magical potential and a pure, uncorrupted soul. She is foiled in this attempt by Blue Beetle and Traci Thirteen. She even manages to take control of Blue Beetle and grants him his "supreme desire of power", intending to use the corrupted Beetle to kill the defenders of the baby. To her utter mortification, this means Beetle's supreme wish, to become a dentist, is fulfilled, and is easily swatted aside.
It was revealed in Countdown To Mystery that all of Eclipso's black diamonds were mined on Apokolips
millennia ago and that Eclipso was created by Darkseid
.
In "The Seduction of the Innocent" ad campaign for DC's Countdown, Eclipso's arm can be clearly seen, with Mary Marvel
looking off-page and her face half-shadowed. Indeed, Eclipso is seen in Countdown #38 watching Mary Marvel
and plotting to make Mary into her minion. Increasing her anger and suspicions around the other magical being around her, she manages to warp the sunny and cheery disposition of Mary into sheer anger and distrust and then offer herself as friend and confidante. After attempting to make her Darkseid's concubine, however, Mary rebels and attempts to kill her.
In Countdown To Mystery, Eclipso corrupts more heroes, first Plastic Man
and then setting her sights on the Creeper
. Mary discovers Eclipso's manipulation of her and in Countdown #17 she sacrifices her abilities and attacks Eclipso with all her power, leaving Mary and Jean freefalling to the oceans surrounding Themyscira
. Loring is last seen sinking into the ocean with a shark approaching and Eclipso returns to inhabit Bruce Gordon, declaring her lost.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
supervillain
Supervillain
A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...
in the DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
Universe
DC Universe
The DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...
. The character is the incarnation of the Wrath of God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
and the Angel of Vengeance that turned evil and was replaced by the Spectre
Spectre (comics)
The Spectre is a fictional character and superhero who has appeared in numerous comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in a next issue ad in More Fun Comics #51 and received his first story the following month, #52...
. Eclipso first appeared in House of Secrets #61 (August 1963) and was created by Bob Haney
Bob Haney
Robert G. "Bob" Haney was a US comic book writer, best known for his work for DC Comics. He co-created the Teen Titans as well as characters such as Metamorpho, Eclipso, Cain, and the Super-Sons.- Early life and career :...
and Lee Elias.
Publication history
Originally, Eclipso was written as a generic villain with average superpowers, who would routinely enact an elaborate plot to fulfill his hedonistic motivations. However, the Darkness WithinEclipso: The Darkness Within
Eclipso: The Darkness Within was a 1992 comic book mini-series and crossover storyline published by DC Comics. It featured the heroes of the DC Universe fighting against Eclipso. Issue #1 debuted July 1992, and was created and co-plotted by Robert Loren Fleming and Keith Giffen...
miniseries modified the character to be an evil and megalomaniacal entity. Eclipso's character laments the power he once had as a spirit of divine vengeance. Eclipso would frequently seek to possess beings of incredible power like Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
, Lar Gand
Lar Gand
Lar Gand, known primarily as Mon-El , is a fictional character in DC Comics' universe who is associated with the Legion of Super-Heroes, Superboy, and Superman...
, and Captain Marvel
Captain Marvel (DC Comics)
Captain Marvel is a fictional comic book superhero, originally published by Fawcett Comics and later by DC Comics. Created in 1939 by artist C. C. Beck and writer Bill Parker, the character first appeared in Whiz Comics #2...
to achieve his ends.
Bruce Gordon
Eclipso's early comics debut is tied to his first modern host, Bruce Gordon (named after Bruce WayneBatman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
and Commissioner Gordon
James Gordon (comics)
James Worthington Gordon, Sr. is a fictional character, an ally of Batman that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane...
as an in-joke), a scientist specializing in solar energy. While in the jungle in order to view a solar eclipse, Bruce was attacked by a tribal sorcerer named Mophir. Before plunging to his death off a cliff, Mophir managed to wound Bruce with a black diamond. After this, Bruce would find himself transformed into the villainous Eclipso whenever he was in the presence of an eclipse. An off-color (blue-grey or purple) circle would appear covering the rightmost two-thirds of his face, reminiscent of a partial eclipse. From this point on, Bruce would go through many Jekyll-and-Hyde-style misadventures in House of Secrets. During this period, Eclipso was portrayed as a more conventional villain, possessing super strength, partial invulnerability, and eye blasts (aided by his black diamond). Eventually, it would be found that any type of eclipse could summon Eclipso: lunar, solar, or any other object blocking out a light source. This was countered by the relatively easy way of banishing Eclipso. Any bright flash of light would turn him back into Bruce Gordon.
The Darkness Within
Fictional crossover
A fictional crossover is the placement of two or more otherwise discrete fictional characters, settings, or universes into the context of a single story. They can arise from legal agreements between the relevant copyright holders, or because of unauthorized efforts by fans, or even amid common...
built around the miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
Eclipso: The Darkness Within. Here it was retconned that Eclipso was not simply Bruce Gordon's dark half, but a vengeance demon who had possessed Gordon. It was also revealed that Eclipso's soul had originally been bound inside a giant black gemstone called the 'Heart of Darkness' in Africa, until a treasure-hunter found it in the late nineteenth century. He brought it to London in 1891 and had a jeweler cut into one thousand diamond shards. This weakened the binding spell enough to allow Eclipso to possess anyone who became angry while in contact with one of the diamonds. No longer was he limited to possessing Gordon during an eclipse. This was just a pretense, so Gordon would not know the truth about the black diamonds.
Over the next century, the Eclipso entity would now gather the diamond shards with the intention of destroying them all, which would free his true power. When Lar Gand
Lar Gand
Lar Gand, known primarily as Mon-El , is a fictional character in DC Comics' universe who is associated with the Legion of Super-Heroes, Superboy, and Superman...
, passing through space, discovered Eclipso's palace on the moon and wandered inside, Eclipso claimed it "gave him a new idea" about possessing all of Earth's heroes and using them towards his ultimate goal, which was ostensibly the takeover of Earth and/or revenge against God for banishing him inside the Heart of Darkness. Why Eclipso had not thought of this approach before was not answered. He merely claimed he had spent the last several years "posing as a B-level villain" in order to remain undetected by Earth's heroes and had limited himself to targeting Gordon for the purpose of quashing Gordon's research into solar science. If Gordon had achieved his goal of making solar energy the planet's primary energy source, Eclipso would find it a very inhospitable place to live, as any solar-powered device could be used as a weapon against him.
The climax of the story saw several of Earth's heroes possessed by Eclipso and transported to the moon during an eclipse, another of his new abilities. He then absorbed these heroes into his own body, gaining their mass and also their inherent powers. Gordon led a group of heroes armed with solar weapons to the moon in an attempt to defeat Eclipso once and for all. The absorbed heroes were freed in the end, but only after Starman
Starman (comics)
Starman is a name used by several different fictional DC Comics superheroes, most prominently Ted Knight and his sons David and Jack.Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Jack Burnley, the original Starman, Ted Knight, first appeared in Adventure Comics #61...
Will Payton destroyed Eclipso's moon base by detonating his own solar-powered body. Eclipso's diamonds still remained on Earth.
Eclipso series
Following this successful crossover event, Eclipso received a solo series. In the beginning, he takes over the South American country of Parador, one person at a time. The United States takes note of this. The initial investigation team consists of Cave CarsonCave Carson
Calvin "Cave" Carson is a fictional character that appeared in stories published by DC Comics. Carson, a spelunker, first appeared in Brave and the Bold #31 ; he was created by France Herron and Bruno Premiani.-Publication history:...
, Bruce Gordon, and Bruce's fiancé, Mona Bennet. Cave's legs are broken and he is left on the border.
Bruce and Mona are taken on a tour and shown various horrific atrocities, such as dead children in piles. Assisted by the Creeper
Creeper (comics)
The Creeper is a fictional comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. Created by Steve Ditko, he first appeared in Showcase #73 .-Publication history:...
, they manage to escape and form a group of heroes dubbed Shadow Fighters
Shadow Fighters
The Shadow Fighters were a group of superpowered and non-superpowered DC Comics characters brought together, under the supervision of Amanda Waller, for the sole purpose of battling Eclipso in the Eclipso comic series. They were brought together in issue #11, September and disbanded through...
. This group is led by Amanda Waller
Amanda Waller
Dr. Amanda Blake Waller is a character published by DC Comics. She first appeared in Legends #1 in 1986, and was created by John Ostrander, Len Wein, and John Byrne...
, formerly of the Suicide Squad
Suicide Squad
The Suicide Squad, also known as Task Force X , is a name for two fictional organizations in the DC Comics Universe. The first version debuted in The Brave and the Bold #25 , and the second in Legends #3...
. In issue #13 of the series, Eclipso defeats them conclusively, killing Wildcat II
Yolanda Montez
Yolanda Montez is a fictional superheroine in DC Comics' shared universe, the DC universe. Her first appearance was in Infinity Inc. #12 . She was created by Roy Thomas and Todd McFarlane.-Character evolution:...
(Yolanda Montez), the second Dr. Midnight, the Creeper, Commander Steel
Commander Steel
Commander Steel is the name of three fictional characters, superheroes published by DC Comics, all members of the same family. The first Steel appeared in Steel, The Indestructible Man #1 published by DC Comics, and was created by Gerry Conway and Don Heck. His stories were set in World War II...
, Manhunter IV (a Mark Shaw ringer), and Major Victory. Creeper has returned to action in his own series.
The Peacemaker
Peacemaker (comics)
The Peacemaker is the name of a series of superheroes originally owned by Charlton Comics and later acquired by DC Comics. The original Peacemaker first appeared in Fightin' 5 #40 The Peacemaker is the name of a series of superheroes originally owned by Charlton Comics and later acquired by DC...
is also involved in this action. He dies when he crashes the helicopter he was flying, in order to destroy some Eclipso-controlled tanks. These tanks were attacking the sole surviving member of the Shadow Fighter attack force, Nemesis
Nemesis (DC Comics)
Nemesis is the name of two fictional characters in the DC Comics universe. Thomas Andrew Tresser first appeared in The Brave and the Bold #166, , and was created by Cary Burkett and Dan Spiegle. Soseh Myrkos first appeared in JSA Annual #1, , and was created by David S...
.
The survivors of the Shadow Force, those who had not attacked Eclipso directly, reform. Eclipso attacks them with a Parador missile and they barely escape with their lives, using the teleporting power of Nightshade
Nightshade (comics)
Nightshade is a fictional character, a comic book superheroine published by DC Comics. Created by Joe Gill and Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in Captain Atom v2 #82 originally published by Charlton Comics.-Charlton Comics:...
. During the teleportation, Mona's father is stolen straight out the window of the vehicle they were in, but he later returns alive. The survivors arrive in the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
building, just in time to foil another plot of Eclipso, mainly by landing their vehicle on his current victim.
Bruce Gordon and Mona Bennet would lead the Earth's superheroes in an attack on Parador, in an attempt to destroy him once and for all. During this attack, it is revealed that the reason Eclipso simply did not kill Bruce and Mona is that they would soon have an important child. The child would grow up, travel back in time and become the one who frees Eclipso from the diamond in the first place. Eclipso dared not kill Gordon or Bennett before they birth this child to not alter the events leading to his freedom.
Eclipso's threat was finally removed from the Earth when the Phantom Stranger
Phantom Stranger
The Phantom Stranger is a fictional character of unspecified paranormal origins who battles mysterious and occult forces in various titles published by DC Comics, sometimes under their Vertigo imprint.-Publication history:...
completes the long task of gathering all one thousand black diamonds from around the Earth and fusing them back together into the Heart of Darkness. This endeavor is occasionally slowed down by the need to combat various Eclipso-caused events, such as the murder of a crew of white slavers. Eclipso is once again trapped. His form, the long-possessed child of Mona and Bruce, evaporates in front of his parents.
Spectre
Later in the 1990s, the series The SpectreSpectre (comics)
The Spectre is a fictional character and superhero who has appeared in numerous comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in a next issue ad in More Fun Comics #51 and received his first story the following month, #52...
gave key revelations about Eclipso. The Spectre was not the first embodiment of the wrath of God, but was Eclipso's replacement. Series writer John Ostrander
John Ostrander
John Ostrander is an American writer of comic books. He is best known for his work on Suicide Squad, Grimjack and Star Wars: Legacy, series he helped create.-Career:...
chose to portray this as a distinction between the Spectre's pursuit of vengeance and Eclipso's pursuit of revenge. In a Biblical context, Eclipso was responsible for Noah's Flood, while the Spectre was the Angel of Death who slew the first-born Egyptian children.
The Spectre puts the final nail in Eclipso's coffin by taking the Heart of Darkness from Earth, along with the remains of Eclipso's palace on the moon, burning them to ash with the holy power of God and casting the ashes into space.
Countdown to Mystery
In the Countdown to Mystery series, Eclipso puts a new plan into motion, corrupting the heroes Plastic ManPlastic Man
Plastic Man is a fictional comic-book superhero originally published by Quality Comics and later acquired by DC Comics. Created by writer-artist Jack Cole, he first appeared in Police Comics #1 ....
, Creeper
Creeper (comics)
The Creeper is a fictional comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. Created by Steve Ditko, he first appeared in Showcase #73 .-Publication history:...
, and Dove
Hawk and Dove
Hawk and Dove is the moniker given to two superheroes when they team up to fight crime. Hawk and Dove describes each character's attitude or approach to fighting crime. The hawk represents aggression, and the dove representing pacifism.-Hank and Don Hall:...
, at the same time tasking a group of magi to recover and recombine the pieces of the heart of darkness.
In Countdown to Mystery #3, Crispus Allen
Crispus Allen
Crispus Allen is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. Greg Rucka and Shawn Martinbrough created the character in Detective Comics #742 . Allen later went on to be one of the main characters in Gotham Central...
, the Spectre's current host, tracks down Bruce Gordon. In #4, Eclipso once again takes Gordon as a host. Then, in #5, Bruce is shown to have some control over Eclipso's powers, but can be overwhelmed by his persona if he uses too much at once. In #7, Bruce manages to free the heroes from their corruption, but is overwhelmed by Eclipso when his ex-wife is threatened. Eclipso then joins with the completed heart of darkness, exponentially increasing his powers and faces off against the Spectre. In #8, Bruce, spurred on by Crispus, finally manages to take control of Eclipso, although the two cannot be separated.
Rise of Eclipso
During the Brightest DayBrightest Day
Brightest Day is a year-long comic book maxi-series that began in April 2010. The story follows the ending of the series Blackest Night and how the aftermath of these events affect the entire DC Universe.-Plot:...
event, a mysterious being known as The Entity
White Lantern Corps
The White Lantern Corps is a fictional organization appearing in comics published by DC Comics.-History:The first White Lantern Corps member was created when Sinestro of Korugar bonded with The Entity, the embodiment of life itself...
tells Jade
Jade (comics)
Jade is a fictional character, a superheroine in the . Known affectionately as "Jennie" or "Jen", she is the daughter of Alan Scott, the Golden Age Green Lantern. Her mother is Rose Canton, the Golden Age villain known as Thorn...
to help her brother, Obsidian
Obsidian (comics)
Obsidian is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in All-Star Squadron #25 , and was created by Roy Thomas and Jerry Ordway. According to an Infinity, Inc...
"balance the darkness", as he will ultimately save her friends from an unidentified threat. As the Entity says this, a grinning vision of Eclipso appears behind Jade.
Following this, Eclipso reawakens within Bruce, destroying Diablo Island and apparently killing Mona in the process. Eclipso subsequently kidnaps the Shade
Shade (comics)
The Shade is a comic book character developed in the 1940's for National Comics. Debuting as a villain, the Shade was best known for fighting against two generations of superheroes, most notably the Golden Age and Silver Age versions of the Flash...
, Acrata
Acrata
Acrata is a fictional character from DC Comics who was created as part of the Planet DC annuals event. Her first appearance is in Superman Annual 2 #12 . She was created by Oscar Pinto, Giovanni Barberi, and F.G. Haghenbeck...
, Nightshade, Shadow Thief, a French supervillainess named Bette Noir and a Canadian superhero named Dark Crow, all of whom possess shadow-based abilities. After brainwashing his captives and bringing them under his mental control, Eclipso travels to an extradimensional plane, where he frees a demonic entity known as Sythunu, who agrees to serve Eclipso. With his small team ready, Eclipso travels to the Emerald City that Alan Scott
Alan Scott
Alan Scott is a fictional character, a superhero in the and the first superhero to bear the name Green Lantern.-Publication history:The original Green Lantern was created by young struggling artist Martin Nodell, who was inspired by the sight of a New York Subway employee waving a red lantern to...
established on the moon, stating that he now wishes to capture Jade. After taking over Jade, Eclipso defeats and possesses the Justice League's reserve roster (consisting of Cyborg
Cyborg (comics)
Cyborg is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez, and first appears in a special insert in DC Comics Presents #26...
, Doctor Light
Doctor Light (Kimiyo Hoshi)
Doctor Light is a fictional comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe.Kimiyo Hoshi is a distinct character from the DC villain of the same name...
, Red Tornado
Red Tornado
Red Tornado is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Justice League of America #64 , and was created by Gardner Fox and Dick Dillin.-Publication history:...
, Animal Man
Animal Man
Animal Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . As a result of being in proximity to an exploding extraterrestrial spaceship, Buddy Baker acquires the ability to temporarily “borrow” the abilities of animals...
, Tasmanian Devil
Tasmanian Devil (comics)
Tasmanian Devil is a fictional character, a superhero in the DC Comics universe. He is unrelated to the Looney Tunes character, although both characters are owned by Time Warner. He first appeared in Super Friends #7...
, and Bulleteer
Bulleteer
Bulleteer is a fictional character and DC Comics superheroine, a member of the Seven Soldiers. She debuted in Seven Soldiers: The Bulleteer #1 , and was created by Grant Morrison and Yanick Paquette...
), and then badly injures the angel Zauriel
Zauriel
Zauriel is a fictional character in the DC Universe. Originally a guardian angel who served Heaven for millions of years, he willingly fell to Earth and becomes a superhero, having been a member of DC's all-star Justice League. He first appeared in JLA #6...
. With the Justice League outnumbered, Eclipso then reveals his ultimate goal is to somehow kill God. Eclipso then tortures Zauriel, causing his screams to attract the attention of the new Spectre, Crispus Allen
Crispus Allen
Crispus Allen is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. Greg Rucka and Shawn Martinbrough created the character in Detective Comics #742 . Allen later went on to be one of the main characters in Gotham Central...
. The Spectre arrives on the moon, where Eclipso ambushes and kills him, absorbing the Spectre's powers upon his demise. With his newfound abilities, Eclipso reveals that God relies on the collective love of humanity in order to stay alive, and that by destroying the Earth, Eclipso will ultimately kill God once and for all. Just as the members of the JLA prepare to wage a counterattack, Eclipso destroys the moon, apparently dooming all life on Earth. With the moon destroyed, Eclipso then seemingly kills Donna Troy
Donna Troy
Donna Troy is a comic book superheroine published by DC Comics. She first appeared in The Brave and the Bold vol. 1 #60 , and was created by Bob Haney and Bruno Premiani...
, the physically strongest remaining member of the Justice League. However, it is ultimately revealed that Donna's death was an illusion conjured by Saint Walker
Saint Walker
Saint Walker is a fictional comic book character published by DC Comics. Created by writer Geoff Johns and artist Ethan Van Sciver for the Green Lantern series, Saint Walker is an alien member of the intergalactic Blue Lantern Corps, an organization dedicated to spreading peace and harmony...
, who used his blue power ring to temporarily trap Eclipso in a state of euphoria. After the Atom and Starman break Eclipso's link to his brainwashed slaves, the combined heroes attack Eclipso together, defeating him.
Alex Montez
Justice Society of America
The Justice Society of America, or JSA, is a DC Comics superhero group, the first team of superheroes in comic book history. Conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox, the JSA first appeared in All Star Comics #3 ....
as an ally of the other villains Mordru
Mordru
Mordru is a fictional character, a supervillain in the DC Comics' main shared universe.Mordru is the most prominent Lord of Chaos who is fated to survive even after the end of the universe, although he is usually shown as a powerful wizard...
and Obsidian
Obsidian (comics)
Obsidian is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in All-Star Squadron #25 , and was created by Roy Thomas and Jerry Ordway. According to an Infinity, Inc...
. Alexander Montez, cousin of Yolanda, vows revenge on Eclipso for Yolanda's death. To this end, he gathers the 1,000 black diamonds, liquifies them and injects them into himself; all save one, which he keeps to evoke Eclipso. Exactly how Eclipso's diamonds had returned was unknown. Montez covers his body in tribal tattoos he claims he had learned about on Diablo Island. With these tattoos, Montez can summon all the powers of Eclipso by triggering the diamond with his anger, while remaining in control of himself and keeping Eclipso trapped within. As the new Eclipso, he joins the short-lived team of loose-cannon heroes assembled by Black Adam
Black Adam
Black Adam is a fictional comic book character, created in 1945 by Otto Binder & C. C. Beck for Fawcett Comics. Originally created as a one-shot villain for Fawcett Comics' Marvel Family team of superheroes, Black Adam was revived as a recurring supervillain after DC Comics began publishing Captain...
, which was the subject of the subsequent storyline "Black Reign".
During Adam's reign in Kahndaq
Kahndaq
Kahndaq is a fictional Middle Eastern country in the DC Comics Universe. Its real world location is on the continent of Africa, between Egypt and Israel...
, Alex becomes romantically involved with his teammate Soseh Mykros, the female Nemesis
Nemesis (DC Comics)
Nemesis is the name of two fictional characters in the DC Comics universe. Thomas Andrew Tresser first appeared in The Brave and the Bold #166, , and was created by Cary Burkett and Dan Spiegle. Soseh Myrkos first appeared in JSA Annual #1, , and was created by David S...
. However, during a battle, one of Alex's binding glyphs (which keeps Eclipso in control) is broken via a shoulder wound. Eclipso soon kills Nemesis. Alex commits suicide in order to prevent Eclipso from controlling him further. This story was significant as it meant that Eclipso no longer had a limitless number of black diamonds waiting out in the world for him to utilize.
Interestingly, this incarnation of Eclipso was never shown using any power but his eye blasts.
In Countdown to Mystery #4, Alex's body is acquired by Eclipso's followers for an as-yet-unknown magic ritual. In #6, all of the black diamond fragments in his body are recombined into their original form.
Lightning Strikes Twice
Despite the loss of the other black diamonds, the disembodied Eclipso then tries to possess Superman by antagonizing him through many deaths. He eventually possesses Superman by upsetting him via his possession of Lois LaneLois Lane
Lois Lane is a fictional character, the primary love interest of Superman in the comic books of DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in Action Comics #1 ....
. At this point, the wizard Shazam steps in by sending Captain Marvel to fight the possessed Eclipso-Superman. Thanks to Superman's weakness to magic, Captain Marvel is able to do a significant amount of damage to Eclipso. A prominent method of attack he uses is to continuously trigger his transformations in close proximity to Superman, resulting in the lightning striking Eclipso.
Eventually, Shazam himself removes Eclipso from Superman by calling upon the hostless Spectre himself to do it. The Spectre forces Eclipso back into a lone black diamond. The Spectre then warns Shazam that he has made an enemy of Eclipso and that the currently-hostless Spectre will no longer be able to defend him as he lacks the coherence necessary to effectively recall anything beyond his 'mission'. At the end of this series, the black diamond is seen appearing in Jean Loring
Jean Loring
Jean Loring is a fictional character in comic books published by DC Comics, formerly associated with superhero the Atom for whom she was a supporting character and primary love interest. She first appeared in Showcase #34 , created by Gardner Fox and Gil Kane...
's cell in Arkham Asylum
Arkham Asylum
The Elizabeth Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane, commonly referred to simply as Arkham Asylum, is a fictional psychiatric hospital in the DC Comics Universe, usually appearing in stories featuring Batman...
.
Jean Loring
Day of Vengeance
Day of Vengeance is a six-issue comic book limited series written by Bill Willingham, with art by Justiniano and Walden Wong, published in 2005 by DC Comics.-Publication history:...
miniseries, which tied into the Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis is a 2005 - 2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, and a number of tie-in books...
event, Jean Loring
Jean Loring
Jean Loring is a fictional character in comic books published by DC Comics, formerly associated with superhero the Atom for whom she was a supporting character and primary love interest. She first appeared in Showcase #34 , created by Gardner Fox and Gil Kane...
, ex-wife of Atom
Ray Palmer (comics)
The Atom is a fictional character, a DC Comics superhero introduced during the Silver Age of comic books in Showcase # 34 . He was named after Raymond A...
(Ray Palmer) and murderer of Sue Dibny
Sue Dibny
Susan "Sue" Dearbon Dibny is a fictional character from DC Comics associated with the Elongated Man. Created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino, the character first appeared in Flash vol. 1 #119...
as seen in the Identity Crisis miniseries, discovered the last black diamond in her prison cell, became the new Eclipso and tricks Spectre into attacking magic-based heroes as her revenge against Shazam, who was eventually slain while fighting the Spectre. After fending off multiple attacks upon herself, Eclipso-Loring was eventually teleported to a non-decaying orbit
Orbit
In physics, an orbit is the gravitationally curved path of an object around a point in space, for example the orbit of a planet around the center of a star system, such as the Solar System...
around the sun by Nightshade
Nightshade (comics)
Nightshade is a fictional character, a comic book superheroine published by DC Comics. Created by Joe Gill and Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in Captain Atom v2 #82 originally published by Charlton Comics.-Charlton Comics:...
.
In the pages of Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis is a 2005 - 2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, and a number of tie-in books...
, it was revealed by Alexander Luthor, Jr.
Alexander Luthor, Jr.
Alexander Luthor Jr. is a DC Comics character who turned from a hero to a villain. Created by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez, Alexander has a prominent role in the DC Universe storylines Crisis on Infinite Earths and Infinite Crisis....
that he had sent Superboy-Prime
Superboy-Prime
Superboy-Prime, also known as Superman-Prime, or simply Prime, is a DC Comics superhero turned supervillain, and one of several alternate Supermen. The character first appeared in DC Comics Presents #87 , and was created by Elliot S...
to recover the black diamond and that the Psycho-Pirate
Psycho-Pirate
The Psycho-Pirate is the name of two DC Comics supervillains, dating back to the Golden Age of Comics.-Charles Halstead:Charles Halstead is a minor character who first appears in All-Star Comics #23, created by Gardner Fox and Joe Gallagher...
delivered it to Loring on Alex's orders and manipulated Eclipso into manipulating the Spectre. This was all done in the interests of breaking magic down into raw magical energy, which Alexander could use for his own ends. The death of Shazam was particularly useful, as his various champions then became a tether of power. All Alex had to do was capture one of them, make them say 'Shazam' and they would summon their lightning bolt to power his machine.
In Week Twenty-Seven of 52
52 (comics)
52 was a weekly American comic book limited series published by DC Comics that debuted on May 10, 2006, one week after the conclusion of the seven-issue Infinite Crisis. The series was written by Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, and Mark Waid with layouts by Keith Giffen...
, Ralph Dibny
Elongated Man
The Elongated Man is a fictional comic book superhero in the DC universe. He is a reserve member of the Justice League. His first appearance was in The Flash vol. 1, #112...
, on a quest to restore his wife Sue to life and guided by the helmet of Doctor Fate
Doctor Fate
Doctor Fate is the name of a succession of fictional sorcerers who appear in books published by DC Comics. The original version was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Howard Sherman, and first appeared in More Fun Comics #55...
, approaches the Spectre
Spectre (comics)
The Spectre is a fictional character and superhero who has appeared in numerous comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in a next issue ad in More Fun Comics #51 and received his first story the following month, #52...
and promises to fulfill any bargain that the Spectre demands in order to restore his wife to life.
The Spectre, desiring revenge on Eclipso for his manipulations of him during the Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis is a 2005 - 2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, and a number of tie-in books...
but rendered incapable of taking it owing to his present lack of a host, orders Dibny to punish Eclipso in return for his wife's life. Dibny, realizing that this meant punishing Jean Loring
Jean Loring
Jean Loring is a fictional character in comic books published by DC Comics, formerly associated with superhero the Atom for whom she was a supporting character and primary love interest. She first appeared in Showcase #34 , created by Gardner Fox and Gil Kane...
, his wife's murderer and temporarily granted the power of the Spectre, takes Eclipso back to the point at which she (as Jean Loring) murdered his wife and, restoring Jean's sanity, ruthlessly intends to trap her in a permanent time loop and force her to watch herself murder Sue Dibny over and over for all eternity.
Her sanity restored and Eclipso purged out of her, a terrified Loring tearfully begs for forgiveness, screaming that she was crazy when she murdered Sue and that it 'wasn't me!'. Dibny, affected by her pleas, his sense of compassion and his own feelings on watching his wife's death, finds himself incapable of such ruthlessness and refuses to complete his pact with the Spectre, returning Eclipso to her orbit around the sun.
She has most recently been seen in Blue Beetle
Blue Beetle
Blue Beetle is the name of three fictional superheroes that appear in American comic books published by a variety of companies since 1939.-Publication history:...
#16, searching for a new host. Having come to the conclusion that her hosts' corrupted souls are a cause of her failures, she tries to possess a baby with great magical potential and a pure, uncorrupted soul. She is foiled in this attempt by Blue Beetle and Traci Thirteen. She even manages to take control of Blue Beetle and grants him his "supreme desire of power", intending to use the corrupted Beetle to kill the defenders of the baby. To her utter mortification, this means Beetle's supreme wish, to become a dentist, is fulfilled, and is easily swatted aside.
It was revealed in Countdown To Mystery that all of Eclipso's black diamonds were mined on Apokolips
Apokolips
In the DC Comics fictional shared Universe, Apokolips is the planet ruled by Darkseid, established in Jack Kirby's Fourth World series. It is also integral to many DC Comics stories. The planet is considered the opposite of New Genesis....
millennia ago and that Eclipso was created by Darkseid
Darkseid
Darkseid is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
.
In "The Seduction of the Innocent" ad campaign for DC's Countdown, Eclipso's arm can be clearly seen, with Mary Marvel
Mary Marvel
Mary Marvel is a fictional character, a comic book superheroine, originally published by Fawcett Comics and now owned by DC Comics. Created by Otto Binder and Marc Swayze, she first appeared in Captain Marvel Adventures #18 in...
looking off-page and her face half-shadowed. Indeed, Eclipso is seen in Countdown #38 watching Mary Marvel
Mary Marvel
Mary Marvel is a fictional character, a comic book superheroine, originally published by Fawcett Comics and now owned by DC Comics. Created by Otto Binder and Marc Swayze, she first appeared in Captain Marvel Adventures #18 in...
and plotting to make Mary into her minion. Increasing her anger and suspicions around the other magical being around her, she manages to warp the sunny and cheery disposition of Mary into sheer anger and distrust and then offer herself as friend and confidante. After attempting to make her Darkseid's concubine, however, Mary rebels and attempts to kill her.
In Countdown To Mystery, Eclipso corrupts more heroes, first Plastic Man
Plastic Man
Plastic Man is a fictional comic-book superhero originally published by Quality Comics and later acquired by DC Comics. Created by writer-artist Jack Cole, he first appeared in Police Comics #1 ....
and then setting her sights on the Creeper
Creeper (comics)
The Creeper is a fictional comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. Created by Steve Ditko, he first appeared in Showcase #73 .-Publication history:...
. Mary discovers Eclipso's manipulation of her and in Countdown #17 she sacrifices her abilities and attacks Eclipso with all her power, leaving Mary and Jean freefalling to the oceans surrounding Themyscira
Themyscira
Themyscira is a fictional island nation in the DC Comics universe that is the place of origin of Wonder Woman and her sister Amazons. Known as Paradise Island since Wonder Woman and the island's first appearance in All Star Comics #8 , it was renamed "Themyscira" with the character's February...
. Loring is last seen sinking into the ocean with a shark approaching and Eclipso returns to inhabit Bruce Gordon, declaring her lost.
Television
- Eclipso appears in a Justice LeagueJustice League (TV series)Justice League is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes which ran from 2001 to 2004 on Cartoon Network. The show was produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It is based on the Justice League of America and associated comic book characters published by DC Comics...
episode called 'Eclipsed'. Although never referred to by name, Eclipso is characterized as the collective souls of an evil race of serpent-like humanoids called "Ophidians" who imprisoned themselves in a black diamond called the "Heart of Darkness" to eventually destroy the human race. One of Eclipso's possessed human hosts, General McCormick (voiced by Bruce McGillBruce McGillBruce Travis McGill is an American actor who has an extensive list of credits in film and television. He is perhaps best known for his role as Jack Dalton on the television series MacGyver and as Daniel Simpson "D-Day" Day in National Lampoon's Animal House.-Early life:McGill was born in San...
), appears wearing the original Eclipso costume worn by Bruce Gordon, having been told by one of the general's colleagues that the best way to lure out the Justice League is to "put on a gaudy costume and threaten to hurt a lot of people". This Eclipso attempts to permanently darken the sun and possess all of the Justice League except the FlashFlash (comics)The Flash is a name shared by several fictional comic book superheroes from the DC Comics universe. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in Flash Comics #1 ....
and BatmanBatmanBatman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
(Batman did not appear in this episode). However, the Flash was able to drive the spirits out of his teammates and subsequently helped them create a wormhole to drain away the black energy 'Eclipso' was using to darken the sun. Mophir (voiced by Tracey WalterTracey WalterTracey Walter is an American character actor. He has appeared in over 100 films and television shows.-Life and career:Walter was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, the son of a truck driver....
) still exists in this version, but instead of helping to create Eclipso, he is a member of a tribe that guards the Heart of Darkness diamond and fights the Ophidians whenever they manage to possess a human host.
- Elements of the Eclipso character are possibly incorporated into the SmallvilleSmallville (TV series)Smallville is an American television series developed by writers/producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar based on the DC Comics character Superman, originally created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The television series was initially broadcast by The WB Television Network , premiering on October...
version of DarkseidDarkseidDarkseid is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
, as Darkseid is depicted in the show as being able to possess as well as influence corporeal hosts using the darkness that is already present within the host beings.
Video games
- Eclipso also appears in the video game Justice League: ChroniclesJustice League: ChroniclesJustice League: Chronicles is a video game based on the Cartoon Network animated show and it was released on November 12, 2003. This game has 3 levels and each has two characters...
, which, though based on the animated series, shows him closer to his comic version.
- Eclipso appears in DC Universe OnlineDC Universe OnlineDC Universe Online or DCUO is an MMORPG by Sony Online Entertainment – Austin. Jim Lee serves as the game's Executive Creative Director, along with Carlos D'Anda, JJ Kirby, Oliver Nome, Eddie Nuñez, Livio Ramondelli, and Michael Lopez...
voiced by Jason LiebrechtJason LiebrechtErnest Jason Liebrecht is an American actor and voice actor who works for anime series at Funimation Entertainment, ADV Films, New Generation Pictures, and OkraTron 5000...
. He has removed Spectre's humanity on Circe's orders which drove Spectre insane. The players alongside Green Arrow and Green Lantern fight Eclipso where during that time, Spectre possesses the players and easily defeats Eclipso. Spectre then makes Eclipso disappear. Eclipso is also an ally for villain characters assisting them in a fight against The Demon Etrigan and Zatanna.