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Venus (comics)
Encyclopedia
Venus is the name of two fictional character
s appearing in Marvel Comics
. The first originally based on the goddess Venus
(Aphrodite
) from Roman
and Greek mythology
was retconned to actually be a siren
that only resembles the goddess. The second is stated to be the true goddess, and now wishes only to be referred to by her Greek name, Aphrodite. The similarities between the two characters are a point of conflict in the comics.
in the Marvel Comics
universe
, originally based on the goddess Venus
(Aphrodite
) from Greek
and Roman mythology
; however, it is later revealed that she is a Siren
and not the true goddess. The Marvel version of the character first appeared in Venus #1 (Aug. 1948), and made her first Silver Age
appearance in Sub-Mariner #57 (Jan. 1973).
with her female companions
. She traveled to Earth and took on the human identity of Victoria "Vicki" Nutley Starr, a journalist and editor for Beauty magazine. She developed a romantic relationship with Beauty editor Whitney Hammond; he and Venus' rival Della Mason were among the few people to meet Venus who did not believe her when she claimed that she was a goddess. The series began as a light-hearted humor/fantasy series, but as the series continued, its focus shifted towards darker fantasy and horror themes. Through the course of the series, the Marvel Comics interpretations of several mythological figures appeared, including Hercules and Zeus and various other Olympians, Satan, and in their first Marvel appearance, the Norse gods Thor
and Loki
. Venus was canceled with issue #19.
The character drifted into obscurity after her series ended, and Venus did not reappear again for 25 years, when she resurfaced in an issue of the Sub-Mariner's comic book. Venus manipulated Namor into defeating Ares
, who was attempting to force her to love him
. Venus was now a guide for young activists such as Namorita
, searching for ways to promote peace, and to end modern warfare
. At this time, she wore only a swimsuit
or a revealing white gown
.
In recent decades, she has used the secret identity on Earth of humanities professor Victoria N. Starr as a cover for her activates as an adventurer, but she is now back on Olympus.
For the most part, her subsequent appearances featured her alongside other Greek deities, and did not reference the character's history from her own series. She appeared in modern times on Earth disguised as a mortal on a mission of peace. She was pursued by Ares
, though defended by Namor, however she surrendered the Cestus to Ares. She was later commanded by Pluto to become the bride of Ares as part of Pluto's bid to overthrow Zeus. However, Venus opposed them alongside the Champions
, and subdued Queen Hippolyta
non-violently. She later aided the Avengers
in their attempt to quell the rage of Zeus over Hercules
's beating by mortals.
The series Marvel: The Lost Generation
revealed that Venus and several other heroes who had been active in the 1950s briefly banded together, but did not remain as a team. This team has recently re-banded in Agents of Atlas
and Venus has rejoined the team.
Venus's true origins were revealed by Namora: this Venus was actually a soulless Siren
that lured sailing ships to her with her voice and fed on the sailors. To prevent his ship and his crew from being feed on, the captain of a merchant ship hired a mystic to kill her. The mystic instead gave her a soul. The Siren then took the form of a beautiful woman (forbidding herself to speak again) and was taken in by a nunnery, where she lived for decades and believed herself a mute servant girl, until she joined a chorus, filling the visiting clergy with lust. She was then expelled from the nunnery. Learning how to use her voice for good, she blocked out all memories of her previous life and assumed that she was Venus reborn, based on the legends she had heard about a beautiful, immortal girl wandering the world as a goddess in a human body and winning her battles with the power of "love". ‘Venus’ resurfaced in the 1940s and acted as a superhero. Learning the truth about her past, Venus fell into despair and nearly destroyed her companions with her song. Jimmy Woo
resisted her song and reminded her of all the good she had done, restoring her belief in herself, which allowed her to reverse the effects on the others.
She had since elected to stay with the Agents of Atlas, using her restored powers to soothe and calm her opponents, while traveling around the world in Marvel Boy's ship, along with her fellow teammates, shutting down the villainous branch of the former Atlas Foundation. She eventually came up with the idea to alter Spider-Man
's perception of a common fight, leaving him with false memories of having helped someone else instead of mindwiping him.
Subsequently, she was abducted by the true Olympian goddess Aphrodite, angry at her for assuming her name and guise. Rescued by the group, they have further battles with Aphrodite, until in a climactic battle of song, the goddess decides to appoint Venus in her place, recognizing that she has not been truly dedicated to love since Troy
. It is revealed Venus will be a part of the Second God Squad during the Chaos war against Mikaboshi. She helps get Galactus on their side.
Venus possesses a magical girdle named Cestus that enables the wearer to enchant anyone to become a love-slave, and to neutralize or transform all weapons of war. Hephaestus
designed this girdle for Venus.
After her memories were restored, Venus realized her empathic abilities were really derived from a powerful "siren song" - able to heal and restore, curing people's souls by giving them a moment of true bliss in which they can live their most prized fantasy. Her voice is mystically empowered with advanced mind-control abilities, related to her mood: when she speaks in joy, she fills her listeners with bliss and fanatical love for her; when she cries in sadness, her listeners drown in despair too. Her power was strong enough to immediately subdue the Sentry
into helping her find Norman Osborn
during Dark Reign
. Like many characters with vocal-based abilities, it has been shown that Venus' siren song can be disabled if she is gagged.
published by Marvel Comics
. Aphrodite is an Olympian based on the goddess of the same name
from Greek Mythology
first appearing in X-Men vs. Agents of Atlas, #2 (November 2009) by Jeff Parker and Carlo Pagulayan
.
, whom she was given to by Hera
in order to make amends for casting him out of Olympus when he was just a child. However Aphrodite never loved Hephaetus who she found to be hideous due to his physical handicap and instead desired Hepheatus's brother, Ares
. The marriage was ended after Hepheatus caught the lovers in bed together, and with a net made of adamantium brought them before Zeus for retribution.
s to kidnap her. Venus is brought back to Aphrodite's temple where she is chained, branded and put before a statue of Aphrodite. Through the statue Aphrodite expresses her outrage that Venus has stolen her name and form. The Agents of Atlas
, with the help of the X-Men
, track Venus using Cerebro
and rescues her from the temple. Aphrodite, still angered, sends Phorcys
, Venus' creator to reclaim her but is halted by the Agents of Atlas.
and the death and rebirth of Zeus. Hera takes control of the Olympus Group, a corporation that handles the Olympians earthly enterprises, and uses her power to create a product that would bring about mankind's extinction. In order to stop her, Athena
and Amadeus Cho
devise a plan which first involves seeking Aphrodite's help. Aphrodite agrees to stall Ares from defending the Olympus Group by sleeping with him and in turn Athena agreed to aid Aphrodite in confronting Venus.
While The New Avengers, the Mighty Avengers and Athena stage a frontal assault on the Olympus Group, the Agents of Atlas try to infiltrate the corporation from underground. They are stopped by Aphrodite who confronts Venus. During the ensuing battle, Aphrodite comes to realization that she hasn't felt love in centuries, since the Trojan War. Aphrodite then passes the title of 'goddess of love' and the girdle Cestus to Venus.
, speed, durability, and reflexes, and virtual immortality
. Like all Olympians she has some resistance to magic and to all terrestrial diseases and poisons. Aphrodite is also an empath with the power to sense and control the emotions of love and sexual desire in others.
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...
s appearing in Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
. The first originally based on the goddess Venus
Venus (mythology)
Venus is a Roman goddess principally associated with love, beauty, sex,sexual seduction and fertility, who played a key role in many Roman religious festivals and myths...
(Aphrodite
Aphrodite
Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love, beauty, pleasure, and procreation.Her Roman equivalent is the goddess .Historically, her cult in Greece was imported from, or influenced by, the cult of Astarte in Phoenicia....
) from Roman
Roman mythology
Roman mythology is the body of traditional stories pertaining to ancient Rome's legendary origins and religious system, as represented in the literature and visual arts of the Romans...
and Greek mythology
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
was retconned to actually be a siren
Siren
In Greek mythology, the Sirens were three dangerous mermaid like creatures, portrayed as seductresses who lured nearby sailors with their enchanting music and voices to shipwreck on the rocky coast of their island. Roman poets placed them on an island called Sirenum scopuli...
that only resembles the goddess. The second is stated to be the true goddess, and now wishes only to be referred to by her Greek name, Aphrodite. The similarities between the two characters are a point of conflict in the comics.
Venus
Venus is a fictional characterFictional 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...
in the Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
, originally based on the goddess Venus
Venus (mythology)
Venus is a Roman goddess principally associated with love, beauty, sex,sexual seduction and fertility, who played a key role in many Roman religious festivals and myths...
(Aphrodite
Aphrodite
Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love, beauty, pleasure, and procreation.Her Roman equivalent is the goddess .Historically, her cult in Greece was imported from, or influenced by, the cult of Astarte in Phoenicia....
) from Greek
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
and Roman mythology
Roman mythology
Roman mythology is the body of traditional stories pertaining to ancient Rome's legendary origins and religious system, as represented in the literature and visual arts of the Romans...
; however, it is later revealed that she is a Siren
Siren
In Greek mythology, the Sirens were three dangerous mermaid like creatures, portrayed as seductresses who lured nearby sailors with their enchanting music and voices to shipwreck on the rocky coast of their island. Roman poets placed them on an island called Sirenum scopuli...
and not the true goddess. The Marvel version of the character first appeared in Venus #1 (Aug. 1948), and made her first Silver Age
Silver Age of Comic Books
The Silver Age of Comic Books was a period of artistic advancement and commercial success in mainstream American comic books, predominantly those in the superhero genre. Following the Golden Age of Comic Books and an interregnum in the early to mid-1950s, the Silver Age is considered to cover the...
appearance in Sub-Mariner #57 (Jan. 1973).
Publication history
In the original 1940s Venus series, Venus dwelled on the planet VenusVenus
Venus is the second planet from the Sun, orbiting it every 224.7 Earth days. The planet is named after Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty. After the Moon, it is the brightest natural object in the night sky, reaching an apparent magnitude of −4.6, bright enough to cast shadows...
with her female companions
Handmaiden
A handmaiden is a female attendant, assistant, domestic worker , or slave.-Religion:Norse goddesses had handmaidens, . The biblical Mary referred to herself as "the handmaid of the Lord" in acceptance of becoming pregnant by the Holy Ghost.A man might use a handmaiden as a concubine to bear his...
. She traveled to Earth and took on the human identity of Victoria "Vicki" Nutley Starr, a journalist and editor for Beauty magazine. She developed a romantic relationship with Beauty editor Whitney Hammond; he and Venus' rival Della Mason were among the few people to meet Venus who did not believe her when she claimed that she was a goddess. The series began as a light-hearted humor/fantasy series, but as the series continued, its focus shifted towards darker fantasy and horror themes. Through the course of the series, the Marvel Comics interpretations of several mythological figures appeared, including Hercules and Zeus and various other Olympians, Satan, and in their first Marvel appearance, the Norse gods Thor
Thor (Marvel Comics)
Thor is a fictional superhero who appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby....
and Loki
Loki (comics)
Loki is a fictional character, a supervillain that appears in publications by Marvel Comics. He is the adoptive brother and archenemy of the superhero Thor. He is based on the being of the same name from Norse mythology...
. Venus was canceled with issue #19.
The character drifted into obscurity after her series ended, and Venus did not reappear again for 25 years, when she resurfaced in an issue of the Sub-Mariner's comic book. Venus manipulated Namor into defeating Ares
Ares (Marvel Comics)
Ares is a fictional character, a deity in the Marvel Comics Universe based on the Greek god of the same name. He first appears in Thor #129 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
, who was attempting to force her to love him
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
. Venus was now a guide for young activists such as Namorita
Namorita
Namorita Prentiss is a fictional superhero in the Marvel Universe, commonly known by the name of Nita. She is a mutant clone of her mother, Namora, and a member of the New Warriors. She was killed in the explosion in Stamford that started the Superhero Civil War.-Publication history:Namorita first...
, searching for ways to promote peace, and to end modern warfare
Anti-war
An anti-war movement is a social movement, usually in opposition to a particular nation's decision to start or carry on an armed conflict, unconditional of a maybe-existing just cause. The term can also refer to pacifism, which is the opposition to all use of military force during conflicts. Many...
. At this time, she wore only a swimsuit
Swimsuit
A swimsuit, bathing suit, or swimming costume is an item of clothing designed to be worn by men, women or children while they are engaging in a water-based activity or water sports, such as swimming, water polo, diving, surfing, water skiing, or during activities in the sun, such as sun bathing.A...
or a revealing white gown
Toga
The toga, a distinctive garment of Ancient Rome, was a cloth of perhaps 20 ft in length which was wrapped around the body and was generally worn over a tunic. The toga was made of wool, and the tunic under it often was made of linen. After the 2nd century BC, the toga was a garment worn...
.
Fictional character biography
Venus is the Olympian goddess of love and beauty who is Zeus' daughter by the minor oak tree goddess Dione. Venus wears an enchanted girdle called the Cestus which enables her to arouse love and passion in others at will and to transform weapons into objects that can be used for peaceful purposes.In recent decades, she has used the secret identity on Earth of humanities professor Victoria N. Starr as a cover for her activates as an adventurer, but she is now back on Olympus.
For the most part, her subsequent appearances featured her alongside other Greek deities, and did not reference the character's history from her own series. She appeared in modern times on Earth disguised as a mortal on a mission of peace. She was pursued by Ares
Ares (Marvel Comics)
Ares is a fictional character, a deity in the Marvel Comics Universe based on the Greek god of the same name. He first appears in Thor #129 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
, though defended by Namor, however she surrendered the Cestus to Ares. She was later commanded by Pluto to become the bride of Ares as part of Pluto's bid to overthrow Zeus. However, Venus opposed them alongside the Champions
Champions (comics)
The Champions are a team of superheroes that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team first appears in The Champions #1 The Champions are a team of superheroes that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team first appears in The Champions #1 The Champions are a...
, and subdued Queen Hippolyta
Hippolyta (Marvel Comics)
Based on the Hippolyta of Greek mythology, Hippolyta is a fictional Amazon character within the Marvel Comics universe.-Fictional character biography:...
non-violently. She later aided the Avengers
Avengers (comics)
The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers...
in their attempt to quell the rage of Zeus over Hercules
Hercules (Marvel Comics)
Hercules is a fictional character that appears in publications by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Journey into Mystery Annual #1 and was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby....
's beating by mortals.
The series Marvel: The Lost Generation
Marvel: The Lost Generation
Marvel: The Lost Generation is a twelve-issue comic book limited series published by Marvel Comics in 2000 and 2001. The series was written by Roger Stern and drawn by John Byrne. Numbered in reverse order, it began with issue #12 and finished with issue #1 Marvel: The Lost Generation is a...
revealed that Venus and several other heroes who had been active in the 1950s briefly banded together, but did not remain as a team. This team has recently re-banded in Agents of Atlas
Agents of Atlas
Agents of Atlas is a fictional superhero team in comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is composed of characters originally appearing in unrelated stories published in the 1950s by Marvel's predecessor company, Atlas Comics....
and Venus has rejoined the team.
Venus's true origins were revealed by Namora: this Venus was actually a soulless Siren
Siren
In Greek mythology, the Sirens were three dangerous mermaid like creatures, portrayed as seductresses who lured nearby sailors with their enchanting music and voices to shipwreck on the rocky coast of their island. Roman poets placed them on an island called Sirenum scopuli...
that lured sailing ships to her with her voice and fed on the sailors. To prevent his ship and his crew from being feed on, the captain of a merchant ship hired a mystic to kill her. The mystic instead gave her a soul. The Siren then took the form of a beautiful woman (forbidding herself to speak again) and was taken in by a nunnery, where she lived for decades and believed herself a mute servant girl, until she joined a chorus, filling the visiting clergy with lust. She was then expelled from the nunnery. Learning how to use her voice for good, she blocked out all memories of her previous life and assumed that she was Venus reborn, based on the legends she had heard about a beautiful, immortal girl wandering the world as a goddess in a human body and winning her battles with the power of "love". ‘Venus’ resurfaced in the 1940s and acted as a superhero. Learning the truth about her past, Venus fell into despair and nearly destroyed her companions with her song. Jimmy Woo
Jimmy Woo
Jimmy Woo is a fictional, Chinese-American secret agent in the Marvel Comics comic-book universe. Created by EC Comics great Al Feldstein and artist Joe Maneely, the character first appeared in Yellow Claw #1 Jimmy Woo is a fictional, Chinese-American secret agent in the Marvel Comics comic-book...
resisted her song and reminded her of all the good she had done, restoring her belief in herself, which allowed her to reverse the effects on the others.
She had since elected to stay with the Agents of Atlas, using her restored powers to soothe and calm her opponents, while traveling around the world in Marvel Boy's ship, along with her fellow teammates, shutting down the villainous branch of the former Atlas Foundation. She eventually came up with the idea to alter Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
's perception of a common fight, leaving him with false memories of having helped someone else instead of mindwiping him.
Subsequently, she was abducted by the true Olympian goddess Aphrodite, angry at her for assuming her name and guise. Rescued by the group, they have further battles with Aphrodite, until in a climactic battle of song, the goddess decides to appoint Venus in her place, recognizing that she has not been truly dedicated to love since Troy
Troy
Troy was a city, both factual and legendary, located in northwest Anatolia in what is now Turkey, southeast of the Dardanelles and beside Mount Ida...
. It is revealed Venus will be a part of the Second God Squad during the Chaos war against Mikaboshi. She helps get Galactus on their side.
Powers and abilities
Venus has the power to project images or illusions of herself and to control the emotions of others, as well as the ability to fly at high speeds, shield herself from mortal sight, and shift her physical form into other beings. Before the retcon, she was considered to be an Olympian goddess, and thought to possess the enhanced physical characteristics typical of Olympian gods in the Marvel Universe, including superhuman stamina, durability, agility, and reflexes, extraordinary vitality, and virtual immortality.Venus possesses a magical girdle named Cestus that enables the wearer to enchant anyone to become a love-slave, and to neutralize or transform all weapons of war. Hephaestus
Hephaestus (Marvel Comics)
Hephaestus is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Publication history:Hephaestus first appeared in Thor #129 , and was adapted from mythology by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
designed this girdle for Venus.
After her memories were restored, Venus realized her empathic abilities were really derived from a powerful "siren song" - able to heal and restore, curing people's souls by giving them a moment of true bliss in which they can live their most prized fantasy. Her voice is mystically empowered with advanced mind-control abilities, related to her mood: when she speaks in joy, she fills her listeners with bliss and fanatical love for her; when she cries in sadness, her listeners drown in despair too. Her power was strong enough to immediately subdue the Sentry
Sentry (Robert Reynolds)
The Sentry is a fictional character in the . The character first appears in The Sentry #1 and was created by Paul Jenkins and Jae Lee, with uncredited conceptual contributions by Rick Veitch.-Creation:...
into helping her find Norman Osborn
Green Goblin
The Green Goblin is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #14 ....
during Dark Reign
Dark Reign (comics)
"Dark Reign" is a 2008–2009 crossover comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics. It deals with the aftermath of the "Secret Invasion" storyline, which led to a shift of power in the Marvel Universe toward Norman Osborn. The title "Dark Reign" refers to Osborn's rise to national power and the...
. Like many characters with vocal-based abilities, it has been shown that Venus' siren song can be disabled if she is gagged.
What if?
- What IfWhat If (comics)What If, sometimes rendered as What If...?, is the title of several comic book series published by Marvel Comics, exploring "the road not traveled" by its various characters...
volume 1 #9 showed Venus as a member of a 1950s AvengersAvengers (comics)The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers...
team called the G-Men which assembled to defeat the Yellow ClawYellow ClawThe Yellow Claw is a fictional comic book supervillain in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Al Feldstein and artist Joe Maneely, the character first appeared in Yellow Claw #1 , published by Atlas Comics, the 1950s predecessor of Marvel.-Publication history:While the...
. This story was initially suggested to have occurred in the main Marvel Universe (Earth-616Earth-616In the fictional Marvel Comics multiverse, Earth-616 or Earth 616 is the name used to identify the primary continuity in which most Marvel Comics titles take place.-Origin of Earth-616:...
) — but the series Avengers ForeverAvengers ForeverAvengers Forever is a twelve-issue comic book limited series published from December 1998 to November 1999 by Marvel Comics. The series was written by Kurt Busiek and Roger Stern and drawn by Carlos Pacheco and Jesus Merino.-Publication history:...
later revealed that it was an alternate timeline, which was soon destroyed by the time traveler ImmortusImmortusImmortus is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe. He is the future self of Kang the Conqueror, and first appeared in Avengers #10, and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
.
Aphrodite
Aphrodite is a fictional character in the comic book, The Incredible HerculesThe Incredible Hercules
The Incredible Hercules is an ongoing comic book series written by Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente and published by Marvel Comics. The series stars the mythological superhero Hercules, his sidekick Amadeus Cho, the seventh-smartest person in the world, and half-sister Athena, Goddess of Wisdom,...
published by Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
. Aphrodite is an Olympian based on the goddess of the same name
Aphrodite
Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love, beauty, pleasure, and procreation.Her Roman equivalent is the goddess .Historically, her cult in Greece was imported from, or influenced by, the cult of Astarte in Phoenicia....
from Greek Mythology
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
first appearing in X-Men vs. Agents of Atlas, #2 (November 2009) by Jeff Parker and Carlo Pagulayan
Carlo Pagulayan
Carlo Pagulayan is a freelance Filipino comic book artist. Pagulayan began his career in the comics business with a 3-page sequential for Dark Horse Comics, written by Doug Petrie, to aid the victims of the 9-11 attacks, and as a tribute to the fallen World Trade Center Twin Towers...
.
Fictional character biography
Aphrodite was the wife of HephaestusHephaestus (Marvel Comics)
Hephaestus is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Publication history:Hephaestus first appeared in Thor #129 , and was adapted from mythology by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
, whom she was given to by Hera
Hera (Marvel Comics)
Hera is a fictional deity in the Marvel Comics Universe based on the Greek Goddess of the same name. Hera first appeared in the pages of Thor #129, written by Stan Lee and drawn by Jack Kirby.-Fictional character biography:...
in order to make amends for casting him out of Olympus when he was just a child. However Aphrodite never loved Hephaetus who she found to be hideous due to his physical handicap and instead desired Hepheatus's brother, Ares
Ares (Marvel Comics)
Ares is a fictional character, a deity in the Marvel Comics Universe based on the Greek god of the same name. He first appears in Thor #129 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
. The marriage was ended after Hepheatus caught the lovers in bed together, and with a net made of adamantium brought them before Zeus for retribution.
X-Men Vs. Agents of Atlas
With the help of Hera, Aphrodite locates Venus, whom she views as an imposter and sends one of her centaurCentaur
In Greek mythology, a centaur or hippocentaur is a member of a composite race of creatures, part human and part horse...
s to kidnap her. Venus is brought back to Aphrodite's temple where she is chained, branded and put before a statue of Aphrodite. Through the statue Aphrodite expresses her outrage that Venus has stolen her name and form. The Agents of Atlas
Agents of Atlas
Agents of Atlas is a fictional superhero team in comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is composed of characters originally appearing in unrelated stories published in the 1950s by Marvel's predecessor company, Atlas Comics....
, with the help of the X-Men
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
, track Venus using Cerebro
Cerebro
In the Marvel Comics universe, Cerebro is a device that the X-Men use to detect humans, specifically mutants. It was created by Xavier and Magneto, and was later enhanced by Dr. Hank McCoy...
and rescues her from the temple. Aphrodite, still angered, sends Phorcys
Phorcys
In Greek mythology, Phorcys , a primordial sea god, generally cited as the son of Pontus and Gaia. According to the Orphic hymns, Phorcys, Cronus and Rhea were the eldest offspring of Oceanus and Tethys. Classical scholar Karl Kerenyi conflated Phorcys with the similar sea gods Nereus and Proteus...
, Venus' creator to reclaim her but is halted by the Agents of Atlas.
Assault on New Olympus
After the destruction of OlympusOlympus (Marvel Comics)
Olympus is a fictional setting, a location in the Marvel Universe. Adapted from Greek mythology by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, it first appeared in Journey into Mystery Annual #1 ....
and the death and rebirth of Zeus. Hera takes control of the Olympus Group, a corporation that handles the Olympians earthly enterprises, and uses her power to create a product that would bring about mankind's extinction. In order to stop her, Athena
Athena (Marvel Comics)
Athena is a fictional deity in the Marvel Comics Universe based on the Greek Goddess of the same name. Athena first appeared in the pages of Thor #164, written by Stan Lee and drawn by Jack Kirby.-Publication history:...
and Amadeus Cho
Amadeus Cho
Amadeus Cho, also known as Mastermind Excello, is a fictional comic book character appearing in books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Greg Pak and artist Takeshi Miyazawa, the character first appeared in Amazing Fantasy vol. 2 #15...
devise a plan which first involves seeking Aphrodite's help. Aphrodite agrees to stall Ares from defending the Olympus Group by sleeping with him and in turn Athena agreed to aid Aphrodite in confronting Venus.
While The New Avengers, the Mighty Avengers and Athena stage a frontal assault on the Olympus Group, the Agents of Atlas try to infiltrate the corporation from underground. They are stopped by Aphrodite who confronts Venus. During the ensuing battle, Aphrodite comes to realization that she hasn't felt love in centuries, since the Trojan War. Aphrodite then passes the title of 'goddess of love' and the girdle Cestus to Venus.
Powers and abilities
Aphrodite possesses the typical powers of an Olympian, including superhuman strengthSuperhuman strength
Superhuman strength, also called superstrength, super-strength, or super strength, is an ability commonly employed in fiction. It is the ability for a character to be stronger than humanly possible...
, speed, durability, and reflexes, and virtual immortality
Immortality
Immortality is the ability to live forever. It is unknown whether human physical immortality is an achievable condition. Biological forms have inherent limitations which may or may not be able to be overcome through medical interventions or engineering...
. Like all Olympians she has some resistance to magic and to all terrestrial diseases and poisons. Aphrodite is also an empath with the power to sense and control the emotions of love and sexual desire in others.
External links
- Venus (Aphrodite) at Marvel.com
- Venus (siren) at Marvel.com
- Toonopedia Entry for Venus