Ares (Marvel Comics)
Ares | |
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Publication information | |
Publisher | Marvel Comics |
First appearance | Thor #129 (June 1966) |
Created by | Stan Lee (Writer) Jack Kirby (Artist) |
In-story information | |
Alter ego | Ares |
Species | Olympian |
Team affiliations | Dark Avengers Mighty Avengers Gods of Olympus Warhawks Champions of Europe |
Notable aliases | Mars Mister Talon John Aaron God of War The Warhawk |
Abilities |
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Ares is a fictional character, a deity appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is based on the Greek god of the same name. He first appeared in Thor #129 (June 1966) and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Ares has commonly appeared as an enemy of Thor and Hercules and starred in his own self-titled series in 2006.
Ares, the Greek God of War, was initially depicted as a supervillain in the Marvel Universe, opposing Thor, Hercules and the Avengers. Early on, his influence on Earth was less direct as he created an organization known as the "Warhawks" and used them to create war on Earth.
In 2006 the character was recast to not be a villain but instead more of an antihero who simply lived for battle, any battle. He was added to the Avengers roster as one of their "heavy hitters" and showed himself to have his own "Warriors Honor" codex and not the one-dimensional villain he had been portrayed as in the past. He would later join Norman Osborn's Dark Avengers, believing that he could put his powers to good use. During the Siege storyline Ares is killed by Sentry who literally tears him apart. He is later brought back from the dead.
Publication history
Ares first appeared in Thor #129, 1966, written by Stan Lee and drawn by Jack Kirby. He would often appear as a villain in both Thor and The Avengers over the next 30 years.[1]
A 5-issue limited series, Ares, written by Michael Avon Oeming[2] and drawn by Travel Foreman,[3] was published in 2006 and focuses on this character. Since the release of the Ares miniseries he has been portrayed as an antihero.
Following the superhero Civil War, Ares was invited to join the official, S.H.I.E.L.D.-sponsored The Mighty Avengers, led by Tony Stark, and appeared in that title. He was one of only two members to remain on the team after Norman Osborn took Stark's position, as part of the Dark Reign storyline and appeared in the first Dark Avengers series throughout its run. Ares subsequently starred in a three-issue Dark Avengers: Ares miniseries written by Kieron Gillen.[4] He appeared as a regular character in the Dark Avengers series from issue #1 (March 2009) until the time of his death in the Siege limited series.
During the "Chaos War" storyline, Ares appeared in a one-shot comic titles Chaos War: Ares.
Fictional character biography
Ares is the son of Zeus and is the Olympian God of War.[5] Ares reveled in war and combat in all its forms, not caring about sides or victims, supporting Troy in the Trojan war. Ares has hated Hercules ever since Hercules killed Ares' pets, the monstrous Stymphalian birds,[6] and his hatred increased when he noticed Hercules being favored by their father, while he was shunned for his brutal behavior. Further adding to his hatred, is that in modern times, war is shunned and disliked, whereas Hercules is still beloved by the masses, despite his own history of death and destruction.[7] As the Romans took on worship of Greek gods and renamed them, Ares is also the deity Mars.
After Zeus allowed the worship of the Greek/Roman gods to cease, the dissatisfied Ares held a deep grudge and would try to overthrow Olympus more than once. He refused to battle against
Ares organized the Warhawks, which included Satyrs whose pipes caused violence in humans, and with them battled the Avengers. He dispatched Kratos and Bia to capture Hercules. After allying with the Enchantress again, he used the
Ares also battled Namor the Sub-Mariner and Venus.[11] He formed another alliance with Pluto, and kidnapped Krista in an attempt to foment war between Olympus and Asgard.[12] He also plotted with Pluto and Ares' daughter Hippolyta to marry Hercules and Venus to Hippolyta and himself.[13]
It was revealed that in ancient times, he took part in the Trojan War.[14] Alongside Zeus, Ares struck an alliance with Odin against the Eternals,[15] and battled the Eternal Ikaris.[16]
He frequently battled teams and individuals while working as a villain, and continued to battle heroes like the Avengers.[17]
Ares' uncle
Ares tired of his own warmongering when he realized that was why the other gods despised him and decided to live a normal life. He gave up his position as god of war, but maintained his skills, weaponry, and immortality. On Earth, he set himself up as a
After the events of the Civil War storyline, Ms. Marvel and Iron Man recruit Ares as part of the new Mighty Avengers.[19][20] He plays a major part in defeating Ultron. During the Secret Invasion, Ares' son Alexander was recruited for Nick Fury's Secret Warriors, by Daisy Johnson, to oppose the Skrull invasion of New York City.[21]
During the Dark Reign storyline, Ares has joined the Dark Avengers, Norman Osborn's personal team of Avengers.[22][23] Writer of the Dark Avengers series, Brian Michael Bendis, described Ares' role: "Ares is going to be a big part of this book. He's really going to step up and use his War God brain."[24] During The Dark Avengers' first mission, "Venom-Spidey" is turned into a monster by Morgan le Fay. Venom (under her control) attempts to eat Ares.[25] He is spit back out but is turned to stone shortly thereafter by Morgana.[26] He returns to normal when Morgana is defeated by Dr. Doom in her own time.[27] Ares later receives a truancy notice in the mail regarding his son.[28] Deciding to investigate as best he can, he sends Alex to school, only to see him board Daisy Johnson's scooter on the way to a new base for the Secret Warriors. Ares tails them on his motorcycle and rampages his way in through the wall. When Hellfire tries to attack, Ares easily dispatches him and in their own silent way, Nick Fury and Ares ask for a private audience with one another. Ares then uncharacteristically declares himself a horrid father, but only aims to raise Alex differently than he and his father were raised. He then peacefully leaves the place behind, allowing Alex the opportunity to not have to hide his allegiance anymore.[29]
When the Dark Avengers and H.A.M.M.E.R. go to San Francisco to quell the riots, Ares was stomping out a group of pro-mutant activists.
Ares, having recovered from his injuries, is seen next during the Dark Avengers' assault on the X-Men's new base
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During the
As part of the
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Powers and abilities
Ares belongs to a race of inter-dimensional deities known only as the Olympians. He possesses the base superhuman physical attributes of an Olympian, including superhuman strength, speed, agility, durability, reflexes, regenerative healing factor, and virtual immortality, though some of his powers are substantially greater than most other Olympians.[52][5]
Like all Olympians, Ares is superhumanly strong, though far more so than the majority of his race.[53] Among the Olympians, his physical strength is equaled only by his uncles, Neptune and Pluto, and is exceeded only by his father, Zeus, and his half-brother, Hercules.[53] Ares' body and metabolism generates almost no fatigue toxins during physical activity, granting him virtually inexhaustible superhuman stamina in all physical activities. Ares' body is also highly resistant to physical injury. He can withstand great impact forces, energy discharges, temperature extremes, and falls from great heights without being injured. However, also like all other Olympians, he can sustain injury; once, after an extensive self-imposed exile on the Earthly plane, Ares was physically vulnerable enough to be injured and downed by mere bullets.[54] At the same time Ares has been shown withstanding being shot at point-blank range from machine guns used by War Machine.[55] Ares is functionally immortal in the sense that he is immune to the effects of aging and hasn't aged since reaching adulthood. He is also immune to any known terrestrial disease or infection.[53]
While not as accomplished at magic as many of his fellow Olympians, and lacking the ability to fly,
He is, as fits his station as the Olympian God of War, a formidable hand-to-hand combatant,[60] possessing fighting skills superior to that of even his father Zeus and his sister Athena; Nate Grey described him as "war personified, on every plane...in every future" and admits that even he can find nothing to counter one such as Ares; when Nate hid himself and Mimic "amongst time", Ares was able to tear through the fabric of time itself to reach and overpower him (claiming that such could not "limit" him), the temporal conflict sending ripples across the stars and disrupting the timestream itself.[61] In another instance, apparently without aid, Ares was able to somehow bring himself and Alexander to another dimension, where many gods of Earth, including the Council of Skyfathers, had convened to judge his son's worthiness as the 'God of Fear'.[62] Ares was also able to somehow create the man-eating Stymphalian birds "as a perfect expression of his own essence" ages ago,[63] and was also able to send his son Monstro from 1805 through time into the mid-20th century as punishment for his renouncing war and change him into a sixty-foot tall giant.[64] Ares can also use his powers to create and manipulate conflicts at will.[65][66][67]
He is also an expert with numerous weapons,[67] including ancient weapons and conventional, modern-day firearms. In his earlier appearances, he typically carried Olympian weapons like battleaxes, spears, swords, daggers, and a javelin (which has been said to at least once be his "favorite" weapon), but his most recent appearance shows him favoring a mixture of ancient, like the jawbone of an ass, and modern weapons, like gases, rays, firearms, and high-explosives, as well as "Hydra blood bullets", which contain the lethal blood of a Lernaean Hydra. He is an aficionado, expert, and collector of the most unusual instruments and methods of death dealing, as well as being well-versed in torture, interrogation, and combat tactics.
Reception
Accolades
- In 2012, IGN ranked Ares 39th in their "Top 50 Avengers" list.[68]
- In 2019, CBR.com ranked Ares 6th in their "Marvel Comics: The 10 Most Powerful Olympians" list.[69]
- In 2021, CBR.com ranked Ares 7th in their "Marvel: 10 Most Powerful Olympians" list.[70]
- In 2022, Sportskeeda ranked Ares 5th in their "10 best Greek gods from Marvel comics " list.[67]
- In 2022, Screen Rant ranked Ares 10th in their "10 Marvel Comics Gods Who Should Join The MCU Next" list,[71] included him in their "10 Most Powerful Hercules Villains In Marvel Comics" list,[72] and included him in their "10 Most Powerful Olympian Gods In Marvel Comics" list.[65]
- In 2022,
Other versions
Age of Ultron
In the Age of Ultron storyline, the reality that formed from Wolverine and Invisible Woman killing Henry Pym to prevent Ultron from being created shows that Ares has become the new Doctor Doom after the original died and is engaged to Morgan le Fay where they have conquered half the planet. Hippolyta defeats Ares and takes back command of the Amazons (who were subdued by Ares).[74]
In other media
Television
- Ares appears in The Marvel Super Heroes episode, "The Verdict of Zeus".[citation needed]
- Ares appears in the Avengers Assemble, voiced by Trevor Devall.[75] In the episode "The Incredible Herc", he pursues Hercules as part of his plot to steal the Key of Tartarus from him. In the episodes "The Citadel" and "The Wastelands", Ares helps the Beyonder pursue the Avengers to maintain Battleworld.
- Ares appears in Marvel Future Avengers, voiced by Masami Iwasaki in Japanese and JB Blanc in the English dub.[76] This version is a member of the Masters of Evil.
Video games
- Ares appears as an unlockable character in Marvel: Avengers Alliance.[77]
- Ares appears as a playable character in Marvel Puzzle Quest.[78]
- Ares appears in Lego Marvel's Avengers.[79]
- Ares appears as a boss in Marvel Future Revolution.[80]
Collected editions
Title | Material collected | Published date | ISBN |
---|---|---|---|
Ares: God of War | Ares #1-5 | October 2006 | 978-0785119913 |
Dark Avengers: Ares | Ares #1-5 and Dark Avengers: Ares #1-3 | March 2010 | 978-0785144069 |
Chaos War: Avengers | Chaos War: Ares #1 and Chaos War: Dead Avengers #1-3, Chaos War: Thor #1-2, material from X-Men: Curse Of The Mutants Spotlight | May 2011 | 978-0785155584 |
References
- ISBN 978-1-4654-7890-0.
- ^ Marvel's New God On The Block - Oeming Writes "Ares" Archived March 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, Comic Book Resources, November 29, 2005
- ^ Travel Foreman' War Cry[permanent dead link], Newsarama, November 14, 2005[dead link]
- ^ Dark Avengers: Ares #1-3 (October–December 2009)
- ^ a b Petrella, Todd (2022-04-10). "Who Is Ares: Origin & Powers of Avengers' Ultra-Violent Thor Replacement". ScreenRant. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
- ^ Greek Mythology
- ^ as noted in The Incredible Hercules #115
- ^ Thor #129
- ^ The Avengers #38
- ^ The Avengers #98-100
- ^ Sub-Mariner #57
- ^ Thor 221-222
- ^ The Champions #1-3
- ^ Thor Annual #8
- ^ Thor #289
- ^ Thor #291
- ^ such as in Hercules and the Heart of Chaos #1-3
- ^ a b Ares #1
- ^ The Mighty Avengers #1
- ^ a b Harth, David (2022-06-19). "10 Scariest Avengers". CBR. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
- ^ The Mighty Avengers #13
- ^ Dark Avengers #1
- ^ Harth, David (2022-06-07). "10 Unfriendliest Superheroes In Marvel Comics". CBR. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
- ^ THE OSBORN SUPREMACY: Dark Avengers Archived June 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, Comic Book Resources, January 22, 2008
- ^ Dark Avengers #2
- ^ Dark Avengers #3
- ^ Dark Avengers #4
- ^ Dark Avengers #5
- ^ Dark Avengers #9
- ^ X-Men Legacy #226
- ^ Dark Avengers-Uncanny X-Men - Exodus #1
- ^ Siege #1
- ^ Richards, Dave (January 7, 2010). "STORMING HEAVEN: "Siege" #1". Comic Book Resources News. Retrieved September 26, 2010.
- ^ Siege #2
- ^ Richards, Dave (February 17, 2010). "STORMING HEAVEN: "Siege" #2". Comic Book Resources News. Retrieved September 26, 2010.
- ^ Siege: Secret Warriors #1
- ^ Chaos War #2
- ^ Chaos War #3
- ^ Chaos War #5
- ^ Contest of Champions vol. 2 #1
- ^ Contest of Champions vol. 2 #2
- ^ Contest of Champions vol. 2 #10
- ^ U.S.Avengers #7
- ^ U.S.Avengers #8-9
- ^ Sword Master #1
- ^ Sword Master #2
- ^ Carlo, Daniella Di (2022-06-07). "Thor: Love & Thunder: 8 Olympians From The Comics That Could Appear Alongside Zeus". Collider. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
- ^ Sword Master #3
- ^ a b Sword Master #4
- ^ Sword Master #5
- ^ Sword Master #6
- ^ Thor & Hercules: Encyclopaedia Mythologica #1
- ^ a b c Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z #1
- ^ Ares: God of War
- ^ War Machine (vol. 2) #3
- ^ The Incredible Hercules #114
- ^ The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z Hardcover vol. 1
- ^ a b The Incredible Hercules #116
- ^ Punisher (vol. 13) #4
- ^ Sammut, Mark (2018-01-26). "Marvel Universe: 30 Gods Ranked From Weakest To Most Powerful". TheGamer. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
- ^ Dark X-Men #3
- ^ Secret Warriors #10
- ^ Thor and Hercules: Encyclopedia Mythologica #1
- ^ The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z Hardcover vol. 14
- ^ a b Harn, Darby (2022-04-30). "The 10 Most Powerful Olympian Gods In Marvel Comics". ScreenRant. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
- ^ Eckhardt, Peter (2022-07-02). "10 Cool Things You Didn't Know About Marvel's Ares". CBR. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
- ^ a b c Hill, Brad (11 July 2022). "Exploring 10 best Greek gods from Marvel comics amid MCU debut of Olympians in Thor: Love and Thunder". www.sportskeeda.com. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
- ^ "The Top 50 Avengers". IGN. April 30, 2012. Retrieved July 28, 2015.
- ^ Chrysostomou, George (2019-10-14). "Marvel Comics: The 10 Most Powerful Olympians, Ranked". CBR. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
- ^ O'Brien, Megan Nicole (2021-05-06). "Marvel: 10 Most Powerful Olympians, Ranked". CBR. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
- ^ Prom, Bradley (2022-07-19). "10 Marvel Comics Gods Who Should Join The MCU Next". ScreenRant. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
- ^ Harn, Darby (2022-07-17). "Thor: Love And Thunder — 10 Most Powerful Hercules Villains In Marvel Comics". ScreenRant. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
- ^ Gaudreau, Jared (2022-01-09). "The Black Knight's 10 Strongest Villains". CBR. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
- ^ Fearless Defenders #4AU
- ^ "Ares voice - Mighty Thor franchise | Behind The Voice Actors". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved December 24, 2019. Check mark indicates role has been confirmed using screenshots of closing credits and other reliable sources
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: postscript (link) - ^ "Behind The Voice Actors – Marvel Future Avengers". Behind The Voice Actors.
- ^ "Ares (Character)". Giant Bomb. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
- ^ "The Best Marvel Puzzle Quest Characters". pastemagazine.com. 2016-11-11. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
- ^ Khan, Haider (2016-01-28). "Lego Marvel's Avengers Characters Unlock Guide - How to Unlock All Characters". SegmentNext. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
- ^ ""You cannot run far enough. Death will always find you!" Battle Ares the unrelenting God of War in #MARVELFutureRevolution". Marvel Future Revolution. Twitter. June 16, 2021.
External links
- Ares at Marvel.com
- Ares at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)
- Ares on Marvel Database, a Marvel Comics wiki