Hebe (Marvel Comics)
| Hebe | |
|---|---|
|
Hebe from Assault on New Olympus Prologue. Art by Rodney Buchemi. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Ka-Zar #1 (August 1970) |
| Created by |
Allyn Brodsky Frank Springer |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Hebe Panhellenios |
| Team affiliations | Olympian Gods, Hera, Hercules |
| Notable aliases | Juventas |
Hebe is a fictional deity appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. One of the children of Zeus and Hera, she is the wife of Hercules and the cup-bearer of the Olympians. Hebe first appeared in Ka-Zar #1 (August 1970), written by Allyn Brodsky and Frank Springer. She is based on the mythological character of the same name.
Publication history
Hebe first appeared in Ka-Zar #1, and appeared very sparsely over the subsequent four decades. She made a notable appearance in Incredible Hulk: Hercules Unleashed (October 1996). She then appeared in Hulk vs. Hercules: When Titans Collide #1 (June 2008), and became a recurring character in the second year of The Incredible Hercules, starting with issue #127.
Fictional character biography
The third child of Zeus and Hera (her brothers are Ares and Hephaestus), she is the Goddess of Youth and the cup-bearer of the gods, responsible for brewing ambrosia. She was married to the newly-divine Hercules as a peace-offering between Hercules and her mother Hera, and for a time the two of them had a happy relationship. However, Hercules grew dissatisfied with life on Olympus, and returned to the mortal world in the late 20th century in search of adventure. He also began having affairs, which left Hebe distraught, as Hera told her that the failure of her marriage was her fault.[1]
In the modern era, following the destruction of Olympus at the hands of Amatsu-Mikaboshi, Hebe served her mother Hera as a secretary at the Olympus Group.[2] She later arranges for Norman Osborn and his Dark Avengers to arrive on the site of a battle between Hera and Hercules' group, believing that her ultimate duty was still to him. When Hera discovered her betrayal, she blasted Hebe with her thunderbolt, sending her hurtling out of the Olympus Group tower to the ground. Relatively unharmed, she fled the scene in search of Hercules, but could not find him.[3]
She is later discovered by Aunt May living with a group of homeless people in Central Park, and is convinced to take her followers to a shelter at which May works. May quickly befriends Hebe, whose ambrosia mixture makes the shelter a huge success. May sets her up on a blind date with her nephew Peter Parker, which is interrupted by an angry Hercules. Hebe tearfully confronts him about why he abandoned her, and Hercules admits that it was never her that drove him away, rather, his desire for adventure, as he cannot be happy as a god away from the world. Hebe says that she loves him for that, and the two depart on better terms, with Spider-Man, to confront Hera's evil scheme.[1] However, Hebe's joy of reunion with her former husband was quickly dashed away when Hercules apparently sacrificed himself to save Earth.[4]
She subsequently becomes Amadeus Cho's assistant when he takes over the Olympus Group, and is ecstatic to learn that Hercules was not found in the Underworld. Hebe's ambrosia is revealed to be one of the four elements needed to ascend to the power-level of the Skyfathers by Vali Halfling.[5]
During the Chaos War storyline, Hebe is one of the few surviving deities after Amatsu-Mikaboshi destroys the Council of God-Heads. Hebe reunites with Hercules in an island of Hawaii, and, despite her protests for Hercules not to agree for Gaea and Pele to re-make him as a true All-Father, Hercules nevertheless consents, and ascends to the full power and prestige of Skyfather.[6]
Powers and abilities
An Olympian goddess, Hebe is immortal (and eternally young), with enhanced durability.
References
External links
- Hebe at the Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe