The Wicked + The Divine
| The Wicked + The Divine | |
|---|---|
|
Promotional Launch Image. Art by Jamie McKelvie. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Image Comics |
| Schedule | Monthly |
| Format | Ongoing series |
| Genre | Dark fantasy, contemporary fantasy |
| Publication date | June 2014 – present |
| Number of issues | 22 (As of August 2016) |
| Creative team | |
| Writer(s) | Kieron Gillen |
| Artist(s) | Jamie McKelvie |
| Letterer(s) | Clayton Cowles |
| Colorist(s) | Matt Wilson |
| Creator(s) |
Kieron Gillen Jamie McKelvie |
| Editor(s) | Chrissy Williams |
| Collected editions | |
| The Faust Act | ISBN 978-1-63215-019-6 |
| Fandemonium | ISBN 978-1-63215-327-2 |
| Commercial Suicide | ISBN 978-1-63215-631-0 |
The Wicked + The Divine is a contemporary fantasy comic book series written by Kieron Gillen, illustrated by Jamie McKelvie, and published monthly by American company Image Comics. The series is largely influenced by Pop Music and various mythological deities. Gillen's core inspiration for the series came after his father was diagnosed with terminal cancer, and includes the themes of life and death in the story.[1]
The narrative follows a young teenage girl, Laura, as she interacts with the Pantheon, a group of twelve people who discover that they are reincarnated deities. This discovery grants them fame and supernatural powers, with the stipulation that they will die within two years – part of a ninety-year cycle known as the Recurrence.
The Wicked + The Divine has received positive reviews, and was the winner of Best Comic at the 2014 British Comic Awards.
Publication History
Author Kieron Gillen's original and core inspiration for The Wicked + The Divine was his father's diagnosis with terminal cancer.[1] For this reason, Gillen considers the story to be "about life and death."[1] Further inspiration for Gillen comes from Pop Music and various pop idols; the Pantheon is based on pop idols, and Gillen has created a playlist of songs to accompany the comic book.[2][3]
The series was announced on 9 January 2014,[4] and the first issue was released in June 2014.[5] As of April 2016, there have been 18 single issues released, three trade paperbacks, and one hardcover trade. The series is ongoing, intended to run for between 30 and 60 issues.[6]
The television rights have been optioned by Universal TV.[7]
Plot
The narrative focuses on a group of people with superhuman powers known as "The Pantheon". Each member of The Pantheon was at one point a normal person before being chosen to merge with the spirit of a deity. It is said that each cycle of The Pantheon will not live past two years from the start of the series, and that every 90 years the Pantheon is reincarnated. This cycle is known as the Recurrence. It has currently not been revealed how which deities are chosen to be reincarnated in each occurrence. To the Gods that are resurrected, it feels as if no time has passed since their death in the previous Recurrence, when they are awakened by Ananke. It would also appear that the person who is the next reincarnation of a particular God does not get the opportunity to refuse becoming one. Each issue is accompanied by a quote from a character, acting as a surrogate name for the issue.[8]
The Faust Act
In Britain on the 1st January 2014, Laura, a young girl and fan of The Pantheon, becomes embroiled in their inner politics after Lucifer takes a shining for her. She teams up with Cassandra, a reporter, to uncover the secrets they hold.
| Title | Issue # | Release date | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "I want everything you have." - Laura | 1 | June 18, 2014 | |||
| The survivors of the 1920s Occurrence (Amaterarsu, Baal, Susanoo, and Minerva) meet at the end of their lifetime and kill each other, with Ananke watching from a distance. In 2014, after attending a performance by Amaterasu, Laura is invited to meet several members of the Pantheon by Lucifer (who is one of the Pantheon herself). After Lucifer and Laura arrive, they see that Amaterasu is being interviewed by a woman named Cassandra, a skeptic reporter who believes the Pantheon is an elaborate hoax. Another Goddess is introduced: Sakhmet. Assassins attempt to murder the Pantheon members during the interview, but Luci kills them in retaliation. At a trial for their murder, Luci toys with the judge with the ability to kill people with a click of her fingers. When she clicks her fingers, the judge's head explodes, but Luci insists she did not do it.[8]
First appearance of: The 1920s Occurrence, Ananke, Laura, Amaterasu, Lucifer, Cassandra, Sakhmet, Beth | |||||
| "You spend all your life wishing you were something special. And then you find out you are." - Amaterasu | 2 | July 16, 2014 | |||
| A week later, Laura visits Luci in prison to ask about Ananke, who Laura overheard Lucifer whisper to Amaterasu at the trial. She then visits Cassandra and they plot to investigate the Pantheon with the intention of discovering if one of them framed Lucifer. Laura attends a concert in the subway by Pantheon member, The Morrígan. But when she arrives, another member, Baphomet (Baph), appears holding The Morrígan's severed head.
First appearance of: Baal, Laura's family, Baphomet, The Morrigan | |||||
| "Killing you is too quick of a thing. Better to destroy you." - The Morrígan | 3 | August 20, 2014 | |||
| The head is revealed to be an illusion and the real Morrígan appears in a different form (named Badb) and the two begin to fight. Laura breaks up the fight but the two start to fight again, both speaking at once, which envelops Laura's world in darkness. The police arrive and fire a plastic round at Baph. He sets the cop on fire which eventually kills him. The Morrígan reveals a third form, Annie, who brings the man back to life. Laura is then arrested. Soon after she goes to meet Cassandra and they discuss what Lucifer had told them about individual members of the Pantheon. As they talk, Pantheon member Baal appears before them.
First appearance of: Dionysus (pre-transformation) | |||||
| "When you're as good as I am? This is humble." - Baal | 4 | September 17, 2014 | |||
| He takes the pair into the retreat of the Pantheon, Valhalla, where Laura is permitted to meet some of the other members, including Ananke, who acts as a caregiver to The Pantheon. They discuss what to do with Luci before Laura goes to visit her. At their meeting, Luci breaks out the prison, revealing that she was not in danger at any point.
First appearance of: The Valkyries (Brunhilde and others), Wōden, Minerva, Owly | |||||
| "If you exist, you're staring at me." - Tara | 5 | October 22, 2014 | |||
| Luci goes on a rampage and the other gods come to control her. Amaterasu tries to reason with her but Baal and Sakhmet attempt to fight her. Laura goes to find The Morrígan, who agrees to help her and whisks Luci away from the battle to safety. But as Luci attempts to leave the safe house, Ananke appears and clicks her finger, blowing up Luci's head. Later on, Laura clicks her fingers to try to light a cigarette like she had seen Lucifer do. Miraculously, the cigarette starts to burn. | |||||
Fandemonium
A month after Lucifer's death, Laura teams up with Inanna to uncover the truth about who framed her, whilst dealing with the emergence of new Gods and her newfound fame as friend of The Pantheon. Meanwhile, Cassandra still seeks her big story about The Pantheon.
| Title | Issue # | Release date | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "I've got no reason to be afraid anymore." - Inanna | 6 | December 17, 2014 | |||
| Laura has been lying low when she is contacted by Inanna, who reveals they met a year before at Ragnarock (an event about the Pantheon that occurred before the Recurrence) before he was chosen to become Inanna. He tells her that the men who attempted to assassinate Lucifer were fans. Afterwards Laura decides to come back into the public eye, having become famous in the Pantheon fandom for her public association with Lucifer.
First appearance of: Inanna, David Blake | |||||
| "I'm a God, not a saint." - Wōden | 7 | January 21, 2015 | |||
| At an event called Fantheon, Laura runs into Cassandra and they discuss the shooting and The Prometheus Gambit, which is a theory that killing a god will turn you into one. They run into Beth, Cassandra's disgruntled former employee, fired for leaking their location to Baal. Afterwards Laura takes part in a panel about life after being close to a god. At the panel, Kerry, a former member of Wōden's entourage, the Valkyries, where she went by the name Brunhilde, gives personal details about him. Wōden then arrives and asks if she will rejoin the Valkyries, if she reveals all she said was lies. The desperate Kerry agrees but Wōden walks away, terminating the offer, and leaving her broken. Afterwards Kerry attempts to shoot Wōden (under the illusion that the Prometheus Gambit exists), hoping to become a god if she succeeds. Minerva incapacitates her but is shocked by her aggression. At the end of Fantheon, Laura runs into Baph who takes her to the Underground for a night of fun. Afterwards The Morrígan invites Laura to a party thrown by Dionysus, who has recently revealed himself.
First appearance of: Minerva's parents, Brunhilde (as Kerry) | |||||
| "Being happy for a night. That's not a small thing." - Dionysus | 8 | February 25, 2015 | |||
| Laura heads to the party and meets Dionysus. At the party Laura dances with Sakhmet, and Wōden talks to Cassandra. Laura briefly comes out of the drug-like effect the party has to talk to Baphomet, asking him whether anything special happened before he became a god. She talks to Baal about Brunhilde, who is at a private hospital, and Minerva, who has gone into isolation since the incident. After the party, which goes on for days, Laura tells Dionysus that he's the best, because he makes others happy - but he reveals he isn't happy himself. On her way home, Baal stops and asks if she wants a lift. They then spend the night together.
First appearance of: Dionysus (post-transformation) | |||||
| "'Life' is the last thing I have boy." - Ananke | 9 | March 25, 2015 | |||
| At Valhalla, Ananke is comforting Minerva when Baphomet appears to talk about Laura. Minerva, tired of Baphomet's sarcastic nature, shouts at him about how they are all going to die. Baphomet gets emotional and Ananke comforts him and informs him that the Prometheus Gambit will only work for a death god (to buy more time) - but strictly warns him about punishment for killing a God. Cassandra appears and Baph is dismissed after trying to harm her. Ananke gives Cassandra an interview, beginning with the history of the Pantheon - the Gods come to Earth to fight the Great Darkness in the world. After winning once, the Pantheon had failed for thousands of years. When they win once again, they decide to elect Ananke to guide and protect the Gods. She then reveals that Cassandra is the twelfth god and transforms her into Urðr, who in turn transforms her two assistants into Verdandi and Skuld, to make up the Three Norns.
First appearance of: The Norns (post-transformation) | |||||
| "If I'm going to hell, you're all coming with me." - Baphomet | 10 | May 6, 2015 | |||
| The Morrígan talks to Baphomet, who wants more from his life. Laura is upset about not being the twelfth god, so Inanna takes her to Ragnarock, a massive festival in Hyde Park, and then leaves for his own performance. Laura goes to talk to Urðr, who has worked out who tried to kill Lucifer, but superfan David Blake tells her instead as Urdr isn't seeing anyone. The Norns then begins their Ragnarock performance. Baphomet appears and attempts to kill them to steal their life but The Morrígan stops him. Ananke threatens to kill Baphomet, but The Morrígan promises to look after him and they escape. The crowd begin to riot so The Norns perform to calm them down. After her performance Urdr is upset that the crowd cheered her performance about their inevitable deaths. Laura comforts her and tells her she's happy for her. Baph regrets it but realizes he must kill Inanna at his performance. | |||||
| "No one gets a happy ending." - Laura | 11 | June 3, 2015 | |||
| When Laura returns home, Ananke is waiting for her. Baphomet attacks Inanna at his performance and they fight, ending in the building exploding and the death of Inanna. Ananke tells Laura that she is a thirteenth member of The Pantheon, Persephone. Ananke tells her to sing, but just before she does, Ananke clicks her fingers, killing Persephone. When Laura's parents discover this, Ananke blows up the house, killing them.
First appearance of: Laura (as Persephone) | |||||
Commercial Suicide
The Pantheon is reeling after the events of the last issue and each attempt to deal with their emotions in their individual ways, whilst also dealing with an inner threat unknown to them all. Each issue in this arc focuses on a different character in the comic and most featured an additional artist: Kate Brown (#12), Tula Lotay (#13), Stephanie Hans (#15), Leila del Duca (#16) and Brandon Graham (#17). All issue's back quote is from another character talking about the featured character
| Title | Featured Characters | Issue # | Release date | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "I loved him." - Baal | Inanna & Beth | 12 | July 5, 2015 | |||
| A week after Laura's death, Beth, along with her new crew Toni and Robin, are cycling through old footage of Laura, trying to gain something she can use. They head to the wreckage of Inanna's residency, to record footage of the grieving crowd, when Baal appears to pay his respects. Beth uses her previous connection with him to give him a lead of Innana's death, in exchange for an interview. Afterwards they head to find The Morrígan, using the same method Laura had used when Luci was in danger. After revealing herself, Baal begins beating The Morrígan, wanting information on Baphomet's whereabouts. Ultimately, Wōden appears and breaks up the fight, taking the two Gods with him. Beth is left with her exclusive and Baphomet appears in the shadows, choosing to cover his own back then help The Morrígan.
First appearance of: Toni, Robin | ||||||
| "Looking good, girl." - Wōden | Tara | 13 | August 5, 2015 | |||
| Tara is performing a concert and the crowd love her. But when she tries to play an original song, the crowd boo and turn violent against her until she starts performing again. She starts narrating about her life, from where catcalls began at the age of eleven and threats of rape occurred. Adopting a mask to hide her face, she begins gigging in secret to small crowds, which is where Ananke finds her and changes her into Tara. In the present, Tara makes a rare visit to talk to the rest of the Gods and Ananke. They argue about what to do with The Morrígan and the footage that Beth's has obtained. Meeting with Ananke later on, she is confused about who she really is and upset about the bullying the world is inflicting on her. She performs one last song, where Ananke then executes her. Tara's narration is revealed to be her suicide note that Ananke promptly burns. Online, the abuse turns to appreciation upon her death.
First appearance of: Tara | ||||||
| "You're not stupid, are you? Just evil." - Cassandra | Wōden | 14 | September 9, 2015 | |||
| Wōden is telling someone his side of the story so far. He starts by explaining that when Kerry tried to shoot him, a part of him wanted to die. Afterward he went to inform Ananke what had happened, and she sent him to Dionysus' party to arrange Cassandra's interview with her. He then reveals that Ananke killed the judge at Luci's trial, which he keeps quiet about. He tells of all the things he has done for Ananke; build a hideout for the Gods, organise Fandemonium and Ragnarok and even clean up the murdered body of Laura. Ananke has been making Wōden do her work for ages. and he is afraid that more will die soon. The figure he is speaking to is revealed to be another masked figure, and Wōden promises that he will protect him. | ||||||
| "You're doing this wrong." - Urðr | Amaterasu | 15 | October 14, 2015 | |||
| Amaterasu recalls her past where a bully attempts to steal a toy version of her namesake and she bites him for it. Whilst praying at the Meiji Shrine in Tokyo, she receives a call and returns to London to find Tara dead. Dionysus, Baal, Wōden and Sakhmet argue with each other and all storm out, leaving Amaterasu alone with the body. Heading down the hall, she goes into Kerry's room, where she is still recovering from her injuries. Minerva is with her along with Beth's crew. Minerva is still guilty over what she did to Kerry but is also concerned that everything that is happening doesn't add up. The Norns arrive and chastise Beth for being there, who has been invited by Wōden to document the Pantheon. When Amaterasu tries to keep Urðr from waking Kerry, Urðr calls her out for appropriating culture. The two argue about Japanese culture which culminates in Amaterasu Stepping The Norns to Hiroshima. During their argument, Amaterasu accidentally creates a very offensive image of a sun over Hiroshima. Amaterasu realises her mistake and explains to Urðr that she didn't choose this image. Returning to the shrine, she prays for her fellow Gods and the ones who have died. | ||||||
| "You were always best at the game." - Cameron | The Morrígan & Baphomet | 16 | November 11, 2015 | |||
| The Morrígan is being held by The Gods, who seek Baphomet's location. She thinks back to her pre-transformation days, where she was Marian and Baphomet was Cameron, her best friend who she eventually forms a relationship with. After the deaths of his family, Cameron goes on a downward spiral, eventually leading him to sleep with someone else. Marian storms off into a graveyard, where she is transformed into The Morrígan. One day after a performance, Cameron waits for her. Realising she still loves him, she manages to convince Ananke to change Cameron into Baphomet. She promises to lead the Gods to Baphomet but doesn't know exactly where he is. Minerva gives her lunch, where a mini Baphomet emerges from a pentagram of ketchup, promising to explain everything. | ||||||
| "Are you ready?" - Wōden | Sakhmet | 17 | December 16, 2015 | |||
| Sakhmet is woken up after a night of partying and debauchery by Eir. After light training with Baal, she performs a concert for her fans. Whilst giving an interview, she becomes agitated when she isn't given a drink and leaves. In her sober state, she kills and eats her father. Wōden and two Valkyries show up to bring her home, by offering her alcohol. Whilst drunkenly guarding The Morrígan, she passes out, where The Morrigan says she knows how she will escape. Across town, a bar is being booked for a concert under the name of Persephone.
First appearance of: Eir | ||||||
Rising Action
A ghost from The Pantheon's past has supposedly come back to haunt them and a Civil War has divided the Gods onto two sides.
| Title | Issue # | Release date | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Tonight, I'm going to kill." - Persephone | 18 | April 6, 2016 | |||
| Nearly two months after her supposed death, Laura, now going as Persephone, gets ready to perform her concert. Persephone starts her concert and the public begin to post about her on social media. Wōden is busy making a birthday present to Minerva from Ananke when they are alerted to Persephone's presence, who Ananke labels as 'The Destroyer'. Ananke goes with Wōden, his Valkyries and Sakhmet and leaves Baal to guard Valhalla. Baphomet attacks and knocks him out, hoping to rescue The Morrígan. The others arrive at Persephone's gig and start to fight. Baphomet finds Minerva has already freed The Morrígan and they all plan to leave together, after fetching Minerva's parents. The others realise Persephone is a distraction and rush back to Valhalla. Baphomet, Minerva and The Morrígan find themselves cornered by the others when Persephone arrives to help them escape. The Morrígan announces now is the time to wage war. It is then revealed one month ago Persephone and Baphomet slept together. | |||||
| "Do you guys believe her?" - Dionysus | 19 | May 4, 2016 | |||
| Dionysus is holding a party when he suddenly lurches over in pain and leaves, upsetting his guests. Baphomet grabs him and takes him to meet the others in the Underground, where they persuade him to join their fight against Ananke. At Valhalla, Ananke persuades the other Gods (Sakhmet, Baal, Amaterasu and Wōden) that they need to kill Persephone and rescue Minerva. Minerva's pet mechanical owl, Owly, finds her but is actually being used as a conduit for Baal. Sakhmet and Amaterasu also join him to fight but The Morrígan summons a horde of ravens to attack them. During the fight Amaterasu manages to grab Minerva and escape with her by Stepping, with the others following her. Persephone picks up Owly and they discover a recording of Ananke saying she is going to sacrifice Minerva. | |||||
| "We do not play God." - Urðr | 20 | June 8, 2016 | |||
| Persephone arranges a meeting with The Norns at her former home to show Urðr how she came to be. It is revealed that Baphomet never killed Inanna and instead teams up with him to fight Ananke. When Ananke tries to kill Persephone after her transformation, the duo save her but Ananke manages to kill Inanna before they can escape. Persephone lies in mourning for months with only Baph for company, where they then end up sleeping together. He tells her the story of him being recruited into The Pantheon, where he is actually revealed to be the God Nergal. Urðr is shocked by what she has heard and demands Persephone go to the authorities with the proof. Instead Persephone and the underworld Gods wish to storm Valhalla to rescue Minerva and when Urðr tries to stop her, she is revealed as a projection by Owly and the siege of Valhalla has already begun.
First appearance of: Baphomet (as Nergal) | |||||
| "Let's go straight to the live show." - Wōden | 21 | July 12, 2016 | |||
| Minerva has been returned to Valhalla unconscious but Persephone, Nergal, Dionysus and The Morrígan show to get her back, bringing with them the guests of Dionysus's latest party to fight with them. Baal begins to fight them when the Valkyries appear to help. Minerva wakes up and begs Amaterasu and her parents to get her out of Valhalla. At that moment Ananke appears in the room and murders Minerva's parents and attempts to kill Amaterasu, who manages to escape at the last second by Stepping away. Beth and her camera crew had been filming in the room and can't believe they were spared. Ananke attempts to take Minerva to her machine so Nergal tries to stop her, but she manages to fight him off and throw him out of Valhalla. Wōden objects to the sacrifice but Ananke sends him away to deal with the attack, where he summons a massive leviathan composed of his Valkyries and controlled by a mechanical golem. | |||||
| "What are we going to do?" - Minerva | 22 | August 17, 2016 | |||
| Amaterasu fetches The Norns and brings them to Valhalla, where Persephone, Nergal, Dionysus and The Morrígan are still in battle with the Valkyrie Leviathan, Wōden, Sakhmet and Baal. Wōden has a change of heart and decides to help his enemies, giving Dionysus the information to destroy the mechanical golem and the Leviathan. Urðr manages to make the Gods (except Sakhmet who is promptly knocked out) to put aside their differences to save Minerva. Combined with the efforts of the other Gods, Persephone manages to fight and capture Ananke in her vines. Ananke reveals that four Gods must die for the Great Darkness to be held back and accuses Persephone of being the one to destroy them all. The other Gods decide to spare Ananke and put her in the cage that once held The Morrígan, but Persephone, bitter about Ananke killing her sister Jenny without even realising, kills her. The Gods decide to spin the murder as self-defence and contemplate a world where they can do whatever they want. | |||||
Imperial Phase (Part 1)
In the wake of the biggest shock in Pantheon history, the Gods now have no restraints in life. The first issue portrays an in-universe magazine featuring interviews with the Gods written by real journalists.
| Title | Issue # | Release date | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pantheon Monthly: November 2014 | 23 | November 2, 2016 | |||
| A look into the world of The Pantheon following the death of Ananke. The Morrígan gives her first ever interview with Leigh Alexander, revealing her side of the story. Dorian Lynskey interviews Baal, revealing insights into the Pantheons current life such as himself, Persephone and Minerva moving into 3 floors of The Shard, how he has taken de facto leadership of The Pantheon, taken responsibly of Minerva since her parents death and how he is now dating Persephone. Wōden and two of his Valkyries are interviewed by Laurie Penny, who shows her his workshop and talks about his relationship with Ananke. A posthumous interview with Lucifer by Mary HK Choi from before her death hints at Baal and Inanna's hidden relationship and ends with the two of them meeting the newly created Amaterasu. Ezekiel Kweku talks to Amaterasu in San Francisco, talking about her relationship with Lucifer and what happened on the day Ananke killed Minerva's parents. | |||||
Specials
Standalone specials written about Pantheons through the ages, the first focusing on the 1800's Pantheon and the Romantic poets.
| Title | Year Featured | Release date | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "You will go on long after we are gone." - Woden | 1831 | September 21, 2016 | |||
| In Rome, Hades is delirious on his deathbed when Ananke kills him. At the Villa Diodati on Lake Geneva, the last few Gods and Goddesses of the recurrence (Lucifer, Inanna, Woden and Morrigan) gather to wait out their final days. The group decide to tell stories to pass the time. Inanna tells of her life as Claire Claremont and how her step-sister and her husband, Mary and Percy Shelley, were granted Godhood by Ananke before her and the feelings about this. Woden tells of her three attempts to have a child, all ending with failure. Lucifer and Morrigan reveal they are plotting to resurrect Hades using their abilities but the creature they create is monstrous and kills the pair. As it prepares to kill Inanna, Woden intervenes and merges with the creature to stop it. The shell of Woden controlled by the creature reveals Woden knew all along that Inanna killed her three children to keep her divinity. The creature is about to kill her when Inanna reveals she is pregnant with Lucifer's child, so it spares her and disappears across the frozen lake outside the villa. A week later, Inanna thinks she has been spared, but Ananke appears and kills her, ending the Occurrence on the 19th of March 1831. | |||||
Characters
- Laura Wilson - The series' narrator and protagonist. A seventeen-year-old mixed-race teenager who lives in Brockley, Laura is a "fangirl" of the Pantheon, often having to stifle her true emotions in their presence and ready to sacrifice everything to be associated with the Pantheon. After attending a performance by Amaterasu, she meets several members of the Pantheon for the first time and befriends Lucifer.[8] While all previous Pantheons have consisted of twelve gods, Laura is revealed to possibly be the first thirteenth member, Persephone.[9]
- Laura's Family - Laura's mother, father and sister Jenny. Originally not knowing of Laura's secret other life as a friend of the Pantheon, they eventually find out when she is thrust into the spotlight, and learn to support her lifestyle.
- Beth - Originally one of Cassandra's interns, she is fired after leaking Cassandra and Laura's location to Baal and sets out on her own, with a grudge.
- Robin and Toni - Beth's new camera team, operating in the same capacity Beth once did to Cassandra.
- The Valkyries - A group of tall, beautiful, Asian women that Wōden is almost always accompanied by. Kerry is one of his former Valkyries, who went by Brunhilde whilst with him, who after attempting to kill Wōden in order to gain his power, is crippled by Minerva. Another Valkyrie, Eir looks after Sakhmet. A third named Valkyrie is Göndul.
- David Blake - An expert in The Pantheon who doesn't believe this generation deserves them, which gets on the wrong side of Laura. He works with Urdr to try and identify Luci's attackers.
- Minerva's Mother and Father - Minerva's parents live to profit from their daughter's newfound God-like status.
The Pantheon
The 2000's Occurrence:
- Amaterasu - Called Ammy by some. Formerly Emily Greenaway, who went by the name Hazel Oak Ash Thorn Greenaway and became Amaterasu at the age of 17. A fan of Shinto culture from her childhood, she is commonly accused of cultural appropriation. Before being transformed, she was a fan of Cassandra's writing and drew a lot of fan art. She has the ability to Step by sunlight as a way to teleport, with Wōden giving her a machine to do it by starlight. She has a very optimistic outlook on life and tries to be kind and friendly, stating that as a God she must be an inspiration. She also cares deeply for her fellow Gods and others, praying for them all.
- Baal - Baal was the first God to emerge from the 2014 Occurrence. He was once with Inanna, before Inanna cheated on him with Lucifer, making him overly aggressive but not over him. He presents himself as aggressive but is shown to have a softer side. His powers are electrical in nature, using it to make his car go faster and erect a cage of lightning.
- Dionysus - Has the power to produce a drug-like euphoria, with the added function to control people effected by it. He first appears as a fan during The Morrigan's gig, before he is transformed. His powers have consequences though, he can constantly hear peoples voices in his head and can't sleep.
- Inanna - Formerly Zahid. He first met Laura at the original Ragnarock when he was still human, where he blended in and mostly went ignored but his personality changed when he was transformed, becoming a lot more outgoing. He was also a fan of Cassandra's writing. He runs a Residency which could go on for weeks at a time, which frequently turned into orgies. In the early days of Godhood, he was in a relationship with Baal which ended when Inanna slept with Luci. His powers included Divination and Stepping by starlight.
- Lucifer - Goes by Luci to most. Her original name was Eleanor Rigby (a reference to the Beatles song of the same name) and she was turned into Luci at the age of 18.[10] She first meets Laura after an Amaterasu concert and offers Laura divinity in exchange for her help. She enjoyed being rebellious against authority and had a desire for people to notice her, which being on stage allowed her to divulge in. Her powers appeared to be fire themed, often causing explosions and lightning cigarettes.
- Minerva - The youngest member of the Pantheon at 12, she is therefore kept away from important issues by the others despite her idea to be involved. Its indicated the reason Minerva is so young is that as a virgin Goddess, her hosts can only be virgins themselves. This seems to be supported by the fact that her previous incarnation in the 1920s was also a young girl. Her parents control her every move, living with her in Valhalla. She has a pet mechanical owl she calls Owly.
- The Morrígan - Formerly Marian. Out of her love for her former boyfriend, she requests Ananke turn him into Baphomet. (She appears in 3 incarnations, which have so far been named as "Badb", "Gentle Annie" (possibly Anand), and simply "Morrígan" (The Morrígan)). Her personality depends on which incarnation she is in, Gentle Annie is more kind while Badb is overly aggressive. Her powers include summoning crows as a weapon and as Gentle Annie she can heal. If a person tries to capture The Morrígan on camera, they will see a vision of a loved one dying.
- Nergal - Formerly Cameron. After his parents died, he became withdrawn from Marian and cheated on her, but she later forgave him and asked for him to be transformed. The character goes by name Baphomet, but in the #20 issue he reveals to Persephone (and Urdr) who he was really turned into. He is very sarcastic and snide as an attempt to hide his immense insecurities, particularly his fear of death. He can summon the spirits of the dead.
- Persephone - Appears at the end of the eleventh issue when Ananke seemingly transforms Laura Wilson into this previously unknown member of the Pantheon. Her powers include summoning vines that burst out the ground and is also shown to be able to show others past events.
- Sakhmet - Formerly Ruth. She admired Egyptian culture from a young age. Before Ananke found her, it was hinted she was homeless, an alcoholic and that her father abused her. When sober, she becomes murderous and cannibalistic and can only be calmed down with alcohol. Her behaviour is very catlike and is one of the Pantheon's best fighters.
- Tara - Formerly Aruna. From a young age she has suffered abuse and sexualisation from all around her. She does not know herself which Tara she is and is plagued by abuse for wanting to perform music she wrote before her transformation. She begs Ananke to end her life and torment. She is very dismissive and withdrawn from the rest of the Gods.
- Urðr - Before her transformation, Urðr was Cassandra Igarashi, a trans woman[11] reporter and a cynical skeptic of the Pantheon. As Urðr, she is revealed to be the twelfth member of the Pantheon, and appears along with her two sisters Verðandi and Skuld, formerly her camera crew. Together, the three form The Norns. Urðr is not affected by any of the other Gods' miracles apart from Persephone's.[12]
- Wōden - He is often accompanied by The Valkryies, a group of human women who are all tall, Asian, and beautiful. He constantly wears a mask to hide his appearance, which is rumoured to be hideous. He is very racist, misogynistic, and a pervert.
The 1900's Occurrence:
This Occurrence ended on the 31st of December 1923.
- Susanoo - A God who appears to be of Asian descent and represents his heritage as the God of the storms through a lightning bolt on his tie.
- Baal - A God who appears to be of African descent. He is later reincarnated in the next occurrence.
- Amaterasu - A Goddess with an Asian appearance, dressed as a 1920s flapper. She is later reincarnated in the next occurrence.
- Minerva - A Goddess with the appearance of a young girl with black and white makeup. She is later reincarnated in the next occurrence.
- 8 Gods deceased by the end of the Occurrence.
The 1800's Occurrence:
This Occurrence ended on the 19th of March 1831.
- Lucifer - A God based on the poet Lord Byron.
- Wōden - A Goddess based on the author Mary Shelley, made bitter by the death of her three children.
- The Morrigan - A God based on the poet Percy Shelley, who feels isolated from his cold wife Woden.
- Inanna - A Goddess based on Mary Shelley's step-sister Claire Clairmont.
- Hades - A God based on John Keats.
- Morpheus - A God possibly based on Samuel Taylor Coleridge.
- Thoth - A God possibly based on Edgar Allen Poe.
- Hestia - A Goddess possibly based on Jane Austen.
- Perun - A God possibly based on Alexander Pushkin.
- Unknown God who went by 'The Angel of Soho', Urizen, Enitharmon, and Orc. These are all characters from William Blake's mythology.
- Unknown Goddesses described as 'The Three Lonely Sisters of the Parsonage', possibly the Brontë sisters.
Ananke appears to act along with the group, but is also outside of them. Unlike the others she is not a teenager and has aged, but still is able to function. She functions almost as a parent, and reveals that she gave up her divinity during an earlier cycle of The Recurrence to protect future members of The Pantheon. Although she is stern with the deities who are resurrected, she seems to have a genuine maternal connection to them, saying that she will miss them before she kills them, and crying after she does so.
In addition, a Pantheon officially occurred in the 1650s, and a lost pantheon at one point took place in South America.
Reception
The Wicked + the Divine has received generally positive reviews. The review aggregation website Comic Book Roundup reports that the series holds an average score of 8.5 out of 10.[13]
Awards
The Wicked + the Divine was the winner of Best Comic at the 2014 British Comic Awards.[14] The series has also been nominated for the 2015 Eisner Awards in three categories: Best New Series, Best Cover Artist, and Best Coloring.[15]
Collected Editions
The first four volumes have been collected as trade paperbacks (TPB) and a "Deluxe Edition" hardcover (HC):
| # | Title | Release date | Collected issues | TPB ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vol 1: The Faust Act | November, 2014 | The Wicked + The Divine #1-5 | ISBN 978-1-63215-019-6 |
| 2 | Vol 2: Fandemonium | July, 2015 | The Wicked + The Divine #6-11 | ISBN 978-1-63215-327-2 |
| 3 | Vol 3: Commercial Suicide | February, 2016 | The Wicked + The Divine #12-17 | ISBN 978-1-63215-631-0 |
| 4 | Vol 4: Rising Action | October, 2016 | The Wicked + The Divine #18-22 | ISBN 978-1-63215-913-7 |
| 5 | Vol 5: Imperial Phase (Part 1) | TBA |
| # | Title | Release date | Collected issues | TPB ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Wicked + The Divine Book One HC | April, 2016 | The Wicked + The Divine #1-11 | ISBN 978-1-63215-728-7 |
References
- 1 2 3 Wheeler, Andrew. "Exclusive: Gillen & McKelvie Announce New Image Series, 'The Wicked & The Divine' [Interview]". Comics Alliance. Retrieved 3 June 2015. Kieron Gillen: "The Wicked & The Divine was one of the ideas I had in the days following my Dad being diagnosed with terminal cancer. It’s a pop book, but it’s basically about life and death."
- ↑ Foxe, Steve. "Guest List: Kieron Gillen on the Music Behind The Wicked + The Divine (and a Whole Lot More)". Paste Magazine. Paste Media Group. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
- ↑ Gillen, Kieron. "PLAYLIST: The Wicked + The Divine". Spotify. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
- ↑ Salazar, Kat. "The Gods Are ReIncarnated in THE WICKED AND THE DIVINE". Image Comics. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
- ↑ Dean, Tres (19 June 2014). "The Wicked and the Divine #1 Review". IGN. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
- ↑ Reed, Patrick A. "The Wicked + The Divine: The Entire Creative Team Talks Story, Art, Design, Color, Letters + Music [Interview]". Comics Alliance. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
- ↑ Andreeva, Nellie. "'The Wicked + The Divine' Comic To Be Adapted As TV Series By Universal TV". Deadline. Penske Business Media, LLC. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
- 1 2 3 Kieron Gillen (w), Jamie McKelvie (p), Matt Wilson (i). "The Faust Act" The Wicked + The Divine #1 (June 18, 2014), Image Comics
- ↑ Kieron Gillen (w), Jamie McKelvie (p), Matt Wilson (i). "Fandemonium" The Wicked + The Divine #11 (June 3, 2015), Image Comics
- ↑ Kieron Gillen (w), Jamie McKelvie (p), Matt Wilson (i). "Fandemonium" The Wicked + The Divine #6 (December 17, 2014), Image Comics
- ↑ Kieron Gillen (w), Jamie McKelvie (p), Matt Wilson (i). "The Faust Act" The Wicked + The Divine #5 (October 22, 2014), Image Comics
- ↑ Kieron Gillen (w), Jamie McKelvie (p), Matt Wilson (i). "Fandemonium" The Wicked + The Divine #9 (March 25, 2015), Image Comics
- ↑ "THE WICKED + THE DIVINE". Comic Book Roundup. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
- ↑ "BCA 2014 Winers Announced". British Comic Awards. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
- ↑ "2015 Eisner Award Nominations". Comic-Con. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
External links
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