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The New Gods are a fictional extraterrestrial race appearing in the
eponym An eponym is a person, a place, or a thing after whom or which someone or something is, or is believed to be, named. The adjectives which are derived from the word eponym include ''eponymous'' and ''eponymic''. Usage of the word The term ''epon ...
ous
comic book A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are of ...
series published by
DC Comics DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with thei ...
, as well as selected other DC titles. Created and designed by
Jack Kirby Jack Kirby (born Jacob Kurtzberg; August 28, 1917 – February 6, 1994) was an American comic book artist, writer and editor, widely regarded as one of the medium's major innovators and one of its most prolific and influential creators. He gr ...
, they first appeared in February 1971 in ''New Gods'' #1.


Publication history


Volume 1 (1971)

The New Gods are natives of the twin planets of
New Genesis New Genesis is a fictional planet appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. A part of Jack Kirby's Fourth World mythos, the planet is home to the heroic New Gods led by the sage Highfather. New Genesis is the positive counterpart ...
and
Apokolips Apokolips is a fictional planet that appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The planet is ruled by Darkseid, established in Jack Kirby's Fourth World series, and is integral to many stories in the DC Universe. Apokolips is co ...
. New Genesis is an
idyll An idyll (, ; from Greek , ''eidullion'', "short poem"; occasionally spelt ''idyl'' in American English) is a short poem, descriptive of rustic life, written in the style of Theocritus' short pastoral poems, the ''Idylls'' (Εἰδύλλια). U ...
ic planet filled with unspoiled forests, mountains, and rivers that is ruled by the benevolent
Highfather Highfather (Izaya the Inheritor) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. An integral part of Jack Kirby's Fourth World mythos, Highfather is a New God, leader of the planet New Genesis and the positive co ...
, while Apokolips is a nightmarish, polluted, and ruined
dystopia A dystopia (from Ancient Greek δυσ- "bad, hard" and τόπος "place"; alternatively cacotopiaCacotopia (from κακός ''kakos'' "bad") was the term used by Jeremy Bentham in his 1818 Plan of Parliamentary Reform (Works, vol. 3, p. 493). ...
filled with machinery and fire pits that is ruled by the tyrannical
Darkseid Darkseid () is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby to serve as the primary antagonist of his "Fourth World (comics), Fourth World" metaseries, and was firs ...
. The two planets were once part of the same world, a planet called ''Urgrund'' (
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...
for "primeval ground"), but it was split apart millennia ago after the death of the Old Gods during
Ragnarök In Norse mythology, (; non, Ragnarǫk) is a series of events, including a great battle, foretelling the death of numerous great figures (including the gods Odin, Thor, Týr, Freyr, Heimdallr, and Loki), natural disasters, and the submers ...
. The characters associated with the New Gods are often collectively referred to as "
Jack Kirby's Fourth World "Fourth World" is a storyline told through a metaseries of connected comic book titles written and drawn by Jack Kirby and published by DC Comics from 1970 to 1973. Although they were not marketed under this title until the August–September 1971 ...
". Unhappy with
Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
at the time, as he had created or co-created a plethora of characters without having copyright or creative custody of them, he turned to rival publisher DC Comics, with his sketches and designs for a new group of heroes and villains. As author Marc Flores, who writes under the
pen name A pen name, also called a ''nom de plume'' or a literary double, is a pseudonym (or, in some cases, a variant form of a real name) adopted by an author and printed on the title page or by-line of their works in place of their real name. A pen na ...
Ronin Ro, described: Kirby began the "Fourth World" in ''
Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen ''Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen'' is an American comic book series published by DC Comics from September–October 1954 until March 1974, spanning a total of 163 issues. Featuring the adventures of Superman supporting character Jimmy Olsen, it co ...
'' #133 (October 1970). The New Gods first appeared in ''New Gods'' #1 (February-March 1971) and ''
Forever People Forever People are a fictional group of extraterrestrial superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. They first appeared in ''Forever People'' #1 (cover-dated February–March 1971), and were created by Jack Kirby ...
'' #1 (February-March 1971). Another "Fourth World" title ''
Mister Miracle Mister Miracle (Scott Free) is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He first appeared in ''Mister Miracle'' #1 (April 1971) and was created by Jack Kirby. Publication history Mister Miracle debuted in ...
'' was launched in April 1971. Various New Gods, notably Darkseid, went on to interact with other denizens of the
DC Universe The DC Universe (DCU) is the fictional shared universe where most stories in American comic book titles published by DC Comics take place. Superheroes such as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Robin, Martian Manhunter, The Flash, Green Lant ...
. ''New Gods'' #1 marks the first appearance of Orion,
Highfather Highfather (Izaya the Inheritor) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. An integral part of Jack Kirby's Fourth World mythos, Highfather is a New God, leader of the planet New Genesis and the positive co ...
, and Metron, among others. The opening sequence alludes to the presence of the "Old Gods" and the "New Gods" (e.g., "''There came a time when the Old Gods died...''"). Simultaneously published during this time were the ''Forever People'' and ''Mister Miracle'' series, also written and drawn by Kirby. Kirby fans consider the three-issue arc in ''New Gods'' #6-8 to be the peak of Kirby's artistic work. Jason Sacks and Keith Dallas say that issue #6, "The Glory Boat", "juxtaposes several of irby'sfavorite themes: the conflict between generations, the ways that pacifism is forced to confront violence, and, of course, the continuing battle between Apokolips and New Genesis, all drawn in some of the most spectacular art of his career." Charles Hatfield says that the story's conclusion:
"...is a pure example of Kirby's technological sublime, at once redemptive and seductive, healing and cataclysmic... This rhapsodic episode suggests a glorying in, but also a fearful ambivalence about, the blurring of the living and the technological."
Issue #7, "The Pact", sought to explain the backstory of the New Gods. Sacks and Keith said:
"While the story can also be read as a commentary and critique of the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
(as it's all about the ambiguity and moral costs of war), 'The Pact' is a creation myth in comics form, providing readers deeper context about both the struggle between Apokolips and New Genesis and the great sacrifices that have to be made to create peace in the face of overwhelming destruction."
Despite the creative strength of Kirby's material, the book's sales slipped steadily after a strong start. ''New Gods'' was cancelled with issue #11 (Oct-Nov 1972), and the last issue of ''Forever People'' was also #11 (August-September 1972). The Apokolips/New Genesis war was left unresolved. Kirby's production assistant at the time,
Mark Evanier Mark Stephen Evanier (; born March 2, 1952) is an American comic book and television writer, known for his work on the animated TV series ''Garfield and Friends'' and on the comic book ''Groo the Wanderer''. He is also known for his columns and bl ...
, explained: Despite the sales failure of the book, Kirby's work has remained an inspiration for future comics creators.
Comics historian Comics studies (also comic art studies, sequential art studies or graphic narrative studies) is an academic field that focuses on comics and sequential art. Although comics and graphic novels have been generally dismissed as less relevant pop cul ...
Les Daniels Leslie Noel Daniels III, better known as Les Daniels (October 27, 1943 – November 5, 2011), was an American writer. Background Daniels attended Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, where he wrote his master's thesis on ''Frankenstei ...
observed in 1995:
"Kirby's mix of slang and myth, science fiction and the Bible, made for a heady brew, but the scope of his vision has endured."
In 2007, comics writer
Grant Morrison Grant Morrison, MBE (born 31 January 1960) is a Scottish comic book writer, screenwriter, and producer. Their work is known for its nonlinear narrative A narrative, story, or tale is any account of a series of related events or experiences, w ...
commented:
"Kirby's dramas were staged across Jungian vistas of raw symbol and storm ... The Fourth World saga crackles with the voltage of Jack Kirby's boundless imagination let loose onto paper."


Return of the New Gods (1977)

In 1976, the New Gods were featured in the last issue of ''
1st Issue Special ''1st Issue Special'' was a comics anthology series from DC Comics, done in a similar style to their ''Showcase'' series. It was published from April 1975 to April 1976. The goal was to showcase a new possible first issue of an ongoing series eac ...
'', written by
Gerry Conway Gerard Francis Conway Thomas, Roy. "Roy's Rostrum" ("Bullpen Bulletins") in '' Marvel Super-Heroes'' #43 and other Marvel Comics cover-dated May 1974. (born September 10, 1952) is an American comic book writer, comic book editor, screenwriter, t ...
and
Dennis O'Neil Dennis Joseph O'Neil (May 3, 1939 – June 11, 2020) was an American comic book writer and editor, principally for Marvel Comics and DC Comics from the 1960s through the 1990s, and Group Editor for the Batman family of titles until his retir ...
and pencilled by
Mike Vosburg Mike Vosburg (born July 23, 1947) is an American comic book artist primarily known for his work on the ''Tales from the Crypt (TV series), Tales from the Crypt'' TV series. Biography Mike Vosburg's comics career began in the 1960s, when as a 15- ...
. The issue featured a new, more mainstream superhero costume for Orion, which he would wear for the next few years, but failed to lead to a relaunch. That same year,
Jenette Kahn Jenette Kahn (; born May 16, 1947) is an American comic book editor and executive. She joined DC Comics in 1976 as publisher, and five years later was promoted to president. In 1989, she stepped down as publisher and assumed the title of editor ...
became DC's new publisher and decided to revive the "Fourth World" lineup in 1977. ''The New Gods'' series relaunched in July 1977, and with ''1st Issue Special'' still a relatively recent publication, it picked up where the storyline of that issue left off. Although the title remained "The New Gods" in the indicia and retained its original numbering, launching with #12, the covers used the title "The Return of the New Gods". Conway wrote the series and
Don Newton Don Newton (November 12, 1934 – August 19, 1984) was an American comics artist. During his career, he worked for a number of comic book publishers including Charlton Comics, DC Comics, and Marvel Comics. He is best known for his work on The Phan ...
provided the pencils. The series introduced the character
Jezebelle Jezebelle, also known as Jezebelle of the Fiery Eyes, is a fictional character, a superheroine in publications from DC Comics. Created by Gerry Conway and Don Newton, the character first appeared in ''New Gods, New Gods #12'' (July 1977). She was ...
. It was cancelled with issue #19 (July–August 1978) prior to the "
DC Implosion The "DC Explosion" and "DC Implosion" were two events in 1978 – the first an official marketing campaign, the second a sardonic reference to it – in which DC Comics expanded their roster of publications, then abruptly cut it back. The DC Explos ...
", where a variety of market-related factors caused DC to cancel almost all of the titles launched the previous year. The final chapters of the series were published as backup features in the ''
Adventure Comics ''Adventure Comics'' is an American comic book series published by DC Comics from 1938 to 1983 and revived from 2009 to 2011. In its first era, the series ran for 503 issues (472 of those after the title changed from ''New Adventure Comics''), ...
'' #459–460 (1978) featured a climactic battle between Darkseid's forces and the New Gods, culminating in Darkseid's defeat and apparent "death." Conway later said that he felt the finale he provided for the New Gods saga was inadequate, though he greatly enjoyed working with Newton on the series. The New Gods met the
Flash Flash, flashes, or FLASH may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional aliases * Flash (DC Comics character), several DC Comics superheroes with super speed: ** Flash (Barry Allen) ** Flash (Jay Garrick) ** Wally West, the first Kid ...
in ''
Super-Team Family ''Super-Team Family'' is a comic book anthology series published by DC Comics from 1975 to 1978 that lasted for 15 issues. It included a mix of original and reprinted stories. Publication history ''Super-Team Family'' began publication with an O ...
'' #15 (March–April 1978). Darkseid's "death" would quickly be overturned in the New Gods' next appearance in ''
Justice League of America The Justice League (also known as The Justice League of America) are a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #28 (March 1960). The team was conceived ...
'' #183–185. The three-part storyline would tell of Darkseid's return to Apokolips and his scheme to destroy
Earth-Two Earth-Two (also Earth Two or Earth 2) is a setting for stories (a "fictional universe") appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. First appearing in ''The Flash'' #123 (1961), Earth-Two was created to explain differences between ...
and teleport Apokolips into its place, so that he could conquer a new universe devoid of the New Gods. The plan would be foiled by the combined power of the New Gods, the Justice League, and the
Justice Society Justice, in its broadest sense, is the principle that people receive that which they deserve, with the interpretation of what then constitutes "deserving" being impacted upon by numerous fields, with many differing viewpoints and perspective ...
.


Volume 2 (1984)

Essentially a reprint series, this volume packaged two issues apiece per single issue of the original 1971 series. The mini-series' final issue was originally intended to include a reprint of ''New Gods'' #11 and a new 24-page story which would conclude the series and end with both Darkseid and Orion dead. DC editors prevented Kirby from using his original intended ending. Kirby instead turned in a one-off story called "On the Road to Armagetto" which was also rejected, due to the fact that it did not contain a definitive ending to the series. A 48-page new story called "Even Gods Must Die" was published in the sixth issue of the reprint series instead, which in turn served as a prologue for the upcoming ''The Hunger Dogs'' graphic novel, which DC editors greenlighted in order to conclude the series.


''The Hunger Dogs''

Published as ''
DC Graphic Novel ''DC Graphic Novel'' is a line (comics), line of graphic novel Trade paperback (comics), trade paperbacks published from 1983 to 1986 by DC Comics. The series generally featured stand-alone stories featuring new characters and concepts with one ...
'' #4, ''The Hunger Dogs'' was intended by Kirby and DC to serve as the end to the entire Fourth World saga. The project was mired in controversy over Kirby's insistence that the series should end with the deaths of the New Gods, which clashed with DC's demands that the New Gods could not be killed off. As a result, production of the graphic novel suffered many delays and revisions. Pages and storyline elements from the never published "On the Road to Armagetto" were revised and incorporated into the graphic novel, while DC ordered the entire plot restructured, resulting in many pages of the story being rearranged out of Kirby's intended reading order. In the end, ''The Hunger Dogs'' saw the tormented, slave population of Apokolips rise up against Darkseid in a massive slave revolt, forcing Darkseid to flee his homeworld. This ending would not last, as Darkseid would reclaim Apokolips off-panel prior to the events of the 1986 ''
Legends A legend is a historical narrative, a symbolic representation of folk belief. Legend(s) or The Legend(s) may also refer to: Narrative * Urban legend, a widely repeated story of dubious truth * A fictitious identity used in espionage Books, co ...
'' crossover.


Volume 3 (1989–91)

Following the '' Cosmic Odyssey'' limited series by
Jim Starlin James P. Starlin (born October 9, 1949) is an American comics artist and writer. Beginning his career in the early 1970s, he is best known for space opera stories, for revamping the Marvel Comics characters Captain Marvel and Adam Warlock, and ...
and
Mike Mignola Mike Mignola (; born September 16, 1960) is an American comics artist and writer best known for creating ''Hellboy'' for Dark Horse Comics, part of a shared universe of titles including ''B.P.R.D.'', '' Abe Sapien'', '' Lobster Johnson'', '' Wit ...
, a new ''New Gods'' series was launched. Written by longtime Kirby assistant
Mark Evanier Mark Stephen Evanier (; born March 2, 1952) is an American comic book and television writer, known for his work on the animated TV series ''Garfield and Friends'' and on the comic book ''Groo the Wanderer''. He is also known for his columns and bl ...
, with co-author and penciler
Paris Cullins Paris Cullins is an Americans, American comics artist best known for his work on DC Comics' ''Blue Devil (DC Comics), Blue Devil'' and ''Ted Kord, Blue Beetle'' and Marvel Comics' ''Hyperkind''. Career Early career Cullins had sent DC Comics samp ...
, this would be the most lengthy ''New Gods'' run yet. Coming in at 28 issues, this volume was published from February 1989 to August 1991. This series is sometimes considered volume 2, as the aforementioned volume 2 was essentially a reprinting of volume 1.


Volume 4 (1995–97)

Originally written by
Tom Peyer Tom Peyer (born February 23, 1954) is an American comic book creator and editor. He is known for his 1999 revisioning of Golden Age super-hero Hourman, as well as his work on the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 1990s. An editor at DC Comics/Vertigo ...
and
Rachel Pollack Rachel Grace Pollack (born August 17, 1945 as Richard Pollack) is an American science fiction author, comic book writer, and expert on divinatory tarot. She is involved in the women's spirituality movement. Career Tarot reading Pollack has w ...
, and pencilled by
Luke Ross Luke Ross (born Luciano Queiroz 18 July 1972) is a comic artist known for his work on books such as ''Gen13'', ''Spider-Man'', ''Green Lantern (comic book), Green Lantern'', ''Indiana Jones comic books, Indiana Jones'' and ''Captain America (vol ...
, volume 4 of ''New Gods'' ran from October 1995 until February 1997. It was taken over by John Byrne for issues #12–15 at the end of the series; this title would be renamed as ''
Jack Kirby's Fourth World "Fourth World" is a storyline told through a metaseries of connected comic book titles written and drawn by Jack Kirby and published by DC Comics from 1970 to 1973. Although they were not marketed under this title until the August–September 1971 ...
'', also by Byrne, with numbering reset to issue #1, and covers provided by
Walt Simonson Walter Simonson (born September 2, 1946) is an American comic book writer and artist, best known for a run on Marvel Comics' ''Thor'' from 1983 to 1987, during which he created the character Beta Ray Bill. He is also known for the creator-owned w ...
. Walt Simonson's '' Orion'' series, which continued to host the backup feature "Tales of the New Gods", began in Byrne's ''Jack Kirby's Fourth World'' and served as an extension of it. Simonson wished to simply title his series "New Gods", but DC felt the name had been used too much recently. John Byrne's one-shot issue '' Darkseid vs. Galactus: The Hunger'' also appeared in October 1995.


2007–present


''Death of the New Gods'' and ''Final Crisis''

Taking place in both the yearlong series ''
Countdown to Final Crisis ''Countdown'', also known as ''Countdown to Final Crisis'' for its last 24 issues based on the cover, was a comic book Limited series (comics), limited series published by DC Comics. It debuted on May 9, 2007, directly following the conclusion of ...
'' (2007–2008) and its spin-off, ''
Death of the New Gods ''Death of the New Gods'' was an eight-issue comic book Limited series (comics), limited series published in 2007 in comics, 2007 and 2008 in comics, 2008 by DC Comics. It was written and pencilled by Jim Starlin. The series follows the final da ...
'', written by
Jim Starlin James P. Starlin (born October 9, 1949) is an American comics artist and writer. Beginning his career in the early 1970s, he is best known for space opera stories, for revamping the Marvel Comics characters Captain Marvel and Adam Warlock, and ...
, was a story-arc involving the mysterious deaths of the New Gods across the universe in preparation for the coming storylines in
Grant Morrison Grant Morrison, MBE (born 31 January 1960) is a Scottish comic book writer, screenwriter, and producer. Their work is known for its nonlinear narrative A narrative, story, or tale is any account of a series of related events or experiences, w ...
's ''
Final Crisis "Final Crisis" is a crossover storyline that appeared in comic books published by DC Comics in 2008, primarily the seven-issue miniseries of the same name written by Grant Morrison. Originally DC announced the project as being illustrated solely b ...
'', published later in 2008. As elaborated in ''Death of the New Gods'', the mysterious Godkiller turned out to be an agent of the sentient
Source Source may refer to: Research * Historical document * Historical source * Source (intelligence) or sub source, typically a confidential provider of non open-source intelligence * Source (journalism), a person, publication, publishing institute o ...
itself, which sought to destroy the imperfect Fourth World—compromised by the disruption in its creation by the Old Gods—in favor of a more perfect "Fifth World" by reuniting the Source with the
Anti-Life Equation The Anti-Life Equation is a fictional concept appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. In Jack Kirby's Fourth World setting, the Anti-Life Equation is a formula for total control over the minds of sentient beings that is sought by ...
. The Source's initial attempts to recreate the Fifth World had been hampered by the ''
Crisis on Infinite Earths "Crisis on Infinite Earths" is a 1985 American comic book crossover storyline published by DC Comics. The series, written by Marv Wolfman and pencilled by George Pérez, was first serialized as a 12-issue limited series from April 1985 to March ...
'' which unified the
Multiverse The multiverse is a hypothetical group of multiple universes. Together, these universes comprise everything that exists: the entirety of space, time, matter, energy, information, and the physical laws and constants that describe them. The di ...
and forged an impenetrable
Source Wall This page list the locations in the DC Universe, the shared universe setting of DC Comics. Sites * the Arrowcave – The former base of operations of the Green Arrow and Speedy. * Avernus Cemetery – A burial ground located in Central City for ...
around the Anti-Life Equation. By subtly manipulating characters such as
Alexander Luthor, Jr. Alexander Luthor Jr. is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. Publication history Created by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez, the character made his first appearance in ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' #1 (April 198 ...
, and
Booster Gold Booster Gold (Michael Jon Carter) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Dan Jurgens, the character first appeared in ''Booster Gold'' #1 (February 1986) and has been a member of the Justice League. ...
to recreate the Multiverse made the Source Wall less impenetrable. The Source's agent is revealed to be the New God
Infinity-Man Infinity-Man is a fictional character appearing in DC Comics, in the '' Fourth World'' storyline. Publication history Infinity-Man first appeared in ''Forever People'' #1 (February 1971). Fictional character biography Infinity-Man's story begin ...
.
Darkseid Darkseid () is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby to serve as the primary antagonist of his "Fourth World (comics), Fourth World" metaseries, and was firs ...
acquires the powers of the Anti-Life Equation and capitalizes on the deaths of the New Gods by using the human
Jimmy Olsen Jimmy Olsen is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Olsen is most often portrayed as a young photojournalist working for the ''Daily Planet''. He is close friends with Lois Lane and Clark Kent, and has ...
as a "soul-catcher" for the Gods, from which he can claim all their powers and recreate the universe in his own image, but he is killed when the Source is able to send Darkseid's resurrected son, Orion, to rip out his heart. Orion leaves the scene of the fray to die of his own wounds; and, seemingly with success, the Source entity manages to reunite with the Anti-Life entity and merge
Apokolips Apokolips is a fictional planet that appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The planet is ruled by Darkseid, established in Jack Kirby's Fourth World series, and is integral to many stories in the DC Universe. Apokolips is co ...
with
New Genesis New Genesis is a fictional planet appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. A part of Jack Kirby's Fourth World mythos, the planet is home to the heroic New Gods led by the sage Highfather. New Genesis is the positive counterpart ...
to create the Fifth World, with the New Gods of the Fourth World all deceased. In ''DC Universe'' #0, a bridge between the ''Countdown'' and ''Final Crisis'' limited series, Darkseid is resurrected on Earth. In ''Final Crisis'', Darkseid and his minions now exist on Earth in the guises of organized criminals, with Darkseid taking the name "Boss Dark Side". Other New Gods, such as Metron and the Black Racer also appear reborn in newer, more elaborate Fifth World incarnations. Orion is discovered dead by detective
Dan Turpin Daniel "Terrible" Turpin is a character published by DC Comics. He first appeared as Brooklyn (due to him being born in New York City) in ''Detective Comics'' #64 (June 1942), and first appeared as Dan Turpin in ''New Gods'' #5 (November 1971). Pu ...
, prompting the
Guardians of the Universe The Guardians of the Universe are a race of extraterrestrial superhero characters appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with Green Lantern. They first appeared in ''Green Lantern'' (vol. 2) #1 (July 19 ...
to launch an investigation.
Batman Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on ...
surmises that Orion was in fact killed not of injuries from battling Darkseid, but by a sort of bullet sent backwards in time. Darkseid spreads the Anti-Life Equation among the human population, creating monstrous slaves out of its victims as he ushers in the ''Final Crisis of Mankind''.
Shilo Norman Shilo Norman is a fictional character, a superhero in the DC Comics universe. He is the third person to use the name Mister Miracle. Created by Jack Kirby, he first appeared in ''Mister Miracle'' #15 (August 1973). Fictional character biography ...
begins recruiting an army, warning of a war in heaven having occurred where evil won. Darkseid similarly claims to have ultimately come out of this war in heaven the victor. The villain
Libra Libra generally refers to: * Libra (constellation), a constellation * Libra (astrology), an astrological sign based on the star constellation Libra may also refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Libra'' (novel), a 1988 novel by Don DeLillo Musi ...
reappears on Earth after a long absence, making promises to the villains of Earth in the name of the deity he worships. Grant Morrison addressed what he described as "the disconnects that online commentators, sadly, seem to find more fascinating than the stories themselves", by explaining that he provided a rough draft of the first issue, and an outline of the plot, before the writing began on ''Countdown'' and ''Death of the New Gods''. He outlined his thinking on the issues of continuity between the stories by stating that he "started writing ''Final Crisis'' #1 in early 2006, around the same time as the '' 52'' series was starting to come out, so ''Final Crisis'' was more a continuation of plot threads from ''
Seven Soldiers ''Seven Soldiers'' is a 2005–2006 comic book metaseries written by Grant Morrison and published by DC Comics. It was published as seven interrelated Limited series (comics), mini-series and two bookend issues. The series features a new version of ...
'' and '' 52'' than anything else." As the events of ''Final Crisis'' unfold, it is revealed that the evil gods of Apokolips have been hiding in human bodies, and some have their bodies "rebuilt" for them in the Evil Factory, formerly the Command-D bunkers in
Blüdhaven This page list the locations in the DC Universe, the shared universe setting of DC Comics. Sites * the Arrowcave – The former base of operations of the Green Arrow and Speedy. * Avernus Cemetery – A burial ground located in Central City for ...
. Darkseid inhabits the body of Dan Turpin, after Turpin finally succumbs to the evil god. Kalibak inhabits a new body, that of a humanoid tiger, leading a team of similar creatures in battle. Mokkari and Simyan appear, looking more or less identical to their previous forms, with no explanation given to where their bodies came from.
Granny Goodness Granny Goodness is a fictional supervillain published by DC Comics. Granny Goodness made her live-action debut in the final two seasons of ''Smallville'', and she was portrayed by Nancy Amelia Bell and Christine Willes. Granny Goodness made her ...
takes up residence in the
Alpha Lantern Green Lantern Corps is the name of a fictional intergalactic law enforcement organization appearing in comics published by DC Comics. They patrol the farthest reaches of the DC Universe at the behest of the Guardians of the Universe, Guardians, a ...
Kraken, using her to attack the Guardians of the Universe, while Desaad inhabits the body of
Mary Marvel Mary Marvel is a fictional character, a superheroine originally published by Fawcett Comics and now owned by DC Comics. Created by Otto Binder and Marc Swayze, she first appeared in '' Captain Marvel Adventures'' #18 (cover-dated Dec. 1942). The ...
. The
Female Furies The Female Furies are a group of women warriors and supervillains appearing in comics published by DC Comics. All of them are New Gods who serve Darkseid. They operate directly under Granny Goodness, who trains all of Darkseid's soldiers. Publica ...
themselves are not shown to still exist, but they are recreated using Anti-Life controlled heroes and villains in the forms of
Wonder Woman Wonder Woman is a superhero created by the American psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston (pen name: Charles Moulton), and artist Harry G. Peter. Marston's wife, Elizabeth Holloway Marston, Elizabeth, and their life partner, Olive Byr ...
,
Batwoman Batwoman is a name used by several characters of DC Comics, both in mainstream continuity and Elseworlds. The best known Batwomen are Batwoman (Kathy Kane), Kathy Kane and Kate Kane. History * The first Batwoman (Kathy Kane), Batwoman, Kathy Ka ...
,
Catwoman Catwoman is a fictional character created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Batman. Debuting as "the Cat" in ''Batman'' #1 (spring 1940), she ...
, and
Giganta Giganta is a fictional character appearing in DC Comics publications and related media, commonly as a recurring adversary of the superhero Wonder Woman, and an occasional foil of the superhero the Atom. She debuted as a brutish strongwoman in 194 ...
. At the conclusion of the series, the essence of Darkseid is destroyed; the New Gods, are resurrected and reborn; and
Nix Uotan The Monitors are a group of fictional comic book Character (arts), characters, who appear in books published by DC Comics. They are based on the Monitor (Mar Novu), Monitor and the Anti-Monitor, two characters created by comic book writer Marv ...
implies that they will guide the recently destroyed
Earth-51 The DC Multiverse is a fictional continuity construct used in DC Comics publications. The Multiverse has undergone numerous changes and has included various universes, listed below between the original Multiverse and its successors. The original ...
, restoring it to prosperity and peace. Nix also indicates that the Super Young Team are the new Forever People of the Fifth World.


Post-''Final Crisis''

In an interview with
Newsarama Newsarama is an American website that publishes news, interviews, and essays about the American comic book industry. It is owned by Future US. In June 2020, Newsarama was merged with the website GamesRadar+, also owned by FutureUS. History N ...
, DC Executive Editor
Dan DiDio Dan DiDio (; born October 13, 1959) is an American writer, editor, and publisher who has worked in the television and comic book industries. From February 2010 until February 2020, he was the co-publisher of DC Comics, along with Jim Lee. '' Wizar ...
spoke of the future of the New Gods in the DC Universe, saying, "The other thing we’ll give a rest to as well is the concept of the New Gods and the ideas surrounding them. There's a very clear conclusion to the New Gods’ storyline in ''
Final Crisis "Final Crisis" is a crossover storyline that appeared in comic books published by DC Comics in 2008, primarily the seven-issue miniseries of the same name written by Grant Morrison. Originally DC announced the project as being illustrated solely b ...
'' #7. The good part about it is that readers will see that ending, and we won’t have to return to it right away. Like the Multiverse, the New Gods will be out there and available to us, and we can use them when we see fit, and feel the time is right. Just because we introduced concepts doesn’t mean that we have to constantly use them."


''The New 52''

In September 2011, ''
The New 52 The New 52 is the 2011 revamp and relaunch by DC Comics of its entire line of ongoing monthly superhero comic books. Following the conclusion of the " Flashpoint" crossover storyline, DC canceled all its existing titles and debuted 52 new serie ...
'' rebooted DC's continuity. In this new timeline, Darkseid first appears in ''Justice League'' #4. DeSaad and Steppenwolf also briefly appear in this story arc, experimenting on Superman and referring to "the search for Darkseid's daughter", explaining Darkseid's actions throughout infinite and his assault and assimilation of various worlds throughout the multiverse. In subsequent issues it is revealed that Cyborg's teleportation powers are linked to the Boom Tubes, thanks to upgrades performed by his father utilizing the Mother Box found by the team in their initial adventure, and that every 1,000 times he uses this technology, a glitch in it transports him and his Justice League comrades to Apokolips. In the pages of '' Earth 2'' #1, it is revealed that Darkseid's search has also resulted in his traversing the array of worlds invading this parallel Earth. Unlike his encounters in ''Justice League'', this one is far more successful, resulting in the death of that Earth's Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman; in the midst of this war, Power Girl and Huntress somehow traverse into the realm of Prime-Earth. It is teased that the fall of the Olympian Gods will lead to the creation of New Gods, but not stated if they mean the race of New Gods populating the Fourth World or simply newer younger gods. A figure, with Orion's helmet, appears in shadow then disappears into a Boom Tube. Orion fights against, then assists Wonder Woman in her struggle with the gods of Olympus and the monstrous First Born of Zeus, eventually leading her and the Last Born of Olympus to New Genesis and its leader: Highfather. While Highfather appears much younger than his pre-'' Flashpoint'' incarnation, New Genesis appears much the same, consisting of a futuristic floating city above a mostly rural world covered in forests. In the ''
Darkseid Darkseid () is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby to serve as the primary antagonist of his "Fourth World (comics), Fourth World" metaseries, and was firs ...
'' special issue, it is revealed that he and Highfather are some of the only survivors of a previous larger world, where they were brothers and peasants. Their world was also inhabited by colossal beings known as Old Gods, who spent much of their time brawling with each other, feeding off the worship of the 'mudgrubbers', whose lives were often lost in the battles. One day the man formerly known as Uxas, having tired of his idol's destructiveness, decided to spark a war between them which would in turn devastate their world fatally wounding his sister, Izaya's first wife, after which he opted to kill all the wounded Old Gods, steal their powers and bring about a new order. One by one, the Old Gods were destroyed by Darkseid, who became more horrific in turn as he leeched their essence from them. As Darkseid's schemes started to tear the planet apart, Highfather ran with his wounded Avia in hand towards one of the last and greatest of the Old Gods, acknowledging his time had come and passed he chose to pass on the last of his power to reward Izaya's beloved's devotion to them. Empowered in a blinding flare of light, Highfather arose as a New God to battle Darkseid. The brothers, now equal, tore the world apart during their battle, leaving them to rebuild on the remains, which became Apokolips and New Genesis. It was his search for what was believed to be his daughter Kaiyo that Darkseid came to traverse and enslave various worlds and universes throughout the 52 realities spanning existence, leading up to his first invasion of Earth 2 as well as the incursion of countless other Earths along the DCnU, up until the core world of Prime Earth where he battled and lost against the Justice League when they first formed to battle his invasion. After countless eons of infighting proceeding after the fall of the Old World, Darkseid and Highfather would eventually be forced into conflict against their demented father and King of the Old Gods,
Yuga Khan The New Gods are a fictional extraterrestrial race appearing in the eponymous comic book series published by DC Comics, as well as selected other DC titles. Created and designed by Jack Kirby, they first appeared in February 1971 in ''New Gods'' ...
. Livid at the fact his sons ended up killing and usurping the powers of all the Old Gods of Urgrund save himself, he utilized the power of the Anti-Life Equation to reanimate his fallen subjects, while using his own powers to suppress his sons' New God Abilities, all in order to prevent the rise of the New Gods standing before him. When Zonuz was prepping to deliver the killing blow, Uxas crept up from behind and ended him, reducing his resurrected army back to the dust they were recreated from and sending the Old God back to the Source. For a time, both brothers would raise their dead world back from the devastation wreaked by their previous conflicts, dubbing it Genesis with Izaya eventually remarrying, up until for undisclosed reasons Darkseid killed Highfather's new wife away from prying eyes, save those of his sibling's. Another war would commence pitting the former's faction against the self-titled God of Evil, which devastated the world they made together. With the losses tallied on both sides, a ceasefire was eventually called with Darkseid eventually slinking back into the darkness, while Highfather wept over the loss of their new home. Over time, a peace treaty would be forged in which Izaya would lose the compassionate part of himself to the Source in order to make him go through with it. Exchanging their sons like in the previous continuity would not stop Darkseid from waging wars of conquest across reality however, so Highfather brokered another treaty where Darkseid would only attack the Earth 2 dimension while leaving the other infinite Earths untouched. Over time, the core universe where Apokolips first suffered defeat from would have more interactions with the New Gods of both New Genesis; created by the now-militant Highfather, as well as those of Apokolips; domain of the malevolent Darkseid and his elite followers.


Powers and abilities

The beings of
New Genesis New Genesis is a fictional planet appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. A part of Jack Kirby's Fourth World mythos, the planet is home to the heroic New Gods led by the sage Highfather. New Genesis is the positive counterpart ...
and
Apokolips Apokolips is a fictional planet that appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The planet is ruled by Darkseid, established in Jack Kirby's Fourth World series, and is integral to many stories in the DC Universe. Apokolips is co ...
call themselves gods, living outside of normal time and space in a realm known as the
Fourth World The Fourth World is an extension of the three-world model, used variably to refer to # Sub-populations socially excluded from global society, such as uncontacted peoples; # Hunter-gatherer, nomadic, pastoral, and some subsistence farming peoples ...
. Due to their proximity to the
Source Source may refer to: Research * Historical document * Historical source * Source (intelligence) or sub source, typically a confidential provider of non open-source intelligence * Source (journalism), a person, publication, publishing institute o ...
, a primeval energy believed to be one of the ultimate foundations of the Universal Expression of Energy, these New Gods have evolved into genetically stable higher beings of evolutionary perfection. All of the New Gods possess superhuman abilities of various kinds and differing degrees, including superhuman strength, stamina, reflexes, invulnerability and speed. The denizens of New Genesis and Apokolips are also immortal and endowed with a greater intelligence than ''
Homo sapiens Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, culture, ...
'', despite their resemblance. Both worlds have the finest technology that the universe can offer. Despite their immortality, the New Gods are vulnerable to a substance called Radion. Its source is unknown and its effects are toxic only in sustained amounts or after explosive exposure. The average New God can be slain by an application of Radion from a Radion blaster or bomb. Writer
Rachel Pollack Rachel Grace Pollack (born August 17, 1945 as Richard Pollack) is an American science fiction author, comic book writer, and expert on divinatory tarot. She is involved in the women's spirituality movement. Career Tarot reading Pollack has w ...
introduced the idea in "Sacrifice of the Gods" in 1996 that the New Gods were giants and that the Boom Tube would shrink them as they traveled to normal time and space or enlarge beings who traveled to the Fourth World realm. For example, if
Superman Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book ''Action Comics'' #1 (cover-dated June 1938 and publi ...
were to travel to Apokolips under his own power, he would be miniature in comparison to the New Gods – Orion remarked that "Earth is but a speck in an air pocket" and that the universe of New Genesis is the "real world". Proportionally, entire planets were shown to seem no larger than golf balls.


Known New Gods


New Gods of New Genesis

*
Highfather Highfather (Izaya the Inheritor) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. An integral part of Jack Kirby's Fourth World mythos, Highfather is a New God, leader of the planet New Genesis and the positive co ...
– Izaya is the King and Prophet of New Genesis, husband of Avia I, father of Scott Free, grandfather of Avia II (Earth-22/Kingdom Come), father-in-law of Big Barda, brother-in-law of Big Breeda, adopted father of Orion, adoptive father-in-law of Bekka and adopted brother-in-law of Himon. * Akarl – Childhood friend of Orion. Killed during a Bug raid. * Antinoos - An official on New Geneis. * Astorr – The original
Infinity-Man Infinity-Man is a fictional character appearing in DC Comics, in the '' Fourth World'' storyline. Publication history Infinity-Man first appeared in ''Forever People'' #1 (February 1971). Fictional character biography Infinity-Man's story begin ...
. * Atinai – The builder of New Genesis' architecture, buildings, and cities. * Avia – Queen of New Genesis, wife of Highfather, mother of Scott Free (the second Mister Miracle), grandmother of Avia II in the
Kingdom Come " Kingdom come" is a phrase in the Lord's Prayer in the Bible. Kingdom Come may also refer to: Film * ''Kingdom Come'' (1919 film), a Western short featuring Hoot Gibson * ''Kingdom Come'' (2001 film), a comedy starring LL Cool J * ''Kingdom ...
reality, mother-in-law of Big Barda, sister-in-law of Big Breeda, adopted mother of Orion, adopted mother-in-law of Bekka and adopted sister-in-law of Himon. Murdered by Steppenwolf. * Avia II – The daughter of Scott and Barda Free, granddaughter of Izaya, Avia and Big Breeda and adopted niece of Orion and Bekka of the
Kingdom Come " Kingdom come" is a phrase in the Lord's Prayer in the Bible. Kingdom Come may also refer to: Film * ''Kingdom Come'' (1919 film), a Western short featuring Hoot Gibson * ''Kingdom Come'' (2001 film), a comedy starring LL Cool J * ''Kingdom ...
reality. *
Big Barda Big Barda is an antihero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. She first appeared in ''Mister Miracle'' #4 (October 1971), and was created by Jack Kirby. Jack Kirby based Barda's physical appearance on Lainie Kazan, who had rec ...
– Former leader of the Female Furies, Princess of New Genesis, daughter of Big Breeda, wife of Scott Free, mother of Avia II in the
Kingdom Come " Kingdom come" is a phrase in the Lord's Prayer in the Bible. Kingdom Come may also refer to: Film * ''Kingdom Come'' (1919 film), a Western short featuring Hoot Gibson * ''Kingdom Come'' (2001 film), a comedy starring LL Cool J * ''Kingdom ...
timeline, daughter-in-law of Izaya and Avia I, adopted sister-in-law of Orion and Bekka. * Bugs – A race of humanoid insects. ** All-Widow – Queen of the Bugs of New Genesis. **
Forager A forager is a person who collects edible plants or fungi for consumption. Urban foragers may collect in city parks, private lands, and sidewalks. Urban foraging has gained in popularity in the 21st century, as people share their knowledge, experi ...
– A male warrior Bug of New Genesis and ally of Orion. **
Forager A forager is a person who collects edible plants or fungi for consumption. Urban foragers may collect in city parks, private lands, and sidewalks. Urban foraging has gained in popularity in the 21st century, as people share their knowledge, experi ...
– A female warrior Bug of New Genesis and successor of the first Forager. ** Prime One – The leader of the Bugs of New Genesis and Forager's mentor. * Celestia – A flier. * Council of Eight – A group of New Gods who receive their orders from Highfather. **
Bekka Bekka is a superheroine appearing in American comic book published by DC Comics. The character has been featured primarily in stories set in Jack Kirby's Fourth World and DC's main shared universe, known as the DC Universe. As a New God of Ne ...
– Himon's daughter and Orion's wife. ** Hyalt – A cybernetically-enhanced blacksmith. ** Lightray – A photokinetic warrior. ** Metron – A supreme explorer, scientist, and inventor who rides in the time-traveling Mobius Chair. ** Orion – The second son of Uxas/Darkseid, adoptive son of Highfather, half-brother of Kalibak and Grayvenm and husband of Bekka. ** Shadowfall – An archer who is a general in the New Genesis army. ** Uggha – General of New Genesis who obeys the will of Highfather. * Council of Five – A group that works under Highfather. ** Commander Gideon – A high-ranking general in the New Genesis army. ** Lonar – An explorer who was the first to discover the remnants of the Old Gods. ** Madame Nature – Security chief. ** Teledar – A science officer. * Desdemona – A teacher for the children of Supertown who is Metron's former lover. * Divine Guard – The foot soldiers of New Genesis that work for Highfather and the allies of Orion. * Enkar – Guardian of the New Gods' after-realm of Hadis. * Fastbak – A young god from Supertown who appeared ''The New Gods'' #5. He uses Aero-Pads that enable him to fly and have super-speed. * Himon – The mentor of Mister Miracle. *
Infinity-Man Infinity-Man is a fictional character appearing in DC Comics, in the '' Fourth World'' storyline. Publication history Infinity-Man first appeared in ''Forever People'' #1 (February 1971). Fictional character biography Infinity-Man's story begin ...
– Drax is the older brother of Darkseid. *
Jezebelle Jezebelle, also known as Jezebelle of the Fiery Eyes, is a fictional character, a superheroine in publications from DC Comics. Created by Gerry Conway and Don Newton, the character first appeared in ''New Gods, New Gods #12'' (July 1977). She was ...
– A New God in the Pre-Crisis comics. She is a mutant and former student of Granny Goodness who defected to New Genesis. * Jigundus – A warrior with super-strength and enhanced durability who appeared in ''
Superman/Aliens ''Superman/Aliens'' is an American comic book limited series about a battle between the superhero Superman and the aliens created by H. R. Giger (a.k.a. the Xenomorphs), from the ''Alien'' film series. The writers use the plot device of Superma ...
''. * K'zandr – A keeper of Highfather's
Oracle An oracle is a person or agency considered to provide wise and insightful counsel or prophetic predictions, most notably including precognition of the future, inspired by deities. As such, it is a form of divination. Description The word '' ...
with precognition. * Magnar – An Orion-level warrior who protected Supertown as seen in ''
Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen ''Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen'' is an American comic book series published by DC Comics from September–October 1954 until March 1974, spanning a total of 163 issues. Featuring the adventures of Superman supporting character Jimmy Olsen, it co ...
'' #147. * Malhedron – A former servant of Darkseid that defected to New Genesis and a former member of the Council of Eight. *
Mister Miracle Mister Miracle (Scott Free) is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He first appeared in ''Mister Miracle'' #1 (April 1971) and was created by Jack Kirby. Publication history Mister Miracle debuted in ...
– An escape artist who is the prince of New Genesis, son of Highfather and Avia, father of Avia II (Earth-22/Kingdom Come), husband of Big Barda, son-in-law of Big Breeda, adopted brother of Orion, adopted-brother-in-law of Bekka and protegee of Himon. He is also the adopted brother of Grayven and Kalibak, the adopted son of Uxas/Darkseid, Tigra and Suli, adopted nephew of Drax/Infinity Man, adopted great-nephew of Steppenwolf and adopted grandson of Heggra and Yuga Khan) *
Monitors Monitor or monitor may refer to: Places * Monitor, Alberta * Monitor, Indiana, town in the United States * Monitor, Kentucky * Monitor, Oregon, unincorporated community in the United States * Monitor, Washington * Monitor, Logan County, West Vir ...
– The aerial police of Supertown. * Primitives – A race of
indigenous peoples Indigenous peoples are culturally distinct ethnic groups whose members are directly descended from the earliest known inhabitants of a particular geographic region and, to some extent, maintain the language and culture of those original people ...
that live in the forests of New Genesis. ** Mother Herrae – The leader of the Primitives and one of the original New Gods. ** Aarden – Warrior from the Primitives. ** Sserpa – A warrior from the Primitives. * Seagrin – The water-loving New God. Slain by the Deep Six. * Sister Sunlight – A New God with healing powers in the Pre-Crisis comics who originated as a "lowlie" on Apokolips before Himon emigrated her to Earth. * Stanga – A hermit. *
Takion Takion (Joshua Saunders) is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by Paul Kupperberg and Aaron Lopresti,''Takion'' #1 (June 1996) first appearing in an eponymous series in 1996 that lasted for 7 issues. Fictional ch ...
– The living embodiment of the Source. * Teledar – A disembodied head in a floating orb device. * Thunderer – Lonar's battle horse and survivor of Ragnarok from ''Forever People'' #5. * Valkyra the Commander – Vykin's mother who rides a winged robot horse and is an expert at hand-to-hand combat. * Vayla – The wife of Highfather and the mother of Scott Free.


New Gods of Apokolips

*
Darkseid Darkseid () is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby to serve as the primary antagonist of his "Fourth World (comics), Fourth World" metaseries, and was firs ...
– The ruler of Apokolips and the father of Orion, Kalibak, Grayven, and Grail. * Aerotroopers – The winged minions of Darkseid. * Agogg – A massive
ape Apes (collectively Hominoidea ) are a clade of Old World simians native to sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia (though they were more widespread in Africa, most of Asia, and as well as Europe in prehistory), which together with its siste ...
-like minion who targeted Ellis Ames for the Anti-Life Equation that he had. He was slain by Darkseid's Omega Beams when Ames claimed that he gave the Anti-Life Equation to him. * Antagonist – A minion of Darkseid who is an embodiment of hatred and rage. * Berelda – A female servant of Darkseid. * Brimstone – A being who was artificially created by Darkseid. * Buna – A warrior of Apokolips and daughter of Kalibre that appears in ''
Superman Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book ''Action Comics'' #1 (cover-dated June 1938 and publi ...
'' (vol. 2) #104. * Canis Major – A minion of Darkseid in dog-themed armor. * Canis Minor – A minion of Darkseid in dog-themed armor and the son of Canis Major. * Captain Hathak – The former lover of Tigra and the possible father of Orion. He was later killed by Darkseid. * Commander Tusk – A commander in Darkseid's army. * Concord & Harmon – The minions of Darkseid. * Control – A communications officer. * Cyborg-87 – A red robot and minion of Darkseid. * Darkseid's Elite – The elite warriors of Darkseid. **
Amazing Grace "Amazing Grace" is a Christian hymn published in 1779 with words written in 1772 by English Anglican clergyman and poet John Newton (1725–1807). It is an immensely popular hymn, particularly in the United States, where it is used for both ...
– A master manipulator. ** Bane of Apokolips – A minion of Darkseid from ''New Gods'' #18. ** Brola – A member of Darkseid's Elite who has a "Hand of Stone." ** DeSaad – A torturer. **
Devilance the Pursuer Devilance the Pursuer is a fictional extraterrestrial hunter in the DC Comics universe. Publication history Devilance first appeared in ''Forever People'' #11 (August 1972) and was created by Jack Kirby. Fictional character biography Devilance th ...
– A hunter. He was killed by Lobo. **
Doctor Bedlam Doctor Bedlam is a DC Comics supervillain created by Jack Kirby as part of his Fourth World comic series of the 1970s. He is part of Darkseid's Elite on the planet Apokolips. His name comes from the Bethlem Royal Hospital insane asylum, and i ...
– A pure energy being with a never-ending series of artificial bodies and an enemy of Mister Miracle. **
Glorious Godfrey Glorious Godfrey is a DC Comics supervillain who is part of The Fourth World series of comic books in the early 1970s. Publication history Glorious Godfrey first appeared in ''The Forever People'' #3 (June 1971) and was created by Jack Kirby. In ...
– A master manipulator who is mostly adept at bending huge masses of people to his will. He is the older brother of Amazing Grace. **
Granny Goodness Granny Goodness is a fictional supervillain published by DC Comics. Granny Goodness made her live-action debut in the final two seasons of ''Smallville'', and she was portrayed by Nancy Amelia Bell and Christine Willes. Granny Goodness made her ...
– The supervisor of the Female Furies and keeper of Apokolips's horrid orphanages. **
Kalibak Kalibak Kalibak () is a supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. He is the eldest son of Darkseid, half-brother of Orion and Grayven, and an enemy of Superman and the Justice League. Created by Jack Kirby, being debuted w ...
– The son of Darkseid and Suli who serves as the second-in-command of Apokolips. **
Kanto Kantō (Japanese) Kanto is a simplified spelling of , a Japanese word, only omitting the diacritics. In Japan Kantō may refer to: *Kantō Plain *Kantō region *Kantō-kai, organized crime group *Kanto (Pokémon), a geographical region in the ' ...
– A master assassin. ** Lady Justeen – The second-in-command of DeSaad, aka Meteorra Mayhem **
Mantis Mantises are an order (Mantodea) of insects that contains over 2,400 species in about 460 genera in 33 families. The largest family is the Mantidae ("mantids"). Mantises are distributed worldwide in temperate and tropical habitats. They ha ...
– A bug-like warrior from the Bugs of Apokolips. **
Mortalla The New Gods are a fictional extraterrestrial race appearing in the eponymous comic book series published by DC Comics, as well as selected other DC titles. Created and designed by Jack Kirby, they first appeared in February 1971 in ''New Gods'' ...
– A servant of Darkseid who can induce sleep with one hand and death with another. She was once a mortal, but was heavily modified to serve Darkseid. ** Steppenwolf – Darkseid's uncle who is the general in his armies. ** Titan – A massive green-skinned warrior and member of Darkseid's Elite from ''The New Gods'' #18. **
Virman Vundabar Virman Vundabar is a fictional extraterrestrial supervillain published by DC Comics. Publication history He was created by Jack Kirby and first appeared in ''Mister Miracle'' #5 (December 1971) "drawn like Benito Mussolini".Ro, Ronin. ''Tales to A ...
– An expert strategist and sycophant who is the father of Malice Vundabar. * Deep Six – The
fish Fish are aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish as well as various extinct related groups. Approximately 95% of li ...
-like warriors who have fought the New Gods of New Genesis as well as
Aquaman Aquaman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger, the character debuted in ''More Fun Comics'' #73 (November 1941). The character is a pastiche of Namor. Initially ...
. ** Gole – A member of the Deep Six who wears a helmet that covers his face and wields bladed weapons. ** Jaffar – A green-armored member of the Deep Six who can mutate other beings with his touch. ** Kurin – A gold-armored member of the Deep Six who often wields a trident. ** Shaligo the Flying Finback – A member of the Deep Six whose wing-like fins enable him to fly. ** Slig – A blue-armored member of the Deep Six who can disintegrate an object or mutate other beings with his touch. ** Trok – An axe-wielding member of the Deep Six who wears a copper helmet. * Dog Cavalry – Warriors on dog-like mounts that are commanded by Steppenwolf. * Ericht – A Theta drone. * Esak – A brilliant young man from Supertown who was Metron's protégé. He was destined to take Metron's place one day as cosmic explorer and master technologist, until he was injured in an accident which damaged him both physically and mentally. His soul and faith were embittered badly and he soon turned against Metron and his New Genesis allies by joining the ranks of Darkseid's Elite. Orion finally confronted Esak and killed him; but before he died, Orion, still respectful for Esak's past self, prayed to the Source for Esak and his face was healed before he finally died. *
Female Furies The Female Furies are a group of women warriors and supervillains appearing in comics published by DC Comics. All of them are New Gods who serve Darkseid. They operate directly under Granny Goodness, who trains all of Darkseid's soldiers. Publica ...
– A group of female warriors that work for Granny Goodness. ** Artemiz – The archer of the Female Furies. **
Bernadeth Bernadeth is an extraterrestrial supervillainess appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. Publication history She first appeared in ''Mister Miracle'' #6 (February 1972) and was created by Jack Kirby. Fictional character biography Co-lea ...
– A knife-wielding member of the Female Furies who is Granny Goodness' right-hand woman and is the most intelligent of the group. **
Big Breeda Big Barda is an antihero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. She first appeared in ''Mister Miracle'' #4 (October 1971), and was created by Jack Kirby. Jack Kirby based Barda's physical appearance on Lainie Kazan, who had rec ...
– The mother of Big Barda, grandmother of Avia II (
Kingdom Come " Kingdom come" is a phrase in the Lord's Prayer in the Bible. Kingdom Come may also refer to: Film * ''Kingdom Come'' (1919 film), a Western short featuring Hoot Gibson * ''Kingdom Come'' (2001 film), a comedy starring LL Cool J * ''Kingdom ...
), mother-in-law of Scott Free, and sister-in-law of Avia I and Izaya. **
Bloody Mary Bloody Mary originally referred to: * Mary I of England (1516–1558), Queen of England and Ireland, so called because of her persecution of Protestants Bloody Mary may also refer to: Film * '' Urban Legends: Bloody Mary'', a 2005 horror fil ...
– A mind-controlling vampire-themed member of the Female Furies. ** Gilotina – A member of the Female Furies whose super-strength enables her to chop through anything. **
Lashina Lashina is a supervillainess and Goddess warrior appearing in comics published by DC Comics. Publication history Created by Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in ''Mister Miracle'' #6 (January 1972). Fictional character biography Lashina w ...
– A whip-wielding member of the Female Furies. She was also known as Duchess when she was in the
Suicide Squad The Suicide Squad is an antihero/supervillain team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The first version of the Suicide Squad debuted in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #25 (September 1959) and the second and modern version, cre ...
. **
Mad Harriet The Female Furies are a group of women warriors and supervillains appearing in comics published by DC Comics. All of them are New Gods who serve Darkseid. They operate directly under Granny Goodness, who trains all of Darkseid's soldiers. Publica ...
– A wild member of the Female Furies with claws. ** Malice Vundabar – The daughter of Vermin Vundabar. *** Chessure – A creature controlled by Malice Vundabar. ** Speed Queen – A member of the Female Furies who roller skates enable her to have super-speed. **
Stompa Stompa is a fictional extraterrestrial supervillainess and goddess appearing in books published by DC Comics. Created by writer/artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in ''Mister Miracle'' #6 (January 1972). Publication history Stompa fi ...
– A super-strong member of the Female Furies who wears anti-matter boots. ** Wunda – A light-manipulating member of the Female Furies. * Grail – The daughter of Darkseid and the
Amazon Amazon most often refers to: * Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek mythology * Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin * Amazon River, in South America * Amazon (company), an American multinational technology c ...
Myrina. *
Grayven Grayven is a supervillain published by DC Comics. He first appeared in ''Green Lantern'' (vol. 3) #74 (June 1996), and was created by Ron Marz and Darryl Banks making him one of the few characters related to Darkseid not to have been created by Jac ...
– The third son of Darkseid whose mother is unknown. * Gravi-Guards – The hulking minions of Darkseid who are able to become super-dense. They debuted in ''Jack Kirby's Fourth World'' #12. * Harassers – They serve as the security guards at Granny Goodness' orphanages. ** Marvelous Marno – An inventor and member of the Harassers. * Heggra – The mother of Darkseid. * Hunger Dogs – Also called "Lowlies," they are the downtrodden citizens of Apokolips who reside the Armagetto district. ** Jovita – A rebel Hunger Dog from Armagetto. ** Kyta – A rebel Hunger Dog from Armagetto. * Infernus – The pyrokinetic minion of Darkseid who was sent to obtain a powerful sword that was to be delivered to Metron. * Iota – A minion of Darkseid. * Jet-Bow Squad – The soldiers of Apokolips who wield Jet-Bows. * Justifiers – The slaves of Glorious Godfrey that are mind-controlled by the Anti-Life Equation that also powers their weapons. The Justifiers played a major part in the "
Final Crisis "Final Crisis" is a crossover storyline that appeared in comic books published by DC Comics in 2008, primarily the seven-issue miniseries of the same name written by Grant Morrison. Originally DC announced the project as being illustrated solely b ...
" storyline as the alternative foot soldiers of Darkseid and Libra. * Kalibre – An assassin who is the father of Buna. * Killroy – The son of Steppenwolf. * Lakutha – A midwife who was slain by Tigra to hide Orion's true parentage. * Little Barda – A warrior who idolized Big Barda and fled to Earth. * Lucifar – A minion of Darkseid who was sent by Darkseid to live with an Alaskan family. * Master Mayhem – A minion of Darkseid. He was killed by
Doomsday Doomsday may refer to: * Eschatology, a time period described in the eschatological writings in Abrahamic religions and in doomsday scenarios of non-Abrahamic religions. * Global catastrophic risk, a hypothetical event explored in science and fict ...
. * Merritz – A
troll A troll is a being in Nordic folklore, including Norse mythology. In Old Norse sources, beings described as trolls dwell in isolated areas of rocks, mountains, or caves, live together in small family units, and are rarely helpful to human bei ...
-like servant that Darkseid abandoned on Hawaii who was encountered by
Ray Ray may refer to: Fish * Ray (fish), any cartilaginous fish of the superorder Batoidea * Ray (fish fin anatomy), a bony or horny spine on a fin Science and mathematics * Ray (geometry), half of a line proceeding from an initial point * Ray (g ...
. Killed upon Brimstone's activation. * Mokkari – An evil scientist who ran the Evil Factory that is Apokolips's version of
Project Cadmus Project Cadmus is a fictional genetic engineering project in the DC Comics Universe. Its notable creations included the Golden Guardian (a clone of the original Guardian), Auron, Superboy (Kon-El) (a clone from Superman's DNA), and Dubbilex (a D ...
. * Necromina – A female minion of Darkseid and commander of the "Graveyard Army" who can raise and control the dead with her "Mortis Mark." * Nurse Maggit – An assistant to Desaad with magot-like hair. * Orion - Second Son of Darkseid. * Pacifiers – Giant red robots that enforce peace through force. They appear in ''Superman'' (vol. 2) #3. *
Parademon Apokolips is a fictional planet that appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The planet is ruled by Darkseid, established in Jack Kirby's Fourth World series, and is integral to many stories in the DC Universe. Apokolips is co ...
– The common foot soldiers of Apokolips. ** 3g4 – A Parademon that fought against its programming after an encounter with Aquaman. He was killed by Topkick. ** Junior Jumbo – A Parademon. ** Pharzoof – A Parademon with a mind of his own. ** Topkick – A Parademon drill instructor. * Photon Patrol – The regular soldiers using Parademon flying harnesses from ''Mister Miracle'' #25 * Powerboy – A friend of Little Barda who fled from Apokolips with her. * Precious – A failed potential recruit for the
Female Furies The Female Furies are a group of women warriors and supervillains appearing in comics published by DC Comics. All of them are New Gods who serve Darkseid. They operate directly under Granny Goodness, who trains all of Darkseid's soldiers. Publica ...
. * Protector Willik – The Armagetto district's protector who wields a throw-club. Killed by a bomb that was used by Himon. * Pythia – The keeper of Darkseid's Oracle with precognition who also controls Apokolips's Garden of Hope. * Red One – An assistant to Meteorra. * Rip Roar – A four-armed warrior who fled to
Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. While large volumes of water can be found throughout the Solar System, only Earth sustains liquid surface water. About 71% of Earth's surfa ...
after stealing a New Genesis Super-Cycle and trapped in stone. Riproar later battled
Young Justice Young Justice is a fictional DC Comics superhero team consisting of teenaged heroes. The team was formed in 1998 when DC's usual teen hero group, the Teen Titans, had become adults and changed their name to the Titans. Like the original ''Teen ...
upon being freed from his stone prison when the Super-Cycle with his imprint on it was accidentally activated. * Servitors – The giant armored minions of Darkseid. * Simyan – A primate-like DNAlien and evil scientist who ran the Evil Factory which is Apokolips's version of Project Cadmus. * Sleez – The former boyhood friend of Uxas. * Stingaree – An arachnid warrior from the Bugs of Apokolips. * Suicide Jockeys – A group of non-humans fitted with flying harnesses and suicide bombs that speak in rhyme. * Suli – The wife of Darkseid and mother of Kalibak. * Techno-Chiefs – Four of the Techno-Chiefs accompanied Darkseid in trying to get some information from Metron's Mobius Chair. * Tigra – The wife of Darkseid and mother of Orion. * Tygar the Tearer – A saber-toothed gladiator. * Tyrus – A minion of Darkseid who is one of Apokolips's greatest assassins. He later defected to New Genesis. ** Tracker– A giant-sized three-headed hound that serves Tyrus. The Tracker was cloned and grown if the one before it was killed. * Warhounds – The 12 ft. robotic dogs from ''
Legends A legend is a historical narrative, a symbolic representation of folk belief. Legend(s) or The Legend(s) may also refer to: Narrative * Urban legend, a widely repeated story of dubious truth * A fictitious identity used in espionage Books, co ...
'' #3 that were developed by Desaad and his fellow scientists. * Yuga Khan – The father of Darkseid.


Bibliography

Outside of the original three Kirby titles, and those strictly labeled "New Gods", other characters from Kirby's Fourth World have had their own titles.
Mister Miracle Mister Miracle (Scott Free) is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He first appeared in ''Mister Miracle'' #1 (April 1971) and was created by Jack Kirby. Publication history Mister Miracle debuted in ...
has had numerous other iterations of his own comic, and Orion was given his own title in 2000 that ended in 2002. The aforementioned ''Jack Kirby's Fourth World'' is another example, as is
Takion Takion (Joshua Saunders) is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by Paul Kupperberg and Aaron Lopresti,''Takion'' #1 (June 1996) first appearing in an eponymous series in 1996 that lasted for 7 issues. Fictional ch ...
, a New God not created by Kirby, but one that had his own series for seven issues in 1996. The New Gods and their concepts have at times played a central role in the
DC Universe The DC Universe (DCU) is the fictional shared universe where most stories in American comic book titles published by DC Comics take place. Superheroes such as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Robin, Martian Manhunter, The Flash, Green Lant ...
, in series such as
Jim Starlin James P. Starlin (born October 9, 1949) is an American comics artist and writer. Beginning his career in the early 1970s, he is best known for space opera stories, for revamping the Marvel Comics characters Captain Marvel and Adam Warlock, and ...
's '' Cosmic Odyssey''. Particularly, the character
Darkseid Darkseid () is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby to serve as the primary antagonist of his "Fourth World (comics), Fourth World" metaseries, and was firs ...
has been a major force in the DC Universe, and is one of the main villains in the various ''
Superman Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book ''Action Comics'' #1 (cover-dated June 1938 and publi ...
'' titles.


Tales of the New Gods

"Tales of the New Gods" was a backup feature that began in John Byrne's ''Jack Kirby's Fourth World'', and continued in
Walt Simonson Walter Simonson (born September 2, 1946) is an American comic book writer and artist, best known for a run on Marvel Comics' ''Thor'' from 1983 to 1987, during which he created the character Beta Ray Bill. He is also known for the creator-owned w ...
's '' Orion'' series. In the features for ''Jack Kirby's Fourth World'', Byrne almost exclusively provided the pencils and text for the stories. In the features for the ''Orion'' title, Simonson often wrote the story, and fellow artists would, appropriately, provide the artwork; although on rare occasions, other writers would provide the script/story. Two backup stories, though not under the "Tales of the New Gods" banner, were printed when Byrne filled in as penciller on ''Orion'' for the main stories in issues #13 and #14, with Simonson providing writing and pencilling, and
Bob Wiacek Bob Wiacek (born January 7, 1953) is an American comic book artist and writer, working primarily as an inker. Wiacek has inked over such pencilers as Carmine Infantino on ''Star Wars'', Paul Smith and John Romita Jr. on ''The Uncanny X-Men'', Ju ...
inking.


Collected editions

The various New Gods stories have been collected into various volumes. All 11 issues of the original series have been collected into ''Jack Kirby's New Gods'' (). DC Comics published a ''Tales of the New Gods'' trade paperback () in January 2008, which collects all of the back-up stories listed above, a
Mark Evanier Mark Stephen Evanier (; born March 2, 1952) is an American comic book and television writer, known for his work on the animated TV series ''Garfield and Friends'' and on the comic book ''Groo the Wanderer''. He is also known for his columns and bl ...
/
Steve Rude Steve Rude (born December 31, 1956) is an American comics artist. He is best known as the co-creator of ''Nexus''. Early life Steve Rude was born on December 31, 1956, in Madison, Wisconsin. He attended the Milwaukee School of Art and Design, the ...
''Mister Miracle'' one-shot comic from 1987, and a previously unpublished story by
Mark Millar Mark Millar (; born 24 December 1969) is a Scottish comic book writer and television producer who first came to prominence with a run on the superhero series '' The Authority'', published by DC Comics' Wildstorm imprint. Millar has written ex ...
and
Steve Ditko Stephen John Ditko Page contains two reproductions from school yearbooks. A 1943 Garfield Junior High School yearbook excerpt lists "Stephen Ditko". A 1945 Johnstown High School yearbook excerpt lists "Stephen J. Ditko" under extracurricular act ...
originally meant to be printed in the pages of ''Orion''. In 2008, DC released a one-shot titled ''Countdown Special: New Gods'' #1, which reprinted ''Forever People'' #1, ''Mister Miracle'' #1, and ''New Gods'' #7. ''Death of the New Gods'' has been collected into a hardcover edition (). and later reprinted in trade paperback. The entirety of Kirby's work on the "Fourth World" was collected in four ''Omnibus'' editions published in 2007 and 2008: * ''Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus'' **Volume 1 collects ''Forever People'' #1–3, ''Mister Miracle'' #1–3, ''The New Gods'' #1–3, ''Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen'' #133–139, 396 pages, May 2007, (hardcover); December 2011, (paperback) **Volume 2 collects ''Forever People'' #4–6, ''Mister Miracle'' #4–6, ''The New Gods'' #4–6, ''Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen'' #141–145, 396 pages, August 2007, (hardcover); April 2012, (paperback) **Volume 3 collects ''Forever People'' #7–10, ''Mister Miracle'' #7–9, ''The New Gods'' #7–10, ''Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen'' #146–148, 396 pages, November 2007, (hardcover); August 2012, (paperback) **Volume 4 collects ''Forever People'' #11; ''Mister Miracle'' #10–18; ''The New Gods'' #11; "Even Gods Must Die" from ''The New Gods'' (vol. 2) #6; ''
DC Graphic Novel ''DC Graphic Novel'' is a line (comics), line of graphic novel Trade paperback (comics), trade paperbacks published from 1983 to 1986 by DC Comics. The series generally featured stand-alone stories featuring new characters and concepts with one ...
'' #4: ''The Hunger Dogs''; "On the Road to Armagetto!" (previously unpublished), 424 pages, March 2008, (hardcover); December 2012, (paperback)


In other media


Film

*The evil New Gods are referenced throughout '' Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice'' (2016). In one deleted scene from the film, which is included in the Ultimate Edition extended cut,
Lex Luthor Alexander Joseph "Lex" Luthor () is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Lex Luthor originally appeared in ''Action Comics'' #23 (cover dated: Apr ...
communicates with Steppenwolf through the use of
alien Alien primarily refers to: * Alien (law), a person in a country who is not a national of that country ** Enemy alien, the above in times of war * Extraterrestrial life, life which does not originate from Earth ** Specifically, intelligent extrater ...
technology from the quarantined
Kryptonian Kryptonians are a fictional extraterrestrial race within the DC Comics universe that originated on the planet Krypton. The term originated from the stories of DC Comics superhero, Superman. The stories also use "Kryptonian" as an adjective to re ...
scout ship. *The New Gods feature prominently in ''
Justice League The Justice League (also known as The Justice League of America) are a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #28 (March 1960). The team was conceived ...
'' (2017), with the main antagonist being Steppenwolf (
Ciarán Hinds Ciarán Hinds (; born 9 February 1953) is an Irish actor. Born in Belfast, Hinds is known for a range of screen and stage roles. He has starred in feature films including '' The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover'' (1989), ''Persuasion'' (19 ...
). Exiled from
Apokolips Apokolips is a fictional planet that appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The planet is ruled by Darkseid, established in Jack Kirby's Fourth World series, and is integral to many stories in the DC Universe. Apokolips is co ...
, Steppenwolf invades Earth in command of an army of
Parademon Apokolips is a fictional planet that appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The planet is ruled by Darkseid, established in Jack Kirby's Fourth World series, and is integral to many stories in the DC Universe. Apokolips is co ...
s, hunting down the three
Mother Box Mother Boxes are fictional devices in Jack Kirby's '' Fourth World'' setting in the DC Universe. The Mother Boxes appeared in the feature films ''Justice League'' and ''Zack Snyder's Justice League'' of the DC Extended Universe. History Created ...
es located thereon. The Mother Boxes are hidden among the united forces of Earth, located in
Atlantis Atlantis ( grc, Ἀτλαντὶς νῆσος, , island of Atlas (mythology), Atlas) is a fictional island mentioned in an allegory on the hubris of nations in Plato's works ''Timaeus (dialogue), Timaeus'' and ''Critias (dialogue), Critias'' ...
, Themyscira and by mankind.
Cyborg A cyborg ()—a portmanteau of ''cybernetic'' and ''organism''—is a being with both organic and biomechatronic body parts. The term was coined in 1960 by Manfred Clynes and Nathan S. Kline.
is created through the aid of a Mother Box, and has a connection to their power. The New Gods
Darkseid Darkseid () is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby to serve as the primary antagonist of his "Fourth World (comics), Fourth World" metaseries, and was firs ...
(
Ray Porter Raymond Porter is an American actor and audiobook narrator who is most widely known for portraying the DC Comics villain Darkseid in ''Zack Snyder's Justice League''. Career After appearing in many television shows, he gained attention when h ...
), DeSaad ( Peter Guinness), and
Granny Goodness Granny Goodness is a fictional supervillain published by DC Comics. Granny Goodness made her live-action debut in the final two seasons of ''Smallville'', and she was portrayed by Nancy Amelia Bell and Christine Willes. Granny Goodness made her ...
(portrayed by an uncredited actress) were meant to appear in the film, but were cut following Snyder's departure from the project. They did appear in the director's cut of the film, ''
Zack Snyder's Justice League ''Zack Snyder's Justice League'' (colloquially referred to as the Snyder Cut) is the 2021 director's cut of the 2017 American superhero film ''Justice League'', the fifth film set within the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) based on the team of ...
'' (2021). Snyder intended to include all the New Gods in his planned ''Justice League'' sequels, which were never made. *A New Gods live action film was in development from 2018 to 2021. It was planned to be directed by
Ava DuVernay Ava Marie DuVernay (; born August 24, 1972) is an American filmmaker, television producer and former film publicist. She is a recipient of a Primetime Emmy Award, a NAACP Image Award, a BAFTA Film Award and a BAFTA TV Award, as well as a nominee ...
, originally with a script written by
Kario Salem Kario Salem (born May 23, 1955) is an American television, film, stage actor and screenwriter. Early life Salem, who was born and raised in Los Angeles, is a 1973 graduate of Agoura High School in Agoura, California. Career In 1997, Salem ea ...
, but later with a script written by DuVernay and Tom King. Darkseid was planned to be the main antagonist of the film, but the film was also planned to include the
Female Furies The Female Furies are a group of women warriors and supervillains appearing in comics published by DC Comics. All of them are New Gods who serve Darkseid. They operate directly under Granny Goodness, who trains all of Darkseid's soldiers. Publica ...
and All-Widow, among others. *
George Lucas George Walton Lucas Jr. (born May 14, 1944) is an American filmmaker. Lucas is best known for creating the ''Star Wars'' and ''Indiana Jones'' franchises and founding Lucasfilm, LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic and THX. He served as chairm ...
's ''
Star Wars ''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera multimedia franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop-culture Cultural impact of S ...
'' series has been speculated to be influenced by the New Gods. At a 1972 dinner that included comics writer/editor
Roy Thomas Roy William Thomas Jr."Roy Thomas Checklist" ''Alter Ego'' vol. 3, #50 (July 2005) p. 16 (born November 22, 1940) is an American comic book writer and editor, who was Stan Lee's first successor as editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics. He is possibl ...
and comic shop owner Ed Summer, George Lucas told his story for ''Star Wars'', after which Roy Thomas noted that it sounded very similar to Jack Kirby's ''New Gods''. *An alternate universe New Gods version of
Bekka Bekka is a superheroine appearing in American comic book published by DC Comics. The character has been featured primarily in stories set in Jack Kirby's Fourth World and DC's main shared universe, known as the DC Universe. As a New God of Ne ...
as
Wonder Woman Wonder Woman is a superhero created by the American psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston (pen name: Charles Moulton), and artist Harry G. Peter. Marston's wife, Elizabeth Holloway Marston, Elizabeth, and their life partner, Olive Byr ...
appears in the 2015 animated film '' Justice League: Gods and Monsters''. *Darkseid appeared in the
DC Animated Movie Universe DC, D.C., D/C, Dc, or dc may refer to: Places * Washington, D.C. (District of Columbia), the capital and the federal territory of the United States * Bogotá, Distrito Capital, the capital city of Colombia * Dubai City, as distinct from the ...
as the main antagonist.


Television

*In the mid-1980s,
Darkseid Darkseid () is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby to serve as the primary antagonist of his "Fourth World (comics), Fourth World" metaseries, and was firs ...
, Kalibak, Desaad, and the planet Apokolips were featured in the final two incarnations of the ''
Super Friends ''Super Friends'' is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes, which ran from 1973 to 1985 on ABC as part of its Saturday-morning cartoon lineup. It was produced by Hanna-Barbera and was based on the Justice League of ...
'' animated series, entitled '' Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show'' and '' The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians''. New Genesis and its residents did not appear and were not mentioned despite Orion and Mister Miracle being part of the concurrent
Super Powers Collection The Super Powers Collection was a line of action figures based on DC Comics superheroes and supervillains that was created by Kenner Products in the 1980s. History In 1984, DC Comics awarded the master toy license of their characters to Kenner ...
toy line. *Various New Gods characters have appeared in the modern
DC animated universe The DC Animated Universe (DCAU; also referred to as the Timmverse or Diniverse by fans referring to the creators and producers Bruce Timm and Paul Dini respectively) is a shared universe consisting primarily of superhero-based animated televi ...
, with Kalibak, Darkseid, and the Fourth World characters making their initial appearance in '' Superman: The Animated Series''. They would appear in several episodes of that series, as well as ''
Justice League The Justice League (also known as The Justice League of America) are a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #28 (March 1960). The team was conceived ...
'' and ''
Justice League Unlimited ''Justice League Unlimited'' (''JLU'') is a 2004–2006 American superhero animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and ...
''. *Darkseid, Kalibak,
Granny Goodness Granny Goodness is a fictional supervillain published by DC Comics. Granny Goodness made her live-action debut in the final two seasons of ''Smallville'', and she was portrayed by Nancy Amelia Bell and Christine Willes. Granny Goodness made her ...
and Darkseid's other followers appear in '' Batman: The Brave and the Bold''.
Lashina Lashina is a supervillainess and Goddess warrior appearing in comics published by DC Comics. Publication history Created by Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in ''Mister Miracle'' #6 (January 1972). Fictional character biography Lashina w ...
and
Stompa Stompa is a fictional extraterrestrial supervillainess and goddess appearing in books published by DC Comics. Created by writer/artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in ''Mister Miracle'' #6 (January 1972). Publication history Stompa fi ...
also appear, but as female fighters employed by
Mongal Josephine MacDonald Josephine MacDonald, also known as Josie Mac, is a police officer of GCPD, first appearing in ''Detective Comics'' #763 (December 2001), created by Judd Winick and Cliff Chiang. Josie Mac had a promising career ahead of her, ...
rather than servants of Darkseid. *Many of the New Gods characters, such as Darkseid, Granny Goodness, Desaad, and Godfrey appear in the final season of ''
Smallville ''Smallville'' is an American superhero television series developed by writer-producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, based on the DC Comics character Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The series was produced by Millar Gough ...
''. Orion and Highfather are also mentioned. *The
Forever People Forever People are a fictional group of extraterrestrial superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. They first appeared in ''Forever People'' #1 (cover-dated February–March 1971), and were created by Jack Kirby ...
, Desaad, New Genesis and Apokolips appear in the ''
Young Justice Young Justice is a fictional DC Comics superhero team consisting of teenaged heroes. The team was formed in 1998 when DC's usual teen hero group, the Teen Titans, had become adults and changed their name to the Titans. Like the original ''Teen ...
'' episode "Disordered". Darkseid is alluded to, but is not mentioned by name and does not appear onscreen until the finale episode "Endgame". G. Gordon Godfrey is a recurring character throughout Season Two: "Invasion". Apokolips, New Genesis, Darkseid and Granny Goodness play a prominent role in Season Three: Outsiders, with other New Gods (such as Metron) appearing in various episodes. Highfather and Lightray appeared in ''Young Justice: Phantoms''.


Video games

*Several New God characters appear in ''
DC Universe Online ''DC Universe Online'' (''DCUO'') is a free-to-play action combat massively multiplayer online game set in the fictional universe of DC Comics. Developed by Dimensional Ink Games and co-published by Daybreak Game Company and WB Games, the game w ...
'', including
Mister Miracle Mister Miracle (Scott Free) is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He first appeared in ''Mister Miracle'' #1 (April 1971) and was created by Jack Kirby. Publication history Mister Miracle debuted in ...
,
Big Barda Big Barda is an antihero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. She first appeared in ''Mister Miracle'' #4 (October 1971), and was created by Jack Kirby. Jack Kirby based Barda's physical appearance on Lainie Kazan, who had rec ...
, Kalibak,
Mantis Mantises are an order (Mantodea) of insects that contains over 2,400 species in about 460 genera in 33 families. The largest family is the Mantidae ("mantids"). Mantises are distributed worldwide in temperate and tropical habitats. They ha ...
,
Orion (comics) Orion is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Publication history Orion first appeared in ''New Gods'' #1 (February 1971), and was created by writer/artist Jack Kirby. Jack Kirby era Orion originally appear ...
, Lightray, Steppenwolf,
Darkseid Darkseid () is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby to serve as the primary antagonist of his "Fourth World (comics), Fourth World" metaseries, and was firs ...
, his New God/
Amazon Amazon most often refers to: * Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek mythology * Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin * Amazon River, in South America * Amazon (company), an American multinational technology c ...
daughter Grail,
Granny Goodness Granny Goodness is a fictional supervillain published by DC Comics. Granny Goodness made her live-action debut in the final two seasons of ''Smallville'', and she was portrayed by Nancy Amelia Bell and Christine Willes. Granny Goodness made her ...
, and her
Female Furies The Female Furies are a group of women warriors and supervillains appearing in comics published by DC Comics. All of them are New Gods who serve Darkseid. They operate directly under Granny Goodness, who trains all of Darkseid's soldiers. Publica ...
:
Stompa Stompa is a fictional extraterrestrial supervillainess and goddess appearing in books published by DC Comics. Created by writer/artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in ''Mister Miracle'' #6 (January 1972). Publication history Stompa fi ...
,
Lashina Lashina is a supervillainess and Goddess warrior appearing in comics published by DC Comics. Publication history Created by Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in ''Mister Miracle'' #6 (January 1972). Fictional character biography Lashina w ...
,
Mad Harriet The Female Furies are a group of women warriors and supervillains appearing in comics published by DC Comics. All of them are New Gods who serve Darkseid. They operate directly under Granny Goodness, who trains all of Darkseid's soldiers. Publica ...
, along with several Bugs and Parademons.
New Genesis New Genesis is a fictional planet appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. A part of Jack Kirby's Fourth World mythos, the planet is home to the heroic New Gods led by the sage Highfather. New Genesis is the positive counterpart ...
is an open-world area, with two instances in
Apokolips Apokolips is a fictional planet that appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The planet is ruled by Darkseid, established in Jack Kirby's Fourth World series, and is integral to many stories in the DC Universe. Apokolips is co ...
. *
Apokolips Apokolips is a fictional planet that appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The planet is ruled by Darkseid, established in Jack Kirby's Fourth World series, and is integral to many stories in the DC Universe. Apokolips is co ...
and multiple New Gods appear in ''
LEGO DC Super-Villains ''Lego DC Super-Villains'' is a Lego-themed action-adventure game, action-adventure Platform game, platform video game developed by Traveller's Tales. The fourth installment in the ''Lego Batman'' series of games, it is a spin-off that focuses e ...
'', including
Darkseid Darkseid () is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby to serve as the primary antagonist of his "Fourth World (comics), Fourth World" metaseries, and was firs ...
, Kalibak, Grail,
Granny Goodness Granny Goodness is a fictional supervillain published by DC Comics. Granny Goodness made her live-action debut in the final two seasons of ''Smallville'', and she was portrayed by Nancy Amelia Bell and Christine Willes. Granny Goodness made her ...
, the
Female Furies The Female Furies are a group of women warriors and supervillains appearing in comics published by DC Comics. All of them are New Gods who serve Darkseid. They operate directly under Granny Goodness, who trains all of Darkseid's soldiers. Publica ...
, and Steppenwolf. They all play a part in the storyline, can be collected as playable characters, and Apokolips is an open-world location the player can visit.


Awards

This series, along with ''
Forever People Forever People are a fictional group of extraterrestrial superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. They first appeared in ''Forever People'' #1 (cover-dated February–March 1971), and were created by Jack Kirby ...
'', ''
Mister Miracle Mister Miracle (Scott Free) is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He first appeared in ''Mister Miracle'' #1 (April 1971) and was created by Jack Kirby. Publication history Mister Miracle debuted in ...
'', and ''
Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen ''Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen'' is an American comic book series published by DC Comics from September–October 1954 until March 1974, spanning a total of 163 issues. Featuring the adventures of Superman supporting character Jimmy Olsen, it co ...
'' won
Jack Kirby Jack Kirby (born Jacob Kurtzberg; August 28, 1917 – February 6, 1994) was an American comic book artist, writer and editor, widely regarded as one of the medium's major innovators and one of its most prolific and influential creators. He gr ...
a
Shazam Award The Academy of Comic Book Arts (ACBA) was an American professional organization of the 1970s that was designed to be the comic book industry analog of such groups as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Composed of comic-book profession ...
for "Special Achievement by an Individual" in 1971. In 1998, ''Jack Kirby's New Gods'' by Jack Kirby, edited by Bob Kahan, won both the
Harvey Award The Harvey Awards are given for achievement in comic books. Named for writer-artist Harvey Kurtzman, the Harvey Awards were founded by Gary Groth in 1988, president of the publisher Fantagraphics, to be the successor to the Kirby Awards that were ...
for "Best Domestic Reprint Project" and the
Eisner Award The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books, sometimes referred to as the comics industry's equivalent of the Academy Awards. They are named in ...
for "Best Archival Collection/Project".


See also

Other notable Fourth World characters and concepts: *
Anti-Life Equation The Anti-Life Equation is a fictional concept appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. In Jack Kirby's Fourth World setting, the Anti-Life Equation is a formula for total control over the minds of sentient beings that is sought by ...
*
Jack Kirby bibliography Jack Kirby was a prolific comics creator who created many American comic books and characters, particularly for Marvel Comics and DC Comics. Comics Sources: Comics work (interior pencil art and story) includes: DC Comics * '' Adventure Comics ...
*
Mother Box Mother Boxes are fictional devices in Jack Kirby's '' Fourth World'' setting in the DC Universe. The Mother Boxes appeared in the feature films ''Justice League'' and ''Zack Snyder's Justice League'' of the DC Extended Universe. History Created ...
es *
The Source ''The Source'' is an American hip hop and entertainment website, and a magazine that publishes annually or . It is the world's longest-running rap periodical, being founded as a newsletter in 1988 by Jonathan Shecter. David Mays was the ma ...
*
Source Wall This page list the locations in the DC Universe, the shared universe setting of DC Comics. Sites * the Arrowcave – The former base of operations of the Green Arrow and Speedy. * Avernus Cemetery – A burial ground located in Central City for ...
Similar Marvel Comics characters: * Eternals, a race of godlike human beings also created by Jack Kirby


References


External links


Index to the Earth-1 Fourth World stories

''New Gods''''New Gods'' vol. 2''New Gods'' vol. 3''New Gods'' vol. 4
an
''Death of the New Gods''
at Mike's Amazing World of Comics *
New Gods
from DC Wiki
New Gods
from DC Extended Universe
New Gods
from Dc Comics Extended Universe {{Jack Kirby 1971 comics debuts 1972 comics endings 1978 comics endings 1984 comics endings 1991 comics endings 1997 comics endings 2008 comics endings Characters created by Jack Kirby Comics by Jim Starlin Comics by John Byrne (comics) Comics characters introduced in 1971 DC Comics alien species DC Comics characters with superhuman strength DC Comics deities DC Comics demons Fourth World (comics)