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Ares (Marvel Comics)
Encyclopedia
Ares is a fictional character
, a deity
in the Marvel Comics
Universe based on the Greek
god of the same name
. He first appears in Thor
(vol. 1) #129 (June 1966) and was created by Stan Lee
and Jack Kirby
.
Ares has commonly appeared as an enemy of Thor
and Hercules
and starred in his own self-titled series
in 2006.
#129, 1966, written by Stan Lee
and drawn by Jack Kirby
. He would often appear as a villain in both Thor and The Avengers
over the next 30 years.
A 5-issue limited series
, Ares
, written by Michael Avon Oeming
and drawn by Travel Foreman
, was published in 2006 and focuses on this character. Since the release of the Ares miniseries he has been portrayed as an antihero.
Following the superhero Civil War
, Ares was invited to join the official, S.H.I.E.L.D.
-sponsored Mighty Avengers, led by Tony Stark
, and appeared in that title. He was one of only two members to remain on the team after Norman Osborn
took Stark's position, as part of the Dark Reign
storyline, and currently appears in Dark Avengers
. Ares subsequently starred in a three-issue Dark Avengers: Ares miniseries written by Kieron Gillen
. After the cancellation of Dark Avengers at the end of the Siege
storyline he is scheduled to appear in another limited series, Savage Axe of Ares.
God of War. Ares reveled in war and combat in all its forms, not caring about sides or victims, supporting Troy in the Trojan war. Ares has hated Hercules
ever since Hercules killed Ares' pets, the monstrous Stymphalian birds
, and his hatred increased when he noticed Hercules being favored by their father, while he was shunned for his brutal behavior. Further adding to his hatred, is that in modern times, war is shunned and disliked, whereas Hercules is still beloved by the masses, despite his own history of death and destruction. As the Romans took on worship of Greek gods and renamed them, Ares is also the deity Mars.
After Zeus allowed the worship of the Greek/Roman gods to cease, the dissatisfied Ares held a deep grudge and would try to overthrow Olympus more than once. He refused to battle against Pluto on behalf of Hercules, and aided Pluto instead. Hercules teamed up with the Asgardian god Thor
in order to defeat Ares, leading to Ares' retreat. Ares fought a duel with Hercules, forming an alliance with the Enchantress
to make Hercules her slave and ally against the Avengers
using water from the Spring of Eros, which led to Hercules being exiled from Olympus for a year.
Ares organized the Warhawks, which included Satyrs whose pipes caused violence in humans, and with them battled the Avengers. He dispatched Kratos and Bia to capture Hercules. After allying with the Enchantress again, he used the Black Knight
's Ebony Blade
to quench the Promethean Flame and conquer Olympus, by turning all the other Olympians to crystal, although demigod
Hercules was not transformed, but exiled to Earth with amnesia, due to being brutally beaten by Ares' henchman the Yellow-crested Titans and drifting between Olympus and Earth for six days and nights. Ares sent the two demigods, Kratos and Bia, after Hercules, and despite the Avenger's efforts Hercules was captured and taken back to Olympus. Ares again battled the Avengers who had come to rescue the captive Hercules, and was defeated by Thor and the Black Knight.
Ares also battled Namor the Sub-Mariner and Venus. He formed another alliance with Pluto, and kidnapped Krista in an attempt to foment war between Olympus and Asgard
. He also plotted with Pluto and Ares' daughter Hippolyta
to marry Hercules and Venus to Hippolyta and himself.
It was revealed that in ancient times, he took part in the Trojan War
. Alongside Zeus, Ares struck an alliance with Odin against the Eternals
, and battled the Eternal Ikaris
. Alongside his fellow Olympians, Ares battled the Avengers at Zeus' behest. Ares was defeated by Namor, and forbidden to set foot on Earth again by Zeus.
He frequently battled teams and individuals while working as a villain, and continued to battle heroes like the Avengers.
Ares' uncle Pluto sought to overwhelm Mount Olympus
with an army of the dead, leading to a stalemate
that the gods
and demigods (including Hercules and Achilles
) were unable to break. In desperation to end the siege
of Olympus
, Zeus called upon his son Ares who defeated Hades' army almost single-handedly. Hoping that this would allow him to join his kind in Olympus, Ares was disappointed to hear his parents and the other gods disparage his "crude" and "dishonorable" nature. He abandoned his brethren to live amongst mortal men, but did not completely give up his god nature yet.
Ares tired of his own warmongering when he realized that was why the other gods despised him and decided to live a normal life. He gave up his position as god of war, but maintained his skills, weaponry, and immortality. On Earth, he set himself up as a builder
/carpenter
. He would later father a son with an unidentified mother.
The 2006 Ares miniseries
begins with Ares living a relatively peaceful life with his son, Alexander. This life is interrupted when Hermes visits Ares with a request... help Olympus fight off a new threat from the east, Amatsu-Mikaboshi
(the Japan
ese god of evil). Taking advantage of the chaos left by the fall of Asgard
and the Norse pantheon
, Mikaboshi planned to extend his influence by capturing Olympus and crushing the Olympian gods. With the Olympians defeated, Mikaboshi hoped to cow all the other pantheons into surrendering. To this end, Mikaboshi laid siege to Olympus, which was very close to succeeding. Ares, still bitter about the treatment he received from the other Olympians, refuses to raise a finger to help them. Desperate for his aid and wishing to goad Ares into action, Zeus has Alexander kidnapped and brought to Olympus where he is placed under the care of Achilles and his Myrmidons. On Earth, Ares wages an assault against police forces, who have found his social security number to be false. One of the policemen states that the New Avengers have just formed as a team.
With the tide turning against them, Achilles goes to Earth to fetch an enraged Ares in an attempt to get him to speak with Zeus, but Ares' only concern is his son. Relenting, Achilles transports them both to Achilles' stronghold where they were keeping Alexander, only to find the fortress destroyed and Alexander missing.
While Achilles was away, Mikaboshi's forces managed to destroy the Myrmidon fortress and steal Alexander away to his own stronghold in the eastern lands. Mikaboshi slowly begins to warp Alexander's mind in an attempt to turn him against his father by revealing the brutal history and patricide
s committed by the Greek gods. Mikaboshi hopes to turn Alex into the new god of war, one that could be used against the Greek gods and, more importantly, Ares himself.
Finding out his son is in the hands of Olympus' enemies, a furious Ares begrudgingly agrees to join in the fighting, but only to rescue his son. He succeeds, but Zeus is killed by Mikaboshi although Alexander is released of Mikaboshi's control and slices him apart with the Grasscutter sword.
After the events of the Civil War
storyline, Ms. Marvel
and Iron Man
recruited Ares as part of the new Mighty Avengers, citing their need for a combination "Thor and Wolverine in one" as their reasoning. Ares says he didn't get involved in the Civil War as "it was just a slapfight", choosing instead to live a peaceful life as a civilian with his son, while working as a construction worker, up until the Avengers blew his civilian cover. In order to provide compensation and secure his services, Iron Man offered him a higher salary than what he was making as a construction worker if he joined the Avengers—after which Ares revealed that it would have to be higher than $44/hour. Ares liked the fact that Iron Man would not back down from a fight with him, and seemed to appeal to his sense of pride by implying how great he is as a warrior. He claims that he didn't like the movie Troy
.
As an Avenger, he seems often at odds, either vocally or internally, with the team's methods of combat, and particularly chafes at orders to stand down when he feels that the battle should continue. This seems to show when Iron Man
's robotic helper offered the team aid; instead of letting them listen to it, Ares brutally destroyed the robot thinking it was a trick much to the dismay of the others. He plays a major part in defeating Ultron by getting the idea of and using the Ant-Man serum to shrink down, then releasing a virus inside the body, despite the defense system. He is almost killed, but the Wasp gets him out before the transformation. He is also more likely to resort to violence first, as his "infiltration plan" for getting into Castle Doom is ramming the Quinjet into the castle walls.
During the events of World War Hulk
, Ares was easily defeated by the Hulk
, after the Mighty Avengers face the Green King (Hulk) and his Warbound
.
However in the aftermath of World War Hulk, the Hulk had been stopped and Ares' brother, Hercules, who supported the Hulk's cause, was captured. Ares goaded Hercules into rebuilding the fallen Stark Tower as his punishment for aiding the Hulk during the war. However, Hercules refused Ares' offer, attacked him, and escaped his enemies. Ares, Wonder Man, and Black Widow then headed off to track and follow Hercules and Amadeus Cho
, though Ares showed preference for attacking and defeating Hercules in battle as opposed to simply arresting them, going so far as to knock Wonder Man
unconscious when he counsels restraint in dealing with Hercules.
During the Secret Invasion
storyline, Ares was among the Mighty Avengers who were fighting heroes from the Skrull
ship. His son Alexander was recruited for Nick Fury
's Secret Warriors
, by Daisy Johnson
, to oppose the Skrull invasion
of New York City
.
During the Dark Reign
storyline, Ares has joined the Dark Avengers
, Norman Osborn
's personal team of Avengers. Writer of the Dark Avengers series, Brian Michael Bendis
, described Ares' role: "Ares is going to be a big part of this book. He's really going to step up and use his War God brain." In the most recent run of War Machine
Osborn pitted Ares against the iron clad Avenger, only for the two to realize their goal was one and the same, and Ares declared Rhodes as his "champion." Despite this Ares unleashed a top secret weapon just for the fun of it. During The Dark Avengers
' first mission, "Venom-Spidey" is turned into a monster by Morgan le Fay
. Venom (under her control) attempts to eat Ares. He is spit back out but is turned to stone shortly thereafter by Morgana. He returns to normal when Morgana is defeated by Dr. Doom in her own time. Ares later receives a truancy notice in the mail regarding his son. Deciding to investigate as best he can, he sends Alex to school, only to see him board Daisy Johnson
's scooter on the way to a new base for the Secret Warriors. Ares tails them on his motorcycle and rampages his way in through the wall. When Hellfire tries to attack, Ares easily dispatches him and in their own silent way, Nick Fury and Ares ask for a private audience with one another. Ares then uncharacteristically declares himself a horrid father, but only aims to raise Alex differently than he and his father were raised. He then peacefully leaves the place behind, allowing Alex the opportunity to not have to hide his allegiance anymore. Ares appears to have a new respect for Fury, since he simply let Fury walk into Osborn's office and threw off helicopters attempting to chase Fury.
When the Dark Avengers and H.A.M.M.E.R. go to San Francisco to quell the riots, Ares was stomping out a group of pro-mutant activists. Gambit
challenged him but was easily dispatched. Rogue
tried absorbing his powers which prove too much for her but nonetheless she manages to weaken him. Danger
, fearing that Rogue might injure herself threw an energized manhole
at Ares, pushing him away from Rogue. She gained half of Ares' power as a result. The trio then hijack a H.A.M.M.E.R. tank and leave a bleeding Ares behind.
Ares, having recovered from his injuries, is seen next during the Dark Avengers' assault on the X-Men's new base Utopia
(which was made from the remains of the first Asteroid M
). There he fights with several X-Men until he is confronted with the once more empowered valkyrie Danielle Moonstar
. The two fight and are evenly matched with Dani quickly gaining the upper hand due to having borrowed some power from Hela
the Asgardian death Goddess. Eventually both he and his team of Avengers are forced to retreat.
Molecule Man
turned Ares into stone during his fight with the Dark Avengers, though the Sentry
later restores him.
Before the Siege
begins, Osborn is seen trying to convince Ares to come up with a plan to invade Asgard, saying Loki
has taken control of it. Even though Osborn promises Ares that nothing is wrong, Ares tells Osborn that if he is lying, he will 'cut his head off, armour and all'. Once the Siege of Asgard begins, as the battle intensifies, Ares finds himself battling Balder and learns from Heimdall about Osborn's deceptions. When Osborn dispatches Daken
to find Maria Hill
, he is struck down by Ares, who vows to kill Osborn for his lies. However, Ares is suddenly attacked by the Sentry and a brutal battle ensues, in which Ares is wounded while barely doing any damage to Sentry. The battle then comes to a violent conclusion when the Sentry rips Ares in half before the horrified eyes of the combatants on both sides. Alexander, after finding out about his father's death, recalls a time when he asked Ares if they would always be together, Ares responded that, as they are gods, they can be killed, but they "will never truly die" and tells him that he has experienced "this many, many times", having been "to Hades and through the Underworld to awaken in the fair Fields of Elysium...". Ares tells Alexander that he would one day die, but promises him that he will always find him again.
During the Chaos War
storyline, Ares is among the dead people released by Pluto in order to defend the Underworld from the forces of Amatsu-Mikaboshi
, but is ultimately defeated and enslaved bodily by the Chaos King along with his fallen parents Zeus and Hera. Despite the combined attacks of the newly assembled God Squad, Ares is unscathed and engages Hercules in direct combat as Zeus and Hera battle Galactus and the other members of the God Squad. Ares ultimately returned to the underworld with the rest of the dead.
During the Fear Itself
storyline, Ares' son Kyknos (who was resurrected by Hecate
) assembled a new army of Warhawks as they attempted to bring him back to life by inciting violence and causing mass chaos. They were eventually thwarted by Hercules who killed Kyknos and kicked over Ares' resurrection altar.
Like all Olympians, Ares is superhumanly strong, though far more so than the majority of his race. Among the Olympians, his physical strength is equaled only by his uncles, Neptune
and Pluto, and is exceeded only by his father, Zeus, and his half-brother, Hercules
. Ares' body and metabolism generates almost no fatigue toxins during physical activity, granting him virtually inexhaustible superhuman stamina in all physical activities. Ares' body is also highly resistant to physical injury. He can withstand great impact forces, energy discharges, temperature extremes, and falls from great heights without being injured. However, also like all other Olympians, he can sustain injury; once, after an extensive self-imposed exile on the Earthly plane, Ares was physically vulnerable enough to be injured and downed by mere bullets. At the same time Ares has been shown withstanding being shot at point-blank range from machine guns used by War Machine. Ares is functionally immortal in the sense that he is immune to the effects of aging and hasn't aged since reaching adulthood. He is also immune to any known terrestrial disease or infection.
While not as accomplished at magic as many of his fellow Olympians, and lacking the ability to fly, or to project energy, as an Olympian god Ares has the potential to use magic. Ares can sense the presence of other gods, demons, and the use of magic, call other gods, and transport himself to Olympus and to Earth at will on certain occasions, (such as abandoning his station as the God of War to lead a mortal life, or when retreating to Olympus after Hercules wounded him in a fierce battle with Kyknos). However, neither his rudimentary magic nor his Olympian natural abilities were capable of overwhelming the Merlin
-tutored Morgan le Fay
or preventing the mistress of the mystic arts from easily transmuting him into stone.
He is, as fits his station as the Olympian God of War, a formidable hand to hand combatant, possessing fighting skills superior to that of even his father Zeus and his sister Athena
; Nate Grey
described him as "war personified, on every plane...in every future" and admits that even he can find nothing to counter one as Ares; when Nate hid himself and Mimic
"amongst time", Ares was able to tear through the fabric of time itself to reach and overpower him (claiming that such could not "limit" him), the temporal conflict sending ripples across the stars and disrupting the timestream itself. In another instance, apparently without aid, Ares was able to somehow bring himself and Alexander to another dimension, where many gods of Earth, including the Council of Skyfathers, had convened to judge his son's worthiness as the 'God of Fear'. Ares was also able to somehow create the man-eating Stymphalian birds
"as a perfect expression of his own essence" ages ago, and was also able to send his son Monstro from 1805 through time into the mid-20th century as punishment for his renouncing war and change him into a sixty-foot tall giant. He is also an expert with numerous weapons, including ancient weapons and conventional, modern-day firearms. In his earlier appearances, he typically carried Olympian weapons like battleaxes, spears, swords, daggers, and a javelin (which has been said to at least once be his "favorite" weapon), but his most recent appearance shows him favoring a mixture of ancient, like the jawbone of an ass, and modern weapons, like gases, rays, firearms, and high-explosives, as well as "Hydra blood bullets", which contain the lethal blood of a Lernaean Hydra
. He is an aficionado, expert, and collector of the most unusual instruments and methods of death dealing, as well as being well-versed in torture, interrogation, and combat tactics.
Ares sometimes wears Olympian battle armor and carries a mace, a sword, and battle axe all forged from adamant
ine by Hephaestus
. He sometimes rides a chariot of enchanted Olympian horses. At one time, he possessed the Gauntlets of Ares, which made its wearer gain strength comparable to Hercules. He has since passed these on to his daughter Hippolyta
.
:
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
, a deity
Deity
A deity is a recognized preternatural or supernatural immortal being, who may be thought of as holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, and respected by believers....
in the Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
Universe based on the Greek
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
god of the same name
Ares
Ares is the Greek god of war. He is one of the Twelve Olympians, and the son of Zeus and Hera. In Greek literature, he often represents the physical or violent aspect of war, in contrast to the armored Athena, whose functions as a goddess of intelligence include military strategy and...
. He first appears in Thor
Thor (Marvel Comics)
Thor is a fictional superhero who appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby....
(vol. 1) #129 (June 1966) and was created by Stan Lee
Stan Lee
Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
and Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....
.
Ares has commonly appeared as an enemy of Thor
Thor (Marvel Comics)
Thor is a fictional superhero who appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby....
and Hercules
Hercules (Marvel Comics)
Hercules is a fictional character that appears in publications by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Journey into Mystery Annual #1 and was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby....
and starred in his own self-titled series
Ares (comic book)
Ares is a 2006 Marvel Comics comic book limited series starring the character of the same name is written by Michael Avon Oeming and pencilled by Travel Foreman.-Plot summary:...
in 2006.
Publication history
Ares first appeared in ThorThor (Marvel Comics)
Thor is a fictional superhero who appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby....
#129, 1966, written by Stan Lee
Stan Lee
Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
and drawn by Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....
. He would often appear as a villain in both Thor and The Avengers
Avengers (comics)
The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers...
over the next 30 years.
A 5-issue limited series
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
, Ares
Ares (comic book)
Ares is a 2006 Marvel Comics comic book limited series starring the character of the same name is written by Michael Avon Oeming and pencilled by Travel Foreman.-Plot summary:...
, written by Michael Avon Oeming
Michael Avon Oeming
Michael Avon Oeming is an American comic book creator, both as an artist and writer. He is known for using a stark art style to tell stories with sophisticated and mature subject matter.-Career:...
and drawn by Travel Foreman
Travel Foreman
-Biography:Travel Foreman gained attention with his work on Com.x’s Cla$$war, where he replaced original series artist Trevor Hairsine. He quickly moved on to work at Marvel Comics, illustrating the Supreme Power spin-off mini-series, Doctor Spectrum, and a Juggernaut story written by Lee Barnett...
, was published in 2006 and focuses on this character. Since the release of the Ares miniseries he has been portrayed as an antihero.
Following the superhero Civil War
Civil War (comics)
Civil War is a 2006-2007 Marvel Comics crossover storyline built around a self-titled seven-issue limited series written by Mark Millar and penciled by Steve McNiven, which ran through various other titles published by Marvel at the time...
, Ares was invited to join the official, S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage and a secret military law-enforcement agency in the Marvel Comics Universe. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in Strange Tales #135 , it often deals with superhuman threats....
-sponsored Mighty Avengers, led by Tony Stark
Iron Man
Iron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,...
, and appeared in that title. He was one of only two members to remain on the team after Norman Osborn
Green Goblin
The Green Goblin is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #14 ....
took Stark's position, as part of the Dark Reign
Dark Reign (comics)
"Dark Reign" is a 2008–2009 crossover comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics. It deals with the aftermath of the "Secret Invasion" storyline, which led to a shift of power in the Marvel Universe toward Norman Osborn. The title "Dark Reign" refers to Osborn's rise to national power and the...
storyline, and currently appears in Dark Avengers
Dark Avengers
Dark Avengers was an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It is part of a series of titles that have featured various iterations of the superhero team the Avengers...
. Ares subsequently starred in a three-issue Dark Avengers: Ares miniseries written by Kieron Gillen
Kieron Gillen
Kieron Gillen is a British computer games and music journalist, as well as a comic book author. Gillen has worked for many years as a video game journalist and has, more recently, worked on various comics. He is perhaps best known for his creator-owned comic Phonogram, created with artist Jamie...
. After the cancellation of Dark Avengers at the end of the Siege
Siege (comics)
Siege is a fictional character, owned by Marvel Comics, who exists in the Marvel Universe.-Creative origins:John Kelly was initially created by Dwayne McDuffie and Gregory Wright as a pseudo-preview of their then-upcoming relaunch of Deathlok as well as to provide existing in-continuity backstory...
storyline he is scheduled to appear in another limited series, Savage Axe of Ares.
Fictional character biography
Ares is the son of Zeus and is the OlympianMount Olympus
Mount Olympus is the highest mountain in Greece, located on the border between Thessaly and Macedonia, about 100 kilometres away from Thessaloniki, Greece's second largest city. Mount Olympus has 52 peaks. The highest peak Mytikas, meaning "nose", rises to 2,917 metres...
God of War. Ares reveled in war and combat in all its forms, not caring about sides or victims, supporting Troy in the Trojan war. Ares has hated Hercules
Hercules (Marvel Comics)
Hercules is a fictional character that appears in publications by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Journey into Mystery Annual #1 and was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby....
ever since Hercules killed Ares' pets, the monstrous Stymphalian birds
Stymphalian birds
In Greek mythology, the Stymphalian birds were man-eating birds with beaks of bronze and sharp metallic feathers they could launch at their victims, and were sacred to Ares, the god of war. Furthermore, their dung was highly toxic...
, and his hatred increased when he noticed Hercules being favored by their father, while he was shunned for his brutal behavior. Further adding to his hatred, is that in modern times, war is shunned and disliked, whereas Hercules is still beloved by the masses, despite his own history of death and destruction. As the Romans took on worship of Greek gods and renamed them, Ares is also the deity Mars.
After Zeus allowed the worship of the Greek/Roman gods to cease, the dissatisfied Ares held a deep grudge and would try to overthrow Olympus more than once. He refused to battle against Pluto on behalf of Hercules, and aided Pluto instead. Hercules teamed up with the Asgardian god Thor
Thor (Marvel Comics)
Thor is a fictional superhero who appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby....
in order to defeat Ares, leading to Ares' retreat. Ares fought a duel with Hercules, forming an alliance with the Enchantress
Enchantress (Marvel Comics)
The Enchantress is the name of two fictional characters in the Marvel Comics universe, the first of which is a powerful sorceress named Amora and is one of the most notable antagonists of Thor.-Publication history:...
to make Hercules her slave and ally against the Avengers
Avengers (comics)
The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers...
using water from the Spring of Eros, which led to Hercules being exiled from Olympus for a year.
Ares organized the Warhawks, which included Satyrs whose pipes caused violence in humans, and with them battled the Avengers. He dispatched Kratos and Bia to capture Hercules. After allying with the Enchantress again, he used the Black Knight
Black Knight (Dane Whitman)
Dane Whitman is a fictional comic book superhero in the Marvel Comics universe, the company's third person to bear the name Black Knight. Created by writer Roy Thomas and artist John Buscema, he first appeared in The Avengers #47 Dane Whitman is a fictional comic book superhero in the Marvel Comics...
's Ebony Blade
Ebony Blade
The Ebony Blade is a fictional enchanted sword in the Marvel Comics universe. Though many have used the sword, it is most readily identified with the Black Knight.-History:...
to quench the Promethean Flame and conquer Olympus, by turning all the other Olympians to crystal, although demigod
Demigod
The term "demigod" , meaning "half-god", is commonly used to describe mythological figures whose one parent was a god and whose other parent was human; as such, demigods are human-god hybrids...
Hercules was not transformed, but exiled to Earth with amnesia, due to being brutally beaten by Ares' henchman the Yellow-crested Titans and drifting between Olympus and Earth for six days and nights. Ares sent the two demigods, Kratos and Bia, after Hercules, and despite the Avenger's efforts Hercules was captured and taken back to Olympus. Ares again battled the Avengers who had come to rescue the captive Hercules, and was defeated by Thor and the Black Knight.
Ares also battled Namor the Sub-Mariner and Venus. He formed another alliance with Pluto, and kidnapped Krista in an attempt to foment war between Olympus and Asgard
Asgard (comics)
Asgard is a fictional realm within the Marvel Comics universe based on the Asgard of Norse mythology and is home to the Asgardians and other beings of Norse mythology...
. He also plotted with Pluto and Ares' daughter Hippolyta
Hippolyta (Marvel Comics)
Based on the Hippolyta of Greek mythology, Hippolyta is a fictional Amazon character within the Marvel Comics universe.-Fictional character biography:...
to marry Hercules and Venus to Hippolyta and himself.
It was revealed that in ancient times, he took part in the Trojan War
Trojan War
In Greek mythology, the Trojan War was waged against the city of Troy by the Achaeans after Paris of Troy took Helen from her husband Menelaus, the king of Sparta. The war is among the most important events in Greek mythology and was narrated in many works of Greek literature, including the Iliad...
. Alongside Zeus, Ares struck an alliance with Odin against the Eternals
Eternals (comics)
The Eternals are a fictional race of superhumans in the Marvel Comics universe. They are described as an offshoot of the evolutionary process that created sentient life on Earth. The original instigators of this process, the alien Celestials, intended the Eternals to be the defenders of Earth which...
, and battled the Eternal Ikaris
Ikaris
Ikaris is a fictional character, a member of an alien race known as the Eternals in the Marvel Comics universe. Both Ikaris and the Eternals were created by Jack Kirby.-Publication history:...
. Alongside his fellow Olympians, Ares battled the Avengers at Zeus' behest. Ares was defeated by Namor, and forbidden to set foot on Earth again by Zeus.
He frequently battled teams and individuals while working as a villain, and continued to battle heroes like the Avengers.
Ares' uncle Pluto sought to overwhelm Mount Olympus
Mount Olympus
Mount Olympus is the highest mountain in Greece, located on the border between Thessaly and Macedonia, about 100 kilometres away from Thessaloniki, Greece's second largest city. Mount Olympus has 52 peaks. The highest peak Mytikas, meaning "nose", rises to 2,917 metres...
with an army of the dead, leading to a stalemate
Stalemate
Stalemate is a situation in chess where the player whose turn it is to move is not in check but has no legal moves. A stalemate ends the game in a draw. Stalemate is covered in the rules of chess....
that the gods
Deity
A deity is a recognized preternatural or supernatural immortal being, who may be thought of as holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, and respected by believers....
and demigods (including Hercules and Achilles
Achilles
In Greek mythology, Achilles was a Greek hero of the Trojan War, the central character and the greatest warrior of Homer's Iliad.Plato named Achilles the handsomest of the heroes assembled against Troy....
) were unable to break. In desperation to end the siege
Siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by attrition or assault. The term derives from sedere, Latin for "to sit". Generally speaking, siege warfare is a form of constant, low intensity conflict characterized by one party holding a strong, static...
of Olympus
Olympus (Marvel Comics)
Olympus is a fictional setting, a location in the Marvel Universe. Adapted from Greek mythology by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, it first appeared in Journey into Mystery Annual #1 ....
, Zeus called upon his son Ares who defeated Hades' army almost single-handedly. Hoping that this would allow him to join his kind in Olympus, Ares was disappointed to hear his parents and the other gods disparage his "crude" and "dishonorable" nature. He abandoned his brethren to live amongst mortal men, but did not completely give up his god nature yet.
Ares tired of his own warmongering when he realized that was why the other gods despised him and decided to live a normal life. He gave up his position as god of war, but maintained his skills, weaponry, and immortality. On Earth, he set himself up as a builder
Construction worker
A construction worker or builder is a professional, tradesman, or labourer who directly participates in the physical construction of infrastructure.-Construction trades:...
/carpenter
Carpenter
A carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors....
. He would later father a son with an unidentified mother.
The 2006 Ares miniseries
Ares (comic book)
Ares is a 2006 Marvel Comics comic book limited series starring the character of the same name is written by Michael Avon Oeming and pencilled by Travel Foreman.-Plot summary:...
begins with Ares living a relatively peaceful life with his son, Alexander. This life is interrupted when Hermes visits Ares with a request... help Olympus fight off a new threat from the east, Amatsu-Mikaboshi
Amatsu-Mikaboshi (comics)
Amatsu-Mikaboshi is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics Universe, a supervillain and demonic god of evil who is best known as an enemy of Hercules...
(the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese god of evil). Taking advantage of the chaos left by the fall of Asgard
Asgard (comics)
Asgard is a fictional realm within the Marvel Comics universe based on the Asgard of Norse mythology and is home to the Asgardians and other beings of Norse mythology...
and the Norse pantheon
Pantheon (gods)
A pantheon is a set of all the gods of a particular polytheistic religion or mythology.Max Weber's 1922 opus, Economy and Society discusses the link between a...
, Mikaboshi planned to extend his influence by capturing Olympus and crushing the Olympian gods. With the Olympians defeated, Mikaboshi hoped to cow all the other pantheons into surrendering. To this end, Mikaboshi laid siege to Olympus, which was very close to succeeding. Ares, still bitter about the treatment he received from the other Olympians, refuses to raise a finger to help them. Desperate for his aid and wishing to goad Ares into action, Zeus has Alexander kidnapped and brought to Olympus where he is placed under the care of Achilles and his Myrmidons. On Earth, Ares wages an assault against police forces, who have found his social security number to be false. One of the policemen states that the New Avengers have just formed as a team.
With the tide turning against them, Achilles goes to Earth to fetch an enraged Ares in an attempt to get him to speak with Zeus, but Ares' only concern is his son. Relenting, Achilles transports them both to Achilles' stronghold where they were keeping Alexander, only to find the fortress destroyed and Alexander missing.
While Achilles was away, Mikaboshi's forces managed to destroy the Myrmidon fortress and steal Alexander away to his own stronghold in the eastern lands. Mikaboshi slowly begins to warp Alexander's mind in an attempt to turn him against his father by revealing the brutal history and patricide
Patricide
Patricide is the act of killing one's father, or a person who kills his or her father. The word patricide derives from the Latin word pater and the Latin suffix -cida...
s committed by the Greek gods. Mikaboshi hopes to turn Alex into the new god of war, one that could be used against the Greek gods and, more importantly, Ares himself.
Finding out his son is in the hands of Olympus' enemies, a furious Ares begrudgingly agrees to join in the fighting, but only to rescue his son. He succeeds, but Zeus is killed by Mikaboshi although Alexander is released of Mikaboshi's control and slices him apart with the Grasscutter sword.
After the events of the Civil War
Civil War (comics)
Civil War is a 2006-2007 Marvel Comics crossover storyline built around a self-titled seven-issue limited series written by Mark Millar and penciled by Steve McNiven, which ran through various other titles published by Marvel at the time...
storyline, Ms. Marvel
Ms. Marvel
Ms. Marvel is the name of a fictional character appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Roy Thomas and designed by artist Gene Colan, the non-powered Carol Danvers debuted as a member of the United States Air Force in Marvel Super-Heroes #13 and as Ms. Marvel—a...
and Iron Man
Iron Man
Iron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,...
recruited Ares as part of the new Mighty Avengers, citing their need for a combination "Thor and Wolverine in one" as their reasoning. Ares says he didn't get involved in the Civil War as "it was just a slapfight", choosing instead to live a peaceful life as a civilian with his son, while working as a construction worker, up until the Avengers blew his civilian cover. In order to provide compensation and secure his services, Iron Man offered him a higher salary than what he was making as a construction worker if he joined the Avengers—after which Ares revealed that it would have to be higher than $44/hour. Ares liked the fact that Iron Man would not back down from a fight with him, and seemed to appeal to his sense of pride by implying how great he is as a warrior. He claims that he didn't like the movie Troy
Troy (film)
Troy is a 2004 epic war film written by David Benioff and directed by Wolfgang Petersen based on the events of the Trojan War. Its cast includes Brad Pitt as Achilles, Eric Bana as Hector.It was nominated for the Academy Award for Costume Design.-Plot:...
.
As an Avenger, he seems often at odds, either vocally or internally, with the team's methods of combat, and particularly chafes at orders to stand down when he feels that the battle should continue. This seems to show when Iron Man
Iron Man
Iron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,...
's robotic helper offered the team aid; instead of letting them listen to it, Ares brutally destroyed the robot thinking it was a trick much to the dismay of the others. He plays a major part in defeating Ultron by getting the idea of and using the Ant-Man serum to shrink down, then releasing a virus inside the body, despite the defense system. He is almost killed, but the Wasp gets him out before the transformation. He is also more likely to resort to violence first, as his "infiltration plan" for getting into Castle Doom is ramming the Quinjet into the castle walls.
During the events of World War Hulk
World War Hulk
"World War Hulk" is a comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self titled limited series and various other titles published by Marvel Comics in 2007, featuring the Hulk....
, Ares was easily defeated by the Hulk
Hulk (comics)
The Hulk is a fictional character, a superhero in the . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 ....
, after the Mighty Avengers face the Green King (Hulk) and his Warbound
Warbound
The Warbound is a group of fictional characters in the Marvel Comics. They first joined forces in The Incredible Hulk vol. 3, #94 as a combination of new and existing characters, the former created by Greg Pak and Carlo Pagulayan.-Planet Hulk:...
.
However in the aftermath of World War Hulk, the Hulk had been stopped and Ares' brother, Hercules, who supported the Hulk's cause, was captured. Ares goaded Hercules into rebuilding the fallen Stark Tower as his punishment for aiding the Hulk during the war. However, Hercules refused Ares' offer, attacked him, and escaped his enemies. Ares, Wonder Man, and Black Widow then headed off to track and follow Hercules and Amadeus Cho
Amadeus Cho
Amadeus Cho, also known as Mastermind Excello, is a fictional comic book character appearing in books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Greg Pak and artist Takeshi Miyazawa, the character first appeared in Amazing Fantasy vol. 2 #15...
, though Ares showed preference for attacking and defeating Hercules in battle as opposed to simply arresting them, going so far as to knock Wonder Man
Wonder Man
Wonder Man is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, he first appeared in The Avengers #9 .-Publication history:Wonder Man debuted in the superhero-team title The Avengers #9 Wonder...
unconscious when he counsels restraint in dealing with Hercules.
During the Secret Invasion
Secret Invasion
"Secret Invasion" is a comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self-titled eight issue limited series and several tie-in books published by Marvel Comics from April through December 2008....
storyline, Ares was among the Mighty Avengers who were fighting heroes from the Skrull
Skrull
The Skrulls are a fictional race of extraterrestrial shapeshifters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The Skrulls first appeared in Fantastic Four #2 and were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
ship. His son Alexander was recruited for Nick Fury
Nick Fury
Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury is a fictional World War II army hero and present-day super-spy in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, Fury first appeared in Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1 , a World War II combat series that portrayed the...
's Secret Warriors
Secret Warriors
The Secret Warriors is a Marvel series featuring Nick Fury and Team White, a fictional team of superpowered agents in the . Created by Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev, the characters were introduced in Mighty Avengers #13, and debuted as a team in Secret Invasion #3, both published in...
, by Daisy Johnson
Daisy Johnson
Daisy Johnson is a fictional, superpowered secret agent in the Marvel Comics universe. A member of the international espionage agency S.H.I.E.L.D., she was created by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Gabriele Dell'Otto, and first appeared in Secret War #2...
, to oppose the Skrull invasion
Secret Invasion
"Secret Invasion" is a comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self-titled eight issue limited series and several tie-in books published by Marvel Comics from April through December 2008....
of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
During the Dark Reign
Dark Reign (comics)
"Dark Reign" is a 2008–2009 crossover comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics. It deals with the aftermath of the "Secret Invasion" storyline, which led to a shift of power in the Marvel Universe toward Norman Osborn. The title "Dark Reign" refers to Osborn's rise to national power and the...
storyline, Ares has joined the Dark Avengers
Dark Avengers
Dark Avengers was an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It is part of a series of titles that have featured various iterations of the superhero team the Avengers...
, Norman Osborn
Green Goblin
The Green Goblin is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #14 ....
's personal team of Avengers. Writer of the Dark Avengers series, Brian Michael Bendis
Brian Michael Bendis
Brian Michael Bendis is an American comic book writer and erstwhile artist. He has won critical acclaim for his self-published, Image Comics and Marvel Comics work, and is one of the most successful writers working in mainstream comics, with his books selling consistently highly for over a...
, described Ares' role: "Ares is going to be a big part of this book. He's really going to step up and use his War God brain." In the most recent run of War Machine
War Machine
War Machine is a fictional character, a comic book superhero appearing in comic books set in the Marvel Comics universe. The character of James Rhodes first appeared in Iron Man #118 by David Michelinie, John Byrne and Bob Layton...
Osborn pitted Ares against the iron clad Avenger, only for the two to realize their goal was one and the same, and Ares declared Rhodes as his "champion." Despite this Ares unleashed a top secret weapon just for the fun of it. During The Dark Avengers
Dark Avengers
Dark Avengers was an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It is part of a series of titles that have featured various iterations of the superhero team the Avengers...
' first mission, "Venom-Spidey" is turned into a monster by Morgan le Fay
Morgan le Fay (Marvel Comics)
Morgan le Fay is a fictional character in the , based loosely on the Morgan le Fay of Arthurian legend. In this version of the character, she is the half-faerie half-sister of the mythic Arthur. Her elven heritage granted her immortality, and she used this time to master the mystic arts. She...
. Venom (under her control) attempts to eat Ares. He is spit back out but is turned to stone shortly thereafter by Morgana. He returns to normal when Morgana is defeated by Dr. Doom in her own time. Ares later receives a truancy notice in the mail regarding his son. Deciding to investigate as best he can, he sends Alex to school, only to see him board Daisy Johnson
Daisy Johnson
Daisy Johnson is a fictional, superpowered secret agent in the Marvel Comics universe. A member of the international espionage agency S.H.I.E.L.D., she was created by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Gabriele Dell'Otto, and first appeared in Secret War #2...
's scooter on the way to a new base for the Secret Warriors. Ares tails them on his motorcycle and rampages his way in through the wall. When Hellfire tries to attack, Ares easily dispatches him and in their own silent way, Nick Fury and Ares ask for a private audience with one another. Ares then uncharacteristically declares himself a horrid father, but only aims to raise Alex differently than he and his father were raised. He then peacefully leaves the place behind, allowing Alex the opportunity to not have to hide his allegiance anymore. Ares appears to have a new respect for Fury, since he simply let Fury walk into Osborn's office and threw off helicopters attempting to chase Fury.
When the Dark Avengers and H.A.M.M.E.R. go to San Francisco to quell the riots, Ares was stomping out a group of pro-mutant activists. Gambit
Gambit (comics)
Gambit is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero that has been a member of the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Jim Lee, the character first appeared briefly in Uncanny X-Men Annual #14 , weeks before a more comprehensive appearance in Uncanny X-Men #266...
challenged him but was easily dispatched. Rogue
Rogue (comics)
Rogue was first slated to appear in Ms. Marvel #25 , but the book's abrupt cancellation left her original introduction story unpublished for over a decade, before seeing print in Marvel Super Heroes #11 in 1992. Rogue's first published appearance was in Avengers Annual #10...
tried absorbing his powers which prove too much for her but nonetheless she manages to weaken him. Danger
Danger Room
The Danger Room is a fictional training facility built for the X-Men of Marvel Comics as part of the various incarnations of the X-Mansion.-Early designs:...
, fearing that Rogue might injure herself threw an energized manhole
Manhole
A manhole is an opening used to gain access to sewers or other underground structures, usually for maintenance.Manhole may also refer to:* Manhole , a metal band from Los Angeles* The Manhole, a computer game...
at Ares, pushing him away from Rogue. She gained half of Ares' power as a result. The trio then hijack a H.A.M.M.E.R. tank and leave a bleeding Ares behind.
Ares, having recovered from his injuries, is seen next during the Dark Avengers' assault on the X-Men's new base Utopia
Utopia (comics)
"Utopia" is a 2009 comic book crossover story arc written by Matt Fraction and published by Marvel Comics, starring the X-Men and the Dark Avengers...
(which was made from the remains of the first Asteroid M
Asteroid M
Utopia is the name of the sepratist mutant homeland created by the X-Men from the remains of Asteroid M which is the name of several fictional settings, each an asteroid converted by the mutant Magneto into his home/orbiting base, in the Marvel Comics Universe...
). There he fights with several X-Men until he is confronted with the once more empowered valkyrie Danielle Moonstar
Danielle Moonstar
Danielle "Dani" Moonstar, originally codenamed Psyche and later Mirage, is a fictional Marvel Comics superheroine associated with the X-Men....
. The two fight and are evenly matched with Dani quickly gaining the upper hand due to having borrowed some power from Hela
Hela (comics)
Hela is a fictional character, the Asgardian goddess of death in the Marvel Comics universe, based on the Norse goddess, Hel. The ruler of Hel and Niffleheim, the character has been a frequent foe of Thor...
the Asgardian death Goddess. Eventually both he and his team of Avengers are forced to retreat.
Molecule Man
Molecule Man
Molecule Man is a fictional character, a supervillain or reluctant hero in the Marvel Comics universe, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. The character first appeared in Fantastic Four vol. 1, #20.-1960s:...
turned Ares into stone during his fight with the Dark Avengers, though the Sentry
Sentry (Robert Reynolds)
The Sentry is a fictional character in the . The character first appears in The Sentry #1 and was created by Paul Jenkins and Jae Lee, with uncredited conceptual contributions by Rick Veitch.-Creation:...
later restores him.
Before the Siege
Siege (comics)
Siege is a fictional character, owned by Marvel Comics, who exists in the Marvel Universe.-Creative origins:John Kelly was initially created by Dwayne McDuffie and Gregory Wright as a pseudo-preview of their then-upcoming relaunch of Deathlok as well as to provide existing in-continuity backstory...
begins, Osborn is seen trying to convince Ares to come up with a plan to invade Asgard, saying Loki
Loki (comics)
Loki is a fictional character, a supervillain that appears in publications by Marvel Comics. He is the adoptive brother and archenemy of the superhero Thor. He is based on the being of the same name from Norse mythology...
has taken control of it. Even though Osborn promises Ares that nothing is wrong, Ares tells Osborn that if he is lying, he will 'cut his head off, armour and all'. Once the Siege of Asgard begins, as the battle intensifies, Ares finds himself battling Balder and learns from Heimdall about Osborn's deceptions. When Osborn dispatches Daken
Daken
Akihiro, also codename as Daken is a fictional comic book supervillain appearing in books published by Marvel Comics. Daken is the mutant son of Wolverine and his deceased wife Itsu...
to find Maria Hill
Maria Hill
Maria Hill is a fictional character of the Marvel Universe. She was the former director of the planetary defense/intelligence service S.H.I.E.L.D..-Introduction:...
, he is struck down by Ares, who vows to kill Osborn for his lies. However, Ares is suddenly attacked by the Sentry and a brutal battle ensues, in which Ares is wounded while barely doing any damage to Sentry. The battle then comes to a violent conclusion when the Sentry rips Ares in half before the horrified eyes of the combatants on both sides. Alexander, after finding out about his father's death, recalls a time when he asked Ares if they would always be together, Ares responded that, as they are gods, they can be killed, but they "will never truly die" and tells him that he has experienced "this many, many times", having been "to Hades and through the Underworld to awaken in the fair Fields of Elysium...". Ares tells Alexander that he would one day die, but promises him that he will always find him again.
During the Chaos War
Chaos War (comics)
"Chaos War" is a Marvel Comics storyline that began publication in October 2010 across nine comic book series: the five-issue miniseries Chaos War, written by Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente, supplemented by seven branded miniseries or one-shot publications, and by three issues of Incredible Hulks, a...
storyline, Ares is among the dead people released by Pluto in order to defend the Underworld from the forces of Amatsu-Mikaboshi
Amatsu-Mikaboshi (comics)
Amatsu-Mikaboshi is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics Universe, a supervillain and demonic god of evil who is best known as an enemy of Hercules...
, but is ultimately defeated and enslaved bodily by the Chaos King along with his fallen parents Zeus and Hera. Despite the combined attacks of the newly assembled God Squad, Ares is unscathed and engages Hercules in direct combat as Zeus and Hera battle Galactus and the other members of the God Squad. Ares ultimately returned to the underworld with the rest of the dead.
During the Fear Itself
Fear Itself (comics)
"Fear Itself" is a 2011 crossover comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics, consisting of a seven-issue, eponymous miniseries written by Matt Fraction and illustrated by Stuart Immonen, Wade Von Grawbadger, and Laura Martin, a prologue book by writer Ed Brubaker and artist Scott Eaton, and...
storyline, Ares' son Kyknos (who was resurrected by Hecate
Hecate (Marvel Comics)
-Hecate :A supervillain named Hecate appeared in Ms. Marvel #11-13 , and was created by Chris Claremont and Sal Buscema....
) assembled a new army of Warhawks as they attempted to bring him back to life by inciting violence and causing mass chaos. They were eventually thwarted by Hercules who killed Kyknos and kicked over Ares' resurrection altar.
Powers and abilities
Ares possesses the typical powers of an Olympian, including superhuman strength, speed, agility, durability, reflexes, and virtual immortality, though some of his powers are substantially greater than most other Olympians.Like all Olympians, Ares is superhumanly strong, though far more so than the majority of his race. Among the Olympians, his physical strength is equaled only by his uncles, Neptune
Neptune (Marvel Comics)
Neptune, also called Poseidon, is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.Neptune is the god of the sea in the Olympian pantheon, and the patron god of Atlantis.-Fictional character biography:...
and Pluto, and is exceeded only by his father, Zeus, and his half-brother, Hercules
Hercules (Marvel Comics)
Hercules is a fictional character that appears in publications by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Journey into Mystery Annual #1 and was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby....
. Ares' body and metabolism generates almost no fatigue toxins during physical activity, granting him virtually inexhaustible superhuman stamina in all physical activities. Ares' body is also highly resistant to physical injury. He can withstand great impact forces, energy discharges, temperature extremes, and falls from great heights without being injured. However, also like all other Olympians, he can sustain injury; once, after an extensive self-imposed exile on the Earthly plane, Ares was physically vulnerable enough to be injured and downed by mere bullets. At the same time Ares has been shown withstanding being shot at point-blank range from machine guns used by War Machine. Ares is functionally immortal in the sense that he is immune to the effects of aging and hasn't aged since reaching adulthood. He is also immune to any known terrestrial disease or infection.
While not as accomplished at magic as many of his fellow Olympians, and lacking the ability to fly, or to project energy, as an Olympian god Ares has the potential to use magic. Ares can sense the presence of other gods, demons, and the use of magic, call other gods, and transport himself to Olympus and to Earth at will on certain occasions, (such as abandoning his station as the God of War to lead a mortal life, or when retreating to Olympus after Hercules wounded him in a fierce battle with Kyknos). However, neither his rudimentary magic nor his Olympian natural abilities were capable of overwhelming the Merlin
Merlin (Marvel Comics)
Merlin is the name of multiple fictional characters in the Marvel Universe.-Fictional character biography:The first Merlin of the Marvel Universe is apparently the figure of Arthurian legend, hailing from 6th century A.D. Britain. He was born in Carmarthen, Wales. He was a powerful sorcerer who...
-tutored Morgan le Fay
Morgan le Fay (Marvel Comics)
Morgan le Fay is a fictional character in the , based loosely on the Morgan le Fay of Arthurian legend. In this version of the character, she is the half-faerie half-sister of the mythic Arthur. Her elven heritage granted her immortality, and she used this time to master the mystic arts. She...
or preventing the mistress of the mystic arts from easily transmuting him into stone.
He is, as fits his station as the Olympian God of War, a formidable hand to hand combatant, possessing fighting skills superior to that of even his father Zeus and his sister Athena
Athena (Marvel Comics)
Athena is a fictional deity in the Marvel Comics Universe based on the Greek Goddess of the same name. Athena first appeared in the pages of Thor #164, written by Stan Lee and drawn by Jack Kirby.-Publication history:...
; Nate Grey
Nate Grey
Nathaniel "Nate" Grey is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, in particular those related to the X-Men franchise...
described him as "war personified, on every plane...in every future" and admits that even he can find nothing to counter one as Ares; when Nate hid himself and Mimic
Mimic (comics)
Mimic is a Marvel Comics fictional character who was briefly a member of the X-Men in the 1960s. He was then the first character to be added to the team after the original line-up and the first X-Man who was not a mutant....
"amongst time", Ares was able to tear through the fabric of time itself to reach and overpower him (claiming that such could not "limit" him), the temporal conflict sending ripples across the stars and disrupting the timestream itself. In another instance, apparently without aid, Ares was able to somehow bring himself and Alexander to another dimension, where many gods of Earth, including the Council of Skyfathers, had convened to judge his son's worthiness as the 'God of Fear'. Ares was also able to somehow create the man-eating Stymphalian birds
Stymphalian birds
In Greek mythology, the Stymphalian birds were man-eating birds with beaks of bronze and sharp metallic feathers they could launch at their victims, and were sacred to Ares, the god of war. Furthermore, their dung was highly toxic...
"as a perfect expression of his own essence" ages ago, and was also able to send his son Monstro from 1805 through time into the mid-20th century as punishment for his renouncing war and change him into a sixty-foot tall giant. He is also an expert with numerous weapons, including ancient weapons and conventional, modern-day firearms. In his earlier appearances, he typically carried Olympian weapons like battleaxes, spears, swords, daggers, and a javelin (which has been said to at least once be his "favorite" weapon), but his most recent appearance shows him favoring a mixture of ancient, like the jawbone of an ass, and modern weapons, like gases, rays, firearms, and high-explosives, as well as "Hydra blood bullets", which contain the lethal blood of a Lernaean Hydra
Lernaean Hydra
In Greek mythology, the Lernaean Hydra was an ancient nameless serpent-like chthonic water beast, with reptilian traits, that possessed many heads — the poets mention more heads than the vase-painters could paint, and for each head cut off it grew two more — and poisonous breath so virulent even...
. He is an aficionado, expert, and collector of the most unusual instruments and methods of death dealing, as well as being well-versed in torture, interrogation, and combat tactics.
Ares sometimes wears Olympian battle armor and carries a mace, a sword, and battle axe all forged from adamant
Adamant
Adamant and similar words are used to refer to any especially hard substance, whether composed of diamond, some other gemstone, or some type of metal. Both adamant and diamond derive from the Greek word αδαμας , meaning "untameable"...
ine by Hephaestus
Hephaestus (Marvel Comics)
Hephaestus is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Publication history:Hephaestus first appeared in Thor #129 , and was adapted from mythology by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
. He sometimes rides a chariot of enchanted Olympian horses. At one time, he possessed the Gauntlets of Ares, which made its wearer gain strength comparable to Hercules. He has since passed these on to his daughter Hippolyta
Hippolyta (Marvel Comics)
Based on the Hippolyta of Greek mythology, Hippolyta is a fictional Amazon character within the Marvel Comics universe.-Fictional character biography:...
.
Collected editions
His series have been collected into trade paperbacksTrade paperback (comics)
In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...
:
- AresAres (comic book)Ares is a 2006 Marvel Comics comic book limited series starring the character of the same name is written by Michael Avon Oeming and pencilled by Travel Foreman.-Plot summary:...
: God of War (collects Ares #1-5, 120 pages, hardcover, November 2006, ISBN 0-7851-2333-4, softcover, November 2006, ISBN 0-7851-1991-4) - Dark AvengersDark AvengersDark Avengers was an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It is part of a series of titles that have featured various iterations of the superhero team the Avengers...
: Ares (collects Ares #1-5 and Dark Avengers: Ares #1-3, 192 pages, Marvel Comics, softcover, April 2010, ISBN 0-7851-4406-4)
External links
- Ares at Marvel.com