Delphyne Gorgon
Encyclopedia
Delphyne Gorgon is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics
universe. A Gorgon
member of the Amazon
nation, she is a love interest of Amadeus Cho
. She first appeared in Incredible Hercules #121, and was created by Greg Pak
, Fred Van Lente
, and Clayton Henry
.
's daughter Princess Artume at a very young age. She became a highly-respected general, fighting in the siege of Olympus by the armies of Amatsu-Mikaboshi
.
When Princess Artume conceived of a scheme to depose her mother, locate the Omphalos
and use it to remake the world in the Amazons' image, Delphyne joined her. They abducted Amadeus Cho
(who they believed to be Hercules
's eromenos) in order to convince him to help locate the Omphalos. Delphyne warned Cho that Artume was deceiving him (claiming to have sympathy for "small animals and morons"), but Cho ignored her advice initially. Eventually, however, he saw reason, and the two kissed. This was witnessed by Artume, who attempted to murder Delphyne, but failed as a result of a lack of knowledge about Gorgon anatomy. Delphyne joined Cho, Hercules, and Athena
in defeating Artume, and, in killing her, became the new Queen of the Amazons. Telling Cho that because of this she could not engage in a relationship with a man without killing him after consummation, she departed.
's alliance of New Olympians, with the goal of killing Hercules and Athena. This brought her face to face with Cho again, who was perplexed by her decision. Delphyne explained her desire to kill Athena in revenge for the original Gorgon curse, and warned him against trusting the goddess. Later, when Hera attempted to kill her daughter Hebe
in retaliation for Hebe's helping Hercules, Delphyne drew a gun on Hera, demanding that she cease. Seeking the aid of Hephaestus
, Delphyne had Athena's Aegis
shield reforged into a helmet that granted her the abilities of the Medusa head within the shield. When the Avengers raided the headquarters of the Olympus Group, Delphyne attempted to confront Athena, despite Cho's entreaties to cease. She used the helmet to turn Athena into stone, which freed her from the Gorgon curse, appalling Cho. Subsequently, however, she balked at allowing Hephaestus to kill Cho and Hercules, and Athena was revived by the arrival of Zeus' thunderbolt, conferring on Athena the leadership of the Pantheon, and returning Delphyne to her Gorgon appearance. For Delphyne's attempted deicide, she was sentenced to dwell forever in the bowels of the Olympus Group building.
Subsequently, upon Vali Halfling
's capture of the Olympus Group headquarters, she escaped her cell. She found Athena weakened by Halfling's capture of the ambrosia
of the gods, but was convinced not to kill Athena, and instead found herself allied with the goddess to repel the invaders. She defeated Pantheon member Atalanta
in combat, and then joined Cho in defeating Halfling himself and rescuing Hercules. The two then kissed and officially became a couple.
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. A Gorgon
Gorgon
In Greek mythology, the Gorgon was a terrifying female creature. The name derives from the Greek word gorgós, which means "dreadful." While descriptions of Gorgons vary across Greek literature, the term commonly refers to any of three sisters who had hair of living, venomous snakes, and a...
member of the Amazon
Amazons
The Amazons are a nation of all-female warriors in Greek mythology and Classical antiquity. Herodotus placed them in a region bordering Scythia in Sarmatia...
nation, she is a love interest of 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...
. She first appeared in Incredible Hercules #121, and was created by Greg Pak
Greg Pak
Greg Pak is an American New York-based film director/comic book writer, known for his work on such books featuring the Hulk.-Early life:Pak is a graduate of Yale University, where he was a member of the Purple Crayon improv group, and studied history at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar and film at...
, Fred Van Lente
Fred Van Lente
Fred Van Lente is an American writer, primarily of comic books and graphic novels.-Career:Van Lente is the co-founder, along with artist Ryan Dunlavey, of Evil Twin Comics, which produces his and Dunlavey’s non-fiction comic books, the first and most famous of which is Action Philosophers.Recent...
, and Clayton Henry
Clayton Henry
Clayton Henry is a comic book artist, known mostly for his work for Marvel Comics. His first known works were providing the art on Nine Rings Of Wu-Tang and Area 52, and has since worked on such series as Exiles, Alpha Flight, New X-Men: Hellions, X-Men: Apocalypse vs...
.
Fictional character biography
In the classical age, the Amazons were engaged as mercenaries to battle an army of Gorgons. They were victorious, and took many Gorgons as prisoners, who gradually interbred with humans, and their genetic line continued within the Amazon nation. Delphyne was assigned as a servant to Amazon Queen HippolytaHippolyta (Marvel Comics)
Based on the Hippolyta of Greek mythology, Hippolyta is a fictional Amazon character within the Marvel Comics universe.-Fictional character biography:...
's daughter Princess Artume at a very young age. She became a highly-respected general, fighting in the siege of Olympus by the armies 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...
.
When Princess Artume conceived of a scheme to depose her mother, locate the Omphalos
Omphalos
An omphalos is an ancient religious stone artifact, or baetylus. In Greek, the word omphalos means "navel" . According to the ancient Greeks, Zeus sent out two eagles to fly across the world to meet at its center, the "navel" of the world...
and use it to remake the world in the Amazons' image, Delphyne joined her. They abducted 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...
(who they believed to be 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....
's eromenos) in order to convince him to help locate the Omphalos. Delphyne warned Cho that Artume was deceiving him (claiming to have sympathy for "small animals and morons"), but Cho ignored her advice initially. Eventually, however, he saw reason, and the two kissed. This was witnessed by Artume, who attempted to murder Delphyne, but failed as a result of a lack of knowledge about Gorgon anatomy. Delphyne joined Cho, Hercules, and 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:...
in defeating Artume, and, in killing her, became the new Queen of the Amazons. Telling Cho that because of this she could not engage in a relationship with a man without killing him after consummation, she departed.
Vendetta
Now queen, Delphyne subsequently joined HeraHera (Marvel Comics)
Hera is a fictional deity in the Marvel Comics Universe based on the Greek Goddess of the same name. Hera first appeared in the pages of Thor #129, written by Stan Lee and drawn by Jack Kirby.-Fictional character biography:...
's alliance of New Olympians, with the goal of killing Hercules and Athena. This brought her face to face with Cho again, who was perplexed by her decision. Delphyne explained her desire to kill Athena in revenge for the original Gorgon curse, and warned him against trusting the goddess. Later, when Hera attempted to kill her daughter Hebe
Hebe (Marvel Comics)
Hebe is a Marvel Comics deity. One of the children of Zeus and Hera, she is the wife of Hercules and the cup-bearer of the Olympians. Hebe first appeared in Ka-Zar #1 , written by Allyn Brodsky and Frank Springer...
in retaliation for Hebe's helping Hercules, Delphyne drew a gun on Hera, demanding that she cease. Seeking the aid of 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....
, Delphyne had Athena's Aegis
Aegis (comics)
For the cosmic entity who also went by the same name, see Aegis Aegis is a fictional African American superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created in 1999, first appearing in New Warriors vol. 2, #0...
shield reforged into a helmet that granted her the abilities of the Medusa head within the shield. When the Avengers raided the headquarters of the Olympus Group, Delphyne attempted to confront Athena, despite Cho's entreaties to cease. She used the helmet to turn Athena into stone, which freed her from the Gorgon curse, appalling Cho. Subsequently, however, she balked at allowing Hephaestus to kill Cho and Hercules, and Athena was revived by the arrival of Zeus' thunderbolt, conferring on Athena the leadership of the Pantheon, and returning Delphyne to her Gorgon appearance. For Delphyne's attempted deicide, she was sentenced to dwell forever in the bowels of the Olympus Group building.
Subsequently, upon Vali Halfling
Agamemnon (comics)
Agamemnon is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Fictional character biography:Agamemnon is a half-human and half-Asgardian god...
's capture of the Olympus Group headquarters, she escaped her cell. She found Athena weakened by Halfling's capture of the ambrosia
Ambrosia
In ancient Greek mythology, ambrosia is sometimes the food or drink of the Greek gods , often depicted as conferring ageless immortality upon whoever consumes it...
of the gods, but was convinced not to kill Athena, and instead found herself allied with the goddess to repel the invaders. She defeated Pantheon member Atalanta
Atalanta (Pantheon)
Atalanta is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.Atalanta is a member of the super hero family the Pantheon. Atalanta is an excellent archer and uses arrows and a bow made out of pure energy.-Fictional character biography:...
in combat, and then joined Cho in defeating Halfling himself and rescuing Hercules. The two then kissed and officially became a couple.
Powers and abilities
Delphyne is a skilled martial artist and combatant, capable of knocking over Hercules through effective application of technique, rather than through sheer strength. Unlike most Gorgons in fiction, she does not possess the ability to turn people to stone, something she says only flows through the line of Medusa Gorgon. Her snake-like hair can inject victims with an incredibly deadly poison through their fangs. Also her snake-like hair is strong enough to hold up all of her body weight without much effort.External links
- Delphyne Gorgon at Marvel Wiki
- Delphyne Gorgon at Comic BookDatabase
- Interview with Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente on upcoming stories