 | This article describes a work or element of fiction in a primarily in-universe style. (November 2010) |
| Hell | |
|---|---|
&sq=&lang=&file=File:Infernaldominionsdcu0.jpg) Map of the Entire Infernal Dominion from Reign in Hell #1 (September 2008), art by Tom Derenick and Bill Sienkiewiecz | |
| First appearance | Swamp Thing Annual #2 (1985) |
| Created by | Alan Moore (writer), Stan Woch, Alfredo Alcala (artists) |
| In-universe information | |
| Type | Dimension |
| Race(s) | DC Comics Fallen angels, demons, imps, incubi, succubi, dybbuk, the Abortives, the Arkannone, the Exegesis Guild, the Forges, the Howlers, the Incendiaries, the Necro-Mages, the Renderers, the Rhyming Demons, the Scabbies and the Wishweavers Vertigo Fallen angels, demons, lilim, djinn ("genies") |
| Locations | Purgatory, Limbo |
| Characters | DC Comics Asmodel Belial Blaze Etrigan the Demon Neron Satanus Trigon Vertigo Azazel Beelzebub the First of the Fallen Lucifer Mazikeen |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
Hell (a.k.a. Gehenna, Hades, Hel, Jahannam, Sheol and Tartarus) is a fictional location, an infernal Underworld utilized in various American comic book stories published by DC Comics. It is the locational antithesis of the Silver City in Heaven. The DC Comics location known as Hell is heavily based on its depiction in Abrahamic mythology. Although several versions of Hell had briefly appeared in other DC Comics publications in the past, the official DC Comics concept of Hell was first properly established when it was mentioned in The Saga of the Swamp Thing (vol. 2) #25–27 (June–August 1984) and was first seen in Swamp Thing Annual #2 (1985), all of which were written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Stephen Bissette and John Totleben.
The hierarchy of Hell, specifically the triumvirate of Lucifer, Azazel, and Beelzebub, was first referred to in John Constantine, Hellblazer #12 (December 1988) ("The Devil You Know..." (page 6) by Jamie Delano and Richard Piers Rayner) and first appeared in The Sandman (vol. 2) #4 (April 1989) ("A Hope in Hell" by Neil Gaiman and Sam Kieth). In the story, Lucifer had been forced to accept the position of the ruler of Hell due to the disruption caused by the Great Evil Beast's attack on Creation during the Crisis on Infinite Earths in the 16-part storyline "American Gothic" in Swamp Thing (vol. 2) #35–50 (April 1985–July 1986). John Constantine, Hellblazer, would also later add in the First of the Fallen, who preceded Lucifer and his failed rebellion in Heaven. In Who's Who in the DC Universe #11 (July 1991), the entry on "Hell's Hierarchy" included all the elements of Gaiman's version, plus John Constantine the Hellblazer's demonic enemy Nergal, Agony and Ecstasy the Slave-Twins of the Inquisition,[1] Asteroth,[2] Abaddon the Destroyer, Morax and Superman's demonic enemy Blaze, who, along with her brother Satanus, came to rule Hell in the eight-issue miniseries Reign in Hell (September 2008–April 2009, also including DC Universe Special: Reign in Hell #1 (August 2008).