This could be a really stupid idea, but history has shown that what I consider stupid ideas end up getting a lot of support (Funkadelic Frankenstein, et al).

For my next fantasy world, I'm thinking about basing the deities on DC superheroes. It's important to realize that I don't mean this to be a parody. Nor should it be implied the the supposed "gods" are really the JLA off world-hopping again. Instead, it's me trying to tap into that part of our brain that holds pop-mythic archetypes. Yeah, pretentious Alan Moore and Grant Morrison stuff like that.

The Last Son
The patron of strength, truth, and honor. He is the only survivor from the previous incarnation of the universe. When the cosmos was reborn he ascended to godhood. The other gods were once mortals of the new universe. The Last Son exalted to the godhead.

The Guardian in Shadow
The ultimate monster-slayer, he protects humanity from the things that lurk in the night. Humanity lives in fear of monsters, but monsters live in fear of him.

The Queen of Warriors
Soldier without equal, she embodies the grace and beauty of martial prowess, as well as the tactical and diplomatic skills of the finest rulers.

The Sentinel Carrying Hope
He wanders the world carrying a lantern on a staff. The light of The Sentinel pierces all fog and shadow to bring hope and clarity to the world.

The Herald out of Time
Messenger and visionary. His roads are lightning and time. He sees everything before it happens and brings notice to the gods and premonitions to humanity.


Yeah, I'm shafting Aquaman. He should be used to it by now.

The other thing I like abut this set-up is that it avoids the standard fantasy trope of having a god of the sun, a god of the sky, a god of death, a god of this, a god of that, yadda yadda yadda... forced classifications.

L8on can probably give the correct story, but I think I remember Grant Morrison making a cryptic (or perhaps just drunken) remark about basing part of his run of JLA on the Greek gods.

Yeah, when he expanded it from 7 members to 12. Huntress was brought in just to be Artemis, and Steel was brought in to be Hephaestus. Those were the easy ones--some of the other parallels were less obvious.

Also, JB, good work on making the Flash into something other than just Hermes.

L8on wrote:
Yeah, when he expanded it from 7 members to 12. Huntress was brought in just to be Artemis, and Steel was brought in to be Hephaestus. Those were the easy ones--some of the other parallels were less obvious.

Supes=Zeus
Bats=Hades
Aquaman = Poseidon
Wonder Woman = Hera
Flash = Hermes
Green Lantern = Apollo
Martian Manhunter = Ares (?--the Roman name fits)
Huntress = Artemis
Steel = Hephaestus
Plastic Man = Dionysus (???)

Who am I missing?

Aprodite & Athena are the two goddesses that you didn't mention. I have no idea who were their corresponding JLAers. Maybe Big Barda was Athena? No clue on Aphrodite.