Circe

CIRCE

Real Name: Circe

Class: Human magic-user

Occupation: Sorceress

Group Affiliation: formerly Injustice Gang

Known Relatives: Lyta (daughter)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Unrevealed

First Appearance: Wonder Woman I #305 (July, 1983)

Powers: Circe's spells included teleportation, casting illusions and the ability to mentally control men or turn them into animals.

History: Circe traded her soul to the Greek goddess Hecate in exchange for powerful magical abilities. She became legendary for luring sailors and turning them into animals. She also killed Antiope, the co-ruler of the Amazons.

Circe set Antiope's lost tribe of Amazons against Thymyscira's Amazons, and was only defeated when the two tribes of women formed an uneasy alliance.

(Sea Devils #3) - The Sea Devils went diving, with Judy bickering with her male companions, who thought no men could become as helpless as a woman smitten in love. They were caught in a maelstrom, and delivered to the underwater lair of the legendary Circe. Circe enraptured the men, who started fighting over her, and even Judy couldn’t get them to stop. Circe demanded the men bring her gifts from the deep-sea, with the best treasure being rewarded by a kiss. The men risked their lives to find treasure, and Dane won the contest with an antique mirror encrusted with pearls. Circe beckoned him for a kiss, and he removed his breathing mask and scuba tank, sealing his doom. Judy got a hold of him, and used the buddy breathing system to save his life. This heroism snapped the Devils out of their euphoria, and they fled. Circe was angered by the men leaving, and set a sea serpent on them, but their teamwork allowed them to survive.

Circe disguised herself as a mortal named Donna Milton with the intent of betraying Wonder Woman. Circe felt so completed by her mortal life that she forgot about her plan of revenge and truly became Wonder Woman's friend.

(Demon III #17) - Klarion was on Paradise Island looking to cause mischief, and witnessed Circe slay Wonder Woman. Her soul was headed to the Halls of the Dead, but Klarion cast a spell diverting her soul to the Beyond Region. Wonder Woman's soul was able to escape from the Beyond Region with the help of the Thing-That Cannot Die.

(JLA #9-12, 15) - Luthor used the brainwashed Jemm and the Philosopher’s Stone to mentally manipulate a number of villains, including Circe, so that they would work for him as the Injustice Gang. Circe found Green Arrow II in a diner and used her magic to coerce him into coming back with her to Injustice Gang’s hq. Green Arrow revealed that he was only pretending to be under Circe’s control. The JLA defeated the Injustice Gang and took the Philosopher’s Stone away from Luthor.

(Secret Files President Luthor #1) - Circe forced her way into the White House and offered President Luthor her services as both a sorceress and a lover. Luthor said she was never anything but a pawn to him and demanded she leave immediately. Circe threatened him, but nonetheless left in tears. A mysterious man came up to her and told her Luthor was a fool for rejecting her, and she would be much better off partnering off with him.

(JLA Secret Files 2004) - Circe gave two would-be sorceresses the mission of finding a blood relative of Adolph Hitler and sacrificing him. Hitler was the last person to control the Spear of Destiny, and through a blood sacrifice Circe could to locate the Spear. Circe’s lackeys were foiled by the Justice League Elite, as was Circe when she made a desperate attempt to open up a magical gateway to the Spear by spilling her own blood.

Comments: Adapted to comics by Dan Mishkin and Gene Colan.

Circe is based on the Greek mythological character that was prominently featured in Homer's Odyssey. Read more about the mythological Circe at Wikipedia.

Circe had a cameo in Martian Manhunter II #13.

Circe’s appearance in Sea Devils #3 was reprinted in Action Comics I #443.

Pre-Crisis Circe received a profile in Who's Who: the Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #5. Post-Crisis Circe received profiles in Who's Who in the DC Universe #4 and Wonder Woman Secret Files #1.

CIRCE (pre-Crisis)

(Superman’s Girl Friend Lois Lane #40) - <500 B.C.> Circe courted the hero Achilles, but her advances were spurned. When Achilles went to battle a dragon she warned him he would die if he didn’t marry her and let her use magic to make him fully invulnerable. Her prediction proved false due to the interference of the time-traveling Lois Lane, who saved Achilles from death. Achilles then proposed to Lois and in a fit of jealousy Circe used her magic to return Lois Lane to present day Metropolis.