Hera

HERA

Real Name: Hera

Class: God (Olympian Gods)

Occupation: Queen of the Olympian Gods, goddess of marriage

Group Affiliation: None

Known Relatives: Amphirite (cousin, sister-in-law), Aphrodite (stepdaughter), Apollo (stepson), Ares (son), Arion (niece), Artemis (stepdaughter), Asclepis (stepgrandson), Athena (stepdaughter), Atlas (cousin), Benthesikyme (niece), Chiron (half-brother), Circe (first cousin once removed), Crius (uncle), Coeus (uncle), Cronus (father), Deimos ((grandson), Demeter (sister), Despoena (niece), Dionysus (stepson), Eileithyia (daughter), Eos (cousin), Eprimetheus (cousin), Eris (daughter), Eros (grandson), Eurynome (cousin), Gaea (grandmother), Graces (stepdaughters), Hades (cousin-in-law, brother), Harmonia (granddaughter), Hebe (daughter), Hecate (cousin), Helen of Troy (stepdaughter), Helios (cousin), Hephaestus (son), Hercules (stepson), Hermes (son), Hestia (sister), Horae (stepdaughters), Hyperion (uncle), Iapetus (uncle), Leto (cousin), Maia (first cousin once removed), Metis (cousin), Moirae (stepdaughters), Mnemosyne (aunt), Muses (stepdaughters), Oceanus (uncle), Ophion (cousin), Ouranos (grandfather, deceased), Pan (stepgrandson), Pandia (stepdaughter), Persephone (stepdaughter, niece), Perseus (stepson), Phobos (grandson), Phoebe (aunt), Plute (half-sister), Poseidoin (cousin-in-law, brother), Prometheus (cousin), Rhea (mother), Rhode (niece), Selene (cousin), Tethys (aunt), Theia (aunt), Themis (aunt), Thetis (cousin), Triton (nephew), Zeus (husband, brother), Cassandra Sandsmark (Wonder Girl, stepdaughter)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Mount Olympus

First Appearance: All-Star Comics I #8 (January, 1942)

Powers: Like all Olympian gods, Hera was extremely-long lived, and possessed vast superhuman strength and durability.

History: (Jack Kirby’s Fourth World #1 (fb)) - The destruction of the Old Gods sent a godwave from the Source that struck Earth. The gods of the Greeks would be born from this godwave and usher in the Third World.

(Who’s Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #17 ) - Hera was one of the goddesses born to the Titans Rhea and Kronos. Zeus and his siblings Poseidon and Hades overthrew the Titans, and cast lots to determine how they would rule the Earth. Zeus drew the sky, Poseidon the sea, and Hades the underworld, with the land and Mount Olympus as common territory for them all. Hera married her brother Zeus, king of all other gods, becoming queen of Olympus, and bore him the god children Ares and Hephaestus. The Olympian gods were worshipped by the Greeks, and Hera became a patron deity of the Amazonians.

(Sea Devils #14) - The Olympian gods mocked Hercules, telling him his might was great, but he was still mortal and beneath the lowliest of gods. Hercules approached Zeus and asked him to grant him godhood, promising to perform any might task he desired. Zeus told him he’d be made a god if he defeated Neptune by nightfall, knowing full well the god of the sea was too mighty for him to handle. Hercules was in despair, but Hera took pity on him, and gave him magic seaweed that boosted his strength and let him breath underwater. Hercules traveled to Earth’s seas and attacked Neptune without warning. Neptune wanted no part of the fight, but Hercules wouldn’t relent. Their fight passed by a sea carnival held by the Sea Devils, who were going to award a crown of king of the sea to whoever could catch a sea serpent at large. The Devils knew the sea would fall into chaos if Neptune fell, but Hercules’ wounded pride would be just as bad if he were defeated, so they set about delaying the fight, roping Hercules, leading him into the tentacles of a man ‘o war, and rolling boulders on him from a seamount. Night fell, and the giants were at a standstill, so Hercules lost by default. Hercules vowed to destroy the Devils for costing him godhood. The sea serpent appeared and attacked the Devils, but Hercules easily dispatched it, saying the Devils belonged to him. The Devils awarded him the king of the sea crown, and he was so touched that he said he’d wear it with pride in Olympus.

Comments: Adapted to comics by William Moulton Marston.

Hera received a profile in Who’s Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #17 and Who’s Who Update ‘87 #4 under the Olympian Gods entry.

Hera was a goddess of classic Greek mythology. For more information visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hera.

Hera had a cameo in Swamp Thing II #75.