Their self-titled series ended in May 2008, after 25 issues and a two-year run, but the team appeared in the Reign in Hell[2] miniseries three months later.[3]
History
The group is founded on a spur of the moment impulse by Enchantress, Ragman, and Detective Chimp to get rid of the Spectre because of his decision to destroy all magic in the universe.[4] They are joined by Blue Devil, Nightshade, and Nightmaster, who christens the group the "Shadowpact".[5]
During the course of the story, it is revealed by the wizard Shazam that the name "Shadowpact" has been used repetitively throughout history by groups of mystics who champion lost causes.[6]
In their fight with the Spectre, the group is aided by others such as the Phantom Stranger, who advises Detective Chimp when he has been transformed into a rodent; Captain Marvel; the wizard Shazam; and Black Alice. At the end of the limited series, only the six core members remain with the team. The Phantom Stranger, returning to human form, continues to advise the group. Captain Marvel is defeated by the Spectre as he tries to defend the Rock of Eternity. The wizard Shazam is also defeated by the Spectre. Black Alice, after witnessing the final battle on the Rock from afar with the Shadowpact, leaves to be with her father in Dayton, Ohio, without formally joining the team.
The debris from the Rock of Eternity falls as far as El Paso, Texas. There, the Shadowpact leaps into action when half a skyscraper begins to fall. Superman saves the day, repairing the building at super-speed. The Shadowpact assures him they will stay and protect El Paso. Behind them, unnoticed, the Blue Beetle scarab is found by a teenager named Jaime Reyes.
Some time afterward, the Shadowpact helps Robin in rounding up meta-humans in Blüdhaven, right before the city is destroyed. During the adventure, they are again aided by another magic-based hero, the Warlock's Daughter.[7]
The Shadowpact are headquartered in the Oblivion Bar, a hangout for mystics with a secret entrance in Gotham City. Jim Rook was the owner of the bar. During the team's one-year absence (see below), a flipper-armed conjurer named Eddie Deacon took over. Deacon retains ownership, despite Rook's return. Rook works to reclaim the bar by not advising Deacon how to run it; for example, Deacon does not know the code to dial earthly phones. The Shadowpact does not take the bar by force, for Deacon has the ability to telekinetically squeeze small things, such as airways.
In Day of Vengeance: Infinite Crisis Special #1, the Shadowpact members join other magic users in trying to rebuild the Rock of Eternity after it shatters over Gotham City. Under the guidance of the Phantom Stranger, the gathered heroes split into three groups: one led by Zatanna to gather and reassemble all the pieces of the Rock and its contents; one to act as bait for the Seven Deadly Sins; and one, composed of the Phantom Stranger and the Shadowpact, to actually trap the Sins. The plan works well, with Zatanna’s team making relatively short work of the retrieval and reconstruction. After capturing Greed, Nightshade is attacked and abducted by Felix Faust and the Demons Three, who deliver her to Alexander Luthor Jr., who incorporates her into his multiverse power battery.
With the Rock of Eternity restored, Zatanna tells Captain Marvel that he will have to remain inside it to make sure the wild magic it holds remains contained. While the Rock is being restored, Nabu, the last Lord of Order, confronts the Spectre. He goads the Spectre to the point where the Spectre kills him. This act has two results. First, it forces the Presence to notice what the Spectre has been doing and place him in a new host, Crispus Allen. Second, it signals the end of the Ninth Age of Magic and the Dawn of the Tenth. Making it to the Rock, Nabu has time before he dies to explain to the heroes what has happened to the Spectre, and to charge Detective Chimp with choosing a new Doctor Fate. Finding that the Helm of Fate does not fit him, Detective Chimp gives it to Captain Marvel to throw from the Rock and let it fall to Earth, letting fate itself choose the new Doctor Fate.
A Shadowpact ongoing series saw publication in May 2006. The team is now operating out of the back of the Oblivion Bar.
In the first arc, a villain group known as the Pentacle, whose members mirror the Shadowpact, is introduced. The Pentacle, led by the sorceress Strega, forms a nearly impenetrable shield of solid blood over Riverrock, Wyoming, and systematically begins to kill the townspeople as a means to summon Strega's master, the Lord of Light. The Shadowpact enter the town with the help of the Phantom Stranger. The Shadowpact is captured by the Pentacle, with the exception of Detective Chimp, who was taken away by Karnevil, who tortures him. In his magical imprisonment, the White Rabbit proposes to free the Shadowpact members so that the Nightmaster hones his skills and meet him on a future match. Nightmaster agrees, and following their release, Enchantress attacks White Rabbit because she distrusts him. After that, they find Chimp and overpower the Pentacle, the Enchantress breaks Strega’s spell, but the necromantic nature of the magic meant that to avoid having to kill anyone to undo the spell, she is forced to instead take one year (which passes immediately) from the life of everyone in the town.[8]
In their next storyline, the members of the Shadowpact have found themselves targeted by a whole host of villains including Blue Moon, the Wild Huntsman, and the Congregation. They are all following the orders of Doctor Gotham, a new villain who has spent millennia underground—claiming responsibility for Gotham's dark nature as he 'slept' under the city—and has now set his sights on getting rid of the Shadowpact. Strega has also been revealed to be his ally, and he was responsible for the previous threats that the Shadowpact thwarted. During this arc, Enchantress and Ragman are both turned into Hellhounds by the Wild Huntsman, and Nightshade, Blue Devil, and the Ragman are all blinded by the Congregation. Despite these injuries, the Shadowpact manage to force the Congregation to retreat.[9] With help from Madame Xanadu, they manage to cure their blinded teammates and, despite all their recent troubles, the Shadowpact now find themselves in a stronger position in the magical order. The Enchantress gained the possession of the Herne-Ramsgate Cauldron from Nightwitch, which gives the Shadowpact access to information on every magical creature in the DC Universe, while Detective Chimp and Nightmaster have studied tactical and superhero strategies in order to mold the Shadowpact into the best team possible. A part of this was writing the "Three Universal Laws of Superheroics", a tip of the hat to Isaac Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics, as recited by Detective Chimp.[10]
First Law: The lives and safety of innocent bystanders will always be protected. Second Law: The lives and safety of you (the superhero) and members of your team will be protected to the extent that it does not conflict with the First Law. Third Law: The lives and safety of all opponents will be protected to the extent that it does not conflict with the first two Laws.
Checkmate deputizes the Shadowpact in order for them to assist the Black Queen in infiltrating KOBRA. The team originally thinks this will be a one-time arrangement, but Checkmate's Black Queen informs them that they will serve Checkmate for as long as they are needed, to the annoyance of the Enchantress.[11]
"The Burning Age"
In the final storyline before the book was cancelled, the Phantom Stranger brings the Shadowpact teams of 1908 and 2108 to the present in order to combat the Sun King, revealed as the power behind Doctor Gotham. In the final battle, various Shadowpact teams from throughout history are united, fighting the Sun King in multiple time zones simultaneously.
After his defeat, the Phantom Stranger reveals that this has changed history and previous Shadowpacts are no longer remembered as failures.
Rory Regan, latest in a long line of redeemers who use the "Great Collector Artifact" to fight evil.[12]
Temporary members
Acheron
Professes to be a powerful ghost, but not in the Spectre's league.[13] He is able to create illusions and become intangible.
The Midnight Rider
Eli Stone, wields a pair of enchanted six-shooters he calls "Ghost Pistols" that only appear at night. Whoever or whatever is shot by them turns to stone and reverts to normal when the sun's rays shine down on them.[13]
Laura Fell (born Darla Aquista) is the former acolyte of Johnny Warlock. Laura and Johnny share the same power source and were both confined at the Dark Tower.[13]
The fallen angel and former member of the JLA who was sent by Heaven to kill Blue Devil, but joined as his replacement while Blue Devil sorted out his own issues.
Shadowpact of 1908
Adept
Mysterious master of occult knowledge.
The Civet
Catlike reflexes, and skilled in subterfuge.
The Fairy Queen
Empress of the wee folk.
Mister Meteor
Magically massive pugilist from Russia who gained his power from the Tunguska event.
Mrs. Prescott
Medium and psychic extraordinaire.
Shadowpact of 2108
Apalala
Buddhist dragon.
Brazen Man
Unearthed alchemical powerhouse.
Magus Eximius
The last word in 22nd century magic. Learned incantations of advanced temporal thaumatics and other magicks from his eventual lover, the Warlock's Daughter.
Miss Poltergeist
Teen angst made manifest, her psychic powers increase based upon her rage levels.
Revenant
Dangerous, destructive, and dead.
Sardonyxx
Exiled princess of a lost world, she wields a powerful scepter that can sense tracings of magical beings and their magical properties.
The Day of Vengeance storyline has also been collected into a single volume:
Day of Vengeance (collects Day of Vengeance #1–6, Action Comics #826, The Adventures of Superman #639, Superman (vol. 2) #216), 224 pages, December 2005, ISBN1-4012-0840-1[19]
Shazam, also known as The Wizard or Wizard Shazam, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Fawcett Comics and DC Comics, first appearing in Whiz Comics #2 created by C.C. Beck and Bill Parker. A major supporting character in Shazam! comic book titles, he often serves as the wise old man.
The Spectre is the name of several antiheroes who appear in American comic books published by DC Comics. The original version first appeared in More Fun Comics #52. The character was created by Jerry Siegel and Bernard Baily although some sources attribute creator credit solely to Siegel, limiting Baily to the artist assigned to the feature.
Giovanni "John" Zatara, simply called Zatara, is a fictional magician and superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Action Comics #1 in 1938 during the Golden Age of Comic Books, making him one of DC Comics' oldest characters.
Nightshade is a superhero appearing in media published by DC Comics. Created by David Kaler and Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in Captain Atom #82 originally published by Charlton Comics.
The Phantom Stranger is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, of unspecified paranormal origins, who battles mysterious and occult forces, sometimes under their Vertigo imprint. The character first appeared in an eponymous comics anthology published in August/September 1952.
Ragman, nicknamed the "tattered tatterdemalion of justice", is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He was originally created by writer Robert Kanigher and artist Joe Kubert in 1976. Originally presented as a man of Irish descent, the character was revised to have Jewish heritage and a connection to the Golem of Prague in a 1991 mini-series by Keith Giffen, Robert Loren Fleming, Pat Broderick, and Anthony Tollin. The same mini-series established Ragman's costume as a "Suit of Souls", and repeatedly drew him into conflict with mystical threats and granted him the power and skills of the souls it collected. The suit sometimes desired to collect new souls, forcing Ragman to exert great will if he didn't wish the suit to do so.
Day of Vengeance is a six-issue comic book limited series written by Bill Willingham, with art by Justiniano and Walden Wong, published in 2005 by DC Comics.
Madame Xanadu is a comic book mystic published by DC Comics. The character is identified with Nimue, the sorceress from Arthurian mythology made popular by Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur.
Detective Chimp is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. A common chimpanzee who wears a deerstalker cap, Detective Chimp has superhuman-level intelligence and solves crimes, often with the help of the Bureau of Amplified Animals, a group of intelligent animals that also includes Rex the Wonder Dog. He originally appeared in the final years of the Golden Age of Comic Books, continuing into the early years of the Silver Age.
Black Alice, real name Lori Zechlin, is a DC Comics character introduced in Birds of Prey #76. She uses her magical powers to prey on drug dealers in her hometown of Dayton, Ohio.
Rex the Wonder Dog is a fictional superhero dog in the DC Comics universe. Created in 1952 by Robert Kanigher of Wonder Woman fame and artist Alex Toth, Rex has sometimes been compared to Superman's dog Krypto, who was created three years later. While the two canine crime fighters do share some similarities, they are decidedly different.
The Enchantress is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Haney and Howard Purcell, the character made her first appearance in Strange Adventures #187. Dr. June Moone is a freelance artist who becomes possessed by an entity originally known only as The Succubus. The resulting merge resulted in the Enchantress, a powerful sorceress considered to be one of the most dangerous black magic practitioners in the DC Universe. She has since endured as the archenemy of the superhero Zatanna. The character has often been depicted as both a villain and anti-hero, establishing herself as a member of various teams such as Shadowpact, the Suicide Squad, and the Sentinels of Magic. In more recent continuities, she is often cast as an ally and adversary for the Justice League Dark and a recurring member of the Suicide Squad.
The Nightmaster is a fictional character, a sword and sorcery hero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Showcase #82, and was created by Denny O'Neil and Jerry Grandenetti.
Jim Corrigan is the name of three fictional characters that have appeared in numerous comic books published by DC Comics.
Day of Judgment is a multi-title DC Comics miniseries and crossover storyline during the autumn of 1999. The limited series was written by Geoff Johns, with art by Matthew Dow Smith.
The Warlock's Daughter is a fictional character appearing in the American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bill Willingham and Rick Mays, the Warlock's Daughter first appears in Robin #121.
Reign in Hell is a 2008-2009 comic book miniseries written by Keith Giffen, pencilled by Thomas Derenick, inked by Bill Sienkiewicz and published by DC Comics. The title is a reference to a line spoken by Lucifer in John Milton's epic poem Paradise Lost: "Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven".
The Pentacle, or Pentacle, is a DC Comics supervillain group, a team that served as counterparts to the superhero group, the Shadowpact. Created by Bill Willingham, the Pentacle first appeared in Shadowpact #1.
Blue Devil is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He first appeared in a special insert published in Fury of Firestorm #24. That story led directly into Blue Devil #1, also cover dated June 1984. He was created by Dan Mishkin, Gary Cohn, and Paris Cullins. The Blue Devil comic book ran for 31 issues and one annual. Blue Devil later appeared as a regular character in Shadowpact which ran for 25 issues.
Justice League Dark, or JLD, is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team made their debut in Justice League Dark #1. The team features some of the more supernatural characters in the DC Universe, handling mystical threats and situations deemed outside the scope of the traditional Justice League. Similarly to the Justice League title, the team features well-known characters such as John Constantine, Zatanna, Doctor Fate, and Wonder Woman while also bringing exposure to lesser-known supernatural characters. Two animated films were produced based on the team: Justice League Dark (2017) and Justice League Dark: Apokolips War (2020).
References
↑ Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Korte, Steve; Manning, Matt; Wiacek, Win; Wilson, Sven (2016). The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe. DK Publishing. p.268. ISBN978-1-4654-5357-0.
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