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Revision as of 07:49, 8 September 2006 by J Greb (talk | contribs) (Consolidate redundant information)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)| Shadowpact | |
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 Cover to Shadowpact #1 by Bill Willingham | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Day of Vengeance # 1 (June 2005) |
| Created by | Bill Willingham |
| In-story information | |
| Base(s) | Oblivion Bar |
The Shadowpact is a group of magic-based heroes who fought against the Spectre in the 2005 limited series Day of Vengeance, published by DC Comics. 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. They are joined by Blue Devil, Nightshade, and Nightmaster, that latter christening the group the "Shadowpact".
During the course of the story, it is revealed by the wizard Shazam that the name “Shadowpact” has been used repetitively through history by groups of mystics who champion lost causes and who are doomed to failure.
In their fight with the Spectre, the group is aided by others: the Phantom Stranger, who advised the Detective Chip even though he had been transformed into a rat; Captain Marvel; the wizard Shazam; and Black Alice. At the end of the limited series though, 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. And 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.
Some time afterwards, the Shadowpact helpes 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.
Day of Vengeance Special
The core team is joined by large group of individuals to assist in the reconstruction of the Rock of Eternity. These individuals are:
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In the Day of Vengeance Special, the Shadowpact members join in trying to rebuild the Rock of Eternity after it shattered over Gotham City. Under the guidance of the Phantom Stranger, the gathered heroes are split into three groups: one lead 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, though they are told they will be hunting the 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. And the Sins do indeed take the bait:
- Pride taking over Valda to be captured by Nightmaster;
- Lust taking over Witchfire to be captured by Blue Devil;
- Envy taking over Doctor Occult to be captured by Enchantress;
- Greed taking over Sala to be captured by Nightshade;
- Rage taking over Freedom Beast to be captured by Ragman;
- Sloth taking over Rex to be captured by the Detective Chimp; and
- Gluttony taking over Jennifer Morgan to be captured by the Phantom Stranger.
After capturing Greed, Nightshade is attacked and abducted by Felix Faust and the Demons Three before she can rejoin the others. Faust and the Demons deliver her to Alexander Luthor who incorporates her, along with others, as the power source to recreate the multiverse.
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 and the Dawn of the Tenth.
Making it to the Rock, Nabu has time before he passes to explain to the heroes what has happened to the Spectre and to charge the Detective Chimp with choosing a new Doctor Fate. Finding that the Helm of Fate doesn’t fit him, the Detective Chip gives it to Captain Marvel to throw from the Rock and let it fall to Earth, letting fate chose the new Doctor Fate.
Shadowpact Series
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 is introduced with members mirroring the Shadowpact:
- Strega, who had previously appeared in Martian Manhunter #23, where her name was given as Anna Marie Borgia. She can raise zombies and possesses magic abilities strong enough to keep Superman at bay. She wears a Phantom of the Opera mask over her left eye while her appearance is similar to Enchantress save that her main color is red.
- Bagman appears to be a green creature who can turn from docile to mean in a matter of seconds. He can stretch his body like goo and uses it to absorb and/or eat people; he's Ragman's counterpart.
- Karnevil is a sociopath, enjoying both killing and torturing things. According to his team-mates, he was cast out of Hell because he was scaring the staff. He wears a mask over a suit similar to a boyscout's uniform; he is Detective Chimp's counterpart.
- Sister Shadow is a pale-skinned girl who uses shadow magic to turn into powerful creatures; she is Nightshade's counterpart.
- Jack of Fire looks like a cross between Blue Devil and Hellboy with control over fire and a bandanna over his mouth. He claims that Blue Devil's deal in which he became a Demon applied to his entire family, despite the fact that Blue Devil doesn't recall having a brother. This has been dismissed by the Shadowpact as a lie.
- White Rabbit is Nightmaster's counterpart and wields a magic sword that can put people to sleep with one nick. He appears as an albino with sunglasses looking similar to the Corinthian.
The Pentacle formed an impenetrable shield of solid blood over an American town, and had the townspeople killed periodically, reminiscent of The Lottery, as a means to summon Strega's master the Lord of Light. The Shadowpact infiltrated the town, but the villains put a 'fluence on the heroes to split up and get individually ambushed. They were trapped in the town for a year, but no time passed for them. The Phantom Stranger arranged for DC's mystic heroes to stand a watch at the shield. Strega refused to sacrifice the Shadowpact; the summoning she plans calls for normal humans and she does not wish to imperil it. However, Detective Chimp was stronger than his counterpart, and he freed the team, aided by the White Rabbit, who refused to follow Strega's institutionalised bloodletting because it went against his credo. The team broke the spell and the Pentacle escaped. However, with the bubble gone, the team suddenly gained beards and long hair. It seems that Enchantress had taken a year off of everyone inside the dome to break it, but a real year has passed outside the town.