ZOROASTER

Real Name: Zoroaster

Identity/Class: Magically enhanced terrestrial spider

Occupation: Enforcer of Diabolique

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Diabolique (creator, mistress)

Enemies: Vengeance

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Mobile; active in Brooklyn, New York

First Appearance: Darkhold#10 (June, 1993)

Powers: Zoroaster can grow to enormous size and strength. It can regenerate lost limbs, and is immune to hellfire. Its strength and ability is presumably directly related to the amount of power Diabolique has amassed. In its encounter with Vengeance it appeared to have Class 25-50 strength.

History:
(Darkhold#10) - Zoroaster is apparently an ordinary spider mutated by the witch-child, Diabolique.

(Marvel Comics Presents I#160-163) - Vengeance was battling her other creation, Playmate, when Diabolique sensed the demon sorceress Salome', and wished to find her. Diabolique took Playmate with her and sent Zoroaster to attack Vengeance. Vengeance was unable to gain any headway against it, until he managed to throw it in front of a subway train. It was so weakened after this impact that Vengeance was able to beat it to death. Vengeance brought its form back to Diabolique, shocking her, and then attacked her again.

Comments: Created by Chris Cooper and Rurik Tyler.

I'm sure Diabolique can create another Zoroaster any time she feels the urge.

Background information on the name Zoroaster, courtesy of Per Degaton:
"Zoroaster was a historical Iranian religious leader.
Zoroastrianism is a small religion with about 140,000 members. Yet its importance to humanity is much greater than its current numbers might suggest, because: Their theology has had a great impact on Judaism, Christianity and other later religions, in the beliefs surrounding God and Satan, the soul, heaven and hell, savior, resurrection, final judgment, etc.
It is one of the oldest religions still in existence, It may have been the first monotheistic religion.
      Thus, the Zoroaster story influenced the Jesus story.  The story of Jesus eventually decimated Zoroastorianism; in the seventh century AD, Arabs who were Muslims (and thus believed in the virgin birth of Jesus) invaded Persia, and that spelled more or less the end of Zoroastorianism.
Indeed, much of what later became known as Muslim culture, architecture, writing and other skills, were taken from the Persians into the rest of the Semitic speaking world
Persia is today a fanatical Muslim nation called Iran.
http://www.religioustolerance.org/
ZARATHUSTRA AND HIS INFLUENCE ON CHRISTIANITY
The Persians built vast and very good roads for the efficient administration of their huge empire, but are probably best remembered for their religion called Zoroastrianism. Founded by a prophet named Zarathustra, the basic religious concept of a never ending battle between good and evil supernatural powers, was later plagiarized by the early Christians (AND BY MARVEL COMICS, FOR THAT MATTER!) and worked into the biblical New Testament (the concepts of heaven and hell are not mentioned at all in the Christian Old Testament)."

In addition, according to Rahf Tzeenj, Zarathustra is the topic of the same-titled book by Neitszche or the classical musical piece {the famous theme music from "2001:A Space Oddyssy"} "Also Sprach Zarathustra."
Further, Zoroastrianism (itself sharing a common origin with Hinduism) also features a deity that Conan fans may have familiarity with: Mitra (aka Mithra and Mithras), whose worship originated in Hinduism, spread to the Zoroastrians and eventually made its way in to ancient Rome, eventually becoming the main rival of Christianity during the Holy Roman Empire days.  Later Mitra myths even show him succeeding Zeus/Jupiter as head of the Roman pantheon.

Zoroaster is pictured in Diabolique's entry in Mystic Arcana: The Book of Marvel Magic.

Clarifications:
No known connections to:

images: (without ads)
Marvel Comics Presents#161, p8, pan6 (main image)

Appearances:
Darkhold#10 (July, 1993) - Chris Cooper (writer), Rurik Tyler (pencils), Bob Downs (inks), Hildy Mesnik (editor)
Marvel Comics Presents I#160-163 (early August-late September, 1994) - Chris Cooper (writer), Reggie Jones (pencils), Fred Harper (inks), Richard Ashford (editor)

Last updated: 01/11/04

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

All characters mentioned or pictured are ™  and © 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com

Back to Characters