PHOEBUS

Real Name: Phoebus

Identity/Class: Olympian immortal

Occupation: Olympian god, occasional arena fighter

Group Membership: Olympians

Affiliations: Hercules (Heracles), Thor (Thor Odinson) Zeus

Enemies: Ares (though he was unaware of Ares’ hand in his turning to crystal)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: “The Golden God” (name called by Hercules)

Base of Operations: Olympus

First Appearance: (unidentified): Avengers I#50 (March, 1968);
(identified): Avengers I#100 (June, 1972)

Powers/Abilities: Phoebus had the same superhuman physical attributes shared by all Olympians. Other than his strength, resistance and endurance (all allowing him to go toe-to-toe with Hercules), he did not display any other superhuman abilities.

Height: 6'6" (by approximation)
Weight: 330 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: Unrevealed
Hair: Blonde

History: (Avengers I#50) - Following the defeat of the Titan Typhon, Phoebus joined the other Olympians in a celebration, at which he played the harp.

(Avengers I#100) – In Olympus’ Arena of Immortals, Phoebus battled Hercules as part of a fighting tournament held to entertain Zeus. During the battle, Ares secretly plunged the Ebony Blade into Olympus’ Promethean Flame (which grants Olympians their immortality), transforming all Olympians into crystal. As Hercules began to gain the upper hand, he noticed that Phoebus had become slow and sluggish. When Hercules laid the finishing punch into Phoebus, he shattered the now-crystalized Phoebus, killing him.






(Thor I#301) - Somehow restored, Phoebus was playing the harp when the Asgardian Thor arrived in Olympus seeking a portion of the Olympians' power to restore his father Odin and Asgard itself.

Comments: Created by Roy Thomas and John Buscema.

Despite similarities and even Hercules referring to Phoebus as the Golden God, the Official Marvel Index to the Avengers I#5 (April, 1988) clarifies that this Phoebus is not the same character as Phoebus Apollo. The Index issue also establishes that the blonde god with a harp in Avengers I#50 was an unidentified Phoebus and that he also appeared unidentified in Thor I#301.

Phoebus' eye color was impossible to determine as he was only ever seen either squinting or in a suit of armor.

Profile by Proto-Man.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Phoebus should not be confused with

images: (without ads)
Avengers I#100, p9, pan3 (main image)
Avengers I#100, p9, pan1 (headshot)
Avengers I#50, p19, pan3 (Phoebus without armor)
Thor I#301, p11, pan3 (restored Phoebus in yellow & white outfit)

Appearances:
Avengers I#50 (March, 1968) - Roy Thomas (writer), John Buscema (art), Stan Lee (editor)
Avengers I#100 (June, 1972) – Roy Thomas (writer), Barry Windsor-Smith (pencils, inks), Joe Sinnott, Syd Shores (inks), Stan Lee (editor)
Thor I#301 (November, 1980) - Mark Gruenwald, Ralph Macchio (writers), Keith Pollard, Chic Stone (art), Jim Salicrup (editor)

First Posted: 04/04/2013
Last updated: 12/07/2019

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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