COUNT ABYSS' STRONGHOLD

Classification: Extradimensional (Egolix) castle

Creator: Presumably Count Abyss (Milos Abyss)

First Appearance: Warlock and the Infinity Watch#14 (March, 1993)

Powers/Abilities/Functions: The stronghold was the former residence of Count Abyss and his consort Maya, and it contained his viewing room, including a viewing device, as well as a dining room, leisure room, a room of tomes (possibly the same as the viewing room), a dungeon, and the pathway to the Zalkor.

History:
(Warlock and the Infinity Watch#29 (fb) - BTS) <Ten years before the main story> - Count Abyss came upon Egolix-7, easily conquering the Egolans and taking the teenage princess Maya as his consort.

(Warlock and the Infinity Watch#23 (fb) - BTS) - Count Abyss periodically excused himself from Maya. She knew not where he went as he traveled via a mystic passageway to confront the Zalkor, who recharged Abyss' power.

(Warlock and the Infinity Watch#14) - Observing Gamora of the Infinity Watch (and holder of the Infinity Gem of Time, aka the Time Gem) via a mystic screen in his stronghold, Abyss told Maya of the Gems, and of his particular interest in the Soul Gem.

(Warlock and the Infinity Watch#16 - BTS) - Abyss sent a group of his shadow creatures (to Monster Island to assault the Infinity Watch. After Warlock defeated the creatures, Abyss appeared in a vision and demanded Warlock to give him the Soul Gem or risk his own life; Warlock refused.

(Warlock and the Infinity Watch#23) - Abyss visited the Zalkor and commanded that he give him what he sought. 

(Warlock and the Infinity Watch#25) - As Maya sat for a meal, Abyss bragged to Maya how he would use the wine (empowered by the Zalkor) to put Adam Warlock in his power. 

(Warlock and the Infinity Watch#26) - From a room containing numerous tomes, Abyss instructed Maya about the antidote to the potion she was to take, and he then sent her to Monster Island to institute his plan. 

(Warlock and the Infinity Watch#28) - Via his viewing device, Abyss was enraged to learn that Maya lay unconscious (having been punched out on arrival by a Man-Beast-controlled Hercules) and had not been able to act out on his instructions as yet. 

(Warlock and the Infinity Watch#29) - As the Maya carried out Abyss' plot, he watched from his viewing device, amused by the fact that there actually was no antidote.

(Warlock and the Infinity Watch#30) - Abyss sent his minions Monster Island to assault the Infinity Watch and, during the distraction, Abyss himself appeared and abducted Maya back to his fortress. He knew Warlock would travel to his realm to try to free Maya, but he also knew his own powers would allow him to overpower the Infinity Gem-wielders in his own realm.

(Warlock and the Infinity Watch#31) - Using the Orb of Eternity, Adam Warlock learned of Count Abyss' origins and attempted to surprise Abyss by confronting him in his own dimension.

(Warlock and the Infinity Watch#32) - Within Abyss' stronghold, Maya attempted to kill herself so that Warlock would not risk himself for her, but Abyss easily stopped her. Abyss then returned to the Zalkor, recharging his power so that he would be at his peak. Abyss defeated the members of the Infinity Watch as well as their allies Darklore and Meer'lyn. Ultimately, Abyss wrested the Soul Gem from Warlock.

(Warlock and the Infinity Watch#33) - Maya delivered food to the prisoners in the dungeon, but found Abyss' power 

From Abyss' fortress, Darklore and Warlock weakened Abyss and banished him to a distant dimension.

(Warlock and the Infinity Watch#33 (fb) - BTS) - Darklore returned Abyss' former servants to normal, and Maya was named as ruler of Egolix-7, with Darklore at her side as her king. 

(Warlock and the Infinity Watch#33) - After a brief celebration, the Infinity Watch returned to Earth.

(Warlock and the Infinity Watch#34) - Maya and Darklore were wed, unknowingly observed from a distance by the lovesick Warlock via the Orb of Infinity.

Comments: Created by Jim Starlin, Angel Medina, and Bob Almond.

    I definitely enjoy Tom Grindberg and Patrick Olliffe's art, but Angel Medina (especially as inked by Bob Almond) really had awesome detail in the two pages of Abyss (and his stronghold) and Maya.

    I think it is highly likely that the scenes at the end of Warlock and the Infinity Watch#33 and the wedding of Maya in Warlock and the Infinity Watch#34 are taking place just outside of Abyss' stronghold, but that is not confirmed. You can see those images in the Egolans and Egolix profiles. 
    There is at least one other image of Abyss' stronghold in the Egolix profile.

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Count Abyss' stronghold should be distinguished from:

Although he lacked a soul, Abyss may still have eaten. However, he was not actually shown to eat. Regardless, when seen, the dining room was covered with enough food for several people. (Warlock and the Infinity Watch#25) - As Maya sat for a meal, Abyss bragged to Maya how he would use the wine (empowered by the Zalkor) to put Adam Warlock in his power. (Warlock and the Infinity Watch#32) - Count Abyss met with Darklore and Meer'lyn while seated at his dinner table. Darklore attacked, but Abyss subdued the pair. --Warlock and the Infinity Watch#25 (32

Abyss' dungeon was a stone chamber within chains to restrain prisoners. Its source of lighting was unrevealed, but perhaps was associated with Abyss' power. (Warlock and the Infinity Watch#33 (fb) - BTS) - After being defeated by Count Abyss, the Infinity Watch and Darklore were imprisoned in Abyss' stronghold's dungeon (Warlock and the Infinity Watch#33) - Abyss sent Maya to bring food to the prisoners, presumably at least in part because he wished to demonstrate the barrier he had created that would prevent Warlock and Maya -- who had been driven madly in love by a Zalkor-powered potion -- from touching one another.      Before Maya could warn him, Warlock rushed to her, and was knocked down to the ground by the backlash.      With Abyss believing he had destroyed Meer'lyn, Darklore's magical familiar flew to the prison and delivered to him the magical talisman, with which he planned to banish Abyss extradimensionally to separate him from the source of his power, the Zalkor. Meer'lyn the freed Darklore and the Watch members, after which they departed to confront Abyss. --Warlock and the Infinity Watch#33

This room had couches and tables, adorned with a monstrous-styled fireplace/torch and various other monstrous statues. (Warlock and the Infinity Watch#23) - As Maya reclined on a couch with a glass of wine, Abyss excused himself (secretly departing to visit the Zalkor and recharge his powers) --Warlock and the Infinity Watch#23

Needing to periodically recharge his powers via the Zalkor, Abyss had a series of passages that led him there. Starting with a hidden door, he descended a stairway, left through a well-like pit into a cavern below, and finally mystically opened a pair of immense doors that brought him into the chamber of the Zalkor. --Warlock and the Infinity Watch#23

This may or may not be a separate room from the viewing room, which also contains some books...perhaps the viewing room is very large, or this is just another room altogether. (Warlock and the Infinity Watch#26) - From a room containing numerous tomes, Abyss instructed Maya about the antidote to the potion she was to take, and he then sent her to Monster Island to institute his plan.  (Warlock and the Infinity Watch#33) - Abyss resisted the vampiric influence of the Soul Gem, keeping it in a special device and making himself its master in short order. --Warlock and the Infinity Watch#26 (33

Contained within his "viewing room," which contained numerous other artifacts and tomes, the viewing device allowed Count Abyss to easily monitor others in different dimensions. The viewing device stood on a central (Warlock and the Infinity Watch#14) - Observing Gamora of the Infinity Watch (and holder of the Infinity Gem of Time, aka the Time Gem) via a mystic screen in his stronghold, Abyss told Maya of the Gems, and of his particular interest in the Soul Gem. (Warlock and the Infinity Watch#28) - Via his viewing device, Abyss was enraged to learn that Maya lay unconscious (having been punched out on arrival by a Man-Beast-controlled Hercules) and had not been able to act out of his instructions as yet. (Warlock and the Infinity Watch#29) - As the Maya carried out Abyss' plot, he watched from his viewing device, amused by the fact that there actually was no antidote. --Warlock and the Infinity Watch#14

In additional to various statuary and other artifacts, this room contained some presumably mystic tomes and a viewing device. . (Warlock and the Infinity Watch#14) - Observing Gamora of the Infinity Watch (and holder of the Infinity Gem of Time, aka the Time Gem) via a mystic screen in his stronghold, Abyss told Maya of the Gems, and of his particular interest in the Soul Gem. (Warlock and the Infinity Watch#28) - Via his viewing device, Abyss was enraged to learn that Maya lay unconscious (having been punched out on arrival by a Man-Beast-controlled Hercules) and had not been able to act out on his instructions as yet.

. . (Warlock and the Infinity Watch#29) - As the Maya carried out Abyss' plot, he watched from his viewing device (or possibly another mystic crystal, which looked more like an orb, although it may have been just turned on its side so he could observe it without having to stand over top of it), amused by the fact that there actually was no antidote. --Warlock and the Infinity Watch#14

images: (without ads):
Warlock and the Infinity Watch#14, pg. 19, panel 5 (full external view of stronghold);
            panel 6 (Abyss over viewing device);
        pg. 20, panel 1 (detailed depiction of Abyss' viewing room);
            panel 4 (overhead view of floor and viewing device);
    #23, pg. 9, panel 1 (Maya reclining in leisure room);
            panel 3-7 (opening curtains in front of door; stairway on other side of door; portal/pool?; dropping through portal; dropping down to lower level);
        pg. 10, panel 2-5 (before immense door to Zalkor; mystically opening door;
    #25, pg. 26, panel 5 (external view of stronghold, from below, alternate angle);
        pg. 27, panel 1 (dining room);
    #26, pg. 5, panel 4 (tomes room);
    #28, pg. 15, panel 1 (viewing room; statues);
    #29, pg. 11, panel 1 (viewing room; alternate statues);
    #32, pg. 1 (fortress and surrounding sky) - see main image in Egolix profile
    #33, pg. 2, panel 1 (tomes room?; with device analyzing the Soul Gem);
        pg. 4, panel 1 (dungeon);

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

First posted: 12/09/2022
Last updated: 12/09/2022

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