Seven of my friends have been horribly mauled to death. It wasn't superstition that killed them. 
Wonder Woman (Volume 2) #18 is an issue of the series Wonder Woman (Volume 2) with a cover date of July, 1988.
Synopsis for "Creatures Of The Dark"
Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades journey to the secret resting place of their father Cronus, King of the Titans. Over their father's corpse, the three Gods forge a pact towards the birth of a new Olympus.
On Cephalonia, Diana recovers from her fainting spell and meets several more locals, including Julia's parents and millionaire Theophilus Ventouras. However, the Amazon Princess is most intrigued by local rumors about a nearby island. On paper, this island is owned by a harmless recluse; in reality, its owner is a witch who tyrannizes the region and plots a special demise for Wonder Woman. Many of the locals - including Ventouras - follow this witch, while others have formed a secret resistance.
While Ventouras distracts Diana and Julia with a tour of his estate, Stavros unwittingly finds himself involved with the resistance, who have been trying - unsuccessfully - to warn the Amazon. Though skeptical about these "superstitions", the professor is charged with translating a scroll captured from the witch's island - and followed home by an armed escort, to boot. Vanessa provides further complications, inviting herself into the professor's home to use his phone.
By sunset, Ventouras has successfully put Diana and Julia off the witch's trail, only to find his nephew Demetrios dead - killed by the resistance in a declaration of war. Retaliation comes quickly; the witch's thralls, which include beasts as well as men, magically transform into demonic hybrids of both. These bestiamorphs descend on Stavros' home, gravely wounding the professor, killing his escort, and setting the house ablaze. Vanessa alone escapes, Stavros having entrusted her with the scroll.
Fortunately, Diana spots the burning house and saves Stavros in time, allowing the wounded professor to speak all he knows - including the existence of the witch. While Julia rushes Stavros to medical treatment, Diana finds Vanessa hiding in the countryside, still gripping the scroll. When a party of bestiamorphs attack, Diana seals Vanessa inside the Lasso of Truth's protective fires, before counterattacking.
Even without her lasso, the Amazon Princess proves more than a match for her inhuman opponents - until a bolt from the sky knocks her unconscious. For the bestiamorphs' mistress is no ordinary witch, but Circe of Aeaea, Goddess of Magic.
Appearing in "Creatures Of The Dark"
Featured Characters:
- Template:Apn
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Circe ("Cassandra Colchis") (First full appearance)
- Beastiamorphs
- Angelina (First appearance)
- Mikos (First appearance)
- Nisus
- Theophilus "Theo" Ventouras (First appearance)
- Beastiamorphs
Other Characters:
- Agostos Deneiros (First appearance)
- Maria Deneiros (First appearance)
- Resistance Movement
- Andrea (Single appearance)
- Gregori Davalos (First appearance)
- Katina Leikos (First appearance)
- Spiros Davalos (First appearance; dies)
- Cronus (Appears only as a corpse)
- Demetrios Ventouras (First appearance; dies)
- Barry Locatelli (Mentioned only)
Locations:
- Greece
- Aeaea
- Cephalonia
- Deneiros Home (First appearance)
- Ventourata (First appearance)
- Tartarus
Items:
- Circe's scroll
- New Olympian Pact
- Trident of Poseidon
- Wonder Woman's Armaments
Vehicles:
Notes
- This issue is reprinted in the following:
- The effects of the New Olympian Pact will be shown in Wonder Woman #21.
- Theophilus Ventouras is a caricature of a real-life Cephalonian native whom George Pérez had met during a community theater project. Ventouras had not only lent his name for the story, but also provided Greek translations and other local details.[1]
Trivia
- Circe's legal alias Cassandra Colchis merges two references to classical mythology. The former refers to a priestess cursed by Apollo; the latter, Circe's mythological homeland.
See Also
Links and References
- ↑ Modern Masters, Vol 2: George Pérez.