Arion

Real Name: Arion

Identity/Class: Normal human

Occupation: Adventurer / questor

Affiliations: Zeus, Pollodor, Patreios

Enemies: Medusa

Known Relatives: Unidentified parents and brother

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Mobile across the ancient Greek world

First Appearance: Wrath of the Gods, Boys' World Vol.1 #1 (Odhams, 26th January 1963)

Powers/Abilities:

History: Three thousand years ago, before departing his home on the island of Delos to take part in the Trojan War, the warrior Arion swore a great oath over the altar of Zeus with his boyhood friend Patrieos, promising to be undying comrades whose swords would never cross in anger. When doomed Troy finally fell, Arion was among the Greek heroes who stormed the walls. Wearied by years of war, he returned at last to Delos, but found it had been sacked and his people murdered. He rushed an armoured giant he spotted among the ruins, only discovering after he had struck two swift fatal blows that it was his friend Patreios, who informed Arion was his dying gasps that pirates had raided Delos and slain Arion's family before Patreios had driven them off. Enraged that this had all occurred despite his oath, Arion proclaimed there were no gods, and that men, himself included, were fools to believe in superstitions. Stumbling into Zeus' temple, he continued his rant as he threw over the sacred tripod, but stopped as Zeus suddenly manifested before him. Despite being shown that Delos' destruction is what the Fates had decreed would happen, Arion remained defiant, and an impressed Zeus, moved by his bravery offered a bargain: he would resurect Patreios and Arion's family, in return for Arion retrieving Great Bow of Delos which giants had stolen. During this quest, Arion befriended fellow hero Pollodor, and together they ventured into the labyrinth to confront the Minotaur, bargained with Atlas, ventured into Hades' underground kingdom then evaded Cerberus to escape it, and finally defeated the Gorgon Medusa who had the bow, and who turned Pollodor to stone. Zeus sent Arion on additional quests to recover other lost weapons that had belonged to Zeus' grandson, the hero Ajax, and even encountered the Norse gods during one adventure.

Comments: Created by Ron Embleton, Arion appeared in Wrath of the Gods, a Greek epic fantasy adventure that appeared in Boys' World from that title's first issue, occupying the prized centre spread section until Brett Million: The Angry Planet's debut in volume 1, issue 24 displaced Wrath to the back cover. John M. Burns took over the art later in the series. Michael Moorcock is frequently credited as having created and written the series, but though he provided articles published in Boys' World, Moorcock insists Wrath of the Gods was not one of his contributions.

CLARIFICATIONS: Not to be confused with

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