Hell

**Hell** is an alternate plane of reality in comic books published by the American company DC Comics. It first appeared in *Whiz Comics* #72 (March 1946), but its first appearance in *Swamp Thing* comics was in *Swamp Thing Annual* Vol. 2, #2 (January 1985).

## History

After the archangel Lucifer Morningstar, had led a rebellion and started a war in Heaven, Lucifer and his rebel angels were banished to Hell, which was empty at this point in time. Eventually the souls of deceased humans began showing up, drawn to the realm due to their own guilt. Having never been so close to a human before, Lucifer began experimenting with them. He took them apart, wanting to examine his father's creation closely to see how they worked. Due to Lucifer's brutal methods of examination, this became the first torture in Hell.

During the "The Final Night" event, the demon Etrigan offered to bring all of the living people of Earth into Hell so they could stay warm.

During the "Day of Judgment", a fallen angel named Asmodel took control of the Spectre and sought to bring Hell on Earth. In the process, he used his powers to extinguish the Hellfire itself, and effectively freeze Hell over. A team of heroes including Superman, Zatanna, Faust, Firestorm, the Atom, Enchantress and Deadman were sent deep into Hell's bowls to reignite its flames. They were successful, but it required an action of true evil, and Faust was forced to slit Enchantress' throat on the spot. In doing so, he forfeited the soul he had recently gained through his own redemption as a hero.

During the events of "Reign in Hell," the Underworld is thrown into a massive conflict as Neron sees a rebellion from Lord Satanus and Lady Blaze. Neron soon found that this rebellion was more dangerous than others, for the twin demons were offering the damned something he never could: hope of release. Recognizing what would happen if the damned rose up against him, Neron has Lilith summon all demons on Earth to return to Hell and aid him. This proves futile, as the rebellion triumph, and Blaze proclaims herself as the Devil after defeating Neron and betraying her brother.

### Prime Earth

In the original New 52 timeline, Hell was ruled by an evil entity known as Lucifer. It had come to his attention that Etrigan had begun attempting to climb up the ranks of Hell by killing many demons.

Eventually, the demon Belial was able to overthrow Lucifer as King of Hell and attempted to create a dimensional tear between the infernal realm and Earth, but he was eventually killed by his son Etrigan.

Following the DC Rebirth event, Lucifer was restored to his pre-Flashpoint incarnation. Like in the original history, he was banished to Hell alongside other rebel angels after the rebellion in Heaven, and after eons ruling this realm, Lucifer had grown bored of it and eventually abdicated his throne.

During the Dawn of DC, the First of the Fallen came back to life through unknown means and reclaimed his place as Ruler of Hell.

### Arrowverse

Originally, Hell was ruled by Lucifer Morningstar from Earth-666, but after he retired to Earth, another former angel known as the First of the Fallen put himself in charge of the realm along with other two demons, Beelzebub and Belial, creating the Triumvirate of Hell on Earth-1.

During his journeys to Hell, John Constantine became an acquaintance of the Triumvirate, and the demon Neron orchestrated an plan in order to replace the infernal group as the new ruler of their dimension. In 2019, Neron sent Ray Palmer to Hell, forcing Constantine to return to the dimension to rescue him. Constantine confronted the Triumvirate, offering them his soul in exchange for Ray's.

However, the demons proposed him to save the late Astra Logue. So Constantine accepted their offer, but he then discovered that was just a trick as Astra desired to stay in Hell, where she had grown up since she was captured by the demon Nergal. Ray also meet the late villain Vandal Savage there, and eventually, the Legends rescued the two heroes. Astra later became the new Queen of Hell, until she left the dimension to join the Legends.

## Geography

In Hell, an ordinary human feels the worst feelings simultaneously: sadness, fear, pain. Hal Jordan, a Green Lantern Corps member, was terrified during a brief stay in Hell. When the Flash traveled to Hell, the Speed Force automatically adjusted Wally's senses to the realm's atmosphere, by blocking out its disturbing sounds and smells. Demons, being malevolent entities, are naturally accustomed to Hell's misery. Due to an effect of time dilation, a day in Hell equals one minute of passage on Earth.

The fires of Hell burn hotter than any flame on Earth, and are hot enough to scourge the soul. Hellfire also burns slower than normal fire, to allow the agony inflicted to be extended.

In Hell, the landscape seems to change as someone walks. A place to be reached may seem like a few feet away, so in moments be far away again. Hell is a debased reflection of Earth, so as Earth became more technologically or socially advanced so does Hell.

Hell, along with many other realms within the Sphere of the Gods, is powered on belief. It's very existence is due to humankind believing it is real. Martian Manhunter described this concept as being part of the psychic web that makes up reality. The beliefs of Hell's residents also have effect on its geographic landscape and its hierarchy. When Doomsday gained significant power in Hell, the demons and damned alike started to view Doomsday as the King of Hell, and if enough of them believed it, it would become true. Doomsday's influence in Hell also inadvertently affected the realm in various ways. A demon explained it as the idea of Doomsday spreading into Hell's DNA. This created new variants of hellhounds called Doomhounds

Pre-Flashpoint, Hell was divided into nine Provinces, each of which focused on a specific purpose. They included the following:

* Pandemonia: First Province, Dominion High Caste
* The Odium: Second Province, industrial/manufacturing
* The Gull: Third Province, mercantile/commerce
* Praetori: Fourth Province, administrative/governance
* Internecia: Fifth Province, military/enforcement
* Ament: Sixth Province, cultural/propaganda
* Labyrinth: Seventh Province, judicial/detainment
* Err: Eight Province, theological/suppression
* Purgatory: Ninth Province, secondary damnation

* Masak Mavdil: While not one of the nine provinces, Masak Mavdil is a notable section of Hell, as it is the great pit where demons exile their own kind.

Post-Flashpoint additions to Hell's geography include various other levels of Hell, including the following:

* Castle Epicaricacius
* Vascular Gardens
* Masak Mavdil
* Seven Hells
* Six Kingdoms of Trigon: A pocket dimension within Hell ruled by the interdimensional demon Trigon. Part of Trigon's underrealm is referred to as the Dark Dimension, by the All-Caste. This realm can be accessed behind the Great Door of Azarath.
* The Fifth Circle of Hell/"Wrath"
	+ River Styx]]: Within the Fifth Circle exists a river similar to the one of the same name in Hades; however, Hell's version has no ferryman.
* The Sixth Circle of Hell/"Heresy"
	+ The City of Dis
		- Tower of Dis
* The Seventh Circle of Hell/"Violence"
	+ The Suicide Forest

## Hierarchy

The hierarchy of Hell has changed several times over the centuries, the leader of which has always assumed the title of Devil. The most well-known Devil is Lucifer Morningstar, the second fallen Angel and the supreme ruler of Hell for 10 billion years. When Lucifer fell from Heaven, it was revealed that the First of the Fallen was cast out long before Lucifer and had already been ruling Hell, although the First of the Fallen was no match for Lucifer's power, allowing Lucifer to take over.

When the great Darkness of creation threatened all existence, a civil war erupted in Hell and the realm was split into the Satanic Triumvirate. Eventually, Lucifer grew bored with his position and retired to Earth with his consort Mazikeen. Neron then assumed a predominant position in Hell.

After the events of Flashpoint, Hell's history remained mostly the same, with Neron acting as the prominent ruler of Hell after the departure of Lucifer Morningstar. However, he was eventually dethroned by Raven, who then passed on the throne on to Blaze for a period of time.

The First of the Fallen later regained his title as the supreme ruler of Hell.

## Economy

The main currency of Hell are souls. Living human beings (or other sentient beings), through rituals, make pacts with demons to gain power, wealth or etc. The demons have between them a kind of "stock exchange" of ​​souls, to set the price of the souls. When the person who did the pact die, their soul is then belong to the demons whom they negotiated.

A sold soul can be use as fuel for the spells of a demon. Souls can also be use as raw material to create hellish furniture at Odium manufacturers and factories. Souls can be freely traded with other demons much like the money of Earth; however, at the time the mortal sells their soul, he/she can do so only to a single demon. John Constantine once managed to outwit three demons to cure his cancer, since they were so eager to take the soul of the occultist who did not previously consulted, so John got his healing without losing his soul. Sometimes, extremely evil humans who have been sentenced to Hell can be promoted and gain demonhood.

## Residents

### Fallen Angels

* Asmodel
* Azazel
* First of the Fallen
* Lucifer Morningstar ***(Formerly)***

### Demons

* Abaddon
* Abattoir
* Agony
* Anton Arcane
* Asmodeus
* Asteroth
* Balam
* Baytor ***(Formerly)***
* Beelzebub
* Belial
* Blathoxi
* Blaze
* Bloodklott
* Bogrol
* Brandor the Pit-Rider
* Choronzon
* Demons Three
* Ecstacy
* Ernst Focke-Wulf von Raddell
* Etrigan ***(Formerly)***
* Hurmizah
* Jamrag
* Kakk
* Lilith, Mother of all Abominations
* Lurgo
* Mazikeen
* Morax
* Mnemoth ***(Formerly)***
* Myrddin
* Nebiros
* Nergal
* Neron
* Poppinjay
* Ran Va Daath
* Satanus
* Smegma
* Trigon
* William Scumm
* Hellhounds
* Doomhounds

### The Damned Souls

* New Earth
	+ Caligula
	+ Doomsday
	+ Dominators deceased in Invasion!
	+ Nada ***(Formerly)***

* Arrowverse: Earth-Prime
	+ Lizzie Borden
	+ Ross Bottoni
	+ Cedella
	+ Willie Cole
	+ Christopher Columbus
	+ Grigori Rasputin
	+ John Wayne Gacy
	+ Ed Gein
	+ Vandal Savage
	+ Mary Tudor
	+ Aleister Crowley
	+ Marie Antoinette
	+ Caligula
	+ Clyde Barrow
	+ Black Caesar
	+ Bonnie Parker
	+ Brutus
	+ George Armstrong Custer
	+ Damien Darhk
	+ Henry VIII
	+ Jack the Ripper
	+ Genghis Khan
	+ Charles Manson
	+ Benjamin Siegel
	+ Joseph Stalin
	+ Caveman ***(Unnamed)***
	+ Vlad the Impaler
	+ John Constantine ***(Formerly)***
	+ Desmond ***(Formerly)***
	+ Astra Logue ***(Formerly)***
	+ Ray Palmer ***(Formerly)***
	+ Kathy Meyers ***(Formerly)***

* Arrowverse: Earth-666
	+ Malcolm Graham
	+ Abel
	+ Jason Carlyle
	+ Reese Getty
	+ Cain
	+ William Kinley
	+ Hola Bay
	+ Vincent Le Mec
	+ Jim Morrison
	+ Gary Coleman
	+ Franz Kafka
	+ Adolf Hitler
	+ Ted Bundy
	+ John Wayne Gacy
	+ Jeffrey Dahmer
	+ Caligula
	+ Joseph Stalin