1. Publication history

2. Fictional character biographies

3. In other media
    Television  Film  Miscellaneous 

4. References

Abnegazar, Rath and Ghast are three fictional characters in the DC Universe who are collectively known as the Demons Three.

Publication history

The Demons Three first appeared in Justice League of America #10 (March 1962), and were created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky.^[1]

Fictional character biographies

These brothers ruled the galaxy a billion years ago before being banished by the beings known as the Timeless Ones. The Demons Three have tried to return time and again, summoned by Felix Faust and others; their attempts are always foiled by the Justice League.^[1] Abnegazar was slain by Doctor Fate in Swamp Thing #50, but is currently being resurrected by his brothers. They have also been seen in the company of Neron.

Anyone can summon the power of the Demons Three by possessing (and utilizing) three artifacts: the Green Bell of Uthool, the Silver Wheel of Nyorlath and the Red Jar of Calythos which were created by the brothers for this purpose and could not be destroyed or moved from Earth, meaning the Timeless Ones created magical guardians for all three of them. If one releases the incense from the jar and then spins the wheel while the bell resounds, a series of events is set in motion which, one hundred years later, frees the demons; but for that century, the one who freed them could possess all their awesome power.^[1] In JLA #10 Faust is able to make the JLA recover the items, and later in JLA #11 while the JLA are time-travelling to capture the Lord of Time who has escaped to the future, they discover the demons a century later. They are imprisoned, but Green Lantern helps Wonder Woman escape and she uses his ring to free the others. Green Lantern disguises the JLA as each other so the Demons Three will be fooled and the JLA are able to capture the demons and imprison them once more.

The Demons Three - with Abnegazar, after his rebirth, still just a big maggot - cooperated with Neron in an attempt to destroy the Justice League. While they were evidently less powerful than him, the demon-lord showed some veneration for their great age.

In the JLA/Avengers crossover, the Bell, Wheel and Jar are part of the twelve items of power sought by the superheroes.

During the Infinite Crisis storyline, Abnegazar, Rath and Ghast became members of Alexander Luthor Jr.'s Secret Society of Super Villains. They help Felix Faust kidnap Nightshade for Alexander Luthor, Jr. in the Day of Vengeance Infinite Crisis Special.

Ralph Dibny (Elongated Man) comes into possession of the Silver Wheel of Nyorlath in 52, Week 41, Day 3. Professor Achilles Milo had been hiding it as one of the wheels on his wheelchair so that he could experiment on it from within the Haven Correction Facility.

The Green Bell of Uthool and the Silver Wheel of Nyorlath recently appeared in Teen Titans #42, seen on the desk of Sebastian Faust, along with an open book showing a summoning spell with an illustration of the Demons Three. Faust also mentions that he lent the Red Jar of Calythos to Blue Devil.

In Teen Titans #83, the three prominently appear in the backup feature, plotting to use the souls of Traci 13, Black Alice, and Zachary Zatara to permanently escape from Hell.

In other media

Television

• The Demons Three appear in Galactic Guardians episode "The Case of the Stolen Super Powers". They are summoned by the evil sorcerer Felix Faust, who uses the magic of his spirit crystal to force them to seize the Penguin, who had gained possession of Superman's powers.

• The Demons Three appear in the Justice League Unlimited episode "The Balance". Abnegazar is voiced by Wayne Knight while Rath and Ghast do not have speaking roles. Wonder Woman and Hawkgirl abduct Abnegazar and ask him for directions when searching for Felix Faust in Tartarus.
• Abnegazar and Rath appear in Justice League Action voiced by Damian O'Hare and Jason J. Lewis. In this show, they are members of the Brothers Djinn, and their brothers are Calythos (voiced by David Lodge), Uthool (voiced by Diedrich Bader), and Nyorlath (voiced by Chris Diamantopoulos). They are freed by Black Adam when he takes over the Rock of Eternity, tosses out the wizard Shazam and imprisons Billy Batson. Following the defeat of Calythos and Uthool, Abnegazar, Rath, and Nyorlath take action in the episode "Abate and Switch" where they plan to cause the volcano to erupt. They use a spell to deactivate Superman and Wonder Woman's powers. Thanks to John Constantine, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, Swamp Thing and Plastic Man switch identities and subdue the three Djinn. Unfortunately, Black Adam emerges from his Earthly imprisonment and transforms the three Djinn into monstrous forms. Batman arrives with Billy Batson who, as Shazam, defeats Black Adam. The Justice League throw the defeated Black Adam, Abnegazar, Rath, and Nyorlath into a portal which sends them to an unknown location. In the episode "Hat Trick", Ghast appeared later as a giant insect-like demon that Felix Faust unleashed on Earth in exchange for restoring his youth.

Film

• The Demons Three appear in the animated film Justice League Dark with Abnegazar voiced by JB Blanc, Rath voiced by Jeffrey Vincent Parise, and Ghast voiced by Fred Tatasciore.^[2] They attend a poker tournament alongside John Constantine and Jason Blood, in which they bet priceless artifacts, including a chipped Dreamstone and Constantine's House of Mystery. However, Abnegazar and Constantine cheat each other in the game and a fight breaks out; Constantine uses Blood's alter-ego Etrigan the Demon to banish the Demons Three back to Hell. The demons are later called upon by Felix Faust to defend his temple from Constantine after he suspects Faust in harming Ritchie Simpson.

Miscellaneous

• The Demons Three are featured villains in Justice League Unlimited #14 a comic book spin-off from the television series.
• The Demons Three are featured villains in The Batman Strikes! (a comic book spin-off from the television series The Batman). They were once loyal to Etrigan the Demon until he betrayed them and had them trapped in an artifact. They later manipulated Etrigan and Riddler into opening the artifact on Halloween night in order to be released and take their vengeance upon Etrigan and the rest of the world. They were defeated by Batman and Robin and were reimprisoned.

References

• Early Alchemy
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• Early August 2006 North American severe weather outbreak
• Early Autumn
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