Seven Deadly Enemies of Man
Seven powerful demons, based upon the seven deadly sins enumerated in Christianity, who can take control of both humans and superheroes. The Sins were captured by the wizard Shazam many years ago, and encased in seven mockingly cartoon-like stone statues. The seven statues housing each demon are on display in Shazam's underground lair in the subway in the original comics, and in the Rock of Eternity in the modern comics. The demons have escaped their prisons several times to cause havoc, usually freed by another villain. In one story King Kull releases them, planning to make Sin bombs which cause people to commit sins by affecting their minds and destroy the world. Cap follows King Kull to his Evil Olympus and turns to Billy Batson to get through the alarm systems. As he runs out to transform and capture the Sins, his feet catches on a loose bomb, causing him to fall and hit his head on the floor. A Sin seizes him to stop him speaking, and Kull says he will use the ray that restored the Sins to turn Billy to stone, but Billy kicks the gun away and bites the Sin's hand so it releases his mouth, enabling him to summon Captain Marvel. Kull is defeated and the Sins again imprisoned in stone. In the original Fawcett stories and most other versions, the Seven Sins were "censored" to an extent in keeping with 1940s standards, identified as the "Seven Deadly Enemies of Man" and including Pride, Envy, Greed, Hatred, Laziness, Selfishness, and Injustice among their ranks.
Most post-2000 appearances of the Seven Deadly Sins identify them by their traditional theological versions (Pride, Envy, Greed, Anger, Sloth, Gluttony, and Lust). When the Spectre destroyed the Rock of Eternity and killed Shazam the Sins were released. When the Rock was rebuilt the Sins were again captured, although they try to torment Marvel, and they are implied to have caused trouble at a full moon. It is claimed that Pride is the most rude and dangerous.
Read more about this topic: List Of Marvel Family Enemies
Famous quotes containing the words deadly, enemies and/or man:
“The deadly monotony of Christian country life where there are no beggars to feed, no drunkards to credit, which are among the moral duties of Christians in cities, leads as naturally to the outvent of what Methodists call “revivals” as did the backslidings of the people in those days.”
—Corra May Harris (1869–1935)
“Of all the enemies of public liberty war is, perhaps, the most to be dreaded.”
—James Madison (1751–1836)
“When I was one-and-twenty
I heard a wise man say,
“Give crowns and pounds and guineas
But not your heart away;
Give pearls away and rubies,
But keep your fancy free.”
But I was one-and-twenty,
No use to talk to me.”
—A.E. (Alfred Edward)