Every week, a secret cabal of Marvel staffers gathers to discuss the best of the best when it comes to the House of Ideas.
Between THOR, THE INCREDIBLE HERCULES and ETERNALS, many gods roam the Marvel Universe at present. And if these long-lived deities have taught us anything through their exploits, it's that years of experience only teach you how to rock all the harder.
To pay homage to these incomparable immortals, the Secret Cabal has selected their own pantheon of the greatest gods, goddesses and demigods to make their mark on Marvel.
For each character you get the quick rundown as well as a special spotlight comic courtesy of Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited.
As always, these picks reflect the personal choices of the Secret Cabal, not the official opinion of Marvel or Marvel.com, and can be considered subjective at best. Enjoy!
10. GILGAMESH
First Appearance: ETERNALS v1 #13 (1977)
Learn More About Him…here
Why He Makes the List: "Gilgamesh, aka 'The
Forgotten One,' has one of the coolest debuts in comics, as he emerges from a hidden tomb where he has been kept by
Eternals leader
Zuras, dons a crazy suit of living armor, then rides a rocket ship into the face of a Celestial! Jack Kirby, ladies and gentlemen! While not all of Gilgamesh's appearances over the years have been quite so memorable, his recent reintroduction as
Ajak's ultimate ass-kicker and the wildcard of the Eternals has been thrill-a-minute." – Secret Cabal member Annihilator882
Spotlight Comic: THOR v1 #287—Gilgamesh returns from exile to face
Thor!
9. THE ENCHANTRESS
First Appearance: JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #103 (1964)
Learn More About Her…here
Why She Makes the List: "There's a temptation—no pun intended—to ignore the depth of Enchantress' character because of her overt sexuality. She's been one of Thor's most persistent opponents, but also been an ally at times as well, showing that there's more motivating her than just vanity and desire. But as a member of the
Masters of Evil, she established herself as one of Marvel's premiere villains, wreaking havoc on the
Avengers and showing just how far she'd go for victory." – Secret Cabal member OneManDynasty
Spotlight Comic: AVENGERS v1 #7—
The Enchantress places Thor under her spell and sets him against the Avengers!
8. THE WARRIORS THREE
First Appearance: JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #119 (1966)
Why They Make the List: "Fandral, Hogun and Volstagg are basically Thor's college buddies. These guys have known Thor so well for so long that they can get him to crack a smile no matter what. While the Warriors can kick some serious butt, it's hard not to picture them partying. Volstagg and Fandral in the center of the action, eating, drinking, laughing and having fun, while Hogun is off to the side with a goblet of mead, pretending not to enjoy anything. This is not to discount their formidable skills on the battlefield, but if I had to go to a party for all eternity, these three are the guys I'd invite." –Secret Cabal member LiterateNitz18
Spotlight Comic: THOR: BLOOD OATH #1—The Warriors Three team up with Thor to clear their names!
7. ODIN
First Appearance: JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #85 (1962)
Learn More About Him…here
Why He Makes the List: "If there's one universal truth, a fact that applies to gods and mortals alike, it's that eye-patches rule. And why does
Odin wear the eye-patch? He sacrificed his dang eye to gain the wisdom to stop/stall Ragnarok! That's hardcore. For years, Odin has been the stern and sometimes overbearing patriarch who rides Thor to learn his lessons. Yeah, sometimes the old man's idea of 'tough love' seems to cross the line, but ultimately, he'll lay his life on the line to protect his boy and the land he rules. Odin would have been a pretty crappy sitcom dad, but as the All-Father, he rules." – Secret Cabal members Agent M and Annihilator882 (Cabal tag team supreme!)
Spotlight Comic: THOR v1 #353—Odin leads Asgard against Surtur and Ragnarok!
6. SERSI
First Appearance: ETERNALS v1 #3 (1976)
Learn More About Her…here
Why She Makes the List: "Things can get pretty dour and overwrought in the world of the Eternals, so it's nice to know
Sersi is always around to lighten the mood. While
Ikaris and
Thena brood and sulk about the burden of protecting humanity and Zuras is getting ready for the next Uni-Mind, Sersi is planning a big party or flirting with anything that moves. From her initial incarnation as the hostess with the most to an interesting stint with the Avengers to her recent re-imagining as a hopeful party planner reuniting with her Eternal love Makkari, Sersi brings a sexy smile to her family's pouty proceedings." – Annihilator882
Spotlight Comic: ETERNALS v1 #4—Sersi attempts to protect New York from the devious schemes of the
Deviants!
5. APOCALYPSE
First Appearance: X-FACTOR v1 #5 (1986)
Learn More About Him…here
Why He Makes the List: "The original enigmatic villain, this immortal Egyptian demigod messed with the
X-Men from behind the scenes for decades. And while he never actually succeeded in taking over the world, you shouldn't doubt his ability—just look at what happened when
Legion went back in time and killed Xavier, preventing the X-Men from ever being formed. Without his perpetual antagonists, the ancient villain ruled the world with an iron fist in the 'Age of
Apocalypse,' squashing any and all resistance in his way. Oh, the things he could have done if not for those meddlesome X-Men…" – Secret Cabal member SparkleMotion515
Spotlight Comic: X-MEN: ALPHA #1—Enter a world where Apocalypse rules all: the Age of Apocalypse!
4. LOKI
First Appearance: JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #85 (1962)
Learn More About Him…here
Why He Makes the List: "Dude? Chick? It doesn't matter. The God of Mischief may actually be a frost giant raised by Odin, but he's schemed, plotted and betrayed his way into our hearts. While most A-list villains in the Marvel Universe rely on behind-the-scenes manipulation to some degree,
Loki has raised it to an art form. As a god of Asgard, he certainly possesses the raw power to be a heavy against any hero who opposes him, but Loki opts for the indirect approach simply because it gives him perverse joy. Whether it was bringing the Avengers together, setting off Ragnarok or getting resurrected as an exceptionally hot, exceptionally evil gal, we can't deny the Trickster's awesomeness." – Secret Cabal members Agent M and Annihilator882 (Cabal tag team supreme!)
Spotlight Comic: LOKI #1—Experience Loki's feud with Thor from the Trickster's point of view!
3. ARES
First Appearance: THOR v1 #129 (1966)
Learn More About Him…here
Why He Makes the List: "An immortal life would get monotonous if you didn't shake things up once in a while, and
Ares, God of War takes 'shaking things up' to a whole new level. Ares has gone from a villain bent on the overthrow of Olympus to a construction worker with serious daddy issues to an axe-swinging,
Ultron-pounding Avenger. Ares not only excels at all kinds of warfare, from strategy to weaponry to fighting of all kinds, but he also personifies war itself: loud, hot, explosive and never at rest. With Ares around things never get boring, and that's good, right?" – LiterateNitz18
Spotlight Comic: ARES #1—Ares returns to the family he forsook in order to save the life of his son!
2. HERCULES
First Appearance: THOR ANNUAL #1 (1965)
Learn More About Him…here
Why He Makes the List: "The Greek
Goliath has his fair share of flaws, but that's precisely what makes him so cool. Compared to most other gods in the Marvel U., Herc is more human, more amiable and just plain more fun to be around. I mean, who wouldn't want to share a drink or 10 with this guy? And when things get a little rowdy in the bar, he's exactly the guy you want watching your back: Big, strong and not scared to throw down against an army. Plus, major bonus points for having the confidence to walk around shirtless 24-7." – SparkleMotion515
Spotlight Comic: AVENGERS v1 #38—
Hercules joins the Avengers!
1. THOR
First Appearance: JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #83 (1962)
Learn More About Him…here
Why He Makes the List: "C'mon, he's
Thor! The God of Thunder is a modern-day Shakespearean hero and not just because of his familiar vernacular—he's constantly embroiled in battles with his family, must fight to maintain integrity in a corrupt world and often falls victim to his very human failings, despite being a god. Among the Marvel heroes, it's refreshing that Thor isn't one burdened by doubt or moral quandaries—he's decisive and strong, even if he's not always correct. Plus, the guy controls thunder and lightning, swings an awesome hammer
and somehow manages to help people with his civilian identity. That's cool." – OneManDynasty
Spotlight Comic: THOR v3 #1—After a three year absence from the Marvel Universe, Thor returns!
Marvel Twitter Survey results for last week's Take 10 tie-in survey:
Who is your favorite female member of the X-Men: 1) Kitty Pryde, 2) Jean Grey, 3) Emma Frost.
Follow Marvel on Twitter to vote in the Take 10 Marvel Twitter survey!
Check out the official Marvel Shop for the best mighty Marvel merchandise! 
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
