The subterranean political situation is intense, folks.

For those maybe confused by all this mythology, here goes: Hades is both a god (known as Pluto to the Romans, not the Disney character, but where we get the name for the dwarf planet) and the name for the Greek underworld. It comprises of three regions: Hades, Tartarus, and Elysium. If you were looking for a dead Greek hero like Achilles, head to Elysium. Kronos, the Titan who fathered Zeus and ate a few of his children, rules over that region, kinda like Hades’ vassal, I suppose. If you are looking for a particularly bad Greek figure — god, demigod, Titan, or human — go to Tartarus and take in the many ways the Fates have tortured them. (Tantalus is one such personage, and we’ll get to know more about him soon.) Everyone else goes to Hades general, the steerage class of the underworld: no one has fun, but no one gets tortured; the dead just roam around mindlessly.

The Ancient Greek view of the afterlife, like much of life itself, is not a happy vacation.

↓ Transcript
PANEL 1
Fetch looking back as Charon drives forward.

FETCH: What was that about?
CHARON: Hades clamped down on security after the civil war broke out.
You remember Tartarus, right? Lower region of torment?
It broke away and now wants to take over the whole Underworld.

PANEL 2
Focus on Charon.

CHARON: Now, I’m just a humble ferry driver, so I might just be talking out of my hat…
But I fail to see how they can possibly unite all the different regions.

PANEL 3
Map of Hades with Styx as natural border. Regions are Hades Central, Tartarus, Elysium. Kronos in the lower corner, looking grumpy.

CHARON: All of Hades is against Tartarus, forces all over the border.
Then there’s Elysium. No way those “heroes” are gonna let a guy like Tantalus take over their fancy gated communities and golf courses.
Not if Kronos has anything to say about it.

PANEL 4
Fetch looking confused. Charon looking indifferent.

FETCH: Tantalus?! He runs Tartarus?! He’s one of the damned!
CHARON: Like I says, I’m just a humble ferry driver.


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