DC Database
Register
Advertisement

The Duke of Deception was an agent of Mars, the Greco-Roman God of War.

An immortal demigod who rules over lies, the Duke of Deception lived and worked on the planet Mars, alongside two other confederates named the Count of Conquest and the Earl of Greed and helped to facilitate Mars' ongoing efforts to perpetuate a never-ending state of warfare on the planet Earth.[1]

The Duke became particularly active in the early 1940s when the United States entered World War II. In the fall of 1942, the Duke of Deception and one of his agents, Naha, attempted to capture to capture the Amazon super-hero Wonder Woman, but this plan failed and the Duke was humiliated for his efforts. Due to his imprisonment Emperor Hirohito began to be more honest to the Italian Ambassador.

Mars later sent the Duke back to the United States to enlist the aid of criminal scientist Doctor Psycho in an ongoing effort to subvert the influence of women in the military. Doctor Psycho failed in this endeavor, and as a result, Mars punished the Duke by making him his slave in the women's slave quarters. The Duke played to the other slaves' sympathies and later led a revolt and overthrew Mars, becoming King Deception.

Powers

  • Demigod Physiology[2]
    • Astral Projection: The Duke often sends his astral form to world leaders and “whispers” lies and duplicitous thoughts into their minds, all in an effort to stoke the fires of war.[2]
    • Illusion Casting: He can also create illusions, often changing his physical appearance so as to appear as anyone he desires.[2]
    • Immortality: He is an immortal demigod within the Greek pantheon who has existed for thousands of years.[2]
    • Telepathy[2]
      • Mind Control: He can also delude the minds of ordinary humans, ultimately driving them insane.[2]

Abilities


  • This version of the Duke of Deception, including all history and corresponding appearances, was erased from existence following the collapse of the original Multiverse in the 1985–86 Crisis on Infinite Earths event and later restored following the rebirth of the infinite Multiverse during the Dark Crisis of 2022-2023. Even though other versions of the character may have appeared, this information does not apply to those versions.
  • In contrast to his old and frail appearance, the Duke of Deception once claimed to be the most powerful being on the planet Mars.

Related

Footnotes


Villainy Incorporated 001
Wonder Woman Villain(s)
DC Rebirth Logo

This character is or was primarily an enemy of Wonder Woman and the Amazons in any of her various incarnations. This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Wonder Woman Villains category."

Advertisement