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The Shadowpact is a group of magical DC Comics heroes who fought against the Spectre in the 2005 limited series Day of Vengeance. Originally founded on the impulse given by Enchantress, Ragman and Detective Chimp to get rid of the menace that the Spectre started to represent for all the magic of the Universe it soon grew in number. Nightmaster then baptized the group Shadowpact.
Shazam later revealed that the name had coincidentally been used by various groups throughout history who champion lost causes. The Phantom Stranger, who had been advising Detective Chimp while trapped in a rat's body, resumed his human form and joined the Shadowpact, while sometime-member Black Alice quit, needing to see to her father after the incident in Gotham City.
Some time afterwards, the Shadowpact helped Robin round up a lot of meta-humans in Blüdhaven right before the city is blown up. During the adventure, they gained a new member, the Warlock's Daughter, who is the resurrected form of Darla Aquista, herself a former school friend of Tim Drake (the current Robin).
The original members of the team were:
and to a lesser degree Black Alice and the Phantom Stranger.
Day of Vengeance Special
A large group of individuals joined forces under the "Shadowpact" name to assist in the reconstruction of the Rock of Eternity. In addition to regular team members, there was also:
In the Day of Vengeance Special, the Shadowpact members try to rebuild the Rock of Eternity after it shattered over Gotham City. Zatanna and Traci 13 manage to gather all the pieces, then have them put together. Phantom Stranger's group set out to find the demons that escaped the Rock, but has the Shadowpact stay behind so he can give them special jars to trap the Seven Deadly Sins which had now possessed some of the other members, the bait. Pride had taken over Valda, Greed had Sala, Lust had Witchfire, Rage had Freedom Beast, Gluttony had Jennifer Morgan, Sloth had Rex the Wonder Dog, and Envy had Doctor Occult. While rounding them up, Nightshade exorcised Greed, but was abducted by Felix Faust and the Demons Three, and then set up in Alexander Luthor's Tower.
After finally completing the Rock of Eternity, Zatanna told Captain Marvel that he had to stay inside it to make sure the wild magic sealed inside every bit of the Rock doesn't go wild again.
Meanwhile, Nabu, as the last Lord of Order, took on the Spectre. His plan was to get the Spectre angry enough, that he would kill Nabu. Nabu's death ushers in the Tenth Age of Magic, the Spectre was no longer ignored by the Presence and was placed inside a new body, Crispus Allen. When Nabu finally dies, he left his helmet in the presence of the Shadowpact. Detective Chimp attempted to put the helmet on but it wouldn't fit. He then gave the helmet to Captain Marvel and told him to throw it and let fate pick the new Doctor Fate.
Shadowpact Series
A Shadowpact ongoing series saw publication in May 2006. In the first issue, a villain group known as the Pentacle is introduced with members mirroring the Shadowpact.
The leader is Strega, who had previously appeared in Martian Manhunter #23, where her name was given as Anna Marie Borgia. She can raise zombies and possesses magic abilities strong enough to keep Superman at bay. She wears a Phantom of the Opera mask over her left eye while her appearance is similar to Enchantress save that her main color is red. The other members are Bagman, Karnevil, Jack of Fire, the White Rabbit, and Sister Shadow. Bagman appears to be a green creature who can turn from docile to mean in a matter of seconds. He can stretch his body like goo and uses it to absorb and/or eat people; he's Ragman's counterpart. Karnevil is somewhat sociopathic, enjoying both killing and torturing things. Strega has referred to him as an animal. He wears a mask over a suit similar to a boyscout's uniform; he's Detective Chimp's counterpart. Sister Shadow is a pale-skinned girl who uses shadow magic to turn into powerful creatures; she is Nightshade's counterpart. Jack of Fire looks like a cross between Blue Devil and Hellboy with control over fire and a bandanna over his mouth and he claims to be Devil's brother. He got that way because Neron's deal expanded to Blue Devil's entire family. White Rabbit is Nightmaster's counterpart and wields a magic sword that can put people to sleep with one nick. He appears as an albino with sunglasses looking similar to the Corinthian.
This group formed a shield of solid blood over the town of Riverrock, Wyoming and plan on using the townspeople in a sacrifice to perform a necromancy spell. They have the townspeople killed periodically, reminiscent of The Lottery in means to summon Strega's master the Lord of Light. Shadowpact members Enchantress, Ragman, Detective Chimp, Blue Devil, Nightshade, and Nightmaster infiltrated the town, but it seems that they were stuck in there for a year as the story shifts between the group in Riverrock and the Phantom Stranger having other members guarding the shield the year later. The team is captured by the Pentacle but Strega tells the other members of the Pentacle that she will not sacrifice them; the summoning she plans calls for normal humans and she does not wish to imperil it by sacrificing the Shadowpact. Karnevil has Detective Chimp tied to a tree and has retrieved a variety of unpleasant tools with which he plans to amuse himself to Detective Chimp's misery.
See also
DC Comics superhero teams | DC Comics titles | Shadowpact
"Shadowpact"