Rachel Smythe
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

''Lore Olympus'' is a
romance Romance may refer to: Common meanings * Romance (love), emotional attraction towards another person and the courtship behaviors undertaken to express the feelings ** Romantic orientation, the classification of the sex or gender with which a pers ...
webcomic Webcomics (also known as online comics or Internet comics) are comics published on the internet, such as on a website or a mobile app. While many webcomics are published exclusively online, others are also published in magazines, newspapers, or ...
created by
New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
artist Rachel Smythe. The comic is a modern retelling of the relationship between the Greek goddess and god
Persephone In ancient Greek mythology and Ancient Greek religion, religion, Persephone ( ; , classical pronunciation: ), also called Kore ( ; ) or Cora, is the daughter of Zeus and Demeter. She became the queen of the Greek underworld, underworld afte ...
and
Hades Hades (; , , later ), in the ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, is the god of the dead and the king of the Greek underworld, underworld, with which his name became synonymous. Hades was the eldest son of Cronus and Rhea ...
. Originally published to Smythe's
Tumblr Tumblr (pronounced "tumbler") is a microblogging and Social networking service, social networking website founded by David Karp in 2007 and is owned by American company Automattic. The service allows users to post multimedia and other content ...
in 2017, she began publishing it weekly on the platform Webtoon Discover in April 2017, relaunching it on Webtoon Canvas in March 2018, where the series concluded in June 2024 after three seasons, and 280 episodes. On Webtoon, ''Lore Olympus'' is currently the most viewed comic, with 1.4 billion views, the second most liked comic, with 72.2 million total likes, just behind '' My Giant Nerd Boyfriend'', which has 73.4 million total likes, and the second most subscribed comic with 6.6 million subscribers, just behind '' True Beauty'', which has 7.5 million subscribers, as of November 2024. The comic has won two
Eisner Awards The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, are awards for creative achievement in American comic books. They are regarded as the most prestigious and significant awards in the comic industry and often referred ...
, two
Harvey Awards The Harvey Awards are given for achievement in comic books. Named for writer-artist Harvey Kurtzman, the Harvey Awards were founded by Gary Groth in 1988, president of the publisher Fantagraphics, to be a successor to the Kirby Awards, which wer ...
, and two
Ringo Awards The Mike Wieringo Comic Book Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Ringo Awards, are prizes given for achievement in comic books. They are named in honor of artist Mike Wieringo and they were founded by the Reisterstown, Maryland–based C ...
. It was announced in 2019 that a television adaptation was under
development Development or developing may refer to: Arts *Development (music), the process by which thematic material is reshaped * Photographic development *Filmmaking, development phase, including finance and budgeting * Development hell, when a proje ...
.


Plot and themes

''Lore Olympus'' is an adaptation of the classic Greek myth '' The Abduction of Persephone'' in a mostly modern setting. The comic deals with themes of rape, harassment, abuse, and trauma.


Characters

The following characters are central to plot lines in the comic and make regular appearances: *
Persephone In ancient Greek mythology and Ancient Greek religion, religion, Persephone ( ; , classical pronunciation: ), also called Kore ( ; ) or Cora, is the daughter of Zeus and Demeter. She became the queen of the Greek underworld, underworld afte ...
is the goddess of Spring, Queen of the
Underworld The underworld, also known as the netherworld or hell, is the supernatural world of the dead in various religious traditions and myths, located below the world of the living. Chthonic is the technical adjective for things of the underworld. ...
, and wife of
Hades Hades (; , , later ), in the ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, is the god of the dead and the king of the Greek underworld, underworld, with which his name became synonymous. Hades was the eldest son of Cronus and Rhea ...
; she is depicted as a young pink woman, and, briefly in later chapters, has green hands. She is a naive, warmhearted newcomer to the Olympian life, and is searching for her independence. Persephone is 19–20 years old (she turned 20 in episode 107, and, later, 30 in episode 192). She has
prehensile Prehensility is the quality of an appendage or organ that has adapted for grasping or holding. The word is derived from the Latin term ''prehendere'', meaning "to grasp". The ability to grasp is likely derived from a number of different origin ...
hair which responds to her emotions at varying levels, sometimes by growing or sprouting flowers. She strives to become self-sufficient and to maintain a positive, hard-working attitude. While a kind, caring, and somewhat naive individual, Persephone also unintentionally massacred a mortal village for unknowingly uprooting her handmaidens, the sacred flower nymphs. *
Hades Hades (; , , later ), in the ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, is the god of the dead and the king of the Greek underworld, underworld, with which his name became synonymous. Hades was the eldest son of Cronus and Rhea ...
is the King of the
Underworld The underworld, also known as the netherworld or hell, is the supernatural world of the dead in various religious traditions and myths, located below the world of the living. Chthonic is the technical adjective for things of the underworld. ...
, god of the dead and wealth, and husband of
Persephone In ancient Greek mythology and Ancient Greek religion, religion, Persephone ( ; , classical pronunciation: ), also called Kore ( ; ) or Cora, is the daughter of Zeus and Demeter. She became the queen of the Greek underworld, underworld afte ...
. He is the older brother of Zeus and Poseidon, depicted as a tall, muscular blue businessman with a lot of scars around his body and white hair. Hades is the CEO of Underworld Corp, a large corporation that manages the souls of the dead. The reviewer for ''Love in Panels!'' described Hades as "the ultimate sensitive emo guy." Unlike in traditional mythology, Hades is not related to Persephone; Smythe changed this to avoid a story about incest. *
Hera In ancient Greek religion, Hera (; ; in Ionic Greek, Ionic and Homeric Greek) is the goddess of marriage, women, and family, and the protector of women during childbirth. In Greek mythology, she is queen of the twelve Olympians and Mount Oly ...
is the goddess of marriage and family, Queen of the gods, and Zeus' wife, depicted as a golden woman with long hair and a long scar across her stomach. She is constantly seen drinking or smoking and is unhappy in her marriage to Zeus. She and Hades originally had a close relationship with each other, before Zeus sent Hades to the Underworld to be the King and proposed to Hera to be both his wife and the Queen of the gods. Due to Zeus' numerous affairs, which motivated Hera to get back at him, she and Hades had an ongoing, passionate sexual affair that lasted centuries, until they ended it in the
80s Ribosomes are a large and complex molecular machine that catalyzes the synthesis of proteins, referred to as translation. The ribosome selects aminoacylated transfer RNAs (tRNAs) based on the sequence of a protein-encoding messenger RNA (mRNA) an ...
. Despite this, Hades and Hera continued to be close friends who only have a
platonic love Platonic love is a type of love in which sexual desire or romantic features are nonexistent or have been suppressed or sublimated, but it means more than simple friendship. The term is derived from the name of Greek philosopher Plato, tho ...
for one another. Hera in ''Lore Olympus'' is a feminist. *
Eros Eros (, ; ) is the Greek god of love and sex. The Romans referred to him as Cupid or Amor. In the earliest account, he is a primordial god, while in later accounts he is the child of Aphrodite. He is usually presented as a handsome young ma ...
is the god of love, son of Aphrodite and
Ares Ares (; , ''Árēs'' ) is the List of Greek deities, Greek god of war god, war and courage. He is one of the Twelve Olympians, and the son of Zeus and Hera. The Greeks were ambivalent towards him. He embodies the physical valor necessary for ...
, and grandson of Zeus and Hera. He's a friend of Persephone and is one of the few gods who is aware of Persephone's rape. He is depicted as a tall, muscular magenta man who enthusiastically creates and supports relationships. Eros has seven younger siblings from his mother and is in a relationship with
Psyche Psyche (''Psyché'' in French) is the Greek term for "soul" ( ψυχή). Psyche or La Psyché may also refer to: Psychology * Psyche (psychology), the totality of the human mind, conscious and unconscious * ''Psyche'', an 1846 book about the unc ...
. *
Hecate Hecate ( ; ) is a goddess in ancient Greek religion and mythology, most often shown holding a pair of torches, a key, or snakes, or accompanied by dogs, and in later periods depicted as three-formed or triple-bodied. She is variously associat ...
is the goddess of
witchcraft Witchcraft is the use of Magic (supernatural), magic by a person called a witch. Traditionally, "witchcraft" means the use of magic to inflict supernatural harm or misfortune on others, and this remains the most common and widespread meanin ...
. She is presented as a blue woman with yellow eyes and short black hair. She is Hades' right-hand woman. She is smart, sassy, materialistic, and loves chaos. *
Zeus Zeus (, ) is the chief deity of the List of Greek deities, Greek pantheon. He is a sky father, sky and thunder god in ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, who rules as king of the gods on Mount Olympus. Zeus is the child ...
is the King of the gods and Hades' and Poseidon's youngest brother, depicted as a muscular purple businessman with long straight hair. Zeus is an adulterer who shows constant promiscuous behavior. He is stubborn, selfish, narcissistic, egotistical, paranoid, a compulsive liar, and a bully. He is shown to overreact when things don't go his way; for example, he burns down Demeter's crops after she refuses to continue hiding his lovers from Hera. However, despite his negative qualities, he still deeply cares for and loves his wife and both of his brothers. Zeus is a member of the Six Traitors Dynasty and the only one without a scar on his body. *
Apollo Apollo is one of the Twelve Olympians, Olympian deities in Ancient Greek religion, ancient Greek and Ancient Roman religion, Roman religion and Greek mythology, Greek and Roman mythology. Apollo has been recognized as a god of archery, mu ...
is the god of the sun, music, and prophecy, depicted as a dark purple, burly playboy who is interested in Persephone. He is shown to be very arrogant. He rapes her and believes that they are in a relationship and then tries to force her to become his wife, but she refuses. He is Artemis' twin brother. It is later revealed that he is one of Zeus' sons. It is implied that he wants to be with Persephone, not because he genuinely likes her, but because she is a fertility goddess that he can use to overthrow Zeus. *
Artemis In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, Artemis (; ) is the goddess of the hunting, hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, transitions, nature, vegetation, childbirth, Kourotrophos, care of children, and chastity. In later tim ...
is the goddess of the hunt and a member of The Goddesses of Eternal Maidenhood. She is Persephone's best friend, roommate, and the twin sister of Apollo. Artemis is depicted as a feisty, dark purple tomboy who looks out for Persephone and is generally ignorant of her brother's bad personality traits. However, she begins to question her brother after Persephone tells her that she hates Apollo and he makes her miserable. *
Demeter In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, Demeter (; Attic Greek, Attic: ''Dēmḗtēr'' ; Doric Greek, Doric: ''Dāmā́tēr'') is the Twelve Olympians, Olympian goddess of the harvest and agriculture, presiding over cro ...
is the goddess of the harvest and agriculture in the Mortal Realm. She is depicted as a tall, green woman with long purple hair and scars across her back. Demeter is shown to be an overbearing, overprotective, controlling, and emotionally abusive mother towards Persephone. She is shown in flashbacks to give her daughter very little freedom in the mortal realm, and as a result of her parenting, Persephone has occasional nightmares. *
Ares Ares (; , ''Árēs'' ) is the List of Greek deities, Greek god of war god, war and courage. He is one of the Twelve Olympians, and the son of Zeus and Hera. The Greeks were ambivalent towards him. He embodies the physical valor necessary for ...
is the god of war, depicted as a muscular orange man with red eyes. He is a son of Zeus and Hera and the older brother of Hebe, and brother to Hephaestus. He dated Aphrodite for centuries, but she eventually broke up with him and married Hephaestus. The two are the parents of both Eros and Storge. He also had a brief history with Persephone when they first met in the mortal realm, after being impaled on a tree trunk and Persephone both freed and unknowingly, healed him. Thus, making him suspect she was potentially a fertility goddess. *
Poseidon Poseidon (; ) is one of the twelve Olympians in ancient Greek religion and mythology, presiding over the sea, storms, earthquakes and horses.Burkert 1985pp. 136–139 He was the protector of seafarers and the guardian of many Hellenic cit ...
is the King and god of the sea as well as the younger brother of Hades and the older brother of Zeus. He is the brother-in-law of Persephone, Hera, and Thetis. He is shown to be a carefree, free-spirited, impulsive, muscular green man with long curly hair and a long scar across his left eye. He was also eaten by his father, Cronos and was saved by his brother Zeus. Despite his dimwitted demeanor, he has his moments of wisdom. Poseidon also has a deep love and respect for both of his brothers. He is a member of the Six Traitors Dynasty. He and his wife, Amphitrite, are happily in a polyamorous relationship. *
Amphitrite In ancient Greek mythology, Amphitrite (; ) was the goddess of the sea, the queen of the sea, and her consort is Poseidon. She was a daughter of Nereus and Doris (or Oceanus and Tethys).Roman, L., & Roman, M. (2010). Under the influence ...
is both the goddess and Queen of the sea; she's also the wife of Poseidon. She is a green sea nymph, with patterns around her face and has a long fishtail. She appears to have an active social life, going to nightclubs and engaging in queen-related activities with her close friend Hera. She and Poseidon are happily in a polyamorous relationship. Amphitrite is one of Thetis' sisters and the cousin of Leuce. *
Hermes Hermes (; ) is an Olympian deity in ancient Greek religion and mythology considered the herald of the gods. He is also widely considered the protector of human heralds, travelers, thieves, merchants, and orators. He is able to move quic ...
is the god of speed and travel, depicted as a muscular red athlete. He was friends with Persephone before she came to Olympus and frequently hangs out at Artemis and Persephone's house. He is one of Hades' soul collectors at Underworld Corp. He loves three things, money, his Mother,
Maia Maia (; Ancient Greek: Μαῖα; also spelled Maie, ; ), in ancient Greek religion and mythology, is one of the Pleiades and the mother of Hermes, one of the major Greek gods, by Zeus, the king of Olympus. Family Maia is the daughter of A ...
, and annoying Apollo. *
Aphrodite Aphrodite (, ) is an Greek mythology, ancient Greek goddess associated with love, lust, beauty, pleasure, passion, procreation, and as her syncretism, syncretised Roman counterpart , desire, Sexual intercourse, sex, fertility, prosperity, and ...
is the goddess of love and beauty and mother of Eros. She is depicted as a lavender woman. At one point, Zeus blamed his affairs on her, resulting in Hera forbidding both Aphrodite and Eros from using their powers on any of the other gods. Originally Ares and Aphrodite were in an open relationship for centuries; though she eventually breaks up with him, and marries Hephaestus. She loves her children and is protective of them. An example is when Aphrodite seduced Zeus and slept with him in order for Eros to avoid getting a cruel punishment after he committed an act of wrath. *
Psyche Psyche (''Psyché'' in French) is the Greek term for "soul" ( ψυχή). Psyche or La Psyché may also refer to: Psychology * Psyche (psychology), the totality of the human mind, conscious and unconscious * ''Psyche'', an 1846 book about the unc ...
is a beautiful human from the Mortal Realm. She was originally a princess from an abusive household and was to be wed to an elderly, wealthy merchant before Eros abducted her. She currently lives in Olympus, originally disguised as a purple nymph who served Aphrodite. *
Hestia In ancient Greek religion and mythology, Hestia (; ) is the virgin goddess of the hearth and the home. In myth, she is the firstborn child of the Titans Cronus and Rhea, and one of the Twelve Olympians. In Greek mythology, newborn Hestia, alo ...
is the goddess of hearth and home. She is depicted as a curvy orange woman with long hair and a long scar on her left thigh. She is a member of the six traitors dynasty and is the founder of TGOEM, The Goddesses of Eternal Maidenhood which is a group designed for Goddesses to be virgins for all eternity. *
Athena Athena or Athene, often given the epithet Pallas, is an ancient Greek religion, ancient Greek goddess associated with wisdom, warfare, and handicraft who was later syncretism, syncretized with the Roman goddess Minerva. Athena was regarde ...
is the goddess of wisdom and warfare. She is depicted as a silver woman with short silver hair. *
Minthe In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, Minthe (also spelled Menthe, Mintha or Mentha; or or ) is an underworld naiad associated with the river Cocytus. She was beloved by and mistress to Hades, the king of the underworld, but she was ...
is a scarlet red river nymph who previously lived in the Underworld. She is snarky, has a very self-destructive personality and has low self-confidence in herself; part of this was a result of being raised by her neglectful mother growing up. *
Thanatos In Greek mythology, Thanatos (; , ''Thánatos'', pronounced in "Death", from θνῄσκω ''thnēskō'' "(I) die, am dying") was the Personifications of death, personification of death. He was a minor figure in Greek mythology, often referre ...
is the god of death, depicted as a young grey man with light blue eyes; he is also the son of the titan
Nyx In Greek mythology, Nyx (; ) is the goddess and personification of the night. In Hesiod's ''Theogony'', she is the offspring of Chaos, and the mother of Aether and Hemera (Day) by Erebus (Darkness). By herself, she produces a brood of children ...
, brother of
Hypnos In Greek mythology, Hypnos (; Ancient Greek: , 'sleep'), also spelled Hypnus, is the personification of sleep. The Roman equivalent is Somnus. His name is the origin of the word hypnosis. Pausanias (geographer), Pausanias wrote that Hypnos was t ...
, and uncle to
Morpheus Morpheus ('Fashioner', derived from the meaning 'form, shape') is a god associated with sleep and dreams. In Ovid's ''Metamorphoses'' he is the son of Somnus (Sleep, the Roman counterpart of Hypnos) and appears in dreams in human form. From the ...
. Thanatos is insecure in his position as one of Hades' soul collectors due to his low productivity. * Eris is the goddess of discord. She is presented as a bald woman with yellow skin, black wings and a big scar in the centre of her chest. She was the first child of Hera and Zeus but they disowned her. She gifted Persephone wrath when she was an infant. *
Hephaestus Hephaestus ( , ; wikt:Hephaestus#Alternative forms, eight spellings; ) is the Greek god of artisans, blacksmiths, carpenters, craftsmen, fire, metallurgy, metalworking, sculpture and volcanoes.Walter Burkert, ''Greek Religion'' 1985: III.2. ...
is the god of fire and metalworking. He is a son of Zeus and Hera, and brother of Ares and Hebe. He is depicted as a dark orange man with yellow eyes, a buzzcut, glasses, prosthetic legs and a robotic left arm. He is shown to be a computer hacker and inventor. He has an intelligent AI named
Aetna Aetna Inc. ( ) is an American managed health care company that sells traditional and consumer directed health care insurance and related services, such as medical, pharmaceutical, dental, behavioral health, long-term care, and disability plans, ...
. He is aware of what Apollo did to Persephone, as his mother, Hera, requested that he hack into Apollo's smartphone and delete photos that were taken during the rape. *
Thetis Thetis ( , or ; ) is a figure from Greek mythology with varying mythological roles. She mainly appears as a sea nymph, a goddess of water, and one of the 50 Nereids, daughters of the ancient sea god Nereus. When described as a Nereid in Cl ...
is a grey and turquoise sea nymph. She is a manipulative woman and is Minthe's former toxic best friend. She originally was Zeus' personal secretary and one of his mistresses. She wanted him to leave Hera for her. She is Daphne's roommate and friend. *
Daphne Daphne (; ; , , ), a figure in Greek mythology, is a naiad, a variety of female nymph associated with fountains, wells, springs, streams, brooks and other bodies of freshwater. There are several versions of the myth in which she appears, but t ...
is a pink and blue flower nymph. Daphne is a friend of Persephone's from the mortal realm. She previously dated Apollo, but after an uncomfortable date together, she ditches him and eventually enters a relationship with Thanatos. She is Echo's roommate and friend. *
Leto In ancient Greek mythology and Ancient Greek religion, religion, Leto (; ) is a childhood goddess, the daughter of the Titans Coeus and Phoebe (Titaness), Phoebe, the sister of Asteria, and the mother of Apollo and Artemis.Hesiod, ''Theogony' ...
is a titan and the goddess of motherhood. She is depicted as a yellow figure with black sclera who wears long veil that hide her mouth. She is the mother of the twins - Artemis and Apollo. She was once best friends with Hera, but after her affair with Zeus was revealed, their friendship was destroyed, and she was socially exiled from Olympus. * Kronos is the titan of time. He is depicted as a colossal man with skin that looks like the night sky. He was a tyrannical leader and when Hades was six-years-old he swallowed his son and kept him imprisoned for thirteen years. *
Metis Metis or Métis, meaning "mixed" in French, may refer to: Ethnic groups * Métis, recognized Indigenous communities in Canada and the United States whose distinct culture and language emerged after early intermarriage between First Nations peopl ...
is the titan of wisdom. She is depicted as a giant orange woman with wings. She was a fertility goddess and because of her incredible abilities, she was consumed by Zeus so he could overthrow Kronos. She is the mother of Hera, Hestia and Demeter. She reveals to both Persephone and Hades that she turned herself into a star, as she was about to be consumed by Zeus. She also had an intimate relationship with him. *
Nyx In Greek mythology, Nyx (; ) is the goddess and personification of the night. In Hesiod's ''Theogony'', she is the offspring of Chaos, and the mother of Aether and Hemera (Day) by Erebus (Darkness). By herself, she produces a brood of children ...
is the primordial goddess of the night. She is depicted as a giant dark blue woman with multiple hot pink eyes. She is the mother of both Thanatos and Hypnos and grandmother of Morpheus. *
Chiron In Greek mythology, Chiron ( ; also Cheiron or Kheiron; ) was held to be the superlative centaur amongst his brethren since he was called the "wisest and justest of all the centaurs". Biography Chiron was notable throughout Greek mythology for ...
is an orange centaur who wears glasses. She's Persephone's
therapist A therapist is a person who offers any kinds of therapy. Therapists are trained professionals in the field of any types of services like psychologists, social workers, counselors, etc. They are helpful in counseling individuals for various mental ...
. * Rhea is the titan of motherhood and serenity. She is presented as a giant magenta woman. She was the mother of Hades, Poseidon and Zeus. She was a fertility goddess and because of her abilities, she was used by Kronos so he could overthrow Ouranos. * Leuce is a pink nymph. She was presented as a peace offering, by Zeus to Hades, during negotiations as an alternative bride for Persephone. Hades angrily refused in response. She is a cousin to Amphitrite, Thetis, and their other sisters. *
Morpheus Morpheus ('Fashioner', derived from the meaning 'form, shape') is a god associated with sleep and dreams. In Ovid's ''Metamorphoses'' he is the son of Somnus (Sleep, the Roman counterpart of Hypnos) and appears in dreams in human form. From the ...
is the goddess of dreams. She is depicted as a blue woman with black hair and wings on her head. She's the daughter of Hypnos, niece to Thanatos, and granddaughter of Nyx. She is
transgender A transgender (often shortened to trans) person has a gender identity different from that typically associated with the sex they were sex assignment, assigned at birth. The opposite of ''transgender'' is ''cisgender'', which describes perso ...
. *
Hypnos In Greek mythology, Hypnos (; Ancient Greek: , 'sleep'), also spelled Hypnus, is the personification of sleep. The Roman equivalent is Somnus. His name is the origin of the word hypnosis. Pausanias (geographer), Pausanias wrote that Hypnos was t ...
is the god of sleep. He is Thanatos' twin brother, father to Morpheus, and son of Nyx. He is presented as a nude grey man with blue eyes and wings, similar to Thanatos' look. *
Cerberus In Greek mythology, Cerberus ( or ; ''Kérberos'' ), often referred to as the hound of Hades, is a polycephaly, multi-headed dog that guards the gates of the Greek underworld, underworld to prevent the dead from leaving. He was the offspring o ...
is one of Hades' dogs. He is a giant, black greyhound who has the ability to change from being a normal-sized dog to a giant-sized dog with three heads. He is close to Persephone and is able to verbally communicate with Hades. * Hebe is the goddess of youth. She is the youngest daughter of Zeus and Hera. She also has the ability to concoct numerous types of alcoholic beverages. She is presented as a yellow girl with long hair. *
Helios In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, Helios (; ; Homeric Greek: ) is the god who personification, personifies the Sun. His name is also Latinized as Helius, and he is often given the epithets Hyperion ("the one above") an ...
is the titan of the sun. He is presented as a giant golden man. He told Thanatos about Persephone's wrathful event. *
Asclepius Asclepius (; ''Asklēpiós'' ; ) is a hero and god of medicine in ancient Religion in ancient Greece, Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology. He is the son of Apollo and Coronis (lover of Apollo), Coronis, or Arsinoe (Greek myth), Ars ...
is a
demigod A demigod is a part-human and part-divine offspring of a deity and a human, or a human or non-human creature that is accorded divine status after death, or someone who has attained the "divine spark" (divine illumination). An immortality, immor ...
and son of Apollo. He is the god of
medicine Medicine is the science and Praxis (process), practice of caring for patients, managing the Medical diagnosis, diagnosis, prognosis, Preventive medicine, prevention, therapy, treatment, Palliative care, palliation of their injury or disease, ...
and works as a
physician A physician, medical practitioner (British English), medical doctor, or simply doctor is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through the Medical education, study, Med ...
. Asclepius is presented as a light purple, bald man. He is known to confide others' private matters to his father, most likely as a result of Apollo forcing him to do so; for example, telling Apollo about Hades's sterility. *
Gaia In Greek mythology, Gaia (; , a poetic form of ('), meaning 'land' or 'earth'),, , . also spelled Gaea (), is the personification of Earth. Gaia is the ancestral mother—sometimes parthenogenic—of all life. She is the mother of Uranus (S ...
is the primordial goddess of the earth. Gaia is presented as a giant turquoise woman with hair that looks like leaves. She was the first fertility goddess. *
Ouranos In Greek mythology, Uranus ( , also ), sometimes written Ouranos (, ), is the personification of the sky and one of the Greek primordial deities. According to Hesiod, Uranus was the son and husband of Gaia (Earth), with whom he fathered the ...
is the primordial god of the sky. He is presented as a giant, muscular sky-blue man, who has six eyes. *
Dionysus In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, myth, Dionysus (; ) is the god of wine-making, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, festivity, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, and theatre. He was also known as Bacchus ( or ; ...
is an infant god, born out of the leg of his father Zeus. He was conceived in Zeus' long-running affair with the mortal woman
Semele Semele (; ), or Thyone (; ) in Greek mythology, was the youngest daughter of Cadmus and Harmonia (Greek goddess), Harmonia, and the mother of Dionysus by Zeus in one of his many origin myths. Certain elements of the cult of Dionysus and Semele ...
. Zeus has Asclepius stitch an unborn Dionysus into his leg after Semele's death, and because his whole body is immortal, he believed he'd be able to keep Dionysus alive until his birth. Persephone is ordered by Zeus to help him deliver the infant god at her apartment complex, as well as not tell Hera about this, since he's trying to make his marriage with her work. Dionysus has purple skin and white hair, a trait Zeus says runs in the family and is most likely connected to Ouranos. The characters in ''Lore Olympus'' are each defined by a particular color. According to columnist Nahlia Bonfiglo, "Hades is depicted in dark colors—blues, purples, and blacks—that match his setting. The underworld is likewise illustrated in dark hues, making Persephone and all of her bold, bright colors pop even more."


Development history

''Lore Olympus'' is written and illustrated by New Zealander Rachel Smythe (aged ). Smythe graduated with a graphic design degree, sought to enter the creative industry without success, and went into marketing. Smythe learned about the Webtoon app in 2016, shortly after which she began publishing ''The Doctor Foxglove Show'' - a sequel to her former attempt at a long-form series, ''The Doctor Pepper Show'' - until it was discontinued after two chapters, the last of which was posted to the Webtoon Discovery section (now called 'Canvas') on June 12th, 2016. Roughly a year later, in April 2017, she began drawing ''Lore Olympus'', which began on
Tumblr Tumblr (pronounced "tumbler") is a microblogging and Social networking service, social networking website founded by David Karp in 2007 and is owned by American company Automattic. The service allows users to post multimedia and other content ...
, as well as
WEBTOON Webtoons () are a type of episodic digital comics that originated in South Korea usually meant to be read on smartphones A smartphone is a mobile phone with advanced computing capabilities. It typically has a touchscreen interface, allo ...
Discover, before being relaunched on
WEBTOON Webtoons () are a type of episodic digital comics that originated in South Korea usually meant to be read on smartphones A smartphone is a mobile phone with advanced computing capabilities. It typically has a touchscreen interface, allo ...
Canvas in March 2018. On her website for ''Lore Olympus'', Smythe lists some of the sources that she uses for the comic: * ''Heroes, Gods and Monsters of the Greek Myths'' by Bernard Evslin; * ''Classical Mythology: The Greeks: The Modern Scholar'' by Professor Peter Meineck; * ''Classical Mythology'' by Professor Elizabeth Vandiver; * ''The Metamorphoses'' by
Ovid Publius Ovidius Naso (; 20 March 43 BC – AD 17/18), known in English as Ovid ( ), was a Augustan literature (ancient Rome), Roman poet who lived during the reign of Augustus. He was a younger contemporary of Virgil and Horace, with whom he i ...
; * ''
The Greek Myths ''The Greek Myths'' (1955) is a mythography, a compendium of Greek mythology, with comments and analyses, by the poet and writer Robert Graves. Many editions of the book separate it into two volumes. Abridged editions of the work contain only ...
'' by
Robert Graves Captain Robert von Ranke Graves (24 July 1895 – 7 December 1985) was an English poet, soldier, historical novelist and critic. His father was Alfred Perceval Graves, a celebrated Irish poet and figure in the Gaelic revival; they were b ...
; * ''
The Works and Days ''The Works and Days (of Tayoko Shiojiri in the Shiotani Basin)'' is a 2020 fiction film directed by C.W. Winter and Anders Edström. It describes life in a farming village, population 47, in the Shiotani basin in the Japanese prefecture of Kyoto ...
'' by
Hesiod Hesiod ( or ; ''Hēsíodos''; ) was an ancient Greece, Greek poet generally thought to have been active between 750 and 650 BC, around the same time as Homer.M. L. West, ''Hesiod: Theogony'', Oxford University Press (1966), p. 40.Jasper Gr ...
; * ''The Iliad'' by
Homer Homer (; , ; possibly born ) was an Ancient Greece, Ancient Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Despite doubts about his autho ...
; * ''The Odyssey'' by
Homer Homer (; , ; possibly born ) was an Ancient Greece, Ancient Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Despite doubts about his autho ...
; * ''The Homeric Hymns'', specifically the Hymn to
Demeter In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, Demeter (; Attic Greek, Attic: ''Dēmḗtēr'' ; Doric Greek, Doric: ''Dāmā́tēr'') is the Twelve Olympians, Olympian goddess of the harvest and agriculture, presiding over cro ...
.


Publication history

Originally published to
Tumblr Tumblr (pronounced "tumbler") is a microblogging and Social networking service, social networking website founded by David Karp in 2007 and is owned by American company Automattic. The service allows users to post multimedia and other content ...
and Webtoon Discover in 2017, The webcomic updated weekly on Webtoon Canvas on its launch there on March 4, 2018, and readers with the "Webtoon Fast Pass" can access pages earlier. In July 2023, Smythe confirmed that she had an ending in mind for the series, and the series ended June 2, 2024 after three seasons, totalling 280 episodes. Smythe created ''Lore Olympus'' using
Adobe Photoshop Adobe Photoshop is a raster graphics editor developed and published by Adobe Inc., Adobe for Microsoft Windows, Windows and macOS. It was created in 1987 by Thomas Knoll, Thomas and John Knoll. It is the most used tool for professional digital ...
and a Wacom Cintiq Pro drawing tablet.


Collected editions


Reception

In 2019,
Webtoon Webtoons () are a type of episodic digital comics that originated in South Korea usually meant to be read on smartphones A smartphone is a mobile phone with advanced computing capabilities. It typically has a touchscreen interface, allo ...
announced that ''Lore Olympus'' had been viewed over 299 million times, making it the most viewed webcomic on the platform. As of September 2021, ''Lore Olympus'' is the most popular webtoon on the platform, with over 5.4 million subscribers. In an article for ''
The Daily Dot ''The Daily Dot'' is a digital media company covering the culture of the Internet and the World Wide Web. It was founded by Nicholas White in 2011, and is headquartered in Austin, Texas. The site, conceived as the Internet's "hometown newsp ...
'', columnist Nahila Bonfiglio recommended the webcomic, saying: "There are many reasons to read ''Lore Olympus'', but the simplest is to see Smythe's brilliant take on the myth. Her story is flawlessly enthralling, heartwarming, and painful. The characters confront timeless issues through a modern lens, breaking down the romanticization of rape and abduction with grace and intrigue. Smythe updates the series every Sunday, and new readers will find themselves awaiting that notification with bated breath." Bonfiglio also praised the art, saying: " mythe'scaptivating way of telling her tale often involves carefully considered colors, panels completely without words and even—sometimes—music." '' The Beat'' declared ''Lore Olympus'' to be one of the 100 best comics of the 2010s, describing Smythe's art as "breathtaking" and making good use of the webtoon format, and saying that the modern setting made the story "feel as fresh and urgent as eavesdropping on your (very wealthy, very messy) neighbors." ''Critical Darlings'' reviewer Kaitlin Konecke said that "the drawings allow us to ''see'' how Persephone ''feels''. It's a visceral way to tell a story, with graphics allowing us to see inside the mind of Persephone and convey the complicated array of emotions that follow trauma such as sexual assault and rape." Konecke also praised the depiction of assault from a female writer, saying that Smythe and others "are not just telling us, but showing us. And in doing so, they make women and survivors feel seen." A reviewer for ''Love in Panels!'' praised the decision to give Persephone more agency than in the original story, saying that "it's that agency, her claiming of her own body and sexuality, that pulls me like a magnet to these tales." Nicole Mejias of ''
Crunchyroll Crunchyroll is an American Video on demand#Subscription models, subscription video on-demand Over-the-top media service, over-the-top Streaming media, streaming service owned by Sony, Sony Group Corporation. The service primarily distributes fi ...
'' said that while the story is a "bit mature and dramatic," the suspense and romance between Hades and Persephone is gripping, while the "art is colorful and gorgeous."


Awards and nominations


Animated adaptation

In October 2019, ''
Deadline Deadline(s) or The Deadline(s) may refer to: * Time limit, a narrow field of time by which an objective must be accomplished Arts, entertainment, and media Comics * Deadline (DC Comics), a fictional villain * ''Deadline'' (magazine), a Britis ...
'' reported that the
Jim Henson Company The Jim Henson Company, Inc., formerly known as Muppets, Inc., Henson Associates, Inc., and Jim Henson Productions, Inc. (commonly referred to as Henson), is an American entertainment company located in Los Angeles, California. The company is kn ...
had entered into a partnership with Webtoon to create an animated series based on ''Lore Olympus''. The series was said to be shepherded by the executive director of television for Jim Henson Company, Ashley Griffis, its style was not yet determined, and nor was its platform announced. Other reports stated that the series would be aimed at
young adults In medicine and the social sciences, a young adult is generally a person in the years following adolescence, sometimes with some overlap. Definitions and opinions on what qualifies as a young adult vary, with works such as Erik Erikson's stages ...
and expand the "unique perspective" of Smythe on Greek mythology in the comic. It was also unclear whether Smythe would be involved in the adaptation. In March 2021, it was claimed that the series would be the "first esternanimated series based on a Webtoon comic", after other Webtoons, such as ''
Tower of God is a South Korean manhwa released as a webtoon written and illustrated by S.I.U. It has been serialized in Naver Corporation's webtoon platform Naver Webtoon since June 2010, with the individual chapters collected and published by Young Com in 1 ...
'' and ''
The God of High School is a South Korean manhwa released as a webtoon written and illustrated by Yongje Park. It has been serialized in Naver Corporation's webtoon platform Naver Webtoon from April 2011 to December 2022, with the individual chapters collected and pub ...
'', had received anime adaptations. In December 2021, Webtoon stated, in a press release, that the Western animated series was "currently in development". The same was repeated in press releases from Webtoon in July 2022 and October 2022. In a November 29, 2024 interview with
Anime News Network Anime News Network (ANN) is a news website that reports on the status of anime, manga, video games, Japanese popular music and other related cultures within North America, Australia, Southeast Asia and Japan. The website offers reviews and ot ...
, Wattpad WEBTOON Studios president Aron Levitz stated that Webtoon was "working with the Jim Henson Company" on the animated adaptation and that since coloration was important to the storytelling, animation was a "great place" to start.


References


External links


Official website
on
WEBTOON Webtoons () are a type of episodic digital comics that originated in South Korea usually meant to be read on smartphones A smartphone is a mobile phone with advanced computing capabilities. It typically has a touchscreen interface, allo ...
{{Webtoon (platform) Webtoons in print 2018 webtoon debuts Classical mythology in comics Comics about women Fantasy comics Greek and Roman deities in fiction Greek underworld in popular culture Harvey Award winners Ringo Award winners for Favorite Hero Ringo Award winners for Best Webcomic New Zealand comics titles Rape of Persephone Romance comics Works based on classical literature Works based on Metamorphoses Works based on the Iliad Works based on the Odyssey