NETHERWORLD	ATLAS
Created by John Ostrander and Timothy Truman

LOCALE INFORMATION

Name: Netherworld
Location: Chicago, IL
Prominent inhabitants: Battleaxe, Buzzkutt, FerAlyse, Lefty, Knowbuddy, Mustang Suzy, Null, and Thrasher
First Appearance: Hawkworld Vol. 2 #30 (January 1993): "Flight's End Part 4: The Hunt"
Creators: John Ostrander and Timothy Truman

HISTORY

An area of Chicago set in the remains of the old Stockyards, where meta-humans and paranormals who have shunned the traditional super-hero/villain lifestyle have found a home. Subgroups among the Netherworlders include the Phreaks (deformed mutants), the Hairballs (people turned animal through a "werebeast drug"), and the Nasties (a criminal gang controlled by living tattoos).

The "Slaughterhouse" is the local club, considered neutral turf among the rival gangs. For some time, the Netherworld was manipulated by the immortal Count Viper, who used the inhabitants for his own means, including a battle with Hawkman and Hawkwoman (Katar Hol and Shayera Thal). The Hawks later befriended several of the Netherworlders, even helping refugees from the planet Thanagar – the so-called Downsiders – to find a new home in the Netherworld. For a brief time, the Hawks became refugees and settled down there themselves.

Still later, the hero Mongrel unintentionally unleashed a plague that nearly wiped out the entire community. Though decimated, the surviving Netherworlders are still active in the area.

PROFILE REFERENCES

Who's Who in the DC Universe Update 1993 #1 (December 1992)