Who are these "New" Gods, and why are they Old?

[MartyGras]

So he's a question. Who are these "New Gods" I always hear about. And I don't mean "who are the new, post-infinite-crisis, new gods", I mean "who are the old (pre-infinite crisis) new gods?"

Confused? Me too. Please help.

I always read about the "New Gods", usually refering to Darkseid et al. I never know who they are talking about (aside from Darkseid, of course). Who are these Gods, and why are they refered to as "the New Gods"? Were there "Old Gods" at some point as well?

Finally, there appear to be New, New Gods (Isis from 52 has been called one). What is their deal? Or do we even know yet?

[nietoperz]

Best to look them up, but the New Gods are (fairly broadly) the denizens of New Genesis and Apokolips as created by Jack Kirby. Orion, Mister Miracle, Lightray etc are among the good guys, Darkseid, Desaad, Granny Goodness etc are among the bad.

The 'new' part comes from the vague allusiuon to Ragnarok in the origin of the characters ('there came a time where the Old Gods died, then rose the New Gods.') I have no proof but have always taken this to be Kirby's oblique reference to the Asgardian gods at Marvel (whom he had just acrimoniously quit for DC at the time).

The characters really aren't that confusing...

[Jack Burton]

Best to look them up, but the New Gods are (fairly broadly) the denizens of New Genesis and Apokolips as created by Jack Kirby. Orion, Mister Miracle, Lightray etc are among the good guys, Darkseid, Desaad, Granny Goodness etc are among the bad.

The 'new' part comes from the vague allusiuon to Ragnarok in the origin of the characters ('there came a time where the Old Gods died, then rose the New Gods.') I have no proof but have always taken this to be Kirby's oblique reference to the Asgardian gods at Marvel (whom he had just acrimoniously quit for DC at the time).

The characters really aren't that confusing...

You're right. According a bio I read on Jack Kirby a lot of his New Gods characters were ones he planned to use after he had Ragnarok in Thor. He was going to kill the Old Gods to Usher in the New. But he decided against it once he made plans to leave Marvel because he wanted to control the characters and write them.