“What is the nature of hell? Theologians have pondered this question for centuries.

Greek and Egyptian mythological conceptions of death and the underwold represent some of the oldest visions of this place, with Underworld being a place of dark and cold. The word hell itself is derived from Greek words for the underworld.

Christianity has various descriptions of it, from many of the gospels describing it as being composed by fire, whereas the Book of Revelations sees it as an endless abyss. Whether it's Dante or the bible, hell is usually seen by christians as endless in both space and time, an eternal torment for unbelivers: "The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with His mighty angels, In flaming fire taking Vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the Presence of the Lord, and from the Glory of his Power." (Paul, in the Book of Thessalonians).

Zoroastrianism, now close to extinction, was influential upon Christianity and other modern religions for its portrayal of hell and the apocalypse. Some texts speak of the individual judgment as a balancing of good thoughts, words and deeds against their opposites, but the judgment also can play itself out in the physical manifestation of the bridge as either a wide walkway for the good, which allows them to reach the peak, or a sharp and narrow razor-edge for the wicked who fall into hell. Zoroastrianism doesn't so much describe hell as it does catalog the kinds of sinners who end up there. It does mention the unnamed deepest region, the pit of hell, called Drûgâskan, a place so dark that all who are sent there are as if blind.

Many Eastern religions have conceptions of hell that are less permanent. Most Buddhist schools posit various hot and cold hells in which those who have committed evil actions suffer until their negative karma is worked off, at which point they are reborn in another realm, or possibly reincarnated back in our world.

Existentialists have used hell to show the pettiness and meaningless of our existence in the here and now--Jean Paul Sartre's classic "huis clos" (No Exit) demonstrates a tedious hell of endless conversations with petty, unpleasant people.

The Hellblazer comic series presents perhaps the most popular modern pop culture vision of this place. The character John Constantine was invented by Alan Moore in his Swamp Thing series, and was eventually given his own book, penned by many, including Garth Ennis. In this series, hell (and heaven) were full of politics and intrigue and plots which could impact our plane of existence. Constantine, a swaggering, chain-smoking Englishman, had the gift of being able to see and converse with demons and angels, as well as being able to work just enough magic to keep himself alive and escape eternal damnation. Absurdly cast as Keanu Reeves in the Hollywood version, the character of Constantine represents imperfect humanity's attempt to stay one step ahead of death and the devil.

If space allowed, we could examine thousands of other conceptions of hell. There are as many versions of the dark side of the afterlife as there are cultures in our history.

For myself, however, I suspect there is a more personal hell that may catch up to me after my demise. It looks a lot like replaying this particular blood bowl game for eternity--A game in which you fail most every roll, your opponent makes his, star players die and your apothecary fails--And your opponent whines that he is the one having bad luck. I hope it doesn't turn out like this--For any of us.”