Destiny (DC Comics)
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Destiny is one of the Endless, fictional characters from Neil Gaiman's comic book series, The Sandman. He was originally created by Marv Wolfman and Berni Wrightson in Weird Mystery Tales #1 (1972), and was regular host of that series as well as Secrets of Haunted House. In the Sandman Special #1, he was also referred to as Potmos.
Like Lucien, Cain and Abel and some other Sandman characters, Destiny was initially the host of a 1970s DC horror comic, Weird Mystery Tales. In this title the Book of Destiny was called the Cosmic Log, and there was, of course, no mention of his family, though a more traditional version of Death did appear in it. Destiny began appearing in some of the stories beginning in issue #10 (though he said that as all the stories he tells deal with destiny, he is in all of them, as well), but by issue #15, Eve had taken over the series, and had been wheedling in since early in the run, but Destiny now hosted a new title, Secrets of Haunted House. Destiny met Superman in Superman #352 and met the New Teen Titans on several occasions.
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[edit] Vertigo
Destiny is the oldest of the Endless, and is portrayed as a tall figure, obscured within a brown (originally purple) robe and cowl. He reads from a large book chained to his right wrist, which contains all past, present, and future events. He does not leave footprints, nor does he cast a shadow. Destiny's realm is a garden, the maze-like paths of which he walks continually. His book is his sigil in the galleries of the other Endless. Destiny is blind, although this doesn't appear to hinder him, and is always calm, detached and sombre even in extreme situations.
He is the least characterised and least used of the Endless in the series. Though he was first depicted in the series in a picture at the end of the first collection (in the penultimate issue), his first actual appearance is in the fourth collection, Season of Mists. In a quiet way he seems to direct the family affairs of the Endless; it is he who calls the family meeting that begins Season of Mists.
Destiny is also featured in the three-issue miniseries Destiny: A Chronicle of Deaths Foretold, authored by Alisa Kwitney with art by Kent Williams, Michael Zulli, Scott Hampton, and Rebecca Guay. Destiny is there shown transforming the son of Byzantine Empress Theodora into a pestilence-bearing Horseman of the Apocalypse. The Horseman spreads bubonic plague throughout eras of human civilization while searching for a woman he can love and spare. The frame story focuses on the Horseman's appearance in the 21st century, where he offers a glimpse of Destiny's book to the frightened survivors of the latest plague.
In Gaiman's graphic novel The Books of Magic, Mister E and Timothy Hunter see Destiny at the end of the universe, shortly before he is taken by Death.
[edit] Trivia
- Destiny's garden is clearly indebted to Jorge Luis Borges's story "The Garden of Forking Paths". Destiny himself bears similarities to Borges, blind Director of the Argentine National Library.
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[edit] See also
| The Sandman (Vertigo) | ||
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| The Sandman Library | 1: Preludes and Nocturnes • 2: The Doll's House • 3: Dream Country • 4: Season of Mists • 5: A Game of You 6: Fables and Reflections • 7: Brief Lives • 8: Worlds' End • 9: The Kindly Ones • 10: The Wake • 11: Endless Nights |
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| from the World of The Sandman | The Sandman: The Dream Hunters • Death: The High Cost of Living • Death: The Time of Your Life • Destiny: A Chronicle of Deaths Foretold • The Little Endless Storybook • Death: At Death's Door • Dust Covers - The Collected Sandman Covers 1989-1997 • The Quotable Sandman • The Sandman Companion | |
| Characters of The Sandman | The Endless: Destiny • Death • Dream • Destruction • Desire• Despair • Delirium | |
| Dreams and nightmares • Gods, demigods, and major personifications Angels, fallen angels, and devils • Immortals, witches, and long-lived humans • Fair folk • Mortals |
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| Other topics | ||
| Neil Gaiman • Other books and series | ||
