Destiny: A Chronicle of Deaths Foretold

Last updated
Destiny: A Chronicle of Deaths Foretold
Destiny Vertigo 1.png
Cover to issue #1 of Destiny: A Chronicle of Deaths Foretold (April 1996), art by Kent Williams.
Publication information
Publisher DC Comics
ScheduleMonthly
Format Limited series
Publication dateApril 1996 – July 1996
No. of issues3
Main character(s) Destiny of the Endless
Creative team
Written by Alisa Kwitney
Artist(s) Kent Williams
Michael Zulli
Scott Hampton
Rebecca Guay
Letterer(s) Todd Klein
Colorist(s) Sherilyn Van Valkenburgh
Editor(s) Karen Berger
Joan Hilty
Collected editions
Destiny: A Chronicle of Deaths Foretold ISBN   1-56389-505-6

Destiny: A Chronicle of Deaths Foretold is a 1996 comic book mini-series published by Vertigo, written by Alisa Kwitney and with art by Kent Williams, Michael Zulli, Scott Hampton and Rebecca Guay. A spin-off from Neil Gaiman's Sandman series, it features Destiny of the Endless, a character available for use by other writers because, unlike the other Endless, Gaiman had not created him. [1]

Contents

Published in prestige format, each of the three issues detailed a story of a different plague from history, with a framing sequence set in a future world decimated by a new plague. Each issue's story was illustrated by a different artist, with Zulli, Hampton and Guay painting issues one, two and three respectively; the framing story and cover art were by Williams. [2]

The title is a reference to the novel Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel García Márquez.

Plot

In October 2009, the world's population has been decimated by the spread of new strain of the Bubonic Plague which is resistant to antibiotics. One small group of survivors, led by Ruth Knight, is visited by a stranger who claims to possess a page from the Book of Destiny that foretells the future. To prove its accuracy he tells stories from the page of the Byzantine Empire during the Plague of Justinian (issue one), a princess at the beginning of the Black Death (issue two) and an Englishwoman during the Great Plague of London (issue three). Destiny himself is involved in each of the stories. The stranger then claims the page predicts the future of the current plague as well, and offers Ruth knowledge of her own destiny.

Awards

Destiny: A Chronicle of Deaths Foretold was nominated for the Eisner Award for "Best Limited Series" in 1998; the award went to Batman: The Long Halloween . [3]

Collected editions

It was collected in 2000 as a 144-page trade paperback with a new introduction by Kwitney. It is no longer in print. [4]

See also

Notes

  1. "The Continuity Pages: The Sandman > The Dreaming Era (1996–2001)". Archived from the original on 2007-08-16. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  2. Irvine, Alex (2008). "Destiny". In Dougall, Alastair (ed.). The Vertigo Encyclopedia. New York: Dorling Kindersley. p. 57. ISBN   978-0-7566-4122-1. OCLC   213309015.
  3. "Eisner award nominees 1998". Archived from the original on 2008-01-07. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  4. "Trade details at DC". Archived from the original on 2008-10-07. Retrieved 2008-01-31.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neil Gaiman</span> English writer (born 1960)

Neil Richard MacKinnon Gaiman is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, graphic novels, audio theatre, and screenplays. His works include the comic book series The Sandman and the novels Good Omens, Stardust, Anansi Boys, American Gods, Coraline, and The Graveyard Book. In 2023, he starred as the voice of Gef the talking mongoose in the black comedy film Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose.

<i>The Sandman: The Wake</i>

The Wake is the tenth and final collection of issues in the American comic book series The Sandman. It is written by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Michael Zulli, Jon J. Muth and Charles Vess, colored by Daniel Vozzo and Jon J. Muth, and lettered by Todd Klein.

<i>The Sandman</i> (comic book) Comic series by Neil Gaiman

The Sandman is a comic book written by Neil Gaiman and published by DC Comics. Its artists include Sam Kieth, Mike Dringenberg, Jill Thompson, Shawn McManus, Marc Hempel, Bryan Talbot, and Michael Zulli, with lettering by Todd Klein and covers by Dave McKean. The original series ran for 75 issues from January 1989 to March 1996. Beginning with issue No. 47, it was placed under DC's Vertigo imprint, and following Vertigo's retirement in 2020, reprints have been published under DC's Black Label imprint.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Death of the Endless</span> DC Comics character

Death of the Endless is a fictional personification of death who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. She first appeared in The Sandman vol. 2, #8, and was created by Neil Gaiman and Mike Dringenberg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vertigo Comics</span> Imprint of comic-book publisher DC Comics

Vertigo Comics was an imprint of American comic book publisher DC Comics started by editor Karen Berger in 1993. Vertigo's purpose was to publish comics with adult content, such as nudity, drug use, profanity, and graphic violence, that did not fit the restrictions of DC's main line, thus allowing more creative freedom. Its titles consisted of company-owned comics set in the DC Universe, such as The Sandman and Hellblazer, and creator-owned works, such as Preacher, Y: The Last Man and Fables.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucifer (DC Comics)</span> Comic book character

Lucifer Samael Morningstar is a character who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is an adaptation of Lucifer—the Biblical fallen angel and devil of Christianity—and is one of the most powerful beings in the DC Universe. Though various versions of the Devil have been presented by DC Comics, this interpretation by Neil Gaiman debuted in The Sandman #4 in 1989. Lucifer appears primarily as a supporting character in The Sandman and as the protagonist of the spin-off Lucifer.

<i>Death: The High Cost of Living</i> Comic written by Neil Gaiman

Death: The High Cost of Living is a comic written by Neil Gaiman with art by Chris Bachalo and Mark Buckingham. It is a spin-off from Gaiman's best-selling Vertigo Comics series The Sandman, featuring the Sandman (Dream)'s elder sister, Death of the Endless. Its premise is that Death takes human form once a century, to remain grounded and in touch with humanity, an idea touched upon in several other media, for example in the 1934 film Death Takes a Holiday and in the Terry Pratchett novel Reaper Man.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colleen Doran</span> American writer-artist and cartoonist

Colleen Doran is an American writer-artist and cartoonist. She illustrated hundreds of comics, graphic novels, books and magazines, including the autobiographical graphic novel of Marvel Comics editor and writer Stan Lee entitled Amazing Fantastic Incredible Stan Lee, which became a New York Times bestseller. She adapted and did the art for the short story "Troll Bridge" by Neil Gaiman, which also became a New York Times bestseller. Her books have received Eisner, Harvey, Bram Stoker, Locus, and International Horror Guild Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cain and Abel (comics)</span> DC Comics characters

Cain and Abel are a pair of fictional characters in the DC Comics universe based on the biblical Cain and Abel. They are key figures in DC's "Mystery" line of the late 1960s and 1970s, which became the mature-readers imprint Vertigo in 1993.

<i>Death: The Time of Your Life</i> Limited comic series written by Neil Gaiman

Death: The Time of Your Life is a three-issue comic book mini-series written by Neil Gaiman, one of many spinoffs from his series The Sandman. It was illustrated by Chris Bachalo and Mark Buckingham, and features an introduction by Claire Danes. The series ran from April to July 1996 and has been collected into a single volume.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Buckingham (comic book artist)</span> British comic book artist

Mark Buckingham is a British comic book artist. He is best known for his work on Marvelman and Fables.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Dringenberg</span> American comics artist

Mike Dringenberg is an American comics artist best known for his work on DC Comics/Vertigo's Sandman series with writer Neil Gaiman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rebecca Guay</span> American painter

Rebecca Guay is an artist known early in her career as an illustrator, commissioned for work on role-playing games, collectible card games, comic books, as well as work on children's literature. Guay subsequently turned primarily toward gallery work, opening her first solo exhibition in 2013 at the R.Michelson Gallery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Vess</span> American fantasy and comics artist

Charles Vess is an American fantasy artist and comics artist who has specialized in the illustration of myths and fairy tales. His influences include British "Golden Age" book illustrator Arthur Rackham, Czech Art Nouveau painter Alphonse Mucha, and comic-strip artist Hal Foster, among others. Vess has won several awards for his illustrations. Vess' studio, Green Man Press, is located in Abingdon, VA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Zulli</span> American artist

Michael Zulli is an American artist known for his work as an animal and wildlife illustrator and as a comic book illustrator.

<i>The Dreaming</i> (comics) Monthly comic series published by DC Comics

The Dreaming was a monthly comic series that ran for 60 issues and was revived in 2018. It is set in the same dimension of the DC universe as The Sandman and the stories occurred primarily within Dream's realm, The Dreaming, concentrating on characters who had played minor roles in The Sandman, including The Corinthian, Matthew the raven, Cain and Abel, Lucien the dream librarian, the faerie Nuala, Eve, and Mervyn Pumpkinhead. It also introduced a number of new characters, Echo and a new (white) dream raven, Tethys. After those characters were retconned the 2018 version of The Dreaming introduced new characters such as Hyperion Keeter, WAN, and the night hag, Dora. The 2020 spin-off / continuation, The Dreaming: Waking Hours introduced other new characters such as Linsy, Ruin, and most notably, Heather After, a direct descendant of Roderick Burgess. There were brief appearances by The Endless during the series, including cameos by Dream, Death, Destiny, and Desire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alisa Kwitney</span> American novelist

Alisa Kwitney is a writer of comedic romance novels and graphic novels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neil Gaiman bibliography</span>

This is a list of works by Neil Gaiman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Endless (comics)</span> Sandman comic characters

The Endless are a family of beings who appear in American comic books published by DC Comics. The members of the family include Death, Delirium, Desire, Despair, Destiny, Destruction, and Dream.

References