Deadman | |
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Deadman Collection Hardcover. Art by Neal Adams. |
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Publication information | |
Publisher | DC Comics |
First appearance | Strange Adventures #205 (October 1967) |
Created by | Arnold Drake (writer) Carmine Infantino (artist) |
In-story information | |
Alter ego | Boston Brand |
Team affiliations | Seven Soldiers of Victory Sentinels of Magic Black Lantern Corps White Lantern Corps |
Abilities | Peak human level athlete/acrobat As a ghost: Invisibility, flight and intangibility. He can instantly and completely possess any sentient being. Power rings: Solid energy construct, flight, invisibility, teleportation, ability to heal, reanimates the dead (black), resurrection of the dead (white) |
Deadman (Boston Brand) is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Strange Adventures #205 (October 1967), and was created by Arnold Drake and Carmine Infantino.[1]
Contents |
Publication history
The series is most associated with the art of Neal Adams, who took over from Infantino after the first story, and the writing of Jack Miller, who succeeded Drake after the first two stories, although Miller is miscredited in several reprints as having taken over the writing after only one issue by Drake.[2] The first story and all of the Adams stories were reprinted in 1985 as a seven-issue series.
Although he appeared from time to time in the 1970s and 1980s as a supporting character in various comics, including Jack Kirby's Forever People, Deadman did not get his own series again until 1986, in a four-issue limited series written by Andrew Helfer and drawn by José Luis García-López, which picked up the story where Adams left off. Deadman's next major storyline was in Action Comics Weekly, in 1988-1989. After this, he starred in the two-issue series Deadman: Love After Death, drawn by Kelley Jones and written by Mike Baron. This was followed by the limited series Deadman: Exorcism in 1992, also written by Mike Baron and drawn by Kelley Jones. Jones' gaunt, zombie-like rendition of the character would later appear in the pages of Batman. There was a Deadman ongoing series in 2002, which lasted nine issues, as well as a couple of standalone issues. His cameo appearances also continued, including several issues of Alan Moore's run on Swamp Thing, and Neil Gaiman's The Books of Magic. He had a cameo in book two of Batman: Gotham County Line, which was released in November 2005. In 2009, Deadman was a featured title in the Wednesday Comics.
The character and self-titled series have won several awards, including the 1967 Alley Award for Best New Strip (by Arnold Drake and Carmine Infantino in Strange Adventures), and the 1968 Alley Award Hall of Fame (for Neal Adams).
DC Comics published a slipcased hardcover edition collecting the original Deadman stories in December 2001.
Deadman's retconned origin is revealed in Brightest Day #14 (2010), written by Geoff Johns and Peter Tomasi.
Fictional character biography
Deadman is a ghost, formerly a circus trapeze artist named Boston Brand who performed under the name Deadman, a stage persona including a red costume and white corpse makeup. When Brand is murdered during a trapeze performance by a mysterious assailant known only as the Hook (in fact his last words were "Gee, from up here it almost looks like that guy with the hook for a hand has a gun..."), his spirit is given the power to possess any living being by a Hindu goddess (created for the purposes of the story) named Rama Kushna (a corruption of Rama-Krishna), in order to search for his murderer and obtain justice. It is established in Green Arrow Vol 4, #4, that Deadman believes Rama is the supreme being of the universe.[1]
The origin story involved the hero fighting narcotics smugglers, in the first story to involve drugs with the permission of the Comics Code Authority. The criminals used the traveling circus they worked for to smuggle "snow" (either heroin or cocaine).
In the pages of Nightwing (issues #102 and #103, respectively) it is implied that Brand got the idea for his costume from Johnny Grayson, father of Dick Grayson (the original Robin who renames himself Nightwing).
At the end of the Neal Adams story line, Deadman seems to discover the truth behind his murder and we learn the ultimate fate of Hook, who killed Deadman as part of an initiation into a society of contract killers who then kill him to silence him. However, in 1972 writer/artist Jack Kirby was told by the DC editors to put a Deadman crossover into his book The Forever People. Kirby had never heard of Deadman, but he obligingly included the character in The Forever People #9 and 10. Mark Evanier pointed out to Kirby a problem with the original story that he could use for the crossover. In the origin story, Hook has his hook on his right hand. Yet in the penultimate Neal Adams story, where his secret is revealed and he meets his fate, the man we think is Hook has his hook on his left hand. This was probably just an artist's error—in the final Neal Adams Deadman, in the synopsis of the previous issue, the hook is back on the right hand again. Kirby, however, uses this clue to reopen the case of Deadman, with the real Hook one among many one-handed men who work for an organization known as "The Scavengers".
Various missions
Over the course of several years, Rama Kushna has Deadman confront the sorcerer Caldera multiple times over the fate of the souls of several deceased superheroes. Two of them are the Flash and Jason Todd (another Robin). During the Robin incident, he tries to possess the Joker but was driven out by the man's insanity.
Rama also maintained a city for some time, called Nanda Parbat. The most evil people in the world came to live there, where Rama's power kept them sane and good. One of the worst was Darius Caldera, who almost destroyed the world when he left the city. Unfortunately, Nanda later fell due to a combined military and mystical force. All the evil people are now back in the real world, still a danger.
His twin brother, Cleveland, is killed while possessed by Boston, while doing Boston's circus act. The killer was out to kill Boston Brand. His "benefactor," Rama Kushna, also dies in order to defeat Jonah, a spirit similar to Deadman.
Around this time, Deadman assists the Spectre in defeating a newly formed demonic being and werewolves. Formed from the skeletons of many souls in hell, this blue-eyed, blonde-haired being comes to Earth to foment chaos and death. It manages to actually remove much of the Spectre's substance. Deadman is forced to merge with Spectre until things are stabilized.
Later, Deadman receives a birthday present from his diminutive friend, Max Loomis. Max places himself in a trance so he could "meet" Deadman and the two take a pleasant journey down "memory lane," mainly Deadman's more pleasant memories of Nanda Parbat. Soon after, Loomis meets with old circus friends and Deadman involves himself in a case of suspected murder. Deadman wants to go after the escapees of Nanda Parbat, but Max thinks pursuing the murder is a better course.
Invasion!
Deadman is seen near the conclusion of Invasion! #2 (Battleground: Earth!) aboard the ship of the Khund commanding officer (whose body he had possessed). His contribution to the war effort was invaluable, as he assassinated the leaders of the Alien Alliance, and sent a signal of surrender to both the Alliance and Earth-loyal forces (resulting in a cessation of hostilities).
Youth and Hell
In the "Sins of Youth" incident, Deadman is one of the dozens of heroes reduced to a preteen age by Klarion the Witch Boy and an alien machine owned by Doiby Dickles. He is still a spirit, now with a small d on his chest. He assists Secret in confronting Teekl, Klarion's companion, in an effort to restore everyone. He also joins in the fight against mystically created and mystically altered villains.
During the "Day of Judgment" incident, Boston Brand travels with a group of heroes to the frozen wastelands of Hell. Their goal is to restart the demonic fires, thus recalling all the demons from the earthly plane. An accident strands Brand and the others under the frozen waters of the River Styx, forcing them to live out what would be to them, Hell. For Brand, it is that the sharpshooter hits him in the shoulder, thus he survives. Brand feels he needs to die in order to learn 'how to live'.
His battles against the demons would come back to haunt him. In the four part Black Baptism miniseries, Deadman and several other "Sentinels of Magic," the magical group formed out of the "Day of Judgment" incident, are hunted by the Diablos. Partly fueled by revenge, they subdue many of the Sentinels and drain their magic. The JLA eventually rescue them all and destroy all the Diablos.
Blackest Night
In Blackest Night #2, Boston Brand begins to hear the voices of the dead and his own remains calling for him to protect them.[3] Being a spirit, he is unable to stop his body from being raised as a Black Lantern. He attempts to possess his own body but is ejected after experiencing extreme physical and emotional pain during the attempt. He assists Batman, Robin, and Red Robin in repelling the invasion of the Black Lanterns.[4] Deadman manages to save Commissioner Gordon from the Black Lanterns by possessing the body of his daughter, spiriting them both to safety.[5] Deadman is later sent by Batman to possess the body of Jason Blood, invoking the power of Etrigan. Deadman uses Etrigan's demon flame to hold back the Black Lanterns, but struggles to maintain control over the demon's body, finally being forced out. Deadman then frees Batman and Red Robin, who had frozen themselves to escape the Black Lanterns' onslaught.[6] He is later seen inside the Black Lantern Damage's ring, apparently having followed Jean Loring, Mera and the Atom when they shrank down into it.[7] He frees Mera and the Atom from Loring by briefly possessing her, allowing them time to return to normal size. During this incident he says he believes possessing the Black Lanterns causes him damage.[8] He is later seen at Nanda Parbat, attempting to stop the Black Lanterns attempting to pass through the spiritual barrier by taking over their bodies and ripping them apart. He briefly loses himself to a Black Lantern's personality, but is saved by the Phantom Stranger. The Stranger convinces Deadman to enter his body again, telling them it is his destiny to bring it within Nanda Parbat. With the Stranger's help, Deadman is able to force the black ring off his body, bringing it through the gate of Parbat. The body, which the Stranger states is of "singular importance", is placed under the gatekeeper and Blue Devil's protection, and Deadman heads out, intent on sharing the information he gleaned while inside the Black Lanterns with Hal Jordan.[9] In the aftermath of the final battle, Deadman, wearing a White Lantern ring, is resurrected by power of the white light.[10]
Brightest Day
Boston goes to his own tombstone, demolishing it with a sledgehammer. Afterward, he picks up a bird that had died falling out of its nest, and his power ring restores it to life. Boston then hears a voice calling his name, and asking for his help. He then vanishes in a burst of white light. He then appears before the other eleven beings resurrected by the white light, completely invisible to them, and notices that he is the only one still wearing a white ring. He then appears in Star City, where the white ring transforms the area devastated by Prometheus into a lush forest. The voice again speaks to Boston asking him to "help them" to which Boston thinks to be the revived by the light, and to help it live.[11]
After witnessing Aquaman controlling dead sea creatures,[12] Deadman is brought to the Anti-Matter universe by his ring, coming face-to-face with the Anti-Monitor.[13] His ring then fights on its own, shooting out a white blast containing the shapes of all the resurrected heroes, which seems to damage the Anti-Monitor. He asks his ring if the purpose of everyone's resurrection was to defeat the Anti-Monitor to which it replies "No". Deadman's ring then does not shoot anymore and he is knocked back and begins to fall. As he falls he says he is not used to trying to stay alive, wondering if that was the point of his excursion, and asks the ring if the reason he was resurrected was to be given a second chance and to have a net next time he jumps into the air. He says he'll be more careful and to which the ring replies "Okay." Boston's ring then creates a net as he falls.[14] After being transported out of the anti-matter universe, Boston is brought to Dove's room. He asks the ring who she is but suddenly becomes visible. Dove attacks him but he explains who he is. She says the Justice League is looking for him, to give him documentation that he was alive. He replies by saying "What if I don't want to live?" Hawk later crashes through the wall and attacks Deadman. Again, Deadman tells Hawk who he is. He explains what he knows about his ring and why he's alive. Hawk takes Deadman to his brother's grave and says if a Black Lantern ring cannot resurrect his brother, why not a white one.[15] Boston then attempts to bring back Don, with the white ring questioning his motives. After receiving backlash he tells Hank and Dawn that Don said he was at peace and not to worry about him. He then attempts to bring back Holly, Dawn's sister.[16]
They are shown a horrific illusion of Holly rising as a Black Lantern, before realizing none of it is real. The voice guiding Deadman simply indicates death no longer holds the same meaning as before... and then recommends to him that he eat something, which makes him realize he hadn't eaten at all since his resurrection.[17]
After eating a cheeseburger, Deadman, Hawk and Dove are brought to the White Lantern. Lifting it, Deadman asks the Entity why he was brought back. The Entity replies that it is dying, and it needs him to locate "the chosen one" that will take its place.[18] He thought of Hal Jordan as the perfect candidate and as he told the Entity to take him to him.[19]
Instead of taking him to Hal Jordan, the White Lantern Ring takes Deadman and Dove to Aquaman and Mera. Aquaman explains what the White Lantern told him, to find Jackson Hyde. Deadman questions why the Lantern took him to Aquaman when he could be searching for the Entity replacement. The ring replies that to find the new Entity Deadman must help all the other ressurectees complete their tasks. Aquaman understands what's at hand and explains to Deadman that for him to succeed he must find and help others and tell them what has to happen.[20]
Deadman and Dove travel to Gotham City, where Dove shown him several pictures of heroes who may be or may not be perfect candidates to take the Entity's place.[21] One of the heroes is the Resurrection Man, however, Deadman tells them he isn't the chosen one since his ring has not made any movement. As Deadman asks the ring for what it's waiting for, the Bat-signal turns on. Looking to the signal, Deadman believes that Batman is the perfect candidate and that the ring was waiting for the recently returned Bruce Wayne.[22] This theory ultimately proves to be false, as the ring rejects Batman, and after being shot by a criminal, it reveals that Boston is not meant to choose the ring's bearer, but to cross path with its future owner by fate, having been selected by the Entity to guide the ring as he is 'pure' from his death, untainted by the complexities that have been included in life over the centuries. As it heals Boston's wound, the ring also encourages the former ghost to embrace life, as Deadman realizes he now has a second chance as he never cared of anyone but himself in his previous life, only realising the value of others after he died. As Dove reveals her concerns after witnessing Deadman being shot, both of them realize that they are in love with each other and share a passionate kiss.[23]
Deadman begins living with Dove, appreciating to be among the living once more, and starting to rebuild his relationship with his grandfather after visiting him. While Deadman taking his grandfather out for a joyride on the latter's Harley Davidson, Boston's ring mysteriously begins recharging itself.[24]
Boston calls Dawn to tell her about the ring, but suddenly the ring reaches 100%, turns Boston into his Deadman White Lantern version and takes him to the museum of St. Roch, where Hawkman and Hawkgirl returned to Earth after defeating Queen Khea in Zamaron. The ring paralyzes Boston and order Shiera and Carter to live life separately so they could live life stronger, as is part of "his" plan, the future replacement of the Entity is more import that their desire of love. Carter refuses to follow the ring orders and tries to remove it from Boston's hand by force, but the ring replies "So be it" and unleashes a blast of white light that reduces the couple to white ashes. Boston is left in the room, looking in horror what remains of Hawkman and Hawkgirl.[25]
Deadman orders the ring to resurrect the two heroes, but the ring refused, saying to Boston, that this is part of his plan, and explained to him. It turns up that, when Nekron attacks Earth, not only mortally wounds the Entity, but also heightened the contamination of the planet, and the corruption will rise up in the form of another "dark avatar" of the darkness who will try to destroy the Star City forest, in which is the key to save Earth's soul and the new champion of life, caused Earth to die. The Entity resurrects the twelve characters with different purposes. Some of them, like Hawk, Maxwell Lord and Jade are supposed to prevent further disasters and give Deadman and the Entity more time, but five of them (Aquaman, Firestorm, Martian Manhunter, Hawkman and Hawkgirl) are resurrected in order to overcome what held them back in life (what the Hawks already done by destroying the curse that haunted them), by completing their tasks, their lifeforce is purified and the ring take their essences back, because both are essential in saving Earth. Deadman also has a secondary purpose, supply the white ring with power by embracing life.[26]
Powers and abilities
As a ghost, Deadman had the powers of intangibility, invisibility, and flight. He was also able to possess any sentient being. The people he possessed retained no memory of the experience.
As a living human, he is an Olympic level athlete well-trained in acrobatics. As a wearer of a White Lantern ring he possesses whatever powers the ring confers upon its wielder. These powers, so far include flight, invisibility (or the ability to cloak his presence), teleportation, heal severe wounds, solid energy constructs, and the power to bring beings back to life. However, he currently appears to have no control over these new powers and the scope and limitations on those powers are as yet undefined. His Black Lantern ring gave him the similar abilities, however it reanimates the dead instead of resurrecting them.
Other versions
- Deadman was in issue #6 of the comic book Batman: Gotham Adventures (based on Batman: The Animated Series) where his origin was very much alike to his mainstream comic except he was in the Haley Circus and Rama Kushna was male. He was friends with Dick Grayson, and he was in an issue before he gained his powers in The Batman and Robin Adventures #15.
- Deadman appeared twice briefly in Mark Waid and Alex Ross' Elseworlds story Kingdom Come, first as an extra in a metahuman bar (Alongside Rorschach, Obsidian, and the Question where he offered some words of encouragement to Norman McCay. His appearance is notable because by the time of the story (set 10 years in the future) he has either lost or foregone his normal appearance, and appears as a skeleton wearing his Deadman uniform. He introduces himself as simply "Boston," and also appears in the sequel The Kingdom as a guide to time-lost, deceased versions of Superman. This version of Deadman was made into an action figure by DC Direct for Series 3 of their Kingdom Come line.[27] Ross states that Brand's more skeletal appearance was a result of Brand accepting his role as a spirit.
- Deadman also appears in Neil Gaiman's story The Books of Magic, looking very similar to his appearance in Kingdom Come. He possesses the body of several people throughout the comic, trying to warn Timothy Hunter about a coming danger.
- In 2006, Vertigo a DC Comics imprint, announced that it would trade some of its trademark characters with others of DC's. Among the swaps was Vertigo's Jonah Hex in exchange for Deadman. The result was a continuing series published later that year.
- Deadman also had a brief comic in the DC published book Bizarro World where he was interested in meeting girls and dating while in Limbo.
- Deadman appeared briefly in Jeph Loeb's Superman Batman: Absolute Power, where he attempted to possess Superman after he and Batman killed off all the monks of Nanda Parbat (under orders from their adoptive parents, who saw the monks as a threat to their plans in an alternate timeline). Deadman is prevented from using Superman's strength to kill Batman when Batman uses a spell from Zatanna to trap Deadman inside a crystal.
Collected Editions
- Deadman Collection (342 pages, collecting Strange Adventures (vol.1) #205-216, Brave and the Bold (vol.1) ##79, 86 and 104, Aquaman (vol.1) #50-52 and Challengers of the Unknown (vol.1) #74)
- Batman/Deadman: Death & Glory (92 page graphic novel)
- DC Comics Presents: Brightest Day #1 (96 pages, collecting Solo #8, DCU Holiday '09 and Strange Adventures #205)
In other media
Television
- Deadman appeared as the champion of the Goddess Rama Kushna in the third season of Justice League Unlimited in episode "Dead Reckoning" voiced by Raphael Sbarge. It is stated that Batman already knew Deadman, having helped Boston solve his own murder. He resides in a temple in Nanda Parbat that the Legion of Doom invades and robs of a specific artifact. Deadman heads to the Watchtower and possesses Superman to ask for help from the Justice League. When he saw Devil Ray aiming at Wonder Woman, he possessed Batman and shot Devil Ray with a gun, accidentally killing him when he was sent flying into electric wires. For this mistake causing the scales to become unbalanced, Deadman is denied his sought-after termination of his ghostly obligation and required to continue his duties.
- Though not possessing the same powers, the character Torrid from " The Venture Brothers" is modeled after Deadman.
- A live action TV series for TNT was under development in 2000, but was eventually shelved.[28]
- Deadman appears in the Batman: The Brave and the Bold[29] episode "Dawn of the Deadman!", voiced by Michael Rosenbaum. In the episode, Deadman finds the spirit of Batman in London, England when Gentleman Ghost buries him alive. Still depressed because of his condition, he is convinced by Batman to help him stop Gentleman Ghost from raising an army of the undead to destroy London, while Green Arrow and Speedy try to dig out Batman's body. Deadman helps the heroes thwart Craddock, and embrace his destiny as a hero. His origin is almost exactly the same, right down to the hook-handed killer, Clubfoot, with the exception that Rama Kushna is not mentioned at all; he does not know how or why he was kept from "crossing over", which fuels his melancholic self-pity. Also, it's revealed that Batman has been working his case, since Brand's demise.
Film
- Guillermo Del Toro has taken interest in producing a film of the hero, supposedly from the only source. Bloody-Disgusting has described it as Crow-esque and Nikolaj Arcel is set to direct.[30]
Miscellanea
- Deadman previously appeared as a "Haley Circus" performer in the Batman & Robin Adventures comic and meets Dick Grayson for the first time since taking over for The Flying Graysons. Issues of the follow-up series, Batman: Gotham Adventures, featured his assassination and transformation to the supernatural Deadman. His killer, Hook, appears as well.
- The French musical duo Cassius did music videos for "1999" and "Feeling For You" that featured a character similar to Deadman.
- In the Something Positive Halloween comic for 2007, Davan is dressed as Deadman while taking Rory (who is dressed as Etrigan) trick-or-treating (also, Peejee appears in a Zatanna costume).[31]
References
- ^ a b Greenberger, Robert (2008). "Deadman". In Dougall, Alastair. The DC Comics Encyclopedia. New York: Dorling Kindersley. pp. 96. ISBN 0-7566-4119-5. OCLC 213309017
- ^ Strange Adventures #206 (Nov. 1967) at the Grand Comics Database
- ^ Blackest Night #2 (August 2009)
- ^ Blackest Night: Batman #1 (August 2009)
- ^ Blackest Night: Batman #2 (September 2009)
- ^ Blackest Night: Batman #3 (October 2009)
- ^ Green Lantern (vol. 4) #49 (December 2009)
- ^ Blackest Night #6 (December 2009)
- ^ Phantom Stranger #44 (January 2010)
- ^ Blackest Night #8 (March 2010)
- ^ Brightest Day #0 (April 2010)
- ^ Brightest Day #1 (May 2010)
- ^ Brightest Day #2 (May 2010)
- ^ Brightest Day #3 (June 2010)
- ^ Brightest Day #4 (June 2010)
- ^ Brightest Day #5 (July 2010)
- ^ Brightest Day #6 (July 2010)
- ^ Brightest Day #7 (August 2010)
- ^ Brightest Day #8 (August 2010)
- ^ Brightest Day #9 (September 2010)
- ^ Brightest Day #12 (October 2010)
- ^ Brightest Day #13 (November 2010)
- ^ Brightest Day #14 (November 2010)
- ^ Brightest Day #17 (January 2011)
- ^ Brightest Day #18 (January 2011)
- ^ Brightest Day #19 (February 2011)
- ^ DC Direct Kingdom Come: Deadman
- ^ Dempsey, John (2000-08-22). "WB TV, TNT dig 'Deadman'". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117785393.html.
- ^ Toon Zone - Your Source for Toon News!
- ^ http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/17228
- ^ Halloween, 2007 - Trick or Treatless
Notations
- Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams, The Deadman Collection, DC Comics, 2001, ISBN 1-56389-849-7 ISBN 978-1-56389-849-5.
- Jack Kirby, Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Volume Three, DC Comics, 2007, ISBN 1-4012-1485-1, ISBN 139781401214852.