New Gods #3, July 1971

Within DC comics’ various pantheons, Death has been personified in several forms. The Black Flash chases speedsters across the multiverse, at superluminal velocities to drag them back to the accelerated oblivion of the Speed Force. Nekron forges black power rings that raise a cosmic army of the dead to wage war against the Green Lantern Corps.  

Most famously, The Sandman’s elder sister, Death of the Endless, manifests herself as a perky goth, who waits patiently for us all, with a kind word and a hand to hold, at the end of everything. 

In the Fourth World, Death is The Black Racer! 

We open with Lightray, hurtling through the stars and glancing nervously over his shoulder. Close behind him is the Black Racer, a Black man, dressed in red and blue armour, with a yellow cape and gloves. He rides red skis and brandishes blue ski poles.  

The young New God clearly feels done for. “I face oblivion!” he yells. “I am the quarry of a power that challenges all power!” As the Black Racer closes in, he hails Lightray and intriguingly states that, “Destiny has decreed that our paths should cross!” - Now, I know that the Black Racer was created by Jack Kirby in 1971 and that Death of the Endless was created by Mike Dringenburg and some other guy, in The Sandman in 1989. But Death of the Endless has an older brother, called Destiny. 

So, if we accept that the Black Racer is Death, literally; then, should we also accept that Destiny has literally ‘decreed that’ their ‘paths should cross!’? I think we should. 

Incidentally, Destiny was the only member of the Endless who existed prior to The Sandman series. He was created by Marv Wolfman and Bernie Wrightson in Weird Mystery Tales #1, an anthology title whose first story (Witch Queen of Ancient Sumeria) was written and drawn by Jack Kirby! It was published only twelve months after New Gods #3.  

I digress. 

Lightray is not giving up without a fight. He flies through a field of meteoroids and grasps hold of one of the giant, crystal boulders. He uses the ‘jewel-like substance’ to intensify his light-beams. But the Black Racer easily avoids the ensuing ‘power of a fiery holocaust.’  

The Black Racer is almost upon the adolescent deity, stating that, “I am no respecter of the tender years! Prepare for my touch!’ Lightray cries out in terror! 

Agonisingly, the scene then shifts to Earth. Orion is hanging out with his four, new, human disciples; Claudia, Harvey, Victor and Dave. They have brought the Wielder of the Astro-Force some slacks, a shirt and tie. ‘A cosmic being like Orion, right here in my apartment! Incredible!’ says Dave, as the Scion of Darkseid gets changed into his new clothes in the next room.  ‘He’s positively beautiful!’ says Claudia. Although, at that same moment, Orion is using his mother box to ‘re-shift atoms – undo the mask-and lay bare the truth!’ Revealing that his handsome face is merely an affectation, hiding his true, heavy-browed, hereditary visage. 

Light years away, Lightray is on the verge of feeling the Black Racer’s death touch, when a boom tube appears and swallows the skier of doom, saving Lightray’s life. Metron has saved the day, from the comfort of his moebius chair. ‘I merely deflected his flight elsewhere!’ says Metron. ‘The Black Racer- Where is he now?” asks Lightray. 

The boom tube ejects the Black Racer on Earth, in the same city – presumably Metropolis- where Orion is currently holed up. The Racer is attracted by the sound of gunfire, saying, ‘I sense that this area is ripe for my arrival!’  

He follows the sound and watches a gunfight between two criminals, Screamer and Sugar-man. Screamer comes off worse in the shootout, as Sugar-man puts a bullet in his back. ‘Inter-Gang gets rid of cats they can’t trust!’ says Sugar-man. Then, through a window, he notices a potential witness to the murder which he has just committed. 

Sugar-man recognises the man, lying motionless in his bed by the window. ‘Sergeant Willie Walker! The big Vietnam hero! Can’t walk or talk or even feed himself!’ The gangster then raises his pistol to, ‘Blot out all that misery inside you!’ and squeezes the trigger, just as the hand of the Black Racer closes around the gun, causing it to explode! The revolver is reduced to flying shrapnel and Sugar-man flees the scene, clutching his face.  

Then, like a ghost, the Black Racer passes through the wall into Willie Walker’s room, saying that he can, ‘Hear a call! A voice invoking my name!’ The Racer stands over the motionless Sgt Walker; their faces strangely similar. It is destiny (!) that has brought them together. The Racer holds out his hand and Willie Walker takes it! 

Somehow, the two are now one. Sgt Walker is no longer a quadriplegic mute. Now, he is Death itself! He is the Black Racer! ‘Destiny has opened barriers to the most helpless of beings!’ says the Racer. ‘Now I mount my skis and ride the night!’ 

Another quick digression; Death: The High Cost of Living was a Sandman spin-off mini-series, where Death became human for one day. Netflix did a pretty good adaptation of it, as the series finale, at the end of season two. 

The Black Racer has become human for one day, thanks to Destiny. Elsewhere, Orion and Dave are looking for more of Darkseid’s forces. Mother box leads them to an Inter-Gang hideout, where a bandaged Sugar-man has just recounted his run-in with Willie Walker. 

Badger, the gang boss, listens to Sugar-man's story intently, then says of Willie Walker, ‘The kid’s a living clam! They’ll get nothing outta him!’ But Sugar-man knows he is in trouble. He felt the presence of someone ‘standing in the darkness!’  

Badger dismisses this and orders his henchmen to ‘Bring in the bomb!’  Outside, Orion and Dave decide to intervene immediately in the unfolding terrorist conspiracy, and crash through the wall. The Inter-Gang thugs retaliate, blasting at Orion with some Apokolips supplied hardware.  

In the ensuing chaos, Sugar-man escapes with the bomb, tossing into the back of a van and speeding away. The Black Racer arrives and gives chase. Sugar-man spots the Racer in his wing-mirror. ‘You know me, Sugar-man!’ yells the Racer. ‘You’ve sent many to the Black Racer!’  

The Racer pulls alongside the van and pokes his ski pole through the side of the van. Using the ski pole to adjust the bomb and ‘trigger its anti-gravity circuits’ the van begins to fly up, into the sky and away from the city, as Sugar-man screams ‘No! No! No!’ 

Back at the Inter-Gang hideout, Orion has smashed up everything and captured Badger and his thugs. He uses mother-box to detect the bomb. Realising that the bomb is now in space, mother-box detonates it and saves the city. 

After watching Sugar-man die, the Black Racer returns to Willie Walker’s apartment and transforms back into his vegetative state, just as his carers, his sister Verna and her husband Ray return to check on him. As the pair lament all the criminal goings-on, just outside on their street, Willie Walker’s eyes widen. In the final panel he stares out at the reader and the caption reads, ‘He is aware! He knows his next quarry! Who is it? Him? Her?... You?’ 

Next time, Jimmy Olsen and Don Rickles.