Black Spider is the name of several supervillains and assassins appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics . Most characters who operated under the alias are depicted as both lesser renown adversaries of Batman and a member of various super-villain organizations.
138-419: The most well known version is Eric Needham , an African-American former drug addict who becomes a vigilante after accidentally killing his own father during his involvement in criminal activities. Seeking to hold drug dealers accountable, Eric overcomes his addiction, receives training, and acquires a costume and weapons from a mysterious source. Taking on the identity of the assassin and vigilante Black Spider,
276-585: A 14-year-old boy from Chicago. Spending the summer with relatives in Money, Mississippi , Till was killed for allegedly having wolf-whistled at a White woman. Till had been badly beaten, one of his eyes was gouged out, and he was shot in the head. The visceral response to his mother's decision to have an open-casket funeral mobilized the Black community throughout the US. Vann R. Newkirk wrote "the trial of his killers became
414-438: A Lafferty pastiche he had written. Lafferty sent Gaiman an encouraging and informative letter back, along with literary advice. Gaiman has named Roger Zelazny as the author who influenced him the most. Gaiman claims that other authors such as Samuel R. Delany and Angela Carter "furnished the inside of my mind and set me to writing". Gaiman takes inspiration from the folk tales tradition, citing Otta F Swire 's book on
552-444: A Regulus impersonator replaces him on the squad, deceiving them and enabling him to carry out his true mission of assassinating Amanda Waller and dismantling Task Force X. Underestimating Waller's resourcefulness, Eric is captured and confined under maximum security at Belle Reeve. Expressing genuine surprise at his own betrayal, Eric admits that he was aware of Regulus's deception but had believed in their agenda, which aimed to establish
690-472: A White American mother and a Kenyan father— defeated Republican Senator John McCain to become the first African American to be elected president. At least 95 percent of African American voters voted for Obama. He also received overwhelming support from young and educated Whites, a majority of Asians , and Hispanics , picking up a number of new states in the Democratic electoral column. Obama lost
828-728: A biography of the band Duran Duran , and co-edited Ghastly Beyond Belief , a book of quotations, with Kim Newman . Although Gaiman thought he had done a terrible job, the book's first edition sold out very quickly. When he went to relinquish his rights to the book, he discovered the publisher had gone bankrupt. After this, he was offered a job by Penthouse . He refused the offer. He also wrote interviews and articles for many British magazines, including Knave . During this, he sometimes wrote under pseudonyms, including Gerry Musgrave, Richard Grey, and "a couple of house names". Gaiman has said he ended his journalism career in 1987 because British newspapers regularly publish untruths as fact. In
966-519: A chain of grocery stores, changing the family name from Chaiman to Gaiman. His father, David Bernard Gaiman , worked in the same chain of stores; his mother, Sheila Gaiman (née Goldman), was a pharmacist. Neil has two younger sisters, Claire and Lizzy. The Gaimans moved in 1965 to the West Sussex town of East Grinstead , where his parents studied Dianetics at the Scientology centre in
1104-633: A chainsaw. The character later clashes with the Flash and gains prominence as a member of Deathstroke's Secret Society of Super-Villains. He becomes embroiled in a conflict between the League of Assassins and the Society following the framing of Deathstroke by Geo-Force for the death of Ra's al Ghul. Seeking revenge on both factions for their respective roles in Terra's and Markovia's downfall, Black Spider becomes
1242-543: A character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure . African Americans African Americans , also known as Black Americans , formerly also called Afro-Americans , are an American racial or ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa . African Americans constitute the second largest ethno-racial group in
1380-557: A crucial role in producing the country's most valuable product and export: cotton . Enslaved people were instrumental in the construction of several prominent structures such as, the United States Capitol , the White House and other Washington, D.C.-based buildings. ) Similar building projects existed in the slave states . By 1815, the domestic slave trade had become a significant and major economic activity in
1518-721: A direct sequel to American Gods but he has revisited the characters. A glimpse at Shadow's travels in Europe is found in a short story which finds him in Scotland, applying the same concepts developed in American Gods to the story of Beowulf . The 2005 novel Anansi Boys deals with Anansi ('Mr. Nancy'), tracing the relationship of his two sons, one semi-divine and the other an unassuming bookkeeper, as they explore their common heritage. It debuted at number one on The New York Times Best Seller list . In 2002, Gaiman entered
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#17327833269851656-566: A distaste for working alongside fellow criminals and does not consider himself a hero, although others may view him as one of the more heroic members of the team. However, Eric ultimately betrays the team as it is revealed that he was a spy planted by Regulus, the leader of Basilisk and a former teammate of Amanda Waller. Regulus had subjected Eric to torture and manipulation in an attempt to mold him into adopting their ideology. Regulus orchestrated events to position Black Spider as an ideal candidate for Waller's black ops squad, Task Force X. Eventually,
1794-668: A federal crime to aid or assist those who had fled slavery or to interfere with their capture. By that time, slavery, which almost exclusively targeted Black people, had become the most critical and contentious political issue in the Antebellum United States , repeatedly sparking crises and conflicts. Among these were the Missouri Compromise , the Compromise of 1850 , the infamous Dred Scott decision , and John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry . Prior to
1932-494: A four-part mini-series that provided a tour of the mythological and magical parts of the DC Universe through a frame story about an English teenager who discovers that he is destined to be the world's greatest wizard. The miniseries was popular, and sired an ongoing series written by John Ney Rieber . Gaiman's adaptation of Sweeney Todd , illustrated by Michael Zulli for Stephen R. Bissette 's publication Taboo ,
2070-549: A group formed to promote relations between the countries. After riots against Blacks in Cincinnati , its Black community sponsored founding of the Wilberforce Colony , an initially successful settlement of African American immigrants to Canada. The colony was one of the first such independent political entities. It lasted for a number of decades and provided a destination for about 200 Black families emigrating from
2208-449: A half thousand years old. But with comics I felt like – I can do stuff nobody has ever done. I can do stuff nobody has ever thought of. And I could and it was enormously fun." Gaiman wrote two series for Marvel Comics . Marvel 1602 was an eight-issue limited series published from November 2003 to June 2004 with art by Andy Kubert and Richard Isanove . The Eternals was a seven-issue limited series drawn by John Romita Jr. , which
2346-449: A life of crime, becoming involved in small-time criminal activities and developing a heroin addiction. After an incident where he nearly kills an elderly woman during a mugging attempt, he is sentenced to prison but is released after three years due to being a minor. Sometime after reaching adulthood, Eric entered into a relationship with his friend Linda Morre, which resulted in the birth of his son, Michael. While once source states that Eric
2484-676: A number of locations in the United States. In 1863, during the American Civil War , President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation . The proclamation declared that all slaves in Confederate-held territory were free. Advancing Union troops enforced the proclamation, with Texas being the last state to be emancipated, in 1865. Slavery in a few border states continued until
2622-499: A pageant illuminating the tyranny of White supremacy ". The state of Mississippi tried two defendants, but they were speedily acquitted by an all-White jury . One hundred days after Emmett Till's murder, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on the bus in Alabama—indeed, Parks told Emmett's mother Mamie Till that "the photograph of Emmett's disfigured face in the casket was set in her mind when she refused to give up her seat on
2760-614: A personal crusade against the drug trade. Financed by a mysterious source with weaponry, training, and a costume, he assumes the role of a self-proclaimed vigilante and begins targeting individuals suspected of involvement in drug dealing, resorting to lethal methods. Over time, Eric as Black Spider engages in multiple conflicts with Batman due to his employment of lethal methods, which the Dark Knight disapproves of. Despite his disdain for criminals, Eric clashes with Batman on several occasions. In one encounter, he sustains severe injuries and
2898-524: A position of power before metahumans and extraterrestrial entities could accumulate enough resources to dominate humanity. Black Spider makes a return in the DC Rebirth era. He is among the numerous villains who target Batman in an attempt to claim Two-Face's bounty. In this iteration, Needham is equipped with two cybernetic claws on his back and employs a machine gun in combat. However, Batman ultimately triumphs over him, severing his cybernetic arms using
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#17327833269853036-748: A process known as White flight . Despite discrimination, drawing cards for leaving the hopelessness in the South were the growth of African American institutions and communities in Northern cities. Institutions included Black oriented organizations (e.g., Urban League , NAACP ), churches, businesses, and newspapers, as well as successes in the development in African American intellectual culture, music, and popular culture (e.g., Harlem Renaissance , Chicago Black Renaissance ). The Cotton Club in Harlem
3174-557: A series of graphic novel adaptations based on his short stories "Troll Bridge", "Chivalry", and "Snow, Glass, Apples", Gaiman and the Terry Pratchett estate chose Doran to adapt Good Omens into graphic novel form, and to self publish the work via the Pratchett estate's Dunmanifestin label. It was financed on Kickstarter where it became a record-setter in less than a week as the top fan-supported and top-earning comics project in
3312-516: A significant influence on worldwide culture, making numerous contributions to visual arts , literature , the English language, philosophy , politics, cuisine , sports , and music . The African-American contribution to popular music is so profound that most American music , including jazz , gospel , blues , rock and roll , funk , disco , house , techno , hip hop , R&B , trap , and soul , has its origins either partially or entirely in
3450-547: A significant player in the conflict. Subsequently, Black Spider falls under the control of Pariah, who wields the power of the Great Darkness. After breaking free from Pariah's influence, Amanda Waller recruits him, along with several other villains, in response to the Lazarus Planet event. Waller issues a bounty for the death of any superhero, leading Black Spider to participate in this dangerous undertaking. In
3588-425: A small cash payment called "freedom dues". Africans could legally raise crops and cattle to purchase their freedom. They raised families, married other Africans and sometimes intermarried with Native Americans or European settlers . By the 1640s and 1650s, several African families owned farms around Jamestown , and some became wealthy by colonial standards and purchased indentured servants of their own. In 1640,
3726-615: A special impact on him. Another work that made a particular impression was J. R. R. Tolkien 's The Lord of the Rings , which he got from his school library. Although they only had the first two of the novel's three volumes, Gaiman consistently checked them out and read them. He later won the school English prize and the school reading prize, enabling him to finally acquire the third volume. For his seventh birthday, Gaiman received C. S. Lewis 's The Chronicles of Narnia . He later recalled that "I admired his use of parenthetical statements to
3864-508: A spy for Penguin, seeking to regain control of the Iceberg Lounge. In most depictions, Black Spider is depicted as an Olympic-level athlete and gymnast with extensive training in physical combat and weapons expert, rendering him a highly skilled martial artist and assassin willing to use lethal methods and formidable match for Batman in his earlier appearances. Eric is considered to be the most effective operative whom has operated under
4002-406: A standard novel and in an illustrated text edition. This novel was highly influenced by Victorian fairytales and culture. American Gods became one of Gaiman's best-selling and multi-award-winning novels upon its release in 2001. A special 10th Anniversary edition was released, with the "author's preferred text" 12,000 words longer than the original mass-market editions. Gaiman has not written
4140-462: A translation of the Japanese script. After his disappointment with the production limitations of Neverwhere , Gaiman asked his agent to pull him out of an (unnamed) UK television series that was to begin production immediately afterwards. "I didn't want to do it unless I had more control than you get as a writer: in fantasy, the tone of voice, the look and feel, the way something is shot and edited
4278-423: A year, compared with 41 percent in 1960. In 1965, 19 percent of Black Americans had incomes equal to the national median, a proportion that rose to 27 percent by 1967. In 1960, the median level of education for Blacks had been 10.8 years, and by the late 1960s, the figure rose to 12.2 years, half a year behind the median for Whites. Politically and economically, African Americans have made substantial strides during
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4416-457: 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 . He co-created the TV series adaptations of Good Omens and The Sandman . Gaiman has won numerous awards, including
4554-542: Is associated with the Council of Spiders and serves as an antagonist to Red Robin . The Eric Needham version of Black Spider has made appearances in various media adaptations. In the animated film Batman: Assault on Arkham , he is voiced by Giancarlo Esposito . Additionally, Eric Needham appears in the Young Justice animated television series, where he is voiced by Josh Keaton . In this portrayal, Eric Needham
4692-589: Is believed to be deceased, but he manages to survive thanks to treatment received at a free clinic. During his recovery, Eric discovers that his resources were funded by drug kingpin Hannibal Hardwicke. Seeking vengeance, Black Spider attempts to kill Hardwicke but is thwarted by Batman, resulting in Hardwicke's eventual imprisonment. Eric develops a deep resentment towards Batman and temporarily aligns himself with other criminals to confront him purely for
4830-510: Is depicted as a villainous character, paying homage to Marvel's Spider-Man . The original Black Spider first appeared in Detective Comics #463 (September 1976) and was created by Gerry Conway . Eric Needham, an African-American native of Gotham City, had a healthy childhood until he experiences an upheaval in his life following his mother's death from illness and his father's subsequent emotional withdrawal. He eventually turns to
4968-482: Is his family's religion. About his personal views, Gaiman has stated, "I think we can say that God exists in the DC Universe. I would not stand up and beat the drum for the existence of God in this universe. I don't know, I think there's probably a 50/50 chance. It doesn't really matter to me." Gaiman was able to read at the age of four. He said, "I was a reader. I loved reading. Reading things gave me pleasure. I
5106-568: Is killed by Crispus Allen, a detective from the Gotham City Police Department. Following their presumed deaths, Derrick Coe becomes the third Black Spider and is suspected to possess metahuman abilities. Derrick becomes an adversary of the Birds of Prey. Following Flashpoint , it is revealed that Derrick Coe is among Eric's aliases. Another individual, whose identity is unknown, also operates as Black Spider. This version
5244-743: Is now the continental United States. The first recorded Africans in English America (including most of the future United States) were "20 and odd negroes" who arrived in Jamestown , Virginia via Cape Comfort in August 1619 as indentured servants . As many Virginian settlers began to die from harsh conditions, more and more Africans were brought to work as laborers. An indentured servant (who could be White or Black) would work for several years (usually four to seven) without wages. The status of indentured servants in early Virginia and Maryland
5382-486: Is vital, and I wanted to be in charge of that." He co-wrote the script for Robert Zemeckis 's Beowulf with Roger Avary , a collaboration that has proved productive for both writers. Gaiman has expressed interest in collaborating on a film adaptation of the Epic of Gilgamesh . He was the only person other than J. Michael Straczynski to write a Babylon 5 script in the series' last three seasons, contributing to
5520-665: The Secret Six . In the New 52 reboot, Eric's background is altered from his previous origin. Amanda Waller describes him as an educated man who, like in previous iterations, was a devoted father and husband before turning to vigilantism following the death of his family. Later, Eric is approached by the terrorist organization Regulus and, despite his disdain for criminals, he secretly joins them after being promised protection for his family. Unfortunately, he loses his family soon after joining Regulus and becomes convinced of their message about
5658-716: The American Revolution . After the United States was founded in 1783, most Black people continued to be enslaved , primarily concentrated in the American South , with four million enslaved people only liberated during and at the end of the Civil War in 1865. During Reconstruction , they gained citizenship and adult-males the right to vote ; however, due to the widespread policy and ideology of White supremacy , they were largely treated as second-class citizens and found themselves soon disenfranchised in
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5796-676: The Birds of Prey , to rescue Savant, Savant throws Coe out a window, nearly killing him — Black Canary speculates that he may be a metahuman , allowing him to survive the experience. He was also seen in Gotham during the "Battle for the Cowl", fighting and losing to Manhunter . Coe later resurfaces as a member of the new Injustice League and one of the exiled supervillains in Salvation Run . While existing as an independent character previously,
5934-685: The Civil War , eight serving presidents had owned slaves, a practice that was legally protected under the US Constitution. By 1860, the number of enslaved Black people in the US had grown to between 3.5 to 4.4 million, largely as a result of the Atlantic slave trade . In addition, 488,000–500,000 Black people lived free (with legislated limits) across the country. With legislated limits imposed upon them in addition to "unconquerable prejudice" from Whites according to Henry Clay . In response to these conditions, some free Black people chose to leave
6072-754: The Great Awakening . By 1775, Africans made up 20% of the population in the American colonies , which made them the second largest ethnic group after English Americans . During the 1770s, Africans, both enslaved and free, helped rebellious American colonists secure their independence by defeating the British in the American Revolutionary War . Blacks played a role in both sides in the American Revolution. Activists in
6210-1020: The Hugo , Nebula , and Bram Stoker awards, as well as the Newbery and Carnegie medals. He is the first author to win both the Newbery and the Carnegie medals for the same work, The Graveyard Book (2008). In 2013, The Ocean at the End of the Lane was voted Book of the Year in the British National Book Awards . It was later adapted into a critically acclaimed stage play at the Royal National Theatre in London. In 2024, it
6348-598: The Irish and Germans . According to the 2010 census , nearly 3% of people who self-identified as Black had recent ancestors who immigrated from another country. Self-reported non-Hispanic Black immigrants from the Caribbean , mostly from Jamaica and Haiti, represented 0.9% of the US population, at 2.6 million. Self-reported Black immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa also represented 0.9%, at about 2.8 million. Additionally, self-identified Black Hispanics represented 0.4% of
6486-501: The Monty Python comedy troupe , he owned a copy of Monty Python's Big Red Book as a teenager. During a trip to France when he was 13, Gaiman became fascinated with the visually fantastic world in the stories of Metal Hurlant , even though he could not understand the words. When he was 19 or 20 years old, he contacted his favourite science fiction writer, R. A. Lafferty , requesting advice on becoming an author and including
6624-1101: The New York City metropolitan area still has the largest African American metropolitan population in the United States and the only to have over 3 million African Americans. Among cities of 100,000 or more , South Fulton, Georgia had the highest percentage of Black residents of any large US city in 2020, with 93%. Other large cities with African American majorities include Jackson, Mississippi (80%), Detroit, Michigan (80%), Birmingham, Alabama (70%), Miami Gardens, Florida (67%), Memphis, Tennessee (63%), Montgomery, Alabama (62%), Baltimore, Maryland (60%), Augusta, Georgia (59%), Shreveport, Louisiana (58%), New Orleans, Louisiana (57%), Macon, Georgia (56%), Baton Rouge, Louisiana (55%), Hampton, Virginia (53%), Newark, New Jersey (53%), Mobile, Alabama (53%), Cleveland, Ohio (52%), Brockton, Massachusetts (51%), and Savannah, Georgia (51%). Neil Gaiman Neil Richard MacKinnon Gaiman ( / ˈ ɡ eɪ m ən / ; born Neil Richard Gaiman on 10 November 1960)
6762-544: The Penguin comic series, Black Spider reappears with more restored elements of his previous continuity, including his costume and background involving him gunning down his father. The character is portrayed as queer , with a boyfriend. As an assassin based in Gotham, Black Spider is hired by Penguin's children, Addison and Aiden Cobblepot, in exchange for venom, the same substance used by the supervillain Bane. Initially purchasing
6900-666: The Western states. The west does have a sizable Black population in certain areas, however. California, the nation's most populous state, has the fifth largest African American population, only behind New York, Texas, Georgia, and Florida. According to the 2000 census, approximately 2.05% of African Americans identified as Hispanic or Latino in origin , many of whom may be of Brazilian , Puerto Rican , Dominican , Cuban , Haitian , or other Latin American descent. The only self-reported ancestral groups larger than African Americans are
7038-446: The colony of Georgia to come to Florida as a refuge, promising freedom in exchange for conversion to Catholicism . King Charles II issued a royal proclamation freeing all slaves who fled to Spanish Florida and accepted conversion and baptism. Most went to the area around St. Augustine , but escaped slaves also reached Pensacola. St. Augustine had mustered an all-Black militia unit defending Spanish Florida as early as 1683. One of
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#17327833269857176-641: The 16th century, with Africans from West Africa and coastal Central Africa being sold to European slave traders and transported across the Atlantic to the Western Hemisphere . After arriving in the Americas , they were sold as slaves to European colonists and put to work on plantations , particularly in the southern colonies . A few were able to achieve freedom through manumission or escape, and founded independent communities before and during
7314-429: The 1790s, Governor Francisco Luis Héctor, baron of Carondelet reinforced local fortifications and recruit even more free Black men for the militia. Carondelet doubled the number of free Black men who served, creating two more militia companies—one made up of Black members and the other of pardo (mixed race). Serving in the militia brought free Black men one step closer to equality with Whites, allowing them, for example,
7452-633: The 1900 Hampton Negro Conference , Reverend Matthew Anderson said: "...the lines along most of the avenues of wage earning are more rigidly drawn in the North than in the South." Within the housing market, stronger discriminatory measures were used in correlation to the influx, resulting in a mix of "targeted violence, restrictive covenants , redlining and racial steering ". While many Whites defended their space with violence, intimidation, or legal tactics toward African Americans, many other Whites migrated to more racially homogeneous suburban or exurban regions,
7590-544: The 20th and 21st centuries, immigration has played an increasingly significant role in the African-American community. As of 2022, 10% of Black Americans were immigrants, and 20% were either immigrants or the children of immigrants. In 2008, Barack Obama became the first, and so far only, African American to be elected president of the United States. Kamala Harris became the nation's first African-American vice president in 2020. African-American culture has had
7728-683: The African slave trade, Spanish rule introduced a new law called coartación , which allowed slaves to buy their freedom, and that of others. Although some did not have the money to do so, government measures on slavery enabled the existence of many free Blacks. This caused problems to the Spaniards with the French creoles (French who had settled in New France ) who had also populated Spanish Louisiana. The French creoles cited that measure as one of
7866-519: The African-American community. The vast majority of those who were enslaved and transported in the transatlantic slave trade were people from several Central and West Africa ethnic groups. They had been captured directly by the slave traders in coastal raids, or sold by other West Africans, or by half-European "merchant princes" to European slave traders, who brought them to the Americas. The first African slaves arrived via Santo Domingo in
8004-507: The American Revolution. They fought in the 1779 battle in which Spain captured Baton Rouge from the British. Gálvez also commanded them in campaigns against the British outposts in Mobile , Alabama , and Pensacola , Florida. He recruited slaves for the militia by pledging to free anyone who was seriously wounded and promised to secure a low price for coartación (buy their freedom and that of others) for those who received lesser wounds. During
8142-498: The BBC mini-series Neverwhere was his first solo novel. The novel was released in tandem with the television series, though it presents some notable differences from the television series. Gaiman has since revised the novel twice, the first time for an American audience unfamiliar with the London Underground , the second time because he felt unsatisfied with the originals. In 1999, the first printings of his fantasy novel Stardust were released. The novel has been released both as
8280-417: The Black Spider codename. While ordinarly human, Eric temporarily obtained supernatural abilities through a pact with Neron, although the specific nature of these powers remains undisclosed. Within the New 52 onward, Eric is recognized for possessing extraordinary reflexes, enabling him to dodge bullets despite not being metahuman. It is mentioned that Eric originates from an educated background, which grants him
8418-400: The Caribbean to the San Miguel de Gualdape colony (most likely located in the Winyah Bay area of present-day South Carolina ), founded by Spanish explorer Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón in 1526. The ill-fated colony was almost immediately disrupted by a fight over leadership, during which the slaves revolted and fled the colony to seek refuge among local Native Americans . De Ayllón and many of
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#17327833269858556-418: The Dutch African arrivals, Anthony Johnson , would later own one of the first Black "slaves", John Casor , resulting from the court ruling of a civil case. The popular conception of a race-based slave system did not fully develop until the 18th century. The Dutch West India Company introduced slavery in 1625 with the importation of eleven Black slaves into New Amsterdam (present-day New York City ). All
8694-560: The End of the Lane was voted Book of the Year in the British National Book Awards . The novel follows an unnamed man who returns to his hometown for a funeral and remembers events that began forty years earlier. Themes include the search for self-identity and the "disconnect between childhood and adulthood". It was later adapted into a critically acclaimed stage play at the Royal National Theatre in London. In September 2016, Neil Gaiman announced that he had been working for some years on retellings of Norse mythology . Norse Mythology
8832-466: The Gaiman- Roger Avary -penned Beowulf film. Neil Gaiman was featured in the History Channel documentary Comic Book Superheroes Unmasked . Several of Gaiman's original works have been optioned or greenlighted for film adaptation, most notably Stardust , which premiered in August 2007 and stars Charlie Cox , Robert De Niro , Michelle Pfeiffer , Claire Danes and Mark Strong , directed by Matthew Vaughn . A stop-motion version of Coraline
8970-400: The Jim Crow laws, to avoid racially motivated violence . To maintain self-esteem and dignity, African Americans such as Anthony Overton and Mary McLeod Bethune continued to build their own schools , churches , banks, social clubs, and other businesses. In the last decade of the 19th century, racially discriminatory laws and racial violence aimed at African Americans began to mushroom in
9108-555: The Montgomery bus." The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom and the conditions which brought it into being are credited with putting pressure on presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson . Johnson put his support behind passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that banned discrimination in public accommodations, employment, and labor unions , and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which expanded federal authority over states to ensure Black political participation through protection of voter registration and elections. By 1966,
9246-450: The New 52 reveals that Derrick Coe is one of Eric's aliases. An unnamed Black Spider was a member of the group of assassins known as the Council of Spiders . This Black Spider came into conflict with Red Robin and was defeated. One of Bulletman 's enemies was named Black Spider under the civilian name Jules Rey . This version was a criminal deported and locked in a dungeon where he went blind and insane. The criminal managed to befriend
9384-455: The Patriot cause included James Armistead , Prince Whipple , and Oliver Cromwell . Around 15,000 Black Loyalists left with the British after the war, most of them ending up as free Black people in England or its colonies, such as the Black Nova Scotians and the Sierra Leone Creole people . In the Spanish Louisiana , Governor Bernardo de Gálvez organized Spanish free Black men into two militia companies to defend New Orleans during
9522-401: The South . These circumstances changed due to participation in the military conflicts of the United States , substantial migration out of the South , the elimination of legal racial segregation , and the civil rights movement which sought political and social freedom. However, racism against African Americans and racial socioeconomic disparity remain a problem into the 21st century. In
9660-427: The South sparked the Great Migration during the first half of the 20th century which led to a growing African American community in Northern and Western United States. The rapid influx of Blacks disturbed the racial balance within Northern and Western cities, exacerbating hostility between both Blacks and Whites in the two regions. The Red Summer of 1919 was marked by hundreds of deaths and higher casualties across
9798-454: The US Census Bureau, evidence from the 2000 census indicates that many African and Caribbean immigrant ethnic groups do not identify as "Black, African Am., or Negro". Instead, they wrote in their own respective ethnic groups in the "Some Other Race" write-in entry. As a result, the census bureau devised a new, separate "African American" ethnic group category in 2010 for ethnic African Americans. Nigerian Americans and Ethiopian Americans were
9936-649: The US after White Americans . The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of Africans enslaved in the United States . Most African Americans are descendants of enslaved people within the boundaries of the present United States. While some Black immigrants or their children may also come to identify as African American, the majority of first-generation immigrants do not, preferring to identify with their nation of origin. Most African Americans are of West African and coastal Central African ancestry, with varying amounts of Western European and Native American ancestry. African-American history began in
10074-661: The US and emigrate to Liberia in West Africa. Liberia had been established in 1821 as a settlement by the American Colonization Society (ACS), with many abolitionist members of the ACS believing Black Americans would have greater opportunities for freedom and equality in Africa than they would in the US. Slaves not only represented a significant financial investment for their owners, but they also played
10212-506: The US as a result of race riots that occurred in more than three dozen cities, such as the Chicago race riot of 1919 and the Omaha race riot of 1919 . Overall, Blacks in Northern and Western cities experienced systemic discrimination in a plethora of aspects of life. Within employment, economic opportunities for Blacks were routed to the lowest-status and restrictive in potential mobility. At
10350-407: The US. As a result of this large-scale forced movement, countless individuals lost their connection to families and clans, and many ethnic Africans lost their knowledge of varying tribal origins in Africa. The 1863 photograph of Wilson Chinn , a branded slave from Louisiana, along with the famous image of Gordon and his scarred back, served as two of the earliest and most powerful examples of how
10488-423: The United States . In June 2021, Juneteenth , a day which commemorates the end of slavery in the US, became a federal holiday. In 1790, when the first US census was taken, Africans (including slaves and free people) numbered about 760,000—about 19.3% of the population. In 1860, at the start of the Civil War , the African American population had increased to 4.4 million, but the percentage rate dropped to 14% of
10626-477: The United States population, at about 1.2 million people, largely found within the Puerto Rican and Dominican communities. Self-reported Black immigrants hailing from other countries in the Americas, such as Brazil and Canada, as well as several European countries, represented less than 0.1% of the population. Mixed-race Hispanic and non-Hispanic Americans who identified as being part Black, represented 0.9% of
10764-763: The United States, a period often referred to as the " nadir of American race relations ". These discriminatory acts included racial segregation—upheld by the United States Supreme Court decision in Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896—which was legally mandated by southern states and nationwide at the local level of government, voter suppression or disenfranchisement in the southern states, denial of economic opportunity or resources nationwide, and private acts of violence and mass racial violence aimed at African Americans unhindered or encouraged by government authorities. The desperate conditions of African Americans in
10902-695: The United States, continuing to flourish until the 1860s. Historians estimate that nearly one million individuals were subjected to this forced migration, which was often referred to as a new "Middle Passage". The historian Ira Berlin described this internal forced migration of enslaved people as the "central event" in the life of a slave during the period between the American Revolution and the Civil War. Berlin emphasized that whether enslaved individuals were directly uprooted or lived in constant fear that they or their families would be involuntarily relocated, "the massive deportation traumatized Black people" throughout
11040-524: The Virginia General Court recorded the earliest documentation of lifetime slavery when they sentenced John Punch , a Negro, to lifetime servitude under his master Hugh Gwyn , for running away. In Spanish Florida , some Spanish married or had unions with Pensacola , Creek or African women, both enslaved and free, and their descendants created a mixed-race population of mestizos and mulattos . The Spanish encouraged slaves from
11178-589: The character becomes one of Batman's adversaries and is the most well-known version. The character is also a known member of the Suicide Squad , being one of group member's most effective operatives. The second version of the character, Johnny LaMonica , assumes the identity of Black Spider. He is a professional hitman hired to infiltrate the False Face Society and eliminate Black Mask, mistakenly believing Eric to be deceased. Unfortunately, Johnny
11316-551: The colonists died shortly afterward, due to an epidemic and the colony was abandoned. The settlers and the slaves who had not escaped returned to the Island of Hispaniola , whence they had come. The marriage between Luisa de Abrego, a free Black domestic servant from Seville , and Miguel Rodríguez, a White Segovian conquistador in 1565 in St. Augustine (Spanish Florida), is the first known and recorded Christian marriage anywhere in what
11454-430: The colony's slaves, however, were freed upon its surrender to the English. Massachusetts was the first English colony to legally recognize slavery in 1641. In 1662, Virginia passed a law that children of enslaved women would take the status of the mother, rather than that of the father, as was the case under common law . This legal principle was called partus sequitur ventrum . By an act of 1699, Virginia ordered
11592-781: The creator of the characters, he was not involved in writing any of the above-mentioned books. Gaiman wrote a semi-autobiographical story about a boy's fascination with Michael Moorcock 's anti-hero Elric of Melniboné for Ed Kramer 's anthology Tales of the White Wolf. In 1996, Gaiman and Ed Kramer co-edited The Sandman: Book of Dreams . Nominated for the British Fantasy Award , the original fiction anthology featured stories and contributions by Tori Amos , Clive Barker , Gene Wolfe , Caitlín R. Kiernan , Tad Williams , and others. Asked why he likes comics more than other forms of storytelling, Gaiman said: "One of
11730-400: The crime lord Black Mask . He is thwarted by Batman and sent to prison. He sustains injuries during this incident which leave his face a disfigured web of scars, giving his choice of codename an ironic touch. He is later killed by Detective Crispus Allen during a gang shooting. Black Spider had opened fire on Detective Renee Montoya , preparing to kill her, when Allen unloaded his magazine on
11868-428: The deportation of all free Blacks, effectively defining all people of African descent who remained in the colony as slaves. In 1670, the colonial assembly passed a law prohibiting free and baptized Blacks (and Native Americans) from purchasing Christians (in this act meaning White Europeans) but allowing them to buy people "of their owne nation". In Spanish Louisiana , although there was no movement toward abolition of
12006-542: The eighth issue of The Sandman , Gaiman and artist Mike Dringenberg introduced Death , the older sister of Dream, who became as popular as the series' title character. The limited series Death: The High Cost of Living launched DC's Vertigo line in 1993. Comics historian Les Daniels called Gaiman's work "astonishing" and noted that The Sandman was "a mixture of fantasy, horror, and ironic humor such as comic books had never seen before". DC Comics writer and executive Paul Levitz observed that " The Sandman became
12144-539: The emergence of the Black Power movement, which lasted from 1966 to 1975, expanded upon the aims of the civil rights movement to include economic and political self-sufficiency, and freedom from White authority. During the post-war period, many African Americans continued to be economically disadvantaged relative to other Americans. Average Black income stood at 54 percent of that of White workers in 1947, and 55 percent in 1962. In 1959, median family income for Whites
12282-536: The first African American woman elected to the US Senate . There were 8,936 Black officeholders in the United States in 2000, showing a net increase of 7,467 since 1970. In 2001, there were 484 Black mayors. In 2005, the number of Africans immigrating to the United States, in a single year, surpassed the peak number who were involuntarily brought to the United States during the Atlantic slave trade . On November 4, 2008, Democratic Senator Barack Obama —the son of
12420-511: The first extraordinary success as a series of graphic novel collections, reaching out and converting new readers to the medium, particularly young women on college campuses, and making Gaiman himself into an iconic cultural figure." Gaiman and Jamie Delano were to become co-writers of the Swamp Thing series following Rick Veitch . An editorial decision by DC to censor Veitch's final storyline caused both Gaiman and Delano to withdraw from
12558-508: The history of the platform. In a collaboration with author Terry Pratchett , best known for his series of Discworld novels, Gaiman's first novel Good Omens was published in 1990. In 2011, Pratchett said that while the entire novel was a collaborative effort and most of the ideas could be credited to both of them, Pratchett did a larger portion of writing and editing if for no other reason than Gaiman's scheduled involvement with Sandman . The 1996 novelisation of Gaiman's teleplay for
12696-657: The joys of comics has always been the knowledge that it was, in many ways, untouched ground. It was virgin territory. When I was working on Sandman , I felt a lot of the time that I was actually picking up a machete and heading out into the jungle. I got to write in places and do things that nobody had ever done before. When I'm writing novels I'm painfully aware that I'm working in a medium that people have been writing absolutely jaw-droppingly brilliant things for, you know, three-four thousand years now. You know, you can go back. We have things like The Golden Ass . And you go, well, I don't know that I'm as good as that and that's two and
12834-527: The knowledge and expertise to create specialized weaponry, such as his mechanical tarsus, to enhance his combat prowess. Black Spider is equipped with a diverse array of weaponry and gadgets, including: The second Black Spider first appeared in Batman #518 (May 1995). Professional hitman Johnny LaMonica takes the name "Black Spider" when he is sent to infiltrate the False Face Society and kill
12972-805: The large spiders that lived there. Dubbing himself Black Spider, he went back to the U.S. to take vengeance on those who deported him. Bulletman and Bulletgirl saved Black Spider's captives and killed the villain. The Eric Needham incarnation of Black Spider appears in Young Justice , voiced by Josh Keaton . This version is a member of the League of Shadows who wields wrist-mounted web-shooters and mocks opponents with relentless quips and bantering in an homage to Marvel Comics character Spider-Man , whom Keaton previously voiced in The Spectacular Spider-Man . The Eric Needham incarnation of Black Spider, based on his New 52 portrayal, appears as
13110-570: The late 1980s, he wrote Don't Panic: The Official Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Companion in what he calls a "classic English humour" style. Following this, he wrote the opening of what became his collaboration with Terry Pratchett on the comic novel Good Omens , about the impending apocalypse. After forming a friendship with Alan Moore , who taught him how to write comic scripts, Gaiman started writing comic books and picked up Miracleman after Moore finished his run on
13248-626: The legends of the Isle of Skye as his inspiration for The Truth Is a Cave in the Black Mountains . In the early 1980s, Gaiman pursued journalism, conducting interviews and writing book reviews, as a means to learn about the world and to make connections that he hoped would later assist him in getting published. He wrote and reviewed extensively for the British Fantasy Society. His first professional short story publication
13386-582: The limited series Black Orchid . Karen Berger , who later became head of DC Comics 's Vertigo , read Black Orchid and offered Gaiman a job: to re-write an old character, The Sandman, but to put his own spin on him. The Sandman tells the tale of the ageless , anthropomorphic personification of Dream that is known by many names, including Morpheus . The series began in January 1989 and concluded in March 1996. The various artists who contributed to
13524-460: The most important literary award there ever was" and "if you can make yourself aged seven happy, you're really doing well – it's like writing a letter to yourself aged seven." Lewis Carroll 's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland was another childhood favourite, and "a favourite forever. Alice was default reading to the point where I knew it by heart." He also enjoyed Batman comics. Gaiman
13662-489: The most reported sub-Saharan African groups in the United States. Historically, African Americans have been undercounted in the US census due to a number of factors. In the 2020 census, the African American population was undercounted at an estimated rate of 3.3%, up from 2.1% in 2010. Texas has the largest African American population by state. Followed by Texas is Florida , with 3.8 million, and Georgia , with 3.6 million. After 100 years of African Americans leaving
13800-465: The newborn medium of photography could be used to visually document and encapsulate the brutality and cruelty of slavery. Emigration of free Blacks to their continent of origin had been proposed since the Revolutionary war. After Haiti became independent, it tried to recruit African Americans to migrate there after it re-established trade relations with the United States. The Haitian Union was
13938-451: The overall White vote, although he won a larger proportion of White votes than any previous non-incumbent Democratic presidential candidate since Jimmy Carter . Obama was reelected for a second and final term , by a similar margin on November 6, 2012. In 2021, Kamala Harris , the daughter of a Jamaican father and Indian mother, became the first woman, the first African American, and the first Asian American to serve as Vice President of
14076-417: The overall population of the country. The vast majority were slaves, with only 488,000 counted as " freemen ". By 1900, the Black population had doubled and reached 8.8 million. In 1910, about 90% of African Americans lived in the South. Large numbers began migrating north looking for better job opportunities and living conditions, and to escape Jim Crow laws and racial violence. The Great Migration , as it
14214-452: The population. Of the 12.6% of United States residents who identified as Black, around 10.3% were "native Black American" or ethnic African Americans, who are direct descendants of West/Central Africans brought to the US as slaves. These individuals make up well over 80% of all Blacks in the country. When including people of mixed-race origin , about 13.5% of the US population self-identified as Black or "mixed with Black". However, according to
14352-509: The post-war Reconstruction era was initially a time of progress for African Americans, that period ended in 1876. By the late 1890s, Southern states enacted Jim Crow laws to enforce racial segregation and disenfranchisement . Segregation was now imposed with Jim Crow laws, using signs used to show Blacks where they could legally walk, talk, drink, rest, or eat. For those places that were racially mixed, non-Whites had to wait until all White customers were dealt with. Most African Americans obeyed
14490-510: The post–civil rights era. In 1967, Thurgood Marshall became the first African American Supreme Court Justice. In 1968, Shirley Chisholm became the first Black woman elected to the US Congress . In 1989, Douglas Wilder became the first African American elected governor in US history. Clarence Thomas succeeded Marshall to become the second African American Supreme Court Justice in 1991. In 1992, Carol Moseley-Braun of Illinois became
14628-642: The ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment in December 1865. While the Naturalization Act of 1790 limited US citizenship to Whites only, the 14th Amendment (1868) gave Black people citizenship, and the 15th Amendment (1870) gave Black men the right to vote. African Americans quickly set up congregations for themselves, as well as schools and community/civic associations, to have space away from White control or oversight. While
14766-479: The reader, where he would just talk to you ... I'd think, 'Oh, my gosh, that is so cool! I want to do that! When I become an author, I want to be able to do things in parentheses.' I liked the power of putting things in brackets." Narnia also introduced him to literary awards, specifically the Carnegie Medal , won by the concluding volume in 1956. When Gaiman won the 2010 Medal himself, he said "it had to be
14904-468: The right to carry arms and boosting their earning power. However, actually these privileges distanced free Black men from enslaved Blacks and encouraged them to identify with Whites. Slavery had been tacitly enshrined in the US Constitution through provisions such as Article I, Section 2, Clause 3, commonly known as the 3/5 compromise . Due to the restrictions of Section 9, Clause 1 , Congress
15042-579: The sake of opposition. However, he later refocuses his efforts on targeting drug dealers, particularly after their activities directly impact his wife and son, both of whom tragically lose their lives during a botched drug deal. Eric ultimately sacrifices his own life in an apparent act of self-destruction to dismantle the cartel responsible for their deaths. Eric Needham later turns up in Neil Gaiman 's critically acclaimed fantasy comic The Sandman dating supporting character Lyta Hall . No explanation
15180-509: The season five episode " Day of the Dead ". The series also features a recurring alien race called the Gaim, who resemble the character of Dream and are named after Gaiman. Gaiman has also written at least three drafts of a screenplay adaptation of Nicholson Baker 's novel The Fermata for director Robert Zemeckis , although the project was stalled while Zemeckis made The Polar Express and
15318-480: The series include Sam Kieth , Mike Dringenberg, Jill Thompson , Shawn McManus , Marc Hempel , and Michael Zulli , with lettering by Todd Klein , colours by Daniel Vozzo, and covers by Dave McKean . The series became one of DC's top selling titles, eclipsing even Batman and Superman . The 75 issues of the regular series, along with an illustrated prose text and a special containing seven short stories, have been collected into 12 volumes that remain in print. In
15456-810: The series. He continued his professional relationship with Moore by contributing quotations for the supplemental materials in the Watchmen comic book series. Gaiman and artist Mark Buckingham collaborated on several issues of the series before its publisher, Eclipse Comics , collapsed, leaving the series unfinished. His first published comic strips were four short Future Shocks for 2000 AD in 1986–87. He wrote three graphic novels with his favourite collaborator and long-time friend Dave McKean : Violent Cases , Signal to Noise , and The Tragical Comedy or Comical Tragedy of Mr. Punch . Impressed with his work, DC Comics hired him in February 1987, and he wrote
15594-746: The south in large numbers seeking better opportunities and treatment in the west and north, a movement known as the Great Migration , there is now a reverse trend, called the New Great Migration . As with the earlier Great Migration, the New Great Migration is primarily directed toward cities and large urban areas, such as Charlotte , Houston , Dallas , Fort Worth , Huntsville , Raleigh , Tampa , San Antonio , New Orleans , Memphis , Nashville , Jacksonville , and so forth. A growing percentage of African Americans from
15732-741: The system's worst elements. First established in South Carolina in 1704, groups of armed White men— slave patrols —were formed to monitor enslaved Black people. Their function was to police slaves, especially fugitives. Slave owners feared that slaves might organize revolts or slave rebellions , so state militias were formed to provide a military command structure and discipline within the slave patrols. These patrols were used to detect, encounter, and crush any organized slave meetings which might lead to revolts or rebellions . The earliest African American congregations and churches were organized before 1800 in both northern and southern cities following
15870-545: The threats posed by metahumans to ordinary people. As part of his new allegiance, Eric is assigned the task of assassinating intelligence operative Amanda Waller. Due to his activities as a vigilante, he becomes a viable candidate for one of Waller's early proposals for Task Force X. In addition, one of his aliases includes Derrick Coe . In the Suicide Squa d series, Eric is portrayed as a capable but resentful member of Task Force X. Despite his criminal background, he holds
16008-524: The title. Gaiman produced two stories for DC's Secret Origins series in 1989. A Poison Ivy tale drawn by Mark Buckingham and a Riddler story illustrated by Bernie Mireault and Matt Wagner . A story that Gaiman originally wrote for Action Comics Weekly in 1989 was shelved due to editorial concerns but it was finally published in 2000 as Green Lantern/Superman: Legend of the Green Flame . In 1990, Gaiman wrote The Books of Magic ,
16146-592: The total population, declined until 1930 and has been rising since then. By 1990, the African American population reached about 30 million and represented 12% of the US population, roughly the same proportion as in 1900. At the time of the 2000 US census , 54.8% of African Americans lived in the South . In that year, 17.6% of African Americans lived in the Northeast and 18.7% in the Midwest , while only 8.9% lived in
16284-520: The town; one of Gaiman's sisters works for the Church of Scientology in Los Angeles. His other sister, Lizzy Calcioli, has said, "Most of our social activities were involved with Scientology or our Jewish family. It would get very confusing when people would ask my religion as a kid. I'd say, 'I'm a Jewish Scientologist. ' " Gaiman says that he is not a Scientologist, and that like Judaism, Scientology
16422-415: The venom, Black Spider eventually becomes subservient to the siblings when they enlist his services following their price gouging. The venom helps alleviate the symptoms of Daniel, Black Spider's boyfriend. When Black Spider disobeys orders and attracts Batman's attention, the siblings kidnap Daniel and threaten to kill him unless Black Spider completes specified tasks. Frustrated, Black Spider offers to become
16560-598: The villain. Jim Corrigan sold the bullet that killed Black Spider on the black market. A third Black Spider appears shortly after as a member of the Society . He first appeared in Birds of Prey #87 (December 2005). Real name Derrick Coe , he apparently bought his "villain franchise" from the Calculator , who assigns him to help torture Savant into revealing the identity of Oracle . When Oracle sends in her task force,
16698-523: The west and north are migrating to the southern region of the US for economic and cultural reasons. The New York City , Chicago , and Los Angeles metropolitan areas have the highest decline in African Americans, while Atlanta , Dallas , and Houston have the highest increase respectively. Several smaller metro areas also saw sizable gains, including San Antonio; Raleigh and Greensboro, N.C.; and Orlando. Despite recent declines, as of 2020,
16836-463: The world of children's books with the dark fairy tale Coraline . In 2008 he released another children's book, The Graveyard Book . It follows the adventures of a boy named Bod after his family is murdered and he is left to be brought up by a graveyard. It is heavily influenced by Rudyard Kipling 's The Jungle Book . As of late January 2009 , it had been on The New York Times Bestseller children's list for fifteen weeks. In 2013, The Ocean at
16974-608: Was "Featherquest", a fantasy story, in Imagine Magazine in May 1984. While waiting for a train at London's Victoria Station in 1984, Gaiman noticed a copy of Swamp Thing by Alan Moore , and read it. Moore's approach to comics had such an impact on Gaiman that he later wrote "that was the final straw, what was left of my resistance crumbled. I proceeded to make regular and frequent visits to London's Forbidden Planet shop to buy comics". In 1984, he wrote his first book,
17112-543: Was $ 5,600 (equivalent to $ 58,532 in 2023), compared with $ 2,900 (equivalent to $ 30,311 in 2023) for non-White families. In 1965, 43 percent of all Black families fell into the poverty bracket, earning under $ 3,000 (equivalent to $ 29,005 in 2023) a year. The 1960s saw improvements in the social and economic conditions of many Black Americans. From 1965 to 1969, Black family income rose from 54 to 60 percent of White family income. In 1968, 23 percent of Black families earned under $ 3,000 (equivalent to $ 26,285 in 2023)
17250-401: Was a Whites-only establishment, with Blacks (such as Duke Ellington ) allowed to perform, but to a White audience. Black Americans also found a new ground for political power in Northern cities, without the enforced disabilities of Jim Crow . By the 1950s, the civil rights movement was gaining momentum. A 1955 lynching that sparked public outrage about injustice was that of Emmett Till ,
17388-547: Was announced that a number of commercial ventures linked to him would halt production, owing to allegations of sexual assault towards women. Neil Richard Gaiman was born on 10 November 1960 in Portchester , Hampshire. Gaiman's family is of Polish-Jewish and other Ashkenazi origins. His great-grandfather emigrated to England from Antwerp before 1914 and his grandfather settled in Portsmouth and established
17526-454: Was called, spanned the 1890s to the 1970s. From 1916 through the 1960s, more than 6 million Black people moved north. But in the 1970s and 1980s, that trend reversed , with more African Americans moving south to the Sun Belt than leaving it. The following table of the African American population in the United States over time shows that the African American population, as a percentage of
17664-671: Was educated at several Church of England schools, including Fonthill School in East Grinstead, Ardingly College (1970–1974), and Whitgift School in Croydon (1974–1977). His father's position as a public relations official of the Church of Scientology was the cause of the seven-year-old Gaiman being forced to withdraw from Fonthill School and return to the school which he had previously attended. He lived in East Grinstead for many years, from 1965 to 1980 and again from 1984 to 1987. He met his first wife, Mary McGrath, while she
17802-603: Was given for his resurrection. Whatever the case, Needham's survival has since been confirmed and the character has made subsequent appearances as the Black Spider, such as in the miniseries Underworld Unleashed . He was seen in Identity Crisis as an ally of Deadshot , Monocle , and Merlyn . He is later a member of The Society . He is one of the villains sent to retrieve the Get Out of Hell Free card from
17940-516: Was introduced into the Marvel Universe in the last issue of the Age of Ultron miniseries in 2013. Gaiman oversaw The Sandman Universe , a line of comic books published by Vertigo. The four series — House of Whispers , Lucifer , The Books of Magic , and The Dreaming — were written by new creative teams. The line launched on 8 August 2018. After teaming with Colleen Doran for
18078-783: Was published from August 2006 to March 2007. In 2009, Gaiman wrote a two-part Batman story for DC Comics to follow Batman R.I.P. titled " Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? " a play-off of the classic Superman story " Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? " by Alan Moore. He contributed a twelve-part Metamorpho serial drawn by Mike Allred for Wednesday Comics , a weekly newspaper-style series. Gaiman and Paul Cornell co-wrote Action Comics #894 (December 2010), which featured an appearance by Death. In October 2013, DC Comics released The Sandman: Overture with art by J. H. Williams III . Gaiman's Angela character
18216-441: Was released in February 2017. Several of his novels have been published as paperbacks with retro covers by artist Robert McGinnis . Gaiman wrote the 1996 BBC dark fantasy television series Neverwhere . He co-wrote the screenplay for the movie MirrorMask with his old friend Dave McKean for McKean to direct. In addition, he wrote the localised English language script for the anime movie Princess Mononoke , based on
18354-413: Was similar to slavery. Servants could be bought, sold, or leased, and they could be physically beaten for disobedience or attempting to running away. Unlike slaves, they were freed after their term of service expired or if their freedom was purchased. Their children did not inherit their status, and on their release from contract they received "a year's provision of corn, double apparel, tools necessary", and
18492-478: Was stopped when the anthology itself was discontinued. In the mid-1990s, he also created a number of new characters and a setting that was to be featured in a title published by Tekno Comix . The concepts were then altered and split between three titles set in the same continuity: Lady Justice , Mr. Hero the Newmatic Man , and Teknophage , and tie-ins. Although Gaiman's name appeared prominently as
18630-502: Was studying Scientology and living in a house in East Grinstead that was owned by his father. The couple were married in 1985 after having their first child. Gaiman has mentioned several writers who have influenced his work, including Mary Shelley , Rudyard Kipling , Edgar Allan Poe , Michael Moorcock , Dave Sim , Alan Moore , Steve Ditko , Will Eisner , Ursula K. Le Guin , Harlan Ellison , John Crowley , Lord Dunsany , G. K. Chesterton and Gene Wolfe . A lifetime fan of
18768-553: Was unable to pass an Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves until 1807. Fugitive slave laws (derived from the Fugitive Slave Clause of the Constitution— Article IV, Section 2, Clause 3 ) were passed by Congress in both 1793 and 1850 , guaranteeing the right of a slaveholder to recover an escaped slave anywhere within the US. Slave owners, who viewed enslaved people as property, ensured that it became
18906-458: Was unaware of Michael's birth until years later by a chance meeting with Linda, another expresses he took to robbing to support his drug habits and take care of their infant son. Nevertheless, in desperate need of money to fuel his drug addiction, he commits a robbery at a liquor store, unintentionally killing the owner who is revealed to be his own father. Overwhelmed with remorse upon his arrest, Eric manages to overcome his addiction and embarks on
19044-415: Was very good at most subjects in school, not because I had any particular aptitude in them, but because normally on the first day of school, they'd hand out schoolbooks, and I'd read them—which would mean that I'd know what was coming up because I'd read it." When he was about ten years old, he read his way through the works of Dennis Wheatley ; The Ka of Gifford Hillary and The Haunting of Toby Jugg made
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