BORDERS of the LAND of the DEAD
Type: Mystic Realm
Environment: Basically Earth-like
Usual means of access: Physical death
Dominant Life Form: Demons and spirits
Significant Inhabitants: Andromeda, Dragon of the Moon, Interloper, Manslaughter, Old Jigme, Valkyrie (Brunnhilde)
First Appearance: Strange Tales II#5 (August, 1987)
History:
(Strange Tales II#5 (fb) - BTS) - In mystic battle with the Dragon of the Moon, four of Earth's Defenders (Andromeda, Interloper, Manslaughter, Valkyrie) sacrificed themselves to transport their combat to a different plane. Due to Valkyrie’s status as a chooser of the slain, Valkyrie, Interloper, Manslaughter, and Andromeda were all transported to the dimension between life and death, the Borders of the Land of the Dead, where they began defending themselves against countless demons controlled by the Dragon of the Moon. Valkyrie was occasionally granted respite from the battles in order to retrieve a slain soul and take it forward to its final reward.
(Marvel Comics Presents I#37/4) - While battling the demon Balthazar, Devil-Slayer drew Dragonfang from his Shadow-Cloak and teleported to the Borders of the Land of the Dead, seeing ashen statues of the four "dead" Defenders there. After the battle, Dragonfang disappeared and Devil-Slayer left the statues behind.
(Doctor Strange II#80 - BTS) - Valkyrie went to escort Dr. Strange to his afterlife, but he resisted and returned to life.
(Strange Tales II#5) - Valkyrie appeared in the Tibetan mountains to retrieve the soul of Old Jigme, who was near Dr. Strange and Rintrah. Strange tried to stop her, wanting to preserve Jigme's soul, and Valkyrie reminded him that if he allowed her to take Jigme, he could then summon her and her allies to aid him in battle, for one 24-hour period. Strange agreed, and allowed Jigme to pass.
(Strange Tales II#7) - The four Defenders were summoned by Strange briefly, and allied with Cloak, Dagger, and Rintrah. When Cloak was near death, Valkyrie prepared to escort him into the afterlife, but he chose to go back, leaving the four Defenders to go back to the Borders of the Land of the Dead on their own.
(Black Knight II#3-4 - BTS) - Valkyrie was summoned by Victoria Bentley to take over her body to help Dr. Strange and Black Knight against Morgana and her hordes. She returned to the Borders of the Land of the Dead after Morgana was defeated.
(Doctor Strange III#3) - The four Defenders finally defeated the last of the Dragon’s servants, and the Vishanti agreed to grant them new lives for their service. The Dragon of the Moon followed their escape route and returned to Earth as well.
Comments: Created by Peter Gillis, Larry Alexander, and Randy Emberlin.
Apparently this dimension lies between the corporeal world and the various realms of death, and contains the spirits of many deceased persons.
The four Defenders seen in this dimension perished battling the Dragon of the Moon in (New) Defenders I#152.
Profile by Chadman.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Borders of the
Land of the Dead
have no known connections to
images: (without ads)
Doctor Strange III#1, p1, pan1 (main)
Appearances:
Strange Tales II#5 (August, 1987) - Peter Gillis (writer), Larry Alexander
(penciler), Randy Emberlin (inker), Carl Potts (editor)
Doctor Strange II#80 (December, 1986) - Peter Gillis (writer), Chris Warner (penciler), Randy Emberlin (inker), Carl Potts (editor)
Marvel Comics Presents I#37/3 (Late December, 1989) - Dwight
Zimmerman (writer), Rodney Ramos (penciler), Jim Sanders (inker), Tom DeFalco
(editor)
Strange Tales II#7 (October, 1987) - Peter Gillis
(writer), Terry Shoemaker (penciler), Randy Emberlin (inker), Carl Potts
(editor)
Doctor Strange III#3 (March, 1989) - Peter
Gillis (writer), Richard Case (penciler), Randy Emberlin (inker), Carl Potts
(editor)
Black Knight II#3 (August, 1990) - Roy & Dann Thomas (writer), Rich Buckler (penciler), Diverse Hands (inkers), Mark Gruenwald (editor)
Black Knight II#4 (September, 1990) - Roy & Dann Thomas (writer), Rich Buckler (penciler), Tony Dezuniga (inkers), Mark Gruenwald (editor)
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Last Updated: 04/15/07
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