Black Racer (DC Comics)
The Black Racer is a character, a deity and avatar of Death in the DC Comics universe who often hunts those affiliated with the New Gods.[1] The character first appears in New Gods #3 (July 1971) and was created by Jack Kirby.[2]
For the Marvel Comics character, see Black Racer (Marvel Comics). For the snake, see Coluber constrictor.Black Racer
New Gods #3 (July 1971)
Sgt. William "Willie" Walker
- Immortality
- Infinite super-speed
- Super-charged brain-activity
- Vibration to phase through objects
- Time travel by running faster than the speed of light
- Enhanced super strength, endurance, reflexes, agility and stamina
- Creation of vortexes
- Electrokinesis
- Dimensional travel
- Time manipulation
- Flight via cosmically powered skis
- Intangibility
- Touch of Death
- Wears Cosmic Armor and Skis
- Energy projection and absorption
- Matter manipulation
- Invulnerability
- Illusion casting
- Cosmic perceptions and senses
Powers and abilities[edit]
The Black Racer has the power to phase through solid objects and bring death to those he has chosen with a single touch. He travels through the air by means of two cosmically powered celestial skis, which can accelerate to the speed of light. His ski poles can also phase through solid matter to deliver the Black Racer's deathstroke. As a deity, he's also immortal, and wears a cosmic armor that give him super strength and endurance. When he has finished delivering his message of death, the Black Racer returns to the comatose life of Sgt. Willie Walker until he is summoned anew.
Other versions[edit]
Darkseid/Galactus: The Hunger[edit]
During the Marvel/DC intercompany crossover Darkseid vs. Galactus: The Hunger, when Orion is badly injured in a fight with the Silver Surfer – during a period when the Surfer still served as Galactus's Herald – the Black Racer briefly comes to claim Orion, but the Surfer, his original memories briefly restored by Desaad as part of a plan to stop Galactus, confronts the Racer in recognition of Orion's nobility, giving Orion's Mother Box enough time to heal the rest of his injuries.
Earth-22 (Kingdom Come)[edit]
On Mark Waid's and Alex Ross' Elseworlds comic Kingdom Come, the Black Racer takes no significant part on the story save a minuscule panel during the Battle of the Gulag on issue #4 just behind Blue Beetle; the panel comes seconds before Captain Marvel prematurely detonates a nuclear device sent by the United Nations to end the metahuman conflict. The Black Racer's presence signifies the impending massive deaths caused by the explosion, though the action of the Green Lanterns and Fate save a lucky few.
DCeased[edit]
Black Racer features in the first issue of the mini-series DCeased, written by Tom Taylor. When Darkseid calls Black Racer to take a part of him (death) to create the coveted Anti-Life equation, he accidentally corrupts the equation. Later, under the influence of the new equation, he kills the Black Racer.[12]
In other media[edit]
Television[edit]
Black Racer makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in the Superman: The Animated Series episode "Apokolips... Now! Part II".
Content in this article was copied from Black Racer (Prime Earth) at the DC Database wiki, which is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 (Unported) (CC-BY-SA 3.0) license.
