Appearing in "Death-Song of Destiny!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Giant Rat ("Mickey")
Other Characters:
- Duff Coogan (First appearance)
- Nick Cromer (First appearance)
- Alvin Denton ⏵ (First appearance)
- Renee Goldenberg (First appearance)
- Sheldon Goldenberg (First appearance)
- Mrs. Coogan (First appearance)
- Destiny (abstract being) (First appearance)
- Yancy Street Gang (Behind the scenes)
Locations:
- New York City
- Brooklyn
- Park Slope (First appearance)
- Manhattan
- Brooklyn
Items:
- Eye of Agamotto
- Cloak of Levitation
- Celestial Harmonica (First appearance)
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "Death-Song of Destiny!"
As Dr. Strange waits in a subway station, he witnesses an accident which results in a young harmonica player falling on the tracks. Instead of letting him save her, she insists that he rescue her harmonica. When she is hit by a subway train, she explodes into a shower of sparks. These sparks bathe all who are present. Taking the girls harmonica, Dr. Strange realizes that it is mystical in origin and he and Clea rush off to figure out what purpose it has.
Later, the Thing gets a call from Mrs. Coogan, whose grandson was another witness to the accident. Duffy Coogan is wracked with fear after the accident. Thing agrees to go and see her son. Meanwhile, Dr. Strange discovers that the girl was really Destiny and that everyone who was exposed to the sparks is in danger. Dr. Strange then rushes out to prevent the danger posed to all.
Visiting the home of Renee and Sheldon Goldenberg, Dr. Strange saves Sheldon from becoming a faceless person. Going to the next person brings Strange into contact with Duffy Coogan and the Thing. The energy from Destiny manifests in a sewer rat which grows into giant proportions -- The personification of Duffy's fear of poverty. The Thing then teams up with Dr. Strange and they both defeat the rat, restoring it to normal.
Telling the Thing of his mission, Ben agrees to help Dr. Strange out and they both travel back to Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum, where they are told by Clea that Valkyrie had come to take the harmonica.
Notes
Continuity Notes[]
- As revealed next issue there is a connection between this manifestation of "Destiny" and Alvin Denton. They are actually the parents of Barbara Norris who was the host body for the Valkyrie at the time of this story. These truths are revealed next issue and in Defenders #20.
- The Yancy Street Gang's animosity towards the Thing is because, as revealed in Thing #1, he used to be part of the gang until was given the opportunity to leave Yancy Street and get a fresh start. Something his old gang took as a betrayal.
- Doctor Strange recollects the first time he met the Thing, this happened in Fantastic Four #27. However the two have met in subsequent encounters, namely Untold Tales of Spider-Man '97 #1, Fantastic Four Annual #3, and Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Comics Magazine #3.
- Clea mentions Valkyrie of the Defenders took the harmonica. The Defenders had recently formed in Marvel Feature #1 and at the time of this story, their existence was a mystery to most. Valkyrie had recently joined the team in Defenders #4.
Trivia
- This issue includes Marvel Value Stamp #47: The Green Goblin