Duma (DC Comics)
Encyclopedia
Duma is a fallen angel
in the DC Vertigo series The Sandman, created by the British
author Neil Gaiman
. His name means "silence", and he is based on an angel from Jewish mythology
.
's stillness; the Hebrew word "Dumah" means silence. According to the same stories, he is the guardian of Egypt and the prince of vindication, and sometimes is called the angel who killed the firstborn Egyptians in Moses
' time. At least one source names him a "Prince of Hell"; meaning that at some unknown point in time, he apparently displeased God
and fell from grace.
The Zohar
, a book of Jewish
mysticism
, describes his position in Hell
as such that he had "tens of thousands of angels of destruction" under him, and that he was "chief of demons in Gehinnon (Hell; a more familiar spelling is "Gehenna") with 12,000 myriads of attendants, all charged with the punishment of the souls of sinners."
In Babylonian mythology, Dumah is the name given to the guardian of the 14th gate, a gate through which the goddess Ishtar passed on her journey to the underworld. It is unclear whether the Babylonian and Hebrew mythology are related.
, who also entered in contact with Duma). Many theories and interpretations have been put forward, but nothing is concrete.
In Season of Mists
, Lucifer
has closed down Hell in frustration, handing off the key to Morpheus. Eventually, after much squabbling between various gods, Duma and Remiel receive a message saying that they are to watch over Hell. Remiel immediately rejects it. But Duma, being the angel of silence and thus unable to voice his opinion on the matter, simply takes the key and puts it around his neck. It is thus that Remiel and Duma become the guardians of the Sandman mythos' Hell.
Duma's sacrifice in taking the key enlightened Remiel, who subsequently accepted the heavy burden of rehabilitating lost souls.
in The Wake
, where he gets up and "speaks", but being the angel of silence, simply sheds a single tear which effectively communicates his feelings to all those present.
Following the end of the Sandman series, Remiel and Duma give up ownership of Hell in a complex sequence of events in the Lucifer
spin-off series. This is the first time we hear Duma actually "speak", when he defies Remiel and says that Christopher Rudd was entitled to be the ruler of Hell. Duma had the key to Hell and takes it off his neck and hands it over to Christopher Rudd. Remiel and everyone is shocked to hear him speak.
Fallen angel
Fallen angel is a concept developed in Jewish mythology from interpretation of the Book of Enoch. The actual term fallen angel is not found in either the Hebrew Bible or the New Testament. Christians adopted the concept of fallen angels mainly based on their interpretations of the Book of...
in the DC Vertigo series The Sandman, created by the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
author Neil Gaiman
Neil Gaiman
Neil Richard Gaiman born 10 November 1960)is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, graphic novels, audio theatre and films. His notable works include the comic book series The Sandman and novels Stardust, American Gods, Coraline, and The Graveyard Book...
. His name means "silence", and he is based on an angel from Jewish mythology
Jewish mythology
Jewish mythology is generally the sacred and traditional narratives that help explain and symbolize the Jewish religion, whereas Jewish folklore consists of the folk tales and legends that existed in the general Jewish culture. There is very little early folklore distinct from the aggadah literature...
.
Outside the Sandman mythos
In Jewish folklore, Duma is the angel of silence and deathDeath
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
's stillness; the Hebrew word "Dumah" means silence. According to the same stories, he is the guardian of Egypt and the prince of vindication, and sometimes is called the angel who killed the firstborn Egyptians in Moses
Moses
Moses was, according to the Hebrew Bible and Qur'an, a religious leader, lawgiver and prophet, to whom the authorship of the Torah is traditionally attributed...
' time. At least one source names him a "Prince of Hell"; meaning that at some unknown point in time, he apparently displeased God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
and fell from grace.
The Zohar
Zohar
The Zohar is the foundational work in the literature of Jewish mystical thought known as Kabbalah. It is a group of books including commentary on the mystical aspects of the Torah and scriptural interpretations as well as material on Mysticism, mythical cosmogony, and mystical psychology...
, a book of Jewish
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
mysticism
Mysticism
Mysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:...
, describes his position in Hell
Hell (DC Comics)
Hell is a fictional location, an infernal underworld utilized in titles published by DC Comics. It is the locational antithesis of the Silver City. The DC Comics location known as Hell is based heavily on its depiction in Judeo-Christian mythology...
as such that he had "tens of thousands of angels of destruction" under him, and that he was "chief of demons in Gehinnon (Hell; a more familiar spelling is "Gehenna") with 12,000 myriads of attendants, all charged with the punishment of the souls of sinners."
In Babylonian mythology, Dumah is the name given to the guardian of the 14th gate, a gate through which the goddess Ishtar passed on her journey to the underworld. It is unclear whether the Babylonian and Hebrew mythology are related.
Within Sandman
It is unknown how much of Duma's background from Jewish mythology that Gaiman actually incorporated into the character (in fact Duma's role as the vindicator was taken by another DC Character, the SpectreSpectre (comics)
The Spectre is a fictional character and superhero who has appeared in numerous comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in a next issue ad in More Fun Comics #51 and received his first story the following month, #52...
, who also entered in contact with Duma). Many theories and interpretations have been put forward, but nothing is concrete.
In Season of Mists
The Sandman: Season of Mists
Season of Mists is the fourth collection of issues in the DC Comics series, The Sandman.It was written by Neil Gaiman; illustrated by Kelley Jones, Mike Dringenberg, Malcolm Jones III, Matt Wagner, Dick Giordano, George Pratt, and P...
, Lucifer
Lucifer (DC Comics)
Lucifer is a DC Comics character that starred in an eponymous comic book published under the Vertigo imprint, whose entire run was written by Mike Carey...
has closed down Hell in frustration, handing off the key to Morpheus. Eventually, after much squabbling between various gods, Duma and Remiel receive a message saying that they are to watch over Hell. Remiel immediately rejects it. But Duma, being the angel of silence and thus unable to voice his opinion on the matter, simply takes the key and puts it around his neck. It is thus that Remiel and Duma become the guardians of the Sandman mythos' Hell.
Duma's sacrifice in taking the key enlightened Remiel, who subsequently accepted the heavy burden of rehabilitating lost souls.
Duma Speaks
Duma also appears at the funeral of Dream of the EndlessDream (comics)
Dream is the fictional protagonist of DC Comics' Vertigo comic book series The Sandman, written by Neil Gaiman. One of the seven Endless, inconceivably powerful beings older and greater than gods, Dream is both lord and personification of all dreams and stories, all that is not in reality...
in The Wake
The Sandman: The Wake
The Wake is the tenth and final collection of issues in the comic book series The Sandman. Written by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Michael Zulli, Jon J...
, where he gets up and "speaks", but being the angel of silence, simply sheds a single tear which effectively communicates his feelings to all those present.
Following the end of the Sandman series, Remiel and Duma give up ownership of Hell in a complex sequence of events in the Lucifer
Lucifer (DC Comics)
Lucifer is a DC Comics character that starred in an eponymous comic book published under the Vertigo imprint, whose entire run was written by Mike Carey...
spin-off series. This is the first time we hear Duma actually "speak", when he defies Remiel and says that Christopher Rudd was entitled to be the ruler of Hell. Duma had the key to Hell and takes it off his neck and hands it over to Christopher Rudd. Remiel and everyone is shocked to hear him speak.
External links
- [ftp://theory.lcs.mit.edu/pub/people/wald/sandman/sandman.24 Footnote on Duma's first appearance, at the Annotated Sandman website]