Influences
The stories of Den are shaped by several well-known works of fiction. Sometimes the references are featured in the story itself.
- A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs. The story of the short film Neverwhere, as well as the whole concept behind Den, is based on this novel and its sequels. The 1963 edition of A Princess of Mars is featured in the short and the novels are mentioned in the first comics story. Den gets a new body that is perfect and, like the characters in the Barsoom novels everyone, including himself, remains nude for the entire adventure. This aspect of the story was retained in the subsequent comic versions, unlike the Burroughs’ comics adaptations. Furthermore, with the relaxed social mores for depicting sexuality arising at the time of the series' inception, the erotic possibilities of Neverwhere are eagerly indulged by the characters. Kil and both Dens come from a planet whose inhabitants resemble Homo sapiens in most respects, except for being oviparous, like all Barsoomian races.
- The Wizard of Oz. As pointed out by Philip José Farmer Den, like Dorothy Gale, travels to a strange world and is sent on a mission, eventually returning to his former existence. Like Dorothy, Den is from Kansas.
- The stories of Robert E. Howard. Before completing the first Den collection, Corben adapted a short story by Howard, "Bloodstar", where the muscular hero fought a demonic amorphous creature, similar to Uhluhtc.
- The tales of H. P. Lovecraft. Particularly in the first volume of Den, the presence of Uhluhtc (Cthulhu spelled backwards) is a constant theme in the story. Uhluhtc is also mentioned in "For the Love of a Daemon" and Children of Fire.
- The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. As pointed out by SidSid Keränen, the Nar stones and the scepter made from them, the Locnar, are similar to the One Ring and its corrupting power.
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Famous quotes containing the word influences:
“However diligent she may be, however dedicated, no mother can escape the larger influences of culture, biology, fate . . . until we can actually live in a society where mothers and children genuinely matter, ours is an essentially powerless responsibility. Mothers carry out most of the work orders, but most of the rules governing our lives are shaped by outside influences.”
—Mary Kay Blakely (20th century)
“The tourist who moves about to see and hear and open himself to all the influences of the places which condense centuries of human greatness is only a man in search of excellence.”
—Max Lerner (b. 1902)
“Leadership does not always wear the harness of compromise. Once and again one of those great influences which we call a Cause arises in the midst of a nation. Men of strenuous minds and high ideals come forward.... The attacks they sustain are more cruel than the collision of arms.... Friends desert and despise them.... They stand alone and oftentimes are made bitter by their isolation.... They are doing nothing less than defy public opinion, and shall they convert it by blows. Yes.”
—Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924)