Imp

An imp is a mythological being similar to a fairy or goblin, frequently described in folklore and superstition.

Etymology

The Old English noun impa meant a young shoot or scion of a plant or tree, and later came to mean the scion of a noble house, or a child in general. Starting in the 16th century, it was often used in expressions like "imps of serpents", "imp of hell", "imp of the devil", and so on; and by the 17th century, it came to mean a small demon, a familiar of a witch. The Old English noun and associated verb impian appear to come from an unattested Late Latin term *emputa (impotus is attested in the Salic Law), the neuter plural of Greek ἔμϕυτος 'natural, implanted, grafted'.

History

Originating from Germanic folklore, the imp was a small lesser goblin. Imps were often mischievous rather than evil or harmful (goblins in Germanic legend were not necessarily evil), and in some regions, they were portrayed as attendants of the gods.

Imps are often shown as small and not very attractive creatures. Their behavior is described as being wild and uncontrollable, much the same as fairies, and in some cultures, they were considered the same beings, both sharing the same sense of free spirit and enjoyment of all things fun. It was later in history that people began to associate fairies with being good and imps with being malicious and evil. However, both creatures were fond of pranks and misleading people. Most of the time, the pranks were harmless fun, but some could be upsetting and harmful, such as switching babies or leading travellers astray in places with which they were not familiar. Though imps are often thought of as being immortal, many cultures believed that they could be damaged or harmed by certain weapons and enchantments, or be kept out of people's homes by the use of wards.

ClanDestine

The ClanDestine (also known simply as ClanDestine) is a superhero comic book series created by writer/artist Alan Davis and published by Marvel Comics. The series stars the Destines, a secret family of long-lived, British superhuman beings, who first appeared in Marvel Comics Presents #158 (July 1994). The name "ClanDestine" is used primarily as the title of the series in which the family stars, and is not generally used by the characters.

Publication history

Creator Alan Davis explained that he likes the superhero genre in general, and the group book dynamic in particular, and was drawn to the opportunity to create a group of new characters unencumbered by a long and complex continuity, though he set it in the Marvel Universe in order to use characters like the Silver Surfer and MODOK in cameo roles. Since the range of superhuman abilities is limited, and good gimmicks rare and short-lived, Davis observed that the greatest opportunity for originality is in character development and interaction. Davis chose to make the group a family because the familial bond is not one of choice, and can be either rewarding or painful. Davis was also interested in superhumans who used their powers to enhance their lives, but did not necessarily feel either any heroic obligations or megalomaniacal greed. Although he made the Destines an extended family in order to make up new family members as he went along, the core of the group would be Rory, Pandora, Samantha, Walter, Kay and Dominic. Although the family's full membership remains unrevealed for this reason, Walter has stated that there are "many" that eleven-year-old twins Rory and Pandora have not met.

IMP

Imp is a fantasy creature.

IMP or imp may also refer to:

In science and medicine