1.
Frank Miller (newspaper cartoonist)
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Frank Miller was an American cartoonist. Born in Sheldon, Iowa, Miller was most famous for his comic strip Barney Baxter in the Air, created in 1936 for King Features Syndicate, and renamed simply Barney Baxter in 1943. Miller spent his early working on staff at Denvers Rocky Mountain News where he created Barney Baxter in 1935 for the papers Junior Aviator page. Miller sold his first cartoon in 1919 and slowly built up his professional reputation, by the mid-1920s, he decided to make cartooning his full-time profession, working for the Denver Post and the Rocky Mountain News. In 1936, Miller took Barney Baxter to King Features, in 1942, he left the strip to Bob Naylor and joined the US Coast Guard, resuming his feature in 1948. An aviator himself, Miller was a member of the Flying Service Club and he was a sponsor and instructor of Denvers Junior Flying Club. Miller died from an attack on December 3,1949 at his home in Daytona Beach
Frank Miller (newspaper cartoonist)
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2.
Midtown Comics
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Midtown Comics is a New York City comic book retailer with three shops in Manhattan and an e-commerce website. The largest comic book store in the United States, the company opened its first store in the Times Square area in 1997 and its second was opened on Lexington Avenue in 2004, and is known as the Grand Central store for its proximity to Grand Central Terminal. Its Downtown store was opened on Fulton Street in the Financial District in November 2010 and it also operates a boutique inside Manhattans Times Square Toys R Us. The store is noted for appearances by celebrities known outside the book industry, for its friendly and energetic staff. On July 13,2012, the National Geographic Channel premiered Comic Store Heroes, according to The New York Times, The stereotypical view of comics stores is that they are dim, cramped and dusty places with a no-girls-allowed clubhouse atmosphere. In reality, they run the gamut, for instance, the West Side Midtown store is bright, airy and welcoming to all, with two floors and 5,000 square feet of space. The main floor, which is one story above street level, has a wall with countless racks of new. The rest of the space offers DVDs, manga, trading cards, back issues, Toys and other collectibles are upstairs. The second Midtown store, on Lexington Avenue and 45th Street, Midtown Comics is the official retail sponsor of New York Comic Con, and has performed this role since the NYCCs inception in 2006. Each year, Midtown creates a show-within-a-show, featuring appearances by comics creators and variant comic books by publishers like Marvel Comics. On November 10,2010, Midtown Comics opened a third Manhattan store, known as their Downtown store, it is located in the Financial District, at 64 Fulton Street, in the southernmost section of the borough. Inaugural book signings were held for that branch featuring Jim Lee and Jonathan Layman, as of June 2012, Midtown is the largest comic book store in the United States. The store is a sponsor of Artists Assemble, a comics festival in Union City, New Jersey that began in February 2013. In May 2012, Midtown Comics opened a boutique inside the flagship FAO Schwarz toy store in Manhattans Fifth Avenue shopping district, the boutique offered graphic novels, hardcover books, apparel and collectibles. The boutique ceased operations when FAO Schwartz closed in July 2015, in October 2013, Midtown opened a shop inside the Toys R Us store in Manhattans Times Square. Midtowns website was at first purely informational, but has developed into a full-scale web retail site, Midtown also produces a weekly podcast that covers the comic book industry, with a different comic book creator interviewed each week. Midtown Comics has developed a reputation for being the most media-friendly comic store in the United States, the media also rely on Midtown as a source for reaction to industry news and events. Gladston was consulted by multiple publications on the effects on new readership of DC Comics 2011 relaunch, The New 52, in January 2015, Marvel announced their Secret Wars storyline at a press conference held at Midtown
Midtown Comics
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Midtown Comics
Midtown Comics
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The
Times Square branch occupies two floors.
Midtown Comics
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Grand Central store
Midtown Comics
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Comics creators
Jim Lee and
Geoff Johns signing a Midtown poster for their May 11, 2012 signing for the Justice League Vol. 1: Origin hardcover.
3.
Olney, Maryland
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Olney is a census-designated place and an unincorporated area in Montgomery County, Maryland. It is located in the central part of the county, twenty miles north of Washington. It was largely agricultural until the 1960s, when growth of the Washington suburbs led to its conversion into a residential area. As generally defined, Olney had a population of 33,844 in the 2010 U. S. Census. In 2013 it was ranked #22 Money magazines top-earning towns edition of Americas Best Places to Live, originally known as Mechanicsville, the village which became Olney was established in 1800. The area was farmland, but it soon began attracting artisans. Early residents Sarah Brooke and Dr. Charles Farquhar were devotees of the English poet William Cowper, the area was in turn named for their home, which still stands and is known as the Olney House. The Quaker community in Sandy Spring thrived just to Olneys east, the Sandy Spring Museum is a historical museum featuring educational programs and displays. St. Johns Episcopal Church was established in 1842 and survives to this day, after the siege of Washington by the British in 1814 during the War of 1812, President Madison and his family passed through Olney en route to taking refuge in the neighboring town of Brookeville. Both Union and Confederate forces made stops in Olney during the war, Union Generals George B. McClellan and Ambrose Burnside led soldiers through in the midst of the Maryland Campaign in 1862. During the Gettysburg Campaign in 1863, Confederate General J. E. B, stuart marched a 10,000 and 20,000 troops north through the village and raided it of supplies, including horses and crops from surrounding farms in which they bivouacked. As an unincorporated area, Olneys boundaries are not officially defined, the United States Census Bureau defines a census-designated place of Olney centered at 39°9 North and 77°5 West. It has an area of 13.0 square miles. Olneys town center sits at the intersection of state route 97, the town, larger than any other in the neighboring areas, lies south of Brookeville, west of Sandy Spring, east-northeast of Gaithersburg, north-northeast of Rockville, and north of Aspen Hill. At the 2010 U. S. Census, there were 33,844 people,11,606 households, the population density is 2,603.4 people per square mile. There are 11,879 housing units at a density of 913.8 per square mile. The ethnic makeup of the area is 75. 1% White,11. 9% African American,12. 0% Asian,8. 5% Hispanic or Latino,3. 1% of the population identifies with Some Other Race. There are 11,606 households, of which 81. 4% are family households, among all households,41. 7% have children under the age of 18 living with them
Olney, Maryland
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The St. John's Episcopal Church in May 2013.
Olney, Maryland
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Soccer players at Freeman Fields in April 2005.
Olney, Maryland
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The Graham S. Little Natatorium in June 2011.
4.
Penciller
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A penciller is a collaboration artist who works in creation of comic books, graphic novels, and similar visual art forms, with focus on primary pencil illustrations, hence the term penciller. In the American comic book industry, the penciller is the first step in rendering the story in visual form and these artists are concerned with layout to showcase steps in the plot. Beyond this basic description, however, different artists choose to use a variety of different tools. While many artists use traditional wood pencils, others prefer mechanical pencils or drafting leads, still other artists do their initial layouts using a light-blue colored pencil because that color tends to disappear during photocopying. Most US comic book pages are drawn oversized on large sheets of paper, the customary size of comic book pages in the mainstream American comics industry is 11 by 17 inches. The inker usually works directly over the pencil marks, though occasionally pages are inked on translucent paper, such as drafting vellum. The artwork is later reduced in size during the printing process. With the advent of digital illustration programs such as Photoshop, more and more artwork is produced digitally, Jack Kirby From 1949 until his retirement, Jack Kirby worked out of a ten-foot-wide basement studio dubbed The Dungeon by his family. When starting with clean piece of Bristol board, would first draw his lines with a T-square. Arthur Adams Arthur Adams begins drawing thumbnail layouts from the script hes given, the thumbnails range in size from 2 inches x 3 inches to half the size of the printed comic book. When working on the illustration board, he does so on a large drawing board when in his basement studio. After tracing the thumbnails, he will then clarify details with another light-blue pencil, for a large poster image with a multitude of characters, he will go over the figure outlines with a marker in order to emphasize them. He will use photographic reference when appropriate, as when he draws things that he is not accustomed to, because a significant portion of his income is derived from selling his original artwork, he is reluctant to learn how to produce his work digitally. Jim Lee Artist Jim Lee is known to use F lead for his pencil work and he uses this lead because it strikes a balance between too hard, and therefore not dark enough on the page, and too soft, and therefore prone to smearing and crumbling. Campbell avoids its closest competitor because he finds it too waxy, campbell has also used HB lead and F lead. He maintains sharpness of the lead with a Berol Turquoise sharpener, changing them every four to six months, campbell uses a combination of Magic Rub erasers, eraser sticks, and since he began to ink his work digitally, a Sakura electric eraser. He often sharpens the eraser to an edge in order to render fine detailed work. Travis Charest Artist Travis Charest uses mainly 2H lead to avoid smearing and he previously illustrated on regular illustration board provided by publishers, though he disliked the non-photo blue lines printed on them
Penciller
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Artist
Whilce Portacio sketching at a convention.
5.
The Dark Knight Returns
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The Dark Knight Returns is a 1986 four-issue comic book miniseries starring Batman, written by Frank Miller, illustrated by Miller and Klaus Janson, and published by DC Comics. When the series was collected into a single later that year. The story introduces Carrie Kelley as the new Robin and culminates with a confrontation against Superman, a three-issue sequel written and illustrated by Miller, The Dark Knight Strikes Again, was published in 2001. An nine-issue third installment, The Dark Knight III, The Master Race, co-written by Miller, Frank Miller has said he is working on a fourth series. Additionally, Spawn/Batman was released in 1994 as a companion to The Dark Knight Returns, and, according to Miller, the series All Star Batman & Robin, the Boy Wonder can be considered a prequel. In the pre-Flashpoint DC Multiverse, the events of The Dark Knight Returns, the Dark Knight Returns is set in a dystopian near-future version of Gotham City. Bruce Wayne, at 50, has given up the mantle of Batman after the death of Jason Todd 10 years prior, as a result, crime is running rampant through the city and a gang calling themselves The Mutants has risen to terrorize the people of Gotham. Upon seeing this, Wayne returns to his role as a vigilante, on his first night as Batman he puts a stop to multiple assaults- including one on two young girls, Carrie Kelley and her friend Michelle. While attempting to foil a robbery on the same night. Dent, previously known for his acts as Two-Face, underwent extensive therapy. Batman informs Commissioner James Gordon that Dent may be planning a larger scheme, soon after, Dent hijacks the television sets of the city and announces his intention to hold the city to ransom with a bomb. When Batman defeats Dent and his goons, he realizes that Dents mind has completely warped into his Two-Face persona, inspired by Batmans rescue, Kelley buys herself an imitation Robin costume and searches for him, seeking to help him. She learns that Batman will be at the city dump and follows the Mutants there, although Batman defeats the Mutants with his advanced weaponry in the ensuing battle, the Mutant Leader ends up goading him into a fight. Kelley creates a diversion, allowing Batman to immobilise the Mutant Leader, at the Batcave, Waynes butler Alfred Pennyworth tends to his wounds while Kelley admires the Robin costume that belonged to Todd. Wayne decides to keep Kelley as his new sidekick, Gordon allows Batman to defeat the Mutant Leader on his own terms. The two engage in a fight at a sewage run-off pipe surrounded by members of the Mutant gang, Batman, leveraging the mud from the sewage to slow him down, deals the Leader a brutal defeat. Seeing Batman defeat their leader, the Mutants disband and some rename themselves the Sons of Batman, at the White House, Superman and the president discuss the events in Gotham, with the latter suggesting that Superman may have to arrest Batman. Superman informs the president that he may only be able to talk to Wayne and he is then deployed by Washington to the Latin American country of Corto Maltese where he fights Soviet combat forces in a conflict that may ignite WWIII
The Dark Knight Returns
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The Dark Knight Returns No. 1 (Feb. 1986). Cover art is by penciler-inker
Frank Miller and colorist
Lynn Varley.
The Dark Knight Returns
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Comic creator Frank Miller at the 1982
San Diego Comic-Con International event
6.
Batman: Year One
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Year One later referred to as Batman, Year One is an American comic book story arc published by DC Comics, and recounts superhero Batmans first year as a crime-fighter. It was written by Frank Miller, illustrated by David Mazzucchelli, colored by Richmond Lewis, Batman, Year One originally appeared in issues #404 to #407 of the comic book title Batman in 1987. As well as recounting Batmans early crime fighting career, the story examines the life of recently transferred officer James Gordon - eventually building towards their partnership. There have been several reprints of the story, a hardcover, multiple trade paperback editions, the story arc was adapted into an animated feature in 2011. The story recounts the beginning of Bruce Waynes career as Batman, both are swiftly acquainted with the corruption and violence of Gotham City, with Gordon witnessing his partner Detective Arnold John Flass assaulting a teen for fun. On a surveillance mission to the seedy East End, a disguised Bruce is propositioned by teenaged prostitute Holly Robinson and he is reluctantly drawn into a brawl with her violent pimp and is attacked by several prostitutes, including dominatrix Selina Kyle. Two police officers shoot and take him in their squad car and he reaches Wayne Manor barely alive and sits before his father’s bust, requesting guidance in his war on crime. A bat crashes through a window and settles on the bust, Gordon soon works to rid corruption from the force, but, on orders from Commissioner Gillian Loeb, several officers attack him, including Flass, who personally threatens Gordon’s pregnant wife. In revenge, the recovering Gordon tracks Flass down, beats and humiliates him, as Gordon becomes a minor celebrity for several brave acts, Batman strikes for the first time, attacking a group of thieves. Batman soon works up the ladder, even attacking Flass while he was accepting a drug dealer’s bribe. As Gordon tries in vain to catch him, Batman attacks Falcone, stripping him naked, Essen holds Batman at gunpoint while Gordon is momentarily dazed, but Batman disarms her and flees to an abandoned building. Claiming the building has been scheduled for demolition, Loeb orders a bomb dropped on it, forcing Batman into the fortified basement, a trigger-happy SWAT team led by Branden is sent in, whom Batman attempts to trap in the basement. They soon escape and, after tranquillising Branden, Batman dodges as the rest open fire, after witnessing him in action, Selina Kyle, dons a costume of her own to begin a life of crime. Gordon has an affair with Essen, while Batman intimidates a mob drug dealer for information. The dealer comes to Gordon to testify against Flass, who is brought up on charges, upset with Gordons exploits, Loeb blackmails Gordon against pressing charges with proof of his affair. After bringing Barbara with him to interview Bruce Wayne, investigating his connection to Batman, identifying Falcone’s plan as the morning comes, the uncostumed Bruce leaves to help. While leaving home, Gordon spots a motorcyclist enter his garage, suspicious, Gordon enters to see Johnny Vitti, Falcone’s nephew, and his thugs holding his family hostage. Gordon decisively shoots the thugs and chases Vitti, who has fled with the baby, the mysterious motorcyclist, now revealed to the reader as Bruce Wayne, rushes out to chase Vitti
Batman: Year One
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Cover of first hardcover printing of Batman: Year One by DC Comics
Batman: Year One
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David Mazzucchelli autographing a copy of the collected story at a June 28, 2012 signing at
Midtown Comics in Manhattan.
7.
Elektra (comics)
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Elektra Natchios is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Frank Miller, the character first appeared in Daredevil #168 and she is a love interest of the superhero Daredevil, but her violent nature and mercenary lifestyle divide the two. The character is a trained assassin of Greek descent who wields a pair of bladed sai as her trademark weapons. She has also appeared as a character of X-Mens Wolverine and in other series and mini-series. Elektra was ranked 22nd in Comics Buyers Guides 100 Sexiest Women in Comics list, Miller initially based the characters appearance on Lisa Lyon, a female bodybuilder. In the 2003 film Daredevil and its 2005 spin-off, Elektra, Élodie Yung portrays the character in the second season of Marvels Daredevil, and she will reprise the role in the upcoming TV show The Defenders. Created by Frank Miller, Elektra first appeared in Daredevil #168 and she was resurrected shortly after, but the story contained a narrative note which indicated that Daredevil would never encounter her again. After over a decades absence, she reappeared in Daredevil #324-327, Daredevil writer D. G. Chichester recounted that he and editor Ralph Macchio had bandied about the idea in a casual fashion now and again, but neither of us wanted to do it as a gimmick. On the rare occasion I thought I had an angle to use her. In my mind, its always been her to whom the title refers and this upset Frank Miller, who claimed that Marvel had previously promised him that the character would not be used in any publication. She has since appeared in two ongoing series and several mini-series. Elektra appears in the 2012 Thunderbolts series by Daniel Way and Steve Dillon, Elektra was born on a Greek island near the Aegean Sea to Hugo Kostas Natchios and his wife Christina Natchios. She had a brother named Orestez Natchios. Two contradictory accounts of her history have been given. In Elektra, Root of Evil #1-4, Christina is killed by assassins hired by Orestez, while in Elektra #18, in both accounts, she gives premature birth to Elektra just before dying. When a nine-year-old Elektra was assaulted by kidnappers, the men were all killed by Orestez, Orestez advised his father that Elektra needed to learn self-defense. Hugo hired a sensei to teach her the martial arts, in Elektra, Assassin #1, the adult Elektra has vague memories of being raped by her father as a 5-year-old. Years of counseling and medication had convinced her this was a false memory, Elektra grew up close to her father but was plagued by dark visions and voices with no known source
Elektra (comics)
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Elektra from the cover of Elektra (vol. 2) #3. Art by
Greg Horn.
8.
Wolverine (character)
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Wolverine is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, mostly in association with the X-Men. He is a mutant who possesses animal-keen senses, enhanced capabilities, powerful regenerative ability known as a healing factor. Wolverine has been depicted variously as a member of the X-Men, Alpha Flight, the character first appeared in the last panel of The Incredible Hulk #180, with his first full appearance in #181. He was created by writer Len Wein and Marvel art director John Romita, Sr. who designed the character, as a result, the character became a fan favorite of the increasingly popular X-Men franchise, and has been featured in his own solo comic since 1988. Marvel editor-in-chief Roy Thomas asked writer Len Wein to devise a character specifically named Wolverine, John Romita, Sr. designed the first Wolverine costume, and believes he introduced the retractable claws, saying, When I make a design, I want it to be practical and functional. I thought, If a man has claws like that, how does he scratch his nose or tie his shoelaces, Wolverine first appeared in the final teaser panel of The Incredible Hulk #180 written by Wein and penciled by Herb Trimpe. The character then appeared in a number of advertisements in various Marvel Comics publications before making his first major appearance in The Incredible Hulk #181 again by the Wein–Trimpe team. In 2009, Trimpe said he distinctly remembers Romitas sketch and that, The way I see it, sewed the monster together and I shocked it to life. It was just one of secondary or tertiary characters, actually. We did characters in The Hulk all the time that were in issues, though often credited as co-creator, Trimpe adamantly denies having had any role in Wolverines creation. The characters introduction was ambiguous, revealing little beyond his being an agent of the Canadian government. In these appearances, he does not retract his claws, although Wein stated they had always envisioned as retractable. He appears briefly in the finale to this story in The Incredible Hulk #182, Wolverines next appearance was in 1975s Giant-Size X-Men #1, written by Wein and penciled by Dave Cockrum, in which Wolverine is recruited for a new squad. Gil Kane illustrated the artwork but incorrectly drew Wolverines mask with larger headpieces. Dave Cockrum liked Kanes accidental alteration and incorporated it into his own artwork for the actual story, Cockrum was also the first artist to draw Wolverine without his mask, and the distinctive hairstyle became a trademark of the character. A revival of X-Men followed, beginning with X-Men #94, drawn by Cockrum, in X-Men and Uncanny X-Men, Wolverine is initially overshadowed by the other characters, although he does create tension in the team as he is attracted to Cyclops girlfriend, Jean Grey. Byrne modeled his rendition of Wolverine on actor Paul D’Amato, who played Dr. Hook in the 1977 sports film Slap Shot, Byrne also created Alpha Flight, a group of Canadian superheroes who try to recapture Wolverine due to the expense their government incurred training him. Later stories gradually establish Wolverines murky past and unstable nature, which he battles to keep in check, Byrne also designed a new brown-and-tan costume for Wolverine, but retained the distinctive Cockrum cowl
Wolverine (character)
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Wolverine on the cover of
The New Avengers #5 (March 2005). Art by
David Finch.
Wolverine (character)
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Wolverine #1. Cover art by
Frank Miller.
Wolverine (character)
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Wolverine's full debut in
The Incredible Hulk #181 (November 1974). Cover art by
Herb Trimpe, with alterations by
John Romita Sr.
Wolverine (character)
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Wolverine depicted using his claws for the first time in Origin #2. Art by Andy Kubert and Richard Isanove.
9.
Ronin (DC Comics)
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Ronin is a comic book limited series published between 1983 and 1984, by DC Comics. The series was written and drawn by Frank Miller with artwork painted by Lynn Varley and it takes place in a dystopic near-future New York City in which a ronin is reincarnated. The six-issue work shows some of the strongest influences of manga and bande dessinée on Millers style, the ideas for Ronin came together while Miller was doing extensive research into kung fu movies, martial arts, samurai comic books and samurai ethics for his work on Daredevil. He remarked that he aspect of the samurai that intrigues me most is the ronin, the masterless samurai and this entire project comes from my feelings that we, modern men, are ronin. I dont get the feeling from the people I know, the people I see on the street, patriotism, religion, whatever — theyve all lost their meaning for us. Ronin was in inspired by Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojimas manga series Kozure Ōkami. According to former Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Jim Shooter, Ronin was originally slated to be released as part of Marvels Marvel Graphic Novel series, for example, Miller has said that when he began drawing Ronin #1, here was no explosion, no demon shot across the city. Id planned a brief skirmish between the demon and the ronin, from which Virgo rescued the ronin, but, as I was working on the sequence, I realized that I had been building and building tension across the story and hadnt done anything to release it. Was that it needed something big to happen there, something to release the tension, in part to make room for this additional scene, Miller eliminated an extended sequence involving the Ronin and the woman and child he rescues. Like an earlier DC maxi-series, Camelot 3000, Ronin was printed on a quality paper stock. Each issue contained 48 pages of story and no advertisements, in feudal Japan, a young, nameless samurai has sworn to protect his master, Lord Ozaki, from assassins. Ozaki is assassinated at night by a demon called Agat in the guise of a geisha, the sword is powered by blood — if it can be fueled by the blood of an innocent, the sword will become powerful enough to destroy Agat. Ozaki has hidden the sword, so Agat cannot find it, the young samurai prepares to perform seppuku at his masters graveside. The spirit of Ozaki appears before him and demands that he find the sword, the young samurai becomes a rōnin, wandering the countryside for many years. He comes to Agats castle, and fights his way inside, since the sword has never killed an innocent, it is not powerful enough to destroy Agat, so when Agat approaches him from behind, the ronin thrusts the sword through his own abdomen, impaling Agat. As Agat dies, he curses the ronin, and both their souls are trapped inside the sword until someone releases them, eight centuries later, social and economic collapse has left New York a lawless wasteland, populated by squatters, factions and mutants. In the heart of the city is the Aquarius Complex, the headquarters of the Aquarius Corporation, the company is successful developing and marketing biocircuitry as a means of saving a world on the brink of war. Biocircuitry is a new model of plastics-based electronics, capable of self-organization and self-repair under the direction of Virgo, aquariuss ward, Billy Challas, was born without any limbs due to a genetic defect and has telekinetic powers
Ronin (DC Comics)
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Ronin Book One
10.
300 (comics)
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300 is a historically inspired 1998 comic book limited series written and illustrated by Frank Miller with painted colors by Lynn Varley. The comic is a retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae. 300 was particularly inspired by the 1962 film The 300 Spartans, the work was adapted in 2006 to a film of the same name. Each page of the novel is illustrated as a double-page spread, when the series was gathered into hardcover form, the individual pages were twice as wide as a normal comic. Millers art style for this project was similar to his Sin City work,300 was initially published as a monthly five-issue comic book limited series by Dark Horse Comics, the first issue published in May 1998. The issues were titled Honor, Duty, Glory, Combat, the series won three Eisner Awards in 1999, Best Limited Series, Best Writer/Artist for Frank Miller and Best Colorist for Lynn Varley. The work was collected as a volume in 1999. The popularity of the film has boosted sales of the paperback edition. The 10th printing had a print run of 40,000 copies. This is in addition to the 88,000 copies already sold since the volume was released in 1999. In 480 BC, King Leonidas of Sparta gathers 300 of his best men to fight the upcoming Persian invasion, in what is likely a suicide mission, they and their allies plan to stop King Xerxes invasion of Greece at the narrow cliffs of the Hot Gates. The terrain prevents the Greeks from being overwhelmed by Xerxes superior numbers, Ephialtes becomes so desperate by Leonidas refusal that he throws himself off a cliff. The Spartans and their allies successfully hold off the Persians for two days and nights, during a break in the fighting, Xerxes meets with Leonidas and offers wealth and power in exchange for his surrender. Meanwhile, Ephialtes awakes from his suicide attempt and decides to betray the Greeks by telling the Persians about the existence of a small pass that allows Xerxes to attack them from behind. Learning of the Persian maneuvers the Greeks realize their position is indefensible, but the Spartans, before engaging the Persians for the last time, Leonidas orders one Spartan to return home so that he might survive to tell their story. On the third day Xerxes has the Spartans surrounded, their remaining allies already dead and he gives Leonidas one final chance to surrender and kneel to him. After some hesitation, Leonidas finally complies and throws down his arms and this, however, is a trick by Leonidas, and signals the Spartans to fight. Leonidas throws his spear at Xerxes, intending to make the God-King bleed, the Spartans are killed to the last man by a storm of arrows
300 (comics)
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Original book cover
11.
Sin City
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Sin City is a series of neo-noir comics by American comic book writer Frank Miller. Several other stories of variable lengths have followed, the intertwining stories, with frequently recurring characters, take place in Basin City. A movie adaptation of Sin City, co-directed by Robert Rodriguez, a sequel, Sin City, A Dame To Kill For, was released on August 22,2014. Basin City, almost universally referred to by the nickname Sin City, is a town in the American west. The climate is hot and arid, although Sacred Oaks is characterized as being heavily wooded, a major river runs through the city, which has an extensive waterfront. Usually twice a year, a major downpour comes, and the city is prone to snowfall in the winter. In the comics, Basin City has a surreal, Pan-American feel, desert lizards and palm trees are common, while tar pits, desert areas, mountain ranges and flat farmland make up the landscape around the city. Those who make up the force have been described as commonly being lazy, only a handful of the cops are honest, though frequently the wealthy of the city bribe the corrupt members of the police into performing their duty. In addition, the charged with governing the city, most of them from the Roark line, remained in power for generations. Its inhabitants have evolved their own independent society with almost no legal contact with the outside world. Marv was born in the Projects, and currently resides there, Dwight avoids The Projects and hates the neighborhood. The Docks, a collection of wharfs and warehouses that are local to the Projects, Hartigan and Roark Junior have their first confrontation here in That Yellow Bastard, and Marv drives a stolen police car off one of the piers at the beginning of The Hard Goodbye. Kadies Club Pecos is a club and bar in Old Town, where Nancy Callahan and Shellie work. Despite being filled with drunk and violent men, Kadies bar is one of the safest areas in Sin City since it is guarded by prostitutes. Marv, who possesses a high sense of chivalry, protects the female employees of Kadies from any violence that makes its way inside. It was also home to Kevin, a killer with ties to the Roark family. Marv burns down one of the buildings, and the Farm is abandoned sometime after the initial Sin City storyline, the Farm is the only location in the comic books that is outside Basin City. Old Town is the district, where the citys population of prostitutes reside
Sin City
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Cover of
The Hard Goodbye showing
Marv walking through the rain
12.
Graphic novel
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A graphic novel is a book made up of comics content. Although the word normally refers to long fictional works, the term graphic novel is applied broadly and includes fiction, non-fiction. It is distinguished from the comic book, which is used for comics periodicals. Fan historian Richard Kyle coined the term graphic novel in an essay in the November 1964 issue of the comics fanzine Capa-Alpha, the Book Industry Study Group began using graphic novel as a category in book stores in 2001. In the publishing trade, the term extends to material that would not be considered a novel if produced in another medium. Collections of comic books that do not form a story, anthologies or collections of loosely related pieces. The term is sometimes used to distinguish between works created as standalone stories, in contrast to collections or compilations of a story arc from a comic book series published in book form. As the exact definition of the novel is debated, the origins of the form are open to interpretation. The Adventures of Obadiah Oldbuck is the oldest recognized American example of comics used to this end, the first American edition was published in 1842 by Wilson & Company in New York City using the original printing plates from the 1841 edition. Another early predecessor is Journey to the Gold Diggins by Jeremiah Saddlebags by brothers J. A. D. and D. F. Read, inspired by The Adventures of Obadiah Oldbuck. In 1894 Caran dAche broached the idea of a novel in a letter to the newspaper Le Figaro. In the United States there is a tradition of reissuing previously published comic strips in book form. In 1897 the Hearst Syndicate published such a collection of The Yellow Kid by Richard Outcault, the 1920s saw a revival of the medieval woodcut tradition, with Belgian Frans Masereel cited as the undisputed king of this revival. American Lynd Ward also worked in this tradition, publishing Gods Man, in 1929, the 1940s saw the launching of Classics Illustrated, a comic-book series that primarily adapted notable, public domain novels into standalone comic books for young readers. In 1947 Fawcett Comics published Comics Novel #1, Anarcho, Dictator of Death, by the late 1960s, American comic book creators were becoming more adventurous with the form. Gil Kane and Archie Goodwin self-published a 40-page, magazine-format comics novel, savage in 1968—the same year Marvel Comics published two issues of The Spectacular Spider-Man in a similar format. Meanwhile, in continental Europe, the tradition of collecting serials of popular strips such as The Adventures of Tintin or Asterix led to long-form narratives published initially as serials. By 1969, the author John Updike, who had entertained ideas of becoming a cartoonist in his youth, addressed the Bristol Literary Society, on the death of the novel
Graphic novel
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The
digest-sized "picture novel" It Rhymes with Lust (1950), one precursor of the graphic novel. Cover art by
Matt Baker and
Ray Osrin.
Graphic novel
–
Will Eisner 's
A Contract with God (1978). Eisner is often credited with having popularized the preexisting term "graphic novel".
Graphic novel
–
Detail from Blackmark (1971) by scripter
Archie Goodwin and
artist -plotter
Gil Kane.
Graphic novel
–
Cover of Bloodstar (1976) by
Robert E. Howard and
artist Richard Corben.
13.
Born Again (comics)
–
Born Again is a 1986 comic book story arc that appeared in the Marvel Comics series Daredevil. Written by Frank Miller, and drawn by David Mazzucchelli, the storyline first appeared in Daredevil #227-#231 and it was later reprinted in graphic novel format along with a follow-up story arc from Daredevil #232-233, which resolves some loose ends from the original story arc. Because of this, this story arc has become generally considered part of Born Again. The story details Daredevils descent into insanity and destitution at the hands of the Kingpin, with regular writer Denny ONeil preparing to leave the series, long-running Daredevil editor Ralph Macchio called up Frank Miller and asked if he would be interested in returning to the series. Contrary to rumor, Mazzucchelli did not draw over layouts by Miller, Karen Page, the former secretary of the Nelson & Murdock law offices and girlfriend of Matt Murdock, had left years earlier to pursue an acting career. After a brief period of success, she became an addict and was reduced to starring in pornographic films in Mexico. Strapped for cash, she sells the information that Matt Murdock is Daredevil for a shot of heroin and this information is sold upward to the Kingpin. By coincidence, Murdocks girlfriend Glorianna breaks up him and turns to dating his law partner. An exceptional legal defense by Nelson saves Murdock from a jail term and his initial plan foiled, the Kingpin has Murdocks apartment firebombed, leaving his costume in the wreckage to show that he knows his secret identity and is responsible for his recent trials. He also gives out the order to have anyone else who handled the information on Daredevils identity killed, however, Karen Page eludes his assassins and makes her way to New York to find Murdock. Now homeless, Murdock begins suffering from paranoia and has become extremely aggressive, driven by thoughts of revenge, Murdock confronts the Kingpin in his office, and is brutally beaten by the crime lord. To avert investigation into his death, the unconscious Murdock is drenched in whiskey and strapped into a taxi cab. Murdock regains consciousness, breaks out of the cab, and swims to safety, badly injured, he stumbles through Hells Kitchen, eventually finding his way to the gym where his father trained as a boxer. There he is found by his mother, who, having not been in Matts life for decades, has become a nun at a local church and she nurses him back to health. Meanwhile, Murdocks confidant, Ben Urich, a Daily Bugle reporter, is investigating his friends plight, when his son dies, Manolis confesses to Urich about the frameup and his suspicions that the Kingpin was behind it. Nurse Lois, an enforcer assigned by the Kingpin to monitor Manolis, responds by breaking Urichs fingers, when an unintimidated Manolis calls Urich from his hospital bed, Lois breaks into his room and strangles him, laying the receiver on his bed so Urich can hear his murder. Rather than cowering him, this goads Urich to come forward with his investigation, alerting his paper, Karen Page arrives in New York, having hitched a ride with a pornography fanatic named Paulo Scorcese, who supplies her with heroin in exchange for sexual favors. She contacts Foggy Nelson to ask about Murdocks whereabouts, when he realizes that Paulo has been beating her, he insists on taking her into his home
Born Again (comics)
–
Cover of Daredevil: Born Again (1987). Art by
David Mazzucchelli.
Born Again (comics)
–
David Mazzucchelli autographing a copy of the Artist's Edition of the story at a June 28, 2012 signing at
Midtown Comics in Manhattan.
14.
The Spirit (film)
–
The film is based on the newspaper comic strip The Spirit by Will Eisner. OddLot and Lionsgate produced the film, the Spirit was released in the United States on December 25,2008, and on DVD and Blu-ray on April 14,2009. In a cat-filled mausoleum in Central City, Denny Colt, also known as The Spirit, receives a call from Detective Sussman about a case that could involve the Spirits arch-nemesis. The Spirit dons his costume and travels across rooftops while delivering a soliloquy about the city being his one true love. A woman is being mugged in an alley below and he manages to save her, receiving a knife wound that he barely seems to notice. The woman asks, What are you, with an arriving officer answering, Thats The Spirit. The Spirit runs away, catching a ride from Officer Liebowitz, at the swampland, femme fatale Sand Saref rises from the water and appears to shoot Sussman multiple times. The Spirit and Liebowitz find the wounded Sussman, but a flashback reveals that it was really the Octopus who shot him in an effort to two identical chests underwater. Sand and her husband Mahmoud tried to flee with both chests, but the Octopus wounded Mahmoud and snapped a line connecting the two chests, Sand escaped, leaving one chest behind, which the Octopus retrieved from the murky depths. After the Octopus kills Liebowitz, he sends away his cloned henchmen, Ethos, Pathos and his accomplice Silken Floss drives up, running over Pathos in the process. She departs with the cargo as the two arch-nemeses fight, cutting to the next morning, The Spirit is awakened by his lover Dr. Ellen Dolan, daughter of the Police Commissioner. Appearing to be in perfect health despite his wounds, the Spirit is shocked to notice a gold locket in Sussmans hand. Sarefs locket contains pictures of a much-younger Denny Colt and Sand and they lived happily until Sands father, a police officer, was shot dead by a criminal with whom Colts uncle was involved. Sand, now disenchanted with the city and its corruption, fled to Europe and has not been heard from for fifteen years, Sand and Mahmoud visit the office of a high-class fence named Donenfeld, whom Sand paid to locate the underwater treasure. It is implied that Donenfeld gave up the location to the Octopus to ensure his familys safety. At Alices Hospital, the Spirit has fully regenerated and is as good as new, Commissioner Dolan angrily enters with young rookie cop Morgenstern, Sands history as one of the worlds great jewel thieves is relayed to the Spirit. As the Spirit is about to arrest her, he is caught off-guard by her standing before him fully nude, Sand doesnt recognize the Spirit as the presumed-dead Denny. She is stunned when he reveals his knowledge of her looking for the Golden Fleece and she shoves the Spirit through a window, after his run-in with Sand, the Spirit receives a tip on the location of the Octopuss lair
The Spirit (film)
–
Theatrical release poster
The Spirit (film)
–
The Spirit
The Spirit (film)
–
Gabriel Macht,
Frank Miller,
Deborah Del Prete,
Samuel L. Jackson, and
Jaime King at the 2008
Comic-Con promoting the film
15.
Robert Rodriguez
–
Robert Anthony Rodriguez is an American filmmaker, screenwriter, and musician. He shoots and produces many of his films in Mexico and his home state, Rodriguez directed the 1992 action film El Mariachi, which was a commercial success after grossing $2 million against a budget of $7,000. The film spawned two sequels known collectively as the Mexico Trilogy, Desperado and Once Upon a Time in Mexico and he directed From Dusk till Dawn in 1996 and developed its television adaptation series. Rodriguez co-directed the 2005 neo-noir crime thriller anthology Sin City and the 2014 sequel, Sin City, Rodriguez also directed the Spy Kids films, The Faculty, as well as The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D, Planet Terror, and Machete. He is a friend and frequent collaborator of filmmaker Quentin Tarantino, who founded the production company A Band Apart, in December 2013, Rodriguez launched his own cable television channel, El Rey. Rodríguez was born in San Antonio, Texas, the son of Mexican-American parents Rebecca, a nurse, and Cecilio G. Rodríguez and he began his interest in film at age eleven, when his father bought one of the first VCRs, which came with a camera. While attending St. Anthony High School Seminary in San Antonio, in high school, he met Carlos Gallardo, they both shot films on video throughout high school and college. Rodriguez went to the College of Communication at the University of Texas at Austin, not having grades high enough to be accepted into the schools film program, he created a daily comic strip entitled Los Hooligans. Many of the characters were based on his siblings – in particular, one of his sisters, the comic ran for three years in the student newspaper The Daily Texan, while Rodríguez continued to make short films. Rodríguez shot action and horror films on video and edited on two VCRs. In late 1990, his entry in a film contest earned him a spot in the universitys film program. There he made the award-winning 16 mm short Bedhead, the film chronicles the amusing misadventures of a young girl whose older brother sports an incredibly tangled mess of hair which she detests. Even at this stage, Rodríguezs trademark style began to emerge, quick cuts, intense zooms. Bedhead was recognized for excellence in the Black Maria Film Festival and it was selected by Film/Video Curator Sally Berger, for the Black Maria 20th-anniversary retrospective at MoMA in 2006. The short film Bedhead attracted enough attention to him to seriously attempt a career as a filmmaker. Rodriquez won the Audience Award for this film at the Sundance Film Festival in 1993 and its promotion still advertised it as the movie made for $7,000. Rodríguez described his experiences making the film in his book Rebel Without a Crew, Desperado, was a sequel to El Mariachi that starred Antonio Banderas and introduced Salma Hayek to American audiences. Rodriguez has also worked with Kevin Williamson, on the horror film The Faculty, in 2001, Rodríguez enjoyed his first Hollywood hit with Spy Kids, which went on to become a movie franchise
Robert Rodriguez
–
Rodriguez at the 2014
San Diego Comic-Con, July 2014
Robert Rodriguez
–
Rodríguez at the premiere of
Grindhouse, Austin, Texas, 2007
16.
Sin City (film)
–
Sin City is a 2005 American neo-noir crime anthology film written, produced, and directed by Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez. It is based on Millers graphic novel of the same name, much of the film is based on the first, third and fourth books in Millers original comic series. The Big Fat Kill focuses on an everyman getting caught in a war between a group of prostitutes and a group of mercenaries, the police and the mob. That Yellow Bastard follows a police officer who protects a young woman from a grotesquely disfigured serial killer. The intro and outro of the film are based on the short story The Customer is Always Right, which is collected in Booze, Broads & Bullets, the sixth book in the comic series. The film was screened at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival in competition and won the Technical Grand Prize for the films visual shaping, the Salesman steps out of an elevator and walks onto a balcony overlooking Basin City, where The Customer awaits. He comforts her, the two talk and share a kiss, and he shoots her, after she dies, he ponders what she was running from before mentioning that he will cash her check in the morning. On the docks of Sin City, aging police officer John Hartigan tries to stop serial child-killer Roark Junior from raping and killing his fourth victim, Junior is the son of Senator Roark, who bribes the police to cover up his sons crimes. Hartigans partner, Bob, tries to convince Hartigan to walk away, fighting off the pain caused by his bad heart, Hartigan confronts Junior, and shoots off his ear, right hand and genitals. Bob then arrives and shoots Hartigan in the back, revealing himself to be on Senator Roarks payroll, as sirens approach, Nancy comforts Hartigan as he passes out, as he reasons that the death of an old man is a fair trade for a young girls life. After a one-night stand, Marv awakens to find that Goldie, realizing he has been set up, he escapes the police that have arrived to arrest him, vowing to avenge her death. Marv interrogates several informants, working his way up to a corrupt priest who reveals that the Roark family was behind the murder, after killing the priest, Marv is attacked by a woman who looks like Goldie. Marv goes to the Roark farm where he is subdued by silent stalker Kevin, Marv and Lucille escape their holding cell, but she is shot by the leader of a squad of corrupt cops. Marv kills the squad, interrogates the leader, and finds out that Cardinal Patrick Henry Roark arranged for Goldies murder and he convinces her that he is not the killer and she resolves to help him avenge Goldie. They return to the farm, where Marv attacks and slowly dismembers Kevin and he brings Kevins head to Cardinal Roark, who confesses to his part in the murders, before Marv brutally murders him too and is immediately captured by Roarks guards. Marv is blackmailed into confessing to the murder of Cardinal Roark and the women Kevin killed, wendy visits him the night before and pretends to be Goldie as a way of thanking him for avenging her sister and the next day, Marv is executed via electric chair. Dwight McCarthy is with his waitress girlfriend Shellie, when her drunken ex-boyfriend, Jackie Boy, after Jackie Boy hits Shellie and goes to the bathroom, Dwight ambushes him and threatens to kill him if he doesnt leave Shellie alone. Angry and embarrassed, Jackie leaves Shellies flat, with Dwight following them to make sure he does not take his anger out on another girl
Sin City (film)
–
Theatrical release poster
Sin City (film)
–
Becky (
Alexis Bledel) walking down a street. An example of the film's neo-noir atmosphere.
17.
Sin City: A Dame to Kill For
–
Sin City, A Dame to Kill For is a 2014 American neo-noir action crime film and follow-up to the 2005 film Sin City. Directed by Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller, the script is written by Miller and is based on the second book in the Sin City series by Miller. One of the plots of the film is based on the short story Just Another Saturday Night, which is collected in Booze, Broads, & Bullets. Two original stories were created exclusively for the written by Miller. The film stars an ensemble cast including returning cast members Mickey Rourke, Jessica Alba, Rosario Dawson, Jaime King, Powers Boothe, the film was released on August 22,2014 on 2D, 3D and RealD 3D. Unlike the first film, A Dame to Kill For was a commercial failure and it received mixed reviews from film critics. Marv regains consciousness on a highway overlooking The Projects, surrounded by dead young men and a crashed police car. He retraces his steps, recalling that since its Saturday, he watched Nancy Callahan dance at Kadies Saloon, stepping outside, he encounters four rich frat boys burning a homeless man alive. When Marv intervenes, the leader of the frat boys shoots him in the arm, calling him Bernini Boy and they flee, Marv follows, stealing a police car on the way, which he crashes into their car, leading to his blackout and memory loss. He follows the two surviving frat boys into The Projects, the neighborhood where he grew up, with the assistance of the deadly residents lurking in the shadows, he dispatches the frat boys. He questions the leader about being called Bernini Boy and learns that it is the brand of coat he is wearing, after slitting the boys throat, he considers his coat and realizes he cant remember how he acquired it. Johnny, a young gambler, arrives in Sin City and heads to Kadies place. Taking a young waitress, Marcie, with him as a luck charm. Johnny repeatedly wins in the game, and cleans the senator out. One other player, the police lieutenant Liebowitz, warns him to flee the city. He walks her home when Roarks goons suddenly attack him and he fights them off and tells Marcie to meet him at a hotel before he is escorted into the Senators waiting limousine. In payment for the humiliation he suffered at the game, Roark takes back his money. They toss him from the car, and the Senator shoots Johnny in the leg, Roark then reveals that he recognized Johnny as his illegitimate son
Sin City: A Dame to Kill For
–
Theatrical release poster
Sin City: A Dame to Kill For
–
Rodriguez and Miller at a panel for the film at
San Diego Comic-Con International in July 2014
18.
300 (film)
–
300 is a 2006 American epic fantasy war film based on the 1998 comic series of the same name by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley. Both are fictionalized retellings of the Battle of Thermopylae within the Persian Wars, the film was directed by Zack Snyder, while Miller served as executive producer and consultant. It was filmed mostly with a chroma key technique, to help replicate the imagery of the original comic book. The plot revolves around King Leonidas, who leads 300 Spartans into battle against the Persian god-King Xerxes, as the battle rages, Queen Gorgo attempts to rally support in Sparta for her husband. The story is framed by a narrative by the Spartan soldier Dilios. Through this narrative technique, various fantastical creatures are introduced, placing 300 within the genre of historical fantasy, the events are revealed to be a story told by Delios, the only one of the 300 Spartans to survive the battle. 300 was released in conventional and IMAX theaters in the United States on March 9,2007, and on DVD, Blu-ray Disc. A sequel, entitled Rise of an Empire, which is based on Millers unpublished graphic novel prequel Xerxes, was released on March 7,2014. In 479 BC, one year after the famed Battle of Thermopylae, Dilios, the Ephors consult the Oracle, who decrees that Sparta will not go to war during the Carneia. As Leonidas angrily departs, a messenger from Xerxes appears, rewarding the Ephors for their covert support, at Thermopylae, they construct the wall made up of stones and slain Persian scouts as mortar, angering the Persian Emissary. Stelios, an elite Spartan soldier, orders him to go back to the Persian lines, meanwhile, Leonidas encounters Ephialtes, a deformed Spartan whose parents fled Sparta to spare him certain infanticide. Ephialtes asks to redeem his fathers name by joining Leonidas army, warning him of a path the Persians could use to outflank. Though sympathetic, Leonidas rejects him since his deformity physically prevents him from holding his shield high enough, potentially compromising the phalanx formation, the battle begins soon after the Spartans refusal to lay down their weapons. Using the Hot Gates to their advantage, as well as their superior fighting skills, in response, Xerxes sends in his elite guard, the Immortals, later that night. Despite some Spartans being killed, they defeat the Immortals. On the second day, Xerxes sends in new waves of armies from Asia and other Persian city-states, including war elephants, to crush the Spartans once and for all, but to no avail. Meanwhile, Ephialtes defects to Xerxes to whom he reveals the secret path in exchange for wealth, luxury, the Arcadians retreat upon learning of Ephialtes betrayal, but the Spartans stay. Leonidas orders an injured but reluctant Dilios to return to Sparta and tell them of what has happened, in Sparta, Queen Gorgo tries to persuade the Spartan Council to send reinforcements to aid the 300
300 (film)
–
Theatrical release poster
300 (film)
–
Above: the film version of a panel from the graphic novel (below).
300 (film)
–
Above: A scene during filming. Below: The finished scene.
300 (film)
–
Lena Headey at the London premiere, 2007
19.
Marvel Comics
–
Marvel Comics is the common name and primary imprint of Marvel Worldwide Inc. formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, an American publisher of comic books and related media. In 2009, The Walt Disney Company acquired Marvel Entertainment, Marvel Worldwides parent company, Marvel started in 1939 as Timely Publications, and by the early 1950s had generally become known as Atlas Comics. Marvels modern incarnation dates from 1961, the year that the company launched The Fantastic Four and other superhero titles created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko and many others. Most of Marvels fictional characters operate in a reality known as the Marvel Universe. Martin Goodman founded the later known as Marvel Comics under the name Timely Publications in 1939. Martin Goodman, a magazine publisher who had started with a Western pulp in 1933, was expanding into the emerging—and by then already highly popular—new medium of comic books. The issue was a success, with it and a second printing the following month selling, combined. While its contents came from an outside packager, Funnies, Inc, Timely had its own staff in place by the following year. It, too, proved a hit, with sales of one million. Goodman formed Timely Comics, Inc. beginning with comics cover-dated April 1941 or Spring 1941, Goodman hired his wifes cousin, Stanley Lieber, as a general office assistant in 1939. Lee wrote extensively for Timely, contributing to a number of different titles, Goodmans business strategy involved having his various magazines and comic books published by a number of corporations all operating out of the same office and with the same staff. One of these companies through which Timely Comics was published was named Marvel Comics by at least Marvel Mystery Comics #55. As well, some covers, such as All Surprise Comics #12, were labeled A Marvel Magazine many years before Goodman would formally adopt the name in 1961. The post-war American comic market saw superheroes falling out of fashion and this globe branding united a line put out by the same publisher, staff and freelancers through 59 shell companies, from Animirth Comics to Zenith Publications. Atlas also published a plethora of childrens and teen humor titles, including Dan DeCarlos Homer the Happy Ghost, Atlas unsuccessfully attempted to revive superheroes from late 1953 to mid-1954, with the Human Torch, the Sub-Mariner, and Captain America. Atlas did not achieve any hits and, according to Stan Lee, Atlas survived chiefly because it produced work quickly, cheaply. During this time, the Comic Code Authority made its debut in September 1954, Wertham published the book Seduction of the Innocent in order to force people to see that comics were impacting American youth. He believed violent comics were causing children to be reckless and were turning them into delinquents, in September 1954, comic book publishers got together to set up their own self-censorship organization—the Comics Magazine Association of America—in order to appease audiences
Marvel Comics
–
Marvel Comics #1 (Oct. 1939), the first comic from Marvel precursor
Timely Comics. Cover art by
Frank R. Paul.
Marvel Comics
–
The Fantastic Four #1 (Nov. 1961). Cover art by
Jack Kirby (penciler) and unconfirmed inker.
Marvel Comics
–
The Avengers #4 (March 1964), with (from left to right), the
Wasp,
Giant-Man,
Captain America,
Iron Man,
Thor and (inset) the
Sub-Mariner. Cover art by
Jack Kirby and
George Roussos.
Marvel Comics
–
Howard the Duck #8 (Jan. 1977). Cover art by
Gene Colan and
Steve Leialoha
20.
Robin (comics)
–
Robin is the name of several fictional superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger. The team of Batman and Robin is commonly referred to as the Dynamic Duo or the Caped Crusaders, the characters first incarnation, Dick Grayson, debuted in Detective Comics #38. Conceived as a vehicle to attract young readership, Robin garnered overwhelmingly positive critical reception, the early adventures of Robin included Star Spangled Comics #65–130, which was the characters first solo feature. The characters second incarnation Jason Todd debuted in Batman #357 and this Robin made regular appearances in Batman related comic books until 1988, when the character was murdered by the Joker in the storyline A Death in the Family. Jason would later find himself alive after a reality changing incident, the premiere Robin limited series was published in 1991 which featured the characters third incarnation Tim Drake training to earn the role of Batmans vigilante partner. Following two successful sequels, the monthly Robin ongoing series began in 1993 and ended in early 2009, in 2004 storylines, established DC Comics character Stephanie Brown became the fourth Robin for a short duration before the role reverted to Tim Drake. Damian Wayne succeeds Drake as Robin in the 2009 story arc Battle for the Cowl, Dick Grayson resumed his role as Nightwing and Stephanie Brown was introduced anew as Spoiler once again in the pages of Batman Eternal. The 2016 DC Rebirth continuity relaunch starts off with Damian Wayne as Robin, Tim Drake as Red Robin, Jason Todd as Red Hood, Robins have also been featured throughout stories set in parallel worlds, owing to DC Comics longstanding Multiverse concept. For example, in the original Earth-Two, Dick Grayson never adopted the name Nightwing, in the New 52s Earth-2 continuity, Robin is Helena Wayne, daughter of Batman and Catwoman, who was stranded on the Earth of the main continuity and takes the name Huntress. About a year after Batmans debut, Batman creators Bob Kane, the name Robin the Boy Wonder and the medieval look of the original costume were inspired by The Adventures of Robin Hood. Robinson noted he came up with Robin Hood because The Adventures of Robin Hood were boyhood favorites of mine, I had been given a Robin Hood book illustrated by N. C. Wyeth. and thats what I quickly sketched out when I suggested the name Robin Hood, which seemed to like. And if you look at it, its Wyeths costume, from my memory, because I didnt have the book to look at. In Batman stories the character of Robin was intended to be the Batmans Watson, Bill Finger, writer for many early Batman adventures, wrote, as I said, Batman was a combination of Douglas Fairbanks and Sherlock Holmes. The thing that bothered me was that Batman didnt have anyone to talk to, I found that as I went along Batman needed a Watson to talk to. Thats how Robin came to be, Bob called me over and said he was going to put a boy in the strip to identify with Batman. I thought it was a great idea, Batman investigated the crime and, as his alter ego billionaire Bruce Wayne, had Dick put under his custody as a legal ward
Robin (comics)
–
Batman and
Dick Grayson as Robin reinterpreted by painter
Alex Ross. Based on the cover to Batman #9 by Jack Burnley.
Robin (comics)
–
Robin (vol. 2) #0 (October 1994). Featuring the Tim Drake version of the character. Art by
Tom Grummett and Ray Kryssing.
Robin (comics)
–
Cover to Batman #369 (December 1983). Pencils by
Dick Giordano.
Robin (comics)
–
Portion of the cover of Batman vol. 1 #465 (July, 1991). Art by
Norm Breyfogle and is based on the cover to Batman #9 by Jack Burnley.
21.
Carrie Kelley
–
Caroline Keene Carrie Kelley is a fictional character from Frank Millers graphic novels Batman, The Dark Knight Returns and its sequel Batman, The Dark Knight Strikes Again. She becomes the new Robin in The Dark Knight Returns when she saves Batmans life, later in The Dark Knight Strikes Again, she adopts the identity Catgirl. Carrie Kelley is a 13-year-old schoolgirl and scout whom Batman saves from a group of Mutant gang members on the night of his return from retirement. Idolizing the Dark Knight, she spends her lunch money on a Robin outfit, sets out to attack petty con-men. Kelley uses a slingshot and firecrackers as weapons and she also wears green-tinted sunglasses in lieu of a black harlequin mask. Unlike most versions of Robin, Kelley is not an orphan, while their daughter is witnessing the fierce battle between Batman and the street gangs known as the Mutants. It is hinted through their dialogue that they were activists and possibly hippies during the 1960s. She half drags him back to the Batmobile and makes a sling for his arm out of part of her cape and a piece of pipe. He often threatens to fire her but she shows considerable ability, the police, now led by newly appointed Commissioner Ellen Yindel, takes a very poor attitude to Batman and his methods and issues a warrant for his arrest. When she sees Batman with Kelley leaping in mid-air and barely catching a passing hang-glider, as Robin, Carrie plays a crucial part in tracking down and confronting the Joker who has poisoned several children and planted a bomb on a roller coaster. While Batman goes after his nemesis, Carrie manages to dispose of the bomb but gets into a tangle with Fat Abner. Unnerved by Batmans activities, the United States government sends Superman to bring the Dark Knight down. As the big battle is about to start, Carrie delays Supermans arrival using the tank-like Batmobile, using a variety of powerful weapons, including self-made kryptonite, Batman manages to defeat Superman but dies in the process. It later emerges that he had faked his own death and Carrie unearthed Batman from his grave soon after he revived. They then go underground to the Batcave where, with Green Arrow, they set about training various teenage street gangs into an army that is to deal with worse than thieves, three years later, Kelley has begun calling herself Catgirl. She still remains Batmans able second-in-command and she wears a skin-tight cat costume with a leopard pattern, and is now trained extensively in combat. Her equipment includes motorised rollerskates and an arm cannon that fired batarangs, catgirls main duty is to oversee an army of Batboys to help save the world from a police-state dictatorship, led by Lex Luthor and Brainiac. She leads them into battle, liberating imprisoned heroes such as the Atom, but she also causes serious injury to a Batboy who exceeded her orders by maiming and killing a couple of police officers
Carrie Kelley
–
Robin of Earth-Two.
Carrie Kelley
–
Red Robin in Kingdom Come.
Carrie Kelley
–
In All Star Batman and Robin, in stark contrast to the original timeline, Batman and Dick Grayson are shown at odds from the start, leading to Dick's eventual fall into insanity as depicted in The Dark Knight Strikes Again.
Carrie Kelley
–
In order to taunt Batman emotionally, Grayson takes on the appearance of a more grotesque and gruesome-looking "Joker" until their final confrontation in The Dark Knight Strikes Again.
22.
DC Comics
–
DC Comics, Inc. is an American comic book publisher. It is the unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. a division of Time Warner, the company has also published non-DC Universe-related material, including Watchmen, V for Vendetta and many titles under their alternative imprint Vertigo. The initials DC came from the popular series Detective Comics. Random House distributes DC Comics books to the market, while Diamond Comic Distributors supplies the comics shop specialty market. DC Comics and its major, longtime competitor Marvel Comics together shared 70% of the American comic book market in 2016, entrepreneur Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson founded National Allied Publications in autumn 1934. The company debuted with the tabloid-sized New Fun, The Big Comic Magazine #1 with a date of February 1935. That title evolved into Adventure Comics, which continued through issue #503 in 1983, in 2009 DC revived Adventure Comics with its original numbering. In 1935, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, the creators of Superman, created Doctor Occult. Wheeler-Nicholsons third and final title, Detective Comics, advertised with a cover illustration dated December 1936, the themed anthology series would become a sensation with the introduction of Batman in issue #27. By then, however, Wheeler-Nicholson had gone, Detective Comics, Inc. was formed, with Wheeler-Nicholson and Jack S. Liebowitz, Donenfelds accountant, listed as owners. Major Wheeler-Nicholson remained for a year, but cash-flow problems continued, shortly afterward, Detective Comics, Inc. purchased the remains of National Allied, also known as Nicholson Publishing, at a bankruptcy auction. Detective Comics, Inc. soon launched a fourth title, Action Comics, Action Comics #1, the first comic book to feature the new character archetype—soon known as superheroes—proved a sales hit. The company quickly introduced such popular characters as the Sandman and Batman. That year, Gaines let Liebowitz buy him out, and kept only Picture Stories from the Bible as the foundation of his own new company, at that point, Liebowitz promptly orchestrated the merger of All-American and Detective Comics into National Comics. Next he took charge of organizing National Comics, Independent News, National Periodical Publications became publicly traded on the stock market in 1961. The company began to move aggressively against what it saw as copyright-violating imitations from other companies, such as Fox Comics Wonder Man and this extended to DC suing Fawcett Comics over Captain Marvel, at the time comics top-selling character. Despite the fact that parallels between Captain Marvel and Superman seemed more tenuous, the courts ruled that substantial and deliberate copying of copyrighted material had occurred, faced with declining sales and the prospect of bankruptcy if it lost, Fawcett capitulated in 1955 and ceased comics publication
DC Comics
–
1987 test logo.
DC Comics
–
The current DC Comics logo
23.
Montpelier, Vermont
–
Montpelier /mɒntˈpiːliər/ is the capital city of the U. S. state of Vermont and the seat of Washington County. As the site of Vermonts state government, it is the least populous state capital in the United States, the population was 7,855 at the 2010 census. However, the population swells to about 21,000. The Vermont College of Fine Arts and New England Culinary Institute are located in the municipality and it was named for Montpellier, in southern France. The first permanent settlement began in May 1787, when Colonel Jacob Davis and General Parley Davis arrived from Charlton, General Davis surveyed the land, while Colonel Davis cleared forest and erected a large log house on the west side of the North Branch of the Winooski River. His family moved in the following winter, Colonel Davis selected the name Montpelier after the French city of Montpellier. There was an enthusiasm for things French as a result of the countrys aid to the American colonies during the Revolutionary War. The settlement grew quickly, and by 1791 the population reached 117, in 1825, the Marquis de Lafayette visited Montpelier on a triumphal tour of America,50 years after the Revolutionary War. The town developed into a center for manufacturing, especially after the Central Vermont Railway opened in Montpelier on June 20, falls on the Winooski River provided water power for mills. Ten thousand people turned out to greet Major General Philip Sheridan when he visited to address the annual meeting of Vermont former Union officers. He particularly thanked Vermont veterans of the Civil War for their performance at the Battle of Cedar Creek, the town had the first municipal water driven hydro system in Vermont in 1884. Water pressure generated sufficient electricity for streetlights, the state proclaimed October 12,1899, as Dewey Day to honor native son George Dewey, the hero of Battle of Manila Bay and the Spanish–American War. Thousands turned out from the state to his hometown of Montpelier for the celebration, Montpelier is located at 44°15′N 72°34′W in the north-central area of Vermont. The city center is a flat zone, surrounded by hills. Towne Hill runs in a 2-mile ridge along the edge of the city. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 10.3 square miles. The Winooski River flows west along the edge of downtown village and is fed by several smaller tributaries that cut through residential districts. Montpelier is subject to flooding in the flat city center
Montpelier, Vermont
–
Vermont State House
Montpelier, Vermont
Montpelier, Vermont
–
Bird's-eye view, c. 1912
Montpelier, Vermont
–
Winooski River at Montpelier
24.
Irish Catholic
–
Irish Catholics are people who are Catholic and Irish. Divisions between Irish Catholics and Irish Protestants played a role in the history of Ireland from the 16th to the 20th century, especially the Home Rule Crisis. While religion broadly marks the delineation of these divisions, the contentions were primarily political, in the Irish Rebellion of 1798 Catholics and Presbyterians, who were not part of the established Church of Ireland, found common cause. Irish Catholics are found in countries around the world, especially in the English-speaking world. Emigration following the Famine in the late 1840s saw the population drop from over 8 million to just over 4 million, today, Irish Catholics are very well established in the United States and are part of mainstream American society. Endnotes Library of Congress The Irish Catholic Diaspora in America, describes the book ISBN 0-8132-0896-3 St. Colman Mac Duagh On Irish Catholics of Australia
Irish Catholic
–
Celtic cross
25.
Tigra
–
Tigra is a fictional superheroine appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Introduced as the crime fighter The Cat in Claws of the Cat #1, she was co-created by writer-editor Roy Thomas and artist Wally Wood. She mutated into the super powered tiger-woman Tigra in Giant-Size Creatures #1, by writer Tony Isabella, Tigra was ranked 61st in Comics Buyers Guides 100 Sexiest Women in Comics list. The Cat was introduced in one of a trio of Marvel Comics aimed at an audience, alongside Night Nurse. Marvel writer-editor Roy Thomas recalled in 2007, The series lasted four issues, a fifth issue of the series was drawn by Ramona Fradon but the title was canceled due to lack of sales on previous issues. Severin attributes the characters appearance to Wood, I remember saying, My God, I drew this woman. His storytelling always had lovely inking, nice blacks and everything, the boys loved his work, though. The Cat appeared alongside Spider-Man in Marvel Team-Up #8 during her seriess brief run, after a years absence, she was revamped as the super powered, part-animal Tigra in a two-part story in Giant-Size Creatures #1 and Werewolf by Night #20. Writer Tony Isabella recounted My memory may be a bit shaky here, I think I got the assignment one day, pitched the idea on the next, and one day later was sitting down with Roy and Gil Kane to work out what Tigra would look like. He also names Don Perlin and John Romita, Sr. as having a hand in Tigras appearance, like The Cat, Marvel Chillers was cancelled due to struggling sales. Tigra went on to guest star throughout the Marvel line, often appearing in issues of the superhero-team comic The Avengers and later in the cast of the spin-off West Coast Avengers. She starred in the four-issue miniseries Tigra by writer Christina Z. and artist Mike Deodato, and has since guest starred in She-Hulk, Civil War, various Avengers comics, Tigra appeared as a supporting character in Avengers Academy from issue #1 through its final issue #39. Greer Grant was a native of Chicago, Illinois and she was a sophomore at the University of Chicago when she met her future husband, policeman Bill Nelson. She left college to marry him, the marriage was a strong one, flawed only by Bills overprotective nature. Bill was killed in an off-duty shooting, and Greer had to find a job of her own, after weeks of searching, she ran into her old physics professor, Dr. Joanne Tumulo. Dr. Tumulo was working on the human experiments that turned Shirlee Bryant into the super powered villainess called the Cat. Not trusting the test subject chosen by her financial backer, Malcolm Donalbain and she emerged with superhuman physical and mental capabilities. When Donalbain had Dr. Tumulos lab destroyed with dynamite, Greer donned one of dozens of the Cat costumes that she had created, with her new abilities, she adapted quickly to the strange garb and wrecked Donalbains headquarters
Tigra
–
Tigra. Art by
Mike Deodato
Tigra
–
The Cat #1 (Nov. 1972). Cover art by
Wally Wood
26.
Western Publishing
–
Western Publishing, also known as Western Printing and Lithographing Company, was a Racine, Wisconsin, firm responsible for publishing the Little Golden Books. Its Golden Books Family Entertainment division also produced books and family-related entertainment products. The company had offices in New York City and Los Angeles. Western Publishing became Golden Books Family Entertainment in fall 2001, as of 2016, Little Golden Books remains as an imprint of Penguin Random House. Edward Henry Wadewitz, the 30-year-old son of German immigrants, worked at the West Side Printing Company in Racine, Wisconsin. When the owner was unable to pay Wadewitz his wages, Wadewitz in 1907 took the opportunity to purchase the company for $2,504, with some of the funds provided by his brother Albert. Knowing that the company needed staff with more knowledge of the business than he had, Wadewitz hired Roy A. Spencer, at the end of its first year sales were $5,000 and the company increased its staff of four to handle a growing number of commercial jobs. It installed a cylinder press, two presses, and an automatic power cutter. In 1910, the changed its name to Western Printing and Lithographing Company after the purchase of its first lithographic press. By 1914, sales were more than $127,000, the company installed a larger offset press and added electrotyping and engraving departments. Wadewitz was approached by the Hamming-Whitman Publishing Company of Chicago to print its line of children’s books, unable to pay its bills, Hamming-Whitman left Western with thousands of books. As a result, Western acquired Hamming-Whitman on February 9,1916 and formed a subsidiary corporation and it employed two salesmen and, in the first year, grossed more than $43,500 liquidating the remaining Hamming-Whitman books. In 1916, Sam Lowe joined Western and he convinced Western and Whitman to publish a 10-cent children’s book in 1918 and convinced retailers that childrens books could be sold year-round. Western introduced boxed games and jigsaw puzzles in 1923 Western after purchasing a 38-inch by 52-inch Potter offset press, by 1925, sales exceeded $1 million. Western added another subsidiary, the Western Playing Card Company after purchasing the Sheffer Playing Card Company, in 1929, Western purchased a Chicago stationery and greeting card manufacturer, Stationer’s Engraving Company. Publications, named after Kay Kamen, manager of character merchandising at Walt Disney Studios from 1933 to 1949, publications became defunct during the mid/late 1960s. Brought out in 1932, the 10-cent Big Little Books became very popular with people looking for inexpensive entertainment, the first Big Little Book was The Adventures of Dick Tracy. Western won exclusive rights to all Walt Disney licensed characters in 1933
Western Publishing
–
Uncle Don's Strange Adventures, a 1936
Big Little Book, featured a story about radio host
Uncle Don and his adventures with a mystery cruiser.
Western Publishing
–
Western Publishing
27.
Gold Key Comics
–
Gold Key Comics was an imprint of Western Publishing created for comic books distributed to newsstands. Also known as Whitman Comics, Gold Key operated from 1962 to 1984, within a year they had reverted to using inked panel borders and oval balloons. In 1967, Gold Key reprinted a number of selected issues of their comics under the title Top Comics which were sold in bags containing five comics at gas stations. Like Dell, Gold Key was one of the few major American publishers of comic books never to display the Comics Code Authority seal on its covers. Gold Key featured a number of licensed properties and several titles, including a number of publications that spun off from Dells Four Color series. It was also the first company to publish books based upon Star Trek. Therefore, it simplified the procedure to do the first issue as an adaptation and they couldnt very well complain that a plot taken from the show was inappropriate. The stable of writers and artists built up by Western Publishing during the Dell Comics era mostly continued into the Gold Key era, in the mid-1960s a number of artists were recruited by the newly formed Disney Studio Program and thereafter divided their output between the Disney Program and Western. Writer/artist Russ Manning and editor Chase Craig launched the Magnus, Robot Fighter series in 1963, dan Spiegle worked on Space Family Robinson, The Green Hornet, The Invaders, Korak, Son of Tarzan, Brothers of the Spear, and many of Gold Keys mystery/occult titles. Glut created and wrote several series including The Occult Files of Dr. Spektor, Dagar the Invincible, and Tragg, also in the 1970s, writer Bob Gregory started drawing stories, mostly for Daisy and Donald. Artist/writer Frank Miller had his first published comic book artwork in The Twilight Zone for Gold Key in 1978. Diana Gabaldon began her writing for Gold Key, initially sending a query that stated I’ve been reading your comics for the last 25 years. I’m not sure if I could do better myself, but I’d like to try, editor Del Connell provided a script sample and bought her second submission. Among the comics he wrote for were The Flintstones, Uncle Scrooge, Daffy Duck, Bugs Bunny, The Three Stooges, and Woody Woodpecker. One of Gold Keys editors at the time told Mark Evanier, Leo writes stories and he tells us that if they come out good, they go to us and if they dont, they go to DC. I assume he tells DC the opposite, editor Frank Tedeschi, who left in 1973 for a job in book publishing, helped bring in such new comics professionals as Walt Simonson, Gerry Boudreau, and John David Warner. The comics industry experienced a downswing in the 1970s and Gold Key was among the hardest hit and it is also alleged by Carmine Infantino that in the mid-to-late 1960s DC Comics attempted to pressure Gold Key from the comics business through sheer weight of output. In this period, Gold Key experimented with digests with some success, Western, at one point, also distributed bagged comics from its rival DC Comics under the Whitman logo
Gold Key Comics
–
Gold Key Comics
28.
Neal Adams
–
Adams was inducted into the Eisner Awards Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 1998, and the Harvey Awards Jack Kirby Hall of Fame in 1999. Neal Adams was born on Governors Island, New York City, New York, at the suggestion of staffers, Adams drew three or four pages of the Fly, but did not receive encouragement from Simon. Sympathetic staffers nonetheless asked Adams to draw samples for the Archie teen-humor comics themselves, while he did so, Adams said in a 2000s interview, he unknowingly broke into comics, I started to do samples for Archie and I left my Fly samples there. A couple weeks later when I came in to show my Archie samples, I noticed that the pages were still there and they said, One of the artists did this transition where Tommy Troy turns into the Fly and its not very good. You did this real nice piece so we’ll use that, if its OK and that panel ran in Adventures of the Fly #4. Afterward, Adams began writing, penciling, inking, and lettering humorous full-page and half-page gag fillers for Archies Joke Book Magazine, in a 1976 interview, he recalled earning bout $16.00 per half page and $32.00 for a full page. That may not seem like a deal of money. As we were not in a wealthy state and it was manna from heaven, so to speak. Having not left Archie Comics under the best of circumstances, Adams turned to art for the advertising industry. After a rocky start freelancing, he began landing regular work at the Johnstone and Cushing agency, but they gave me a chance and. I stayed there for about a year, in 1962, Adams began his comics career in earnest at the NEA newspaper syndicate. From a recommendation, writer Jerry Caplin, a. k. a, Jerry Capp, brother of Lil Abner creator Al Capp, invited Adams to draw samples for Capps proposed Ben Casey comic strip, based on the popular television medical-drama series. On the strength of his samples and of his Chip Martin, College Reporter AT&T advertising comic-strip pages in Boys Life magazine, the first daily strip, which carried Adams signature, appeared November 26,1962, a color Sunday strip was added September 20,1964. Adams continued to do Johnston & Cushing assignments during Ben Caseys 3 1/2-year run, Comics historian Maurice Horn said the strip did not shrink from tackling controversial problems, such as heroin addiction, illegitimate pregnancy, and attempted suicide. These were usually treated in soap opera fashion, but there was also a touch of toughness to the proceedings, well rendered by Adams in a forceful, direct style that exuded realism and tension and accorded well with the overall tone of the strip. In addition to Capp, Jerry Brondfield also wrote for the strip, the ABC series, which ran five seasons, ended March 21,1966, with the final comic strip appearing Sunday, July 31,1966. I wasnt happy working on the strip nor was I happy giving up a third of the money to Bing Crosby Productions, the strip I should have been making twelve hundred a week from was making me three hundred to three-fifty a week. On top of that, I was not able to express myself artistically when I wanted to, but we left under very fine conditions
Neal Adams
–
Adams at the
Wizard World New York Experience
Neal Adams
–
Premiere of the
Ben Casey strip, November 26, 1962. Art by Adams.
Neal Adams
–
Strange Adventures #207 (Dec. 1967): One of Adams' earliest
DC Comics covers, and his first for his signature character
Deadman, already shows a mature style and a design innovation for the time. It won the 1967
Alley Award for Best Cover.
Neal Adams
–
X-Men #63 (Dec. 1969). Cover art by Adams and
Tom Palmer.
29.
The Twilight Zone
–
The Twilight Zone is an American television anthology series created by Rod Serling. A popular and critical success, it introduced many Americans to common science fiction, the original series, shot entirely in black and white, ran for five seasons from 1959 to 1964. The success of the led to a feature film, a radio series, a comic book, a magazine. The first revival ran on CBS and in syndication in the 1980s, TV Guide ranked the original TV series #5 in their 2013 list of the 60 greatest dramas of all time. As a boy, Rod Serling was a fan of pulp fiction stories, as an adult, he sought topics with themes such as racism, government, war, society, and human nature in general. Serling decided to combine these two interests as a way to broach these subjects on television at a time such issues were not commonly addressed. Throughout the 1950s, Serling established himself as one of the most popular names in television and he was as famous for writing televised drama as he was for criticizing the mediums limitations. His most vocal complaints concerned censorship, which was practiced by sponsors. I was not permitted to have my senators discuss any current or pressing problem, he said of his 1957 production The Arena, to talk of tariff was to align oneself with the Republicans, to talk of labor was to suggest control by the Democrats. To say a single thing germane to the current political scene was absolutely prohibited, CBS purchased a teleplay in 1958 that writer Rod Serling hoped to produce as the pilot of a weekly anthology series. The Time Element marked Serlings first entry in the field of science fiction, several years after the end of World War II, a man named Peter Jenson visits a psychoanalyst, Dr. Gillespie. Jenson tells him about a dream in which he tries to warn people about the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor before it happens. Jenson believes the events of the dream are real, and each night he travels back to 1941, Dr. Gillespie insists that time travel is impossible given the nature of temporal paradoxes. While on the couch, Jenson falls asleep again and dreams that the Japanese planes shoot. In Dr. Gillespies office, the couch Jenson was lying on is now empty, Dr. Gillespie goes to a bar where he finds Jensons picture on the wall. The bartender tells him that Jenson had tended there, but he was killed during the Pearl Harbor attack, the Time Element was purchased immediately, but shelved indefinitely. The Time Element debuted on November 24,1958, to an overwhelmingly delighted audience of television viewers, the humor and sincerity of Mr. Serlings dialogue made The Time Element consistently entertaining, offered Jack Gould of The New York Times. Over 6000 letters of praise flooded Granets offices, convinced that a series based on such stories could succeed, CBS again began talks with Serling about the possibilities of producing The Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone
–
William Bendix and
Martin Balsam in "The Time Element"
The Twilight Zone
–
1959 series logo
The Twilight Zone
–
Rod Serling working on his script with a dictating machine, 1959
30.
Weird War Tales
–
Weird War Tales was a war comic book title with supernatural overtones published by DC Comics. It was published from September–October 1971 to June 1983, the original title ran for 12 years and 124 issues. It was a series that told war stories with horror, mystery, fantasy. Changes in the Comics Code Authority made the use of horror elements possible, each issue was hosted by Death, usually depicted as a skeleton dressed in a different military uniform each issue. The titles name was inspired by editor Joe Orlando, walt Simonsons first professional published comic book work appeared in Weird War Tales #10. Roger McKenzie and Frank Millers first collaboration was on a story published in Weird War Tales #68. Recurring characters began to appear late in the run, notably the G. I. Robot, and the return of The War that Time Forgot which originally ran in Star Spangled War Stories, writer J. M. DeMatteis and penciler Pat Broderick created the Creature Commandos in Weird War Tales #93. In Weird War Tales #101, the G. I, robot is deployed to a Pacific island alongside the Marines to fight the Japanese military. Although the robot is technically named Jungle Automatic Killer - Experimental Number 1,1 is destroyed in Weird War Tales #111 but is replaced by J. A. K. E. 2, which continues to fight on various Pacific islands, including Dinosaur Island and it later teams with the Creature Commandos. Other stories featured robot soldiers, ghosts, the undead, Weird War Tales was revived for DC Comics Vertigo imprint in 1997. It was published as a limited series, followed by a single-issue special in 2000. Weird War Tales at the Comic Book DB Weird War Tales vol.2 at the Comic Book DB Weird War Tales at Cover Browser Weird War Tales and Weird War Tales vol.2 at Mikes Amazing World of Comics
Weird War Tales
–
Issue #1 of Weird War Tales (September–October 1971). Art by
Joe Kubert.
31.
Jim Shooter
–
James Jim Shooter is an American writer, occasional fill-in artist, editor, and publisher for various comic books. Jim Shooter was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to parents Ken and Eleanor Ellie Shooter, Shooter read comics as a child, though he stopped when he was about eight years old. His interest in the medium was rekindled in 1963, at the age of twelve, through the comics in the childrens ward of the hospital where he convalesced after undergoing minor surgery. He found the DC Comics stories to be similar to the DC stories he had read, but was impressed with the style of the Marvel Comics. At age 13, in mid-1965, he wrote and drew stories featuring the Legion of Superheroes, and sent them in to DC Comics. On February 10,1966, he received a call from Mort Weisinger, who wanted to purchase the stories Shooter had sent. Weisinger eventually offered Shooter a regular position on Legion, and wanted Shooter to come to New York to spend a couple of days in his office. According to Shooter, his father earned little as a steelworker. Shooter reflected in a 2010 interview, My family needed the money, I was doing this because I had to, working my way through high school to help keep my family alive. At 14, Shooter began selling stories to DC Comics, writing for both Action Comics and Adventure Comics, beginning with Adventure Comics No,346, and providing pencil breakdowns as well. He also created the Superman villain the Parasite in Action Comics No.340, Shooter and artist Curt Swan devised the first race between the Flash and Superman, two characters known for their super-speed powers, in Supermans Race With the Flash. in Superman No.199. Shooter wrote the first issue of Captain Action, which was DCs first toy tie-in, in 1969 Shooter was accepted into New York University, but after graduating from high school he successfully applied for a job at Marvel Comics. Unable to pursue both his studies and work for Marvel, he decided against going to New York University, an interview for a Legion of Super-Heroes fanzine led to his again applying to both Marvel and DC. In December of 1975, Marvel editor-in-chief Marv Wolfman called to him an editorial position. In the mid-1970s, Marvel Comics was undergoing a series of changes in the position of Editor-in-Chief, on January 2,1976, Shooter joined the Marvel staff as an assistant editor and writer. With the quick turnover at the top, Shooter rapidly found himself rising in the ranks, in 1981, Shooter brought Marvel into the lucrative comic book specialty shop market with Dazzler #1. Subsequent issues of Dazzler, however, were sold through newsstand accounts as well, Dazzler was the first direct sales-only ongoing series from a major publisher, other Marvel titles, such as Marvel Fanfare and Ka-Zar, soon followed. Later that same year, Shooter wrote Marvel Treasury Edition No.28 which featured the second Superman and Spider-Man intercompany crossover, despite his success in revitalizing Marvel, Shooter angered and alienated a number of long-time Marvel creators by insisting on strong editorial control and strict adherence to deadlines
Jim Shooter
–
Shooter at the November 2008
Big Apple Con in
Manhattan.
Jim Shooter
–
Shooter with writer
Steve Englehart at the
San Diego Comic-Con in 1982.
Jim Shooter
–
Shooter and
Dennis Calero at a signing for
Dark Horse 's
Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom at
Midtown Comics Times Square, July 17, 2010.
32.
Joe Orlando
–
Joseph Joe Orlando was an Italian American illustrator, writer, editor and cartoonist during a lengthy career spanning six decades. He was the publisher of Mad and the vice president of DC Comics. Orlando was born in Bari, Italy, emigrating to the United States in 1929 and he began drawing at an early age, going to art classes at a neighborhood boys club when he was seven years old. He continued there until he was 14, winning prizes annually in their competitions, in 1941, he began attending the School of Industrial Art, where he studied illustration. Infantino and Orlando remained close friends for decades, while Orlando was still a student, he drew his first published illustrations, scenes of Mark Twains The Prince and the Pauper for a high-school textbook. After his high school graduation, Orlando entered the U. S. Army and was assigned to the police, doing stockade guard duty. From Le Havre, France, he was sent to Antwerp, Belgium and then to Germany, after his 1947 discharge, he returned to New York and began study at the Art Students League on the GI Bill. He entered the comic book field in 1949 when the packager Lloyd Jacquet assigned him to draw for the Catholic-oriented Treasure Chest and this was a Chuck White story that paid nine dollars a page. At the Jacquet Studio he met fellow artist Tex Blaisdell, and he was earning $25 a page at EC, and shortly after his first EC stories under his own name were published that summer, he married his first wife, Gloria, in September 1951. After EC, from 1956 to 1959, he drew Classics Illustrated adaptations, including Ben-Hur, A Tale of Two Cities, in addition to many contributions to ECs Mad, Orlando also scripted the Little Orphan Annie comic strip beginning in 1964. He did covers for Newsweek and New Times, and his work as an illustrator appeared in National Lampoon, childrens books, for Warren Publishings black-and-white horror-comics magazine Creepy, debuting in 1964, Orlando was not only an illustrator but also a story editor on early issues. His credit on the first issue masthead read, Story Ideas, in 1966, Orlando and writer E. Nelson Bridwell created the parody superhero team The Inferior Five in Showcase #62. This lighthearted feature would soon receive its own ongoing series, Orlando launched the Swing with Scooter series with writers Barbara Friedlander and Jack Miller in July 1966. Swamp Thing, Weird War Tales and The Witching Hour, also scripting for several of these titles, while eventually serving as DCs vice president, he guided the companys Special Projects department. In the late 1960s, Orlando hired Filipino artist Tony DeZuniga for work on some of DCs horror titles, in 1971, Orlando and DC publisher Carmine Infantino traveled to the Philippines on a recruiting trip for more artists. Alfredo Alcala, Mar Amongo, Ernie Chan, Alex Niño, Nestor Redondo, during the 1980s, Orlando began teaching at the School of Visual Arts, continuing as an art instructor there for many years. In 1987, he created an illustration for the text piece from Watchmen #5. The comic-within-a-comic pages were credited to the fictitious artist Walt Feinberg, the Orlando page was the only artwork for the series not by Gibbons
Joe Orlando
–
Joe Orlando in the early 1950s
Joe Orlando
–
This Joe Orlando page with lettering by
Todd Klein was created for
Alan Moore and
Dave Gibbons 's
Watchmen (1987).
Joe Orlando
–
Wally Wood 's drawing of Joe Orlando (left) and Wood collaborating on a comics page in the early 1950s.
33.
Vince Colletta
–
This included a few landmark early issues of Marvel Comics Fantastic Four, and a long, celebrated run on the character Thor in Journey into Mystery and The Mighty Thor. He settled in Brooklyn, New York City, where his wife, the family then moved to New Jersey and opened an Italian market, severing any ties to the Mafia. The following year he began his collaboration with Marvel, at the companys 1950s iteration. Collettas work also appeared in genres as jungle adventure and horror/fantasy. His last confirmed work for decades was I Cant Marry Now in Love Diary #6. Collettas first confirmed work as an inker of another artists pencils is unknown, historians pinpoint Collettas first inking of Jack Kirbys pencils as either the cover of Kid Colt, Outlaw #100 or, the cover of Love Romances #98. Members of artist Wally Woods studio were among those who assisted or ghosted on Collettas mid-1960s Charlton stories, as an inker for Marvel in the 1960s, Colletta worked on nearly every title, including some of the earliest issues of Daredevil. Colletta began his run on Kirbys The Mighty Thor feature with the Tales of Asgard backup in Journey into Mystery #106. Colletta graduated to the feature with #116. Colletta also inked Journey into Mystery Annual #1, which introduced Hercules to the Marvel universe, historians and critics consider Collettas Thor work to be his creative highlight. Historian Nick Simon said, For me, the Kirby/Colletta version of Thor is the definitive one, author and Silver Age of Comic Books historian Pierre Comtois wrote that. Be that as it may, what Colletta chose to keep, Colletta would also pencil stories in many 1960s issues of Charlton Comics Teen-Age Love and First Kiss. He occasionally inked romance stories penciled by Joe Sinnott, and other pencilers on such titles as Charltons Gunmaster, and Dell Comics Guerrilla War, Jungle War Stories, and Western series Idaho. While Collettas rates were good and he brought an innocent Marvel Age look to Jacks new heroes, he was prone to erasing background characters and transforming ustling crowd scenes easier silhouettes. Kirby confidante Mark Evanier and inker Wally Wood eventually convinced a reluctant Kirby to ask DC Publisher Carmine Infantino to remove Colletta from inking Kirbys titles. He was replaced by inker Mike Royer, causing fans to write to DC in complaint. Collettas frequent assistant Art Cappello did much of the inking on these comics. He was named DCs art director in May 1976, resigning the post in May 1979 and his time there included discovering future industry star Frank Miller
Vince Colletta
–
Viola and Vincent Colletta
Vince Colletta
–
Atlas Comics ' Secret Story #7 (June 1954). Cover art by Colletta (signed).
Vince Colletta
–
Thor #126 (March 1966), the debut after its retitling from
Journey into Mystery. Art by Kirby & Colletta.
Vince Colletta
–
Mister Miracle #3 (Aug. 1971). Art by Kirby & Colletta.
34.
Paul Kupperberg
–
Paul Kupperberg is a former editor for DC Comics and executive editor of Weekly World News, as well as a prolific writer of novels, comic books, and newspaper strips. He is currently a writer and executive editor at Charlton Neo Comics and Pix-C Webcomics, Paul Kupperberg entered the comics field from comics fandom. He and Paul Levitz produced the comics fanzine The Comic Reader between 1971 and 1973, and Etcetera between 1972–1973 and he and artist Jan Duursema co-created the Arion character in The Warlord #55 and the Arion, Lord of Atlantis series was launched in November 1982. That same month saw the debut of The Daring New Adventures of Supergirl by Kupperberg, Kupperberg created the Takion series as well. He wrote the syndicated The Worlds Greatest Superheroes newspaper comic strip with José Delbo from 1981–1985, Kupperberg wrote the first comic book miniseries, The World of Krypton in 1979. He co-wrote Secrets of the Legion of Super-Heroes with E. Nelson Bridwell, kupperbergs other mini-series include The Phantom Stranger, Power Girl, Peacemaker, Super Powers, and the first comic book adaptation of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. Most of his current comic book writing appears in the DC-published Cartoon Network licensed comics on such characters as Johnny Bravo, I. M. Weasel, Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi, and Scooby-Doo. Kupperbergs prose credits include The Atlas to the DC Universe, The Doom Patrol Sourcebook, and he has had short stories published in the anthologies The Further Adventures of Batman Featuring Catwoman, Fear Itself, Superheroes and Oceans of Magic. His adult novel, JSA, Ragnarok, was scheduled to be published in 2006 but has been delayed due to the bankruptcy of its publisher. His other published work includes the young adult novel Wishbone Mysteries, The Sirian Conspiracy, as well as color, in 2005, Kupperberg began writing for the weekly satiric and humor tabloid, Weekly World News. From 1981–1982 Kupperberg was assistant editor on Video Action Magazine, one of the first newsstand magazines to focus on the burgeoning home video market. He also wrote articles for the magazine. Among his other work are many introductions and historic prefaces to various DC collected editions and Archives. Mad Plans And Great Historical Disasters, from 1991–2006, Kupperberg was on staff at DC Comics, editing such titles as The Flash, Wonder Woman, Jack Kirbys Fourth World, Impulse, Peter Cannon, Thunderbolt and others. In early 2006, Kupperberg left DC to become editor at the Weekly World News. In 2007, he contributed to the Doctor Who short-story collection Short Trips, Destination Prague, the Weekly World News ceased publication in August 2007, and in January 2008, Kupperberg became senior editor of WWE KIDS for World Wrestling Entertainment. He is freelancing and consulting for DC Comics, Archie Comics, Moonstone Publishing, Stone Arch Books, Bongo Comics, GIT Corp, and others. The series also featured the gay marriage of Kevin Keller and ended with the 2014 The Death of Archie story line
Paul Kupperberg
–
Kupperberg at the 2015
East Coast Comicon in
Secaucus, New Jersey
35.
Elliot S. Maggin
–
Elliot S. Maggin, also spelled Elliot S. Maggin, is an American writer of comic books, film, television, and novels. He was a writer for DC Comics during the Bronze. He is particularly associated with the character of Superman, Maggin started working as a professional writer in his teens, selling historical stories about the Boer War to a boys magazine. He attended Brandeis University, where he wrote a paper titled What Can One Man Do. for a class during his junior year. When it received a grade of B-, Maggin disagreed with the assessment, remade it as a comic book script and it was passed around the DC offices, and Neal Adams chose to draw the script. The story was published in Green Lantern #87, Green Lantern editor Julius Schwartz commented that I’ve been a comix editor for over 27 years and never. Have I ever come across a ‘first-time’ script and that can come within a light-year of equaling ‘What Can One Man Do. ’ in professional slickness and comix know-how. Indeed, to equalize this thrilling experience, I must go back three decades when, as an agent, I sold the very first story of a young Ray Bradbury. Though the initial grade was not amended, Maggin became a writer for DC, during Maggins time at Brandeis, he befriended the universitys vice-president, meeting his family. During one of the meetings, the vice-presidents stepson Jeph Loeb suggested a story that would eventually be called Must There Be a Superman, Maggin used the idea, which became his initial foray into the Superman franchise, and it was published in Superman #247. He wrote Green Arrow stories as well, where his sense of humor was allowed far more freedom in the dialogue of the main character. Superman #300 featured an out-of-continuity story by Maggin and Cary Bates which imagined the infant Superman landing on Earth in 1976, the tale was an inspiration for Mark Millars Superman, Red Son limited series published in 2003. His credits for Marvel Comics include an adaptation of The Iliad in Marvel Classics Comics #26, the first issue of DC Graphic Novel featured an adaptation of the Star Raiders video game by Maggin and artist José Luis García-López. Maggins contributions to the DC Multiverse include Superboy-Prime and Lexcorp and his last Superman story. And We Are The Dreamers Of The Dreams. Maggin served as an editor for DC from 1989 to 1991 and oversaw the licensed TSR titles Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, Avatar, Dragonlance, Forgotten Realms, Gammarauders and he edited the Challengers of the Unknown limited series which was written by Jeph Loeb and drawn by Tim Sale. Because comic book scripts tend to favor the exclamation mark as the punctuation of choice, out of habit, he once signed his own name Elliot S. Maggin and editor Julius Schwartz liked the distinctive rhythm of the name, insisting that Maggins name henceforth be written that way. Explaining in an interview, I got into the habit of putting exclamation marks at the end of sentences instead of periods because reproduction on pulp paper was so lousy. So once, by accident, when I signed a script I put the point after my S because I was just used to going to that end of the typewriter at the time
Elliot S. Maggin
–
Elliot S! Maggin
36.
Unknown Soldier (DC Comics)
–
The Unknown Soldier is a fictional war comics character in the DC Comics Universe. The character was created by Robert Kanigher and Joe Kubert, first appearing in Our Army At War #168, the Unknown Soldiers first appearance in Our Army At War #168 was in a Sgt. Rock story, I Knew The Unknown Soldier, written by Kanigher and drawn by Kubert. Eventually, Star Spangled War Comics began featuring the Soldier exclusively, with #205, the book changed its title to The Unknown Soldier, continuing the numbering and running for another 64 issues, ending with #268. Despite this, he is a master of disguise who can assume the identity of almost any man using latex masks, however, his disguises occasionally itch where they meet the scar tissue of his face, forcing him to be conscious not to give himself away by scratching. He is also prone to loss of temper at enemy atrocities and has seen to blow his cover in this manner. The character is named after The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, the character of the Unknown Soldier is symbolic of the nameless soldiers that have fought throughout Americas wars, as stated in his first featured story They Came From Shangri-La. He is the man who no one knows — but — is known by everyone, another nickname for the character used in the series is The Immortal G. I. Other writers contributing stories to the run included Bob Haney, Frank Robbins, Archie Goodwin. Artists also included Dick Ayers, Doug Wildey, Dan Spiegle, Jack Sparling, backup features included Enemy Ace by Robert Kanigher and John Severin, and Captain Fear by David Michelinie and Walt Simonson. The second series, also titled The Unknown Soldier, was a limited series published in 1988 and 1989, written by Jim Owsley. It was a top vote getter for the Comics Buyers Guide Fan Award for Favorite Limited Series for 1988, as a result, its place in official continuity is unclear. In 1997 Garth Ennis wrote Unknown Soldier, a four-issue mini-series under the Vertigo imprint, a much darker portrayal of the Soldier, the story is about a CIA agent tracing the post-war activities of the Soldier and the Soldier searching for a replacement for himself. This story appeared to ignore the 1988–89 mini-series, and was collected into a paperback in 1998. A DC Showcase black and white trade paperback collection, The Unknown Soldier Volume One, a new Unknown Soldier series from Vertigo, set in Uganda, was written by Joshua Dysart, with art by Alberto Ponticelli. It began publication in October 2008, in 2009 this run was nominated for an Eisner for Best New Series of the Year. A figure, similar in appearance to the original Unknown Soldier, in Star Spangled War Stories #153, a soldier named Eddie Ray is introduced. His Serial Number is 32891681 which can be read on pages 5–6, although he is not confirmed as the identity of the Unknown Soldier, it is strongly hinted at because his face is never shown
Unknown Soldier (DC Comics)
–
Front cover of " Unknown Soldier (1997) #4. Art by
Tim Bradstreet.
37.
John Carter, Warlord of Mars
–
John Carter, Warlord of Mars is a comics series published from 1977 by American company Marvel Comics. Created by Marv Wolfman and Gil Kane, it was based on the Barsoom series of Edgar Rice Burroughs, the entire series takes place between the third and fourth paragraphs of chapter 27 of Burroughs novel A Princess of Mars. The series ran from 1977 to 1979, in 1978 it won the Favourite New Title Eagle Award. Dell Comics released three issues of John Carter of Mars under its Four Color Comics banner, the issue numbers are 375,437, and 488, and were released in 1952-1953. Gold Key Comics would reprint them as three issues in 1964, numbering one through three, but reprinted them out of order, Dark Horse Comics in 2010 reprinted the comics in a hard back archive edition. John Carter appeared in DC Comics Tarzan comics #207-209, then Weird Worlds #1-7, there was also a four-issue mini-series cross-over in 1996 with another of Burroughs characters, Tarzan, in Tarzan/John Carter, Warlords of Mars from Dark Horse Comics. Starting in October 2010, Dynamite Entertainment has begun publishing a series entitled Warlord of Mars. The first two issues served as a story, issues 3-9 adapted A Princess of Mars. This series ceased with #35, accompanied by two out-of-numbering issues, in 2014, since 2011, a regular Dejah Thoris series and numerous mini-series were also published by IDW. In 2012, Marvel published a new miniseries entitled John Carter, Gods of Mars, based on the novel the Gods of Mars, with scripts by Sam Humphries and art by Ramon Perez. In 2014, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. initiated the publication of webcomic Warlord of Mars by Roy Thomas and Rodolfo Pérez García. In 1941, John Coleman Burroughs wrote and illustrated 69 weeks of a syndicated colour Sunday newspaper strip, John Carter of Mars and this debut coincided with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, resulting in the series being picked up by very few papers. The strip began with a Princess of Mars adaptation but departed from the original with episode 5, John Coleman Burroughs explained that this was done at the request of United Features Syndicate, in order to provide more action in the weekly episodes
John Carter, Warlord of Mars
–
First issue of John Carter, Warlord of Mars
38.
The Spectacular Spider-Man
–
The Spectacular Spider-Man is the name of several comic books and one magazine series starring Marvel Comics Spider-Man. Following the success of Spider-Mans original series, The Amazing Spider-Man and this led the company in 1968 to launch a short-lived magazine, the first to bear the Spectacular name. In 1972, Marvel more successfully launched a second Spider-Man ongoing series, Marvel Team-Up, a third monthly ongoing series, Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man, debuted in 1976. It sold for 35 cents when standard comic books cost 12 cents and annuals and it represented the first Spider-Man spin-off publication aside from the original series summer annuals, begun in 1964. The 52-page black-and-white Spider-Man story, Lo, This Monster. was by writer Stan Lee, penciler Romita Sr. a 10-page origin story, In The Beginning. Was by Lee, penciler Larry Lieber and inker Bill Everett, the feature story was reprinted in color, with some small alterations and bridging material by Gerry Conway, in The Amazing Spider-Man #116–118 as Suddenly. the Smasher. The Deadly Designs of the Disruptor. and Countdown to Chaos and these versions were themselves reprinted in Marvel Tales #95–97. The second and final issue sported a cover and the interior was in color as well. Lee, Romita and Mooney again collaborated on its single story, a next-issue box at the end promoted the planned contents of the unrealized issue #3, The Mystery of the TV Terror. A version of the Goblin story, trimmed by 18 pages, was reprinted in The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #9, both issues of the magazine were reprinted in their entirety in the collection Marvel Masterworks, The Amazing Spider-Man #7. The first issue was reprinted again in 2002 as The Spectacular Spider Man Facsimile, the monthly title ran 264 issues until November 1998. The series was launched by writer/editor Gerry Conway and artist Sal Buscema, Conway explained the concept and origin of the series, was in response to the fact that I had a deal to script several ongoing for Marvel at the time. The full, original title was Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man, the notion was wed focus more on the supporting characters and Peters social life, but before we could really develop that I left Marvel again, not long after that. Buscema drew the title until mid-1978, after Buscema’s departure, a succession of artists penciled the series for approximately five years. Frank Miller, who would become the artist on Daredevil, first drew the character in Peter Parker. Scripting initially alternated between Conway and Archie Goodwin until mid-1977, when Bill Mantlo took over, Mantlos first run on the title featured frequent appearances by The White Tiger, Marvels first superhero of Hispanic descent, and the first appearance of the supervillain Carrion. He used the series to wrap up unresolved plot elements from The Champions comic book series, Mantlo was succeeded by Roger Stern, who wrote for the title from #43 to #61. When Stern departed to write for The Amazing Spider-Man, Mantlo returned to scripting Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man, issue #86 was part of the Assistant Editors Month event and featured a story drawn by Fred Hembeck
The Spectacular Spider-Man
–
The Spectacular Spider-Man magazine #1 (July 1968). Cover art by
John Romita Sr. (layouts) and Harry Rosenbaum (painted art)
The Spectacular Spider-Man
–
Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #132 (November 1987). Art by
Mike Zeck and
Bob McLeod
39.
Jo Duffy
–
Jo Duffy, sometimes credited as Mary Jo Duffy, is an American comic book editor and writer, known for her work for Marvel Comics in the 1980s, and DC Comics and Image Comics in the 1990s. A native of the New York City area, Duffy attended Wellesley College, as a young woman, she had letters published in Marvel Comics letter columns in the mid-1970s. She made an appearance as an autograph seeker in Iron Man #103. Her first credit as editor appeared in The Defenders #61 cover dated July 1978. Her writing work for Marvel included Conan the Barbarian, Fallen Angels, Power Man and Iron Fist, Star Wars, Wolverine, in the 1990s, she worked for other publishers, including DC Comics, where she wrote the first 14 issues of Catwoman. In the early 2000s, she wrote issues of Marvels Defenders and her work at that company included meeting planning, editing, proofreading, and packaging for a comic book published by the company. She now works as a receptionist at the US Immigration Office in New York and has been absent from the publishing scene. She made multiple announcements on her Facebook page that she created a new company to self-publish her work, as of 2013, the company is listed as inactive. Archived from the original on December 14,2004, archived from the original on December 14,2004. Archived from the original on December 14,2004
Jo Duffy
–
Comic-Con 1982
40.
Gene Colan
–
Colan was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2005. Eugene Jules Colan was born September 1,1926 to Harold Colan, a salesman, and Winifred Levy Colan. His parents ran a business on the Upper East Side. His family were Christians, and his familys surname had originally been Cohen, Colan began drawing at age three. The first thing I ever drew was a lion, I mustve absolutely copied it or something. But thats what my folks tell me, and from then on, I just drew everything in sight. My grandfather was my favorite subject, among his earliest influences, he said in 2001, were the Coulton Waugh adventure comic strip Dickie Dare in The New York Sun. I was influenced by the style, or the story and he moved with his family at about age 4 to Long Beach, New York, on Long Island. Later, he would try to copy artist Norman Rockwells covers to The Saturday Evening Post, other major art influences were comics artists Syd Shores and Milton Caniff. Colan attended George Washington High School in the Washington Heights section of Manhattan, Colan began working in comics in 1944, doing illustrations for publisher Fiction Houses aviation-adventure series Wings Comics. Ust a summertime job before I went into the service, it gave Colan his first published work and his first comics story was a seven-page Clipper Kirk feature in the following months issue. After attempting to enlist in the U. S. Marine Corps during World War II but being pulled out by his father because I was underage, originally scheduled for gunnery school in Boulder, Colorado, plans changed with the wars sudden end. I was going to be an aerial gunner, but it never materialized, he recalled in 2001. After training at an Army camp near Biloxi, Mississippi, he joined the U. S. forces in the Philippines, There Colan rose to the rank of corporal, drew for the Manila Times, and won an art contest. Upon his return to life in 1946, Colan went to work for Marvel Comics 1940s precursor. He recalled in 2000, I was living with my parents, I worked very hard on a war story, about seven or eight pages long, and I did all the lettering myself, I inked it myself, I even had a wash effect over it. I did everything I could do, and I brought it over to Timely, what you had to do in those days was go to the candy store, pick up a comic book, and look in the back to see where it was published. Most of them were published in Manhattan, they would tell you the address, al Sulman, listed in Timely mastheads then as an editorial associate, gave me my break
Gene Colan
–
Colan at the
Big Apple Summer Sizzler in
Manhattan, June 13, 2009.
Gene Colan
–
Daredevil #48 (Jan. 1969). Gene Colan (penciler) and
George Klein (inker) slip an in-joke into this
Times Square scene. Whatever caused the apparent frustration, note the word at Daredevil's left hand.
Gene Colan
–
Dr. Strange #180 (May 1969). Cover art by Colan and inker
Tom Palmer, utilizing
photomontage.
Gene Colan
–
Colan page from The Tomb of Dracula #40 (Jan. 1976). Inked by
Tom Palmer.
41.
San Diego Comic-Con International
–
San Diego Comic-Con International is a multi-genre entertainment and comic convention held annually in San Diego, California. The name, as given on its website, is Comic-Con International, San Diego and it is a four-day event held during the summer at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego. On the Wednesday evening prior to the opening of the event, there is a preview for professionals, exhibitors. Comic-Con International also produces two other conventions, WonderCon, held in Los Angeles, and the Alternative Press Expo and it is also the home of the Will Eisner Awards. In 2010, it filled the San Diego Convention Center to capacity with more than 130,000 attendees, the convention was founded in 1970 by Shel Dorf, Richard Alf, Ken Krueger, Mike Towry, Barry Alfonso, Bob Sourk, and Greg Bear. Detroit, Michigan-born, comics fan Shel Dorf, had, in the mid-1960s, mounted the Detroit Triple-Fan Fairs, one of the first commercial comics-fan conventions. When he moved to San Diego, California, in 1970, he organized a convention on March 21,1970. Dorf went on to be associated with the convention as president or manager, variously, Alf co-chaired the first convention with Krueger and became chairman in 1971. Following the initial gathering, Dorfs first three-day San Diego comics convention, other locations in the conventions early years included the El Cortez Hotel, the University of California, San Diego, and Golden Hall, before being moved to the San Diego Convention Center in 1991. I was quietly walking the floor stunned and in awe of just how much bigger it really was, the convention is organized by a panel of 13 board members,16 to 20 full-time and part-time workers, and 80 volunteers who assist via committees. Comic Con International is an organization, and proceeds of the event go to funding it, as well as the Alternative Press Expo. The convention logo was designed by Richard Bruning and Josh Beatman in 1995, in September 2010, the convention announced that it would stay in San Diego through 2015. In 2015, working with Lionsgate, a channel was created to host Comic-Con related content. According to the San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau, the convention has a regional economic impact of $162.8 million. Along with panels, seminars, and workshops with comic book professionals, there are previews of upcoming feature films, like most comic-book conventions, Comic-Con features a large floorspace for exhibitors. These include media companies such as studios and TV networks, as well as comic-book dealers. And like most comics conventions, Comic-Con includes an area, as well as the Artists Alley where comics artists can sign autographs. Despite the name, artists alleys can include writers and even models, academics and comic industry professionals annually hold the Comics Arts Conference at Comic-Con, presenting scholarly studies on comics as a medium
San Diego Comic-Con International
–
Signs outside Hall H
San Diego Comic-Con International
–
Comic-Con International: San Diego: Creator
San Diego Comic-Con International
–
Comic Con crowds in 2011 as seen from a helicopter – Panorama.
San Diego Comic-Con International
–
Comic-Con crowd inside the second floor of the convention center in 2011 awaiting the exhibition hall to open.
42.
Klaus Janson
–
Klaus Janson is a German-born American comic book artist, working regularly for Marvel Comics and DC Comics and sporadically for independent companies. While he is best known as an inker, Janson has frequently worked as a penciller, klaus Janson was born in Coburg, Germany, He emigrated to the United States in 1957, settling with his family in Connecticut, where he lived in Bridgeport from 1957 to 1972. After a short stint as assistant to Dick Giordano in the early 1970s, Janson came to prominence as the inker over Sal Buscemas pencils on The Defenders. Since then he has freelanced on most of the titles at Marvel. In 1975 he began a run as inker on Daredevil. By issue #185, Miller had virtually relinquished his role as Daredevils artist, and was providing only rough layouts for Janson to pencil, ink, after Millers departure, Janson drew the series by himself for four issues. Janson began working for DC Comics in the early 1980s and inked Gene Colans pencils on Detective Comics and Jemm, Janson was one of the artists on Superman #400. His collaboration with Miller on Daredevil would soon be eclipsed by a collaboration between them, on Batman, The Dark Knight Returns in 1986. Janson has frequently pencilled and inked for various Batman titles, including the first Detective Comics Annual with writer Dennis ONeil, Gothic with Grant Morrison, in 1994, Janson drew the Batman-Spawn, War Devil intercompany crossover which was written by Moench, Chuck Dixon, and Alan Grant. Janson wrote a story in the anthology miniseries Batman, Black. Janson drew part of the Cataclysm crossover as well, Janson and writer Mike Baron introduced the character Microchip as an ally of the Punisher in The Punisher #4. In 1993, Janson drew a story featuring Electro for Spider-Man #38-40. Janson inked the early issues of The Sensational Spider-Man which had been written, Jansons work as an inker and occasional penciler at Marvel Comics includes collaborations with John Romita Jr. on Wolverine, The Amazing Spider-Man and Black Panther. His other work includes Batman, Death and the Maidens, World War Hulk, Battlestar Galactica, Logans Run, in 2010, he inked Romita Jr. s pencils on The Avengers. and in 2014 the two artists collaborated on Superman. Janson is one of the artists on the The Dark Knight III, The Master Race which is co-written by Frank Miller, in 2015, Janson was the Guest of Honor at the 2015 Inkwell Awards live Awards Ceremony at HeroesCon
Klaus Janson
–
Janson at the
New York Comic-Con
43.
Ninja
–
A ninja or shinobi was a covert agent or mercenary in feudal Japan. The functions of the ninja included espionage, sabotage, infiltration, assassination and their covert methods of waging irregular warfare were deemed dishonorable and beneath the samurai-caste, who observed strict rules about honor and combat. Following the unification of Japan under the Tokugawa shogunate, the ninja faded into obscurity, a number of shinobi manuals, often based on Chinese military philosophy, were written in the 17th and 18th centuries, most notably the Bansenshukai. By the time of the Meiji Restoration, the tradition of the shinobi had become a topic of popular imagination, Ninja figured prominently in legend and folklore, where they were associated with legendary abilities such as invisibility, walking on water and control over the natural elements. As a consequence, their perception in popular culture is based more on such legend. Ninja is a reading of the two kanji 忍者. In the native kunyomi reading, it is pronounced shinobi. The word shinobi appears in the record as far back as the late 8th century in poems in the Manyōshū. The underlying connotation of shinobi means to steal away, to hide and — by extension — to forbear, hence its association with stealth and invisibility. Historically, the ninja was not in common use. Along with shinobi, some examples include monomi, nokizaru, rappa, kusa, in historical documents, shinobi is almost always used. Kunoichi, meaning a female ninja, supposedly came from the characters くノ一, in the West, the word ninja became more prevalent than shinobi in the post-World War II culture, possibly because it was more comfortable for Western speakers. In English, the plural of ninja can be either unchanged as ninja, reflecting the Japanese languages lack of grammatical number, despite many popular folktales, historical accounts of the ninja are scarce. Historian Stephen Turnbull asserts that the ninja were recruited from the lower class. Instead, war epics such as the Tale of Hōgen and the Tale of the Heike focus mainly on the aristocratic samurai, the title ninja has sometimes been attributed retrospectively to the semi-legendary 4th-century prince Yamato Takeru. In the Kojiki, the young Yamato Takeru disguised himself as a charming maiden, however, these records take place at a very early stage of Japanese history, and they are unlikely to be connected to the shinobi of later accounts. The first recorded use of espionage was under the employment of Prince Shōtoku in the 6th century, such tactics were considered unsavory even in early times, when, according to the 10th century Shōmonki, the boy spy Koharumaru was killed for spying against the insurgent Taira no Masakado. Later, the 14th century war chronicle Taiheiki contained many references to shinobi and it was not until the 15th century that spies were specially trained for their purpose
Ninja
–
Drawing of the archetypical ninja, from a series of sketches (
Hokusai manga) by
Hokusai.
Woodblock print on paper. Volume six, 1817.
Ninja
–
The word "ninja" in
kanji script
Ninja
–
Yamato Takeru dressed as a maidservant, preparing to kill the Kumaso leaders. Woodblock print on paper.
Yoshitoshi, 1886.
Ninja
–
The plains of
Iga, nested in secluded mountains, gave rise to villages specialized in the training of ninja.
44.
Mercenary
–
A mercenary is a person who takes part in an armed conflict who is not a national or party to the conflict and is motivated to take part in the hostilities by desire for private gain. Mercenaries fight for money or other recompense instead of fighting for ideological interests, in the last century, and as reflected in the Geneva Convention, mercenaries have increasingly come to be seen as less entitled to protections by rules of war than non-mercenaries. However, whether or not a person is a mercenary may be a matter of degree, Protocol Additional GC1977 is a 1977 amendment protocol to the Geneva Conventions. Article 47 of the protocol provides the most widely accepted definition of a mercenary, though not endorsed by some countries. The Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, a mercenary shall not have the right to be a combatant or a prisoner of war. All the criteria must be met, according to the Geneva Convention, according to the GC III, a captured soldier must be treated as a lawful combatant and, therefore, as a protected person with prisoner-of-war status until facing a competent tribunal. That tribunal, using criteria in APGC77 or some equivalent domestic law, may decide that the soldier is a mercenary. The only possible exception to GC IV Art 5 is when he is a national of the authority imprisoning him, if, after a regular trial, a captured soldier is found to be a mercenary, then he can expect treatment as a common criminal and may face execution. As mercenary soldiers may not qualify as PoWs, they cannot expect repatriation at wars end, the four mercenaries sentenced to death were shot by a firing squad on 10 July 1976. The legal status of civilian contractors depends upon the nature of their work, on 4 December 1989, the United Nations passed resolution 44/34, the International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries. It entered into force on 20 October 2001 and is known as the UN Mercenary Convention. Article 1 contains the definition of a mercenary, Article 1.1 is similar to Article 47 of Protocol I, however Article 1. – under Article 1.2 a person does not have to take a part in the hostilities in a planned coup détat to be a mercenary. Critics have argued that the convention and APGC77 Art,47 are designed to cover the activities of mercenaries in post-colonial Africa and do not address adequately the use of private military companies by sovereign states. While the United States governed Iraq, no U. S. citizen working as a guard could be classified as a mercenary because he was a national of a Party to the conflict. S. However, those who acknowledge the United States and other forces as continuing parties to the conflict might insist that U. S. armed guards cannot be called mercenaries. The laws of countries forbid their citizens to fight in foreign wars unless they are under the control of their own national armed forces. If a person is proven to have worked as a mercenary for any other country while retaining Austrian citizenship, in 2003, France criminalized mercenary activities, as defined by the protocol to the Geneva convention for French citizens, permanent residents and legal entities
Mercenary
–
Leonardo da Vinci 's Profilo di capitano antico, also known as il
Condottiero, 1480. Condottiero meant "leader of mercenaries" in Italy during the Late Middle Ages and the Renaissance.
Mercenary
–
Frederick Russell Burnham in Africa
Mercenary
–
European mercenaries in the Katanga, 1960s
Mercenary
–
Turkish mercenary in Byzantine service c. 1436
45.
The Comics Journal
–
The Comics Journal, often abbreviated TCJ, is an American magazine of news and criticism pertaining to comic books, comic strips and graphic novels. In 1976, Gary Groth and Michael Catron acquired The Nostalgia Journal, the publication was relaunched as The New Nostalgia Journal with issue No. 32, it became The Comics Journal, issue No.37 adopted a magazine format. In addition to interviews with comics industry figures, the Journal has always published criticism—and received it in turn. Starting in the early 2000s, the Journal published a series of annual specials combining its usual critical format with extended samples of comics from specially selected contributors,300, The Comics Journal ceased its semi-monthly print publication. TCJ shifted from an eight-times a year publishing schedule to a larger, more elaborate, over the years The Journal has been involved in a handful of lawsuits. Artist Rich Buckler attempted legal action for a review called him a plagiarist while printing his panels next to earlier. A Groth interview with science fiction writer Harlan Ellison sparked a lawsuit by writer Michael Fleisher, over a discussion of Fleishers work. Co-defendants Groth and Ellison won the case, but emerged from the suit estranged, the Journal has on occasion published, as cover features, lengthy court transcripts of comics-related civil suits. Notable instances include the Fleisher suit and Marv Wolfmans failed suit against Marvel Comics over ownership of the character Blade, the Journal features critical essays, articles on comics history and lengthy interviews, conducted by Gary Groth and others. Noteworthy interviews include Gil Kane in No,113, and Charles M. Schulz in #200. In 1995, publisher Gary Groth joked that his magazine occupied a niche that nobody wants, Gary Groth has been the Journals publisher and nominal editor for almost all of its existence. Staff members and regular contributors have included Kim Thompson, Greg Stump, Eric Millikin, Eric Reynolds, Ng Suat Tong, R. Fiore, guest contributors have included Dave Sim and Trina Robbins. 1987–1988, Thom Powers 1988–1989, Greg S. Baisden 1989–1990, Robert Boyd 1990–September 1991, Helena Harvilicz September 1991 –1993, to compile the list, eight contributors and editors made eight separate top 100 lists of American works. These eight lists were then combined, and tweaked into an ordered list. Krazy Kat topped the list, followed by Peanuts, Pogo, harvey Kurtzman had the most entries of any creator, five, his original run on Mad, his New Trend EC war comics, the 1959 Jungle Book graphic novel, his Hey Look. Gag cartoons, and the Goodman Beaver stories, among the controversial omissions to the Top 100 was Dave Sims Cerebus series. Sim and the Journal had periodically found themselves at odds in the preceding the lists formulation
The Comics Journal
–
Jay Lynch self-portrait for The Comics Journal No. 114 (February 1987)
46.
Martial arts
–
Although the term martial art has become associated with the fighting arts of eastern Asia, it originally referred to the combat systems of Europe as early as the 1550s. The term is derived from Latin, and means arts of Mars, Martial arts may be categorized along a variety of criteria, including, Traditional or historical arts vs. contemporary styles of folk wrestling and modern hybrid martial arts. Such traditions include eskrima, silat, kalaripayat, kobudo, and historical European martial arts, Many Chinese martial arts also feature weapons as part of their curriculum. Similarly, modern Western martial arts and sports include fencing, stick-fighting systems like canne de combat or singlestick. Combat-oriented Health-oriented Many martial arts, especially those from Asia, also teach side disciplines which pertain to medicinal practices and this is particularly prevalent in traditional Asian martial arts which may teach bone-setting, herbalism, and other aspects of traditional medicine. Spirituality-oriented Martial arts can also be linked with religion and spirituality, numerous systems are reputed to have been founded, disseminated, or practiced by monks or nuns. Throughout Asia, meditation may be incorporated as part of training, in those countries influenced by Hindu-Buddhist philosophy, the art itself may be used as an aid to attaining enlightenment. Japanese styles, when concerning non-physical qualities of the combat, are strongly influenced by Mahayana Buddhist philosophy. Concepts like empty mind and beginners mind are recurrent, aikido, for instance, can have a strong philosophical belief of the flow of energy and peace fostering, as idealised by its founder Morihei Ueshiba. Traditional Korean martial arts place emphasis on the development of the spiritual and philosophical development. A common theme in most Korean styles, such as taekkyeon and taekwondo, is the value of peace in a practitioner. The Koreans believe that the use of force is only justified through defense. Many such martial arts incorporate music, especially strong percussive rhythms, the oldest works of art depicting scenes of battle are cave paintings from Spain dated between 10,000 and 6,000 BCE that show organized groups fighting with bows and arrows. Chinese martial arts originated during the Xia Dynasty more than 4000 years ago and it is said the Yellow Emperor Huangdi introduced the earliest fighting systems to China. The Yellow Emperor is described as a general who, before becoming Chinas leader, wrote lengthy treatises on medicine, astrology. One of his opponents was Chi You who was credited as the creator of jiao di. The foundation of modern Asian martial arts is likely a blend of early Chinese, during the Warring States period of Chinese history extensive development in martial philosophy and strategy emerged, as described by Sun Tzu in The Art of War. Legendary accounts link the origin of Shaolinquan to the spread of Buddhism from India during the early 5th century AD, with the figure of Bodhidharma, to China
Martial arts
–
The martial art of
boxing was practiced in the ancient
Thera.
Martial arts
–
Pankratiasts fighting under the eyes of a judge. Side B of a
Panathenaic prize
amphora, c. 500 BC.
Martial arts
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Detail of the wrestling fresco in tomb 15 at
Beni Hasan.
Martial arts
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Bruce Lee and his teacher Yip Man.
47.
Stick (comics)
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Stick is a fictional American comic book character owned by Marvel Comics who appears in their shared Marvel Universe. Stick first appeared in Daredevil #176 and was created by Frank Miller, the mysterious Stick is a blind sensei who trained Matt Murdock. Stick has made it his mission to keep the Chaste pure and he forbade another of his prominent students, Elektra Natchios, from remaining in their ranks because of her vengeful personality, in spite of her formidable progress. Stick is quite punishing and arrogant with his charges and he encountered Wolverine in his feral state and brought him back to reasoning, in part because of continued battering from his bō and hard nosed advising. Eventually, the Hand sought to wipe out Stick and the warriors of the Chaste altogether. Stick thwarted an attempt by four Hand operatives, he then summoned the other members of his order to New York City. With the assistance of his clan, Stick defeated Kirigi, the Hands most lethal ninja at the time, the Hand regrouped and attacked Stick and his band of warriors that now included Daredevil and Daredevils former lover, Black Widow. The Hand had almost overpowered the small band of warriors, when Stick, unfortunately, the technique resulted in the explosion and deaths of Stick and his comrade as a result of the excess energy they had absorbed. Despite their losses and the escape of the superheroes, The Hand considered the destruction of their nemesis and leader of their enemy a victory, years later, the Hand again turned its attention to the leaderless Chaste, once again attempting to destroy them. This time they sought to prevent the Chastes members from locating the child that would bear Sticks reincarnated soul. The Hand severely crippled Sticks soldiers, reducing their number to a handful of warriors, the few Chaste remaining traveled to New York, seeking the assistance of Daredevil. Reluctantly, the Man Without Fear aided his former mentors disciples, once there, The Hand attacked the Chaste and Daredevil relentlessly. Fighting alongside Daredevil, the Chaste barely managed to escape and safeguard their masters reincarnated spirit, as part of All-New, All-Different Marvel, the Collector resurrects Stick to compete for him in the third iteration of the Contest of Champions. During the fourth battle, Stick secretly allies with the Sentry of Earth-1611. When their alliance is revealed, the two are vaporized by Punisher 2099s Molecular Disintegrator, while experimenting with the Iso-Sphere, the Maestro unintentionally brings Stick back in the form of an elderly Rick Jones. Stick is afterward shown back on Earth, where he forms a new team with Outlaw, Ares, Guillotine. The Ultimate Marvel version of Stick is introduced in the 3rd volume of Mark Millars Ultimate Avengers as someone who trained along with Matt Murdock, Blade, Shaft, and Stone by their mentor Anthony. Stick is later seen training a 13-year-old blind boy to be a new Daredevil after Murdocks death in the NY Ultimatum wave, Stick has been training Ray for weeks and is about to graduate, but is later bitten and turned into a vampire
Stick (comics)
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Stick
48.
Hand (comics)
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The Hand is a fictional supervillain organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Hand is an order of evil ninjas who are heavily involved in organized crime. The Hand covets power above all other objectives and they are primarily based in Japan, but operate internationally. They were founded in 1588 as a society of Japanese nationalist samurai but were soon co-opted by the Snakeroot. Murdock would eventually, after bitter battles, accept the offer of becoming the master of the Hand for a time. The Hand first appeared in Daredevil volume 1 #174 and was created by writer/artist Frank Miller, the story begins 800 years ago, in feudal Japan. Seeking autonomy from the class system of the time, a few citizens fled into the mountainous regions of Iga and Kōga. There they developed ninjitsu, a martial art perhaps inspired by Sun Tzus The Art of War. Over a period of centuries, they refined their art in secluded camps, students trained and practiced the art from birth, playing childrens games designed to impart expertise in unarmed combat, swordplay, weaponry, camouflage, escape, and evasion. Ninjitsu was also designed to encourage growth by pushing oneself physically and mentally beyond normal human limits. The ninja were experts in espionage and assassination, and offered their services to samurai warlords. Masters of every form of subterfuge, the ninja were the most efficient and deadly warriors on the face of the Earth, hearsay gave rise to the myth that ninja were the spawn of the Tengu, and that their divinity gave them extraordinary abilities. These myths were likely spread by the ninja themselves, however, it would seem that an ancient ninja clan known as the Snakeroot can and does trace their bloodline back to these demons. In 1588, Kagenobu Yoshioka became sensei of the Ishiyama Sword School located in the Japanese village of Kyushua, just as a hand has five fingers, members of the inner circle of the Hand were leaders of organizations which each operated from one of Japans five islands. Upon the mutinous murder of Yoshioka, the Snakeroot ninja clan took control of the Hand and corrupted it by imposing the cult of a known as The Beast. One of these black spells causes a Hand ninjas lifeless body to return to dust, unlike the other factions of ninja, this “new” Hand both worked as mercenaries and sought power themselves. The Hand sought dominance over all others, working for allies of convenience while seeking to eliminate their enemies, shortly upon joining HYDRA, Baron Strucker seized control of the organization from its Japanese founders and slowly steered the organization towards the goal of world domination. The Hand and HYDRA have nevertheless collaborated in numerous subversive or criminal conspiracies over the years, the Hand has survived into the early 21st century, still seeking power in various forms, and using their lethal skills and brutal methods
Hand (comics)
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Cover art for New Avengers #27. Art by
Leinil Yu.
49.
Assassination
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Assassination is the murder of a prominent person, often a political leader or ruler, usually for political reasons or payment. The word assassin is believed to derive from the word Hashshashin. It referred to a group of Nizari Shia Persians who worked against various Arab, founded by the Persian Hassan-i Sabbah, the Assassins were active in the fortress of Alamut in Iran from the 8th to the 14th centuries, and also controlled the castle of Masyaf in Syria. The group killed members of the Persian, Abbasid, Seljuq, the word for murder in many Romance languages is derived from this same root word. Assassination is one of the oldest tools of power politics and it dates back at least as far as recorded history. The Old Testament story of Judith illustrates how a woman frees the Israelites by tricking and assassinating Holofernes, a warlord of the rival Assyrians, with whom the Israelites were at war. King Joash of Judah was recorded as being assassinated by his own servants, Joab assassinated Absalom, King Davids son, chanakya wrote about assassinations in detail in his political treatise Arthashastra. His student Chandragupta Maurya, the founder of the Maurya Empire, later made use of assassinations against some of his enemies, other famous victims are Philip II of Macedon, the father of Alexander the Great, and Roman consul Julius Caesar. Emperors of Rome often met their end in this way, as did many of the Muslim Shia Imams hundreds of years later, the practice was also well known in ancient China, as in Jing Kes failed assassination of Qin king Ying Zheng in 227 BC. Whilst many assassination were performed by an individual or a small group, the earliest were the sicarii in 6 A. D. who predated the Middle Eastern assassins and Japanese ninjas by centuries. In the Middle Ages, regicide was rare in Western Europe, blinding and strangling in the bathtub were the most commonly used procedures. With the Renaissance, tyrannicide—or assassination for personal or political reasons—became more common again in Western Europe and this account is, however, contentious among historians, it being most commonly asserted that he died of natural causes. The myth of the Curse of King Zvonimir is based on the legend of his assassination, in 1192, Conrad of Montferrat, the de facto King of Jerusalem, was killed by an assassin. The reigns of King Przemysł II of Poland, William the Silent of the Netherlands, in Russia alone, two emperors, Paul I and his grandson Alexander II, were assassinated within 80 years. In the United Kingdom, only one Prime Minister of the United Kingdom has ever been assassinated—Spencer Perceval on May 11,1812. In the United States, within 100 years, four presidents—Abraham Lincoln, James Garfield, William McKinley, there have been at least 20 known attempts on U. S. presidents lives. Huey Long, a Senator, was assassinated in September of 1935, the Polish Home Army conducted a regular campaign of assassinations against top Nazi German officials in occupied Poland. Adolf Hitler, meanwhile, was almost killed by his own officers, indias Father of the Nation, Mohandas K. Gandhi, was shot to death on January 30,1948, by Nathuram Godse
Assassination
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The word "assassin" was derived from
Hasan-i Sabbah and his
Assassin's Order of Nizari Ismailism.
Assassination
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Assassination of King
Henry III of France
Assassination
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Assassination of King
Przemysł II of Poland
Assassination
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Assassination of President Abraham Lincoln; 1865 depiction. Assassin
John Wilkes Booth on the right.
50.
Bullseye (comics)
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Bullseye is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. A psychopathic assassin, Bullseye uses the opportunities afforded by his line of work to exercise his homicidal tendencies and his marksmanship is uncanny, at a nearly supernatural level, but he has been known to miss moving targets. In the Daredevil live-action film, the character is portrayed by actor Colin Farrell, Bullseye was 20th in IGNs list of the Top 100 Comic Book Villains of All Time, and 35th in their list of The Top 50 Avengers. Although created by Marv Wolfman and John Romita, Sr. the characters first appearance in Daredevil #131 features art by Bob Brown, Bullseyes real name and origins are unknown. He has used the name Benjamin Poindexter on several occasions, the miniseries Bullseye, Greatest Hits developed the characters back-story, but also revealed that some or all of it has been fabricated, probably by Bullseye himself. In this series, Bullseyes name was Leonard, following Civil War, Warren Ellis took over writing Thunderbolts and Bullseye became one of the core members of the new team line-up. As a member of the Dark Avengers, he has a role in the crossover Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-Men, Utopia. He appeared as a character in the Dark Avengers series from issue #1 through issue #16. Bullseye is killed by Daredevil in Shadowland #1, but is confirmed alive in issue #26 of the third Daredevil comic book series. Bullseye grew up in The Bronx, where he lived with his brother and his brothers main form of recreation was playing with rifles, leading Bullseye to become an expert shot. When he was 10 years old, his brother started a fire in their home in an attempt to kill their father. Shortly thereafter, Bullseye was placed in a home. Bullseye was a talented pitcher, and was offered a scholarship. After three games, he was called up to play a sold-out Major League game and he had surrendered no hits the entire game, and in the bottom of the ninth with two outs, he became bored and requested the coach pull him from the game. The coach refused, and insisted that he finish the game, the opposing teams batter mocked him, accusing him of cowardice. Bullseye threw the ball at his head, killing him, as the ball struck, he said only one word, Bullseye. He was barred from baseball and convicted of manslaughter. This is a retcon of an origin story from Elektra #2
Bullseye (comics)
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Bullseye Promotional art by
Mike Deodato
