1.
Midtown Comics
–
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
2.
New York Comic Con
–
The New York Comic Con is an annual New York City fan convention dedicated to comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, toys, movies, and television. It was first held in 2006, ReedPOP is involved with other events, including Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo and PAX Dev/PAX East/PAX Prime. ReedPop and New York Comic Con were founded by Greg Topalian, the first con was held in 2006 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. Due to Reed Exhibitions lack of experience with comic conventions, attendance was far more than anticipated, despite crowding on Friday afternoon, tickets continued to be sold due to low pre-reg numbers, and the non-counting of professionals and exhibitors. The main exhibition hall hit capacity Saturday morning and was locked by the marshals until people left. Major guests, including Kevin Smith and Frank Miller, could not enter the main hall, the line to enter the convention wrapped around the building with waits of two hours to enter, and many were turned away. Ticket sales for Sunday were suspended, Reed announced that additional space would be acquired for the 2007 show. The second con was held in 2007, with the convention organizer booking double the floor space than the previous years space, the show on Friday was again only open to industry and press until 4 p. m. when it opened to the public. Due to better planning, advance sales were controlled. Lines started forming at midnight Saturday to enter the convention, and by Saturday morning, crowding was a problem in the Artists Alley, which was off the main convention floor, causing it to be moved to the main floor for 2008. The American Anime Awards, hosted by New York Comic Con, was held on February 24 at the New Yorker Hotel, the third con held in 2008 moved to April, continued to grow, and occupied most of the main level in the Javits Center. Stan Lee was awarded the inaugural New York Comics Legend Award at the Times Square Virgin Megastore before the Comic Con, kids Day programming was added to the convention on Sunday with the help of Kidss Comic Con. The fourth con held in 2009 returned to February and featured a charity art auction to support The Hero Initiative, the New York Anime Festival, previously a separate event created by Reed, was also merged into Comic Con. The main floor of the center was split by a large construction area due to repairs to the Javits Center. Intel Extreme Masters Global Challenge – New York took place in Comic Con 2011 and it featured eSport tournaments for games such as StarCraft II, League of Legends, and Counter-Strike. In 2011, the convention was expanded to four days, the first day of the convention was initially limited to press, professionals, and fans that purchased a four-day pass. This changed in 2013, when single day Thursday passes were put on sale for the first time. With this addition, attendance at New York Comic Con grew to over 130,000, in 2016, it was announced that everyone attending NYCC2016 would be required to complete a Fan Verification profile
3.
Chicago Heights, Illinois
–
Chicago Heights is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 30,276 at the 2010 census. In earlier years, currently, it is nicknamed The Heights. Chicago Heights lies on the land of the Tinley Moraine. According to the 2010 census, Chicago Heights has an area of 10.083 square miles. The citys major crossroads are at Dixie Highway and Lincoln Highway, Chicago Heights is about 30 miles south of the Chicago Loop. As of the census of 2010, there were 30,276 people,9,587 households, the population density was 3,003.6 people per square mile. There were 11,060 housing units at a density of 1,097.2 per square mile. The racial makeup was 38. 0% White,41. 5% African American,0. 6% Native American,0. 4% Asian,0. 03% Pacific Islander,16. 6% some other race, and 2. 9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 33. 9% of the population,22. 1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8. 2% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.09, and the family size was 3.62. The population was out with 30. 7% under the age of 18,10. 6% from 18 to 24,26. 4% from 25 to 44,21. 8% from 45 to 64. The median age was 31.2 years, for every 100 females there were 95.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.6 males, for the period 2009–11, the estimated median annual income for a household in the city was $43,941, and the median income for a family was $46,463. Male full-time workers had an income of $35,695 versus $30,039 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,548, about 21. 3% of families and 26. 7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 39. 8% of those under age 18 and 10. 2% of those age 65 or over. Chicago Heights School District 170 operates eleven schools, with a student population of 3,600. In 1901, the Board of Education decreed that the day would run from 9,00 a. m. –12 noon. On July 30,1903, the first telephone in School District 170 was placed in the office of the Superintendent of Schools at a cost of $18 per year, in May 1907, School District 170 students collected money for victims of the San Francisco earthquake
4.
Hawkeye (comics)
–
Hawkeye is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Don Heck, the character first appeared as a villain in Tales of Suspense #57 and he has been a prominent member of the team ever since. He was also ranked at #44 on IGNs Top 100 Comic Book Heroes list, Hawkeye is portrayed by Jeremy Renner in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a shared fictional universe that is the setting of films produced by Marvel Studios. Renner first made an cameo appearance in Thor and later played a larger role in The Avengers, Avengers, Age of Ultron and Captain America. Hawkeye was introduced as a reluctant villain in Tales of Suspense #57, after two more appearances as a villain in Tales of Suspense #60 and #64, Hawkeye joined the ranks of the Avengers in Avengers Vol.1 #16. He became a member of the team and has made numerous appearances in all five volumes. Hawkeye was also part of the Avengers in Secret Wars #1–12, Hawkeye featured prominently in the limited series West Coast Avengers #1–4, before appearing in the ongoing title, which ran for 102 issues from October 1985–January 1994. The title was renamed Avengers West Coast from #46, Hawkeye also starred concurrently in almost every issue of Solo Avengers which ran for 40 issues from December 1987–January 1991. From 1998 to 2002, Hawkeye featured significantly in issues #20–75 and Annual #2000 of the title Thunderbolts, written by Kurt Busiek and Fabian Nicieza. He appeared as a character in Avengers Academy from issue #21 through its final issue #39 and as team leader in Secret Avengers from issue #22 through its final issue. Hawkeye appeared in Vol.2 of Secret Avengers by Nick Spencer, Hawkeye appeared as a regular character in the 2010-2013 Secret Avengers series, from issue #21.1 through its final issue #37. Hawkeye featured in the Marvel crossover event House of M and he later appeared in the New Avengers series from issues #26–64 plus New Avengers Annual #2 and Annual #3. Continuing as Ronin, the played a important part in the crossover event Secret Invasion #1–8. The company wide crossover event Dark Reign saw Hawkeye feature prominently in New Avengers, The Reunion #1–4 and Dark Reign and he later went on to feature in the Siege #1–4 crossover event. Hawkeye has appeared in solo adventures over the years. He appeared in Hawkeye Vol.1 #1–4, written by Mark Gruenwald, Hawkeye then appeared in Hawkeye Vol.2 #1–4 and Hawkeye, Earths Mightiest Marksman #1. In 2003, Hawkeye had a short lived on-going series, Hawkeye Vol.3, #1–8, writer Jim McCann and artist David Lopez had another unsuccessful attempt at an ongoing series with Hawkeye & Mockingbird #1–6. The series did however spin into two limited series, beginning with Widowmaker #1–4 and then Hawkeye, Blindspot #1–4, a fifth volume, entitled All-New Hawkeye, began in March 2015, written by Jeff Lemire with art by Ramon Perez
5.
The Invincible Iron Man
–
The Invincible Iron Man is an Eisner Award-winning comic book series written by Matt Fraction with art by Salvador Larroca, published by Marvel Comics and starring the superhero Iron Man. After issue #33 The Invincible Iron Man returned to its numbering with issue #500. It concluded with issue 527, succeeded by the Marvel NOW. -imprinted Iron Man series, Iron Man fights Ezekiel Stane, son of Obadiah Stane, who sought to avenge the death of his father by destroying Stark Industries. Ezekiel targets Stark by first becoming an international terrorist, using suicide bombers, also targeted by Stane is Triumph Division—a group of seven superheroes originating from The Philippines, who are killed by a suicide bomber. With his Extremis powers failing, Stark uploads a virus to all records of the Registration Act. The only copy remaining is in Starks brain, which he is trying to delete bit by bit while on the run in one of his extra armors. As Osborn has him hunted as a fugitive, Stark travels worldwide on his quest to wipe out his mental database, when Osborn personally catches up to the debilitated Stark and beats him savagely, Pepper Potts broadcasts the beatings worldwide, costing Osborn credibility and giving Stark public sympathy. Stark goes into a state, having previously granted Donald Blake power of attorney. During this catatonia, Pepper receives a message from Tony revealing a way to reboot his brain. While Donald Blake and Captain America resolve to use this method, Tony offers to remain in his near brain-dead state, if it would make things easier for Pepper. A message is displayed to Pepper by the armor in which Tony reveals there is a way to reboot his mind and he also says Osborn cannot copy his or S. H. I. E. L. D. Technology and that it will take Captain America, Thor, Donald Blake and Captain America decide to use it even though Pepper doubts Tony can come back when so many others cannot. Meanwhile, Madame Masque hires Ghost to kill Tony, in Starks subconscious, he is trapped in a never ending loop where machines attack when he attempts to dig for something before the scenario resets. In his subconscious, a hallucination of his parents help him find an iron chest which was what he was digging for and he puts it on but nothing happens. However, when it happens there is no result so Doctor Strange is called in to help Tony come back while Ghost arrives only to fail. Tonys brain is successfully rebooted, however, the point was sometime before the Civil War. Justine Hammer unleashes the mechanical hero Detroit Steel on a world not ready for that metal and chrome. Tony keeps sifting through the ashes of his old life and tries to rebuild who he is, War Machine struggled to be a man of war in peacetime
6.
The Immortal Iron Fist
–
The Immortal Iron Fist was a comic book series published by Marvel Comics and starring the superhero Iron Fist. The series was jointly by Ed Brubaker and Matt Fraction from issues #1-14 with artists Travel Foreman. Fraction wrote issues #15 and 16 alone, from issue #17 to the series cancellation at issue #27, the series was written by Duane Swierczynski and largely drawn by a returning Travel Foreman. Randall, living in drug-soaked seclusion, is pursued by agents of the Steel Serpent, the Steel Serpent, whose powers have been greatly augmented by Crane Mother, a ruler of another timeless city, quickly dispatches Randall in single combat. On the brink of death, Randall surrenders his Chi to Danny, after the battle, Rand is immediately summoned by his master, Yu-Ti. This issue focus on the life of Wu Ao-Shi, the first female Iron Fist who lived circa 1545 A. D. Summoned by Yu-Ti, Iron Fist has to compete in a tournament against champions from other cities, during the tournament, it is discovered that the leaders of the Seven Cities had secretly erected gateways between Earth and each city without the knowledge of the populace. The corruption of the leaders of the Seven Cities of Heaven has spurred Iron Fist, his master Lei Kung the Thunderer, Orson Randalls daughter, and the Prince of Orphans to secretly plan a revolution. Meanwhile, Crane Mother and Xao, a high-ranking HYDRA operative, are planning to destroy Kun-Lun by using a portal to deliver a full of explosives to the city. With the help of the other Immortal Weapons, Danny destroys the train by extending his chi to find the trains electro-magnetic field, meanwhile, the revolution orchestrated by Lei Kung and Orsons daughter proves successful, with Nu-an, the Yu-Ti of Kun Lun fleeing in terror. As Danny confronts Xao, he reveals that there is a city of Heaven. In the aftermath, Steel Serpent surrenders, seeking to redeem himself to the people of Kun-Lun, Danny suggests Lei Kung as the new Yu-Ti, with Orsons nameless daughter as the new Thunderer. This issue focus on the life of Bei Bang-Wen, the Iron Fist that fought the English during the Second Opium War, with Dannys 33rd birthday approaching, the investigation on the existence of the Eight City continues. Danny decides to transform Rand Inc. into a non-profit organization and he also discovers that almost every previous Iron Fist died at the age of 33. Soon afterward Danny is attacked by a servant of ChI-Lin, Zhou Cheng, Iron Fist is rescued by Luke, Misty and Colleen as Zhou Cheng prepares to slay Danny. The Chl-Lin Assassin targets the Thunder Dojo next, but Danny manages to defeat him with the help of the Immortal Weapons, the Immortal weapons embark on a hunt for Cheng, while Danny attempts to learn about his new adversary. He soon learns that Orson Randall was only able to escape Cheng by addicting himself to heroin, thus damping his chi and leaving Cheng unable to track him. While searching for a way to defeat Cheng in the Book of the Iron Fist, Danny discovers that his assistant, Nadine, is an accomplice to Cheng, Iron Fist manages to defeat Cheng even in his weakened state
7.
Casanova (comics)
–
Casanova is an American creator-owned comic book series by writer Matt Fraction and artists Gabriel Bá and Fábio Moon. It was first published by Image Comics and premiered in June 2006 in the Slimline format of 16 pages of story per issue, beginning in 2011, it was published by Marvel Comics Icon imprint, and in 2014 the series moved back to Image. The series centers upon renowned thief Casanova Quinn, who gets blackmailed into being a pawn, the first issue was cover dated June 2006 and published in the Slimline format of 16 pages of story per issue, sold at the reduced price of $1.99. A collection of the first seven issues is titled Casanova Volume 1, at the beginning of the first issue, Casanova Cass Quinn works as a freelance thief and espionage artist who has turned his back on the rest of the Quinn family. Casanova is the sheep in the family and only makes contact with his father when his sister is killed during a mission - they meet again. This Xeno, however, reveals that Casanovas actually been transplanted into a parallel timeline - moving from Timeline 909 to Timeline 919 - where Casanova was the dead E. M. P. I. R. E. Agent and the very much alive Zephyr is the bad girl thief working for W. A. S. T. E. The morally ambivalent Casanova is drawn into a game where he appears as his own dead counterpart to work both sides of the W. A. S. T. E. /E. M. P. I. R. E. Casanova is forced to undertake missions and counter-missions, such as removing a former E. M. P. I. R. E. Agent who is the ruler of a sex island, or killing David X, a magician whose stunts could lead to his being seen as a messiah. At the end of the volume, Cass manages to free of Newman Xenos control and with his newly acquired team. Operating out of a giant Japanese World War II era robot, also subtitled as When Is Casanova Quinn. Casanovas team have a new mission, to stop a new aircraft powered by the mysterious H-Element. The book then skips forward 2 years, with a masked E. M. P. I. R. E, agent fighting the plane, now a reality. The plane is piloted by a blue-skinned multi-armed woman called Sasa Lisi, Sasa Lisi is from the future, and an agent of M. O. T. T. Who claims not only to be a lover of Casanovas from the future, elsewhere, Zephyr has returned, and is working with Kubark Benday, son of the head of X. S. M. and potential future love interest. Kaito mourns the death of Ruby, who he does not elect to revive. Cornelius and the race toward X. S. M. s island, where Xeno
8.
Uncanny X-Men
–
Uncanny X-Men, originally published as The X-Men, is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics since 1963, and is the longest-running series in the X-Men comics franchise. It features a team of superheroes called the X-Men, a group of mutants with superhuman abilities led, the title was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, met with a lukewarm reception, and was eventually cancelled in 1970. Interest was rekindled with 1975s Giant-Size X-Men and the debut of a new, initially published bi-monthly, it became a monthly with issue #14. The series was placed firmly in the Marvel Universe, with guest appearances by Namor in #6, the jungle adventure hero Ka-Zar and the Savage Land were introduced in issue #10. Roy Thomas wrote the series from #20 to #44, Thomas and artist Werner Roth created the Banshee in #28. The X-Men #45 featured a crossover with The Avengers #53, after a battle with the Hulk in issue #66, the title ceased publishing original material and featured reprints in issues #67 through #93. X-Men was relaunched in May 1975 with Giant-Size X-Men #1, by Len Wein, the title featured a new, international, team consisting of Cyclops, Banshee, Sunfire and Wolverine, along with new characters Storm, Nightcrawler, Colossus and Thunderbird. The original plan was to continue Giant-Size X-Men as a quarterly, chris Claremonts first issue as writer, #94, had all the original X-Men leave, along with Sunfire, Thunderbird was killed in #95. Moira MacTaggert, an ally of the X-Men, and later to be established as a former fiancée of Xavier. Marvel Girl became the Phoenix in issue #101 and this was followed by the first Shiar space opera story. Cockrum was replaced as penciller by John Byrne as of #108, Byrne became co-plotter, and during his run the series became a monthly title again. In 2010, Comics Bulletin ranked Claremont and Byrnes run on The X-Men second on its list of the Top 10 1970s Marvels. The Dark Phoenix Saga in 1980 led to a change in the line-up of the team, with the death of Phoenix, and Cyclops leaving the team to mourn for her. Comics writers and historians Roy Thomas and Peter Sanderson observed that The Dark Phoenix Saga is to Claremont and Byrne what the Galactus Trilogy is to Stan Lee and it is a landmark in Marvel history, showcasing its creators work at the height of their abilities. The new teenage mutant Kitty Pryde was introduced in #129 and joined the X-Men in #139, the Dazzler, a disco-singing, roller-skating mutant, was introduced in #130, but did not join the team, instead headlining her own solo title. Byrne plotted the story wanting to depict the Sentinels as a threat to the existence of the mutant race. Mystiques Brotherhood changed sides and became the government-backed Freedom Force in #199 and their first action was to capture Magneto, who had begun associating with the X-Men during the Secret Wars II crossover. Magneto surrenders himself, but escapes after his trial is abandoned, the Morlocks, a group of disfigured mutants living underneath New York City, were introduced in #169
9.
Kelly Sue DeConnick
–
Kelly Sue DeConnick is an American comic book writer and editor and English-language adapter of manga. She is currently writing her creator-owned series Pretty Deadly and Bitch Planet for Image Comics, kelly Sue DeConnicks first published comic book story was a five-page text story published in CSI, Crime Scene Investigations – Dominos #5. She wrote the Osborn limited series in 2011 which was drawn by Emma Ríos and she was nominated for an Eisner Award for Best Writer in 2014 for her Pretty Deadly series. In response to the announcement of a Captain Marvel movie, DeConnick said I feel so proud of her, like Carol is this person who lives in my head, and It feels like a friend just got a promotion. Kelly Sue DeConnick was raised on various United States Air Force bases and first became interested in comic books, DeConnick is married to fellow comic book writer Matt Fraction with whom she has two children, Henry Leo and Tallulah Louise. She has stated that she is an alcoholic, with sixteen years of sobriety as of May 2016. DeConnick was to be a guest at Dundrum International Comics Expo in 2012, an associated Irish comic news site published a report which referred to her only in relation to her partner. This became the subject of a meme, largely on Twitter, with fans. Following the attention, the website amended their listings, at a 2013 convention panel, she stated that I am willing to make people uncomfortable so that my daughter doesn’t have to. Following up in a 2014 interview, she explained I dont think its a goal to make people uncomfortable. Its something Im willing to do, I do purposefully try to push myself out of my comfort zone. Which is fairly cliché, but one of those clichés that got there for a reason. (written by Kathryn Immonen and drawn by Stuart Immonen, in #7,2012 Untitled Untitled Captain Marvel vol.8 Volume 1, Higher, Further, Faster, More collects, Higher, Further, Faster, More. Vol. 1–4 Demon Diary Vol. 1–7 Descendants of Darkness Vol. 1–3 Despotic Lover Vol. 1–4 Doubt
10.
Americans
–
Americans are citizens of the United States of America. The country is home to people of different national origins. As a result, Americans do not equate their nationality with ethnicity, although citizens make up the majority of Americans, non-citizen residents, dual citizens, and expatriates may also claim an American identity. See Names for United States citizens. S, virgin Islands and Northern Mariana Islands in the 20th century. It also includes influences of African-American culture, westward expansion integrated the Creoles and Cajuns of Louisiana and the Hispanos of the Southwest and brought close contact with the culture of Mexico. Large-scale immigration in the late 19th and early 20th centuries from Southern and Eastern Europe introduced a variety of elements, immigration from Asia, Africa, and Latin America has also had impact. A cultural melting pot, or pluralistic salad bowl, describes the way in which generations of Americans have celebrated and exchanged distinctive cultural characteristics, in addition to the United States, Americans and people of American descent can be found internationally. As many as seven million Americans are estimated to be living abroad, the United States of America is a diverse country, racially, and ethnically. Some other race is also an option in the census and other surveys, people of European descent, or White Americans, constitute the majority of the 308 million people living in the United States, with 72. 4% of the population in the 2010 United States Census. They are considered people who trace their ancestry to the peoples of Europe, the Middle East. Of those reporting to be White American,7,487,133 reported to be Multiracial, with largest combination being white, additionally, there are 29,184,290 White Hispanics or Latinos. Non-Hispanic Whites are the majority in 46 states, there are four minority-majority states, California, Texas, New Mexico, and Hawaii. In addition, the District of Columbia has a non-white majority, the state with the highest percentage of non-Hispanic White Americans is Maine. The largest continental ancestral group of Americans are that of Europeans who have origins in any of the peoples of Europe. This includes people via African, North American, Caribbean, Central American or South American and Oceanian nations that have a large European diaspora, the Spanish were the first Europeans to establish a continuous presence in what is now the United States. Martín de Argüelles born 1566, San Agustín, La Florida, was the first person of European descent born in what is now the United States. Twenty-one years later, Virginia Dare born 1587 Roanoke Island in present-day North Carolina, was the first child born in the Thirteen Colonies to English parents. 8% of the total population, Hispanic or Latino Americans constitute the largest ethnic minority in the United States. They form the second largest group after non-Hispanic Whites in the United States, hispanic/Latino Americans are very racially diverse, and as a result form an ethnic category, rather than a race
11.
Comic book writer
–
A script is a document describing the narrative and dialogue of a comic book in detail. It is the comic book equivalent of a television program teleplay or a film screenplay. In comics, a script may be preceded by a plot outline, there are no prescribed forms of comic scripts, but there are two dominant styles in the mainstream comics industry, the full script and the plot script. For decades, this was the format for books published by DC Comics. Peter David described his application of the full script method, I break down each page on a panel by panel basis and label them as PANEL A, PANEL B. Then I describe whats in each panel, and then do the dialogue, I designate the panels with letters and the word balloons with numbers so as to minimize confusion for the letterer. In a plot script the artist works from a synopsis from the writer, rather than a full script. The artist creates page-by-page plot details on his or her own, Comics historian Mark Evanier writes that this new means of collaboration. Was born of necessity—Stan was overburdened with work—and to make use of Jacks great skill with storylines, sometimes Stan would type up a written plot outline for the artist. As comic-book writer-editor Dennis ONeil describes, the Marvel method, requires the writer to begin by writing out a plot and add words when the penciled artwork is finished. So a Marvel Method plot can run from a couple of paragraphs to something much longer, the Marvel method was in place with at least one artist by early 1961, as Lee described in 2009 when speaking of his and Ditkos short, five-page filler strips. Id dream up odd fantasy tales with an O. Henry type twist ending, all I had to do was give Steve a one-line description of the plot and hed be off and running. Hed take those skeleton outlines I had given him and turn them into classic little works of art that ended up being far cooler than I had any right to expect. In a variation of the script, attributed to Harvey Kurtzman. The artist then fleshes out the roughs onto full-size art board, writer/artists Frank Miller and Jeff Smith favor this style, as did Archie Goodwin. Attributed to William Gaines, the EC Style is similar to the Kurtzman Style, except the writer submits a tight plot to an artist, who breaks it down into panels that are laid out on the art board. The writer writes all captions and dialogue, which are pasted inside these panels and this laborious and restrictive way of creating comics is no longer in general use, the last artist to use even a variation of EC Style was the late Jim Aparo. Glossary of comics terminology Script breakdown Screenwriting Storyboard
12.
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
13.
Image Comics
–
Image Comics is an American comic book publisher. It was immediately successful, and remains one of the largest comic book publishers in North America and its output was originally dominated by superhero and fantasy series from the studios of the Image partners, but now includes comics in many genres by numerous independent creators. Its best-known series include Spawn, Savage Dragon, Witchblade, The Darkness, Invincible, The Walking Dead, Saga, in the early 1990s, comics creators Erik Larsen, Rob Liefeld, and Jim Valentino had dinner with Malibu Comics editor-in-chief Dave Olbrich. Malibu was a small but established publishing company sympathetic to creator-ownership and these and several other freelance illustrators doing popular work for Marvel Comics were growing frustrated with the companys work for hire policies and practices. In December 1991, a group of these illustrators approached Marvel president Terry Stewart and demanded that the company give them ownership, accounts vary as to whom this group included, but it is generally accepted that Todd McFarlane and Liefeld were among its leaders. Marvel did not meet their demands and this development was nicknamed the X-odus, because several of the creators involved were famous for their work on the X-Men franchise. Marvels stock fell $3. 25/share when the news became public, Images organizing charter had two key provisions, Image would not own any creators work, the creator would. No Image partner would interfere – creatively or financially – with any other partners work, Image itself would own no intellectual property except the company trademarks, its name and its logo, which was designed by writer Hank Kanalz. Each Image partner founded his own studio, which published under the Image banner but was autonomous from any central editorial control. The first Image comic books to arrive in stores were Liefelds Youngblood, Larsens The Savage Dragon, McFarlanes Spawn, and Lees WildC. A. T. s. Within a few months, the Image titles success led to Malibu having almost 10% of the North American comics market share, by the beginning of 1993, Images financial situation was secure enough to publish its titles independently, and it left Malibu. Some of the founders came to resemble separate publishers, each with several ongoing series set in a shared universe. These included Sam Kieth, Dale Keown, Jae Lee, and the team of Kurt Busiek, Brent Anderson, later, some established self-published series also moved to Image, such as Jeff Smiths Bone and Colleen Dorans A Distant Soil. The partners had little business or management experience, and many series quickly fell behind their intended publishing schedule, comparing them to vaporware, one reader reported that 17 of the 36 delayed items in his December 1992 order were from Image. In response, retailers cut orders to reduce their risk and this significantly hurt the studios, which were each responsible for their own cash flow and profitability. Image had become the third-largest comics publisher in North America, exceeded only by long-established industry leaders Marvel, disagreements between partners began to develop. Silvestri withdrew Top Cow from Image in 1996, protesting that Liefeld was recruiting artists from his studio, the other five partners discussed ousting Liefeld from the company, and Liefeld resigned in September 1996, giving up his share of the company. Silvestri subsequently returned Top Cow to Image, wildstorms Cliffhanger imprint, established in 1998, was a commercial success, launching high-selling creator-owned properties by Humberto Ramos, J. Scott Campbell, Joe Madureira, and others
14.
Batman (comic book)
–
Batman is an ongoing American comic book series featuring the DC Comics hero of the same name. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27, Batman proved to be so popular that a self-titled ongoing comic book series began publication with a cover date of Spring 1940. It was first advertised in early April 1940, one month after the first appearance of his new sidekick, Robin, the original series ended in 2011 and was relaunched with a new first issue. Using the end of the New 52 initiative as a launching point, Batman #1 was the debut bimonthly relaunch of the comic book series. The character of Batman made his first appearance in the pages of Detective Comics #27 in May 1939, in Spring of 1940, Batman #1 was published and introduced new characters into Batmans pantheon, most notably those of Catwoman and Batmans eventual nemesis, the Joker. Alfred Pennyworth, the Wayne family butler, was introduced in issue #16, editor Whitney Ellsworth assigned a Batman story to artist Dick Sprang in 1941. Anticipating that Bob Kane would be drafted to serve in World War II, Sprangs first published Batman work was the Batman and Robin figures on the cover of Batman #18, reproduced from the art for page 13 of the later-published Detective Comics #84. Like all Batman artists of the time, Sprang went uncredited as a ghost artist for Kane, villains which debuted during this early era included the Mad Hatter in issue #49 and Killer Moth in issue #63. Bill Finger and Moldoff introduced Ace the Bat-Hound in #92, the early part of the era known to comics fans and historians as the Silver Age of Comic Books saw the Batman title dabble in science fiction. New characters introduced included Mr. Freeze and Betty Kane, the original Bat-Girl, in 1964, Julius Schwartz was made responsible for reviving the faded Batman titles. He jettisoned the sillier aspects that had crept into the series such as Ace the Bathound and Bat-Mite, schwartzs first issue of the Batman title was #164 which was written by France Edward Herron and drawn by Sheldon Moldoff. The Riddler returned after an absence in #171. Among the new villains introduced during this period was Poison Ivy in #181, in the 1960s, Batman comics were affected by the popular Batman television series, with campy stories based on the tongue-in-cheek premise of the series. After the Batman television programs influence had died down, writer Frank Robbins and artist Irv Novick sent Dick Grayson off to attend college, in 1971, writer Dennis ONeil and artist Neal Adams came aboard the title and re-infused it with the darker tones of the 1940s. ONeil and Adams introduced a new villain named Ras al Ghul, ONeil said his work on the Batman series was simply to take it back to where it started. I went to the DC library and read some of the early stories, I tried to get a sense of what Kane and Finger were after. Issues #254 to #261 of the series were in the 100 Page Super Spectacular format, the series reached its 300th issue with a June 1978 cover date and featured a story by writer David Vern Reed and artists Walt Simonson and Dick Giordano. Julius Schwartz ended his tenure as editor of the series with issue #309, marv Wolfman briefly wrote Batman and co-created the Electrocutioner in issue #331
15.
Peanuts
–
Peanuts is a syndicated daily and Sunday American comic strip written and illustrated by Charles M. Schulz, which ran from October 2,1950, to February 13,2000, continuing in reruns afterward. The comic strip is the most popular and influential in the history of comic strips, with 17,897 strips published in all, making it arguably the longest story ever told by one human being. At its peak, Peanuts ran in over 2,600 newspapers, with a readership of 355 million in 75 countries and it helped to cement the four-panel gag strip as the standard in the United States, and together with its merchandise earned Schulz more than $1 billion. Reprints of the strip are still syndicated and run in almost every U. S. newspaper, the strip focuses entirely on a social circle of young children, where adults exist but are never seen or heard. The main character, Charlie Brown, is meek, nervous and he is unable to fly a kite, win a baseball game, or kick a football. Peanuts is one of the strips with philosophical, psychological. The strips humor is psychologically complex, and the characters interactions formed a tangle of relationships that drove the strip, the holiday specials remain popular and are currently broadcast on ABC in the U. S. during the corresponding seasons. The Peanuts franchise met acclaim in theatre, with the stage musical Youre a Good Man, Charlie Brown being a successful, in 2013, TV Guide ranked the Peanuts television specials the fourth Greatest TV Cartoon of All Time. A computer-animated feature film based on the strip, The Peanuts Movie, was released on November 6,2015, Peanuts had its origin in Lil Folks, a weekly panel comic that appeared in Schulzs hometown paper, the St. Paul Pioneer Press, from 1947 to 1950. He first used the name Charlie Brown for a character there, the series also had a dog that looked much like the early 1950s version of Snoopy. In 1948, Schulz sold a cartoon to The Saturday Evening Post which published 17 single-panel cartoons by Schulz, the first of these was of a boy sitting with his feet on an ottoman. In 1948, Schulz tried to have Lil Folks syndicated through the Newspaper Enterprise Association, Schulz would have been an independent contractor for the syndicate, unheard of in the 1940s, but the deal fell through. Lil Folks was dropped in early 1950, later that year, Schulz approached the United Feature Syndicate - also operated by Scripps-Howard - with his best work from Lil Folks. When his work was picked up by United Feature Syndicate, they decided to run the new comic strip he had working on. This strip was similar in spirit to the comic, but it had a set cast of characters. The name Lil Folks was too close to the names of two comics of the time, Al Capps Lil Abner and a strip titled Little Folks. To avoid confusion, the settled on the name Peanuts. Peanuts was a title Schulz always disliked, in a 1987 interview, Schulz said of the title Peanuts, Its totally ridiculous, has no meaning, is simply confusing, and has no dignity—and I think my humor has dignity
16.
Doonesbury
–
The name Doonesbury is a combination of the word doone and the surname of Charles Pillsbury, Trudeaus roommate at Yale University. Doonesbury is written and pencilled by Garry Trudeau, then inked and lettered by an assistant, Sunday strips are colored in by George Corsillo. A daily strip through most of its existence, since February 2014, Doonesbury has run repeat strips Monday through Saturday, Doonesbury began as a continuation of Bull Tales, which appeared in the Yale University student newspaper, the Yale Daily News, from 1968 to 1970. It focused on campus events at Yale. Doonesbury proper debuted as a strip in twenty-eight newspapers on October 26,1970. A Sunday strip began on March 21,1971, many of the early strips were reprints of the Bull Tales cartoons, with some changes to the drawings and plots. BDs helmet changed from having a Y to a star, Mike and BD started Doonesbury as roommates, they were not roommates in Bull Tales. Doonesbury became known for its social and political commentary, as of the mid-2010s, it is currently syndicated in approximately 1,400 newspapers worldwide. In May 1975, Doonesbury became the first daily strip to win a Pulitzer Prize. In 1977, Trudeau wrote a script for a 26-minute animated special, A Doonesbury Special, the special was first broadcast by NBC on November 27,1977. It won a Special Jury Award at the Cannes International Film Festival for best short film, voice actors for the special included Barbara Harris, William Sloane Coffin, Jr. Jack Gilford and Will Jordan. Also included were two songs sung by the character Jimmy Thudpucker, entitled Stop in the Middle and I Do Believe, label, and Jimmy Thudpuckers Greatest Hits, an LP released by Windsong Records, John Denvers subsidiary of RCA Records. Trudeau took a 22-month hiatus, from January 1983 to October 1984, before the break in the strip, the characters were eternal college students, living in a commune together near Walden College, which was modeled after Trudeaus alma mater, Yale. During the break, Trudeau helped create a Broadway musical of the strip, the Broadway adaptation opened at the Biltmore Theatre on November 21,1983, and played 104 performances. Elizabeth Swados composed the music for Trudeaus book and lyrics, the strip resumed some time after the events in the musical, with further changes having taken place after the end of the musicals plot. Mark was living in Washington, DC, working for National Public Radio, michael and J. J. had gotten married, and Mike had dropped out of business school to start work in an advertising agency in New York City. Zonker, still not ready for the world, was living with Mike. Prior to the hiatus, the characters had aged at the tectonically slow rate standard for comic strips
17.
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
18.
Crisis on Infinite Earths
–
It was produced by DC Comics to herald a simplification of its then 50-year-old narrative continuity. The series was written by Marv Wolfman and illustrated by George Pérez, Mike DeCarlo, Dick Giordano, the series removed the multiverse concept from the fictional DC Universe, depicting the death of long-standing characters Supergirl and the Barry Allen incarnation of the Flash. Continuity in the DC Universe is divided into pre-Crisis and post-Crisis periods and it inspired the titles of four DC crossover series, Zero Hour, Crisis in Time. Infinite Crisis, Final Crisis, and Convergence, before Crisis on Infinite Earths was published, DC storylines had many continuity problems, no characters backstory was entirely consistent and reliable. DCs oldest superhero, Superman, could not originally fly, his strength came from evolving on a planet with stronger gravity than Earths and he was later depicted flying, with his powers explained as deriving from Earths yellow sun. Supermans history later incorporated his exploits as Superboy, more Krypton survivors were introduced, contradicting the original premise that Superman was the sole survivor of Kryptons destruction. Issues also arose about the age of some characters, batman retained his youth and vitality well into the 1980s despite his World War II heroism, and his sidekick Robin took over 30 years in real time to graduate from high school. Characters such as the Flash, the Atom and Green Lantern appeared in conflicting storylines, with differing origins, the biggest perceived problem was DCs vast array of parallel Earths. Beginning as a story in Flash #123, the Silver Age version of the Flash met his Golden Age counterpart. Marv Wolfman and Len Wein saw Crisis as a chance to clean up DCs convoluted continuity, the term Crisis denoted an inter-dimensional crossover, similar to the annual Justice League–Justice Society crossovers that began with Crisis on Earth-One. Early in planning, a list was made of characters that were part of the DC Universe, the crossover was fleshed out and coordinated at a meeting attended by president Jenette Kahn, Paul Levitz, vice president and executive editor Dick Giordano and DCs editors. According to writer Steve Gerber, Crisis on Infinite Earths got virtually no promotion, how many handouts did you see. How many posters did you see in peoples windows, how much information was really distributed to the press and how much was gotten just by individual reporters going to Marv Wolfman and George Pérez. Despite this the series was successful, renewing interest in the books and attracting readers with the slogan. During a lull in the war the villains unite under Brainiac, the Anti-Monitor tries to use an antimatter cannon to penetrate the limbo universe and destroy the five partially merged Earths. The Flash dies stopping this attempt, a furious Anti-Monitor vows to travel back through time to prevent the creation of the multiverse. The villains fail, and Krona continues his experiment, the five Earths merge into a single shared universe, and the superheroes return to the present, only those present at the dawn of time remember the original realities. A cosmically empowered Anti-Monitor attacks again, transporting the new Earth to the antimatter universe and he falls in a carefully planned counterattack culminating in a battle with Kal-L, Alexander Luthor of Earth-Three and Superboy of Earth-Prime, with help from New Gods adversary Darkseid
19.
Spider-Man
–
Spider-Man is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko, when Spider-Man first appeared in the early 1960s, teenagers in superhero comic books were usually relegated to the role of sidekick to the protagonist. Marvel has featured Spider-Man in several book series, the first. In the 2010s, he joins the Avengers, Marvels flagship superhero team, Spider-Mans nemesis Doctor Octopus also took on the identity for a story arc spanning 2012–2014, following a body swap plot in which Peter appears to die. Spider-Man is one of the most popular and commercially successful superheroes, the character was first portrayed in live action by Nicholas Hammond in the 1977 television movie Spider-Man. Reeve Carney starred as Spider-Man in the 2010 Broadway musical Spider-Man, in 1962, with the success of the Fantastic Four, Marvel Comics editor and head writer Stan Lee was casting about for a new superhero idea. He said the idea for Spider-Man arose from a surge in demand for comic books. At that time Lee had to get only the consent of Marvel publisher Martin Goodman for the characters approval, in a 1986 interview, Lee described in detail his arguments to overcome Goodmans objections. In particular, Lee stated that the fact that it had already decided that Amazing Fantasy would be cancelled after issue #15 was the only reason Goodman allowed him to use Spider-Man. While this was indeed the issue, its editorial page anticipated the comic continuing. Will appear every month in Amazing, regardless, Lee received Goodmans approval for the name Spider-Man and the ordinary teen concept, and approached artist Jack Kirby. Lee and Kirby immediately sat down for a conference, Theakston writes. Steve Ditko would be the inker, when Kirby showed Lee the first six pages, Lee recalled, I hated the way he was doing it. Not that he did it badly—it just wasnt the character I wanted, Lee turned to Ditko, who developed a visual style Lee found satisfactory. Ditko recalled, One of the first things I did was to work up a costume, a vital, visual part of the character. I had to know how he looked, for example, A clinging power so he wouldnt have hard shoes or boots, a hidden wrist-shooter versus a web gun and holster, etc. I wasnt sure Stan would like the idea of covering the characters face and it would also add mystery to the character. Although the interior artwork was by Ditko alone, Lee rejected Ditkos cover art, as Lee explained in 2010, I think I had Jack sketch out a cover for it because I always had a lot of confidence in Jacks covers
20.
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (Marvel Comics)
–
Joe, A Real American Hero is a comic book that was published by Marvel Comics from 1982 to 1994. Joe, A Real American Hero line of military-themed toys, the series has been credited for making G. I, joe was also the first comic book to be advertised on television, in what has been called a historically crucial moment in media convergence. Hama wrote the series spontaneously, never knowing how a story would end until it was finished, while most stories involved the G. I. Joe Team battling against the forces of Cobra Command, an evil terrorist organization, many focused on the relationships. Joe was Marvels top-selling subscription title in 1985, and was receiving 1200 fan letters per week by 1987, the series has been credited with bringing in a new generation of comic book readers, since many children were introduced to the comic book medium through G. I. Joe, and later went on to other comics. The comic book has been re-printed several times, and also translated in multiple languages, in addition to direct spin-offs of the comic book, several revivals and reboots have been published throughout the 2000s. In the early 1980s, Hasbro noted the success of Kenner Products Star Wars action figures, joe, A Real American Hero with 3.75 inches scale action figures rather than the traditional 12 inches scale. Hasbro also decided that they wanted the new figures to have a back story, in 1981, Hasbro CEO Stephen Hassenfeld and Marvel Comics President Jim Galton met by coincidence at a charity fundraiser and Hassenfeld shared Hasbros plans for the G. I. Galton offered Marvels services as consultants, and Hassenfeld agreed to allow Marvel attempt to design a concept for G. I. An existing Marvel Universe property combining military and science fiction genre elements, as Hama tells it, he got the job of writing for the series because Marvel had asked every other available creator to write it and no one else would. Unable to find other writing work, he said that, If they had asked me to write Barbie, I would have done that. Soon after this, Hasbro hosted a meeting with Hama, Jim Shooter, Tom DeFalco, Archie Goodwin and it was at this meeting that Goodwin suggested the idea of Cobra Command as a recurring enemy for G. I. Prior to this, Hasbro had not considered giving G. I, based on the results of this meeting, Hasbro contracted Marvel to produce a comic book series featuring the toys. The first issue was published in June 1982, containing two stories, both of which were written by Hama. The first story, Operation, Lady Doomsday, was drawn by Herb Trimpe, who drew most of the issues and also wrote issue #9. This issue introduced many concepts of the G. I. Joe universe, such as the Joes having a base under a motor pool, the issue also introduced two recurring villains, Cobra Commander and the Baroness
21.
Charlotte, North Carolina
–
Charlotte /ˈʃɑːrlət/ is the largest city in the state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Mecklenburg County and the second-largest city in the southeastern United States, just behind Jacksonville, Charlotte is the third-fastest growing major city in the United States. In 2014 the estimated population of Charlotte according to the U. S. Census Bureau was 809,958, the Charlotte metropolitan area ranks 22nd-largest in the U. S. and had a 2014 population of 2,380,314. The Charlotte metropolitan area is part of a sixteen-county market region or combined statistical area with a 2014 U. S. Census population estimate of 2,537,990, residents of Charlotte are referred to as Charlotteans. It is listed as a global city by the Globalization. Charlotte Douglas International Airport is an international hub, and was ranked the 23rd-busiest airport in the world by passenger traffic in 2013. Charlotte has a subtropical climate. The city is located several miles east of the Catawba River and southeast of Lake Norman, Lake Wylie and Mountain Island Lake are two smaller man-made lakes located near the city. The Catawba Native Americans were the first to settle Mecklenburg County and were first recorded in European records around 1567, by 1759 half the Catawba tribe had been killed by smallpox. At the time of their largest population, Catawba people numbered 10,000, Mecklenburg County was initially part of Bath County of New Hanover Precinct, which became New Hanover County in 1729. The western portion of New Hanover split into Bladen County in 1734, Mecklenburg County formed from Anson County in 1762. Further apportionment was made in 1792, with Cabarrus County formed from Mecklenburg and these areas were all part of one of the original six judicial/military districts of North Carolina known as the Salisbury District. The area that is now Charlotte was settled by people of European descent around 1755, Thomas Polk, who later married Thomas Spratts daughter, built his house by the intersection of two Native American trading paths between the Yadkin and Catawba rivers. One path ran north–south and was part of the Great Wagon Road, within decades of Polks settling, the area grew to become Charlotte Town, incorporating in 1768. The crossroads, perched atop the Piedmont landscape, became the heart of Uptown Charlotte, in 1770, surveyors marked the streets in a grid pattern for future development. The east–west trading path became Trade Street, and the Great Wagon Road became Tryon Street, in honor of William Tryon, the intersection of Trade and Tryon—commonly known today as Trade & Tryon, or simply The Square—is more properly called Independence Square. While surveying the boundary between the Carolinas in 1772, William Moultrie stopped in Charlotte Town, whose five or six houses were very ordinary built of logs, local leaders came together in 1775 and signed the Mecklenburg Resolves, more popularly known as the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence. While not a declaration of independence from British rule, it is among the first such declarations that eventually led to the American Revolution
22.
Heroes Convention
–
Heroes Convention, or HeroesCon, is a comic book convention that takes place in June in Charlotte, North Carolina. The convention has been held since 1982 and is one of the oldest and largest independent comic book conventions in the United States, the convention has a history of charitable work, donating to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and the Charlotte Firefighters Burned Childrens Fund. HeroesCon is organized by Shelton Drum, owner of Heroes Arent Hard To Find, HeroesCon focuses primarily on comic books, almost to the exclusion of TV, movies, and video games seen at most other major so-called comic book conventions. Along with panels, seminars, and workshops with comic book professionals, HeroesCon features hours of programming on all aspects of comic books. HeroesCon features a large floorspace for exhibitors including comic-book dealers and collectibles merchants, like most comics conventions, the show includes an autograph area, as well as areas where comics artists sign autographs and sell or do free sketches. Annual events include the Quickdraw Contest, in which artists create drawings on the spot for prizes, and an art auction. Shelton Drum had been running an event called the Charlotte Mini-Con, a event held at Eastland Mall, since 1977. The 1984 convention featured Stan Lee as its guest of honor, due to a death in Drums family, the event was not held in 1986. Joe Quesada has appeared at the convention frequently since 1992, first as an artist, george Pérez has also been a frequent guest of the show over the years. Since 1995, the convention has taken place at the Charlotte Convention Center, the 1995 edition attracted 9,000 attendees, and featured guest Todd McFarlane, who signed over 2,000 autographs at the show. The 1998 show was the first stop on the Trilogy Tour II, which included Jeff Smith, Charles Vess, Linda Medley, Mark Crilley, Jill Thompson, and Stan Sakai. In 2005, HeroesCon debuted Indie Island, a section of the dedicated to alternative, independent. The 2010 show hosted the ceremonies of the comic-themed art show Super. The Fine Art of Comics, on display at the Charlotte gallery Twenty-Two, the 2012 Heroes Convention — the 30th anniversary show— was held June 22–24 and featured special guest Stan Lee. In 2005, Wizard Entertainment announced that it would be holding a book convention in Atlanta from June 30–July 2,2006. As a result of the outcry, many comic book creators, including Warren Ellis, Bryan Hitch, Greg Rucka, Tony Harris, Scott Kurtz, Gaijin Studios and Art Adams, in mid-August 2005, Wizard announced that it would be pushing back their Atlanta convention until 2007
23.
IDW Publishing
–
IDW Publishing is an American publisher of comic books, graphic novels, art books and comic strip collections. The company was founded as the division of Idea and Design Works. The company is perhaps best known for its comic book adaptations of movies. In 2000, Idea and Design Works formed its publishing division, IDW Publishing and in 2007, Two of the original founders, Adams and Robbins, still actively manage the company, which has grown into a fully staffed publishing company. In 2007, IDT Corporation purchased a majority interest in IDW, in 2009, IDT created CTM Media Holdings via a tax-free spin-off. This new company, later renamed IDW Media Holdings, consists of the majority interest in IDW, IDW Publishings second title, Popbot, won two Gold Spectrum Awards. IDW Publishing also publishes comics based on the TV franchises Star Trek, the company has also had success with comic license from toy company Hasbro brands, The Transformers, G. I. Joe, My Little Pony and Jem, Transformers has had as many as five different titles running concurrently. An additional six-part limited series titled Doctor Who, The Forgotten started in mid-2008 by Tony Lee and Pia Guerra, as well as a series of monthly one-shot, self-contained stories. July 2009 saw the beginning of Doctor Who, a series featuring the Tenth Doctor, written by Tony Lee. In 2010, IDW Publishing released the sequel to Michael San Giacomos Phantom Jack Image Comics series with Phantom Jack, the graphic novel is notable because it features the death of the main character, a reporter who can turn invisible. IDW Publishing formed an imprint with EA Games in late 2009, called EA Comics, to focus on adaptations of the video games, with initial titles including Army of Two. Code Word, Geronimo reached #22 on Diamond Comics top 100 list its first month after release, in March 2012 IDW Publishing announced it would release new comics based on Judge Dredd and The Crow. Also in 2012, Hasbro licensed the use of My Little Pony, in February 2013, IDW Publishing announced a partnership with Cartoon Network to publish comics based on the networks television series and reprint older Cartoon Network comics. On January 6,2015, IDW Publishing announced it had acquired Top Shelf Productions. I, joe comics license in May 2008 and released three new series under editor Andy Schmidt, from writers such as Chuck Dixon, Larry Hama and Christos Gage. Other comics were released in time to tie-in with the summer 2009 G. I, in March 2009, IDW Publishing forged an agreement with Mike Golds Comicmix. com to publish print versions of Comicmixs online comic books. The agreement stipulates Comicmix must provide two comic books a month to IDW Publishing to publish, as well as graphic novels, the books are published with both the IDW Publishing and Comicmix. com logos on the covers. A collection of Mundens Bar stories original to Comicmixs website is also forthcoming, in 2004,2005 and 2006 IDW Publishing was named Publisher of the Year by Diamond Comic Distributors
24.
Comic Book Resources
–
Comic Book Resources, also known as CBR, is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book-related news and discussion. Other columns are published by comic book historians and critics such as George Khoury and Timothy Callahan. On April 4,2016, Jonah Weiland announced that Comic Book Resources had been sold to Valnet Inc. a company that is known for its acquisition, the site was relaunched as CBR. com on August 23,2016 with the blogs integrated into the site. Comic Book Idol, also known as CBI, is a comic book art competition created and hosted by comics writer J. Torres. Inspired by the singing contest American Idol, CBI is a five-week and these invited comic book professionals comment on the artists work in each round. The contestants to move on to subsequent rounds are selected by fans who vote in a weekly poll, patrick Scherberger won CBI1 and has since worked on a number of Marvel Comics titles like Marvel Adventures, Spider-Man, Marvel Adventures, Hulk and GeNext. Jonathan Hickman was the runner-up in CBI1 and went on to work for Virgin Comics, Image Comics, carlos Rodríguez won CBI2 and went on to work on Shadowhawk for Image and Batman and the Outsiders for DC Comics. Billy Penn also competed in CBI2 and went on to work on Savage Dragon, joe Infurnari, another CBI2 contestant, went on a couple of titles from Oni Press, including Wasteland and Borrowed Time, as well as on the back-up feature of Jersey Gods with Mark Waid. Dan McDaid, writer and artist on various Doctor Who comics for Panini and IDW and Jersey Gods for Image Comics, as well as strips for DC Comics, nick Pitarra competed in CBI3 and went on to do work for Marvel Comics on books such as Astonishing Tales. Charles Paul Wilson III, artist on The Stuff of Legend, the University at Buffalos research library described Comic Book Resources as the premiere comics-related site on the Web. Comics writer Mark Millar has stated that he reads the site every morning after reading the Financial Times,1999, Won the Favourite Comics-Related Website Eagle Award. 2000, Won the Favourite Comics-Related Website Eagle Award,2001, Won the Favourite Comics-Related Website Eagle Award. 2004, Nominated for the Favourite Comics-Related Website Eagle Award,2005, Nominated for the Favourite Comics-Related Website Eagle Award. 2006, Nominated for the Favourite Comics-Related Website Eagle Award,2007, Nominated for the Favourite Comics Related Website Eagle Award. 2008, Nominated for the Favourite Comics-Related Website Eagle Award,2009, Won the Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism Eisner Award. 2010, Won the Favourite Comics-Related Website Eagle Award,2011, Won the Favourite Comics-Related Website Eagle Award. 2011, Won the Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism Eisner Award,2013, Won the Best Biographical, Historical or Journalistic Presentation Harvey Award. 2014, Won the Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism Eisner Award, in 2014, the site found itself at the center of a debate around the harassment of women trying to participate in the online comics community
25.
Joe Casey
–
Joe Casey is an American comic book writer. He has worked on such as Wildcats 3.0, Uncanny X-Men, The Intimates, Adventures of Superman. As part of the comics creator group Man of Action Studios, starting his professional writing career at Marvel Comics, Casey wrote for several titles, including Cable, The Incredible Hulk and Uncanny X-Men. Casey wrote many titles for Wildstorm, like the highly experimental Automatic Kafka with artist Ashley Wood, Casey took over Wildcats and gave the series a new direction, moving it from the superhero genre to incorporate elements of corporate espionage. He wrote a Mister Majestic series with artist Ed McGuiness, after which they collaborated on Adventures of Superman. Casey wrote 2005s Avengers, Earths Mightiest Heroes limited series and its sequel for Marvel Comics, since 2001 Casey has produced creator-owned work through Image Comics, including Gødland, Codeflesh, Nixons Pals, Charlatan Ball, Doc Bizarre, M. D. Officer Downe. He also wrote a revamp of the original Youngblood miniseries by Rob Liefeld, as well as discussing the ending of Gødland, Charlatan Ball and Nixons Pals, he mentioned that Codeflesh would be returning. Casey was featured in a 2006 documentary about the 1990s comic boom, Casey is a member of the Man of Action collective of creators, who created the series Ben 10, currently airing on Cartoon Network. They also created the show Generator Rex, which ran for two seasons on Cartoon Network. They are producers/story editors on the shows Ultimate Spider-Man and Marvels Avengers Assemble airing on Disney XD, Casey also co-created the animated property Disco Destroyer with Scott Mosier and Jim Mahfood. His brief return to DC also included a run on Superman/Batman. His next work for Image Comics, with Mike Huddleston on art duties, was Butcher Baker, The Righteous Maker. The critically acclaimed series ended with issue #8, which was published on August 15,2012, ten months after issue #7, Huddleston further explained that he apologized to Casey and to fans for the delay. That same year, Casey debuted the six-issue Marvel miniseries Vengeance, the hardcover collection was released in December 2012. A film called Officer Downe, based on Caseys comic, is in development. H. I. E. L. D. Percival Chang Still Waters Run Deep Mr. Majestic, Cosmology collected as Mr.0, Year One collects, another Sunny Delight Proto-Plastic Party Amplified Now Far Beyond the Bang Gøødbye, Divine. D. I. Joe, Americas Elite collected as, The Newest War The Ties That Bind In Sheeps Clothing Zen Intergalactic Ninja #0, The Almighty Unexpected AiT/Planet Lar, Studios, The Black Plague Pirate Tales, The Walk What Were They Thinking
26.
Ed Brubaker
–
Ed Brubaker is an American comic book writer and cartoonist. Brubakers first early comics work was primarily in the fiction genre with works such as Lowlife, The Fall, Sandman Presents, Dead Boy Detectives. He later became known for writing superhero comics such as Batman, Daredevil, Captain America, Catwoman, Uncanny X-Men and he has won an Eisner Award on six separate occasions. At Caliber, he edited the anthology series Monkey Wrench. In 1991, he began contributing stories to the Dark Horse Comics anthology series Dark Horse Presents. Among those contributions was the three part serial An Accidental Death, a collaboration with artist Eric Shanower, which garnered the two a 1993 Eisner Award nomination, in 1997, he began to publish his cartoonist work through the small press publisher Alternative Comics. In the one-off At the Seams, a triangle is explored through three stories which each depict a different participants point-of-view. The comic was a 1997 Ignatz Award nominee for Outstanding Graphic Novel or Collection and his other work for Alternative Comics, the humorous and experimental Detour No. 1, was to be the first issue of a series, Detour was nominated for the Best New Series Harvey Award in 1998. The Fall, a novel that was written by Brubaker and illustrated by Berlin creator Jason Lutes was published by Drawn. This work had previously been anthologized in five parts in Dark Horse Presents in 1998, the story involved a convenience store clerk who gets involved in a ten-year-old murder mystery after he uses a stolen credit card. In 2004 IDW Publishing announced that Brubaker and artist Sean Phillips would collaborate on a creator owned pirate series titled Black Sails for them. That series has not yet published and The Fall remained the last independent comic book work by Brubaker until his work for Image Comics. Predating Brubakers Alternative Comics work by two years, Vertigo Visions, Prez, Smells Like Teen President was Brubakers first work for one of the two major American comic book publishers. Published by DC Comics mature readers imprint Vertigo, the comic was a political satire which revamped an obscure 1970s Joe Simon creation. Brubaker worked with his An Accidental Death collaborator, artist Eric Shanower, a slacker detective story set in San Francisco, the series was critically acclaimed and the first to gain Brubaker attention from Hollywood producers. In late 2000, Brubaker signed a contract with DC Comics. That same year, he began to do his first mainstream super-hero work and he would continue to work on various series starring the Batman character until late 2003 including such story arcs as Bruce Wayne, Murderer. and Bruce Wayne, Fugitive
27.
Thor (Marvel Comics)
–
Thor is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He has starred in several ongoing series and limited series, and is a member of the superhero team the Avengers. The character has appeared in associated Marvel merchandise including animated television series, clothing, toys, trading cards, video games. The character was first portrayed in action by Eric Allan Kramer in the 1988 television movie The Incredible Hulk Returns. Thor placed 14th on IGNs list of Top 100 Comic Book Heroes of All Time in 2011, a different version of the mythological Thor had appeared previously in Venus #12-13. Lee in 2002 described Thors genesis early in the Marvel pantheon, following the creation of the Hulk and it finally came to me, Dont make him human — make him a god. I decided readers were already pretty familiar with the Greek and Roman gods and it might be fun to delve into the old Norse legends. In a 1984 interview Kirby said I did a version of Thor for D. C. in the fifties before I did him for Marvel. I created Thor at Marvel because I was forever enamored of legends, which is why I knew about Balder, Heimdall, I tried to update Thor and put him into a superhero costume, but he was still Thor. And in a 1992 interview, Kirby said knew the Thor legends very well, I felt that might be a new thing for comics, taking the old legends and modernizing them. Subsequent stories of the 13-page feature The Mighty Thor continued to be plotted by Lee, various artists penciled the feature, including Jack Kirby, Joe Sinnott, Don Heck, and Al Hartley. With Journey into Mystery #101, the series began a long and definitive run by writer and co-plotter Lee, Lee and Kirby included Thor in The Avengers #1 as a founding member of the superhero team. The character has appeared in every subsequent volume of the series. The five-page featurette Tales of Asgard was added in Journey into Mystery #97, the feature itself expanded to 18 pages in #105, which eliminated the remaining anthological story from each issue, it was reduced to 16 pages five issues later. Comics historian Les Daniels noted that the adventures of Thor were gradually transformed from stories about a superhero into a spectacular saga. Artist Chic Stone, who inked several early Thor stories, observed that Kirby could just lead you through all these different worlds, the readers would follow him anywhere. Journey into Mystery was retitled Thor with issue #126, Tales of Asgard was replaced by a five-page featurette starring the Inhumans from #146–152, after which featurettes were dropped and the Thor stories expanded to Marvels then-standard 20-page length. Marvel filed for a trademark for The Mighty Thor in 1967, after Kirby left the title, Neal Adams penciled issues #180-181
28.
Iron Man 2
–
Directed by Jon Favreau and written by Justin Theroux, the film stars Robert Downey Jr. Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell, Mickey Rourke, and Samuel L. Jackson. Following the successful release of Iron Man in May 2008, Marvel Studios announced, in July of that same year Theroux was hired to write the script, and Favreau was signed to return and direct. Downey, Paltrow and Jackson were set to reprise their roles from Iron Man, in the early months of 2009, Rourke, Rockwell and Johansson filled out the supporting cast, and filming took place from April to July of that year. Like its predecessor the film was mostly in California, except for a key sequence in Monaco. Iron Man 2 premiered at the El Capitan Theatre on April 26,2010, the film received generally positive reviews and was commercially successful, grossing over $623.9 million at the worldwide box office. The DVD and Blu-ray were released on September 28,2010, the third installment of the Iron Man series, Iron Man 3, was released on May 3,2013. In Russia, the media covers Tony Starks disclosure of his identity as Iron Man, Ivan Vanko, whose father Anton Vanko has just died, sees this and begins building a miniature arc reactor similar to Starks. Six months later, Stark is a superstar and uses his Iron Man suit for peaceful means and he reinstitutes the Stark Expo to continue his father Howards legacy. The palladium core in the arc reactor that keeps Stark alive and powers the armor is slowly poisoning him, Stark competes in the Monaco Historic Grand Prix, where he is attacked in the middle of the race by Vanko who wields electrified whips. Stark dons his Mark V armor and defeats Vanko, but the suit is severely damaged, Vanko explains his intention was to prove to the world that Iron Man is not invincible. Impressed by Vankos performance, Starks rival, Justin Hammer, fakes Vankos death while breaking him out of prison, during what he believes is his final birthday party, Stark gets drunk while wearing the Mark IV suit. Disgusted, U. S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes dons Starks Mark II prototype armor, the fight ends in a stalemate, so Rhodes confiscates the Mark II for the U. S. Air Force. Approaches Stark, revealing Rushman to be Agent Natasha Romanoff and that Howard Stark was a S. H. I. E. L. D. Fury explains that Vankos father jointly invented the arc reactor with Stark, the Soviets sent Anton to the gulag. Fury gives Stark some of his fathers old material, a message in the diorama of the 1974 Stark Expo proves to be a diagram of the structure of a new element. With the aid of his computer J. A. R. V. I. S, when he learns Vanko is still alive, he places the new element in his arc reactor and ends his palladium dependency. At the Expo, Hammer unveils Vankos armored drones, led by Rhodes in a weaponized version of the Mark II armor. Stark arrives in the Mark VI armor to warn Rhodes, Hammer is arrested while Romanoff and Starks bodyguard Happy Hogan go after Vanko at Hammers factory
29.
Fear Itself (comics)
–
It is the first company-wide crossover event since 2008s Secret Invasion. The story, whose title is a reference to the quote by Franklin D. Roosevelt. Within the comics, the characters refer to this conflict as The Serpents War, although it is a company-wide crossover, it emphasizes Captain America and Thor, as with past crossovers of the late 2000s. Fear Itself began as a proposed Captain America/Thor crossover by Matt Fraction, another god of fear, the adolescent Phobos, who is a member of the Secret Warriors, also appears in the series. The related titles include the X-Men family of books, with the exception of X-Factor, the Fear Itself prologue book, which was published in March 2011, features Captain America and Namor, and is produced by writer Ed Brubaker and artist Scot Eaton. Fear Itself #1 is priced at $3.99 USD, and was projected to be about 45 pages long, according to Brevoort, Brevoort also indicated that the final issue would also be oversized, as is typical with such event miniseries. Writers Greg Pak, Fred Van Lente and editor Mark Paniccia later held a signing at the store on June 18 for Alpha Flight #1. A 12-issue, biweekly spinoff miniseries of Fear Itself titled The Fearless, shattered Heroes is part of Battle Scars, a rebranding of the Marvel Universe books most affected by Fear Itself. In Fear Itself, Book of the Skull, the Red Skull performs a ritual during World War II, on orders of Adolf Hitler, traveling to Antarctica, the Red Skull finds the hammer but is unable to lift it. Red Skull has Adolf Hitlers Thule Society seal it away and put it under their guard, many years later, Red Skulls daughter Sin, with the help of Baron Zemo, retrieves the Book of the Skull that contains the location of the hammer. She then frees the Serpent from his prison, after which seven celestial objects fall from the sky around the globe. Learning of the Serpents escape, Odin withdraws his people from Earth against the protests of his son Thor, the seven celestial objects are revealed to be divine hammers that contain the essences of the Serpents seven generals known as the Worthy. Along with Skadi, the Worthy go on an all over the Earth for the Serpent. Among their targets are Washington, D. C. and the New York City superhuman prison known as the Raft, during their battle in Washington, D. C. Skadi mortally wounds the current Captain America, James Bucky Barnes, in Asgard, Odin prepares his people to raze Earth completely in order to destroy the Serpent. Thor opposes this, and returns to Earth, Thor then fights the transformed Thing, Angrir, and Hulk, Nul, simultaneously, killing Angrir and knocking Nul half way around the world, after which Thor collapses from exhaustion. Iron Man requests from Odin the use of his workshop to make weapons to fight the Worthy, Skadi and the Serpent easily repel resistance by Captain America and the Avengers, breaking Captain Americas shield and devastating New York City. As Thor convalesces in Asgard, Odin gives him his own battle armor, Iron Man and the dwarves of Svartalfheim present eight newly forged weapons, each designed for a specific Avenger and containing both his repulsor technology and uru
30.
Limited series (comics)
–
In the field of comic books, a limited series is a comics series with a predetermined number of issues. A limited series differs from a series in that the number of issues is finite and determined before production. The term is used interchangeably with miniseries and maxiseries, usually depending on the length. In Dark Horse Comics definition of a series, This term primarily applies to a connected series of individual comic books. A limited series refers to a book series with a clear beginning, middle. Dark Horse Comics and DC Comics refer to limited series of two to eleven issues as miniseries and series of issues or more as maxiseries. The limited series has a story to tell. It follows the standard plot set-up of beginning, middle, usually, all plot points are covered by the end of the series. There have been limited series done in a format. Limited series are often done by a creative team, but in cases where there are changes. The number of issues is determined by some combination of the writers plotting. In 1979, in the process of recovering from the DC Implosion, publisher DC Comics experimented with a new format in the World of Krypton miniseries, as DC termed such short-run works. The new format allowed the company to tell stories that may not have fit into a series and to showcase characters into a short story without the risk. With the success of the format, DC followed by experimenting with longer stories. Debuting in 1982, Camelot 3000 was the first limited series to run to twelve issues, DC coined the term maxiseries as a promotional description for this. It did not take long for other publishers to begin using the limited-series format, Marvel Comics used it to feature popular characters from team titles and put them in solo adventures. Wolverines earliest solo adventures were told in limited series, crossovers were introduced in limited series form before the concept of multi-title crossovers was conceived. Contest of Champions brought forth the idea of an event affecting the Marvel Universe
31.
Defenders (comics)
–
The Defenders is a set of fictional superhero groups with fluctuating membership appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They are usually presented as a non-team of individualistic outsiders who, the team often battles mystic and supernatural threats. Its original incarnation was led by Doctor Strange and included Hulk, Namor and they first appeared as the Defenders in Marvel Feature #1. The group had a rotating line-up from 1972 until 1986, with Dr, the publication was retitled near the end of the run as The New Defenders but featured none of the original members and only Valkyrie, the Beast and the Gargoyle of the former long-term members. The concept was modified in the 1993–95 series Secret Defenders, in which Dr. Strange assembled different teams for each individual mission, the original team was reunited in a short-lived 2001 series by Kurt Busiek and Erik Larsen. In 2005 Marvel published a miniseries featuring the classic line-up by J. M. DeMatteis, Keith Giffen. In December 2011 writer Matt Fraction and artist Terry Dodson launched a Defenders series with a mixture of classic and new members, which lasted for 12 issues. A TV miniseries titled The Defenders is scheduled to premiere in 2017 on Netflix, with the team consisting of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, the origin of the Defenders lies in two crossover story arcs by Roy Thomas prior to the official founding of the team. The first, in Doctor Strange #183, Sub-Mariner #22, and The Incredible Hulk #126 occurred when the Dr. Strange series was canceled and the storyline was completed in another series. Dr. Strange teams with Sub-Mariner then the Hulk to protect the Earth from invasion by Lovecraftian interplanar beings known as the Undying Ones and their leader, barbara Norriss, later the host of the Valkyrie, first appears in this story. The Defenders first appeared as a feature in Marvel Feature #1, due to the popularity of their tryout in Marvel Feature, Marvel soon began publishing The Defenders. Valkyrie was introduced to the team in issue #4, writer Steve Englehart has stated that he added the Valkyrie to the Defenders to provide some texture to the group. Englehart wrote The Avengers–Defenders War crossover in The Avengers #116–118 and The Defenders #9–11, len Wein briefly wrote the series and introduced such characters as Alpha the Ultimate Mutant and the Wrecking Crew. He later became the editor for several issues, Steve Gerber first worked on the characters in Giant-Size Defenders #3 and became the writer of the main title with issue #20 the following month. He wrote the series until issue #41, part of Gerbers oeuvre was reviving forgotten characters, he brought back three pre-Marvel characters, the Headmen, as well as the Guardians of the Galaxy. The Defenders met Gerbers Howard the Duck in Marvel Treasury Edition #12, in 2010, Comics Bulletin ranked Gerber and Sal Buscemas run on The Defenders first on its list of the Top 10 1970s Marvels. David Anthony Krafts run as writer included The Scorpio Saga and the Xenogenesis, Kraft later recalled that reactions to the storys off-beat humor were polarized, readers were either wildly enthusiastic or absolutely and very utterly appalled. Kraft and artist Ed Hannigan explained some of the Valykries backstory in The Defenders #66–68, steven Grant wrote a conclusion to Steve Gerbers Omega the Unknown series in two issues of The Defenders, at the end of which most of the original series characters were killed
32.
Terry Dodson
–
Terrence Terry Dodson is an American comic book artist and penciller. He is best known for his work on such as Harley Quinn, Trouble, Marvel Knights Spider-Man, Wonder Woman. His pencils are usually inked by his wife Rachel Dodson, who is a comic book inker, Dodson began his illustration career in 1991 at Revolutionary Comics, drawing issues of Rock N Roll Comics that featured illustrated bios of performers like Rod Stewart and others. He first came to prominence as the artist on Malibu Comics Ultraverse title Mantra in 1993. He co-created the character with writer Mike W. Barr, in early 1996, he drew a four issue Storm mini series, which was written by Warren Ellis, inked by Karl Story and published by Marvel Comics. Later that same year this creative team reunited for another X-Men-related limited series - the 3 issue Pryde and Wisdom title, starring Kitty Pryde, in 1998, he became regular penciller of Marvels Generation X, where he remained until 2000. In 2000, Dodson left Marvel for DC Comics where he pencilled a Harley Quinn ongoing series written by Karl Kesel and he left the title a year later. Dodson returned to Marvel in 2002 to draw Spider-Man and the Black Cat, The Evil that Men Do, in 2003, Dodson and writer Mark Millar produced a controversial limited series titled Trouble, which was published through Marvels Epic Comics imprint. The series which was aimed at a teenage girl audience, featured suggestive photo covers of girls in bikinis. In 2004, Dodson and Millar reteamed to launch a new ongoing Spider-Man series and they left after a 12-issue arc. Dodson provided covers and interior art for DC Comics 2006 relaunch of Wonder Woman and he has also completed the first volume of Songes, Coraline, a comic strip which is edited and published in France and Spain. Dodson is currently serving as the artist for Uncanny X-Men, a position he shares with artist Greg Land, Dodson and Land will be changing places on the titles regular art duties with Land drawing the first arc and Dodson doing the next one and so on. This is on purpose so Dodson has the time to working on another Songes, Coraline volume. His first official stint as regular Uncanny X-Men artist began with issue #504, in 2014, General Mills enlisted the help of DC Comics to create new designs for its monster-themed cereals in time for Halloween. The designs, revealed on August 6, consisted of a Count Chocula design by Dodson, a Boo Berry design by Jim Lee, legends of the DC Universe #10-11, Folie a Deux Gen¹³ #66, Meanwhile. Harley Quinn #1-7, 10-12, 14-19 Silver Age, Pawns of the Invincible Immortal,3, #1-4, Annual #1, 8-9, 14-17 Teen Titans, Earth One Volume 1 Age of Apocalypse, Factor X #3-4 X-Universe #2 X-Men Chronicles X-Men Prime Daredevil, vol. 2, #40, Trial of the Century, Part Three The Defenders,1, #433, Over the Edge Princess Leia, vol. H. I. X. #1 Generation X #37,41, 46-47,51,58, 61-62, Marvel #25 Captain Marvel #4 Young X-Men #1-7 Secret Invasion, X-Men #1-4 Daredevil v2 #111 Uncanny X-Men #520,522, 526-529 X-Men, Legacy #226-227 What If. com
33.
Marvel NOW!
–
Marvel NOW. is a comic book branding for the relaunch of several ongoing comic books published by Marvel Comics, that originally debuted in October 2012 with new #1 issues. The relaunch also included some new titles, including Uncanny Avengers, publishing changes included new creative teams for each of the titles and the in-universe changes included changes to character designs and new storylines. It marked the stage of the Marvel ReEvolution initiative, which began in March 2012. The original run went through several waves before coming to an end in May 2015 at the start of the Secret Wars storyline, a second Marvel NOW. debuted in 2016 following the Civil War II storyline. Marvel Comics first announced the launch of Marvel NOW. in July 2012, Marvel Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso described it as the next chapter in the ongoing saga of the Marvel Universe. Marvel Chief Creative Officer Joe Quesada stressed that unlike DC Comics The New 52, it is not a reboot, in March 2013, Alonso announced that Marvel would be launching a new wave of Marvel NOW. titles, dubbed Wave Two, in the summer of that year. Alonso stated, There are plans for a Marvel NOW, Wave 2—a new wave of titles that will generate the same amount of excitement amongst retailers and fans that the first wave did. From Uncanny Avengers to Thanos Rising, Marvel NOW. has been a hit, look for exciting new series, starting in July and carrying through next year. It was announced a week later that Avengers A. I. would be the first of new titles. These entry issues will be branded as. NOW issues, for example, Avengers #24 was billed as Avengers #24. NOW. Several new series, such as Inhuman and All-New Invaders were also announced, the three series are, Miles Morales, Ultimate Spider-Man, Ultimate FF, and All-New Ultimates. In July 2014, Marvel announced that a wave, Avengers NOW. would launch in October. The wave focuses exclusively on solo titles for individual Avengers, Marvel NOW. officially ended in May 2015 at the start of the Secret Wars storyline, which saw the end of the Marvel Universe. Following the conclusion of Secret Wars, the universe is scheduled to be relaunched again in All-New All-Different Marvel and we did Marvel NOW. and All-New Marvel NOW. which were both two very successful campaigns. In May 2016, Marvel announced the return of Marvel NOW. following the conclusion of the Civil War II storyline and that just becomes a condition of these big event stories, what is it at the end that changes the landscape. On 13 December 2012, a special Marvel NOW. category was featured on the quiz show. A costume based on the Marvel NOW. title Indestructible Hulk was made available in the game Marvel Super Hero Squad Online in November 2012
34.
Mark Bagley
–
Mark Bagley is an American comic book artist. He has worked for Marvel Comics on such titles as The Amazing Spider-Man, Thunderbolts, New Warriors, Mark Bagley was born to a military family in Frankfurt, West Germany. After his work in the military and at Ringling College of Art and Design, while working a construction job, he suffered a severe injury to his leg while using a handsaw that required 132 stitches. He eventually ended up working for Lockheed Martin making technical drawings, in 1983, Marvel Comics Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter created the Marvel Try-out Book to draw new talent into the comic book industry. The contest involved a comic book which contestants could complete. The winner would be awarded a professional assignment with Marvel, at the time, Bagley was 27 years old and living in Marietta, Georgia. He had almost given up on trying to find a job in comics and was satisfied with his position at Lockheed Martin, Bagley was reluctant to enter the contest because of the cost of the Try-out Book itself. His friend, Cliff Biggers, gave him the book and persuaded Bagley to enter the contest, Bagley won first place for penciling, finishing ahead of thousands of other hopefuls. After winning the contest, he didnt hear from Marvel for several months, after approaching Shooter at a comic convention, Bagley was assigned to a series of low-profile penciling jobs. In 1989, Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz created a team of superheroes called the New Warriors. The following year, Marvel launched a new series based on heroes and assigned Bagley. Bagley stayed on the title until #25, at which point he left to transition directly onto The Amazing Spider-Man, when Erik Larsen left The Amazing Spider-Man in 1991, Bagley was assigned to the title. He and David Michelinie introduced the Carnage character in The Amazing Spider-Man #361 and produced the Venom, Bagley was one of the artists on the Maximum Carnage and Clone Saga storylines which ran through the Spider-Man titles. In 2012, Comic Book Resources ranked Bagley fourth on its list of the 50 Greatest Spider-Man Creators, in 2000, Marvels then-publisher Bill Jemas was looking to relaunch Marvels primary franchises in a way that would make them accessible to newer readers. Ultimate Spider-Man would be a title that began the Spider-Man mythos from the set in modern times. Bagley was assigned to Ultimate Spider-Man with writer Brian Michael Bendis, Bagley collaborated with Bendis on The Pulse and a four-issue arc on Mighty Avengers. Bagleys long and successful run on Ultimate Spider-Man earned him recognition in Wizard magazines top ten artists of the 2000s in Wizard #219. Ranked #2 on the list, article writer Mark Allen Haverty noted of Bagley, no other artist came close to the number of comics Bagley sold, in 2008, Bagley signed an exclusive three-year contract with DC Comics
35.
Future Foundation
–
Future Foundation is a fictional organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Jonathan Hickman, the team first appeared in Fantastic Four #579 and stars in the series FF, written by Hickman, the Future Foundation is a philanthropic organization created by Mister Fantastic to better serve humanitys future. After becoming discouraged by how Earths scientists view science and its applications, gathering some young, great minds, Mister Fantastic plans to mold them into a team that will come up with solutions to the worlds problems. Zero-G, Dragon Man, evolved Moloids Tong, Turg, Mik, and Korr, artie Maddicks then joins the Future Foundation, as does Leech. The organization next gains Mister Fantastics father Nathaniel Richards followed by Uhari co-heirs Vii, Spider-Man joins the team as well at a final request from Human Torch. Mister Fantastic is disturbed to discover that his daughter and father have also invited Doctor Doom to join, after learning about Doctor Doom being a member of the Future Foundation, the Thing objects and attacks him, but Mister Fantastic and Invisible Woman break up the fight. Later, Reed takes everyone to the Room, a classroom where the Future Foundation discusses the problems that they must solve, one of their early projects is to create a temporary cure for the Thing. When Valeria asks Doctor Doom if he has a backup for restoring his memories, afterward, Mr. Fantastic, Spider-Man, Nathaniel, Valeria, and Doctor Doom head to Latveria to meet with Kristoff and request his help. Mister Fantastic sets up a machine in order to help restore Doctor Dooms memories and knowledge. When Kristoff wants to return the throne to him, Doctor Doom states that it is not time yet because of a promise he made to Valeria. When Mister Fantastic asks what promise Doctor Doom made to Valeria, Doctor Doom decides to hold a symposium on how to finally defeat Reed Richards. The Thing and the evolved Moloids give an invitation to the High Evolutionary, Dragon Man and Alex Power give an invitation to Diablo. Upon receiving an invitation from Spider-Man, Mad Thinker is convinced to take part in the event, Bentley 23 even gives an invitation to his creator, the Wizard, along with two A. I. M. However, it is revealed that the Richards they have been invited to defeat are actually members of the Council of Reeds. During Reeds discussion with the supervillains, Invisible Woman, Spider-Man, and Alex Power go to Old Atlantis where they find Mole Man, while the Future Foundation is dealing with the remaining Alternate Reed Richards, Black Bolt suddenly returns to the Universal Inhumans. It was revealed that Black Bolt was trapped in the Fault following the events of War of Kings, Black Bolt was able to hold his own, but he was unable to escape until Lockjaw found him. The prophecy that ended the Inhuman experiments spoke of five brides, however, another prophecy comes closer to fruition which ended up being a prophecy of four cities and a war to shatter everything. Spider-Man and the Future Foundation investigate several rifts in the continuum, one in the Microverse, another in the distant future
36.
Mike Allred
–
Michael Dalton Allred is an American comic book artist and writer most famous for his independent comics creation, Madman. His style is compared to pop art, as well as commercial. Allred was raised as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, upon his parents divorce, he was raised with his father in Oregon, while his brothers and mother moved to Utah. Mike Allred began his career as a radio host on KYES AM950 in Roseburg and he later became a television reporter in Europe, and started drawing comics in 1989 with the 104-page graphic novel Dead Air. The story loosely followed his stint in radio as a sidebar to the focus of the novel. He followed this up with his similarly titled works Graphique Musique and Grafik Muzik, in which he set out the style that he was to become known for with his most famous character, Madman. The series gained further recognition with its move to Dark Horse Comics in April 1994, Madman Comics ran for 20 issues and ended in 2000. From 2007–2009, Image Comics published Madman, Atomic Comics for 17 issues, Allred drew part of the 1993 Worlds End story arc in Neil Gaimans The Sandman series. Allred appeared as himself in the 1997 feature film Chasing Amy as part of the scene at a comic book convention. He also provides the artwork for the comic book Bluntman. In 2000, AAA Pop published Allreds The Atomics, featuring a group of beatniks with superpowers, issue #116 of X-Force, the first collaboration between Allred and Milligan, was the first Marvel comic book to not have the Comics Code Authority stamp of approval since 1971. In 2004 and 2005, Allred wrote and drew The Golden Plates, Allred is a Latter-Day Saint, and did much of the work on this project in collaboration with his wife Laura Allred. Allred collaborated again with Neil Gaiman in 2009 on the Metamorpho feature in Wednesday Comics, the Madman All-New Giant-Size Super-Ginchy Special. Allred and writer Matt Fraction collaborated on a Fantastic Four spinoff series, FF, the following year, Allred and writer Dan Slott launched a new Silver Surfer series at Marvel. His comic book series iZOMBIE, which ran from 2010 to 2012, was adapted into a 2015 television series of the same name, Allreds retro-styled artwork is a frequent nominee for comics awards such as the Harveys, the Eisners, and the Eagles. He received a 2011 AML Award in the category of Special Award in Graphical Narrative for a lifetime of comic art and his wife, Laura, frequently works as his colorist
37.
IGN
–
The website was the brainchild of media entrepreneur Chris Anderson and launched on September 29,1996. It focuses on games, films, television, comics, technology, the company is located in San Franciscos SOMA district in California, United States. Originally a network of websites, IGN is now distributed on mobile platforms, console programs on the Xbox and PlayStation, FireTV, Roku, and via YouTube, Twitch, Hulu. IGN was sold to publishing company Ziff Davis in February 2013 and now operates as a J2 Global subsidiary. com, PSXPower, Saturnworld, Next-Generation. com and Ultra Game Players Online. Imagine expanded on its owned-and-operated websites by creating a network that included a number of independent fansites such as PSX Nation. com, Sega-Saturn. com, Game Sages. In 1998, the network launched a new homepage that consolidated the individual sites as system channels under the IGN brand, the homepage exposed content from more than 30 different channels. Next-Generation and Ultra Game Players Online were not part of this consolidation, dissolved with the cancellation of the magazine, and Next-Generation was put on hold when Imagine decided to concentrate on launching the short-lived Daily Radar brand. In February 1999, Imagine Media incorporated a spin-off that included IGN and its channels as Affiliation Networks. In September, the newly spun-out standalone internet media company, changed its name to Snowball. com, at the same time, small entertainment website The Den merged into IGN and added non-gaming content to the growing network. Snowball held an IPO in 2000, but shed most of its properties during the dot-com bubble. In June 2005, IGN reported having 24,000,000 unique visitors per month, with 4.8 million registered users through all departments of the site, IGN is ranked among the top 200 most-visited websites according to Alexa. In September 2005, IGN was acquired by Rupert Murdochs multi-media business empire, News Corporation, IGN celebrated its 10th anniversary on January 12,2008. IGN was headquartered in the Marina Point Parkway office park in Brisbane, California, on May 25,2011, IGN sold its Direct2Drive division to Gamefly for an undisclosed amount. In 2011, IGN Entertainment acquired its rival UGO Entertainment from Hearst Corporation, ultimately, News Corp. planned to spin off IGN Entertainment as a publicly traded company, continuing a string of divestitures for digital properties it had previously acquired. Financial details regarding the purchase were not revealed, prior to its acquisition by UGO, 1UP. com had previously been owned by Ziff Davis. Soon after the acquisition, IGN announced that it would be laying off staff and closing GameSpy, 1UP. com, the role-playing video game interest website Vault Network was acquired by IGN in 1999. GameStats, a review website, was founded by IGN in 2004. GameStats includes a GPM rating system incorporates an average press score and average gamer score
38.
Twitter
–
Twitter is an online news and social networking service where users post and interact with messages, tweets, restricted to 140 characters. Registered users can post tweets, but those who are unregistered can only read them, users access Twitter through its website interface, SMS or a mobile device app. Twitter Inc. is based in San Francisco, California, United States, Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey, Noah Glass, Biz Stone, and Evan Williams and launched in July. The service rapidly gained worldwide popularity, in 2012, more than 100 million users posted 340 million tweets a day, and the service handled an average of 1.6 billion search queries per day. In 2013, it was one of the ten most-visited websites and has described as the SMS of the Internet. As of 2016, Twitter had more than 319 million monthly active users. On the day of the 2016 U. S. presidential election, Twitter proved to be the largest source of breaking news, Twitters origins lie in a daylong brainstorming session held by board members of the podcasting company Odeo. Jack Dorsey, then a student at New York University. The original project name for the service was twttr, an idea that Williams later ascribed to Noah Glass, inspired by Flickr. The developers initially considered 10958 as a code, but later changed it to 40404 for ease of use. Work on the project started on March 21,2006, when Dorsey published the first Twitter message at 9,50 PM Pacific Standard Time, Dorsey has explained the origin of the Twitter title. we came across the word twitter, and it was just perfect. The definition was a short burst of inconsequential information, and chirps from birds, and thats exactly what the product was. The first Twitter prototype, developed by Dorsey and contractor Florian Weber, was used as a service for Odeo employees. Williams fired Glass, who was silent about his part in Twitters startup until 2011, Twitter spun off into its own company in April 2007. Williams provided insight into the ambiguity that defined this early period in a 2013 interview, With Twitter and they called it a social network, they called it microblogging, but it was hard to define, because it didnt replace anything. There was this path of discovery with something like that, where over time you figure out what it is, Twitter actually changed from what we thought it was in the beginning, which we described as status updates and a social utility. It is that, in part, but the insight we eventually came to was Twitter was really more of an information network than it is a social network, the tipping point for Twitters popularity was the 2007 South by Southwest Interactive conference. During the event, Twitter usage increased from 20,000 tweets per day to 60,000, the Twitter people cleverly placed two 60-inch plasma screens in the conference hallways, exclusively streaming Twitter messages, remarked Newsweeks Steven Levy
39.
Chip Zdarsky
–
Chip Zdarsky is the pseudonym of Canadian comic book artist, journalist, illustrator and designer Steve Murray. He has also used the pseudonym Todd Diamond and he uses the Zdarsky pseudonym for comics-related work, using it to create Prison Funnies and Monster Cops and as artist and co-creator of Sex Criminals with writer Matt Fraction. In November 2014, Marvel Comics announced that Murray/Zdarsky will be writing a new Howard the Duck comic book series with Joe Quinones, recently, he was the writer for Jughead published by Archie Comics. He wrote the series first 8 issues, Steve Murray was born in Edmonton, Alberta and raised in Barrie, Ontario. Murray has illustrated for such clients as the Globe and Mail, New York magazine, CBC, about his alter ego, Murray said “I wanted to have a sad-sack cartoonist persona that lives in his mom’s basement, paints figurines for money, has restraining orders against him. He describes the character as “an idiot who doesn’t know what I’m doing, i’ve had no success in my life. No matter what, I’m going to mess things up. ”Murray initially attempted to keep the identities separate, from 2008 to 2014, Murray penned and illustrated a weekly advice column for the National Post called Extremely Bad Advice. He also wrote another column in that paper, Tear Jerk, along with Kagan McLeod, Ben Shannon, and Cameron Stewart, he is a co-founder of the studio The Royal Academy of Illustration and Design, which produced Rumble Royale. In 2010, he launched a mock campaign for Mayor of Toronto. He was not a registered candidate, launching his satirical campaign through social networking platforms after the deadline had passed to register as a candidate in the real campaign. In June 2013, Image Comics announced that Chip Zdarsky had teamed up with Invincible Iron Man and Hawkeye writer, the first issue was released on September 23,2013. Sex Criminals was declared number 1 on Time Magazines list of Top Ten Comics, the first trade collection of Sex Criminals issues #1-5 was released on April 16,2014. In 2014, Murray won a Will Eisner Award for Best New Series for Sex Criminals
40.
Odyssey
–
The Odyssey is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is, in part, a sequel to the Iliad, the Odyssey is fundamental to the modern Western canon, and is the second-oldest extant work of Western literature, the Iliad is the oldest. Scholars believe the Odyssey was composed near the end of the 8th century BC, somewhere in Ionia, the poem mainly focuses on the Greek hero Odysseus, king of Ithaca, and his journey home after the fall of Troy. It takes Odysseus ten years to reach Ithaca after the ten-year Trojan War. In his absence, it is assumed Odysseus has died, and his wife Penelope and son Telemachus must deal with a group of suitors, the Mnesteres or Proci. The Odyssey continues to be read in the Homeric Greek and translated into languages around the world. Many scholars believe the poem was composed in an oral tradition by an aoidos, perhaps a rhapsode. The details of the ancient oral performance and the conversion to a written work inspire continual debate among scholars. The Odyssey was written in a dialect of Greek—a literary amalgam of Aeolic Greek, Ionic Greek. Among the most noteworthy elements of the text are its non-linear plot, in the English language as well as many others, the word odyssey has come to refer to an epic voyage. The Odyssey has a lost sequel, the Telegony, which was not written by Homer and it was usually attributed in antiquity to Cinaethon of Sparta. In one source, the Telegony was said to have stolen from Musaeus by either Eugamon or Eugammon of Cyrene. The Odyssey begins ten years after the end of the ten-year Trojan War, and Odysseus has still not returned home from the war. Odysseus protectress, the goddess Athena, requests to Zeus, king of the gods, to finally allow Odysseus to return home when Odysseus enemy, then, disguised as a Taphian chieftain named Mentes, she visits Telemachus to urge him to search for news of his father. He offers her hospitality, they observe the suitors dining rowdily while the bard Phemius performs a poem for them. Penelope objects to Phemius theme, the Return from Troy, because it reminds her of her missing husband and that night Athena, disguised as Telemachus, finds a ship and crew for the true prince. The next morning, Telemachus calls an assembly of citizens of Ithaca to discuss what should be done with the suitors. Accompanied by Athena, he departs for the Greek mainland and the household of Nestor, most venerable of the Greek warriors at Troy, now at home in Pylos
41.
Manga
–
Manga are comics created in Japan or by creators in the Japanese language, conforming to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century. They have a long and complex pre-history in earlier Japanese art, the term manga in Japan is a word used to refer to both comics and cartooning. Manga as a term used outside Japan refers to comics published in Japan. In Japan, people of all ages read manga, many manga are translated into other languages. Since the 1950s, manga has become a major part of the Japanese publishing industry, representing a ¥406 billion market in Japan in 2007. Manga have also gained a significant worldwide audience, in Europe and the Middle East the market was worth $250 million in 2012. In 2008, in the U. S. and Canada, the market was valued at $175 million, the markets in France. Manga stories are printed in black-and-white, although some full-color manga exist. In Japan, manga are usually serialized in manga magazines, often containing many stories. If the series is successful, collected chapters may be republished in tankōbon volumes, frequently but not exclusively, a manga artist typically works with a few assistants in a small studio and is associated with a creative editor from a commercial publishing company. If a manga series is popular enough, it may be animated after or even during its run, sometimes manga are drawn centering on previously existing live-action or animated films. Manga-influenced comics, among original works, exist in parts of the world, particularly in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan. The word manga comes from the Japanese word 漫画, composed of the two kanji 漫 meaning whimsical or impromptu and 画 meaning pictures, rakuten Kitazawa first used the word manga in the modern sense. In Japanese, manga refers to all kinds of cartooning, comics, among English speakers, manga has the stricter meaning of Japanese comics, in parallel to the usage of anime in and outside Japan. The term ani-manga is used to describe comics produced from animation cels, writers on manga history have described two broad and complementary processes shaping modern manga. One view emphasizes events occurring during and after the U. S, occupation of Japan, and stresses U. S. cultural influences, including U. S. comics and images and themes from U. S. television, film, and cartoons. Regardless of its source, an explosion of artistic creativity certainly occurred in the period, involving manga artists such as Osamu Tezuka. Astro Boy quickly became popular in Japan and elsewhere
42.
Iron Man
–
Iron Man is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, the character made his first appearance in Tales of Suspense #39. He instead creates a suit of armor to save his life. Later, Stark augments his suit with weapons and other technological devices he designed through his company and he uses the suit and successive versions to protect the world as Iron Man, while at first concealing his true identity. Initially, Iron Man was a vehicle for Stan Lee to explore Cold War themes, particularly the role of American technology, subsequent re-imaginings of Iron Man have transitioned from Cold War themes to contemporary concerns, such as corporate crime and terrorism. Iron Man has been adapted for several animated TV shows and films, the character is portrayed by Robert Downey Jr. in the live action film Iron Man, which was a critical and box office success. Iron Man was ranked 12th on IGNs Top 100 Comic Book Heroes in 2011, in 1963, Lee had been toying with the idea of a businessman superhero. He wanted to create the quintessential capitalist, a character that would go against the spirit of the times, Lee said, I think I gave myself a dare. It was the height of the Cold War, the readers, the young readers, if there was one thing they hated, it was war, it was the military. So I got a hero who represented that to the hundredth degree. He set out to make the new character a wealthy, glamorous ladies man, writer Gerry Conway said, Here you have this character, who on the outside is invulnerable, I mean, just cant be touched, but inside is a wounded figure. Stan made it very much an in-your-face wound, you know, his heart was broken, you know, but theres a metaphor going on there. And thats, I think, what made that character interesting, Lee based this playboys looks and personality on Howard Hughes, explaining, Howard Hughes was one of the most colorful men of our time. He was an inventor, an adventurer, a multi-billionaire, a ladies man, without being crazy, he was Howard Hughes, Lee said. While Lee intended to write the story himself, a minor deadline emergency eventually forced him to hand over the issue to Lieber. The art was split between Kirby and Heck and he designed the costume, Heck said of Kirby, because he was doing the cover. The covers were always done first, but I created the look of the characters, like Tony Stark and his secretary Pepper Potts. In a 1990 interview, when asked if he had a model for Tony Stark. Heck replied No, I would be thinking more along the lines of some characters I like, which would be the kind of characters that Alex Toth liked
