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Moscone Center
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Moscone Center /mɒsˈkoʊni/ is the largest convention and exhibition complex in San Francisco, California. It comprises three main halls, Two underground halls underneath Yerba Buena Gardens, known as Moscone North and Moscone South, as mayor, Moscone convened a special committee of proponents and opponents of a convention center. Hearings were held throughout SF seeking citizen input, a compromise was reached which was supported by Moscone. He put the matter on the ballot and it passed overwhelmingly, labor organizations supported the construction of the Center, and were granted full labor jurisdiction. All labor in the Convention Center is performed by I. A. T. S. E, Local 16 Stagehands, Sign and Display Workers Local #510, Brotherhood of Teamsters local #65, IBEW Local #6, Security I. A. T. S. E. Local #B-18, Communications Workers of America, and the Hotel & Restaurant Workers Local #2, mcCune Audio/Video/Lighting is the on site rental service. Moscone Center was featured in the 1995 movie, The Net, the Democratic Party of the United States held its 1984 convention at the Convention Center, nominating Walter Mondale for President of the United States and Geraldine Ferraro for Vice President. The expansion of Moscone North and Moscone West in 1992 and 2003, designed by Gensler, a large solar electricity system was installed on the roof of the center in March 2004. The installation of this system marked San Franciscos first major step towards obtaining all municipal energy from pollution-free sources, with the 60, 000-square-foot solar array in place, San Francisco boasts one of the largest city-owned solar installations in the country. The electricity generated by the system, combined with savings from energy efficiency measures. The Amtrak bus stop at Moscone Center also transports riders to the Emeryville Amtrak station, Moscone North and South underwent a two-year renovation project completed in 2012. The renewal project was designed by HOK, the original architect. The 2004 solar installation was done by PowerLight Corporation
2.
Anaheim Convention Center
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Anaheim Convention Center is a major convention center in Anaheim, California. It is located across from the Disneyland Resort on Katella Avenue, the original components, designed by Adrian Wilson & Associates, opened in July 1967—including a basketball arena followed shortly by the convention hall. It holds many events, like VidCon, BlizzCon, Anime Expo, WonderCon, NAMM Show, competitions, in addition to hosting various types of conventions, the Anaheim Convention Center was used to host the wrestling during the 1984 Summer Olympics. The center has undergone five major expansions. It is the largest exhibit facility on the West Coast, originally, the arena was home to the Anaheim Amigos of the American Basketball Association during the first ABA season, 1967–68. The Stars subsequent fan support in Utah set the foundation for the NBAs Utah Jazz, the San Diego Friars of WTT played some of their home matches in the arena between 1975 and 1977. In 1978, the Anaheim Oranges of WTT used the arena as their home venue. The arena was home to the California Surf of the NASL for one indoor season. According to frequent news reports, the largest exposition held at the Convention Center in recent years has been the Winter NAMM Show and this music-equipment convention had 1,560 exhibitors and a record-breaking 88,100 attendees during the 2008 show. The NAMM Show has been running at the Anaheim Center since 1977, the Anime Expo was hosted at the Anaheim Convention Center in 1996 and again from 2003 through 2006 and was one of the convention centers biggest public events. Blizzard Entertainment holds BlizzCon at the venue, in 2005, BlizzCon used the northern two conference halls. In 2007 and 2008, it used three conference halls, in 2009, it used four conference halls. While tickets to the 2007 event sold out in 3 days, tickets to the October 2008 event sold out within minutes, tickets to the 2010 Blizzcon reportedly sold out within 30 seconds. Another large convention held at the Center is the Medical Design and Manufacturing Show, the venue served as the site for wrestling at the 1984 Summer Olympics. The venue hosted the Big West Conferences mens and womens basketball tournaments from 2001 to 2010. It was briefly home to the Anaheim Arsenal of the NBA Development League, during the 1992 Los Angeles riots, the Los Angeles Clippers were forced to move Game 4 of their NBA playoff series versus the Utah Jazz to the Convention Center. VidCon has been held at the Anaheim Convention Center since its annual event in 2012. The new venue offered a larger capacity than the previously used Hyatt Regency Century Plaza hotel in Los Angeles
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Los Angeles Convention Center
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The Los Angeles Convention Center is a convention center in the southwest portion of downtown Los Angeles. The LACC hosts annual events such as the Los Angeles Auto Show and Anime Expo and its newest major events are the Primetime Emmy Awards Governors Ball, Microsoft WPC, Abilities Expo, and frequent TV show and movie filmings. The Convention Center, designed by architect Charles Luckman, opened in 1971 and it was originally built as a rectangle building, between Pico Boulevard and 11th Street on Figueroa Street. The northeast portion of the Center was demolished in 1997 to make way for the Staples Center, the Convention Center Annex of green glass and white steel frames, mainly on the south side of Pico, was designed by architect James Ingo Freed. The area in front of the Convention Center is known as the Gilbert Lindsay Plaza, a 10-foot -high monument honoring The Emperor of the Great 9th District was unveiled in 1995. The drive between Figueroa Street and the Convention Center building is named after Councilman Lindsay. On March 1,1983, a tornado caused damages to the roof, the building was repaired and new Convention Center lettering signs were installed at a total cost of $3 million. Since 2005, the center has hosted the MusiCares Person of the Year tribute two nights prior to the Grammy Awards. It also hosted the pre-telecast portion of the Grammy Awards until 2013, in 2013, the Los Angeles City Council voted to let Anschutz Entertainment Group manage the Convention Center. The LACC is one of the largest convention centers in the United States with over 720,000 sq ft of space,147,000 sq ft of meeting space,1,960,000 sq ft of parking. The lobby floors in the half of the building feature two large 140,000 sq ft multicolor maps of inlaid terrazzo. The project was installed by artist Alexis Smith in 1993, a map of the world centered on the Pacific Rim covers the entire floor of the main lobby, while a map of the constellations around the north celestial pole covers the floor of the upstairs lobby. The development proposal was abandoned in March 2015, a new proposal was developed in 2015, approved by city hall and a design team was chosen. A new convention hall, called LACOEX, would be built, construction and approval is set to commence by 2019. Los Angeles 2024 organizers plan to use the center for various sports. It will be apart of the Live Site Olympic Zone down Figueroa St. William M
4.
California
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California is the most populous state in the United States and the third most extensive by area. Located on the western coast of the U. S, California is bordered by the other U. S. states of Oregon, Nevada, and Arizona and shares an international border with the Mexican state of Baja California. Los Angeles is Californias most populous city, and the second largest after New York City. The Los Angeles Area and the San Francisco Bay Area are the nations second- and fifth-most populous urban regions, California also has the nations most populous county, Los Angeles County, and its largest county by area, San Bernardino County. The Central Valley, an agricultural area, dominates the states center. What is now California was first settled by various Native American tribes before being explored by a number of European expeditions during the 16th and 17th centuries, the Spanish Empire then claimed it as part of Alta California in their New Spain colony. The area became a part of Mexico in 1821 following its war for independence. The western portion of Alta California then was organized as the State of California, the California Gold Rush starting in 1848 led to dramatic social and demographic changes, with large-scale emigration from the east and abroad with an accompanying economic boom. If it were a country, California would be the 6th largest economy in the world, fifty-eight percent of the states economy is centered on finance, government, real estate services, technology, and professional, scientific and technical business services. Although it accounts for only 1.5 percent of the states economy, the story of Calafia is recorded in a 1510 work The Adventures of Esplandián, written as a sequel to Amadis de Gaula by Spanish adventure writer Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo. The kingdom of Queen Calafia, according to Montalvo, was said to be a land inhabited by griffins and other strange beasts. This conventional wisdom that California was an island, with maps drawn to reflect this belief, shortened forms of the states name include CA, Cal. Calif. and US-CA. Settled by successive waves of arrivals during the last 10,000 years, various estimates of the native population range from 100,000 to 300,000. The Indigenous peoples of California included more than 70 distinct groups of Native Americans, ranging from large, settled populations living on the coast to groups in the interior. California groups also were diverse in their organization with bands, tribes, villages. Trade, intermarriage and military alliances fostered many social and economic relationships among the diverse groups, the first European effort to explore the coast as far north as the Russian River was a Spanish sailing expedition, led by Portuguese captain Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, in 1542. Some 37 years later English explorer Francis Drake also explored and claimed a portion of the California coast in 1579. Spanish traders made unintended visits with the Manila galleons on their trips from the Philippines beginning in 1565
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United States
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Forty-eight of the fifty states and the federal district are contiguous and located in North America between Canada and Mexico. The state of Alaska is in the northwest corner of North America, bordered by Canada to the east, the state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific Ocean. The U. S. territories are scattered about the Pacific Ocean, the geography, climate and wildlife of the country are extremely diverse. At 3.8 million square miles and with over 324 million people, the United States is the worlds third- or fourth-largest country by area, third-largest by land area. It is one of the worlds most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, paleo-Indians migrated from Asia to the North American mainland at least 15,000 years ago. European colonization began in the 16th century, the United States emerged from 13 British colonies along the East Coast. Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the following the Seven Years War led to the American Revolution. On July 4,1776, during the course of the American Revolutionary War, the war ended in 1783 with recognition of the independence of the United States by Great Britain, representing the first successful war of independence against a European power. The current constitution was adopted in 1788, after the Articles of Confederation, the first ten amendments, collectively named the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791 and designed to guarantee many fundamental civil liberties. During the second half of the 19th century, the American Civil War led to the end of slavery in the country. By the end of century, the United States extended into the Pacific Ocean. The Spanish–American War and World War I confirmed the status as a global military power. The end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 left the United States as the sole superpower. The U. S. is a member of the United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Organization of American States. The United States is a developed country, with the worlds largest economy by nominal GDP. It ranks highly in several measures of performance, including average wage, human development, per capita GDP. While the U. S. economy is considered post-industrial, characterized by the dominance of services and knowledge economy, the United States is a prominent political and cultural force internationally, and a leader in scientific research and technological innovations. In 1507, the German cartographer Martin Waldseemüller produced a map on which he named the lands of the Western Hemisphere America after the Italian explorer and cartographer Amerigo Vespucci
6.
San Diego Comic-Con
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San Diego Comic-Con International is a multi-genre entertainment and comic convention held annually in San Diego, California. The name, as given on its website, is Comic-Con International, San Diego and it is a four-day event held during the summer at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego. On the Wednesday evening prior to the opening of the event, there is a preview for professionals, exhibitors. Comic-Con International also produces two other conventions, WonderCon, held in Los Angeles, and the Alternative Press Expo and it is also the home of the Will Eisner Awards. In 2010, it filled the San Diego Convention Center to capacity with more than 130,000 attendees, the convention was founded in 1970 by Shel Dorf, Richard Alf, Ken Krueger, Mike Towry, Barry Alfonso, Bob Sourk, and Greg Bear. Detroit, Michigan-born, comics fan Shel Dorf, had, in the mid-1960s, mounted the Detroit Triple-Fan Fairs, one of the first commercial comics-fan conventions. When he moved to San Diego, California, in 1970, he organized a convention on March 21,1970. Dorf went on to be associated with the convention as president or manager, variously, Alf co-chaired the first convention with Krueger and became chairman in 1971. Following the initial gathering, Dorfs first three-day San Diego comics convention, other locations in the conventions early years included the El Cortez Hotel, the University of California, San Diego, and Golden Hall, before being moved to the San Diego Convention Center in 1991. I was quietly walking the floor stunned and in awe of just how much bigger it really was, the convention is organized by a panel of 13 board members,16 to 20 full-time and part-time workers, and 80 volunteers who assist via committees. Comic Con International is an organization, and proceeds of the event go to funding it, as well as the Alternative Press Expo. The convention logo was designed by Richard Bruning and Josh Beatman in 1995, in September 2010, the convention announced that it would stay in San Diego through 2015. In 2015, working with Lionsgate, a channel was created to host Comic-Con related content. According to the San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau, the convention has a regional economic impact of $162.8 million. Along with panels, seminars, and workshops with comic book professionals, there are previews of upcoming feature films, like most comic-book conventions, Comic-Con features a large floorspace for exhibitors. These include media companies such as studios and TV networks, as well as comic-book dealers. And like most comics conventions, Comic-Con includes an area, as well as the Artists Alley where comics artists can sign autographs. Despite the name, artists alleys can include writers and even models, academics and comic industry professionals annually hold the Comics Arts Conference at Comic-Con, presenting scholarly studies on comics as a medium
7.
Comic book
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A comic book or comicbook, also called comic magazine or simply comic, is a publication that consists of comic art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are often accompanied by brief descriptive prose and written narrative, although comics has some origins in 18th century Japan and 1830s Europe, comic books were first popularized in the United States during the 1930s. Comic books are reliant on their organization and appearance, authors largely focus on the frame of the page, size, orientation, and panel positions. These characteristic aspects of books are necessary in conveying the content. The key elements of comic books include panels, balloons, text, balloons are usually convex spatial containers of information that are related to a character using a tail element. The tail has an origin, path, tip, and pointed direction, there are many technological formulas used to create comic books, including directions, axes, data, and metrics. Following these key formatting procedures is the writing, drawing, Comics as a print medium have existed in America since the printing of The Adventures of Mr. Obadiah Oldbuck in 1842 in hardcover, making it the first known American prototype comic book. The introduction of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shusters Superman in 1938 turned comic books into a major industry, the Golden Age originated the archetype of the superhero. Historians generally divide the timeline of the American comic book into eras, the Golden Age of Comic Books began with the introduction of Superman in 1938, spurring a period of high sales. The Silver Age of comic books is considered to date from the first successful revival of the then-dormant superhero form. The demarcation between the Silver Age and the era, the Bronze Age of Comic Books, is less well-defined. The Modern Age of Comic Books runs from the mid-1980s to the present day, in response to attention from the government and from the media, the U. S. comic book industry set up the Comics Magazine Association of America. The CMAA instilled the Comics Code Authority in 1954 and drafted the self-censorship Comics Code that year and it was not until the 1970s that comic books could be published without passing through the inspection of the CMAA. In the early 1970s, a surge of creativity emerged in what known as underground comix. Published and distributed independently of the comics industry, most of such comics reflected the youth counterculture. Underground comics were almost never sold at newsstands, but rather in such youth-oriented outlets as head shops and record stores, frank Stacks The Adventures of Jesus, published under the name Foolbert Sturgeon, has been credited as the first underground comic. The rise of comic book specialty stores in the late 1970s created/paralleled a dedicated market for independent or alternative comics in the U. S, some independent comics continued in the tradition of underground comics. A few represented experimental attempts to bring closer to the status of fine art
8.
Science fiction
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Science fiction often explores the potential consequences of scientific and other innovations, and has been called a literature of ideas. Science fiction is difficult to define, as it includes a range of subgenres and themes. Author and editor Damon Knight summed up the difficulty, saying science fiction is what we point to when we say it, a definition echoed by author Mark C. Glassy, who argues that the definition of science fiction is like the definition of pornography, you do not know what it is, in 1970 or 1971William Atheling Jr. According to science fiction writer Robert A, rod Serlings definition is fantasy is the impossible made probable. Science fiction is the improbable made possible, Science fiction is largely based on writing rationally about alternative possible worlds or futures. Science fiction elements include, A time setting in the future, in alternative timelines, a spatial setting or scenes in outer space, on other worlds, or on subterranean earth. Characters that include aliens, mutants, androids, or humanoid robots, futuristic or plausible technology such as ray guns, teleportation machines, and humanoid computers. Scientific principles that are new or that contradict accepted physical laws, for time travel, wormholes. New and different political or social systems, e. g. utopian, dystopian, post-scarcity, paranormal abilities such as mind control, telepathy, telekinesis Other universes or dimensions and travel between them. A product of the budding Age of Reason and the development of science itself. Isaac Asimov and Carl Sagan considered Keplers work the first science fiction story and it depicts a journey to the Moon and how the Earths motion is seen from there. Later, Edgar Allan Poe wrote a story about a flight to the moon, more examples appeared throughout the 19th century. Wells The War of the Worlds describes an invasion of late Victorian England by Martians using tripod fighting machines equipped with advanced weaponry and it is a seminal depiction of an alien invasion of Earth. In the late 19th century, the scientific romance was used in Britain to describe much of this fiction. This produced additional offshoots, such as the 1884 novella Flatland, the term would continue to be used into the early 20th century for writers such as Olaf Stapledon. In the early 20th century, pulp magazines helped develop a new generation of mainly American SF writers, influenced by Hugo Gernsback, the founder of Amazing Stories magazine. In 1912 Edgar Rice Burroughs published A Princess of Mars, the first of his series of Barsoom novels, situated on Mars
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Film
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A film, also called a movie, motion picture, theatrical film or photoplay, is a series of still images which, when shown on a screen, creates the illusion of moving images due to the phi phenomenon. This optical illusion causes the audience to perceive continuous motion between separate objects viewed rapidly in succession, the process of filmmaking is both an art and an industry. The word cinema, short for cinematography, is used to refer to the industry of films. Films were originally recorded onto plastic film through a photochemical process, the adoption of CGI-based special effects led to the use of digital intermediates. Most contemporary films are now fully digital through the process of production, distribution. Films recorded in a form traditionally included an analogous optical soundtrack. It runs along a portion of the film exclusively reserved for it and is not projected, Films are cultural artifacts created by specific cultures. They reflect those cultures, and, in turn, affect them, Film is considered to be an important art form, a source of popular entertainment, and a powerful medium for educating—or indoctrinating—citizens. The visual basis of film gives it a power of communication. Some films have become popular worldwide attractions by using dubbing or subtitles to translate the dialog into the language of the viewer, some have criticized the film industrys glorification of violence and its potentially negative treatment of women. The individual images that make up a film are called frames, the perception of motion is due to a psychological effect called phi phenomenon. The name film originates from the fact that film has historically been the medium for recording and displaying motion pictures. Many other terms exist for a motion picture, including picture, picture show, moving picture, photoplay. The most common term in the United States is movie, while in Europe film is preferred. Terms for the field, in general, include the big screen, the screen, the movies, and cinema. In early years, the sheet was sometimes used instead of screen. Preceding film in origin by thousands of years, early plays and dances had elements common to film, scripts, sets, costumes, production, direction, actors, audiences, storyboards, much terminology later used in film theory and criticism apply, such as mise en scène. Owing to the lack of any technology for doing so, the moving images, the magic lantern, probably created by Christiaan Huygens in the 1650s, could be used to project animation, which was achieved by various types of mechanical slides
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Fan convention
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Fan conventions are traditionally organized by fans on a not-for-profit basis, though some events catering to fans are run by commercial interests for profit. Many conventions have award presentations relating to their genre, commercial conventions are usually quite expensive and are hosted in hotels. There is often tight security for the celebrities to protect against potentially fanatic fans, anime conventions, gaming conventions, filk-music conventions, and furry conventions may all be considered derivatives of science-fiction conventions, which began in the late 1930s. Fan conventions for various genres of entertainment extends to the first conventions held in the 1930s, the growth of computerized communication, including the Internet and Internet-dependent applications in the 1980s and 1990s
11.
San Francisco Bay Area
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The San Francisco Bay Area is a populous region surrounding the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses the cities and metropolitan areas of San Jose, San Francisco. The Bay Areas nine counties are Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma. The combined statistical area of the region is the second-largest in California, the fifth-largest in the United States, the Bay Area has the second-most Fortune 500 Companies in the United States, and is known for its natural beauty, liberal politics, entrepreneurship, and diversity. The eastern side of the bay, consisting of Alameda and Contra Costa counties, is known locally as the East Bay, the inner East Bay is more densely populated, with generally older buildings, and a more ethnically diverse population. The word Lamorinda was coined by combining the names of the cities it includes, Lafayette, Moraga, walnut Creek is situated east of Lamorinda and north of the San Ramon Valley and, together with Concord, Martinez, and Pleasant Hill comprises Central Contra Costa County. The cities of Antioch, Pittsburg, Brentwood, Oakley and the areas surrounding them comprise East Contra Costa County. The Tri-Valley consists of the Amador, the Livermore, and the San Ramon Valleys, dublin and Pleasanton comprise the Amador Valley, Livermore lies in the Livermore Valley, and the San Ramon Valley consists of Alamo, Danville, Diablo and its namesake, San Ramon. The outer East Bay is connected to the inner East Bay by BART, Interstate 580 to the south, and State Routes State Route 4 to the north, the outer East Bays infrastructure was mostly built up after World War II. This area remains largely white demographically, although the Hispanic and Filipino populations have grown significantly over the past 2–3 decades, the region north of the Golden Gate Bridge is known locally as the North Bay. This area encompasses Marin County, Sonoma County, Napa County, the city of Fairfield, being part of Solano County, is often considered the easternmost city of the North Bay. With few exceptions, this region is affluent, Marin County is ranked as the wealthiest in the state. The North Bay is relatively rural compared to the remainder of the Bay Area, with areas of undeveloped open space, farmland. Santa Rosa in Sonoma County is the North Bays largest city, with a population of 167,815 and a Metropolitan Statistical Area population of 466,891, making it the fifth-largest city in the Bay Area. The North Bay is the section of the Bay Area that is not currently served by a commuter rail service. The area from San Francisco to the Silicon Valley, geographically part of the San Francisco Peninsula, is known locally as The Peninsula, many of these families are of foreign background and have significantly contributed to the diversity of the area. Whereas the term peninsula technically refers to the entire geographical San Franciscan Peninsula, in local terms, San Francisco is surrounded by water on three sides, the north, east, and west. The city squeezes roughly 870,000 people in under 47 square miles, on any given day, there can be as many as 1 million people in the city because of the commuting population and tourism
12.
Anaheim, California
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Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a population of 336,265, making it the most populous city in Orange County, Anaheim remained largely a rural community until Disneyland opened in the city in 1955. This led to the construction of hotels and motels around the area. The city also developed into a center, producing electronics, aircraft parts. Anaheims city limits extend from Cypress in the west to the Riverside County line in the east and encompass a diverse collection of neighborhoods, Anaheim Hills is a master-planned community located in the citys eastern stretches that is home to many of the citys affluent. Downtown Anaheim has three historic districts, the largest of which is the Anaheim Colony. The Anaheim Resort, a district, includes Disneyland, Disney California Adventure. The Platinum Triangle, a redevelopment district surrounding Angel Stadium, is planned to be populated with mixed-use streets. Finally, Anaheim Canyon is a district north of California State Route 91. Anaheims name is a blend of Ana, after the nearby Santa Ana River, and heim, the city of Anaheim was founded in 1857 by 50 German-Americans who were residents of San Francisco and whose families had originated in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Franconia in Bavaria. For $750 a share, the formed the Anaheim Vineyard Company. Their new community was named Annaheim, meaning home by the Santa Anna River in German, the name later was altered to Anaheim. To the Spanish-speaking neighbors, the settlement was known as Campo Alemán, although grape and wine-making was their primary objective, the majority of the 50 settlers were mechanics, carpenters and craftsmen with no experience in wine-making. The community set aside 40 acres for a center and a school was the first building erected there. The first home was built in 1857, the Anaheim Gazette newspaper was established in 1870, for 25 years, the area was the largest wine producer in California. However, in 1884, a disease infected the grape vines, other crops – walnuts, lemons and oranges – soon filled the void. Fruits and vegetables had become viable cash crops when the Los Angeles – Orange County region was connected to the railroad network in 1887. The famous Polish actress Helena Modjeska settled in Anaheim with her husband and various friends, among them Henryk Sienkiewicz, Julian Sypniewski, while living in Anaheim, Helena Modjeska became good friends with Clementine Langenberger, the second wife of August Langenberger
13.
Mike Friedrich
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Mike Friedrich is an American comic book writer and publisher best known for his work at Marvel and DC Comics, and for publishing the anthology series Star*Reach, one of the first independent comics. He is also an artists representative and his notable works include runs as the regular writer of DCs Justice League of America and Marvels Iron Man. My letter-writing began around the time the new look Batman was introduced, a couple of years later it turned into a bit of correspondence as Julie began to send short replies, Friedrich recalled. Friedrich used the payment to visit New York City the following month, after his high school graduation. Almost immediately afterward, the month, Friedrich published the full-length Batman story The Man Who Radiated Fear, penciled by Stone ghosting for Bob Kane. Friedrich quickly began writing stories for a number of DC publications, including Challengers of the Unknown, Detective Comics, The Flash, with penciler Jerry Grandenetti in Showcase #80, he reintroduced the supernatural-mystery story narrator the Phantom Stranger, created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino in 1952. He wrote the 30th anniversary Batman story in Detective Comics #387 which was drawn by Bob Brown and he had previously scripted His Name Is. Kane, in House of Mystery #180, in which the short tales penciler, Gil Kane, stars as an artist drawing for DC Comics, Friedrich co-created Merlyn in Justice League of America #94 and the character was adapted into the Arrow TV series in 2012. Moving to Marvel after four years, Friedrich scripted every issue of Iron Man, in issue #55, he co-scripted the introduction of the popular characters Thanos and Drax the Destroyer, created and co-scripted by artist Jim Starlin. Star*Reach styled itself as a comic book – not an underground comix publication. For this and other efforts, Friedrich received an Inkpot Award at the 1980 San Diego Comic-Con, at its beginning, Star*Reach sold through the few comic shops around, as well as head shops, or via subscriptions and mail order. Published mostly science fiction and fantasy stories, at a time when the conventional wisdom was that those genres didnt sell, plus, they were intelligent science fiction stories. If you read Tolkien or Heinlein or Bester or Le Guin, michael T. Gilbert, John Workman, Lee Marrs, Robert Gould, Dave Sim, Ken Steacy, Dean Motter, Gene Day and Paul Kirchner got their first major exposure here. Howard Chaykins Cody Starbuck and Gideon Faust characters both demonstrated what Chaykin was really capable of, long before the mainstream allowed him the creative freedom. In the 2000s, Friedrich served as Chair of the National Legislative Committee for the Graphic Artists Guild, Friedrich, in partnership with Joe Field, owned and operated the San Francisco Bay Area comic book convention WonderCon for 15 years before selling it to Comic-Con International in 2001. 2, #2, Interview with Mike Friedrich
14.
San Francisco
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San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the cultural, commercial, and financial center of Northern California. It is the birthplace of the United Nations, the California Gold Rush of 1849 brought rapid growth, making it the largest city on the West Coast at the time. San Francisco became a consolidated city-county in 1856, after three-quarters of the city was destroyed by the 1906 earthquake and fire, San Francisco was quickly rebuilt, hosting the Panama-Pacific International Exposition nine years later. In World War II, San Francisco was a port of embarkation for service members shipping out to the Pacific Theater. Politically, the city votes strongly along liberal Democratic Party lines, San Francisco is also the headquarters of five major banking institutions and various other companies such as Levi Strauss & Co. Dolby, Airbnb, Weebly, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Yelp, Pinterest, Twitter, Uber, Lyft, Mozilla, Wikimedia Foundation, as of 2016, San Francisco is ranked high on world liveability rankings. The earliest archaeological evidence of habitation of the territory of the city of San Francisco dates to 3000 BC. Upon independence from Spain in 1821, the became part of Mexico. Under Mexican rule, the system gradually ended, and its lands became privatized. In 1835, Englishman William Richardson erected the first independent homestead, together with Alcalde Francisco de Haro, he laid out a street plan for the expanded settlement, and the town, named Yerba Buena, began to attract American settlers. Commodore John D. Sloat claimed California for the United States on July 7,1846, during the Mexican–American War, montgomery arrived to claim Yerba Buena two days later. Yerba Buena was renamed San Francisco on January 30 of the next year, despite its attractive location as a port and naval base, San Francisco was still a small settlement with inhospitable geography. The California Gold Rush brought a flood of treasure seekers, with their sourdough bread in tow, prospectors accumulated in San Francisco over rival Benicia, raising the population from 1,000 in 1848 to 25,000 by December 1849. The promise of fabulous riches was so strong that crews on arriving vessels deserted and rushed off to the gold fields, leaving behind a forest of masts in San Francisco harbor. Some of these approximately 500 abandoned ships were used at times as storeships, saloons and hotels, many were left to rot, by 1851 the harbor was extended out into the bay by wharves while buildings were erected on piles among the ships. By 1870 Yerba Buena Cove had been filled to create new land, buried ships are occasionally exposed when foundations are dug for new buildings. California was quickly granted statehood in 1850 and the U. S. military built Fort Point at the Golden Gate, silver discoveries, including the Comstock Lode in Nevada in 1859, further drove rapid population growth. With hordes of fortune seekers streaming through the city, lawlessness was common, and the Barbary Coast section of town gained notoriety as a haven for criminals, prostitution, entrepreneurs sought to capitalize on the wealth generated by the Gold Rush
15.
Spider-Man 2
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Spider-Man 2 is a 2004 American superhero film directed by Sam Raimi and written by Alvin Sargent from a story by Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, and Michael Chabon. The sequel to the 2002 film Spider-Man, it is the film in Raimis Spider-Man film trilogy based on the fictional Marvel Comics character of the same name. Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, and James Franco reprise their roles as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, Mary Jane Watson. Spider-Man must stop him from successfully recreating the experiment, which threatens to annihilate the city, Spider-Man 2 was released in both conventional and IMAX theaters on June 30,2004. It grossed $783.8 million worldwide and won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects and it also received five awards at the Saturn Awards ceremony including Best Fantasy Film and Best Director for Raimi. The films success led to the release of Spider-Man 3 in 2007, Peter Parker struggles to balance his crime-fighting duties as Spider-Man with the demands of his normal life. Estranged from both love interest Mary Jane Watson and best friend Harry Osborn, Peter additionally discovers his Aunt May is facing eviction. Harry, now head of Oscorps research division, is sponsoring brilliant nuclear scientist Otto Octavius fusion power project, while handling hazardous materials, Octavius wears a harness of powerful robotic tentacle arms with artificial intelligence. During a public demonstration, in which Peter and Harry attend, Octavius refuses to shut down the reactor, which goes critical, killing his wife and shattering the inhibitor chip blocking the arms from his nervous system. Spider-Man arrives and shuts down the experiment, destroying it, at a hospital, doctors prepare to surgically remove Octaviuss harness. However, without the chip to keep the arms supported to the nervous system. Upon regaining consciousness and seeing the carnage, Octavius escapes and takes refuge at a harbour, becoming increasingly influenced by the arms AI, Octavius robs a bank that Peter and May are coincidentally visiting in order to fund a second experiment. Octavius takes May hostage but is rescued by Peter as Spider-Man, the Daily Bugle subsequently dubs Octavius Doctor Octopus. Mary Jane becomes engaged to astronaut John Jameson, son of Bugle chief J. Jonah Jameson, Peter suffers an emotional breakdown and temporarily loses his powers. He abandons his Spider-Man identity, returns to his normal life, a garbageman brings Spider-Mans costume to Jameson, who takes credit for driving Spider-Man into hiding. Peter decides to tell Aunt May the truth behind Uncle Bens death, may forgives him, but the rise in New York City crime rate worries Peter. Octavius, requiring the isotope tritium to fuel his reactor, visits Harry to demand it, Harry agrees in exchange for Spider-Mans life. He tells Octavius to seek Peter, who is good friends with Spider-Man
16.
Batman Begins
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Comic book storylines such as The Man Who Falls, Batman, Year One, and Batman, The Long Halloween served as inspiration. The goal was to get the audience to care for both Batman and Bruce Wayne, the film, which was primarily shot in Iceland and Chicago, relied on traditional stunts and miniatures, while computer-generated imagery was used minimally. Batman Begins opened on June 15,2005, in the United States and it grossed over $48 million in its opening weekend in North America, eventually grossing over $374 million worldwide. The film received reviews and is considered by many to be one of the best superhero films of the 2000s. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Cinematography and it is followed by The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises in a continual story-arc, which has later been referred to as The Dark Knight Trilogy. The film is presented in a narrative, jumping between the present and past. This is a summary of the plot. As a child, Bruce Wayne falls down into a dry well and is attacked by a swarm of bats, while watching an opera with his parents, Thomas and Martha, Bruce becomes frightened by performers masquerading as bats and asks to leave. Outside, mugger Joe Chill murders Bruces parents in front of him, orphaned, Bruce is raised by the family butler, Alfred Pennyworth. Fourteen years later, Chill is freed in exchange for testifying against Gotham City mafia boss Carmine Falcone, Bruce intends to murder Chill, but one of Falcones assassins does so first. Bruces childhood friend, assistant district attorney Rachel Dawes, berates him for attempting to undermine the justice system, Bruce confronts Falcone, who tells him that real power comes from being feared. Bruce decides to travel the world and learn how to confront injustice, while serving a prison sentence for theft in Bhutan, he meets Henri Ducard, who trains him as a member of the League of Shadows, led by Ras al Ghul. After completing his training and purging his fears, Bruce learns that the League intends to destroy Gotham, believing it to be corrupt, Bruce rejects the Leagues cause and burns down their temple during his escape. Ras is killed by falling debris, while Bruce saves the unconscious Ducard, Bruce returns to Gotham intent on fighting crime. Inspired by his fear, he takes up the vigilante identity of the Batman. He takes an interest in his familys company, Wayne Enterprises, company archivist Lucius Fox allows Bruce access to prototype defense technologies including a protective bodysuit and a heavily armored car called the Tumbler. Bruce poses as a shallow playboy to allay suspicion, Batman intercepts a drug shipment, provides Rachel with evidence against Falcone, and enlists Sergeant James Gordon, one of the few honest cops left in Gotham, to arrest him. Crane puts on a mask and sprays Falcone with a fear-inducing hallucinogen that drives him insane
17.
Fantastic Four (2005 film)
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Fantastic Four is a 2005 American-German superhero film based on the Marvel Comics team of the same name. It was directed by Tim Story, and released by 20th Century Fox, the film stars Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, Michael Chiklis, Julian McMahon and Kerry Washington. This was the second live-action Fantastic Four film to be filmed, a previous attempt, titled The Fantastic Four, was a B-movie produced by Roger Corman that ultimately went unreleased. Fantastic Four was released in the United States on July 8,2005, a sequel, Fantastic Four, Rise of the Silver Surfer, was released in 2007. A reboot of the name was released in 2015. Doom agrees in exchange for control over the experiment and a majority of the profits from whatever benefits it brings, Reed brings aboard his ex-girlfriend and Von Dooms chief genetics researcher Sue Storm and her ex-astronaut younger brother Johnny Storm. The quintet travels to space to observe the cosmic energy clouds, but Reed miscalculates. Reed and the Storms leave the station to rescue Ben. Ben receives full exposure in space, while the others receive a more limited dose within the station. Meanwhile, Von Doom faces a backlash from his stockholders because of the publicity from the space mission, bens fiancee Debbie cannot handle his new appearance and leaves him. Ben goes to brood on the Brooklyn Bridge and accidentally causes a traffic pileup while preventing a man committing suicide. Ben, Reed and the Storms use their various abilities to contain the damage, the media dubs them the Fantastic Four. They move into Reeds lab in the Baxter Building to study their abilities, Von Doom, himself mutating, offers his support but blames Reed for the failure of the spaceflight, which has lost him his companys hope for an IPO. Reed tells the group he will construct a machine to recreate the storm and reverse its effects on them, meanwhile, Von Dooms arm has become organic metal, giving him superhuman strength allowing him to produce bolts of electricity, and he begins plotting revenge. He drives a wedge between Ben and Reed, who has rekindled his relationship with Susan Storm, using the machine, Von Doom restores Ben to human form, while accelerating Von Dooms condition, causing much of his body to turn to metal. Von Doom knocks the human Grimm unconscious and captures Reed, Sue confronts Doom but is outmatched. Ben arrives to assist her, transformed into the Thing again by reusing the machine, Reed proposes marriage to Sue, who accepts. Rachel McAdams, Ali Larter and Keri Russell were considered for Sue Storm, as in almost all of the previous Marvel Comics-based films, Fantastic Four co-creator Stan Lee makes a cameo appearance
18.
Superman Returns
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Superman Returns is a 2006 American superhero film directed and produced by Bryan Singer. The film stars Brandon Routh as Clark Kent/Superman, Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane, Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor, with James Marsden, Frank Langella, the film tells the story of the title character returning to Earth after a five-year absence. He finds that his love interest Lois Lane has moved on with her life, and that his archenemy Lex Luthor is plotting a scheme that will destroy Superman and the world. After a series of projects to resurrect Superman on screen following the critical failure and box office disappointment of Superman IV. Warner Bros. hired Bryan Singer to direct and develop Superman Returns in July 2004, upon release, Superman Returns received generally positive critical reviews, with critics praising its visual effects, story, musical score, and style. However, it received mixed reviews in years, with criticism focused on its length, story. While a box office success, Warner Bros. was disappointed with the box office return. A sequel was planned for a summer 2009 release, but the project was later canceled, the Superman film series was completely rebooted in 2013 with the film Man of Steel, directed by Zack Snyder and starring Henry Cavill as Superman. For five years, Superman has abandoned his home of Earth while on a journey to visit the remains of Krypton. His seemingly selfish decision has ruined his image in the eyes of many, including journalist Lois Lane, upon returning to Metropolis, Superman, in his human identity of Clark Kent, is shocked to discover the consequences of his disappearance. While covering the launch of a shuttle, he narrowly saves a plane carrying Lois and other observers from crashing after a mysterious power failure. Unbeknownst to anyone, the accident was triggered by Luthor using Kryptonian technology stolen from the Fortress of Solitude, Luthor has his aide Kitty distract Superman, allowing Lex to steal a sample of kryptonite from a museum. Suspecting his involvement, Lois requests an off-the-record interview aboard his private yacht, Jason has an asthmatic attack when Luthor reveals the kryptonite, but has no subsequent reaction when Luthor holds the stone near him. When one of Luthors henchmen threatens Lois, Jason crushes him with a piano, realizing that he is Supermans son, Luthor and his thugs escape by helicopter as the new landmass emerges from the ocean. While working to contain the damage to Metropolis, Superman learns from Richard that Lois is in danger and saves her, Superman tries to apprehend Luthor, but the kryptonite-poisoned atmosphere quickly strips him of his powers. Luthors men torture Superman into submission, before Luthor stabs Superman with a Kryptonite shard, with Richards help, Lois gets him to safety and removes the shard. Fueled by the radiation, Superman defeats Luthors gang and covers the landmass with soil. While helping Luthor escape, a disillusioned Kitty allows the helicopter to crash on a remote island, complications from Kryptonite exposure cause Superman to fall into a coma, and while doctors are able to remove most of the fragments, they cannot revive him
19.
300 (film)
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300 is a 2006 American epic fantasy war film based on the 1998 comic series of the same name by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley. Both are fictionalized retellings of the Battle of Thermopylae within the Persian Wars, the film was directed by Zack Snyder, while Miller served as executive producer and consultant. It was filmed mostly with a chroma key technique, to help replicate the imagery of the original comic book. The plot revolves around King Leonidas, who leads 300 Spartans into battle against the Persian god-King Xerxes, as the battle rages, Queen Gorgo attempts to rally support in Sparta for her husband. The story is framed by a narrative by the Spartan soldier Dilios. Through this narrative technique, various fantastical creatures are introduced, placing 300 within the genre of historical fantasy, the events are revealed to be a story told by Delios, the only one of the 300 Spartans to survive the battle. 300 was released in conventional and IMAX theaters in the United States on March 9,2007, and on DVD, Blu-ray Disc. A sequel, entitled Rise of an Empire, which is based on Millers unpublished graphic novel prequel Xerxes, was released on March 7,2014. In 479 BC, one year after the famed Battle of Thermopylae, Dilios, the Ephors consult the Oracle, who decrees that Sparta will not go to war during the Carneia. As Leonidas angrily departs, a messenger from Xerxes appears, rewarding the Ephors for their covert support, at Thermopylae, they construct the wall made up of stones and slain Persian scouts as mortar, angering the Persian Emissary. Stelios, an elite Spartan soldier, orders him to go back to the Persian lines, meanwhile, Leonidas encounters Ephialtes, a deformed Spartan whose parents fled Sparta to spare him certain infanticide. Ephialtes asks to redeem his fathers name by joining Leonidas army, warning him of a path the Persians could use to outflank. Though sympathetic, Leonidas rejects him since his deformity physically prevents him from holding his shield high enough, potentially compromising the phalanx formation, the battle begins soon after the Spartans refusal to lay down their weapons. Using the Hot Gates to their advantage, as well as their superior fighting skills, in response, Xerxes sends in his elite guard, the Immortals, later that night. Despite some Spartans being killed, they defeat the Immortals. On the second day, Xerxes sends in new waves of armies from Asia and other Persian city-states, including war elephants, to crush the Spartans once and for all, but to no avail. Meanwhile, Ephialtes defects to Xerxes to whom he reveals the secret path in exchange for wealth, luxury, the Arcadians retreat upon learning of Ephialtes betrayal, but the Spartans stay. Leonidas orders an injured but reluctant Dilios to return to Sparta and tell them of what has happened, in Sparta, Queen Gorgo tries to persuade the Spartan Council to send reinforcements to aid the 300
20.
Watchmen (film)
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Watchmen is a 2009 American superhero film directed by Zack Snyder, based on the 1986–87 DC Comics limited series of the same name by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. It stars an ensemble cast of Malin Åkerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Carla Gugino, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Patrick Wilson. The parent company of Watchmen publisher DC Comics, with producer Joel Silver and director Terry Gilliam, where Snyder was hired to direct, Paramount remained as its international distributor whereas Warner Bros. would distribute the film in the United States. However, Fox sued Warner Bros. for copyright violation arising from Gordons failure to pay a buy-out in 1991, Fox and Warner Bros. settled this before the films release, with Fox receiving a portion of the gross. Principal photography began in Vancouver, September 2007, as with his previous film 300, Snyder closely modelled his storyboards on the comic, but chose not to shoot all of Watchmen using green screens and opted for real sets instead. The films reception has been mixed between positive and negative reactions, although critical standing has been positive in subsequent years. A directors cut with 24 minutes of footage was released in July 2009. The Minutemen, a team of costumed crime fighters, was formed in 1939 in response to a rise in costumed gangs and criminals, growing anti-vigilante sentiment leads to masked crime-fighters being outlawed. While many of the heroes retire, Dr Manhattan and The Comedian operate as government-sanctioned agents, while investigating the murder of government agent Edward Blake, Rorschach discovers that Blake was the Comedian, and theorizes that someone may be attempting to eliminate former costumed heroes. He warns his retired comrades— Daniel Dreiberg, Dr Manhattan, Dr Manhattan ignores Rorschach, and Dreiberg is skeptical, but relays this information to vigilante-turned-billionaire Adrian Veidt, who also dismisses it. Following a backlash, Dr Manhattan exiles himself to Mars, giving the Soviet Union the confidence to invade Afghanistan, Rorschachs theory appears to be justified when Veidt narrowly avoids an assassination attempt, and Rorschach finds himself framed for the murder of a former villain named Moloch. When Rorschach is arrested, his identity is revealed to be Walter Kovacs, Jupiter goes to stay with Dreiberg after breaking up with Manhattan. The two become lovers and decide to out of retirement. After helping Rorschach break out of prison, Jupiter is confronted by Manhattan, as he probes her memories, he discovers that she is Blakes daughter, and realizes the miracle of her life, created in spite of her parents turbulent relationship. He then returns to Earth with her, investigating the conspiracy, Rorschach and Dreiberg discover that Veidt is behind everything. Rorschach records his suspicions in his journal, which he drops off at the office of the New Frontiersman. Rorschach and Dreiberg confront Veidt at his Antarctic retreat, Veidt admits to being responsible for Blakes murder, Manhattans exile, Rorschachs framing, and his own assassination attempt, which he staged to divert suspicion. He explains that his plan is to unify the United States, Jupiter and Manhattan arrive in a destroyed New York City and determine that Veidt is responsible
21.
Kick-Ass (film)
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Kick-Ass is a 2010 British-American superhero black comedy film based on the comic book of the same name by Mark Millar and John Romita, Jr. The film was directed by Matthew Vaughn, who produced with Brad Pitt and its general release was on 25 March 2010 in the United Kingdom and on 16 April 2010 in the United States. It is the first installment of the Kick-Ass film series and it tells the story of an ordinary teenager, Dave Lizewski, who sets out to become a real-life superhero, calling himself Kick-Ass. Despite having generated some controversy for its profanity and violence performed by a child, the film has gained a strong cult following since its release on DVD and Blu-ray. A sequel, written and directed by Jeff Wadlow and produced by Vaughn, was released in August 2013, with Johnson, Mintz-Plasse, Dave Lizewski is an ordinary teenager who lives in Staten Island, New York. Inspired by comic books, Dave plans to become a real-life superhero and he purchases and modifies a bodysuit, and arms himself with batons. During his first outing, he stabbed and then hit by a car. After recovering, he gains a capacity to endure pain and enhanced durability, in his absence from school, a rumor spreads that he is gay, as he was found naked by the paramedics after discarding his costume. As a result, his crush, Katie Deauxma, immediately attempts to become his friend. Unhappy with the misunderstanding, Dave nevertheless appreciates the opportunity to get closer to Katie, Dave returns to crime-fighting and gains notoriety after intervening in a gang attack. Calling himself Kick-Ass, he sets up a Myspace account where he can be contacted for help, responding to a request from Katie, he confronts a drug dealer, Rasul, who has been harassing her. At Rasuls place, Kick-Ass is quickly overwhelmed by Rasuls thugs, before they can kill him, two costumed vigilantes, Hit-Girl and her father, Big Daddy, intervene, easily slaughter the thugs and leave with their money. After coming home, Dave realizes he is in over his head, however, Hit-Girl and Big Daddy pay him a visit and encourage him. Big Daddys real identity is Damon Macready, formerly an honest cop, framed by Mafia boss Frank DAmico, he was jailed. His wife committed suicide, leaving behind his daughter Mindy, against the protest of his former partner Marcus Williams, Damon trains himself and Mindy as preparation for getting revenge on Frank. They have been undermining Franks operations by raiding his warehouses, robbing his money, Frank believes Kick-Ass is responsible for the attacks and targets him, impulsively killing a party entertainer who is dressed like Kick-Ass. Franks son, Chris, suggests a different approach and he poses as a new vigilante, Red Mist, and befriends Kick-Ass. He plans to lure Kick-Ass into Franks lumber warehouse and unmask him, however, they find the warehouse on fire and Franks men dead
22.
Silicon Valley Comic Con
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Silicon Valley Comic Con is an annual comic book, popular arts, and technology multi-genre convention, to be held in the San Francisco Bay Area, based in the regions largest city, San Jose. The convention was conceived by Apple Computer co-founder Steve Wozniak, the inaugural event was held March 18–20,2016 at San Joses McEnery Convention Center. Silicon Valley Comic Con was first announced 17 April 2015 through a video featuring Steve Wozniak. The aim was to bring together popular culture such as comics, movies, genre TV. The plan is to feature celebrities, movies, television, video games, comic books, Silicon Valley Comic Con will be the San Francisco Bay Areas first large multi-genre convention since the departure of WonderCon after that conventions 2011 show. Since WonderCons departure the largest convention left in the Bay Area had been Big Wow, comicfest, which is being added to Silicon Valley Comic Cons schedule. On December 4,2015, Steve Wozniak announced that a sister-event to Silicon Valley Comic Con, called Tokyo Comic Con, will be held in Tokyo on December 3-4,2016. On July 13,2016 the second event was confirmed to be occurring April 21-23,2017 at the San Jose Convention Center as well as expanding into several additional venues nearby. The convention aims to both popular culture and technology in what Wozniak hopes will be a uniquely Silicon Valley flavor. In that spirit the convention will have typical comic convention staples such as an artists alley, several movie and television studios will be represented at the inaugural event including Warner Bros. Additionally several technology focused guests will be involved as well including astrophysicists and technologists, Official website http, //www. woz. com - Founders Website https, //www. facebook. com/pages/Silicon-Valley-Comic-Con/425976317568824 - Conventions Official Facebook Page
23.
Los Angeles
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Los Angeles, officially the City of Los Angeles and often known by its initials L. A. is the cultural, financial, and commercial center of Southern California. With a census-estimated 2015 population of 3,971,883, it is the second-most populous city in the United States, Los Angeles is also the seat of Los Angeles County, the most populated county in the United States. The citys inhabitants are referred to as Angelenos, historically home to the Chumash and Tongva, Los Angeles was claimed by Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo for Spain in 1542 along with the rest of what would become Alta California. The city was founded on September 4,1781, by Spanish governor Felipe de Neve. It became a part of Mexico in 1821 following the Mexican War of Independence, in 1848, at the end of the Mexican–American War, Los Angeles and the rest of California were purchased as part of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, thereby becoming part of the United States. Los Angeles was incorporated as a municipality on April 4,1850, the discovery of oil in the 1890s brought rapid growth to the city. The completion of the Los Angeles Aqueduct in 1913, delivering water from Eastern California, nicknamed the City of Angels, Los Angeles is known for its Mediterranean climate, ethnic diversity, and sprawling metropolis. Los Angeles also has an economy in culture, media, fashion, science, sports, technology, education, medicine. A global city, it has been ranked 6th in the Global Cities Index, the city is home to renowned institutions covering a broad range of professional and cultural fields, and is one of the most substantial economic engines within the United States. The Los Angeles combined statistical area has a gross metropolitan product of $831 billion, making it the third-largest in the world, after the Greater Tokyo and New York metropolitan areas. The city has hosted the Summer Olympic Games in 1932 and 1984 and is bidding to host the 2024 Summer Olympics and thus become the second city after London to have hosted the Games three times. The Los Angeles area also hosted the 1994 FIFA mens World Cup final match as well as the 1999 FIFA womens World Cup final match, the mens event was watched on television by over 700 million people worldwide. The Los Angeles coastal area was first settled by the Tongva, a Gabrielino settlement in the area was called iyáangẚ, meaning poison oak place. Gaspar de Portolà and Franciscan missionary Juan Crespí, reached the present site of Los Angeles on August 2,1769, in 1771, Franciscan friar Junípero Serra directed the building of the Mission San Gabriel Arcángel, the first mission in the area. The Queen of the Angels is an honorific of the Virgin Mary, two-thirds of the settlers were mestizo or mulatto with a mixture of African, indigenous and European ancestry. The settlement remained a small town for decades, but by 1820. Today, the pueblo is commemorated in the district of Los Angeles Pueblo Plaza and Olvera Street. New Spain achieved its independence from the Spanish Empire in 1821, during Mexican rule, Governor Pío Pico made Los Angeles Alta Californias regional capital
24.
Comics Arts Conference
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The Comic Arts Conference first convened on August 12,1992, at the Marriott Hotel and Marina in San Diego as part of that years Comic-Con International. CACs inaugural programming featured presentations on Tijuana bibles, The Role of the Indian in the Western Comic Book, Comics creator Leonard Rifas presented a talk on Fredric Wertham, to which Steve Bissette and Robert C. Harvey responded. Over time, CAC has evolved and expanded, introducing seminars, poster sessions, the Comics Arts Conference expanded in 2007 when it began to meet twice annually, adding sessions at Februarys WonderCon in San Francisco in addition to Julys Comic-Con. The WonderCon conference was repeated in February,2008, and is intended as a move toward permanently running the conference semi-annually, to addition to invited speakers, the conference accepts submissions from anyone in the form of on a wide variety of topics. CAC organizers seek proposals from a range of disciplinary and theoretical perspectives, welcoming the participation of academic, independent. They welcome professionals from all areas of the industry, including creators, editors, publishers, retailers, distributors. Presentations include academic papers as well as less formal panels, poster sessions, CAC encourages professional debate by inviting scholars and professionals to participate as respondents to presentations. Papers and respondents come from a range of backgrounds, perspectives, the open conference includes academically minded historians and chroniclers as well as noted writers, artists and other professionals from within the comics industry. It also saw a preview by Scott McCloud of his then-up-coming masterwork Understanding Comics, Michael Straczynski, Michael Uslan, Rick Veitch, Mark Waid, Len Wein, Adam West, Bill Willingham, and E. Paul Zehr. The conference is held concurrently with the comic book convention in order to facilitate comic book professionals involvement. Comics studies Comic Arts Conference homepage Comic-Con International WonderCon
25.
Los Angeles Times
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The Los Angeles Times, commonly referred to as the Times or LA Times, is a paid daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008, the Times is owned by tronc. The Times was first published on December 4,1881, as the Los Angeles Daily Times under the direction of Nathan Cole Jr. and it was first printed at the Mirror printing plant, owned by Jesse Yarnell and T. J. Unable to pay the bill, Cole and Gardiner turned the paper over to the Mirror Company. Mathes had joined the firm, and it was at his insistence that the Times continued publication, in July 1882, Harrison Gray Otis moved from Santa Barbara to become the papers editor. Otis made the Times a financial success, in an era where newspapers were driven by party politics, the Times was directed at Republican readers. As was typical of newspapers of the time, the Times would sit on stories for several days, historian Kevin Starr wrote that Otis was a businessman capable of manipulating the entire apparatus of politics and public opinion for his own enrichment. Otiss editorial policy was based on civic boosterism, extolling the virtues of Los Angeles, the efforts of the Times to fight local unions led to the October 1,1910 bombing of its headquarters, killing twenty-one people. Two union leaders, James and Joseph McNamara, were charged, the American Federation of Labor hired noted trial attorney Clarence Darrow to represent the brothers, who eventually pleaded guilty. Upon Otiss death in 1917, his son-in-law, Harry Chandler, Harry Chandler was succeeded in 1944 by his son, Norman Chandler, who ran the paper during the rapid growth of post-war Los Angeles. Family members are buried at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery near Paramount Studios, the site also includes a memorial to the Times Building bombing victims. The fourth generation of family publishers, Otis Chandler, held that position from 1960 to 1980, Otis Chandler sought legitimacy and recognition for his familys paper, often forgotten in the power centers of the Northeastern United States due to its geographic and cultural distance. He sought to remake the paper in the model of the nations most respected newspapers, notably The New York Times, believing that the newsroom was the heartbeat of the business, Otis Chandler increased the size and pay of the reporting staff and expanded its national and international reporting. In 1962, the paper joined with the Washington Post to form the Los Angeles Times-Washington Post News Service to syndicate articles from both papers for news organizations. During the 1960s, the paper won four Pulitzer Prizes, more than its previous nine decades combined, eventually the coupon-clipping branches realized that they could make more money investing in something other than newspapers. Under their pressure the companies went public, or split apart, thats the pattern followed over more than a century by the Los Angeles Times under the Chandler family. The papers early history and subsequent transformation was chronicled in an unauthorized history Thinking Big and it has also been the whole or partial subject of nearly thirty dissertations in communications or social science in the past four decades. In 2000, the Tribune Company acquired the Times, placing the paper in co-ownership with then-WB -affiliated KTLA, which Tribune acquired in 1985
26.
Publishers Weekly
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Publishers Weekly is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, “The International News Magazine of Book Publishing and Bookselling, with 51 issues a year, the emphasis today is on book reviews. The magazine was founded by bibliographer Frederick Leypoldt in the late 1860s, the publication was a compilation of information about newly published books, collected from publishers and from other sources by Leypoldt, for an audience of booksellers. By 1876, Publishers Weekly was being read by nine tenths of the booksellers in the country, in 1878, Leypoldt sold The Publishers Weekly to his friend Richard Rogers Bowker, in order to free up time for his other bibliographic endeavors. Eventually the publication expanded to include features and articles, harry Thurston Peck was the first editor-in-chief of The Bookman, which began in 1895. Peck worked on its staff from 1895 to 1906, and in 1895, in 1912, Publishers Weekly began to publish its own bestseller lists, patterned after the lists in The Bookman. These were not separated into fiction and non-fiction until 1917, when World War I brought an increased interest in non-fiction by the reading public. Born April 12,1879, in Malden, Massachusetts, Melcher began at age 16 in Bostons Estes & Lauriat Bookstore and he moved to Indianapolis in 1913 for another bookstore job. In 1918, he read in Publishers Weekly that the editorship was vacant. He applied to Richard Rogers Bowker for the job, was hired and he remained with R. R. Bowker for 45 years. While at Publishers Weekly, Melcher began creating space in the publication, in 1919, he teamed with Franklin K. Mathiews, librarian for the Boy Scouts of America, and Anne Carroll Moore, a librarian at the New York Public Library, to create Children’s Book Week. When Bowker died in 1933, Melcher succeeded him as president of the company, in 1943, Publishers Weekly created the Carey–Thomas Award for creative publishing, naming it in honor of Mathew Carey and Isaiah Thomas. In 2008, the circulation was 25,000. It attempts to serve all involved in the creation, production, marketing and sale of the word in book, audio, video. The book review section of Publishers Weekly was added in the early 1940s and grew in importance during the 20th century and through the present time. It currently offers prepublication reviews of 9,000 new trade books each year, in a range of genres and including audiobooks and e-books. These anonymous reviews are short, averaging 200–250 words, and it is not unusual for the section to run as long as 40 pages. In the past, a book review editorial staff of eight editors assigned books to more than 100 freelance reviewers, some are published authors, and others are experts in specific genres or subjects
27.
The Los Angeles Times
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The Los Angeles Times, commonly referred to as the Times or LA Times, is a paid daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008, the Times is owned by tronc. The Times was first published on December 4,1881, as the Los Angeles Daily Times under the direction of Nathan Cole Jr. and it was first printed at the Mirror printing plant, owned by Jesse Yarnell and T. J. Unable to pay the bill, Cole and Gardiner turned the paper over to the Mirror Company. Mathes had joined the firm, and it was at his insistence that the Times continued publication, in July 1882, Harrison Gray Otis moved from Santa Barbara to become the papers editor. Otis made the Times a financial success, in an era where newspapers were driven by party politics, the Times was directed at Republican readers. As was typical of newspapers of the time, the Times would sit on stories for several days, historian Kevin Starr wrote that Otis was a businessman capable of manipulating the entire apparatus of politics and public opinion for his own enrichment. Otiss editorial policy was based on civic boosterism, extolling the virtues of Los Angeles, the efforts of the Times to fight local unions led to the October 1,1910 bombing of its headquarters, killing twenty-one people. Two union leaders, James and Joseph McNamara, were charged, the American Federation of Labor hired noted trial attorney Clarence Darrow to represent the brothers, who eventually pleaded guilty. Upon Otiss death in 1917, his son-in-law, Harry Chandler, Harry Chandler was succeeded in 1944 by his son, Norman Chandler, who ran the paper during the rapid growth of post-war Los Angeles. Family members are buried at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery near Paramount Studios, the site also includes a memorial to the Times Building bombing victims. The fourth generation of family publishers, Otis Chandler, held that position from 1960 to 1980, Otis Chandler sought legitimacy and recognition for his familys paper, often forgotten in the power centers of the Northeastern United States due to its geographic and cultural distance. He sought to remake the paper in the model of the nations most respected newspapers, notably The New York Times, believing that the newsroom was the heartbeat of the business, Otis Chandler increased the size and pay of the reporting staff and expanded its national and international reporting. In 1962, the paper joined with the Washington Post to form the Los Angeles Times-Washington Post News Service to syndicate articles from both papers for news organizations. During the 1960s, the paper won four Pulitzer Prizes, more than its previous nine decades combined, eventually the coupon-clipping branches realized that they could make more money investing in something other than newspapers. Under their pressure the companies went public, or split apart, thats the pattern followed over more than a century by the Los Angeles Times under the Chandler family. The papers early history and subsequent transformation was chronicled in an unauthorized history Thinking Big and it has also been the whole or partial subject of nearly thirty dissertations in communications or social science in the past four decades. In 2000, the Tribune Company acquired the Times, placing the paper in co-ownership with then-WB -affiliated KTLA, which Tribune acquired in 1985
28.
Sidewalks Entertainment
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The 30-minute program is primarily produced in the San Francisco Bay Area with segments from other parts of the country, including Los Angeles and New York. Richard R. Lee is the creator and executive producer, as well as lead editor, on-air personalities Cindy Rhodes and Rafael Siegel are also co-producers. During the first six years, the show was known as Sidewalks, the producers decided to add Entertainment to the programs title, so viewers would understand it was an entertainment show and not a show related to public works or about concrete walkways. On websites and television grids, the program is listed as Sidewalks Entertainment, although hosts, guests, as of April 14,2007, the show has produced 256 regular editions, along with a number of special episodes and temporary shows. The current version of Sidewalks is primarily a celebrity-based interview and music show, the initial draft was to feature street performers, who are also known as sidewalk performers. Cameras would follow and showcase the performers in San Francisco or at the studio where Sidewalks was produced. Shortly before production began, the street performer segment was dropped due to time, only a handful of street performers eventually appeared on the series. The early years of Sidewalks became a TV showcase for unknown aspiring musicians, talents appeared with at least one full-length performance, followed by a short interview. For some of the talents, the show produced exclusive music videos of the acts, the Sidewalks clips became one of the trademarks of the production for guests and viewers. In 1990, the show expanded its format and experimented with music videos. Around 1992, the show journeyed into more celebrity interviews, which now included actors from TV, the regional show became part of the national media tour, where celebrities would come on a TV show to pitch or promote their projects. The Sidewalks host would conduct interviews either in-person or from a satellite tour, actors, Michael Madsen, Bill Paxton, Hank Azaria, Scott Bakula, Danny Glover, Bob Saget, Robert Englund, and Rob Schneider. Sports stars, Wayne Gretzky, Jeff Gordon, Mia Hamm, Brandi Chastain, Bonnie Blair, Richard Petty, Jon Wood, Bobby Labonte, Michael Waltrip, and Shaquille ONeal. TV hosts, Meredith Vieira, Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Joy Behar, Stephanie Miller, Melissa Rivers, authors, Judith Krantz, Sidney Sheldon, and Jackie Collins. Sidewalks also took its production remotely to showcase a variety of events, and Barnum & Bailey Circus and movie premieres were featured. The Bay Area Music Awards became one of the major annual events. In 2003, the production went bi-coastal, thanks to returning on-air personality of Siegel. He had a number of prominent interviews with stars as Wyclef Jean, Heather Headley
29.
Geographic coordinate system
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A geographic coordinate system is a coordinate system used in geography that enables every location on Earth to be specified by a set of numbers, letters or symbols. The coordinates are chosen such that one of the numbers represents a vertical position. A common choice of coordinates is latitude, longitude and elevation, to specify a location on a two-dimensional map requires a map projection. The invention of a coordinate system is generally credited to Eratosthenes of Cyrene. Ptolemy credited him with the adoption of longitude and latitude. Ptolemys 2nd-century Geography used the prime meridian but measured latitude from the equator instead. Mathematical cartography resumed in Europe following Maximus Planudes recovery of Ptolemys text a little before 1300, in 1884, the United States hosted the International Meridian Conference, attended by representatives from twenty-five nations. Twenty-two of them agreed to adopt the longitude of the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, the Dominican Republic voted against the motion, while France and Brazil abstained. France adopted Greenwich Mean Time in place of local determinations by the Paris Observatory in 1911, the latitude of a point on Earths surface is the angle between the equatorial plane and the straight line that passes through that point and through the center of the Earth. Lines joining points of the same latitude trace circles on the surface of Earth called parallels, as they are parallel to the equator, the north pole is 90° N, the south pole is 90° S. The 0° parallel of latitude is designated the equator, the plane of all geographic coordinate systems. The equator divides the globe into Northern and Southern Hemispheres, the longitude of a point on Earths surface is the angle east or west of a reference meridian to another meridian that passes through that point. All meridians are halves of great ellipses, which converge at the north and south poles, the prime meridian determines the proper Eastern and Western Hemispheres, although maps often divide these hemispheres further west in order to keep the Old World on a single side. The antipodal meridian of Greenwich is both 180°W and 180°E, the combination of these two components specifies the position of any location on the surface of Earth, without consideration of altitude or depth. The grid formed by lines of latitude and longitude is known as a graticule, the origin/zero point of this system is located in the Gulf of Guinea about 625 km south of Tema, Ghana. To completely specify a location of a feature on, in, or above Earth. Earth is not a sphere, but a shape approximating a biaxial ellipsoid. It is nearly spherical, but has an equatorial bulge making the radius at the equator about 0. 3% larger than the radius measured through the poles, the shorter axis approximately coincides with the axis of rotation
