1.
Brian Bolland
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Brian Bolland is a British comics artist. His rare forays into interior art also include Batman, The Killing Joke, with UK-based writer Alan Moore, Bolland remains in high demand as a cover artist, producing the vast majority of his work for DC Comics. Brian Bolland was born in Butterwick, Lincolnshire to parents Albert A. J, John, a fenland farmer, and Lillie Bolland. He spent his first 18 years living in a village near Boston in the fens of Lincolnshire, England. When American comics began to be imported into England, c.1959, Bolland says that it took a little while for me to discover them, which fed into a childhood interest in dinosaurs of all shapes and sizes. He recalls that uperheroes crept into my life by stealth, as he sought out covers featuring any big creature that looked vaguely dinosaur-like. This adolescent criteria led from Dinosaurus. and Turok via House of Mystery to Batman and Robin were being harassed by big weird things, as were Superman, Aquaman, soon, family outings to Skegness became an excuse for the future artist to trawl. Round some of the more remote backstreet newsagents for comics to store on an overflowing bookcase Id made in school woodwork especially. As early as 1962, aged 11, Bolland remembers thinking that Carmine Infantinos work on the Flash and Gil Kanes on Green Lantern, the young Bolland did not rate Marvel Comics as highly as DC, feeling the covers cluttered and the paper quality crude. His appreciation of the artwork of Jack Kirby, he says, having taken both O-Level and A-Level examinations in art, Bolland spent five years at art school learning graphic design and Art history. Learning to draw comics, however, was more a thing, with Bolland eventually writing a 15. He would later recall, It was during this time that I discovered the range of comics. All the British stuff Id missed was there to be discovered, I found the American greats, Foster, Herriman, Alex Raymond and Winsor McCay. Noel Sickles, Milt Caniff, Roy Crane, had all, I discovered, later the Filipinos—Alex Niño, Nestor Redondo, Alfredo Alcala, all were inspirational. None of this stuff was to be found in the art schools, during my five years in three art schools I never learnt a single thing about comics from any of my tutors. Bolland studied graphic design at Norwich University of the Arts, while at art school, Bolland drew and self-published a couple of fanzines and his work was published in British underground magazines Frendz, International Times and OZ. In 1971, his friend Dave Harwood took his first step into printed mass production with his RDH Comix and he also contributed a smaller, strip entitled The Mixed-Up Kid to the Central School of Arts college newspaper. Bolland and Gibbons became firm friends, after finishing his college course, Bolland was hit with the stark reality of unemployment and on the advice of Gibbons joined art agency Bardon Press Features
2.
DC Comics
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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
3.
Hawkman
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Hawkman is a fictional superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, the original Hawkman first appeared in Flash Comics #1, most incarnations of Hawkman work closely with a partner/romantic interest named Hawkgirl or Hawkwoman. These versions of the character have starred in series of various durations. Hawkman first appeared in Flash Comics #1, and was a character in that title throughout the 1940s. This Hawkman was Carter Hall, a reincarnation of the ancient Egyptian prince, Hall discovered that the mysterious ninth metal could negate the effects of gravity and allow him to fly. He donned a costume with wings to allow him to control his flight and became the crimefighter. He also had a hawk named Big Red that assisted him in fighting crime. An archaeologist by profession, Hall used ancient weapons from the museum that he curated, Hawkman was a charter member of the Justice Society of America, beginning with All Star Comics #3. In issue #8 he became the JSAs chairman, a position he would hold until the end of the JSAs run in All Star Comics and he was the only member of the JSA to appear in every adventure during the Golden Age of Comic Books. He romanced his reincarnated bride, Shiera Sanders, who became the crimefighter Hawkgirl, along with most other superheroes, Hawkmans Golden Age adventures came to an end when the industry turned away from the genre in the early 1950s. His last appearance was in All Star Comics #57, later in the decade, DC Comics, under editor Julius Schwartz, decided to revive a number of heroes in new incarnations, but retaining the same names and powers. They adopted the names Carter and Shiera Hall and became curators of a museum in Midway City and this Hawkman became a member of the Justice League of America in issue #31, where he often verbally sparred with the iconoclastic liberal hero Green Arrow. In the 1960s it was revealed that the original Hawkman lived on the world of Earth-Two. The JLA and JSA had an annual meeting throughout the 1960s and 1970s during which the two often met. The Silver Age Hawkman had his own series for a few years in the 60s, Atom and Hawkman lasted only another year or so before cancellation. In the late 1970s in Showcase and Worlds Finest Comics, Thanagar went to war with the planet Rann and this led to Hawkman and Hawkwoman severing ties with their homeworld, and later fighting The Shadow War of Hawkman as Thanagar tried secretly to conquer the Earth. The landmark 1985 series Crisis on Infinite Earths resulted in a revision of much DC continuity. Hawkman was to some of the greatest confusion as successive writers sought to explain his various appearances
4.
Gardner Fox
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Gardner Francis Cooper Fox was an American writer known best for creating numerous comic book characters for DC Comics. Comic book historians estimate that he more than 4,000 comics stories. Fox introduced the concept of the Multiverse to DC Comics in the 1961 story Flash of Two Worlds, Fox was born in Brooklyn, New York. Fox recalled being inspired at an age by the great fantasy fiction writers. On or about his birthday, he been given The Gods of Mars and The Warlord of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs. He read all of Burroughs, Harold Lamb, Talbot Mundy, Fox received a law degree from St. Johns College and was admitted to the New York bar in 1935. He practiced for two years, but as the Great Depression continued he began writing for DC Comics editor Vin Sullivan. Debuting as a writer in the pages of Detective Comics, Fox intermittently contributed tales to nearly every book in the DC lineup during the Golden Age and he was a frequent contributor of prose stories to the pulp science fiction magazines of the 1930s and 1940s. A polymath, Fox included numerous real-world historical, scientific, and mythological references in his strips, once saying. He revealed in letters to fan Jerry Bails that he kept large troves of reference material, mentioning during 1971, I maintain two file cabinets chock full of stuff. And the attic is crammed with books and magazines. Everything about science, nature, or unusual facts, Fox wrote a pair of science fiction novels titled Warriors of Llarn and Thief of Llarn. From 1969 to 1970, Belmont Books published a series of sword and sorcery novels by Fox and these were Kothar, Barbarian Swordsman, Kothar of the Magic Sword, Kothar and the Demon Queen, Kothar and the Conjurers Curse and finally Kothar and the Wizard Slayer. These were followed in 1976 by another series featuring the barbarian Kyrik, Kyrik, Warlock Warrior, Kyrik Fights the Demon World, Kyrik and the Wizards Sword and Kyrik and the Lost Queen. Foxs earliest stories for DC Comics featured Speed Saunders with art by Creig Flessel, Speed Saunders was initially credited to E. C. Stoner, which many believe to be a Fox pseudonym. As the 1930s progressed, Fox added writing credits for Steve Malone and Bruce Nelson for Detective Comics to his workload, during World War II, Fox assumed responsibility for a variety of characters and books of several of his colleagues who had been drafted. With the waning popularity of superheroes, Fox contributed western, science fiction, humor, romance, Fox returned to the Batman in 1964. Fox is credited with writing the first three of six stories in the issue of Flash Comics, including the debut of the titular character. With a hero described as a modern-day Mercury, the title feature saw college student Jay Garrick imbued with superhuman speed after inhaling hard water vapors
5.
Murphy Anderson
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He worked on such characters as Hawkman, Batgirl, Zatanna, the Spectre, and Superman, as well as on the Buck Rogers daily syndicated newspaper comic strip. Anderson also contributed for many years to PS, the preventive maintenance comics magazine of the U. S. Army. Murphy Anderson was born on July 9,1926, in Asheville, North Carolina, by the following month he was the regular artist on the Planet Comics features Life on Other Worlds and Star Pirate. Anderson continued doing work, as well as illustrations for science-fiction pulp magazines. From 1947 to 1949, Anderson was the artist on the Buck Rogers comic-book series, during the 1950s, Anderson worked for several publishers including Pines Comics, St. John Publications, Ziff Davis, DC Comics, and Atlas Comics, that decades predecessor of Marvel Comics. Anderson succeeded artist and co-creator Carmine Infantino on the superhero feature Captain Comet beginning with the story The Girl from the Diamond Planet in Strange Adventures #12. Years later, Anderson and writer John Broome created the feature Atomic Knights in Strange Adventures #117, Anderson and writer Gardner Fox launched the Hawkman series in May 1964 and introduced the Zatanna character in issue #4. Comics historian Les Daniels noted that Hawkman really took off when artist Murphy Anderson took over. Anderson came into his own with his elegantly ornamental version of the Winged Wonder. The Spectre was revived by Fox and Anderson in Showcase #60 and was given his own series in December 1967, Anderson designed the costume of Adam Strange. With his frequent collaborator, penciler Curt Swan, the artwork on Superman. He often hid his initials somewhere within the stories he inked, in 1972, he drew Wonder Woman for the cover of the first issue of Ms. Magazine. In 1973, he established Murphy Anderson Visual Concepts, which provided color separations, Anderson also contributed for many years to PS, the preventive maintenance comics magazine of the U. S. Army. Anderson and his wife of 67 years, Helen, had two daughters, Sophie and Mary, and a son, Murphy III, Anderson died in Somerset, New Jersey on October 22,2015, at the age of 89, of heart failure. Anderson received an Inkpot Award in 1984 and was inducted into the Jack Kirby Hall of Fame in 1998, in 2013, Anderson was inducted into the Inkwell Awards Joe Sinnott Hall of Fame. 2 #15 Our Army at War #28,31 Phantom Stranger #1, archived from the original on October 23,2015
6.
Justice League
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The Justice League, also known as the Justice League of America, is a fictional superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The Justice League was conceived by writer Gardner Fox, and first appeared in The Brave, the team is an assemblage of superheroes who join together as the Justice League. The seven original members were Batman, Aquaman, the Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Superman, and Wonder Woman. The team roster has rotated throughout the years, consisting of many superheroes from the DC Universe like Atom, Black Canary, Shazam, Green Arrow, Hawkman, Cyborg, the Justice League received its own comic book title called Justice League of America in November 1960. With the 2011 relaunch of its titles, DC Comics released a volume of Justice League. In July 2016, the DC Rebirth initiative relaunched the Justice League comic book titles with the volume of Justice League. Since its inception, the team has featured in various television programs. Various comic book featuring the Justice League have remained generally popular with fans since inception and, in most incarnations. A live-action film was also in the works around 2008 before being shelved, on June 6,2012, Warner Bros. announced a new live action Justice League film was in development with Will Beall hired as screenwriter. However, the project was scrapped again, after the success of the Superman reboot Man of Steel, a film titled Batman v Superman, Dawn of Justice was released in March 2016, directed by Zack Snyder. Batman v Superman script writer Chris Terrio has also penned the script for Justice League, in a story told in flashback in Justice League of America #9, the Appelaxians infiltrated Earth. Competing alien warriors were sent to see who could conquer Earth first, the aliens attacks drew the attentions of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman, and Martian Manhunter. While the superheroes individually defeated most of the invaders, the heroes fell prey to a single competitors attack, for many years, the heroes heralded this adventure as the event that prompted them to agree to pool resources when confronted with similar menaces. When the group formalized their agreement, they suppressed news of it because of anti-Martian hysteria, while most subsequent accounts of the League have made little mention of this first adventure, the animated Justice League series adapted this tale as the origin of the Justice League as well. Secret Origins #32 updated Justice League of America #9s origin for post-Crisis continuity, differences included the inclusion of the Silver Age Black Canary as a founding member and the absence of Batman, Wonder Woman and Superman. The JLA, Year One limited series, by Mark Waid, Brian Augustyn and Barry Kitson, in Justice League Task Force #16, during Zero Hour, a then unknown superhuman named Triumph appeared. Triumph was revealed to have been a member of the Justice League and was their leader. On his first mission with the Justice League, Triumph seemingly saved the world but was teleported into a limbo that also affected the timestream
7.
Seven Soldiers
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Seven Soldiers is a comic book metaseries written by Grant Morrison and published by DC Comics. It was published as seven interrelated mini-series and two bookend issues, the series features a new version of the Seven Soldiers of Victory fighting to save Earth from the Sheeda. Seven Soldiers started off as a different project which evolved over time, according to Morrison, I started off in 2002 with the idea to do a JLA spin-off called JL8, which featured a bunch of C-list characters getting together as a DC analogue of the Avengers or Ultimates. Guardian was in from the start as my Captain America guy, Mister Miracle was Thor, I worked on the material for the next two years to turn it into the Seven Soldiers concept as it finally emerged. The metaseries is bookended by Seven Soldiers #0 and #1, with art by J. H. Williams III, in the first issue of this story, the Vigilante gathers together a new Spider, Gimmix, a new Boy Blue, Dyno-Mite Dan, and the Whip. The team sets out to battle the Buffalo Spider, only to be killed during an event known as the Harrowing, the seven miniseries follow seven other characters with indirect connections to the first group, each with their own art styles, genres, and character arcs. A central part of Morrisons idea for the current series is that, although the seven characters in question are each a part of the same struggle, thus, the team is actually not a team. An explanation for this is presented in Manhattan Guardian and Zatanna and it is prophesied that the Sheeda will eventually be stopped by seven soldiers, so they target teams of seven, including the Ultramarine Corps and the Justice League of America. However, because the Seven Soldiers have never met, they stand a chance of doing the job, in Zatanna, a ghost remarks that there are too many coincidences in the story and it feels like there is a mystery string tying it all together. It eventually emerges that the Seven Unknown Men of Slaughter Swamp are driving the Seven Soldiers to stop the Sheeda, in an interview, Grant remarked that this series of stories, takes place after Infinite Crisis. Dan DiDio has stated that, after consultation with Morrison. The comic Seven Soldiers of Victory #1 was originally scheduled for release on April 1,2006, the climactic sequence is initiated by Zatanna casting a spell, Seven Soldiers Strike. This is the push the universe required to move the soldiers into position. H. A. D. E. There, Guardian has rounded up thousands of New Yorkers into a militia that is fighting off the Sheeda invasion. At approximately the time, Bulleteer comes tearing down the street in her car, hoping to take her critically ill nemesis, Sally Sonic. Sally, utterly insane, attacks Bulleteer, who control of her vehicle. Guardian arrives on the scene, but Bulleteer is the only survivor, prior to all of this, Klarion, who had drilled up into New York from hidden caves beneath the city, had stolen a magic die from Misty, Zatannas sidekick. Together with his own die, the two dice comprise Fatherbox, one of the lost treasures of the ancient superhero Aurakles, Klarion had then traveled up to Castle Revolving
8.
Justice League Dark
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The Justice League Dark, or JLD, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. First appearing in Justice League Dark #1, the Justice League Dark originally featured John Constantine, Madame Xanadu, Deadman, Shade, the Changing Man, the team consists of the more supernatural members of the DC Universe, handling situations deemed unfit for the traditional Justice League. Justice League Dark was announced on May 31,2011 as a First Wave title of The New 52, the title and team was created by Peter Milligan, with art by Mikel Janín. The title launched on September 28,2011, the initial anticipation for this title has been good, with critics celebrating the fact that DC are willing to bring back some of the darker elements which had moved over to Vertigo in the 1990s. The opening storyline involves Enchantress defeat of the Justice League, leading to the necessity of a more supernatural team to assist in these events, there is also a minor crossover story with I. Vampire. From issue nine, Sweet Tooth and Animal Man writer Jeff Lemire became the writer on the series. R. G. U. S. In August 2013, it was announced that J. M. DeMatteis would take over as writer from Lemire in November 2013. Early in the run, Peter Milligan stated that he was, ruling no-one out for future appearances, however, writer Jeff Lemire did not include either during the series, having added Black Orchid and Frankenstein, among others, to the team. All members joined in issue 1 unless otherwise noted, andrew Bennett – A centuries-old vampire from the title I, Vampire. Becomes a member of Justice League Dark as a favor to Constantine and is forcibly induced permanently by him, left the team in issue 14, rejoined in issue 35. Black Orchid – A new shapeshifting version of Black Orchid, revealed to be Alba Garcia, an A. R. G. U. S. Agent who worked under Col. Steve Trevor and she was captured as part of Project Thaumaton for the Crime Syndicate. Left the team in issue 30, doctor Mist – The A. R. G. U. S supernatural expert and consultant, he is tasked alongside Black Orchid to keep watch on Constantine. He is later revealed to be a spy working for Felix Faust and he tries to redeem himself by opening a portal to another dimension to save Tim Hunter and Zatanna. Joined in issue #9 and left the team after it was revealed he was working for Faust in issue 11, Frankenstein – An erudite creature created by Viktor Frankenstein, Frankenstein first assists the team in the Justice League Dark Annual #1. He chooses to stay with the team in issue 14, out of a sense of responsibility towards Zatanna and he was captured as part of Project Thaumaton for the Crime Syndicate. Left the team in issue 30, John Constantine – A working class Liverpudlian magician. Originally from Swamp Thing and protagonist of long running Vertigo title Hellblazer, became the leader of the group in issue 9
9.
Zatara
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Giovanni John Zatara is a fictional character appearing in comics published by DC Comics. He is a magician who also practices actual magic. He married Sindella, a Homo magi, and they have a daughter, Zatanna Zatara and he first appeared in Action Comics #1, and was created by writer and artist Fred Guardineer. John Zatara is introduced as a magician in various publications of DC Comics, beginning with 1938s Action Comics #1, like the very similar Mandrake the Magician, Zatara had a large East Indian as a friend/bodyguard, called Tong, to share his early adventures. As well as being an illusionist, Zatara also had magical powers. His love of magic began early when he was given a magic kit by his uncle, although he began learning the craft in childhood, his early attempts at performing professionally were unsuccessful until he realized that he needed to work on his showmanship. His lessons in magic were bolstered by visits from the Phantom Stranger, and he had a relationship with Madame Xanadu. To that end, he acquired old diaries of Leonardo da Vinci, while reading the diaries, which Da Vinci wrote in backwards spelling as a security precaution, Zatara learned that his family had the command of magic. He discovered this inadvertently when he gave a command to a mannequin to begin waving an arm wildly. Zatara realized that he could command it to stop by giving the order in backwards spelling, with this new knowledge, Zatara developed a successful show. During the premiere performance a fire out on stage, forcing Zatara to use his command of real magic to put it out. While the audience mistook the incident as part of the act, Zatara realized that power could be invaluable in helping people. Zatara became good friends with Thomas Wayne and his excursions with Wayne led to Wayne meeting his wife, Martha. After the two were killed, Zatara left Gotham City, blaming himself for being unable to stop the orphaning of young Bruce, eventually, in Europe, Zatara would met and wed Sindella, who gave birth to their daughter, Zatanna. Sindella seemingly died after giving birth to Zatanna, prompting Zatara to become a depressed drunk, things changed for the better in Zataras life when a young Bruce Wayne arrived, requesting Zatara to teach him to become an escape artist and illusionist. Bruces appearance prompted Zatara to address his alcoholism and this adventure includes Zatara confronting an evil warlock on a world where nothing changes or grows older. Zatara steals his adversarys teleportation crystal in a attempt to stop the man from invading Earth. Zatara ends up trapped in the land of Kharma by a sorceress called Allura, Allura turned out to have a good twin, also called Allura, who forced her to remove the spell
10.
John Constantine
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John Constantine is a fictional character, an antihero, appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and DC Comicss imprints Vertigo. The character first appeared in The Saga of the Swamp Thing No,37, and was created by Alan Moore, Steve Bissette and John Totleben. He serves as the character of the comic books Hellblazer, Constantine, Constantine, The Hellblazer. The titular Hellblazer, Constantine is a working class occult detective and he is known for his endless cynicism, deadpan snarking, ruthless cunning and constant chain smoking, but is also a passionate humanist driven by a heartfelt desire to do some good in his life. Originally a supporting character who played a role in the American Gothic Swamp Thing storyline, Constantine received his own comic in 1988. Pop artist Sting served as inspiration for the character. A live-action film was released in 2005 entitled Constantine, in which an Americanized version of the character is played by actor Keanu Reeves, the Hellblazer series was the longest-running and most successful title of DCs Vertigo imprint. John Constantine first appeared in 1985 as a character in the horror series The Saga of the Swamp Thing. In these early appearances, Constantine was depicted as a sorcerer of questionable morality, Alan Moore created the character after artists Steve Bissette and John Totleben, who were fans of The Police, expressed a desire to draw a character who looked like Sting. John Constantines official debut was not until Swamp Thing #37, when he was drawn by Rick Veitch, Crisis on Infinite Earths #4, his second official appearance in a cameo role, shipped two weeks prior to the release of Swamp Thing #37. In Crisis on Infinite Earths #4, written by Marv Wolfman and drawn by George Perez, Constantine is wearing a suit as opposed to his more traditional black suit. Moore describes Constantine as being drawn from a number of good ideas. About serial killers, the Winchester House, and, want to draw Sting in a story. Calling these disparate strands a big intellectual puzzle, Constantine was the result of fit it all together, initially created purely to get Sting into the story, by the time of the 1985 San Diego ComicCon, Moore stated that Its turning into something more than that now. Veitchs contribution was to give Constantine an earring, something he considered risque for 1985 and he said, Constantine and Winters met each other during Moores run on Swamp Thing and again in Neil Gaimans The Books of Magic. Speaking to comics magazine Wizard in 1993, Moore elaborated, In 1988, Constantine was given his own title, in 1993, at the launch of DCs Vertigo Comics imprint, Hellblazer was made an official Vertigo publication. It was the longest continuously published Vertigo title, before the launch of the Vertigo line, Constantine appeared in several DC Universe titles, but for many years afterwards editorial policy forbade the use of Constantine outside the Vertigo line. The policy was reversed in 2011, when a version of Constantine appeared in the DC Universe crossover series Brightest Day, Peter Milligan added him in the roster of The New 52 series Justice League Dark
11.
Batman
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Batman is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, originally named the Bat-Man, the character is also referred to by such epithets as the Caped Crusader, the Dark Knight, and the Worlds Greatest Detective. Batmans secret identity is Bruce Wayne, a wealthy American playboy, philanthropist, after witnessing the murder of his parents Thomas Wayne and Martha Wayne as a child, he swore vengeance against criminals, an oath tempered by a sense of justice. Wayne trains himself physically and intellectually and crafts a bat-inspired persona to fight crime, Batman operates in the fictional Gotham City, with assistance from various supporting characters, including his butler Alfred, police commissioner Gordon, and vigilante allies such as Robin. A large assortment of villains make up Batmans rogues gallery, including his archenemy, Batman became popular soon after his introduction in 1939 and gained his own comic book title, Batman, the following year. As the decades went on, differing interpretations of the character emerged, the late 1960s Batman television series used a camp aesthetic, which continued to be associated with the character for years after the show ended. Various creators worked to return the character to his dark roots, the success of Warner Bros. live-action Batman feature films have helped maintain the publics interest in the character. The character has also intrigued psychiatrists, with trying to understand the characters psyche. In 2015, FanSided ranked Batman as number one on their list of 50 Greatest Super Heroes In Comic Book History. Kevin Conroy, Bruce Greenwood, Peter Weller, Anthony Ruivivar, Jason OMara, Batman has been portrayed in both film and television by Lewis Wilson, Robert Lowery, Adam West, Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, Christian Bale, and Ben Affleck. In early 1939, the success of Superman in Action Comics prompted editors at National Comics Publications to request more superheroes for its titles, in response, Bob Kane created the Bat-Man. Collaborator Bill Finger recalled that Kane had an idea for a character called Batman, I went over to Kanes, and he had drawn a character who looked very much like Superman with kind of. Reddish tights, I believe, with boots, with a small domino mask, swinging on a rope. He had two wings that were sticking out, looking like bat wings. And under it was a big sign, the bat-wing-like cape was suggested by Bob Kane, inspired by Leonardo Da Vincis sketch of an ornithopter flying device as a child. Finger suggested giving the character a cowl instead of a domino mask, a cape instead of wings. Finger said he devised the name Bruce Wayne for the secret identity, Bruce Waynes first name came from Robert Bruce. Wayne, being a playboy, was a man of gentry, I searched for a name that would suggest colonialism
12.
Hawkgirl
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Hawkgirl is a fictional superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, and was one of the first female superheroes. The original Hawkgirl, Shiera Sanders Hall, was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, Kendra Saunders was created by writer David S. Goyer, writer James Robinson, and artist Stephen Sadowski, and first appeared in JSA Secret Files and Origins #1. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, Shiera Sanders first appeared in Flash Comics #1, in the same 12-page story in which Fox and Neville introduced Hawkman. Archaeologist Carter Hall has a dream that he is an ancient Egyptian prince, Khufu, the next day, Carter meets a woman named Shiera who looks exactly like the woman in his dream. Carter dons the identity of Hawkman and Shiera becomes Carters girlfriend, Shiera first appears as Hawkgirl in All Star Comics #5, in a costume created by Sheldon Moldoff, based on Nevilles Hawkman costume. During Hawkmans solo segment of the Justice Society of America story, Shiera dons a set of Nth metal wings developed by Hawkman. Shiera continues to wear the costume and wings in later stories, with the fading popularity of superheroes during the late 1940s, the Hawkman feature ended in the last issue of Flash Comics in 1949. In 1956, DC Comics resurrected the Flash by revamping the character with a new identity, following the success of the new Flash, DC Comics revamped Hawkman in a similar fashion with The Brave and the Bold #34 in 1961. The Silver Age versions of Hawkman and Hawkgirl became married alien police officers from the planet Thanagar who come to Earth in order to study police techniques, Silver Age Hawkgirl is introduced as Shayera Hol, who appears in costume as of her first appearance. Several years later, Silver Age Hawkgirl joined the Justice League of America with issue #146 in 1977, in 1981, Silver Age Hawkgirl changed her name to Hawkwoman in the Hawkman backup feature of Worlds Finest Comics #274. With the establishment of DCs multiverse system, the Golden Age Hawkgirl was said to have lived on Earth-Two and the Silver Age Hawkgirl on Earth-One. Following the events of DCs miniseries, Crisis on Infinite Earths, the histories of Earth-One, Two, Four, S, and X were merged into one single Earth with a consistent past, present, and future. As a result, both the Golden Age and the Silver Age versions of Hawkman and Hawkgirl live on the same Earth, the Justice Society were trapped in another dimension, Limbo, where they would battle for all of eternity to prevent Ragnarök from occurring on the Earth. Initially, the Silver Age Hawkman and Hawkwoman were kept in continuity unchanged after Crisis on Infinite Earths, however, DC reversed this decision and rebooted Hawkman continuity after the success of the Hawkworld miniseries. Miniseries, resulting in a reboot of Hawkman continuity. Several continuity errors regarding Hawkman and Hawkgirls Justice League appearances then needed to be fixed, All previous appearances by the Silver Age Hawkgirl in the Justice League were explained by the Golden Age Hawkgirl taking the Silver Age Hawkgirls place. However, Hawkwoman continued to appear in some pre-Hawkworld Justice League adventures during the time Golden Age Hawkgirl was trapped in Limbo. To explain this continuity error, a new Hawkwoman, Sharon Parker, was created and retconned into the Justice League during the time Golden Age Hawkgirl was in Limbo
13.
Timothy Hunter
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Timothy Hunter, is a fictional character, a comic book sorcerer published by DC Comics. He first appeared in The Books of Magic vol.1 #1, Tim Hunter was created by writer Neil Gaiman when DC Comics asked him to come up with a four issue prestige-format series about our magic characters. Gaimans story was structured to use different artists for each issue, and it was the artist for the first issue, John Bolton, who designed Tims appearance, basing him on his own son. When The Books of Magic was initially released over 1990–91, it proved very popular and led Vertigo Executive Editor Karen Berger to make it a regular ongoing series under editor Stuart Moore. While Riebers personal connection to Tim gave the character a sense of realism, it also was a source of frustration for the writer, he said, Ive found it difficult to like Tim now. Of course he gets on my nerves, hes a lot like someone I spent years learning not to be. When the time came, however, DC opted to relaunch the series as Hunter and it also took Tim into the opening stages of the magical conflict mentioned in Gaimans series that he was to play such a pivotal role in. However, the series was cancelled after 25 issues, and Vertigo decided to relaunch again, following the 2011 companywide DC reboot, Tim Hunter appeared in the non-Vertigo Justice League Dark title. His appearance in the mainstream DCU seems to take into account the events of the original Books of Magic miniseries. Tim was born as a conduit for the raw magic that shared the name of the most famous magician to serve it, The Merlin. In order to increase his power and his legend, the Merlin arranged for Tim to have multiple and he also unconsciously created thousands of alternate worlds with thousands of alternate Tims. As he started to grow up, Tim started to attract the attention of mystic groups such as the Cult of the Cold Flame, who wanted to seduce him into becoming a force for evil. Indeed, at point, Tims destiny was at a crossroads, he could become the greatest magician of his age for good or for evil. In order to resolve this ambiguity—and hopefully prevent his turning to evil—a group of mystics jokingly called The Trenchcoat Brigade set out to offer Tim the chance to all about magic. Tim agrees to be taught, and then make his decision whether to let magic into his life or not. When the Trenchcoat Brigade discover that Tim is in imminent danger from the Cult of the Cold Flame, on Halloween, Zatanna takes Tim to a club called Bewitched, a place populated by a number of villainous black magic users in the Vertigo/DC Universe. In an ill thought-out move, Zatanna seemingly breaks a rule of magic—not to reveal ones true name to possible enemies—when she introduces Tim to the club owner. Soon, the start to attack Tim and Zatanna, and are stopped only by the reappearance of John Constantine
14.
Magician (fantasy)
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A magician, mage, sorcerer, sorceress, warlock, witch, wizard, or wizardess is someone who uses or practices magic derived from supernatural or occult sources. Magicians are common figures in works of fantasy, such as literature and role-playing games, and enjoy a rich history in mythology, legends, fiction. In medieval chivalric romance, the wizard often appears as an old man and acts as a mentor. Other magicians, such as Saruman, from The Lord of the Rings series, villainous sorcerers were so crucial to pulp fantasy that the genre in which they appeared was dubbed sword and sorcery. Le Guins A Wizard of Earthsea explored the question of how wizards learned their art and this theme has been further developed in modern fantasy, often leading to wizards as heroes on their own quests. Such heroes may have their own mentor, a wizard as well, wizards can be cast similarly to the absent-minded professor, being foolish and prone to misconjuring. They can also be capable of magic, both good or evil. Even comical wizards are often capable of feats, such as those of Miracle Max in The Princess Bride, although he is a washed-up wizard fired by the villain. Wizards are often depicted as old, white-haired, and with white beards majestic enough to occasionally host lurking woodland creatures. This depiction predates the modern fantasy genre, being derived from the image of wizards such as Merlin. In the Dragonlance Dungeons and Dragons setting, wizards show their moral alignment by their robes, terry Pratchett described robes as a magicians way of establishing to those they meet that they are capable of practicing magic. To introduce conflict, writers of fiction often place limits on the magical abilities of wizards to prevent them from solving problems too easily. In Larry Nivens The Magic Goes Away, once an areas mana is exhausted, a common limit used in role-playing games is that a person can only cast a specific number of spells in a day. Magic can also require various sacrifices or the use of materials, such as gemstones, blood. Even if the magician lacks scruples, obtaining the material may be difficult, a. K. Moonfire combines these limits in his book The Aubrey Stalking Portal. The magician expends power to fuel his spells, but does not replenish that power naturally, therefore, the extent of a wizards knowledge is limited to which spells a wizard knows and can cast. Magic may also be limited by its danger, if a powerful spell can cause harm if miscast. Other forms of magic are limited by consequences that, while not inherently dangerous, are at least undesirable
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Magic in fiction
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Magic in fiction is the endowing of characters or objects in works of fiction with powers unavailable in the real world. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, le Guin, Robert Jordan, Terry Brooks, J. K. Rowling, Mercedes Lackey and Derek Landy, within a work of fantasy, magics helps advance the plot, often providing power for the hero of the story and/or power for those who oppose him/her. The use of magic frequently manifests itself in a transformation of the character, in order to carry out its function, magic often comes at a price that is equal to its value. Contemporary authors tend to treat magic as an idea, opting to world-build with a blank slate where the laws of reality do not carry as much weight. Fictional magic may sometimes be inspired by beliefs and practices. Even when the writer uses non-fictional beliefs and practices, the effect, strength, in any given fantasy magical system, the magical ability of the character is limited. Limitations can add conflict to the story and prevent characters from becoming all-powerful with magic, authors introduce magic into their stories, and to their characters, in varying ways. Characters with talents that occur spontaneously usually require training in order to control their abilities, some works treat magic as a force that is acquired through studying books and tomes, aquired simply by learning an equation or memorizing a story. Works which feature this concept include a school where magic is taught as a main setting. Magic may also be gained by having it bestowed upon one character by another, such as a pact with a devil or with other spirits, a characteristic common in folklore. Sword and sorcery heroes are depicted as fighting against this type of wizard, in some works, such as fairy tales, magic items either endow the main characters with magical powers or have magical powers themselves. They are often used as plot devices or MacGuffins to drive the plot of a story, such items may be created by magicians or powerful beings, often in the distant past, but arent always possible to create at the present time of the story. Other fictional magical objects may have no explained past, wands and staves are often featured in fantasy works in the hands of wizards. Italian fairy tales put wands into the hands of the fairies by the late Middle Ages. In some works, types of magic are divided by color, as in folkloric and occult tradition, the white and black magic dichotomy may also exist in these works. Some works feature magic that is performed through using words to cast spells, while many works use this method without offering an explanation for it, others do offer an explanation, which differs from one work to another. Some works feature magic that is tied to a certain area, such places are usually the homes of powerful magical beings
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Superhero
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A female superhero is sometimes called a superheroine. Fiction centered on characters, especially in American comic books since the 1930s, is known as superhero fiction. By most definitions, characters do not require actual supernatural or superhuman powers or phenomena to be deemed superheroes, some superheroes use their powers to counter daily crime while also combating threats against humanity from supervillains, who are their criminal counterparts. Often at least one of these supervillains will be the superheros archenemy, some long-running superheroes such as Iron Man, Captain America, Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, and Spider-Man have a rogues gallery of many villains. The word superhero dates to at least 1917, antecedents of the archetype include such folkloric heroes as Robin Hood, who adventured in distinctive clothing. The 1903 play The Scarlet Pimpernel and its spinoffs popularized the idea of a masked avenger, during the 1940s there were many superheroes, and only a few of these were female. The Flash, Green Lantern and Blue Beetle debuted in this era, most of the other female costumed crime-fighters during this era lacked superpowers. The most iconic comic book superheroine, who debuted during the Golden Age, is Wonder Woman, inspired by the Amazons of Greek mythology, she was created by psychologist William Moulton Marston, with help and inspiration from his wife Elizabeth and their mutual lover Olive Byrne. Wonder Womans first appearance was in All Star Comics #8, published by All-American Publications, in 1952, Osamu Tezukas manga Tetsuwan Atom was published. The series focused upon a robot boy built by a scientist to replace his deceased son, the 1950s saw the Silver Age of Comics. During this era DC introduced the likes of Batwoman in 1956, Supergirl, Miss Arrowette,1958 saw the debut of superhero Moonlight Mask on Japanese television. In 1963, Astro Boy was adapted into a highly influential anime television series, Phantom Agents in 1964 focused on ninjas working for the Japanese government and would be the foundation for Sentai-type series. Another important event was the debut of Mazinger Z by Go Nagai, Go Nagai also wrote the manga Cutey Honey in 1973, although the Magical Girl genre already existed, Nagais manga introduced Transformation sequences that would become a staple of Magical Girl media. The dark Skull Man manga would later get a television adaptation, the protagonist was redesigned resemble a grasshopper, becoming the renowned first masked hero of the Kamen Rider series. Kamen Rider is a motorcycle riding hero in an insect-like costume, both major publishers began introducing new superheroines with a more distinct feminist theme as part of their origin stories or character development. Examples include Big Barda, Power Girl, and the Huntress by DC comics, and from Marvel, the second Black Widow, Shanna the She-Devil, and The Cat. In 1975 Shotaro Ishinomoris Himitsu Sentai Gorenger debuted on what is now TV Asahi, it brought the concepts of multi-colored teams, in 1978, Toei adapted Spider-Man into a live-action series. In subsequent decades, popular characters like Dazzler, She-Hulk, Elektra, Catwoman, Witchblade, Spider-Girl, Batgirl, volume 4 of the X-Men comic book series featured an all-female team as part of the Marvel NOW. branding initiative in 2013
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American comic book
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An American comic book is a thin periodical, typically 32-pages, containing primarily comics content. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publication of Action Comics and this was followed by a superhero boom that lasted until the end of World War II. After the war, while superheroes were marginalized, the book industry rapidly expanded, and genres such as horror, crime. The 1950s saw a decline, due to a shift away from print media in the wake of television. The late 1950s and the 1960s saw a revival. Since the later 20th century, comic books have gained note as collectable items, Comic shops cater to fans, and particularly valuable issues have fetched in excess of a million dollars. Systems of grading comic books have emerged with plastic sleeves and cardboard backing available to maintain the condition of comic books, standard comics are 6.625 inches ×10.25 inches and about 32 pages long. While comics can be the work of a creator, the labour of making them is frequently divided between a number of specialists. There may be a writer and artist, or there may be separate artists for the characters. The process begins with the coming up with an idea or concept, then working it into a plot and story. After the art production, letters are placed on the page, the creative team, the writers and artists, may work with a comic book publisher for help with marketing, advertising, and other logistics. A distributor like Diamond Comic Distributors, the largest in the U. S. helps to distribute the product to retailers. Another part of the involved in successful comics is the interaction between the readers/fans and the creator. Fan art and letters to the editor were printed in the back of the book until the early 21st century. Comic specialty stores did help encourage several waves of independently-produced comics, the development of the modern American comic book happened in stages. The G. W. Dillingham Company published the first known proto-comic-book magazine in the U. S, the Yellow Kid in McFaddens Flats, in 1897. The 196-page, square-bound, black-and-white publication, which also includes text by E. W. Townsend, measured 5×7 inches. The neologism comic book appears on the back cover, despite the publication of a series of related Hearst comics soon afterward, the first monthly proto-comic book, Embee Distributing Companys Comic Monthly, did not appear until 1922
18.
Magic (illusion)
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Magic is one of the oldest performing arts in the world in which audiences are entertained by staged tricks or illusions of seemingly impossible or supernatural feats using natural means. These feats are called magic tricks, effects, or illusions, the term magic etymologically derives from the Greek word mageia. In ancient times, Greeks and Persians had been at war for centuries, ritual acts of Persian priests came to be known as mageia, and then magika—which eventually came to mean any foreign, unorthodox, or illegitimate ritual practice. The first book containing explanations of magic tricks appeared in 1584, during the 17th century, many similar books were published that described magic tricks. Until the 18th century, magic shows were a source of entertainment at fairs. A founding figure of modern entertainment magic was Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin, John Henry Anderson was pioneering the same transition in London in the 1840s. Towards the end of the 19th century, large magic shows permanently staged at big theatre venues became the norm, as a form of entertainment, magic easily moved from theatrical venues to television magic specials. Performances that modern observers would recognize as conjuring have been practiced throughout history, for many recorded centuries, magicians were associated with the devil and the occult. During the 19th and 20th centuries, many stage magicians even capitalized on this notion in their advertisements. The same level of ingenuity that was used to produce famous ancient deceptions such as the Trojan Horse would also have used for entertainment. They were also used by the practitioners of various religions and cults from ancient times onwards to frighten uneducated people into obedience or turn them into adherents, however, the profession of the illusionist gained strength only in the 18th century, and has enjoyed several popular vogues since. Opinions vary among magicians on how to categorize a given effect, Magicians may pull a rabbit from an empty hat, make something seem to disappear, or transform a red silk handkerchief into a green silk handkerchief. Magicians may also destroy something, like cutting a head off, other illusions include making something appear to defy gravity, making a solid object appear to pass through another object, or appearing to predict the choice of a spectator. Many magical routines use combinations of effects, one of the earliest books on the subject is Gantzionys work of 1489, Natural and Unnatural Magic, which describes and explains old-time tricks. Among the tricks discussed were sleight-of-hand manipulations with rope, paper, at the time, fear and belief in witchcraft was widespread and the book tried to demonstrate that these fears were misplaced. All obtainable copies were burned on the accession of James I in 1603 and it began to reappear in print in 1651. In the early 18th century, as belief in witchcraft was waning, a notable figure in this transition was the English showman, Isaac Fawkes, who began to promote his act in advertisements from the 1720s – he even claimed to have performed for King George II. He throws up a Pack of Cards, and causes them to be living birds flying about the room and he causes living Beasts, Birds, and other Creatures to appear upon the Table
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Vertigo (DC Comics)
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Vertigo is an imprint of the American comic book publisher DC Comics. These comics were free to contain violence, substance abuse, sexuality, nudity, profanity. Although its initial publications were primarily in the horror and fantasy genres, it has published works dealing with crime, social commentary, speculative fiction, biography. Originally publishing a mix of company- and creator-owned work, its current focus is on the latter and it pioneered in North America an increasingly common publishing model, in which monthly series are periodically collected into collected editions which are kept in print for bookstore sale. Vertigo series have won the comics industrys Eisner Award, including the best continuing series of various years, several of its publications have been adapted to film and episodic television. Vertigo originated in 1993 under the stewardship of Karen Berger, a literature and art-history student. 2, and Shade, the Changing Man vol,2, the Black Orchid miniseries, fantasy series The Sandman vol. 2, and horror titles Hellblazer and The Saga of the Swamp Thing and these seven titles, all of which carried a Suggested for Mature Readers label on their covers, shared a sophistication-driven sensibility the fan press dubbed the Bergerverse. Several DC titles bearing the age advisory, such as Green Arrow and The Question and these titles included Enigma, Sebastian O, Mercy, and Shadows Fall. Vertigo was launched in January 1993 with a mixture of existing ongoing series continued under the new imprint, new ongoing series, new mini-series and their publishing plan for the first year involved two new titles – whether ongoing/limited series or one-shots – each month. The existing series were Shade the Changing Man, The Sandman, Hellblazer, Animal Man, Swamp Thing, the first comic book published under the Vertigo imprint was the first issue of Death, The High Cost of Living, a 3-issue series by Neil Gaiman and Chris Bachalo. The following month saw the debut of Sandman, Mystery Theatre by Matt Wagner and Steven T. Seagle, haunting, film noir-ish. and starring original Sandman Wesley Dodds in a title whose sensibilities echo crime genre fiction. Joining it was J. M. DeMatteis and Paul Johnsons 64-page one-shot Mercy, Gaimans The Books of Magic limited-series was relaunched as an ongoing series written by John Ney Rieber, and illustrated by Peter Gross, Gary Amaro, and Peter Snejbjerg. The design layout continued with little variation until issues cover-dated July 2002 which introduced an across-the-top layout ahead of 2003s Vertigo X 10th anniversary celebration. The distinctive design was designed to be used on all Vertigo books except the hardcovers, trade paperbacks, in addition, a 16-page Vertigo Sampler was also produced and bundled with copies of Capital City Distributions Advance Comics solicitation index. Works previously published by DC under other imprints, but which fit the character of Vertigo, have been reprinted under this imprint. This has included issues of Vertigos launch series, V for Vendetta, and books from discontinued imprints, such as Transmetropolitan. Two of the new ongoing series did not last long, Kid Eternity was cancelled after 16 issues, Sandman Mystery Theatre and most of the pre-existing series continued for several years, including Sandman which reached its planned conclusion with #75
20.
Action Comics 1
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Action Comics #1 is the first issue of the original run of the comic book series Action Comics. It features the first appearance of comic book heroes—most notably the Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster creation. For this reason it is considered both the beginning of the superhero genre and the most valuable comic book of all time. On August 24,2014, a copy graded 9.0 by CGC was sold on eBay for US$3,207,852 and it is the only comic book to have sold for more than $3 million for a single original copy. Action Comics would go on to run for 904 numbered issues before it restarted its numbering in the fall of 2011 and it returned to its original numbering with issue #957, published on June 8,2016. It is not to be confused with the first issue of the series of Action Comics which was launched as part of DC Comics New 52 revamp in the fall of 2011. Action Comics #1 was an anthology, and contained features, Superman by Siegel. Zatara Master Magician by Fred Guardineer, south Sea Strategy by Captain Frank Thomas. The Adventures of Marco Polo by Sven Elven, scoop Scanlon the Five Star Reporter by Will Ely. Action Comics was started by publisher Jack Liebowitz, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster were paid $10 per page, for a total of $130 for their work on this issue. Christopher Knowles, author of Our Gods Wear Spandex, The Secret History of Comic Book Heroes, the issues cover also bears a resemblance to the Polish comic cover released in 1932 Rotmistrz i przyjaciele which told a story of a heroic captain. In January 1933, Jerry Siegel wrote a prose story titled The Reign of the Superman. It told the story of a villain with telepathic powers. Trying to create a character they could sell to newspaper syndicates, Siegel re-conceived the superman character as a powerful hero and he and Shuster developed the idea into a comic strip, which they pitched unsuccessfully. National Publications was looking for a hit to accompany their success with Detective Comics, Jack Liebowitz, co-owner of National Publications, told editor Vin Sullivan to create their fourth comic book. Because of the deadline, Sullivan was forced to make it out of inventory. He found a number of stories, but needed a lead feature. Sullivan asked former coworker Sheldon Mayer if he could help, Mayer found the rejected Superman comic strips, and Sullivan told Siegel and Shuster that if they could paste them into 13 comic book pages, he would buy them
21.
Magic (paranormal)
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Magic or sorcery is the use of rituals, symbols, actions, gestures, and language with the aim of exploiting supernatural forces. The term magic has a variety of meanings, and there is no agreed upon definition of what it is or how it can be used. Religious scholars have defined magic in many different ways, one approach, associated with the anthropologists Edward Tylor and James G. Frazer, has magic and science be opposites. Many scholars of religion have rejected the utility of the term magic, the term magic comes from the Old Persian magu, a word that applied to a form of religious functionary about which little is known. This meaning of the term was adopted by Latin in the first century BCE. The concept was incorporated into Christian theology during the first century CE. This concept was pervasive throughout the Middle Ages, although in the modern period Italian humanists reinterpreted the term in a positive sense to establish the idea of natural magic. Both negative and positive understandings of the term were retained in Western culture over the following centuries, throughout Western history, there have been examples of individuals claiming to be practitioners of magic and referring to themselves as magicians. This trend has proliferated in the period, with a growing number of magicians appearing within the esoteric milieu. Scholars of religion have failed to agree on a definition of magic is. The subject has one of intense dispute, with some scholars criticizing the validity of the term in the first place. Even among those throughout history who have described themselves as magicians, there has been some debate among scholars as to whether to use the term magic at all. The scholar of religion Jonathan Z. Smith for example argued that it had no utility as a term that scholars should use. Religious historian Wouter Hanegraaff agreed, stating that the magic is an important object of historical research. Since the 1990s its usage among scholars has declined, within Western culture, magic has been linked to the idea of the Other. Using the term magic when discussing non-Western cultures or pre-modern forms of Western society raises problems, alternately, this term implies that all categories of magic are ethnocentric and that such Western preconceptions are an unavoidable component of scholarly research. Magic is one of the most heavily theorized concepts in the study of religion, the intellectualist approach to defining magic is associated with two prominent British anthropologists, Edward Tylor and James G. Frazer. This was an approach that viewed magic as being the theoretical opposite of science, in his 1871 book Primitive Culture, Tylor characterized magic as beliefs based on the error of mistaking ideal analogy for real analogy
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Golden Age of Comic Books
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The Golden Age of Comic Books describes an era of American comic books from the late 1930s to circa 1950. During this time, modern books were first published and rapidly increased in popularity. The superhero archetype was created and many characters were introduced, including Superman, Batman, Captain America, Wonder Woman. The first recorded use of the term Golden Age was by Richard A. Lupoff in an article, Re-Birth, an event cited by many as marking the beginning of the Golden Age was the 1938 debut of Superman in Action Comics #1, published by Detective Comics. Supermans popularity helped make comic books a major arm of publishing, timely Comics, the 1940s predecessor of Marvel Comics, had million-selling titles featuring the Human Torch, the Sub-Mariner, and Captain America. The comic was published biweekly at one point to capitalize on its popularity, patriotic heroes donning red, white, and blue were particularly popular during the time of the second World War following The Shields debut in 1940. Many heroes of this time period battled the Axis powers, with such as Captain America Comics #1 showing the title character punching Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. As comic books grew in popularity, publishers began launching titles that expanded into a variety of genres, dell Comics non-superhero characters outsold the superhero comics of the day. The publisher featured licensed movie and literary characters such as Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Roy Rogers and it was during this era that noted Donald Duck writer-artist Carl Barks rose to prominence. Additionally, MLJs introduction of Archie Andrews in Pep Comics #22 gave rise to teen humor comics, the educational comic book Dagwood Splits the Atom used characters from the comic strip Blondie. According to historian Michael A. Amundson, appealing comic-book characters helped ease young readers fear of nuclear war and it was during this period that long-running humor comics debuted, including ECs Mad and Carl Barks Uncle Scrooge in Dells Four Color Comics. In 1953, the book industry hit a setback when the United States Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency was created in order to investigate the problem of juvenile delinquency. As a result, the Comics Code Authority was created by the Association of Comics Magazine Publishers to enact self-censorship by comic book publishers, at this time, EC canceled its crime and horror titles and focused primarily on Mad. During the late 1940s, the popularity of superhero comics waned, to retain reader interest, comic publishers diversified into genres such as war, Westerns, science fiction, romance, crime and horror. Many superhero titles were cancelled or converted to other genres, in 1946, DC Comics Superboy, Aquaman and Green Arrow were switched from More Fun Comics into Adventure Comics so More Fun could focus on humor. In 1948 All-American Comics, featuring Green Lantern, Johnny Thunder, the following year, Flash Comics and Green Lantern were cancelled. In 1951 All Star Comics, featuring the Justice Society of America, the next year Star Spangled Comics, featuring Robin, was retitled Star Spangled War Stories. Sensation Comics, featuring Wonder Woman, was cancelled in 1953, the only DC superhero comics to continue publishing through the 1950s were Action Comics, Adventure Comics, Detective Comics, Batman, Superboy, Superman, Wonder Woman and Worlds Finest Comics
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Zachary Zatara
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Zachary Zatara is a fictional character in the DC Universe. Zachary is a descendant of the Homo Magi just like his cousin Zatanna and he first appeared in Teen Titans #34, and was created by Geoff Johns and Tony Daniel. After the events of Day of Vengeance, when magic in the DC Universe was changed, Zachary developed abilities similar to his relatives, Zatanna Zatara, calling himself the most popular teenaged magician, he briefly joins the Teen Titans. Zachary has little tact, patience, and modesty when it comes to his skills, as a result, he was left with few to no friends amongst the Titans, many of whom looked at him as a selfish brat. During the initial auditions for the Teen Titans, Zachary met with Kid Devil, one night after performing as a stage magician in Metropolis, Zachary is approached by Eddie, who asks him about a mysterious candle he found. Zachary explains that Eddies candle is magical in nature and Eddie lights it and they are transported to Nerons realm and meet Neron himself. Although Zachary advises him not to listen to Nerons offers, Eddie makes a deal with the demon where he is transformed into a real demon, Neron then sends both the new Kid Devil and Zachary back to Earth. Zachary helped Eddie gain entrance into the Teen Titans, and together they have multiple adventures and they battle Kid Crusader and, during one stint, went to New Azarath, where they are almost eaten by the Phantasm. Zachary remains a Titan for several months, before eventually quitting because one of his teammates was driving him crazy. Zachary briefly appears in the limited series World War III, along with several other Titans he tries to stop the murderous rampage of Black Adam in Greece. He is slammed into a wall and injured, the Titans are forced to leave him behind, but he receives medical aid from Greek authorities. One Year Later, he is performing as a stage magician in Japan with an attractive young Japanese assistant called Bunny. The current Teen Titans come speak with him, as they are looking for Raven, Zachary wants nothing to do with them and does not remember his times with Eddie or the Titans fondly. Still, he states that Raven had come to him in Japan and began to ask him weird questions. about herself, after he kicks them out, it is revealed he possesses a secret photo of Raven. At the last second, he tries to call Eddie back, although Zachary has a less than close relationship with the Titans, he does agree to aid Robin and Ravager defeat a gang of metahumans assembled by Robins wanna-be nemesis, Dodge. He also worked with other magical heroes assisting the Justice League in holding back the citizens of New Krypton, Zachary however rejects this, under the misunderstanding that he was being forced to join the team in order to get refuge. He returns to Metropolis with Bunny shortly after, Zachary also appears in the Titans Tomorrow arc. He is in the Reign in Hell storyline, where he dares to attempt to banish the powerful entity Rama Kushna and is dealt heavy damage in retaliation
24.
Fishnet
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In the field of textiles, fishnet is hosiery with an open, diamond-shaped knit, it is most often used as a material for stockings, tights, or bodystockings. Fishnet is available in a multitude of colors, although it is most often sported in traditional matte black, Fishnet is commonly worn on the legs and arms by practitioners of goth and punk fashion, but is also commonly worn by the mainstream as a fashion statement. Generally considered to be a garment, it may serve as a component of sexual fetishism. Fishnets are used mostly as a type of undergarment, and in as much as it defines curves by applying a grid close to the body it generally accentuates the wearers muscular definition. A more practical use of textiles is in high performance next-to-skin apparel used in cold weather outdoor sports, including hiking, hunting, fishing, skiing. In this context, fishnet is usually knitted from fibers of polypropylene, merino wool, or nylon, an early written reference to fishnet as an erotic device can be found in the Westcar Papyrus, specifically the tale of Baufra - which is expanded in the Wonder of Djadjaemankh. Fishnet stockings are commonplace roller derby regalia, DC Comics features two superheroines who have incorporated fishnet stockings into their crime-fighting costume, Black Canary and Zatanna. Cucumber Sandwiches & Fishnet Tights, a book by Margaret Walker, the Stray Cats recorded a song entitled Fishnet Stockings on their European debut album in 1981. Some characters from Izuna, Legend of the Unemployed Ninja wear undershirts made of fishnet, nearly every major character in The Rocky Horror Picture Show is seen wearing fishnets during the film. In the anime and manga One Piece the surgeon of the pirate crew Thriller Bark, Dr. Hogback and his character and the whole Thriller Bark are based on horror movies, so he may be based on The Rocky Horror Picture Show itself. Nico Robin in the Thriller Bark arc wears fishnet stockings, kalifa of CP9 also wears fishnets. Zambai of the Franky Family wears fishnets under his armor, Fishnet Inc is a cast which performs live before and during the film The Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Naro Theater in Norfolk, Virginia. It is named after the fishnets worn in the movie, morris Day recorded the song Fishnet for the album Daydreaming in 1987. The song had airplay on urban contemporary stations and ultimately reached No.23 on the Billboard charts during 1988. The title and/or content of the song made very limited in some cities. The song was remixed for a mix album in 1994
25.
Hosiery
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Hosiery, also referred to as legwear, describes garments worn directly on the feet and legs. The term originated as the term for products of which a maker or seller is termed a hosier. The term is used for all types of knitted fabric. Lower denier measurements of 5 to 15 describe a hose which may be sheer in appearance, whereas styles of 40 and above are dense, with little to no light able to come through on 100 denier items. The first references to hosiery can be found in works of Hesiod, even the Egyptians are speculated to have used hosiery as socks have been found in certain tombs. Most hosiery garments are made by knitting methods, modern hosiery is usually tight-fitting by virtue of stretchy fabrics and meshes. Older forms include binding to achieve a tight fit, due to its close fit, most hosiery can be worn as an undergarment, but it is more commonly worn as a combined under/outer garment. Hosiery garments are the product of hosiery fabric produced from hosiery yarn, unlike the yarn used for making woven fabric, hosiery yarn comes from a separate spinning process, and is used with circular knitting machines to form fabric. One or more hosiery yarn is used to make knitted or hosiery fabric, and garments produced out of this are generally referred to as hosiery garments
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High-heeled footwear
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High-heeled footwear is footwear that raises the heel of the wearers foot significantly higher than the toes. When both the heel and the toes are raised equal amounts, as in a shoe, it is technically not considered to be a high heel, however. High heels tend to give the illusion of longer, more slender legs. High heels come in a variety of styles, and the heels are found in many different shapes, including stiletto, pump, block, tapered, blade. The apparel industry would appear to take a view, the term high heels covers heels ranging from 2 to 5 inches or more. Extremely high-heeled shoes, such as those exceeding 6 inches, strictly speaking, are no longer considered apparel and they are worn for display or the enjoyment of the wearer. High heels are not a modern invention but there is confusion regarding when it was developed, research shows that high heels can be traced back to ancient Egypt. In the middle of the second millennium BC, Egyptians began to frequently uses sandals, retention was obtained generally by the Egyptians by a T or V thong passing through the sole. Egyptian butchers also wore heeled shoes for practical purposes, that is, things started to change when during the European renaissance, the high heel became a status symbol worn by both male and females from the higher social statuses. Catherine de Medici a Franco/Italian noblewomen pioneered the use of heels as a fashion statement, Catherine de Medici is believed to have worn them to impress the French court when she wed the Duke of Orleans, the future king. Two hundred years later King Louis XIV of France decreed that only nobility could wear heels, seventeenth-century portraits of King Louis XIV depict the various intricate heels worn by the king and they were often decorated with miniature battle scenes. During the 16th century, European royalty, such as Catherine de Medici and Mary I of England, by 1580, men wore them, and a person with authority or wealth was often referred to as well-heeled. Since the French Revolution the trend wearing high heels was ended to avoid any associating with the old aristocracy, since people wished to avoid the appearance of wealth, heels were largely eliminated from the common market for both men and women and replace by casual fashion and shoe wear. From the beginning of the Baroque the heel came back to shoes and it is sometimes suggested that raised heels were a response to the problem of the riders foot slipping forward in stirrups while riding. The riders heel, approximately 1 1⁄2 inches high, appeared in Europe around 1600 and these features are evident today in riding boots, notably cowboy boots. Since the Second World War, high heels have fallen in and out of fashion several times, most notably in the late 1990s. Lower heels were preferred during the late 1960s and early 1970s as well, the shape of the fashionable heel has changed from block to tapered, and stiletto. Today, high heels are typically worn with heights varying from a heel of 1.5 inches to a stiletto heel of 5 inches or more
27.
Julius Schwartz
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Julius Julie Schwartz was a comic book editor, and a science fiction agent and prominent fan. He was born in The Bronx, New York and he is best known as a longtime editor at DC Comics, where at various times he was primary editor over the companys flagship superheroes, Superman and Batman. He was inducted into the comics industrys Jack Kirby Hall of Fame in 1996 and he graduated at Theodore Roosevelt High School in The Bronx at age seventeen. In 1932, Schwartz co-published Time Traveller, one of the first science fiction fanzines, in addition, Schwartz helped organize the first World Science Fiction Convention in 1939. In 1944 he became an editor at All-American Comics, one of the companies that evolved into DC Comics and he recruited Bester to contribute to the companys line of comic books. The eventual success of the new, science-fiction oriented Flash heralded the return of superheroes. Schwartz also worked with writers John Broome and Gardner Fox and revived other superheroes such as Green Lantern in Showcase #22, Hawkman in The Brave and the Bold #34, and the Atom in Showcase #34. A character Schwartz created himself, Adam Strange, debuted in Showcase #17, Schwartz first thought the concept of the Justice League of America as an updating of the Justice Society and the idea was then developed by Gardner Fox and artist Mike Sekowsky. The new team debuted in The Brave and the Bold #28 and it became one of the most successful series of the Silver Age. Schwartz oversaw the introduction of the Elongated Man in The Flash #112 by writer John Broome, Schwartz edited the Flash of Two Worlds story published in The Flash #123. It introduces Earth-Two, and more generally the concept of the multiverse, Justice League of America #21 and #22 saw the first use of the term Crisis in reference to a crossover between DCs Golden Age and Silver Age characters. In 1964, Schwartz was made responsible for reviving the faded Batman titles and he helped writer Dennis ONeil and artist Neal Adams come to prominence at DC Comics. The duo, under the direction of Schwartz, would revitalize the Batman with a series of stories reestablishing the characters dark, Schwartz edited Detective Comics until issue #481 and Batman until issue #309. This included an attempt to scale back Supermans powers while removing kryptonite as an plot device. This proved short-lived, with Schwartz bowing to pressure to restore both elements in the titles, Schwartz oversaw the launch of DC Comics Presents in 1978 and edited it throughout its 97 issue run. As an editor, Schwartz was heavily involved in the writing of the published in his magazines. He worked out the plot with the writer in story conferences, the writer would then break down the plot into a panel-by-panel continuity, and write the dialogue and captions. Schwartz would in turn polish the script, sometimes rewriting extensively, Schwartz retired from DC in 1986 after 42 years at the company, but continued to be active in comics and science fiction fandom until shortly before his death
28.
Hawkman (Katar Hol)
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Hawkman is a DC Comics superhero. He is the Silver Age, Bronze Age, and current Hawkman, Created by Gardner Fox and Joe Kubert, he first appeared in The Brave and the Bold #34. There are 2 versions of Katar Hol, the Silver Age version, the Silver Age Hawkman was first introduced in Brave and the Bold #34 by artist Joe Kubert and writer Gardner Fox. At this time DC had already rebooted many of its characters such as the Flash, hawkmans first appearance sold well and spawned 5 more tryout issues in Brave and the Bold. During these issues he teamed up with his wife, Hawkgirl, after Hawkman had concluded his appearances in Brave and the Bold, he went on to Mystery in Space. He had a comic strip in 4 issues of this series. Eventually, in 1964 after enough requests Hawkman was finally given a magazine published every 2 months. Murphy Anderson took over the art for this series with Gardner Fox continuing on story, Hawkman occasionally teamed up with The Atom and Adam Strange in his magazine. Together Hawkman and Hawkgirl battled such enemies as the Matter Master, the Shadow Thief, Lion-Mane, hawkmans self-titled magazine would go on for less than 5 years before it was eventually canceled at issue #27. After declining sales forced the cancelation of his magazine, Hawkman teamed up with The Atom and starred in The Atom. But, this series had to be canceled as well, during the 70s and early 80s Hawkman continued to appear in the Justice League of America, which he had joined back in 1964. He also made appearances in Worlds Finest Comics. and Detective Comics. But it wasnt until the mid 80s when Hawkman finally got his own series back, in 1986 DC started a 4 part miniseries called, The Shadow War of Hawkman. Due to the decent sales of this series, Hawkman began a monthly solo series. It lasted until the 17th issue, and contained 1 special, then in 1989 Timothy Truman decided to reboot the Silver Age Hawkman in a 3 book series titled Hawkworld. This was the start of the version of Katar Hol. While this series was meant to just be a retold origin of Hawkman. In 1990 DC created the Hawkworld monthly series and this series had 2 volumes, but was eventually canceled
29.
Hawkwoman
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Hawkwoman is the name of several fictional superheroines all owned by DC Comics and existing in that companys DC Universe. They are partners, and sometimes spouses or lovers, of the versions of Hawkman. The Silver Age version of Hawkwoman was Shayera Hol, a law enforcement officer from the planet Thanagar and wife of Katar Hol and she originally operated under the codename Hawkgirl, and was a member of the Justice League of America. She was born on Thanagar, which had an advanced civilization in which crime was virtually unknown. As an adolescent, Shayera joined the Thanagarian police force and was assigned to assist the forces most decorated officer, Katar Hol, at first, Katar was furious at being assigned an inexperienced young woman as a partner, but he nevertheless became strongly attracted to her. Together, they captured the Rainbow Robbers in their stronghold found behind a waterfall, while on the case, Shayera saved Katars life, a few weeks later, Katar proposed to Shayera in front of the same waterfall. She accepted and they were married, ten years later, the couple was sent to Earth in pursuit of the criminal Byth Rok. Upon reaching Earth, they were befriended by Midway City police commissioner George Emmett, Shayera renamed herself Hawkwoman in the early 1980s. As Hawkgirl, Shayera eventually joined her husband as a member of the Justice League and she was the first League member admitted as part of the Leagues vote to lift its prior twelve-member limitation, which had effectively prevented the admission of more women to its ranks. Her membership set precedent for the admission of Zatanna as the Leagues fifteenth member, both Zatanna and Shayera became close friends since Hawkman vol.2 #4. As Shiera, she first worked as Carters secretary, but later became co-director of the Midway City Museum and she has a sort of rivalry with the museum naturalist Mavis Trent, who has her eyes on both Hawkman and Carter Hall. Later, Thanagar had established itself as a military dictatorship bent on conquering other planets, Hawkman and Hawkwoman thwarted Thanagarian plans to invade Earth, destroying their own starship in the process. Hawkman and Hawkwoman remain on Earth, regarded as traitors by everyone on Thanagar and she helped her husband come to terms with the deaths they caused during the battle. Eventually, she changed her codename to Hawkwoman, following the events of DCs miniseries, Crisis on Infinite Earths, the histories of Earth-One and Earth-Two are merged. As a result, both Golden Age and Silver Age versions of Hawkman and Hawkgirl/Hawkwoman live on the same Earth, initially, the Silver Age Hawkman and Hawkwoman were kept in continuity unchanged. They took Superman to Krypton, briefly joined Justice League International, teamed-up with Atom, however, DC reversed this decision and rebooted Hawkman continuity after the success of the 1989 Hawkworld miniseries. Originally, Hawkworld retold the origins of Silver Age Hawkman and Hawkwoman, after becoming a success, DC Comics launched a Hawkworld ongoing series set in the present resulting in a complete reboot of Hawkman continuity. By doing so, several continuity errors regarding Hawkman and Hawkwomans Justice League appearances needed to be fixed, years before the events told in the Invasion story arc, Fel Andar, a hybrid Human-Thanagarian spy, was sent to Earth to infiltrate among humans
30.
Dick Grayson
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Richard John Dick Grayson is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with Batman. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, in Tales of the Teen Titans #44 the character retires his role as Robin and assumes the superhero persona of Nightwing, created by Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez. The youngest in a family of known as the Flying Graysons. Batman takes him in as a ward and the crime-fighting partner Robin. He is written by authors as the first son of Batman. As well as being Batmans crime-fighting partner, Dick establishes himself as the leader of the Teen Titans, as a young man, he retires as Robin and takes on his own superhero identity to assert his independence, becoming Nightwing. As Nightwing, he continues to lead the Teen Titans and later the Outsiders, in the first volume of his eponymous series, he becomes the protector of Blüdhaven, Gothams economically troubled neighboring city, the locale the character is most closely associated with. He has also served stints protecting the streets of New York, Chicago, Dick Grayson has taken on the identity of Batman on a few occasions. Dick again assumes the following the events of Batman R. I. P. As Batman, Dick moves to Gotham City following his mentors apparent death and partners with the fifth Robin, on Bruces return, both men maintained the Batman identity until 2011, when Dick returned to the Nightwing identity with DCs The New 52 continuity reboot. Following the conclusion of the Grayson series, and the restoration of his identity in the series final issue. Loren Lester voiced the character as Robin in Batman, The Animated Series, in May 2011, IGN ranked Dick Grayson #11 on their list of the Top 100 Super Heroes of All Time. In 2013, ComicsAlliance ranked Grayson as Nightwing as #1 on their list of the 50 Sexiest Male Characters in Comics, the character was first introduced in Detective Comics #38 by Batman creators Bill Finger and Bob Kane. Robins debut was an effort to get readers to enjoy Batman. He was born on the first day of spring, son of John Grayson and Mary Grayson, in his first appearance, Dick Grayson is a circus acrobat, and, with his parents, one of the Flying Graysons. While preparing for a performance, Dick overhears two gangsters attempting to extort money from the circus owner. The owner refuses, so the gangsters sabotage the trapeze wires with acid, during the next performance, the trapeze from which Dicks parents are swinging snaps, sending them to their deaths. Before he can go to the police, Batman appears to him, when Batman recounts the murder of his own parents, Dick asks to become his aide
31.
Atom (Ray Palmer)
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The Atom is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by editor and co-plotter Julius Schwartz, writer Gardner Fox, the Atom was one of the first superheroes of the Silver Age of comic books and debuted in Showcase #34. The Atom debuted in Showcase #34 from the DC Comics precursor, early comics-fandom pioneer, Jerry Bails, corresponded the National Comics editor Julius Schwartz in December 1960 outlining an updated version of Al Pratt, the companys 1940s Golden Age Atom. Bails, and future Marvel Comics editor-in-chief, Roy Thomas collaborated on a version that incorporated elements of the Golden Age hero. I am trying to cook up some new super-powers for him in and your own suggestions are excellent and most especially the one about the atomic compression of his body, which is to be a feature of the new Atom. I have seen art samples of how he will look, T the present moment the intent is to make him a college student rather than the scientific experimenter you have in mind. This is all talk, mind you — nothing definite, Kane, who lived in Jericho, New York, on Long Island, at the time, drove to the nearby Hicksville home of DC production person Tom Nicolosi, who colored the drawings using St. Martins dyes. Schwartz, after seeing the drawings, had the belt added, Schwartz said he had not wanted to reuse the Golden Age Atom, Al Pratt, and had read about dwarf stars and thought a fragment of one could power the new heros miniaturization. He added that he and Fox together plotted the stories of this new Silver Age Atom. Fox said in 1979, I doubt that any feedback from Bails or Thomas had very much of an influence and his civilian name, Ray Palmer, was an homage to science-fiction magazine editor Raymond A. Palmer. Using a mass of white dwarf star matter he finds after it lands on Earth, compression destabilizes an objects molecular structure, however, causing it to explode. During a spelunking expedition, Palmer and his students, along with his girlfriend, lawyer Jean Loring, using a diamond engagement ring, Palmer enlarges the hole sufficiently and descends to the floor to try to alert the others of the escape route before dying. However, upon entering the lens beam, he himself returned to normal size. As the lens is covered with cave moisture, Palmer believes this has altered the beam to allow this strange effect, when subsequent experiments still result in objects exploding, Palmer concludes some unknown force in his own body allows him to safely size-shift. He decides to use this effect to become a superhero, the prototype matrix later became his costume. In the same issue, Palmers father was introduced, contradicting issues of DC Comics Presents and The Atom Special #1 and he carries out the bulk of his early superheroic adventures in Ivy Town, where he often helps his girlfriend, Jean Loring, win her cases. Much later, he gains the innate equivalent powers within his own body and he also had several time travel adventures by means of Professor Alpheus V. Hyatts Time Pool. There, he meets Hawkman, one of his closest friends in the superhero community, Hawkman would manufacture prosthetic wings for a myna Ray saved, taking on the name Major Mynah and became the Atoms partner and steed
32.
Hal Jordan
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Hal Jordan, known as Green Lantern, is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created in 1959 by writer John Broome and artist Gil Kane, Hal Jordan is a reinvention of a previous character called Green Lantern that had appeared in 1940s comic books as the character Alan Scott. Hal Jordan is a member and occasionally leader of the police force called the Green Lantern Corps. He fights evil across the Universe with a ring that grants him a variety of superpowers, Hal Jordan ranked 7th on IGNs in the Top 100 Comic Book Heroes in 2011. In 2013, Hal Jordan placed 4th on IGNs Top 25 Heroes of DC Comics, after achieving great success in 1956 in reviving the Golden Age character The Flash, DC editor Julius Schwartz looked toward recreating the Green Lantern from the Golden Age of Comic Books. Like The Flash, Schwartz wanted this new character to have a different secret identity, origin, a long time science-fiction fan and literary agent, Schwartz wanted a more sci-fi based Green Lantern, as opposed to the mystical powers of Alan Scott, the original 1940s Green Lantern. He enlisted writer John Broome and artist Gil Kane, who in 1959 would reintroduce Green Lantern to the world in Showcase #22 by creating Hal Jordan, the character was a success, and it was quickly decided to follow up his three-issue run on Showcase with a self-titled series. Green Lantern #1 began in July–August 1960 and would continue until #84 in April–May 1972 and this creative team was responsible for introducing many of the major characters in Hal Jordans life. First was Carol Ferris, Jordans love interest and she was in charge of Ferris Aircraft, and as such, Hals boss. While she preferred Green Lantern to Hal Jordan, she took a role in trying to win him over. Although she gave Jordan some attention, her job and company always came first, second was Jordans best friend, Tom Kalmaku, who was both Hals mechanic and the chronicler of his super-hero adventures, after succeeding in working out his identity. An Inuit from Alaska, Toms nickname was Pie or Pieface, unlike Chop-Chop, Tom was a competent and intelligent character with a well-rounded personality, not a stereotypical buffoon. Despite the unfortunate nickname, Tom Kalmaku was among the first minority characters to be portrayed in this manner, Schwartz and company also allowed Jordan to have a family, which was another rare thing at this time in superhero comics. While he did not have a wife or children of his own, a reporter, Sue Williams, suspected Jim of being Green Lantern due to his appearance and his reputation of being scatterbrained. Starting in issue #17, Gardner Fox joined the book to share writing duties with John Broome, the quartet of Schwartz, Broome, Fox, and Kane remained the core creative team until 1970. Starting with issue #76, Dennis ONeil took over scripting and Neal Adams, ONeil and Adams had already begun preparation for the classic run in the form of their re-workings of another DC superhero, the archer Green Arrow. The first of these socially motivated Green Lantern/Green Arrow stories was written with Gil Kane slated to be the artist, in Snowbirds Dont Fly issues #85 and #86, it is revealed that Green Arrows ward, Speedy, is addicted to heroin. Speedy overcomes his addiction with the help of the Black Canary and this story prompted a massive public reaction, including a congratulatory letter from the mayor of New York, John Lindsay
33.
Elongated Man
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The Elongated Man is a fictional comic book superhero in the DC universe. He is a member of three incarnations of the Justice League and his first appearance was in The Flash vol. The character has won and been nominated for awards over the years. Sometimes they would travel the world or meet other DC superheroes like Batman, Green Lantern and this feature became sporadic during the late 60s and throughout the 70s. However, in 1973, he became a member of the Justice League of America, as a teenager, Ralph Dibny was fascinated by contortionists, or people who displayed feats of agility and suppleness. He learned that all of the body-benders he spoke with drank a popular soda called Gingold, Ralph set to work learning chemistry and developed a super-concentrated extract of the rare gingo fruit of the Yucatan, which gave him his elasticity. In his first appearance, the Flash suspects the Elongated Man is behind several crimes, but the Elongated Man helps capture the criminals, who reveal they used a helicopter to frame him. Ralph Dibny was one of the earliest Silver Age DC heroes to reveal his identity to the public. After teaming up with other superheroes like Batman, Green Lantern, the Atom, Zatanna. Eventually, his became an member as well. The couple was also notable in having a stable, happy, fans of the characters often referred to Ralph and Sue as the Nick and Nora Charles of the super-hero set. The very novelty of the Elongated Man stories was that unlike most superheroes, including the Detective Comics Batman, Ralph Dibny solved mysteries, often challenging the reader to do the same. He didnt just use his powers or gadgets to chase criminals, but recalled the problem-solving of a genre just that bit older than superheroes. Ralph Dibny played a role in the events of Identity Crisis. The effect of Sues death on Ralph would come to shape his character significantly in the events following Identity Crisis, the latter arc was produced before Identity Crisis but published afterwards. A running joke in I Cant Believe Its Not The Justice League involves the possibility of Sues pregnancy and he confronts Cassandra Sandsmark, and she tells Dibny that she is in a cult that believes that Superboy can be resurrected. She steals Ralphs wedding ring after the members try to drown Ralph. During Week 11, after scaring some cult members and chasing them off, he gets a report that someone broke into a container in Opal City
34.
Batman (TV series)
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Batman is a 1960s American live action television series, based on the DC comic book character of the same name. It stars Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin — two crime-fighting heroes who defend Gotham City from a variety of arch villains and it is known for its camp style, upbeat theme music, and its intentionally humorous, simplistic morality. This included championing the importance of using seat belts, doing homework, eating vegetables, and drinking milk. One hundred and twenty episodes aired on the ABC network for three seasons from January 12,1966, to March 14,1968, twice weekly for the first two and weekly for the third. In 2016, television critics Alan Sepinwall and Matt Zoller Seitz ranked Batman as the 82nd greatest American television show of all time, ostensibly a crime series, the style of the show was in fact campy and tongue-in-cheek. It was a situation comedy, in that situations were exaggerated and were generally played for laughs. This increased as the seasons wore on, with the addition of ever greater absurdity, the characters, however, always took the absurd situations extremely seriously - which added to the comedy. The series focused on the adventures of Batman and Robin, the Dynamic Duo typically come to the aid of the Gotham City Police upon the latter being stumped by a supervillain. Throughout each episode, Batman and Robin have to follow a series of clues to discover the plan, then figure out how to thwart that plan. For the first two seasons, Batman aired twice a week on consecutive nights, every story is a two-parter, except for two three-parters featuring villainous team ups in the second season. The titles of each story usually rhymed. For the third season, which aired once a week, most episodes were self-contained stories and this would inevitably be resolved early in the follow-up episode. By relying heavily on a formula, it easy to spoof various elements of that formula. The typical story begins with a villains caper, in his office, Commissioner Gordon, along with Chief OHara, learn of the crime and the culprit. Helpless to stop the villain, they contact Batman via the Batphone - a bright red telephone that provides a direct link to Batman. At stately Wayne Manor, Alfred answers the Batphone and informs Bruce Wayne of the call, frequently, Wayne and his ward, Dick Grayson, are found talking with Dicks aunt, Harriet Cooper, who is unaware of Bruce and Dicks secret identities. Alfred discreetly interrupts and they excuse themselves to go to the Batphone in Waynes study, upon learning the details from Gordon, Wayne turns a switch concealed within a bust of Shakespeare that stands on his desk to reveal two firemans poles hidden behind a sliding bookcase. Wayne exclaims, and he and Grayson slide down the poles that lead to the Batcave, similar in style and content to the 1940s serials, Batman and Robin would arrive at the bottom of the Batpoles in the Batcave in full costume
35.
Adventure Comics
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Adventure Comics is an American comic book series published by DC Comics from 1938 to 1983 and revived from 2009 to 2011. In its first era, the series ran for 503 issues, making it the fifth-longest-running DC series, behind Detective Comics, Action Comics, Superman, and Batman. It was revived in 2009 by writer Geoff Johns with the Conner Kent incarnation of Superboy headlining the main feature. It returned to its numbering with #516. The series finally ended with #529, prior to DCs The New 52 company reboot, Adventure Comics began its nearly 50-year run in December 1935 under the title New Comics, which was only the second comic book series published by National Allied Publications, now DC Comics. The series was retitled New Adventure Comics with its 12th issue in January 1937, issue #32 saw the title changed again to Adventure Comics, which would remain the books name for the duration of its existence. Originally a humor series, it evolved into an adventure series. The series focus gradually shifted to superhero stories starting with the debut of the Sandman in issue #40. A pivotal issue of the series was #103, when Superboy, Green Arrow, Johnny Quick, starmans and Sandmans series were canceled to make room for the new features, while Genius Jones moved to the comic the new arrivals had just vacated. Superboy became the star of the book, and would appear on each cover into 1969, superboys popularity in Adventure resulted in the character receiving his own title in 1949, when superhero titles in general were losing popularity. Krypto, the Superdog debuted in issue #210 in a story by Otto Binder, in issue #247, by Otto Binder and artist Al Plastino, Superboy met the Legion of Super-Heroes, a team of super-powered teens from the future. The group became popular, and would replace Tales of the Bizarro World as the Adventure backup feature with #300, lightning Lad, one of the Legions founding members, was killed in Adventure Comics #304 and revived in issue #312. In Adventure Comics #346, Jim Shooter,14 years old at the time, Shooter wrote the story in which Ferro Lad died – the first real death of a Legionnaire – and introduced the Fatal Five. The Legion feature lasted until issue #380, with the next issue, Supergirl migrated from the backup slot in Action Comics to the starring feature in Adventure and ran until issue #424. The series reached its 400th issue in December 1970 and featured a Supergirl story written, as of #425, the books theme changed from superhero adventure to fantasy/supernatural adventure. That issue debuted one new feature along with three stories, the pirate saga Captain Fear. The next edition added a series, The Adventurers Club. Soon, editor Joe Orlando was trying out horror-tinged costumed heroes such as the Black Orchid, before long, conventional superheroes returned to the book, beginning behind the Spectre, first a three-issue run of Aquaman and then a newly drawn 1940s Seven Soldiers of Victory script
36.
Supergirl (comic book)
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Supergirl is the name of seven comic book series published by DC Comics, featuring various characters of the same name. The majority of the titles feature Supermans cousin Kara Zor-El, the first series featured the original Supergirl, Supermans cousin Kara Zor-El. It began publication in 1972 following a 44-issue run of Supergirl stories in Adventure Comics, the series lasted for 10 issues until 1974, after which the character began appearing regularly in The Superman Family commencing with issue #165. The release of the last issue of Supergirl was delayed for months due to a nationwide paper shortage. During its first year of publication, the second Kara Zor-El series was titled The Daring New Adventures of Supergirl, with issue #13, the name was shortened to Supergirl, and the title continued monthly publication for a total of 23 issues. In 1994, DC Comics published a limited series featuring a new Supergirl who was introduced early in the post-Crisis on Infinite Earths era. Sometimes referred to as Matrix, this new character was a duplicate of an alternate universe Lana Lang. Having been brought to the mainstream DC Universe by Superman, she became involved with the mainstream Luthor. This limited series resolved many of the remaining from that plotline. The fourth series featured a third Supergirl and this character was a fusion of the Matrix Supergirl and Linda Danvers. The series ran for 81 issues, ending with the main character journeyed to an alternate universe, in 2004, DC Comics introduced an updated version of Kara Zor-El in the pages of Superman/Batman. The following year, she began appearing in her own ongoing series, sterling Gates took over the title in late 2008 with issue #34. Amy Reeder Hadley was announced as the new cover artist for the series in May 2010, DC Comics relaunched Supergirl with issue #1 in September 2011 as part of The New 52 reboot. A new Supergirl series written by Steve Orlando and incorporating elements of the Supergirl television series began in September 2016 as part of the DC Rebirth relaunch
37.
Superman
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Superman is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, high school living in Cleveland, Ohio. They sold Superman to Detective Comics, the future DC Comics, Superman debuted in Action Comics #1 and subsequently appeared in various radio serials, newspaper strips, television programs, films, and video games. With this success, Superman helped to create the superhero archetype, the character is also referred to by such epithets as the Man of Steel, the Man of Tomorrow, and The Last Son of Krypton. Discovered and adopted by a Kansas farm couple, the child is raised as Clark Kent, very early on he started to display various superhuman abilities, which, upon reaching maturity, he resolved to use for the benefit of humanity through a secret Superman identity. Superman resides and operates in the fictional American city of Metropolis, as Clark Kent, he is a journalist for the Daily Planet, a Metropolis newspaper. Supermans love interest is generally Lois Lane, and his archenemy is supervillain Lex Luthor and he is typically a member of the Justice League and close ally of Batman and Wonder Woman. Like other characters in the DC Universe, several versions of Superman have been depicted over the years. Supermans appearance is distinctive and iconic, he wears a blue costume with a red-and-yellow emblem on the chest, consisting of the letter S in a shield shape. This shield is used in media to symbolize the character. Superman is widely considered an American cultural icon and he has fascinated scholars, with cultural theorists, commentators, and critics alike exploring the characters impact and role in the United States and worldwide. The characters ownership has often been the subject of dispute, with Siegel, the character has been adapted extensively and portrayed in other forms of media as well, including films, television series, and video games. Several actors have portrayed Superman in motion pictures and TV series including Kirk Alyn, George Reeves, Christopher Reeve, Dean Cain, Tom Welling, Brandon Routh, Henry Cavill, Siegels fanzine did not sell well. Siegel and Shuster shifted to making comic strips, which they self-published in a book they called Popular Comics, the pair dreamed of becoming professional authors and believed that syndicated newspaper strips offered more lucrative and stable work than pulp magazines. The art quality standards were lower, making them more accessible to the inexperienced Shuster. In early 1933 or in 1934, Siegel developed a new character, also named Superman, but now a heroic character and this first prototype of Superman had no fantastic abilities and wore casual clothing. Siegel and Shuster often compared this version to Slam Bradley, a character they created in 1936. Siegel shared his idea with Shuster and they decided to turn it into a comic strip, the first publisher they solicited was Humor Publishing in Chicago, after having read one of their comic books, Detective Dan
38.
DC Comics Presents
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A recurring back-up feature Whatever Happened to. Had stories revealing the status of minor and little-used characters. DC Comics Presents debuted with a July/August 1978 cover date and was edited by Julius Schwartz, the series was launched with a team-up of Superman and the Flash by writer Martin Pasko and artist José Luis García-López. The winner of the DC Comics Presents letter column name contest appeared in the Superman/Hawkman story in issue #11, backup feature began in issue #25 and would appear in most issues for the next two years until its last installment in issue #48. Issue #26 included an insert introduction story to the then-upcoming New Teen Titans series by Marv Wolfman, len Wein and Jim Starlin co-created the supervillain Mongul in issue #27 as part of a three-issue storyline. Another insert in issue #41 previewed the new direction Wonder Woman, in issue #47, Superman traveled to Eternia and met the Masters of the Universe. Ambush Bug made his first appearance in issue #52 and made appearances in issue #59. The Superman/Challengers of the Unknown tale in issue #84 was drawn by Jack Kirby, the series also contained the Alan Moore Superman/Swamp Thing story The Jungle Line in DC Comics Presents #85, pencilled by Rick Veitch and inked by Al Williamson. Issue #87 featured the first appearance and origin of the divergent Kal-El of the Earth Prime reality, who would become known as Superboy-Prime. The final issue is an exception to the format, instead featuring Superman in an Untold Tale involving the Phantom Zone, by Steve Gerber. In 2004, the title DC Comics Presents was revived for eight one-shot issues, in July 2010, DC announced the launch of a new DC Comics Presents, a line of 100-page reprint issues reprinting stories that have not seen print since their original publication. Writer Mike Tiefenbacher had several proposals for other Whatever Happened To and these included Captain Action, Blackhawk, Genius Jones, Nighthawk, Ragman, the Sea Devils, the Silent Knight, and Wildcat. In September and October 2004, the title DC Comics Presents was revived for a series of eight issues, each a tribute to DC editor Julius Schwartz. In July 2010, DC announced the launch of a new DC Comics Presents series featuring stories that have not seen print since their original publication, DC Comics Presents, Brightest Day #2, which spotlights Martian Manhunter and Firestorm, and reprints Martian Manhunter #24 and Firestorm #11–13. DC Comics Presents, Ethan Van Sciver, which spotlights the art of Ethan Van Sciver and reprints Batman and Catwoman, DC Comics Presents, The Flash and Green Lantern, Faster Friends, which spotlights Kyle Rayner and Wally West, and reprints both issues of the titular mini-series. DC Comics Presents, Green Lantern, which spotlights Kyle Rayner and Jade, DC Comics Presents, Jack Cross, which spotlights Jack Cross and reprints issues #1–4 of his self-titled series. DC Comics Presents, J. H. Williams III, which spotlights the art of J. H. Williams III and reprints Chase #1 and #6–8. DC Comics Presents, Legion of Super-Heroes, which spotlights Dan Abnett, reprints Legion of Super-Heroes #122 and 123 and Legionnaires #79 and 80
39.
The Brave and the Bold
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The Brave and the Bold is the title shared by many comic book series published by DC Comics. The first of these was published as a series from 1955 to 1983. It was followed by a mini-series in 1991 and 1999, and was revived as a title in 2007. The focus of each version of the series has varied over time, the first volume of the series ran for 200 issues from August/September 1955 to July 1983. Originally, The Brave and the Bold was a series featuring adventure tales from past ages with characters such as the Silent Knight, the Viking Prince, the Golden Gladiator. With issue #25, the series was reinvented as a title for new characters and concepts, starting with the Suicide Squad created by writer Robert Kanigher. Gardner Fox and Joe Kubert created a new version of Hawkman in issue #34 with the character receiving his own title three years later, editor Julius Schwartz hired Gardner Fox and artist Mike Sekowsky to create the Justice League of America. The team debuted in The Brave and the Bold #28, issues #45 through #49 were devoted to Strange Sports Stories combining sport and science-fiction in tales such as Challenge of the Headless Baseball Team and The Man Who Drove Through Time. Strange Sports Stories was later resurrected briefly as a DC Comics title in its own right in 1973, the series was changed yet again with issue #50 as a team-up title between established characters. Starting with issue #59 The Brave and the Bold became, more specifically a Batman team-up book with the Caped Crusader as the main focus. This was due to the popularity of the Batman television series, after issue #74, The Brave and the Bold was exclusively a Batman team-up title until it ended with issue #200. The teaming of Robin, Kid Flash, and Aqualad in issue #54 by writer Bob Haney, the three heroes subsequently appeared under the name Teen Titans in issue #60 by Haney and artist Nick Cardy and were joined by Wonder Womans younger sister Wonder Girl in her first appearance. The Metamorpho character was created by Haney and artist Ramona Fradon in The Brave, the title was the first to feature Neal Adams version of Batman, generating fan interest that led to Adams style defining the modern Batman image to this day. In addition, Adams updated Green Arrows visual appearance by designing a new costume for the character in issue #85, the primary artist for the second half of the run was Jim Aparo, starting with #98. Haney frequently disregarded continuity by scripting stories which contradicted DCs canon or by writing major heroes in an out-of-character fashion, Issue #100 featured Batman and 4 Famous Co-Stars in a story by Haney and Aparo. Issues #112 to #117 of the series were in the 100 Page Super Spectacular format, the character Nemesis, also known as Thomas Tresser, debuted in an eight-page backup story in issue #166 written by Cary Burkett and drawn by Dan Spiegle. The Tresser character was created by Burkett in 1979, and named for an actor with whom Burkett was rooming in New Hampshire. Alan Brennert wrote four issues of The Brave and the Bold featuring Batman teaming with the Creeper, the Hawk and Dove, the Robin of Earth Two, and the Catwoman
40.
Classical element
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Ancient cultures in Egypt, Babylonia, Japan, Tibet, and India had similar lists, sometimes referring in local languages to air as wind and the fifth element as void. The Chinese Wu Xing system lists Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and these different cultures and even individual philosophers had widely varying explanations concerning their attributes and how they related to observable phenomena as well as cosmology. Sometimes these theories overlapped with mythology and were personified in deities, some of these interpretations included atomism but other interpretations considered the elements to be divisible into infinitely small pieces without changing their nature. Centuries of empirical investigation have proven that all the ancient systems were incorrect explanations of the physical world. It is now known that atomic theory is an explanation, and that atoms can be classified into more than a hundred chemical elements such as oxygen, iron. These elements form chemical compounds and mixtures, and under different temperatures and pressures, the concept of the five elements formed a basis of analysis in both Hinduism and Buddhism. In Hinduism, particularly in a context, the four states-of-matter describe matter. Similar lists existed in ancient China and Japan, in Buddhism the four great elements, to which two others are sometimes added, are not viewed as substances, but as categories of sensory experience. A Greek text called the Kore Kosmou ascribed to Hermes Trismegistus, names the four fire, water, air. And, on the contrary, again some are made enemies of fire, and some of water, some of earth, and some of air, and some of two of them, and some of three, and some of all. For instance, son, the locust and all flies flee fire, the eagle and the hawk and all high-flying birds flee water, fish, air and earth, the snake avoids the open air. Not that some of the animals as well do not love fire, for instance salamanders and it is because one or another of the elements doth form their bodies outer envelope. Each soul, accordingly, while it is in its body is weighted and constricted by these four. According to Galen, these elements were used by Hippocrates in describing the body with an association with the four humours, yellow bile, black bile, blood. Medical care was flexible and primarily about helping the patient stay in or return to his/her own personal natural balanced state. In other Babylonian texts these phenomena are considered independent of their association with deities, though they are not treated as the component elements of the universe, the five elements are associated with the five senses, and act as the gross medium for the experience of sensations. The basest element, earth, created using all the elements, can be perceived by all five senses – hearing, touch, sight, taste. The next higher element, water, has no odor but can be heard, felt, seen, next comes fire, which can be heard, felt and seen
41.
World's Finest Comics
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Worlds Finest Comics was an American comic book series published by DC Comics from 1941 to 1986. The series was initially titled Worlds Best Comics for its first issue, issue #2 switched to the familiar name. Most likely the reason for the change was that DC received a cease and desist letter from Better Publications. Virtually every issue featured DCs two leading superheroes, Superman and Batman, with the earliest issues also featuring Batmans sidekick, Robin. The idea for Worlds Best #1 originated from the identically formatted 1940 New York Worlds Fair Comics featuring Superman, Batman, and Robin with 96 pages and a cardboard cover. The year before there was a similar 1939 New York Worlds Fair Comics featuring Superman but without Batman and Robin because Bill Finger, the series was initially a 96-page quarterly anthology, featuring various DC characters - always including Superman and Batman - in separate stories. Comics historian Les Daniels noted that Pairing Superman and Batman made sense financially, the title often depicted Batman gaining superpowers as a way to avoid having him be overshadowed by Superman. Lex Luthor and the Joker first joined forces in issue #88, a new super-villain, the Composite Superman was introduced in #142. Noted Batman artist Neal Adams first drew the character in a story in The Superman-Batman Revenge Squads in issue #175. The title briefly featured Superman teaming with other than Batman in the early 1970s beginning with issue #198. That issue featured the first part of a two-issue team-up with the Flash, nick Cardy was the cover artist for Worlds Finest Comics for issues #212-228. Metamorpho was the feature in issues #218-220 and #229 after the character had a brief run as the backup in Action Comics. The series reverted to Superman and Batman team-ups after issue #214, initially with a unique twist, featuring the children they might one day have, Superman Jr. and Batman Jr. These characters, billed as the Super-Sons, were co-created by writer Bob Haney and artist Dick Dillin in issue #215. Super-Sons stories alternated with tales of the original Superman and Batman through issue #263, with issues #215-216, 221-222,224,228,230,231,233,238,242, and 263 featuring the sons. Haney frequently disregarded continuity by scripting stories which contradicted DCs canon or by writing major heroes in an out-of-character fashion and he introduced Batmans older brother, Thomas Wayne Jr. in Worlds Finest Comics #223. This story was used a basis for a detail in the Court of Owls story arc in 2012. Issues #223 to #228 of the series were in the 100 Page Super Spectacular format, with issue #244, Worlds Finest Comics became one of the first 80-page Dollar Comics
42.
Wonder Woman
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Wonder Woman is a fictional superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character is said to be a member of the Justice League, demigoddess. In her homeland, she is Princess Diana of Themyscira, and outside of her homeland, Wonder Woman was created by the American psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston, and artist Harry G. Peter. He and his wife Elizabeths cohabitant, Olive Byrne, is credited as being Marstons inspiration for the characters appearance, Marston drew a great deal of inspiration from early feminists. The character first appeared in All Star Comics #8 in December 1941 and first cover-dated on Sensation Comics #1, the Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986. Wonder Womans origin story relates that she was sculpted from clay by her mother Queen Hippolyta and given life by Athena and her Amazonian-training helped to develop a wide range of extraordinary skills in strategy, hunting, and combat. Many stories depicted Wonder Woman rescuing herself from bondage, which defeated the damsels in distress trope that were common in comics during the 1940s, Wonder Woman has also regularly appeared in comic books featuring the superhero teams Justice Society and Justice League. Attempts to return Wonder Woman to television have included a pilot for NBC in 2011. Gal Gadot portrayed Wonder Woman in the 2016 film Batman v Superman, Dawn of Justice, Gadot will also star in the characters first solo live-action film Wonder Woman, set to be released on June 2,2017. Two months later she was dropped from her role as a UN Ambassador following a petition, in an October 25,1940, interview with the Family Circle magazine, William Moulton Marston discussed the unfulfilled potential of the comic book medium. Marston introduced the idea to Gaines, given the go-ahead, Marston developed Wonder Woman, whom he believed to be a model of that eras unconventional, liberated woman. Marston also drew inspiration from the bracelets worn by Olive Byrne, Wonder Woman debuted in All Star Comics #8, scripted by Marston. Marston was the creator of an apparatus, which was crucial to the development of the polygraph. Marstons experience with polygraphs convinced him that women were more honest in situations different than men, Marston designed Wonder Woman to be an allegory for the ideal love leader, the kind of women who should run society. Wonder Woman is psychological propaganda for the new type of woman who should, I believe, rule the world, Marston wrote. In a 1943 issue of The American Scholar, Marston wrote, Not even girls want to be girls so long as our feminine archetype lacks force, strength, Not wanting to be girls, they dont want to be tender, submissive, peace-loving as good women are. Womens strong qualities have become despised because of their weakness, the obvious remedy is to create a feminine character with all the strength of Superman plus all the allure of a good and beautiful woman. Marston went on record by describing bondage and submission as a respectable and noble practice and this weakness served to subvert the damsel in distress trope, since Wonder Woman inevitably rescues herself
43.
Neil Gaiman
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Neil Richard MacKinnon Gaiman is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, graphic novels, audio theatre, and films. His notable works include the book series The Sandman and novels Stardust, American Gods, Coraline. He has won awards, including the Hugo, Nebula. He is the first author to win both the Newbery and the Carnegie medals for the work, The Graveyard Book. In 2013, The Ocean at the End of the Lane was voted Book of the Year in the British National Book Awards and his father, David Bernard Gaiman, worked in the same chain of stores, his mother, Sheila Gaiman, was a pharmacist. He has two sisters, Claire and Lizzy. His other sister, Lizzy Calcioli, has said, Most of our social activities were involved with Scientology or our Jewish family and it would get very confusing when people would ask my religion as a kid. I’d say, I’m a Jewish Scientologist, Gaiman says that he is not a Scientologist, and that like Judaism, Scientology is his familys religion. About his personal views, Gaiman has stated, I think we can say that God exists in the DC Universe, I would not stand up and beat the drum for the existence of God in this universe. I dont know, I think theres probably a 50/50 chance and it doesnt really matter to me. Gaiman was able to read at the age of four, when he was about ten years old, he read his way through the works of Dennis Wheatley, where especially The Ka of Gifford Hillary and The Haunting of Toby Jugg made an impact on him. One work that made an impression on him was J. R. R. Tolkiens The Lord of the Rings from his school library. He consistently took them out and read them and he would later win the school English prize and the school reading prize, enabling him to finally acquire the third volume. For his seventh birthday, Gaiman received C. S. Lewiss The Chronicles of Narnia series and he later recalled that I admired his use of parenthetical statements to the reader, where he would just talk to you. Id think, Oh, my gosh, that is so cool, when I become an author, I want to be able to do things in parentheses. I liked the power of putting things in brackets, Narnia also introduced him to literary awards, specifically the 1956 Carnegie Medal won by the concluding volume. Lewis Carrolls Alices Adventures in Wonderland was another favourite. Alice was default reading to the point where I knew it by heart and he also enjoyed Batman comics as a child
44.
The Books of Magic
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The Books of Magic is the title of a four-issue English-language comic book mini-series written by Neil Gaiman, published by DC Comics, and later an ongoing series under the imprint Vertigo. Since its original publication, the mini-series has also published in a single-volume collection under the Vertigo imprint with an introduction by author Roger Zelazny. It tells the story of a boy who has the potential to become the worlds greatest magician. The Books of Magic began life when DC Comics decided to highlight some of their characters across the range. They initially approached writer J. M, at that stage, DeMatteis also decided to step back, and DC instead approached popular writer Neil Gaiman and asked him to come up with a four-issue prestige-format series about our magic characters. Drawing on a childhood spent working his way through the section in his local library. This structure allowed Gaiman great scope to include various characters from across DCs ranges. When the book was released over 1990/1991, it proved very popular. Tim Hunter made the choice to pursue magic in the Mister E miniseries by K. W. Jeter when he was forced to use magic to prevent Mister E from killing him. He was aided in this decision by The Phantom Stranger, Doctor Fate, Berger struggled to find a writer suitable for the project, however, with writers like Dick Foreman struggling to handle the character of Tim. Berger eventually approached John Ney Rieber after having some of his work. Rieber was asked to come up with an outline for the proposed series. Still convinced that Rieber was the writer for the job, however, Berger asked him to persevere, he tried several times to come up with something different, but it still didnt thrill anyone. The Arcana, The Books of Magic Annual was the part of The Childrens Crusade series. In early 1997, Rieber announced to Peter Gross that he was going to leave the comic, of course he gets on my nerves. Hes a lot like someone I spent years learning not to be, with Rieber leaving, the series editor Stuart Moore championed Gross to take over scripting duties because I knew he could do it. Hes got a sense of story and character. Gross initially wrote a memo detailing where he thought the series should go
45.
Aquaman
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Aquaman is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger, the character debuted in More Fun Comics #73, initially a backup feature in DCs anthology titles, Aquaman later starred in several volumes of a solo title. During the late 1950s and 1960s superhero-revival period known as the Silver Age, in the 1990s Modern Age, Aquamans character became more serious than in most previous interpretations, with storylines depicting the weight of his role as king of Atlantis. Aquaman has been adapted for many times, first appearing in animated form in the 1967 The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure. Actor Alan Ritchson also portrayed the role in action in the television show Smallville. Jason Momoa portrayed the character in the 2016 film Batman v Superman, Dawn of Justice and will reprise his role in the DC Extended Universe, the characters original 1960s animated appearances left a lasting impression, meaning Aquaman is widely recognised in popular culture. My mother died when I was a baby, and he turned to his work of solving the oceans secrets and his greatest discovery was an ancient city, in the depths where no other diver had ever penetrated. My father believed it was the lost kingdom of Atlantis and he made himself a water-tight home in one of the palaces and lived there, studying the records and devices of the races marvelous wisdom. From the books and records, he learned ways of teaching me to live under the ocean, drawing oxygen from the water and using all the power of the sea to make me wonderfully strong and swift. By training and a hundred scientific secrets, I became what you see — a human being who lives and thrives under the water, in his early Golden Age appearances, Aquaman can breathe underwater and control fish and other underwater life for up to a minute. Initially, he was depicted as speaking to sea creatures in their own rather than telepathically. Aquamans adventures took place all across the world, and his base was a fishing boat kept underwater. During his wartime adventures, most of Aquamans foes were Nazi U-boat commanders, Aquamans last appearance in More Fun Comics was in issue #107, before being moved along with Superboy and Green Arrow to Adventure Comics, starting with issue #103 in 1946. Aquamans adventures continued to be published in Adventure Comics through the 1940s and 1950s, the first of these elements was the story Aquamans Undersea Partner in Adventure Comics #229, where his octopus sidekick, Topo, was first introduced. This and subsequent elements were later, after the establishment of DCs multiverse in the 1960s, eventually, Arthur decided to use his talents to become the defender of the Earths oceans. It was later revealed that he had, in his youth, adventured as Aquaboy and on one occasion, met Superboy, when Arthur grew up, he called himself Aquaman. It was later revealed that after Atlannas death, Tom Curry met and married a human woman and had a son named Orm Curry. Orm grew up as a youth in the shadow of his brother
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