tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7860594454755823252024-03-05T14:30:29.053-08:00Whatever Gods There BeComic Books, Sci-Fi, Law, Music, Film & TravelMark S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02330523300153029606noreply@blogger.comBlogger158125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786059445475582325.post-51010342841532025232016-01-11T18:46:00.000-08:002016-01-11T18:50:19.854-08:00David Bowie 1947-2016<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><i>(David Bowie, born David Robert Jones in Brixton, London on 8 January 1947, passed away on 10 January 2016. While this blog remains on hiatus, I count David Bowie as my favorite musician and I wanted to share with you how important this great musician-artist was to me.)</i></b> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Like so many, I came to David Bowie in my youth. Quite abnormally
for small-town Canada in the late 1980s, I avoided the Heavy Metal
and Hip Hop music* that was enjoyed by so many of my classmates and had an
interest in the alternative and indie scene coming out of the UK. This meant -- while I didn't have a lot of money and was unable to buy cassettes and CDs on a frequent basis -- most of my music came from CFNY 102.1, a radio station in the Toronto area that played this type of music. Gradually, as
high school arrived and tastes changed, more of my friends started to
appreciate Alternative and my tastes became more mainstream. But even with Nirvana and Pearl Jam ruling the radio waves, it was in 1993 -- in my mid-teens -- when I heard the lead single from Bowie's <i>Black
Time White Noise</i> album "Jump They Say". And while I loved the stripped
down guitar and melancholic lyrics of <a href="http://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/johnny-marr-why-david-bowie-is-my-ultimate-icon">the Smiths</a>, or the hard industrial pop of
Depeche Mode; and even grunge from Seattle, I found the uplifting beat and synth-fused saxophone of
David Bowie a welcome addition to my auditory senses. I immediately went out
and bought my first David Bowie album. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXcfPoLJKSM4I93XK2hOGaNAU-4MZruJAcX79_3yBb6yL7sd8M0rncOfy-_RHQge5NjGn0g00pJmDp2kF2qKlX14BMKPN25fZwXnA6rGhz3BqPHDS34f4JXRDkJ_lph83Tfzj073Mu7c/s1600/Blacktiewhitenoise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXcfPoLJKSM4I93XK2hOGaNAU-4MZruJAcX79_3yBb6yL7sd8M0rncOfy-_RHQge5NjGn0g00pJmDp2kF2qKlX14BMKPN25fZwXnA6rGhz3BqPHDS34f4JXRDkJ_lph83Tfzj073Mu7c/s400/Blacktiewhitenoise.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1993's <i>Black Tie White Noise</i> by David Bowie. The first Bowie record I ever owned. </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Two years later in late 1995, I came to a cross-roads in my life: a
diagnoses of cancer. And once again, Bowie appeared on CFNY, this time as he was touring
with Nine Inch Nails. At this time, I marveled at how Trent Reznor, a global Alternative superstar was touring with this old guy, myself still largely ignorant of Bowie’s canon and how his record <i>Low</i> was perhaps the biggest influence on NIN's <i>The Downward Spiral</i>. And then it happened: with chemotherapy flowing through my veins, I experienced David Bowie's ability to re-invent himself as the radio pumped out "The Hearts Filthy Lesson" (<i>Outside</i>, 1995), which was very different from <i>White Noise</i>, and captured the angst and pain that I was experiencing
both physically and emotionally, having just been told that I
would walk with a limp for the rest of my life, the cancer having taken my
left knee. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqz-NXQq6slF_LAQt9SbJcUXk2cq1MtY_dQ8hUAn2J3AIMEAnpJa47MEu4wRocBcdnoNG7ANI1c0TqRvNbzbXeMDuye3qXh5JFBpCtvd74hyeHChZ9FVHqLB99j_5BU1qfKi3QtYSmweE/s1600/bowie8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="523" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqz-NXQq6slF_LAQt9SbJcUXk2cq1MtY_dQ8hUAn2J3AIMEAnpJa47MEu4wRocBcdnoNG7ANI1c0TqRvNbzbXeMDuye3qXh5JFBpCtvd74hyeHChZ9FVHqLB99j_5BU1qfKi3QtYSmweE/s640/bowie8.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">David Bowie with my other favorite singer, Morrissey. Morrissey wanted to use this photo for a greatest hits album but Bowie didn't allow it, leading to a fall-out. Let's hope they patched things up before the Bowie's passing. </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">I survived cancer and in the mid 90s, my then girlfriend gave me a gift: <i>Let’s Dance</i>, Bowie’s 15<sup>th</sup>
studio album and to date his best-selling. I loved this CD, and while the first
three tracks are some of Bowie’s best known, it was the latter half of the disc where I found the most enjoyment. "Ricochet", "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)", and "Shake It" are awesome. A short time later, after graduating university and working in Japan, an Irish friend introduced me to the David Bowie of the 60s, 70s
and early 80s. From here I bought 2002's <i>Best of Bowie</i> and it was this compilation that caused me to go back through his earlier catalog and came to marvel how his music has evolved over time. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">UK cover of the "Starman" single from <i>Ziggy Stardust</i>. </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Indeed, Bowie's first album <i>David Bowie</i> (1967) has some of the
same horns and strings that one would be found on contemporaneous Beatles albums. But then with <i>A Space Oddity </i>(1969)<i>, The Man Who Sold the World</i>
(1970) and <i>Hunky Dory</i> (1971) Bowie set off with a new Glam-focussed sound,
culminating with the seminal <i>The
Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars </i>(1972), where Bowie adopted the persona of the extraterrestrial rock star named Ziggy Stardust. This is an album where every song is amazing and it has been written about as a record that united every UK youth subculture of the time.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgybFgT9Z7I09KWj-iPlU1pnn_9lM9UU1aMZK_SE215orQt471DIav_2jfVZn1vGlEuGsroSX8Bw0bUrL7Tu5EvTydhCa7utVc1DfA8um8jfC72Ox5XdbnpqZO3sd9D2YYAuxQ7Av4ixUM/s1600/170px-The_Thin_White_Duke_76.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgybFgT9Z7I09KWj-iPlU1pnn_9lM9UU1aMZK_SE215orQt471DIav_2jfVZn1vGlEuGsroSX8Bw0bUrL7Tu5EvTydhCa7utVc1DfA8um8jfC72Ox5XdbnpqZO3sd9D2YYAuxQ7Av4ixUM/s640/170px-The_Thin_White_Duke_76.jpg" width="506" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Thin White Duke persona in Toronto, February 1976. </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Indeed, it was the 1970s that would see Glam rock Bowie redefine and perfect the genre. <i>Aladdin Sane </i>(1973),<i> </i>inspired by touring the United States, was an amazing mixture
of piano and Glam pop; which was followed by a decent record of covers (<i>Pin Ups</i> [1973]) and then <i>Diamond Dogs </i>(1974), a concept album about George Orwell’s <i>Nineteen Eighty-Four</i>. This record contains two
of my favorite Bowie songs: "Big Brother" and "Chant of the Ever Circling Skeletal Family" and in my mind sounds like a harbinger of the hard rock sound that would soon eclipse Glam. </span></div>
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<tr align="center"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1976's <i>Low</i>, the first of the Berlin Trilogy. It's masterful and NME recently counted it as one of the most influential albums to dance music. Trent Reznor wanted <i>The Downward Spiral</i> to emulate it. </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">After a brief time exploring African-American soul music in 1975's <i>Young Americans, </i>Bowie adopted a new persona, the Thin White Duke, and released <i>Station to Station</i> in January 1975. This album -- with its epic ten minute opening "Station to Station", the hallucinatory "TVC 15", and the hauntingly beautiful "Word on a Wing" remains in my mind, his very best. It was followed by the nearly as good <i>Low </i>(1976)<i> and "Heroes" </i>(1977)<i> </i>the first two of which are now known as the<i> Berlin Trilogy </i>(and were followed by the underrated <i>Lodger </i>in 1979<i>). </i>The <i>Berlin Trilogy</i> came about after Bowie left Los Angles and set up shop in West Berlin, where he worked with producer Brian Eno to craft three records that captured, emulated and personalized the electric-based sounds that were coming from West Germany in the mid 1970s. And this was reciprocated, with Bowie being name-checked in Kraftwerk's "Trans-Europe Express" and him replying in "V-2 Schneider" on <i>"Heroes"</i>. Bowie would welcome the 1980s with an amazing effort named <i>Scary Monsters and Super Creeps</i> and by this time was an unequivocal rock god. This was later affirmed with <i>Let's Dance</i> (1983) which hit number #1 in many countries and would go on to become a staple of that flamboyant decade. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Bowie as </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Jareth, the Goblin King, the antagonist in 1986's <i>Labyrinth</i>. Bowie was an occasional actor, with his first major role in 1976's <i>The Man Who Fell To Earth</i>. </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Bowie's next effort <i>Tonight</i> (1984) hit number #1 on the UK charts (and was recorded in Canada!) and was followed by a two-fold effort of both music and film when he starred in and wrote the soundtrack to the fantasy hit <i>Labyrinth</i>. And while the late 1980s are generally considered to be the low-point in his creative output (as represented by 1987's <i>Never Let Me Down)</i>, a brief hiatus and marriage to supermodel Iman were just what he needed to get back on track. Indeed, from the late 90s until his death, all of Bowie's efforts: <i>Earthling</i> (1997) <i>Hours...</i> (1999), <i>Heathen </i>(2001), <i>Reality</i> (2003),<i> The Next Day</i> (2013) remain amazing albums that can be listened to from start to finish, even in the age of downloading. His most recent work <i>Blackstar</i> (2016), released two days ago, is an album I don't know as well as I'd like, but that will change shortly.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Good-bye, Mr. Bowie! You are already missed. Photo by Jimmy King</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Thank you, David Bowie. You are now and will remain for forever, my favorite musician. You have been there when I needed you -- though chemotherapy, courtships and break-ups or even just when I needed to escape from an intrusive world (or as I put it "go read a comic book and listen to David Bowie") Good luck! You are forever the Starman, the Thin White Duke, the Man Who Fell to Earth and the Goblin King. Wherever you are now is a much cooler place than it was yesterday: so have fun in that New Career in a New Town. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">*I would come to appreciate both Heavy Metal and Hip Hop and now have both musical styles on my iTunes. </span> </span></div>
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Mark S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02330523300153029606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786059445475582325.post-53827930502584860392015-07-01T09:57:00.000-07:002015-07-01T09:57:09.660-07:00Happy Canada Day! <div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We're happy to be back at the blogging game and have a number of feature articles to post in the next little while. In the meanwhile, we wish all of our Canadian readers a very happy Canada Day. Thank you for reading. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Image from Marvel's <i>Uncanny X-Men</i> #120 (April 1979). </span></span></td></tr>
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Mark S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02330523300153029606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786059445475582325.post-71079077593302607332015-06-30T12:20:00.000-07:002015-06-30T12:20:12.696-07:00Hiatus Over! <div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Just like Magneto, <i><b>Whatever Gods There Be</b></i> always bounces back! We'll start posting again shortly, but in the meanwhile, please enjoy this image of Magneto from <i>X-Men</i> #2 (November 1991). You may recall, this is the follow-up issue of the first adjective-less X-title that sold over seven million copies. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Image from Marvel's <i>X-Men</i> #2 (November 1991) co-created by Chris Claremont & Jim Lee, inking by Scott Williams, colours by Joe Rosa and Letters by Tom Orzechowski. </span></td></tr>
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Mark S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02330523300153029606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786059445475582325.post-23059213289707714762015-04-26T17:44:00.001-07:002015-04-26T17:53:06.556-07:00On Hiatus...Sort of...<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I know it has been almost three months since my last blog post. Well, the reason for this is some important professional responsibilities have taken up a considerable amount of my time and will likely to do so in the future. So while some draft posts may be placed, and if something important relating to comics, sci-fi and pop culture comes up, I will certainly post those items. But until such a time, <u>this blog will largely remain on hiatus for an indefinite period of time</u>. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's some Silver Age <i>Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D</i> to <b>THANK YOU </b>for clicking and reading over the past four years. I've thoroughly enjoyed blogging as a hobby, and hopefully will continue to do so once things have settled down. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_epVFjZps3VdsG0LS3vzo8uWpYpo6F_1IsKh8QGSt_qgFmec_z3jHQVIs0bwgZPbEsoHCbrA6_-Rz9gwFfYxjtfvqk2QXlJ4-5wZoVTtob5L4gpkymGDaC_kxZqgVFvsmmpznkWk4ywU/s1600/DSC08449.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_epVFjZps3VdsG0LS3vzo8uWpYpo6F_1IsKh8QGSt_qgFmec_z3jHQVIs0bwgZPbEsoHCbrA6_-Rz9gwFfYxjtfvqk2QXlJ4-5wZoVTtob5L4gpkymGDaC_kxZqgVFvsmmpznkWk4ywU/s1600/DSC08449.JPG" height="640" width="450" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Image from Marvel's <b><i>Nick Fury Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D</i></b> (November 1968) written by Archie Goodwin and illustrated by Frank Springer.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Mark S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02330523300153029606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786059445475582325.post-78218995307739078242015-02-27T15:42:00.001-08:002015-03-03T17:20:47.430-08:00Leonard Nimoy 1931-2015<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I don't normally become sad when a Hollywood figure passes, but today is very different. While I grew up watching and loving the original <i class="yiv9407281246">Star Trek</i>
series, my first personal encounter with Leonard Nimoy was at a Toronto <i class="yiv9407281246">Star Trek</i> convention in the
early 1990s. I went solo so as to not be tied-down by others, and after getting
a drive to the airport hotel from my dad; proceeded to explore the various
organizations, displays and merchant tables who happily took my hard-earned allowance in exchange for books, badges and other <i class="yiv9407281246">Star Trek</i>-related knick-knacks. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv9407281246" id="yiv9407281246yui_3_16_0_1_1425074895088_2858">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl0jSqtFRzYNebguyoXs730KIWTavLSDIqeIOnwlbIzLdidVspFrbbDiPd0Irqn_WvuKA08IOgaV2aOcb9Py6BE3t7KZjLCnpJhqO2-TMsXaSIW7Zvumx1Cw9TvBweBVrLaH1MKWRSCVE/s1600/nimoy-social_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl0jSqtFRzYNebguyoXs730KIWTavLSDIqeIOnwlbIzLdidVspFrbbDiPd0Irqn_WvuKA08IOgaV2aOcb9Py6BE3t7KZjLCnpJhqO2-TMsXaSIW7Zvumx1Cw9TvBweBVrLaH1MKWRSCVE/s1600/nimoy-social_2.jpg" height="332" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Special thanks for <i><b>Comic Book Resources</b></i> for this image. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></span></div>
<div class="yiv9407281246" id="yiv9407281246yui_3_16_0_1_1425074895088_2858" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">All told, I would go to three other conventions of this kind
and many more comic and fan-cons over my years, but seeing
Leonard Nimoy in that crowded convention hall and hearing him speak about
his time as the First Officer of the original starship <i class="yiv9407281246">Enterprise</i><span class="yiv9407281246">,</span> was one of the best times I've
ever had at a convention and something I'll remember to the end of my days. Indeed,
since 1991, my good luck charm has been a <i class="yiv9407281246">Commander
Spock</i> trading card in a plastic case. This little memento has gone with
me through exams, graduations, jobs interviews and almost every other cerebral
challenge I've ever faced. And while it hasn't always worked (it's only a photo
of Spock and not <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spock%27s_Brain"><b class="yiv9407281246"><i class="yiv9407281246">Spock's Brain</i></b></a></span> after all!) I never-the-less will not go into any
brain-focussed challenge without it again. To this day, not only does this little card
remind me of the greatness of Mr. Spock's intellect, but also those fun times as a nerdy teenager decades ago. </span></span></div>
<div id="yiv9407281246yui_3_16_0_1_1425074895088_2682">
</div>
<div class="yiv9407281246" id="yiv9407281246yui_3_16_0_1_1425074895088_2861">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCz-ENifaRaUbcCrKCCL-pnvLA4O6ydVvQ_WsDyh4x5wwZDG2GhNSr5P3PrjMfRObB_hQnceih2Fqm9vizCkwpnqZQvVnrxBOh3Ss2HYlTp2Y1wIbquYJJZZwpuCwtB-WSxtiVNvX4N7U/s1600/SpockVulcan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCz-ENifaRaUbcCrKCCL-pnvLA4O6ydVvQ_WsDyh4x5wwZDG2GhNSr5P3PrjMfRObB_hQnceih2Fqm9vizCkwpnqZQvVnrxBOh3Ss2HYlTp2Y1wIbquYJJZZwpuCwtB-WSxtiVNvX4N7U/s1600/SpockVulcan.jpg" height="640" width="528" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Spock from <i>Star Trek</i>. He has long been my favourite character in science-fiction and an inspiration. Today is a difficult day.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="yiv9407281246" id="yiv9407281246yui_3_16_0_1_1425074895088_2861" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="yiv9407281246" id="yiv9407281246yui_3_16_0_1_1425074895088_2860">I know Leonard Nimoy was an actor, writer, director, photographer, philanthropist and musician.
(<span class="yiv9407281246" id="yiv9407281246yui_3_16_0_1_1425074895088_2859">A very good friend of mine, who I met in
1993 after sharing our mutual love of <b class="yiv9407281246" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1425078352912_2043"><i class="yiv9407281246" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1425078352912_2042">Star Trek</i></b> emailed this partial <i class="yiv9407281246">Twilight Zone</i> episode featuring Nimoy today
– <span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaN9cW4wdCY"><b class="yiv9407281246">here it is.</b></a></span>) I also know his first
biography, <b class="yiv9407281246"><i class="yiv9407281246">I Am Not Spock</i></b> sought to put some distance between him and the
character that made him one of my heroes. But as </span></span>I recall him,
Leonard Nimoy will always be, not only a gifted actor who helped create one of
science-fiction's most memorable and inspiring characters, but a funny, warm,
erudite and welcoming man who loved every fan he met and subsequently brought a
smile to their face. As I hinted, the news of
his passing has turned an otherwise sunny Friday into a much more difficult
one than I had anticipated this morning. Of course, the stars above will continue to burn
and call to us – even if only in science-fiction stories – but knowing Mr.
Spock is no longer with us, diminishes them just a little. LLAP, Mr. Nimoy
– you will be missed. </span></span></div>
Mark S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02330523300153029606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786059445475582325.post-62717940336098738122015-02-16T10:41:00.002-08:002015-02-16T10:44:11.117-08:00A Précis of the J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth to the End of the First Age - Part III: From the Three Houses of the Edain to the Battle of Unnumbered Tears<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><u>Forward</u> </span></b></span><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Below is the third installment of the history of <b>J.R.R. Tolkien</b>'s Middle-earth in the First Age. This is the third of four blog entries on this topic, and because it does take some time to write, please forgive the month between installments 2 and 3. I'll probably read <i><b>The Children of </b></i></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><b><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Húrin</span></span></b></i></span></span></i></span></span></b> </b></i>for the fourth and final installment, so it may be another month until the next one arrives. In the meanwhile please enjoy this précis and yes the story of <b>Beren and </b></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Lúthien</b> </span></span>is featured. Also this book features passages taken directly from <i><b>The Silmarillion</b></i> itself and they are from the <b>Unwin Paperback (1991)</b> edition. </span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><u><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Three Houses of the Edain
</span></u></span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Edain eventually divided into three houses. The first house was the <b>House of Bëor</b>, who became friends with Finrod and
entered into Beleriand about 300 years after the sun first rose. The second house was led by
<b>Haldad</b> and later by his daughter <b>Haleth</b> and settled in the <b>Forest of Brethil</b>, which lies on the other
side of the <b>River Sirion</b> from Doriath. This house is unique as
it is named after a matriarch and was known as the <b>House of Haleth</b>. The third house of the Edain: and the one which became the most renown, entered Beleriand
marching in rank and column and first was led by <b>Marach</b>, who brought them
over the mountains. Eventually, however, the house became known as the <b>House of Hador</b>, named after Marach's great-great
grandson. Hador’s line would include <b>Tuor</b>, who married <b>Idril of Gondolin</b> and is therefore related to <b>E</b></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>ärendil the Mariner</b>, who himself is father to <b>Elrond of Rivendell</b> (who
chose to be an elf) and the mortal,<b> Elros</b>, the first king of </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Númenor</b>, the great island kingdom of the Second Age.<b> </b>Because of this, the Kings of Gondor
and Arnor, including <b>Aragorn</b> is also descended from Hador. </span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk3CwdWAcipl4fFeRyauyOW-dqJfT09uxDS4KTJMHmFD5OvDr3X7pKndArTRFQJEvhKDPptzVAtQ0CTQDaQ7ltZ4AbRBCHLAhivtos8yudUjPgpve2fT728RN4QQTzcNQ5J7QbFHL74Lc/s1600/Return+of+the+King.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk3CwdWAcipl4fFeRyauyOW-dqJfT09uxDS4KTJMHmFD5OvDr3X7pKndArTRFQJEvhKDPptzVAtQ0CTQDaQ7ltZ4AbRBCHLAhivtos8yudUjPgpve2fT728RN4QQTzcNQ5J7QbFHL74Lc/s1600/Return+of+the+King.jpg" height="640" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">The poster from the film <i><b>The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King</b></i> which was released in December 2003. Aragorn, who is the King of Gondor and Arnor is a descendant of the Edain of the First Age. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%;"><u>Morgoth Strikes Back!</u> </span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Fingolfin followed his half-brother </span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><b>Fëanor</b> </span></span></span>to
Middle-earth, in order to not abandon the <b>Noldor</b> to his temperamental
elder half-brother. When </span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Fëanor </span></span></span>arrived in Middle-earth, he did not waste any
time and the host he had immediately went north where they quickly routed an orc
army in the northern area of <b>Ard-galen</b>. From there Fëanor marched further north,
but was met with a defence of <b>Balrogs</b> and was killed in battle against <b>Gothmog, Lord of Balrogs</b>. In a later counter-attack, led by G<b>laurung, Father of
Dragons</b>, the host of Fëanor was taken by surprise and the new <b>High-King of the
Noldor</b>, <b>Maedhros</b>, the son of<b> </b></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Fëanor</span></span></span> was captured by the enemy. </span></span></span>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">When this occurred, <b>Fingolfin</b>’s son <b>Fingon</b> -- who was close
with his cousin -- went to rescue Maedhros and when he was
successful, brought both his cousin and peace back to the Noldor. Recognizing both the valiance of Fingon's deeds, as well as the sins of the past, Maedhros then relinquished
his line's claim to the kingship of the Noldor in Middle-earth, and the crown passed to his uncle,
Fingolfin. Fingolfin is generally considered amongst the wisest and ablest of
the Noldor and while he was part of the <b>Kinslaying</b>, this was only because he
arrived late and did not understand how the event had started. Fingolfin would eventually die at the hands of Morgoth himself, after the </span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><b>Dagor Bragollach</b>, a battle which saw Morgoth break a siege on Angband and meet the High-King of the Noldor in one-on-one combat. Before this happened, however, Fingolfin crippled him permanently. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvFFXkCE5C9iPXbLdcYYOVrvxHWc2B9qUutTOInGiDTPrw52kvdQ9nWdHyglFv2xOVjRsI8bQ5IF3uBJ8tEnA1jqzunA0JDsMpGJehr6lQDlVg-ZvSfS8AcAaKyBCe3rDqC9MWkF9gzys/s1600/TN-Morgoth_and_the_High_King_of_Noldor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvFFXkCE5C9iPXbLdcYYOVrvxHWc2B9qUutTOInGiDTPrw52kvdQ9nWdHyglFv2xOVjRsI8bQ5IF3uBJ8tEnA1jqzunA0JDsMpGJehr6lQDlVg-ZvSfS8AcAaKyBCe3rDqC9MWkF9gzys/s1600/TN-Morgoth_and_the_High_King_of_Noldor.jpg" height="640" width="522" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Morgoth and the High-King of the Noldor</b></i> by Ted Nasmith. From the <i><b>1991 Tolkien Calendar</b></i>.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%;"><u>The Story of Beren and Lúthien</u></span></b> </span></span><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Of J.R.R.
Tolkien’s works, the story of Beren and Lúthien is perhaps the most important both to
the larger legend, as well as Professor Tolkien himself. I
say this because it is the names "Beren" and "Lúthien" the are inscribed onto the
mutual gravestone of Tolkien and his wife, Edith Mary, in their final resting place at Oxford. The
story is also recounted by Aragorn in <i>The</i>
<i>Lord of the Rings</i> as he and the
hobbits are fleeing the </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Nazgûl </b>and on their way to Rivendell. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKBO4V__OqWN06vlC-52P5mlyGhuUAAZO49QGQMuhlkzCWJ0ufSQ-pwER7GKWECUeKs0yq2kLRAJPSCVLFDNOu-MeVG6NGi7c6Ot36CFoGGLhIQAbV0Zoe9SZE7Q5XSzDZSMNVPCuJQdY/s1600/bee1757441_92847132_o2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKBO4V__OqWN06vlC-52P5mlyGhuUAAZO49QGQMuhlkzCWJ0ufSQ-pwER7GKWECUeKs0yq2kLRAJPSCVLFDNOu-MeVG6NGi7c6Ot36CFoGGLhIQAbV0Zoe9SZE7Q5XSzDZSMNVPCuJQdY/s1600/bee1757441_92847132_o2.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The grave of Edith Mary Tolkien (</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Lúthien) and John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (Beren) in Oxford, England.</span></span> </td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Beren was a
mortal man. His father, Barahir, was a friend and ally of the elves and Beren was one of the
last survivors of the <b>Dagor Bragollach</b>,
the battle that saw Morgoth reach down into the northern portions of
Middle-earth, as well as kill Fingolfin. In the defeat, he escaped south and was driving into the northern
reaches of <b>Doriath</b>, home of <b>Thingol</b> and <b>Melian</b>. Amazingly, despite the power of the <b>Girdle of Melian</b>, Beren "passed through the mazes that
Melian wove about the kingdom of Thingol, even as she had foretold; for a great
doom lay upon him" (<i>The Silmarillion</i> pg. 197). When he arrived in Doriath he came across Lúthien, the daughter of
the monarchs and the most beautiful of all the <b>Children of Ilúvatar</b>. As he watched her dance, he immediately
fell in love and gave her the nickname <b>Tinúviel</b> which was elvish for "Nightingale".</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But Lúthien was loved by another, a minstrel named <b>Daeron</b>, and Daeron betrayed Beren to King Thingol, who immediately disliked him. When the
two met, it was an exchange for the ages, probably one of the
most enjoyable in the entire book: </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-left: 36pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Then Beren looking up beheld the eyes of Lúthien,
and his glance went also to the face of Melian and it seemed to him that
words were put into his mouth. Fear left him, and the pride of the greatest house
of Men returned to him; and he said; "My fate, O King, let me hither through
the perils such as few even of the Elves would dare. And here I have found what I
sought not indeed, but finding I would possess for ever. For it is above all
gold and silver, and beyond all jewels. Neither rock, nor steel, nor the
fires of Morgoth, nor all the powers of the Elven-kingdoms, shall keep from
me the treasure that I desire. For </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Lúthien </span></span>your daughter is the fairest of all the
children of the world. </span></span></i></div>
<i>
</i><br />
<div style="margin-left: 36pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Then silence feel upon the hall, for those who stood there were astounded and afraid, and they thought that Beren would be
slaim. But Thingol spoke slowly saying: "Death you have earned with these
words and death you should find suddenly, had I not sworn an oath in haste of which I repent, baseborn mortal, who in the realm of Morgoth has learnt to
creep in secret as his spies and thralls."</span></span></i></div>
<i>
</i><br />
<div style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Then Beren answered: "Death you can give me earned
or unearned, but the names I will not take from you are baseborn, nor spy nor
thrall. By the ring of Felagund, that he gave to Barahir my father on the
battlefield of the North, my house has not earned such names from any Elf, be he king
or no.</i> </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(The Silmarillion pg. 200) </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When Beren showed that he indeed was great among the mortals of Middle-earth and that he wore Finrod’s ring, Melian, sensed that something greater was afoot, and warned her husband: <i>"For not by you," she said "shall Beren be slain; and far and free does
his fate lead him in the end, yet it is bound with yours. Take heed!"</i> </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But the king did not listen. And in his pride ordered that the price for
his daughter's hand, was a <b>Silmaril</b> from the crown of Morgoth. In making such a brash request, he therefore tied himself to the fate of those accursed jewels,
and also came under the <b>Oath of Fëanor</b>. </span></span></div>
<br />
<u><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Quest
of Beren</span></span></b></u><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Beren left
Doriath and set out on his quest to retrieve a Silmaril from Morgoth. Before heading
north to <b>Angband</b>, he went east to <b>Nargothrond</b>, the home of Finrod, who had
sworn an oath of friendship with Beren’s father. In his quest he was joined by ten
warriors, and was led by the king, who was also warned by <b>Celegorm</b> and <b>Curufin</b> of the Oath of Fëanor. They went north under the
guise of orcs, but while doing so where captured by <b>Sauron</b>, who discovered them in a battle of wills
with the Noldorian king. When Sauron
emerged victorious, the party was imprisoned in <b>Tol-in-Guarhoth</b>, a watch tower
that was originally named <b>Minas Tirith</b> but had been captured by the forces of
Morgoth. Sauron, had werewolves under his command and one by one the compatriots
of Beren will killed until there was only him and Finrod left. When it came time
for a werewolf to kill Beren, as it attacked, Finrod broke his chains and
countered, killing the beast. It was written: <i>"He died, then in the dark, in Tol-in-Gaurhoth, whose
great tower he himself had built. Thus King Finrod Felagund, fairest and the
most beloved of the house of Finwë, redeemed his oath, but Beren mourned beside
him in despair." (</i>The Silmarillion pg. 209<i> )</i> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Just then Lúthien
arrived. She had been following Beren and had been held in Nargothrond by Celegorm and Curufin. Aided by a massive dog named, <b>Huan</b>, she fled the palace and headed north. Huan then
battled the werewolves, including Sauron himself in werewolf form, and defeated them. From there </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Lúthien </span></span>claimed the island and demanded mastery
over it. With this, Sauron fled in the form of a vampire bat, to a
region of <b>Taur-nu-Fuin</b>, a forested area north of Doriath. </span></span></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ3_H7YKkj9wYATloBjCoGbCCU2IXlVNe8ag0U3Ys5uJ8Uk3yhhshjNuQoaDZtrkCK2Oujob5Mrtl-SyAr8ilG0sCVHI-lEsP-gmTkUo8VUb0VDMH7QFJR8o3sQc2b1jdA7IMPytwoI_4/s1600/TN-Beren_and_Luthien_Approach_Angband.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ3_H7YKkj9wYATloBjCoGbCCU2IXlVNe8ag0U3Ys5uJ8Uk3yhhshjNuQoaDZtrkCK2Oujob5Mrtl-SyAr8ilG0sCVHI-lEsP-gmTkUo8VUb0VDMH7QFJR8o3sQc2b1jdA7IMPytwoI_4/s1600/TN-Beren_and_Luthien_Approach_Angband.jpg" height="640" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Beren and </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Lúthien </span></b></i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><b>approach Angband</b></i> by Ted Nasmith. </span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Now free, Beren
wanted to continue his task of retrieving a Silmaril, but this time Lúthien
insisted on accompanying him. When she made this demand, Beren understood that they </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>"could not be
divided from the doom that lay upon them both, and he sought no longer to
dissuade her"</i>. Through magic, they took the shapes of a bat and a
wolf and went north to Angband, eventually finding their way into the throne-room
of Morgoth. Once there, Lúthien sang a magical song that made the Dark
Lord and his court fall asleep. Then:</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">All
his court were case down in slumber, and all the fires faded and were
quenched; but the Silmarils in the crown on Morgoth's head blazed forth
suddenly with a radiance of white flame and the burden of that crown and of the
jewels bowed down his head, as though the world were set upon it, laden with a
weight of care, of fear, and of desire, that even the will of Morgoth could not
support. Then </span></span></i><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Lúthien </span></span></i>catching up her winged robe sprang into the air, and her
voice came dropping down like rain into pools, profound and dark. She cast her
cloak before his eyes, and set upon him a dream, dark as the Outer Void where
once he walked alone. Suddenly he fell, as a hill sliding in avalanche, and
hurled like thunder from his throne lay prone upon the floors of hell. The
iron crown rolled echoing from his head. All things were still. </span></span></i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(The Silmarillion p. 217)</span></span><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Beren then cut
a Silmaril from Morgoth’s crown. However, he could only get one as when he
tried to cut the others, his knife broke and a shard of it fell into Morgoth's face,
rousing him from his sleep. From there, Beren and Lúthien attempted an escape,
but their path was blocked by a massive werewolf named </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Carcharoth</b>, who was also the sworn enemy of Huan the Hound. In the subsequent mêlée, the werewolf attacked and bit-off off the hand of Beren which carried the Silmaril. The creature then swallowed the jewel and ran off in
a madness as it burned him from within. As is often the case in
Tolkien’s work, <b>Eagles</b> then came and carried Beren and Lúthien away to safety. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Beren and
Lúthien few back to the kingdom of Doriath, where they spent some time in peace together. As word of their quest became known, Thingol's heart softened towards his would-be son-in-law and eventually they came before the king, who asked where his Silmaril was: </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-left: 36pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But
Beren said: "It is fulfilled. Even now a Silmarils is in my hand." Then Thingol
said: "Show it to me!" And Beren put forth his left hand, slowly opening his
fingers but it was empty. Then he held up his right arm; and from that hour he
named himself Camlost, the Empty-handed. </span></span></i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(The Silmarillion Pg. 221) </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But the task
was still unfulfilled and from there Beren and Huan helped hunt for the werewolf
with the jewel in his belly. In the beast's madness, he drove into Doriath and in the hunt both Beren and Huan were slain. But as Beren lay dying, Malblung, an elven warrior cut open the body of the dead beast and put the Silmaril
into Beren’s hand before he handed it to the king, thereby completing his
quest. He then died. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Grieving for
Beren, Lúthien also died, and as immortals do, went to the <b>Halls of Mandos</b>. As she
sang a lament for her lost love, Mandos was moved with pity and restored them
both to life. (How he did this to a mortal man, who had left the bounds of the
world, is unknown.) Lúthien then left Doriath and went east where she and Beren
lived the rest of their days, both eventually dying as mortals. </span></span></div>
<br />
<u><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>The Battle of Unnumbered Tears</b></span></span></u><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The <b>Battle
of Unnumbered Tears</b> or the <i><b>Nirnaeth Arnoediad</b></i> was a major battle in the history of
Middle-earth. The battle was prompted by Maedhros, who wanted to end
the reign of Morgoth, and forged an alliance with the Edain, dwarves, and other mortals to combine and defeat the forces of Morgoth. Unfortunately,
the sons of Feanor, having alienated many in the kingdoms of Beleriand
meant that the army from Nargothrond was only a token of what it could have been, and from Doriath
only two captains joined of a force of some 45,000. Turgon did some forces
from Gondolin, but without the Kingdom of Doriath and Thingol on side,
the attacking force was considerably limited. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Never-the-less,
the army arrived in the north. Maedhros' plan was to attack from the centre, so
as to draw out Morgoth’s forces and have Fingon’s army attack from the
west, thereby taking out the flank of the enemy's forces. </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Unfortunately,
Morgoth learned of the plan through his agents, specifically, Uldor, a man who had sworn fealty to Carathir, but was also secretly working for Morgoth. Uldor caused considerable
trouble with the attacking force and disrupted the coordination between the
various forces, in one instance preventing the lighting of a signal beacon. Having come to know the plan of the allied forces, Morgoth also sent a force of
orcs to the west, whereby they outflanked the forces of Fingon and left him harried and alone. </span></span>
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When one of
Morgoth’s orc-captains, not above brutal psychological warfare, captured one of the
elves from Nargothrond, he tortured and beheaded him in front of Fingon’s
forces who were concealed above in the mountains. As this happened, a group of elves, in a fit of rage, attacked the orcs and betrayed their position. Fortunately,
Fingon’s forces were successful in breaking the ranks of Morgoth’s forces and from there Gwindor of
Nargothrond, whose brother was the one who had been executed by the orcs, made a
chage for Angband itself:</span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-left: 36pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Now
his rage was kindled to madness, and he leapt forth on horseback and many riders
with him; and they purposed the heralds and slew them, and drove on deep into
the main host. And seeing this all of the host of the Noldor was set on fire,
and Fingon put on his white helm and sounded his trumpets and all the host of
Hithlum leapt forth from the hills in sudden onslaught. The light of the drawing
of the swords of the Noldor was like fire in a field of reeds and so fell
and swift was their onset that almost the designs of Morgoth went astray.
Before the army that he sent westward could be strengthened it was swept away, and
the banners of Fingon passed over Anfaughlith and were raised before the walls
of Angband. </span></span></i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(The Silmarillion pg. 230-231)</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As soon after this elven host banged on the doors of Angband, they were
surrounded and killed, except for Gwindor himself who was taken captive. Fingon,
while charging to the aid of the attacking force, did not arrive in time and Morgoth’s forces were
able to respond out of the secret passages of the Thangorodrim (the
mountains that protected Angband) and engaged with the king's forces. Soon Fingon’s
host was in full retreat back to Hithlim, with many of the <b>Men of Brethil</b> in the
rearguard killed in the process. Indeed, of all the Men of Brethil only three returned from the battle. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Next into
the breach were the <b>Gondolindrum</b>. Emerging from his self-imposed exile in the
heart of Middle-earth, Turgon, had held back his forces from the beginning of
the battle. However, upon seeing the slaughter before him, he sent his army into
the battle and they quickly broke the enemy's lines. When this happened,
he met with his brother Fingon, as well as Húrin, a captain of men, and there
was "renewed hope for the elves". Soon afterwards, Maedhros joined the fight
from the east and the forces of Morgoth looked like they were (again) about to collapse. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But Morgoth
was not finished and just as it appeared the elves, mortals and dwarves were to achieve victory, the entire effort fell apart. At that
point, Angband emptied and <b>Glaurung</b> attacked, preventing the two hosts
of the allied forces from uniting in the middle. Then, <b>Uldor</b> and a large
contingent of his men, betrayed the effort and, turning-coat, attacked the
eastern army from within, almost killing Maedhros before they were finally put down. As the seven Sons of Fëanor gathered what was left of their forces, the dwarves from the eastern <b>Blue Mountains</b>, attacked the dragon in a rearguard action, using their fire resistant armour to cause considerable damage to the monster. Indeed, it was the <b>King of Belegost</b> himself,</span></span><span class="mw-headline" id="Azagh.C3.A2l"><span style="font-size: large;"> <b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Azaghâl</span></b></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">, whose fatal stab in the dragon's
belly, killed it before it collapsed upon him, killing him in-turn. The dwarves then raised the body
of their lord and carried it away. </span></span></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdXADJHp-P6YcywCiIUUEZWdjTkl1UWmGapBGOHQyP41wcD6KuNF0H4q0SKszXzy4KHwbDNmqMI5W-7M9luY5l4Qkk_zByA7aJ49LEDTRS2rnIsPdpYMY5rzSLpnOekO_-Is63sxC9_1Y/s1600/Fingon-and-Gothmog.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdXADJHp-P6YcywCiIUUEZWdjTkl1UWmGapBGOHQyP41wcD6KuNF0H4q0SKszXzy4KHwbDNmqMI5W-7M9luY5l4Qkk_zByA7aJ49LEDTRS2rnIsPdpYMY5rzSLpnOekO_-Is63sxC9_1Y/s1600/Fingon-and-Gothmog.jpg.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Fingon, High-King of the Noldor fights Gothmog, Lord of Balrogs, in a depiction by Ted Nasmith.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">With the
eastern army destroyed, the forces of Fingon and Turgon soon found themselves
surrounded. Then Gothmog, the Balrong, and the high-captain of the forces of
Morgoth, attacked and made a path between him and the Noldorian brothers.
Gothmog pushed the forces of the elves back to the marshlands called the <b>Fen of Serech</b>,
north of the River Sirion. Then, after killing the host protecting Fingon, he turned his
attention to the king:</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-left: 36pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">That
was a grim meeting. At last Fingon stood alone with his guard dead about him;
and he fought with Gothmog, until another Blarog came behind and cast a thong
of fire about him. Then Gotmog hewed him with his black axe, and a white flame
sprang up from the helm of Fingon as it was cloven. Thus fell the High-King of
the Noldor; and they beat him into the dust with their maces, and his baner, blue
and silver, they trod into the mire of his blood. </span></span></i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(The Silmarillion pg. 233</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">)</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-left: 36pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It was now
over and Turgon, counselled by mortals </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Húrin</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> and Huor, called for a retreat to
Gondolin, at which time Huor prophesied that it was from Gondolin and the House of
Turgon that "shall come the hope of Elves and Men" although Turgon knew that this
defeat also meant Gondolin would not remain hidden for much longer. When <b>Maeglin</b>,
Turgon’s nephew heard Huor make his prophecy, he took note, yet remained silent. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">By the
end the battle became a rout. The <b>Men of Dor-lómin</b> indeed fought to the
very death and won renown, not just for themselves but their entire race. Huor was
killed by a poisoned arrow through the eye, and Húrin, friend and counsellor to elves, was
the only one left standing. Upon being taken prisoner, he was
brought before Morgoth after being bound by Gothmog himself, and was tormented by the Dark One himself for twenty-eight years. The curse that Morgoth placed upon him and his children will feature in the next installmeant of this feature and has been written about extensively in the 2007 book <i><b>The Children of </b></i></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Húrin</span></span></b></i>. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Battle
of Unnumbered Tears is a watershed moment in the First Age. Morgoth emerged from the battle controlling most of Middle-earth except for the kingdoms
of Nargothrond, Doriath and Gondolin, whose elves and mortals could only now hide. Moreover, while the mortals who helped the elves would never be forgotten, the treason of Uldor would also not be forgotten and the races of mortals and elves were now estranged. Also in a foreshadowing of future events, upon returning to Gondolin, Turgon asked Cirdan the
Shipwright, to build seven swift ships to go to the Undying Lands to seek help. Of the
seven, only one returned and spoke of a massive storm that prevented them from
getting through. </span></span></div>
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In Part IV: <i>The Children of </i></span></span></b><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Húrin </span></span></b></i></span></span></i>and the end of the First Age</span></span></b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">. </span></span></span>
Mark S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02330523300153029606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786059445475582325.post-59273141570449973102015-02-08T16:44:00.000-08:002015-02-08T16:44:31.817-08:00King-Size Kirby! <div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Make sure you check the <b><i>Diamond Marvel Previews</i></b> this month. There's a lot coming over the horizon for both the Big Two and the Others, but one of the most notable for students of the history of comics is that a <b><i>King-Size Kirby</i></b> hardcover is slated to be available this July. It's going to be a massive 816 pages and $200.00, but it looks like this will be <u>the</u> book to have for fans of Jack "The King" Kirby. I'll start saving the pennies for a review this summer! </span></span></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj63x8PPGSbyEqX2P3APH2bC7jXVTCDI4VWoPji1Mfyyh1DsJbyuLca1tIygg0sfdLxSTkeOnh2v2_-TPntpegfJpRDeHuD8Fs1RViUnpJSGNEgPfY8622-4G_zPUAd59szG5kaTjZwIyA/s1600/DSC08442.JPG" height="640" width="434" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Captain America as drawn by the legendary Jack Kirby. Found the <i><b>Marvel Previews</b></i> (February 2015). </span></span> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Mark S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02330523300153029606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786059445475582325.post-44361444532401900982015-02-01T12:05:00.000-08:002015-02-01T12:05:38.129-08:00WGTB Reviews Star Wars #1<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There is
a lot for <b><i>Star Wars</i></b> fans to be excited about these days: <b><i>The Force
Awakens</i></b> trailer went up on the Internet in December, and was a fun taste of what will undoubtedly be the hit film of 2015-2016. Also, just a few weeks ago, Disney which now owns both Lucasfilm and Marvel comics, brought the <i>Star Wars</i> licence back to the publisher who had it from 1977 until 1989 when it was taken over by Dark Horse Comics. Of course, Dark Horse's work with the property from 1994 to 2014 proved they were worthy custodians of the <i>Star Wars</i> universe, but this only means that Marvel Comics' first issue in decades would have to be strong and lasting impression.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiEz9PHQ3vplDs0fimaXyca6iDtWbIQvwE4eNSCsaJqEnGS245XUt9tfm5XUQqXlB7zapIlWhKi0zNNi0zD0g-jOfiWNlPECPhXxqhyaaDAzu-0FuwbXkEPFf1M7upShpCPtciBvwQ6dw/s1600/detail.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiEz9PHQ3vplDs0fimaXyca6iDtWbIQvwE4eNSCsaJqEnGS245XUt9tfm5XUQqXlB7zapIlWhKi0zNNi0zD0g-jOfiWNlPECPhXxqhyaaDAzu-0FuwbXkEPFf1M7upShpCPtciBvwQ6dw/s1600/detail.jpg" height="640" width="420" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Marvel's <i>Star Wars</i> Vol.2 #1 (March 2015) Written by Jason Aaron, art by John Cassaday, colors by Laura Martin and letters by Chris Eliopoulos. </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">S</span></span>o how did Marvel do? All in
all, I would say Marvel didn't do too badly. All the main characters were present -- including Darth Vader -- who is always cool to see. John
Cassady's art has a photo-realism that works well, especially given that it's a franchise readers cannot help but bring their old awe-struck memories to the reading experience. The ships and technology was also great, and the fact that <i>Star
Wars</i> has always had the best naval architecture of any science-fiction/space opera franchise, was not lost on Cassday and the Marvel crew. Have a look for yourself: </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj46l6YWbZ6HUY5U9tO8uo-MhDIA3dfCu4om8SHhTxeFJ8m21yfUEAQ4arjQ5RPje_4FobvTkWD_ql4rwGq16CuDIERGajAoJT21dKblwqNSQ0tdRr1IWNVOkqT8JZGMsOckQ1z0HemoV4/s1600/2014-02-05+20.21.54.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj46l6YWbZ6HUY5U9tO8uo-MhDIA3dfCu4om8SHhTxeFJ8m21yfUEAQ4arjQ5RPje_4FobvTkWD_ql4rwGq16CuDIERGajAoJT21dKblwqNSQ0tdRr1IWNVOkqT8JZGMsOckQ1z0HemoV4/s1600/2014-02-05+20.21.54.jpg" height="640" width="512" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An AT-AT in <i>Star Wars</i> #1</td></tr>
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</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPoT6FaNX_fV4kF5aYNzxVIYp0zP9IVc_QsMStQHuwW4XEQCwZcFJ-s73iL1Uv9F5YSC0EQiEM0WKQBRN7Vp8Nu_Bg1EGkbPqM65IxFtDLRVXRGFSptl22PPNbLm704dvFPL3EtpA1Ih4/s1600/2014-02-05+20.23.24.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPoT6FaNX_fV4kF5aYNzxVIYp0zP9IVc_QsMStQHuwW4XEQCwZcFJ-s73iL1Uv9F5YSC0EQiEM0WKQBRN7Vp8Nu_Bg1EGkbPqM65IxFtDLRVXRGFSptl22PPNbLm704dvFPL3EtpA1Ih4/s1600/2014-02-05+20.23.24.jpg" height="636" width="640" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And it's not just the technology: the gang's all here in <i>Star Wars</i> #1... </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It's almost a truism to say Jason
Aaron is as skilled a writer as comics can get. His work with the various <i><b>Thor</b> </i>titles since the Marvel NOW! re-branding has lent itself to space-opera and stories of epic proportions, as did <b><i>Wolverine and the X-Men</i></b> which was never afraid to go to outer
space when needed. So while it's probably too
early to tell whether these stories are going to great, I think Aaron is both the right person for the job and at this point is off to a good start. The book is at a $4.99 price
point, which seems to be where Marvel is heading these days (<i>Avengers!</i>) which was slightly unpleasant, but this particular edition included sample pages
from the upcoming Marvel releases: <b><i>Darth Vader</i></b> and <b><i>Princess Leia</i></b>, both of which looked like good beginnings to a fresh look at the <i>Star Wars</i> universe.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidtSldgko6Kgp-uTh7sEifs4TlhUWHDsHOxUC_FR066uQGrMZajiQoXhmnSbrydwUUEMXpoY-ijypb4rYK_DZG3PuXTteknNbAdlmaNTqwZuDdSvzT2z7JYPmQMewns-w0gdh30zqDFdQ/s1600/2014-02-05+20.23.50.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidtSldgko6Kgp-uTh7sEifs4TlhUWHDsHOxUC_FR066uQGrMZajiQoXhmnSbrydwUUEMXpoY-ijypb4rYK_DZG3PuXTteknNbAdlmaNTqwZuDdSvzT2z7JYPmQMewns-w0gdh30zqDFdQ/s1600/2014-02-05+20.23.50.jpg" height="640" width="538" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">... as is Darth Vader!</span></span> </td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So while it's probably too
early to tell whether these stories are going to great, I think Aaron is
both the right person for the job and is off to a good
start. </span></span>In either
case, while the Dark Horse material is no longer canon, (Will it become an <i>Ultimate
Star Wars</i> universe?) it will be interesting to see how Marvel does with this line of <i>Star Wars</i> comics,
especially given the new films are just over the horizon. However, from a first
impression, things look to be in good shape. <b>4/5 STARS</b> </span></span></div>
Mark S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02330523300153029606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786059445475582325.post-66867221734326897592015-01-03T08:58:00.000-08:002015-01-03T08:58:44.464-08:00A Précis of the J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth to the End of the First Age - Part II: From the Arrival of the Noldor in Middle-earth to Awakening of Mortals<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><u><b>Forward</b></u></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Today marks what would have been the 121st birthday of the South African-born English author, J.R.R. Tolkien. To mark the occasion, here is the second installment of the précis of the early history of Tolkien's fictional universe. If you're looking what has come before, please scroll down and read Part I. The forward to that blog entry also has a few conditions I've set for reading. Don't worry -- they mostly involve being civilized, which I'm sure all of you are. I hope your 2015 is going well. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikKrx78Ba0snHzmpGQkfA36vgWHvdADypANObU8IzQEpTMMraaUC5dCMF19LFxAqT-2-Xjjb7RMa_6XMKdwMAbyb9IGoX55ZEO0qtT59YDW_Ws1YhUk7EWlQViIuFHorE0950Gu5t-K-A/s1600/tumblr_inline_mkx8eonN2v1qz4rgp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikKrx78Ba0snHzmpGQkfA36vgWHvdADypANObU8IzQEpTMMraaUC5dCMF19LFxAqT-2-Xjjb7RMa_6XMKdwMAbyb9IGoX55ZEO0qtT59YDW_Ws1YhUk7EWlQViIuFHorE0950Gu5t-K-A/s1600/tumblr_inline_mkx8eonN2v1qz4rgp.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The symbol of J.R.R. Tolkien. Professor Tolkien was born on January 3, 1892 and passed away on September 2, 1973. <i><b>The Hobbit</b></i> was published in 1937, <i><b>The Lord of the Rings</b></i> in 1954-55 and posthumously <i><b>The Silmarillion</b></i> in 1977. </span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1SNk7YgGogyDQBAM7QEFzfcPrCVb63xvHWCJJervo7letfrguHxtxNutESt5M_DBQ6bq66lfBeQoCuS_PP0jrIdHtEVV35KpewYzO16OW2RW3JgRJe2FzDjCaSQVey51kVwPhUInYJQ8/s1600/latest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1SNk7YgGogyDQBAM7QEFzfcPrCVb63xvHWCJJervo7letfrguHxtxNutESt5M_DBQ6bq66lfBeQoCuS_PP0jrIdHtEVV35KpewYzO16OW2RW3JgRJe2FzDjCaSQVey51kVwPhUInYJQ8/s1600/latest.jpg" height="512" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Map of Beleriand by Christopher Tolkien and featured in various editions of <i><b>The Silmarillion</b></i>. </span></span> </td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><u>The Noldor’s Arrival
in Middle-earth</u></b></span></span>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The arrival of the
Noldor into western Middle-earth (Beleriand) was not entirely a happy occasion.
A curse called the Doom of Mandos existed upon them because of their actions in
the Undying Lands; remember the Kinslaying in <i><span style="font-style: normal;">Alqualondë<i>.</i> </span></i><span style="font-style: normal;">I</span><i><span style="font-style: normal;">t is worth
quoting in its entirely here: </span></i> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Tears unnumbered ye shall shed; and the Valar will fence Valinor
against you, and shut you out, so that not even the echo of your lamentation
shall pass over the mountains. On the House of Fëanor the wrath of the Valar
lieth from the West unto the uttermost East, and upon all that will follow them
it shall be laid also. Their Oath shall drive them, and yet betray them, and
ever snatch away the very treasures that they have sworn to pursue. To evil end
shall all things turn that they begin well; and by treason of kin unto kin, and
the fear of treason, shall this come to pass. The Dispossessed shall they be
for ever.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But it wasn't just the Doom that caused consternation when the Noldor arrived: like has happened in (subsequent)
human history, the people who lived in Middle-earth were weary of the newcomers as well. Turgon, the son of Fingolfin was guided by Ulmo, who,
while not being able to lift the curse from his friends, guided Turgon to a secret place in the middle of the mountains of northern Beleriand
which was surrounded and safe, and could only be seen by the Eagles. There,
Turgon built the city of <b>Gondolin</b>, which sat upon an island-hill in the middle
of that protected space. Initially, Turgon had settled in a coastal area of
Nevrast and had built a city called Vinyamar, but he was encouraged by Ulmo to
find a more protected place. Gondolin would become a central place in the
history of the First Age and, until it fell, Morgoth was driven to find it and use any means necessary to destroy it. However, for much
of its history it lay secluded and secret from almost everyone and in it great
treasures were made, including the swords found by Gandalf and Bilbo in the troll
cave in <i><b>The Hobbit</b>.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Finrod Felagund, the son of Finarfin and brother of Galadriel,
set up a kingdom called Nargothrond, a deep cavernous location along the River
Nargog in West Beleriand. There, his sister stayed for a short time before she
went to live in Doriath, the forested realm in the middle of Beleriand. You might
recall, Doriath was ruled by Thingol, who was also known as Elwë, one of the
earliest elven ambassadors to the Valar. Thingol was strong willed and had
married the Maiar, Melian. When they received Galadriel, Melian was especially
inquisitive and deemed something was wrong: the Noldor were first thought to be emissaries of the Valar but it soon became apparent this
was not the case. Melian inquired, asking Galadriel about what happened in the West, noting "woe that lies
upon you and your king" and asked what they were hiding as there were no messages from Manwë, Ulmo or even Thingol's brother, Olwë<b> </b>(who was also Galadriel’s grandfather). It was at this time that Galadriel revealed the story of Fëanor and the
Silmarils and all that had happened. Then, Thingol announced that while the Noldor
(and specifically Fëanor’s kin) would be helpful in the battle against Morgoth,
there would be much trouble in their coming to Middle-earth and when he later hosted Finrod in Doriath, Thingol
confronted his guest about the slaying of his fellow Teleri and what had
happened in the Aman.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><u>The Story of Aredhel,
Eöl and Maeglin </u></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Fingolfin's daughter Aredhel, first lived in Vinyamar with
her brother Turgon, before settling in the hidden kingdom of Gondolin. At first she was happy in that place, but soon became constricted and wanted to travel in the wide spaces of
Beleriand. She eventually got her wish (much to Turgon’s dismay) and left
to visit her friends of old, the sons of Fëanor. After finding some of them, she came to the forest of Nan Elmoth, where she
encountered a dark elf named Eöl.
While elves are generally considered good and wise, Eöl was angry and had
a malevolence to him. That was in great part to his resentment of the Noldor
for their invasion of Beleriand, but also because he was always more at home with the dwarves,
who had made their kingdoms in the Blue Mountains to the east. He
was a great smith and craftsman and forged two great swords out of a meteorite that were named
Anglachel and Anguirel and will feature later in the story. When Eöl saw
Aredhel in his forest, he feel in love with her and used magic to entice her deeper into his realm. Eventually they were wed, and while it cannot be said that Aredhel loved
him, she did not hate him either, and their marriage bore the fruit of a son
named Maeglin. Maeglin grew into a powerful elf, with the dark hair of the
Noldor and the skill of his father with whom he would often travel to visit the dwarves. But above all he loved listening to the stories of his kindred Noldor
as told by his mother and came to know of Turgon (and his lack of a male heir) and mighty Gondolin. Despite
his wife and son’s heritage however, Eöl came to hate the Noldor and when his wife
expressed an interest to return to her home he forbade it. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One day, when Eöl was away, Maeglin took one of his father’s swords and escaped with his mother.
At first, they went north to meet the sons of Fëanor and upon returning Eöl was furious and followed them. When </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Eöl tracked them to </span></span>Celegorm and
Curufin, it became clear that their ultimate
destination was not Himlad, but Gondolin and Eöl set off
on their trail. Turgon, meanwhile, was very happy to see his lost sister, and was impressed by his nephew. Maeglin, in turn, was in awe of this magnificent fortress, but above all
it was his cousin, Idril, whom he came to admire the most. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkcKkT_Le7CmMScA6-U1VaDw8b2cGdqcQpUnl1kmcHG0Gbxf-P37sasl97S1X8TUDUcIz4PeTkL0-DowTC5ovz_ID521sW_y5HiyikcWfVnaEFVNaVcTwK7hMIi4DsvZUKOOoZ3Olf5_A/s1600/Ted_Nasmith_-_Tuor_Reaches_the_Hidden_City_of_Gondolin.jpg" height="450" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Tuor reaches Gondolin by Ted Nasmith. Tuor will be discussed in future editions of the feature. </span></span> </td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Eöl eventually found his way to the city and when he declared
himself husband to Aredhel and was allowed entry, much to the consternation of
those within. When he was informed of the laws of Gondolin and that he
would never be allowed to depart, he refused them and ordered Maeglin to
leave with him. When it was clear that Eöl would be leaving empty-handed, he grabbed a javelin and threw it at his son, in hope of killing him. With
this, Aredhel threw herself in front of the flying missile and was hit in the shoulder.
Turgon became furious even as Aredhel and Idril plead for the life of the
Dark Elf. Later that night, Aredhel’s
wound festered and she died. In the subsequent trial, Eöl was judged guilty by
the king and thrown off a black rock on the north side of the city. But before he did this, he cursed his son saying he wished the same ill fate upon
him. With both his parents gone, Maeglin, became close to the king, but always
kept secret about his true desire for the kingdom and his unhealthy (and
unrequited) feelings towards his cousin. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><u>The Mortals Arrive!
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In Tolkien’s world, the last of the major races to awaken
are the mortals (Men). These men and women also awoke
in the East, with many marching west to escape the troubles experienced
there. But in other respects, they are very peculiar. Of the two Children
of Ilúvatar, their mortality has long led to a certain level of estrangement between
their elder siblings, who largely saw them as weak and frail, and did not understand what happened to them after they passed on. In Tolkien’s legendarium this is called
the Gift of Men, which, very much in keeping with the author's orthodox Catholic beliefs, said
that when mortals die, they left the confines of the world to go dwell with Ilúvatar (God).
Of course, over the course of larger story, this gift loses its lustre and with the encouragement of the evil powers, soon becomes a mystery and then a curse to be avoided.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When the mortals arrived in Beleriand, they were met by
Finrod Felegund. They had come a long way, and had learned to speak like elves
as they met others on their journey. Morgoth had also heard about the new race,
and left his northern fortress of Angband under the control of Sauron to
investigate. The first chieftain of the mortals mentioned in <b><i>The
Silmarillion</i></b> was named Bëor and it was Bëor who gathered the mortals and
lead them across the Blue Mountains into Beleriand, where they eventually found
a home in the area called Estolad south of Nan Elmoth, the forest in which Eöl had
lived. However, When Finrod wanted to return to
Nargothrond, Bëor sought to follow him and remain in his service, as would many
others. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">While mortals became plentiful and reproduced at a rate
that the elves found astonishing, it was the group that became known as the <b><i>Edain</i></b>
or the “Elf-friends” that would play a role in both <b><i>The Silmarillion</i></b> as would
their descendants ages later in <b><i>The Lord of the Rings. </i></b>But many
elves were weary of the newcomers too, as was especially the case for
King Thingol. Indeed, Thingol dreamt about their coming and both forbad men from entering
Doriath, decreeing that they live in the north and that any elf who had a
mortal in his service, would have to answer for his mistakes. Melian, perhaps understanding what her husband considered would later say to Galadriel about a certain mortal: </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Now the world runs on swiftly to great tidings. And one of Men, even of
Beor’s house, shall indeed come and the Girdle of Melian shall not restrain
him, for a doom greater than my power shall send him; and the songs that shall spring
from that coming shall endure when all Middle-earth is changed. </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We'll learn about that mortal, a man named Beren, in the next installment.<b> </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>In Part III: The
Houses of the Edain, the Tale of Beren And Lúthien Tinúviel and the great battle known as the Nirnaeth Arnoediad.
</b></span></span></div>
Mark S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02330523300153029606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786059445475582325.post-11522040724798290872015-01-01T08:38:00.000-08:002015-01-01T08:38:23.578-08:00A Précis of the J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth to the End of the First Age - Part #1: From the Earliest Times to the Crossing of the Noldor<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><u>Forward</u></b> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In a conversation after we both watched Peter Jackson's <i><b>The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies </b></i>my brother asked me about the First Age of the world created by <b>J.R.R. Tolkien</b> for his High Fantasy epics centred around Middle-earth. Wanting both to oblige my brother and to do a quick review of <i><b>The Silmarillion</b></i> (1977),<i><b> </b></i>the posthumously published account of the earliest stories of of Tokien's world, I wrote him the below précis. Later I got the idea: as we approach what would be Tolkien's 121st birthday on January 3rd, it might be a neat idea for followers of this blog to read my little account of the First Age as well. That said, there are a few caveats: firstly, it's not intended to come anywhere close to the detail and beauty of <i><b>The Silmarillion</b></i>. If you want to know the real story, please pick up that magnificent book, as well as others such as the <i><b>The Children of </b></i></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><b><i><b>Húrin</b></i></b></i>, <i><b>Unfinished Tales</b></i> and (if you're really ambitious) the 12-volume series <i><b>The History of Middle-earth</b></i>, all of which were edited by <b>Christopher Tolkien</b>. This measly blog post is not a substitute for reading the stories themselves and only hopes to pass as a helpful synopsis. Secondly, rude nerd rage will not be tolerated. I'm not a Tolkien scholar, and if I've missed anything you believe is important, please politely remind me in the comment section. I have also omitted some items and have not included dates or years so as to not clog the entry with numbers. Thirdly, the presentation will be made in parts and currently I have about 2.5 ready for posting. So while the first two should appear in short-order, I'm not entirely sure when I'll get the whole thing finished; sometime in January 2015 for sure. Oh, and have a very happy new year! </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Te3AJ08yuVb9QuffXD_WQ7wwaCSXNafhm1hnQfoIlzAbB-TbZHW3oqOp0hT3-Ga2zcaWCRz7GylNf2HYAqwMrdraOl5Rq8qmMs8lWlpe8aM61VzNnl6qtazV3RFh4w7TUYwCjJwp96E/s1600/silm-1990-pb.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Te3AJ08yuVb9QuffXD_WQ7wwaCSXNafhm1hnQfoIlzAbB-TbZHW3oqOp0hT3-Ga2zcaWCRz7GylNf2HYAqwMrdraOl5Rq8qmMs8lWlpe8aM61VzNnl6qtazV3RFh4w7TUYwCjJwp96E/s1600/silm-1990-pb.gif" height="640" width="417" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
<i><b>The Silmarillion</b> </i>(1977) by J.R.R. Tolkien and edited by Christopher Tolkien (Unwin Paperbacks). Most of the information taken from this blog post is from this book. It was the first posthumous work by Tolkien, who passed away in 1973. The cover is from the 1990 edition and features <i><span style="font-style: normal;">Alqualondë, the port city of the Teleri. </span></i></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsyUmauwXQwbum78-c3uhvUIS_0lUV1C-D4AHtJIdO-s7ZJ7R9Fd9aGaui1UH7mCFVfTXqq5pjHIRPNgTvut-pPpmYlw_-wkEstXqQpbcAMGfPw1pITn_lMF8p8BMVKHvjjO1IaYC8cPU/s1600/A_Map_of_Middle-earth_and_the_Undying_Lands_color.jpeg" height="416" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr align="justify"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Map of Arda -- for as Tolkien himself once said: "I wisely started with a map." It was taken from the website http://aidanmoher.com/blog and while it's off in some places, it's nevertheless gives a good "big picture" representation of the world as Tolkien created it. </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><u><b>Who are the Valar?</b></u></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When Arda (Earth) was created, Ilúvatar (God) created the
Valar, the greatest of the Ainur who were angelic beings that entered the
world and helped shaped it. The world composed of three principle continents,
Aman in the West, Middle-earth in the middle and a distant continent in the
East. The most powerful of the Ainur was named Melkor, who after being created
sought to compete with Ilúvatar during the creation and make themes of his own.
But as all creation can only come from God, Melkor’s creations were actually
distortions and flawed. However, because he was mighty, he was able to corrupt
other Ainur spirits to his side, which included Balrogs and the greatest of his
servants, Sauron. The Valar followed Melkor in this music of creation, and
remained (mostly) loyal. The Valar were: </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Manwë</b>: King of
the Valar and lord of air and skies.<b> </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Varda</b>: Queen of
the Stars and spouse of Manwë. She rejected Melkor from the very beginning and
was hated by him the most. The elves revere here especially.<b> </b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Ulmo</b>: The Lord of
Waters, he is unmarried and kept to the oceans rather than live in Valinor with
the majority of the Valar. As water is his element, he is aware of what happens
in Middle-earth and was active there.<b> </b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Aulë</b>: The Master
of Smiths, he created the dwarves before Ilúvatar's first children, the elves, awoke. But the dwarves were not intended to come first, and were put back to sleep by
Ilúvatar before this happened. The dwarves were to be destroyed, but because
there was no malice in Aulë’s heart, they were allowed to live; but because of
this, they are estranged from the elves.<b> </b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Yavanna</b>: The
spouse of Aulë, Yavanna is the Queen of the Earth and is most happy in nature.
She created the Two Trees, which were the light of Valinor in the early days and she loves
all beasts and plants.<b> </b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Oromë</b>: He is the
huntsman of the Valar and a great warrior and rider. He remained in
Middle-earth when the Valar retreated to Valinor and discovered the Elves. He
hates Melkor and is both quick to anger and fierce in battle<span class="mw-headline">.<b> </b></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="mw-headline"><b>Vána</b></span><b>:</b> The Queen of Blossoming Flowers, she
is the younger sister of Yavanna and the spouse of Oromë. She is perpetually
young and beautiful and loves flowers and gardens.<b> </b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Mandos</b>: The Judge
of the Dead and the Master of Doom. He lives in the Halls of Mandos in the far
west, where the souls of elves go when they pass from their bodies. He is an
advisor of Manwë and never forgets. He spoke of the Noldor before they
committed their crimes and advised that they never be allowed to return. He
never speaks unless commanded by Manwë.<b> </b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Vairë: </b>The wife
of Mandos, she is the Weaver and weaves the stories of Arda in her tapestries,
which decorate the Halls of Mandos.<b> </b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Nienna</b>: Lady of
Mercy, she was the tutor</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b> </b>Olórin who would later travel to Middle-earth in the
Third Age and become known as the wizard Gandalf. She weeps constantly, but her tears are full
of pitty and endurance and will heal those affected by Melkor.<b> </b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Lórien</b>: The
Master of Visions and Dreams, he works closely with Mandos and has gardens in the
land of the Valar, where those who visit them are given rest and
refreshment. <b> </b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Estë</b>: is the
spouse of Lórien and is the healer of hurts and weariness. She lives with her
husband in the Gardens of Lórien.<b> </b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Tulkas</b>, the
Strong is the Champion of the Valar. He is big, brave and the strongest of them
all. He only fights with his hands and has laughed in the face of Melkor. He
does not get angry, but once he is moved to fight, is almost unstoppable.<b> </b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Nessa</b>: is the
Dancer and is swift and agile. She is married to Tulkas and loves to dance and
run. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Along with Melkor and the Valar, the Ainur also included the Maiar.
These are lesser than the Valar, but alike in spirit and origin and still quite
powerful. They generally work closely with the Valar in all things, and can
alter their appearance to look like an elf, or in the famous example mentioned above, a wise
old man. Other Maiar include the Balrogs, Sauron, Saruman,
Radagast the Brown, Melian and possibly Tom Bambadil. Those who are not Maiar
include: dragons, eagles, ents, elves or Shelob, the spider. It is also noteworthy that, while there is superficial resemblance between the Greco-Roman pantheon or other non-Abrahamic faiths, the Ainur (both Valar and Maiar) are more accurately discribed as angels or arch-angels rather than gods. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><u>The Awakening of
the Elves and their Clans </u></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The elves awoke in distant east and were <span style="text-decoration: none;">Ilúvatar</span>’s
first born children. The first to awake of the elves were three named Ingwë,
Finwë and Elwë and as they wondered under the stars in the East they invented language and music. The elves soon began to multiply and were met by
the Vala, Oromë, who brought them tidings from the Valar in Aman. The elves were given the name <i>Eldar</i>
meaning "People of the Stars" by Oromë. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfycC1BEJwhv32wwR9rJq0VXTHgeiFm_lbdnUaUMG9SUKS_ECa39r24DTLudN-feFZ0Y1RePrg6i2jVgi3IXvjp4Nlhyphenhyphenvzb_sL5GW5htXvDYfARl1EZ1YLgyOUxJ9rLtE_YBUdT8eXB9Y/s1600/300px-Ted_Nasmith_-_The_Dawn_of_the_Firstborn_Elves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfycC1BEJwhv32wwR9rJq0VXTHgeiFm_lbdnUaUMG9SUKS_ECa39r24DTLudN-feFZ0Y1RePrg6i2jVgi3IXvjp4Nlhyphenhyphenvzb_sL5GW5htXvDYfARl1EZ1YLgyOUxJ9rLtE_YBUdT8eXB9Y/s1600/300px-Ted_Nasmith_-_The_Dawn_of_the_Firstborn_Elves.jpg" height="416" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Elves awake! This work was painted by Ted Nasmith.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Valar summoned the elves to come and join them in the
light of the Two Trees (more on them later) but not being sure, sent their
leader-emissaries, Ingwë, Finwë and Elwë to investigate. When these great elves
returned, they convinced the others to return with them. In this there was not unanimity
however, and the first to travel were those who became known as the
<b>Vanyar</b> with their leader, Ingwë. They were (are) considered the fairest of the elves
and once they left Middle-earth to live with the Valar were rarely seen again.
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The next clan became known as the <b>Noldor</b>. They were equally beautiful,
but especially talented in the crafts of knowledge, warfare and especially in creating
things. Much of the story of the elves in Middle-earth from the First to the
Fourth Age involves their kin, including the problems, and both the Silmarils of
the First Age and Rings of Power Second and Third Age have their literal and
figurative fingerprints all over them. The leader of the Noldor was named Finwë. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Finwë’s first wife was named Míriel who gave birth to a son
named Fëanor. However, after Fëanor was born his mother wanted to die because
she gave all her strength to him. But because death was not permitted for elves
(they cannot leave the bounds of Arda) her soul departed to the Halls of Mandos
in a quasi-suicide which was unprecedented. Fëanor was ill-tempered,
strong-willed but immensely talented, and would go on to create both the Silmarils
and the<b><i> </i></b>Palantíri, the magical stones used to communicate that were featured in
both <b><i>Lord of the Rings</i></b> and the Peter Jackson feature films. Fëanor married Nerdanel who gave birth to seven
sons: Maedhros the Tall, Maglor the Singer, Celegorm the Fair, Caranthir the
Dark, Curufin the Crafty and twins Amrod and Amras, both of whom were hunters.
Curufin the Crafty’s son, Celebrimbor, would in the Second Age, settle in the
Elvish region of Eregion near Moria and south of Rivendell, and would encounter
Sauron who, disguised as Annatar, Lord of Gifts and claiming to have been
sent by the Valar, duped him into forging the Rings of Power. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Finwë would remarry and have two more sons, Fingolfin and
Finarfin, and two daughters, Findlis and Irime. The second wife of this High
King of the Noldor was Indis, a Vanyar and these younger sons were of a much
different temperament than their half-brother. Fingolfin would marry Anaire and give birth to
Fingon, Turgon, Aredhel the White Lady and Argon. Finarfin, the youngest of
the sons of Finwë, was a pacifist and never returned to Middle-earth. He would marry </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Eärwen, the daughter of </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Olwë, the younger brother of </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Elwë of the Teleri and </span></span>had four children: Finrod Felagund, Angrod, Aegnor and Galadriel, the latter whom features prominently in the Third Age. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The third and largest clan of the elves to travel to(wards)
the Aman were named the <b>Teleri</b>. They were subdivided into many groups,
with a large group of them staying in Middle-earth and becoming the Avari, those
who refused to travel. The Avari were lesser than their Valar-encountering kin
and had became fearful when they arrived at the Misty Mountains. However, when Elwë
returned, he convinced many Teleri to join him in the West and many did. But
they always moved slower, having lived in Middle-earth and having grown to love it. Many also arrived at the sea and became skilled
as ship-building and eventually, Ulmo, the Lord of Waters, pushed an island
back to Middle-earth called Tol Eressëa and many of the Teleri would travel on
this island-ferry, which was eventually planted off the coast of the Undying
Lands. The Teleri would build a city on the northern part of Aman called <i><span style="font-style: normal;">Alqualondë</span></i>,
and it would become a major ship-building haven. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">By this time, the eastern portion of Middle-earth become
known as Beleriand and – when Elwë returned to gather more Teleri – he met
Melian, a Maiar, and fell in love. He would eventually court and marry her and
they would become King and Queen of a large realm of Beleriand called
Doriath. He would eventually become known as Elu Thingol, with his younger brother
taking up the kingship of the Teleri in the Undying lands in <i><span style="font-style: normal;">Alqualondë.
The </span></i>daughter of Thingol and Melian was named Lúthien Tinúviel and was said to be
the most beautiful of all the children of Arda. Her name is on gravesite of Edith Mary Tolkien (née<b><i> </i></b>Bratt),
the wife of the author.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><u>The Creation of
the Silmarils</u></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">After Arda was created, the Valar lived in Middle-earth and Aulë
made two giant Lamps, on top of two giant pillar-like mountains which were named
Helcar in the north and Ringill in the south. These Lamps of Arda illuminated the
world and this period was known as the Spring of Arda. During this time birds,
beasts and plants started to grow in the world, but Melkor seeing this light,
hated it all and came back from the Walls of Night (outside Arda, in the void [space?])
and broke the lamps down, making Arda dark. The Valar and their host then moved
west to the continent of Aman. </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Then, at the behest of Aulë, Yavanna, made the Two Trees
which were named Telperion, the silver tree and Laurelin, the golden tree.
These were intended to replace the Pillars and illumined Aman, but left Middle-earth
in darkness. The first ten ages of the Years of the Trees were known
as the Years of Bliss and it was at this time eagles, ents and the dwarves awoke
(and were subsequently put back to sleep until the elves awoke). When this age
past, the Years of Bliss became the Noontide of the Blessed and it was then
that Varda rekindled the stars and Middle-earth once more had light. Then the
Elves awoke and this marked the beginning of the First Age, which could more
accurately be rendered as the First Age of the Children of Ilúvatar.
Interestingly, the Ages in Tolkien’s work are marked by the beginning of the
lives of the Children of Ilúvatar and is not Lamp, Tree or the Sun. </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Back to the elves: when they awoke, Melkor wanted to rule them
and approached and kidnapped many possibly turning them into Orcs, although this
is still debated. Seeing this, the Valar sought to stop Melkor and made war
against him, eventually capturing him and bringing him back to Aman to answer
for his crimes. This was called the War of the Powers, and it was after this
that the elves began their journey westward. </span></span></div>
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</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Soon Melkor appeared to be repentant, although there were
some amongst the Valar who never trusted him. But he was eventually freed after
a sentence of three ages (not those mentioned above) in the Halls of Mandos and immediately set
about causing strife between the Noldor, especially the king’s sons, Fëanor, Fingolfin
and Finarfin. At this time Fëanor created the Silmarils, three magnificent
jewels that he used to capture the light of Two Trees. These jewels would
become unique, and not even Aulë was able to create something that matched
their power and beauty. They also could not be copied and even the Valar understood
their superlative nature with Varda making them so: “no mortal flesh, nor hands
unclean, nor anything of evil will might touch them, for they would be scorched
and withered.” </span></span></div>
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</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">During this time Melkor had the Noldor in his sights. First he
told Fëanor that his younger, half-brother was planning to take the throne from
their father, Finwë. However, when it became clear that Melkor was never
actually an ally, the Noldor started to forge weapons, while at the same time, Fëanor threatened his younger brother’s life.
When the Valar heard of this, they summoned him to their home at the top of
Mount Taniquetil to answer for his actions. With his father at his side, Fëanor
did this, but soon started to believe that the Valar also coveted his Silmarils,
which supported what Melkor had told him. When he returned to the Noldor, his
half-brother Fingolfin had taken up the leadership of the Noldor, which also went
along with Melkor’s lies. Shortly afterwards, the Valar exiled Fëanor to
Formenos, a city in the north of Aman and this became Fëanor’s stronghold
and treasury, and many of the Noldor (including his father, the king) went with
him. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghWDI-mBcsaS5pnvIuforzoyJaqzYx6UWtBPg63HkQQQ-vD6Cfr1a5c-V_I1qR22zJaihzciHWuVBxKNtRsWoUr7wgozjDoz3mkL1UWr-lCHU59MP8wAJ_jfkcXgO793nhj4V7KQKzpMQ/s1600/Melkor-and-Ungoliant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghWDI-mBcsaS5pnvIuforzoyJaqzYx6UWtBPg63HkQQQ-vD6Cfr1a5c-V_I1qR22zJaihzciHWuVBxKNtRsWoUr7wgozjDoz3mkL1UWr-lCHU59MP8wAJ_jfkcXgO793nhj4V7KQKzpMQ/s1600/Melkor-and-Ungoliant.jpg" height="410" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Melkor and Ungoliant attack the Two Trees. Painting by John Howe. </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When the Valar finally understood what Melkor was doing, they
sent Tulkas to capture him, but he had fled south to find an ally. While
there, he enlisted the support of Ungoliant, a giant spider of unknown origin
and profound evil. The two of them then attacked the Two Trees, and Ungoliant
sucked the life and light out of them, gorging herself to the extent where even
Melkor feared her. Thus, the light in the Silmarils were the only remaining
source of the light of the Two Trees, although saplings where saved which would
feature later in Tolkien’s stories. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">With the Two Trees destroyed, the Valar asked Fëanor
for the jewels so they could use the bejewelled light to rekindle them. But Fëanor
refused and the trees were not healed. As Fëanor was refusing the Valar, Melkor went north to Formenos and killed Finwë and stole the Silmarils,
escaping to his fortress in far north of Middle-earth. When Fëanor realised what was done, he rallied
his people against the Valar and sought to go after Melkor and recover the Silmarils.
He also named Melkor "Morgoth" or "the Black Enemy" and swore, along with his
sons, the Oath of Fëanor, which said they would pursue anyone – Valar, Maiar,
Elf or Mortal – who stood between them and the jewels. This would bring a
long-lasting doom on all of those who swore it, and would feature prominently in
the latter stories of the First Age. </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The host of the Noldor soon left the north of Valinor and came
upon the shores of Aman at the Teleri city of <i><span style="font-style: normal;">Alqualondë. There they asked for </span></i>ships
to go to Middle-earth and when the Teleri resisted (not wanting to displease
the Valar), the Noldor attacked and the result was the First Kinslaying, where elf
killed elf for the very first time. The Valar eventually causes the seas to
swallow many of the stolen ships in punishment of the Noldor, and Finarfin (the
youngest of the sons of Finwë) and a small group (although not all of his
children) returned to Valinor where they were welcomed by the Valar and he
ruled as High King of the Noldor in Valinor. Fëanor, however, and many of his close kin were able to make the long
crossing to Middle-earth, and when they arrived they burnt the Teleri ships.
Still wanting to remain with the main host of the Noldor, the host of Fingolfin
who had not arrived in time to board the ships, had no choice but to go north and
cross the grinding pack ice which was called the Helcaraxë (which had also been crossed
by Morgoth and Ungoliant). There, many of the
Noldor perished, including Elenwë, the wife
of Turgon and daughter-in-law of Fingolfin. </span></span></div>
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</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Next in Part II: From the Noldor in Middle-earth to Awakening of the Mortals. </b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span> Mark S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02330523300153029606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786059445475582325.post-80714960244079225472014-12-30T07:31:00.000-08:002014-12-30T07:31:13.361-08:00The Star Trek Franchise: 1966 to 1979<div style="text-align: justify;">
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</xml><![endif]--><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>We appreciate your
interest in “Star Trek” and are sorry we have to continue to disappoint you.
NBC, however, has no plans for the return of the series.</b>
</span></span></i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>As reported in recent
press stories, our Program Department does have under consideration a two-hour-science
fiction film. Several concepts have been proposed for this project – one of
which is “Star Trek”. While no decision has been made — nor can we tell you when
one will – we are aware of your own high regard for “Star Trek” </b></span></span></i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b> </b></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>NBC Audience Services
</b></span></span></i></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIhOtB1bAyy7DM7otFX48ixueAQ5TZg1pigFHULM3I3ZRR6DQg0jayn6cwFcJfHjAUT7gYQcQJCOs50nM_wAwf7Q0h26fmaw-AwWOSVsKjima8tAt-h4hj3zuCp9OIHluJQPR8c_HeKfM/s1600/TOSopeninglogo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIhOtB1bAyy7DM7otFX48ixueAQ5TZg1pigFHULM3I3ZRR6DQg0jayn6cwFcJfHjAUT7gYQcQJCOs50nM_wAwf7Q0h26fmaw-AwWOSVsKjima8tAt-h4hj3zuCp9OIHluJQPR8c_HeKfM/s1600/TOSopeninglogo.png" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Title of <i><b>Star Trek: The Original Series</b></i> which aired from 1967 to 1969. </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This short statement is what those who wrote letters to NBC received in reply to their correspondence. It was written on a post card and was most certainly read by thousands of disappointed fans in the immediate years after the cancellation of the first <i>Star Trek</i> television show. Of course, what came before this is one of sci-fi fandoms best known results </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">–</span></span><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b> </b></span></span></i>a letter writing campaign that </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">saw NBC receive almost 116,000 letters between December 1967 and March 1968 </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">– </span></span>which </span></span>kept <b><i>Star Trek</i></b> from being cancelled after its second season. However, what you might not know is that while <b><i>Star Trek</i></b> was on life-support almost as soon as NBC first aired the show on television, there were also licenced and Paramount-owned products that further enriched the fan's overall experience with the franchise, almost from its very beginning. This short piece will look at early <i><b>Star Trek</b></i> licenced and spin-off products and hopefully give you a sense of how fans were able to consume <i><b>Star Trek</b></i> in the earliest days of this now venerable franchise. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-WiDo7lKeHcPag9lZlBG58gtaIx7DRUiocPqVVT3kCGyqgaKjbQ4-6OavUs2t3bnsJio-1M8470fb4FM8sQQeH0EySED_gugAyO_E2aq9nllo4dj6jY_5T7EP36jACQgZKC1TtW_ZCtA/s1600/ST-The_AS.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The crew of the USS Enterprise from <i><b>Star Trek: The Animated Series</b></i>.This show featured the voice talents of the Original Series actors but only lasted two seasons.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In 1972 NBC went to Filmation and Norway Productions which </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">–</span></span></span></span> working with Desilu Studios who produced the live-action show in the early seasons, </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">and using the same actors who portrayed the original crew </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">–</span></span></span></span> </span></span>produced two seasons, one of 16 episodes and the other of six of <b><i>Star Trek: The Animated Series</i></b> </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">which expanded the in-canon universe and filled the void felt by an increasingly vocal fanbase. Since the last airing of an episode in June 1969, the 79 episode show almost immediately went into syndication. Indeed, as its popularity started to grow, fans started to organize and the very first <i><b>Star Trek </b></i>convention was </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">organized in 1971 by Elyse Pins, Devra Landsam and Al Schuster and took place on the weekend of January 21-23, 1972 at the Statler-Hilton Hotel in New York City. This event was covered by <i><b>Variety</b></i>, the trade publication, and featured </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">sci-fi legend Issac Asimov, along with the king and queen of <i><b>Star Trek</b></i> themselves, Gene Roddenberry and Majel Barrett. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGeVgg9yZ_xZDxYKcHnZqkodlleMf4nMtXphpDLAGM45i-GV90jg7T4QYBMw6B0l8h9qe0mbjMKXF4F_AblaFXvUQRN_KtgnnFwUhM-fkGHHvuyDXdiuwD362qU8_u9ddeImB4INVd4hU/s1600/Planet_quick_change.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGeVgg9yZ_xZDxYKcHnZqkodlleMf4nMtXphpDLAGM45i-GV90jg7T4QYBMw6B0l8h9qe0mbjMKXF4F_AblaFXvUQRN_KtgnnFwUhM-fkGHHvuyDXdiuwD362qU8_u9ddeImB4INVd4hU/s1600/Planet_quick_change.jpg" height="640" width="434" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The cover of the Gold Key Comics' <i><b>Star Trek</b></i> #4 (June 1969) with a reprint as <i><b>Star Trek</b></i> #35 (November 1975). Written by Dick Wood with art by Alberto Giolitti. Unless otherwise noted, all subsequent images are from <i><b>Star Trek</b></i> #4. </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Comic book fans will appreciate that <b><i>Star Trek</i></b> comics started to appear on the shelves of stores in July 1967, shortly after the first season had completed. They were published by Gold Key Comics, an imprint of Wisconsin-based <i><b>Western Publishing</b></i> and interestingly, these books didn't come out with the frequency of other, more established comic publishers. The first was available in </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">July 1967 and called the <i><b>The Planet of No Return</b></i>;<i><b> </b></i>the second called <i><b>The Devil's Isle in Space</b></i> and not available until </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">March 1968. From there <i><b>The Invasion of the City Builders</b></i> appeared in December 1968; </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><b>The Peril of Planet Quick Change</b></i> in June 1969; </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><b>The Ghost Planet</b></i> in September 1969; <i><b>When Planets Collide</b></i> in December 1969; </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><i>The Voodoo Planet</i></b> in March 1970</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> and <i><b>The Youth Trap</b></i> in September 1970, the latter five issues having been produced after the television show ceased filming in January of 1969. The early comics universally featured a still photo of the television crew (usually Kirk and Spock) on the cover, but the similarities ended there. Have a look: from June 1969's <i><b>Star Trek</b></i> #4 <i><b>The Peril of Planet Quick Change</b></i>: </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sulu beams down the crew to "</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Metamorpha", a quickly changing planet. Where's the Redshirt? </span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When you special effects budget is limited to what the mind can imagine, <i>Star Trek </i>can get kinda crazy<i>...<b> </b></i> </span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">... and even use heavy machinery which was rarely seen on the television show. In the comics they were common place. How did they beam this tank down? </span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Splash from Part II of <i>Star Trek</i> #4.The comics were divided into chapters. </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Not beholden to budgets or technology, the comics were much more detailed in their depiction of alien life and worlds. And the Enterprise crew always seemed better equipped with tools and rucksacks too. In a similar vein, the comics also make it clear that the artists had very little contact with the television show, with the backgrounds and crew tools being very different from the set designs of the television show. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Splash from Gold Key's <i><b>Star Trek</b></i> #31 (July 1975). The writer of unknown but the art is by</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Alberto Giolitti.</span></span> </span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b><i>Star Trek</i></b> #31 was titled <b><i>The Final Truth</i></b> and had a <i><b>Gamesters of Triskelion </b></i>feel to it </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">– </span></span></span></span>but with robots! </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">First piece of licenced original <i><b>Star Trek</b></i> prose fiction was titled
<i><b>Mission to Horatius</b></i> and was written by author Mack Renolds and published by Whitman Books (which was also owned by Western Publishing). It was the first original
piece, as there had been previous <i><b>Star Trek</b></i> "novels" but they were actually adaptations of the television series from Bantam Books starting in early 1967. Following <i><b>Mission to Horatius</b>,</i> <i><b>Spock Must Die!</b></i> by James Blish </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">– </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>which as the title suggests, was targeted more at adult readers </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">– </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>was released in 1970. Interestingly, despite the growing popularity of <i><b>Star Trek</b></i> and hints from Gene Roddenberry himself that the show might come back (which were most pronounced in the lead up to the failed launch of <i><b>Star Trek: Phase II</b></i> in 1978), the next <i><b>Star Trek</b></i> novel was <i><b>Spock, Messiah!</b></i> which was released in 1976 and written by Theodore R. Cogswell and Charles A. Spano Jr. </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> After the second novel, the <i><b>Star Trek</b></i> universe took off and novels based on the franchise proliferated. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Cover of <i><b>Spock, Messiah!</b></i> by Theodore R. Cogswell and Charles A. Spano Jr. Published by Bantam Books. </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Both <i><b>Star Trek</b></i> novels and comic books would bounce from publisher to publisher, in the latter case with <i><b>Marvel Comics</b></i> picking up the licence for a short period beginning in 1979 with the comics adaptation of <i><b>Star Trek: The Motion Picture</b></i>. However, that will be discussed later in the next installment of this ongoing mission based on the <i><b>Star Trek</b></i> Franchise where we will look at the 1980s and 1990s, covering the bulk of the <i><b>Star Trek</b></i> feature films as well as <i><b>Star Trek: The Next Generation</b></i>. Thanks for reading and have a great day! </span></span></div>
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Mark S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02330523300153029606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786059445475582325.post-9680948741752813592014-11-22T10:38:00.001-08:002014-11-22T10:45:15.743-08:00SuperSoundtracks #8: Robotech: Macross & Daft Punk <div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For a little over a year in the early 2000s, I lived and worked in Tokyo, Japan. At a train transfer on my commute home there was a department store that had on its sixth floor a store called <b>Hobby Base: Yellow Submarine</b>. This store (and others like it in Japan) was awesome but while visiting I was always drawn back to the <i>mecha</i> models, especially those I identified as belonging to <i><b>Robotech</b>.</i> So for <i><b>WGTB's</b></i> SuperSoundtrack #8 I'm going to focus on <i><b>Robotech: Macross </b></i>and what I think is the best track of the 2013 hit album by French electronic duo <i><b>Daft Punk</b></i>. </span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJeE6CdnikMbuIYa8o3ONQpq0stClgwpf8POEBJwQrKoDzJDIPPZQYdniMMVmyoIQQ0pluEsKwi9aR9kqwF6zARFLhSNgkr3mUvrdNzgOyp1CNp71-2KHXiEIFiMyA4Ke-xdc0avzirVU/s1600/220px-RobotechRPG-1986.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJeE6CdnikMbuIYa8o3ONQpq0stClgwpf8POEBJwQrKoDzJDIPPZQYdniMMVmyoIQQ0pluEsKwi9aR9kqwF6zARFLhSNgkr3mUvrdNzgOyp1CNp71-2KHXiEIFiMyA4Ke-xdc0avzirVU/s1600/220px-RobotechRPG-1986.jpg" height="640" width="492" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Cover of the Robotech Role Playing Game by Palladium Books. </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><b>Robotech</b></i> was one of the earliest
<i>mecha</i>-based Japanese programs to be consumed in large numbers<i><b> </b></i>by Western audiences. The whole thing started when Jim Rocknowsky, a product director for the US company <i><b>Harmony Gold</b></i>, discovered three Japanese programs: <i><b>Super Dimension Fortress Macross</b></i>, <i><b>Super Dimension Calvary Southern Cross </b></i>and <i><b>Genesis Climber Mospeada</b></i> and decided to licence and merge them into one 85 episode saga, combining remarkable science-fiction visuals with mature and often very personal stories. <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Upon getting the licence <i><b>Harmony Gold'</b>s </i>president, Frank Agrama, set about assembling a team that would make this Japanese story enjoyable for Western audiences. This wasn't easy and included not just dubbing the dialogue, but also finding skilled actors to bring the characters to life, writing an appropriate musical score and tying these three desperate stories together into one plausible back story. </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The first of the three parts or <i><b>Robotech</b> </i>would become known as the <b><i>The Macross Saga</i></b> and is the one I'm most familiar with. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNK5MT2e16kNdEA2RLHkP3AbZGJEz7PSGDV5O-MSDgv7M0OHajG-wncUMuh-A9tfFTGnr6OjAhFUmhoj4EkX-d5QKZITddFAV5NqWcfEyDDRn0InGee8_onIWd778mXO-G7T1-7cd288c/s1600/DSC08378.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNK5MT2e16kNdEA2RLHkP3AbZGJEz7PSGDV5O-MSDgv7M0OHajG-wncUMuh-A9tfFTGnr6OjAhFUmhoj4EkX-d5QKZITddFAV5NqWcfEyDDRn0InGee8_onIWd778mXO-G7T1-7cd288c/s1600/DSC08378.JPG" height="640" width="398" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Image from Comico's <i><b>Robotech: The Macross Saga</b><b> #13</b></i> (August 1986). </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The story went as follows: In the year 1999, humanity was not doing well. Global war was ravaging the planet and it was against this backdrop that astronomers discovered an alien spacecraft heading towards Earth. When the alien ship eventually collides with Earth, it ends up on the fictional Macross Island located in the south Pacific. Miraculously,
the ship survives and remains intact, which spurs forth a human effort to reform our ways and soon afterwards a United Earth Government is formed. Simultaneously, a team of researchers and scientists arrive at the island to investigate and learn from the alien ship. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Image from Comico's <i><b>Robotech: The Macross Saga</b><b> #5</b></i> (August 1985). </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Over time, Macross Island
grows from a sparsely populated island to a bustling hive of humanity. Macross City becomes its metropolis, which grows up around what becomes known as the <i><b>Super
Dimension Fortress One (SDF-1)</b></i>. By 2009, it's decided that humanity will launch the ship and command is given to a Frenchman named Captain Henry J. Gloval. His First Officer is a woman named Lisa Hayes and a leader of the robot-fighter aircraft that defends it is </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Commander Roy Fokker. During the launch ceremonies, a young hotshot pilot
named Rick Hunter crashes the party, but his actions are also interrupted when the <i><b>Zentradi</b></i>, the previous owners of the SDF-1 arrive to reclaim their property. The <i><b>Zentradi</b></i> are a warrior
race of green giants who are genetically bred for fighting and when they arrive the <i><b>First Robotech War</b></i> begins!</span></span></div>
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<tr align="justify"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Roy Fokker and Rick Hunter. While not brothers in a biological sense, Rick would call Roy his "Older Brother" and much of the early <i>Macross</i> story centred around Rick going from talented young hotshot to mature military commander -- much of which was the result of Roy's death. Image from Comico's <i><b>Robotech:The Macross Saga #5 </b></i>(August 1985). </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The humans make a valiant effort
to defend themselves and Rick Hunter soon finds himself in a <i><b>Veritech </b></i>fighter, the mainstay of the SDF-1's fighter wing, itself a piece of "Robotechnology" which was inspired by the SDF-1. In the heat of the battle, it becomes clear that while the <i><b>Zentradi</b></i> have both greater technology and numbers, they also want their ship back and this means using restraint when fighting the humans. In the course of the battle, the humans hyperspace jump to Pluto, and then begin the voyage home, harangued by the alien invaders and isolated from their home planet. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The SDF-1 transformed. The choice of word is intentional. From </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Comico's <i><b>Robotech:The Macross Saga #5 </b></i>(August 1985)</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The faux-technology of <b><i>Macross</i></b> was the centre-piece of this part of <b><i>Robotech</i></b> and was quite cool. On humanity's side, there was the <b><i>Veritechs</i></b>. There was a number of different models of these fighters but the key element to them was they were spacecraft that could transform into a "Battloid" robot, which stood 42 feet high. If the technology sounds familiar to the <i><b>Transformers</b> </i>line of toys, this is because<i> </i>both were designed by </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span dir="auto">Shōji Kawamori</span></span>.</b> Indeed, both the <b><i>Veritechs</i></b> and <b><i>Optimus Prime</i></b> (and many of the early Autobot) molds came from this prolific designer. Indeed, the Autobot "Jetfire" was a <b><i>VF-1 Valkyrie Veritech</i></b> fighter. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw_w1EgQdSlArWx4gOwRh6B04ma8_KungxDSmKc55_nCw87QM8yqnOUolXBwaNtxG8yjqpOSJ4cGYeVvhMkIkmZUPrTpu8mekoWAImLaettFSbpb8ObxPraHIuVUIYIiVpN7Lc1BaPk_c/s1600/DSC08396.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw_w1EgQdSlArWx4gOwRh6B04ma8_KungxDSmKc55_nCw87QM8yqnOUolXBwaNtxG8yjqpOSJ4cGYeVvhMkIkmZUPrTpu8mekoWAImLaettFSbpb8ObxPraHIuVUIYIiVpN7Lc1BaPk_c/s1600/DSC08396.JPG" height="640" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><b>Vertiechs</b></i> and battlepods in Comico's <i><b>Robotech: The Macross Saga</b> <b>#13</b></i> (August 1986) </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Eventually the two sides
fight to a standstill and when the <i><b>Zentradi</b></i> leader, an alien named <i><b>Exedore</b></i>, seeks peace with Gloval, it is made known that a new <i><b>Zentradi</b></i> fleet is <i>en route</i> to Earth. When it arrives, the SDF-1 is destroyed after it rams the enemy flagship. Earth, however is left in ruins and the remains of the SDF-1 land in the middle of North America, where they once again form the basis for a new city. With this, the <i><b>Macross Saga</b></i> ends. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">While <b><i>Robotech</i></b> was at its most visible as a cartoon show, it would go on to spawn a multi-media empire with a role playing game, novels, toys and comic books: all of which provided young audiences with multiple means to devour this fictional universe. The comic book
licence has its own interesting story. Starting with a short two-issue <i><b>DC Comics</b></i> mini-series, which used the model sets made by <i><b>Revell</b></i> and not the Japanese anime, it was the Pennsylvania-based <i><b>Comico</b></i> that published an initial graphic novel and then the ongoing series based on the <i>Marcoss</i>, <i>Masters</i> and <i>New Generation</i> series. In 1989 the licence went over to a <i><b>Malibu Comics</b></i> imprint named <i><b>Eternity Comics</b></i>, who published black and white stories until the licence moved over to the obscure <i><b>Antarctic Press</b></i> for only two years in the late 1990s. The licence would bounce back to <i><b>DC Comics</b></i> in the early 2000s, this time to the <i><b>Wildstorm</b></i> imprint in a effort to reboot the entire line. Then, in late 2013 (and partially reviewed on this blog) <i><b>DC</b></i> and <i><b>Harmony Gold</b></i> licenced it to <i><b>Dynamite Entertainment</b></i> where it was featured in a <i><b>Robotech/Voltron</b></i> crossover.</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Cover of <i><b>Random Access Memories</b></i> by Daft Punk. </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For SuperSoundtrack #8 I've decided to pair <i><b>Robotech: Macross</b></i> with a song off the 2013 <b><i>Grammy Awards</i></b> Album of the Year <i><b>Random Access Memories</b></i> by
the French electronic band <i><b>Daft Punk</b></i>. Now you may remember the massively
popular single <i><b>Get Lucky</b> </i>with its
electronically fused funk beats and Pharrell Williams' catchy lyrics, but that isn't the chosen song. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-aheOOFCkbx1m-X1r5doplbB9a1q9jlMhQEYNzbGj_ZbdCAO_iqJ1K_48o7evGnK3F7kLIqGq3L65VSJh8vN5ZGdZ5zfogXnh8new2LbyRElMuj3-snjfUibhOmIjvTmheJ1Af1zU6Mg/s1600/daft-punk-630.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-aheOOFCkbx1m-X1r5doplbB9a1q9jlMhQEYNzbGj_ZbdCAO_iqJ1K_48o7evGnK3F7kLIqGq3L65VSJh8vN5ZGdZ5zfogXnh8new2LbyRElMuj3-snjfUibhOmIjvTmheJ1Af1zU6Mg/s1600/daft-punk-630.jpg" height="384" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="justify"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Daft Punk is a musical duo consisting of Frenchmen Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter. Their first album <i>Homework</i> (1997) was a club staple in the late 90s, but I started to love them when I purchased their 2001 release <i>Discovery</i>, which was featured in the Franco-Japanese <i>anime</i> film </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><i><b>Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem</b></i></i>. <i>Human After All</i> (2004) wasn't a favourite but <i>Random Access Memories</i> has more than made up for it. They also wrote the soundtrack for the 2010 film <i>Tron: Legacy</i>. The robot personae has been a feature of the group from their earliest days. </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">No, the honour of SuperSoundtrack #8 goes to the track named <i><b>Touch.</b></i> Like its sibling, <b><i>Get Lucky</i></b><i>,</i><b> <i>Touch</i></b> has funk-infused beats and melodies, but it's also orchestral and space-like/electronic in places as well. Because of this, it really plays to the operatic aspect of <b><i>Macross</i></b> and at times, the lyrical refrain "If love is the answer you're home" along with the electronically-fused, cosmically reaching melodies, which themselves are followed by a beautiful arrangement of strings, makes this track the best on an already outstanding album. The lyrics are provided by the versatile <i><b>Paul Williams</b></i>, and it's so good, that although it's over eight minutes long, it seems to finish quite quickly. Have a <b><span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljQdZEMs31g">listen and see for yourself if you can picture</a></span> </b>Roy Fokker, Rick Hunter and Lisa Hayes doing what they can to save humanity.<i> </i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><i>Robotech</i></b> wasn't the first
Japanese cultural export to find its way to North American shores, nor will it be the
last. <i><b>Astro
Boy</b></i>, <i><b>Speed Racer</b></i>, <i><b>Battle of the Planets</b></i>, <i><b>Mobile Suit Gundam</b></i>, along with live-action
exports like the <b><i>Power Rangers</i></b> have also been very popular here. (And this isn't even including original Japanese concepts like the <i><b>Diaclone </b></i>that were, um, transformed upon reaching North American markets.) But <i><b>Robotech</b></i> was special and remains, for me at least, a first contact point with Japanese sci-fi culture; something I would enjoy very much when living and working in Tokyo. Thanks for reading and if you have any suggestions for a SuperSoundtrack please leave it in the comment section below. </span></span></div>
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Mark S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02330523300153029606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786059445475582325.post-35431750955942695242014-11-11T04:01:00.000-08:002014-11-11T04:16:12.732-08:00Remembrance Day <div style="text-align: left;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Today is <b>Remembrance Day</b>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is the day Canadians stop our busy lives to commemorate -- each in our own way -- the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918: the moment the guns of the Great War fell silent. Equally, we also use this moment to remember <u>all</u> who have served and died in the service of our country, including Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent and Corporal Nathan Cirillo, two servicemen who were murdered last month because they were members of the Canadian Armed Forces. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ-pkOrHQ3TWDsR6C3oPNBdJlSeW4Ub8DkGu9B_KXz557WG9lU_GgP8f9tDROU1oc8d6iRqO2ohUD32h-xaFrSJqjZZsya53Mw7-2b95Z79tkmZQB3316JgaOyjWDRT7hs5WNaxAHdWas/s1600/DSC08398.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ-pkOrHQ3TWDsR6C3oPNBdJlSeW4Ub8DkGu9B_KXz557WG9lU_GgP8f9tDROU1oc8d6iRqO2ohUD32h-xaFrSJqjZZsya53Mw7-2b95Z79tkmZQB3316JgaOyjWDRT7hs5WNaxAHdWas/s1600/DSC08398.JPG" height="566" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Image from 2 Name Books' <b><i>The Eternal Glimpses of War</i></b> (2014) Written by Jarrett Mazza with art by Dave Franciosa and letters by Chistopher Barrett. </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">To mark this solemn day I have assembled some images from a comic I purchased in the Small Press Section of this year's FanExpo in Toronto. Written by Jarrett Mazza, drawn by Dave Franciosa and lettered by Christopher Barrett, it is a self-published eight page book detailing a poem called <i>The</i> <i>Eternal Glimpses of War. </i> </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBU4nEpGbxwMcxeC1f7ovifdK8e82oKXIhg6yXmlhED_-DUN2IQ9sxGhZ0K0HL-Ghi36r5lyVCbUPL4VO098_i7My7vneUNUsDgNRq1dCAkIoneCaRn7F_b3TesWtmmd8NY6o1Q_bBw2U/s1600/DSC08399.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBU4nEpGbxwMcxeC1f7ovifdK8e82oKXIhg6yXmlhED_-DUN2IQ9sxGhZ0K0HL-Ghi36r5lyVCbUPL4VO098_i7My7vneUNUsDgNRq1dCAkIoneCaRn7F_b3TesWtmmd8NY6o1Q_bBw2U/s1600/DSC08399.JPG" height="326" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A close up of the above image. </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This book is both a touching tribute to those who have fought and died for our country, but also a well-crafted example of the power of graphic storytelling. It does not glorify war, rather it protrays equally, both the horror that Canadian soldiers experienced in those distant lands, as well as the important role each of us has in remembering them. It's also an example of some of the gems one can find in the Small Press Section of a convention and I wish the creators of <i>Eternal Glimpses</i> a very successful future in the industry. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhilBLQTsUnLD9AMPLkY4lMGtmwv2hCOuXtdxB34bbnSl49aGe1DDAIIuJ5Efm5Tl6USGFQjp8H3WJzkIA3o0kbDQf_n1WIX6os9BGPbplPSP2fiV-bZqvAxd-_OWjFvViJG8dOOBCYabQ/s1600/DSC08401.JPG" height="640" width="401" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The horrors of war in <i>The Etnernal Glimpse of War.</i></span></span> </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Thank you for reading, and above all, thank you to the women and men who have served Canada and its allies through the course of our history. </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We are forever in your debt.<b><i> </i></b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Lest We Forget</i></b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>Mark S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02330523300153029606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786059445475582325.post-40717115432167796012014-10-20T06:29:00.000-07:002014-10-20T07:44:25.684-07:00Get Well Soon, Foggy Nelson! <div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Having waited for the trade paperback of Mark Waid and Chris Samnee's <i><b>Daredevil</b></i>, I was late in learning that Franklin "Foggy" Nelson, Matt Murdock's longtime friend, legal partner and confidant was recently (that is to say in March 2013) diagnosed with cancer. Specifically, <b>Ewing's Sarcoma</b>, a rare sarcoma, which is a form of cancer that affects bone or soft connective tissue. Being a sarcoma survivor myself, this obviously struck me as something I might use to raise awareness of sarcoma cancers and ask that you keep reading and perhaps consider helping in our fight against this nasty disease. Below are the panels of the doctor with Foggy and Matt Murdock. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC3HiLEiVHjBAYOEJSLKshtKEXCYOLugpeTlkTZOyX0Y8JUeWPm8GiBMFbsGyVxAGu373sGyZ46xHh5VKY2JaZCZXcehT4_Zx-pcbK3q744VjwoXZIGZY-2u_y8XDvrOBbcCAkS-Dd1Nw/s1600/DSC08371.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC3HiLEiVHjBAYOEJSLKshtKEXCYOLugpeTlkTZOyX0Y8JUeWPm8GiBMFbsGyVxAGu373sGyZ46xHh5VKY2JaZCZXcehT4_Zx-pcbK3q744VjwoXZIGZY-2u_y8XDvrOBbcCAkS-Dd1Nw/s1600/DSC08371.JPG" height="550" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="justify"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Foggy Nelson's Matt Murdock's best friend, legal partner and confidant receives the news: it's Ewing's Sarcoma. From Marvel's <i><b>Daredevil </b></i>Vol. 3 #24 (May 2013) Written by Mark Waid with art by Chris Samnee, colouring art by Javier Rodriguez and letters by VC's Joe Caramagna. </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There are over fifty forms of sarcoma cancer, which originate in connective
tissue such as bone, cartilage, muscle and fat. Osteosarcoma, the form of sarcoma that I survived over nineteen
years ago, has increasingly become more treatable, but sadly people still pass away because of it. Indeed, you might recall that the the comic book world has not been immune from pains caused by sarcoma, with Sam Loeb, the son of Marvel creative executive and writer, Jeph Loeb, passing in 2005 from the disease at only 17 years old. Our sympathies remain with the Loeb family.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT1tYaq87BLYgpvLC_hO_c6rdYpQm4QoMU-n_JC0-fr4ZYryHLidS37rzZXJcqE2H4z6iUkrhV7WvwS6DK4WHRRiLfSibrnQXpRB2NaTUAPUd1kxVj2Oky-erGQHvOTGCkolhhhq7Nuag/s1600/DSC08372.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT1tYaq87BLYgpvLC_hO_c6rdYpQm4QoMU-n_JC0-fr4ZYryHLidS37rzZXJcqE2H4z6iUkrhV7WvwS6DK4WHRRiLfSibrnQXpRB2NaTUAPUd1kxVj2Oky-erGQHvOTGCkolhhhq7Nuag/s1600/DSC08372.JPG" height="640" width="464" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="justify"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The five-year survival for Ewing's sarcoma 70% to 80% when treated with chemotherapy. However, if metastasized (moved from it's original location to another), the survival rates fall to less than 10% to 25-30% depending on the source. Like all cancers, its important to get it early. </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If you would like to support a sarcoma related charity, please consider a donation to one of the following links. Because most of the readership of this blog comes from either the <span style="color: blue;"><b><a href="http://www.curesarcoma.org/">USA</a></b></span>, <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://sarcoma.org.uk/"><b>UK</b></a></span> or <b><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.sarcomacancer.ca/">Canada</a><span id="goog_585127869"></span><span id="goog_585127870"></span></span></b>, I have named the respective sarcoma charities from these countries. Recently, when Toronto Mayor Rob Ford was diagnosed with a sarcoma cancer, in my capacity as a board member of the Sarcoma Cancer Foundation of Canada, I took to the airwaves to speak on Canadian television about my own experience with the disease. Please feel free to watch what I had to say <span style="color: blue;"><b><a href="http://www.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=446402">here</a></b></span> and <b><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://http//www.cp24.com/video?clipId=444513">here</a></span></b>. Thank you for reading and have a great week. </span></span></div>
Mark S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02330523300153029606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786059445475582325.post-82933654534021714032014-10-13T17:13:00.000-07:002014-10-13T17:20:00.604-07:00WGTB Reviews The Forgotten Man by Amity Shlaes & Paul Rivoche <div style="text-align: left;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">By any account the Great
Depression was a terrible event in the history of our world. Precipitated by a massive stock market crash on 29 October 1929, it carried on for a decade and turned the global economy on its head. It also precipitated the modern welfare state, leading for the first time to massive government involvement in the economic affairs of most Western states. <i><b>The Forgotten Man: A New History of the Great Depression</b></i> by <b>Amity Shlaes</b>, first released in 2008, is a book that examined the Great Depression from a free-market perspective and argued that it was unnecessarily prolonged by state involvement in economic affairs and it was largely this government interia that was to blame for it lasting up until the Second World War. The book reviewed today is the graphic retelling of Shlaes' book, released earlier this May and drawn by Toronto-based artist <b>Paul Rivoche</b>. </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiE6zj0Ve3DUO-lZc1Aa_cndSIDFFbvRoFrQjsG0VUFzmvRWTdQ_hdO35cbhG9mcGIPPoiVpyOfu9TihYpXwEX_kNBV1g4OuO3VOCCwPfEkRPHqpPAV0LXe3Sd-dqRuUNhzM8FLuXLBcg/s1600/1985762.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiE6zj0Ve3DUO-lZc1Aa_cndSIDFFbvRoFrQjsG0VUFzmvRWTdQ_hdO35cbhG9mcGIPPoiVpyOfu9TihYpXwEX_kNBV1g4OuO3VOCCwPfEkRPHqpPAV0LXe3Sd-dqRuUNhzM8FLuXLBcg/s1600/1985762.jpg" height="640" width="422" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><b>The Forgotten Man: A New History of the Great Depression (Graphic Edition)</b></i>, Amity Shlaes & Paul Rivoche, Harper Perennial, 2014, $19.99 (US)</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">Of course, the "dismal science" as Thomas Carlyle described it, is massively complex and rooted in a long and debated history. Indeed, it's almost impossible to debate economics without getting political and at times it's easy to predict a person's stance on a smaller issue if their other, economic view is known. So to provide a little background we'll firstly take a broad look at the history of economics with the hope that you leave this review with a better sense of what the debate is all about. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Economics Emerges </b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Although humans have been trading since the dawn of time, for the sake of brevity, this account will start with an entity that emerged when the medieval period transitioned to the early
modern: the <b>Joint Stock Company</b>. First introduced in the Netherlands with the Dutch East India Company, followed shortly thereafter by the
English East India Company, the Joint Stock Company was a means by which individual investors pooled their wealth in the form of joint-ownership of a larger venture in order to mitigate the risks that came with sending ships to far-off lands in search of wealth. The investors of Joint Stock Companies reaped the rewards if their ships returned, but could also transfer (sell) their shares
if they needed to as well. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7gYtFBwlTqf_AzAPqJMcWEjT-Mzhyphenhyphen_xf9fRdm3sFGcOe2sO3m__LJJSR-aza21b5H_QOw26ImWgLPFn7NyTJHAyQory-jQ8KVfx02DVIBtvqccXzJYc8oXn2lpu-eavLcX_wjqi8j83Y/s1600/Voc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7gYtFBwlTqf_AzAPqJMcWEjT-Mzhyphenhyphen_xf9fRdm3sFGcOe2sO3m__LJJSR-aza21b5H_QOw26ImWgLPFn7NyTJHAyQory-jQ8KVfx02DVIBtvqccXzJYc8oXn2lpu-eavLcX_wjqi8j83Y/s1600/Voc.jpg" height="507" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Print of the Dutch East India Company shipyards 1726 by Joseph Mulder. </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The rise of this new corporate structure coincided with the rise of
what was later named "Mercantilism" and the two went hand-in-hand. Mercantilism was a form of state-sponsored economics that involved governments using their military and laws to prevent their colonies (mercantilist countries
were almost universally European) from trading with anyone else. Naturally, this encouraged the proliferation of Joint Stock Companies, which were created by their respective Crowns, but also encouraged resentment in some of the more enterprising and prosperous colonies of the world: the Thirteen American colonies being a prime example of this. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So in the same year that America started its revolution, Mercantilism was challenged outright by an intellectual from the most powerful mercantilist state in the world: Great Britain. Beginning in the late 17th-century, Europe and America underwent an <b>Age of Enlightenment</b>. The Enlightenment was a period when the
prominent thinkers of these continents, turned towards an emphasis on
reason and individualism rather than tradition. Scotland, having joined England to form the United Kingdom in 1707, had an especially
robust period of enlightenment and it was one of its thinkers that emerged as the most coherent voice for Enlightenment-based free market economics. His name was <b>Adam Smith</b>. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVJP02NxBODVo8duWpDTnPJsQ_y-RWDH2S8o2JgmN-ImI1a0b_CVP9AkFR4QqCQE5u5i9iPp87z3ZOUcHFXjN6BSP9rjrjgIuf-FWobIx7KrAjxNTHt4aqDcwrRIaEkInN1eVB8-Agv1o/s1600/Scotland+124.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVJP02NxBODVo8duWpDTnPJsQ_y-RWDH2S8o2JgmN-ImI1a0b_CVP9AkFR4QqCQE5u5i9iPp87z3ZOUcHFXjN6BSP9rjrjgIuf-FWobIx7KrAjxNTHt4aqDcwrRIaEkInN1eVB8-Agv1o/s1600/Scotland+124.JPG" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Statue of Adam Smith on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.</span> </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Born in Fife, in 1726, Smith was educated at the
universities of Glasgow and Oxford before returning to Edinburgh to continue
his work at the university there. In 1776 he would publish <i><b>An Inquiry into the Nature and
Causes of the Wealth of Nations</b></i>, now most often known by the latter portion of its title. While this book cannot be called a manifesto
or polemic of capitalism, it is still largely regarded as the seminal </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">treatise* in what is now labeled <b>Classical Economics</b>. In <b><i>Wealth of Nations</i></b> Smith spoke of the enlightened self-interest of economic trade as well as the danger monopolies had to the economic betterment of a country. He wrote: </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A monopoly granted either to an individual or to a trading company has
the same effect as a secret in trade or manufactures. The monopolists,
by keeping the market constantly understocked, by never fully supplying
the effectual demand, sell their commodities much above the natural
price, and raise their emoluments, whether they consist in wages or
profit, greatly above their natural rate. The price of monopoly is upon
every occasion the highest which can be got. The natural price, or the
price of free competition, on the contrary, is the lowest which can be
taken, not upon every occasion, indeed, but for any considerable time
together. (Book 1, Chapter 7)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Industrial Revolution </b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In the late 1700s something also started in the UK that would change the face of the world: the <b>Industrial Revolution. </b>While not a revolution in the flag-waving sense, it transformed economic production
into something almost unrecognisable only decades earlier. Gone were small rural cottage industries and large land-holders extracting wealth from tenant farmers, to be replaced by steam and coal powered factories in massively expanding cities which were populated by low-skilled workers. Of course, as the established economic order was turned on its head, critics started to emerge, most notably German
radicals <b>Karl Marx</b> and <b>Frederich Engels</b>. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Marx and Engels, writing in their critique <i><b>Das Kapital</b></i> (1867) saw capitalism as an inherently exploitative relationship between the capitalists and workers. Because the workers were paid for work at a fixed wage, they contributed more than they received from their wages and were kept in chains by this relationship. The naturally corollary envisioned by Marx and Engels was the workers of the world uniting to end this relationship in a worker-centred socialist utopia. This notion, argued for in an earlier polemic <i><b>The Communist Manifesto</b></i> (1848), saw a socialism of armies of workers; state control of credit and banking; and the near complete state dominance of all areas of economic production. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMr2_jqqe-5SYh73ux5pcKNY3C4zERh94wDTrcGuZctE99lygJdFutkE_6i-CjT5QBuWwOpREa8z5rF1Wx4LMpIdobjbH5WN5CDVTIHLEsmli1X0RUuOGlKuNdmW0Le47OjHYHYkwSp4I/s1600/Highgate+Cemetary+-+Marx+Monument.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMr2_jqqe-5SYh73ux5pcKNY3C4zERh94wDTrcGuZctE99lygJdFutkE_6i-CjT5QBuWwOpREa8z5rF1Wx4LMpIdobjbH5WN5CDVTIHLEsmli1X0RUuOGlKuNdmW0Le47OjHYHYkwSp4I/s1600/Highgate+Cemetary+-+Marx+Monument.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The grave of Karl Marx in Highgate Cemetery in London, UK. </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Decades later when the Great Depression came around, there was debate as to how to deal with it. The prevailing thought in the United States remained the classical liberalism of Adam Smith but this wasn't universal: only a decade earlier the Russians had turned to Marxian socialism in their revolution of 1917. So while the United States never came close to becoming the next socialist republic, it was British economist <b>John Maynard Keynes</b>, already famous for his critique of the Versailles treaty, in his work <i><b>The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money</b> </i>(1936), who rose to challenge the established economic order. Keynes argued that in order to save capitalism from itself, (and thereby turning any communists aside) government needed to step in and spend massively on infrastructure to get the economy moving again. Keynes based this on the idea of <b>Aggregate Demand</b> determining the overall health of an economy and when the private sector led to inefficient macroeconomic (large scale) outcomes, it was the public sector that needed to step in and pry the pump. This could include massive spending projects like bridges, buildings or public works, but could also include just paying people to dig holes and then paying others to fill them in again. Keynesians belived that if people started working, they would buy things and this would cause upward spiral towards economic prosperity. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Neo-Keynesism found a home in the aftermath of the 2008 Financial Crisis with even conservatively-minded governments in the United States and Canada implementing massive spending programs. For example, George W. Bush's </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Troubled Asset Relief Program</b> (<b>TARP</b>) saw the US government buy assets and equity from financial institutions in order to shore them up. Across the border, Canada's <b>Economic Action Plan</b> involved massive spending on roads and other public infrastructure. More recently, <b>Quantitative Easing </b>which sees central banks such as the Federal Reserve or the Bank of England </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">buy specified amounts of financial assets from commercial banks (Citibank or RBS), thereby pushing the prices of these assets up and raising their prices, all the while increasing the amount of money in the economy. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjVO5gBz1ERKsLE0UQopD9CaPtIeWQ8Suxhkk-MYZUaOgfdUqX-G_DTXAhzBkhjmCxjgwJdMxmWFskkudMKEbRV3Y5swqKS0hyphenhyphenqVygUgk61Naaa2hwUHTJ81xv3-IYGop89YZJiePBN_Q/s1600/DSC08132.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjVO5gBz1ERKsLE0UQopD9CaPtIeWQ8Suxhkk-MYZUaOgfdUqX-G_DTXAhzBkhjmCxjgwJdMxmWFskkudMKEbRV3Y5swqKS0hyphenhyphenqVygUgk61Naaa2hwUHTJ81xv3-IYGop89YZJiePBN_Q/s1600/DSC08132.JPG" height="640" width="564" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="justify"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Lawyer and long-shot GOP 1940 Presidential candidate, Wendell Willkie narrates <i><b>The Forgotten Man</b></i>. The portions of the book where he tells the story are done in red. The rest of the book is black and white. All art by Paul Rivoche. </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">All of which brings us to the <b><i>The Forgotten Man</i></b>
and its examination of the push-pull
of government control over the economics of the Great Depression and the "New Deal", a Keynesian effort by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his brain trust to exert more state control over the economy. The story is faux-narrated
by <b>Wendell Willkie</b>, a long-shot Republican party candidate for
the 1940 presidential election who saw state-encroachment of the economy, not as a good thing, but as an interfering menace that stood in the way of real recovery by stifling ingenuity and market correcting forces. Below are some images, and if you read carefully, you'll notice the debate between state and market forces and how they are manifested in political debates around other issues including income inequality or wage and price controls. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPympsEPkkD0GCF52NYyZ9hyphenhyphencuGZKS1E_MxruOGsB7ure6FbykLrQoFiGgMVyr8S_uhlEyQJAluqBpraOlzydm4nD3tv1n585k807V0ILwbvuWTI7h4UCOBEY-TNyXuStpNaT-X3P2blo/s1600/DSC08114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPympsEPkkD0GCF52NYyZ9hyphenhyphencuGZKS1E_MxruOGsB7ure6FbykLrQoFiGgMVyr8S_uhlEyQJAluqBpraOlzydm4nD3tv1n585k807V0ILwbvuWTI7h4UCOBEY-TNyXuStpNaT-X3P2blo/s1600/DSC08114.JPG" height="510" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">At the 1932 Democratic Convention in Chicago candidate Franklin D. Roosevelt, the patrician New York State governor took his party, which was made of up liberal northerners and conservative southerners, to the left of the political spectrum.</span></span> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5yweeqFpJIVjS9nkiOlYMIBehFsqZrol-FJ-kiMkL8MozwWa5OFJhFxno99AnBKicFPenee5dgCSB9iJE57MCZaIq4yMxyY0xr8pIwwG4_QWH-GFdsIN8uP49woy8Cqs33zK4lY1pagI/s1600/DSC08134.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5yweeqFpJIVjS9nkiOlYMIBehFsqZrol-FJ-kiMkL8MozwWa5OFJhFxno99AnBKicFPenee5dgCSB9iJE57MCZaIq4yMxyY0xr8pIwwG4_QWH-GFdsIN8uP49woy8Cqs33zK4lY1pagI/s1600/DSC08134.JPG" height="640" width="540" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A depiction of the ligitation of the case<i><b> A.L.A. Schechter Poultry Corp. v. United States</b></i>. </span> </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><b>The Forgotten Man</b></i> also walks the reader through not only the economic debate and the FDR advisers, but also the legal dimensions of the New Deal policies as well. </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><b>A.L.A. Schechter Poultry Corp. v. United States</b></i> (1935) was one of the cases before the Supreme Court of the United States that saw Americans challenge FDR's laws and in this particular instance saw that honourable court render the <b><i>National Industrial Recovery Act</i></b> unconstitutional. In this instance the debate centred around Schechter Poultry selling chickens, but also focused on wage and price controls, work hours and unionization. The Court found in favour of Schechter but this did not stand in the way of more centralizing laws and soon even SCOTUS would relent, ending soon after what is called the <i><b>Lochner</b></i> era of American jurisprudence. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbYkA4Y1WYvsvHoFFOmVu0xr07FX7JM3HJxVSnSYrzpIse8UTvmo6rY19sF1L-55zdO4JhwkSZvb18MYnGmuMHndyniMzYpQJOC1DBHIirpUAqkN_3pF05ggCjYkY7ntX6Hn-NVM1v6-I/s1600/DSC08139.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbYkA4Y1WYvsvHoFFOmVu0xr07FX7JM3HJxVSnSYrzpIse8UTvmo6rY19sF1L-55zdO4JhwkSZvb18MYnGmuMHndyniMzYpQJOC1DBHIirpUAqkN_3pF05ggCjYkY7ntX6Hn-NVM1v6-I/s1600/DSC08139.JPG" height="456" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The view from the SCOTUS bench in <i><b>The Forgotten Man.</b></i></span></span> </td></tr>
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<tr align="justify"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>The Lochner</i> Era, from the decision of <i>Lochner v. New York</i>, 198 US 45 (1905), a period of laissez-faire judicial decisions based on liberty of contract and the 5th and 14th Amendments, ended in the mid 1930s. </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The inauguration of the second term of President Roosevelt. Until that time no President had so much power concentrated into his hands. Roosevelt would serve an unprecedented four terms in office, dying in office on April 12, 1945. Because of Washington's refusal to accept a third term nomination, no president until then had gone past two terms. Since the passing of the 22nd Amendment of the Constitution (1951) no president is legally permitted to sit more than two terms. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">After the policy and the ligitation, <i><b>The Forgotten Man</b></i> takes the reader to the place where poverty and economic downturn hit the hardest: the life of the everyday American. Indeed, the book's core thesis is that it was the centralizing decisions made by a powerful political and legal elite (as well as their benefactors who ran the programs) that were the real sources of the pains of the Great Depression, with the victims being the namesakes of this book. Rivoche's art works very well at portraying these men, women and children and the starkness of black and white works brilliantly with the overall message. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Paul Rivoche draws a collective farm.</span></span> </td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">All of which makes this story of economics, law and history a very enjoyable read. Indeed, if you enjoyed the prose edition of <i><b>The Forgotten Man</b></i> you will most certainly enjoy this book too. Amity Shlaes' lessons are masterfully told by Paul Rivoche and although the ideological slant might not be your cup of tea, it is never-the-less a thought provoking account of the Great Depression. Admittedly, I tack towards the author in terms of my own economic and political thinking, but please don't let that take from the valuable lesson and photo-realism that makes this book an excellent addition to anyone's library of history or sequential art. Economics is a topic that in all likelihood will be forever debated, but it is my hope today that you're leaving <i><b>WGTB</b></i> with a better sense of the topic. <b>4/5 STARS</b> </span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">*</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A <b>treatise</b> is a formal, systematic and written examination of a singular subject. They are typically longer than an essay and go to the very essence or principles of the subject. </span></div>
Mark S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02330523300153029606noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786059445475582325.post-27884036769985249552014-10-01T17:53:00.000-07:002014-10-01T17:53:00.885-07:00Addendum Review: Showa 1939-1944: A History of Japan by Shigeru Mizuki<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A few months ago I reviewed a <b><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://whatevergodstherebe.blogspot.ca/search/label/Showa%201926-1939%3A%20A%20History%20of%20Japan">graphic novel</a></span></b> by legendary Japanese artist Shigeru Mizuki and released to English-speaking audiences by Canadian publisher Drawn & Quarterly. Quite simply, it was fantastic and towards the end of the review I mentioned there was a follow-up coming in June 2014. Well, I recently read that second volume and have to say it is even better than the previous edition. The most recent portion of Mizuki's epic account of Japan in the early 20th century, <i><b>Showa: A History of Japan 1939-1944</b></i> took his story into the late 30s and early 40s which saw the Empire of Japan attack the United States of America and the bulk of the war in the Pacific. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtvW6YTRTyANSLRv0kbJ4-xSOCQ56fkeveYGGinLlQZNjDmFWbKMWhix9If-UCrcyVUGrOjN-pmYj46V6YZUxSBryq1O_yjJEHvL5f4B7fmx1BDek57NnEb6zbdJplq1I70jWYE9ewBVc/s1600/Show+1939.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtvW6YTRTyANSLRv0kbJ4-xSOCQ56fkeveYGGinLlQZNjDmFWbKMWhix9If-UCrcyVUGrOjN-pmYj46V6YZUxSBryq1O_yjJEHvL5f4B7fmx1BDek57NnEb6zbdJplq1I70jWYE9ewBVc/s1600/Show+1939.jpg" height="640" width="484" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i><b>Showa 1939-1944: A History of Japan</b></i>, Shigeru Mizuki, Drawn and Quarterly, 2013, pp. 548, C$24.95 </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I don't have much substantively to add to my previous review, but have captured some choice images for you to enjoy and hopefully this will give you an additional sense of just how masterfully drawn and insightfully told both of these books are. Simply put, Muzuki is an outstanding storyteller and I hope you read/buy/enjoy these remarkable books. Suffice it to say, </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><b><span style="font-size: large;">Showa 1939-1944 </span></b></i><span style="font-size: large;">gets a near perfect</span><i><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></i><span style="font-size: large;"><b>4.7/5 STARS </b>(the highest we've ever given) and so you really enjoy the images below, we've captioned them with some history to explain their historical significance. Thanks for stopping by! <i><b> </b></i></span><i><b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b></i></span></span></span></span></div>
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panel is especially interesting. We all know of the <b>Molotov-Ribbentrop
Pact</b> which was signed by the Soviet and Nazi foreign ministers in
August 1939 and promised non-aggression between those two totalitarian
states. But the treaty had Pacific ramifications too. Because of their invasion of Manchuria (China),
the Japanese also had an undeclared border war with the Soviet Union in the late 1930s which was of concern to both governments. Earlier, in November 1936, the Nazis and Japanese has also signed an
<b>Anti-Comintern Pact</b> against the Russians and then in </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">April 1941, the
Japanese and Soviets, in an effort to limit exposure on their western
and eastern flanks, signed a <b>Soviet-Japanese Neutrality
Pact</b>. Apparently Hitler was not very pleased. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQG1KObXGRZqJuCL0HM4ZFWVLNRCx9vKkA-KE5vZJoRe2s0TABGDIZ1CClgj1wld_HZOeZtIfNAm9gYtwZp3cNgdiHjsmCKM7CwvohDFFkjONFjvTDRdWFPSskoxbQTPdSTvb8sCRVpVc/s1600/DSC08292.JPG" height="640" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="432" /></td></tr>
<tr align="justify"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">An image from a Japanese warship on the eve of the <b>Pearl Harbor Attack</b>. While President Roosevelt had made efforts to involve the US in the Second World War, it was the Pearl Harbor attack that brought the Americans into the war in a very violent fashion. Shortly after the Japanese declared war, the Germans followed suit. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mizuki's scene from the <b>Battle of Midway</b> which took place in June 1942, seven months after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Midway Atoll is north-west of the Hawaiian archipelago and was considered a key strategic location of the Pacific. The Battle of Midway itself is considered one of the most important battles of the Pacific war and </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Japanese war leader <b>Admiral-Marshal Isoroku Yamamoto </b>proved </span>quite prophetic when he promised his government: "I can run wild for six months … after that, I have no expectation of success". Yamamoto was very close to the mark because Midway was the turning point of the Pacific War and started the American push into the Japanese "Co-Prosperity Sphere". </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Harvard trained and English-speaking Yamamoto said in reference to Pearl Harbour: "I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve." He was right there too. </span></div>
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<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">The <b>USS Enterprise</b>. The "Big E" was the most decorated US naval ship in the entire war. </span><br />
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<tr align="justify"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">An image from the <b>Battle of Sunda Straight</b>. Mizuki's black and white images of air and sea battles are hauntingly serious and accurate. </span></td></tr>
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<tr align="justify"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Here's more use of black and white to describe the naval war in the south Pacific Ocean. </span></td></tr>
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<tr align="justify"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">But despite Mizuki discussing a very serious topic, he also takes care to maintain levity, wit and humour throughout the story... </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkkabtGnN-vFVMsFXliKfTp22wBJzDfEz5P6DQK7UzB0Noau4dxIPjDLbtkLaylvDWLqQ5599XL_U0HDqGDr7bgN5wK7Q7bHyOxI7Q-EEV-KzscG-bBkCOi1SXpvT1y-txnHeIlIlWQ-I/s1600/DSC08302.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkkabtGnN-vFVMsFXliKfTp22wBJzDfEz5P6DQK7UzB0Noau4dxIPjDLbtkLaylvDWLqQ5599XL_U0HDqGDr7bgN5wK7Q7bHyOxI7Q-EEV-KzscG-bBkCOi1SXpvT1y-txnHeIlIlWQ-I/s1600/DSC08302.JPG" height="640" width="430" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="justify"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">...and at one point even includes an instance where he had a very disgusting mishap with an army latrine. Uck! </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgFuukJ8XDN7N41OKyScTTXSEmNAK582ywcBrv6Y6EjltUzNAr-h3L7Odgh-NvRK7jvxiiiK3uXiR9scvbQYxucSHW5RA7nO5WnxhyphenhyphenFr_5f676cmT9n9Ol7x9Kvg_F2NBzEGQ3DiBW5B0/s1600/DSC08304.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgFuukJ8XDN7N41OKyScTTXSEmNAK582ywcBrv6Y6EjltUzNAr-h3L7Odgh-NvRK7jvxiiiK3uXiR9scvbQYxucSHW5RA7nO5WnxhyphenhyphenFr_5f676cmT9n9Ol7x9Kvg_F2NBzEGQ3DiBW5B0/s1600/DSC08304.JPG" height="640" width="582" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">But ultimately Mizuki comes back to the futility and waist of the Japanese war effort and the derangement of Prime Minister </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Hideki Tōjō</b>. Here the prime minister talks about a Japanese parade down Whitehall (London) and imperial battleships in New York harbor.</span><b> </b></span></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Mark S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02330523300153029606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786059445475582325.post-39516934874358422982014-09-11T18:31:00.002-07:002014-09-11T18:31:43.668-07:00Remembering 9/11 <div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Today we remember the dreadful events of that otherwise beautiful morning on September 11th, 2001. Like me, I'm sure you remember exactly where you were when you saw those civilian airliners crash into the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. It was a terrible day and one we must always remember. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">While no country is perfect, as a Canadian I've always been happy to have the United States as a neighbo<u>u</u>r and, as any reader of this blog knows, love their comic books and popular culture very much. So to remind us all of America's spirit and its ability and willingness to tackle the villians of the world, I've attached two images of Nick Fury, Captain America and S.H.I.E.L.D. The art is from the great Jim Steranko. <i><b>Lest We Forget.</b> </i> </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL8p3Am6lxEO96HH5ypofMWCLaoW6G5sQgxesSnZGDX1pf1_QBLJpz1upb4_eoGehfVommPQhRxtuq6lGLEKKYo6eB2UWC-eX4-uIDKUu1MlJIS9qQPCpqhfgt4rnl4ZGmLDj9KbxyFw8/s1600/DSC08281.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL8p3Am6lxEO96HH5ypofMWCLaoW6G5sQgxesSnZGDX1pf1_QBLJpz1upb4_eoGehfVommPQhRxtuq6lGLEKKYo6eB2UWC-eX4-uIDKUu1MlJIS9qQPCpqhfgt4rnl4ZGmLDj9KbxyFw8/s1600/DSC08281.JPG" height="640" width="440" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Captain America and Nick Fury in Marvel's <b><i>Strange Tales</i> #160</b> (September 1967) Written & illustrated by Jim Steranko </span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIVbtnLOzlqEZDA4_QhlpQPdrFnIXxjcgj9uVuDFKLxrbBBCdYzFZZy-UN-JrffvxX6f6nSNaHQ8sX7yd94lkzRb96Kgau_rXlP1FcwKUKbdxEvjcov-v4-LLlnBPBvxiyQjlGsXrvfI4/s1600/DSC08285.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIVbtnLOzlqEZDA4_QhlpQPdrFnIXxjcgj9uVuDFKLxrbBBCdYzFZZy-UN-JrffvxX6f6nSNaHQ8sX7yd94lkzRb96Kgau_rXlP1FcwKUKbdxEvjcov-v4-LLlnBPBvxiyQjlGsXrvfI4/s1600/DSC08285.JPG" height="640" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Image of S.H.I.E.L.D. team by Jim Steranko. Published in <i><b>S.H.I.E.L.D by Steranko: The Complete Collection</b></i> (2013) </span></span></td></tr>
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Mark S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02330523300153029606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786059445475582325.post-61908405281305090832014-08-31T14:51:00.000-07:002014-08-31T14:59:57.192-07:00FanExpo Canada 2014<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This past weekend, the third largest comic and fan convention in North America occurred. It started on Thursday, August 28th at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto, Canada and continued until today (Sunday). Unfortunately, your humble blogger was only able to attend one day, but I was able to take a bunch of photographs for this photo-essay. Here it is: </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmKydIxSQoSqDHlMcfIkries4iZ8kkduMcxfzc0Pu3h1M7fGUxgrqkmBrS0v1sJEvUITCWAsho2T9qsPemLHRXA89OiuuuhM9YTxx56fikyuHclYChxtNEgq3VUceZkHRKEhQeKKUcDbg/s1600/DSC08165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmKydIxSQoSqDHlMcfIkries4iZ8kkduMcxfzc0Pu3h1M7fGUxgrqkmBrS0v1sJEvUITCWAsho2T9qsPemLHRXA89OiuuuhM9YTxx56fikyuHclYChxtNEgq3VUceZkHRKEhQeKKUcDbg/s1600/DSC08165.JPG" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="justify"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">FanExpo Canada 2014. Normally this convention is the weekend before the Labour Day weekend, but this year it happened to fall on <i>that</i> long weekend. And with Derek Jeter playing his last series against the Blue Jays, one felt there would be a lot of visitors from south of the border in town this time. Who doesn't love a double-header of Geek and Baseball, right? </span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSEqU6HOVWApUYziqHRDnh0ak5KPbsntIxZSMSz0DkjWpqZ5YYPSn8LBJ5NmHmUWPpsRwDYsl3lC0tDBC_QHjK5TjXFjuWHNZYC73SyvX7Ak1zVtRKvKjncI-CKYFkc9ilwo6z4JX7Sqk/s1600/DSC08161.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSEqU6HOVWApUYziqHRDnh0ak5KPbsntIxZSMSz0DkjWpqZ5YYPSn8LBJ5NmHmUWPpsRwDYsl3lC0tDBC_QHjK5TjXFjuWHNZYC73SyvX7Ak1zVtRKvKjncI-CKYFkc9ilwo6z4JX7Sqk/s1600/DSC08161.JPG" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And this was the case: the crowds were massive! This is the pre-purchased ticket queue on Saturday morning. </span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1dxk9Y5jozGfDrJyv5vhawVnEGBj-g_fmtMvGvj-JOCbBrS4cr7aN9YWOOJvPg3zacVVirBPys8s7SzeYCCvgmiQ355rffEntUbDeKRqXJG-MFrIe4RRIyr3_NZeAbY5HSQJlGO3gJvA/s1600/DSC08168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1dxk9Y5jozGfDrJyv5vhawVnEGBj-g_fmtMvGvj-JOCbBrS4cr7aN9YWOOJvPg3zacVVirBPys8s7SzeYCCvgmiQ355rffEntUbDeKRqXJG-MFrIe4RRIyr3_NZeAbY5HSQJlGO3gJvA/s1600/DSC08168.JPG" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A few years ago the North Building of the convention centre was not used for FanExpo. Now it's packed at 10:00 am! </span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizzRZY8gSKgSIIrqZEXMUnrpPHd4VnFRev97Zqe50sUDph5mc5jcgohWSsmB2JDmJ1XAwBh2BI7ikyLaHbfetNDPKm_J3uHrojZINKlPK9pwXZg7poX7SAtshEpsmZ4CSUgpyet2abln8/s1600/DSC08169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizzRZY8gSKgSIIrqZEXMUnrpPHd4VnFRev97Zqe50sUDph5mc5jcgohWSsmB2JDmJ1XAwBh2BI7ikyLaHbfetNDPKm_J3uHrojZINKlPK9pwXZg7poX7SAtshEpsmZ4CSUgpyet2abln8/s1600/DSC08169.JPG" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Horror masks. </span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzZOY2NQRcfTB0vtowShLGV0KKbFvkfvnubXVQ2ygojS1FMruF9u6KNaJq4Q6MQryTk8sH2MUEimNZx-e3SF6S1vVtBuQTkElaoQ8QvGoZ9Z-5OpegbUccYulxi5rK4rgpbPZnr8Vc4Q4/s1600/DSC08171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzZOY2NQRcfTB0vtowShLGV0KKbFvkfvnubXVQ2ygojS1FMruF9u6KNaJq4Q6MQryTk8sH2MUEimNZx-e3SF6S1vVtBuQTkElaoQ8QvGoZ9Z-5OpegbUccYulxi5rK4rgpbPZnr8Vc4Q4/s1600/DSC08171.JPG" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">North Building at about 10:10 am. </span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0F8INw5XIu4y9Eo8Uv_yxnrCLrjZMryaqWL3J3zVwNe3bF1dfi_tgRfgNUmCBmQ0gm3pTxDTeGA2NCqT4PaFkuJJrHuauRuL7xnTrsWTDXaCdo4TMxKiuNhf5VNMNOSK2TCZOYmjY_Fs/s1600/DSC08175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0F8INw5XIu4y9Eo8Uv_yxnrCLrjZMryaqWL3J3zVwNe3bF1dfi_tgRfgNUmCBmQ0gm3pTxDTeGA2NCqT4PaFkuJJrHuauRuL7xnTrsWTDXaCdo4TMxKiuNhf5VNMNOSK2TCZOYmjY_Fs/s1600/DSC08175.JPG" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Into the South Building. Comics at a comic book convention??? Who would have guessed?!? </span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-0Oh1ArWNERacjHf6ylxeAp9ctn-uNFP8JYOQsp-Rcu38iN2i6JJ5vm4PmSd430OqmVm-r9Hh0II0JgYg5zQPQ49KT0KeVKnvlUm7iImTQ3iwHCcDKq4UlbrPmMiBFLuYUSnLP2U8vf8/s1600/DSC08177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-0Oh1ArWNERacjHf6ylxeAp9ctn-uNFP8JYOQsp-Rcu38iN2i6JJ5vm4PmSd430OqmVm-r9Hh0II0JgYg5zQPQ49KT0KeVKnvlUm7iImTQ3iwHCcDKq4UlbrPmMiBFLuYUSnLP2U8vf8/s1600/DSC08177.JPG" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Darth Vader on holiday. </span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilp5XFC_VV_rW-Z30UhJgBpV0nJ4Zeq1u5DrSGvN5htqTAC3FydXLLvnmiVdBlPd7j0WL1QE4o1VwFosyuGDo3lvWMZJGv6irCk36h4EMfLZ4wksWtlx_ntDRC21aopjAo9Auze0LAJ2M/s1600/DSC08179.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilp5XFC_VV_rW-Z30UhJgBpV0nJ4Zeq1u5DrSGvN5htqTAC3FydXLLvnmiVdBlPd7j0WL1QE4o1VwFosyuGDo3lvWMZJGv6irCk36h4EMfLZ4wksWtlx_ntDRC21aopjAo9Auze0LAJ2M/s1600/DSC08179.JPG" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">More sales in the South Building. </span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh7HuAAd2wzo_XB2oqnzE_uV6HQYULMPGDzKrDiOqJpLZ7irDFy0vOP-STNk0lw67RyQk3d9QT8daMe19rotMWnpvSLVPSREEdHDcAhogoynMBIq0FsnnIp1h98-Inoc6A61dJ0T19Abw/s1600/DSC08191.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh7HuAAd2wzo_XB2oqnzE_uV6HQYULMPGDzKrDiOqJpLZ7irDFy0vOP-STNk0lw67RyQk3d9QT8daMe19rotMWnpvSLVPSREEdHDcAhogoynMBIq0FsnnIp1h98-Inoc6A61dJ0T19Abw/s1600/DSC08191.JPG" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="justify"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The <i><b>DC Champions of Justice</b></i> panel; Left to Right: David Finch, Brian Azzarello, Jeff Lemire, Greg Pax and Larry Ganem. The highlight of the listening to Azzarello talk about his (amazing) run on <i><b>Wonder Woman</b></i>. It ends later this autumn but has been a very soild three years. He also talked about how it, while being largely free of the larger DC continuity, was never-the-less true to the character. His advice to David Finch and his wife, Meredith, who take over the book in November, is to always keep in mind the passion fans have for that comic book icon. Jeff Lemire talked about Justice League United, his research into its </span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">heavily</span></span></span> Canadian content and the personal inspiration for his new character Equinox, the aboriginal Canadian who features in the story. They also spoke about working together on <i><b>Futures End. </b></i>Pak spoke about his ongoing work on <i><b>Batman/Superman.</b></i></span></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVLo4Vdk3ecXwvQ-ty_9luqLNqEjcfh1kmSIQaI-BREHmxqNqeL1zeZ9SlHhzYx50nmCOo5Vnpqi30ToV84AEXuwmJkp9Bw54_YJxdaN4bT2HF46n_-dKNw9WIE4YW9uLxKUNOROcQ1sg/s1600/DSC08193.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVLo4Vdk3ecXwvQ-ty_9luqLNqEjcfh1kmSIQaI-BREHmxqNqeL1zeZ9SlHhzYx50nmCOo5Vnpqi30ToV84AEXuwmJkp9Bw54_YJxdaN4bT2HF46n_-dKNw9WIE4YW9uLxKUNOROcQ1sg/s1600/DSC08193.JPG" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Imperials of the 501th Legion. </span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxypWFxVDywyoR3opBel55zDh98eu6EjjDgHEkOk4a0rQzJ2CFZmQiQIAM82tcyiR6fFReO9XWwz-OObg0_pq5GfUkic-SHfX23x2rNWPXPkMkbKPgm3Lous_tQIE5tlI6iPbAzmdjXgE/s1600/DSC08198.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxypWFxVDywyoR3opBel55zDh98eu6EjjDgHEkOk4a0rQzJ2CFZmQiQIAM82tcyiR6fFReO9XWwz-OObg0_pq5GfUkic-SHfX23x2rNWPXPkMkbKPgm3Lous_tQIE5tlI6iPbAzmdjXgE/s1600/DSC08198.JPG" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="justify"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The <i><b>Marvel: All Access</b></i> panel; Left to Right: Jeanine Schaefer, Charles Soule, C.B. Cebulski, Greg Pak, Ryan Stegman, Mahmud Asrar and Adam Kubert. This panel was more free-flowing than the DC with Kurbert talking about the upcoming <i><b>Axis</b></i> crossover, Soule, the upcoming <i><b>She-Hulk</b></i> courtroom drama with Matt Murdock and, of course, the impending death of Wolverine. Stegman spoke about <i><b>Inhuman</b></i> and Pak about his work on <i><b>Storm</b></i>. Jeanine was asked a "diversity in comics question" and she and C.B. spoke about how <i><b>Ms. Marvel</b></i> is the most popular downloaded book outside of North America, which has told Marvel that female lead characters are good for the bottom line. </span></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A Batmobile...of sorts. </span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The <i><b>Batman: Arkham Knight</b></i> Batmobile again. </span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Vive la France! </span></i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A Nissan S130 painted up as the Autobot "Prowl". </span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Prowl Again. </span></span></td></tr>
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<tr align="justify"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This was interesting. This Deadpool-look-a-like is actually a police recruitment character named "United" who works for the York Regional Police, a force from a region north of Toronto. I certainly don't want to see local cops wearing that outfit, but it does show how pervasive geeky things are these days. </span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Exterminate! I'm loving Peter Capaldi in the role, btw. </span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Boba Fett and Darth Vader</span></span> </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Commander Adama signing autographs along with...</span></span> </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">...the incomparable Bruce Campbell. Hail to the King, baby!!!!</span></span> </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Batmobile circa 1966. </span></span></td></tr>
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<tr align="justify"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The evening was capped off with a brief talk by William Shatner. The big event is <i><b>An Evening of the Two Captains</b></i> with Shatner joined by Sir Patrick Stewart on Sunday evening. In this short chat (30 minutes) Shatner spoke mostly of his early career, much of which was spent in Toronto after he first moved from Montreal. One notable story was about when he didn't have much, it was friendships (and that's not a euphemism) with "ladies of the evening" that helped him get through those tougher times. He was fantastic and even made a couple digs at George Takei, who doesn't seem to speak too highly of him these days. Shatner is always awesome to see, and brought the house down in only half an hour! </span> </span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So there you go: one day of FanExpo Canada. I hope you enjoyed it and we'll see you next year. </span></span></td></tr>
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Mark S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02330523300153029606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786059445475582325.post-31509955981408885492014-08-28T20:11:00.000-07:002014-08-28T20:12:19.725-07:00Happy Birthday to Jack "The King" Kirby! <div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Today marks what would be the 97th birthday of Jacob Kurtzberg a.k.a. Jack "The King" Kirby. For the few of you who don't know, Jack Kirby is one of the most important artists in the history of comic books and the co-creator of such superhero stalwarts as Captain America, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, the Hulk, the Avengers, Silver Surfer and Galactus, and so many, many more. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jack Kirby in 1993, shortly before his passing. Photo by Suzy Skaar. </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Born August 28, 1917 in Lower East Side Manhattan, Jack was the son of Jewish immigrants from Austria. At an early age he found himself to be a gifted artist and this eventually led to a job working on comic strips and graphic images at a newspaper company. Shortly afterwards, he found work drawing parts for film animation and then moved to the Fox Feature Syndicate where he met writer/editor Joe Simon. From there, the pair moved on to Martin Goodman's <b>Timely Comics</b> where Joe and Jack created the iconic <b>Captain America</b> in late 1940, almost a full year before Japanese bombs sunk the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Private Jack Kirby home safe and sound after the Second World War. </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Jack
himself would go on to serve in the 11th Infantry Regiment and would
land at Normandy, although not during the D-Day invasion.</span> </span></span></span>With entertainment options limited in the theatre of war and comic books easy to carry and pass around a barracks, there are stories of soldiers reading <i><b>Captain America</b></i> during reprieves in the fighting, often at complete unawares that Cap's co-creator was on the base close by. Jack returned state-side in early 1945 after honourable service in the US Army, perhaps most notably at the Battle of the Bulge, the last German offensive of that dreadful war. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Marvel's <b><i>Fantastic Four #48</i></b> (March 1966) which featured Silver Surfer and Galactus. </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Once back in the states, Jack returned to his true calling: art. But when the bottom fell out of superhero comics in the late 1940s, Kirby took to other versions of the funny books. Indeed, after they had reunited, Simon and Kirby created romance comics, a forerunner to young adult-themed cultural phenomena that could even include television programs like <i><b>Friends</b></i> or <i><b>How I Met Your Mother. </b></i>Kirby's work with Simon would come to an end when the latter moved to advertising, but Jack soon made the move back to Atlas (formerly Timely) Comics and when the Silver Age dawned with the publishing of DC's of <i><b>Showcase #4</b></i> in 1956, Kirby was well-situated to reconnect with his former colleague Stan Lee and create a new group of superheroes. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Image from Marvel's <i><b>Fantastic Four #91</b></i> (October 1969) This art is classic Jack Kirby. </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Stan and Jack" would go on populate the Marvel Universe with the <i><b>Fantastic Four</b></i>, <i><b>the X-Men</b></i>,<i><b> the Avengers</b></i> and many more, with the duo becoming some of the most prolific story-tellers in the history of the medium. They were also the gold standard too, with their tales featuring galactic adventures, large-than-life heroes, god-like villains, a resurrected Captain America and Marvel's calling card of the Silver Age: teen angst. Jack Kirby stayed with Marvel until the early 1970s when he was enticed to cross the street and move to DC. While at the "Distinguished Competition" Jack took the reigns of <i><b>Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen</b></i> (a poor selling book so he wouldn't take anyone's job) and created the highly serialized and archetype-rich </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">science-fiction epic </span></span><i><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span>Jack Kirby's Fourth World</b></i> as well as characters <i><b>OMAC</b></i> and <i><b>Kamandi</b></i>. In the mid 1970s Jack returned to Marvel for a short, final time where he created fan favourites <i><b>The Eternals</b></i>, among a few others. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Kirby art in Pacific Comics' <i><b>Captain Victory and the Galactic Rangers #3</b></i> (March 1982).</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">After a brief stint in animation in the late 1970s where he worked on such awesome stories as <i><b>Thundaar The Barbarian</b></i>, Jack returned to the funny books once again to do work that we would now label "creator owned". This choice of phrase is both apt and ironic due to on-going legal issues relating to the ownership of Kirby's co-creations at Marvel, issues that may yet be heard before the Supreme Court of the United States. But that is a sordid tale for another blog entry (or even a book). </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Jack Kirby's self-portrait. It features many characters he co-created and developed at Marvel Comics. </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span id="goog_255722879"></span><span id="goog_255722880"></span>Jack Kirby passed away on </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">February 6, 1994 at the age of 76. When your humble blogger became re-acquainted with comic books after a decade-plus hiatus, it the re-discovery of Jack Kirby's art that drew me in and indirectly led to the creation and naming of this blog. <i><b>WGTB</b></i> loves Kirby's larger-than-life characters, his legendary "Kirby Krackle" and the dynamism of almost any page he has ever drawn. So happy birthday, King! You're well and truly missed and have legions of supporters and fans who will ensure your name is never forgotten. </span></span></div>
Mark S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02330523300153029606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786059445475582325.post-12106862718162781312014-08-13T18:42:00.001-07:002014-08-13T18:43:48.528-07:00Johnny Canuck is a piece of Canadian history. Let's get him back in the Game!<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">On the 1 September 1939, Adolf
Hitler ordered the German </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Wehrmacht<b> </b></i>to invade Poland. The United Kingdom, then allies with the Poles
and having pledged support in the event of an invasion, immediately declared war on the German <i>Reich</i> and the Second World War had begun. For Canadians however, the beginning of this conflict was not immediate. Twenty-five years earlier when Britain declared war on the Central Powers (which included Germany) it was done
by King George V in the name of the British Empire and Canada was automatically in the conflict. But by 1939 things had changed. Eight
years prior, the UK parliament had passed the <b>Statute of Westminster</b>
which ended British control of the Empire's foreign policy and Canada’s government was now free to make up its own decisions about a response to Hitler's aggression. These new powers notwithstanding, the Canadian parliament wasted little time and on 8 September 1939, Nazi Germany also found itself at war with Canada. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A Canadian World War II propaganda poster by Henri Eveleigh. Although the Statute of Westminster meant Canada was now (almost completely) independent, it was never-the-less still very close to Britain. </span></span> </td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Over the course of the Second World War, Canada would contribute a great deal to the overall effort. This included over 1.1 million people (out of a population of </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">slightly over 11 million total citizens in 1939) and considerable materiel and supplies for its own and the British war effort. Indeed, in the same month that President Roosevelt
proclaimed that the United States would become the "Arsenal of Democracy" and start selling
mutations to Britain and Canada, the Canadian parliament passed the <b>War Exchange
Conservation Act, 1940</b>. This law stopped the importation of "non-essential" items into Canada with the purpose of curbing its mounting trade deficit with the United States. A casualty of this new law were both magazines and the cultural phenomenon that was started in 1938, in part, by a talented young artist from Toronto: comic books. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But as is often the case, the </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">War Exchange
Conservation Act had some </span></span>unintended
consequences and one of these was the prolific growth in homegrown comic books,
based largely on Canadian tropes and geared to Canadian consumers. Sure, the
superhero trend started by <b><i>Action Comics #1</i></b> had reached across the somewhat porous American border
and many Canadian superheroes were
similar to their US counterparts. But others, like <b>Johnny Canuck</b>, focused on the Canadian war effort and spoke to a young audience that had this on their minds. Johnny Canuck wasn't a superhero <i>per se</i>, but that didn't stop him from doing many of the things his super-soldier ally from Brooklyn did, including beating the crap out of Adolf Hitler! With Johnny there was an emphasis on the skills Canadians liked to think their "regular" soldiers, sailors and airmen had too: derring-do, intelligence, fighting-spirit and skills, among many others. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Johnny Canuck stamp issued as part of 1995 Canadian Superheros collection from Canada Post. Johnny Canuck was often portrayed as a pilot. </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">First appearing in <i><b>Dime Comics #1</b></i> (February 1942) and published for 38 issues, Johnny Canuck was a hit with Canadian readers for much of the war. But unfortunately, his fame was short-lived and unlike many of his American contemporaries, he has not been seen since. Well, that's until now, because in July of this year my friend <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://comicsyrup.com/"><b>Rachel Richey</b></a></span>, a comics historian and
successful co-publisher of the 1940s <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://nelvanacomics.com/"><i><b>Nelvana of the Northern Lights</b></i></a></span> comics has launched another Kickstarter campaign to bring Johnny back to print. Rachel is hoping to re-print all issues of Johnny's run and <i><b>WGTB</b></i> is looking forward to delving back into the stories of a Canadian icon! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If you haven't done so already done so, please consider supporting Rachel's Kickstarter project by <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/96364695/johnny-canuck-the-return-of-canadas-hero"><b><span style="color: blue;">visiting it here.</span> </b></a>Rachel has also assembled a team of some of the best in the business to support her cause and as of today is only a few thousand dollars short. Please jump on this bandwagon today because the campaign to get Johnny Canuck back in the game ends August 27th. Tally-ho! </span></span></div>
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Mark S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02330523300153029606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786059445475582325.post-28000173661357579642014-08-01T15:57:00.002-07:002014-08-01T17:06:40.455-07:00WGTB Reviews Marvel Studios' Guardians of the Galaxy<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Marvel Studios' latest offering arrived in cinemas today, and while I'm positive many of you have already seen <b><i>Guardians of the Galaxy</i></b>, here's a quick review for those who haven't. It's abridged because I'm off to a wedding soon and has been divided into three categories: 1) <b>Good</b>, 2) <b>Bad</b>; and, 3) <b>Post-Credit Scene</b>. The two minutes at the end of the film warrant its own category because, let's face it, it has become as much a reason for going to Marvel films as the flick itself. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1xjHwrqygPgq6lcGeqWPkkncusWnD2e2MZHNhDwDip1QG7vuvRo9tp149ad565lVca7UD4rKPP_GDxC6AbHdMsb7oydUkcOVhBKcQOnHWQLNfQTTT5j98sRtx2kZ5SsM3DgR0UkhCX18/s1600/Guardians-of-the-Galaxy-Poster-High-Res-570x844.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1xjHwrqygPgq6lcGeqWPkkncusWnD2e2MZHNhDwDip1QG7vuvRo9tp149ad565lVca7UD4rKPP_GDxC6AbHdMsb7oydUkcOVhBKcQOnHWQLNfQTTT5j98sRtx2kZ5SsM3DgR0UkhCX18/s1600/Guardians-of-the-Galaxy-Poster-High-Res-570x844.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i><b>Guardians of the Galaxy </b></i>(2014)
Starring: Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana, Vin Disel, Bradley Cooper, Lee Pace & Glenn Close. Directed by James Gunn. RATED: PG-13,
TIME: 122 minutes </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><u><b>The Good</b></u> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Marvel has nailed the CGI and this film was a treat for the visual senses. Computer generated characters Groot and Rocket Raccoon were awesome and the many space scenes were as good as any I've ever seen. The acting, for the most part, was good too with <b>Chris Pratt</b> being a fantastic Peter Quill and </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Zoe Saldana </b>and<b> Dave Bautista </b>excellent in their roles of Gamora and Drax the Destroyer. That said, the best character of the film was a witty, likable and very funny Rocket, voiced by <b>Bradley Cooper. </b>The origin story of Peter Quill was also very well written and is a great example of not needing an entire film to explain the beginnings of a Marvel character. Speaking of Marvel characters, the film did feature some awesome tidbits of Marvel's extensive mythology, with the MacGuffin of the story being a key element of it. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><u><b>The Bad</b></u> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">While the acting and parts of the plot were good, on the whole I found the storyline to be weak and at times seemed to simply jump from one battle to the next. Don't get me wrong, I love action as much as anyone, but I really thought there could have been a little more flow between the chapters of the story. Also, parts of the dialogue seemed clunky and there was also an unnecessary amount of foul language. Not swears <i>per se</i> but just stuff that shouldn't be heard by the legends of kids who will come out to see <i><b>Guardians. </b></i>I know that sounds a little old-fashioned, but that's how I feel. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><u>After-Credit Scene</u> </span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Unfortunately, I actually found it to be weak. The joy of these scenes is they hint at a future film. But the character featured in this one just didn't seem to match and to walk into the cinema hoping for something from <i><b>Avengers: Age of Ultron</b></i> or <i><b>Ant-Man</b></i> meant that you left a little disappointed. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So although this was an enjoyable film, it wasn't as good as I hoped, nor was it as good as its been reviewed. But let me know if you think I'm completely off-base because, after all, I was a blogger who liked <i><b>Green Lantern</b></i> a couple years back! In the meanwhile, <i><b>Guardians of the Galaxy</b></i> will get <b>3.5/5 STARS</b>. </span></span></div>
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Mark S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02330523300153029606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786059445475582325.post-32171747959447788452014-07-30T18:23:00.002-07:002014-07-30T18:23:46.523-07:00WGTB Reviews: Andre The Giant: Life and Legend by Box Brown<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As a boy who grew up in the 1980s it was impossible to ignore the World Wrestling Federation. Hulk Hogan, Rowdy "Roddy" Piper, Junk Yard Dog, Jimmy "Superfly" Sunka; these names were ubiquitous in the schoolyard and you needed to understand the basics</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> to take part in almost any conversation</span></span>. For me, while I was never allowed to stay up and watch the
<i>WWF Saturday Night Main Event</i>, I never-the-less gleaned as much information as I could about the goings-on of Hulk and crew on the after school and weekend shows that were scattered across television.<i><b> </b></i></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">André</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span>the Giant: Life and Legend</i> </b>by Box Brown </span></span> tells the story of one of the most memorable characters of the '80s wrestling boom, a remarkably large man named </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">André René Roussimoff also known as </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">André</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span>the Giant. </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <b> </b></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU41VKE_2hl2htsRBP-LQN_HwAzQjukOt2qR7Q7K8Q0nxKcGgw_g_LSMUWo7SJd79739ga9S5CysZPVNLhl2Am5QX523TeYHjHvDqGDGAI_vUQOe6vgVcUdTRWPnc9QLBKhqv9GQkrFN4/s1600/Andre+the+giant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU41VKE_2hl2htsRBP-LQN_HwAzQjukOt2qR7Q7K8Q0nxKcGgw_g_LSMUWo7SJd79739ga9S5CysZPVNLhl2Am5QX523TeYHjHvDqGDGAI_vUQOe6vgVcUdTRWPnc9QLBKhqv9GQkrFN4/s1600/Andre+the+giant.jpg" height="640" width="450" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><i>Andre the Giant: Life and Legend</i></b>, Box Brown, First Second, 2014, pp. 240, C$19.99 or US$17.99</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Born in Grenoble, France to Boris and Mariann Roussimoff, themselves of Polish and Bulgarian ancestry, </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">André<b> </b></span></span>had the rare condition of "giantisim", itself caused by the body's over-production of growth hormone or, to use the medical term, <i>Acromegaly</i>. </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">André's condidition was </span></span>b</span></span>oth a gift and curse </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">and he was 240 pounds (109 kg) by the time he turned 12. At about that same time, he dropped out of school to work on a farm. Eventually, he would apprentice for a trade and find work in a factory before moving to Paris where he briefly worked as a mover. But it was in the French capital that he would be scouted by a local promoter and find the job that would make him a household name: professional wrestler. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi574QHaGeRpNGqn6JjyW5MtqzFGULrX5MV5MWfD7Cxf2pWQr1HtsxIY5kAYXqhmKCzg8kHCw40CbfAsbUYvKa-Jg9VmIcbxsAdaOxuqopqxbHbL-hsqlMUgk-FfvmzpcWkO2JqmDuQCmk/s1600/DSC08072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi574QHaGeRpNGqn6JjyW5MtqzFGULrX5MV5MWfD7Cxf2pWQr1HtsxIY5kAYXqhmKCzg8kHCw40CbfAsbUYvKa-Jg9VmIcbxsAdaOxuqopqxbHbL-hsqlMUgk-FfvmzpcWkO2JqmDuQCmk/s1600/DSC08072.JPG" height="531" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">André was big as a child but originally only ever envisioned life on the farm. All subsequent art from Box Brown's </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Andre the Giant: Life and Legend.</i></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Six months later and wrestling under the name "Geant Frerre", </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">André</span></span><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span></b>took the wrestling world by storm and soon was off to Japan. After time in Asia, he made his way to Montreal in 1972. While in Canada, </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">André</span></span> became a smash hit and soon sold-out the venerable Montreal Forum on a regular basis. But this success was short lived: it became obvious to all that his size meant few could beat him in the ring. This forced </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">André </span></span></span></span>to meet with American promoters Verne Gagne and Vince McMahon Sr. who soon brought the Frenchman to the United States and set up a schedule where he wouldn't wear thin on American audiences. Eventually, </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">André</span></span><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span></b>became a sensation in America and as the World Wide Wrestling Federation became the WWF and the 1980s wrestling boom took hold, </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">André</span></span> the Giant became a key part of that increasingly television-based spectacle. He remained a WWF stalwart until his final on-air performance in 1991 and would pass away only months after that. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOLjmLRGykLG1VS-k5ohJGR-DzTqsNdyQ9ePK-fE4Iauvrlp0W7oXAx6l-Oy2JwmWw-l3j47I91vrRGZr5-MyLUzB66hkWPvfHnoMIq1uO2-1N891xv8R_gqh4yUaBUOS_FIX_3mw0IxU/s1600/DSC08060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOLjmLRGykLG1VS-k5ohJGR-DzTqsNdyQ9ePK-fE4Iauvrlp0W7oXAx6l-Oy2JwmWw-l3j47I91vrRGZr5-MyLUzB66hkWPvfHnoMIq1uO2-1N891xv8R_gqh4yUaBUOS_FIX_3mw0IxU/s1600/DSC08060.JPG" height="284" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">André</span> always towered over his competitors as well as his fans. </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Box Brown's <i><b>Andre the Giant: Life and Legend</b></i> walks its reader through the amazing story recounted above. Full of tidbits and antidotes about </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">André's life, as well as insights into the wrestling business and first-hand accounts of the Giant's exploits, this is another example of why comic biographies can be so enjoyably informative. </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Simply put, I
would never read a 240 page book about </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">André</span></span><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span></b>the Giant. Sure, he's an interesting person, but limited time means limited books. But </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><b>Life and Legend </b></i></span></span>took me a fraction of time that a prose tome would, yet in that time I managed to gather a great deal of information, insight and amusement. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin1iv10xySA7eezMY6Ve1Hfv8ZGkv7lNUIxuBdtN_MSuYBWQM4DE3g_oU1y-ExFuOmWjKNVBiQ78G26PH_tK_uNux9ay-pxxYCzB0onXI1Ej3RqE_ibeGH9ycYyzPOeVhgkzuwYlZvrow/s1600/DSC08063.JPG" height="640" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="574" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">André</span> size often meant that people wanted to take a crack at him and he was bullied quite often. However he sometimes made things difficult for himself too. </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Box's storytelling is fair to all parties involved and while much of the information is taken from secondary sources (which are listed in the Source Notes at the back), the book is well documented and has a good mix of unknown stories and welcome analysis. Indeed, while the book is clearly an informed labour of love of both </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">André</span></span> and wrestling by Brown, it's not gushing or bogged down by jargon and is therefore accessible to someone who isn't overly familiar with this performance sport. Brown takes pains to document certain key events in both the history of the WWF and</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">André's life, with the match between Hogan and </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">André at </span></span></span></span></span></span><i>Wrestlemania III</i></span></span> given special prominence. It's here that the reader comes face-to-face with </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">André's devotion to his business and fans and it's impossible not to appreciate him after reading this. </span></span> </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGEMRX5raECSGkZxFlA3i8IoOaXeOmsai66nI2PtISz-rzUcXUrI_0WOpdNdoyRNBe-FVz_mEzr3gnI6PcN0JPzCcC6skaC94tXEAWVeYZ41mqBrU5hm-odhCe4OqjwfF913NTyUN-sz8/s1600/DSC08076.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGEMRX5raECSGkZxFlA3i8IoOaXeOmsai66nI2PtISz-rzUcXUrI_0WOpdNdoyRNBe-FVz_mEzr3gnI6PcN0JPzCcC6skaC94tXEAWVeYZ41mqBrU5hm-odhCe4OqjwfF913NTyUN-sz8/s1600/DSC08076.JPG" height="640" width="620" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Hulk Hogan body-slams </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">André </span></span>the Giant at <i>Wrestlemainia III. </i></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Brown explains what made this event important to wrestling and how hurt </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">André actually was when he performed in this match </span></span><i> </i> </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Brown's art is very good and reflects the story of </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">André </span></span>with compassion, care and sincere interest. As you can see from the posted images, the artwork isn't detailed or photo-realistic, but never-the-less has a dignity, respect and gravitas that is needed to tell the tale of </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">André's life</span></span><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">. </span></span></b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Things weren't easy for this man. Yes, there were </span></span>advantages to being big, it was also a considerable burden. Box Brown's work is a worthy telling of this story and a credit to the comic storytelling medium. <b>4/5 STARS</b></span></span></div>
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Mark S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02330523300153029606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786059445475582325.post-50929211793314959032014-07-24T17:22:00.000-07:002014-07-24T18:07:53.780-07:00SuperSoundtracks #7: Reed Richards & Deadmau5<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Reed Richards a.k.a. "Mr. Fantastic" is without question my favourite comic
character. I like him because first and foremost, he's very smart, quite probably the smartest character in the Marvel Universe. But he's also a family man, a good and loyal friend but flawed and imperfect in a lot of ways too. Simply put, he's one of Marvel's most interesting and well-rounded characters. This is why it has been so difficult figuring out a SuperSoundtrack for him. If you can't remember, a SuperSoundtrack is a re-occurring feature on <i><b>WGTB</b></i> where we pair a song with a comic book superhero and explain why the two fit together. It's basically a fun way to talk about both comics <u>and</u> music, two things we love here! </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEift9IDyyNteTSsMlXP27eHYb3WQc4_kXr3N3uI4_D_ZeXexedfLXQ5UdvjUN1UF1IiCglL9nxlEyHvuHmt_mn_-wvYKdZfTkGtE_gIXAJ6DLH2mBR2w8XqQG4KVED9ELC1QHDKo2-818A/s1600/DSC08046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEift9IDyyNteTSsMlXP27eHYb3WQc4_kXr3N3uI4_D_ZeXexedfLXQ5UdvjUN1UF1IiCglL9nxlEyHvuHmt_mn_-wvYKdZfTkGtE_gIXAJ6DLH2mBR2w8XqQG4KVED9ELC1QHDKo2-818A/s1600/DSC08046.JPG" height="640" width="398" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Reed Richards in Marvel's </span></span><i><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">New Avengers Vol. 3 #1 </span></span></b></i><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span></b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(March 2013)</span></span><i><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span></b></i><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span></b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Written by Jonathan Hickman with pencils by Steve Epting and inks by Rick Magyar & Rank D'Armata</span></span><i><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></b></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Reed Richards was created in the early 1960s. You might remember the (likely apocryphal) story: <b>Martin Goodman</b>, publisher Marvel Comics was playing golf with National Periodical Publications' (DC Comics) <b>Jack Liebowitz</b> or <b>Irwin Donenfeld</b> when the DC boss boasted about the success of the new <i><b>Justice League of America</b></i> title. Goodman, seeing an opportunity for Marvel to return to superheroes, went back to the office and instructed <b>Stan Lee</b> to come up with a new team of science-fiction themed characters. The result was <i><b>The Fantastic Four #1</b>,<b> </b></i>released in November 1961 and co-created with artist <b>Jack Kirby</b>. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh92D55YfO2sint9zj9jvup_B6UU44WSC9ocok9om5EILs2dCHZfj48mipooBd1nmzNYQHxK7ogE-P_rTWbOC0eqpTno8TY9LhJmnk6Cln1U4VcoWtcCs7o6Jp7Fc7BKtoS3Cg7OnOun8U/s1600/2784884-fantastic_four+cover.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh92D55YfO2sint9zj9jvup_B6UU44WSC9ocok9om5EILs2dCHZfj48mipooBd1nmzNYQHxK7ogE-P_rTWbOC0eqpTno8TY9LhJmnk6Cln1U4VcoWtcCs7o6Jp7Fc7BKtoS3Cg7OnOun8U/s1600/2784884-fantastic_four+cover.jpeg" height="640" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Cover of Marvel's <i><b>The Fantastic Four Vol. 1 #1</b></i> (November 1961)</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Although the Fantastic Four owed their creation to the Justice League, they were unlike them in many ways. Having acquired their powers from bombarding cosmic rays while on a spaceship of Reed Richards' design, they brought to their stories pre-existing relationships and were a family. Reed's girlfriend and eventual wife was Susan Storm, the lone female member of the team, and her brother Johnny, was a hot-headed teenager. The team also featured Reed's best friend from college, Ben Grimm. Ben's power was that he had permanently turned into a rock-like "Thing". Reed's was that he could stretch and change in an elastic-like manner; Sue's was that she could turn invisible; and Johnny became the Human Torch. The Fantastic Four, also in stark contrast to their Justice League counterparts, didn't keep secret identities and were celebrities in their own right. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIWDED6YjYhDgQK4IE5qn9O-4SbdSD8zzq4dRBj2UDMPh1sx6eGqMSaiJh3-PWCBI5bMSXtUHtaOAWJnv3Fw6yPdXCF48oyzG7zTjdEubV9q88E3GuIQEaespUr5ggaSweWsn1HjBWrA4/s1600/DSC01636.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIWDED6YjYhDgQK4IE5qn9O-4SbdSD8zzq4dRBj2UDMPh1sx6eGqMSaiJh3-PWCBI5bMSXtUHtaOAWJnv3Fw6yPdXCF48oyzG7zTjdEubV9q88E3GuIQEaespUr5ggaSweWsn1HjBWrA4/s1600/DSC01636.JPG" height="352" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Image from Marvel's <i><b>The Fantastic Four Vol. 1 #47</b></i> (February 1966) by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">From <i><b>The Fantastic Four #1</b></i>, the book would proceed for 611 issues and included some of the most highly acclaimed runs in all of comics. Indeed, Stan and Jack's run of 102 (with 6 Annuals) in so many ways stands atop the podium of the Silver Age and introduced to the Marvel Universe such stalwart characters as the Skrulls, the Watcher, Galactus, the Silver Surfer, the Black Panther, the Kree and so many others. Stan and Jack's collaborative effort also gave birth to what became the "Marvel Method", a teamwork focused way of comic story writing. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEcBAVKEoFtGJlTirqwXw3p-u5Cng34AuYO74d0Uqj5nsOREWmLnwMwTvmzclw7HrJG7npzkt52PGZfvRrMEJhptWI3HlwFkW95EcE1L-_ZtEEC4Vy0uqjd8Wcg6ayhmuDGbMOvV64M4A/s1600/DSC01642.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEcBAVKEoFtGJlTirqwXw3p-u5Cng34AuYO74d0Uqj5nsOREWmLnwMwTvmzclw7HrJG7npzkt52PGZfvRrMEJhptWI3HlwFkW95EcE1L-_ZtEEC4Vy0uqjd8Wcg6ayhmuDGbMOvV64M4A/s1600/DSC01642.JPG" height="640" width="548" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Image from Marvel's <b><i>The Fantastic Four Vol. 1 #358 </i></b>(November 1991) Story by Tom DeFalco, pencils by Paul Ryan & inks by Danny Bulanadi. </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As the Silver Age turned to Bronze, <i><b>The Fantastic Four</b></i> lost much of their lustre. It still sold well and kept the self-proclaimed "The World's Greatest Comic Magazine" but it would take British-Canadian creator <b>John Byrne</b> to really revive the franchise. Byrne, stepping-up in the summer of 1981, gave us another long and enjoyable run of the venerable title. Byrnes' run was five years long and had much of the science-fiction that Lee and Kirby's did, but also gave it a more modern feel, reaching its height (in this blogger's opinion) with "The Trial of Reed Richards" arch. Here Reed Richards faced prosecution for saving the life of world devouring Galactus. In his defence Richards offered up this rationale: </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhurBXstkajhO4JyGNX_oQJ4yiCBfNIwGMQHNh6H0o7RPXNc54eyJjx8WoC644hsGY7EOA1RdbZZnulgN5mNkbJkD77kQlPIp75n6aiyHKqCdvh3bQpv-9WK35bwcKs177Cd915GwqPCXM/s1600/DSC01603.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhurBXstkajhO4JyGNX_oQJ4yiCBfNIwGMQHNh6H0o7RPXNc54eyJjx8WoC644hsGY7EOA1RdbZZnulgN5mNkbJkD77kQlPIp75n6aiyHKqCdvh3bQpv-9WK35bwcKs177Cd915GwqPCXM/s1600/DSC01603.JPG" height="378" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Image from Marvel's <i><b>The Fantastic Four Vol. 1 #262</b></i> (January 1984) Here Byrne's unique storytelling comes to a fore with Reed facing criminal charges of a <i>galactic</i> scale. </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Byrnes' enjoyable run was followed by subsequent creators who were met with mixed success and gradually the <i><b>Fantastic Four</b></i> were eclipsed by the likes of the <i><b>Uncanny X-Men</b></i> and the <i><b>Avengers. </b></i>However, </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">when speaking of creators, </span></span>I would be remiss if I didn't mention the great run that <b>Jonathan Hickman</b> put together in the latter portion of the first volume of <i><b>The Fantastic Four</b></i>. In this run Richards founded the Future Foundation, the core members being the two children he and Sue had together and a mix of other eclectic personalities. <b>Brian Michael Bendis</b> and Hickman would later introduced us to Reed as a core member of the Illuminati in the <i><b>New Avengers</b></i>. This group brought Mr. Fantastic together with Ironman, Black Panther, Dr. Strange, Namor, and Professor X (and later Beast) to deal with threats that only the brightest on Earth could handle. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Of late, there has been some unfortunate talk of Marvel cancelling the <i><b>The Fantastic Four</b></i> comic book. I know the numbers haven't been great recently, but from what I've read, this has more to do with <b>20th Century Fox</b> owning the movie rights to the characters and <b>Marvel/Disney</b> not wanting to cross-promote another company's product. What comes of this we will have to wait and see. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinpqTh5sz3bDvljkOiBtsBzZlO1kPrqGAqwA7m1jkIq7Pk4XbztvNSRNLjCxuuDqPHLvzGtxx9ofxyIiqZMSTkgmHQNEZyRa9AqRfR1llK98rMdvrKSmGj-h3njveUlXvv-hfpMi1opXs/s1600/DSC08059.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinpqTh5sz3bDvljkOiBtsBzZlO1kPrqGAqwA7m1jkIq7Pk4XbztvNSRNLjCxuuDqPHLvzGtxx9ofxyIiqZMSTkgmHQNEZyRa9AqRfR1llK98rMdvrKSmGj-h3njveUlXvv-hfpMi1opXs/s1600/DSC08059.JPG" height="636" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The final appearance of Reed Richards in the first volume. From Marvel's <i><b>The Fantastic Four Vol. 1 #611 (December 2012) </b></i></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Written by Jonathan Hickman with pencils and inks by Ryan Stegman. Pictured here with his father Nathaniel Richards. </span></span><i><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></b></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For Reed Richards' SuperSoundtrack I’ve selected some progressive house by Canadian artist
<i><b>Deadmau5</b></i>. The track is <span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84TYi3FOMlU"><i><b>"Strobe"</b></i></a></span> off
<i><b>Deadmau5</b></i>’s 2009 album <i><b>For Lack of a Better Name</b></i> and while I know it might seem a
little strange to go with progressive house when there is a plethora of older music that could be used for the elder statesmen of the Marvel Universe, (here I'm thinking specifically of </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">J.S. Bach's </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipzR9bhei_o"><span style="color: blue;">Toccata and Fugue in D minor</span></a>) </b>I still think there are good reasons to do so. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtR_WNoKFC0q6ALr938Ritk1awXEmu4HxBiZzEhZbKe8FyT0gq4MdNydAQnHvMl5oBca_ys62WO03jnnOrXHpYObWiAWHgGyNNwh0ArgEa-2rc7R6U5xZ6kB4t-FMtOGTQRDBpYxljzYI/s1600/Deadmau5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtR_WNoKFC0q6ALr938Ritk1awXEmu4HxBiZzEhZbKe8FyT0gq4MdNydAQnHvMl5oBca_ys62WO03jnnOrXHpYObWiAWHgGyNNwh0ArgEa-2rc7R6U5xZ6kB4t-FMtOGTQRDBpYxljzYI/s1600/Deadmau5.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Cover of <i><b>Deadmau5</b></i>'s <i><b>For Lack of a Better Name</b></i>. This was the Canadian recording artist's fourth studio album. </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Listening to Strobe, it starts with an ambient piano-infused progression which really allows you to picture Reed in his laboratory, where he is the most happy and effective. At about
minute four of the ten minute track, the beat kicks in and it's here where we can envision Mr. Fantastic as a man of action: a scientist who is not above getting his hands dirty and using his towering
intelligence to do what his family, friends or the planet Earth needs. By the end, the melody
transitions again into an almost hypnotic place and then closes in a final wind-down with a chain of mysterious ethereal and space-like sounds. This is where I've always felt Reed Richards is at home and is best placed to do his work: in outer space. Just as long has he has his family with him, of course! </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAEkmEcvqc-cVBwtmRL8nk-B_vCDa7af5kkp928TM5-kLIr4_hHvXAGWisAJEtVnkycfNbx5sAVD3etCUZ-5yaLeGDxCrORVsP9YB9FJEbtNVH8iwY86RdwjSOA6I797F6PA5Pb4w3kWQ/s1600/DSC08054.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAEkmEcvqc-cVBwtmRL8nk-B_vCDa7af5kkp928TM5-kLIr4_hHvXAGWisAJEtVnkycfNbx5sAVD3etCUZ-5yaLeGDxCrORVsP9YB9FJEbtNVH8iwY86RdwjSOA6I797F6PA5Pb4w3kWQ/s1600/DSC08054.JPG" height="640" width="442" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Reed Richards in his lab. Image from <i><b>The Fantastic Four Vol. 4 #1</b></i> (January 2013) written by Matt Fraction with pencils by Mark Bagley and inks by Mark Farmer</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Although I went with <i><b>Strobe</b></i> for Reed Richards, there are some runners-up to be mentioned. The first is the above mentioned organ masterpiece by J.S. Bach, which I think is a direct ancestor of music like progressive house. But more recently Deadmau5's track <i><b>Errors in my Bread</b></i> from his June 2014 album <i><b>While (1<2)</b></i> also captures a scientist at work. Have a listen to all of the above mentioned music and if you can picture the great Reed Richards talking to Norrin Radd or Black Bolt while doing it, then I've accomplished my goal. Of course, if you have any suggestions about Reed Richards, Deadmau5 or any other SuperSoundtrack then please comment below. Thanks for reading! </span></span></div>
Mark S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02330523300153029606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786059445475582325.post-25818388586522500532014-07-15T12:34:00.002-07:002014-07-16T09:53:24.298-07:00A Female Thor? <div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I say <u>bring it on!</u> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><i>Thor</i></b> comics have never been so much about the <i>man</i> as they're about Thor's hammer <i>Mjolnir</i>. Remember Beta Ray Bill? If not, Bill first appeared in <i><b>Thor #337</b></i> and was a horse-faced alien created by long-time <i><b>Thor</b></i> scribe and artist Walt Simonson. Simonson's goal in making Bill 'ugly' was deliberate: he wanted the reader to first think of him as a villain. Then, after lifting <i>Mjolnir</i>, all physical superficiality would be cast aside and a true heroic spirit emerge. It worked and Beta Ray Bill remains a lasting character in Marvel's pantheon to this day. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Thor image taken from the Marvel website. This image is drawn by Esad Ribic. </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Anyone who is worthy of wielding </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Mjolnir</i> <u>should</u> wield it, regardless if they're alien, human or god. So I think it's great that Marvel has decided to mix things up and with Jason Aaron and </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Russell Dauterman at the helm of this book, we should all be looking forward to it. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Cover of Marvel's <b><i>Thor</i> #337</b> (November 1983) featuring Beta Ray Bill. </span></span></td></tr>
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Mark S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02330523300153029606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-786059445475582325.post-29738034813297135162014-07-13T10:40:00.000-07:002014-07-13T10:40:10.873-07:00Exploring Japan Through Comics: WGTB Reviews 47 Ronin: The Tale of the Loyal Retainers & Showa 1926-1939: A History of Japan<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">When you think of Japan, you might think of electronics, bullet trains and Mt. Fuji. Or perhaps it’s <i>sushi</i> and the plethora of talented
baseball players we have seen in North America in recent decades. Whatever it is one thing is certain: Japan is a fascinating and complex place with remarkable people. I know this personally because in the early 2000s I was fortunate to live and work there for a year. It was truly a memorable experience and I've since always been on the lookout for material on Japan, especially when it relates to its amazing history. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><b>47 Ronin: The Tale of the Loyal Retainers</b></i>, Mike Richardson & Stan Sakai, Dark Horse Books, 2014, pp. 152, US$19.99 </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Which is why when I noticed two graphic novels recently at the local bookstore, I just had to have (and review) them. They were <b><i>47 Ronin: The Tale of the Loyal Retainers </i></b>by Mike Richardson and Stan Sakai<b><i> </i></b>and published by Dark Horse
Comics and <b><i>Showa
1926-1939: A History of Japan </i></b>by <i>manga
</i>legend Shigeru Mizuki and published by Canadian publisher <a href="http://www.drawnandquarterly.com/">Drawn and Quarterly</a>. Both books are enjoyable examinations of two key periods in Japanese history, the former being that of the Tokugawa Shogunate (1603-1868) and the latter of the early Showa<b> </b>period. </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Shōwa" which translated means "enlightened peace" is the posthumous name given to the era of the reign of Emperor Hirohito which lasted from 1926 to 1989. <i> </i></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><b>Showa 1926-1939: A History of Japan</b></i>, Shigeru Mizuki, Drawn and Quarterly, 2013, pp. 560, C$24.95 </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's a truism to say that Japan has a very long and complex history. Indeed, the Emperor (Japan remains the only state to have kept the title "Emperor" for its monarch) claims
issue from a line that reaches back five thousand years. The reason
for this is that unlike European monarchies which seem to attract dynastic rivalries and wars, revolutions or parliaments who simply select distant relatives over closer yet undesirable ones, (Here I speak of King George I who, upon ascending the British throne, overtook more than fifty other candidates because they were Roman Catholic), the Japanese
emperor has always been sacrosanct with the actual power found in the office of "</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">shōgun" (Japanese for "general") who even with dictatorial powers would never consider eliminating the
sacred emperor. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Modern Japanese history can be said to begin in the seismic year of 1603, when the warrior Tokugawa Ieyasu was declared Shogun and started a dynasty that would rule Japan until power was taken back by the Emperor over 265 years later in the Meiji Restoration of 1868. In the two and a half centuries the Tokugawa shoguns ruled Japan the country found a measure of stability and order. The backbone of the the Tokugawa Shogunate were the samurai, a military nobility of warrior-retainers who maintained the feudal system of government and had as their ethos "<i>Bushido</i>", a chivalric concept that stressed
loyalty, martial prowess, honour and if need be: death. Indeed, death was often occasioned by one’s own hand in a from of ritual suicide called <i>suppuku</i>. The Tokugawa Shogunate gradually built this system into law
and </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]--></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">–</span> along with the self-imposed isolation from the rest of the world </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">– </span></span>led to a stable yet isolated society that remained largely unchanged until the US Navy arrived in Tokyo
harbour in 1853, an event which spurred forth efforts that led to the Meiji Restoration and subsequent modernization. <b><i> </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>47 Ronin </i></b>is a story that epitomises the samurai ethos of medieval Japan. It
tells the story of Lord Asano, a <i>daimyo </i>lord who is called to Edo (Tokyo) in
1701. During this period the law required lords to attend the capital for a period so the Shogun
could maintain control over them. While in Edo, Lord Asano does not play the courtier’s game and when he refuses to pay a corrupt official he subsequently becomes the target of provocation and insult until he draws his sword in the Shogun's palace, a crime that comes with the punishment of death. After Asano is forced to commit <i>seppuku</i>, 47 of his loyal retainers, now themselves <i>ronin</i> or masterless samurai plot posthumous revenge </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">and eventually take action. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A splash from Dark Horse's <i><b>47 Ronin</b></i> </span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The art is great at conveying feudal Japan without...</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">The book<i><b> </b></i>is an enjoyable book and worthy investigation into Japanese history and samurai culture. Richardson's writing presents an old story in a accessible and amusing way and while I was often told in Japan that it is a country of nuance, this isn't so much the case and anyone interested in Japanese culture can pick it up and enjoy it. Much same can be said for Stan Sakai's art, which, while saying it has a juvenile quality to it would be unfair, it is never-the-less powerful and refined in a uncomplicated way. All of this brings about a collection of artwork that is not over-the-top or silly but a worthy interpretation of a great story. <b>4/5 STARS</b> </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoqw3BYdkiC9Z4NNs-45MQ4Nc9sRPukRtdN_WCjCU45zyEvjrtkBh4KTnrH9QB7cXkvK8Y21uPpb7Bv-x-CD9lSA8V8qiIVhuodRCq4Iauf5jy1uqjROrnEKSlaQltfc0QGWIsxaE8-vI/s1600/DSC08037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoqw3BYdkiC9Z4NNs-45MQ4Nc9sRPukRtdN_WCjCU45zyEvjrtkBh4KTnrH9QB7cXkvK8Y21uPpb7Bv-x-CD9lSA8V8qiIVhuodRCq4Iauf5jy1uqjROrnEKSlaQltfc0QGWIsxaE8-vI/s1600/DSC08037.JPG" height="634" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">...the romanticizing that is often found in Western depictions of the samurai culture. </span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The 47 Ronin is a old and complex tale. "To know this story is to know Japan" reads back cover of the Dark Horse edition. I'm not sure if this is true, but it is a national legend and <i><b>47 Ronin</b></i> is a worthy retelling of it. </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Our second book takes us well past the Meiji Restoration and into the early portion of the reign of Hirohito. By the end of First World War, Japan was starting to flex its geopolitical muscle. A surprise victor in the Russo-Japanese War of 1905 and entering on the side of the eventual winners of the First World War, Japan was spurred forth by these successes in the early 1900s and this had lasting ramifications. In <b><i>Showa 1926-1939: A History of Japan </i></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Shigeru </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Mizuki</span> </span></span>examines much of the Japanese aggression of the early 20th century through the eyes of his own childhood. Born in 1922 in a town on the southern edge of the largest island of Honshu, Mizuki's work is both a history of the early <i>Showa</i> era and an autobiography of his early life and the struggles he experienced in a country that was both a expanding and militarizing. It tells a story of not just family and school struggles but also the Japanese response to the <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Kanto_Earthquake">Great Kanto Earthquake (1923)</a></span>, the Great Depression, the Washington Naval Treaty, military expansion into Korea and China and ultimately joining the Axis powers in the lead up to the attack on Pearl Harbor. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The personal and historical are intertwined in <i><b>Showa 1926-1939: A History of Japan</b></i> by <i>manga</i> legend Shigeru Mizuke. Here he draws his first day of school. </span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The historical aspects of the story are made with a non-<i>manga</i> clarity. Here <i><b>Showa</b></i> discusses the Great Depression. </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">I've not enjoyed comic book history like this in a long, long while. <i><b>Showa</b></i> is not only a great book, but also a great way to learn about Japan. In an interesting and excellently chosen feature, the funny and more personally inspired vignettes are more cartoonish, whereas more photo-realistic images are chosen for historical events. This all lends itself to textual and pictorial gravitas where it's needed and a sense of humour and valuable comedic insights when they're needed too. Living in a tumultuous and changing economic and
political climate is never easy but this book makes fine work of that while at the same time not leaving the reader in a depressed state. All of this leads to a fine work of graphic storytelling that is an amazing combination of politics and personality in the early <i>Showa</i> era.* <b>4.5/5 STARS</b></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Washington Naval
Treaty, which limited Japanese naval expansion yet was still signed by
that country, was denounced and terminated by the government in
1934. </span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKWyK0G60owLhWQ9eJX-bnEkSXuviXvFmrasN5j-MLExrGeifFU56DbaJbx-oQDPfrhwrJEaAqRTyhX3NBGLAApO7wM6R1H7V7iwl-cf6GXW0Zzpr8gEjizflxxguN1Ixg2XgTLXQ5zIg/s1600/DSC07977.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKWyK0G60owLhWQ9eJX-bnEkSXuviXvFmrasN5j-MLExrGeifFU56DbaJbx-oQDPfrhwrJEaAqRTyhX3NBGLAApO7wM6R1H7V7iwl-cf6GXW0Zzpr8gEjizflxxguN1Ixg2XgTLXQ5zIg/s1600/DSC07977.JPG" height="440" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Like the above image, <i><b>Showa</b></i> uses a more photo-realistic vantage to express important events. Here is a depiction of the Japanese invasion of China. </span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In one of my classes years ago, an especially vocal student told me that I would never be able to truly understand Japan because I was not Japanese. While I suspect this was a true statement, I have never let it stop me from learning about this country. If you're like-minded or simply enjoy good graphic storytelling, then consider picking up either <i><b>47 Ronin</b></i> or <i><b>Showa. </b></i>Both are excellent introductions into their respective periods of history for either the casual and serious student of Japan and well worth the read. Thanks again for stopping by <i><b>WGTB </b></i>and I hope you're having a great summer. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">*<span style="font-size: small;">In May 2014 a sequel to <i><b>Showa 1926-1939</b></i> called </span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span class="bodyFont"><b>Showa 1939-1944: A History of Japan</b></span></i>
was released by Drawn and Quarterly. It has not yet been read by the reviewer. </span></span></span></div>
Mark S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02330523300153029606noreply@blogger.com0