I am so moved by the courage and valor displayed by the Ukrainian people as they stand up against a tyrannical megalomaniac.

 

The world is with you! And here is a list, compiled by the owner of Mossu, of all Ukrainian stores you can help support during this time.

As photographers we have a special opportunity to create with light. Perhaps it explains some of our megalomaniac personalities (only joking), because in many sacred traditions God's first creation was with light: "Let there be light."

 

But we can't create scenes as spectacular as this, we can only register them on our camera sensors and hope that we won't do a disservice to it in our processing of that image. I was fortunate to see this. The timing was critical since it barely lasted a few minutes. Since I was driving away from the mountain, it was only that I happened to catch it in my rear vision mirror than made me stop the car.

 

I could easily have called this one, "A Mountain on Fire", but I'll save that for another time.

megalomaniac

"I need a larger balcony, so I can talk to the people"...said the megalomaniacs duck.

Let's all hope there is.

a bit of hope for them.

 

below is a print made with the flower on the wrong side of the paper. I pulled it out of the sun when I realized what had happened. It made an impression anyway.

 

this little sunflower prints out looking like the gerberas. in real life they didn't look the same.

 

**chai and I had a bad night last night. I was restless and probably disturbed his sleep.

I got up this morning feeling pretty good, tho'. I made my coffee and Leon and I had our morning talk before starting on our chores. we talked about the war and both of us ended up discouraged.

he cleaned the kitchen, I'm still working on my bedroom and the walk-in closet. distractions.

 

when will this end? we are being held prisoners by a maniacal megalomaniac.

This is the main legislative chamber in the Palace of Parliament in Bucharest, Romania. You can see that it is beautiful furnished and is capped by a massive glass roof.

 

The Palace of Parliament or the People's Palace is the largest legislative building in the world and the second largest government building behind only the Pentagon. Due to all of the marble and other rich furnishings, it is estimated to be the heaviest building in the world; in fact, this weight causes it to sink about half a centimeter each year. It was begun during the communist regime of the megalomaniacal dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu. An entire quarter of the old city was razed to create the space. The cost of this building virtually bankrupted the country leading to extreme hardship in the population which hastened his downfall in 1989. After the establishment of democratic government, there was much debate about whether to complete the building. It eventually was completed and today is the main seat of government in Romania.

Whatever, I take the risk of appearing as megalomaniac with this pic lol

But Neva made me the great surprise and honor to expose some of my images in Sky Villi !

I'm so so surprised !! And very touched too...

Big big thank you to you Neva <3 You are for me one of the most generous and caring people I know.

PS : I'm so happy too you have choosen this portrait of me done by my great friend Jacky Macpherson

****

Taxi for Sky Villi, so so beautiful in winter

#sliderssunday

 

Laowa C-Dreamer 7.5mm F/2

 

It's been a while since I've "kaleidoscoped" an image, but this interior image of the modern roof of St. Matthäus-Kirche (St. Matthew church) at Berlin's Kulturforum lent itself to this type of processing because the single image is ever so slightly awry and not exactly centered. This is the most simple type of kaleidoscoping, I've only copied the image to a new layer, flipped both layers, and put them back together as a single image; finishing "this and that"-touches in LR, done.

 

St. Matthew is the only historical building left in this part of Berlin's Tiergarten district. The church building was constructed as a three-nave by Friedrich August Stüler, an exalted Prussian building official and one of the most important architects of his time. St. Matthew was inaugurated in 1846. Today, St. Matthew church is part of the so-called Kulturforum (Cultural Forum) that also houses the Neue Nationalgalerie (New National Gallery), The Berliner Philharmonie, the Kammermusiksaal (Chamber Music Hall), and several museums.

 

In 1931, Lutheran theologist Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was a member of the Bekennende Kirche (Confessing Church) and a resistance fighter against the Nazi regime (he was murdered at concentration camp Flossenbürg only one month before the end of World War II), was ordained as St. Matthew's parson. Later, the Nazis planned to take down St. Matthew and rebuild it in Spandau because it was in the way of their megalomaniac plans to remodel Berlin as the so-called "Welthauptstadt Germania" (World Capital Germania). As a part of those plans, most of the local residential development had been taken down already before WWII. Allied bombings in WWII's last years finally foiled those plans but also left St. Matthew heavily damaged. After the war, only the church building's exterior was reconstructed true to the original, while the interior was rebuilt in an unpretentious, modern way.

 

Happy Sliders Sunday, everyone, and I wish you a great new week ahead!

 

 

All of those Ists sure knew how to work together

Especially after they took over the media for themselves

You had the obvious ones

The imperialists…the capitalists…the sadists

The racists the sexists

You had the humans who insisted they didn’t

Fit inside a box or an ist

But as soon as an ist came along and they saw the advantage,

They were isted right on the spot

 

It would be accurate to say

When the isting occurred, people started to lose track

Of the things that mattered to them before

Simple melodies or the way the wind rustles through trees

They were so caught up in the isting, you see.

People also forgot to think about the future

And all of the previous treasures disappearing

Under the strain of all of the isting

 

Like a Cancer, is starts with your hair falling out

Then your teeth

Your internals are mush

You can’t taste a thing except the metal

The days of carefree whistling

Have turned into megalomaniac isting

Until there’s nothing remaining to be written down

Or left of who we were.

 

**All photos and poems are copyrighted**

At last, one of the worst periods in the government of Mexico ends tonight. We lived these last six years under the rule of what we called in Mexico "a bar drunk" (un borracho de cantina). A crazy megalomaniac, a compulsive liar, who looks himself as a messiah. Tomorrow the first female president will take his place. She is from the same political party.

Our almost former president is an ignorant, but I am sure that some of their people on the government have read the novel 1984. I am sure that they feel that the policy of Big Brother is the right thing to do. Dark times for our country.

 

The Ministry of Truth, the Ministry of Peace, the Ministry of Love, and the Ministry of Plenty are the four ministries of the government of Oceania in the 1949 dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, by George Orwell.

The Ministry of Truth (Newspeak: Minitrue) is the ministry of propaganda. As with the other ministries in the novel, the name Ministry of Truth is a deliberate misnomer because in reality, it serves the opposite: It is responsible for any necessary falsification of historical events. However, like the other ministries, the name is also apt because it decides what "truth" is in Oceania.

(the building) It is an enormous pyramidal structure of glittering white concrete rising 300 m (980 ft) into the air, containing over 3000 rooms above ground. On the outside wall are the three slogans of the Party: "WAR IS PEACE", "FREEDOM IS SLAVERY", and "IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH". There is also a large part underground, probably containing huge incinerators where documents are destroyed after they are put down memory holes. From Wikipedia

  

"They couldn't see what I thought would be so obvious

They hide behind the laws they made for all of us

The ministry of truth that deals with pretense

The ministry of peace that sits on defense

I'm washing my hands of what they're trying to do

It's for me, it's for me, it's for you, it's for you

 

I'm just a rock 'n' roll rebel

I'll tell you no lies

They say I worship the devil

They must be stupid or blind

I'm just a rock 'n' roll rebel..."

 

Ozzy Osbourne: youtu.be/hPDMszDm9dQ?si=TeG9Ofn8Ad8v_pNB

Moriarty's plans for world domination continue...

 

We're Here: Stuff in the yard

 

256/366

Fly my Beauties!!!

 

Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell

 

Evil Megalomaniac Balcony at Witherwood Thicket

 

The Castle Owner's apparel:

toksik - Coronation Cape

toksik - Coronation Top

toksik - Coronation Pants

[ContraptioN] Dapper Dandy's Gloves

[Deadwool] Enigma glasses - Fat pack

 

Theatrical props:

TLC Bats*

TLC Animesh Wearable Skeleton Dog*

  

Pose:

Done using :+:SS:+: Spring Days Hat - wearable pose prop

 

My entry for the Frogmore Witherwood Thicket Photo Contest

 

Let's go for an architecture hunt in greater Paris! This is part of Les Espaces d'Abraxas, a megalomaniac seventies development in neoclassical style in newtown Noisy-le-Grand, just east of Paris

Pointing out the LOL! *king* pelican.

 

I said I’d never post anything other than photos, but heeding the warning of the quote below, I felt that I had to voice my opinion. This needs to be said, out loud! Please read.

 

January 19, 2020

 

© 2020 Noel A. Upfield/Pixl-by-Pixl Photography

 

Nikon D750

Sigma 100-400 ƒ5-6.3

 

1/1250 s | ISO 360 | 270mm | ƒ6

 

PLEASE: Do not post any comment graphics, they will be deleted. See info in my bio.

  

d

Elonald... joined at the hip.

^

 

The world is now being led by two mega-rich, egotistical, spiteful children, and their henchmen, whose only interests are power, their own fortunes, and how they can hurt anyone who dares to speak out against them. They care nothing for the poor, the widow, the meek, the stranger. Their rise was perpetrated on us when the power hungry republican hordes, along with over 60% of so called evangelical christians, together, turned a blind eye to donald's twisted truths and vulgarity, and eagerly voted this obscene megalomaniac (whose loyalty is only to himself) into power, accepting his proven lie(s) that he represents their blinded christian values. Brings to mind Dylan's lyrics

 

..."You're gonna have to serve somebody

Well, it may be the Devil or it may be the Lord

But you're gonna have to serve somebody".

 

Face this, you are either on the side of Christ, or you are on the side of trump. Choose you this day!

 

One has to wonder which copy of "christ" they follow, certainly not the one spoken about in the bible that they claim to love and live by. Jesus never came to bolster the rich, it was instead the poor, the outcast, the prostitute, the sick, the strangers that He surrounded Himself with, and loved. True Christians are left ashamed by the wilful selfishness of these christian mega heretics, and their so called pastors and leaders who promoted this abomination from their pulpits!

 

Look at how elon just demonstrated his childish fascination with his nazi upbringing, and not one evangelical called him out on it. Not one!

Truth is, they should all ponder the following fateful words.

 

"First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me".

 

written by the German Lutheran pastor Martin Niemöller (1892–1984)

 

Unfortunately, history does repeat itself. Stop swallowing the red pill.

 

BTW, as a footnote: We are proudly Canadian, ten provinces and three territories, united under one flag, 🇨🇦 The Maple Leaf… forever! 🇨🇦 We have no desire whatsoever to become the 51st of your united snakes of america.

 

Château de Monte-Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)

Port-Marly (78)

La carte postale régionale du jour !

 

FR :

Un peu à l’écart des circuits touristiques, la folie architecturale d’un grand écrivain…

Le château Néo-Renaissance, un peu mégalomananiaque (*), qu'Alexandre Dumas a fait construire sur mesure entre 1844 et 1847, au milieu d’un parc arboré, sur les hauteurs de Port-Marly, par l'architecte Hyppolyte Durand (dont l’œuvre majeure sera, quelques années plus tard, la basilique supérieure de Lourdes)

Château que l’écrivain a dû abandonner et revendre dès 1848, faute de revenus suffisants pour l'entretenir.

Alexandre Dumas était talentueux, riche, et célèbre, mais aussi gastronome, bon-vivant, fêtard, généreux et donc dépensier et parfois endetté…

Personne n'est parfait !

Bâtiment sauvé de la destruction totale sous l’impulsion d’Alain Decaux dans les années 60.

Restauré entièrement en 2015-2016, puis classé Monument Historique en 2016.

(*) Remarquer les médaillons de toiture avec les initiales A-D entrelacées, à la manière des rois de France.

 

EN:

The crazy neo-Renaissance castle, a little bit megalomaniac, built by architect Hyppolyte Durand at the request of the famous writer Alexandre Dumas between 1844 and 1847 in the middle of a wooded park, on the heights of Port-Marly (20 km on West of Paris)

Alexandre Dumas had to give his castle up and resell it, in 1848, because lack of income to maintain it...

Fully restored in 2015

Located in Bucharest, Romania, the Palace of Parliament or the People's Palace is the largest legislative building in the world and the second largest government building behind only the Pentagon. Due to all of the marble and other rich furnishings, it is estimated to be the heaviest building in the world; in fact, this weight causes it to sink about half a centimeter each year. It was begun during the communist regime of the megalomaniacal dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu. An entire quarter of the old city was razed to create the space. The cost of this building virtually bankrupted the country leading to extreme hardship in the population which hastened his downfall in 1989. After the establishment of democratic government, there was much debate about whether to complete the building. It eventually was completed and today is the main seat of government in Romania.

This is an unnamed cascade near Vineland, Ontario that comes alive during periods of heavy rain or during a rapid spring melt. This day had heavy rain and a rapid spring melt

Still under the weather but since having the "man flu" doesn't get me any sympathy, I was persuaded to go for a drive after the rain stopped today. We did find some nice light here and there, which really brightened up the remaining fall colors. For this shot, I used a Singh Ray warming polarizer to minimize reflections and warm up the colors a bit.

 

As it turned out, we had a really nice afternoon and later I was comforted with a crusty sour dough bread, basil pesto dipping oil, a favorite Niagara Gold cheese, and a glass of Megalomaniac red wine. The latter was purely for medicinal purposes.

'The Wild Wild West'

 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=cesg8KV7M2o

 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=eapegomxZqQ

°=° Conceptual work with puddles.

  

'We had a long period of heavy rain between Sep and Nov 2015. The best was to become connected with it, creating weird megalomaniacal fantasies."

 

www.mariovanmiddendorf.de

impressions @ today's afternoon walk

 

Every war is the senseless destruction of lives

in the interests of the arms industry and a few deranged fanatics!

 

* * *

 

The two boys in the foreground were not even allowed to see their 15th birthday! Because of a megalomaniac dictator. Beware of them!

I drive to work past these trees and have for a long time wanted to explore their photographic potential. The kids and I came here at sunset a month ago, but the impromptu visit meant that we arrived too late to scout out a suitable location to use, but secondly this particular field was full of bullocks, which rather put me off entering.

 

This is one of those locations only a few miles from home that I should have explored before. It’s got obvious compositional potential and is ideally situated for sunset work, but sadly I’m not thrilled about it. I think my apathy for this location is due to its close proximity to the urban sprawl of Leeds, which for me contaminates the wild natural feel. Strange how that such a minor detail, (the houses in the distance and knowledge that only just over this hill there is suburbia) disrupts my desire to explore this location. compounding the issue further, there is also other locations which are much nicer, only a stone’s throw in the opposite direction, but due to the Chevin (a big hill near Otley) bock out the sunset light much too early before it gets interesting.

 

It was a unique collection of different winter conditions that finally brought me up here. First it was rather foggy and I was hoping it would offer me a thick undulating blanket in the distant valley, revelling these trees peering out above the fog. This also would have conveniently hidden the urban suburbia that I didn’t even want to think about. My vision hasn’t been realised in this image, but you can see the thin veil of fog building as the sun and temperature dropped. There had also been an early morning frost, and on north facing slopes it had managed to hold on till sunset, so I knew that the foreground would be more interesting than usual. I also knew that the colour would be interesting due to the fogs filtering effects on the sunset light, further compounding the natural atmospheric saturation. I also wanted to see what the more vibrant evening light would do to the frost. I’ve long loved the way frost subdues and desaturates the grass colour, but I particularly wanted to see what would happen when the evening light reflected and refracted through it. I’ve long loved this natural distortion of light through different natural surfaces. (I can remember as a student, making animations in a forest with my sixteen millimetre Bolex and loving the way light distorted its way through my slowly melting sculptures frozen in sheet ice). Anyway my vision was not realised in the way I imagined this shot, but putting on the ten stop filter and letting the slow moving clouds naturally blend the colours into what you see here, has been worth the effort.

 

Only five minutes after this shot, when I was packing up and heading back to the car, I was presented with the most amazing display. Not due to its drama, (although it was pretty special) but due to the fog and ice in the atmosphere the sky turned a shade of purple that Id not seen before in a sunset. (And trust me I’ve seen my fair share).

 

So to conclude, my pre-visualization on this shot has fallen shot in a number of ways, but the unique set of conditions I was presented with, offered rich pickings assisting the production of an image that I’m personally happy with. I suspect that if I could in some way make the conditions “perfect” to my pre-visualization list of criteria, (obsessive megalomaniacs need not apply), then I’d be risking heading into a dark tunnel of stylistic cliché. There may also be a danger that some of the magic could be eroded from the flexing of the creative muscles working around the unpredictable conditions.

 

This is the "modest" sized pool in the basement of the Spring Palace ,Bucharest ,of the former dictator of Romania , Nicolae Ceausescu. By his megalomaniac standards this is indeed quite modest ,as he probably considered this whole super-luxurious home of his, to be.

The magnificent colourful tiled walls on three sides feature mainly aquatic/nature themes ,& were chosen by his wife, Elena.

They were living in ultra-luxury while the people of Romania were literally starving .

 

Click on image to enlarge.

°=° Conceptual work with puddles.

  

'We had a long period of heavy rain between Sep and Nov 2015. The best was to become connected with it, creating weird megalomaniacal fantasies."

 

www.mariovanmiddendorf.de

A megalomaniacal manicule makes it's demands clear in the Botanical Gardens in Ventnor. The park had once been the grounds of the National Hospital for TB and when that institution closed the grounds were turned into a public garden. These cast iron signs must have been part of the hospital's laying out and each of the principal walks was named after a Doctor and identified my a monumental; and ornate signpost like this.

 

Wish more of the shot was in sharper focus, but I am pleased enough with the angle and detail to post it.

an afternoon on the hudson getting the last of the day's only sun

"Je voulais que ça saigne ! Qu'il se lève un orage galactique d'un bon coup, et que les myriades d'étoiles nébuleuses charrient des torrents de plasma tout incarnat !"

Linus loves to be high up and watch over HIS kingdom (Cleo and Fynn think he is megalomaniac). I guess it's also nice to be closer to the birds that way. :)

FR :

Esplanade du Trocadéro

Paris (75)

Après de longs mois de travaux (plus de deux ans), le belvédère du Trocadéro est enfin réouvert et accessible à tous et pourtant déjà constellé de graffitis mégalos, sales et inutiles...

L'amour rend aveugle... Mais pas que...

Et on ne devrait jamais confondre feutre indélébile et feutre pour débiles...

"La mort, c'est un peu comme la connerie. Le mort, lui, il ne sait pas qu'il est mort... Ce sont les autres qui sont tristes. Le con, c'est pareil..." (Philippe Geluck)

 

EN:

Paris (75) Trocadero Square

After long months of work (more than two years), the panorama from Trocadero square is finally reopened and accessible to all... But already dotted with stupid and megalomaniac graffiti, so dirty and so useless...

"Death is a bit like stupidity. The dead, he doesn’t know he’s dead... It’s the others who are sad. The asshole, it’s the same..." (Philippe Geluck… Belgian humorist)

Character Creation

 

Batman[b] is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Batman was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in the 27th issue of the comic book Detective Comics on March 30, 1939.

 

In the DC Universe, Batman is the alias of Bruce Wayne, a wealthy American playboy, philanthropist, and industrialist who resides in the fictional Gotham City. His origin story features him swearing vengeance against criminals after witnessing the murder of his parents, Thomas and Martha, as a child, a vendetta tempered by the ideal of justice. He trains himself physically and intellectually, crafts a bat-inspired persona, and monitors the Gotham streets at night. Kane, Finger, and other creators accompanied Batman with supporting characters, including his sidekicks Robin and Batgirl; allies Alfred Pennyworth and James Gordon; love interest and occasional adversary Catwoman; as well as foes such as the Penguin, the Riddler, Two-Face, and his archenemy, the Joker, among others.

 

Kane conceived Batman in early 1939 to capitalize on the popularity of Superman. Along with Kane, Finger substantially developed the concept from a generic superhero into something more bat-like. They drew inspiration from pulp fiction characters like the Shadow, Sherlock Holmes, & The Green Hornet. Batman received a spin-off publication, Batman, in 1940.

 

Kane and Finger introduced Batman as a ruthless vigilante who frequently killed or maimed criminals, but he evolved into a just, tempered superhero with a stringent moral code that prohibits killing during the 1940s. Unlike most superheroes, Batman does not possess any superpowers, instead relying on his intellect, fighting skills, and wealth.

 

The 1960s Batman television series used a camp aesthetic, which continued to be associated with Batman for years after it ended. Various creators worked to return Batman to his darker roots in the 1970s and 1980s, culminating with the 1986 miniseries The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller.

 

DC has featured Batman in many comic books, including comics published under its imprints such as Vertigo and Black Label; he has been considered DC's flagship character since the 1990s. The longest-running Batman comic, Detective Comics, is the longest-running comic book in the United States. Batman is frequently depicted alongside other DC superheroes, such as Superman and Wonder Woman, as a member of organizations such as the Justice League and the Outsiders.

 

In addition to Bruce Wayne, other characters used the Batman persona, such as Jean-Paul Valley / Azrael in the 1993–1994 "Knightfall" story arc; Dick Grayson, the first Robin, from 2009 to 2011; and Jace Fox, the son of Wayne's ally Lucius, since 2021. DC has also published comics featuring alternate versions of Batman, including the incarnation seen in The Dark Knight Returns and its successors, the incarnation from the Flashpoint (2011) event, and numerous interpretations in comics published under the Elseworlds label.

 

Batman is one of the most iconic characters in popular culture and has been listed among the greatest comic book superheroes and characters ever created. He is one of the most commercially successful superheroes, and his likeness has been licensed and featured in various media and merchandise sold around the world; this includes toy lines such as Lego Batman and video games such as the Batman: Arkham series.

 

Batman has been adapted in many live-action and animated television series and films. Adam West portrayed him in the 1960s Batman television series, and he has been portrayed in film by Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, Christian Bale, Ben Affleck, and Robert Pattinson. Many actors, most prolifically Kevin Conroy, have provided Batman's voice in animation and video games. In September 2024, Batman was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, being the first superhero to receive the honor.

 

Publication History

 

Creation and early history

 

In early 1939, following the success of Superman, DC Comics' editors requested more superheroes.[7] Bob Kane created Batman, initially drawing a character with red tights, bat wings, and a domino mask. Bill Finger, a collaborator, made significant contributions by suggesting a cowl, cape, gloves, and a darker costume.[8] The character's alter ego, Bruce Wayne, was inspired by historical figures Robert the Bruce and Mad Anthony Wayne.[9] Batman's early adventures drew inspiration from contemporary pulp fiction and characters like Zorro and the Shadow, establishing Batman as a master detective with a dark, brooding persona driven by the murder of his parents.[10][11]

 

Golden, Silver and Bronze Ages

 

Batman debuted in Detective Comics #27 in 1939. Early stories were dark, featuring a Batman who did not shy away from killing. The character quickly became popular, leading to his own solo title in 1940. Robin, Batman's sidekick, was introduced in 1940, lightening the tone and boosting sales. Over the next few years, Batman's rogues' gallery expanded with iconic villains like the Joker and Catwoman.

 

The 1950s saw Batman in lighter, science fiction-influenced stories. However, declining sales led to a 1964 revamp by editor Julius Schwartz, who returned Batman to his detective roots and updated his appearance. The 1966 Batman TV series introduced a campy, humorous tone, which was reflected in the comics until its cancellation in 1968. In the 1970s, writers Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams restored Batman's dark, gritty nature, a trend that continued despite fluctuating sales.

 

Modern Age and reboots

 

In the Modern Age of Comic Books Batman comics have undergone significant transformations, reflecting changing storytelling trends and audience interests. Beginning with seminal works like The Dark Knight Returns in the 1980s, which reintroduced Batman in a grittier, more mature context, the character's narrative evolved to explore deeper themes and darker tones. This period also saw the exploration of Batman's origins and psyche through works like Batman: Year One, and Batman: The Killing Joke, which delved into the complexities of heroism and villainy.

 

In the 1990s, storylines such as "Knightfall" introduced new adversaries like Bane, who physically and mentally challenged Batman, leading to a temporary replacement by Jean-Paul Valley. The aftermath of an earthquake in "No Man's Land" depicted Gotham City in chaos, further pushing Batman to new limits of heroism and survival.

 

Entering the 21st century, Grant Morrison's influential run introduced Damian Wayne as Batman's son and heir, bringing familial dynamics and a new generation of challenges to the forefront. Morrison's storytelling also delved into surreal and existential themes, such as in Batman R.I.P. and Final Crisis, which tested Batman's resolve and sanity against cosmic threats and personal demons.

 

The New 52 reboot in 2011 refreshed Batman's continuity while preserving core elements of his character. This era introduced modern interpretations of classic storylines, like Night of the Owls, where Batman confronts the Court of Owls, a clandestine society controlling Gotham for centuries. The chilling return of the Joker in "Death of the Family" explored the intricate relationships within Batman's extended family of allies and adversaries. More recent developments under DC Rebirth and Infinite Frontier have continued to evolve Batman's universe, exploring new characters like Gotham and Gotham Girl, and tackling contemporary issues within the context of Gotham City's ever-evolving landscape of crime and heroism.

 

Bruce Wayne

 

Batman's secret identity is Bruce Wayne, a wealthy American industrialist. As a child, Bruce witnessed the murder of his parents, Dr. Thomas Wayne and Martha Wayne, which ultimately led him to craft the Batman persona and seek justice against criminals. He resides on the outskirts of Gotham City in his personal residence, Wayne Manor.

 

Wayne averts suspicion by acting the part of a superficial playboy idly living off his family's fortune and the profits of Wayne Enterprises, his inherited conglomerate. He supports philanthropic causes through his nonprofit Wayne Foundation, which in part addresses social issues encouraging crime as well as assisting victims of it, but is more widely known as a celebrity socialite.

 

In public, he frequently appears in the company of high-status women, which encourages tabloid gossip while feigning near-drunkenness with consuming large quantities of disguised ginger ale since Wayne is actually a strict teetotaler to maintain his physical and mental prowess. Although Bruce Wayne leads an active romantic life, his vigilante activities as Batman account for most of his time. While Bruce Wayne is never depicted as being especially religious, he is ethnically Jewish on his mother's side; his maternal cousin Batwoman (Kate Kane) is practising. His father, Thomas, raised Bruce as a Christian.

 

Various modern stories have portrayed the extravagant, playboy image of Bruce Wayne as a facade. In Batman Unmasked, a television documentary about the psychology of the character, behavioral scientist Benjamin Karney notes that Batman's personality is driven by Bruce Wayne's inherent humanity; that "Batman, for all its benefits and for all of the time Bruce Wayne devotes to it, is ultimately a tool for Bruce Wayne's efforts to make the world better". Bruce Wayne's principles include the desire to prevent future harm and a vow not to kill. Bruce Wayne believes that our actions define us, we fail for a reason, and anything is possible.

 

Writers of Batman and Superman stories have often compared and contrasted the two. Interpretations vary depending on the writer, the story, and the timing. Grant Morrison notes that both heroes "believe in the same kind of things" despite the day/night contrast their heroic roles display. Morrison notes an equally stark contrast in their real identities. Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent belong to different social classes: "Bruce has a butler, Clark has a boss." T. James Musler's book Unleashing the Superhero in Us All explores the extent to which Bruce Wayne's vast personal wealth is important in his life story, and the crucial role it plays in his efforts as Batman.

 

Will Brooker notes in his book Batman Unmasked that "the confirmation of the Batman's identity lies with the young audience ...he doesn't have to be Bruce Wayne; he just needs the suit and gadgets, the abilities, and most importantly the morality, the humanity."

 

Personality

 

Batman's primary character traits can be summarized as "wealth; physical prowess; deductive abilities and obsession". The details and tone of Batman comic books have varied over the years with different creative teams. Dennis O'Neil noted that character consistency was not a major concern during early editorial regimes: "Julie Schwartz did a Batman in Batman and Detective and Murray Boltinoff did a Batman in the Brave and the Bold and apart from the costume they bore very little resemblance to each other. Julie and Murray did not want to coordinate their efforts, nor were they asked to do so. Continuity was not important in those days."

 

The driving force behind Bruce Wayne's character is his parents' murder and their absence. Bob Kane and Bill Finger discussed Batman's background and decided that "there's nothing more traumatic than having your parents murdered before your eyes". Despite his trauma, he sets his mind on studying to become a scientist and to train his body into physical perfection to fight crime in Gotham City as Batman, an inspired idea from Wayne's insight into the criminal mind. He also speaks over 40 languages.

 

Another of Batman's characterizations is that of a vigilante; in order to stop evil that started with the death of his parents, he must sometimes break the law himself. Although manifested differently by being re-told by different artists, it is nevertheless that the details and the prime components of Batman's origin have never varied at all in the comic books, the "reiteration of the basic origin events holds together otherwise divergent expressions".

The origin is the source of the character's traits and attributes, which play out in many of the character's adventures.

 

Batman is often treated as a vigilante by other characters in his stories. Frank Miller views the character as "a dionysian figure, a force for anarchy that imposes an individual order". Dressed as a bat, Batman deliberately cultivates a frightening persona in order to aid him in crime-fighting, a fear that originates from the criminals' own guilty conscience.

 

Miller is often credited with reintroducing anti-heroic traits into Batman's characterization, such as his brooding personality, willingness to use violence and torture, and increasingly alienated behavior. Batman, shortly a year after his debut and the introduction of Robin, was changed in 1940 after DC editor Whitney Ellsworth felt the character would be tainted by his lethal methods and DC established their own ethical code, subsequently he was retconned to have a stringent moral code, which has stayed with the character of Batman ever since. Miller's Batman was closer to the original pre-Robin version, who was willing to kill criminals if necessary.

 

Others as Batman

 

On several occasions former Robin Dick Grayson has served as Batman; most notably in 2009 while Wayne was believed dead, and served as a second Batman even after Wayne returned in 2010. As part of DC's 2011 continuity relaunch, Grayson returned to being Nightwing following the Flashpoint crossover event.

 

In an interview with IGN, Morrison detailed that having Dick Grayson as Batman and Damian Wayne as Robin represented a "reverse" of the normal dynamic between Batman and Robin, with, "a more light-hearted and spontaneous Batman and a scowling, badass Robin". Morrison explained their intentions for the new characterization of Batman: "Dick Grayson is kind of this consummate superhero.

 

The guy has been Batman's partner since he was a kid, he's led the Teen Titans, and he's trained with everybody in the DC Universe. So he's a very different kind of Batman. He's a lot easier; He's a lot looser and more relaxed."

 

Over the years, there have been numerous others to assume the name of Batman, or to officially take over for Bruce during his leaves of absence. Jean-Paul Valley, also known as Azrael, assumed the cowl after the events of the Knightfall saga. Jim Gordon donned a mecha-suit after the events of Batman: Endgame, and served as Batman in 2015 and 2016. In 2021, as part of the Fear State crossover event, Lucius Fox's son Jace Fox succeeds Bruce as Batman in a 2021 storyline, depicted in the series I Am Batman, after Batman was declared dead.

 

Additionally, members of the group Batman Incorporated, Bruce Wayne's experiment at franchising his brand of vigilantism, have at times stood in as the official Batman in cities around the world. Various others have also taken up the role of Batman in stories set in alternative universes and possible futures, including, among them, various former proteges of Bruce Wayne.

 

Enemies

 

Batman faces a variety of foes ranging from common criminals to outlandish supervillains. Many of them mirror aspects of the Batman's character and development, often having tragic origin stories that lead them to a life of crime. These foes are commonly referred to as Batman's rogues gallery. Batman's "most implacable foe" is the Joker, a homicidal maniac with a clown-like appearance. The Joker is considered by critics to be his perfect adversary, since he is the antithesis of Batman in personality and appearance; the Joker has a maniacal demeanor with a colorful appearance, while Batman has a serious and resolute demeanor with a dark appearance. As a "personification of the irrational", the Joker represents "everything Batman opposes".

 

Other long-time recurring foes that are part of Batman's rogues gallery include Catwoman (a cat burglar anti-heroine who is variously an ally and romantic interest), the Penguin, Ra's al Ghul, Two-Face (Harvey Dent), the Riddler, the Scarecrow, Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn, Bane, Clayface, and Killer Croc, among others. Many of Batman's adversaries are often psychiatric patients at Arkham Asylum.

 

Allies

 

Alfred Pennyworth, Batman's loyal butler and father figure, first appeared in Batman #16 (1943). After Bruce Wayne's parents were killed, Alfred raised Bruce and became one of the few people to know his secret identity. He is often portrayed as a steadying presence in Bruce's life, offering both emotional support and practical assistance in Batman's crime-fighting endeavors. More than just a caretaker, Alfred is a trusted ally and sometimes sidekick, sharing Wayne Manor with Bruce and contributing to Batman's mission.

 

One of Batman's most crucial allies is Commissioner James Gordon. Their relationship is built on mutual respect and a shared commitment to justice in Gotham City. In Batman: Year One, Gordon and Batman learn to trust each other, which transforms their efforts against crime into a more effective partnership. Gordon's perspective as a police officer complements Batman's vigilantism, allowing them to tackle Gotham's challenges together. Another important ally is the Justice League, which further emphasizes the importance of collaboration. Batman's relationship with Superman showcases how their contrasting ideologies can complement each other. In stories like World's Finest, their friendship highlights how Batman's methods benefit from Superman's optimism and strength.

 

Sidekicks

 

Robin, Batman's vigilante partner, has been a widely recognized supporting character for many years; each iteration of the Robin character, of which there have been five in the mainstream continuity, function as members of the Batman family, but additionally, as Batman's "central" sidekick in various media.

 

Bill Finger stated that he wanted to include Robin because "Batman didn't have anyone to talk to, and it got a little tiresome always having him thinking." The first Robin, Dick Grayson, was introduced in 1940. In the 1970s he finally grew up, went off to college and became the hero Nightwing. A second Robin, Jason Todd was introduced in the 1980s, following Dick Grayson's departure from the role. Initially impulsive and rebellious, Jason's tenure as Robin was controversial among fans. In 1988, DC held a fan vote to determine his fate in the iconic A Death in the Family storyline, where the Joker brutally beat Jason with a crowbar and left him to die in an explosion. The fans voted for his death. However, Jason was later resurrected and returned as the antihero Red Hood.

 

The third Robin in the mainstream comics is Tim Drake, who first appeared in 1989. He went on to star in his own comic series, and goes by the name Red Robin, a variation on the traditional Robin persona. In the first decade of the new millennium, Stephanie Brown served as the fourth in-universe Robin between stints as her self-made vigilante identity the Spoiler, and later as Batgirl.

 

After Brown's apparent death, Drake resumed the role of Robin for a time. The role eventually passed to Damian Wayne, the 10-year-old son of Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul, in the late 2000s.[58] Damian's tenure as du jour Robin ended when the character was killed off in the pages of Batman Incorporated in 2013.

 

Batman's next young sidekick is Harper Row, a streetwise young woman who avoids the name Robin but followed the ornithological theme nonetheless; she debuted the codename and identity of the Bluebird in 2014. Unlike the Robins, the Bluebird is willing and permitted to use a gun, albeit non-lethal; her weapon of choice is a modified rifle that fires taser rounds. In 2015, a new series began titled We Are...Robin, focused on a group of teenagers using the Robin persona to fight crime in Gotham City. The most prominent of these, Duke Thomas, later becomes Batman's crimefighting partner as The Signal.

 

Romantic interests

 

Batman's romantic history spans decades, filled with relationships that reflect his struggle between personal happiness and his duty as Gotham's protector. His first love interest was Julie Madison, introduced in Detective Comics #31 (1939). Though engaged to Bruce Wayne, she left due to his distant and playboy persona, highlighting the conflict between Bruce's dual life and his desire for a normal relationship.

 

Selina Kyle, also known as Catwoman, is perhaps the most notable figure in Batman's romantic history. Debuting in Batman #1 (1940), their relationship is characterized by a blend of romance and rivalry. Over the years, they have shared intense connections, often navigating the fine line between love and conflict. Their relationship culminated in an engagement during the DC Rebirth.

 

Another important figure is Vicki Vale, a journalist introduced in Batman #49 (1948). Vicki's attempts to uncover Batman's true identity lead to a complicated romantic involvement that waxed and waned over the years, especially during the early 1980s when their relationship became more serious.

 

Talia al Ghul, introduced in Detective Comics #411 (1971), is another key player in Batman's love life. Their relationship is fraught with conflict due to her father, Ra's al Ghul, and his criminal ambitions. Despite the challenges, their love story resulted in the birth of Damian Wayne, who would grow to become the latest Robin and add a new layer of complexity to Batman's character.

 

Additionally, Batman's relationship with Wonder Woman has been explored in various storylines, including a passionate kiss in JLA (2003) during a moment of crisis. However, their relationship remains largely unexplored, often overshadowed by their respective commitments.

 

Abilities

 

Skills and training

 

Batman has no inherent superhuman powers; he relies on "his own scientific knowledge, detective skills, and athletic prowess". Batman's inexhaustible wealth gives him access to advanced technologies, and as a proficient scientist, he is able to use and modify these technologies to his advantage.

 

In the stories, Batman is regarded as one of the world's greatest detectives, if not the world's greatest crime solver. Batman has been repeatedly described as having a genius-level intellect, being one of the greatest martial artists in the DC Universe, and having peak human physical and mental conditioning. As a polymath, his knowledge and expertise in countless disciplines is nearly unparalleled by any other character in the DC Universe. He has shown prowess in assorted fields such as mathematics, biology, physics, chemistry, and several levels of engineering. He has traveled the world acquiring the skills needed to aid him in his endeavors as Batman. In the Superman: Doomed story arc, Superman considers Batman to be one of the most brilliant minds on the planet.

 

Batman has trained extensively in various fighting styles, making him one of the best hand-to-hand fighters in the DC Universe. He possesses a photographic memory, and has fully utilized his photographic memory to master a total of 127 forms of martial arts. In terms of his physical condition, Batman is described as peak human and far beyond an Olympic-athlete-level condition, able to perform feats such as easily running across rooftops in a Parkour-esque fashion, pressing thousands of pounds regularly, and even bench pressing six hundred pounds of soil and coffin in a poisoned and starved state.

 

Superman describes Batman as "the most dangerous man on Earth", able to defeat an entire team of superpowered extraterrestrials by himself in order to rescue his imprisoned teammates in Grant Morrison's first storyline in JLA.

 

Batman is strongly disciplined, and he has the ability to function under great physical pain and resist most forms of telepathy and mind control. He is a master of disguise, multilingual, and an expert in espionage, often gathering information under the identity of a notorious gangster named Matches Malone. Batman is highly skilled in stealth movement and escapology, which allows him to appear and disappear at will and to break free of nearly inescapable deathtraps with little to no harm. He is also a master strategist, considered DC's greatest tactician, with numerous plans in preparation for almost any eventuality.

 

Batman is an expert in interrogation techniques and his intimidating and frightening appearance alone is often all that is needed in getting information from suspects. Despite having the potential to harm his enemies, Batman's most defining characteristic is his strong commitment to justice and his reluctance to take a life. This unyielding moral rectitude has earned him the respect of several heroes in the DC Universe, most notably that of Superman and Wonder Woman.

 

Among physical and other crime fighting related training, he is also proficient at other types of skills. Some of these include being a licensed pilot (in order to operate the Batplane), as well as being able to operate other types of machinery. In some publications, he even underwent some magician training.

 

Technology

 

Batman utilizes a vast arsenal of specialized, high-tech vehicles and gadgets in his war against crime, the designs of which usually share a bat motif. Batman historian Les Daniels credits Gardner Fox with creating the concept of Batman's arsenal with the introduction of the utility belt in Detective Comics #29 (July 1939) and the first bat-themed weapons the batarang and the "Batgyro" in Detective Comics #31 and 32 (Sept. and October 1939).

 

Personal armor - Batsuit

 

Batman's batsuit aids in his combat against enemies, having the properties of both Kevlar and Nomex. It protects him from gunfire and other significant impacts, and incorporates the imagery of a bat in order to frighten criminals.

 

The details of the Batman costume change repeatedly through various decades, stories, media and artists' interpretations, but the most distinctive elements remain consistent: a scallop-hem cape; a cowl covering most of the face; a pair of bat-like ears; a stylized bat emblem on the chest; and the ever-present utility belt. His gloves typically feature three scallops that protrude from long, gauntlet-like cuffs, although in his earliest appearances he wore short, plain gloves without the scallops. The overall look of the character, particularly the length of the cowl's ears and of the cape, varies greatly depending on the artist. Dennis O'Neil said, "We now say that Batman has two hundred suits hanging in the Batcave so they don't have to look the same ...Everybody loves to draw Batman, and everybody wants to put their own spin on it."

 

Finger and Kane originally conceptualized Batman as having a black cape and cowl and grey suit, but conventions in coloring called for black to be highlighted with blue. Hence, the costume's colors have appeared in the comics as dark blue and grey; as well as black and grey. In the Tim Burton's Batman and Batman Returns films, Batman has been depicted as completely black with a bat in the middle surrounded by a yellow background. Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Trilogy depicted Batman wearing high-tech gear painted completely black with a black bat in the middle. Ben Affleck's Batman in the DC Extended Universe films wears a suit grey in color with a black cowl, cape, and bat symbol. Seemingly following the suit of the DC Extended Universe outfit, Robert Pattinson's uniform in The Batman restores the more traditional gray bodysuit and black appendage design, notably different from prior iterations by mostly utilizing real world armor and apparel pieces from modern military and motorcycle gear.

 

Batmobile

 

The 1966 television Batmobile, built by George Barris from a Lincoln Futura concept car

Batman's primary vehicle is the Batmobile, which is usually depicted as an imposing black car, often with tailfins that suggest a bat's wings.

 

Batman also has an aircraft called the Batplane (originally a relatively traditionally, but bat-motifed plane, later seen as the much more unique "Batwing" starting in the 1989 film), along with various other means of transportation.

 

In proper practice, the "bat" prefix (as in Batmobile or batarang) is rarely used by Batman himself when referring to his equipment, particularly after some portrayals (primarily the 1960s Batman live-action television show and the Super Friends animated series) stretched the practice to campy proportions. For example, the 1960s television show depicted a Batboat, Bat-Sub, and Batcycle, among other bat-themed vehicles. The 1960s television series Batman has an arsenal that includes such "bat-" names as the Bat-computer, Bat-scanner, bat-radar, bat-cuffs, bat-pontoons, bat-drinking water dispenser, bat-camera with polarized bat-filter, bat-shark repellent bat-spray, and Bat-rope. The storyline "A Death in the Family" suggests that given Batman's grim nature, he is unlikely to have adopted the "bat" prefix on his own. In The Dark Knight Returns, Batman tells Carrie Kelley that the original Robin came up with the name "Batmobile" when he was young, since that is what a kid would call Batman's vehicle.

 

The Batmobile, which was before frequently depicted to resemble a sports car, was redesigned in 2011 when DC Comics relaunched its entire line of comic books, with the Batmobile being given heavier armor and new aesthetics.

 

Utility belt

 

Batman keeps most of his field equipment in his utility belt. Over the years it has shown to contain an assortment of crime-fighting tools, weapons, and investigative and technological instruments. Different versions of the belt have these items stored in compartments, often as pouches or hard cylinders attached evenly around it.

 

Since the 1989 film, Batman is often depicted as carrying a projectile which shoots a retractable grappling hook attached to a cable (before this, a he employed a traditionally thrown grappling hook.) This allows him to attach to distant objects, be propelled into the air, and thus swing from the rooftops of Gotham City.

 

An exception to the range of Batman's equipment are hand guns, which he refuses to use on principle, since a gun was used in his parents' murder. In modern stories in terms of his vehicles, Batman compromises on that principle to install weapon systems on them for the purpose of non-lethally disabling other vehicles, forcing entry into locations and attacking dangerous targets too large to defeat by other means.

 

Bat-Signal

 

When Batman is needed, the Gotham City police activate a searchlight with a bat-shaped insignia over the lens called the Bat-Signal, which shines into the night sky, creating a bat-symbol on a passing cloud which can be seen from any point in Gotham. The origin of the signal varies, depending on the continuity and medium.

 

In various incarnations, most notably the 1960s Batman TV series, Commissioner Gordon also has a dedicated phone line, dubbed the Bat-Phone, connected to a bright red telephone (in the TV series) which sits on a wooden base and has a transparent top. The line connects directly to Batman's residence, Wayne Manor, specifically both to a similar phone sitting on the desk in Bruce Wayne's study and the extension phone in the Batcave.

 

Batcave

 

The Batcave is Batman's secret headquarters, consisting of a series of caves beneath his mansion, Wayne Manor. As his command center, the Batcave serves multiple purposes; supercomputer, surveillance, redundant power-generators, forensics lab, medical infirmary, private study, training dojo, fabrication workshop, arsenal, hangar and garage. It houses the vehicles and equipment Batman uses in his campaign to fight crime. It is also a trophy room and storage facility for Batman's unique memorabilia collected over the years from various cases he has worked on.

 

Fictional Character History

 

The Man Who Laughs

 

Gotham City got its first taste of Batman's greatest enemy, the Joker, when the police found an abandoned warehouse filled with mutilated corpses, all having ghastly rictus grins on their faces. While Batman was tracking down the killer, the Joker himself appeared on live TV, on a news report on Arkham Asylum, killing the reporter with his mysterious laughing venom and predicting the deaths of some of the richest individuals in Gotham. Bruce wondered whether the Joker was a deformed version of the Red Hood, a criminal who fell into chemical waste while being engaged by Batman. The Joker carried out his hits as promised, using his venom, despite Batman's efforts to stop him. The city was thrown into chaos when he invaded a prison facility and sets its inmates free, providing them with weapons and killing all of its guard personnel in the process.

 

The criminals wrought great havoc throughout the city, but ware apprehended by Batman. When the Joker's next target became Bruce Wayne, Wayne Manor came under strict surveillance and guard by the police, rendering Bruce unable to act as Batman. He secretly injected himself with some Joker venom he had gathered. The venom took instant effect, and Bruce was rushed to the hospital.

 

But on the way, Alfred Pennyworth administered him with an antidote that Bruce had synthesized after careful study, and as Bruce recovered, he understood the Joker's true plan. He had gained an understanding of what drove the Joker while under the effects of the venom and had realized that Bruce Wayne's assassination was only a diversion from his real mission, which was killing everyone in Gotham City by poisoning its water reservoir, which Batman deduced from the clues he had gained in the last few days while tracking the Joker. He found and stopped the Joker at the reservoir and refrains from killing him, though not without giving him a severe beating. The Joker was confined to the reopened Arkham Asylum.

 

The Long Halloween

 

In Batman's early years, his main objective was to take down Gotham's biggest crime lord Carmine "The Roman" Falcone. To do this, Batman required the help of two of Gotham's finest, "hero cop" Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent. Despite dealing massive blows to the criminal empire, the Roman still stood tall until a killer by the name of Holiday started making his move and killing a member of the Falcone Crime family on every occasion.

 

Over the course of the story, the trio's morals are put into question, notably Dent's, who has let it be known that he does not care for the deaths of criminals and even contemplated stealing some of the weakened Roman's money. Jealous by the attention Holiday has received, the Joker attempts to release his gas on Gotham Square on New Year's Eve to kill everyone in attendance, and hopefully Holiday but he is stopped by Batman.

 

Later on, it is revealed that Dent owned the same type of gun that was used in the Holiday murders, turning him into a prime suspect. Despite Gordon's suspicions, Batman refuses to believe that his friend, who shares his love for justice, would be a killer. On the Roman's birthday, Sal Maroni, Falcone's rival, is set to testify against Carmine, prosecuted by Dent.

 

Just as things seemed to go Dent's way, Maroni ends up throwing acid in the attorney's face, physically and mentally scarring him. After being rushed to the hospital, Harvey escapes in a crazed state and kills a doctor. Gordon moves Maroni to a new cell, suspecting that he may be Holiday's next target.

 

Surely enough, Holiday makes his move and kills Maroni, and just as he is about to kill Gordon, who was escorting the gangster, Batman appears just in time to save his friend and take down the killer, and he is revealed to be Falcone's son, Alberto, who holds a grudge against his father for neglecting him and keeping him out of the family business. A while later, Dent makes his return, with half his face disfigured, now calling himself Two-Face. He regroups all the costume freaks including Joker, Scarecrow, and Poison Ivy, among others, and bursts into the disgraced Roman penthouse to signify the change that has come to Gotham.

 

Batman appears and takes down the villains except for Dent who holds Falcone hostage. Despite Batman's pleads, Two-Face ends up killing Falcone and then surrenders himself. In the end, when confronted by Batman and Gordon, Dent claims that his methods were the most effective in taking down Falcone. Despite witnessing the corruption of their friend, Batman and Gordon's resolve remains strong and they both vow to never give up on ridding Gotham of evil.

 

Dark Victory and Robin

 

In the aftermath of Roman's death, Falcone's daughter, Sofia Gigante has taken over the family business and vows to kill Two-Face who managed to escape from Arkham Asylum. Meanwhile, a killer by the name of Hangman has been killing various cops and implying that Two-Face is responsible. A gang war erupts between the crime families and the costumed freaks, recruited by Two-Face, and in the crossfire, circus acrobats, the Flying Graysons are killed by Falcone associate, Tony Zucco, leaving the performers' son, Dick, an orphan.

 

Feeling sympathy for the child and remembering his own trauma, Bruce Wayne adopts Dick as his son. However, since Bruce was too busy trying to stop the war as Batman, Dick would often sneak out at night looking for his parent's killer. A terrified Tony Zucco, who knows that Batman is looking for him, is confronted by Dick and due to his poor health, ends up dying of a heart attack. Realizing the boy's vigilante tendencies, Bruce reveals his identity and decides to train him to avoid his death. It is later revealed that Hangman is actually Sofia Gigante and sets Gotham on fire to bring Dent out of hiding but before she could kill him, Batman saves him, allowing Dent to kill her and escape into the sewers with the rest of the super-villains with Batman in pursuit.

 

In the climactic battle, Two-Face and his villainous group find themselves in the bat cave but Dick's presence prevented them from discovering Batman's secret. Batman and Dick end up fighting off and defeating the villains once and for all. In the end, Batman offers Dick a chance to live a normal life away from vigilantism, but Dick insists on joining his war, and so, he becomes Robin, assisting Batman in his mission, and thus the Dynamic Duo was born.

 

Tales of the Ghul

 

While trying to stop the criminal Doctor Dark, who was leading the League of Assassins at the time, Batman meets the enigmatic Talia Al Ghul, who was kidnapped by Dark in an attempt to blackmail her father, the wealthy Ra's Al Ghul. Batman saves Talia and she ends up falling in love with the Dark Knight. One night, Batman discovers that Robin has been kidnapped and then, Ra's Al Ghul, who has used his immense resources to discover Batman's secret identity, appears to him in the Bat-Cave to ask for his help, as his daughter has also been kidnapped, possibly by the same person who kidnapped Robin.

 

The two work together and, accompanied by Ra's' faithful bodyguard Ubu, travels the world looking for the kidnapper. Batman solves various puzzles and obstacles thrown in his path, and after finding both Talia and Robin, he deduces that Ra's was behind the entire ordeal as a personal test, which Ra declares he has passed. Ra's reveals that he wants to change the world into a better place, but to that, he wants to eradicate most of mankind. However, he is growing old and reveals that this machination took place because he needed a successor, and Batman has proven himself worthy of that position as well as the affections of his only daughter, Talia. However, Batman, appalled by his view of the world, sees him as a dangerous criminal mastermind and vows to stop him at all costs.

 

In his crusade to take down the criminal mastermind, he discovers in the story that Ra's has lived for centuries due to the mystical Lazarus Pit, which restores Ra's youth as well as gives him immense strength that allowed him to defeat Batman in a fight. In his pursuit of Ra's and his league, Batman finds himself in Nanda Parbat where Ra's challenges him to a swordfight. After fighting a stalemate, a scorpion stings Batman, leaving him incapacitated. Though Ra's sees Batman as a worthy foe, because he refused his offer, he leaves him to die.

 

However, Talia, still having feelings for the Dark Knight, gives him a final kiss that contained the antidote. Batman recovers from the scorpion's poison, and in a fit of rage, confronts Ra's, who was immobilized with fear at the sight of the recovered vigilante, and decisively defeats him. In the end, Batman embraces Talia and offers her the chance to come back with him, but she refuses, because, despite her feelings for Bruce, she feels that she must remain by her father's side.

 

Just Another Kid on Crime Alley

 

During an encounter with the Joker, Robin is seriously wounded and the media believes him to be dead. Worried about Dick's safety, Batman decides to keep it that way and retires the Robin mantle, but Dick's insists that he will remain a crime-fighter and he would, later on, become the superhero known as Nightwing. On the anniversary of his parent's death, Batman, as is his tradition, keeps watching over Crime Alley, the site of that tragic night. However, on his way back to the Batmobile, he finds a young street orphan by the name of Jason Todd attempting to steal the tires of the car. Though impressed by the kid's courage, he decides to take him to a school for the homeless, but when it is revealed that the school housed criminals, Batman, with Jason's help, takes it down.

 

With nowhere for Jason to go and at the risk of him becoming another criminal on the streets, Batman decides to take Jason in as his own son, and seeing his potential to be a hero and also partly due to the loneliness he experienced after Dick Grayson's departure, offers Jason the mantle of Robin, which Jason gladly accepts. Batman later discovers that Jason's mother died of an overdose and his father was a reluctant partner of Two-Face, who ended up getting killed by the criminal. Although Batman attempted to hide this from Robin, fearing what he may do, his faith in Jason is restored when Robin, having discovered Two-Face's acts, spared him even though he had the chance to avenge his father's death. This made Batman see Jason as a worthy sidekick.

 

A Death in the Family

 

As time passed, it quickly became evident to Batman that Jason was far from the ideal crime-fighter. His conduct on the field was in stark contrast to that of Batman's cold professionalism. Jason would often thrust himself into exceedingly dangerous situations, endangering both student and mentor, giving vent to his inner emotions, which seemed to be dominated by rage. This became even more evident when Jason seemingly killed a serial rapist who had walked free after causing the death of one of his victims. Batman soon realized Robin hadn't coped with the death of his parents and felt it was best to make him inactive.

 

Back at his birthplace in Crime Alley, Jason finds his birth certificate and learns that his mother wasn't the late Catherine Todd, but that three women could be his mother, and all there are out of the country, so he left off in search of the first one, in the Middle East where he coincidentally meets up with Batman who was there tracking down the Joker. Together, they thwart the Joker's plans and take down the terrorists, but to Jason's dismay, the suspected woman is not his mother.

 

Continuing their investigation, and after an encounter with the deadly assassin Lady Shiva, they eventually track down Sheila Haywood, who was working in famine relief efforts in Ethiopia and it is revealed that she is, in fact, Jason's real mother. Bruce leaves Jason to spend time with his mother while he chases after the Joker, but it is later revealed that Sheila was being blackmailed by the Joker into giving him shipments of medical supplies that he can sell in the black market while transferring his deadly Joker gas to relief destinations.

 

Batman orders Jason to stay put while he chases the Joker, but Jason defies Batman's orders and leaves for the warehouse to find his mother. Jason manages to find her and reveals his secret identity to her, but she turns him over to the Joker in an attempt to save her own life. Joker savagely beats Jason with a crowbar, then detonates an explosion that kills both Jason and his mother.

 

Batman arrives just as the explosion goes off, and as he searches through the rubble, he finds, to his horror, the corpse of Jason. Batman grieves over the horrible site and vows to avenge Jason's death and take down the Joker once and for all. Batman vengefully tracks down the Joker, and though he manages to stop his latest death plot, the madman escapes, ending this counter the same way as others, unresolved. Batman continues grieving over Jason's death, considering it to be his greatest failure, and vows to never endanger anyone else in this line of work. Since then, he keeps Jason's costume in a glass casing in the Bat-Cave as a memorial, underneath it reads "A Good Soldier".

 

A Lonely Place of Dying

 

After Jason's tragic death, Batman became more violent and almost self-destructing when he battled crime. Tim Drake, a young boy who witnessed the death of the Graysons, noticed the dark nature of Batman after the loss of Robin. Tim once idolized the Flying Graysons and was in attendance when Dick's parents were killed. He also idolized Batman and Robin, as he saw them as heroes. Tim was able to deduce that Dick Grayson was, in fact, Robin when he noticed the costumed fighter perform an acrobatic move that only Dick could do, and knowing that the former acrobat was adopted by Bruce Wayne, he pieced things together and deduced that the millionaire is indeed Batman. He had figured out that the original Robin was Dick Grayson and thus, Bruce Wayne had to be Batman.

 

Tim knew that Batman needed an ally in his war and after being unsuccessful in convincing Dick to return to the role, Dick petitions Bruce to train Tim to become the next Robin, to keep Batman sane, but Batman refuses, vowing to never endanger anyone but himself in his war on crime. Meanwhile, Two-Face is on the loose and has prepared a plot to kill Batman once and for all, and this would have happened if not for the timely intervention of Tim Drake, wearing the Robin costume with Alfred's blessing and providing the necessary distraction for Batman to defeat his foe. In the end, both Alfred and Nightwing insist that the boy is capable of doing much good, especially under the guidance of Batman, and after much reluctance, Batman ends up agreeing. After a grueling training regime, Tim finally becomes the new Robin.

 

Knightfall

 

After a long time of hard work, Batman and Robin finally succeed in placing all of the worst villains in Arkham Asylum and thus apparently ensuring peace for Gotham. At one point he also encounters Jean-Paul Valley who is called Azrael, a victim of "The System" who was brainwashed into becoming an assassin for the sinister order known as The Order of Dumas, but Batman comforts Valley and takes him in as an ally to fight crime alongside him and reject his previous life.

 

Just when it seemed that Gotham was at peace, a new villain makes his way to Gotham seeking to conquer it and defeat its guardian, the Batman. The villain, known only as Bane, destroys the walls of Arkham and frees every single inmate to rage havoc on the city. Batman, who was also sick at the time, is forced to run a gauntlet of his worst enemies, putting both his body and mind to the test.

 

After a series of plots and encounters that weigh heavily on him, mentally and physically, fighting the likes of the Mad Hatter, the Ventriloquist, Amygdala, Victor Zsasz, Firefly, Riddler, Killer Croc, Poison Ivy, Scarecrow, Joker, and Two-Face, as well as encountering Bane's henchmen Zombie, Trogg and Bird, Batman finally manages to put them all back in prison however still oblivious to the mastermind behind this Gauntlet.

 

Batman finally returns home to rest only to be confronted by Bane, whose plan has come full circle and has come to Gotham to conquer it and defeat its protector. Though having almost no strength left, Batman accepts Bane's challenge and has one final fight. However, he is no match for this skilled foe, whose strength has also increased due to a drug known as Venom, and despite his best efforts Batman is horribly beaten and has his back broken by Bane in his own Batcave, paralyzing him.

 

Bane throws Batman's body in the middle of a crowded street so that everyone sees the fall of the Dark Knight. Before his identity is compromised, Alfred and Robin quickly take him back to the manor to nurse him back to health. However, his will is just as broken as his body, as he realizes that he cannot don the costume again, and since Gotham needs a protector, he entrusts the mantle of Batman to Jean-Paul Valley and instructs a distraught Robin to be his ally.

 

Knightquest and Knightsend

 

After his paralysis, Batman is tended to by Shondra Kinsolving, a doctor whom Bruce met before and the two shared romantic feelings. However, one night, Shondra is kidnapped along with one of her patients, Jack Drake, Robin's father, and so, despite being in a wheelchair, Bruce, along with Alfred go after the kidnappers, and track them down to London, leaving Gotham under the care of Robin (who is oblivious to his father's kidnapping) and the new Batman. It is revealed in the story that Shondra had psychic powers, and was kidnapped by her brother Asp who intended to use those powers for his own gain. Bruce is caught in a telepathic exchange between Shondra and Asp, and the energy released causes Bruce to regain mobility of his legs.

 

Now healed, he defeats Asp and saves Drake and Shondra, but the doctor's mental state was regressed to childhood due to the drugs given to her by her brother and she loses all memory of her relationship with Bruce. Preparing to get back into shape and regain his strength, Batman seeks the help of the skilled martial artist and assassin, Lady Shivam who agrees with the condition that he must kill. After several weeks of intense training, when it was time for Batman to kill, he refuses, causing Shiva to send variously skilled assassins after him to force his hand. Bruce defeats the assassins and appears to kill the final one, much to Shiva's delight. However, he had used a technique that appeared to be lethal even though it was not. With his strength now regained, Batman is ready to come back to Gotham.

 

Meanwhile, back in Gotham, Valley, now operating as Batman, attempts to track down Bane, who has now taken control of Gotham's underworld. However, Valley's brainwashing by the Order resurfaces, causing him to become more violent and to start losing control over his sanity. Donning a new tech-heavy costume and refusing Robin as a partner, Valley becomes a far darker and much more violent Batman and eventually manages to defeat Bane and end his reign of terror.

 

As the new Batman watches over Gotham, his vicious and reckless methods became intolerable by Robin, especially when he caused the deaths of the villain the Abattoir and his victims. When Robin tried to reason with him, Valley lashed out at him, almost killing him as he now considers himself to be superior to the real Batman. When Batman returns, having healed from his back injury, Jean-Paul tried to kill him to prove his superiority but Batman defeats and tricks him into removing his costume, thereby getting rid of "the system" in his head. Humbled and regretting his actions, Valley admits to Bruce that he (Bruce) is the one and only Batman and vows to redeem himself in his eyes.

 

Though having regained the use of his legs, Batman decides to travel the world to fully regain his strength, and in his absence gives the mantle to the man he should have given it to in the first place, Nightwing until he comes back.

 

No Man's Land

 

Gotham is struck by a massive Earthquake, one which claims the lives of many people in Gotham. Batman had anticipated the arrival of an earthquake and had all Wayne-funded buildings be protected from such an event, including Oracle's Watchtower and Tim Drake's home, however, his own house did not receive such protection because that may compromise his identity as Batman.

 

Bruce and Alfred barely survive the earthquake, and once out of the rubble, Batman watches in horror his city in ruins and there's nothing he could do about it. With most of the city destroyed, criminals run rampant around the remains, and chaos ensues to the point where Gotham is declared a No Man's Land by the government and it is cut off from the rest of the country. Batman travels to Washington, and as Bruce Wayne does his best to convince Congress to help the city he loves, but he fails to do so, causing him to be distraught and almost loses all hope himself in exile until he is motivated back into action by Talia Al Ghul.

 

Meanwhile in Gotham, with very limited food and resources, new rules are applied and the criminals divide the city into territories and use spray paint to claim ownership of said territories. Members of the GCPD that stayed in Gotham are now known as the Blue boys and they try to maintain order in Gotham. Others join the fight as well, including Oracle, who monitors the entire city and serves as information broker while Helena Bartinelli aka the Huntress, dons a Batman-inspired costume to be more effective as a crime-fighter.

 

Batman eventually returns and adapts to the new rules of Gotham, using spray paint to mark his territory and does everything he can to help his city. He allows Huntress to operate as Batgirl for a while until Two-Face's gang invades his territory and kill several people. Helena was forced to flee and when she refuses to follow Batman's orders anymore, he forces her to relinquish the Batgirl mantle.

 

When things become more dire Batman assembles all his allies including Nightwing, Robin, Jean-Paul Valley and Oracle as well as new Batgirl, the mute Cassandra Caine, who proved herself when she saved Gordon's life from her father the assassin David Caine, and they all fight to take back their city.

 

No Man's Land comes to an end thanks to Lex Luthor, who used legal and illegal means as well as political machinations to fund the renovation of Gotham city all in an attempt to take over himself. Batman allows Luthor to do his work while having Catwoman collect necessary evidence against Luthor regarding his illegal business, thereby preventing Lex from claiming ownership over Gotham.

 

Hush

 

Batman finds himself to be the target of a mysterious conspiracy that pits him against some of his worst villains. While giving chase to Catwoman who was under Poison Ivy's mind control, his bat-rope is cut, causing him to fracture his skull though he is eventually saved by his childhood friend and surgeon Thomas Elliot. Later on, Batman and Catwoman track down Poison Ivy to Metropolis and despite using a mind-controlled Superman against them, Batman manages to get past the Man of Steel and stop the villain. Over the course of this adventure, Batman and Catwoman start to develop a relationship and Batman even reveals his identity to her.

 

Later on, after encounters with Killer Croc, Ra's Al Ghul, Joker and Scarecrow, all seemingly manipulated under the same conspiracy as well as the apparent death of his friend Tommy, he is confronted by someone claiming to be Jason Todd, Batman's old sidekick who was killed years ago, however it turned out to be another ruse.

 

Frustrated and desperate to know who has been manipulating all these villains, Batman investigates further until the villain known as Hush finally makes his presence known and reveals that he is in fact, Tommy Elliot. Tommy had always hated his parents and wanted them dead to collect his inheritance, so he staged a car accident that caused his father's death but Bruce's father managed to save his mother, and because of this Tommy held a grudge against the entire Wayne family. He faked his death using Clayface to throw Batman off his trail, as he was the mastermind behind the entire ordeal. After the intervention of Gordon and a recovered Harvey Dent, Hush falls into a river and manages to escape.

 

In the aftermath, Batman learns that Riddler was the one who told Hush his secret having learned it after using the Lazarus Pit to cure himself of cancer. However, Batman warns Riddler that if he ever decides to reveal this information again, he will feel the wrath of Ra's Al Ghul, ensuring his silence. After all these events, Batman has become more suspicious, causing him to drive Catwoman away as he won't allow himself to fall in love again.

 

War Drums and War Games

 

When Tim Drake's father discovers his alter-ego, Tim is forced to retire as Robin and Batman goes back to working alone, that is until Stephanie Brown, aka the young vigilante known as Spoiler and Tim's ex-girlfriend, petitions to be the next Robin, and though reluctant at first, as he previously didn't see her as hero material, Bruce ends up accepting with the condition that she follow his every order. After training her, he hands her a costume and she officially becomes the fourth Robin. Though initially there were some problems, especially when she used lethal force on the villain Mr. Zsasz, she starts proving herself when she handily takes down Tiger Moth.

 

Stephanie's infectious energy and enthusiasm grow on Batman and he starts to see her as a worthy partner. However, while tracking down the assassin Scarab, she disobeys Batman's order to stay put and ends up getting herself held hostage and almost compromising the mission. Because of that, Batman ends her tenure as Robin. Determined to win back Batman's trust, Stephanie steals from the Bat-cave one of his contingency plans that was supposed to take place in case of crime in Gotham got too out of control. The plan, which she put into motion behind Batman's back, dealt with unifying all the Gotham crime-families under one man, Matches Malone.

 

What Stephanie didn't know was that Malone is actually one of Batman's underground alter-egos, and because Malone was not present at the staged meeting between crime-lords, things went awry and a huge gang war raged in Gotham, causing the deaths of many. Batman's reputation takes a major hit when he is seen by the media in broad day light holding the dead body of a young student who was killed in the crossfire of the gang war, and even more so when makes several morally questionable actions, including forcefully taking over command of the GCPD (which the results in the death of many), and attempting to put his underground ally, Orpheus, as the leader of all the gangs, but the Black Mask makes his move, kills Orpheus and becomes Gotham's kingpin of crime instead.

 

Another consequence of this war was Stephanie Brown's death after intense torture at the hands of Black Mask. Batman was at her side in her last moments and comforted her with the fact that she did earn her place as Robin.

 

Under the Red Hood

 

After the recent war, Batman has lost too much. Robin, Batgirl and Oracle have left Gotham City, Stephanie Brown is dead, Nightwing is injured, the GCPD sees Batman as a criminal and the Black Mask controls all crime in Gotham. However, a mysterious figure known as The Red Hood has been making his move on Black Mask's operations and taking control of his gangs.

 

While intercepting one of Black Mask's shipments, Batman and Nightwing encounter Red Hood for the first time, and as they chase after him, they encounter the cyborg Amazo, which they barely manage to defeat. The Red Hood then steals another one of Mask's shipments tries to blackmail him, but the meeting turns sour with Freeze and Batman and Nightwing getting involved, and all the villains end up escaping. However, during the battle, Batman is intrigued by Red Hood's skills, as he sees something familiar.

 

While intercepting another one of Black Mask's operations, Red Hood is confronted by Batman where they fight to a stalemate. Red Hood finally takes off his mask and to Batman's horror, reveals that he is in fact, Jason Todd, the Robin who apparently died many years ago and even gives him samples of his DNA to prove it before escaping.

 

It is revealed in the story that Jason came back after he was dipped in a Lazarus Pit by Talia Al Ghul. After this revelation, Alfred offers to remove Jason's memorial from the Cave, but Batman refuses, claiming that the recent developments don't change anything.

 

After Red Hood blows up Black Mask's penthouse, the desperate crime lord seeks the help of Deathstroke of the Secret Society, who sends Hyena, Captain Nazi and Count Vertigo to kill the Red Hood. Batman intervenes and together they manage to take down the trio of super-villains, but not without Red Hood killing one of them and escaping.

 

After tricking Black Mask into killing the last of his lieutenants, Red Hood, who has been holding the Joker captive, challenges Batman to come to Crime Alley to end things once and for all. After apprehending Black Mask, Batman complies and meets up with Jason. After an intense back and forth fight, Batman defeats Jason and apologizes for failing him.

 

Disgusted, Jason reveals that the reason he holds a grudge against Batman is that he never killed Joker to avenge his death. He then holds Joker hostage and throws Bruce a gun, and challenges him to make a choice: either kill Joker or kill him. Batman refuses both choices and ends up incapacitating Jason with a Batarang. An ecstatic Joker ends up blowing the entire place and in the aftermath, Jason manages to escape.

 

Infinite Crisis

 

Bruce also becomes more suspicious of other heroes, creating a super satellite called Brother Eye, which is stolen and eventually causes the death of Ted Kord. Things then hit a personal low for Bruce during the story Infinite Crisis when he almost murders megalomaniac Alex Luthor. Bruce realizes his morality is at an all-time low and decides to take a sabbatical from fighting crime.

 

⚡ Happy 🎯 Heroclix 💫 Friday! 👽

_____________________________

 

A year of the shows and performers of the Bijou Planks Theater.

 

Secret Identity: Bruce Wayne

 

Publisher: DC

 

First appearance: Detective Comics #27 (March 30, 1939)

 

Created by: Bob Kane (Writer)

Bill Finger (Artist)

 

DC Comics Nanoscene

The Batcave

2020, Jada Toys

 

First appearance cover:

www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/51710275435/

i hear you on the radio.

innocent people always pay the highest price

(From my personal digital photo archive, 2010)

 

Berlin is a true gem for history lovers, as it is full of corners where many events of its long history as a city and also as the capital of Germany took place.

 

The so-called "Albert Speer Candelabra" (in German "Speer Kandelaber", also called "OWA Kandelaber", OWA are the German initials for "Ost-West-Achse" because they were part of the East-West Axis project, which in turn was one of the parts of the project "Germania Capital of the World", in German "Welthauptstadt Germania").

 

These candelabra were part of this East-West Axis from the Brandenburg Gate, for seven kilometers to what is now called Theodor-Heuss-Platz (in honor of the first President of Germany after World War II), which was previously called Adolf-Hitler-Platz and before that also Reichskanzlerplatz.

 

These candelabra were designed by the Berlin Energy and Light Limited Company (Berliner kraft- und licht-Aktiengesellschaft), because they had to meet a special lighting requirement along the entire Axis, which had to span a bridge over the Canal Landwehr at the Charlottenburg gate, without raising the bridge height too much and yet the channel had to remain navigable.

 

Albert Speer designed the outside of those candelabra.

 

Part of these candelabra, more like street lamps, had to be dismantled on the avenue now known as Avenue of June 17 ("Straße des 17. Juni", which was then called "Charlottenburger Chaussee"), since the part of the avenue that it is included between the Brandenburg Gate and the Victory Column, in the last weeks of World War II, during the Battle of Berlin when the city's airports were no longer usable, as they were taken over by the Red Army, it was used for the take off and landing of Luftwaffe aircrafts.

 

Some 800 candelabra have been preserved since 1936, which have been repaired several times and are among the few remaining living vestiges of that megalomaniac project called "Germania World Capital", and despite the past time they continue to have a modern design reminiscent of works of art arising from the time of the Staatliche Bauhaus. (Source: Wikipedia)

 

LOS CANDELABROS DE ALBERT SPEER, 2010

 

(De mi archivo personal de fotos digitales, 2010)

 

Berlín es una auténtica joya para los amantes de la historia, pues está lleno de rincones donde ocurrieron muchos eventos de su dilatada historia como ciudad y también como capital de Alemania.

 

Los llamados "candelabros de Albert Speer" (en alemán Speer Kandelaber, también llamados OWA Kandelaber, OWA son las iniciales en alemán de "Ost-West-Achse" por que formaban parte del proyecto el Eje Este-Oeste, que a su vez era una de las partes del proyecto "Germania Capital del Mundo", en alemán Welthauptstadt Germania).

 

Estos candelabros formaron parte de este Eje Este-Oeste desde la puerta de Brandenburgo, durante siete kilómetros hasta la hoy llamada Theodor-Heuss-Platz (en honor del que fue primer Presidente de Alemania después de la Segunda Guerra Mundial), que antes se llamó Adolf-Hitler-Platz y antes también Reichskanzlerplatz.

 

Estos candelabros fueron diseñados par la Sociedad Anónima de Energía y Luz de Berlín (Berliner kraft- und licht-Aktiengesellschaft), porque tenían que cumplir un requerimiento especial de iluminación a lo largo de todo el Eje, que tenía que salvar un puente sobre el Canal Landwehr en la puerta de Charlottenburg, sin levantar demasiado la altura del puente y sin embargo el canal tenía que seguir siendo navegable.

 

Albert Speer diseñó la parte exterior de esos candelabros.

 

Parte de estos candelabros, más bien farolas, se tuvieron que desmontar en la avenida que se conoce ahora como Avenida del 17 de Junio ("Straße des 17. Juni", que entonces se llamaba Charlottenburger Chaussee), pues la parte de la avenida que está comprendida entre la Puerta de Brandenburgo y la Columna de la Victoria, en las últimas semanas de la Segunda Guerra Mundial, durante la Batalla de Berlín cuando los aeropuertos de la ciudad no eran ya utilizables, pues estaban tomados por el Ejército Rojo, fue utilizada para el despegue y aterrizaje de aviones de la Luftwaffe.

 

Desde 1936 se conservan unos 800 candelabros, que se han reparado varias veces y son de los pocos vestigios vivientes que quedan de aquél megalómano proyecto llamado "Germania Capital Mundial", y a pesar del tiempo pasado siguen teniendo un diseño moderno que recuerda las obras de arte surgidas de la época de la Staatliche Bauhaus. (Source: Wikipedia)

Even megalomaniacal supervillains need some time off every once in a while.

You might wonder why there are so many pictures of this bald guy today in the Interestingness section This is an initiative of the flickr@paris group : getting as many photos of the same item in Explore as possible on the same day. The item being their beloved and megalomaniac leader : philippe leroyer (who actually wrote this little text).

If you want to participate in this initiative, just comment and fave this picture (and the other ones that you'll find).

Let's see how far we can go here !

Nemrut Dagi - a 2100 m high tomb for a megalomaniac king: Antiochus I (62BC) - We decided to go at the top of the mountain during afternoon, thinking that the trip was quite easy... After 2 hours walking on a crazy rising road under a very hot sun, we decided to hitch hike... It was a good choice: in two hours, we only did 1/3 of the trip!

The wild frontier (continued)

 

Another figbarf for the wild frontier, introducing some new characters and some familiar faces.

 

L to R:

 

Professor Millennium and Tony Twister: outfit designs based more on their original Time Cruisers outfits. For Tony this is before his accident, hence no mechanical limbs.

 

Necross: (Trying to make a more twisted version of the wizard skeleton) Necross is an ancient and deadly necromancer. And the reason for the Time Twisters abilities to raise the dead and summon spirits.

 

Lord Ogel: A megalomaniac from the future. Lord Ogel is a fanatic and member of the mysterious (Cult of Ogel) a society devoted to chaos and destruction. Now stuck in the wild frontier, he seeks to utilize his technology and tamper with the future to gain ultimate power.

 

Amelia Vandersen: A member of the American equivalent of The GPI. Amelia is an experienced ghost hunter and paranormal investigator. Armed with her trusty ecto rifle, she seeks to uncover the truth of the Wild frontier.

 

Lady Carmine: Amelia's partner, a collector of curio and antiquities, award winning fencer and aspiring archeologist. Lady Carmine assists in uncovering the secrets of the Wild frontier.

Milo the Santa Mouse has no intention to work at Christmas. He plans to power sleep, eat as much as he can and move only if he absolutely has to. It's beginning to sound like a good idea because the weather forecast for the Christmas holidays is rather disappointing.

For Flickr he is a bear ! Milo will get megalomaniac if he finds out !

 

Megalomaniac reflects on the wall

Bom dia, meninas!!

 

Como eu tinha dito há uns dias atrás, eu estava querendo fazer um blog pra mim, porque o flickr está ficando limitado demais, e um blog seria mais interessante, porque agora meu trabalho é esse, né? :)

 

E o flickr proibir de colocar imagens de outros servidores nos comentários acabou sendo o empurrão definitivo.

 

Coloquei no blog algumas postagens antigas, de fotos que eu gostei e queria passar pra lá tb!

 

Espero que gostem, meninas! Esse lindo aí da China Glaze é o primeiro post, lá tem mais fotos dele!

 

AHHH, não achem que sou megalomaníaca porque coloquei a foto do meu olho no cabeçalho! ahhahah

Eu me inspirei no blog da Nihrida (www.nihrida.com/) que acho lindão! :P

 

São todas bem-vindas ao meu novo espaço! :)

 

www.blogpenelopeluz.com.br/

Beijoooo!! :)

   

I AM ANGRY ! Last year, we discovered that an infamous startup, StarRocket, planned to deploy a fleet of satellites to transform the night sky into advertising space. SpaceX, Elon Musk's company, plans to deploy the Starlink network: some 12,000 ultra-bright satellites aimed at increasing global connectivity to the internet. As with everything else in our so-called democratic societies, ther's nothing we can do: the industrial agenda has been set for a long time and everything is already done. In short, the sky, its thousands of stars, its thousand-year-old galaxies, the source of our questions and of the meaning of our existence at the center of infinity is, for these people, only a lost space that must be ruined to increase market share. After the sky, maybe we can genetically modify the trees so that their leaves show the KFC logo? When did we became mad to this point? How can we be alienated to the point of thinking that it is a good idea to transform the sky into advertising space? How can we have this level of arrogance? The sky is shared by all of humanity, by all animality and even by the living as a whole. How do these few megalomaniacs not die of shame at the mere idea of imposing their infamous projects on the whole earth? By glorifying competition, we encourage crazy people! Devoid of empathy, they are the only ones able to withstand the pressure of the ultra-violent promotion systems we know today. And these crazy people are the ones who end up governing us or who have the financial power to realize their nightmares !! I sincerely believe that global warming is only a reflection of this global warming of the soul, of this collective madness that no more common sense seems to be able to stop. Not sure that this humanity can survive its own stupidity. Not sure either that she deserves it ... Good evening ...

 

------------

 

Moment coup de gueule. L'année passée, on apprenait qu'une startup infâme, StarRocket, prévoyait de déployer une flotte de satellites pour transformer le ciel nocturne en espace publicitaire. SpaceX, l'entreprise d'Elon Musk, prévoit le déploiement du réseau Starlink : quelques 12000 satellites ultra-lumineux visant à augmenter la connectivité globale à internet. Comme pour tout le reste dans nos sociétés démocrasseuses, il semble qu'il n'y ait rien à faire : l'agenda industriel est posé depuis longtemps et nous voilà devant les faits accomplis. Bref, le ciel, ses milliers d'étoiles, ses galaxies millénaires, la source de nos questionnements et du sens de notre existence au centre de l'immensité n'est, pour ces gens, qu'un espace perdu qu'il faut se dépêcher d'encrasser afin d'augmenter encore un peu plus les parts de marchés. Rien ne sera épargné : tout doit servir à alimenter la gerbante pompe a phynance ! Après le ciel, peut-être pourra-t-on modifier génétiquement les arbres pour que leurs feuilles fassent apparaître le logo KFC ? Et les fronts lisses de nos enfants, ne pourraient-il pas eux aussi faire marcher le marché en y tatouant quelques slogans bien choisis ? A quel moment avons-nous dévissé à ce point ? Comment peut-on être aliéné au point de penser que c'est une bonne idée de transformer le ciel en espace publicitaire ? Comment peut-on avoir ce niveau d'arrogance ? Le ciel est partagé par toute l'humanité, que dis-je, par toute l'animalité et même par le vivant dans son ensemble. Comment font ces mégalomanes pour ne pas mourir de honte à la seule idée d'imposer leurs projets immondes à la terre entière ? A force de glorifier la compétition à outrance, nous sélectionnons des fous ! Dépourvus d'empathie, eux-seuls sont capables de supporter la pression des systèmes de promotion ultra-violents que nous connaissons aujourd'hui. Et ces fous sont ceux qui finissent par nous gouverner ou qui possèdent la puissance financière pour réaliser leurs cauchemars !! Je crois sincèrement que le réchauffement de la terre n'est que le reflet de ce réchauffement climatique de l'âme, de cette folie collective que plus aucun bon sens ne semble pouvoir contenir. Pas sûr que cette humanité-là puisse survivre à sa propre bêtise. Pas sûr non plus qu'elle le mérite ... Bonne soirée ...

You might wonder why there is so many pictures of that bald guy today in the Interestingness. This is an initiative of the flickr@paris group : getting as many photos of the same item in Explore on the day as possible. The item being their beloved and megalomaniac leader : philippe leroyer (who actually wrote this little text).

If you want to participate in that initiative, just comment and fave this picture (and the other ones that you'll find).

Let's see how far we can go here !

°=° Conceptual work with puddles.

  

'We had a long period of heavy rain between Sep and Nov 2015. The best was to become connected with it, creating weird megalomaniacal fantasies."

 

www.mariovanmiddendorf.de

vast in its megalomaniacal drama-queen theater.

big on black, as if hung on your wall

BMW X7 in Bremen.