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James Hall / heelflip - Bluestone - Melbourne - Australia - 2013
Published in Slam Skateboarding issue # 194
The Postcard
A postally unused postcard published by E. A. Sweetman & Sons Ltd. of Tunbridge Wells. The image is a glossy real photograph, and the card has a divided back.
The area in the photograph is now a virtual racetrack, with very large numbers of vehicles jostling for position as they manoeuvre their way round the one-way system.
Purley
Purley is an area of the London Borough of Croydon. It was part of the county of Surrey until 1965. It is located south of the town of Croydon, and 11.7 miles (18.8 km) south of Charing Cross. It had a population of about 14,000 in 2011.
Aviation
Kenley Aerodrome, to the east of the town, was one of the key fighter stations - together with Croydon Airport and Biggin Hill - during the World War II support of Dunkirk, Battle of Britain and defence of London.
Suburban Growth
Purley grew rapidly in the 1920's and 1930's, providing spacious homes in a green environment. Northeast Purley stretches into the chalk hill spurs of the North Downs.
Promenade de Verdun
One road, Promenade de Verdun, created by William Webb, has a distinction all of its own. It is 600 yards (550 m) long, and has on one side Lombardy poplars planted in local soil mixed with French earth specially shipped over to the UK.
A plaque at one end of the road explains that the French Ministry of the Interior donated the soil from Armentières, as a memorial to the alliance of the Great War and the soldiers who died.
At the other end stands an obelisk carved from a single piece of stone with the inscription:
"Aux soldats de France morts
glorieusement pendant la Grande
Guerre".
Purley in WWII
The 32nd. Surrey Battalion of the Home Guard was known as the Factory Battalion, and had the specific task of guarding the Purley Way factories: its units were mainly based on staff from the individual firms.
The factories adjoining Croydon Airport took the worst of the air raid of the 15th. August 1940: the British NSF factory was almost entirely destroyed, and the Bourjois factory gutted, with a total of over sixty civilian deaths.
A comprehensive history of Purley and its growth around Caterham Junction (now Purley Station) with the coming of the railways some 150 years ago is found in the Bourne Society's 'Purley Village History' and in its Local History Records publications.
The Webb Estate
The Webb Estate made headlines in a 2002 survey, which found that it had over the years attracted the highest-earning residents in the UK. In the same year Purley topped Britain's rich list, becoming the most affluent suburb.
Purley consistently features among the most affluent suburbs in Britain owing to its exclusive gated estates, large houses and greenery, yet it is less than 30 minutes from central London by train, thus attracting wealthy city workers.
Fictional References to Purley
-- On television the town became known in the sitcom, Terry and June where Terry and June Medford (Terry Scott and June Whitfield), had moved after the characters' previous series, Happy Ever After.
The sitcom was set on the cusp of Purley and Wallington (on Church Road in a house within sight of St Mark's Church) and the opening credits featured them searching for each other around the (now unrecognisable) Whitgift Centre – a shopping precinct in Croydon.
-- One of the houses used in Footballer's Wives is 7 Rose Walk, Purley, owned by former Crystal Palace FC Chairman Ron Noades.
-- Purley is famous for a reference in both the "Marriage Guidance Counsellor", "Nudge Nudge", and "Kilimanjaro Expedition" (mentioned in the film And Now for Something Completely Different) sketches by the Monty Python team.
-- The CBBC children's sitcom Little Howard's Big Question is based in Purley, and also features continual references to Croydon.
-- Mr Angry, a character on Steve Wright's Radio 1 afternoon show in the 1980's, is from Purley.
Notable Residents of Purley
Notable residents include:
-- Michael Arthur, Vice-Chancellor of Leeds University, and Provost of University College London from September 2013, was born in Purley.
-- Jay Aston, singer with Bucks Fizz, was born in Purley.
-- Ronald Binge and his wife Vera lived at 18, Smitham Bottom Lane in the 1950's. He composed the Elizabethan Serenade there.
-- Derren Brown, magician and mentalist, was born and grew up in Purley.
-- Peter Cushing OBE, actor, grew up and went to school in Purley.
-- Brian Fahey, composer of "At the Sign of the Swingin' Cymbal" (the signature tune to BBC Radio's Pick of the Pops).
-- Andy Frampton, former professional footballer, grew up in Purley.
-- Shelagh Fraser, actress, was born in Purley.
-- Laura Hamilton, TV presenter and Dancing on Ice Contestant, lives in Purley.
-- Nigel Harman, actor, was born and grew up in Purley.
-- Sir Bernard Ingham, Margaret Thatcher's former press secretary, lives in Purley.
-- Sir David P. Lane, oncologist best known for identifying P53, went to school and grew up in Purley.
-- Martin Lee, singer with Brotherhood of Man, was born in Purley.
-- Archibald Low, pioneer of radio guidance systems, was born in Purley.
-- Ray Mears, TV survivalist, went to school in Purley.
-- Ron Noades, former chairman of Wimbledon FC, Crystal Palace FC and Brentford FC and owner of the Altonwood Golf Group, lived in Rose Walk, Purley, from 1993 until 2013.
-- Innes Hope Pearse, doctor and co-founder of the Peckham Experiment, grew up in Purley.
-- Francis Rossi, lead singer of Status Quo, lives in the Webb Estate in Purley.
-- John Horne Tooke, an English politician and philologist, lived in Purley at the end of the 18th. century where he began writing Epea Pteroenta, Or, The Diversions of Purley.
-- Wilfried Zaha, footballer, Crystal Palace FC, lives in the Webb Estate.
Published by Hamlyn in 1972, 2nd impression (1st publishd 1969). Story by Marie d'Aulnoy, adapted by Jan Vladislav... Illustrated by Mirko Hanak.
Picked up in a local charity shop last week, sadly no dust wrapper, but some very nice vintage illustrations.
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Mamma Mia! torna finalmente in Italia al Teatro degli Arcimboldi in Milano.
Mamma Mia! nasce dalla geniale idea di Judy Craymer di mettere in scena la magia delle canzoni senza tempo degli ABBA con un’affascinante storia di famiglia e amicizia che si svolge su una paradisiaca isola greca. Ad oggi, lo spettacolo è stato visto da oltre 54 milioni di persone in 39 produzioni e in 14 lingue diverse. Mamma Mia! The Movie è il film musicale che ha incassato di più nella storia del cinema a livello mondiale, e nel Regno Unito una famiglia su quattro possiede il DVD, che su Amazon è ad oggi è il più venduto di tutti i tempi.
Da spettacolo locale della West End di Londra a fenomeno globale, la produzione londinese di Mamma Mia! è stata vista da oltre il 10% dell’intera popolazione britannica. È uno dei cinque musical al mondo ad essere rimasto in scena per oltre dieci anni sia a Broadway che nella West End, e nel 2011 è diventato il primo musical occidentale a essere rappresentato in mandarino nella Repubblica Popolare Cinese.
Il cast di Mamma Mia! International Tour: Sara Poyzer interpreta Donna Sheridan, Shobna Gulati è Tanya, Sue Devaney è Rosie e Niamh Perry interpreta Sophie Sheridan.
Fa parte del cast anche il vero marito di Sara Poyzer, Richard Standing, nel ruolo di Sam Carmichael; Michael Beckley nel ruolo di Bill Austin, Mark Jardine nel ruolo di Harry Bright; Justin Thomas come Sky, Daniella Bowen come Ali, Tara Young come Lisa, Alex Simmons come Pepper e Charlie Stemp come Eddie. Per alcune repliche il ruolo di Donna sarà coperto da Francesca Ellis.
Inoltre nel cast: Michael Anthony, Holly Ashton, Charlotte Bradford, Devon-Elise Johnson, Matt Kennedy, Gemma Lawson, Scott Mobley, Dean Read, Matthew Ronchetti, Ellie Rutherford, Parisa Shahmir, Katy Stedder, Rhodri Watkins, Tom Stanford-Wheatley, Simon Wilmont, Sarah Wilkie e Jamie Wilkin.
Con le musiche e i testi di Benny Andersson e Björn Ulvaeus, Mamma Mia! è scritto da Catherine Johnson e diretto da Phyllida Lloyd; la coreografia è di Anthony Van Laast, il design della produzione è di Mark Thompson, le luci sono state progettate da Howard Harrison, e il suono da Andrew Bruce e Bobby Aitken, la supervisione musicale e gli arrangiamenti sono di Martin Koch.
Mamma Mia! International Tour è prodotto da Judy Craymer, Richard East e Björn Ulvaeus per Littlestar in associazione con Universal, Stage Entertainment e NGM.
Character Creation
The Human Torch (Jonathan Lowell "Johnny" Storm) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is a founding member of the Fantastic Four.
He is writer Stan Lee's and artist Jack Kirby's reinvention of a similar, previous character, the android Human Torch of the same name and powers who was created in 1939 by writer-artist Carl Burgos for Marvel Comics' predecessor company, Timely Comics.
Like the rest of the Fantastic Four, Johnny gained his powers on a spacecraft bombarded by cosmic rays. He can engulf his entire body in flames, fly, absorb fire harmlessly into his own body, and control any nearby fire by sheer force of will. "Flame on!", which the Torch customarily shouts when activating his full-body flame effect, has become his catchphrase.
The youngest of the group, he is brash and impetuous in comparison to his reticent, overprotective and compassionate older sister, Susan Storm, his sensible brother-in-law, Reed Richards, and the grumbling Ben Grimm. In the early 1960s, he starred in a series of solo adventures, published in Strange Tales. The Human Torch is also a friend and frequent ally of the superhero Spider-Man, who is approximately the same age.
In film, the Human Torch has been portrayed by Jay Underwood in the unreleased 1994 film The Fantastic Four; Chris Evans in the 2005 film Fantastic Four, its 2007 sequel Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film Deadpool & Wolverine (2024); Michael B. Jordan in the 2015 film Fantastic Four; and Joseph Quinn in the MCU films The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025), Avengers: Doomsday (2026), and Avengers: Secret Wars (2027).
Publication history
Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, Johnny Storm is a renovation of Carl Burgos's original character, the android Human Torch, created for Timely Comics in 1939. Storm first appeared in The Fantastic Four #1 (cover-dated Nov. 1961), establishing him as a member of the titular superhero team.
In his plot summary for this first issue, Lee passed on to Kirby that the recently formed Comics Code Authority had told him that the Human Torch was only permitted to burn objects, never people.
Over the course of the series, Johnny being the little brother of teammate Susan Storm a.k.a. the Invisible Girl was one of several sources of tension within the group.
Additionally, he starred in a solo feature in Strange Tales #101-134 (Oct. 1962 – July 1965). An eight-issue series, The Human Torch (Sept. 1974 – Nov. 1975), reprinted stories from that solo feature, along with stories featuring the original android Human Torch.
Later years also saw a 12-issue series, Human Torch (June 2003 - June 2004) by writer Karl Kesel and penciler Skottie Young, and the five-issue team-up miniseries Spider-Man / Human Torch (March–July 2005) by writer Dan Slott and penciler Ty Templeton.
The Human Torch was the permanent co-star of Marvel Team-Up, but was dropped after three issues because the creators found this format too restrictive.
He co-starred in two one-shot comics, Spider-Man & the Human Torch in... Bahia De Los Muertos! #1 (May 2009), by writer Tom Beland and artist Juan Doe, and Incredible Hulk & the Human Torch: From the Marvel Vault #1, a previously unpublished story from 1984, intended for Marvel Team-Up by plotter Jack C. Harris, scriptwriter and artist Kesel, and breakdown artist Steve Ditko.
Character Evolution
Although he was in the Fantastic Four, Johnny still had time to have his own adventures, fighting villains such as the Wizard and Paste-Pot Pete, who would later go on to have grudges against both Johnny and the Fantastic Four. (These adventures were chronicled in Strange Tales). The Human Torch also started dating a fellow student named Dorrie Evans. During the time that the Torch was dating Dorrie, Peter Parker ironically met her one night, and impressed her with his quiet, studying manner as opposed to Johnny's hotheadedness and eagerness.
Deciding that it would be funny to see how she reacted around Spider-Man, Peter changed to Spider-Man, only to end up fighting the Beetle, another of the Human Torch's foes, who was planning to capture Dorrie for revenge on the Torch. Eventually the Torch arrived, and together he and Spider-Man defeated the Beetle and saved Dorrie, one of their earliest team-ups.
After an adventure with the Mole Man, the Sue Storm found a newspaper article which had a small section about her and Johnny's father. The two went to visit him in prison, but unknown to them, the Super-Skrull had kidnapped Franklin Storm and shape shifted to replace him. The Super-Skrull then went on a rampage as the Invincible Man, correctly guessing that the Torch and Invisible Woman wouldn't attack someone who they thought was their father, until Mr. Fantastic discovered the deception.
The Super-Skrull agreed to return Johnny and Sue's father, but moments after they saw him, he yelled at them to escape, before a bomb which had been implanted in him exploded. Thankfully, no one was hurt except for Franklin, but he was gone from Johnny and Sue's life once more.
Major Story Arcs
The Frightful Four
By now, Reed and Sue had agreed to marry, but shortly before they could, the Fantastic Four's counterpart, the Frightful Four (consisting mostly of old enemies of the Human Torch) attacked the group. One of Johnny Storm's best moments was during the first battle with the Frightful Four, FF #36. The evil FF had captured the Invisible Girl, the Thing, Mr. Fantastic and Alicia Masters while Torch was absent from the Baxter Building. Wizard brilliantly attached anti-gravity discs to all four and sent them up into the atmosphere to meet certain death. However, Alicia Masters was able to signal Torch with the FF flare signal before being captured. Hence, Johnny was able to come and capture the Wizard and force him to fly a plane and rescue the missing three FF members and Alicia.
If not for the Human Torch saving the day, his three partners and Alicia Masters most certainly would have suffocated high in the atmosphere! The next battle with the evil FF came in issue #38, "Defeated by the Frightful Four". As part of the Frightful Four's plans, they managed to trap the Fantastic Four on a deserted island with an atomic bomb. This took place following Medusa's capture of the Invisible Girl. Although Sue was able to protect the group with a force field, the radiation still somehow affected them and took away the Fantastic Four's powers.
The team was then attacked by Doctor Doom, who wanted revenge for having been tricked into thinking that he had defeated the team the last time they clashed. The team managed to regain their powers with a special gun of Reed's, but the Thing left the quartet after being forced to have his powers back. Following him the Thing, both he and the Human Torch were brainwashed by the Frightful Four into joining the group. After a lengthy fight between the Frightful Four and Fantastic Four, Johnny and the Thing were cured, but a member of the Frightful Four, Medusa, managed to escape.
Inhumans
Johnny would encounter Medusa shortly after Reed and Sue's wedding, when she was being chased by a mysterious man named Gorgon. Medusa revealed to the Torch that she and Gorgon were both from a mysterious race, who had superpowers. Before she could reveal any more, Gorgon managed to capture her. Johnny shortly ran into another member of the race, (which Reed dubbed the Inhumans), Crystal, whom he fell in love with at first sight. Johnny managed to convince Crystal and the rest of the Inhumans that humans were not their enemies, but shortly afterwards, Black Bolt (the King of the Inhumans) brother Maximus trapped all of the Inhumans inside a "negative energy" dome, which the Fantastic Four only just managed to escape.
Following this, the Fantastic Four had their first encounter with Galactus and the Silver Surfer. (It should be noted before moving on to Galactus that some FF fans were disappointed that Stan Lee did not allow Johnny Storm and Crystal to marry and to bring Crystal on to the FF team as a permanent member. Crystal did go on to do a superb job as a temporary replacement for Sue during Sue's maternity leave.
Unfortunately, due to health reasons, Crystal was forced to leave Johnny and go back to live with the Inhumans. She and Johnny never did get back together and she ended up marrying Quicksilver. It would seem likely that the reason that Stan Lee did not make Crystal a permanent member of the team is because he did not wish to change the name of the group from Fantastic Four to Fantastic Five.)
To battle Galactus, Johnny was selected specifically by the Watcher to retrieve a great weapon he had in a safe place. Johnny was able to retrieve the weapon, known as the Ultimate Nullifier, and they threatened Galactus with it, who left the planet alone.
Galactus
While in a in a singles bar Johnny met Frankie Ray and later met up to go on a date. On their first date, Frankie learned that Johnny was the Human Torch when he had to save a man's life. Frankie was repressed of her memory about the accident that gave her super-powers, until one day it came to light. Reed helped her learn the truth of her past. Frankie and Johnny soon became a couple and Frankie even became a member in-training.
When Galactus needed to consume the Earth to survive, Frankie volunteered to become his next herald to explore space and have adventures as long as he spared the Earth. Galactus accepted, endowing Frankie with the Power Cosmic and called herself Nova. Johnny lost his second love that day.
Secret Wars
During the Secret Wars, when the Beyonder transported a group of heroes and villains to Battleworld, the Thing decided to leave the Fantastic Four and live among monsters at Monster Island. Johnny and Alicia Masters would soon start a relationship during the Thing’s absence.
Johnny Storm and Alicia Masters are about to get married, but the Mad Thinker and Wizard plan to take advantage of the event. The Thing and the Puppet Master have different plans and manage to stop the two evil geniuses. Reed and Sue decide to take some time away from the Fantastic Four and leave the Thing in charge. And his first duty is to find replacements for the two. Thing finds Crystal and Ms. Marvel as the replacements. Johnny is torn between his first love Crystal and his now wife Alicia.
Skrull Homeworld
Just when Reed and Sue return to the team, it is revealed that Alicia is really a Skrull named Lyja. The Fantastic Four take off to the Skrull Homeworld to save the real Alicia Masters from their clutches. Upon finding this out Johnny would have nothing to do with Lyja, despite the fact that she was branded traitor for helping the Fantastic Four save the real Alicia. Lyja then disappears.
Lyja eventually returns and teams-up with Devos, the Devastator, and Paibok, the Power Skrull and are out for Johnny’s blood. During the battle Johnny accidentally goes Super-Nova and starts the Empire University on fire.
Johnny then becomes a wanted man by people who he once called friends and ally. After being hunted by Silver Sable’s Wild Pack, Daredevil, Spider-Man, and the Secret Defenders. Johnny eventually has his day in court, but the Huntara, Paibok, Klaw and Devos chose this opportunity to strike. Unfortunately Johnny has some super-powered allies to lend a hand. Lyja returns, but now both Johnny and his Ben are fighting for her affections. Not wanting to cause problems between the two she again disappears.
Infinity War
Johnny's double of himself and some of Earth’s other heroes at the beginning of the Infinity War attacked Johnny, creating mixed emotions from having to battle his friends. Creating doppelgangers of Earth’s heroes, the evil Magus planned to remake the universe in his image. Johnny joined all of Earth’s heroes in battle with their evil counterparts before the final defeat of the Magus.
Infinity Crusade
The Magus’ opposite, the Goddess, started the next major event that would be known as the Infinity Crusade. Preying on the religious beliefs of others to manipulate them into joining her cause, Sue was coerced into allying with the Goddess. This cause Johnny to question his faith since he believed he and his sister were equally strong in their beliefs.
Onslaught
The next major threat was a being known as Onslaught, a psionic creature created out of the minds of Professor X and Magneto. It took all of Earth’s heroes to combat this threat. In the end the all non-mutant heroes sacrificed themselves to defeat him and it seemed that the Avengers, the Fantastic Four and many other heroes were gone forever.
Counter Earth
Franklin used his abilities to create a pocket universe for all the heroes to remain living on. On this Counter Earth, Johnny and the other Four lived out their lives anew, not knowing the events of the past. With the help of Roma, this Earth was brought back to Johnny’s original dimension and all the heroes returned to life, although confused over the previous events.
After the death of Galactus, the evil embodiment of destruction known as Abraxas was unleashed on the universe. Abraxas planned to destroy all life in the multiverse. A plan was developed to find the Ultimate Nullifier since Johnny was the only one aware of it’s location, although subconsciously. The other members of the team traveled to other universes to gain pieces of the Nullifiers location from alternate Johnny’s. In the meantime, Johnny and an alternate reality Frankie Raye began the search for it. Once they found the Nullifier, Nova revealed she was really the Herald of Abraxas and took the Nullifier to give to her master. Franklin and Valeria were able to revive Galactus, who was able to easily defeat Abraxas.
Civil War
During the Superhuman Civil War, Johnny is severely beaten in a night club by people outraged by the events in Stamford and super heroes in general. When he awoke, the team had split in many separate ways. Johnny joined Sue on Captain America’s anti-registration Secret Avengers team. At the end of the war, the team reunited. Reed and Sue took a short leave for a honeymoon to rekindle, leaving the Black Panther and Storm in their place.
Team Turmoil
Over time, the stability of the Fantastic Four began to diminish. Johnny began to start searching for a career as an actor. Johnny actually won a major role in a summer blockbuster but soon realized he wasn’t up to the task. Johnny began working in television instead before finally becoming a New York City firefighter. He returned to be the Chief Financial Officer of the Fantastic Four and even averted disaster with his leadership abilities.
After another battle with the teams greatest foe Doctor Doom, Reed attempted to take over Latveria. This caused a major misunderstanding, turning the United States government and the team against him. With the resulting death of the Thing, the team split up once again. Johnny took to his old love, automobile repair. He was plagued by hallucinations that Ben was not dead, which in fact he was not and was returned to his normal state.
The team next had to deal with an alien scientist named Zius. He had developed a cloak to hide planets from the world devourer Galactus, but the Invisible Woman’s powers threatened his plans. He demanded she sacrifice herself to save billions of lives. To protect Sue, Reed used a specially designed machine to switch her powers with Johnny. This fooled Zius and he left the planet. This did not fool Galactus who destroyed Zius and claimed Johnny (with Sue’s invisibility powers) as his new herald. Galactus bestowed a portion of his Power Cosmic to Johnny and forced him to see through the cloaks and find him planets to feed on. Johnny was not mentally altered by Galactus and hid many planets from him for as long as he could. As Galactus’ patience dwindled the remainder of the team and Quasar came and rescued him.
Death
A second Annihilation Wave under the command of Annihilus' Anti-Priest, the head of the Cult of Annihilus, fought The Universal Inhumans and later, under "Kid Annihilus'" personal command, they initially breached The Negative Zone portal in The Baxter Building in an attempt to ignite the Second Great Annihilation War. The Human Torch managed to hold them off until the gateway could be completely sealed and was cut down shortly afterward by the vast wave of Arthrian cultists and their child lord, much to the dismay and horror of a powerless Ben Grimm and his godchildren, Franklin and Valeria Richards. It is noteworthy that two different polls of fans could be found across the internet prior to the "death issue". The polls for who fans wanted to die consistently showed Mr. Fantastic to be #1 by a wide margin. However, comic fans got it right regarding who they predicted would be killed. The Human Torch won those polls by a significant margin.
Return
During an attempt by Annihilus to open the portal in the Baxter Building, Johnny manages to escape from his prison cell in the Negative Zone. With help from new friends, the Light Brigade, he defeats Annihilus, taking the Cosmic Rod and control of the Annihilation Wave with it. As the portal opens, Johnny is reunited with Spider-Man, who was attempting to stop the Anti-Priest from opening the portal on the Earth side.
Johnny flies into the sky, creating a flaming number four and unites the other members of the FF atop the remains of the Baxter Building. With the Kree attempting to destroy New York, Johnny immediately joins the fight by unleashing his Annihilation Wave through the portal. Leading from the flagship, Pestilence, Johnny takes the wave into space to battle the Kree armada. Galactus suddenly appears between the two fleets and Johnny mobilizes the wave to attack, however is quickly stood down by Reed who tells the team that he summoned the World Eater.
The Kree retreat and the Mad Celestials appear, combining there bodies to attack Galactus and send him hurtling toward Earth. Johnny and the Future Foundation head back to the surface in an attempt to activate a machine the Council of Reed's built to take down the Celestials. The machine doesn't fully work however, only separating the Celestials. Johnny takes flight and attempts to attack one of them, using his Nova ability, but the Celestial regenerates and knocks Johnny back to the ground.
As Johnny looks on with his family, a future version of his niece and nephew appear and future-Franklin destroys the Celestials, saving Reed from their judgement.
Team Player
With Reed, Sue and their kids thought dead after the events of Secret Wars, and Ben off in space with the Guardians of the Galaxy, the Fantastic Four disbands, and the Baxter Building is sold to Parker Industries. Wanting to the honor tJohnny becomes a member of the Avengers Unity Squad, and dons a new uniform to signify this. Around this same time, he also enters into a romantic relationship with Medusa, Crystal's older sister. When Crystal finds out about this, things become strained between the three, and the relationship eventually ends.
Johnny eventually discovers that as Sue's sole living heir, he is entitled to the profits gained from Reed's patents, which turns out to be well over five billion dollars. With his newfound wealth, he purchases Avengers Mansion for the team. During the contest between the Grandmaster and the Challenger, the Avengers seek to protect the planet from these two destructive forces. Learning that both sides are after several small pyramids of incredible power, Johnny manages to grab one of the artifacts, but seemingly perishes in the process. However, he is later revealed to be alive, but held in stasis.
Johnny later discovers that he is beginning to lose his powers, with his flames gradually becoming weaker. This, coupled with the loss of his family, puts him into a depressive state. However, his spirits are raised when Ben returns and tells him that the others may still be alive, and the two set off to locate them. The two later learn that they are both losing their powers due to being cut off from Reed and Sue, as their abilities all share a common source. Although, they never find their family, their family finds their own way home and moves in with Ben and Alicia, now engaged.
Soul-Mate
Reed was obsessed with trying to accomplish the journey that the Fantastic Four were originally meant to take when they got their powers. They packed up the family spaceship and finally successfully made it to Spyre. With the same cosmic storm energy that mutated the F4, the Spyricans used it on volunteers so that they would have the Unparalleled, a superhero team to defend them.
They also had a tradition of “soul-mates.” Similar to marriage, couples are outfitted with special arm bands that connect them. Reed and Sue got their own, having shown up to the planet as a dedicated couple, but Johnny got linked to Unparalleled member, Sky. Eventually, the diplomacy between the F4 and the Unparalleled broke down and the F4 were allowed to leave peacefully. A reluctant Sky, who had faith in the soul-mate tradition, stood by Johnny and returned with them to Earth.
Johnny underestimated how much the arm bands connected Sky to him. For instance, during Knull's invasion, when Johnny was bonded to a symbiote, the symbiote was able to reach through the arm band and bond with Sky as well.
Too Hot
After Johnny’s one night stand with Victorious, he hid under the bed while she took a video call from Dr. Doom. He proposed a marriage of political convenience that she accepted. With few friends, Doom requested Reed be his best man, earning the entire team an invitation to the wedding. During the proceedings, Victorious felt compelled to share that she had been intimate with Johnny, publicly embarrassing Doom, who lashed out at Johnny.
After calling in multiple drones to fight the F4, Doom bombarded Johnny with cosmic rays. This caused his powers to turn extreme, leaving him unable to turn off his fiery form. He was too hot for his family to even get close to him. Reed referred to him more as a Human Star than a Human Torch, powered completely by cosmic rays and no longer required oxygen to create flames. He was forced to move into the deep sub basement of the Baxter Building. He even burns too hot for Reed’s best containment suit, limiting his time outside of the basement.
Thanks to his arm band, Sky also had her animal powers enhanced, turning her feral. She lashed out at Johnny until finally giving up on her people’s soul-mate tradition. Johnny removed the band from her arm, and Sky used Reed’s Forever Gate to return to her home planet.
Reckoning War
The Fantastic Four jump into action when the Badoon destroy The Moon and invade Earth with brand new weaponry. The weaponry reminds Reed of Watcher tech, so he leads his team to find Uatu for answers. They find Nick Fury instead, who had been investigating for the Watcher a group calling themselves The Reckoning. They were supplying upgraded tech to war-like alien races. Uatu knew about them and downloaded his knowledge to a data sphere before the Moon was destroyed. Reed helped himself to the sphere, downloading all The Watcher knowledge to his vulnerable human mind. He saw that The Reckoning was the first race The Watcher’s tried to help, which went so bad they took a vow only to watch from then on. Now, The Reckoning were back.
Reed used his new hyper intelligence to orchestrate a new battle plan. He determines that they are most needed in Shi’ar space defending the M’kraan crystal, but Johnny, angry Reed refused to cure him with his new intelligence, flew off into space to assemble his own army to take on The Reckoning. His recruits included The Starjammers, The Guardians of the Galaxy, The new Kree/Skrull Alliance, and The Unparalleled.
He leads his new cavalry to the home planet of the Watchers. He instructs his team to take on the body of Galactus that had been transformed into an Asgardian Destroyer by Galactus' former heralds to buy his family time to defeat Wrath of the Reckoning without killing anyone. Johnny proves to be almost hot enough to defeat him, but Reed still prepares to use the Ultimate Nullifier, which would also kill him.
Thankfully, Reed was not killed by the Ultimate Nullifier, as it was designed to be used by a Watcher, which he had been turning into. Instead, it burned out the Watcher transformation. Uatu, who had absorbed all of the Watcher knowledge and power for himself, used the power to set everything right. He restored Galactus but with a hunger for knowledge, pulled the barrier down on the edge of space, increasing the universe by 90%, and returned the heroes to their homes.
Johnny was briefly upset that Reed had forgotten how to fix his mutation without the Watcher knowledge. Instead of returning to Earth, he accepted an invitation to Spyre, where The Overseer combined his research with Reed's and found a cure to cosmic mutations. Johnny was happy to be the first test subject, making sure it was safe for the rest of the Monster Mob.
Powers & Abilities
The cosmic radiation that changed Johnny into the Human Torch gave him a vast array of fire and plasma based powers. Members of the Fantastic Four's bodies are constantly absorbing Cosmic Radiation from the atmosphere, growing stronger.
Pyrogenesis: The Human Torch possessed the mental ability to control ambient heat energy and the physical ability to transform his entire body, or portions of his body into a fiery, plasma-like state of will.
Heat Absorption: Johnny’s body is covered by flaming plasma that protects him from flames and heat. He can easily absorb fire and explosions.
Heat Detection: Johnny can detect heat and energy out of living being and machines. Also scale his perceptions up to the infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum.
Energy Output: The plasma field around Johnny’s body produces intense flame which can be raised and lowered in temperature. The heat can easily dissipate most projectiles.
Blast Power: The Human Torch can create streams or balls of flame and use them as projectiles. Special attacks include the Nova Flame, a multi-directional attack capable of over 1,000,000 degrees Fahrenheit and the Nova Heat, an offensive beam of heat rivaling the heat of a normal star. Even without using his Nova Blast, Human Torch has been able to reach temperatures hot enough to hurt the likes of Hulk, Namor, the Thing and Silver Surfer, among others.
Fire Control: With his flames, Johnny can create shapes and objects out of flame. He can also control any fire within his range of vision no matter how it formed. Johnny can also control which parts of his body he has in flame in order to touch someone or something that he doesn’t want to burn.
Wind Manipulation: Can alter air currents by changing temperatures.
Flight: As the density of his body changes, Johnny’s body becomes lighter than air, giving him the capabilities of flight. He is also extremely maneuverable. The faster he goes, the shorter his limit becomes. At normal speed (about fifty air miles per hour) he should be able to fly for a half-hour, a distance of twenty-five miles.
Super Speed: The Human Torch can easily break the sound barrier while in flight.
Durability: The Human Torch is surprisingly, and extremely durable. He was able to shake off punches from Gladiator, Namor, and Annihilus.
Immunity to Fire & Heat: The Human Torch is unaffected by heat and flames, including his own, even when part of him is aflame and the rest of him is not. His flesh cannot be scalded or burned by any heat source whose level is below that of his maximum output.
Cold Resistance: Human Torch have a degree of resistance to cold temperatures.
Weaknesses
The Human Torch requires oxygen to use his flame powers. Without it, he would not be able to flame on or would be soon extinguished.
The Human Torch burns through energy rather quickly depending on his energy expenditure. Special attacks such as the Nova Flame could easily deplete his energy reserves.
It takes incredible focus to control his heat powers and must be a constant thought. Johnny has learned well over the years to control this power.
⚡ Happy 🎯 Heroclix 💫 Friday! 👽
_____________________________
A year of the shows and performers of the Bijou Planks Theater.
Secret Identity: Johnny Storm
Publisher: Marvel
First Appearance: The Fantastic Four #1 (Nov. 1961)
Created by: Stan Lee (writer)
Jack Kirby (artist)
The Human Torch has been seen:
Chowing down with the FF at the Greasy Freeze in BP 2020 Day 216!
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/50185600671/
Fighting Doctor Doom in BP 2021 Day 46!
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/50947974421/
The rest of the Fantastic Four can be seen here:
Mr. Fantastic, BP 2022 Day 280!
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/52411514451/
Invisible Woman, BP 2022 Day 287!
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/52426425322/
The Thing, BP 2022 Day 308!
Publish Janu,18/01/ 2017 BD LIVE HITS is a YouTube Chanel that presents all Hit Model, , Videos, News, , Live Performance, Juicy jokes etc ! ** Sonam's going to Hollywood!** Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone, Sonam Kapoor, after traveling to Hollywood. Huma kuresirao international film debut. Britain, however, the film is not Hollywood. Sonam's father Anil Kapoor has already recovered Hollywood debut. Mission impossible: Ghost Protocol, and he acted in Slumdog Millionaire. Now Hollywood is Sonam. Ease of coffee with Sonam has acknowledged. Huma Qureshi international film debut. He is working with the director, Gurinder cadda his name. Bend It Like Beckham director Gurinder's film. Huma Qureshi is going to release the film in the UK on March 3 this year. Subscribe our channel : goo.gl/FD2h1b Share the video youtu.be/5D2hCeYZPOI Facebook fun page : ift.tt/2gF3THr Twitter : twitter.com/anis01713734673 *****KEYWORD****** ** Sonam's going to Hollywood**
I just published my first ebook on Smashwords and Amazon. Each company sells it for different kinds of e-readers. If you're curious you can download a small sample on either site.
Anyway, it was a bit of a challenge to get it done but I'm super happy it's done now. I've had an earlier version of this book and another one with all animal photographs for sale as printed mini-books for years now (I sell them at craft fairs), but always wanted to get them online too.
Happy Earth Day!
Courageous Creativity - Flying Chicadee
PRETTY EXCITING!! I was just published as the featured photographer in this ezine.
issuu.com/flyingchickadee/docs/march_2015_print Every full-page photograph is one of mine, including the front and back covers.
©2011, FUSINA Dominik
Publishing date : 24/09/2011
Location : Gleizé (France)
Don't use or publish that photo without my permission.
Thank you for your favs (F) and comments ;)
Vert | Gleizé (France)
J'adore les découvertes, les rencontres. C'est d'ailleurs ce qui fait le côté fun du métier d'artiste-photographe. On part parfois avec une idée précise en tête, voire pas du tout (le syndrome de la page blanche), et soudain, un élément imprévu faire irruption. On se laisse alors entrainer dans une nouvelle direction.
Ce chat fait partie de mon coup de coeur du jour. J'étais en train de monter un studio en plein air dans une friche lorsque j'ai croisé le chemin d'un chat. Peu craintif et très affectueux, il s'est invité à ma séance. Il s'est même incrusté. Collant au possible, probablement en manque d'affection, je le trouvais systématiquement dans mes pattes. Il est devenu un bout d'un moment tellement inévitable que je lui ai consacré presque une heure de mon temps à le prendre en photo. Faut dire que je n'aurais pas pu faire autrement : il s'arrangeait systématiquement pour faire partie de mon cadrage. Incroyable ! Un véritable chat top-modèle ! :)
dominikfoto's photos on Flickriver
NIKON D3s
Lens : 50mm/f1.4 NIKON
Settings : --
Lights : Natural light
No tripod.
Published by O Globo, Brazil april, 1940
Cover art: Bill Everett Marvel Mystery Comics No. 3/1940 - Timely Publications from page #1.
The Dawn of Timely Comics in Brazil.
First appearance of characters in this issue: Atlantes, Red Mask, Namor: The Sub-Mariner Prince.
Story's Included in this edition are:
a.) Characters:
Namor, The Submarine Prince
Screenplay: Bill Everett
Drawing: Bill Everett
Original editor: Martin Goodman
Originally published in Marvel Mystery Comics (1939) n ° 2/1939 - Timely Publications
b.)Characters:
Red Mask
Screenplay: Will Harr
Design: Maurice Gutwirth
Originally published in Daring Mystery Comics (1940) n ° 2/1940 - Timely Publications
c.) Characters:
Gong (The Clock)
Screenplay: George Brenner
Design: George Brenner
Original editor: Ed Cronin
Originally published in Feature Funnies (1937) n ° 14/1938 - Quality Comics
Historically important the very first Timely Comic in Brazilian History.
Thought to be the first complete International Edition of Timely Comics Globally outside the US.
Cover art and Interior complete story by Bill Everett.
Cover art: Bill Everett Marvel Mystery Comics No. 3/1940 - Timely Publications from page #1.
The beginning Internationally of the of Marvel Comics in the Foreign Comic market.
O Globo the single most important publisher in Brazilian history, and when is all said and done I feel the historians will state the obvious.
They were the Pioneers that brought history to the International market, with complete stories and original art of the Grand Masters.
Bill Everett and Carl Burgos among others.
Oor Wullie (English: Our Willie) is a Scottish comic strip published in the D.C. Thomson newspaper The Sunday Post.
It features a character called Wullie Russell .
Wullie is the familiar Scots nickname for boys named William.
His trademarks are spiky hair, dungarees and an upturned bucket, which he uses as a seat - most strips since early 1ii937 begin and end with a single panel of Wullie sitting on his bucket.
The earliest strips, with little dialogue, ended with Wullie complaining ("I nivver get ony fun roond here!").
The artistic style settled down by 1940 and has changed little since. A frequent tagline reads, "Oor Wullie! Your Wullie! A'body's Wullie!" (Our Willie! Your Willie! Everybody's Willie!).
Created by Thomson editor R. D. Low and drawn by cartoonist Dudley D. Watkins, the strip first appeared on 8 March 1936.
Watkins continued to draw Oor Wullie until his death in 1969, after which the Post recycled his work into the 1970s.
New strips were eventually commissioned from Tom Lavery, followed by Peter Davidson and Robert Nixon. Ken H. Harrison drew the strip from 1989 until 1997, when Davidson resumed duties.
Between January 2005 and 2006 storylines were written by broadcaster Tom Morton from his home in Shetland, and subsequently they were written by Dave Donaldson, managing director of Thomson's comics division.
The current writer is former Dandy editor Morris Heggie.
The Oor Wullie bucket Trail begins on the 17th June 2019 and is even bigger than the last one 3 years ago.
In 2016 Dundee held a bucket trail with over 50 sculptures all painted with different designs to celebrate 80 years of Oor Wullie.
This was a huge success with the sculptures raising over £800,000 at auction for the local childrens charity.
They have decided to bring it back this year but on a far bigger scale with 150 sculptures and this time you will be able to find them not only in Dundee, but Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Inverness and a few dotted in other towns and cities across the country.
At the end of the summer these will once again be auctioned off and the money will be split between 3 childrens charities.
Oor Wullie’s BIG Bucket Trail runs for 11 weeks from 17th June 2019 – 30th August 2019, culminating in a series of Farewell Events and nationwide auctions in each of the five host cities, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, Aberdeen and Inverness.
Scotland’s first ever national public art trail aims to unite the country as it raises awareness and vital funds for Scotland’s children’s hospital charities.
Funds raised through the trail will support Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity,Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity,and the ARCHIE Foundation, helping children in hospital across the country.
Oor Wullie’s BIG Bucket Trail is a Wild in Art event, and would not be possible without the support of DC Thomson Media.
I have taken a keen interest in this event and intend to capture all of the sculptures across the city, posting some of my favourite shots here on Flickr.
©All photographs on this site are copyright: DESPITE STRAIGHT LINES (Paul Williams) 2011 – 2020 & GETTY IMAGES ®
No license is given nor granted in respect of the use of any copyrighted material on this site other than with the express written agreement of DESPITE STRAIGHT LINES (Paul Williams) ©
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I would like to say a huge and heartfelt 'THANK YOU' to GETTY IMAGES, and the 36.348+ Million visitors to my FLICKR site.
***** Selected for sale in the GETTY IMAGES COLLECTION on March 30th 2020
CREATIVE RF gty.im/1215320022 MOMENT ROYALTY FREE COLLECTION**
This photograph became my 4,337 frame to be selected for sale in the Getty Images collection and I am very grateful to them for this wonderful opportunity.
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This photograph was taken at an altitude of Six hundred and eleven metres at 09:57am on Tuesday 10th May 2016 off the Alaska Highway 97, with a detour onto the Old Alaska Highway Road onto Kiskatinaw Road at Kiskatinaw Bridge, Dawson Creek in British Columbia, Canada.
Kiskatinaw Bridge was originally designed and built in 1942-43 by the United States Army Corps of Engineers to provide a pioneer road for military vehicles from Dawson Creek to Big Delta, Alaska. The bridge is now the last surviving bridge of it's kind still in use, curving nine degrees and spaning 162.5 metres in length. In 1978 a new road was built that bypassed the beautifull wooden bridge, which offers wonderful view of the Kiskatinaw river and entry to the Kiskatinaw Provincial Park.
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Nikon D800 Focal length 26mm Shutter speed: 1/500s Aperture f/5.0 iso100 RAW (14Bit) Hand held. Nikon back focus button enabled. AF-C Continuous point focus with 3-D tracking. Manual exposure. Matrix metering. Auto white balance. Nikon fine tune on (+9)
Nikkor AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G ED IF. Jessops 77mm UV filter. Nikon MB-D12 battery grip. Two Nikon EN-EL15 batteries. Nikon DK-17M 1.2x Magnifying Eyepiece. Nikon DK-19 soft rubber eyecup. Digi-Chip 64GB Class 10 UHS-1 SDXC card. Lowepro Transporter camera strap. Lowepro Vertex 200 AW Photo/ 15.4" Notebook Backpack camera bag. Nikon GP-1 GPS.
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LATITUDE: N 55d 57m 26.62s
LONGITUDE: W 120d 33m 55.66s
ALTITUDE: 611.00m
RAW (TIFF) FILE SIZE: 103.00MB (NEF 75.0MB)
PROCESSED (JPeg) SIZE: 39.10MB
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PROCESSING POWER:
Nikon D800 Firmware versions A 1.10 B 1.10 L 2.009 (Lens distortion control version 2)
HP 110-352na Desktop PC with AMD Quad-Core A6-5200 APU processor. AMD Radeon HD8400 graphics. 8 GB DDR3 Memory with 1TB SATA storage. 64-bit Windows 10. Verbatim USB 2.0 1TB desktop hard drive. WD My Passport Ultra 1tb USB3 Portable hard drive. Nikon ViewNX2 Version 2.10.3 64bit. Adobe photoshop Elements 8 Version 8.0 64bit.
We publish today the english version of the first volume from Foto-Splendid series, “Social Life”
#freeforall #shareordie
colectiacosticaacsinte.eu/misc/foto-splendid-volume-one-s...
©All photographs on this site are copyright: DESPITE STRAIGHT LINES (Paul Williams) 2011 – 2020 & GETTY IMAGES ®
No license is given nor granted in respect of the use of any copyrighted material on this site other than with the express written agreement of DESPITE STRAIGHT LINES (Paul Williams) ©
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I would like to say a huge and heartfelt 'THANK YOU' to GETTY IMAGES, and the 37.403+ Million visitors to my FLICKR site.
***** Selected for sale in the GETTY IMAGES COLLECTION on March 26th 2020
CREATIVE RF gty.im/1214030696 MOMENT ROYALTY FREE COLLECTION**
This photograph became my 4,619th frame to be selected for sale in the Getty Images collection and I am very grateful to them for this wonderful opportunity.
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This Six seconds long exposure was taken standing in the River Cray at an altitude of Twenty two metres at 05:17am on Sunday 22nd March 2020, in the golden hour around sunrise, (Sunrise was at precisely 05:56am),off Rectory Lane in the grounds of Foots Cray Meadows, over the River Cray in Bexley, Kent, England.
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Nikon D850 Focal length 24mm Shutter speed: Thirty seconds long exposure. Electronic front curtain. Aperture f/11.0 iso125 Image area FX (36 x 24) NEF RAW L (8256 x 5504). NEF RAW L (14 bit uncompressed) Image size L (8256 x 5504 FX). Focus mode AF-C focus. AF-C Priority Selection: Release. Nikon Back button focusing enabled. AF-S Priority selection: Focus. 3D Tracking watch area: Normal 55 Tracking points.AF-Area mode single point & 73 point switchable. Exposure mode: Aperture priority. Matrix metering. Auto ISO sensitivity control on (Max iso 800/ Minimum shutter speed 125). White balance on: Auto1. Colour space: RGB. Active D-lighting: Normal. Vignette control: Normal. Nikon Distortion control: Enabled.
Nikkor AF-S 16-35mm f/4.0G IF ED VR. Lee SW150 MKII filter holder. Lee SW150 77mm screw in adapter ring. Lee SW150 0.9 (3 stops) ND Grad soft resin. Lee SW150 Filters field pouch. Mcoplus professional MB-D850 multi function battery grip 6960.Two Nikon EN-EL15a batteries (Priority to battery in Battery grip). Matin quick release neckstrap. My Memory 128GB Class 10 SDXC 80MB/s card. Lowepro Flipside 400 AW camera bag. Nikon GP-1 GPS module. Hoodman HEYENRG round eyepiece oversized eyecup. Manfrotto 055Xprob Carbon Fiber Tripod 3 Sections. Neewer 9750 Gimbal tripod head with Arca Swiss standard quick release plate. Jessops Tripod bag.
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LATITUDE: N 51d 25m 18.85s
LONGITUDE: E 0d 7m 15.77s
ALTITUDE: 22.0m
RAW (TIFF) FILE: 130.00MB NEF: 93.0MB
PROCESSED (JPeg) FILE: 37.70MB
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PROCESSING POWER:
Nikon D850 Firmware versions C 1.10 (9/05/2019) LD Distortion Data 2.018 (18/02/20) LF 1.00
HP 110-352na Desktop PC with AMD Quad-Core A6-5200 APU 64Bit processor. Radeon HD8400 graphics. 8 GB DDR3 Memory with 1TB Data storage. 64-bit Windows 10. Verbatim USB 2.0 1TB desktop hard drive. WD My Passport Ultra 1tb USB3 Portable hard drive. Nikon ViewNX-1 64bit Version 1.4.1 (18/02/2020). Nikon Capture NX-D 64bit Version 1.6.2 (18/02/2020). Nikon Picture Control Utility 2 (Version 2.4.5 (18/02/2020). Nikon Transfer 2 Version 2.13.5. Adobe photoshop Elements 8 Version 8.0 64bit.
The Postcard
A postally unused postcard that was published by M. Rieder of Los Angeles. The card, which has an undivided back, was printed in Germany.
Riverside, California
Riverside is a city in and the county seat of Riverside County, California, in the Inland Empire metropolitan area. It is named for its location beside the Santa Ana River.
It is the most populous city in the Inland Empire, and is about 50 miles (80 km) southeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is also part of the Greater Los Angeles area.
Riverside is the 61st.-most-populous city in the United States, and the 12th.-most-populous city in California. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 314,998.
Riverside was founded in the early 1870's. It is the birthplace of the California citrus industry, and home of the Mission Inn, the nation's largest Mission Revival Style building.
The University of California, Riverside, is in the northeastern part of the city. The university hosts the Riverside Sports Complex.
Other attractions in Riverside include the Fox Performing Arts Center, Museum of Riverside, which houses exhibits and artifacts of local history, the California Museum of Photography, the California Citrus State Historic Park, and Castle Park.
Riverside also features the Parent Washington Navel Orange Tree, the last of California's two original navel orange trees.
The elevation of downtown Riverside is 860 feet (260 m). Hills within the city limits include Mount Rubidoux, a city landmark and tourist attraction. Riverside is surrounded by small and large mountains, some of which get a dusting of winter snow. Riverside is about a 47-mile (76 km) drive to the Pacific Ocean.
History of Riverside
In the late 18th. century and the early 19th. century, the area was inhabited by Cahuilla and the Serrano people. Californios such as Bernardo Yorba and Juan Bandini established ranches during the first half of the 19th. century.
In the 1860's, Louis Prevost launched the California Silk Center Association, a short-lived experiment in sericulture. In the wake of its failure, John W. North purchased some of its land and formed the Southern California Colony Association to promote the area's development.
In March 1870, North distributed posters announcing the formation of a colony in California. North, a staunch temperance-minded abolitionist from New York State, had formerly founded Northfield, Minnesota. Riverside was temperance-minded, and Republican.
There were four saloons in Riverside when it was founded. The license fees were raised until the saloons moved out of Riverside. Investors from England and Canada transplanted traditions and activities adopted by prosperous citizens. As a result, the first golf course and polo field in southern California were built in Riverside.
The Citrus-Growing Industry
The first orange trees were planted in 1871, with the citrus industry that Riverside is famous for beginning three years later in 1874 when Eliza Tibbets received three Brazilian navel orange trees sent to her by a personal friend, William Saunders, a horticulturist at the United States Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C.
The trees came from Bahia, Brazil. The Bahia orange did not thrive in Florida, but its success in southern California was phenomenal.
The three trees were planted on the Tibbets' property. One of them died after it was trampled by a cow during the first year it was planted. After the trampling, the two remaining trees were transplanted to property belonging to Sam McCoy to receive better care than L. C. Tibbets, Eliza's husband, could provide.
Later, the trees were again transplanted, one at the Mission Inn property in 1903 by President Theodore Roosevelt (this tree died in 1922), and the other at the intersection of Magnolia and Arlington avenues.
Eliza Tibbets was honored with a stone marker placed with the last tree. That tree still stands to this day inside a protective fence abutting what is now a major intersection.
The trees thrived in the southern California climate and the navel orange industry grew rapidly. Many growers purchased bud wood and then grafted the cuttings to root stock.
Within a few years, the successful cultivation of many thousands of the newly discovered Brazilian navel orange trees led to a California Gold Rush of a different kind: the establishment of the citrus industry. This is commemorated in the landscapes and exhibits of the California Citrus State Historic Park and the restored packing houses in the downtown's Marketplace district.
By 1882, there were more than 500,000 citrus trees in California, almost half of which were in Riverside. The development of refrigerated railroad cars and innovative irrigation systems established Riverside as the richest city in the United States (in terms of income per capita) by 1895.
As the city grew, a small guest hotel designed in the popular Mission Revival style, known as the Glenwood Tavern, eventually grew to become the Mission Inn, favored by presidents, royalty and movie stars.
Inside was housed a special chair made for the sizable President William Howard Taft. The hotel was modeled after the missions built along the California coast by Franciscan friars in the 18th. and 19th. centuries.
Postcards of lush orange groves, swimming pools and magnificent homes have attracted vacationers and entrepreneurs throughout the years. Many relocated to the warm, dry climate for reasons of health and to escape Eastern winters.
Victoria Avenue, with its scattering of elegant turn-of-the-century homes, and citrus-lined paseo, serves as a reminder of European investors who settled here.
Riverside Landmarks
Landmarks include:
-- The Mission Inn, the Beaux-Arts style Riverside County Historic Courthouse (based on the Petit Palais in Paris, France).
-- The Riverside Fox Theater, where the first showing of the 1939 film Gone with the Wind took place. It is the most successful film in box-office history when adjusted for inflation. The theater was purchased by the city and refurbished as part of the Riverside Renaissance Initiative. The Fox Theater underwent extensive renovation and restoration, which was completed in 2009, to turn the old cinema into a performing arts theater.
The building was expanded to hold 1,600 seats, and the stage was enlarged to accommodate Broadway-style performances. In January 2010, singer Sheryl Crow opened the newly remodeled Fox Theater in a nearly sold-out show.
-- The Riverside Paper Cup. Riverside is home to the "World's Largest Paper Cup" (actually made of concrete), which is over three stories (68.10 ft; 20.76 m) tall. The "Dixie Cup" landmark is on Iowa Street just north of Palmyrita, in front of what was once the Dixie Corporation's manufacturing plant (now closed down).
-- Three notable hills are in Riverside's scenic landscape: Box Springs Mountain, Evans (Jurupa) Hill, and Tecolote Hill; all of which are preserved open spaces. South of Riverside is Lake Mathews.
There is also the well-known landmark/foothill Mount Rubidoux, which is next to the Santa Ana River and one of the most noticeable landmarks in the downtown area. This foothill is the dividing line between the town of Rubidoux and the city of Riverside.
In 2012, a controversy erupted regarding the cross atop Mount Rubidoux, which was on city-owned land and maintained by the city. Due to constitutional issues regarding separation of church and state, the Riverside City Council sold the cross and the land under it (0.43 acres; 1740.15 sq m) to a private entity for $10,500.
-- March Joint Air Reserve Base borders Riverside on the east, serving as a divider between the city and Moreno Valley. March ARB, founded in 1918, is the oldest operating Air Force base west of the Mississippi River.
-- At the entrance to Riverside from the 60 freeway sits Fairmount Park. This extensive urban oasis was designed by the firm founded by Frederick Law Olmsted, which designed New York's Central Park. It includes a stocked pond that is home to many species of birds.
-- On nearby private land is the former site of Spring Rancheria, a Cahuilla village.
-- Riverside is home to the University of California, Riverside. The UCR Botanical Gardens contain 40 acres (16 ha) of unusual plants, with four miles (6 km) of walking trails.
Riverside Cemeteries
Cemeteries in Riverside include:
-- Crestlawn Memorial Park; notable burials include Medal of Honor recipient George Alan Ingalls, baseball player Mike Darr, actor Roland Harrah III, and actor Darwood Kaye.
-- Evergreen Cemetery; notable burials include Marcella Craft, Frank Augustus Miller, John W. North, Eliza Tibbets, and Al Wilson.
-- Olivewood Memorial Park; notable burials include Medal of Honor recipient Jesus S. Duran, Travis Alexander, Dorothy Burgess, Mayor Ben H. Lewis, Del Lord, Gloria Ramirez, and Eric Show.
-- Riverside National Cemetery, established in 1976, is the largest cemetery managed by the National Cemetery Administration, and since 2000 has been the most active in the system based on the number of interments.
Environment
The Riverside area faces issues of smog and above-average levels of air pollution. In a comparison by the National Campaign Against Dirty Air Power (2003), the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario area was found to be one of the most polluted regions based on year-round particle measurements when compared to other U.S. cities.
The city made efforts to reduce pollution by incorporating additional means of mass transit (Metrolink) and equipping its entire fleet of buses with natural gas. Smog decreased considerably over the next few years as local municipalities and counties worked with the South Coast Air Quality Management District to implement measures to improve regional air quality.
Nevertheless, in 2020, the American Lung Association rated Riverside County one of the nation's worst counties for smog. Most of Riverside's smog problems are the result of the prevailing wind that blows the smog from the Los Angeles Basin and particulates generated by southern California's multitude of vehicles.
Riverside in the Media
Riverside's close proximity to Hollywood, combined with its many unique architectural features, has made it a frequent filming choice by film studios, starting with the 1919 film Boots, which starred Dorothy Gish and was filmed at the Mission Inn.
Episodes of the 2013 television celebrity diving program Splash are taped at Riverside Community College's aquatics complex, and a local gay bar named V.I.P. was the setting for the second episode of Season Five of the Bravo TV reality show Tabatha Takes Over. The HBO show Enlightened (2011–2013), which starred Laura Dern, was also set in Riverside.
Riverside Museums
Riverside museums include:
-- California Citrus State Historic Park Museum
-- The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art, Culture & Industry
-- Entomology Research Museum at the University of California, Riverside (not open to the public).
-- Heritage House Museum
-- March Field Air Museum
-- Mission Inn Museum
-- Riverside Art Museum
-- Museum of Riverside
-- Sherman Indian Museum at the Sherman Indian High School
-- Sweeney Art Gallery, an extension of the University of California, Riverside
-- The Stahl Center Museum of Culture at the La Sierra University
-- University of California, Riverside California Museum of Photography
-- World Museum of Natural History at the La Sierra University
-- Southern California Railway Museum
Riverside Festivals and Events
Several festivals occur throughout the year in Riverside, many focused on the downtown area:
-- Each year in February The Riverside Dickens Festival is held to "enhance a sense of community among citizens of Riverside County and Southern California by creating a series of literary events and to provide educational, family-oriented, literary entertainment and activities such as plays, musical performances, pageants, living history presentations, workshops, lectures, classroom study, exhibits and a street bazaar with free entertainment, vendors and costumed characters."
-- The Riverside Airshow takes place in March at the Riverside Municipal Airport. The event attracts around 70,000 people and includes aerial performers, over 200 acres (0.81 km2) of aircraft displays, a car show and military vehicle display, children's activities, food and refreshments, helicopter displays and community group exhibits.
-- The March Field Airfest, also known as Thunder Over the Empire, is a biennial air show held at March Air Reserve Base. The show has featured such performers as the United States Air Force Thunderbirds, the Air Combat Command demonstrations teams and many other military and civilian demonstrations. 2010 saw the Patriots Jet Team as the highlight demonstration team of the show. Attendance for the 2010 show was estimated at over 150,000.
-- The Riverside International Film Festival (RIFF) takes place in April and features films from around the world. Sponsored by the city of Riverside, local universities, and many businesses, past festivals have featured over 175 films.
-- Old Riverside Foundation, a local nonprofit organisation focused on historic preservation of the built environment, hosts an annual Vintage Home Tour in May that showcases private historic homes, open to the public for one day only.
-- In October, the California Riverside Ballet sponsors the Ghost Walk, which in 2013 celebrated its 22nd. year. The event is a walk around some of the city's oldest and most historic buildings, with volunteers leading tours and telling ghost stories.
-- Also, in October, for one evening, from late afternoon until midnight, the Long Night of Arts & Innovation is held in Downtown Riverside. This event is designed to showcase the area's talent in the visual and performing arts, science and technology from its universities, community college, school districts, and innovative companies and arts organizations.
It is also designed to encourage school children to seek careers in the arts and STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) by connecting them to professors, artists, professionals and performers from these institutions.
-- The Riverside Festival of Lights centers around The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa, located downtown. Decoration of the Inn begins in October and a lighting ceremony that includes speakers, fireworks, and live musicians takes place the day after Thanksgiving Day.
Carolers, horse-drawn carriage rides, and ice skating all color the festival. Restaurants, cafes, and community groups all contribute to the festival. The festival runs through New Year's Day.
-- Also during the week of Thanksgiving, the Festival of Trees is held at the Riverside Convention Center. Held since 1990, the event seeks to raise money for the Riverside County Regional Medical Center children's units, including the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, the Child Abuse and Neglect Unit, and the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.
Attracting 25,000 people per year, the event has raised over $5 million since its inception. At the Festival of Trees, many professionally decorated Christmas trees are judged, auctioned, and then displayed for public viewing.
Riverside Crime
Riverside's crime rate has shown a drop over the past several years. From 2002 to 2014, violent crime fell to 1,384 from 2,026 events, and property crime to 9,864 from 13,135 events.
During this time, the population of the city rose by 21%. To help reduce gang-related crime, the city developed Project Bridge, an anti-gang program under the city of Riverside's Park and Recreation Department.
Of the 60 largest U.S. police departments in 2015, the Riverside Police Department was the only department whose police did not kill anyone that year.
Published in UK Rock'n'Roll Magazine, February 2011
www.flickr.com/photos/frauluna/5592843620/
Hi all! I haven't uploaded any fashion photographs for awhile! Here's my latest editorial, Nightside, which was published in Like A Lion Magazine.
You can view the full editorial over on my website:
www.aaronsehmarphotography.co.uk/nightside.html
Strobist info:
Left image: Shot with a canon 320ex speedlite,
left of the model.
Right image: shot with two canon 320ex speedlites, one to the left of the model and one to the right, facing towards each other.
Published by the
Minister of Immigration and Colonization
Ottawa
"Canada is a country which invites more and more ambitious settlers to take advantage of its fertile lands and its home building opportunities."
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"I think the young lady might be Ceres the goddess of agriculture, one of her symbols is wheat so that would explain the grain curtains. I believe that we get the word cereal from her name"
-- Trish (below)
My pictures of New York are published in "Destination" magazine. Mostly available in France, Belgium and Luxembourg, but I think it may be found in Morocco, Tunisia, Canada and USA.
To celebrate, I'll upload some unpublished pictures of New York soon :-)
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© Do not use/modify without authorization.
Published in January 1894 by The Historical Publishing Company, author J. W. Buel, this book contains 300 photographs of every aspect of the fair.
The World's Fair: Columbian Exposition (also known as the Chicago World's Fair) was a world's fair held in Chicago in 1893 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' arrival in the New World in 1492. At the core of the fair was an area that quickly became known as the White City for its buildings with white stucco siding and its streets illuminated by electric lights.
Alfa Romeo Production Reportedly Jumped 62 Percent in 2017
U.S. sales for Alfa Romeo reportedly shot up more than 2,000 percent.
According to a numbers from Fim-Cisl published by Automotive News, Alfa Romeo’s 3 Italian factories constructed 150,722 vehicles in 2017 that is approach adult from only 93,117 in 2016. While that’s a outrageous commission of growth, it still falls brief of FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne’s confident projection early in 2017 of 170,000 Alfas that year.
ANALYSIS - Future Alfa Romeo models
22 January 2018 | Features & Interviews | Source: Glenn Brooks
FCA is the latest OEM to have its current and future models put under the microscope for examination. The first brands in this series were Fiat and Abarth, followed by Chrysler, Dodge and Ram. Features on Jeep, Maserati and Ferrari are still to come.
Last year, FCA Italy built more than 100,000 Alfa Romeo vehicles, a huge improvement over 2017 yet a long way short of the infamous 400,000 cars by 2018 goal. The target was not abandoned. Instead, it was pushed back by two years. How realistic is this now looking? Something dramatic may happen - production in North America or China and a couple of extra models which take off quickly - so it shouldn't be laughed off. The division does have a hard task ahead, though, even getting to the quarter of a million mark.
Exports to China are running at the rate of about 500 vehicles a month.
One of the biggest problems for Alfa is the US market. The Giulia is a good car, and the Stelvio is a terrific first effort at an SUV. What is needed now are more models. Especially SUVs and further ahead, electrified vehicles. Even if sales were doubled in 2018, that would still be fewer than 25,000 cars. The challenge is therefore a major one.
As for China, FCA hasn't stated any plans about local production, and Alfa doesn't have the overseas reputation for excellence which allows Lexus and Porsche to be so successful as import-only brands. At the moment, exports are running at the rate of about 500 vehicles a month. That's not even half the annual volume of results from the USA, themselves quite disappointing.
It's going to take Fiat Chrysler many years to establish Alfa Romeo as a make with the needed large range of vehicles, each of which needs to command high pricing. It can be done - look at the demand for the 8C supercar a decade ago and what those cars are now worth. For that to happen, there needs to be Audi-style consistency in everything that Alfa does.
FCA's COO Richard Palmer claims that Alfa Romeo is no longer sustaining losses. That might not sound like much of a boast for any supposed luxury brand. In the case of this marque, it's a big achievement. Adding extra crossovers and SUVs is what now needs to happen for Alfa to finally begin generating big cash numbers for reinvestment. Past 'savings' from sudden, major cost cutting programmes, a false-economy in every case, must also become a strategy that is binned.
FCA will host its next investors' briefing and public discussion of future models in May.
Leaving cars in production for way too long, and then axing them with no replacement has to be something which never again happens. Apart from the lack of an estate, one of the main reasons for the Giulia taking so long to establish itself was the brand's perplexing absence from the D segment for years.
Currently, the Mito and Giulietta are beyond the stage in their lifecycles at which they should have been replaced, while the 4C is fast and gorgeous but too expensive and compromised in ways which the Porsche 718 cars are not.
We haven't heard much from FCA in some time about what it now wants Alfa Romeo to be. That may not change until 1 June, which is when the group will host its next investors' briefing. The best thing which could come out of that would be under-promising and then, during this next five-year plan, over-delivering. That applies equally to sales and model range expansion claims, year-by-year.
B segment (Sub-compact)
A Fiat Punto-based hatchback replaced the three-door Alfa 147 almost a decade ago. Build at what was then Fiat Auto's Mirafiori plant started in June 2008. Originally MiTo but since changed to Mito, the model name is a contraction of Milano and Torino: Alfa Romeo and Fiat's home cities.
A five-door car would be launched in 2013 and also exported to North America, Fiat Group stated in April 2010. Yet like the Giulietta estate and so many other models, that car never made production. Had it done, Alfa's overall volumes could have been significantly higher. The success of the Audi A1 Sportback proves that point.
Fiat left the Mito on the market without a styling refresh for more than five years. The first facelift premiered at the 2013 Frankfurt IAA, and there was a second round of again minor changes in 2016. After a debut at the Geneva show, the latest Mito went on sale during the second quarter of that year.
The Mito is not expected to be replaced.
For reasons unknown, FCA is not expected to replace this car. Production is likely to end in July.
C segment (Compact)
The Giulietta, which was meant to be an Audi A3 Sportback rival, was the first vehicle on Fiat Group's C-Evoluzione platform, also known as 'Compact'.
The car's architecture is a development of a components set first seen in the Fiat Stilo. It was heavily modified with new front and rear suspension systems and is also distinguished by being compatible with all-wheel drive applications (though the Giulietta is front-drive only).
Originally thought to be called 149 and due for launch in 2009, the car premiered at the Geneva motor show in March 2010. The Milano name was revealed by Chrysler LLC in February 2009 but Fiat later changed it: 'Giulietta' was announced in December 2009.
A slightly updated Giulietta premiered at the Frankfurt motor show in September 2013. As well as new alloy wheels and upholstery, there were darkened headlamp filters (formerly exclusive to the QV) and a new grille, while the former 140hp 2.0-litre diesel was replaced by a 150hp MultiJet II unit. In additional, all 1.4 turbo petrol engines became Euro 6 compliant. The QV was not part of the facelifted range, but a revised Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde did then appear at the Geneva motor show in March 2014. It went on sale across Europe two months later.
Another minor facelift for the Giulietta had its public debut at the Geneva motor show in March 2016.
Production is likely to end in late 2018. All build has always been at Cassino. This plant is in the town of Piedimonte San Germano, three kilometres from Cassino, in the province of Frosinone.
The Alfetta should go into production at the end of 2018.
The Giulietta successor - it may revive the Alfetta model name - should go into production at the end of 2018. FCA is expected to sell two bodies, aiming to create rivals for the Audi A3 Sportback and A3 Sedan, plus their S and RS variants. One major difference will be rear- and all-wheel drive, however.
There may also be an electric hatchback but probably not until the time of a facelift in 2022. Alfa Romeo might also export the Giulietta replacement to North America, which wasn't the case with the first generation model.
D segment (Mid-size)
A replacement for the Alfa 159 - discontinued in early 2011 - took more than five years to enter production. Yet, there is no wagon version of the Giulia. This is an incredible state of affairs when the brand needs to show it is relevant in Germany and the UK. The Giulia wagon had been due to be released during 2017 but for reasons which FCA has never fully explained, the project was cancelled.
Alfa has a long, long way to travel before it can be thought of as being a competitor to the German Big three, Volvo, Land Rover and even Jaguar, and that's just in Europe. Having said that, Alfa's only sedan has received good reviews from the media for its dynamics and it is selling well in some countries.
There is a mountain to climb, but as Audi was determined to steadily prove, the underdog can eventually grow even bigger than the ones who used to bark the loudest. That takes decades though.
Series production of the Giulia did not commence at the Cassino plant in Italy until April 2016. The first cars were delivered to owners in Italy in late June 2016.
A 350hp 2.0-litre petrol engine should be added to the Giulia range later in 2018.
FCA US told the media at November 2015's LA auto show that the Giulia Quadriofoglio would be "arriving" there in the summer for the 2017 model year. There is also a 276hp 2.0-litre MultiAir2 engine in North America with the choice of rear- or all-wheel drive. The Quadrifoglio was offered first, priced from US$70,000.
Cars with four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines did not appear until the Geneva motor show in March 2016. At the same event, Alfa Romeo announced that the sedan would be available at launch in three model grades: Giulia, Super and Quadrifoglio and with up to six engine choices: 150 and 180 HP 2.2-litre diesel with 6 speed manual or 8 speed automatic transmission, 200 HP 2.0-litre petrol engine with 8 speed transmission and 510 HP 2.9-litre V6 BiTurbo petrol engine with 6 speed transmission. A 210hp diesel and the 276hp petrol unit were added in late 2016.
A prototype of Progetto 152 had been revealed at a media event on 24 June 2015, to mark the 105th anniversary of Alfa Romeo. The car's public debut was at the Frankfurt IAA in September 2015. FCA revealed only a handful of facts about the car in June 2015 and almost all of these concerned the range-topping Quadrifoglio. The four-leaf clover, which is powered by the 380kW (510PS) V6 petrol turbo engine fitted with cylinder deactivation, is said to accelerate to 100km/h in 3.9 seconds.
The 4,643mm long Giulia is claimed to have 50/50 weight distribution and is available with rear- or all-wheel drive. The propshaft, roof and bonnet on the low-volume/high-price Quadrifoglio are carbon fibre; aluminium is used for the engine, brakes, suspension, doors and wings; and the rear crossmember is made of aluminium composite and plastic; while the brake discs are carbon ceramic.
As Alfa Romeo has not been a competitive brand in this segment since the early years of the 156 way back in the 1990s, the Giulia is being built in only modest numbers - probably even fewer than the similarly sized Jaguar XE sedan.
A 350hp 2.0-litre petrol engine is expected to be added to the range later in 2018. After this, a facelifted line-up should appear in 2020. The next Giulia, which will use an evolution of the current car's Giorgio platform, is due to be launched in the final quarter of 2023.
E segment (Executive / Large)
Reid Bigland has not ruled out a large four-door car but he down-plays the idea.
Reid Bigland, who heads up Alfa Romeo, has not ruled out a future large four-door car but he sensibly down-plays the idea. Alfa Romeo has many other more urgent priorities than trying to take on the German brands in this segment. Lexus (GS), Infiniti (Q70 & L) and Jaguar (XF & L) have only limited success, while the Volvo S90 is doing OK but nothing more than that.
Reflecting on just how tough the Executive/Large sedan and wagon segment is for brands other than Audi, BMW and Mercedes, perhaps it might be better for FCA to leave Maserati's Ghibli unchallenged as the Group's sole entry in this class. Its sales might not be in the tens of thousands, but at least the car is able to command high prices.
It's equally hard to envisage an Alfa going up against the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and Lexus LS. FCA will be watching with close interest when Jaguar pushes the button to fire up its BEV-only strategy for the next XJ. With the existing model selling at way under 10,000 units a year, an XJ which runs on energy stored in batteries might even improve upon that car's sales performance.
Rather than push Alfa into the F segment for full-sized luxury sedans and hatchbacks, FCA will likely consider electrifying the next Maserati Quattroporte after seeing if consumers take to BEVs from other premium-priced brands. How the future electric four-door Porsche does in the marketplace is key.
Crossovers & SUVs
A compact SUV sized midway between the Audi Q3 and Q5 had been planned some years back but the project was delayed and delayed. This model would have been co-developed alongside the Jeep Compass and built in either Mexico or Brazil.
A business case can be made for an Alfa C-SUV but FCA's priorities for Alfa Romeo at the moment centre on rear- and all-wheel drive models. Vehicles based on the CUSW platform do not appear to be something which the company wants for Alfa Romeo. Why this should be the case when few buyers even know which axle is sending the majority of their car's power to the road, is a mystery.
The world's most successful premium brand has only one RWD car, the R8, in its vast range of models, while BMW's best seller in Germany is the front-wheel drive 2 Series. FCA appears to have overlooked these facts in its zeal to embrace the apparent 'purity' of rear-drive vehicles. That the FWD Mito and Giulietta are such weak sellers is due almost entirely to their age and lack of development - where were the additional engines, sports variants and bodystyles which could have kept these cars selling briskly?
Sergio Marchionne says there will be be two more Alfa Romeo SUVs
The most recent official information concerning the C-SUV project came from Sergio Marchionne. Speaking at Fiat Chrysler's Balocco test track in Italy in February 2017, FCA's CEO stated that two more SUVs were under development. One will be above the Stelvio, which was not news, but one below the brand's only current SUV was something which had been known prior to this announcement.
The compact SUV would logically be based on the similarly sized Giulietta replacement. Its release probably won't take place until late 2019.
Project 949, the Stelvio SUV, which became available in 2017, is built on the same line as the closely related Giulia at Cassino.
The vehicle's public debut was in 510hp Quadrifoglio form at the LA auto show in November 2016. At 4,687mm long, it is slightly shorter than the Porsche Macan.
As well as the 2.9-litre Ferrari-derived biturbo petrol V6, there is one other petrol engine: a 206kW (280hp) 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol turbo which produces 400Nm of torque. Both engines are linked to a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission. There is also a 2.2-litre diesel for European countries and certain other markets.
While the Stelvio Quadrifoglio shares its engine with the Giulia Quadrifoglio, there is one major difference: the sedan is rear-wheel drive only. However, the Stelvio four-leaf clover is mostly rear-wheel drive but drive is sent to the front axle when slippage is detected.
Stelvio production commenced in May 2017. Europe-wide sales commenced during the following month and the Stelvio became available in the USA during July 2017, new for the 2018 model year. The Quadrifoglio (biturbo V6) did not go on sale until November 2017 and early 2018 in the USA.
There should be a facelift for the Stelvio range in 2021. The next Stelvio is due in 2024 on an updated version of the Giorgio platform.
The 'Dolomiti' could well have its public debut at the Geneva motor show in March.
Speaking at the Frankfurt motor show in September 2011, Sergio Marchionne told the media that a large SUV for Alfa Romeo was in the planning stages.
As per the Ferrari V8-powered car which eventually became the Levante, the big Alfa 4x4 would have been derived from the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Since then, the Maserati became bigger and changed platforms but kept the Ferrari engine. Sort of - the V8 became a V6. It finally reached production in 2016.
The 5,003mm long Levante was developed to take on the Porsche Cayenne's domination of its segment. Will Alfa Romeo be given a similarly sized SUV? At the moment, the answer is yes but such a vehicle's path to production has been, to be polite, confusing.
In November 2010, Fiat Group CEO Sergio Marchionne appeared to contradict his own future model plan document that had been publicly shared with analysts earlier in the year. He stated that a new, big SUV for Alfa Romeo was likely to be based upon the Jeep Grand Cherokee and built alongside that model in the USA. Previously, Alfa's large 4x4 was said to be under development on Fiat's D-Evoluzione platform and not due for launch until 2014.
Harald Wester, the then CEO of Alfa Romeo, reportedly told analysts at a conference in Frankfurt in September 2011 that the large SUV had been cancelled. However, a large 'SUV' was listed on a slide showing basic details of future models for Alfa Romeo at FCA's Investors' Briefing in May 2014.
At the moment, the project is officially revived: a production model would appear "in 2017 or later", FCA announced at a press conference in January 2016. It could well be that this model ends up being closely related to the Maserati Levante. Should that be the case, it would not then use the Giorgio architecture.
Maserati's SUV is almost identical in size to the Porsche Cayenne, so Alfa's model should also be about five metres in length. As for the name, this seems guaranteed to be an Italian word with links to either motorsport or a place associated with roads which appeal to enthusiast drivers. FCA was careful to do this for Alfa's first SUV. Perhaps its big brother will be called Dolomiti. That would be in reference to the Grande Strada delle Dolomiti, a spectacular road with views of those mountains.
If FCA is using the Quattroporte/Ghibli platform to develop the Dolomiti, that would mean a big Alfa SUV could be in production at Mirafiori on the same line as the same size Maserati Levante as soon as 2019. However, an Italian union source claimed in early 2017 that the E-SUV would be manufactured at Mirafiori commencing in the first half of 2018. The Dolomiti could well have its public debut at the Geneva motor show in March.
Roadsters
Despite being a rarely seen model, FCA will continue to have the 4C in the Alfa Romeo line-up.
In theory, the 4C has it all: good looks (after the original headlights were restyled), fantastic handling and roadholding, great acceleration and a rev-happy engine which makes great noises. In practice, the car is ridiculously expensive, cramped and difficult for many potential owners to get in and out of. It is also one of the few vehicles on the market which does not have power steering. That's great for Sunday mornings on empty country roads but not exactly ideal in the city traffic conditions where most test drives have to take place.
The sub-4m long but 2m wide mid-engined 4C entered initial production in mid-2013, its lightweight chassis being outsourced to Adler Plastic.
The sales release in North America was delayed until 2014 and RHD build did not get underway until the fourth quarter of that year. These mistakes, plus the issue of pricing meant that many buyers in the two potentially strong markets of the USA and the UK lost interest in having to wait so long and bought something else. There is also the fact that the car for North America has an extra 100kg of weight, though it is still commendably light.
The US-spec 4C has aluminium inserts within the carbon fibre chassis. Federal regulations meant a modified structure was needed to absorb different impact forces. The monocoque and the front and rear frames are different, the suspension is reinforced and suspension tuning is bespoke.
In an attempt to redress disappointing sales, a targa bodystyle became available in 2015. The 4C Spider has a removable canvas top held in place by folding carbon fibre bars. Unlike this standard-fit roof, an optional carbon removable hardtop is too big to be stored in the boot. As with pricing, ease of driving, and accessibility, this is a basic error which Porsche avoided by giving the far cheaper 718 Boxster a no-hassles electric soft top.
FCA US slashed Fiat prices for the 2017 model year in an attempt to revive collapsed sales. Fiat Chrysler had hoped to sell 25,000 cars worldwide over a seven-year lifecycle but this was wildly optimistic. Looking on the bright side for savvy collectors, the little Alfa positively screams future classic, given its rarity.
Despite being a rarely seen model, FCA will continue to have the 4C in the Alfa Romeo line-up. A facelift is due to appear in the third or fourth quarters of this year. The car will also have revised suspension and steering systems. A replacement model seems iffy at this point.
A theoretical 6C could be evolved from the future Maserati Alfieri.
The project to develop a second sports car is said to have started afresh, but at the moment, the business case appears to be questional, especially given the failure of the 4C.
The theoretical 6C could be evolved from the future Maserati Alfieri. The Alfa would have its own engine(s) and be more expensive. Production volume would likely be a thousand or so per annum. Development of prototypes is said to be advancing with a pre-production car supposedly to be a world premiere at a motor show within the next year or two.
A better idea than replacing the 4C with another way too expensive Lotus Elise-style model would be to come up with a follow up to the breathtaking (to look at and to hear) 8C.
Just as the NSX is giving Acura a much needed halo effect in the same way that the LFA did for Lexus, Alfa could really do with a proper supercar. Using the next Maserati GranTurismo and GranCabrio as the basis makes a lot of sense. That way a new 8C could be on the market in 2020 with numbers limited to a few hundred a year and pricing at around the 200,000 euro level. 'Alfa Romeo, by Ferrari' on the engine cover of a V8 would guarantee a sky-high price.
Some will of course scoff at these ideas as irrelevant yet FCA hopefully has its eyes and wallet open wide for the re-entry to Formula 1 and the rumoured return to IndyCar. Not to put too fine a point on it, last time around, these were disastrous forays. That cannot be repeated: failure is not an option. A small range of sports cars and supercars could certainly lend the project some added credibility.
EVs? PHEVs? Fuel cell vehicles?
FCA has no official plans for any electric or plug-in hybrid Alfas and the company has been very public about its lack of enthusiasm for models powered by hydrogen. R&D for the latter isn't cheap and while Fiat Chrysler continues to be saddled with a large amount of debt, don't expect to see any money going into fuel cells.
How can Alfa Romeo be a serious player in the premium segment without EVs and PHEVs? In short, it can't. FCA eliminating its structural debt and moving to building the cash pile which it has long promised "in 2018" may well happen. Alfa Romeo should be first in the queue for a big tranche of fresh cash to develop the vehicles which it will need so as to properly compete with the German Big Three, Volvo, Porsche, Range Rover, Lexus, Infiniti, Acura and Jaguar.
Alfa will likely offer PHEV versions of the Giulia and Stelvio in limited numbers, mainly for California. A fully electric model will have to wait for the release of the Giulietta successor, which as noted above, should be available in four- and five-door forms. The 'Alfetta-e' would be sold mostly in Nordic markets plus California, the Netherlands, France, the UK and possibly China. By the time it goes on sale, Germany too might be a country where EVs could become modestly popular.
jerezano serves 'em up
Published lots of places by now. One more is:
blogs.villagevoice.com/forkintheroad/archives/2010/01/tac...
Another: www.dailycandy.com/san-francisco/article/80416/San-Franci...
Re-published after iPhoto accidentally deleted them off Flickr.
Street cat around Khan al-Khalili, Cairo. This cat was obviously use to modelling - as soon as I pointed the camera at it, it sat down and posed!
Straight after taking this photo a man rushed out asking for US$5 for taking a picture of his cat! I said no and offered to delete the picture and then he told me he was only joking - yeah right - i 'm sure if I gave him $5 he would have happily taken it!
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! 👽
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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
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First appearance cover: