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Character Creation

 

Illyana Nikolaievna Rasputina (Russian: Ильяна Николаевна Распутина) is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Len Wein and artist Dave Cockrum, the character first appeared in the Giant-Size X-Men #1 (May 1975). llyana Rasputin is a member of a fictional species of humanity known as mutants, who are born with superhuman abilities. She is known under the codename Magik.

 

llyana Rasputin is the younger sister of the Russian X-Men member Colossus and X-Men enemy Mikhail Rasputin. She became a powerful sorceress due to her time imprisoned in (and later ruling) Limbo. Her mutant power, which first manifested in that Limbo, is the ability to teleport via stepping discs utilizing that dimension's magic. Following her escape from Limbo, she became part of the New Mutants. She later joined the X-Men.

 

The character has been featured in various Marvel-licensed products, including video games, animated television series, and merchandise. Anya Taylor-Joy portrayed Illyana Rasputin in the 2020 film The New Mutants.

 

Publication history

 

llyana Rasputin debuted in Giant-Size X-Men #1 (May 1975), created by Len Wein and Dave Cockrum. Her first name was not revealed until The Uncanny X-Men #145 (May 1981). For the first eight years of the character's existence, she was an infrequently appearing background character known as Colossus' little sister. The means of changing this was set in The Uncanny X-Men #160 (August 1982), in which she ages seven years while in a paranormal dimension called Limbo, becomes a sorceress, and develops the mutant ability to create "teleportation discs." These changes were not immediately explored or explained, and for the next year she remained essentially a background character.

 

In December 1983, the limited series Magik (Illyana and Storm) was launched, chronicling Illyana's years in Limbo, which is also her origin story. Magik #1 (December 1983) is her first cover appearance as young Illyana, her second full appearance and the first time she get the name Magik. Magik #2 (Jan. 1984) is her first cover appearance as adult Magik. Immediately following the end of the series, she was added to the cast of the New Mutants, appearing regularly in that comic from The New Mutants #14 (April 1984), the first cover appearance of adult Magik in costume, to The New Mutants #77 (July 1989), in which she returns to her family in Russia after having reverted to childhood. As the younger sister of Colossus and a member of the New Mutants, she also sporadically appeared as a guest star in Uncanny X-Men.

 

In The Uncanny X-Men #303 (1993), she dies of the Legacy Virus. Other than flashbacks and alternate realities, she was absent from regular publication for most of the 1990s, though she does appear as a time-traveler in The New Mutants: Truth or Death #1-3 (1997). After being resurrected by Belasco, she returned to regular publication in 2007, in New X-Men #38-41 (2007), X-Infernus #1-4 (2009), X-Men: Hellbound #1-3 (2010) and New Mutants vol. 3 #1-29 (2009-2011). As a member of Cyclops' Extinction Team, she appears in The Uncanny X-Men vol. 2 #1-20 (2012), Avengers vs. X-Men #1-12 (2012), AVX: Versus #3 (2012), and AVX: Consequences #1-5 (2012). She appears in All-New X-Men, The Uncanny X-Men vol. 3, Extraordinary X-Men, and The New Mutants: Dead Souls (2018), as a regular character. She appears in Strange Academy #1 (2020) as a teacher in Dr. Strange's Sorcerer School.

 

Origin

 

To simply be a mutant didn't quite make you as different as it once would have. What made someone different was the type of mutant that they were. Specifically, their power level that would show their potential or ability as a mutant. The Rasputin children, Mikhail, Piotr, and Illyana, were all mutants. Each of them would have gifts that would/could affect many, even on a global level. Their futures would see them all go very different ways; their genetics ensured whichever way they chose to go, huge repercussions could be expected. These three mutant siblings would be no exception. From Mikhail's ability to manipulate matter on the subatomic level and his dimensional teleporting powers to Illyana's immensely powerful magical might and teleporting powers and even Piotr, who seemingly appears much weaker in comparison, but is prophesied to be the sole individual responsible for the destruction of an entire planet, Breakworld, and all of its inhabitants.

 

On the outward appearance it may seem that it must be purely coincidental that Illyana and her two older brothers, Mikhail and Piotr (Colossus), would all have massively powerful mutant powers and all be born to one family. But, not all is as it seems. These three siblings were born to a family that had been manipulated to ensure these outcomes. A bloodline refined to create power. Not only just Illyana, Mikhail and Piotr would have these substantial gifts, but all children born within the Rasputin bloodline would. Each would have the same genetics, share the same bloodline and lineage, each with the possibility to wield powerful mutant gifts. This was not a coincidence at all. This is all due to the manipulation, on a grand scale, by one of the foremost masters in genetics by the name of Nathaniel Essex, better known as Mr. Sinister.

 

Character Evolution

 

Illyana Nikolievna Rasputin, the indomitable mutant known as Magik, is a super-humanly powerful mutant with the power of teleportation, as well as being an unbelievably powerful and gifted sorceress. She has a potential that has yet to be reached. In her short life, she has seen and been through many things. From the experience of being kidnapped at a very young age by the evil Belasco, to life in a "Hell" dimension named Limbo for 7 years. Her gifts were exploited, and her soul was corrupted by black magic, turning a portion of it evil. After becoming the first victim to die of the Legacy Virus, she was eventually resurrected by her former master several years later. She is currently a member of the New Mutants. During the events of Avengers vs X-men, she has tasted even greater power; that of the Phoenix Force.

 

Major Story Arcs

 

Before Her Time...

 

More than 100 years ago, the patriarch of the Rasputin bloodline, the legendary Grigory Rasputin, would be the first to meet Sinister. The two would make unlikely allies. After their encounter, the Rasputin family would never be the same. When Grigory was younger, around the time of the emergence of his own mutant powers, Sinister would give him an offer he couldn’t refuse. Sinister or the "Pale Man" as Grigory referred to him as, would offer Grigory the chance to create a bloodline from his DNA that would lead a race of super humans. Grigory's importance to Sinister was quite simple. He was a mutant, and based on the time one of the few firsts. Not only was he a mutant, but a powerful one. Grigory was aware of his gifts or the "miraculous occurrences" that surrounded him. He enjoyed them and used them regularly. Though unrevealed, it’s assumed that Grigory may have had matter manipulating abilities. These powers seemed similar to that of his future descendant, Mikhail. Powerful or not, Sinister's offer appealed to him and he accepted promptly after. Sinister would go to work immediately.

 

He would seek out females similar to Grigory, mutants with special powers. Sinister would find around 15-20 women and impregnate them all by crossing their genes with that of Grigory's. Sinister would experiment on the unborn babies, with many dying in the process. There was one woman though that was a prefect match for Grigory, a woman by the name of Elena. Once Sinister found that the two could produce the outcome that he wished for he would put introduce the two. Shortly after meeting, two would marry each other. Elena would be his soon-to-be wife and bearer of his future army of super powered children. This would culminate with Grigory taking part in a mystical ceremony, led by Sinister, transferring his essence into his pregnant wife’s womb. His last words were that he promised to return to the world when the world was ready for him. With Elena giving birth to her baby months later, it would be the beginning of the powerful mutant bloodline that would lead to the eventual birth of one Illyana Nikolievna Rasputin.

 

Innocent Beginnings

 

Nikolai Rasputin and Alexandra Rasputin had three children, two boys, named Mikhail and Piotr and, their youngest, a girl named Illyana. Mikhail was already an adult when Illyana was born. He wanted more than a farmer's life and decided to become a cosmonaut working for the Russian government. As a result Illyana would never have the opportunity to meet her eldest brother and unfortunately never would as reports would come indicating that Mikhail had died while in duty. The reality was that his mutant powers manifested and the government decided to use him as a guinea pig. They wanted to see if they could find a way to harness his gift. Basically they were exploiting him, with no intention of releasing him. Illyana's family grieved, but she was relatively unaffected partially due to her age and she really didn't know him. Beyond that she had a fairly normal early childhood. She had a close-knit family, more love then she could ever know and a bond between her brother and her that death couldn't break, literally. The Rasputins would thrive and continue to live their lives as best they could. They managed to achieve a little normalcy in their lives right when another mutant would make their self known.

 

Professor X & the X-Men

 

Mikhail wouldn't be the only of his sibling to have mutant powers. Piotr would also have his powers emerge. Though he would attempt to keep his mutant gifts hidden, he would be forced to reveal them in a much unexpected way. Illyana was playing alone when an unmanned tractor came barreling in her direction. No one was near or had the ability to help her, save Piotr. He reacted instinctively, running to her aid and unconsciously activating his mutant powers. In a bright flash of light his entire body turned into that of a silver, shiny, armored giant. Standing in the way of the tractor, it would hit him and go no further as it would be destroyed upon impact. Like a knight in shinning armor, he was able to save his "Little Snowflake," as he referred to her. Relieved that he was able to protect his sister, he never noticed that a visitor had arrived and had watched the entire event unfold.

 

A man that would change not only Piotr's life, but that of his little sister, Illyana's as well. This man was Professor Charles Xavier and he had arrived wanting to speak with Piotr, hoping to recruit him as one of his new X-Men. After much conversation Piotr would accept and begrudgingly leave his family to start a new one in the United States. While a member of the team he took the codename Colossus and became one of the vaunted X-Men. As a member of the X-Men he would save the world many times over. But for Piotr it was a rough transition. He missed his family. He often suffered from homesickness, and as such he tended to stay alone and withdrawn. While on missions he often hid his feelings. Hiding them as he might, nothing could prepare him for the following events.

 

Abduction

 

The X-Men would do battle with many a foe, but one of the oddest was the eccentric, murderous Arcade. An assassin for hire and creator of Murderworld he was one of the best at what he did, but would bite off too much when Doctor Doom was involved. Arcade became involved in dealings that went bad with Doctor Doom. As a result he was held captive with no means of freedom. An associate of Arcade's, Miss Locke, would devise a plan that would have the X-Men do all the hard work and free Arcade for her. Of course they would never do this willingly, she would have to force them somehow. Miss Locke decided that she would blackmail them by kidnapping numerous members of each of the X-Men's family, this would include Piotr's little sister Illyana, and force them to assist.

 

And they did. The X-Men sent in two units, sending the larger of their forces in to get Arcade and the few remaining to free their captive loved ones. The X-Men would find themselves to be successful and would return home. Colossus though would make a decision that would change his little sister's life permanently.

 

He decided that Illyana should stay with them and not return to Russia. He felt that it would be safer for her as he and the X-Men could protect her better, so that another incident like her being abducted could never happen again. Professor X agreed with the decision. He even telepathically taught all of his X-Men how to speak the Russian language so that Illyana would feel more comfortable in her new environment. He, too, wanted to test Illyana to see if she had the mutant gene, like her brothers feeling that there was a strong chance that she would be one. A discussion would follow but it would be decided to not test her. Feeling that she had many more years before her potential mutant powers would emerge based on her age. Illyana's stay would be granted by a special student visa. She would attend tutored classes by Professor X while at the X-mansion.

 

While there she brought a happiness to Colossus, one that he hadn't felt in a long time since he left his home long ago. Illyana would get close to all the X-Men, but especially Kitty Pryde. Kitty would read her bedtime stories and interact with her a lot. This would be the start of a bond that would only grow over time.

 

Abducted by Balasco

 

Illyana stayed with the X-Men all the time, save when they embarked on missions. This included when they were in need of a new temporary headquarters. Due to a recent battle it had sustained major damage and Xavier's Institute had been destroyed. The X-Men with no other choice would be forced to take up base elsewhere. They would find and inhabit an island that Magneto once used as a base. It was a strange alien city on an island in the Bermuda Triangle. Coming to this island would be the event that would lead to Illyana's destiny and future self.

 

Illyana was a child, only 7 years old, when the X-Men came to the island. Having been on the island for only a couple of days the X-Men had managed to settle themselves in; though they were still held doubts over their new location. Storm, the field leader, deciding they needed to release some stress, had the X-Men participate in a training exercise while Illyana would play alone a short distance away so as to not get hurt.

 

However, when no one was paying attention, the young Illyana began to walk away as if she was being guided. Unable to control herself she would continue on until she reached a temple, which she entered without hesitation. Of all the other X-men it was only Kitty who had noticed her missing, and began to follow with the X-Men not too far behind. Illyana would reach her destination in the back of the dimly lit tunnel inside of the dilapidated temple. She stood in the middle of a circular shape with glowing yellow and white lights and disappeared. The X-Men would follow and also get teleported to another dimension, one of the many splintered realms of Hell. This one was called Limbo.

 

Limbo

 

As soon as Illyana arrived she was whisked away to the side of Belasco. He tempted her with many wonderful things, including a glorious future. All the while the X-Men made their way to Limbo as well. Through a string of events they were informed, by a second set of X-Men, that they had to leave in order for their Illyana to survive. The second set of X-Men, those stuck in Limbo, attempting to rescue their Illyana, were successful but they themselves found themselves unable to return; they too were stuck in Limbo. Immediately after, the X-Men were spirited away back to Earth and Illyana was left to fend for herself. Meanwhile, back with Illyana, Belasco had brought her to an altar and began a spell to withdraw the first of 5 pieces of Illyana's soul.

 

Effectively taking the first piece of her soul, it was transformed into a "Bloodstone" and he placed it into what he called the Beatrice Amulet. The Amulet once opened had a 5-pointed star with open holes. The first Bloodstone filled the spot of one of those points. Belasco's intentions for Illyana was to slowly take all 5 portions of her soul and turn them into bloodstones to complete the Beatrice Medallion. He needed time to further corrupt her soul, all the while step by step consecrating her to evil and making her the instrument of Belasco's masters the Elder Gods. He would also use her to free him from Limbo and allow him to roam Earth once again, where he would take over and rule supreme. He would leave immediately after the Bloodstone was removed and allowed time to take place.

 

Girl Interrupted

 

Still on the altar, Illyana would be saved and taken in by an older alternate Storm and an alternate version of Kitty Pryde, now calling herself Cat. Both were very different; Cat actually had been transformed in to a cat/human hybrid by Belasco and as a result hated magic. Differing from her mainstream counterpart, winds no longer listened to the elderly Storm, so she could not control the weather anymore and instead she focused purely on magic. Ororo attempted to break Illyana free of the link she had with Belasco immediately after saving her. After a trip to the astral plane, she finds that a part of Illyana was now and forever belonging to the side of evil, specifically to Belasco. When in Illyana's mind, the "evil" part of Illyana would attack and try to kill the elderly Ororo, but Ororo luckily would survive. Once back Ororo devised a plan to help the young Illyana. Wanting to equip Illyana for her future, Ororo decided to teach Illyana all the white magic she knew by making Illyana her magical apprentice.

 

The goal was to teach Illyana so that she would be enabled to keep her dark side at bay with white magic. All of her lessons would take place in Ororo's magic garden, from there they would proceed to administer the classes on the astral plane. Illyana was trained and became quite adept at white magic, tapping into her ancestral magical lineage. Storm felt it necessary to teach Illyana so that she was prepared for her next confrontation with Belasco. What Illyana didn't know, was that Belasco had once attempted to use both Storm and Cat to draw bloodstones from but was unsuccessful. Storm knowing this would only further her want to protect the young child. Cat disagreed partially because she despised magic, but also because she felt that Storm would be doing Belasco’s dirty work for him. She felt that Storm was making a huge mistake. Regardless, Storm began teaching Illyana white magic. While there she taught Illyana about life, white magic and the creation of life itself.

 

Their Illyana stayed for an entire year and learned everything that Storm could teach. Illyana learned fast but was quite angered by the fact that, try as she might, each and every spell she would cast would always be tainted by darkness. Where Ororo would magically have the ability to create life such as plants (or her entire garden), Illyana's attempts always seemed to fail. Though her spells were done properly and she had the magical aptitude to make them work, they would always turn out in a negative way.

 

Once the year was complete, in the middle of the night Cat would wake Illyana up and convince her to come with her leaving Ororo's garden. Cat was attempting to return Illyana to her home. During that night Illyana and Cat would get into a heated argument and during this time, Illyana's mutant powers first manifested. She accidentally created a stepping disc and fell through it. When she arrived she was still in Limbo, but here is when she first meets her future servant and enemy, S'ym. He taunts her and begins to attack her. She luckily is saved by Cat and together they escape from S'ym. While seeking a way to send Illyana home they came upon a desert and were informed that at the end of the desert would be the wall of Limbo.

 

Where if Cat used her phasing powers she could take Illyana through and free her from Limbo. Their trek through the desert would take two long years. Through that time Cat would teach Illyana how to fight, use a sword and survival skills. At the end of the 2 years they would finally reach their destination only to find that they were misled by one of Belasco's illusions. Belasco would first transform Cat even further into a cat-like being and took the young Illyana with him as his pupil. It would be during this time that Belasco would create his second Bloodstone out of Illyana's soul, effectively tainting the essence of the child even further making her even more evil. Illyana followed Belasco to his palace, worried but accepting her situation. She fully understood that Cat would no longer be able to provide help to her. Belasco's spell halted Cat's ability to think for herself and she was now bound to Belasco doing his every bidding. In the 3 years that followed, Belasco made Illyana his pupil, teaching her all that he knew.

 

Illyana learned the darkest of dark magic and the blackest of black magics. She took to it quite quickly, and unlike the spells that Ororo taught her, Illyana could produce all the black spells with ease, without error. She realized that the reason why she was unable to produce spells that created life was because her soul was permanently tainted with darkness. She would never produce white magic spells without them going awry. One day, while Illyana was brainstorming a way to get out of Limbo, she inadvertently activated her latent mutant powers of teleportation. Now a few years old, she had so much control learned from her magic teachings that she was able to practice her mutants powers without being afraid of them.

 

She began creating stepping discs and decided to walk through one to see where she would go. Her stepping disc took her to the future, unknown to her. Here she witnessed the arrival of her future teammates the New Mutants. Although at this point she had no clue who they were. The New Mutants were teleported to that very spot by a future Illyana. Seeing all she wanted to she, she created yet another stepping disc and teleported herself away. The disc this time sent her to the past. Here she witnessed a battle that took place many years ago in Limbo. The fight was between Belasco and a very young magician Storm.

 

Illyana watched as Storm was able to successfully defeat Belasco. As Storm was to make her killing stroke, she was taken over by darkness. In attempting to kill Belasco, Storm tainted her own soul, changing her. Scarred by what she saw, Illyana opened yet another disc and teleported to the current time. As she arrives, she sees yet another battle. The opponents were the same, but now Storm was very aged. The elderly Storm had attacked Belasco's palace in an attempt to free Illyana. Illyana immediately ran to Storm's aid but was cut off by the demonic Cat. They battled for a few short minutes but Illyana could tell that Cat was simply trying to hold Illyana back from helping Storm. Angered by this, Illyana lunged at Cat and snapped her neck, killing her immediately. When she finally gets to Storm she realizes that Storm too had fought against Cat and was dealt a mortal wound.

 

The elderly Storm was dying. Realizing it was all a trap, Illyana tried to take Storm when she found out that Belasco planned to used Storm's soul and life essence to create a 3rd Bloodstone. Not wanting to help Belasco get any closer to his goal she mercy-kills Storm, putting a halt to Belasco's plan. Belasco sees what Illyana has done and became enraged, but put plan B into play. Instead of using Storm for the 3rd Bloodstone, he would use Illyana to create it. She immediately teleports away using her mutant powers and reappears in Russia on the farm she grew up on directly in front of the house of her parents.

 

Overcome with happiness when she realized that she could use her power to leave Limbo, she ran to her parents' door and knocked. Her happiness would soon end when she sees her parents and tells them who she was. They, of course, did not recognize her and turned her away, under the assumption that their daughter was safe with their son Colossus in America and was a 6 year old little girl. Giving up she turned around and saw the corpses of the Limbo X-Men animated their to take her back to Limbo. When she gets back to Limbo, Belasco would quickly draw a 3rd Bloodstone from Illyana, even further tainting her soul and making it more demonic, and would exile her to the garden that the elderly Ororo taught her in many years ago. He would bind her powers disabling her use of her magics and mutant powers. Timing could not have been worse as it was the beginning of a harsh winter one that Illyana, likely, would not survive.

 

While in the garden Illyana used the skills taught to her by the now deceased Cat, managing to thrive in the unbearable cold. She also continued to practice the magic that the elderly Ororo taught her, attempting to find a way to free herself of the garden. Time and time again she was unable to produce magic that allowed creation, always coming out tainted as her soul was. She then had an epiphany; she was not able to produce magic like Ororo because they had differing motives. Ororo was attempting to help Illyana, Illyana's motive was quite simply revenge. She reconfigured the spell and used a small portion of her untainted, pure soul and a bright light grew directly in front of her. When she reached in she pulled out her Soulsword. Shortly after, she headed to Belasco and with the use of her newly created weapon, she battled and defeated Belasco. Just prior to her killing stroke she stopped, not wanting to become any more dark, any more like Belasco. She then exiled him from Limbo.

 

Due to this defeat, Illyana was now the unquestioned ruler of Limbo. And due to the 6 years of teaching she received while there, she had the ability to fight for her title if need be. Finally gaining confidence she would create a "stepping disc" and would return herself to home. When she arrived it would only be seconds from when they originally lost the younger Illyana. After a small conversation they believed her and took her to Professor X for further examination. He found that he was unable to probe her very much but did see, for the most part, that what she claims happened, did.

 

She would stay at the mansion with the rest of the X-Men uneventfully for a short while. She would be roomed with Kitty Pryde. They became quick friends and would lay the foundation for a relationship as best friends that would be unending. But even to Kitty she revealed nothing. She made sure not to tell anyone of her magical or mutant powers, wanting to keep them a secret. Illyana was attempting to try and cope with all the events and changes she went through while in Limbo. Try as she might, Illyana could not hide forever and her secrets would be revealed.....well one of them at least.

 

An unexpected arrival of Belasco would force her to use her mutant powers to teleport the New Mutants (mutant students who attend the Xavier Institute) to Limbo for their safety. Coincidentally, this would be what she saw when she was stuck in Limbo many years ago. When all was said and done the New Mutants were returned to Earth unharmed. Illyana would use a forgetting spell ensuring the New Mutants would not remember any of what occurred except for the fact that Illyana was a mutant. Once Professor X was informed of Illyana's mutant nature, she would be granted to ability to study with and join the New Mutants, which she gladly did.

 

Enter the New Mutants

 

While apart of the New Mutants, Illyana would finally allow herself to let her guard down....a little. In a short time she became a powerful and valued member of the team. Although they knew she was a mutant, she still guarded her magical side intensely. Due to the barriers she kept up she sometimes felt misunderstood and alone but the others truly cared for her. As a team, the New Mutants would go through more than their fair share of battles. Though they had many successes, they too had many great loses. First Professor X stepped down and left the school in the hand of the villainous Magneto. Magik and the New Mutants were none too happy about this change. Amidst the ups and downs of life Illyana finally revealed her magical side to her teammates, receiving mixed reviews. Shortly after that they would suffer yet another lose, this time the death of teammate Douglas Ramsey (Cypher).

 

As if that wasn't enough, the New Mutants all would then have their lives snuffed out by the Beyonder during the Secret Wars. He made it as if they never existed. The Beyonder was bent on the idea of humanity and the attempt to gain one. He would have a machine created that if working properly give one life or bring one back to life. Needing guinea pigs he would test it on the recently departed members of the New Mutants. Though they were alive again, the experiences of their deaths and resurrections was far too traumatic for them. They were all severely mentally affected by their experiences. Magik and the New Mutants were mere husks of their former selves and showed no human emotions. Once they returned to the Institute, Magneto would decide to send his students to Emma Frost, the White Queen of the Hellfire Club and leader of the Hellions. Emma was to use her vast telepathic powers to help repair the already damaged psyches of each of the New Mutants.

 

While under the care of Emma Frost, the New Mutants enrolled at her school and were recruited into her team of Hellions. This was her true plan all along. To her surprise, though, once Magik and the New Mutants were healed they would returnimmediately to the Xavier Institute.

 

The Inferno

 

During a standard trip through Limbo, something went wrong and the New Mutants were stuck. Illyana's evil and demonic side started to take over her body. The demons there wanted her to become the full lord of Limbo. When she tried to escape, the demon N'astirh used this as a way to open a huge teleportation disc between Earth and Limbo, which started an invasion of Earth by the demons of Limbo. Magik then managed to defeat the powerful demon S'ym . After the battle the New Mutants examined the remains of Magik's armor and found the seven-year old Illyana inside it. However, she still possessed the bloodstone amulet. The 7 year old Illyana was then brought home and returned to Russia where she lived with her parents until they were murdered by the Russian government in order to make sure Illyana had her abilities to defeat a powerful psionic being, which posed a threat to Russia. After this, Illyana returned to the X-Mansion.

 

Death

 

Illyana was brought back to America and the X-mansion. However, shortly afterward, Illyana caught the Legacy Virus, a deadly and incurable disease that only affected mutants. At this time, the young X-woman Jubilee and Illyana made a special friendship. Although she was a fighter, and her brother was at her side almost always, Illyana succumbed to the virus a few weeks later and died in the X-Mansion. This happened at a time during which her brother was on a mission with the X-Men, something he would never forgive himself for. She was buried at the Xavier Institute and was mourned by everybody, especially by her brother and good friend Kitty Pryde. Her spirit would later go on to visit Wolverine and her brother, Piotr.

 

Magik Returns

 

During the House of M storyline, the Scarlet Witch used her reality-warping abilities to recreate the world as we knew it, transforming it into way she wished it was. Illyana came back to life and joined many of the new X-Men as students at S.H.I.E.L.D. She was placed in the Hellions training squad and, during their last mission, was told to take a group of mutated humans somewhere safe. She teleported just as chaos took over, and the House of M came to an end reverting back to the way it was before. In a world where Illyana was no longer alive. No one remembers ever meeting Magik because none of them remembered the House of M. Later, the evil Belasco came looking for Magik, as he sensed her presence that was left behind during the House of M, and used his powers to take most of the students at the school prisoner. He smelled Magik on them but none of them remembered meeting her. All clues began to point to Magik being alive.

 

A group of free students on the run in Limbo ran into a version of Illyana in her Darkchild self. She revealed that she was recreated by Belasco, but in body and mind only. Her soul resided in her Soulsword, and that had been lost. She sought to create a new soulsword, and five new bloodstones of power, from the pure soul of Pixie. The process was only partially successful, resulting in only one bloodstone being created. Pixie ended up with a soul dagger instead of a soul sword. Illyana then taught Pixie a teleportation spell, which allowed the students to reach Belasco's castle which lead to their confrontation with Belasco. In the ensuing fight, Pixie stabbed Belasco with the dagger, allowing Illyana to use the bloodstone's power to presumably destroy Belasco. With Belasco defeated, she once again became queen of Limbo. Despite an emotional reunion with her brother, Piotr, she banished the X-Men from Limbo and sealed it off, not content to rest until she recovered her soul and became whole once again.

 

Divided We Stand

 

llyana wants her soul back, thinking back to the ones she once loved, like Kitty and Piotr she tries to reclaim her soul through these connections and teleports to the Xavier Institute only to find it destroyed and abandoned after the events of Messiah Complex. Angrily she decides that she will not get her soul back through love but through hate and suffering and she will target those who have wronged her and make them pay with their souls.

 

Infernus

 

Infernus is the Quest for Illyana to regain her soul and to later rejoin the X-Men. The story begins with Illyana in Limbo searching for the Beatrice Amulet. Flustered that she can't find it, she sends hordes of Limbo Demons to search the earth and find it. Meanwhile, the X-Men are back in their danger room and Pixie goes crazy and stabs Nightcrawler. After she stabs him with her Souldagger, she pulls the weapon from his body cavity and out comes Illyana's Soulsword with it. Nightcrawler is unharmed by the Souldagger, and the Soulsword that his ex girlfriend Amanda Sefton (another ruler of Limbo), locked inside of him for safe keeping. Instantly back in Limbo, Illyana feels her Soulsword emerge and teleports to the Danger Room to reclaim what is rightfully hers.

 

Everyone is shocked to see Illyana again, as most believed her to be dead. Illyana demands her sword, promising that no one will be hurt if they just hand it over to her. The X-Men refuse and one by one are struck down by Illyana. First Rockslide, then Mercury, followed by Beast. Then Pixie comes along and starts a fight against Illyana but loses, so Illyana takes her Soulsword back and she changes, becoming more human but still incomplete so she runs away to Limbo again only to find out that Witchfire, Belasco's daughter is there and wants her head. The X-men go to Limbo after her and encounter demons but Pixie feels her soul and goes to the castle. The mutants go after her only to be taking down by Witchfire who has Illyana in chains and starts to take another piece of Pixie's soul. Nightcrawler stabs Illyana with the Souldagger and pull out the Soulsword. He calls Pixie and tells her that she is the only one that can save them all. She frees Illyana and together they banish Witchfire but she took along Illyana's and Pixie's soul, that make the young X-Men fly away. Illyana takes everybody back to the Danger Room and there Illyana decides to stay with them.

 

Back to the New Mutants

 

After another brief disappearance, Illyana reappears at the X-Men's new San Francisco home, exhausted and injured. Disoriented and sounding more than a little insane than usual, she gets fellow New Mutants Cannonball, Sunspot and Magma to help her find Dani and Shan, who she says will die soon if aid doesn't come quickly. She goes with her old friends to Colorado, where Dani and Shan had gone earlier based on reports that a young mutant there might have been endangering the local populace. On the way there, she plays mind games with Amara, teasing her that she can cure Empath of the injury caused by Pixie's Souldagger. Once there, she splits up with Amara to track down a missing little girl, empathizing acutely with her as she was also kidnapped in her youth.

 

Tracking her down to a certain home, Illyana and Amara think they've found Shan being held prisoner. But when they open the small cell, they instead find a grinning Legion waiting inside. Conferring with Sam and Bobby, who had found Shan's body in another location, they find out that Shan is inside Legion's mind with a benign little girl personality, but are being chased by the more violent personalities in David Haller's mindscape. When Shan and the little girl are overwhelmed, the violent persona take over. One with superhuman strength punches Amara away, and another one uses an energy blast to down Illyana. The mutant sorceress quickly recovers, and tells Sam and Bobby to find Dani. As one of the beings who previously tried to "fix" David Haller's mind, Dani has become one of Legion's intended targets.

 

Meanwhile, Sam and Bobby find Dani imprisoned in a local jail, about to be attacked by Legion. Bobby knocks Legion away from Dani's cell before she can be harmed, but Sam leaves her inside, thinking that she will be safer. Sam realizes his mistake when Legion uses another of his powers to manipulate the earth in Dani's cell in a second attempt to kill her. That attempt is stopped when Magik and Magma arrive. Magma melts the earth golem Legion created, preventing Dani from being strangled. Furious at Sam, Dani punches him, then leaves to arm herself in order to be useful when they bring the fight back to the insane mutant.

 

Determined to put an end to the threat and save Shan, Illyana teleports to Shan's body and touches it, initiating a transfer of her mind into Legion's. Once there, Illyana shows that she means business by threatening harm if they didn't release Shan to her immediately. When she is accused of bluffing, Illyana manifests her soul sword and, ignoring Sam's plea not to harm any of Legion's personalities, proceeds to cleave and decapitate three of Legion's personas in short order. When a fourth persona attempts to stop Illyana and fails, the remaining personalities acquiesce and lead her to where they're holding Shan and the little girl prisoner. Illyana frees them both, and in the process also frees David Haller's base personality. Guided by David, Illyana discovers that the doll, named "Moira," is the basis for conscious control of Legion's body. Illyana takes the doll away from the remaining hostile personalities just in time to save Dani and the others.

 

Second Coming and Hellbound

 

When Cable returns to the present timeline with Hope Summers in tow, Illyana is dispatched along with a group of other X-Men to retrieve the pair and return them to the safety of the island nation of Utopia. Unfortunately, Bastion's forces nearly kill the trio in an explosion, but Illyana manages to take the brunt of the attack. Before she can use magic to mend herself, Illyana is dragged into Limbo via a stepping disc by demons, much to Colossus's dismay. The next day, Colossus confronts Cyclops, and demands that he be allowed to rescue his sister. Cyclops declines his request, explaining that he needs him by his side, and that he has already ordered Cannonball to form a team of X-Men to retrieve the teleporter from the hellish dimension. They include Northstar, Anole, Pixie, Trance, Dazzler, and Gambit. Although some of the mutants are more willing to help than others, they are all teleported to Limbo thanks to the spell Magik taught Pixie during the events of Quest For Magik. They are quickly attacked by the monstrous hordes belonging to the demon N'astirh, and Gambit succumbs to the realm's evil mystical influence.

 

Facing seemingly insurmountable odds, Dazzler and Northstar both fall victim to Gambit's corruption, and proceed to attack the remaining X-Men sent to aid illyana. Meanwhile, Pixie is visited by N'astirh, and given a choice. He offers to restore the portion of her soul that has been corrupted by Magik. All she has to do is use her Souldagger to kill Magik, and retrieve the Soul Sword for him. Pixie seems reluctant, but allows the demon to take her to Magik. Magik pleads with Pixie to take her life, and end her suffering, but Pixie tricks N'astirh, and stabs the demon with her weapon. With the aid of Cannonball and Anole, The trio manage to free Magik from her imprisonment, and liberate Gambit, Dazzler, and Northstar from Limbo's wicked influence. Magik explains that the reason she hates the new crop of X-Men so much is that they remind her of the monster she has become, and of everything she has lost since Inferno.

 

Once Pixie and the X-Men free Magik, the pair use their weapons to stab N'astirh, and Illyana reclaims Limbo as her own realm. Illyana makes a tentative pact with Pixie to work together in order to reclaim what they have lost as the result of dark magic. Magik and her teammates then leave Limbo to rejoin the rest of the X-Men, and combat the threat posed to mutankind during the events of Second Coming.

 

Avengers vs. X-Men

 

During the conflict, Magik becomes one of the mutants empowered by the Phoenix Force to help defeat the Avengers. Magik intervenes during a battle between Rogue and the Avenger Ms. Marvel, using her powers to gag the heroine and trap her in Limbo. Upon Namor's defeat, Magik, along with her brother, Cyclops and Emma are empowered by Namor's portion of the Phoenix Force. Magik and Colossus defeat Thor and they throw him into a portion of Limbo that Magik raised into the Earthly plane that they are using a prison for the Avengers. The Rasputin siblings end up fighting the Avengers trying to break their team out. In order to buy some time for the Avengers to break the team free, Spider-Man stands up to the two of them. Colossus punches him telling him he does not wish to harm anyone. Magik tells him that he should kill him now and Colossus tells her he does not like what the Phoenix Force is doing to her, and them in general. Spider-Man tricks the two into fighting each other. The Rasputins clash in a fiery blaze of the flaming cosmic energy and both are knocked out and lose their respective portions of the Phoenix Force which then goes to the remaining avatars, Emma and Cyclops. Magik teleports Colossus and herself away to Siberia. In a dark moment for Colossus where he feels doomed, Magik reveals that she planned Colossus becoming the Juggernaut from the beginning. She wanted him to truly understand how she felt when she was a demon from his own demonic experience. In his anger, he attacks her as the Juggernaut but she teleports away leaving him with her final gift; regret.

 

Illyana later returns to her brother with the aim of finishing their 'business'. As Colossus attacks her, she teleports the both of them to Limbo and, being empowered there, removes Cyttorak's corruption from her brothers soul. When asked if she could have done this any time, she replies that she could put that she wanted her brother to learn both of her experiences and to not sacrifice someone who "simply does not deserve it". Colossus threatens to kill her if he ever sees her again and, satisfied that he learned that lesson, Illyana teleports away again.

 

She is next seen at the Jean Grey School For Higher Learning. She hides in Storm's room and upon seeing her, gives her a letter with her brothers location and the suggestion to arrest him. When Storm finds Colossus she is shocked by his animosity he has for the very image of his sister.

 

All New X-Men and the New Revolution

 

Illyana plays a crucial role in the breakout that frees Cyclops, summoning demonic arms to tear away the wall of his cell. She is also seen banishing prisoners murdered a mutant inmate to her dimension of Limbo.

 

Now known as a public enemy to the US Magik has joined Cyclops' team of renegade X-Men alongside with Emma Frost and Magneto. Magik plays a pivotal role in the new All New X-Men series. Magik helps teleport the team around saving innocent mutants from mutant hate groups and law enforcements.

 

Due to the Phoenix Force's influence on the hosts, their powers have been altered and Magik's have been upgraded. Her, Magneto, Cyclops, Emma Frost, and the two new students named Eva Bell and Christopher Muse, show up to save a new mutant by the name of Fabio Medina. During the rescue, the team is attacked by a horde of sentinels and Magik destroyed a massive one with utter ease. After Cyclops lays waste to the rest, Magik teleports the new mutant to the New Xavier Institute where they will be taught how to control their powers. Magik attends the meeting with the other veteran X-Men where they go over the new institute lay-out with the new students and explain the current world's mutant situation. Eva Bell wishes to go home to check on her mother so Magik volunteers to take her and the others, but the whole group goes save for Magneto. Once in Australia, Magik keeps an out for trouble and eventually a group of the Avengers led by Captain America make their way to the scene.

 

Cyclops' team show up the Avengers on live TV by having Scott's team appear as victims of persecution and Eva freezing the Avengers in a temporal bubble. Magik continues to be their primary source of transportation as she teleports the team to the Jean Grey Institute where Cyclops attempts to clear the air and offer a chance for the younger mutants to join his school. When they leave and return home, Magik's powers show her broken side-effects as she writhes in pain, disappears in a hellish portal, and the reemerges with a burst of flames before running off on her own. Her powers act up a second time when the team returns once again with new students in the Stepford Cuckoos and the original, younger version of Angel.

 

Magik is pulled into Limbo after discovering Dormammu has tried taking over. Dormammu forces Magik back into Limbo, along with the rest of the team, and is held captive by the demon as he forces her to watch as his teammates fight for their lives against the mindless ones. Magik manages to break free and casts the team out of the dimension, all the while she absorbs the entirety of Limbo into herself. She then finds the demon in the desolate Limbo and is suggested to have killed him. With her revelation and after absorbing Limbo, Illyana decides she needs help and finds a Dr. Strange back in time before he ever becomes an Avenger to help her control her powers.

 

Magik and the Cuckoos rescue and recruit a new mutant by the name of David Bond. After receiving word of Fabio's kidnapping at the hands of S.H.I.E.L.D., Magik is one of the team members that helps rescue him. Magik is seen training with Eva, but gets caught in Eva's bubble and displaced somewhere in time before coming back. Magik joins the X-Men team to a pro-Cyclops rally, but the team is suddenly attacked by a new sentinel called the blockbuster sentinel. Since the Blockbuster sentinel attack, Magik has helped in training the students and fighting with the alternate timeline versions of the X-Men during the Battle of the Atom event. When the X-Men get a notification of a new mutant, it turns out to be a trap from more sentinels. Thinking it is SHIELD, Cyclops tries to get a distraction going when he learns the sentinel is somehow disabling their mutant abilities. Illyana taps into her training from Dr. Strange and unleashes a magical dragon attack that destroys a bunch of the sentinels. The large one ends up fleeing and the team declares war on whoever is sending these sentinels, whether it be SHIELD or someone using SHIELD.

 

The Last Will & Testament of Charles Xavier

 

When lawyer Jennifer Walters, aka She-Hulk, received the last will and testament of Charles Xavier, she left for the Jean Grey School to read it to the X-Men listed by Xavier, who also included Scott Summers on the list. In order to have the will read, Scott needed to be contacted and brought to the school. Hank McCoy revealed that he'd always known where Scott's secret base was, but he never told anyone else, not wanting his life to be directed by Scott Summers any longer. The X-Men flew to the New Charles Xavier School for Mutants in the Canadian wilderness, and were greeted by the Uncanny X-Men. The situation was explained, and Magik quickly teleported to JGS and back to verify the story. Scott, Emma, Illyana, Kitty, and Ali teleported to JGS for the reading of the will. It was revealed that Charles Xavier had married Mystique, and that he'd covered up the discovery of an omnipotent mutant by the name of Matthew Malloy. He'd suppressed the boy's memories in order to suppress his powers, but it was all beginning to become undone. He charged the X-Men with the final task of finding and suppressing this mutant. Scott left along with Storm and Rachel Grey to find the mutant. With a wave of his hand, Malloy destroyed a S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier, and proved to be telepathically immune to Rachel's provocations. He teleported the X-Men away, back to their respective schools. Scott had Magik teleport him back to Malloy, and made a deal with the man. Together, the trio teleported away to Devil's Tower. Scott ordered Magik to give him time to talk to Malloy. During this time, Magneto intervened telling Scott that he'd gone too far, and needed to back down. Malloy, angered, teleported Magneto away and continued his conversation with Scott.

 

In the meantime, Magik visited Doctor Strange in the past again, and, after interrupting one of his more private sessions with a woman, asked if he knew of a way to stop someone as powerful as Malloy. Strange gave Magik the Eye of Agamotto to use on Malloy. Teleporting back to the present, Magik attempted to explain how she would use the artifact, when SHIELD attack forces appeared and blew the entirety of Devil's Tower to smithereens, resulting in the unfortunate and untimely demise of Scott Summers, Matthew Malloy, and Illyana, herself.

 

Guardians of the Galaxy & X-Men: The Black Vortex

 

Responding to a distress call from her friend and teammate Kitty Pryde, Illyana takes the All-New X-Men and teleports to the Jean Grey School. Once there, she is able to quickly and vaguely inform Storm and Beast that there is a problem that requires their attention. She teleports the group to a the planet Spartax where Kitty and her boyfriend, Peter Quill aka the Legendary Star-Lord are waiting for them with the Guardians of the Galaxy. They have gathered to discuss the dangers of the mysterious Black Vortex, and begin to argue over what should be done with it. While some, like Gamora, want to use the artifact, others, like Storm, want to destroy it. The cosmically empowered Slaughter Lords working for Mister Knife attack the assembled heroes to steal back the Black Vortex. While they battle, Gamora uses the Vortex to enhance herself. With her new skills, she easily battles all of the Slaughter Lords at once, giving Magik time to teleport everyone away. Once safely spirited away by Magik, an argument erupts once again over what should be done, with Kitty spearheading the argument against using the Black Vortex. During the commotion, Beast uses it and becomes cosmically empowered. He agrees with Gamora. All his questions have been answered. He urges the others to use the artifact, tilting the mirror so that they can see what they would look like if cosmically empowered by the Black Vortex.

 

Powers and Abilities

 

Illyana has two very distinctive powers, one is her mutant power to generate spacial/temporal warps in the form of stepping discs, the other is her magic, learned while she was in Limbo. As more and more of her soul was removed, it was replaced and filled with Black Magic granting vast mystical abilities. The two powers will be described separately below.

 

Mutant Power

 

Stepping Disc

Illyana Rasputin has the mutant ability to create and control teleportation energies in the form of "stepping discs". These yellow rings of glowing light, once created, provide the ability to teleport. Not only just herself but a group of individuals as well, to a multitude of different places including destinations in both time and space. The only limitation to her teleportation power is that she must use Limbo as her stopping point prior to her final destination, wherever that may be. Magik can also teleport herself or others into her domain, Limbo or "Hell" dimension or out of it. As Limbo is her domain, Illyana is able to mentally scan Limbo, while on Earth in order to locate whomever she wishes to teleport to Earth from it. Magik has succeeded in teleporting herself and another person across a continent on one occasion, and to travel through time on a few others.

 

However, Magik has not yet mastered her teleportation ability. The greater the distance over which she teleports, the greater the possible margin of error in terms of her arriving at the point in time she desires. Hence, when she once teleported herself and a friend from New York to California, hoping to arrive within seconds of the time she left, Magik and her friend instead arrived one week later, having accidentally traveled into the future. Magik is continuously practicing the use of her teleportation power in order to master it. Although already quite adept in the use of the mutant powers she still has a lot to learn especially considering how new she is to them.

 

In terms of potential Illyana's is nearly limitless. She was once told by Dr. Strange that she had the potential for great feats of manipulating time on a very wide scale. Never one to accept the status quo, Illyana continuously and regularly practices the use of her mutant powers in order to master them and have them grow in strength.

 

Ever since having her powers altered by the Phoenix Force, Magik has undergone an upgrade. She has been shown to be able to conjure and project powerful blasts of energy from her Limbo dimension as an extension of her powers rather than her magic. She has been shown consistently adept at teleporting people away before others can react. Since Dormammu attempted to take over Limbo, Illyana has absorbed the entire dimension into her body.

 

Magical Power

 

Sorceress

As a result of the time Illyana was forced to spend in Limbo, she was permanently changed both physically and mentally. She would spend a total of 6 years in Limbo during which she would learn valuable skills and abilities taught to her by different teachers that would help her in becoming the future Sorceress Supreme & Ruler of Limbo, that she was destined to become. During her first year in Limbo, Illyana was an apprentice to an alternate reality version of Storm. One who unfortunately was stuck in Limbo and lost the ability to control the weather instead becoming a powerful magician highly skilled in the use of white magic. So skilled was she, that she was nearly able to best Belasco in their very first battle only faltering in the very end. During Illyana's time with the now elderly Ororo, she was taught in the uses and practices of white magic. Different from black magic, white magic usually helped rather then hurt when used. She was also taught about life, the creation of it and astral projection. It would be during the time that she would spend with the elderly Ororo that Illyana would learn, much later master, the ability to mystically heal herself. She would spend an entire year apprenticing under the tutelage of the elderly Ororo.

 

Following Illyana's first year with Ororo, Illyana then was trained by Cat. Cat was an alternate reality version of Kitty Pryde. No longer fully human in appearance, due to an interaction with Belasco, she had been transformed into a cat-like hybrid making her more animal in nature. As a result of the magical transformation forced on Cat, she had a hate for magic and wanted Illyana to have nothing to do with it. Illyana would train with Cat for 2 years, during which she would be taught how to fight, specifically, unarmed-combat and in the effective use of bladed weapons. Initially Cat taught Illyana how to use a dagger then moved on to that of swords. Illyana would become quite comfortable in the use of both weapons; comfortable and very effective. It was during her time with Cat that she was also taught valuable survival skills allowing her to thrive in the most unlikely places. Illyana would grow to become best friends with Cat and look at her like family, willing to do anything to protect her.

 

It would be during her time with Limbo's, then, ruler Belasco that Illyana would learn and be changed the most. It was Belasco's goal to transform all 5 parts of Illyana's soul into Bloodstones. This was for two very different reasons. Firstly, with the 5 Bloodstones, Belasco could complete the magical Beatrice Medallion thus allowing him the ability to traverse to and from Limbo. An ability he had lost when he was exiled to Limbo by his masters the Elder Gods, for failing them. As a result of her soul being removed, it would be filled completely with black magic and would permanently make her a tool of both his, Belasco, and that of his evil masters the Elder Gods. This would make her a being of pure evil and thus helping the Elder Gods take over the Earth dimension.

 

Belasco would be unsuccessful in his ploy to remove all 5 parts of Illyana's soul. In the 3 years that she would learn under his tutelage, he would only manage to take 3/5 of her soul. This would still permanently taint her soul and as a result give her a partial demonic soul instead. It would be during her time as a pupil of Belasco's that he would teach her the darkest of the dark arts and the blackest of black magic. While at his palace she, too, had full access to Belasco's library of books of magic, that he had collected through this long, unnatural life. Belasco taught the young Illyana everything he knew. As a result of this, Illyana could produce virtually any and all spells that Belasco could and would be able to manipulate the forces of magic for a variety of effects to include.

 

-Mind Control (both humans and animals)

 

-Metamorphing (herself, others or objects. living or otherwise)

 

-Astral Projection

 

-Necromancy

 

-Generate and release concussive bolts of pure magic energy

 

-Creation of magical force fields

 

-Inter-dimensional travel

 

-Ability to generate and manipulate fire

 

-Mental Possession

 

-Dark force manipulation

 

-Creation of constructs purely of magical energies

 

As a result of Illyana's diverse training and multiple years learning while in Limbo, she gained an aptitude for sorcery and control over magic that was unlike no other. She had created a unique blend of both white and black magic that she would wield. Additionally, due to her now partially demonic soul, Illyana had also naturally gained formidable psionic shielding granting her immunity to mental probing. This shielding was effective enough to hinder the vaunted telepathic abilities of both Professor X and Marvel Girl (Rachel Summers) arguably two of the most powerful mutant minds the world has seen.

 

After Illyana bested Belasco in battle, she chose to exile him from the Limbo, allowing him to live rather than kill him. As the winner, Illyana, was granted the title of Sorceress Supreme of Limbo. The full extents of her powers have not yet been fully defined. It have been stated that in Limbo, Illyana's power is unmatched and her word is law. With but a single thought she can completely alter the physical appearance of Limbo. As stated previously, she too, potentially, could cast all spells that Belasco could have. This especially since she has unlimited access to Balesco's sorceress knowledge.

 

For this reason and more Illyana is most powerful during her time in Limbo. This is clearly a result of her should being connected to the dimension, allowing for the two being intertwined by the very essences that they are created from. On the flip side, while on the Earth dimension, cut off from Limbo, Illyana's magical prowess and abilities are dramatically reduced. Illyana has preformed a handful of magical skills on Earth but nothing comparable to that of what she can do in Limbo. While on Earth, Illyana has effectively preformed; Astral projection, an abilities to sense magical presences and the ability to magically scan her Limbo dimension, allowing her to track and/or see all that occurs in Limbo while she is away. Illyana's most notable power while on Earth though are largely limited to her magical weapon, of her own making, called the Soulsword.

 

Recently,Illyana has been using her abilities to travel back in time to Dr. Strange before he became an Avenger to help train her in her magical abilities.

 

The Soulsword

 

The Soulsword is the ultimate embodiment of Illyana's magical strength that was forged during a time of great need and despair. Illyana was desperate to find a way to free herself of Belasco and find a way to leave Limbo.

 

⚡ Happy 🎯 Heroclix 💫 Friday! 👽

_____________________________

 

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

 

Secret Identity: Illyana Nikolaievna Rasputina

 

Publisher: Marvel

 

First appearance: As Illyana Rasputina: Giant-Size X-Men #1 (May 1975)

As Magik: Magik (Storm and Illyana) #1 (December 1983)

 

Created by:

Illyana Rasputina:

Len Wein (Writer)

Dave Cockrum (Artist)

 

Magik:

Chris Claremont (Writer)

Sal Buscema (Artist)

 

Illyana has not been seen on the Bijou Planks stage prior to this, but she has been seen outside the theater, such as in Paprihaven issue 1269!

www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/27683661579/

Published in World Of Animals magazine

 

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Published by W O Saul, Southbourne-on-Sea; printed in Germany.

Postally unused. I have two more: one postally unused and the other postmarked Westbourne, 1906.

Published by Chimaira in April and available from their website at: www.chimaira.de/herpetology.html

New Post has been published on coolcreativity.com/handcraft/diy-christmas-wine-glasses-c...DIY Christmas Wine Glasses Candle HoldersHolidays are right here and it is that time of the year when you need decoration ideas for parties and craft ideas. Creative people come up ideas to use non-traditional materials for crafts. Wine glasses are one of the materials that are no longer used just for drinking wine. There are some cr...Holidays are right here and it is that time of the year when you need decoration ideas for parties and craft ideas. Creative people come up ideas to use non-traditional materials for crafts. Wine glasses are one of the materials that are no longer used just for drinking wine. There are some cr...

 

coolcreativity.com/handcraft/diy-christmas-wine-glasses-c...

Published by Gazeta, Brazil 1948-1949

Published by Pyramid Books in 1967.

Published by Diário de Noite, Brazil 194

Published by Vecchi, Brazil April 1979

Published in the UK by Marvel Magazines.

20091119_1182

 

View On Black

 

Vandaag ontving ik per post mijn presentexemplaar van Heel Nederland een gids, geschreven door Rik Zaal.

 

Toen mij gevraagd werd of men deze foto mocht gebruiken en daar geen geld voor wilden neertellen maar me wel een presentexemplaar toezegde ben ik akkoord gegaan. Ik had toen nog geen idee van de omvang van dit boek en het PR plan eromheen (presentatie bij Pauw en Witteman, overal lezingen door Heel Nedereland e.d.)

Ik ben helemaal trots dat hier ook een foto in staat die ik gemaakt heb. Zoals jullie zien heeft de foto een prominente plaats gekregen en is de naamsvermelding direct onder de foto geplaatst.

  

Het boekwerk bestaat uit twee delen van elk ongeveer 650 pagina's dik.

Kost tot 1 januari 59,95, daarna 69,95.

    

Published by A Noite, Brazil 1934

A one-foot space at the bottom of the windbreak keeps snow and ice from piling up.

Note: this photo was published in an undated (Mar 26, 2011) Everyblock NYC zipcodes blog titled "10024."

 

*******************************************************

 

What a difference a year makes: on the first day of spring in 2010, I noted (in this Flickr set that "all 8 million New Yorkers were ready to take advantage of [spring]. The sun was out, the temperature was in the 70s, the sky was blue, and the clouds had disappeared to some other part of the country. There was no way a sane person could stay indoors..."

 

This year, spring arrived about 6 hours earlier (1:32 PM, as compared to last year's 7:21 PM), and while the sun was out, the temperature was in the low 40s rather than the 70s. Like last year, I decided to celebrate the arrival of spring by walking in Riverside Park, and began my usual stroll at the entrance on 72nd Street. I walked a couple blocks south, to the newly-constructed pier that juts halfway out into the Hudson River (or so it seems, anyway), and saw that the outdoor cafe at the base of the pier, where one can usually find a tasty hamburger and a cold beer, was still completely shut down. So I began walking north -- eventually past the 79th Street boat basin, where the Boat Basin Cafe (which you can see more about in this Flickr set ) was open, though protected by gas heaters and wind baffles.

 

Like last year, there was bright sunshine, blue skies, and no wind -- so people were indeed outside. But because the temperature was about 30 degrees colder, there weren't any picnics and there wasn't any sunbathing. Instead of finding people sprawled out on park benches, enjoying the Sunday newspaper in the sunshine, about the only activities I noticed were bicycling, jogging, brisk walking, and skating.

 

I was frustrated by the lack of the usual springtime "photo-ops," but then remembered the old adage: if life hands you lemons, then make lemonade. Since there was a steady stream of joggers, cyclists, and skaters, I decided that I might as well photograph them. So I situated myself on a bench near a spot where the walkway along the river splits in two directions: you can turn east and pass under the West Side Highway, up some stone steps and into a playground and elevated section of the park at 82nd Street; or you can continue straight along the river, and follow a newly-constructed narrow two-bike-lane path that connects the "lower" section of Riverside Park (i.e., below 82nd Street) with the "upper" section (starting at roughly 94th Street).

 

People were coming and going in all directions, so I situated myself with the sun behind me, facing north towards the George Washington Bridge in the far background, and basically ignored everyone coming up the walkway from behind me. There were plenty of people heading south, with the bright springtime sun shining directly on them, and I sat there for about an hour, until I had collected some 500 images with my new Sony SLT a55 camera ...

 

At that point, I decided I had gotten enough, so I strolled over to Broadway, and took a bus uptown to my own neighborhood. Only a few of the images that I uploaded to my computer were complete disasters -- e.g., out of focus, or missing a head, arm or leg because the subjects were moving so quickly past me. But I had to reject quite a few because they were a little too ordinary ... i.e., your reaction would have been something like, "Oh. There's a guy on a bike. Just like the last guy on a bike, and the one before that." So I ended up with about 70 "keepers" that I felt were sufficiently interesting to warrant uploading to Flickr.

 

And so that's it for Riverside Park in March, at least this year. Indeed, I may well wait until May before returning -- by which time I hope it will be warm enough that I'll see the sights and scenes that I more commonly associate with springtime in New York City.

Published by O Cruzeiro, Brazil 1940's

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Juliette Lewis è un elegante animale da palcoscenico, una pantera con un animo da rocker, un personaggio carismatico ed unico; sette anni dopo la loro ultima apparizione sui palchi italiani Juliette and the Licks tornano per un’unica imperdibile data in Italia, il 6 giugno al Circolo Magnolia di Segrate a Milano.

 

Ragazza prodigio del cinema americano degli anni '90, ha trovato la sua vera dimensione sul palco proponendo progetti musicali sempre di forte impatto e sempre in linea con il suo innato senso artistico, che spesso va a braccetto con la sua fortissima personalità e la teatralità che la caratterizzano sia fuori che sopra il palco.

 

Con quattro album di successo all’attivo e la fama di essere uno straordinario live act, nel 2009 Juliette and the Licks si sciolgono e la frontwoman si focalizza sulla sua carriera di attrice, girando diversi film e serie tv.

Ma il richiamo della musica alla fine si è fatto sentire: Juliette and The Licks sono tornati a suonare insieme nel 2015, con un comeback show al Rey Theatre di Los Angeles. Ed hanno messo in cantiere un nuovo album, la cui uscita è prevista nel corso del 2016.

 

È la stessa Juliette a spiegare come ha preso forma l’idea di una reunion: “mentre registravo in studio insieme a Brad Shultz dei Cage The Elephant, ho iniziato a pensare che dovevamo assolutamente formare una band fantastica. Poi ho pensato: ma perché non rimetto semplicemente insieme la migliore band che abbia mai avuto? Sto parlando ovviamente dei The Licks! Avevamo una chimica pazzesca, e un’energia furiosa sul palco! Inoltre, l’ultima venue in cui ho suonato sia da solista che con la mia altra band (The New Romantiques) è stato El Ray, un posto che ho sempre amato tantissimo. Quindi perché non ripartire proprio da lì?”

 

Juliette Lewis – lead vocals

Todd Morse – lead guitar

Jason Womack – bass

Kemble Walters - guitar

Ed Davis – drums

 

Published in 1971, before Apollo had flown its final missions, by Golden Gate Junior Books of San Carlos, California. Written by Don Dwiggins and illustrated with art from assorted aerospace contractors who were bidding to build the next generation American spacecraft. This is why the configuration of the vehicles and the style of the illustrations changes from page to page. The artists are not credited, just the firms they worked for.

 

A nostalgic look back, at the Space Shuttle and Space Station that we could have had, but for the bean-counters and internationalists in DC.

My entire engine set (over 120 images)

www.flickr.com/photos/gordoncalder/sets/72157612757443903...

  

Pic taken at the National Motorcycle Museum, Birmingham, England.

 

www.nationalmotorcyclemuseum.co.uk/

 

This is a composite image - the carb and piston came from a cutaway Ariel engine.

 

I owned a Trophy TR6SS when I was 17, so I know every little component of this engine, mainly because it spent a lot of time on my garage floor. In the end I had 1/2 race cams and 11:1 compression pistons with Dunstall reverse cone megaphone exhausts. It sounded and felt like I was riding an earthquake!

 

© COPYRIGHT

 

ALL of the works and content on my photostream are protected under copyright law (2000-2010)

 

These images CANNOT BE COPIED, DISTRIBUITED or PUBLISHED for any media, electronic or otherwise unless permission is granted by the owner of the original image.

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Cocorosie

BSP Kingston

Kingston, New York

September 26th, 2015

© 2015 LEROE24FOTOS.COM

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published in Sunday, Daily Times

 

Photographer: Fayyaz Ahmed

Model: Ayyan

Hair & Makeup: Nighat Misbah@Depilex

Designer: Sonya Batla

 

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The Postcard

 

A postally unused carte postale that was published by P. L. The card has a divided back.

 

Cluny

 

Cluny is a commune in the eastern French department of Saône-et-Loire, in the region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. It is 20 km (12 mi) northwest of Mâcon.

 

The town grew up around the Benedictine Abbey of Cluny, founded by Duke William I of Aquitaine in 910. The height of Cluniac influence was from the second half of the 10th century through the early 12th.

 

The abbey was sacked by the Huguenots in 1562, and many of its valuable manuscripts were destroyed or removed.

 

The Musée de Cluny

 

The Musée de Cluny, also known as Musée National du Moyen Âge – Thermes et Hôtel de Cluny ('National Museum of the Middle Ages – Cluny Thermal Baths and Mansion), is a museum of the Middle Ages in Paris, France.

 

It is located in the Latin quarter in the 5th. arrondissement of Paris next to the square Samuel Paty. (Samuel Paty, aged 47, was beheaded by 18-year-old Abdullah Anzorov on the 17th. October 2020 after Samuel used cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed to teach his students about the importance of free speech).

 

The Hôtel de Cluny is partially constructed on the remnants of the third century Gallo-Roman baths known as the Thermes de Cluny, thermal baths from the Roman era of Gaul.

 

The museum consists of two buildings: the Frigidarium ('Cooling Room'), within the vestiges of the Thermes de Cluny, and the Hôtel de Cluny itself, which houses the collection. The Frigidarium is about 6,000 square metres.

 

The museum houses a vast collection of objects and art from the Middle Ages and earlier. Among the principal holdings of the museum are the six tapestries of The Lady and the Unicorn (La Dame à la Licorne).

 

History of the Museum

 

The building itself is a rare remaining example of the civic architecture of mediaeval Paris. It was formerly the Town House (Hôtel) of the abbots of Cluny. The first Cluny Hôtel was built after the Cluny order acquired the Ancient thermal baths in 1340.

 

It was built by Pierre de Chaslus, and re-built by Jacques d'Amboise, Abbot of Cluny from 1485 to 1510. It combines Gothic and Renaissance elements.

 

In 1843, it was re-fashioned into a public museum by Alexandre du Sommerard to preserve relics of France's Gothic past.

 

Although it no longer possesses anything originally connected with the Abbey of Cluny, the Hôtel was at first part of a larger Cluniac complex that also included a building (no longer standing) for a religious college in the Place de la Sorbonne.

 

Although originally intended for the use of the Cluny abbots, the residence was taken over by Jacques d'Amboise, Bishop of Clermont and Abbot of Jumièges, and rebuilt to its present form in the period of 1485-1500.

 

Occupants of the house over the years have included Mary Tudor, the sister of Henry VIII of England. She resided here in 1515 after the death of her husband Louis XII, whose successor, Francis I, kept her under surveillance, particularly to see if she was pregnant.

 

In the 18th. century, the tower of the Hôtel de Cluny was used as an observatory by the astronomer Charles Messier who, in 1771, published his observations in the landmark Messier catalogue.

 

In 1789, during the early years of the French Revolution, the Hôtel was confiscated by the state, and for the next three decades served varying functions. At one point, it was owned by a physician who used the magnificent flamboyant chapel on the first floor as a dissection room.

 

The Hôtel also housed the printing press of Nicolas-Léger Moutard, the official printer to the Queen of France from 1774 to 1792. His printing press was also located in the Hôtel's chapel.

 

In December 1832, Alexandre du Sommerard, a noted archaeologist and art collector, bought the Hôtel de Cluny and installed his large collection of medieval and Renaissance objects.

 

Upon his death in 1842, the collection was purchased by the state; the building was opened as a museum in 1843, with Sommerard's son serving as its first curator.

 

The buildings were restored by the architect Alber Lenoir and his son, Alexandre Lenoir. The Hôtel de Cluny was given historical monument status in 1846, and the thermal baths were granted the same status in 1862.

 

The present-day gardens, opened in 1971, include a 'Forêt de la Licorne' inspired by the famous tapestries housed inside.

 

The Collection

 

The museum has an area of 11,500 square feet, 6,500 of which are used for exhibits. It contains around 23,000 artifacts dating from the Gallo-Roman period up until the 16th. century.

 

There are currently 2,300 artifacts on display. The collections contain pieces from Europe, the Byzantine Empire, and the Islamic world of the Middle Ages.

 

From Antiquity to the Early Middle Ages

 

Much of the collection of ancient material can be found in the Frigidarium. There are artefacts dating as far back as the romanisation of the city of Parisii, such as the famous Boatman Pillar from the 1st. century.

 

This pillar was offered to the emperor Tiberius by the boatmen of Paris. It contains inscriptions dedicated to the Roman god Jupiter as well as Celtic references, making it a great example of the two cultures melding together on one artefact. It was discovered in the 18th. century, under the choir of Notre-Dame de Paris.

 

Another ancient artefact in the Frigidarium is the Saint-Landry pillar. This pillar was sculpted in the second century on l'Île-de-la-Cité, and was discovered during the 19th. century.

 

There is more ancient art outside the Frigidarium, including two lion heads made from rock crystal. They were made between the 4th. and the 5th. centuries in the Roman Empire. Although their purpose is not known, they were probably made to decorate an imperial throne.

 

Beyond France

 

The Cluny also houses ancient Coptic art. The Coptic fabrics gained notoriety outside of Egypt. The linen medallion of Jason and Medea is kept in the Cluny.

 

Between 1858 and 1860, twenty-six Visigoth crowns were discovered. This was one of the most important discoveries related to the medieval Iberian world. Of the original twenty-six crowns, there are 10 left today. The remaining crowns have been divided between the Palacio Real de Madrid and the Cluny.

 

Today, the Cluny holds three of these crowns, as well as crosses, pendants and hanging chains from the same discovery. These items were symbols of royal power, and date back to the 7th. century.

 

Byzantine Art

 

Starting with the founding of Constantinople in 330, the emperor Constantine began an era known as the Byzantine period. Between 843 and the fall of the Byzantine empire in 1204, the politics and art of this empire flourished.

 

One example is the noteworthy ivory sculpture from Constantinople called Ariane. Ariane dates back to the first half of the 6th. century, and was most likely produced to adorn a piece of furniture. The statue includes Ariane, fauns and Angels of Love. It is one of the most iconic examples of Byzantine ivory work.

 

Another famous piece of Byzantine ivory in the Cluny is the plaque that depicts the crowning of Otto II. His father Otto I was crowned king of Rome on the 2nd. February 962. This crowning marks the beginning of a renaissance in Western Europe.

 

Otto I later took the title of Emperor Augustus. In 972, the emperor Otto II married the princess Théophano, who became the empress of Rome; she can be seen on the ivory plaque as well.

 

The Cluny also possesses a Byzantine coffer that contains mythological images. It was produced around the year 1000 when Macedonian emperors ruled in Constantinople.

 

Romanesque Art

 

The term 'Romanesque art' first appeared in 1818. It was used by Charles de Gerville to describe the art that comes after the Carolingian empire, but before Gothic art. Before the 19th. century, most of the art from the Middle Ages was referred to as Gothic art.

 

Romanesque art is defined by its use of light and colour. The Romanesque artists were masters of volume and contrast. The paintings are relatively simple, focusing on the narrative.

 

From the Romanesque period onward, reliquaries and other religious artefacts were no longer kept in crypts, and instead were displayed on the altars in churches. Visibility of faith was of the utmost importance at this time.

 

There are two central elements to Romanesque art: pedagogy and devotion. The evolution of faith is a common theme of these works. One example in the Cluny today is a capital that was made in Paris between 1030 and 1040. Referred to as the Majestic Christ capital, it was created for the Saint-Germain-des-Prés church.

 

The Cluny also houses a series of twelve capitals from Saint-Germain-des-Prés made at the beginning of the 11th. century.

 

The Cluny also possesses Romanesque art from other countries such as England, Italy and Spain. One of the more famous examples is the English crosier from the middle of the 12th. century. This piece, made from ivory, displays eagles and lions.

 

Another famous work in ivory is the Italian 'Olifant' from the end of the 11th century. This piece was created from an elephant tusk, and depicts the scene of Jesus' Ascension.

 

There are also Romanesque art pieces from Catalonia at the Cluny. There is a series of eight capitals that come from the Saint Pere de Rodes church. One of the capitals depicts the Biblical story of Noah, and another details the story of Abraham.

 

Another piece from Catalonia is a statue of a female saint made from wood that dating to the second half of the 12th. century.

 

Work from Limoges

 

The Cluny houses many pieces from the famous enamel and gold workshops of Limoges. These workshops first started producing pieces in the second quarter of the 12th. century. Limoges' gold and enamelled masterpieces were collected throughout Europe by the end of the 12th. century.

 

The craftsmen produced varying works of art including crosses, shrines, altarpieces, candlesticks and much more. They tended to be religious in nature.

 

One of the reasons that pieces from these workshops were so successful is because the materials were affordable. As such, they were able to mass produce them whilst still maintaining high quality. The colours were vivid, and the subject matter was depicted with eloquence.

 

There are many pieces from Limoges at the Cluny today. Most notable are two copper plaques from around the year 1190. One depicts the image of Saint-Étienne, and the other portrays the Three Wise Men. These two plaques originally decorated the main altar at Grandmont Abbey.

 

The adoration of the Three Wise Men was a popular theme in pieces from Limoges, and can be found in many of their works. A copper shrine from the year 1200 also depicts this theme.

 

Gothic Art from France

 

The 1120's in Paris saw many changes in art and education. One theme that became vitally important in both arenas was the importance of light. The teachings of Plato and his student Platin emphasize the importance of light in the Creation story.

 

This has parallels in changes happening architecturally in Paris at the same time. Supporting beams and arches are thinned to allow more space for windows to allow in more light. The Sainte-Chapelle, with its tall and beautiful stained glass windows, displays this development. The upper cathedral has 15 window bays that encircle the entire area, each 50 feet tall, giving the impression that the visitor is surrounded by light.

 

Artists in 12th. century Paris experimented artistically, exploring the new conception of space and the relationship between architecture, sculpture and stained glass, as seen in the Sainte-Chapelle.

 

The Cluny houses many examples of this experimentation, such as 'double' capitals and statues that function as columns. There is a double capital that depicts two harpies facing each other that comes from the church at Saint-Denis, made between 1140 and 1145. Another artefact from Saint-Denis is the head from a statue-column of Queen Saba. This statue-column was produced in the 12th. century.

 

The Cluny also has one of the largest collections of stained-glass in France. The collection includes 230 panels, medallions and fragments from the 12th. century to the 14th. Sainte-Chapelle has donated some panels from their iconic stained-glass windows to the Cluny, including one panel that depicts the scene of Sampson and the lion.

 

If the 12th. century was all about experimentation, the 13th. and 14th. centuries in Paris represent artistic maturity. It is at this time that the demand for non-religious art increased.

 

There are two themes that dominate Parisian art in the 13th. century: an interest in Antiquity, and a new attention given to nature.

 

One of the most famous examples at the Cluny is the statue of Adam made from limestone. Produced around 1260 in Paris, the statue depicts a nude Adam, who is covering himself with the leaves from a small tree. The influence of Antiquity is evident in this work.

 

Sainte-Chapelle also donated six statues of apostles made from limestone. These statues were once located on the pillars of the upper chapel in Sainte-Chapelle. They were made in the 1320's, and originally came from Saint-Jacques aux Pèlerins.

 

15th. Century Art

 

In the 15th. century, the opulence of urban elites encouraged artistic production as the demand for art increased. People began ordering artistic objects for everyday life, such as furniture, tapestries, ceramics, game pieces, etc.

 

It is at this time that Paris became a capital of luxury. Here various artistic movements converged to create an 'international' gothic style. Artists began to sign their work, no longer desiring to remain anonymous.

 

This phenomenon is particularly evident in the considerable rise in demand for tapestries. The most famous tapestries at the Cluny today are those of the Lady and the Unicorn. There are six tapestries that make up the series, each one representing a different sense.

 

There are the five main senses (smell, hearing, taste, touch and sight) and it is the sixth tapestry that depicts the Lady with the Unicorn. The mysterious meaning of this sixth has produced multiple interpretations over the years. The most common interpretation understands the Lady as representing a sixth sense of morality or spirituality, as she puts aside her worldly wealth.

Published November 26th 2011.

 

Two 550Ex speedlites controlled simultaneously by one Phottix Odin radio receiver. Dual control. Thats TTL or M (remotely adjusted) and either with HSS or SCS!

 

Warning: This is a non-standard configuration. I am not recommending this use of Odin receivers. If you try this, it is entirely at your own risk. This configuration does not seem to work with 580ExIIs!

  

I'm still in early testing (as at 26-11-2011), but so far I have got perfect remote Manual flash power fraction control from the Odin TCU in the cam's hot-shoe. The 2 Ex units respond in parallel. The two speedlites - both 550Exs - are initially setup idendentically. The flash-heads are both up in a bounce orientation - wide panels both retracted. This may only apply to 550Exs. This configuration does not seem to work with 580ExIIs - possibly, it only works with pre-'II' series Ex speedlites. I have not tested all Ex speedlites - my guess would be that the pair must be identical twins for this to work. Remember that the 550Exs pre-date all the 'II' series Ex speedlites, so there are potentially a lot of variables to check.

 

The TTL cord is specifically 'ishoot' brand, their dual cord - and a recent batch (Nov '11). I tried this originally with a Yn dual cord & it seemed not to work. It may turn out that the 'ishoot' version is the only one of the 'dual' cords to work for this configuration. Note that there are several different versions of these 'dual' style TTL cords, which already differ from OC-E3 clones. The 'ishoot', the Yn, the Pixel and the Nissin version all differ externally and probably internally too.

Link: Feb '15:

 

www.ebay.com/itm/iShoot-2-5m-Flash-SYNC-E-TTL-Off-Camera-...

 

My logic for using 550Exs was first that they are less than half the price of a new 580ExII, in fact £90 to £130, they are pretty powerfull and they accept external power packs. So this configuration potentially offers the maximum gain for the minimum cost/risk.

 

Always turn on both speedlites before turning on the Rx unit. I only reconfigure the speedlites (deploy wide panel etc) with both the speedlites and the Rx temporarily switched off. Switch off the Speedlites before switching off the Rx.

 

This configuration is also good for TTL too - that's with FEC by group & globally - all with the option of HSS! The camera's flashmetering is best set to 'Average' for flash rather than 'Evaluative' (done in cam's Cfns or in the cam's flash menus - not from the camera's top-plate!). Tx to 'stripealipe' for this info - applies at least to the original release firmware (Edit: This restriction only applies to the on-release - later versions remove it). This is running very well indeed from both a 20D & a 7D. The modeling light function, controlled from the Odin TCU, also serves as focus assist. Easy with a little practice!

 

So, with Phottix Odins, either very nearly twice the power* or half the recycle time - all with a considerable cost saving - preserving remote power adjustment - Manual &/or TTL (& HSS for both) - from the TCU/camera unit. With Odins, M power fractions or FEC under ETTL, are adjusted by Group, directly from the TCU's screen - much quicker than having to delve into the camera's flash menu screens!

 

*: Not quite twice the power because I tend to splay the flash-heads slightly, giving very much better spread within most modifiers. So it's very much prettier light with smooth shadow transitions with quicker recylcing and/or nearly an extra stop of light.

 

Edit at 10-12-2011: Leaving TTL to one side, for metered manual flash, albeit (in-cam) metered flash, so far I've got two options. One is to use a variation of Chuck Gardner's white terry towelling reflected flash technique. I think you would need to use the 'only-just-clipping-white' end-point on a dummy shot taken with the white towelling in the subject position. With a bit of thought this can be used for ratios too.

The second option is based on an Expodisc or close clone - the uniform white type. This turns your cam's chip into an incident 'capture-flash' flash-meter and works well maybe sorting WB along the way. You would need to determine your own 'zero point' on your histogram specific to the transmissibility of your Expodisc or clone. Yep, they can be made to work. Likewise Olivier's idea of combining SCS with a long shutter speed, allowing time to reprime the meter before the capture-flash, works too. It assumes rather dim ambient levels and that you revert to a more typical SS for the actual capture - but it works too.

 

Edit: There are two extra options for using an external flashmeter in an Odin network operating in M flash. See this later post: www.flickr.com/photos/layeroption/11755249874/in/photostream

 

Edit at 18-12-2011: Being a certifiable, card-carrying strobist uber-nerd, I checked out a second 'ishoot' brand 'dual' ETTL cord with two other 550Exs - and - it worked in this configuration too! So, the warning still applies but it wasn't a fluke. Did I then interpose my Flashzebra 20ft OC-E3 clone on the distal speedlite end? Yep, that worked too - v rarely useful, but it would keep the camera/TCU un-tethered even if you were one Odin Rx short of a full load.

In fact I then daisy-chained 2 'ishoot' dual cords together (symetrically) & yes, 3 550Exs work as one together & respond in both M & TTL as they should. Sweet!

 

Edit at 04-01-2012: From my padded cell - 3 'ishoot' thingeys - X4 550Exs: Yes!

 

(My Yn 'dual' ETTL cord definitely does not work like this. And Elv says that Phottix's own 'dual' cord does not work for this configuration either.)

 

N.B. All of this applies using 550Exs with the original release Phottix Odin firmware. Update 24-08-12: This works with 550Exs and Firmware version 1.2 - Oh yes! - I like these triggers.

 

Edit at 30-01-2012: Many many hundred pops, scores of reconfigurations; zero issues! That goes for my other Odin Radio Rxs in use controlling either 580ExIIs or 550Exs. That's usually just one Ex to one Rx!

 

Edit: These Dual TTL cords from 'Ishoot' are becoming harder to find. Try Ebay searches under 'dual ttl cord'. Good luck.

 

Edit: 2-8-13: This post refers to the original hardware version 'Odin for Canon'. I updated to firmware v1.2 c August 2012. It seems that Phottix migrated to hardware type 'Odin 1.5 for Canon' some time ago.

 

Edit: 20-09-13: With the Mitros+ (Mitros Plus) just announced, I guess a pair of those could be used without the Dual cords & external Odin Rx. Similar functionality and beans at about X3 the cost - but tempting!

Note: this photo was published in an Oct 11, 2010 Celebrity Daydreaming blog, with the same title as the caption that I put on this Flickr page. It was also published in an Oct 20, 2012 blog titled "What Is Long Term Really?"

 

*****************************************

 

Let me begin with a disclaimer: I do not dance the tango, and I know little or nothing about its history, its folklore, or even its steps and rhythms. I'm vaguely aware that it originated in Argentina (and Uruguay) in the 1890s, that a new style known as "tango nuevo" began to emerge in the late 1990s, and that various actors and actresses -- including Jessica Biel, Colin Firth, Antonio Banderas, Madonna, Richard Gere, Jennifer Lopez, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Arnold Schwarzenegger(!), among others -- have performed the tango in various movies. But beyond that, it never really occurred to me that it played any significant role here in the U.S.

 

That is, not until the summer of 2009, when I happened to return to my hotel, on a business trip to Washington, DC, just as a local gathering of tango aficionados was dancing to their music in a nearby square known as Freedom Plaza. I photographed the event (see my Flickr set Last tango in Washington) and learned from one of the participants that there were similar informal events in New York City, at the South Street seaport, during the summer and fall weekends. When I got back to New York, I searched on the Internet, and found a schedule of upcoming tango events just as my Washington acquaintance had indicated; but travel schedules, inclement weather, and other distractions prevented me from actually attending any of them; by the end of the autumn season, I had forgotten all about it.

 

For some reason, something reminded me of the tango again this spring -- perhaps some music that I overheard, perhaps a scene on some otherwise forgettable television show. In any case, I searched again on the Internet, and discovered that a tango "event" would be taking place on a Sunday afternoon -- but not at the South Street Seaport (on the east side of Manhattan, near the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges), but rather at Pier 45, where Christopher Street runs into the Hudson River in Greenwich Village. The event was scheduled to take place between 3:30 and 7:30 PM, and another quick search on the Internet informed me that sunset would occur at 7:30 PM. So I arrived a little before 6 PM, as the sun was beginning to drop down in the western sky, and photographed for a little more than an hour.

 

I captured some 522 images, of which 75 have survived in this Flickr set. For the majority of the photos, I stood at the end of the pier, with my back to the Hudson River and the sinking sun; the sun broken in and out of clouds on the horizon -- and because I was wearing sunglasses, I didn't fully appreciate the extent of sun-glare that was often striking the faces of the dancers, as well as the shadows where the sun wasn't hitting at all. But I think I recovered most of the inadvertent over-exposure and under-exposure with some post-processing on the computer... I was also able to get some shots facing westward and southward, so that you could see the New Jersey skyline behind the dancers; indeed, there are a couple of shots with the Statue of Liberty and the Verrazano Bridge in the background. (Note to self: come back here at twilight, on a Sunday evening in mid-summer; it could well be even more spectacular.)

 

Since I have no personal expertise (or even competence) at the dance, there's not much that I can say about what's going on; I have to let the pictures speak for themselves. Though it wasn't universally true, I noticed several occasions where the women were taller than their partners; I gather that that's an advantage when the dancers are twirling and twisting around. Also, I had the distinct impression -- just as was the case in Washington last summer -- that few (if any) of the dancers were "couples" in the traditional sense. Indeed, many of them seemed to be strangers who had met for the first time at this tango event, but who seemed to enjoy the experience of the dance together. And others, from what little I could tell, might have encountered one another at previous tango events -- but had no other interactions or relationship with one another.

 

In any case, I had photographed everything I could imagine photographing by a little after 7 PM. I put away my camera equipment, walked a few blocks east to Hudson Street to enjoy a delicious dinner at a local restaurant with my wife, and made a note to check the Internet again for future tango events in Central Park and the South Street Seaport. If you'd like to pursue this on your own, check out Richard Lipkin's Guide to Argentine Tango in New York City.

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this page without written permission and consent.

 

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Florence + The Machine, finalmente, in Italia per un attesissimo concerto invernale. La rock diva e la sua band, suoneranno infatti davanti al pubblico del Mediolanum Forum di Milano il 21 dicembre 2015 con il loro How Blue Tour .

 

Dopo la consacrazione definitiva del grandissimo live del 20 novembre 2012, la rossa più potente dell'indie-rock è pronta a regalarci un altro show epico.

 

Per Florence Welch il successo dei primi due dischi Lungs (2009 – Album of the year, Brit Awards 2010) e Ceremonials (2011) ha significato 5 anni di registrazione, promozione e tour. Cerimonials (disco candidato ai Grammy) è stato scritto mentre Florence e i musicisti erano on the road e registrato subito dopo la fine del tour. Gli Show diventavano sempre più grandi, i capelli sempre più rossi e il successo sempre più grande.

 

Pop star a 21 anni, con 2 album internazionali alle sue spalle, Florence ha scoperto che dedicando 7 anni della sua vita alla musica alcuni elementi della quotidianità erano stati lasciati da parte.

 

Florence Welch – voce

Robert Ackroyd e Rusty Bradshaw – chitarre

Mark Saunders – basso

Isabella Summers – tastiere

Christopher Lloyd Hayden – batteria

Tom Monger – arpa

 

Published by Great Consortium National Supplements, Brazil 1940

Published by GEP, Brazil 1968

Published by Sala d'Art Jove, Barcelona

Design: bisdixit

www.bisdixit.com

The Postcard

 

A postally unused postcard that was published by The Promenade Studio, Whitley Bay. The card, which has a divided back, has been hand-stamped with the date 25 Jul 1930. This day was in fact a Friday.

 

Annie Ross

 

So what else happened on the day that the card was hand-stamped?

 

Well, the 25th. July 1930 marked the birth in Surrey of Annie Ross.

 

Born Annabelle McCauley Allan Short, Annie was a British-American singer and actress who was active between 1937 and 2020.

 

Known professionally as Annie Ross, she was best known as a member of the jazz vocal trio Lambert, Hendricks & Ross.

 

Annie Ross - The Early Years

 

Annie Ross was born in Surrey, England, the daughter of Scottish vaudevillians John "Jack" Short and Mary Dalziel Short (née Allan).

 

Her brother was Scottish entertainer and theatre producer and director Jimmy Logan. She first appeared on stage at age three. At the age of four, she travelled to New York by ship with her family; she later recalled that:

 

"We got the cheapest ticket, which

was right in the bowels of the ship".

 

Shortly after arriving in New York, she won a token contract with MGM through a children's radio contest run by Paul Whiteman. She subsequently moved with her aunt, Scottish-American singer and actress Ella Logan, to Los Angeles, and her mother, father and brother returned to Scotland.

 

Annie did not see her parents again until fourteen years later. At the age of seven, she sang "The Bonnie Banks o' Loch Lomond" in Our Gang Follies of 1938, and played Judy Garland's character's sister in Presenting Lily Mars (1943).

 

At the age of 14, Annie wrote the song "Let's Fly", which won a songwriting contest and was recorded by Johnny Mercer and The Pied Pipers.

 

At the end of 10th. grade, she left school, changed her name to Annie Ross, and went to Europe, where she established her singing career. Annie changed her surname to Ross during the plane trip to Prestwick; in a 2011 interview, she said:

 

"My aunt was very fanciful, and she

said I had an Irish grandmother called

Ross, so that's where that surname

came from".

 

Annie Ross's Career

 

In 1952, Ross met Prestige Records owner Bob Weinstock, who asked her to write lyrics to a jazz solo in a similar way to King Pleasure, a practice that would later be known as vocalese. The next day, she presented him with "Twisted", a treatment of saxophonist Wardell Gray's 1949 composition of the same name, a classic example of the genre.

 

The song, first released in 1952, was an underground hit, and resulted in her winning Down Beat magazine's New Star award.

 

In February 1956, the British music magazine NME reported that Ross's version of the song "I Want You to Be My Baby" was banned by the BBC due to the lyric "Come upstairs and have some loving".

 

Annie recorded seven albums with Lambert, Hendricks & Ross between 1957 and 1962. Their first, Sing a Song of Basie (1957), was to have been performed by a group of singers hired by Jon Hendricks and Dave Lambert with Ross brought in only as vocal consultant.

 

However it was decided that the trio should attempt to record the material and overdub all the additional vocals themselves, but the first two tracks were recorded and deemed unsatisfactory, so they ditched the dubbing idea.

 

The resulting album was a success, and the trio became an international hit. Over the next five years, Lambert, Hendricks & Ross toured the world, and recorded such albums as The Hottest New Group in Jazz (1959), Sing Ellington (1960), High Flying (1962), and The Real Ambassadors (1962), written by Dave Brubeck and featuring Louis Armstrong and Carmen McRae.

 

Ross left the group in 1962, and in 1964 opened a nightclub in London. Annie's Room hosted Joe Williams, Nina Simone, Stuff Smith, Blossom Dearie, Anita O'Day, Jon Hendricks, and Erroll Garner.

 

Her adulthood film roles included Liza in the film Straight On till Morning (1972), Claire in Alfie Darling (1976), Diana Sharman in Funny Money (1983), Vera Webster in Superman III (1983), Mrs. Hazeltine in Throw Momma from the Train (1987), Rose Brooks in Witchery (1988), Loretta Cresswood in Pump Up the Volume (1990), Tess Trainer in Robert Altman's Short Cuts (1993), and Lydia in Blue Sky (1994).

 

Annie also appeared as Granny Ruth in the horror films Basket Case 2 (1990) and Basket Case 3: The Progeny (1991). She also had a bit part in Robert Altman's The Player in 1992. Ross also starred in Scottish Television's comedy-drama Charles Endell Esquire (1979).

 

Annie provided the speaking voice for Britt Ekland in The Wicker Man (1973), and Ingrid Thulin's singing voice in Salon Kitty (1976). On stage, she appeared in Cranks (1955; London and New York City), The Threepenny Opera (1972), The Seven Deadly Sins (1973) at the Royal Opera House, Kennedy's Children (1975) at the Arts Theatre, London, Side by Side by Sondheim, and in the Joe Papp production of The Pirates of Penzance (1982).

 

Annie Ross's Personal Life

 

In 1949, Ross had a brief affair with drummer Kenny Clarke. This affair produced a son, Kenny Clarke Jr. (born 1950), who was raised by Clarke's brother and his wife.

 

During her time with Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, Annie became addicted to heroin. In the late 1950's she had an affair with the comedian Lenny Bruce, who was also having drug problems. By 1960, Carol Sloane was substituting for her on tour. After a performance by the trio in London in May 1962, she remained in London to confront her drug addiction.

 

In 1963, she married actor Sean Lynch; they divorced in 1975, and he died in a car crash soon afterwards. By that time, she had also lost her home, and declared bankruptcy.

 

Annie became a United States citizen in 2001.

 

Annie died in New York City on the 21st. July 2020 from emphysema and heart disease, four days before her 90th. birthday.

 

Annie Ross's Awards and Honours

 

Ross received the ASCAP Jazz Wall of Fame award (2009), the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters' Award (2010), and the MAC Award for Lifetime Achievement (2011).

 

In July 2006 a one-woman play entitled Twisted: The Annie Ross Story by Brian McGeachan premiered at The Space Theatre in London, starring Verity Quade. It focused on Annie's stormy relationship with her aunt, Broadway legend Ella Logan, her brief affair with the comedian Lenny Bruce and her addiction to heroin. The play transferred to the Brockley Jack Theatre in London that same year, with Ross being played by Betsy Pennington.

 

A documentary about Ross's life, entitled No One But Me, premiered at the Glasgow Film Festival in 2012.

Wandered off the autoroute and found this

tredition.de/autoren/woody64-minifigcustomsin3d-19683/aus...

 

In this book you will find the recreation of the Austrian Army during Napoleonic wars with LEGO® Minifigs. Therefore, newly designed hats (also 3d printable) and redesigned front decals representing the corresponding unit were created and used to build with povray colorful rendered tables of the different parts of the Austrian army. In order to round off this, some historical and military background is given, which places the pictures in a proper context and makes them also readable for non historians or teenagers. Nevertheless it was tried to reach some historical accuracy to make that book also usable for war gamers and figure painters.

 

The book is the realization of a boy's dream when starting to paint figures to do one book dealing with this ...

30 years later I could realize it with a lot of technology in background and with Lego Minifigs. A toy which I also loved during my youth time sitting in the toy shop of my aunt.

 

Available as paperback, hardcover and e-book (Tredition, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Thalia, ... )

 

or the complete poster of all units:

www.redbubble.com/people/woody64/works/24955932-austrian-...

 

or some items using the the book cover

www.redbubble.com/people/woody64/works/24822155-austrian-...

  

Published. ?

National Library of New Zealand.

schools.natlib.govt.nz/resources-learning/high-interest-t...

 

Published. Aug 2013.

Vice . www.vice.com/de/read/jugendliche-scheien-auf-facebook-mas...

 

Published. 09.09.2013

Elk E Teaches. "Social Media has Benefits for Youth" elketeaches.wordpress.com/?p=918&preview=true

 

Published. 04.02.2015

One Green Planet. How to get your teen...to appreciate nature.

onegreenplanet.org/lifestyle/how-to-get-your-technology-g...

 

Published. 04.10.2015

SiliconAngle. Teens may not be done with FB

siliconangle.com/blog/2015/04/10/teens-may-not-be-done-wi...

Nice seeing my two arctic wolves in this calendar

PLEASE NOTE BEFORE USING THIS PHOTO: Your license to use it is restricted to purposes that are affirming of equal access to facilities for all LGBTQ humans. Any use of this photo surrounded by homophobic, transphobic, or discriminatory language is not permitted and license to use is invalid per the respect of moral rights in the Creative Commons license. Any uses of this photo discovered to violate these terms will have license immediately revoked as well. Thank you! :)

 

This photo replaces a previous photo that I did not take. I took this one. See the rest of the photos in Gender Neutral Restrooms group for more inspiration.

 

------

 

Published in New West Holllywood law requires gender-neutral public restrooms | Take Two | 89.3 KPCC

 

Published in Transgender Hopkins County High School Student Working on Petition to Use Bathroon of Choice | WKU Public Radio

 

Published in Vlaanderen krijgt genderneutrale toiletten - Buitenland - TROUW

  

Published in SF School Adds Gender-Neutral Kindergarten Bathrooms - Breitbart

 

Published in Jacksonville City Council scuttles bill that would let transgender men [ sic ] into women’s bathrooms - Liberty Unyielding - Note: comment placed on article about the inaccuracy of the headline.

 

Published in Out & About - Amerikanske teenagere har mangfoldig kønsforståelse

 

Published in Single-sex schools 'not equipped to deal with transgender issues' | Education News | News | The Independent

 

Published in HB 2: Louie Gohmert’s Lie, and What It Reveals.

 

Published in New Jersey School Board Allows T----s to Use Bathroom According to Their Gender Identity : Nation : Christianity Daily (Comment left ordering change of terminology or takedown, per violation of policy above)

 

Published in www.minnpost.com/mental-health-addiction/2016/10/brian-ro...

 

Published in Tech CEOs oppose Texas 'bathroom bill' in ongoing support of transgender rights - SiliconANGLE

Woodcut from Beeton's Annual 1871.

Beetons magazine of Fact, Fiction, History and Adventure.

 

Published by Ward, Lock & Tyler, London. Half leather binding, 1075 pages 14cm x 22cm.

Bain News Service,, publisher.

 

Suffrage parade, Inez Milholland

 

[1913 March] (date created or published later by Bain)

 

1 negative : glass ; 5 x 7 in. or smaller.

 

Notes:

Title from unverified data provided by the Bain News Service on the negatives or caption cards.

Photo shows lawyer Inez Milholland Boissevain riding astride in the suffrage parade as the first of four mounted heralds. In her short life she shared with many of her fellow marchers a commitment to social reform. She joined organizations striving to improve the working conditions of children and the lives of African Americans. She was also a strong supporter of the shirtwaist and laundry workers. Three years after the parade, she collapsed and died at age thirty during a western suffrage lecture tour. (Source: "Marching for the Vote," by Sheridan Harvey, in American Women, 2001, memory.loc.gov/ammem/awhhtml/aw01e/aw01e.html) hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.ggbain

Forms part of: George Grantham Bain Collection (Library of Congress).

 

Subjects:

Boissevain, Inez Milholland,--1886-1916.

Suffragists.

Women's suffrage.

Horseback riding.

Parades & processions.

United States--District of Columbia--Washington (D.C.)

 

Format: Glass negatives.

 

Rights Info: No known restrictions on publication.

 

Repository: Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA, hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print

 

General information about the Bain Collection is available at hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.ggbain

 

Higher resolution image is available (Persistent URL): hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ggbain.11374

 

Call Number: LC-B2- 2502-5

  

Published by Niggli in 1959. A slightly tatty copy but such a classic.

Published by Grande Consórcio Suplementos Nacionais, Brazil 19

Published by Editora Dado Ltd, Brazil 1966

© sergione infuso - all rights reserved

follow me on www.sergione.info

 

You may not modify, publish or use any files on

this page without written permission and consent.

 

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

 

Davide, Enrica, Giosada e gli Urban Strangers, i quattro finalisti di #XF9, in diretta dal Mediolanum Forum di Assago, Milano, giovedì 10 Dicembre 2015, avranno l’onore di condividere lo stesso palco con giganti della musica come i Coldplay, in vetta alle classifiche in 53 paesi. Chris Martin & Co si esibiranno live in esclusiva per l’Italia proprio sul palco della Finale per regalare al pubblico ben due successi del nuovo album: "A Head Full of Dreams" e "Adventure of a Lifetime".

 

X Factor Italia vuole siglare un altro primato: l’intera giuria si esibirà sulle note dei propri successi e con le proprie band: Elio e le Storie Tese, Skunk Anansie e Fedez e Mika.

 

Alessandro Cattelan vi racconterà questo grandissimo evento musicale scandendo i ritmi di una serata che si preannuncia veramente intensa. Avrete modo di assistere a una sfida davvero speciale tra Enrica, Davide, Giosada e Urban Strangers al fianco di un grande artista italiano: Cesare Cremonini. Dopo 34 date del Logico Tour, la pop star bolognese accompagnerà al pianoforte i ragazzi nella prima manche dedicata ai duetti, al termine della quale uno di loro lascerà la gara, oltre ad eseguire "Lost in weekend".

 

La sfida proseguirà con la manche degli inediti, appena presentati e già in cima alla classifica iTunes. Per lo scontro decisivo, i due super finalisti si giocheranno il podio con un brano scelto da ciascuno di loro tra quelli interpretati durante il lungo percorso ad X Factor. Solo uno di loro si aggiudicherà un contratto con Sony Music Italia e la possibilità di pubblicare un album.

 

Non finisce qui: un inedito duetto infiammerà il Forum, quello di Fedez & Mika, che si esibiranno per la prima volta live nel loro "Beautiful Disaster". Elio e le Storie Tese si porteranno al Forum uno dei classici storici della band, "Servi della gleba", mentre gli Skunk Anansie la nuovissima "Love Someone Else".

 

Il vincitore della nona edizione di X Factor Italia è Giosada.

Published in REVISTA EXCLAMA - Editorial de moda

 

Model: Judit Civit

MUA & Hair: Lorena Perez

Styling: Angie Gómez

Styling assistant: Marcos Gonzalez

 

Photography and processing: Axel Montero

 

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