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Photo taken by Herwart Schneider and kindly provided by him for inclusion on this page.
München-Riem
November 1986
B-2448
Boeing 747-2J6BM
23461 / 628
Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC)
B-2448 has landed on runway 25 and left the runway via the end, taxiing in to the field.
Information from airhistory.net - thanks to LRS747:
Delivered new to CAAC 10th Dec 1985 and transferred to Air China July 1988. Converted to freighter Dec 1998 for operation by Air China Cargo, then transferred to Uni-top Airlines May 2009.
Stored from 2016 in Wuhan, still there in May 2022.
Registration details for this airframe:
www.planelogger.com/Aircraft/Registration/B-2448/527524
B-2448 with Air China at CDG in October 1990:
www.flickr.com/photos/75122977@N05/38145099814
B-2448 with Air China at HKG ca. 1990s (larger logo):
www.flickr.com/photos/darylchapman/5016520412
B-2448 with Air China Cargo at FRA ca. 2000:
www.flickr.com/photos/157839500@N04/49894859343
B-2448 with Uni-top Airlines at PEK in May 2009:
cdn.jetphotos.com/full/5/64595_1629705224.jpg
B-2448 with Uni-top Airlines stored at WUH in April 2020:
cdn.jetphotos.com/full/6/54224_1586786755.jpg
B-2448 along with B-2462 and B-2450 stored at WUH in May 2022:
cdn.planespotters.net/07634/b-2462-uni-top-airlines-boein...
Scan from Kodachrome slide.
Alright! Let's go!
Oh, it's Buffaloman AGAIN. *
Or, 'Terri-Bull'...
Nyuk! Nyuk!
What's he gonna do this-
Origin time!
Wait, what?
No!
We're sorry!
Now??
Buffaloman (バッファローマン) is a Devil Chojin with allegiances to Akuma Shogun and Satan, but works alongside the Justice Chojin for a good portion of the original series, before retiring to teach the New Generation.
About
Buffaloman is a charging bull-themed Chojin and one of the Seven Devil Chojin who were said to be too strong and brutal and banished to the ends of the universe.
His techniques and fighting style usually rely on his immense strength and power, but in tight situations he can lower his power in order to become faster. Additionally, he specialises in brutal fighting. He is quite clever and will often lure his opponents into wasting stamina.
He is depicted as a formidable opponent and far more powerful than any other chojin; the concept of Chojin Power was introduced specifically to illustrate this point. Buffaloman's Chojin Power is 10,000,000 Power, which is 10 times that of Warsman, previously Kinnikuman's greatest opponent. By the end of the series many chojin who surpass 10,000,000 Power have appeared, but Buffaloman still boasts of his power and is the only one where it is treated as an advantage.
Personality
Despite being a Devil Chojin, he normally fights honourably and shows his opponents respect, even when using brutal methods in battle. During his fight with Kinnikuman his good heart is awakened, and he is revived as a Justice Chojin after his first death. He also has a great sense of companionship, showing great respect for his fallen comrades. He returns to his evil ways in Kinnikuman (2011), but he maintains his honorable side and does not hate his former allies.
Appearance
He is very large in both height and frame, and has two curved horns called Long Horns (ロングホーン) on both sides of his head, and has a spike on each knee. He has curly brown hair, with a darker shade of skin and pure white eyes. He wears protective gear around both his legs and arms, and tends to have some sort of chest protection in the first few scenes before being destroyed.
He also has red shoes and gloves. When Buffaloman was possesed, he had purple skin and a fire symbol across his face with a smile on it.
Relationships
Kinnikuman
Kinnikuman is the one that showed him that, even if he was a devil, he could become a hero, making Buffaloman to sacrify his last horn and power for the sake of Meat and the dead Justice Chojin. After his resurrection, he become an ally and friend to Kinnikuman, and he even let Doctor Bombe to use his horns as replacement for Kinnikuman's arm bones.
Springman
Buffaloman has a good relation with all his fellow Devil Chojins, but his closet friend seems to be Springman, and the both of them end up fighting in tag matches. They are also the last two Devil Chojin in been defeated in their debut arc. In Kinnikuman Nisei, is shown that Springman visited Buffaloman in hospital, and both travel to see the final match between Mantaro and Ashuraman.
Mongolman
He and Mongolman end up making a tag team to enter the Universal Chojin Tag Tournament, and they come up with some destructive techniques.
Abilities
Buffaloman primary use his horns to do all kinds of techniques and attacks, as well as his powerful body to destroy his opponents.
History
Prehistory
Buffaloman came from the Buffalo Clan. The clan was growing in power and fought over who would become king, and it descended into many years of fighting until the entire clan was wiped out, which left Buffaloman as the sole survivor. He originally had a Chojin Power of 1,000,000 units, and was continually beaten because he lacked skill. At an unknown point, he was training alone and crossed through a hurricane in his travels. The wind blew away a cross on a church, and it headed straight towards Buffaloman, who was forced to use his own power to stop the cross, which taught him the Chojin Cross Drop.
He eventually met and struck a deal with Satan, who granted him more Chojin Power each time he killed another chojin. Eventually he killed so many that his power had climbed to 10,000,000.
He and his comrades, all known as the Seven Devil Chojin (Springman, Atlantis, Stereo Cassette King, Black Hole, Mister Khamen, and The Mountain), were eventually captured by a grouping of 100,000 Justice Chojin and Space Police and trapped in a Chojin Roach Motel and sent into space.
Kinnikuman
Buffaloman initially appears as a villain, as one of the Seven Devil Chojin. He steals parts of Meat's body and forces Kinnikuman to fight in a tournament to retrieve them, culminating in a tag-match between Kinnikuman and Mongolman against Buffaloman and Springman. He joins the Justice Chojin side, after renouncing Satan and freeing Meat. He will later participate in various tournaments alongside the Justice Chojin, before fighting alongside Ataru Kinniku in the Survivor Match for the Kinniku Throne Arc.
Seven Devil Chojin Arc
Harabote reveals that seven chojin were banned from the Olympics, due to their ruthless nature, and these seven Devil Chojin were placed into a floating space prison named a "Roach Motel". The "Roach Motel" is accidentally opened, when Kinnikuman is thrown straight onto the release mechanism during celebrations of his most recent victory. Buffaloman and the other Devil Chojin arrive at a fan-appreciation day, where Kinnikuman and his friends are celebrating the conclusion of the 21st Chojin Olympics.
Buffaloman initially attacks Warsman, who attacks him in defence of the children present. He announces that they cannot allow Kinnikuman to call himself "champion", until he had defeated each of the Seven Devil Chojin. Buffaloman splits Alexandria Meat's body into seven pieces; this forces Kinnikuman to beat them all within 10 days, if he wants to save his friend. When Kinnikuman is too injured to keep fighting the Seven Devils (after he defeated SteCassette King and Black Hole), his friends step in to take on the remaining Devil Chojin in his place. Buffaloman is pitted against Warsman.
In the match, we see Warsman dodging a series of Hurricane Mixers. On the eleventh try, Buffaloman pierces Warsman's hip, and proceeds to take out a chunk of Warsman's helmet. Warsman tries an arm hold, but Buffaloman breaks free and attempts a knee drop, which is countered by a Jet Liner. Buffaloman is unaffected again, and uses a Long Horn Boomerang. Warsman follows with a Palo Special, but is thrown off by Buffaloman and damages his legs. Warsman then destroys his Bear Claws on Buffaloman's horn, when attempting a Screw Driver attack.
Buffaloman pierces a hole through Warsman's chest, which inspires Warsman to use his own version of the Fire of Inner Strength. After an exchange of blows, Warsman begins to smoke from his body, and he grows too exhausted to properly continue the match. Warsman attacks with his Bear Claws one last time, and he manages to break off one of Buffaloman's longhorns. Buffaloman uses a series of Hurricane Mixers to kill Warsman. He then walks away and leaves Warsman deceased in the ring.
The final match takes places in the Denen Colosseum.
Buffaloman faces Kinnikuman in a double match with Springman. There is only one hour left of the deadline, so Kinnikuman only has one hour to save Meat. The stadium is designed as a giant countdown, with bars around the edges that move for each second, and that will destroy pieces of Meat's body at the 30 minutes and 60 minute marks. Just as Kinnikuman is about to fight alone, Mongolman appears to make it a true tag-team match and join Kinnikuman in his fight against Springman and Buffaloman.
Despite it being called a tag-team match, Buffaloman's attention is focused exclusively on Kinnikuman, while Springman fights against Mongolman. Mongolman defeats Springman and saves Meat's limb. Buffaloman is an extremely tough opponent, and - changing colour, as he uses the full force of his 10 million Chojin Power - uses his power to reverse Kinnikuman's techniques, including his trademark finishing move: the Kinniku Buster. During an exchange of blows, Harabote uncovers information on Buffaloman.
After Buffaloman helps fix Kinnikuman's mask, he becomes fully possessed by Satan. When Buffaloman goes beneath the ring, shredding the canvas with his horn, Kinnikuman uses his arm to stop the horn, and tosses him back onto the ring. Buffaloman loses control of his power when he absorbs Kinnikuman's Burning Inner Strength. Buffaloman pierces Kinnikuman's body with his horn, before - overwhelmed by The Fire - the power returns to Kinnikuman and allows him survive.
Due to the respect Kinnikuman showed him, even though they were mortal enemies, Buffaloman changes sides at the end of the match. He cries out the key that will free Meat's head, which allows Meat to be saved just before the final countdown. Buffaloman vows to join the Justice Chojin, if he survives Satan's punishment for defeat. He s fatally injured by Satan, but - before he dies - he gives up his Chojin Power, bought with the blood of other heroes, to bring back to life Warsman, Robin Mask and Wolfman, who had died fighting his teammates.
Golden Mask Arc
Kinnikuman struggles to make it through a door to the final match, and - at the last moment - Buffaloman uses his high chojin power to keep the door open for him. When Kinnikuman offers him a seat at the ring-side, on the side of the justice chojin, Buffaloman refuses and joins the devil chojin in the corner of Ashuraman. Ashuraman appears to gain the upper-hand, but - in a dispute with Meat - Buffaloman inadvertently gives Kinnikuman inspiration needed to counter-attack.
After Akuma Shogun murders Ashuraman, Buffaloman is inspired to rejoin the justice chojin.
He then confronts the Devil Knights leader, Akuma Shogun, in order to give Kinnikuman more time to perfect the Kinniku Driver. He is eventually defeated by Devil Shogun's Hell's Guillotine technique. During the fight between Akuma Shogun and Kinnikuman, Akuma Shogun begins to revive the Devil Knights and absorb them to become more powerful, but Buffaloman puts on Akuma Shogun's mask and fights them off, which gives Kinnikuman the chance he needed to defeat Akuma Shogun with the Kinniku Driver.
Dream Chojin Tag Arc
A second Mount Fuji appears in Japan.
On top of this mountain, the Universal Chojin Tag Team trophy appears. Underneath, there appears a series of rings that allow for eight tag-teams to compete. Buffaloman - along with the other justice chojin - goes to Kourakuen Hall to discuss the situation. Buffaloman refuses to team up with Kinnikuman and leaves. He sends a letter to Mongolman, asking him to join him as a new tag-team.
Buffaloman and Mongolman forms the 20 Million Powers. The name of their combo comes from Buffaloman's 10,000,000 power and Mongolman's 10,000,000 techniques (10 Million + 10 Million). In the first-round match-ups, the teams are required to navigate a labyrinth to be matched against their opponents, and the 20 Million Powers are matched against the Most Dangerous Combo. Just as the 20 Million Powers and Most Dangerous Combo are about to begin their fight, during the Dream Chojin Tag Arc, the Killer Game Combo arrive. This leads to the Killer Game Combo defeating the Most Dangerous Combo.
Brocken Jr. does not want his loss to count for nothing, so - to allow the 20 Million Powers to win - he challenges Buffaloman and allows himself to be pinned; this allows 20 Million Powers to officially win the match. This technical win allows the 20 Million Powers to advance to the next round, but the 20 Million Powers attack the Killer Game Combo for their intrusion. Buffaloman uses a feint against Screw Kid, but Mongolman - using the distraction to attack - injures his leg in the process.
Buffaloman is then struck by Kendaman, and the Killer Game Combo ask for formal permission to enter the tournament in the place of the Most Dangerous Combo. The 20 Million Powers declare that they will earn their place in the next round by first defeating the Killer Game Combo. The match began with a fierce one-on-one battle between Buffaloman and Kendaman, but Buffaloman tries a Hurricane Mixer on Kendaman, but it fails. Buffaloman is then caught in a Scorpion Defence by Kendaman.
He proceeds to break off his Long Horn and breaks the glass of the War-Cube, but is then attacked by a Hell's Screwdriver, which is only stopped by the thrown hair of Mongolman. Buffaloman counters with a powered-up Hurricane Mixer. Fearing the punishment that comes from failing their superiors, Screw Kid and Kendaman begin to use dirty tactics. At this point Neptuneman and Big the Budo reveal themselves, and Kendaman and Screw Kid abandon the match to attack them, and the 20 Million Powers win by default, as the Killer Game Combo are killed by the Hell Missionaries outside of the ring.
During the match-up lottery for the semi-final placements, the 20 Million Powers are matched with the Hell Missionaries. The first match is between the Muscle Brothers and the Stray Devil Chojin Combo, and the 20 Million Powers stay at the edge of the ring to act as spotters. At the end of the match, after the defeat of the Stray Devil Chojin Combo, the Hell Missionaries attack Sunshine, only to be stopped by the 20 Million Powers. They then allow the Hell Missionaries to attack, as the dolls - created by the Stray Devil Chojin to steal the justice chojin Friendship Power scatter, and thus creates animosity between the justice chojin.
The semi-final match against the Hell Missionaries is a simple barbed-wire cage match, but also a mask-removal death-match in which Mongolman must bet his mask. Buffaloman is thrown into the barbed wire by Neptuneman, who then switches with Mongolman, who is at a disadvantage from being unable to use the rope for his techniques. After being thrown into the screen cage, Mongolman rebounds with a kick.
After a series of blows, the 20 Million Powers seem to have the upper hand. Mongolman begins to suffer flashbacks within the ring, as the cage reminds him of his match against Warsman, and Buffaloman is unable to tag in, as both of the Hell Missionaries attack him. The spirit of Warsman helps Mongolman. Buffaloman is tagged in and uses a Buffalo Avalanche Drop. He proceeds to attach his Long Horn, and uses a Hurricane Heat. Mongolman is tagged into the match, but subject to a Cross Bomber.
Neptuneman uses his Magnet Power in retaliation. This heals the wounds of the Hell's Missionaries, and they try continuously to attack with Cross Bombers attacks, only to fail. Due to the Iron Sweat on Mongolman and Buffaloman, they are dragged towards the Hell Missionaries by their magnet power, and they almost defeat the 20 Million Powers with a Magnetic Storm Driver. The 20 Million Powers are then further attacked by a magnetic suplex. They are soon entangled in the magnetic barbed wires, as they regain their Friendship Power, and the Justice Chojin regain their power of friendship overall.
The iron sweat breaks from Mongoman and Buffaloman, and Buffaloman uses his Longhorn Train. This increases the power of the Hell's Missionaries, who use a Silhouette Body Press, and - after a series of blows - are thrown from the war-cube. The Hell's Missionaries summon thunder to increase their electrical power. Their Lightning Sabre attack renders Buffaloman and Ramenman immobile, and Buffaloman uses a fragment of Iron Sweat to draw Neptuneman away from Mongolman.
Buffaloman collapses against the mat, defeated by the Light Sabres.
Mongolman carries Buffaloman on his back, as they try again for a Longhorn Train, but they are defeated by a Magnetic Storm Crash. Once Ramenman is defeated, Buffaloman is rushed to hospital alongside Kinnikuman and Ramenman. At hospital, Doctor Bombe removes Buffaloman's horn in order to save Kinnikuman's arm, even knowing it would result in Buffaloman's death, but the tears in Buffaloman's eyes mark his consent to the procedure.
Blood Oath Brigade Formation!
This story covered the formation of Kinnikuman Soldier's team in detail. Brocken Jr. and Buffaloman want to join Soldier's team, but Asuraman and The Ninja aren't on board with that idea. According to Asuraman, Buffaloman is too easily swayed by his emotions, which is why he never became a Devil Knight despite having exceptional talent.
Kinnikuman Soldier shows up and interrupted Asuraman and The Ninja's departure. In response, The Ninja attempted to read Kinnikuman Soldier's mind with his Expose the Heart jutsu, but there's nothing to read. Unlike the other Fated Princes, Soldier has no ambition to destroy his opponents and take over the throne.
Asuraman gets into a fight against Soldier, but Soldier easily fends him off. Soldier even escaped the Asura Buster in a similar fashion to Kinnikuman and counters with a Dragon Cube Suplex. Buffaloman deduces why Soldier would pick those four. Pride is their main characteristic. According to Asuraman, "all four chojin are bull headed guys who won't listen to anyone".
Asuraman asks if Soldier is a fake Soldier and Soldier confirms this theory. He ambushed the real Soldier's team while they were training near Mt. Fuji and stole the real Soldier's mask. The fake Soldier explains that he joined the tournament because the Friendship Power the Justice Chojin use is a sham and that the pride that they share can bring out their true strength.
Asuraman wants Soldier to prove why this team of outcasts would make an excellent team. Soldier tells him to be silent. A real man would never talk so much. Instead, he'd silently watch the result with his own eyes. Asuraman follows up with his Tornado Hell, but Soldier dodges, causing the building already worn down by the Rolling Cube Suplex to collapse on top of them. Soldier heals them all with a Face Flash. With this act, Soldier convinced them to join his team for the upcoming tournament.
Survivor Match Arc
When Kinnikuman's right to the Kinniku Throne was challenged by five pretenders to the throne, Ataru Kinniku forms a team of five people to fight in a tournament to determine who shall be king of Planet Kinniku. [50] Buffaloman - sans his horns - arrives at the house of Brocken Jr., along with Asuraman and The Ninja. Ataru asks them to join his team, as well as to meet him at Nagoya Castle in three days time, and - during that time - they watch him from a distance to ascertain his character.
After Ataru defeats Bockman and saves a boy, Buffaloman and the others decide to join his team. They proceed to enter Nagoya Castle and face against Team Phoenix, as they announce they have formed The Chojin Blood Oath Brigade. After the defeat of The Ninja and Asuraman, Nagoya and Himeji Castles fly away from their locations and join as one structure.
In the final match during the semi-finals battle against Team Super Phoenix and Team Soldier (Soldier, Buffaloman, and Brocken) competed in a 6-Man Tag Match against Super Phoenix (Mammothman, and Prisman). The match takes place in a floating multi-sided ring. Buffaloman, for the most part, fought against Mammothman. Tremendously weaker without his Long Horns, he found himself losing against the nearly unstoppable Mammothman. He was finally able to gain and advantage when Kinnikuman returned the Long Horns used to fix his arm before the Tag match finals. Soon after, Brocken took out Prisman, but then fell into the canyon below and died. Seeing how much Soldier and Buffaloman cared for their fallen comrade convinced Super Phoenix that Soldier wasn't the real Soldier.
As Soldier begins to have his true identity figured out by his own father Mayumi as his long-lost elder son Ataru, the Evil Gods choose to sabotage him to eliminate him and help Phoenix win the tournament. The God of Brutality steals a page from the Muscle Prophecy, a book owned by Kinniku Clan royalty which contains past, present, and even future information on every Chojin ever, as a means to reveal who Soldier is to Super Phoenix. As the God of Brutality attempts to give the page to Super Phoenix via Mammothman, Buffaloman sees a vision of Mayumi in his head, forcing him to take the page to protect it. As the mammoth Chojin prepares to hand it to Phoenix, the bull Chojin performs the Chojin Cross Drop on him, jumping out of the ring and forcing Buffaloman to hold the page in his mouth. As they fall, Mammothman hits Buffaloman with his Nose Fencing technique and retains the page. At the last second, Buffaloman hits Mammothman with a Buffalo Bomb on the roof of the Himeji/Nagoya castle and saves the page again.
The Evil Gods then arrived and began attacking the floating ring in an attempt to take out Ataru. As the ring fell, Buffaloman caught it and held it up. Weakened from the battle with Mammothman, he put on a red headband given to him by the other Justice Chojins and found enough strength to not only hold the ring up longer but also remove his arm guards and toss them up to Ataru. He then pushed it into the air and as it fell again, he jumped up and hit it with a Hurricane Mixer, successfully putting it back in mid-air. Unfortunately, Buffaloman had no more strength and fell into the canyon below. He is revived (along with his teammates) after the tournament by Kinnikuman's Face Flash.
Kinnikuman 2011
Perfect Origin Arc
Prehistory
Like all the other Idol Chojin, Buffaloman was sent off to his home of Spain by Harabote so he could be placed in Medical Suspension, to help him recover from his many injuries from matches past.
However, when he finished his Medical Suspension and made his return while the Seven Devil Chojin invaded the full-scale tournament going on, he declared he was a Devil Chojin again, renegading on his Idol Chojin friends out of nowhere.
The Seven Devil Chojin reconvene in their base. Buffaloman returns, where they all decide which of the Perfect Large Numbers they shall do battle against, and Buffaloman decides to fight against Strong the Budo, due to the fact that whomever fights him will likely lose and he will not sacrifice his teammates. The Mountain refuses to allow this to happen, and offers to sacrifice himself instead, due to the team needing Buffaloman to serve as their leader. He asks only that Buffaloman not avert his gaze during his match.
After Black Hole's match with Dalmatiman, Buffaloman announces that the Devil Chojin are going to purge all Perfect Chojin for their master, Devil Shogun. During the first stage, he mostly oversees how the Devil Chojin fight the Perfect Chojin.
In a flashback, it's revealed that Buffaloman made the choice to return to the Devil Chojin and fight alongside them, which the Seven Devil Chojin welcomed greatly. But they wouldn't let him join them to fight the Perfect Large Numbers because he was their "ace", their leader and without them, the Seven Devil Chojin couldn't perform at their best.
Diablos vs. John Does
Grim Reaper and Turboman enter with the New Large Numbers.
Grim Reaper reveals the next location - of the second-stage of the tournament - will be the Saqqara Pyramid, which has been relocated to Japan's Tottori Dunes. The Grim Reaper lands on the third step, while Turboman takes the fourth step. The Justice Chojin follow them to the mountain, and Buffaloman is assigned against Turboman, who attacks him with a drop-kick before he can enter the ring.
He then drags Buffaloman into the ring with a Turboman Stunner. Turboman punches Buffaloman while he's down, until Buffaloman counters with a headbutt and proceeds to use a back-drop. [60] It is then that Springman arrives on the fourth step to fight the Grim Reaper. [61] Grim Reaper begin the match with a Buzzsaw Hat, which cuts Springman's leg as he enters the ring with a jump.
Grim Reaper throws Springman against the corner-post, but the post goes through Springman's hollow body and allows him to remain unharmed, and a Spring-Body Breaking-Squeeze breaks the corner-post. A Spring Transfer allows him to distract Grim Reaper, whereby he land a drop-kick to the face. While Turboman and Grim Reaper, struggle in their matches and appear to be losing, Jak Tea fights against Black Hole and creates a strong geyser before he dies. This creates a crack along the pyramid.
Turboman frees himself from Buffaloman with a Somersault Kick. He tries a body-press, but Buffaloman catches him and counters with a back-flip. The fifth step finally collapses from the cracks and descends into the fourth step, where the two single matches combine into one tag-match. Turboman gets Buffaloman into a tombstone pile-driver, but - as he prepares for another attack - Springman and Buffaloman combine to use a Chojin Dodgeball. Springman is chastised for attacking Turboman, who was not his original opponent, as the match rules must abide by those of a single-match (due to the unusual circumstances).
The two teams agree to form a tag-team match with tag-team rules.
Springman lunges at Turboman, who uses a lariat and a Starter Revolver, but gets his arm caught inside Springma, who retaliates with a Spring Cyclone. Springman proceeds to use a Killer-Coil Head Attack. A second attempt at the attack is deflected by Turboman's a back-kick. It nearly knocks Springman out of the ring, until Buffaloman catches him. Turboman charges with a flying-cross, but the Diabolos counter again with a Devil Expander. Buffaloman then bounces off Springman to kick Turboman, who proceeds with a series of blows. Turboman uses a Glove Revolver and a Turbine Chop.
Buffaloman and Turboman return to their corners, and Turboman tags in Grim Reaper, who spins around on Turboman's head and delivers an Ignition Dress to Buffaloman. They proceed to use a John Does Arrow. The Diabolos try another Devil Expander, but Turboman dives through Springman and knocks Buffaloman out of the ring, before hitting him again with another John Does Arrows. A High-Capacity John Does Arrow sends Turboman towards Buffaloman, who manages to catch him and slams him against the wall, which causes the wall to crumble into the shape of a flight of stairs.
This allows Springman to use a Devil Slinky. He uses a Spring Body-Breaking Squeeze, which causes Turboman's body to start to glow, as Turboman stores the energy of his opponents. Turboman uses a High-Speed Turbo-Crash, as their two attacks seem to create a stalemate, but soon the release of Turboman's energy causes Springman to harden. He proceeds to stab Springman in his face with Revolver Spikes, and a Revolver Fin causes Springman's body to crash into Buffaloman.
Springman finds strength to lift Buffaloman, despite his weakened state. The Diabolos attempt a Long Horn Train, but - when it only glances off Turboman - follow with a Most Super Express. They follow with a third attack, which against glances off Turboman, but Turboman finds strength to use a Revolver Stud while Springman starts to crumble away. Springman uses all his strength to throw Buffaloman into a Hurricane Mixer, and Buffaloman's horns break through Turboman's Revolver attack and pierce his chest. This leads to Turboman's death, followed by Springman dying within Buffaloman's arms.
The Grim Reaper proceeds to Turboman's corpse, where he opens Turboman's back and steals his Earth Unit (which allows him to store energy to use against an opponent), and then kicks Turboman's body out of the ring. The Grim Reaper removes his robe, which he uses to taunt Buffaloman like a matador, and uses a Skeleton Body to avoid being struck with a Hurricane Mixer. The Grim Reaper states that people fall victim to Buffaloman's attack due to fear and fidgety movements, but - knowing no fear - he cannot be hurt.
The Grim Reaper grabs Buffaloman by his horns, before grabbing at his skin and flipping him over, and - in the process - tears chunks of skin from Buffaloman. The Grim Reaper proceeds to tear off more skin from Buffaloman, and attacks with a Dress Spear, which reveals all the scars on Buffaloman's body from previous matches. He is eventually countered by Buffaloman's Buffalo Hammer. The Grim Reaper proceeds to capture Buffaloman's legs, as he sets up for a John Does Arrows, before revealing it can double as a solo-technique called the Phantom Canon. This causes Buffaloman's scars to reopen in a bloody manner.
Buffaloman summons his blood back into his body by force of will. The scars move to Buffaloman's horn and turn it into a Long Horn, before he speeds around the Grim Reaper and lands a series of blows. The Grim Reaper uses an Ignition Dress, followed by a Thunder Sabre, which pins Buffaloman to the canvas, and the Grim Reaper uses the Earth Unit to absorb power from Buffaloman. The sheer power from Buffaloman causes the Earth Unit to break, and Buffaloman uses a Hurricane Mixer.
This is followed with a Chojin Cross Slam. The Diabolos are declared the winners of the match, and Psychoman exposes his chest with the offer that Buffaloman kills him as he sees fit, due to the Perfect Chojin suicide rule and out of respect to Buffaloman as the victor. The Grim Reaper taunts Buffaloman until Buffaloman stabs him through the chest with his horn, and this cements Buffaloman's return to a Devil Chojin, preventing him from going back to his Justice Chojin allies. Psychoman then vanishes.
Buffaloman takes a piece of Springman's body and leaves.
After the Perfect Origin hit the scene, and Grim Reaper reveals himself to be Psychoman, Buffaloman decides to make up for letting him escape alive, but Devil Knight Planetman beats Buffaloman to fighting Psychoman. Buffaloman mostly observes while the Devil Knights take on the Perfect Origin.
Buffaloman vs. Ganman
The fight takes place on the first ring of Yggdrasil.
They begin by clashing horns in a rapid succession, before Ganman slams Buffaloman's head onto the corner-post with a bulldog headlock. Ganman attempts to ram into Buffaloman, but Buffaloman counters with a preemptive kick, and attempts a body-press, which is caught by Ganman in turn. He throws Buffaloman down, before they lock hands centre of the ring, and Ganman attempts a double over-hook suplex; which prompts Buffaloman to state that he cannot lose, as he must avenge Sneagator.
Buffaloman extends one horn, and uses it to pierce into Ganman's right shoulder. This is followed by a Hurricane Devil Sword, as well as a Buffalo Hammer, until Ganman throws Buffaloman out of the ring and forces him to prevent his fall by drilling into the stone ring. Buffaloman drills a tunnel under the ring, which allows him to pierce his horn through the surface for a Devil Shark manoeuvre. It is impossible for Ganman to "read" Buffaloman's moves while he is underground, and Buffaloman knocks him down by targeting his legs.
Ganman begins to dodge the horn by sensing Buffaloman's breathing, and catches the horn in his hands, which he uses to drag Buffaloman out of the ring, before using Elk Horn Scissors. He slams Buffaloman onto the ring, which reduces the size of his horn, and Ganman shines a light down on Buffaloman with his cyclops eye. Buffaloman attempts a Hurricane Mixer, but Ganman catches him by his horns and proceeds to use a brain-buster. It is revealed Buffaloman is holding back his power, and Kinnikuman and Akuma Shogun convince him to use his full power once more. Buffaloman breaks out of a Canadian Back-Breaker.
He uses a Reverse Suplex, before struggling evenly with Ganman in the middle of the ring. The two engage in a series of even blows, but the scars on Buffaloman start to reopen as he gains back the Friendship Power of the Justice Chojin, and - after an equal battle - Ganman breaks off one of Buffaloman's horns. Ganman gains the upper-hand, after a series of carefully aimed blows, until Buffaloman punches his own eye so that he is left with one working eye (just like Ganman) in order to create a 'fair' fight.
They lock together evenly again in the ring, until Buffaloman dares Ganman to use his eye power on Chojin Enma. This provokes Ganman to use an Elk Horn Compressor, as he states he will not use his eye power on Chojin Enma due to having faith in him as a person. He follows with an Elk Horn Tempest, but - as the throws Buffaloman - Buffaloman uses his one remaining horn to swing on the corner-post. Buffaloman builds up speed by moving post to post, and uses a new finishing move: Hurricane Giga Blaster.
This completely destroys Ganman's horns. Ganman reveals he has remembered Buffaloman's name, which proves he considers Buffaloman a worthy adversary due to how he forgets all other opponents' names, and hands him his dumbbell. This kills Ganman, who dies upon the canvas.
Omega Centauri's Six Spear Arc
He was hanging out with the remaining of the Devil Chojin, when suddenly, a magic barrier seal them inside their HQ, making them unable to face off against the Omega invaders.
Unnamed Arc
As Brocken Jr. and Ataru console Ashuraman's loss after he saw Satan Cross die to The Natural, Buffaloman and The Ninja arrive. Buffaloman notes the coincidence of the five in the same location. The Chojin Blood Oath Brigade has formed again. Ataru believes it is up to the Chojin Blood Oath Brigade to unite as one and put an end to the dangers of the Choushin. Ashuraman is the one who will step up to the plate first.
During the fight between Caucasusman and Mammothman, the Chojin Blood Oath Brigade talk about Mammothman's poor showing in his fight against Caucasusman. Buffaloman talks about how tough Mammothman was during their fight and that Mammothman's calmness unnerved him. The Choushin are crafty enough to place their opponents into tricky situations and Mammothman is not used to that. All they can do is wait for something within Mammothman to break.
After the declaration of the God of Harmony about the opening of the Tower of Babel, Buffaloman decides to be one of the chojins to enter the tower. Once they arrive and enter, they are challenged by the first god, who introduced himself as the God of Evolution, now known as The Executioner. He didn't feel confortable leaving the first rival to Geronimo, knowing that if the young chojin fail, they will be all doomed. But surprinsigly, Geronimo wins, and three new doors are opened.
He decides to travel with Kinnikuman and Warsman, arriving to the next level where they are greet by the choushin of said level. Kinnikuman tries to hide behind Buffaloman, but he take him and tries to throw him into the ring, annoyed by his cowardice, but Warman is the one that jumps into the ring to face against the choushin, who introduce himself as Onyxman.
Kinnikuman Nisei
Buffaloman acts as a teacher within the Hercules Factory. He is matched against Terry the Kid in the graduation matches, which he loses and allows for Terry the Kid to graduate. He will later participate in an exhibition match during the Chojin Olympics, which he fights with Ramenman against The Machineguns. In the Ultimate Chojin Tag Tournament, he again teams up with Ramenman, but will ultimately lose against the Muscle Brothers Nouveau.
Hercules Factory Arc
He became one of the many instructors at the Hercules Factory, training the future generation of chojin to fight evil. He is then assigned to the last test for the First Year Graduation: fight one of the new generation chojin, to see if he is worthy or needs more training.
He end up fighting Terry the Kid, the son of the famous Terryman. After a quick fight, Terry the Kid manage to defeat him with his Texas Clover Hold, congratulating him for his win shortly after.
HF First Year Replacement Matches Arc
He is shown to have been defeated by one of the new First Years: Jade. He then return to see the final match of the tournament, alongside the other teachers that were defeated by the Generation EX.
Demon Seed Arc
Buffaloman meets with Meat and goes with him to check a disturbance. He collapses when Alexandria Meat is taken by six tendrils, much like what happened to him 36 years ago, and the six people reveal themselves to be the ultimate Devil Chojin: the Demon Seeds. Buffaloman cries to see that the new generation cannot enter the General Palast.
Jade begs Buffaloman to help, but Buffaloman - weeping and in a rage - strikes Jade over and over, as he expresses guilt over his actions 36 years ago that set current events into action.
He stabs himself in the chest with a jagged piece of rock, and tears open the wound to accept the General Stone and reaffirms his pact with Satan. [85] He uses his newfound powers to open a hole in the barrier, but only one chojin can pass through as his strength is not enough for more. The barrier closes just after Mantaro Kinniku enters, trapping them both inside, but also cutting off Buffaloman's horn in the process.
Buffaloman tosses away the General stone, only to be carried - in his weak state - by Mantaro. Mantaro is forced to choose an opponent, but The Constellation attacks before the match, and Buffaloman blocks an arrow aimed at Mantaro with his body in defence of his ex-pupil. The Constellation pushes the arrow further into the wound and then proceeds to break his arm, but Buffaloman counters with his Hurricane Mixer. The Constellation uses a Suplex, which smashes Buffaloman's head against the concrete floor and cracks open his skull, incapacitating him.
Mantaro struggles to gain an advantage, but Buffaloman's advice helps him to counter. The Constellation uses a broken post of the ring to attack Buffaloman, so as to stop his invaluable advice, and it strikes Buffaloman on the forehead and knocks him unconscious. He regains consciousness just long enough to offer Mantaro further encouragement, before he faints once more. Mantaro tries to carry Buffaloman to safety, but - due to his injuries - passes out in the central chamber and collapses next to Buffaloman, at which point the B-Evolutions arrive.
Ultimate Chojin Tag Tournament Arc
Prehistory
Buffaloman appears late into this arc, as he participates in the tournament at Kourakuen Stadium. He is featured alongside Mongolman (Ramenman) as part of the 20 Million Powers; despite his missing horns, from the match three days ago in his timeline, Buffaloman seeks to distract the New Generation (to which he sees as the villains). Buffaloman chastises Robin Mask for helping Chaos Avenir, as he believes they are responsible for Alisa Mackintosh's accident.
Battle Royale
He fights against The Gaon and Emperor Death, in a battle royale for the opening match, and their opponents start with the upper hand.
History
Prehistory
Buffaloman came from the Buffalo Clan. The clan was growing in power and fought over who would become king, and it descended into many years of fighting until the entire clan was wiped out, which left Buffaloman as the sole survivor. He originally had a Chojin Power of 1,000,000 units, and was continually beaten because he lacked skill. At an unknown point, he was training alone and crossed through a hurricane in his travels. The wind blew away a cross on a church, and it headed straight towards Buffaloman, who was forced to use his own power to stop the cross, which taught him the Chojin Cross Drop.
He eventually met and struck a deal with Satan, who granted him more Chojin Power each time he killed another chojin. Eventually he killed so many that his power had climbed to 10,000,000.
He and his comrades, all known as the Seven Devil Chojin (Springman, Atlantis, Stereo Cassette King, Black Hole, Mister Khamen, and The Mountain), were eventually captured by a grouping of 100,000 Justice Chojin and Space Police and trapped in a Chojin Roach Motel and sent into space.
Kinnikuman
Buffaloman initially appears as a villain, as one of the Seven Devil Chojin. He steals parts of Meat's body and forces Kinnikuman to fight in a tournament to retrieve them, culminating in a tag-match between Kinnikuman and Mongolman against Buffaloman and Springman. He joins the Justice Chojin side, after renouncing Satan and freeing Meat. He will later participate in various tournaments alongside the Justice Chojin, before fighting alongside Ataru Kinniku in the Survivor Match for the Kinniku Throne Arc.
Seven Devil Chojin Arc
Harabote reveals that seven chojin were banned from the Olympics, due to their ruthless nature, and these seven Devil Chojin were placed into a floating space prison named a "Roach Motel". The "Roach Motel" is accidentally opened, when Kinnikuman is thrown straight onto the release mechanism during celebrations of his most recent victory. Buffaloman and the other Devil Chojin arrive at a fan-appreciation day, where Kinnikuman and his friends are celebrating the conclusion of the 21st Chojin Olympics.
Buffaloman initially attacks Warsman, who attacks him in defence of the children present. He announces that they cannot allow Kinnikuman to call himself "champion", until he had defeated each of the Seven Devil Chojin. Buffaloman splits Alexandria Meat's body into seven pieces; this forces Kinnikuman to beat them all within 10 days, if he wants to save his friend. When Kinnikuman is too injured to keep fighting the Seven Devils (after he defeated SteCassette King and Black Hole), his friends step in to take on the remaining Devil Chojin in his place. Buffaloman is pitted against Warsman.
In the match, we see Warsman dodging a series of Hurricane Mixers. On the eleventh try, Buffaloman pierces Warsman's hip, and proceeds to take out a chunk of Warsman's helmet. Warsman tries an arm hold, but Buffaloman breaks free and attempts a knee drop, which is countered by a Jet Liner. Buffaloman is unaffected again, and uses a Long Horn Boomerang. Warsman follows with a Palo Special, but is thrown off by Buffaloman and damages his legs. Warsman then destroys his Bear Claws on Buffaloman's horn, when attempting a Screw Driver attack.
Buffaloman pierces a hole through Warsman's chest, which inspires Warsman to use his own version of the Fire of Inner Strength. After an exchange of blows, Warsman begins to smoke from his body, and he grows too exhausted to properly continue the match. Warsman attacks with his Bear Claws one last time, and he manages to break off one of Buffaloman's longhorns. Buffaloman uses a series of Hurricane Mixers to kill Warsman. He then walks away and leaves Warsman deceased in the ring.
The final match takes places in the Denen Colosseum.
Buffaloman faces Kinnikuman in a double match with Springman. There is only one hour left of the deadline, so Kinnikuman only has one hour to save Meat. The stadium is designed as a giant countdown, with bars around the edges that move for each second, and that will destroy pieces of Meat's body at the 30 minutes and 60 minute marks. Just as Kinnikuman is about to fight alone, Mongolman appears to make it a true tag-team match and join Kinnikuman in his fight against Springman and Buffaloman.
Despite it being called a tag-team match, Buffaloman's attention is focused exclusively on Kinnikuman, while Springman fights against Mongolman. Mongolman defeats Springman and saves Meat's limb. Buffaloman is an extremely tough opponent, and - changing color, as he uses the full force of his 10 million Chojin Power - uses his power to reverse Kinnikuman's techniques, including his trademark finishing move: the Kinniku Buster. During an exchange of blows, Harabote uncovers information on Buffaloman.
After Buffaloman helps fix Kinnikuman's mask, he becomes fully possessed by Satan. When Buffaloman goes beneath the ring, shredding the canvas with his horn, Kinnikuman uses his arm to stop the horn, and tosses him back onto the ring. Buffaloman loses control of his power when he absorbs Kinnikuman's Burning Inner Strength. Buffaloman pierces Kinnikuman's body with his horn, before - overwhelmed by The Fire - the power returns to Kinnikuman and allows him survive.
Due to the respect Kinnikuman showed him, even though they were mortal enemies, Buffaloman changes sides at the end of the match. He cries out the key that will free Meat's head, which allows Meat to be saved just before the final countdown. Buffaloman vows to join the Justice Chojin, if he survives Satan's punishment for defeat. He s fatally injured by Satan, but - before he dies - he gives up his Chojin Power, bought with the blood of other heroes, to bring back to life Warsman, Robin Mask and Wolfman, who had died fighting his teammates.
Golden Mask Arc
Kinnikuman struggles to make it through a door to the final match, and - at the last moment - Buffaloman uses his high chojin power to keep the door open for him. When Kinnikuman offers him a seat at the ring-side, on the side of the justice chojin, Buffaloman refuses and joins the devil chojin in the corner of Ashuraman. Ashuraman appears to gain the upper-hand, but - in a dispute with Meat - Buffaloman inadvertently gives Kinnikuman inspiration needed to counter-attack.
After Akuma Shogun murders Ashuraman, Buffaloman is inspired to rejoin the justice chojin.
He then confronts the Devil Knights leader, Akuma Shogun, in order to give Kinnikuman more time to perfect the Kinniku Driver. He is eventually defeated by Devil Shogun's Hell's Guillotine technique. During the fight between Akuma Shogun and Kinnikuman, Akuma Shogun begins to revive the Devil Knights and absorb them to become more powerful, but Buffaloman puts on Akuma Shogun's mask and fights them off, which gives Kinnikuman the chance he needed to defeat Akuma Shogun with the Kinniku Driver.
Dream Chojin Tag Arc
A second Mount Fuji appears in Japan.
On top of this mountain, the Universal Chojin Tag Team trophy appears. Underneath, there appears a series of rings that allow for eight tag-teams to compete. Buffaloman - along with the other justice chojin - goes to Kourakuen Hall to discuss the situation. Buffaloman refuses to team up with Kinnikuman and leaves. He sends a letter to Mongolman, asking him to join him as a new tag-team.
Buffaloman and Mongolman forms the 20 Million Powers. The name of their combo comes from Buffaloman's 10,000,000 power and Mongolman's 10,000,000 techniques (10 Million + 10 Million). In the first-round match-ups, the teams are required to navigate a labyrinth to be matched against their opponents, and the 20 Million Powers are matched against the Most Dangerous Combo. Just as the 20 Million Powers and Most Dangerous Combo are about to begin their fight, during the Dream Chojin Tag Arc, the Killer Game Combo arrive. This leads to the Killer Game Combo defeating the Most Dangerous Combo.
Brocken Jr. does not want his loss to count for nothing, so - to allow the 20 Million Powers to win - he challenges Buffaloman and allows himself to be pinned; this allows 20 Million Powers to officially win the match. This technical win allows the 20 Million Powers to advance to the next round, but the 20 Million Powers attack the Killer Game Combo for their intrusion. Buffaloman uses a feint against Screw Kid, but Mongolman - using the distraction to attack - injures his leg in the process.
Buffaloman is then struck by Kendaman, and the Killer Game Combo ask for formal permission to enter the tournament in the place of the Most Dangerous Combo. The 20 Million Powers declare that they will earn their place in the next round by first defeating the Killer Game Combo. The match began with a fierce one-on-one battle between Buffaloman and Kendaman, but Buffaloman tries a Hurricane Mixer on Kendaman, but it fails. Buffaloman is then caught in a Scorpion Defence by Kendaman.
He proceeds to break off his Long Horn and breaks the glass of the War-Cube, but is then attacked by a Hell's Screwdriver, which is only stopped by the thrown hair of Mongolman. Buffaloman counters with a powered-up Hurricane Mixer. Fearing the punishment that comes from failing their superiors, Screw Kid and Kendaman begin to use dirty tactics. At this point Neptuneman and Big the Budo reveal themselves, and Kendaman and Screw Kid abandon the match to attack them, and the 20 Million Powers win by default, as the Killer Game Combo are killed by the Hell Missionaries outside of the ring.
During the match-up lottery for the semi-final placements, the 20 Million Powers are matched with the Hell Missionaries. The first match is between the Muscle Brothers and the Stray Devil Chojin Combo, and the 20 Million Powers stay at the edge of the ring to act as spotters. At the end of the match, after the defeat of the Stray Devil Chojin Combo, the Hell Missionaries attack Sunshine, only to be stopped by the 20 Million Powers. They then allow the Hell Missionaries to attack, as the dolls - created by the Stray Devil Chojin to steal the justice chojin Friendship Power scatter, and thus creates animosity between the justice chojin.
The semi-final match against the Hell Missionaries is a simple barbed-wire cage match, but also a mask-removal death-match in which Mongolman must bet his mask. Buffaloman is thrown into the barbed wire by Neptuneman, who then switches with Mongolman, who is at a disadvantage from being unable to use the rope for his techniques. After being thrown into the screen cage, Mongolman rebounds with a kick.
After a series of blows, the 20 Million Powers seem to have the upper hand. Mongolman begins to suffer flashbacks within the ring, as the cage reminds him of his match against Warsman, and Buffaloman is unable to tag in, as both of the Hell Missionaries attack him. The spirit of Warsman helps Mongolman. Buffaloman is tagged in and uses a Buffalo Avalanche Drop. He proceeds to attach his Long Horn, and uses a Hurricane Heat. Mongolman is tagged into the match, but subject to a Cross Bomber.
Neptuneman uses his Magnet Power in retaliation. This heals the wounds of the Hell's Missionaries, and they try continuously to attack with Cross Bombers attacks, only to fail. Due to the Iron Sweat on Mongolman and Buffaloman, they are dragged towards the Hell Missionaries by their magnet power, and they almost defeat the 20 Million Powers with a Magnetic Storm Driver. The 20 Million Powers are then further attacked by a magnetic suplex. They are soon entangled in the magnetic barbed wires, as they regain their Friendship Power, and the Justice Chojin regain their power of friendship overall.
The iron sweat breaks from Mongoman and Buffaloman, and Buffaloman uses his Longhorn Train. This increases the power of the Hell's Missionaries, who use a Silhouette Body Press, and - after a series of blows - are thrown from the war-cube. The Hell's Missionaries summon thunder to increase their electrical power. Their Lightning Sabre attack renders Buffaloman and Ramenman immobile, and Buffaloman uses a fragment of Iron Sweat to draw Neptuneman away from Mongolman.
Buffaloman collapses against the mat, defeated by the Light Sabres.
Mongolman carries Buffaloman on his back, as they try again for a Longhorn Train, but they are defeated by a Magnetic Storm Crash. Once Ramenman is defeated, Buffaloman is rushed to hospital alongside Kinnikuman and Ramenman. At hospital, Doctor Bombe removes Buffaloman's horn in order to save Kinnikuman's arm, even knowing it would result in Buffaloman's death, but the tears in Buffaloman's eyes mark his consent to the procedure.
Blood Oath Brigade Formation!
This story covered the formation of Kinnikuman Soldier's team in detail. Brocken Jr. and Buffaloman want to join Soldier's team, but Asuraman and The Ninja aren't on board with that idea. According to Asuraman, Buffaloman is too easily swayed by his emotions, which is why he never became a Devil Knight despite having exceptional talent.
Kinnikuman Soldier shows up and interrupted Asuraman and The Ninja's departure. In response, The Ninja attempted to read Kinnikuman Soldier's mind with his Expose the Heart jutsu, but there's nothing to read. Unlike the other Fated Princes, Soldier has no ambition to destroy his opponents and take over the throne.
Asuraman gets into a fight against Soldier, but Soldier easily fends him off. Soldier even escaped the Asura Buster in a similar fashion to Kinnikuman and counters with a Dragon Cube Suplex. Buffaloman deduces why Soldier would pick those four. Pride is their main characteristic. According to Asuraman, "all four chojin are bull headed guys who won't listen to anyone".
Asuraman asks if Soldier is a fake Soldier and Soldier confirms this theory. He ambushed the real Soldier's team while they were training near Mt. Fuji and stole the real Soldier's mask. The fake Soldier explains that he joined the tournament because the Friendship Power the Justice Chojin use is a sham and that the pride that they share can bring out their true strength.
Asuraman wants Soldier to prove why this team of outcasts would make an excellent team. Soldier tells him to be silent. A real man would never talk so much. Instead, he'd silently watch the result with his own eyes. Asuraman follows up with his Tornado Hell, but Soldier dodges, causing the building already worn down by the Rolling Cube Suplex to collapse on top of them. Soldier heals them all with a Face Flash. With this act, Soldier convinced them to join his team for the upcoming tournament.
Survivor Match Arc
When Kinnikuman's right to the Kinniku Throne was challenged by five pretenders to the throne, Ataru Kinniku forms a team of five people to fight in a tournament to determine who shall be king of Planet Kinniku. Buffaloman - sans his horns - arrives at the house of Brocken Jr., along with Asuraman and The Ninja. Ataru asks them to join his team, as well as to meet him at Nagoya Castle in three days time, and - during that time - they watch him from a distance to ascertain his character.
After Ataru defeats Bockman and saves a boy, Buffaloman and the others decide to join his team. They proceed to enter Nagoya Castle and face against Team Phoenix, as they announce they have formed The Chojin Blood Oath Brigade. After the defeat of The Ninja and Asuraman, Nagoya and Himeji Castles fly away from their locations and join as one structure.
In the final match during the semi-finals battle against Team Super Phoenix and Team Soldier (Soldier, Buffaloman, and Brocken) competed in a 6-Man Tag Match against Super Phoenix (Mammothman, and Prisman). The match takes place in a floating multi-sided ring. Buffaloman, for the most part, fought against Mammothman. Tremendously weaker without his Long Horns, he found himself losing against the nearly unstoppable Mammothman. He was finally able to gain and advantage when Kinnikuman returned the Long Horns used to fix his arm before the Tag match finals. Soon after, Brocken took out Prisman, but then fell into the canyon below and died. Seeing how much Soldier and Buffaloman cared for their fallen comrade convinced Super Phoenix that Soldier wasn't the real Soldier.
As Soldier begins to have his true identity figured out by his own father Mayumi as his long-lost elder son Ataru, the Evil Gods choose to sabotage him to eliminate him and help Phoenix win the tournament. The God of Brutality steals a page from the Muscle Prophecy, a book owned by Kinniku Clan royalty which contains past, present, and even future information on every Chojin ever, as a means to reveal who Soldier is to Super Phoenix. As the God of Brutality attempts to give the page to Super Phoenix via Mammothman, Buffaloman sees a vision of Mayumi in his head, forcing him to take the page to protect it. As the mammoth Chojin prepares to hand it to Phoenix, the bull Chojin performs the Chojin Cross Drop on him, jumping out of the ring and forcing Buffaloman to hold the page in his mouth. As they fall, Mammothman hits Buffaloman with his Nose Fencing technique and retains the page. At the last second, Buffaloman hits Mammothman with a Buffalo Bomb on the roof of the Himeji/Nagoya castle and saves the page again.
The Evil Gods then arrived and began attacking the floating ring in an attempt to take out Ataru. As the ring fell, Buffaloman caught it and held it up. Weakened from the battle with Mammothman, he put on a red headband given to him by the other Justice Chojins and found enough strength to not only hold the ring up longer but also remove his arm guards and toss them up to Ataru. He then pushed it into the air and as it fell again, he jumped up and hit it with a Hurricane Mixer, successfully putting it back in mid-air. Unfortunately, Buffaloman had no more strength and fell into the canyon below. He is revived (along with his teammates) after the tournament by Kinnikuman's Face Flash.
Kinnikuman 2011
Perfect Origin Arc
Prehistory
Like all the other Idol Chojin, Buffaloman was sent off to his home of Spain by Harabote so he could be placed in Medical Suspension, to help him recover from his many injuries from matches past.
However, when he finished his Medical Suspension and made his return while the Seven Devil Chojin invaded the full-scale tournament going on, he declared he was a Devil Chojin again, renegading on his Idol Chojin friends out of nowhere.
The Seven Devil Chojin reconvene in their base. Buffaloman returns, where they all decide which of the Perfect Large Numbers they shall do battle against, and Buffaloman decides to fight against Strong the Budo, due to the fact that whomever fights him will likely lose and he will not sacrifice his teammates. The Mountain refuses to allow this to happen, and offers to sacrifice himself instead, due to the team needing Buffaloman to serve as their leader. He asks only that Buffaloman not avert his gaze during his match.
After Black Hole's match with Dalmatiman, Buffaloman announces that the Devil Chojin are going to purge all Perfect Chojin for their master, Devil Shogun. During the first stage, he mostly oversees how the Devil Chojin fight the Perfect Chojin.
In a flashback, it's revealed that Buffaloman made the choice to return to the Devil Chojin and fight alongside them, which the Seven Devil Chojin welcomed greatly. But they wouldn't let him join them to fight the Perfect Large Numbers because he was their "ace", their leader and without them, the Seven Devil Chojin couldn't perform at their best.
Diablos vs. John Does
Grim Reaper and Turboman enter with the New Large Numbers.
Grim Reaper reveals the next location - of the second-stage of the tournament - will be the Saqqara Pyramid, which has been relocated to Japan's Tottori Dunes. The Grim Reaper lands on the third step, while Turboman takes the fourth step. The Justice Chojin follow them to the mountain, and Buffaloman is assigned against Turboman, who attacks him with a drop-kick before he can enter the ring.
He then drags Buffaloman into the ring with a Turboman Stunner. Turboman punches Buffaloman while he's down, until Buffaloman counters with a headbutt and proceeds to use a back-drop. It is then that Springman arrives on the fourth step to fight the Grim Reaper. Grim Reaper begin the match with a Buzzsaw Hat, which cuts Springman's leg as he enters the ring with a jump.
Grim Reaper throws Springman against the corner-post, but the post goes through Springman's hollow body and allows him to remain unharmed, and a Spring-Body Breaking-Squeeze breaks the corner-post. A Spring Transfer allows him to distract Grim Reaper, whereby he land a drop-kick to the face. While Turboman and Grim Reaper, struggle in their matches and appear to be losing, Jak Tea fights against Black Hole and creates a strong geyser before he dies. This creates a crack along the pyramid.
Turboman frees himself from Buffaloman with a Somersault Kick. He tries a body-press, but Buffaloman catches him and counters with a back-flip. The fifth step finally collapses from the cracks and descends into the fourth step, where the two single matches combine into one tag-match. Turboman gets Buffaloman into a tombstone pile-driver, but - as he prepares for another attack - Springman and Buffaloman combine to use a Chojin Dodgeball. Springman is chastised for attacking Turboman, who was not his original opponent, as the match rules must abide by those of a single-match (due to the unusual circumstances).
The two teams agree to form a tag-team match with tag-team rules.
Springman lunges at Turboman, who uses a lariat and a Starter Revolver, but gets his arm caught inside Springma, who retaliates with a Spring Cyclone. Springman proceeds to use a Killer-Coil Head Attack. A second attempt at the attack is deflected by Turboman's a back-kick. It nearly knocks Springman out of the ring, until Buffaloman catches him. Turboman charges with a flying-cross, but the Diabolos counter again with a Devil Expander. Buffaloman then bounces off Springman to kick Turboman, who proceeds with a series of blows. Turboman uses a Glove Revolver and a Turbine Chop.
Buffaloman and Turboman return to their corners, and Turboman tags in Grim Reaper, who spins around on Turboman's head and delivers an Ignition Dress to Buffaloman. They proceed to use a John Does Arrow. The Diabolos try another Devil Expander, but Turboman dives through Springman and knocks Buffaloman out of the ring, before hitting him again with another John Does Arrows. A High-Capacity John Does Arrow sends Turboman towards Buffaloman, who manages to catch him and slams him against the wall, which causes the wall to crumble into the shape of a flight of stairs.
This allows Springman to use a Devil Slinky. He uses a Spring Body-Breaking Squeeze, which causes Turboman's body to start to glow, as Turboman stores the energy of his opponents. Turboman uses a High-Speed Turbo-Crash, as their two attacks seem to create a stalemate, but soon the release of Turboman's energy causes Springman to harden. He proceeds to stab Springman in his face with Revolver Spikes, and a Revolver Fin causes Springman's body to crash into Buffaloman.
Springman finds strength to lift Buffaloman, despite his weakened state. The Diabolos attempt a Long Horn Train, but - when it only glances off Turboman - follow with a Most Super Express. They follow with a third attack, which against glances off Turboman, but Turboman finds strength to use a Revolver Stud while Springman starts to crumble away. Springman uses all his strength to throw Buffaloman into a Hurricane Mixer, and Buffaloman's horns break through Turboman's Revolver attack and pierce his chest. This leads to Turboman's death, followed by Springman dying within Buffaloman's arms.
The Grim Reaper proceeds to Turboman's corpse, where he opens Turboman's back and steals his Earth Unit (which allows him to store energy to use against an opponent), and then kicks Turboman's body out of the ring. The Grim Reaper removes his robe, which he uses to taunt Buffaloman like a matador, and uses a Skeleton Body to avoid being struck with a Hurricane Mixer. The Grim Reaper states that people fall victim to Buffaloman's attack due to fear and fidgety movements, but - knowing no fear - he cannot be hurt.
The Grim Reaper grabs Buffaloman by his horns, before grabbing at his skin and flipping him over, and - in the process - tears chunks of skin from Buffaloman. The Grim Reaper proceeds to tear off more skin from Buffaloman, and attacks with a Dress Spear, which reveals all the scars on Buffaloman's body from previous matches. He is eventually countered by Buffaloman's Buffalo Hammer. The Grim Reaper proceeds to capture Buffaloman's legs, as he sets up for a John Does Arrows, before revealing it can double as a solo-technique called the Phantom Canon.
💪M💪U💪S💪C💪L💪E💪
A year of the shows and performers of the Bijou Planks Theater.
M.U.S.C.L.E. No. 105, "Buffaloman D"
Painted by Paprika, thus losing all collectible value forever.
Buffaloman has been seen in BP 2019 Day 302!
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/48980587088/
BP 2020 Day 133!
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/49852162532/
BP 2020 Day 315!
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/50587994286/
BP 2023 Day 80!
Ella me ama...
Ella no lo ama a él...
Ella me ama...
Ella no lo ama a él...
Un juego para no perder
She loves me...
She doesn´t loves him...
She loves me...
She doesn´t loves him...
A game to not lose
She’s worried by him. He's not looking happy. He seems lost in thought, his mind in a far off place. Yes, she's been watching him, Mrs Claus has. And he's taken to drinking on these long dark nights.
For him, Christmas is complicated this year. The job has always been pretty easy for as long as he can remember. Which is several hundred years. Ever since he took over the job from St Nicholas. But now, and very suddenly.....he's getting cold feet! Of course he tends to the reindeer through the year, and relaxes through the summer with lazy days sitting in the sunshine on the mountainside, cuddled up to Mrs Claus. She's his soul-mate and kindred spirit and they are very much in love. The elfs work away happily in the workshops nearby. There's a great spirit between them and they have a boisterous party in the end hut every Saturday in the summer months, with singing and dancing, and perhaps too much beer.
But all is not well. And it’s not just Christmas 2018 on his mind. Already he’s worried about Christmas 2019 too. Word has it that the major toy suppliers are stockpiling already, causing a shortage of product that’s affecting him now. And what's he going to do if there is a hard Brexit? All the children's gifts are going to be stopped in the French ports it appears . And even if they get through they are warning of long delays and higher prices. Christmas might have to be postponed, or even cancelled. It’s not just about the toys. There’s the staff issue too. He would like to employ more elves to make more toys but his cheap labour of Polish and Romanian elves (There’s also a Syrian elf pretending to be Croatian) will have been forced to go back to their own countries. For God's sake he might even have to employ British elves but they will want higher wages, and manufacturing quality will fall (But at least he can put labels stating "Made in Great Britain" on them to cover up the faults and cracks in them). So many problems. Lord knows, he's even heard that he won't even be able to fly his sleigh across the sky on Christmas Eve because Britain has left the EU. And he will have to pay money for a visa. And the reindeer will need to be quarantined each time they cross a border. And Customs will want to inspect his sack. It all seems so nightmarish.
Yes, Brexit is one headache for Santa, but there's a greater problem on his mind. He's dedicated his life to giving presents to boys and girls all over the world. But this gender equality thing is really vexing him. He is Father Christmas. Yes, a slightly rounded, pale skinned mature gent who loves nothing more than to go He-He-He and make people smile. But he doesn’t adjust to change easily. He’s heard some folk are questioning him. Why does Santa have to be a man, they say? OK, he’s tried to get with this new way of thinking, even suggesting that Mrs Claus comes along on Christmas Eve and helps him get the presents out. A bit of sex equality. He would love her to be there but SHE insists it is a man’s job and she wants to stay in and get the ironing done before they go on holiday on Christmas Day. He’s further stressed that they are asking on social media why he only employs elves and not elfettes? And if he did would they get the same pay? Some are branding him sexist and a misogynist. For generations he has given dolls and more feminine toys to little girls, and cars and construction toys to boys. But now he's not even allowed to think of the children in terms of girls and boys. Who is he to assume they identify with being one or other and give them toys historically associated with their gender? But bad as that is, now there are the ‘others’: neither male or female, despite outward appearances, some who were boys last Christmas, and are now girls....and some who haven't decided yet. How can he possibly plan ahead? Another problem is that there is falling demand for the traditional toys he normally delivers. Kids are so demanding and the number of texts and emails he gets from children demanding…yes DEMANDING the latest smart phone or Playstation console depresses him. Where do they think he will get the money from? And so many have the gall to complain when they don’t get what they want! They even ask to know his Formal Complaint Procedures !!! Who do they think Father Christmas is? The way things are now is just insane for a middle aged gent who has always generously thought on the romantic side of tradition and tried year after year just to make people happy.
Christ! The maniacs in charge of the asylum have already driven him to drink and now they might make him swear in front of Mrs Claus. WTF is going on? How can he single handed keep children's dreams alive when these do-gooders and very unseasonal snowflakes stupidly destroy everything that creates happy, well-rounded children? They will eventually kill Christmas if they get their way. As far as he is concerned if things don’t improve pretty darned quick, he’s had enough and he’s buggering off and he will just find a part-time log cutter’s job somewhere out of the way in Finland. Somewhere he can have a nice quiet, happy life with Mrs Claus and no more late night’s out on Christmas Eve.
Here's wishing all my flickr friends a very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year. I hope 2019 smiles better.
(PS I had to put a couple of extra stone on just to look more like the real Santa, and just let my body go. I think it is quite a good likeness now)
There was an inicident awhile back. Nothing is firm but here are the rumors.
Baligirl knew that she was divine and got any man she went for. She fell for the Bengal lad and for a time they were a twosome. However Maine came back into town. She used to be the girl next door but now all grown up. He fell for her. The way her eyes fair blushed with love for him, curled his toes. That nght he was going to ask her to marry him, and hid a diamond collar in a picnic basket. He went ahead to set up the picnic under the midnight sky. He was going back to fetch Maine when Baligirl confronted him with a gun. If she couldn't have him, no one could. He tried to talk her down.
No one saw him after that. Maine went to the picnic spot and waited even when it started raining. She knew he would not stand her up. After a couple hours though, soaked and bedraggled, she gave up. She took the picnic home and discovered the diamond collar when she packed everything in the refrigerator. She stared at the diamonds, wondering what where he was. Worried, she stared out the window.
But where is Bengal lad? Did he get shot? Was he killed, wounded? did he run away? Is he hiding? Did he leave with Baligirl? To be continued >>>
Stalking him through the corn stuble was what I spent most of my time doing. These birds are strange....they dont really give much mind to people and big movements, but they also have a distance that they deam comfortable. Luckily, the comfort distance is close enough that a slight crop yields a decent enough photo.
you remember the film surely... www.videodetective.com/photos/091/003832_21.jpg
p.s. start of film hole! wow.
Something green today?
During the experimental detonation of a gamma bomb, scientist Robert Bruce Banner saves teenager Rick Jones who has driven onto the testing field; Banner pushes Jones into a trench to save him, but is hit with the blast, absorbing massive amounts of gamma radiation.
He awakens later seemingly unscathed, but that night transforms into a lumbering grey form. A pursuing soldier dubs the creature a "hulk". Originally, it was believed that Banner's transformations into the Hulk were caused by sunset and undone at sunrise, but later, after Rick witnessed Banner turn into Hulk at daytime following a failed attempt by Ross' men to shoot the Hulk into space, it was discovered to be caused by anger. Banner was cured, but chose to restore Hulk's powers with Banner's intelligence.
The gamma-ray machine needed to affect the transformation-induced side effects that made Banner temporarily sick and weak when returned to his normal state.
In September 1963, the Hulk became a founding member of the the Avengers, who would go on to become the premiere superhero team in the Marvel universe.
Soon, however, overuse of the gamma-ray machine rendered the Hulk as an uncontrollable, rampaging monster, subject to spontaneous changing.
In September 1964 the Hulk appeared as an antagonist for Giant-Man. It was established that stress was the trigger for Banner turning into the Hulk and vice versa.
It was during this time that the Hulk developed a more savage and childlike identity, shifting away from his original portrayal as a brutish but not entirely unintelligent figure.
Also, his memory, both long-term and short-term, would now become markedly impaired in his Hulk state. Tales to Astonish #64 (February 1965) was the last Hulk story to feature him speaking in complete sentences. In Tales to Astonish #77 (March 1966), Banner's and the Hulk's dual identity became publicly known when Rick Jones, mistakenly convinced that Banner was dead (when he actually had been catapulted into the future), told Major Glenn Talbot, a rival to Banner for the affections of Betsy Ross, the truth.
Consequently, Glenn informed his superiors and that turned Banner into a wanted fugitive upon returning to the present.
The 1970s saw Banner and Betty nearly marry in The Incredible Hulk #124 (February 1970). Betty ultimately married Talbot in issue #158 (Dec. 1972). The Hulk also traveled to other dimensions, one of which had him meet empress Jarella, who used magic to bring Banner's intelligence to the Hulk, and came to love him. The Hulk helped to form the Defenders.
In the 1980s, Banner once again gained control over the Hulk, and gained amnesty for his past rampages; however, due to the manipulations of supernatural character Nightmare, Banner eventually lost control over the Hulk.
It was also established that Banner had serious mental problems even before he became the Hulk, having suffered childhood traumas that engendered Bruce's repressed rage.
Banner comes to terms with his issues for a time, and the Hulk and Banner were physically separated by Doc Samson.
Banner is recruited by the U.S. government to create the Hulkbusters, a government team dedicated to catching the Hulk. Banner finally married Betty in The Incredible Hulk #319 (May 1986) following Talbot's death in 1981.
Banner and the Hulk were reunited in The Incredible Hulk #323 (Sep. 1986) and with issue #324, returned the Hulk to his grey coloration, with his transformations once again occurring at night, regardless of Banner's emotional state.
In issue #347 the grey Hulk persona "Joe Fixit" was introduced, a morally ambiguous Las Vegas enforcer and tough guy. Banner remained repressed in the Hulk's mind for months, but slowly began to reappear.
The 1990s saw the Green Hulk return. In issue #377 (Jan. 1991), the Hulk was revamped in a storyline that saw the various dissociative identities of Banner, Fixit, and Savage confront Banner's past abuse at the hands of his father Brian and a new "Guilt" identity.
Overcoming the trauma, the intelligent Banner, cunning Fixit, and powerful Savage identities merge into a new single entity possessing the traits of all three.
The Hulk also joined the Pantheon, a secretive organization of superpowered individuals. His tenure with the organization brought the Hulk into conflict with a tyrannical alternate future version of himself called the Maestro in the 1993 Future Imperfect miniseries, who rules over a world where many heroes are dead.
In 2000, Banner and the three Hulks (Savage, Fixit, and the "Merged Hulk", now considered a separate identity and referred to as the Professor) become able to mentally interact with one another, each identity taking over the shared body as Banner began to weaken due to his suffering from Lou Gehrig's disease.
During this, the four identities (including Banner) confronted yet another submerged identity, a sadistic "Devil" intent on attacking the world and attempting to break out of Banner's fracturing psyche, but the Devil was eventually locked away again when the Leader was able to devise a cure for the disease using genes taken from the corpse of Brian Banner.
In 2005, it is revealed that the Nightmare has manipulated the Hulk for years, and it is implied that some or all of the Hulk's adventures written by Bruce Jones may have been just an illusion.
In 2006, the Illuminati decide the Hulk is too dangerous to remain on Earth and send him away by rocket ship which crashes on Planet Sakaar ushering in the "Planet Hulk" storyline that saw the Hulk find allies in the Warbound, and marry alien queen Caiera, a relationship that was later revealed to have born him two sons: Skaar and Hiro-Kala.
After the Illuminati's ship explodes and kills Caiera, the Hulk returns to Earth with his superhero group Warbound and declares war on the planet in World War Hulk (2007).
However, after learning that Miek, one of the Warbound, had actually been responsible for the destruction, the Hulk allows himself to be defeated, with Banner subsequently redeeming himself as a hero as he works with and against the new Red Hulk to defeat the new supervillain team the Intelligencia.
In the 2010s, Hiro-Kala traveled to Earth to destroy the OldStrong Power wielded by Skaar, forcing Skaar and the Hulk to defeat and imprison him within his home planet.
During the 2011 Fear Itself storyline, the Hulk finds one of the Serpent's magical hammers associated with the Worthy and becomes Nul: Breaker of Worlds. As he starts to transform, the Hulk tells the Red She-Hulk to run far away from him.
Rampaging through South and Central America, Nul was eventually transported to New York City where he began battling Thor, with aid of the Thing, who was transformed into Angrir: Breaker of Souls.
After defeating the Thing, Thor stated that he never could beat the Hulk, and instead removed him from the battle by launching him into Earth orbit, after which Thor collapsed from exhaustion.
Landing in Romania, Nul immediately began heading for the base of the vampire-king Dracula. Opposed by Dracula's forces, including a legion of monsters, Nul was seemingly unstoppable.
Only after the intervention of Raizo Kodo's Forgiven was Nul briefly slowed. Ultimately, Nul makes his way to Dracula's castle where the timely arrival of Kodo and Forgiven member Inka, disguised as Betty Ross, is able to throw off the effects of the Nul possession. Throwing aside the hammer, the Hulk regains control, and promptly leaves upon realizing "Betty's" true nature.
With the crisis concluded, the Hulk contacted Doctor Doom for help separating him and Banner for good in return for an unspecified favor. Doom proceeded to perform brain surgery on the Hulk, extracting the uniquely Banner elements from the Hulk's brain and cloning a new body for Banner.
When Doctor Doom demands to keep Banner for his own purposes, the Hulk reneges on the deal and flees with Banner's body, leaving his alter ego in the desert where he was created to ensure that Doctor Doom cannot use Banner's intellect.
When Banner goes insane due to his separation from the Hulk, irradiating an entire tropical island trying to recreate his transformation- something he cannot do as the cloned body lacks the genetic elements of Banner that allowed him to process the gamma radiation- the Hulk is forced to destroy his other side by letting him be disintegrated by a gamma bomb, prompting the Hulk to accuse Doom of tampering with Banner's mind, only for Doom to observe that what was witnessed was simply Banner without the Hulk to use as a scapegoat for his problems.
Initially assuming that Banner is dead, the Hulk soon realizes that Banner was somehow "re-combined" with him when the gamma bomb disintegrated Banner's body, resulting in the Hulk finding himself waking up in various strange locations, including helping the Punisher confront a drug cartel run by a mutated dog, hunting sasquatches with Kraven the Hunter, and being forced to face Wolverine and the Thing in an old SHIELD base.
Banner eventually leaves a video message for the Hulk in which he apologizes for his actions while they were separate, having come to recognize that he is a better person with the Hulk than without, the two joining forces to thwart the Doombots' attempt to use the animals on Banner's irradiated island as the basis for a new gamma army using a one-of-a-kind gamma cure Banner had created to turn all the animals back to normal.
Following this, Bruce willingly joined the spy organization S.H.I.E.L.D., allowing them to use the Hulk as a weapon in exchange for providing him with the means and funding to create a lasting legacy for himself.
After the Hulk had suffered brain damage upon being shot in the head by the Order of the Shield- the assassin having been carefully trained to target Bruce at just the right part of the brain to incapacitate him without triggering a transformation- Iron Man used the Extremis to cure the Hulk.
This procedure also increased Banner's mental capacity, which gave him the intelligence to tweak the Extremis virus within him and unleash a new persona for the Hulk: the super-intelligent Doc Green.
During the 2014 "Original Sin" storyline, Bruce Banner confronted by the eye of the murdered Uatu the Watcher. Bruce temporarily experienced some of Tony Stark's memories of their first meeting before either of them became the Hulk or Iron Man. During this vision, Bruce witnessed Tony modifying the gamma bomb to be more effective prompting Bruce to realize that Tony was essentially responsible for him becoming the Hulk in the first place.
Subsequent research reveals that Tony's tampering had actually refined the bomb's explosive potential so that it would not disintegrate everyone within the blast radius, with the result that Tony's actions had actually saved Bruce's life.
In the 2014 "AXIS" storyline, when a mistake made by the Scarlet Witch causes various heroes and villains to experience a moral inversion, Bruce Banner attended a meeting between Nick Fury Jr. and Maria Hill of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers who refused to turn over Red Skull.
Later when he sided with Edwin Jarvis and tried to prevent his teammates from executing the Red Skull, the Hulk was thrown aside by Luke Cage.
The Hulk's sorrow at his friends' betrayal awakened a new persona known as the bloodthirsty Kluh (described as the Hulk's Hulk, being the ruthless part of himself that even the Hulk repressed) with this new version easily defeating the Avengers, sneering that the Hulk they knew was nothing more than a "sad piece of 'Doc Green's' ID." Kluh then leaves to wreak havoc, with Nova attempting to stop him after witnessing his rampage with the remaining good heroes.
As with the other inverted Avengers and X-Men, Kluh was restored to Hulk when Brother Voodoo was summoned back to life by Doctor Doom so that Daniel Drumm's ghost can possess the Scarlet Witch and undo the inversion.
With his newfound intellect, Doc Green came to the conclusion that the world was in danger by Gamma Mutates and thus needed to be depowered. He developed a serum made from Adamantium nanobites that absorbed gamma energy.
He used these to depower Red Leader, Red She-Hulk, Red Hulk, Skaar, Gamma Corps, and A-Bomb, but decided to 'spare' She-Hulk as he concluded that she was the one gamma mutation whose life had been legitimately improved by her mutation. At the close of the storyline, Doc Green discovered that he was beginning to disappear as the result of the Extremis serum wearing off. He ultimately allowed himself to fade away, returning to his normal Hulk form, as he feared that remaining at his current intellectual level would lead to him becoming the Maestro.
During the 2015 "Secret Wars" storyline, the Hulk took part in the incursion between Earth-616 and Earth-1610. The Hulk used the "Fastball Special" with Colossus to destroy the Triskelion.
As part of the 2015–2018 All-New, All-Different Marvel branding, Amadeus Cho becomes the new Hulk. Flashbacks reveal that the Hulk had absorbed a dangerous new type of radiation while helping Iron Man and the Black Panther deal with a massive accident on Kiber Island. Fearing the Hulk's meltdown would kill countless innocents, Cho was able to use special nanites to absorb the Hulk from Banner and take it into himself to become his own version of the Hulk, leaving Banner normal and free from the Hulk.
He is then rescued from a bar fight by Amadeus, who tells him that he is cured. Having confirmed that he can no longer transform or sense the Hulk, Bruce spends some time traveling across America taking various risks such as driving at high speeds, running away from a bear, or gambling in Las Vegas, until he is confronted by Tony Stark out of concern that Bruce has a death wish. Bruce instead acknowledges that he still harbors guilt and rage over how so many of the Hulk's rampages were provoked by various agencies refusing to leave him alone.
During the 2016 "Civil War II" storyline, the vision of the Inhuman Ulysses shows a rampaging Hulk standing over the corpses of the superheroes. Meanwhile, Bruce Banner is shown to have set up a laboratory in Alpine, Utah, where he is approached by Captain Marvel, followed by Tony Stark, the rest of the Avengers, the X-Men, and the Inhumans.
The confrontation leads to the Beast hacking into Banner's work servers and the revelation that he had been injecting himself with dead gamma-irradiated cells. S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Maria Hill places him under arrest. Banner gets infuriated at all these events, when suddenly, Hawkeye shoots Banner with an arrow to the head and then to the heart, apparently killing him, much to the dismay and horror of the superheroes, especially Tony Stark.
At an Avengers-presided tribunal, Hawkeye states that Bruce Banner had approached him and ordered him to kill him if he ever showed signs of turning into the Hulk again. At the funeral, Korg of the Warbound stated how Hulk wanted to be left alone and how his allies that he made along the way have become his family. In his video will, Bruce leaves various items to other heroes and his allies including leaving Doctor Strange his notes on the Hulk's ability to perceive ghosts and an egg-timer for the various former/current other Hulks (based on one of Bruce's more successful attempts to control himself as he would sit down for three minutes doing nothing before making a particularly big decision and then decide if he still wanted to do it).
Following the funeral of Bruce Banner, the Hand in allegiance with Daniel Drumm's ghost steal Bruce Banner's body in order to use the dead to bolster their ranks. When the reassembled Uncanny Avengers went to Japan and attempted to enlist Elektra for help in stopping the Hand, the ritual that the Hand performed has been completed as the Uncanny Avengers are attacked by a revived Hulk who is wearing samurai armor.
The Uncanny Avengers were able to contain Hulk's rampage and sever his mystical link to the Beast of the Hand. Afterward, Hulk regressed back to Bruce Banner and returned to the dead.[93]
During the 2017 "Secret Empire" storyline, Arnim Zola used an unknown method to temporarily revive Bruce Banner, and the Hydra Supreme version of Captain America persuades his Hulk side to attack the Underground's hideout called the Vault. He fought Thing and Giant-Man's A.I.Vengers until the temporary revival started to wear off and caused Hulk to die again.
During the "No Surrender" arc, the exiled Elder of the Universe Challenger revives Hulk to be his ace in the hole during a contest between his Black Order and Grandmaster's Lethal Legion.
Hulk participated since he knew that Earth will be destroyed either way while his Bruce Banner suspects that Hulk's revivals were a manifestation of Hulk's immortality. While defeating Cannonball and Living Lightning, breaking Vision, and draining the gamma energy out of Robert Maverick's Hulk Plug-In, Wonder Man successfully reasoned with him as Hulk destroyed the Pyarmoid in Voyager's possession. After feeling remorse for what happened, Bruce Banner became Hulk and faced off against Challenger. After Challenger sent Hulk into Earth's orbit, Hulk was pleased that he managed to hurt Challenger.
While maintaining a low profile, Bruce Banner was shot by Tommy Hill of the Dogs of Hell biker gang during a robbery that also claimed the lives of Sandy Brockhurst and Josh Alfaro. He came back to life and turned into Hulk where he badly beat up Tommy Hill. The witnesses in the Dogs of Hell told Detective Gloria Mayes of the attacker as she and reporter Jackie McGee have a suspicion that it was Hulk even though Banner is believed to be dead.
During the events of "Absolute Carnage," the Venom Symbiote takes Bruce as its host to fight Carnage. Inside of Bruce's mind, Bruce converses with the Venom Symbiote as the other Hulk identities such as Joe Fixit and Savage add their opinions about their current situation.
Devil (in his more traditional-looking reptilian form) is against the symbiote's presence in Bruce and says it should be removed immediately, saying they have more important matters to deal with. In the end, Bruce, Fixit, and Savage agree to collaborate with the Venom Symbiote and Devil storms off, saying they are making a mistake. As Bruce states that the vote is three to one with two abstentions, he welcomes the Venom symbiote to the family.
Powers and abilities
Bruce Banner
Considered to be one of the greatest scientific minds on Earth, Banner possesses "a mind so brilliant it cannot be measured on any known intelligence test."
Norman Osborn estimates that he is the fourth most-intelligent person on Earth. Banner holds expertise in biology, chemistry, engineering, medicine, physiology, and nuclear physics.
Using this knowledge, he creates advanced technology dubbed "Bannertech", which is on par with technological development from Tony Stark or Doctor Doom. Some of these technologies include a force field that can protect him from the attacks of Hulk-level entities, and a teleporter.
After becoming a fugitive from the law, Banner is forced to go on the run and over the years learns various skills in order to both survive and remain under radar of those who are hunting him.
Banner’s most frequent method of travel includes hitchhiking, train hopping or simply just walking as he is unable to travel legally via planes, passenger ships or buses due to being in several travel watchlists.
Banner is generally on the move and rarely ever stays in one place for very long and only does so if there’s a possibility of curing himself. He will only ever stay in one place for an extended period of time if it provides him with complete solitude and privacy where the Hulk can do little to no harm.
To avoid being tracked, Banner does not use cell phones, debit or credit cards and will only use payphone’s or cash. He will often use fake identities when staying at motels or working jobs that require identification.
Having been on the run for years, Banner can normally tell when he is being followed and will generally make a run for it when he is discovered. Having traveled across the globe, Banner is able to sneak over borders without being detected and can get by, by either knowing or learning the local language. Often traveling light, Banner has little to no possessions that he carries in either a satchel or backpack.
Often losing everything he owns after transforming into the Hulk, Banner avoids keeping anything of personal value to him so that he can easily replace the items and clothes that were lost or destroyed.
To support himself financially, Banner will work quick part time jobs and will only accept payments in cash. These jobs have varied from simply working in low pay diners to working as local doctor.
Banner’s work ethic as well as his vast knowledge and skillset in science, medicine and engineering often help him get hired rather quickly. Unless desperate, Banner will generally avoid jobs that are high stress due to the potential danger of transforming into the Hulk.
During his travels, Banner has developed several different techniques to help suppress or control his transformations when he becomes a little angry or upset.
Among the techniques he’s learned over the years include meditation and hypnotherapy. While they have helped him to better understand and suppress his transformations, none of techniques Banner has learned have helped him to gain full control over the Hulk.
The Hulk possesses the potential for seemingly limitless physical strength that is influenced by his emotional state, particularly his anger.
This has been reflected in the repeated comment "The madder Hulk gets, the stronger Hulk gets." The cosmically powerful entity known as the Beyonder once analyzed the Hulk's physiology, and claimed that the Hulk's potential strength had "no finite element inside."
Hulk's strength has been depicted as sometimes limited by Banner's subconscious influence; when Jean Grey psionically "shut Banner off", Hulk became strong enough to overpower and destroy the physical form of the villain Onslaught.
Writer Greg Pak described the Worldbreaker Hulk shown during World War Hulk as having a level of physical power where "Hulk was stronger than any mortal—and most immortals—who ever walked the Earth" and depicted the character as powerful enough to completely destroy entire planets.
His strength allows him to leap into lower Earth orbit or across continents, and he has displayed superhuman speed.
Exposure to radiation has also been shown to make the Hulk stronger. It is unknown how he gains biomass during transformation but it may be linked to subatomic black matter.
His durability, regeneration, and endurance also increase in proportion to his temper. Hulk is resistant to injury or damage, though the degree to which varies between interpretations, but he has withstood the equivalent of solar temperatures, nuclear explosions, and planet-shattering impacts.
Despite his remarkable resiliency, continuous barrages of high-caliber gunfire can hinder his movement to some degree while he can be temporarily subdued by intense attacks with chemical weapons such as anesthetic gases, although any interruption of such dosages will allow him to quickly recover.
He has been shown to have both regenerative and adaptive healing abilities, including growing tissues to allow him to breathe underwater, surviving unprotected in space for extended periods, and when injured, healing from most wounds within seconds, including, on one occasion, the complete destruction of most of his body mass.
His future self, the "Maestro", was even eventually able to recover from being blown to pieces. As an effect, he has an extremely prolonged lifespan.
He also possesses less commonly described powers, including abilities allowing him to "home in" to his place of origin in New Mexico; resist psychic control, or unwilling transformation; grow stronger from radiation or dark magic; punch his way between separate temporal or spatial dimensions; and to see and interact with astral forms.
Some of these abilities were in later years explained as being related; his ability to home in on the New Mexico bomb site was due to his latent ability to sense astral forms and spirits, since the bomb site was also the place where the Maestro's skeleton was and the Maestro's spirit was calling out to him in order to absorb his radiation.
He is also shown to have a separate memory to Bruce Banner - when Spider-Man has the knowledge of his secret identity erased during Spider-Man: One More Day, the Hulk later asks how Peter is doing, not Spider-Man; upon questioning, he enigmatically states "Banner forgot. But I don't forget."
⚡ Happy 🎯 Heroclix 💫 Friday! 👽
_____________________________
A year of the shows and performers of the Bijou Planks Theater.
Secret Identity: Robert Bruce Banner
Publisher: Marvel
First appearance: The Incredible Hulk #1 (May 1962)
Created by: Stan Lee (Writer)
Jack Kirby (Artist)
To him, all good things - trout as well as eternal salvation - came by grace; and grace comes by art; and art does not come easy. -Norman Maclean (A River Runs Through it)
Like all fishing flies, this tiny (>2 centimeters) loopwing emerger was tied by hand. This one was created in Maine by Benton Flybox. This photo is comprised of 5 stack focused images of the fishing fly set on a black acrylic surface for the reflection. The image is rotated to give the appearance of angel wings.
"Cross my heart, hope to die
To my lover, I’d never lie
He said “be true,” I swear, “I’ll try”
In the end, it’s him and I
He’s out his head, I’m out my mind
We got that love; the crazy kind
I am his, and he is mine
In the end, it’s him and I
My ’65 speeding up the PCH, a hell of a ride
They don’t want to see us make it, they just want to divide
2017 Bonnie & Clyde
Wouldn’t see the point of living on if one of us died, yeah
Got that kind of style everybody try to rip off
YSL dress under when she takes the mink off
Silk on her body, pull it down and watch it slip off
Ever catch me cheating, she would try to cut my (ha-ha-ha)
Crazy, but I love her, I could never run from her
Hit it, no rubber, never would let no one touch her
Swear we drive each other, mad, she be so stubborn
But, what the f*ck is love with no pain, no suffer
Intense, this sh*t, it gets dense
She knows when I’m out of it like she could just sense
If I had a million dollars, or was down to ten cents
She’d be down for whatever, never gotta convince, no
Cross my heart, hope to die
To my lover, I’d never lie (I love you baby)
He said “be true,” I swear, “I’ll try”
In the end, it’s him and I
He’s out his head, I’m out my mind
We got that love; the crazy kind
I am his, and he is mine
In the end, it’s him and I
Him and I
Woah-oh-oh-oh-oh
Woah-oh-oh-oh-oh
In the end, it’s him and I
Him and I
Woah-oh-oh-oh-oh
Woah-oh-oh-oh-oh
In the end, it’s him and I
We turn up, mobbin’ 'til the end of time
Only one who gets me, I’m a crazy f*ckin’ Gemini
Remember this for when I die
Everybody dressed in all black, suits and a tie
My funeral will be lit if I-
Ever go down or get caught, if they identify
My bitch was the most solid, nothing to solidify
She would never cheat, you’d never see her with a different guy
Ever tell you different, then it’s a lie
See, that’s my down bitch, see that’s my soldier
She keeps that thang-thang, if anyone goes there
Calm and collected, she keeps her composure
And she gon’ ride for me until this thing over
We do drugs together (together)
Fuck up clubs together (together)
And we’d both go crazy (crazy)
If we was to sever
You know?
We keep mobbin’, it’s just me and my bitch
Fuck the world, we just gon’ keep getting rich
You know?
Cross my heart, hope to die
To my lover, I’d never lie
He said “be true,” I swear, “I’ll try”
In the end, it’s him and I
He’s out his head, I’m out my mind
We got that love; the crazy kind
I am his, and he is mine
In the end, it’s him and I
Him and I
Woah-oh-oh-oh-oh
Woah-oh-oh-oh-oh
In the end, it’s him and I
Him and I
Woah-oh-oh-oh-oh
Woah-oh-oh-oh-oh
In the end, it’s him and I
Cross my heart, hope to die
To you, I've never lied
For you, I'd take a life
It's him and I, and I swear (ayy)
'Til the end I'm-ma ride wit' you
Mob and get money, get high wit' you, yeah (ayy)
Cross my heart, hope to die
This is our ride or die
You can confide in me
There is no hiding, I swear
Stay solid, never lie to you
Swear, most likely I’m-ma die wit' you, yeah
by Halsey
Masquerade Ball
“Raffles” Pitch
“Cheerio” A J Raffles at your service. Don’t know if any of you have ever heard of me, but I’ve been accused of being a man of many talents, but by no means was that always said as a compliment.
Also, I do love playing cricket.
Batting in a cricket match produces for me the same flow of adrenaline as that of my secret game: Jewel Thievery.
A J Raffles is a fictional character whom I admire for the introduction above. For I am, like him, a professional Jewel Thief.
And tonight was no exception as far as any adrenaline flow Raffles would have felt, for I was experiencing what I can imagine was the same exhilaration.
This evening I was attending a surprisingly posh masquerade ball being held at a large venue in Wales.
It was a very elegant affair, with the many ladies present putting on their most pretty attire and wearing out that evening, their most expensive vault kept baubles.
The venue seated about 500 guests with a raised dance floor at one end, next to a fully stocked bar and a large outside balcony overlooking some rose gardens lined by old woods.
I had decided to attire myself as said Raffles for a tongue-in-cheek tribute to what I hoped to gain this evening.
Mostly to gain some jewels by parting some of the ladies from the lovely ones they were wearing. Which, here tonight, presented a plethora of opportunities.
I would try and make it as pleasant as it possibly could be for my chosen female victims as my fingers worked over their exquisitely clad figures while removing their valuable jewels.
I find that a few kind words, some attention, and possibly dancing produced a little sugar that helps with the bitter pill I am giving them to swallow
This evening I was wearing all black attire of tails, vest, shirt, and tie. Since it was a masquerading affair, I wore a black phantom of the opera half mask. Since this was business as well as pleasure I was wearing no gentlemanly gloves, needing my nimbly flexible fingers to be free.
After I entered I made several slow rounds to learn the layout, doing some light mingling along the way.
The odd thing about this masquerading ball was that there were no fancy costumes. Everyone was dressed in their best evening out attire, with masks just added.
I made a catch right away as I impressed an older matronly lady enough that she called over her 30 something daughter to meet me.
It was now my turn to be impressed.
The daughter, Celcia, was dressed in a very elegant long-sleeved dress of silver satin. Her jewels were all set with diamonds. Her silver half mask is set in rhinestones.
We went off alone to look over the gardens from the balcony.
We guess what each other is “masked” as. I told her she must be “Lucy”
“Lucy?” she questioned
I laughed lifting her silky hair up and then running my fingers down the side of her long swaying diamond earrings, as I said. “lucy in the sky with diamonds. “
“Good guess, but I'm just Cecelia, not anyone else. And you sir, are you an undertaker?”
I chuckled. “ Not quite as dark as that, I'm shooting for a Raffles image tonight.”
“Well Mr. Raffles, not sure who you are, but it is my pleasure to meet you.”
We chatted for a bit more, then Celcia was called back inside by her mother who stood by the balcony entrance.
I took her hand, rings flashing. “ the pleasure is all mine dear ‘only Ceclia’l said grinning.
She rewarded me for my praise with a clingy hug.
I watched her leave with clenched fists, her gown swishing along down her figure quite provocatively. I opened one of my fists and admired the diamond bracelet that lay there. Her now naked wrist was covered up by the silver satin cuffed sleeve of the lovely Cecilia's dress, hiding her loss.
£23,000
I slipped it inside a hidden pocket of my vest, and patting it, went back inside.
The band had started playing and the dance floor was fast filling up.
I spied a group of ladies wearing feathery masks who were huddled at one end of the floor, blocking an aisleway, watching the assembling dancing couples. I approached and overheard that they were waiting for their partners to come back from the bar.
Since they were blocking my path, I went up and asked if I could cut through. They obligingly parted and as I went in between them one of the ladies tripped against another as I ‘accidentally’ stepped on her satin gowns’ long train as she moved to make way. I caught her and apologized as I held her, my fingers freely feeling along down her figure. I helped her back on her high heels, steadying her. Helping myself at the same time to the leaf-shaped diamond studded clip that was pinned to the side of her chocolate brown gown.
The diamond-studded clip soon joined the pocketed diamond bracelet.
£18,000
My third score that evening almost literally fell into my lap.
I had ordered a brandy at the bar figuring to take a brief respite. There were two ladies next to me chatting away. The one immediately next to me kept bumping against me as she laughed at almost everything the other lady was saying.
I didn't mine, for her thicke wine-colored silk blouse was a pleasure to feel rubbing up against me. Also, a pleasure to see where the magnificently large rings she was wearing on her fingers as well as the diamonds wrapped around her wrist.
Then it happened. The laughing lady’s friend knocked their drinks over. Some of which happily splashed on my arm.
As apologies were given and received, with much giggling, I came to the rescue with my silk handkerchief.
Lending it to them I allowed them to wipe themselves up. As we chatted, the lady next to me finished with it and handed it back. I took up her fingers as she did, and holding them down lifted and kissed the back of her hand. I also was running my damp handkerchief over her still wet fingers as I did, easily slipping of her largest flashy cocktail ring in the process.
£ 9500
Then the dancing began in earnest.
I was now sitting at a table on the outside balcony, watching the crowded dance floor and the amazing show of the ladies flowing attire, and their flickering jewels, that were being showcased there.
Also in my view was a table where a handsome bearded male was enviably sitting alone with not one, but two attractively attired and ornamented lades.
One lady was wearing a black satin blouse with a long thicke red velvet skirt. She was wearing rubies and diamonds around her throat and wrists that were just a treat to look at, and covet.
The other was fashionably wearing a slick satin high necked gown of deep red that spilled down along her figure in a most scintillating manner. Her jewellery was a winning collection of diamonds worn seemingly everywhere from her figure. Of those, I would award a purple ribbon to the dangling necklace that lay around and fell from her throat that dripped columns of diamonds down the front of her sheer red gown, as the best in the show.
I saw the man rise, and pull out the chair of the lady wearing the rubies. He then led her off to the upper dance floor, unknowingly leaving the lady in red vulnerably alone.
I saw the remaining lady stand up and with what I imagined to be a whimsical manner, walked to the edge of the balcony.
I started to rise.
But a gold mask-wearing bloke from another table approached her before I had half risen and began talking to her. I learned then that her name was Emma.
What was odd is that the man had been sitting at a table with a lady wearing a sky blue satin dress, black satin jacket, and pearls. She looked very sad watching her gold mask-wearing tablemate talking to Emma.
I had dejectedly sat back down, watching with curious interest.
The gold masked bloke took Emma by the hand and led her to the dance floor.
I saw the lady in sky blue satin, and the pricey pearl slowly rises and follow.
As then, did I.
The lady in blue was standing in the side of the dancefloor, her posture told me she was both sad and dejected.
I went up and stood next to her. Without looking at me the lady in sky blue sleek satin said...
“Why are men such idiots?” then she looked at me, and blushed apologetically “I am so sorry.”
I held up my hand. “Apology accepted, a dance though would help ease the pain.”
She eagerly went with me and taking her warm, soft figure in my arms we joined in.
She did not appear to want any conversation from me. I let her hold tightly against me. We danced in silence, both lost in our own respective thoughts.
I had decided that a dance would not be enough to ‘ease my pain’ and as she distractedly looked around for the gold masked bloke dancing with Emma, I allowed my hand the move up to her shoulder, then over to the single strand of glistening pearls that lay around her throat.
Easily locating, then slipping open, the hinged silver clasp, I gently pulled the slippery smooth necklace away from around her neck and quickly pocketed it.
£ 8700
I had no sooner done so than I felt her shake, and saw that we were now close to the gold masked male dancing with Emma. One would need a crowbar to separate him from her. I could tell Emma was not enjoying herself.
I was watching, with melancholy interest, Emma’s diamonds dripping down from the necklace that lay low along the high neckline of her luxurious red satin gown, just dangling below her breasts.
A desiring fire was starting to stir from deep within, my fingers felt like curling. So close and yet so far...
I turned my partner around so we were facing away. I started to say something when I felt an unexpected, firm tap on my shoulder.
Well, one could imagine where my mind went as I turned my head.
Relieved, I saw that it was not one of the rental security men.
It was the gold masked table partner of the lady in blue satin I was dancing with.
I saw his more recent partner, Emma, the one in red whose dazzling necklace was a stirring lure, standing there in the middle of the dance floor, alone and confused.
“Switch partners.” He told me, it was not a question.
I looked at mine and she nodded ok.
I left her to be grasped up in his arms and went to Emma, the lady in red, who willingly came into mine.
“What then, was that all about? I asked smiling.
Emma answered with a giggle. “ He was telling her he wanted to see other women. But she is not supposed to he dancing with other men, especially handsome ones like you!”
With a shy nod of my head I thanked her, telling her that I thought she looked extraordinarily beautiful this evening.
Sweetly smiling she turned her head down with blushing cheeks, thanking me.
My hand meanwhile, which had been resting motionless along her shoulder, moved to her throat, my fingers blindly seeking and locating the clasp of her necklace.
My partner felt none of that.
It was as she nodded after my words of praise that I flicked apart the jewelled chains’ clasp that my fingers had fiddled open.
As she looked back up I began to delicately slip the diamond chain up over her shoulder, watching as the diamonds hanging from its’ centre were gliding up effortlessly from along the front of her red satin gown, then up and around the gowns’ slick high neckline, before disappearing from my view.
She smiled most fetchingly into my eyes, oblivious to the fact her heavily jeweled diamond necklace had been disappearing over her shoulder.
£ 58000
The music was ending and I happened to look over by the double oak doors of the main entrance on the opposite side of the mammoth hall.
Who did I spy but the lady in the sleek sky blue satin dress and smooth black jacket being led out by the gold mask-wearing bloke who had cut in on us? I saw an opportunity to plant a seed.
I pointed it out to Emma. “Wonder where they are off too in such a hurry?”
“They do appear to be on a mission,” said Emma watching.
“I hope they weren't up to something?” I said suspiciously.
“Like what ?” Emma asked watching the couple scurrying out the door.
“Oh, nothing. I guess I read too many mystery novels. I answered stealing a look at the now bare neckline of Emma’s gown.
The music ended and I walked Emma back to the balcony. Her table was deserted so I took her over and seated her before taking my leave.
I began to make another round of the tables inside. On the lookout for fresh prey amongst the beautifully attired female guests.
I soon snagged a young damsel who had been deserted by her friends and looked bored. Not boring were the collection of rubies she was wearing with her elaborate maroon taffeta puffy ball gown that would have shamed a princess.
I asked and got permission to dance with her. She asked me who I was this evening. When I mentioned Raffle’s name she, unfortunately, caught on to who he was.
“Oh a thief, will make sure to lock my rubies up this evening to keep them safe! She giggled touching her handsome ruby and diamond necklace
I thought to myself... “Well, they are now.” while saying. “ I was thinking of him being a cricket player, not a thief.”
We both laughed over that, but I knew this one was a dead end. I could not wait until the dance was through so I could resume the hunt. I really had thought none of the younger ones would have ever read about AJ Raffles and that it would be my inside joke.
We parted after the dance, she headed off happily back to her friends.
I was watching her, deciding what to do next, when a soft gloved hand unexpectedly rested on my shoulder.
Turning, my eyes took in a young lady in downy soft, flowy peach chiffon over a shiny pink silk number, along with a row of sparkling matched diamonds around her throat. And earrings to match, as well as a thin band of diamonds holding back her freshly washed chestnut coloured hair. She wore a striking blue mask with ostrich feathers.
She shyly asked if I was available for the next dance. And I happily told her I was. She put her head down blushing. And I was able to savor her delectably pretty matched diamond stone necklace.
I whisked her off to the upper dance floor as the music began.
When the inevitable questions came up as to who I was this evening I answered...”The cricket player Raffles, at your service.”
She laughed with a Twitter. “Quite pleasant to meet you cricket player Raffles.” then she moved her hand higher up my back and came in a little closer.
I followed suit, feeling her hot figure slip in against my own. My fingers at her waist kept moving up until I reached the back of her neck. Carefully undoing her necklace I gave it a slight tug, figuring her soft smooth gown would allow the rest of my trick to work. It did, slipping off easily from around her throat, slithering like a glimmering snake up over her shoulder, out of my sight, and into my waiting hand behind her back.
My pretty dance partner felt nothing, as I then pocketed her expensive necklace.
£42,000
I then calmly began to finish the dance.
It was then, as I was looking down at the area below the raised platform of the dance floor, that I spotted something shiny, then a flashing brilliant fire erupted, all coming from one of the tables below the dancing areas raised platform.
I maneuvered us in closer for a better peek.
I made out a lone female sitting at a side table.
It was the vivid deep green of her shiny party dress that then first caught my eye.
It was the amazingly brilliant sparklers she was sporting from various points of interest along her delightful figure, especially the fiery necklace she was playing with, that finished the capture.
Only real jewels, or a remarkably good set of imitations, would produce that kind of bright gleaming shimmer!
I was betting they were real.
She was vulnerable, sitting there quite remarkably alone at her side table, drinking slowly from a small goblet of wine. Sitting there wearing in all appearances to be a collection of diamond sparklers that would easily be worth a cool £50 to £75 thousand of what the London ruffians would call “ice”.
They would also be rudely calling her “that loaded bird”. But to me, she was a rather fetchingly adorned Lass who needed some company, and perhaps just a wee bit of trimming.
The dance ended and I calmly led my partner back to her table before taking my leave. Though trying not to appear in a hurry. I still politely declined her offer to join in a drink at her table.
Then with eager anticipation, circled about hoping that the girl I had spotted was still there, and still alone.
When I got there I saw to my dismay that the bird had flown the coup. The table was deserted
I waited a few long minutes, eyeing around for other opportunities in the area, then my eyes lit up as I saw her coming back, alone.
I observed her for a satisfying few long minutes from a shadowy corner. She was younger than anyone I had yet met, but it was impossible to determine how young.
And she obviously was bored.
Intriguingly I could still not truly tell about the authenticity of her amazing collection of diamonds from my vantage.
The set was decidedly quite lovely, consisting of a dangling chain set with I guess were diamond chips and ending with a swaying diamond heart-shaped pendant, matching long earrings, a wide bracelet, and numerous shimmering rings.
The earrings were brilliant, falling from her ears in sheets of (synthetic/real ?) diamonds, larger stones were set at the earrings clasp, and they shone like the real thing.
They all contributed to making up the shimmer that surrounded her figure like some wickedly glittering halo.
She was wearing a black bandits mask, which I felt added to the mystic.
This young chick was certainly jeweled up, calling out to be looked into further.
I approached her from behind, placing a hand delicately upon a plushly soft shoulder, and daringly gave a greeting as I felt her startled figure flinch.
I cheerfully said, “Hello Samantha.”
She turned and said apologizing,
“I’m not Samantha, wrong girl.”
I answered back, disappointed “ No, you certainly are not my friend Samantha.”
I then carefully looked her over, up and down… before saying.
“Far prettier, if I dare say.”
I had ascertained by now that she was quite a bit younger than 20. And that most of her jewelry was quite good imitation’s. Her heart shaped pendent contained real diamonds, but not valuable enough for my attention. The only fly in the ointment was her earrings. They appeared to be worth quite a bit actually.
I decided to hold off judgment and went on playing her on. Much like a fly fisherman will play a trout, not sure if he still wants to actually land it.
I went on…
“Well stranger, How do you do, Hold anyone up lately?”
I had taken her off guard and she did not answer back right away.
She gulped., obviously making a decision.
She sweetly raised a hand. “How do you do sir, my name is Nancy, and no, despite the mask, I'm not a thief.”
Taking her hand I kissed it with much pageantry. “Pleasure is all mine, glad my watch and wallet are safe”. I chuckled merrily, looking down at her thoughtfully.
Then, still holding her hand, I boldly asked…” May I sit for a bit, rather tuckered out at the moment?”
She nodded her head without hesitation. Her flash earrings swayed with a beckoning motion.
I slipped in the seat in front of her, my back to the dance floor. She was looking at me with a curious smile.
I smiled back, asking…
“So Nancy, what then, does your character do for a living if she is not a thief?”
“ I am an amateur detective.”
I nodded before asking….
“ Well, that is quite interesting indeed, what kind of cases do you like working on?”
She did not know how to answer that and squirmed as I watchers her face turn red, really making the freckles show up on her cheeks.
I saved her discomfort by saying…
“ I bet you are really clever at catching thieves. And that is why you are here this evening? Or are you taking the night off?”
Taking the cue, She nodded saying in a low voice.
“No thieves here tonight.”
I laughed in what I hoped would be a winning manner while answering. “ I guess not, probably no reason for one to be here. So miss Nancy, you've not asked whom I am playing this evening.”
”Let me see, an Undertaker ?” ”Nancy,” said teasingly.
I chuckled..”Not even close. A.J. Raffles, cricketer, at your command my lady.”
She had no idea who A.J.Raffles was, I could see that. And I decided to enlighten her a bit by telling a story.
He chuckled. “Never heard of him? Well, Raffles loved to play cricket, as well as several other hobbies. And there is a story behind that, as a lad, that helped him choose his course as an adult. Care to hear it?”
She eagerly nodded yes, while taking a sip of wine.
I began my tale…
“When A.J. Raffles was a lad of ten he attended a wedding where his parents were both best man and maid of honor. A.J sat at a table with an older Great Auntie who paid him no heed.
He soon fell in with a group of bored older boys who had been throwing dice in a makeshift crown and anchor board. The game had been broken up by one of the servers and they had all been chased away
AJ was huddled in with that group as they watched the dressed-up wedding guests up on the dance floor. They began talking amongst themselves, commenting over the scene before them.
Look at dem jools the birds are wearing. Bet they'd be worth a lot. One of the lads said. Another quipped back that too bad those dames weren't their age. Yeah, like that would mean anything. What would you do, lift their jools? Came the teasing retort. Hell yeah, I would say a cocky lad. And someone else said I like to see you do it. AJ was taking all this in, squirming a bit because he had always had a secret desire to somehow make a collection of the pretty jewellery he'd seen ladies wearing. Tonight was no different.
“Nancy” smirked “Sounds like my brother.”
“There you go then, you know how he felt also “ I answered smiling curiously before continuing...
Well as fate would have it, two young teenage girls came walking past, purposefully close. They threw the group of boys a rather coy look while passing.
One was dressed in a slick satin high necked gown of deep red with a long rhinestone necklace and earrings. Her companion was wearing a sky blue sleek satin party dress, smooth black jacket, and strands of imitation pearls.
No sooner had they passed than the inner circle of boys began to dare and double dare. Money was put up in bets that enticed two of the lads to take up the challenge. That being to come away with the girl’s necklaces.
The two lads left, and as the others looked on, went up to the two young lassies and began to converse. The giggling girls finally allowed themselves to be led to the dance floor
As they began to dance, more bets were made amongst the remaining lads, with young AJ joining in. Spending his only farthing on blue satin losing her pearls, and doubling that it would be done without her noticing.
Both of the dancing boys made several amateur attempts upon their female partner’s jewels.
Blue satin, misinterpreting why her partner had his hand high up on her backside, giggled and fled away. Red satin ran off after her friend, but not before the wily lad who had been holding her had given even her a hug, nicking her shimmering necklace off from around the high collar of her slick gown as she struggled free.
He came back triumphantly to collect his winnings. Though some argued that seeing her necklace had not been touching skin it was not a real contest. He got his winnings in the end and the group wandered off, the prized necklace being passed around with envy.
AJ stayed behind contemplating. he watched as the lads stopped by a table where a young girl sat alone. She was wearing a long bridesmaid's gown of silk dyed in several shades of teal and green. A single string of real pearls hung down from her bare neck. Expensively swinging down elegantly. He knew what the group of lads was discussing in their private huddle. AJ moved off not wishing to see anymore.
“Those poor girls, I am glad your character walked away from that instead of embarking on a life of crime, “ said “Nancy” to me.
“Yes indeed. “ I answered, looking at my pretty partner. Her shiny emerald green blouse was mesmerizingly beautiful, but not quite as mesmerizing as the hanging rhinestone diamond chain and pendent she still wore due to my hesitation overtaking it.
My fingers curled seeking opportunity, cursing that I may have missed it.
“Nancy, out of curiosity, if I’m not prying, you mentioned your brother would like my Raffles’s story?”
Oh! I could see I hit a pleasant nerve, as she smiled excitedly at me, her hand playing with her pendant as she spoke, a bit hoarsely I noticed.
“Yes he would, your Raffle story is similar to a game he likes playing.”
“Please tell me more, it sounds like you have fun playing it,” I said, with curious intentions.
She giggled. “Well, we play it in the woods. I wear a play dress and play jewelry. My brother plays a thief who tries to rob me of my jewels. Then if he does, he hides and I play the detective trying to find him. I know it sounds rather odd.”
That really opened my eyes, and thoughts started to race through my head.
“I took her hand. “No, not at all odd, sounds rather exciting.”
So they like to play games of jewels stolen. Right up my alley. I thought to myself while eyeballing her necklace.
“No,” I said to myself. Not the necklace. If anything the earrings.”
But I could not see how It could be done. So I chased the teasingly tempting thought out of my head.
A silence ensued for a minute, and as I watched,” Nancy” was looking over my shoulder up at the raised platform of the dance floor behind me, watching something.
I turned around, following her eyes.
A man with a green cummerbund was dancing with an attractive redhead.
She was wearing an elegant eye-catching blue taffeta gown with a scooped neckline, ruffled half sleeves, and knee-length skirt. She was wearing what was probably her best jewels, a sapphire and diamond jewelry set that sparkled deliciously under the ceiling lights of the great banquet hall. The necklace was especially pretty. A heavy gold v shape set with large pear-shaped sapphires interspersed with smaller round diamonds. She wore a deep blue mask that covered her eyes and nose.
I turned back, and Nancy” dropped her eyes back onto mine.
I asked thoughtfully…
“I see you are looking at that lady, pretty in blue, with the sparkly sapphire jewels”
She guiltily nodded yes,
“If you wait a bit, you will meet them. That’s my mum and father.
I complimented her…
“You both are very pretty, if I may be so bold?”
Taking up her hand and I kissed it…
“But now, I must be toddling off, taken up too much of your time I’m afraid .”
We both stood up to say goodbye.
Shen then. Quite cheerfully, held out her hands for a friendly hug.
I did so willingly and my fingers securely patted up along her back. it felt very nice and I became aware of a rather pleasant prickling sensation causing a rise in my feelings.
“Well “Nancy” I hope you liked my Raffles story.
“Nancy” nodded yes, then asked me
“Do you think Raffles regretted not playing the games those boys were up to?”
Holding her hand, I patted down along her sleeve reassuringly… as I said
“I think Raffles is the type never to regret anything, what do you think?”
“Nancy” nodded her head happily satisfied. Her dazzling earrings flickered quite beautifully.
I smiled at myself broadly.
“Here “Nancy” allow me to get you seated.”
She sat. And as I gripped my fingers supportively along her arms as I slid the chair forward.
I then again lifted and kissed her hand.
“Righto” I nodded and was off.
I headed back around to the bar, when whom did I spy? “Nancy’s” mother, standing alone by the bar. I saw some drunken sod bump hard against her from behind, almost causing her to lose balance.
A handsome red-headed man was turning away from the bar holding a brandy and she fell against him.
It was her husband. The man she has been dancing with.
Laughing, the pair moved off.
Grabbing a glass of champagne from a passing waiter, I followed them out to the outside balcony. There I took a seat at my table and kept watch.
I watched as from another table, where a 40ish lady wearing a wedding ring was sitting alone, rise and began walking towards me.
She was resplendent in a long black sleeveless plush velvet gown, wearing long black satin gloves. Her pearl jewelry shone like do many small bright moons. Earrings, triple strand necklace, and a very wide bracelet set with not only valuably real pearls, but expensively with purple amethyst stones also.
The bracelet fits snugly around her shiny gloved wrist. And anyone in my profession knows a snug bracelet is a far simpler item to remove than a loose-fitting one.
The purple satin half-face mask she wore added much to her winningly pretty look.
She gave me the eye as she walked past and I rose to follow.
We ended up dancing. Her name, real name(and that of her character from the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's) was Holly.
Holly, like “Nancy”, had never heard of the Raffles character either.
I left her after we had danced, holding her heart.
The hand which she placed had placed over her heart, no longer sporting her expensively wide pearl and amethyst bracelet.
£ 23000
She then suddenly had to go to the loo and darted off. I looked back at her table and saw a man in a tiger-striped mask was pulling out a chair to sit there.
I also figured it was time to scurry off. I had gotten me one more score.
I went down the steps leading off the raised dance floor, running right into “Nancy’s” mum swishing her way around at the bottom of the platform
“Seize the day-old chap”
My thoughts of leaving were put on hold as I looked her pretty, and expensively attired, figure over.
I held her up, saying I needed to apologize.
She looked into my face, her eyes twinkling like her daughters. Her sapphire and diamond jewellery also twinkling. But unlike her daughter’s, these she was wearing were very real.
“Apologize for what?” she asked in all innocence. I could also tell she was a bit tipsy from drink. Which considerably lowered her guard with me.
“ I saw that twit rudely bumping against you at the bar earlier, without apologizing. So I am for him.” I said with a neat little bow.
“Aren't you just a dear." she gushed, blushing. Just like her daughter, she had freckles also.
“Would you husband mind if I offered a dance as a consolation?” I asked with daring.
“Oh, I think a quick one would be ok,” she said smiling, accepting my offer.
I placed my arm around her glossy taffeta sleek waist and led her to the lower dance area.
It was a slow dance, and I took her into my arms with a delightfully delicious feeling of anticipation. Her sleekly taffeta-covered figure was a pleasure to warmly hold in my arms, and her twinkling jewels a pleasure to watch.
I, with real curiosity, asked who she was playing at this evening. She replied,” miss Moneypenny” then asked who I was.
Not wishing to jinx my good fortune, I lied. “ I am an undertaker, here to collect souls”
She laughed looking sassily into my eyes.
“Liar”
“Ok then, I'm really a bad cricket player.”
“Really, bad as in naughty?” she asked pleasantly vexed.
This one is fun, I thought to myself. I wondered mischievously if she was the catalyst if her children’s play game ideas had been inherited from her?
But I asked no questions along those lines. Instead, I decided to test the water with a story.
I then went into a similar story that I had told “Nancy” except to her mother I changed to arena from a wedding reception to a cricket match, and the group of lads was trying to steal kisses, not jewels, from their chosen victims.
My partner listened with a deep reflective interest.
So intent was she in my tale, that I was able to easily undo her necklaces ‘clasp and watch the shimmering beauty being slipped away by me from up her front, then around her throat, finally to be pulled out of sight behind her back. All skillfully done without the cheerfully happy lady feeling absolutely anything amiss.
Just like her daughter I thought. Innocent and as trusting as a lamb before being fleeced for the first time by a mock shepherd.
And reflectively, both had been dressed as soft as downy chicks when they had both caught the eye of the same wiley gilded feather plucking fox.
These were the thoughts in the back of my mind as I stowed my dance partner's glittering sapphire and diamond necklace away...
£6300
I finished my story just a few seconds after the music ended. We broke apart only once I had finished.
She hugged me and gave me a peck on the cheek for being so nice
“Here is a stolen kiss,” she whispered
She then, (of course after nicking her necklace) mentioned that her husband was also a cricket player. With his bloody police station’s team!
I was stunned. Half wishing she had told me her husband was a “copper” before I had nicked her jewels.
Figuring I had now finally worn out my luck, and welcome, I made up an excuse of my own and watched as her shiny evening dress swished and swayed all along with her lovely figure while she made her way back towards the unseen table where I knew her pretty daughter was sitting.
“Bloody fool, I had taken the necklace off a copper’s wife...“
I murmured this, chastising myself, shaking my head at my folly as I stared off in disbelief.
Understandably I think, I then decided I should probably best be on my way home.
I had already planned my exit earlier, not knowing when I would be needing it.
Deciding to avoid at all costs leaving by the main doors by which I had come in, I had earlier discovered a small set of stone stairs that led off the balcony.
The stairs were narrow and hidden from the view of the balcony. A simple rope with an “Off Limits” sign guarded the entrance. They led down to the small patch of woods that lined the rose gardens.
On the far end of the woods was a small cemetery, next to which I had discreetly parked my 61 Lotus elite sports car.
I made my way to the balcony and looked around. There weren't that many guests left out there. A group of men smoking cigars and drinking brandy stood at one end. I could make out the rather stout form of “Nancy’s” father in with them. His back was to me.
In a corner sat Emma with her tablemates. The male was telling a very animated story.
A few other tables were occupied, about 1/3 of them. None near the hidden stairway.
I made my way there. Reaching it, I again surveyed the area. I could see the 3 people sitting at Emma’s we're laughing. Emma had a hand to her chest. Suddenly a look of alarm crossed her face as she felt around, obviously not finding her diamonds. Her friends were asking what was wrong. I saw her look back at the empty table where the gold masked bloke had sat, the one who had cut in on me as after her deserting Emma on the dance floor.
As I disappeared unseen from view I remember thinking I was glad that I had sowed that seed of thought to Emma while we had watched the couple leaving the ballroom.
€€€€€€€€€€€
I got to the bottom of the stairs and made my way to the wooded path the ran the length of the gardens.
Thinking I was alone, made me feel safe to quickly begin to stroll away along the path, throwing the caution I had had all evening to the wind.
Suddenly I froze in step.
I had caught the unmistakable sight of a lady's sparkly jewels as she was walking through the gardens to the left of my path.
I was not out here alone?
And I could not believe lady would not be out here alone either.
I snuck up, cloaked by the shadows of the trees, to get a better look
Shocked I saw it was “Nancy”, out of her, apparently alone.
I watched “Nancy” as she moved about. My mind traveled into the realms of speculation.
What if my young friend had indeed been wearing jewels worth £75,000?
And I find her like this, vulnerably alone.
Would I be tempted to break character, and ….
I shook my head. I would probably not. Especially now that I knew her father was a policeman of some sort.
But someone who did not know her father was a “copper”, and perhaps thought the diamonds she was were real… well they may not feel the same about letting her be.
Suddenly a rabbit jumped from the judge, startling both of us. I see her have a gasp, hand shooting up to her chest.
As her jewels flickered in a mad frenzy, a thought popped in my head, making me grin with expectations.
“Time to give “Nancy” a taste of my games. I thought wickedly. “
I snuck up behind her, and placing my hands over her eyes, pulled her soft figure back up against my own.
“ Hello, Samantha, fancy meeting you here.”
“Raffles!” She blurted with relief…
I pulled my hands away, allowing them the liberty to feel through her hair, examining also her earrings, feeling along the hinged clasps to get a feel for what I was about to do...
I then stepped back, as she, with a deep sigh of relief, quickly turned around.
“Not playing a game alone, are ye Lass?” I asked, looking down into her pretty green eyes.
“No.” She said shaking her head, hair flying…
I smiled, placing my hands inside my pockets, as I watched her with interest.
She giggled while trying to lecture me…” you gave me quite the start sir. “
He placed a finger under my chin, lifting it so I was looking up into his eyes.
“Stand still,” I commanded and moved around behind her.
“Good thing I didn’t do what first popped into my devious mind...
I felt his knuckle go into my back…
”Stick ‘ em up miss .”
“Good thing you didn’t I would have peed myself... I giggled.
“Raffles” chuckled:
“Stay in character miss .” Was what I heard from behind me
I raised them up, imagining like I was actually being held up. My heart began to race again with a feeling of delicious danger as I spoke.
“What do you want from me?”
Raffles, still holding his knuckle into my back …reached out his other hand with an open palm as he spoke.
”Put your hands down, I’ve taken a fancy to that bracelet of yours. So please hand it over. “
I shivered, saying smartly. “I don’t believe a real thief would say please …”
My friend “Raffles” responded.
“Would my real victim ask that? Try a different tack.”
Trembling again, with delicious delight. I played along.
“No sir, not my bracelet, anything but that …”
“That’s better, a bit of heartfelt pleading can never heart.
After a second the hand withdrew.
Raffles laughed amiably…
“Ok miss, keep your bracelet then. “
He chuckled from behind, removing his knuckle….
“It was only a thought I had when I saw you out here walking alone, remembering the story of the games you play with your brother, did I do ok?”.
“Smashing .” I giggled gleefully “Spot on.”
She put my hands down to my sides as I placed a hand on her smooth satin-covered shoulder and ran it down her satin blouse’s sleeve as I came back around to face her.
“All kidding aside, you really shouldn’t be out here alone “Nancy” someone less inviting as me may have been about. And I don’t mean your brother let’s see you back safe Lass.”
I nodded.
He lifted my hand and pulled my back to him. Coddling along against his warm figure, Raffles led me back along the path to the stairway.
“I’ll be leaving you here “Nancy” I was on my way home.
I looked up into his face. “it was fun meeting you, sorry you have to go. “
“So am I Lass.”
As I looked down in her upturned face I realized by the look in her eyes, that I had her lulled into such a state of complacency that I found myself unable to control any longer my thieving impulse.
Police parent or not, those earrings “Nancy” was wearing deserved to be plucked.
My fingers began to curl as I pulled her to me, with wicked intent…
We for the second time, hugged goodbye, a deeply fulfilling embrace it was by all standards, as well as presenting a perfect opportunity to set myself in position.
We broke apart and I tickled my fingers up her smooth satin-clad sides, then lifted her hair high up over her head.
I let her hair back down, letting its silken strands spill over my fingers fingers
She giggled as it tickled. My fingers reached her dangling, desirable earrings.
I spoke, my eyes locked in hers, my fingers ready…
“A Very pretty one you are, and don’t ever let anyone say differently.”
I felt her squirm with excitement, her chin up, looking deep within my eyes.
I took the opportunity given me to curl my fingers around her old-fashioned hinged clasped earrings. I gently applied pressure to the backside of the hinges and in unison slipped off both danglers from her earlobes. As her shivering figure greatly aided my endeavor.
I let my hands drop to my vest pocket as I watched her shoulder-length red hair fall back into place, covering my dirty deed.
£2200
I had been holding my breath. For this type of maneuver was as tricky as stealing the diamond collar from around the neck of a sleeping Persian cat without waking her. “Nancy”, relishing in my praise, never felt a prick as I had taken them from her ears.
Releasing my breath I took a step back complimenting that her hair was much prettier when down.
As she looked up at me with those doe wide adult-looking mascara brushed eyes, I felt a flicker of unease over filching her earrings.
She suddenly propelled herself again in my arms and gave me a very smothering, very long hug.
We broke apart.
“Go now, you before I change my mind about playing games.”
I let her go with a chuckle, holding my ground as I watched her pretty green satin party dress swishing merrily along with her figure.
She started up the stairs, then stopping raised up her hands.
I froze, then saw she was merely blowing me a kiss.
Pulling my hands from my vest pocket as I deposited her earrings, I pretended to catch her kiss and added it to my collection.
“My second this evening,” I said mysteriously…
Then turning away, I went off down along the path.
Quickly reaching my car, I opened a secret compartment inside the boot, emptied my pockets of the purloined jewels, and stashed them safely away.
Then hopping in on the right, I fired the engine to life and drove away in the opposite direction.
Addendum
Several weeks after securely hiding the over £188,000 in jewels I had gotten away with, I was flabbergasted to read in their local paper that the robbery was believed to have been committed by a gang of thieves. With none of the descriptions given really matched mine...
Probably not so shocking was the statement giving the total value of the stolen jewellery, as reported to the insurance agencies, coming to a bit over...
£325,000!
To Read the story from ‘Nancy Drew’s “ Perspective
Click Below
Though I was around 40 yards away from this red-tailed hawk when I photographed him perched on this dead tree limb, when I brought the photo up on my monitor at home it was apparent he was eying me the whole time. It is difficult to see on a small screen but the reflection of our white SUV can be seen in the hawk’s eye.
Do birds recognize people and do they differentiate between us? According to research that has been documented birds do recognize individual faces and voices so be careful what you say to them.
My wife and I are not around the same birds very often but we have noticed a couple of swans that we have come to know over the last few years that seem to recognize us.
Initially, they were very wary when we would slowly drive by but after a few dozen times we noticed they would hardly move at all when we came and even when we stopped.
I am a skeptic though so they may simply recognize a white vehicle although my wife thought she heard one of them croon her name once.
(Photographed near Cambridge, MN)
Another from yesterday. I tried to get him to sit on the Panton chair but he slid off and headed to the kitchen for food (cheerios).
It's Friday tomorrow isn't it? thank goodness for that, oh, and it's Mother's day.... best buy myself a gift. I'm thinking leather, I'm thinking shoes and I'm thinking a bag to match and when I say match I don't mean 'match' just that they're leather so they 'match'.
I'm possibly a little biased with this shout out ; ) however, junghwan1991 has been a good customer of mine for a while now, but he only just recently showed me what he has been creating with my custom sets all this time, as he was a little reluctant to post to Flickr.
Man! he should have started to post pics sooner as he clearly has an eye for creating awesome looking customs.
I always loved the way that someone like Chris (McLovin) made something new out of a set that was designed to be a specific charcter and it seems that Junghwan uses the parts he buy's in a similar way (also see his "Future Operator" made using a Brick Affliction set, paired with some of Leo's Dead Space parts: www.flickr.com/photos/132395904@N05/34256117366/in/datepo...
Great to see another awsome customer in the community, give him a follow!
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- February 5th: during the feast of Saint Agatha, on Via Etnea, you encounter people and situations of a unique sweetness and charm; the nice lady thus protects her little friend, preventing him from getting hurt, in the midst of the large crowd of people attending the feast;
- giorno 05 febbraio: durante la festa di Sant’Agata, in via Etnea, si incontrano persone e situazioni, di una dolcezza e simpatia uniche; la simpatica signora in tal modo protegge il suo piccolo amico, impedendo di farsi male, in mezzo alla grande folla di persone, che partecipa alla festa;
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www.hollywoodreporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/2022...
static.prod.iranwire.com/_versions_webp/articleslide/holy...
theartsofslowcinema.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/holy-s...
play-lh.googleusercontent.com/YEbCXIuZDhTpPsFPQy33y2D0VI6...
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click to activate the icon of slideshow: the small triangle inscribed in the small rectangle, at the top right, in the photostream;
or…. Press the “L” button to zoom in the image;
clicca sulla piccola icona per attivare lo slideshow: sulla facciata principale del photostream, in alto a destra c'è un piccolo rettangolo (rappresenta il monitor) con dentro un piccolo triangolo nero;
oppure…. premi il tasto “L” per ingrandire l'immagine;
www.fotografidigitali.it/gallery/2726/opere-italiane-segn...
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Religious devotion, at times, in Sicily seems to take on the face of women, like that of the two Sicilian saints Agata and Lucia along the Ionian coast of Sicily, or the face of Rosalia, on the opposite side, in Palermo. The lives of Saint Agatha and Saint Lucia are closely linked, even though they never met. Agatha was martyred in 251, Lucia was not yet born, she was born 32 years later. On February 5, 301, she went to Catania to pray at Agatha's tomb to invoke her intercession, hoping to obtain the healing of her mother, who was seriously ill. Agatha appeared to her in a dream, confirmed her mother's healing (her mother was healed), but also confided in her that she would be martyred because of her faith in Christ: Lucia was martyred on December 13, 304, during the persecutions of Diocletian. What has been said as an incipit of the photographic story that I present here, created on the occasion of the celebration that Catania dedicates to its Patron Saint Agatha, described as the most important religious celebration in Catania, also considered the third Catholic religious celebration in the world (first are the “Semana Santa” in Seville, and the “Corpus Domini” in Cuzco in Peru), a ranking that takes into account the huge number of people who participate every year. The celebration of Saint Agatha takes place on several dates, from 3 to 6 February, on 12 February and on 17 August: the February celebration is linked to her martyrdom, the August celebration commemorates the return to Catania of her mortal remains, initially taken to Constantinople as spoils of war by the Byzantine general Maniaces, and remained there for 86 years. The young Agatha lived in the 3rd century, she belonged to a rich patrician family of Catania, since she was young she had embraced the cult of the Christian religion, the governor Quinziano (or Quintiliano) fell in love with her, Agatha to escape him hid in his house in Palermo, Quinziano managed to find out where she was hiding, so he had her taken to Catania, here his attempts to bend Agatha's will and make her give in to his flattery were in vain, after her umpteenth refusal he changed his intentions, accused her of being of the Christian religion, condemned her to death, not without first having led her to martyrdom, he amputated her by tearing off both her breasts, in this way in addition to the torment of physical pain, the psychological one was added, humiliating the girl in her femininity, then he gave her death by dragging her on burning coals, Agata was 20 years old. After her death, the cult of her began to spread, even the pagans began to venerate her figure, there is news about her origins starting from 252, the year after her death: the inhabitants of Catania were proud of this young woman who rebelled against the will of the dictator. The feast of Saint Agatha begins on February 3, there is the procession "for the offering of wax", the two eighteenth-century carriages of the senate pulled by horses come out along the streets of the city, "the candlestick" make their appearance; on February 4th the celebration begins with the “Mass of Dawn” which is celebrated in the cathedral, after the reliquary bust of the Saint and the silver casket, they are placed on the “float” (or “fercolo”), to be carried in procession in its “external tour”, the procession begins by crossing the “Porta Uzeda” and thus reaching the arches of the marina, the procession then circumscribes the historic center of the city, going to the places where Agatha’s martyrdom took place; : On February 5th the “Pontifical Mass” is celebrated, on this occasion by lining up in the cathedral, you can go and see the reliquary bust of the Saint, as evening comes, the bust and the casket are placed back on the heavy float for the last procession, which goes along the “internal tour” (or “noble tour”), which crosses the historic center of Catania, a procession preceded by the passage of lit candles carried on the shoulders of devotees (of various weights and sizes, some reach exceptional dimensions and weight, historically these candles illuminated, when electricity did not exist, the passage of the Saint), then the “candlestick” pass, they are gigantic and heavy wooden “candlestick”, in baroque style, painted in gold, each one represents an ancient corporation (butchers, fishmongers, bakers, pork butchers, greengrocers, etc.), finally the float with Saint Agatha passes, the long-awaited moment, with the reliquary bust that it contains inside some parts of her body, the other parts of her body are inside the casket, so, with both on the float, Agatha's entire body can travel the streets of the city of Catania. The float is pulled by hand, by the many devotees who wish to participate spontaneously in this very particular rite, using two large cords more than 200 meters long, to the end of which are connected four handles. The photographs were taken on February 4 and 5, of this year 2026, they are not organized in series taking into account either the year or the days; I made portraits of the devotees, the "citizens" (synonym of "devotees") of Catania towards this young martyr, who has become a symbol of those who oppose violence against women, and protector of women suffering from breast cancer. I captured in some images, the custom of some devotees, to carry with them images of loved ones who passed away too soon (photos placed on candles or printed on the characteristic white habit, called "sacco (bag) ", which is part of the characteristic way of dressing of the devotees). Finally, I conclude with some brief observations on this traditional religious and popular feast, year 2026:
a- This year, during the "outer tour" or "plebeian tour," it rained. I don't recall photographing the Saint Agatha procession in the rain in past years, but the presence of umbrellas was a pleasant surprise for me.
b- Devotees carry candles on their shoulders, sometimes very heavy, weighing 50 kilos or even more than 100-120 kilos. These enormous candles are padded with foam rubber, placed by the devotees themselves, to prevent excessive pain when touching the shoulder carrying them.
c- Devotees carrying very heavy candles, flameless or with a burning candle, rely on the presence of another devotee, who, anticipating the procession, warns those present of the arrival of "a heavy load." This is to avoid accidents along the way, both for those on the road and for the bearer himself. Sometimes, the assistant devotee supports part of the weight of the candle itself.
d- Aware of the risk of people slipping in the streets after the devotees pass by with burning candles, releasing a considerable amount of melted wax onto the ground, on the afternoon of February 5th, before the ritual of lighting the large candles begins, the municipality of Catania sprinkles Catania's main street, Via Etnea, first with water from tankers and then immediately after with sawdust, which, mixing with the water, prevents it from being lifted into the air by the wind (risking irritation to the airways and eyes);
e- As the float of Saint Agatha passes by, countless smartphones are now raised in the air, to take with them, almost every present, a memento of "this beautiful magic." I couldn't resist the temptation to "seize upon" this modern-day custom, also because I'm fascinated by the well-groomed female hands;
f- although I have not respected the temporal presentation of the photographs, I will insert a small comment in the caption, with the day during which it was taken, whether the 4th (during the “plebeian tour” or “external tour”), or if during the 5th (“day of the “internal tour” or “noble tour”).
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La devozione religiosa, a volte, in Sicilia sembra assumere il volto delle donne, come quello delle due sante siciliane Agata e Lucia lungo la fascia Ionica della costa sicula, od il volto di Rosalia, sul versante opposto, in quel di Palermo. Le vite di Agata e Lucia sono tra loro legate in maniera strettamente indissolubile, pur non essendosi mai conosciute, Agata morì martirizzata nel 251, Lucia non era ancora nata, nascerà 32 anni dopo, il 5 febbraio del 301 si recherà a Catania a pregare sul sepolcro di Agata per invocare la sua intercessione sperando così di ottenere la guarigione di sua madre, gravemente malata, Agata le appare in sogno, le conferma la guarigione di sua madre (sua madre ebbe la guarigione), ma anche, le confida, che per lei ci sarà il martirio a causa della sua fede in Cristo: Lucia fu martirizzata il 13 dicembre del 304, durante le persecuzioni di Diocleziano. Quanto detto come incipit del racconto fotografico che qui presento, realizzato in occasione della festa che Catania dedica alla sua Santa Patrona Agata, descritta come la più importante festa religiosa di Catania, considerata anche la terza festa religiosa cattolica al mondo (prime la “Semana Santa” di Siviglia, ed il “Corpus Domini” di Cuzco in Perù), graduatoria che tiene conto del grandissimo numero di persone ogni anno vi partecipano. La festa di Santa’Agata si svolge in più date, dal 3 al 6 febbraio, il 12 febbraio ed il 17 agosto: la ricorrenza di febbraio è legata al suo martirio, quella di Agosto rievoca il ritorno a Catania delle sue spoglie mortali, portate inizialmente a Costantinopoli come bottino di guerra dal generale bizantino Maniace, e li rimaste per 86 anni. La giovane Agata visse nel 3° secolo, apparteneva ad una ricca famiglia patrizia di Catania, sin dalla giovane età aveva abbracciato il culto per la religione cristiana, di lei si invaghì il governatore Quinziano (o Quintiliano), Agata per sfuggirgli si nascose in una sua casa a Palermo, Quinziano riuscì a sapere dove si nascondeva, quindi la fece condurre a Catania, qui i suoi tentativi di piegare la volontà di Agata e farla cedere alle sue lusinghe furono vani, all’ennesimo suo rifiuto egli mutò i suoi propositi, la accusò di essere di religione cristiana, la condannò a morte, non senza averla prima condotta al martirio, le amputò strappandole entrambi i seni, in tal modo oltre allo strazio del dolore fisico, si aggiungeva quello psicologico, umiliando la ragazza nella sua femminilità, poi le diede la morte trascinandola sui carboni ardenti, Agata aveva 20 anni. Dopo la sua morte si iniziò a diffondere il culto verso di lei, anche i pagani iniziarono a venerare la sua figura, si hanno notizie sulle sue origini già a partire dal 252, anno successivo alla sua morte: gli abitanti di Catania erano orgogliosi di questa giovane donna che si ribellò al volere del dittatore. La festa per Sant’Agata inizia il 3 febbraio, si ha la processione “per l’offerta della cera”, escono lungo le vie della città le due settecentesche carrozze del senato trainate da cavalli, fanno la loro comparsa “le candelore”; il 4 febbraio la festa inizia con la “Messa dell’Aurora” che si celebra nella cattedrale, dopo il busto reliquiario della Santa e lo scrigno d’argento, vengono messi sulla “vara” (o “fercolo”), per essere portati in processione nel suo “giro esterno” (o “giro plebeo”), la processione inizia attraversando la "Porta Uzeda" e giungendo così agli archi della marina, la processione quindi circoscrive il centro storico della città, recandosi nei luoghi ove avvenne il martirio di Agata; il 5 febbraio si celebra la “Messa Pontificale”, in questa occasione mettendosi in fila nella cattedrale, si può andare a vedere il busto reliquiario della Santa, col sopraggiungere della sera, busto e scrigno, vengono nuovamente messi sulla pesante vara per l’ultima processione, che percorre il “giro interno” (o “giro nobile”), che attraversa il centro storico di Catania, processione preceduta dal passaggio dei ceri accesi portati in spalla dai devoti (di vario peso e dimensioni, alcuni raggiungono dimensioni e peso eccezionali, storicamente questi ceri illuminavano, quando non esisteva l’energia elettrica, il passaggio della Santa), poi passano le “candelore”, sono dei giganteschi e pesanti "candelabri" in legno, in stile barocco, dipinti in oro, portati in spalla, ognuna rappresenta una antica corporazione (macellai, pescivendoli, panettieri, pizzicagnoli, fruttivendoli, ecc.), infine passa la vara con Sant’Agata, il momento tanto atteso, col busto reliquiario che racchiude al suo interno alcune parti del suo corpo, le altre parti del corpo si trovano all’interno dello scrigno, in tal modo, con entrambi sulla vara, tutto il corpo di Agata può percorrere le strade della città di Catania. La vara è trainata a mano con due grosse funi, dai tantissimi devoti che desiderano partecipare spontaneamente a questo rito così particolare, le due grosse funi sono lunghe più di 200 metri (una posta alla destra della vara, l’altra posta alla sua sinistra), al cui capo sono collegate quattro maniglie. Le fotografie sono state realizzate il 4 ed il 5 febbraio di quest’anno 2026, esse non sono organizzate in serie tenendo conto né dell’anno, nè delle giornate; ho realizzato ritratti dei devoti, dei “cittadini” (sinonimo di “devoti”) catanesi (e non) tutti legati “ed innamorati” di questa giovane martire, diventata simbolo di chi si oppone alla violenza sulle donne, e protettrice delle donne ammalate di cancro al seno. Ho colto in alcune immagini, l’usanza di alcuni devoti, di recare con se immagini di persone care scomparse troppo presto (foto messe sui ceri o stampate sul caratteristico saio bianco, chiamato “sacco”, che fa parte del modo caratteristico di vestire dei devoti). Infine, termino, con alcune osservazioni “in pillole” di questa festa tradizionale religiosa e popolare, anno 2026:
a- quest’ anno durante il “giro esterno” o “giro plebeo” è arrivata la pioggia, non ricordo di aver fotografato negli anni passati la processione di Sant’Agata sotto la pioggia, per me la presenza degli ombrelli è stata una piacevole novità;
b- i devoti portano in spalla ceri a volte molto pesanti, di 50 chili ma anche più di 100 – 120 chili, questi enormi ceri presentano delle imbottiture con gomma spugna, posizionate dagli stessi devoti, per evitare che il contatto con la spalla che li regge, diventi eccessivamente doloroso;
c- i devoti (o le devote) che portano in spalla ceri molto pesanti, senza fiamma, o con il cero che arde, si avvalgono della presenza di un altro devoto o devota, che anticipandone il passaggio, avvisa i presenti dell’arrivo “di un carico importante”, questo per evitare incidenti durante il percorso, sia per gli astanti, sia per il portatore stesso; a volte l’aiuto devoto regge parte del peso del cero stesso;
d- consapevole del rischio di scivoloni nelle strade, da parte delle persone, dopo che sono passati i devoti coi ceri che ardono, liberando un notevole quantitativo di cera sciolta per terra, il pomeriggio del 5 febbraio, prima che inizi il rito dell’accensione dei grossi ceri, il comune di Catania cosparge la via principale di Catania, via Etnea, prima con l’acqua delle autobotti, subito dopo con della segatura, che amalgamandosi con l’acqua impedisce alla stessa di venire sollevata in aria col vento (rischiando di irritare le vie aeree e gli occhi);
e- al passaggio della vara di Sant’Agata, oramai innumerevoli sono gli smartphone sollevati in aria, per portare con se, quasi ogni presente, un ricordo di “questa bellissima magia”, non ho saputo sottrarmi alla tentazione di “cogliere al volo” questa consuetudine dei nostri tempi, anche perché affascinato dalle mani femminili, così ben curate;
f- pur non avendo rispettato temporalmente la presentazione delle fotografie, inserirò in didascalia un piccolo commento, col giorno durante il quale è stata colta, se il 4 (durante il “giro plebeo” o “giro esterno”), o se durante il 5 (giorno del “giro interno” o “giro nobile”).
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Charles Gesner van der Voort (1916-1991) had started his career in Rotterdam, at Holland-China Trading Company (HCHC). In 1938, he went to Shanghai for the firm. The Japanese interned him, and most other Dutch nationals, from 1943-45. In camp, he met his wife Nancy and they married after the war. After a leave in The Netherlands, they returned to the Orient, where Charles continued to work for HCHC in Hong Kong.
Director of Holland-China Trading Company Willem Kien, who worked in Shanghai ca. 1911-1921, obtained this postcard.
Wikipedia: “Nanjing Road (Chinese: 南京路; pinyin: Nánjīng Lù; Shanghainese: Nuecin Lu) is the main shopping streets of Shanghai, China, and is one of the world's busiest shopping streets along with Bukit Bintang. The street is named after the city of Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu neighbouring Shanghai. Today's Nanjing Road comprises two sections, Nanjing Road East and Nanjing Road West. In some contexts, "Nanjing Road" refers only to what was pre-1945 Nanjing Road, today's Nanjing Road East, which is largely pedestrianised. Before the adoption of the pinyin romanisation in the 1950s, its name was rendered as Nanking Road in English.
The History of Nanjing Road can be traced back to the year 1845. At that time it was called "Park Lane", which stretched from the Bund to He'nan Road. In 1854, it was extended to Zhejiang Road, and eight years later, once more extended to Xizang Road. In 1862, it was named formally "Nanking Road" by the Municipal Council, which administered the International Settlement. In Chinese it was usually referred to as the Main Road (大马路). Around 1930 it was a bustling street with at least one reported casino (probably at nr. 181). In 1943 the International Settlement was annulled, and after World War 2 the government changed its name from Nanking Road to "East Nanjing Road", meanwhile they also renamed the former Bubbling Well Road "West Nanjing Road", and the general name of the two roads became "Nanjing Road", comprising five kilometres total length.
At the beginning of the 20th century, eight big department stores were established along the street. A series of franchised stores were also set up at that time.
On 23 August 1937 a bomb was dropped on Nanjing Road by a Chinese plane in an attempt to lighten its load while being pursued by Japanese planes. The bomb hit two department stores, killing 612 people and injuring another 482.
In 2000, as a part of the development plan held by the local government, Nanjing Road was renovated to be a characteristic pedestrian street. The width is about 28 meters and the total length is 1,200 meters, which extends from Middle He'nan Road to Middle Xizang Road.
In 2007, the Jing'an and Huangpu governments agreed to coordinate their policy to enhance the development of Nanjing Road, through a unique launching of a committee. This agreement followed a request by the committee of Champs-Elysees in the perspective of a friendship agreement between both famous streets.”
Robert Koo provided me with translations of the texts on the shops. “The building toward the right side was a fairly large jewelry store. Next to the jewelry store (large white wall) was a Chinese pharmacy store. Many smaller shops were the garment/clothing stores from the middle to the end of the photo.”
Courtesy Kien family archives