Fictional Characters

People who know me know that, although I admire very much certain persons, like Tolkien or King Leonidas, I also admire very much many imaginary characters, and I set some of them as example.
Some may think that this is wrong, because those characters are considered "fake", but this is how I see it. It's all real. Think about it. Haven't Luke Skywalker and Santa Claus affected your lives more than most real people in the world? I mean, whether Jesus is real or not, he's had a bigger impact on the world than any of us have. And the same can be said for Bugs Bunny and Batman and Optimus Prime. They've changed my life, changed the way I act on the Earth. Doesn't that make them kind of real? They might be imaginary but, but they're more important than most of us. And they're all gonna be around here long after we're dead. So, in a way, those things are more realer than any of us.

Symbols

Ye know, alongside my other T-shirts I got 2 very special ones. One with the Autobots' emblem and one with the Caped Crusader's symbol. I used to wear either of them almost every day.
Now I realize that... I'm not worthy. Because, in my humble opinion, being a fan is not enough to make you worthy of wearing those symbols. I must embrace the Autobot ideal to wear the Autobot-shirt, and I must be more... (how shall we say?) selfless to wear the Bat-shirt.
Therefore I hereby declare that I will not wear those 2 T-shirts again, until I've proven my quality.
They are too important to be misused.

No Coin? Oh well... so be it!

Today I decided to search for a replica of Harvey "Twoface" Dent's coin, but since I couldn't find it anywhere I gave up searching and bought me a figure of Twoface himself, for 10 bucks.
Twoface was ranked #12 in IGN's list of the Top 100 Comic Book Villains Of All Time.
Twoface has recently become my favorite of Batman's enemies, taking Joker's place, who has always been my favorite villain.
I just find some true in what Harvey believes. I find some wisdom and some "normality" in his quotes. Sometimes I feel like him, like my good side fights against my evil one. Unable to decide unless I flip a coin, lol.
Of course I don't want to get his coin to make decisions, I just think it would be a nice addition to my collection.

The figure resembles the character as seen on "The Dark Knight" film, played by Aaron Eckhart

 
 

Power Rings - Green

Last, but not least, my very favorite of the Lantern spectrum. I give you the...

GREEN LANTERN CORPS (WILLPOWER)

In brightest day, in blackest night,

No evil shall escape my sight.

Let those who worship evil's might,

Beware my power...

Green Lantern's Light!

The power ring's most distinctive effect is the generation of green, solid-light constructs, the precise physical nature of which has never been specified. The size, complexity, and strength of these constructs is limited only by the ring-bearer's willpower; whatever the wearer imagines, the ring will create. No hard upper limit to the power ring's capabilities has yet been demonstrated and it is often referred to as "the most powerful weapon in the universe."

In the concluding issue of the Green Lantern: Rebirth mini-series, attention is paid to how the style of constructs varies with the character and mindset of the person creating them. Hal Jordan tends to create solid, workman-like constructs. John Stewart, an architect by trade, creates constructs with carefully-designed internal workings, almost like three-dimensional blueprints. Kyle Rayner, an artist, envisions highly detailed or wire frame constructs. Guy Gardner's ring is constantly sparking, even at rest, and his creations are simple, and often blurred by the excess energy his willpower causes. The alien Kilowog's ring, for reasons yet unrevealed is (according to Hal) "the only one that makes a sound," producing a loud sonic boom upon activation.
When active, a power ring will encase its user in a protective, life-supporting force field. This force field allows the user to fly, travel through inhospitable environments (outer space, underwater, etc.), and enter hyperspace in order to move vast distances quickly. The ring also generates its wearer's Green Lantern uniform: the uniform appears over their normal attire and vanishes at the user's will. The uniform varies from Lantern to Lantern, based on anatomy, personal preference, and the social norms of their race. The only rule in this regard seems to be that the uniform must openly display the symbol of the corps, though even this has been modified based on preference (a vampire-hunting Lantern adapts the symbol into a cross, and a blind Lantern with no concept of light or color uses the image of a bell).
Power rings also appear to be highly advanced computers; they are able to talk to and advise the wearer as to various courses of action, as well as act as a universal translator. Power rings are capable of generating electromagnetic radiation at various frequencies. This radiation can be focused by the wearer into a beam, similar in appearance and effect to a powerful laser. The ring can also scan for energy signatures or particular objects. Less frequently used capabilities include splitting atomic nuclei and manipulating subatomic particles (thereby transmuting chemical elements). A power ring is also capable of creating fully-functional duplicates of itself. While power rings have to be worn to be effective, at several points Green Lanterns have shown the ability to summon the ring to them from a distance (even if someone else is wearing it) or order it to carry out commands automatically after being removed. Some power rings have been shown to be genetically keyed to the wearer, like Kyle Rayner's, though villains have circumvented this this through various means. For instance, Manhunters use tissue samples to make Kyle's ring think it is still on his hand. When a Green Lantern is slain, their ring will automatically seek out a suitable replacement

Power Rings - Black

Ah, yes. It's the "lovers' day". The most appropriate time to write about the Black Lantern Corps.
Indeed.

BLACK LANTERN CORPS (DEATH)

The Blackest Night falls from the skies,

The darkness grows as all light dies,

We crave your hearts and your demise,

By my black hand--The dead shall rise!  

In the concluding issues of the Sinestro Corps War story-arc, Superboy-Prime hurls the Anti-Monitor into space. He crashes onto the dead planet of Ryut and is encased within a Black Power Battery of unknown origin. The symbol on black power rings (a triangle pointing downwards, with five lines radiating upward from the base) is the same symbol used by Green Lantern super-villain Black Hand. It is also the symbol of the Hand family's mortuary. Black Hand becomes the first Black Lantern after killing his family and committing suicide. Scar comes to him and regurgitates the first black power ring. It places itself on his finger and bids him to rise. Scar then explains that Black Hand is the living embodiment of the Black Lantern Corps as Ion, Parallax, and the Predator are to the green, yellow and violet lights of the emotional spectrum respectively. Black power rings are wielded by the deceased. In addition to the abilities granted to them by the rings, Black Lanterns retain any superpowers they may have had in life.If the ring bearer's body is severely damaged or destroyed, the black ring will partially reconstruct the body, restoring it to a working state. During the creation of Blackest Night, Johns wanted to resurrect the Black Lanterns in a way that seemed horrifying and emotionally disturbing to the living characters they encountered. To accomplish that effect, the Black Lanterns have personalities and actively seek out those who will be affected by their appearance. Well known DC characters resurrected as Black Lanterns include: Earth-Two Superman, the Martian Manhunter, and the original Aquaman and Firestorm. The first black power rings possess no charge, but each time a Black Lantern kills someone and removes their heart, .01 percent power is restored to every ring in the Corps. The exact limitations of black power rings have not yet been fully explored; however, even at low power levels, black rings enable their user to fly and create black energy constructs. They are also immune to magic. Black power rings are capable of regenerating typically fatal injuries inflicted upon their users (including decapitation). Black Lanterns are also able to read the emotions of the living as a colored aura that correlates to the emotional spectrum (red for rage, violet for love, etc). The black rings produce a tar-like substance that "roots" them into the host body, making it nearly impossible for them to be removed through physical force. In Blackest Night #2, Ray Palmer shrinks himself to a size where he is able to observe that black power rings are composed of a similar material to dark matter. During the Blackest Night event, heroes theorize that the members of the Black Lantern Corps aren't the dead revived, but rather their black power rings are using their forms to attack. This is confirmed in Doom Patrol #4, when the ring resurrecting Celsius intones "memory download complete" upon her conversion to the Corps. This is repeated when black power rings state the same while converting Ted Kord and Terra in Booster Gold #26 and Outsiders #24 respectively. Black Lantern rings appear to be vulnerable to assorted methods. The most effective means is that of an intense white light, called "white light of creation" by the Guardians. This can be created not only by assorted light-based heroes (such as Doctor Light, but also when the green, yellow, violet, blue, orange, red and indigo lights are combined. Dove also seems to naturually give off this light since the death of Hawk. The Black Lanterns are also weak against powerful light emotional manipulations like Psycho Pirate's mask., and the intense power of love strengthened by the Greek Goddess Aphrodite. The Indigo Corp's power also seems to cause the Black Lanterns pain. Also, if a creature is frozen, the Black Lanterns are incapable of sensing their emotions, leaving them essentially 'blind'

   

Power Rings - Violet

I was saving it for Valentine's day but... slag it! I don't believe in it! There is no special day for "love". If you love it's for all 365 days of the year. If you don't... better. :P

STAR SAPPHIRE CORPS (VIOLET)

For hearts long lost and full of fright,

For those alone in blackest night,

Accept our ring and join our fight,

Love conquers all-- With violet light!

At the conclusion of the Mystery of the Star Sapphire story-arc, the Zamarons realize that the power of the Star Sapphire is too great for them to control and forge a violet power battery and power ring out of the Star Sapphire gem, using the bodies that originally sparked the star sapphire as a mediator. It is later revealed that the sapphire's power originally came from the love of Khufu and Chay-Ara. This allows them to distribute its powers throughout an entire Corps of Star Sapphires. The first new recruit to the Star Sapphires was Miri Riam of the planet Lartnec, who had just lost her husband to an attack by Mongul. Established Green Lantern characters have also been inducted into the new Corps, including Fatality and Carol Ferris.
Violet power rings are fueled by the emotion of love, one of the two emotions (the other being rage) that most influence their user. At present, members of the Star Sapphires have only been depicted as being female; however, during the Blackest Night panel at Comic Con International 2009, Geoff Johns explained that "anyone can join, but most men are not worthy." A unique ability of violet power rings is the power to encase their targets in violet crystal. While trapped within these rehabilitation crystals, members of other corps have been shown to be slowly converted into Star Sapphires. During the process their rings are drained of their original abilities and replaced by the violet light. Violet rings are able to detect when true love is being threatened, can create a connection to an embattled heart and use it as a tether, and are also shown as being able to show others their greatest love. The aura of the violet ring is asymmetric and ornate, reminiscent of vines and feathers. The Star Sapphires are shown as being connected to an entity called "the Predator", which exists as the physical embodiment of love.

 

God save the books

This day was very tiresome, but not without some fun. I slept at 930 and at approximately 1130 my bell rang. It was a colleague of mine, she came for a book I promised her. After that, and since I was already awake, we went down-town with some coffee (I had chocolate) with some other pals. The only boy in there was I, so I got really very bored. They were talking for girls' stuff only.
Later, after kindly taking my leave, I went to a bookstore. Got many amazing mangas, comics and loads of good books.
I bought me an anniversary Asterix comic issue and two fantasy novels.
at checkout the salesman put the stuff into a plastic red bag, with the words "GOD SAVE THE BOOKS" written on.
Well then I begun having thoughts about the greatness of books, and the way a book can affect mankind and history itself. Books mostly have a good influence, and make us better people. Reading a book not only gives you knowledge and information, but it can also entertain you, or give you stuff and ideas to think about. Books are also legacy, passing through generations. And of course a well written book is always a good subject to discuss about. I could imagine a world without TV (I barely watch, anyway) but never a world without books. Or comics, or manga, or... whatever.

Power Rings - Indigo

Normally I'd write about Violet and Love, but I'd rather save it for a more... appropriate day.

INDIGO TRIBE (COMPASSION)

Tor lorek san, bor nakka mur,

Natromo faan tornek wot ur,

Ter lantern ker lo Abin Sur,

Taan lek lek nok -- Formorrow Sur!

(Translation not available)

The Indigo Tribe, wielders of the indigo light of compassion, make their first extended appearance in Blackest Night: Tales of the Corps #1 (July 2009). Very little is known about them and they are considered to be unknown within the DC Universe at large. Indigo and her tribe are first shown speaking a language that is unable to be translated by a green power ring (which has a full catalog of all known languages). Ethan Van Sciver, who created the initial design for the Indigo Tribe, explains that members of the group abandon everything and devote themselves to compassion. As such, their uniforms have a basic, hand-made appearance, their bodies are adorned with the Indigo Lantern symbol in body paint, and they carry carved, lantern-like staffs with them. This corps exists to spread goodwill throughout the universe. The Indigo Tribe is led by a pale female alien named Indigo-1, and Ganthet and Sayd have said that the Blue Lanterns must seek out and form an alliance with the Indigo Tribe.
The Indigo Tribe has the unique ability to absorb the energies of other rings through their staffs. The energy is then channeled into their ring and (depending on the motivation behind the energy) turned against its source. When Indigo-1 encounters a mortally wounded Green Lantern who attempts to keep her from getting involved in his battle with a Sinestro Corps member, she uses his power to provide him with a mercy killing. When the Sinestro Corps member subsequently attacks her, spouting banter meant to intimidate her, Indigo-1 uses his power to create an enormous, monstrous, yellow light construct that scares her attacker away. The exact function of indigo power staffs and their relationship to power rings of all colors is still unknown. During the Blackest Night, the Indigo Tribe use their staffs to combine Hal Jordan's green light with theirs, which has the effect of separating Black Lantern rings from their bearers.

BAFTA Game Award 2009 - Vote your favorite

For the second year running, GAME have joined forces with the British Academy of Film and Television Arts to honour the greatest achievements in gaming over the last twelve months! The GAME British Academy Video Games Awards will be taking place at the London Hilton on Park Lane on 19 March 2010 - and once again you'll get to vote for the title you think deserves the coveted GAME Award.

So, click on the link and vote! Personally I voted for "Batman: Arkham Asylum", though it was a tough choice, since I'd also like to vote for "Spirit Tracks": The newest ZELDA GAME!
http://www.baftagameaward.com/awards/index.html