Justice League Dark is a branch of the Justice League dedicated to dealing with mystical and supernatural threats. Its founding members include Deadman, John Constantine, Madame Xanadu, Shade the Changing Man and Zatanna.
Madame Xanadu organizes the group called Justice League Dark when she foresees a terrible future only they can prevent. They are assembled to stop the Enchantress when she goes on a rampage after being separated from her host June Moone. Enchantress begins to go insane and Xanadu gives her the names of those working against her. John Constantine and Zatanna work together to cast incantations. Madame Xanadu has Shade the Changing Man reluctantly recruit Mindwarp. Deadman tries to protect June, but Enchantress finally captures her when Shade messes up a spell. The team meets for the first time in their final battle with Enchantress, which ends when Constantine bonds her to June Moone again. He sacrifices her life to protect hundred of others. When Xanadu tries to rally them as a team, they all angrily refuse her. Eventually Constantine, Deadman, Shade and Zatanna begin having horrible nightmares and visit Xanadu again. She reveals that these are visions of what will come if they don't form a team, and they become the Justice League Dark.
Madame Xanadu organizes the group called Justice League Dark when she foresees a terrible future only they can prevent. They are assembled to stop the Enchantress when she goes on a rampage after being separated from her host June Moone. Enchantress begins to go insane and Xanadu gives her the names of those working against her. John Constantine and Zatanna work together to cast incantations. Madame Xanadu has Shade the Changing Man reluctantly recruit Mindwarp. Deadman tries to protect June, but Enchantress finally captures her when Shade messes up a spell. The team meets for the first time in their final battle with Enchantress, which ends when Constantine bonds her to June Moone again. He sacrifices her life to protect hundred of others. When Xanadu tries to rally them as a team, they all angrily refuse her. Eventually Constantine, Deadman, Shade and Zatanna begin having horrible nightmares and visit Xanadu again. She reveals that these are visions of what will come if they don't form a team, and they become the Justice League Dark.
Rumors in November 2012 suggested that Guillermo del Toro was working on a Justice League Dark film titled Heaven Sent. It would feature Deadman, the Spectre, Swamp Thing, Constantine, the Phantom Stranger, Zatanna, Zatara, Sargon the Sorcerer, and Etrigan the Demon. Del Toro later confirmed in January 2013 that he is working on such a movie, with the working title, Dark Universe, and is hiring a screenwriter for the film. Del Toro revealed Swamp Thing, Constantine, The Spectre, Deadman, Zatanna and Zatara were characters in the story.
by The Centurion October 09, 2014
Get the Justice League Dark mug.Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) is an American Academy Award-winning motion picture visual effects company that was founded in May 1975 by George Lucas. It is a division of the film production company, Lucasfilm, which Lucas founded, and was created when Lucas began production of the film Star Wars. ILM originated in Van Nuys, California, then later moved to San Rafael in 1978, and since 2005 it has been based at the Letterman Digital Arts Center in the Presidio of San Francisco. Lynwen Brennan, who joined the company in 1999, currently serves as ILM's President and General Manager. In 2012, The Walt Disney Company acquired ILM as part of its purchase of Lucasfilm.
Lucas wanted his 1977 film Star Wars to include visual effects that had never been seen on film before. After discovering that the in-house effects department at 20th Century Fox was no longer operational, Lucas approached Douglas Trumbull, famous for the effects on 2001: A Space Odyssey. Trumbull declined as he was already committed to working on Steven Spielberg's film Close Encounters of the Third Kind, but suggested his assistant John Dykstra to Lucas. Dykstra brought together a small team of college students, artists and engineers, and set them up in a warehouse in Van Nuys, California. Lucas named the group Industrial Light & Magic, who became the Special Visual Effects department on Star Wars. Alongside Dykstra, other leading members of the original ILM team were Ken Ralston, Richard Edlund, Dennis Muren, Joe Johnston, Phil Tippett, Steve Gawley, Lorne Peterson and Paul Huston.
by The Centurion December 28, 2014
Get the Industrial Light & Magic mug.The Phantom is an American adventure comic strip created by Lee Falk, also creator of Mandrake the Magician. A popular feature adapted into many media, including television, film and video games, it stars a costumed crimefighter operating from the fictional African country Bangalla.
The Phantom is the 21st in a line of crimefighters that originated in 1536, when the father of British sailor Christopher Walker was killed during a pirate attack. Swearing an oath on the skull of his father's murderer to fight evil, Christopher started the legacy of the Phantom that would be passed from father to son, leaving people to give the mysterious figure nicknames such as "The Ghost Who Walks", "Guardian of the Eastern Dark" and "The Man Who Cannot Die", believing him to be immortal.
Unlike many fictional costumed heroes, the Phantom does not have any superpowers but relies mainly on his strength, intelligence, and fearsome reputation of being an immortal ghost to defeat his foes. The 21st Phantom is married to Diana Palmer, whom he met while studying in the United States; they have two children, Kit and Heloise. Like all previous Phantoms, he lives in the ancient Skull Cave, and has a trained wolf, Devil, and a horse named Hero.
The series began with a daily newspaper strip on February 17, 1936, followed by a color Sunday strip on May 28, 1939; both are still running as of 2014. At the peak of its popularity, the strip was read by over 100 million people each day.
The Phantom is the 21st in a line of crimefighters that originated in 1536, when the father of British sailor Christopher Walker was killed during a pirate attack. Swearing an oath on the skull of his father's murderer to fight evil, Christopher started the legacy of the Phantom that would be passed from father to son, leaving people to give the mysterious figure nicknames such as "The Ghost Who Walks", "Guardian of the Eastern Dark" and "The Man Who Cannot Die", believing him to be immortal.
Unlike many fictional costumed heroes, the Phantom does not have any superpowers but relies mainly on his strength, intelligence, and fearsome reputation of being an immortal ghost to defeat his foes. The 21st Phantom is married to Diana Palmer, whom he met while studying in the United States; they have two children, Kit and Heloise. Like all previous Phantoms, he lives in the ancient Skull Cave, and has a trained wolf, Devil, and a horse named Hero.
The series began with a daily newspaper strip on February 17, 1936, followed by a color Sunday strip on May 28, 1939; both are still running as of 2014. At the peak of its popularity, the strip was read by over 100 million people each day.
Lee Falk continued working on The Phantom until his death in 1999. Today, the comic strip is produced by writer Tony DePaul and artists Paul Ryan (Monday-Saturday) and Terry Beatty (Sunday). Previous artists on the newspaper strip include Ray Moore, Wilson McCoy, Bill Lignante, Sy Barry, George Olesen, Keith Williams, Fred Fredericks, Graham Nolan and Eduardo Barreto.
New Phantom stories are published in comic books in different parts of the world, among them by Dynamite Entertainment in the United States, Egmont in Sweden, Norway and Finland (not anymore), and Frew Publications in Australia.
The Phantom was the first fictional hero to wear the skintight costume that has now become a hallmark of comic book superheroes and was also the first shown wearing a mask with no visible pupils, another superhero standard.
New Phantom stories are published in comic books in different parts of the world, among them by Dynamite Entertainment in the United States, Egmont in Sweden, Norway and Finland (not anymore), and Frew Publications in Australia.
The Phantom was the first fictional hero to wear the skintight costume that has now become a hallmark of comic book superheroes and was also the first shown wearing a mask with no visible pupils, another superhero standard.
by The Centurion December 20, 2014
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Introduced as a mysterious radio narrator by David Chrisman, William Sweets, and Harry Engman Charlot for Street and Smith Publications, The Shadow was developed fully and transformed into a pop culture icon by pulp writer Walter B. Gibson. The character would go on to become a major influence on the subsequent evolution of comic book superheroes, in particular, Batman.
The Shadow debuted on July 31, 1930, as the mysterious narrator of the Street and Smith radio program Detective Story Hour. After gaining popularity among the show's listeners, the narrator became the star of The Shadow Magazine on April 1, 1931, a pulp series created and primarily written by the prolific Gibson.
Introduced as a mysterious radio narrator by David Chrisman, William Sweets, and Harry Engman Charlot for Street and Smith Publications, The Shadow was developed fully and transformed into a pop culture icon by pulp writer Walter B. Gibson. The character would go on to become a major influence on the subsequent evolution of comic book superheroes, in particular, Batman.
The Shadow debuted on July 31, 1930, as the mysterious narrator of the Street and Smith radio program Detective Story Hour. After gaining popularity among the show's listeners, the narrator became the star of The Shadow Magazine on April 1, 1931, a pulp series created and primarily written by the prolific Gibson.
Powers/Abilities: The Shadow possesses incredible physical abilities. He possesses astonishing reflexes and is an incredible marksman with a gun. He also has incredible muscular control and can slip his body through the bars of a prison cell like a contortionist or can actually distort and alter his very facial features at will by manipulating his facial muscles. He can also survive for hours without air and was also ambidexterous (capable of using both hands). He is regarded as highly experienced in various disciplines of hand to hand combat as well.
His greatest power is his ability to “cloud men’s minds”. He can hypnotize people instantly so that he can move as an invisible shadow. He can also hypnotize people so they forget things or to command them to perform certain acts (he once forced a criminal to write a detailed account of his past crimes). The Shadow wears a fire opal ring known as a girasol on his hand which he uses to focus his hypnotic abilities. He is an expert in many different languages and is also a master ventriloquist (he can project or “throw” his voice).
He is also a master of disguise and has been known to impersonate others, even fooling their friends and family members. The Shadow is apparently an expert aircraft pilot and skilled in infiltration and information gathering techniques due to his experience as an intelligence agent.
He wields a pair of .45 pistols and employs a fleet of automobiles and aircraft in his various operations.
His greatest power is his ability to “cloud men’s minds”. He can hypnotize people instantly so that he can move as an invisible shadow. He can also hypnotize people so they forget things or to command them to perform certain acts (he once forced a criminal to write a detailed account of his past crimes). The Shadow wears a fire opal ring known as a girasol on his hand which he uses to focus his hypnotic abilities. He is an expert in many different languages and is also a master ventriloquist (he can project or “throw” his voice).
He is also a master of disguise and has been known to impersonate others, even fooling their friends and family members. The Shadow is apparently an expert aircraft pilot and skilled in infiltration and information gathering techniques due to his experience as an intelligence agent.
He wields a pair of .45 pistols and employs a fleet of automobiles and aircraft in his various operations.
by The Centurion May 02, 2013
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The show was created by Donald P. Bellisario. The first three seasons star Jan-Michael Vincent, Ernest Borgnine, Alex Cord, and (from the second season onwards) Jean Bruce Scott. After the original series was cancelled, a fourth season, with an entirely new cast and on a much smaller budget, was filmed in Canada for the USA Network.
The show was created by Donald P. Bellisario. The first three seasons star Jan-Michael Vincent, Ernest Borgnine, Alex Cord, and (from the second season onwards) Jean Bruce Scott. After the original series was cancelled, a fourth season, with an entirely new cast and on a much smaller budget, was filmed in Canada for the USA Network.
Airwolf (TV Series):
The full 50 second narration, as spoken by actor Lance LeGault, is as follows: "This briefing is from file A56-7W, classified top secret. Subject is Airwolf, a mach one plus attack helicopter, with the most advanced weapons systems in the air today. It has been hidden somewhere in the Western United States by it's test pilot, Stringfellow Hawke. Hawke has promised to return Airwolf only if we can find his brother, Sin Jin, an MIA in Vietnam. We suspect that Archangel, deputy director of the agency that built Airwolf is secretly helping Hawke in return for Hawke flying Airwolf on missions of National concern. Stringfellow Hawke is 34, a brilliant combat pilot, and a recluse since his brothers disappearance. His only friend is Dominic Santini, who's air service is the cover for their government work. With Hawke and Santini flying as a team at speeds rivaling the fastest jets, backed by unmatched firepower, Airwolf is too dangerous to be left in unenlightened hands. Finding it is your first priority. End of file."
The full 50 second narration, as spoken by actor Lance LeGault, is as follows: "This briefing is from file A56-7W, classified top secret. Subject is Airwolf, a mach one plus attack helicopter, with the most advanced weapons systems in the air today. It has been hidden somewhere in the Western United States by it's test pilot, Stringfellow Hawke. Hawke has promised to return Airwolf only if we can find his brother, Sin Jin, an MIA in Vietnam. We suspect that Archangel, deputy director of the agency that built Airwolf is secretly helping Hawke in return for Hawke flying Airwolf on missions of National concern. Stringfellow Hawke is 34, a brilliant combat pilot, and a recluse since his brothers disappearance. His only friend is Dominic Santini, who's air service is the cover for their government work. With Hawke and Santini flying as a team at speeds rivaling the fastest jets, backed by unmatched firepower, Airwolf is too dangerous to be left in unenlightened hands. Finding it is your first priority. End of file."
by The Centurion November 27, 2012
Get the Airwolf (TV Series) mug.Rex Smith (born September 19, 1955, Jacksonville, Florida) is an American actor and singer. Smith debuted in the Broadway play Grease in 1978. He is noted for his role as Jesse Mach in the 1985 television series Street Hawk, as well as being a singer and stage actor. During the late 1970s, Smith was popular as a teen idol. Because of his good looks, he was featured regularly in 16 Magazine and Tiger Beat. He also had a gold Top 10 single, "You Take My Breath Away," in 1979.
Rex Smith is best known for his role in the short-running 1985 television series Street Hawk: The show itself is about a police officer and former amateur dirt-bike racer named Jesse Mach (Rex Smith) who is secretly chosen to test a top-secret project—an all-terrain attack motorcycle capable of speeds in excess of 300 miles per hour. Backing the motorcycle was a computerized command system that allowed its operator to provide the motorcycle's rider with real-time information from various sources, and even operate the motorcycle on "autopilot" during its high-speed runs, achieved through a process called "hyperthrust".
Norman Tuttle (Joe Regalbuto) was the designer of the motorcycle. An engineer previously employed with the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration of the Department of Justice and subsequently with one of its successor agencies (exactly which one was never specified in the stories) who reported to a certain Mr. Kirby, who never appeared in the stories, Tuttle was initially reluctant to choose Mach to test the motorcycle. But once he had, he was able to convince Mach to commit to the program for life.
Mach began to lead a double life, a police public relations officer by day, and crime-fighter by night. Street Hawk (actually "The Street Hawk") was regarded as a lawless vigilante, and hence a fugitive from justice, by the police.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rex_Smith
Norman Tuttle (Joe Regalbuto) was the designer of the motorcycle. An engineer previously employed with the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration of the Department of Justice and subsequently with one of its successor agencies (exactly which one was never specified in the stories) who reported to a certain Mr. Kirby, who never appeared in the stories, Tuttle was initially reluctant to choose Mach to test the motorcycle. But once he had, he was able to convince Mach to commit to the program for life.
Mach began to lead a double life, a police public relations officer by day, and crime-fighter by night. Street Hawk (actually "The Street Hawk") was regarded as a lawless vigilante, and hence a fugitive from justice, by the police.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rex_Smith
by The Centurion June 05, 2013
Get the Rex Smith mug.Blade is a 1998 American vampire-superhero action film starring Wesley Snipes, Kris Kristofferson and Stephen Dorff, and is loosely based on the Marvel Comics character Blade. Snipes plays Blade, a human-vampire hybrid who protects humans from vampires.
The film was directed by Stephen Norrington and written by David S. Goyer. Despite mixed reviews, Blade grossed $70 million at the U.S. box office, and $131.2 million worldwide. It was followed by two sequels, Blade II and Blade: Trinity.
Facts about Blade (1998)
1. Wesley Snipes became attached to the project because he was in discussions with Marvel Comics to be Black Panther, a project that is still pending as of 2005.
2. Jet Li was offered the role to play Deacon Frost, but opted to do Lethal Weapon 4 instead.
3. LL Cool J was originally considered for the part of Blade.
4. When David S. Goyer first pitched the idea of doing a Blade movie, the executives of New Line felt there were only three actors who could possible do the role: Wesley Snipes, Denzel Washington and Laurence Fishburne, but in Goyer's mind, Snipes was always the perfect choice for the character of Blade.
5. Kris Kristofferson's character Whistler was created for Blade's cameo on the Spider-Man: The Animated Series cartoon show. He was liked so much by Marvel CEOs that he was adopted into the Marvel Universe.
The film was directed by Stephen Norrington and written by David S. Goyer. Despite mixed reviews, Blade grossed $70 million at the U.S. box office, and $131.2 million worldwide. It was followed by two sequels, Blade II and Blade: Trinity.
Facts about Blade (1998)
1. Wesley Snipes became attached to the project because he was in discussions with Marvel Comics to be Black Panther, a project that is still pending as of 2005.
2. Jet Li was offered the role to play Deacon Frost, but opted to do Lethal Weapon 4 instead.
3. LL Cool J was originally considered for the part of Blade.
4. When David S. Goyer first pitched the idea of doing a Blade movie, the executives of New Line felt there were only three actors who could possible do the role: Wesley Snipes, Denzel Washington and Laurence Fishburne, but in Goyer's mind, Snipes was always the perfect choice for the character of Blade.
5. Kris Kristofferson's character Whistler was created for Blade's cameo on the Spider-Man: The Animated Series cartoon show. He was liked so much by Marvel CEOs that he was adopted into the Marvel Universe.
Despite the fact that the Marvel character, Blade, was essentially unknown to the general public (at the time), this factor did not stop the film from being successful.Blade (1998) is seen as having been one of the better comic book movies of its time and started the trend for much more of these films:
1. Blade was one of the first successful comic book based films to be released after the disastrous performance of Batman & Robin and Steel. Its success, along with the even bigger success of the earlier Men in Black, convinced Marvel to develop the X-Men film series as well as the Spider-Man film series.
2. IGN ranked Blade as the 63rd greatest comic character stating that Blade is the most iconic hero to spring from the period of monster-themed stories. UGO Networks placed Blade as one of the top heroes of entertainment quoting that "Blade has to get props for being the most obscure Marvel character to ever get a film deal... and television deal, too!"
Source: rorytufano.blogspot.co.uk / Wikipedia
1. Blade was one of the first successful comic book based films to be released after the disastrous performance of Batman & Robin and Steel. Its success, along with the even bigger success of the earlier Men in Black, convinced Marvel to develop the X-Men film series as well as the Spider-Man film series.
2. IGN ranked Blade as the 63rd greatest comic character stating that Blade is the most iconic hero to spring from the period of monster-themed stories. UGO Networks placed Blade as one of the top heroes of entertainment quoting that "Blade has to get props for being the most obscure Marvel character to ever get a film deal... and television deal, too!"
Source: rorytufano.blogspot.co.uk / Wikipedia
by The Centurion December 07, 2012
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