Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, as well as in movies, television shows, and video games; most often in fiction related to the X-Men. He was created in 1974 by writer Len Wein and Marvel art director John Romita, Sr.
Wolverine is a mutant, born with the superhuman ability to fully and rapidly recover from any injury or ailment. He possesses long retractable claws that protrude from the backs of his hands. His skeleton is laced with a fictional metal known as adamantium, which makes it indestructible. Wolverine is a member of the X-Men, a team of superheroes who fight for mutant rights and to preserve the peace between mutants and normal humans.
Due to his wild popularity in the 1980s and beyond, an elaborate back story has been created for the character, from his origins in the Canadian prairie land to fighting gangsters in Asia, becoming part of a government-led superhero team, and having extensive adventures apart from other X-Men members.
Wolverine is a mutant, born with the superhuman ability to fully and rapidly recover from any injury or ailment. He possesses long retractable claws that protrude from the backs of his hands. His skeleton is laced with a fictional metal known as adamantium, which makes it indestructible. Wolverine is a member of the X-Men, a team of superheroes who fight for mutant rights and to preserve the peace between mutants and normal humans.
Due to his wild popularity in the 1980s and beyond, an elaborate back story has been created for the character, from his origins in the Canadian prairie land to fighting gangsters in Asia, becoming part of a government-led superhero team, and having extensive adventures apart from other X-Men members.
Marvel editor-in-chief Roy Thomas asked writer Len Wein to devise a character specifically named Wolverine, who is Canadian and of small stature and with a wolverine's fierce temper. John Romita, Sr. designed the first Wolverine costume, and believes he introduced the retractible claws, saying, "When I make a design, I want it to be practical and functional. I thought, 'If a man has claws like that, how does he scratch his nose or tie his shoelaces?'" Wolverine first appeared in the final "teaser" panel of The Incredible Hulk #180 (cover-dated October 1974) written by Wein and penciled by Herb Trimpe. The character then appeared in a number of advertisements in various Marvel Comics publications before making his first major appearance in The Incredible Hulk #181 (November 1974) again by the Wein–Trimpe team. In 2009, Trimpe said he "distinctly remembers" Romita's sketch and that, "The way I see it, Romita and writer Len Wein sewed the monster together and I shocked it to life!... It was just one of those secondary or tertiary characters, actually, that we were using in that particular book with no particular notion of it going anywhere. We did characters in The Incredible Hulk all the time that were in particular issues and that was the end of them." Though often credited as co-creator, Trimpe adamantly denies having had any role in Wolverine's creation.
by The Centurion November 08, 2014
The Gurkhas (Nepali : गोर्खा) (/ˈɡɜrkə/ or /ˈɡʊərkə/), also spelled as Gorkhas, are soldiers from Nepal. Historically, the terms "Gurkha" and "Gorkhali" were synonymous with "Nepali," and derived from the hill town and district of Gorkha from which the Kingdom of Nepal expanded. Legend has it that the name may be traced to the medieval Hindu warrior-saint Guru Gorakhnath who has a historic shrine in Gorkha. Gurkhas are traditionally recruited from various Nepali hill ethnicities, but do not come from a single group or region in the multi-ethnic country.
Although the Gorkhas found in Himachal are mostly from Nepal, there have been reports of non-Nepalese Gorkhas (such as Thai Gorkhas, Naga Gorkhas and Chinese Gorkhas). There are Gurkha military units in the Nepalese, British and the Indian army (Gorkhas) enlisted in Nepal. Although they meet many of the requirements of Article 47 of Protocol I of the Geneva Conventions regarding mercenaries, they are exempt under clauses 47(e)&(f) similar to the French Foreign Legion.
Gurkhas are closely associated with the Khukuri, a forward-curving Nepalese knife and have a well known reputation for their fearless military prowess. The former Indian Army Chief of Staff Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, once stated that "If a man says he is not afraid of dying, he is either lying or is a Gurkha."
Although the Gorkhas found in Himachal are mostly from Nepal, there have been reports of non-Nepalese Gorkhas (such as Thai Gorkhas, Naga Gorkhas and Chinese Gorkhas). There are Gurkha military units in the Nepalese, British and the Indian army (Gorkhas) enlisted in Nepal. Although they meet many of the requirements of Article 47 of Protocol I of the Geneva Conventions regarding mercenaries, they are exempt under clauses 47(e)&(f) similar to the French Foreign Legion.
Gurkhas are closely associated with the Khukuri, a forward-curving Nepalese knife and have a well known reputation for their fearless military prowess. The former Indian Army Chief of Staff Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, once stated that "If a man says he is not afraid of dying, he is either lying or is a Gurkha."
During the Gurkha War (1814–1816) between the Gorkha Kingdom in Nepal and the East India Company the British were impressed by the Gorkhali soldiers which they called Gurkhas. Their war cry was and is to this very day: Jaya Mahakali, Ayo Gorkhali (Nepali: जय महाकाली, आयो गोर्खाली) (Glory to Great Kali, Gorkhas approach)! In the Peace Treaty it was agreed that Gorkhalis could be recruited to serve under contract in the East India Company's army.
Traditionally, recruitment had been mainly from the Nepali hill groups such as the Chhetri, Thakuri, Magar, Gurung, Tamang, Rai, Limbu and Nepali indigenous people such as other matwali(Alcohol Drinkers) Groups like Bhujels. Bahun (Brahmin), Sherpa were not permitted for the Gurkha Army, it was later on where all Nepalis were allowed to join. Gurkhas were thought to be a martial race because they were considered to be naturally warlike and aggressive in battle; to possess qualities of courage, loyalty, self-sufficiency, physical strength, resilience, orderliness; to be able to work hard for long periods of time and; to fight with tenacity and military strength.
Traditionally, recruitment had been mainly from the Nepali hill groups such as the Chhetri, Thakuri, Magar, Gurung, Tamang, Rai, Limbu and Nepali indigenous people such as other matwali(Alcohol Drinkers) Groups like Bhujels. Bahun (Brahmin), Sherpa were not permitted for the Gurkha Army, it was later on where all Nepalis were allowed to join. Gurkhas were thought to be a martial race because they were considered to be naturally warlike and aggressive in battle; to possess qualities of courage, loyalty, self-sufficiency, physical strength, resilience, orderliness; to be able to work hard for long periods of time and; to fight with tenacity and military strength.
by The Centurion January 31, 2015
Marvel's The Avengers is a 2012 American superhero film produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures,based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name. It is the sixth installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film is scripted and directed by Joss Whedon and features an ensemble cast that includes Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Clark Gregg, Cobie Smulders, Stellan Skarsgård and Samuel L. Jackson. In The Avengers, Nick Fury, director of the peacekeeping organization S.H.I.E.L.D., recruits Iron Man, Captain America, the Hulk, and Thor to form a team that must stop Thor's adoptive brother Loki from subjugating the earth.
The Avengers (2012):
Steve Rogers: What's the matter, scared of a little lightning?
Loki: I'm not overly fond of what follows...
(Thor appears)
Thor: Do not touch me again!
Iron Man: Then don't take my stuff.
Thor: You have no idea what you're dealing with.
Iron Man: Ah, Shakespeare in The Park? Doth mother know you weareth her drapes?
Thor: Loki will face Asgardian justice!
Iron Man: He gives up the Cube, he's all yours. Until then, stay out of the way...TOURIST!
(Thor, angered by the retort, throws his hammer Mjolnir forcefully at Iron Man, sending Iron Man flying back a distance through the forest)
Steve Rogers: Doctor Banner, I think now might be a good time for you to get angry.
Bruce Banner: That's my secret, Cap: I'm always angry.
(Banner hulks out and punches the Leviathan)
Iron Man: What else you got?
Clint Barton: Well, Thor's taking on a squadron on Sixth.
Iron Man: And he didn't invite me...
(Stark grabs a nuclear missile and routes it to the portal)
Jarvis: Sir, you realize this is a one-way trip?
Iron Man: Pleasure working with you, JARVIS.
(After end credits scene #1)
The Other: Humans... They are not the cowering wretches we were promised. They stand. They are unruly, and therefore cannot be ruled. To challenge them is to court death.
(Thanos rises and smiles)
(After end credits scene #2)
The Avengers eat in silence at a shawarma restaurant.
Steve Rogers: What's the matter, scared of a little lightning?
Loki: I'm not overly fond of what follows...
(Thor appears)
Thor: Do not touch me again!
Iron Man: Then don't take my stuff.
Thor: You have no idea what you're dealing with.
Iron Man: Ah, Shakespeare in The Park? Doth mother know you weareth her drapes?
Thor: Loki will face Asgardian justice!
Iron Man: He gives up the Cube, he's all yours. Until then, stay out of the way...TOURIST!
(Thor, angered by the retort, throws his hammer Mjolnir forcefully at Iron Man, sending Iron Man flying back a distance through the forest)
Steve Rogers: Doctor Banner, I think now might be a good time for you to get angry.
Bruce Banner: That's my secret, Cap: I'm always angry.
(Banner hulks out and punches the Leviathan)
Iron Man: What else you got?
Clint Barton: Well, Thor's taking on a squadron on Sixth.
Iron Man: And he didn't invite me...
(Stark grabs a nuclear missile and routes it to the portal)
Jarvis: Sir, you realize this is a one-way trip?
Iron Man: Pleasure working with you, JARVIS.
(After end credits scene #1)
The Other: Humans... They are not the cowering wretches we were promised. They stand. They are unruly, and therefore cannot be ruled. To challenge them is to court death.
(Thanos rises and smiles)
(After end credits scene #2)
The Avengers eat in silence at a shawarma restaurant.
by The Centurion July 20, 2012
The Spirit is a fictional masked crimefighter created by cartoonist Will Eisner. He first appeared June 2, 1940 in "The Spirit Section", the colloquial name given to a 16-page Sunday supplement, distributed to 20 newspapers by the Register and Tribune Syndicate and reaching five million readers during the 1940s. From the 1960s to 1980s, a handful of new Eisner Spirit stories appeared in Harvey Comics and elsewhere, and Warren Publishing and Kitchen Sink Press variously reprinted the feature in black-and-white comics magazines and in color comic books. In the 1990s and 2000s, Kitchen Sink Press and DC Comics also published new Spirit stories by other writers and artists.
The Spirit chronicles the adventures of a masked vigilante who fights crime with the blessing of the city's police commissioner Dolan, an old friend. Despite the Spirit's origin as detective Denny Colt, his real identity was virtually unmentioned again, and for all intents and purposes he was simply "the Spirit". The stories range through a wide variety of styles, from straightforward crime drama and noir to lighthearted adventure, from mystery and horror to comedy and love stories, often with hybrid elements that twisted genre and reader expectations.
The Spirit chronicles the adventures of a masked vigilante who fights crime with the blessing of the city's police commissioner Dolan, an old friend. Despite the Spirit's origin as detective Denny Colt, his real identity was virtually unmentioned again, and for all intents and purposes he was simply "the Spirit". The stories range through a wide variety of styles, from straightforward crime drama and noir to lighthearted adventure, from mystery and horror to comedy and love stories, often with hybrid elements that twisted genre and reader expectations.
While fighting the evil Dr. Cobra, young policeman Denny Colt was hit by a liquid which put him in a state of a deep coma. Believed dead, Denny was buried at Wildwood Cemetery, but awoke from his grave 24-hours later. He established a base under his tombstone and using his new-found anonymity, he began to fight crime and protect the people of Central City as The Spirit.
His identity is known only to his "driver," Ebony White and Police Commissioner Dolan.
His identity is known only to his "driver," Ebony White and Police Commissioner Dolan.
by The Centurion December 20, 2014
Blade is a fictional character, a superhero and vampire hunter in the Marvel Comics Universe. Created by writer Marv Wolfman and penciller Gene Colan, his first appearance was in the comic book The Tomb of Dracula #10 (July 1973) as a supporting character.
The character went on to star and co-star in several comic book series as well as a Blade film series and television series. Actor Wesley Snipes portrayed the vampire hunter in the Blade film series while Kirk "Sticky Fingaz" Jones took on the role for the television series.
The character went on to star and co-star in several comic book series as well as a Blade film series and television series. Actor Wesley Snipes portrayed the vampire hunter in the Blade film series while Kirk "Sticky Fingaz" Jones took on the role for the television series.
While he was growing up on the street of London, he ran into American veteran Vampire Slayer, Jamal Afari and saved him from being killed by vampires with a grudge against the old man.
Afari soon learned about Eric and his origins' and decided to take him under his wing, becoming his mentor and foster-father and helped him to control his powers. Afari taught Eric everything he knew about hunting, fighting and killing vampires.
Determined to avenge his mother's death, Eric fashioned himself into a vampire hunter like Afari while still a teenager and started calling himself Blade, after the sharp weapons with which he used to kill vampires with. Finally Blade and Afari split up when Jamal willingly took the fall for murder when Blade accidentally killed a man (who was suffering from a deranged illness), which he mistook for being a vampire.
Afari soon learned about Eric and his origins' and decided to take him under his wing, becoming his mentor and foster-father and helped him to control his powers. Afari taught Eric everything he knew about hunting, fighting and killing vampires.
Determined to avenge his mother's death, Eric fashioned himself into a vampire hunter like Afari while still a teenager and started calling himself Blade, after the sharp weapons with which he used to kill vampires with. Finally Blade and Afari split up when Jamal willingly took the fall for murder when Blade accidentally killed a man (who was suffering from a deranged illness), which he mistook for being a vampire.
by The Centurion December 23, 2014
Deadpool (Wade Winston Wilson) is a fictional character, a mercenary and anti-hero appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by artist Rob Liefeld and writer Fabian Nicieza, Deadpool first appeared in New Mutants #98 (Feb. 1991).
A disfigured and mentally unstable mercenary, Deadpool originally appeared as a villain in an issue of New Mutants, and later in issues of X-Force. The character has since starred in several ongoing series, and shares titles with other characters such as Cable. Also known as the "Merc with a Mouth," Deadpool is famous for his talkative nature and his tendency to break the fourth wall, which is used by writers to humorous effect.
He was portrayed by Ryan Reynolds in the 2009 film X-Men Origins: Wolverine and will appear in his own feature film set to be released on February 12, 2016.
A disfigured and mentally unstable mercenary, Deadpool originally appeared as a villain in an issue of New Mutants, and later in issues of X-Force. The character has since starred in several ongoing series, and shares titles with other characters such as Cable. Also known as the "Merc with a Mouth," Deadpool is famous for his talkative nature and his tendency to break the fourth wall, which is used by writers to humorous effect.
He was portrayed by Ryan Reynolds in the 2009 film X-Men Origins: Wolverine and will appear in his own feature film set to be released on February 12, 2016.
Created by artist Rob Liefeld and writer Fabian Nicieza, Deadpool made his first appearance in the pages of New Mutants #98 published in February 1991. Rob Liefeld, a fan of the Teen Titans comics, showed his new character to then writer Fabian Nicieza. Upon seeing the costume and noting his characteristics (killer with super agility), Nicieza contacted Liefeld, saying "this is Deathstroke from Teen Titans." Nicieza gave Deadpool the real name of "Wade Wilson" as an inside-joke to being "related" to "Slade Wilson", Deathstroke. In his first appearance, Deadpool was hired by Tolliver to attack Cable and the New Mutants. After subsequently appearing in X-Force as a recurring character, Deadpool began making guest appearances in a number of different Marvel Comics titles such as The Avengers, Daredevil, and Heroes for Hire. In 1993, the character received his own miniseries, titled The Circle Chase, written by Fabian Nicieza and pencilled by Joe Madureira. It was a relative success and Deadpool starred in a second, self-titled miniseries written in 1994 by Mark Waid, pencilled by Ian Churchill, and inked by Jason Temujin Minor and Bud LaRosa. Waid later commented, "Frankly, if I'd known Deadpool was such a creep when I agreed to write the mini-series, I wouldn't have done it. Someone who hasn't paid for their crimes presents a problem for me."
by The Centurion November 10, 2014
Thor: The Dark World (also known as Thor 2) is an upcoming American superhero film featuring the Marvel Comics character Thor, produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It will be the sequel to 2011's Thor and the eighth installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Alan Taylor directed the screenplay by Christopher Yost, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, which stars Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgård, Idris Elba, Christopher Eccleston, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Kat Dennings, Ray Stevenson, Zachary Levi, Tadanobu Asano, Jaimie Alexander, Rene Russo and Anthony Hopkins.
Development of Thor: The Dark World began in April 2011, when producer Kevin Feige announced plans for a sequel to follow the crossover film The Avengers. In July 2011, Kenneth Branagh, the director of Thor, withdrew from the project. Brian Kirk and Patty Jenkins were considered to direct the film before Taylor was hired in January 2012. The supporting cast filled out in August 2012, with the hiring of Eccleston, Dennings and Akinnuoye-Agbaje. Principal photography began in September 2012 in Surrey, England with filming continuing in Iceland and London, before wrapping up in December 2012. Like the first film, Thor: The Dark World will be converted to 3D in post-production.
Thor: The Dark World is scheduled to be released on November 8, 2013.
Development of Thor: The Dark World began in April 2011, when producer Kevin Feige announced plans for a sequel to follow the crossover film The Avengers. In July 2011, Kenneth Branagh, the director of Thor, withdrew from the project. Brian Kirk and Patty Jenkins were considered to direct the film before Taylor was hired in January 2012. The supporting cast filled out in August 2012, with the hiring of Eccleston, Dennings and Akinnuoye-Agbaje. Principal photography began in September 2012 in Surrey, England with filming continuing in Iceland and London, before wrapping up in December 2012. Like the first film, Thor: The Dark World will be converted to 3D in post-production.
Thor: The Dark World is scheduled to be released on November 8, 2013.
Premise for Thor: The Dark World (2013)
Set one year after The Avengers, Thor battles to save all the Nine Realms from a mysterious enemy older than the universe itself. A primeval race led by Malekith, who is out for revenge, intends to plunge the universe into darkness. Confronted by an enemy that even Odin and Asgard cannot overcome, Thor must reunite with Jane Foster and set out on a dangerous journey that will force him to make the ultimate sacrifice.
Set one year after The Avengers, Thor battles to save all the Nine Realms from a mysterious enemy older than the universe itself. A primeval race led by Malekith, who is out for revenge, intends to plunge the universe into darkness. Confronted by an enemy that even Odin and Asgard cannot overcome, Thor must reunite with Jane Foster and set out on a dangerous journey that will force him to make the ultimate sacrifice.
by The Centurion January 26, 2013