Definitions by The Centurion
Marvel Mangaverse
The Marvel Mangaverse is a series of comic books published by Marvel Comics from 2000 to 2002, with a sequel "New Mangaverse" released in late 2005 and early 2006.
The series depicts an alternate (or possibly two alternates, see below) Marvel universe, its characters drawn and portrayed in a Manga-like style. Three volumes were published for the series, two of which were connected by a continuing story arc with multiple Marvel characters, while the third and fourth series each started a new story and focused on a single character, which were Spider-Man Mangaverse and Jean Grey of an alternate version (apparently) of X-Men Mangaverse.
By 2005, Official Handbook to the Marvel Universe: Alternate Universes 2005 has given the numerical designation of "Marvel Mangaverse" as Earth-2301. The majority of the artwork in the first volume was shared between different artists, each of whom delivered one issue, with book-ends by Ben Dunn, whose work is best known on the comic series Ninja High School. Dunn also did the entirety of the artwork for volume 2 of Mangaverse. The artwork for the five issue miniseries New Mangaverse: The Rings of Fate was done by Tommy Ohtsuka.
The series depicts an alternate (or possibly two alternates, see below) Marvel universe, its characters drawn and portrayed in a Manga-like style. Three volumes were published for the series, two of which were connected by a continuing story arc with multiple Marvel characters, while the third and fourth series each started a new story and focused on a single character, which were Spider-Man Mangaverse and Jean Grey of an alternate version (apparently) of X-Men Mangaverse.
By 2005, Official Handbook to the Marvel Universe: Alternate Universes 2005 has given the numerical designation of "Marvel Mangaverse" as Earth-2301. The majority of the artwork in the first volume was shared between different artists, each of whom delivered one issue, with book-ends by Ben Dunn, whose work is best known on the comic series Ninja High School. Dunn also did the entirety of the artwork for volume 2 of Mangaverse. The artwork for the five issue miniseries New Mangaverse: The Rings of Fate was done by Tommy Ohtsuka.
The Marvel Mangaverse is a series of graphic novels that used Amerime* style art. It was published from 2000 through 2002, and a sequel entitled "New Mangaverse" was published in 2005. The series was ultimatly left open ended, during the "Rings of Fate" story line, and was met with mixed reactions.
*Amerime: distinctive faux manga style characterized by lazy face designs based on decades-old Japanese anime & heavy hybrid American comic book style influences that clash. The end result is that the art looks neither American nor Japanese & the style is generally looked down upon by both comic book & manga readers. A popular example of the style's usage would be the cartoon Avatar: The Last Air Bender.
*Amerime: distinctive faux manga style characterized by lazy face designs based on decades-old Japanese anime & heavy hybrid American comic book style influences that clash. The end result is that the art looks neither American nor Japanese & the style is generally looked down upon by both comic book & manga readers. A popular example of the style's usage would be the cartoon Avatar: The Last Air Bender.
Marvel Mangaverse by The Centurion October 18, 2014
Avengers
The Avengers is a team of superheroes, appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 (Sept. 1963), created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby, following the trend of super-hero teams after the success of DC Comics' Justice League of America.
Labeled Earth's Mightiest Heroes, the Avengers originally consisted of Iron Man, Ant-Man, the Wasp, Thor, and the Hulk. The original Captain America was discovered, trapped in ice (issue #4), and joined the group after they revived him. A rotating roster became a hallmark, although one theme remained consistent: the Avengers fight "the foes no single superhero can withstand." The team, famous for its battle cry of "Avengers Assemble!", has featured humans, mutants, robots, aliens, supernatural beings, and even former villains.
Some of the media based off the team include an animated television series titled The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, which ran for two seasons and received positive acclaim from fans. The 2012 live-action feature film The Avengers, directed by Joss Whedon, set numerous records during its box office run, including the biggest opening debut in North America, with a weekend gross of $207.4 million. A second Avengers film titled Avengers: Age of Ultron is set for release on May 1, 2015.
Labeled Earth's Mightiest Heroes, the Avengers originally consisted of Iron Man, Ant-Man, the Wasp, Thor, and the Hulk. The original Captain America was discovered, trapped in ice (issue #4), and joined the group after they revived him. A rotating roster became a hallmark, although one theme remained consistent: the Avengers fight "the foes no single superhero can withstand." The team, famous for its battle cry of "Avengers Assemble!", has featured humans, mutants, robots, aliens, supernatural beings, and even former villains.
Some of the media based off the team include an animated television series titled The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, which ran for two seasons and received positive acclaim from fans. The 2012 live-action feature film The Avengers, directed by Joss Whedon, set numerous records during its box office run, including the biggest opening debut in North America, with a weekend gross of $207.4 million. A second Avengers film titled Avengers: Age of Ultron is set for release on May 1, 2015.
The Avengers are Earth's foremost major organization of costumed superhuman crimefighters, adventurers and heroes dedicated to safeguarding the world from any threat beyond the power of conventional peacekeeping forces or any which any of them can't handle alone. Founded several months after the incorporation of the hero team Fantastic Four, the Avengers became the first superhuman team to be granted full official government sanctions by the National Security Council of the United States, the General Assembly of the United Nations, and later by the international intelligence/law enforcement agency S.H.I.E.L.D.. Their success has resulted in various splinter-teams and spin-off teams, both nationwide and worldwide, and with different members.
Avengers by The Centurion October 17, 2014
The Avengers
The Avengers (2012) is the culmination of a long term plan by Marvel to bring the Avengers to the big screen. Here are some facts about the film:
1. The first film to gross $200 million in its first three days in the USA.
2. The original Avengers were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and consisted of Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Ant-Man, and Wasp.
3. Joss Whedon explained that two of the founding Avengers members Ant-Man and Wasp were cut from the script because the film had too many characters.
4. In the movie, Captain America is a founding member. In the comics, Captain America was unfrozen in Avengers #4 when he was accidentally discovered when the team was looking for Namor the Sub Mariner.
5. Disney had the film's title changed in the United Kingdom to "Marvel Avengers Assemble" to avoid confusion with the iconic British espionage franchise The Avengers (1961)/The Avengers (1998).
6. Thor vs Hulk: The fight involving Thor and the Hulk in the Avengers is NOT the first time it's happened. The first "live-action" fight happened in the 1988 TV movie, The Incredible Hulk Returns.
7. Edward Norton was originally set to reprise his role from The Incredible Hulk (2008) but negotiations between him and Marvel Studios broke down. Norton was replaced with Mark Ruffalo.
8. This is only the second time that Bruce Banner/Hulk and Thor have appeared together in a movie. They previously appeared together in The Incredible Hulk Returns (1988).
1. The first film to gross $200 million in its first three days in the USA.
2. The original Avengers were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and consisted of Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Ant-Man, and Wasp.
3. Joss Whedon explained that two of the founding Avengers members Ant-Man and Wasp were cut from the script because the film had too many characters.
4. In the movie, Captain America is a founding member. In the comics, Captain America was unfrozen in Avengers #4 when he was accidentally discovered when the team was looking for Namor the Sub Mariner.
5. Disney had the film's title changed in the United Kingdom to "Marvel Avengers Assemble" to avoid confusion with the iconic British espionage franchise The Avengers (1961)/The Avengers (1998).
6. Thor vs Hulk: The fight involving Thor and the Hulk in the Avengers is NOT the first time it's happened. The first "live-action" fight happened in the 1988 TV movie, The Incredible Hulk Returns.
7. Edward Norton was originally set to reprise his role from The Incredible Hulk (2008) but negotiations between him and Marvel Studios broke down. Norton was replaced with Mark Ruffalo.
8. This is only the second time that Bruce Banner/Hulk and Thor have appeared together in a movie. They previously appeared together in The Incredible Hulk Returns (1988).
The Avengers:
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: This is beyond you, metal man! 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, now might be a really 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...
(Iron Man grabs a nuclear missile and routes it to the portal)
Jarvis: Stark, you know that's a one-way trip?
Iron Man: Save the rest for the return, Jay.
(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: This is beyond you, metal man! 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, now might be a really 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...
(Iron Man grabs a nuclear missile and routes it to the portal)
Jarvis: Stark, you know that's a one-way trip?
Iron Man: Save the rest for the return, Jay.
(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.
The Avengers by The Centurion October 15, 2014
The World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply called the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the sport's global governing body. The championship has been awarded every four years since the inaugural tournament in 1930, except in 1942 and 1946 when it was not held because of the Second World War.
The World Cup is the most widely viewed and followed sporting event in the world, exceeding even the Olympic Games; the cumulative audience of all matches of the 2006 FIFA World Cup was estimated to be 26.29 billion with an estimated 715.1 million people watching the final match, a ninth of the entire population of the planet.
The World Cup by The Centurion October 15, 2014
The Black Panther
The Black Panther (T'Challa) is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in publications by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and penciller-co-plotter Jack Kirby, he first appeared in Fantastic Four #52 (July 1966). He is the first black superhero in mainstream American comics, debuting several years before such early African-American superheroes as Marvel Comics' the Falcon, Storm and Luke Cage, and DC Comics' Tyroc, Black Lightning and Green Lantern John Stewart. Black Panther was ranked the 71st greatest comic book character of all time by Wizard magazine. IGN also ranked the Black Panther as the 51st greatest comic book hero.
Upon becoming chief of the Panther Clan and king of Wakanda, T'Challa (the Black Panther) was entitled to eat the ceremonial Wakandan Heart-shaped Herb, which provided him with enhanced strength, endurance, and reflexes. The herb can only be digested by Wakandan Royalty, and acts as a poison to those not of the royal bloodline. The Heart-shaped Herb also heightened T'Challa's senses to superhuman levels. Later blessings from the Panther Goddess elevated his enhanced strength, endurance, and reflexes to superhuman levels.
The Black Panther by The Centurion October 9, 2014
Justice League Dark
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.
Justice League Dark by The Centurion October 9, 2014
Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared fictional universe that is centered on a series of superhero films, independently produced by Marvel Studios and based on characters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics. The franchise has expanded to include comic books, short films, and a television series. The shared universe, much like the original Marvel Universe in comic books, was established by crossing over common plot elements, settings, cast, and characters. Clark Gregg has appeared the most in the franchise, portraying Phil Coulson, an original character to the MCU.
The first film released in the MCU was Iron Man (2008), which began the first phase of films, culminating in Marvel's The Avengers (2012). Phase Two began with Iron Man 3 (2013), and is expected to conclude with Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015). Marvel is also preparing Phase Three, beginning with the release of Ant-Man (2015). The universe began to expand with the release of the first official tie-in comics in 2010, and saw further expansion with the Marvel One-Shots direct-to-video short films in 2011 and the TV series Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. in the 2013–14 season. Marvel has multiple films and television projects in various stages of development.
The franchise as a whole ranks as the second highest-grossing film franchise of all time and has inspired other film studios with comic book character film rights to attempt to create similar shared universes.
The first film released in the MCU was Iron Man (2008), which began the first phase of films, culminating in Marvel's The Avengers (2012). Phase Two began with Iron Man 3 (2013), and is expected to conclude with Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015). Marvel is also preparing Phase Three, beginning with the release of Ant-Man (2015). The universe began to expand with the release of the first official tie-in comics in 2010, and saw further expansion with the Marvel One-Shots direct-to-video short films in 2011 and the TV series Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. in the 2013–14 season. Marvel has multiple films and television projects in various stages of development.
The franchise as a whole ranks as the second highest-grossing film franchise of all time and has inspired other film studios with comic book character film rights to attempt to create similar shared universes.
The following film scene, from Iron Man (2008), is an example of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in action:
after end credits
Tony Stark: arriving home Evening, JARVIS!
Jarvis: voice distorted Welcome home, sir...
Stark stops as he sees a figure in his living room
Nick Fury: "I am Iron Man". You think you're the only superhero in the world? Mr. Stark, you've become part of a bigger universe. You just don't know it yet.
Tony Stark: Who the hell are you?
Nick Fury: Nick Fury. Director of SHIELD.
Tony Stark: Ah.
Nick Fury: I'm here to talk to you about the Avenger Initiative.
after end credits
Tony Stark: arriving home Evening, JARVIS!
Jarvis: voice distorted Welcome home, sir...
Stark stops as he sees a figure in his living room
Nick Fury: "I am Iron Man". You think you're the only superhero in the world? Mr. Stark, you've become part of a bigger universe. You just don't know it yet.
Tony Stark: Who the hell are you?
Nick Fury: Nick Fury. Director of SHIELD.
Tony Stark: Ah.
Nick Fury: I'm here to talk to you about the Avenger Initiative.
Marvel Cinematic Universe by The Centurion October 8, 2014