WHO GROWS UP TO TAKE ON THE MANTLE OF A HERO, NAMED "BLUE ARROW"!
ADVENTURER
CRIMEFIGHTER
ENTREPRENEUR
BUSINESS EXECUTIVE
MAYOR OF STAR CITY
MENTOR TO THREE SIDEKICKS
FATHER TO TWO SONS- WHO ARE NOW SUPER-HEROES.
FRIENDS: HAL JORDAN-GREEN LANTERN
ROY HARPER- "SPEEDY"
AND BATMAN
-GREEN ARROW, ALIAS THE MULTI-BILLIONAIRE BUSINESS MOGUL, OLIVER QUEEN.
HERO, FATHER, AND NOW MARRIED TO LONG TIME GIRLFRIEND & LOVER-"BLACK CANARY"
NIGHTWING A.K.A-"THE ORIGINAL ROBIN"
WINS! HE RE-GAINS BATMAN'S MANTLE (FOR THE SECOND TIME)
AND BECOMES THE NEW "BATMAN"
HE EVENTUALLY HAS A RELATIONSHIP WITH, THE NEW "BATGIRL"
AND HAS HIS FIRST CHILD, A SON-WHO BECOMES THE NEW "ROBIN"!!!
TIM DRAKE "ROBIN"
IS BATTLING FOR HIS RIGHTFUL PLACE TO BECOME THE NEW "BATMAN"
AND RUN HIS FATHER'S CRIMEFIGHTING BUSINESS, BUT IS BEING CHALLENGED BY DAMIAN-THE SON OF BATMAN
AND JASON TODD, WHO BECOMES THE NEW HERO-"RED ROBIN"
MEANWHILE, TIM SECRETLY MARRIES HIS LONGTIME GIRLFRIEND, KNOWN HAS THE VIGILANTE-"SPOILER", AND LATER HAS A SON OF HIS OWN, WHO HE NAMES "RICHARD DRAKE".
NAMED AFTER HIS LONGTIME FRIEND & MENTOR-"THE ORIGINAL ROBIN"/DICK GRAYSON, KNOWN AS "NIGHTWING".
CURRENT UPDATES:
BATMAN'S SON, DAMIAN- WAS CONCIEVED WITH RAS AL GHUL'S BASTARD DAUGHTER-TALIA AL GHUL...
AFTER HIS SON, FAIL TO TAKE HIS PLACE, AND IS KICKED OUT OF BATMAN'S "OUTSIDERS"
THE REAL AQUAMAN RETURNS TO SIER ANOTHER SON, AND RECLAIMS THE THORNE!!!!
TEMPEST (FORMERLY KNOWN AS "AQUALAD") RETURNS TO
THE DC UNIVERSE, AND LATER DIVORCES HIS WIFE, "DOLPHIN"
AND SHE TAKES FULL CUSTODY, OF THIER SON-CERDIAN (WHO LATER BECOMES THE NEW "AQUAMAN", IN THE YEAR 2017)
AQUAMAN'S SON- LEAVES ATLANTIS, AND BECOMES RULER AT ANOTHER PART OF THE SEVEN SEAS.
AQUAMAN IS IN HIDING, MONITORING THE RETURN OF SON SON (ARTHUR JR)
FROM THE DEAD IN THE CHRONICLES (SWORD OF ATLANTIS)
ARTHUR JR -AQUAMAN II, IS REALLY AQUAMAN'S FIRST BORN SON..
WHERE THE DC & MARVEL UNIVERSE COMBINE..
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FEATURING COMIC BOOK HEROES WHO HAVE SONS:
wolverine & mystique- have a son named beast boy
wolverine & lady deathstrike- have a son, named "razor"-who becomes his
sidekick and marries jubilee, and later has a son of his own.
the hulk & she-hulk- have a son named "Skaar", a.k.a kid-hulk
before his death, steve rogers-a.k.a captain america and sharon carter/agent 13- has a son, named rick rogers- who becomes the new "bucky".
the winter soldier, bucky barnes-the new captain america and the russian spy "black widow", have a son- steve barnes. Who one day, takes his father's place as Captain America, and eventually, when he has his son, names him -Bucky.
SUPERMAN & LOIS LANE, HAVE A SON-SAM KENT, WHO LATER BECOMES THE NEW "SUPERBOY"
ALSO A DARK SECRET COMES TO LIGHT, THAT WILL SPLIT LOIS AND CLARK, A LOVE CHILD, A SON CONCIEVED BY SUPERMAN & WONDER WOMAN, WHO WILL BECOME THE ULTIMATE ENEMY TO LEX LUTHOR!!!
SUPERBOY (THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN KILLED-WHILE A MEMBER OF THE TEEN TITANS) COMES BACK!- TO SPLIT THE LOVE TRIANGLE WITH ROBIN & WONDERGIRL.
WONDER GIRL FALL SIN LOVE WITH SUPERBOY, AND EVENTUALLY- THEY HAVE A SON, WHO THEY NAME "KAL".
SUPERGIRL & WONDER GIRL-SOON BECOME BITTER ENEMIES...
BILLY CONNORS BECOMES THE NEW HERO "SPIDER-BOY", AND TEAMS UP WITH SPIDER-WOMAN & THE NEW AVENGERS, LED BY IRONMAN & HIS SON "IRONLAD". BILLY, FALLS IN LOVE WITH PTER PARKER'S DAUGHTER "SPIDER-GIRL", EVENTUALLY THEY HAVE A SON TOO, AND THEY NAME HIM AFTER HER FATHER-PETER CONNORS- WHO YEARS LATER BECOMES THE NEW "SPIDER-MAN"!!!!
BART ALLEN(IMPULSE/NEW KID-FLASH), AND (EX-TITAN HERO) GIRL NAMED TERA, GET INVOLVED, LATER MARRY AND HAVE A SON, NAMED JAY-
WHO BECOMES THE NEW "KID-FLASH"....
CONNOR HAWKE & THE NEW "SPEEDY"(GIRL), BECOME LOVERS AND LATER HAS A SON, WHO THEY NAME AFTER ROY, AND HE GROWS UP TO BECOME THE NEW HERO CALLED "BLACK ARROW".
ROY HARPER & HAWKGIRL, MARRY AND HAVE A SON, WHO GROWS UP TO BECOME THE NEW "HAWKMAN".
THE FLASH SAGA CONTINUES:
THE WORLD SOON DISCOVERS THAT THE ORIGINAL FLASH, BARRY ALLEN, IS NOT DEAD, THAT HE IS ALIVE WITH HIS WIFE IRIS, AND THEIR CHILDREN (BOY AND GIRL). LIVING IN ANOTHER DIMENSION, WATCHING EVERYTHING IN OUR WORLD, AND HAS BEEN LOOKING AFTER WALLY WEST(KID-FLASH/NOW THE FLASH) ALL THIS TIME. AND DECIDES TO COME BACK TO OUR WORLD TO RESCUE WALLY AND HIS TWO CHILDREN (BOY AND GIRL-WHO ARE GENETICALLY, IN CONSTANT TROUBLE), CONCIEVED WITH HIS LONGTIME GIRLFRIEND, LINDA.
JAI -WALLY WEST'S SON, AND IRIS, HIS DAUGHTER-BECOMES HEROES OF THEIR OWN AND TAKE THEIR FATHER'S PLACE...
(UNKNOWN TO BOTH OF THEM)-GREEN LANTERN, HAL JORDAN'S SON IS REALLY KYLE RYNER A.K.A "ION", AND FORMERLY KNOWN AS "GREEN LANTERN". EVENTUALLY THEY DISCOVER THE TRUTH BY HIS LONG LOST LOVE, WHEN HE FIRST BECAME THE GREEN LANTERN.
GREEN ARROW'S SON- CONNOR HAWKE, JOINS THE JUSTICE LEAGUE, FIGHTING ALONG SIDE ROY HARPER (SPEEDY), NOW CALLED THE "RED ARROW".
COMIC BOOK UPDATES CONTINUED:
KORAK, THE SON OF AQUAMAN AND A ESKIMO WOMAN-TRIES AGAIN TO TAKE THE THROWN, AND WHEN HE IS DEFEATED BY CERDIAN (AQUALAD'S SON) AND AQUAMAN. HE JOINES FORCES, THE THE NEW LEGION OF DOOM, LEAD BY BLACK MANTA'S SON (WHO BECOMES THE NEW VILLIAN CALLED "DEVIL RAY").
BATMAN AND TALIA AL GHUL, HAD A SON-NAMED DAMIEN, WHO EVENTUALLY REPLACES TIM DRAKE AS THE NEW ROBIN..
TIM DRAKE (ROBIN) AND GIRLFRIEND-"SPOILER", HAVE A SON, AND NAME HIM RICHARD DRAKE, WHILE TIM BECOMES THE NEW "BATMAN", AND REPLACES BRUCE WAYNE.
JASON TODD (FORMALLY KNOWN AS THE RED HOOD) BECOMES THE LEGENDARY HERO-"RED ROBIN"-WITH DONNA TROY, CONCIEVE A SON, WHO THEY NAME- JOSHUA TODD.
The saga of aquaman continues, after the "sword of atlantis" story, this substitute aquaman appeared in batman's "outsiders", and was kicked of the team. aquaman II, was really the original aquaman's long lost son-arthur jr!!
aquaman, family and friends-are alive and well. Trapped in limbo in the dc universe, the real aquaman is set to make a huge comback, with the help of legendary writers: Vic Beckles & Matt Gagston
Aquaman and Mera will re-marry, and have another son-arthur III, who will eventually become aquaman's new sidekick-aqualad..
Tempest(Garth/Original Aqualad) and Woman, named Dolphin- had a Son, named Cerdian- He is older now, and decides to follow his father's footsteps, and becomes a hero all his own-with his father's powers, becomes a hero known as "Fusion".
tempest and dolphin divorce, and garth hooks up with the new aquagirl, and they become lovers, and eventually, Garth has another son.
bothe aquaman and his son aquman II, discover that his being brought back to life was a conspiracy lead by Black Manta & Lex Luthor. With Luthor's help Manta, becomes human again, concieves a son of his own, and clones aquaman and his sons.
Black Manta, manipulates Luthor into giving him all his money and his power, and eventually takes his place, as the ultimate DC Universe Mastermind. And his son grows up the same hate and desire to kill aquaman..
Main article:
Alternate versions of Wolverine
As one of Marvel's flagship characters, Wolverine has seen many adaptations and re-imaginings. For example, an issue of Exiles featured a planet of Wolverines. In the Marvel Mangaverse, Wolverine is even the founder of the X-Men. In Marvel Zombies, Wolverine appears zombified alongside Marvel's other major players. The Ultimate Marvel line of comics sought to ingrain Wolverine into its Ultimate X-Men title from the onset. The latest alternate version is seen in the Old Man Logan storyline set in an alternate timeline 50 years into the future where the world's superhuman heroes are dead. In this timeline, Wolverine has aged considerably and has become a pacifist. The story is currently ongoing.
[
edit] In other media
Main article:
Wolverine in other media
Wolverine is the only X-Men character to be included in every media adaptation of the X-Men franchise, including film, television, computer and video games, and is the only one to have starred in his own video games (e.g., X2: Wolverine's Revenge).
Marvel Studios announced that an X-Men spin-off movie based on Wolverine, titled X-Men Origins: Wolverine, will have Hugh Jackman to reprise his role as Wolverine. Gavin Hood will be directing the film, which is due to be released worldwide on May 1, 2009. Troye Mellet will play the young Wolverine.[67] In the game Marvel Ultimate Alliance Wolverine stars as one of the four main heroes, with the others being Spider-Man, Captain America, and Thor respectively. He is also a playable character in the games X-Men Legends I & II.
[
edit] Bibliography
Main Series (in chronological order):
The Incredible Hulk
(Vol. 1) #180-182 (Oct. 1974- Dec. 1974)
Giant-Size X-Men #1 (May 1975)
Uncanny X-Men #94-Present
Wolverine (Vol. 1) #1-4 (Sept.-Dec, 1982)
Kitty Pryde and Wolverine
#1-6 (Nov. 1984-April 1985)
Wolverine (Vol. 2) #1-189 (Nov. 1988-July 2003)
Marvel Comics Presents (Vol. 1) #1-10, 39-142, 150-155
Origin
#1-6 (Nov. 2001 - July 2002)
Wolverine: Origins
#1-present (July 2006 - present)
Wolverine (Vol. 3) #1-present (July 2003 - present)
Astonishing X-Men
(Vol. 1) #3 (May 1995)
Astonishing X-Men
(Vol. 2) #1-3 (Sept. - Nov. 1999)
Astonishing X-Men
(Vol. 3) #1-present (May 2004- present)
Weapon X
(Vol. 1) #1-4 (Mar.- June 1995)
Weapon X
(Vol.2) #1-28
X-men
(Vol. 2) 1-present
New Avengers
#4-present (March 2005-present)
X-Force
(Vol. 3) #1-Present (Feb 2008-present)
Wolverine: First Class
#1-present (Mar. 2008-pesent
The Flash is a name shared by several fictional comic book
superheroes from the DC Comics universe. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in Flash Comics #1 (1940).[3]
Once nicknamed the Scarlet Speedster, all incarnations of the Flash possess "
super-speed", which includes the ability to run and move extremely fast, use superhuman reflexes and seemingly violate certain laws of physics. Thus far, four different characters, each of whom somehow gained the power of "super-speed", have assumed the identity of the Flash: Jay Garrick (1940-), Barry Allen (1956-1985, 2008-), Wally West (1986-2006, 2007-), and Bart Allen (2006-2007).
The second incarnation of the Flash,
Barry Allen, is generally considered the first hero of the Silver Age of comic books and the superhero has remained one of DC‘s most popular ever since. Each version of the Flash has been a key member of either the Justice Society of America or the Justice League, DC’s all-star teams. Wally West has recently rejoined the Justice League, and Barry Allen recently returned to life in the pages of Final Crisis.
The Barry Allen version of the character (with Wally West elements) was featured in
a live action television series in 1990, starring John Wesley Shipp. The Wally West version of the Flash (but with many elements of Barry Allen's story) is featured in the animated series Justice League.
Golden Age
The Flash
first appeared in the Golden Age Flash Comics #1 (Jan. 1940), from All-American Publications, one of three companies that would eventually merge to form DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, this Flash was Jay Garrick, a college student who gained his speed through the inhalation of hard water vapors (later retconned into heavy water vapors), and who wore a winged metal helmet reminiscent of the mythological Greek god Hermes.[3] He is notable as the first super-speedster in comics, and one of the first to have a single super-power as opposed to multi-powered heroes such as Superman.
Jay Garrick was a popular character in the 1940s, supporting both Flash Comics and All-Flash Quarterly (later published bi-monthly as simply All-Flash); co-starring in
Comic Cavalcade; and being a charter member of the Justice Society of America, the first superhero team, whose adventures ran in All Star Comics. With superheroes' post-war decline in popularity, Flash Comics was canceled with issue #104 (1949). The Justice Society's final Golden Age story ran in All Star Comics #57 (1951; the title itself continued, as All Star Western).
[edit
] Silver Age
In 1956, DC Comics successfully revived superheroes, ushering in what became known as the Silver Age of comic books. Rather than bringing back the same Golden Age heroes, as Atlas Comics, the 1950s precursor of Marvel Comics, unsuccessfully tried to do, DC reimagined them as new characters for the modern age. The Flash was the first revival, in the aptly named tryout comic book Showcase #4 (Oct. 1956).
This new Flash was Barry Allen, a police scientist who gained super-speed when bathed by chemicals after a shelf of them was struck by lightning. He adopted the name The Flash after reading a comic book featuring the Golden Age Flash.[3] After several more appearances in Showcase, Allen's character was given his own title, The Flash, the first issue of which was #105 (resuming where Flash Comics had left off).
The Silver Age Flash proved popular enough that several other Golden Age heroes were revived in new incarnations. A new superhero team, the Justice League of America, was also created, with the Flash as a charter member.
[
edit] "The Flashes of Two Worlds"
The Flash also introduced a much-imitated plot device into superhero comics when it was revealed that Garrick and Allen existed on fictional parallel worlds. Their powers allowed them to cross the dimensional boundary between worlds, and the men became good friends. Flash of Two Worlds (The Flash (vol. 1) #123) was the first crossover in which a Golden Age character met a Silver Age character. Soon, there were crossovers between the entire Justice League and the Justice Society; their respective teams began an annual get-together which endured from the early 1960s until the mid-1980s.
Allen's adventures continued in his own title until the advent of Crisis on Infinite Earths. The Flash ended as a series with issue #350. Allen's life had become considerably confused in the early 1980s, and DC elected to end his adventures and pass the mantle on to another character. Allen died heroically in Crisis on Infinite Earths #8 (1985). Thanks to his ability to travel through time, he would continue to appear occasionally in the years to come.
[
edit] Modern Age
The third Flash was Wally West, introduced in The Flash (vol. 1) #110 (Dec. 1959) as Kid Flash. West, Allen's nephew by marriage, gained the Flash's powers through an accident identical to Allen's. Adopting the identity of Kid Flash, he maintained membership in the Teen Titans for years. Following Allen's death, West adopted the Flash identity in Crisis on Infinite Earths #12 and was given his own series, beginning with The Flash (vol. 2) #1 in 1987.[3] Many issues began with the catchphrase: "My name is Wally West. I'm the fastest man alive."
Due to the Infinite Crisis miniseries and the "One Year Later" jump in time in the DC Universe, DC canceled The Flash (vol. 2) in January 2006 at #230. A new series, The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive, began on June 21, 2006. The initial story arc of this series, written by Danny Bilson and Paul De Meo with art by Ken Lashley, focused on Bart Allen's acceptance of the role of the Flash.
Flash: Fastest Man Alive
was canceled with issue #13. In its place The Flash (vol. 2) was revived with issue #231, with Mark Waid and Vic “The Iceman” Beckles, as the initial writer. Waid also wrote All-Flash #1, which acted as a bridge between the two series.[4] DC had solicited Flash: Fastest Man Alive through issue #15. All Flash #1 replaced issue #14 and The Flash (vol. 2) #231 replaced issue #15 in title and interior creative team only. The covers and cover artists were as solicited by DC, and the information text released was devoid of any plot information.[5][6]
In
2009, Barry Allen will make a full fledged return to the DCU-proper in The Flash: Rebirth, a six-issue miniseries by Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver.[7]
[
edit] Fictional biographies
While several other individuals have used the name Flash, these have lived either on other parallel worlds, or in the future. Garrick, Allen and West are the best-known exemplars of the identity.
[
edit] Jay Garrick
Main article:
Flash (Jay Garrick)
Jason Peter "Jay" Garrick was a college student in January 1940 who accidentally inhaled heavy water vapors after falling asleep in his laboratory where he had been smoking. As a result, he found that he could run at superhuman speed and had similarly fast reflexes. After a brief career as a college football star, he donned a red shirt with a lightning bolt and a stylized metal helmet with wings (based on images of the Greek
deity Hermes), and began to fight crime as the Flash. His first case involved battling the "Faultless Four", a group of blackmailers. Jay kept his identity secret for years without a mask by continually vibrating his body while in public so that any photograph of his face would be blurred. Although originally from Earth-Two, he was incorporated into the history of New Earth following the Crisis on Infinite Earths and is still active as the Flash operating out of Keystone City. He is a member of the Justice Society.
[
edit] Barry Allen
Main article:
Flash (Barry Allen)
Bartholomew Henry "Barry" Allen was a
police scientist with a reputation for being very slow, deliberate, and frequently late, which frustrated his fiancée, Iris West. One night, as he was preparing to leave work, a lightning bolt shattered a case full of chemicals and spilled them all over Allen. As a result, Allen found that he could run extremely fast and had matching reflexes. He donned a set of red tights sporting a lightning bolt (reminiscent of the original), dubbed himself the Flash (after his childhood hero in the comic books, Jay Garrick), and became a crime fighter. In his civilian identity, he stored the costume compressed in a special ring via the use of a special gas that could compress cloth fibers to a very small fraction of their normal size.
[
edit] Wally West
Main article:
Wally West
Wallace Rudolph West was the nephew of Iris West and Barry Allen by marriage, and was introduced in The Flash (vol. 1) #110 (1959). When West was about ten years old, he was visiting his uncle's
police laboratory, and the freak accident that gave Allen his powers repeated itself, bathing West in electrically charged chemicals. Now possessing the same powers as his uncle, West donned a copy of his uncle's outfit and became the young crime fighter Kid Flash. After the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths, where Barry Allen was killed, Wally took over as the fastest man alive. Though initially powered down as a result of events in "Crisis", Wally is now arguably more powerful than his predecessor. Following the events of Infinite Crisis, Wally, his wife Linda, and their twins left Earth for an unknown dimension. Wally, his wife and twins were pulled back from the Speed Force by the Legion of Super-Heroes.[8] This set the stage for Wally West's return as the Flash after the events of The Flash: Fastest Man Alive #13 (see Bart Allen), in All Flash #1, and with The Flash (vol. 2) series, which resumed with issue #231 in August 2007.
[
edit] Bart Allen
Main article:
Bart Allen
Bartholomew Henry "Bart" Allen II was the grandson of Barry Allen and his wife Iris. Bart suffered from accelerated aging and, as a result, was raised in a virtual reality machine until Iris took him back in time in order to get help from the then-current Flash, Wally West. With Wally's help, Bart's aging slowed and he took the name Impulse. After he was shot in the kneecap by
Deathstroke, Bart changed both his attitude and his costume, taking the mantle of Kid Flash. During the events of Infinite Crisis, the Speed Force vanished, taking with it all the speedsters save Jay Garrick. Bart returned, four years older, and for a year claimed that he was depowered from the event. However, the Speed Force had not disappeared completely, but had been absorbed into Bart's body; essentially, he now contained all of the Speed Force. Bart's costume is Barry Allen's cloned Flash suit in the form of Wally West's suit. Bart Allen was recently killed by the Rogues in the 13th and final issue of The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive.
Others to carry the mantle of the Flash
When
Manfred Mota resurfaced in the 27th century, John Fox, a tachyon scientist, traveled back in time to gain aid from the three Flashes who had defeated Manfred before. He failed to make contact, but the time travel left him with superspeed.[3] He used a combination of various previous Flash costumes to create his own costume. After defeating Mota, he was sidelined by the invention of Speed Metal. He began searching the timestream for a time where he could belong, briefly replacing a time-displaced Wally West in the 20th century before finally settling in the year 85,265 where he joined the Justice Legion. In issue #2 of the 2007 Booster Gold series, there is a panel depicting Dr. Thirteen's group breaking the fourth wall by complaining about the Architects' only using popular "fellows" in new comics; John Fox was mentioned by name.
Blaine and his son lived on the colony world of Petrus in the 28th century. In an attempt to end the Allen blood line, Cobalt Blue injected Allen's son Jace with a virus. Lacking super speed, Jace was unable to shake off the virus. In despair, Blaine took his son to the Speed Force in the hopes that it would accept him. It took Blaine instead, and gave super speed to Jace so that he could shake off the sickness.
[
edit] Jace Allen
Jace Allen gained superspeed when his father brought him into the Speed Force to attempt to cure him of a virus injected into his body by Cobalt Blue in an attempt to end the Allen bloodline. In memory of his father, Jace took up the mantle of the Flash and continued the feud against Cobalt Blue.
[
edit] Kryad
After an alien creature invaded Earth, a history buff named Kryad traveled back in time from the 98th Century to acquire a GL power ring. He failed, so he tried to capture the Flash's speed instead. After being beaten by Barry Allen (The Flash (vol. 1) #309, May 1982), he went back further in time and used the chemicals from the clothes Barry Allen was wearing when he gained his powers. Kryad gave his life to defeat the alien creature
All incarnations of the Flash can move, think, react at superhuman speeds, and vibrate so fast that they can walk through walls. Furthermore, all members have an invisible aura around their bodies that prevents themselves and their clothes from being affected by air friction as they move at high speed.
On several occasions, the Flash has been shown in various races against Superman to determine which one is faster (or as part of a mutual effort to thwart some type of threat); these races, however, often resulted in ties because of outside circumstances. However, after the DC Universe revision after Crisis on Infinite Earths, The Flash does successfully beat Superman in a race in Adventures of Superman #463 with the explanation that Superman is unused to running at high speed for extended periods of time since flying is more versatile and less strenuous, which means the far more practiced Flash has the advantage.
Speedsters may at times use the ability to speed-read at incredible rates and in doing so, process vast amounts of information. Whatever knowledge they acquire in this manner is usually temporary (Bart Allen seems to be the exception, though in earlier years, Max Mercury believed that Bart's speed learning would not stick).
Flashes and other super-speedsters also have the ability to speak to one another at a highly accelerated rate. This is often done to have private conversations in front of non-fast people (as when Flash speaks to Superman about his ability to serve both the Titans and the JLA in The Titans #2). Speed-talking is also sometimes used for comedic effect where Flash becomes so excited that he begins talking faster and faster until his words become a jumble of noise (Wally West once became so surprised that he generated a small sonic boom with his voice).
It was during this period that the most famous Green Arrow story appeared, in Green Lantern vol. 2, #85-86, when it was revealed that Green Arrow's ward Speedy was addicted to heroin.[1] In his zeal to save America, Oliver Queen had failed in his personal responsibility to Speedy — who would overcome his addiction with the help of Black Canary, Green Arrow's then-love interest. This story prompted a congratulatory letter from the mayor of New York, John Lindsay. Unfortunately, the series did not match commercial expectations, perhaps because of its mature topics, and Neal Adams had trouble with deadlines, causing issue #88 to be an unscheduled reprint issue; the series was cancelled with issue #89 (April-May 1972).
The duo were moved to the back-up feature in The Flash, issues #217 through #219. The socially-relevant themes would continue, as the story opens with Ollie killing a criminal (albeit accidentally). Ollie shed himself of the remaining trappings of his super-heroic life (including crashing the Arrowplane into a mountain) and withdrew to an ashram monastery. He would find no peace there, and returned to the outside world at the request of Hal and Dinah. This storyline would prove very important to the character in the 1990s. After this three-part story, Green Lantern continued as a solo back-up in The Flash, while Green Arrow's solo stories began appearing in Action Comics.
In 1976, the Green Lantern title was re-launched starring both Hal Jordan and Ollie Queen, and the Green Arrow/Green Lantern partnership returned to more traditional superhero storylines. stories were frequently written by Elliot S! Maggin.
In his solo series, Oliver Queen would land a job as a newspaper columnist, which allowed him to articulate his political beliefs in a more public field. In World's Finest #255 (1979), Queen ran for Mayor of Star City and lost in a close vote. Although there was reason to believe that the election had been fixed against him, Black Canary chose for him not to contest the results legally, effectively ceding the race to his opponent.
In May through August 1983, Green Arrow appeared for the first time in his own comic book (Green Arrow vol. 1), a four issue limited series of murder and betrayal that established potential for a full series. It was in this miniseries that Green Arrow would gain a running rivalry with the super villain Count Vertigo.
Once Grell left the series, DC almost immediately began restoring Green Arrow to the mainstream DC Universe. His ongoing series (mostly written by Kelley Puckett and drawn by artist Jim Aparo) was removed from the "Mature Audience" line (which had evolved into "Vertigo"), and Green Arrow began appearing in various super-hero titles as a guest, most notably Green Lantern #47, which had Oliver aiding Green Lantern in rescuing his longtime girlfriend Carol Ferris and her family from one of Hal's enemies, and the 1994 DC Comics mini-series "Zero Hour." In "Zero Hour," Queen is forced to shoot his old friend at a pivotal moment. Now tightly integrated in the DC universe, the character Connor Hawke was introduced and revealed as Oliver Queen's son.
In Green Arrow vol. 2, #100-101, Queen would infiltrate a group of eco-terrorists known as the Eden Corps and sacrifice his life in order to prevent the group from detonating a bomb that would destroy the city of Metropolis.[1] This allowed the writers to shake up the status quo by making Connor Hawke a replacement Green Arrow. The series, now written by Chuck Dixon, would continue, with Hawke as the main focus until issue #137, when the series was cancelled.
In 2000, Oliver Queen is revived in a new series, Green Arrow (vol. 3) in the story arc "Quiver," written by Kevin Smith and illustrated by Phil Hester and Ande Parks. Picking up the thread from "The Final Night", Smith reveals that Hal's resurrection of Oliver was a flawed one, in that Hal opted to resurrect Oliver in a form that had no memory of the events of "The Longbow Hunters" mini-series or of the subsequent events that followed, up until his death. His resurrection is used by the grandfather of Stanley Dover in an attempt to gain power over Stanley's monster. At the climax of the story, Queen's soul returns from heaven (his earthly duplicate not possessing a soul), and helps his son Connor Hawke fight a horde of demons. Dover is defeated and actually consumed by the Beast, who then leaves of his own accord. Queen also finds himself independently wealthy again, as Dover had transferred all his financial assets to Queen in anticipation of taking over his body. He also picked up a new sidekick, Mia Dearden, who would become the new Speedy, under Oliver's tutoring.[4]
After the resurrection storyline, Smith wrote a second and shorter arc involving a super-powered serial killer named Onomatopoeia that sought to claim Connor Hawke as his latest victim. Smith then left the title, and Brad Meltzer took over as writer. Meltzer went on to write the mini-series "Identity Crisis", which heavily featured Green Arrow as one of the story's main characters.
Meltzer's single storyline for Green Arrow featured Oliver and former sidekick Roy Harper reuniting and going on a cross-country road trip to pick up old possessions of Oliver's, most notably a spare Green Lantern power ring entrusted to him by Hal Jordan many years earlier. The story also revealed that Oliver knew all along that Connor Hawke was his son and was even present at his birth, but that Oliver ultimately abandoned Connor and his mother, because of his fear of the responsibilities of fatherhood. Meltzer's storyline would continue into the mini-series Green Lantern: Rebirth, which featured Oliver's attempts to use the ring.
During this time, the character also appeared in a number of other titles, such as the Justice League and Justice League Elite. This series is notable for showing a brief affair with Dawn, the wife of the team's magical expert Manitou Raven
OLIVER'S NEW SIDEKICK "THE NEW SPEEDY", AN ORPHAN AND BASTARD DAUGHTER OF THE VILLIAN "DOCTOR LIGHT"(2008-2009), FALLS IN LOVE WITH CONNOR (OLIVER'S FIRST SON BY A BLACK WOMAN)-THEY CONCIEVE A SON OF THEIR OWN, AND NAME HIM "ROY" IN 2014.
THE RELATIONSHIP WAS KEPT SECRET FROM GREEN ARROW.
MEANWHILE A LOVE AFFAIR BREWS WITH TWO JLA MEMBERS: ROY HARPER "RED ARROW" & HAWKGIRL. THEY MARRY, AND HAVE A SON, WHO YEARS LATER BECOMES THE NEW "HAWKMAN"!
SIDEKICK "SPEEDY", ROY HARPER- NOW A RENOWN HERO CALLED "ARSENAL/RED ARROW" FIGHTING ALONGSIDE SUPERMAN & THE JUSTICE LEAGUE.
OLIVER QUEEN'S SONS: CONNOR HAWKE "GREEN ARROW II", AND HIS NEW SON (2013)-BY HIS WIFE, OLIVER QUEEN, JR.
Main article:
Fictional history of Wolverine
As shown in the limited series
Origin, the character known as Wolverine was born in 19th century Canada to rich plantation owners as James Howlett. He grows into manhood on a mining colony in Northern Alberta, adopting the name "Logan."[15] Logan leaves the colony and lives for a time in the wilderness among wolves, until returning to civilization, residing with the Blackfoot Indians. Following the death of his Blackfoot paramour, Silver Fox, he is ushered into a Canadian military unit. Logan then spends some time in Madripoor, before settling in Japan, where he marries and has a son.
During
World War II, Logan teams with Captain America and continues a career as a soldier-of-fortune/adventurer. Logan works for the First Canadian Parachute Battalion[16] and the CIA before being recruited by Team X, a black ops unit.
As a member of Team X, Logan is given false memory implants. He continues on the team, until he is able to break free of the mental control and joins the Canadian Defense Ministry. Logan is subsequently kidnapped by
Weapon X, where he remains captive and experimented on, until he escapes, as shown in Barry Windsor-Smith's "Weapon X" storyline which ran in Marvel Comics Presents. It is during his imprisonment by Weapon X that he has unbreakable adamantium forcibly fused into his bones.
Logan is eventually discovered by
James and Heather Hudson, who help him recover his humanity. Following his recovery, Logan, this time under the supervision of Department H, once again works for Canadian Intelligence. Logan becomes Wolverine, one of Canada's first superheroes. In his first mission, he is dispatched to stop the destruction caused by a brawl between the Hulk and the Wendigo.
Professor X recruits Wolverine to a new team of X-Men.[17] Disillusioned with his Canadian intelligence work and intrigued by Xavier's offer, Logan resigns from Department H. It was later revealed, however, that Professor X had wiped Logan's memories and forced him to join the X-Men after Wolverine was sent on an assassination attempt to kill Xavier. [18]
In X-Men #25 (1993), at the culmination of the "
Fatal Attractions" crossover, the supervillain Magneto forcibly removes the adamantium from Wolverine's skeleton. This massive trauma causes his healing factor to burn out and also leads to the discovery that his claws are actually bone. Wolverine leaves the X-Men for a time, embarking on a series of adventures during which his healing factor returns, greatly increased in speed and efficiency. After his return to the X-Men, Cable's son Genesis kidnaps Wolverine and attempts to re-bond adamantium to his skeleton.[19] This is unsuccessful and causes Wolverine's mutation to accelerate out of control. He is temporarily changed into a semi-sentient beast-like form in which he gains greater physical power than ever before, at the price of part of his humanity. Eventually, the villain Apocalypse captures Wolverine, brainwashes him, and has the adamantium re-bonded to his skeleton successfully. Wolverine overcomes Apocalypse's programming and returns to the X-Men.
In 2005, author
Brian Michael Bendis had Wolverine join the Avengers. After the event mini-series House of M, Wolverine regains his memories and prepares to seek out and enact vengeance on those who wronged him. In Wolverine: Origins, the character's second solo series, Wolverine discovers that he has a son named Daken who has been brainwashed and made a living weapon by the villain Romulus, the man behind Wolverine's own brainwashing. Wolverine then makes it his mission to rescue Daken and stop Romulus from manipulating or harming anyone again.
[
edit] Powers and abilities
Wolverine is a mutant with a number of both natural and artificial improvements to his physiology. His primary mutant power is an accelerated healing process, typically referred to as his mutant healing factor, that regenerates damaged or destroyed areas of his body far beyond the capabilities of an ordinary human. This power facilitated the artificial improvements he was subjected to under the Weapon X program, in which his skeleton was reinforced with the nearly-indestructible material called adamantium.
Depictions of the speed and extent of injury to which Wolverine can heal vary. Originally, this was portrayed as accelerated healing of minor wounds,[20] but writers have steadily increased this ability over the years. After several years, Wolverine's healing factor was depicted as healing severe wounds within a matter of days or hours.[21][22] Other writers went on to increase Wolverine's healing factor the point that it could fully regenerate nearly any damaged or destroyed bodily tissues.[23][24][25] One of the more extreme examples of Wolverine's healing factor shows the total regeneration of his soft body tissue, within a matter of minutes, after having it incinerated from his skeleton.[26] It has been stated in the Xavier Protocols, a series of profiles created by Xavier that lists the strengths and weaknesses of the X-Men, that Wolverine's healing factor is increased to "incredible levels" and that the only way to stop him is to decapitate him and remove his head from the vicinity of his body.[27] It was also noted that the only thing that was able to slow his healing ability was carbonadium.[28] His healing factor also dramatically slows his aging process despite being born in the late 1800s,[29] he has the appearance and vitality of a man in his physical prime. Though he now has all of his memories, his healing abilities can provide increased recovery from psychological trauma by suppressing memories in which he experiences profound duress.[30]
In addition to accelerated healing of physical traumas, Wolverine's healing factor makes him extraordinarily resistant to diseases, drugs, and toxins. However, he still suffers the immediate effects of such substances; he has been shown to become intoxicated after significant dosages of alcoholic beverages,
[31] and has been incapacitated on several occasions with drugs and poisons.[32] Although his body heals, the healing factor doesn't suppress the pain he endures while injured.[33]
Wolverine's mutation also consists of animal-like adaptations of his body, including pronounced canines and three retractable claws housed within each forearm. While originally depicted as bionic implants created by the Weapon X program,
[34] the claws are later revealed to be a natural part of his body.[35] The claws are not made of keratin, as claws tend to be in the animal kingdom, but extremely dense bone, and can cut substances as durable as most metals, wood, and some varieties of stone.[36] Wolverine's hands do not have openings for the claws to move through: they cut through his flesh every time he extrudes them.[37]
Wolverine's entire skeleton, including his claws, is molecularly infused with adamantium. Due to their coating, his claws can cut almost any known solid material. The only known exceptions are adamantium itself and
Captain America's shield, which is composed of the only substance in the Marvel Universe known to be even more durable than adamantium. Wolverine's ability to slice completely through a substance depends upon both the amount of force he can exert and the thickness of the substance. The adamantium also weights his blows, dramatically increasing the effectiveness of his offensive capabilities.
Wolverine's healing factor also affects a number of his physical attributes by increasing them to superhuman levels. His stamina is sufficiently heightened to the point he can exert himself for numerous hours, even after exposure to powerful tranquilizers.
[38] Wolverine's agility and reflexes are also enhanced to levels that are beyond the physical limits of the finest human athlete.[39] Due to his healing factor's constant regenerative qualities, he can push his muscles beyond the limits of the human body without injury.[40] This, coupled by the constant demand placed on his muscles by over one hundred pounds of adamantium,[41] grants him some degree of superhuman strength. Since the presence of the adamantium negates the natural structural limits of his bones, he can lift or move weight that would otherwise damage a human skeleton.[42] He has been depicted breaking steel chains,[43][44] lifting several men above his head with one arm and throwing them through a wall[40] and lifting Ursa Major over his head before tossing him across a room.[45]
Wolverine's senses of sight, smell, and hearing are all superhumanly acute. He can see with perfect clarity at greater distances than an ordinary human, even in near-total darkness. His hearing is enhanced in a similar manner, allowing him to both hear sounds ordinary humans can't and also hear to greater distances. Wolverine is able to use his sense of smell to track targets by scent, even if the scent has been eroded somewhat over time by natural factors. This sense also allows him to identify
shapeshifting mutants despite other forms they may take.[46]
Due to high level
psionic shields implanted by Professor Charles Xavier, Wolverine's mind is highly resistant to telepathic assault and probing.[47] Wolverine's mind also possesses what he refers to as "psychic scar tissue" created by so many traumatic events over the course of his life. It acts as a type of natural defense, even against a telepath as powerful as Emma Frost.[48]
[
edit] Skills and personality
During his time in Japan and other countries, Wolverine becomes an expert of virtually all forms of martial arts and is familiar with and experienced in virtually every fighting style on Earth. He is proficient with most weaponry, including firearms, though he is partial to bladed weapons. He has demonstrated sufficient skills to defeat the likes of Shang-Chi[49] and Captain America[50] in single combat. He also has a wide knowledge of the body and pressure points.[51] He is also an accomplished pilot and highly skilled in the field of espionage and covert operations.
Wolverine will sometimes lapse into a "berserker rage" while in close combat. In this state he lashes out with the intensity and aggression of an enraged animal and is even more resistant to psionic attack.[52] Though he loathes it, he acknowledges that it has saved his life many times. Despite his apparent ease at taking lives, he does not enjoy killing or giving into his berserker rages. Logan adheres to a firm code of personal honor and morality.[53]
In contrast to his brutish nature, Wolverine is actually extremely intelligent. Due to his increased lifespan, he has traveled the world and amassed extensive knowledge of foreign languages and cultures. He can speak
English, Japanese, Russian, Chinese, Cheyenne, Spanish, Arabic, and Lakota; he also has some knowledge of French, Thai, Vietnamese, German, Italian and Portuguese.[54] When Forge monitors Wolverine's vitals during a Danger Room training session, he calls Logan's physical and mental state "equivalent of an Olympic-level gymnast performing a gold medal routine while simultaneously beating four chess computers in his head."[55]
Wolverine is frequently depicted as a gruff
loner, often taking leave from the X-Men to deal with personal issues or problems. He is often irreverent and rebellious towards authority figures, though he is a reliable ally and capable leader. He has been a mentor and father figure to several younger women, especially Jubilee and Kitty Pryde, and has had romantic relationships with numerous women (most notably Mariko Yashida[56]), as well as a mutual but unrequited attraction to Jean Grey, leading to jealous run-ins with her boyfriend (later husband), Scott Summers.
Though he is a skilled combatant, Wolverine is frequently depicted entering combat situations in which he willingly allows himself to sustain injuries that would permanently cripple or kill those without sufficiently enhanced healing capabilities. In such situations, he relies on his healing factor and adamantium skeleton to handle the damage.
[57][58] He is also depicted on occasion deliberately injuring himself or allowing himself to be injured for varying reasons including freeing himself from capture,[59] intimidation,[60] strategy,[61] or simply indulging his feral nature.[62][63][64] Despite having an almost superhuman pain tolerance, he does not enjoy being hurt and sometimes has to work himself up for situations where extreme pain is certain.[65][66]
[
edit] Other versions
Hi, My name is Frank “The Tank” Beckles
I’m a Doctor and Professor of Theological & Historical Studies, at a Private School in Augusta, GA.
I like the storylines and graphics- it’s cool..
BACKGROUND:1991-1993 I helped create comic book characters, and written stories for Impact Comics
And in 1994-1996 worked for Topps Comics/1999-2001, I worked for Ultraverse Comics (A Online Comic Publishing Company, I started up with comic book writer Matt Choinaire)
Meanwhile; I written letters and editorials, published in DC Comics (“Aquaman”/Time & Tide Column)
Currently, I working on getting a novel published. I own and operate a comic bookstore, and have written and designed thousands of Unofficial Comic Book & Movie Fan Webpages.
In, 2000 I was in the Guiness Book of Records, for owning the most websites in the world!
HERE ARE SOME OF MY WORK:
The Lone Ranger
is an American, long-running, old-time radio and early television show created by George W. Trendle (with considerable input from station staff members), and developed by writer Fran Striker.
The eponymous character is a
masked Texas Ranger in the American Old West, originally played by Paul Halliwell, who gallops about righting injustices with the aid of his clever, laconic American Indian assistant, Tonto. Departing on his white horse Silver, the Ranger would famously say "Hi-yo, Silver, away!" as the horse galloped toward the setting sun.
On the radio and TV-series, the usual opening announcement was:
This version of the opening credits was first seen in the episode "Lost City of Gold."
In later episodes the opening narration ended with: "With his faithful Indian companion, Tonto, the daring and resourceful masked rider of the plains led the fight for law and order in the early western United States. Nowhere in the pages of history can one find a greater champion of justice. Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear. From out of the past come the thundering hoofbeats of the great horse Silver! The Lone Ranger rides again!" Episodes usually concluded with one of the characters lamenting the fact that they never learned the hero's name ("Who was that masked man?"), only to be told, "Why, he's the Lone Ranger!" as he and Tonto ride away.
The Lone Ranger's name
Although the Lone Ranger's last name was given as Reid, his first name was not revealed. According to the story told in the radio series, the group of six ambushed rangers was headed by Reid's brother, Captain Dan Reid. Some later radio reference books, beginning with The Big Broadcast in the 1970s, erroneously claimed that the Lone Ranger's first name was John; however, both the radio and television programs avoided use of his first name. Some say that Captain Reid's first name was also avoided, but the name Dan did appear in a phonograph record story of the Lone Ranger's origin, featuring the radio cast, issued in the early 1950s and in a miniature comic book issued in connection with the TV show. At least one newspaper obituary upon Fran Striker's 1961 death and a 1964
Gold Key Comics retelling of the origin both stated that the Lone Ranger's given name, rather than his brother's, was "Dan Reid," not "John." It appears that the first use of the name "John Reid" was in a scene[clarification needed] in which the surviving Reid creates an extra grave for himself among those of his fallen Ranger companions. It must be acknowledged that the use of the first name John in the 1981 big-screen film, The Legend of the Lone Ranger, gave it a degree of official standing, although the completely different names found in the 2003 TV-movie/unsold series pilot undercuts that. The name of Captain Reid's son, and the Ranger's nephew, a later character who became a sort of juvenile sidekick to the Masked Man, was also Dan Reid.
The Lone Ranger
program offered many radio premiums, including the Lone Ranger Six-Shooter Ring and the Lone Ranger Deputy Badge. Some of the premiums used a silver bullet motif. One ring had a miniature of one of his six-guns atop it, with a flint and striking wheel, as used in cigarette lighters, so that "fanning" the miniature pistol would produce a shower of sparks.
During
World War II the premiums adapted to the times. For example, in 1942 the program offered the Kix Blackout Kit.
Some premiums were rather anachronistic for a 19th-century hero. In 1947 the program offered the Kix Atomic Bomb Ring, also known to collectors as the Lone Ranger Atom Bomb Ring. This ring was a miniature
spinthariscope that actually had a small amount of radioisotope in it to produce the scintillations caused by nuclear reactions. With its tailfin piece removed, though, the "bomb" body looked like a silver bullet.
On radio, the Lone Ranger was played by several actors, including John L. Barrett who played the role on the test broadcasts on WEBR during early January,
1933; George Seaton (under the name George Stenius) from January 31 to May 9 of 1933; series director James Jewell and an actor known only by the pseudonym "Jack Deeds" (for one episode each), and then by Earle Graser from May 16, 1933 until April 7, 1941. On April 8, Graser died in a car accident, and for five episodes, as the result of being critically wounded, the Lone Ranger was unable to speak beyond a whisper, with Tonto carrying the action. Finally, on the broadcast of April 18, 1941, deep-voiced performer Brace Beemer, who had been the show's announcer for several years, took over the role and played the part until the end. Fred Foy, also an announcer on the show, took over the role on one broadcast on March 29, 1954, when Brace Beemer had a brief case of laryngitis. Tonto was played throughout the run by actor John Todd (although there were a few isolated occasions when he was substituted with Roland Parker, better known as Kato for much of the run of sister series The Green Hornet), and other supporting players were selected from Detroit area actors and studio staff. These included Jay Michael (who also played the lead on Challenge of the Yukon aka Sgt. Preston of the Yukon), Bill Saunders (as various villains, including Butch Cavendish), Paul Hughes (as the Ranger's friend Thunder Martin and as various army colonels and badmen), future movie star John Hodiak, Janka Fasciszewska (under the name Jane Fae), and others. The part of nephew Dan Reid was played by various child actors, including Bob Martin, James Lipton, and Dick Beals.
The last new radio episode of the Lone Ranger was aired on
September 3, 1954.
[
edit] The Green Hornet
The radio series also inspired a spin-off called The Green Hornet which depicts the son of the Lone Ranger's nephew Dan[1], Britt Reid, originally played by Al Hodge, who in contemporary times fights crime with a similar secret identity and sidekick, Kato. In the Green Hornet comic book series published by NOW Comics, the Lone Ranger makes a cameo via a portrait in the Reid home. Contrary to most visual media depictions, and acknowledged by developer/original scripter Ron Fortier to be the result of legal complications,[2] his mask covers all of his face, as it did in the two serials from Republic Pictures (see below). However, the properties have been acquired by separate interests and the familial link has been ignored in the Western character's various incarnations. Not surprisingly, the Lone Ranger-Green Hornet connection is part of Philip Jose Farmer's Wold Newton Universe, which connects disparate fictional characters.
[
edit] Other media
The series also inspired numerous comic books, two movie serials, books, and a live action television series (1949-1957) starring Clayton Moore as the Lone Ranger; Moore's tenure as the Ranger is probably the best known treatment of the franchise.
[
edit] Film serials
The Lone Ranger serials from Republic Pictures are enigmas to many serial and Lone Ranger fans, because they are very rare and hard to find. The existing film material for the first one is incomplete and either subtitled in Spanish or dubbed in French. The hero's identity is unknown even to the audience in the original 1938 serial, with six men suspected of being behind the mask. As the chapters unreel, they are killed off one by one, but each actually appears in the costume in various scenes. As the character played by Lee Powell is ultimately revealed to be the true identity of the Masked Man, that actor is often given sole credit for the part. Two other suspects were played by Bruce Bennett and George Montgomery, then still billed under their respective birth names of Herman Brix and George Letz. Prior to the serial's release in 1938, the radio Lone Ranger's origin had been unknown and hints had been dropped that he might be a historical figure in disguise. An alternate origin for Tonto, with him being rescued in a mine accident, had also been provided on radio. The 1938 Lone Ranger serial is notable for presenting first version of the canyon-ambush and subsequent scenes of Tonto nursing the Ranger back to health and the Ranger swearing vengeance for the first time, which were adapted with minor modifications to become the standard origin of the radio and television versions of the character. Much of the familiar transitional music used in the radio series after 1938 originated in the first Republic serial. The plot device of multiple candidates for the mystery hero being killed off one by one was used again in the Columbia serial Flying G-Men and Republic's The Masked Marvel.
The second Lone Ranger serial, The Lone Ranger Rides Again, was released in 1939 and starred Robert Livingston. It gave the Lone Ranger a second companion, Juan, a Mexican played by Duncan Renaldo, and its standard Western plot concerned a battle over land between outlaws and ranchers. The only known copy of this serial was discovered in South America and was Spanish-subtitled and cut together as a long feature and so missing most opening titles and original cliffhanger ending resolutions. Robert Livingston wanted his face to be seen onscreen and consequently appears plain-faced, pretending to be rancher "Bill Andrews" in most dialogue scenes. Owner George W. Trendle disliked the fact that the Lone Ranger appeared without his mask throughout the serial and consequently decided to terminate Republic's license to use the character, see that both serials should be destroyed to prevent their further exhibition after the license expired, and offer the character to Universal Pictures instead. A third Lone Ranger serial was announced in promotional advertising by Universal but never produced. Some have suggested that Trendle retained prints of the Lone Ranger serials but made no effort to store them properly, and they deteriorated, however, Clayton Moore notes in his autobiography that he witnessed the master material for the Lone Ranger serials being burned on the Republic Pictures back lot. Either way, only Spanish-subtitled foreign dupe prints of the two Lone Ranger serials survive on film today. The Serial Squadron, an organization which restores classic movie serials, painstakingly reconstructed a subtitle-free English digital video version of the serial in 2007, re-creating the original opening titles and restoring the original cliffhangers.
Given all the differences between the two serials, it is perhaps surprising that Tonto was played in both by Victor Daniels, one of two actors known as Chief Thundercloud.[3]
A much more well known and influential adaptation of the Lone Ranger was the 1949–1957
television series starring Clayton Moore (though with John Hart as the Lone Ranger from 1952–1954) and Jay Silverheels as Tonto. The live-action TV series initially featured Gerald Mohr as the episode narrator. He was also narrator for seven episodes of the radio series in 1949, 1950 and 1952. Fred Foy served as both narrator and announcer of the radio series from 1948 to its finish, and became announcer of the TV version when story narration was dropped there.
Although George W. Trendle retained the title of Producer, he recognized that his experience in radio would not be adequate for producing the television series. For this, he hired veteran MGM film producer
Jack Chertok. Chertok served as the producer for the first 182 episodes, as well as a rarely seen 1955 color special, retelling the origin.
The first 78 episodes were produced and broadcast for 78 consecutive weeks without any breaks or reruns. Then the entire 78 episodes were shown again, before any new episodes were produced. It was shot in
Utah and California.
When it came time to produce another batch of 52 episodes, there was a wage dispute with Clayton Moore (until his death, the actor insisted the problem was creative differences), and
John Hart was hired to play the role of the Lone Ranger. Once again, the 52 new episodes were aired in sequence, followed by 52 weeks rerunning them. Despite expectations that the mask would make the switch workable, Hart was not accepted in the role, and his episodes were not seen again until the 1980s.
In a radio interview, posted at
[1], Clayton Moore acknowledged that he had a dispute with the producers over money and wanted better treatment. That was the reason he was replaced by John Hart.
At the end of the fifth year of the television series, Trendle sold the Lone Ranger rights to
Jack Wrather, who bought them on August 3, 1954. Wrather immediately rehired Clayton Moore to play the Lone Ranger and another 52 episodes were produced. Once again, they were broadcast as a full year of new episodes followed by a full year of reruns.
The final season saw a number of changes, the most obvious at the time being an episode count of the by-then industry standard 39. Wrather invested money out of his own pocket to film in color — then-perennial third place finisher ABC telecasting only in black and white — and to go back outdoors for more than just second-unit style action footage, the series having been otherwise restricted to studio sound stages after the first filming block. Another big change, not readily detectable by the viewers, was replacing Jack Chertok with producer
Sherman A. Harris. By this time, Chertok had established his own television production company and was busy producing other shows.
Wrather decided not to negotiate further with the network and took the property to the big screen, canceling TV production. The last new episode of the color series was broadcast June 6, 1957 and the series ended September 12, 1957, although ABC reaped the benefits of daytime reruns for several more years. Wrather's company produced two modestly budgeted theatrical features, The Lone Ranger (1956) (the cast included former child actress
Bonita Granville, who had, by then, married Wrather) and The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold (1958). Exactly what happened remains unclear, but Wrather changed distributors between films, indicating some problem.
See also:
List of Lone Ranger Television Episodes.
An attempt by CBS to revive the series in 1961, Return of the Lone Ranger, did not get past the pilot stage. The Lone Ranger was played by Tex Hill in this production.
So far, none of the modern remakes of The Lone Ranger have proven popular, with
1981's The Legend of the Lone Ranger causing much upset among fans when the movie studio filed a lawsuit and obtained a court injunction to prevent Clayton Moore from appearing as the Lone Ranger anywhere else, and then gave a cameo to his unsuccessful TV replacement, John Hart; the film was a spectacular failure. It did not help that lead actor Klinton Spilsbury's lines had to be overdubbed by James Keach, who never even received screen credit.
Many fans were also quite upset at the way in which the film depicted the events in the life and career of the Lone Ranger, blatantly disregarding much of the existing background material, which is considered by many to be canon, and changing it. Several important events in the background of the Lone Ranger were completely contrary to the well-established and accepted background material. These included events such as Tonto teaching the Lone Ranger how to shoot guns. In the original concept, Reid was already an established ranger and considerable marksmen. In the film, however, the Lone Ranger has little or no experience with guns and proves to be a terrible shot. When Tonto witnesses what a bad shot Reid is, he suddenly introduces him to a silver bullet, telling him that using silver bullets would allow him to hit his target because silver is pure. Of course, he then becomes a perfect marksman. In this treatment, the Lone Ranger seems like an ineffectual idiot without Tonto.
The event in which the Lone Ranger and Silver meet is not only portrayed completely differently than in the radio and TV shows, but it is almost insulting to the fans. Again, Tonto is responsible for Silver and the Lone Ranger teaming up, and the Lone Ranger's initial attempts to ride and train the great white horse are nothing less than lame attempts at buffoonery. Perhaps, the most blatant example of the film's disregard for well-established canonical background information is obvious when John Reid is introduced in the film's beginning, not as an established Texas Ranger as he was in all other versions of the Lone Ranger saga, but, instead, he is a young attorney from the East, who is visiting his brother, the captain of the Texas Rangers. It is only after his brother and the other Texas Rangers are killed in the Cavandish ambush (except John Reid, who accompanied them, not as a fellow Texas Ranger, but only as the brother of Dan Reid) that Reid wants justice and to avenge his brother's death by becoming the Lone Ranger - which is ironic, considering that in the film, he was not an authentic Texas Ranger. In the film, Reid has no clue how to go about achieving his new goal, and, therefore, it is up to Tonto to teach him and show him the way.
In an attempt to distance the new film from the original classic series, Clayton Moore was asked to stop referring to himself as "The Lone Ranger" and refrain from wearing the signature costume (particularly the mask) at personal appearances. This request caused a storm of negative publicity. Moore, wearing large sunglasses instead of the mask, was interviewed on news shows across the country about the injunction, and he gained more notoriety than the film did. After the film failed in the theaters, bridges were mended, and Moore was allowed to use the trappings and name of the character, which he did until his death
Other comic book characters:
Created in 1941 by writer/editor
Mort Weisinger and artist George Papp, who remained with the series for almost 20 years, Green Arrow and Speedy first appeared in More Fun Comics #73 (cover-dated November 1941).
Green Arrow was also created as an archery-themed version of the earlier character
Batman[citation needed], as several similarities between the two characters can be spotted, especially in Green Arrow's earlier incarnation: Green Arrow had a teen-aged sidekick named Speedy just as Batman had Robin; Green Arrow and Batman were/are both billionaire playboys in their secret identities; Green Arrow had an Arrowcar and an Arrowplane similar to Batman's Batmobile and Batplane; Green Arrow had the Arrowcave while Batman had the Batcave; Green Arrow was summoned by the Arrow-signal, just as Batman is summoned to police headquarters by the Bat-signal; in the Golden Age stories, Green Arrow had a clown-like arch-foe named Bull's-Eye who was a thinly-disguised version of Batman's arch-foe, the Joker[citation needed]. Some of these similarities have been explained in-continuity[citation needed] as inspired by a meeting between Green Arrow and Batman in their early careers, after which Green Arrow looked toward Batman as an inspiration (which has been parodied in the story arc "Quiver," when Batman asks whether Ollie ever had "an original idea in his life").
Aside from the obvious allusions to
Robin Hood, the Green Arrow character itself was inspired by a few different sources[citation needed], including Edgar Wallace's novel The Green Archer (and the 1940 Columbia Pictures serial of the same name based on the novel), and Fawcett Publications' earlier archery-themed hero Golden Arrow. A Centaur Publications archer hero named simply Arrow preceded all of these characters[citation needed]. Green Arrow's Arrowcar was yellow in color and shaped reminiscent of the land speed record-holder from 1929, the British Golden Arrow. The name Oliver Queen likely[citation needed] alluded to Ellery Queen, a popular fictional detective (and mystery writer) of the time.
Another Weisinger-created character called
Aquaman also appeared for the first time in that issue, and these two back-up features continued to run concurrently in More Fun Comics until the mid-1940s, and then in Adventure Comics from 1946 until 1960. Green Arrow and Speedy also appeared in various issues of World's Finest Comics until issue #140 (1964). The Green Arrow and Speedy feature was one of five back-up features to be promoted in one of the earliest team-up books, Leading Comics.
Green Arrow was one of the few DC characters to keep going after the Golden Age of Comic Books. The longevity of the character was due to the influence of creator Mort Weisinger, who kept Green Arrow and Aquaman as back-up features to the headlining Superboy feature, first in More Fun Comics and then Adventure Comics. Aside from sharing Adventure Comics with him, #258 featured an encounter between a younger Oliver Queen and Superboy. The Green Arrow and Speedy feature had a relatively undistinguished publishing history, though the main exception in this period was a short run in 1958 by artist/writer Jack Kirby.
The Flash is a name shared by several fictional comic book superheroes from the DC Comics universe. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in Flash Comics #1 (1940).[3]
Once nicknamed the Scarlet Speedster, all incarnations of the Flash possess "
super-speed", which includes the ability to run and move extremely fast, use superhuman reflexes and seemingly violate certain laws of physics. Thus far, four different characters, each of whom somehow gained the power of "super-speed", have assumed the identity of the Flash: Jay Garrick (1940-), Barry Allen (1956-1985, 2008-), Wally West (1986-2006, 2007-), and Bart Allen (2006-2007).
The second incarnation of the Flash,
Barry Allen, is generally considered the first hero of the Silver Age of comic books and the superhero has remained one of DC‘s most popular ever since. Each version of the Flash has been a key member of either the Justice Society of America or the Justice League, DC’s all-star teams. Wally West has recently rejoined the Justice League, and Barry Allen recently returned to life in the pages of Final Crisis.
The Barry Allen version of the character (with Wally West elements) was featured in
a live action television series in 1990, starring John Wesley Shipp. The Wally West version of the Flash (but with many elements of Barry Allen's story) is featured in the animated series Justice League.