Batmobile
Equipped with satellite dish for TV/Radio/GPS linkage, anti-theft gas, hypersonic trilling sphere, gas nozzles, voice-activated controls, and gel filled kevlar reinforced wheels that are puncture and flame-resistant.
Able to attain speeds of 266 mph, 0 to 60 mph in just 3 seconds.
Shielded with bulletproof ceramic composite exterior.
First appearance on Detective Comics #27
Wonder Woman's Invisible Jet
Nearly invisible plane created by the alien Lansinarians. Has a morphing ability, capable to change into any number of shapes, from submersible submarine to a spaceworthy chariot.
Specifications
- It was created to attune itself to its user and its environment. The vessel responds appropriately and can take the form of any vehicle of earth, water and beyond (A Sub-marine or Rocketship). This amazing craft was given as a gift by the Lansinarians as a gift to Wonder Woman who saved them.
- It has the power to be undetectable by radar or the human eye and the ability to shift from its crystal, "transparent mode" to complete invisibility rendering BOTH itself and its occupants truly invisible.
- The Invisible Jet propels itself by harnessing graviton particles. It is in this fashion also that it shields its passengers from the forces of sudden acceleration.
- In outer space: The Craft can extrude a portion of itself around Wonder Woman. Without taking in additional air supply, it can process one's own exhaled oxygen to allow breathing for 20 minutes. It can sense Wonder Woman's thoughts and will respond to her needs.
- Arsenal: The Invisible Jet can shape projectile weapons out of its own substance but doing so depletes the amount of material in the vessel. When such depletion occurs, the craft can regenerate itself slowly. This function is to be avoided and used only when absolutely necessary as a last resort.
- Although Wonder Woman possesses the power of flight, the Invisible Jet is very useful when she needs to transport a larger group of people or when she needs to use stealth on a mission.
Virgin Comics no more
Publishers Weekly has confirmed that Virgin Comics has been shut down, with its New York offices closed and its staff laid off. Details here.
Virgin was one of the recent high-profile launches looking to make comics-to-film an official business plan. It had limited success in selling comics — they never set the charts on fire, though some of their books were decent reads — and it's not clear what the company's plans are for the many projects it had begun with Sci Fi Channel and talent like Hugh Jackman, Ed Norton, Guy Richie, John Woo and Nicolas Cage.
What this means for this kind of business plan as a viable way to make money is not completely clear, though it does seem to indicate that even companies with deep-pocketed parents can't survive indefinitely without making some kind of success and money at publishing actual comics.
Virgin was one of the recent high-profile launches looking to make comics-to-film an official business plan. It had limited success in selling comics — they never set the charts on fire, though some of their books were decent reads — and it's not clear what the company's plans are for the many projects it had begun with Sci Fi Channel and talent like Hugh Jackman, Ed Norton, Guy Richie, John Woo and Nicolas Cage.
What this means for this kind of business plan as a viable way to make money is not completely clear, though it does seem to indicate that even companies with deep-pocketed parents can't survive indefinitely without making some kind of success and money at publishing actual comics.
'Watchmen' fans lash out at Fox for rights suit
Fans worried the legal battle between Fox and Warner over the rights to "Watchmen" may somehow affect the film's release or prevent it from being released at all are fighting back.
ComicBookMovie.com has started a petition urging Fox to not interfere with the movie's release, as well as an interview with Wyatt Barlup, a 20-year-old fan who wants to organize pickets of the Fox lot. Fans at sites like Comics2Film.com are even calling for a boycott of Fox that would affect the studio's holiday-set remake of "The Day the Earth Stood Still" and next summer's "X-Men Origins: Wolverine."
Jeff Trexler (him again!) has the court documents posted for perusal over at Uncivil Society, and they make for some interesting (though confusing for us non-lawyers) reading.
Despite the heated rhetoric, it seems unlikely that the film won't come out on schedule. There's still plenty of time for the studios to work out their differences and figure out who's going to pay what to whom and make it all right again.
Bonus 'Watchmen' tidbit: "Hellboy II: the Golden Army" director Guillermo del Toro tells IGN AU that he was offered and turned down the job of directing "Watchmen" prior to Zack Snyder's taking the helm.
ComicBookMovie.com has started a petition urging Fox to not interfere with the movie's release, as well as an interview with Wyatt Barlup, a 20-year-old fan who wants to organize pickets of the Fox lot. Fans at sites like Comics2Film.com are even calling for a boycott of Fox that would affect the studio's holiday-set remake of "The Day the Earth Stood Still" and next summer's "X-Men Origins: Wolverine."
Jeff Trexler (him again!) has the court documents posted for perusal over at Uncivil Society, and they make for some interesting (though confusing for us non-lawyers) reading.
Despite the heated rhetoric, it seems unlikely that the film won't come out on schedule. There's still plenty of time for the studios to work out their differences and figure out who's going to pay what to whom and make it all right again.
Bonus 'Watchmen' tidbit: "Hellboy II: the Golden Army" director Guillermo del Toro tells IGN AU that he was offered and turned down the job of directing "Watchmen" prior to Zack Snyder's taking the helm.
How hot can 'Watchmen' get?
"Watchmen" doesn't come out until March, but the interest the general public has in this comic adaptation is already showing signs of being the kind of crossover phenomenon that hasn't been seen in a comics property in a long time.
Since the trailer for the film came out the week before Comic-Con — and attached to prints of "The Dark Knight," now nearing a $500 million domestic gross — DC has printed 900,000 new copies of the graphic to meet demand. That number dwarfs the normal sales level for top-selling graphic novels. Even graphic novels based on movies do only a fraction of that business in the high-demand window that surrounds the release of such a movie. Add in that "Watchmen" has been a best-selling title ever since it was released as a graphic novel more than 20 years ago, and its' even more amazing.
And there's more to it than just high print runs and sell outs — "Watchmen" is in the zeitgeist. And it's as telling as this: I was at the supermarket a few days ago wearing a Comic-Con T-shirt that didn't mention or feature any characters from "Watchmen." but the kid at the checkout stand still asked me about Watchmen, saying he saw the trailer and wanted to know more about it. Was it like the "X-Men" movies? Or more like "Spider-Man"? I urged him to pick up a copy because there's no substitute for reading the book, when the woman in line behind me asked if she could buy the book at a regular bookstore or if she had to find a comic shop. No trailer (or finished movie for that matter) has interested as many people in actually reading a comicbook since the Batmania of 1989. All of which should have the marketing execs at WB drooling in anticipation.
Adding fuel to the fires of expectation is self-appointed King of the Nerds Kevin Smith has seen a cut of "Watchmen" and raves about it on MySpace, calling it "f---ing astounding."
Meanwhile, the judge in a the lawsuit between Fox and WB over the rights to the film refused a WB request to dismiss. Fox alleges the studio still owns the rights to the project and is seeking an injunction to prevent its release.
Since the trailer for the film came out the week before Comic-Con — and attached to prints of "The Dark Knight," now nearing a $500 million domestic gross — DC has printed 900,000 new copies of the graphic to meet demand. That number dwarfs the normal sales level for top-selling graphic novels. Even graphic novels based on movies do only a fraction of that business in the high-demand window that surrounds the release of such a movie. Add in that "Watchmen" has been a best-selling title ever since it was released as a graphic novel more than 20 years ago, and its' even more amazing.
And there's more to it than just high print runs and sell outs — "Watchmen" is in the zeitgeist. And it's as telling as this: I was at the supermarket a few days ago wearing a Comic-Con T-shirt that didn't mention or feature any characters from "Watchmen." but the kid at the checkout stand still asked me about Watchmen, saying he saw the trailer and wanted to know more about it. Was it like the "X-Men" movies? Or more like "Spider-Man"? I urged him to pick up a copy because there's no substitute for reading the book, when the woman in line behind me asked if she could buy the book at a regular bookstore or if she had to find a comic shop. No trailer (or finished movie for that matter) has interested as many people in actually reading a comicbook since the Batmania of 1989. All of which should have the marketing execs at WB drooling in anticipation.
Adding fuel to the fires of expectation is self-appointed King of the Nerds Kevin Smith has seen a cut of "Watchmen" and raves about it on MySpace, calling it "f---ing astounding."
Meanwhile, the judge in a the lawsuit between Fox and WB over the rights to the film refused a WB request to dismiss. Fox alleges the studio still owns the rights to the project and is seeking an injunction to prevent its release.
source: Variety
Microchip
First appearance
The Punisher (1987 series) #4 (Nov. 1987) as an ally of The Punisher for many years. He assisted the Punisher by building weapons, supplying technology and providing friendship.
Micro served as a cross between Q, from the James Bond novels and films and Alfred Pennyworth, the loyal butler of Batman.
Abilities
No super powers, Hacker, Weapons expert, Mechanic
The Punisher (1987 series) #4 (Nov. 1987) as an ally of The Punisher for many years. He assisted the Punisher by building weapons, supplying technology and providing friendship.
Micro served as a cross between Q, from the James Bond novels and films and Alfred Pennyworth, the loyal butler of Batman.
Abilities
No super powers, Hacker, Weapons expert, Mechanic
Jigsaw
Punisher
First Appearance
Amazing Spider-Man #129
Skills and Abilities
The Punisher is a seasoned combat veteran of exceptional skills. A former U.S. Marine Captain with a distinguished combat record, Castle underwent Reconnaissance, Force Reconnaissance and Scout Sniper training while in the U.S. Marine Corps. He attained dockets that permitted him to train with the U.S. Army Airborne School and the U.S. Navy Underwater Demolition Team, becoming qualified as a Navy SEAL. List of Frank Castle training/schools
-United States Marine Corps Boot Camp
-United States Marine Corps School of Infantry
-Marine Sniper School
-SERE
-Basic Reconnaissance Course while at Marine Corps School of Infantry
-BUD/S (basic underwater demolition/SEAL)
-United States Army Airborne School
With his extensive military training, Castle is well versed in conventional and unconventional warfare. He is a master military strategist and tactitian. Castle is proficient in not only basic infantry skills, but in special operations which includes the use and maintenance of specialized firearms and explosive ordnance. He is also thoroughly trained and experienced in guerilla warfare and counter terrorism. He is highly trained in various forms of camouflage, stealth and infiltration into heavily-guarded enemy territories and structures for the purpose of Search and Destroy, Combat Search and Rescue or Reconnaissance missions. Castle is a skilled Paratrooper and Frogman. His hand-to-hand combat skills are more than sufficient to allow him to incapacitate and kill men much stronger than he is, as well as to deal with groups of armed and unarmed enemies, killing them all without weapons if he deems it necessary. He is also extremely deadly in knife fighting, preferring the knife he learned to fight with in the USMC: the KA-BAR. In addition, he is a trained combat medic capable of providing battlefield medicine. Castle's military training and his years of vigilantism have made him a master of interrogation and coercion. He achieves this through brutal intimidation either by physical or psychological tactics. Castle has also displayed an exceptionally high tolerance for pain, allowing him to undergo surgery without anesthesia.
Weapon
The Punisher's ever-changing arsenal of weaponry includes automatic and semiautomatic rifles, shotguns, handguns, fragmentation and tear gas grenades, other various explosives, and combat knives. He maintains and stores all his weapons and supplies in warehouses and safehouses throughout New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and other states.
The Punisher often customizes his weapons for greater effectiveness with both standard and custom items including magnified optics, reflex sights, night vision scopes, flashlights, grenade launchers, sound and flash suppressors, bipods, high-capacity magazines and ammunition including hollow point and armor piercing bullets.
Throughout the Punisher's crusade, he occasionally uses high-tech vehicles. His early series feature "battle vans" specially built and customized by his then-partner, Microchip. These vans were heavily armored, loaded with high-powered ammunitions with advanced telecommunication capabilities. Castle used these vans for surveillance and weapons transportation. He has also used motorcycles, helicopters, speed boats, or whatever else he could find and use.
At one point, the Punisher had a pet Rottweiler, "Max", which he had saved from a dog fighting ring.
Amazing Spider-Man #129
Skills and Abilities
The Punisher is a seasoned combat veteran of exceptional skills. A former U.S. Marine Captain with a distinguished combat record, Castle underwent Reconnaissance, Force Reconnaissance and Scout Sniper training while in the U.S. Marine Corps. He attained dockets that permitted him to train with the U.S. Army Airborne School and the U.S. Navy Underwater Demolition Team, becoming qualified as a Navy SEAL. List of Frank Castle training/schools
-United States Marine Corps Boot Camp
-United States Marine Corps School of Infantry
-Marine Sniper School
-SERE
-Basic Reconnaissance Course while at Marine Corps School of Infantry
-BUD/S (basic underwater demolition/SEAL)
-United States Army Airborne School
With his extensive military training, Castle is well versed in conventional and unconventional warfare. He is a master military strategist and tactitian. Castle is proficient in not only basic infantry skills, but in special operations which includes the use and maintenance of specialized firearms and explosive ordnance. He is also thoroughly trained and experienced in guerilla warfare and counter terrorism. He is highly trained in various forms of camouflage, stealth and infiltration into heavily-guarded enemy territories and structures for the purpose of Search and Destroy, Combat Search and Rescue or Reconnaissance missions. Castle is a skilled Paratrooper and Frogman. His hand-to-hand combat skills are more than sufficient to allow him to incapacitate and kill men much stronger than he is, as well as to deal with groups of armed and unarmed enemies, killing them all without weapons if he deems it necessary. He is also extremely deadly in knife fighting, preferring the knife he learned to fight with in the USMC: the KA-BAR. In addition, he is a trained combat medic capable of providing battlefield medicine. Castle's military training and his years of vigilantism have made him a master of interrogation and coercion. He achieves this through brutal intimidation either by physical or psychological tactics. Castle has also displayed an exceptionally high tolerance for pain, allowing him to undergo surgery without anesthesia.
Weapon
The Punisher's ever-changing arsenal of weaponry includes automatic and semiautomatic rifles, shotguns, handguns, fragmentation and tear gas grenades, other various explosives, and combat knives. He maintains and stores all his weapons and supplies in warehouses and safehouses throughout New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and other states.
The Punisher often customizes his weapons for greater effectiveness with both standard and custom items including magnified optics, reflex sights, night vision scopes, flashlights, grenade launchers, sound and flash suppressors, bipods, high-capacity magazines and ammunition including hollow point and armor piercing bullets.
Throughout the Punisher's crusade, he occasionally uses high-tech vehicles. His early series feature "battle vans" specially built and customized by his then-partner, Microchip. These vans were heavily armored, loaded with high-powered ammunitions with advanced telecommunication capabilities. Castle used these vans for surveillance and weapons transportation. He has also used motorcycles, helicopters, speed boats, or whatever else he could find and use.
At one point, the Punisher had a pet Rottweiler, "Max", which he had saved from a dog fighting ring.
Ozymandias
First appearance Watchmen #1 (1986)
Adrian Veidt was born in 1939, the son of rich immigrant parents. After his parents' deaths, he inherited their substantial fortune at age 17, but chose to give it all to charity and embark on a vision quest, following the route of his childhood idol Alexander the Great.
Returning to America Veidt named himself Ozymandias and became a costumed vigilante, earning a reputation as "the smartest man on the planet."
In 1975, two years before vigilante crimefighters (superheroes) were banned by the "Keene Act," Veidt retired from superheroism, marketing his image for money. This helped bankroll Veidt's scheme of creating a catastrophic event to deceive the world into uniting against a common enemy. Upon completion of his project, Veidt arranged the murder of all of his accomplices and the exile of the presumably invincible Dr. Manhattan.
Soon fellow masked vigilante Comedian inadvertently learned of Veidt's plans, leading to Veidt personally murdering the Comedian as well. The story of Watchmen begins several hours after the death of the Comedian.
Abilities
Peak human agility and strength
Genius-level intelligence
Moloch the Mystic
First appearance Watchmen #2 (1986)
A crime boss from the 1940s through the 1960s, he ran an underground vice den and constructed a solar mirror weapon as part of his nefarious schemes. Over the course of his criminal career, he clashed with Nite Owls, Ozymandias, and Doctor Manhattan. Eventually captured, he spent the 1970s in prison, where he converted to Christianity and gave up his life of crime. At some point during that time, he worked for a company run by Adrian Veidt, Dimensional Developments, where he contracted cancer. Following his release, he lived alone in New York City, until his murder in 1985 as part of Ozymandias' plot.
Though a secondary character and well past his criminal phase in life, Jacobi serves an important role in the Watchmen story; it is he who is first confronted in his bedroom one night by the Comedian, Edward Blake, who reveals his recent discovery of Ozymandias' plot to stop an impending nuclear crisis between the Soviet Union and the United States. Unbeknowst to either Jacobi or Blake, Ozymandias had bugged Jacobi's apartment.
Later, Jacobi is harshly interrogated several times by Rorschach, who is investigating Blake's murder. Rorschach returns one night to find Jacobi murdered, an obvious frameup. Rorschach is captured and remanded to prison.
Abilities
Ruthless criminal mastermind, effective planner and organizer. "Solar mirror weapon".
A crime boss from the 1940s through the 1960s, he ran an underground vice den and constructed a solar mirror weapon as part of his nefarious schemes. Over the course of his criminal career, he clashed with Nite Owls, Ozymandias, and Doctor Manhattan. Eventually captured, he spent the 1970s in prison, where he converted to Christianity and gave up his life of crime. At some point during that time, he worked for a company run by Adrian Veidt, Dimensional Developments, where he contracted cancer. Following his release, he lived alone in New York City, until his murder in 1985 as part of Ozymandias' plot.
Though a secondary character and well past his criminal phase in life, Jacobi serves an important role in the Watchmen story; it is he who is first confronted in his bedroom one night by the Comedian, Edward Blake, who reveals his recent discovery of Ozymandias' plot to stop an impending nuclear crisis between the Soviet Union and the United States. Unbeknowst to either Jacobi or Blake, Ozymandias had bugged Jacobi's apartment.
Later, Jacobi is harshly interrogated several times by Rorschach, who is investigating Blake's murder. Rorschach returns one night to find Jacobi murdered, an obvious frameup. Rorschach is captured and remanded to prison.
Abilities
Ruthless criminal mastermind, effective planner and organizer. "Solar mirror weapon".
Rorschach
First appearance Watchmen #1 (1986)
Wearing the inkblot-like mask he considers his true face, Rorschach has continued his one-man battle against crime long after superheroes became both detested and illegal. Rorschach’s actions and journal writings display a belief in moral absolutism and objectivism, where good and evil are clearly defined and evil must be violently punished. He has alienated himself from the rest of society to achieve these aims. Politically, he is an anti-communist, anti-liberal, reactionary, and strong nationalist. Rorschach is described by Alan Moore as an extremely right-wing character.
Abilities
Ruthless, extremely resourceful fighter and investigator. Athlete-level strength.
Wearing the inkblot-like mask he considers his true face, Rorschach has continued his one-man battle against crime long after superheroes became both detested and illegal. Rorschach’s actions and journal writings display a belief in moral absolutism and objectivism, where good and evil are clearly defined and evil must be violently punished. He has alienated himself from the rest of society to achieve these aims. Politically, he is an anti-communist, anti-liberal, reactionary, and strong nationalist. Rorschach is described by Alan Moore as an extremely right-wing character.
Abilities
Ruthless, extremely resourceful fighter and investigator. Athlete-level strength.
Comedian
First appearance Watchmen #1 (1986)
The Comedian is a cigar-chomping, gun-toting vigilante-turned-paramilitary agent. During some of the series' most intense moments, he has shown himself to be a nihilist with little regard for morality or human life. It may even be possible that, because no motivation is ever stated, he only fights crime as an excuse to please a sadistic desire to commit violent acts.
Abilities: Olympic-level strength, great fighting prowess. He is an expert in practically any type of weaponry.
The Comedian is a cigar-chomping, gun-toting vigilante-turned-paramilitary agent. During some of the series' most intense moments, he has shown himself to be a nihilist with little regard for morality or human life. It may even be possible that, because no motivation is ever stated, he only fights crime as an excuse to please a sadistic desire to commit violent acts.
Abilities: Olympic-level strength, great fighting prowess. He is an expert in practically any type of weaponry.
source:wikipedia
Doctor Manhattan
First appearance Watchmen #1 (1986)
Accidentally locked inside a test chamber during a nuclear physics experiment, Jon Osterman was completely disintegrated; rather than dying, Osterman gained vast godlike powers, the first use of which involved re-constituting his own body. Manhattan's powers include superhuman strength, telekinesis, the ability to teleport himself or others over planetary, interplanetary and Intergalactic distances, the manipulation of matter at a subatomic level, and near total clairvoyance.
While his military backers market him as a superhero, he grows increasingly disinterested in human affairs, despite his importance in the Cold War, and is unable to connect with others, especially his love interest Laurie, the second Silk Spectre.
Dr. Manhattan was created by Watchmen writer Alan Moore and artist Dave Gibbons but, like many main characters of the series, he is a modified version of a Charlton Comics character, in this case Captain Atom, created by Joe Gill and Steve Ditko.
Abilities:
Control over space and time, Regeneration, Energy and matter manipulation, Flight,
Immortality, Superhuman strength, speed and durability, Intangibility, Precognition,
Teleportation, Self-duplication
Accidentally locked inside a test chamber during a nuclear physics experiment, Jon Osterman was completely disintegrated; rather than dying, Osterman gained vast godlike powers, the first use of which involved re-constituting his own body. Manhattan's powers include superhuman strength, telekinesis, the ability to teleport himself or others over planetary, interplanetary and Intergalactic distances, the manipulation of matter at a subatomic level, and near total clairvoyance.
While his military backers market him as a superhero, he grows increasingly disinterested in human affairs, despite his importance in the Cold War, and is unable to connect with others, especially his love interest Laurie, the second Silk Spectre.
Dr. Manhattan was created by Watchmen writer Alan Moore and artist Dave Gibbons but, like many main characters of the series, he is a modified version of a Charlton Comics character, in this case Captain Atom, created by Joe Gill and Steve Ditko.
Abilities:
Control over space and time, Regeneration, Energy and matter manipulation, Flight,
Immortality, Superhuman strength, speed and durability, Intangibility, Precognition,
Teleportation, Self-duplication
Nite Owl
First appearance Watchmen #1 (1986)
Nite Owl is the name of two fictional characters in the comic book limited series Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons and published by DC Comics. They are modified versions of the various Blue Beetle characters created for Fox Feature Syndicate and later sold to Charlton Comics, with the second Nite Owl bearing certain similarities in appearance to Batman.
Abilities
Dreiberg:Has technical knowledge and employs several high-tech gadgets and weaponry, notably including a flying/submarine owl shaped ship (that he affectionately refers to as "Archie"). Good fighting prowess.
Hollis: Athlete-level strength, skilled hand-to-hand combatant
Hollis J. Mason
Fictional character history
Hollis J. Mason (1916-1985)
At the age of 12 his father left the family farm in Montana and moved to New York City, working at Moe Vernon's Auto Repairs.
Starting out as a New York City policeman in 1938, he was inspired by Action Comics' Superman and the real life exploits of Hooded Justice to take up the life of a vigilante. He was nicknamed Nite Owl for spending his evenings working out in the Police Gymnasiums as much as possible and going to bed at 9:00pm to rise for a 5:00am work out before donning his badge and uniform.
His costume was designed to free his arms and legs while protecting his chest, abdomen and head with a tough leather tunic. With the tunic hiding his hair, a domino mask concealed his identity.
He became a member of the Minutemen, a "masked adventurer" league in mid-1939. Mason was an "old school" crimefighter, a real "Boy Scout" in the eyes of Captain Metropolis. He stopped colorful criminals like the Screaming Skull and went on to fight supposed Axis operatives including Captain Axis during World War II. He retired in May, 1962 to open an auto business and write his memoir of his crime-fighting exploits, Under the Hood. By reading Under the Hood, Silk Spectre II later learned of the Comedian's attempted rape of her mother Silk Spectre I.
Soon after Hollis retired, Daniel Drieberg sought out Hollis in the mid-1960s and asked if he could use the name and persona of Nite Owl to fight crime. Hollis met Daniel and was far too impressed by Daniel's technologies and ideas to deny him the mantle of Nite Owl (which Hollis confesses in his book was slightly an idiotic name).
Personality
Mason was quite possibly the most decent and "normal" of the masked adventurers presented in Watchmen. While many of his colleagues have psychological issues with regards to society, race, gender, sex or just simple megalomania, Mason is apparently free of these traits, and judging by the excerpts from his book, is something of a voice of reason in the world of the costumed adventurers. Both in person and in his book his words tend to be kindly and temperate, with a slight tendency towards light hearted self-deprecating humor.
He seems to be well liked by most of his teammates and to get along with most as well, despite sometimes being all too aware of their faults and flaws. His enmity seems to be saved for the Comedian, whom he never forgave for the attempted rape of Sally Jupiter, and whose brutal means of crimefighting proved too much for Mason to reconcile himself with.
Role in Watchmen
After Nite Owl II and Silk Spectre II break Rorschach out of prison on Halloween night, the Knot-tops, led by Derf, hear of the news. Angered by it, the entire group follows the suggestion of a gang member who mistakenly believes that Mason is the same Nite Owl that had participated in the prison break. Mistaking the group for trick-or-treaters, Mason opens his door to them, and afterwards they proceed to attack en masse. Mason gets in a few solid hits but is beaten down. Ignoring the protests of some of the Knot-Tops, Derf kills Mason with the very statue that was given to him as an acknowledgment and reward for his service as a costumed adventurer.
Dan Dreiberg
Fictional character history
Born in 1945, Daniel Dreiberg relied more upon technical wizardry and tools than toughness, which set him apart from his fellow costumed adventurers. Still, he has demonstrated more than adequate skills when defending himself. All of his gadgets and costumes are based on an owl theme. He uses an owl-shaped flying vehicle nicknamed the "Owlship" or "Archie" (Archimedes, after Merlin's pet owl), equipped with a variety of offensive and defensive devices, such as flamethrowers and "screechers" -devices capable of producing a sharp schreech-like sound.
Dreiberg's father was a banker who left him a large inheritance, which he used to design and build his crime-fighting gear. Hollis Mason, the original Nite Owl, was his hero and when he retired, Dan wrote to Mason, asking if he could carry on his name. Upon looking at his gear, Mason was too impressed to refuse, and gave Dan the greenlight to start fighting crime in the 1960s. From then, the two men became friends, and met every Saturday at Hollis' house.
In 1965, Dreiberg (as Nite Owl) successfully debuted and teamed up with fellow costumed adventurer Rorschach to take on organized crime. Having already come to believe that his expensive activities were accomplishing little, Dreiberg retired after the passing of the Keene Act on August 3, 1977, although in 1985 (when the story takes place) he seems to regret his decision to give up crime fighting. Rorschach would later say regarding his retirement, "No staying power." When not fighting crime, Dreiberg mastered in aeronautics and zoology at Harvard University, contributing scholarly articles to ornithological journals after his retirement in 1977.
Personality
Like Hollis Mason before him, Dan Dreiberg was friendly, honest, and affable. Also like Hollis, he lacked psychological issues like the ones that tainted his colleagues. Dreiberg appears to have old fashioned tastes in music, preferring 1930-1940s Jazz to modern pop music. There is a vague suggestion that Dreiberg may have been sexually inexperienced before he became involved with Laurie Juspeczyk. Alternatively, he may have been impotent.
Events of Watchmen
Dreiberg becomes romantically entangled with the second Silk Spectre, Laurie Juspeczyk, after she leaves Doctor Manhattan. He returns to vigilantism along with her which began with a heartening night out in costume where they successfully save the occupants of a burning building. The excitement of aiding the residents awakens Dreiberg's sexual feelings for Laurie and the two make passionate love following the rescue. They later break Rorschach out of prison in an attempt to stop Ozymandias' scheme to "save the world from itself." Unfortunately, the freeing of Rorschach resulted in the murder of Hollis Mason, which Dan learned of only when he and Rorschach went to interrogate suspects. Upon learning of Mason's death, Dan becomes violent, attacking the informer and loudly swearing vengeance against Mason's killers with such ferocity that Rorschach, a notorious as a sociopathic killer, had to restrain him. In the end, Hollis' killers (the Knot Tops) were killed along half New York by Ozymandias' plot.
Dan and Rorschach travel to Ozymandias' Antarctic fortress without Silk Spectre, as she had been teleported away by Doctor Manhattan. They battle and are swiftly defeated by Ozymandias, who reveals his plan to unleash a telepathic monstrosity on New York City that would expand massive psychic waves that would kill half the city. Dan expresses the desire to stop him and is told that the events already had happened well before the conversation itself. Millions are dead, and the world's nations agree to work together to combat this new 'threat'. Reluctantly, Dan and the returned Laurie agree to keep this secret.
Rorschach leaves anyway, attempting to take Dan's vehicle back to civilization and tell the world. Unseen by the others, Doctor Manhattan attempts to stop him, but Rorschach demands Doctor Manhattan kill him rather than live with keeping such villainy a secret, and Manhattan reluctantly complies. Dan and Laurie are offered hospitality by Ozymandias, which they accept.
They are seen in the conclusion of the story under their new identities of Sam and Sandra Hollis, making a brief visit to Laurie's mother.
Nite Owl is the name of two fictional characters in the comic book limited series Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons and published by DC Comics. They are modified versions of the various Blue Beetle characters created for Fox Feature Syndicate and later sold to Charlton Comics, with the second Nite Owl bearing certain similarities in appearance to Batman.
Abilities
Dreiberg:Has technical knowledge and employs several high-tech gadgets and weaponry, notably including a flying/submarine owl shaped ship (that he affectionately refers to as "Archie"). Good fighting prowess.
Hollis: Athlete-level strength, skilled hand-to-hand combatant
Hollis J. Mason
Fictional character history
Hollis J. Mason (1916-1985)
At the age of 12 his father left the family farm in Montana and moved to New York City, working at Moe Vernon's Auto Repairs.
Starting out as a New York City policeman in 1938, he was inspired by Action Comics' Superman and the real life exploits of Hooded Justice to take up the life of a vigilante. He was nicknamed Nite Owl for spending his evenings working out in the Police Gymnasiums as much as possible and going to bed at 9:00pm to rise for a 5:00am work out before donning his badge and uniform.
His costume was designed to free his arms and legs while protecting his chest, abdomen and head with a tough leather tunic. With the tunic hiding his hair, a domino mask concealed his identity.
He became a member of the Minutemen, a "masked adventurer" league in mid-1939. Mason was an "old school" crimefighter, a real "Boy Scout" in the eyes of Captain Metropolis. He stopped colorful criminals like the Screaming Skull and went on to fight supposed Axis operatives including Captain Axis during World War II. He retired in May, 1962 to open an auto business and write his memoir of his crime-fighting exploits, Under the Hood. By reading Under the Hood, Silk Spectre II later learned of the Comedian's attempted rape of her mother Silk Spectre I.
Soon after Hollis retired, Daniel Drieberg sought out Hollis in the mid-1960s and asked if he could use the name and persona of Nite Owl to fight crime. Hollis met Daniel and was far too impressed by Daniel's technologies and ideas to deny him the mantle of Nite Owl (which Hollis confesses in his book was slightly an idiotic name).
Personality
Mason was quite possibly the most decent and "normal" of the masked adventurers presented in Watchmen. While many of his colleagues have psychological issues with regards to society, race, gender, sex or just simple megalomania, Mason is apparently free of these traits, and judging by the excerpts from his book, is something of a voice of reason in the world of the costumed adventurers. Both in person and in his book his words tend to be kindly and temperate, with a slight tendency towards light hearted self-deprecating humor.
He seems to be well liked by most of his teammates and to get along with most as well, despite sometimes being all too aware of their faults and flaws. His enmity seems to be saved for the Comedian, whom he never forgave for the attempted rape of Sally Jupiter, and whose brutal means of crimefighting proved too much for Mason to reconcile himself with.
Role in Watchmen
After Nite Owl II and Silk Spectre II break Rorschach out of prison on Halloween night, the Knot-tops, led by Derf, hear of the news. Angered by it, the entire group follows the suggestion of a gang member who mistakenly believes that Mason is the same Nite Owl that had participated in the prison break. Mistaking the group for trick-or-treaters, Mason opens his door to them, and afterwards they proceed to attack en masse. Mason gets in a few solid hits but is beaten down. Ignoring the protests of some of the Knot-Tops, Derf kills Mason with the very statue that was given to him as an acknowledgment and reward for his service as a costumed adventurer.
Dan Dreiberg
Fictional character history
Born in 1945, Daniel Dreiberg relied more upon technical wizardry and tools than toughness, which set him apart from his fellow costumed adventurers. Still, he has demonstrated more than adequate skills when defending himself. All of his gadgets and costumes are based on an owl theme. He uses an owl-shaped flying vehicle nicknamed the "Owlship" or "Archie" (Archimedes, after Merlin's pet owl), equipped with a variety of offensive and defensive devices, such as flamethrowers and "screechers" -devices capable of producing a sharp schreech-like sound.
Dreiberg's father was a banker who left him a large inheritance, which he used to design and build his crime-fighting gear. Hollis Mason, the original Nite Owl, was his hero and when he retired, Dan wrote to Mason, asking if he could carry on his name. Upon looking at his gear, Mason was too impressed to refuse, and gave Dan the greenlight to start fighting crime in the 1960s. From then, the two men became friends, and met every Saturday at Hollis' house.
In 1965, Dreiberg (as Nite Owl) successfully debuted and teamed up with fellow costumed adventurer Rorschach to take on organized crime. Having already come to believe that his expensive activities were accomplishing little, Dreiberg retired after the passing of the Keene Act on August 3, 1977, although in 1985 (when the story takes place) he seems to regret his decision to give up crime fighting. Rorschach would later say regarding his retirement, "No staying power." When not fighting crime, Dreiberg mastered in aeronautics and zoology at Harvard University, contributing scholarly articles to ornithological journals after his retirement in 1977.
Personality
Like Hollis Mason before him, Dan Dreiberg was friendly, honest, and affable. Also like Hollis, he lacked psychological issues like the ones that tainted his colleagues. Dreiberg appears to have old fashioned tastes in music, preferring 1930-1940s Jazz to modern pop music. There is a vague suggestion that Dreiberg may have been sexually inexperienced before he became involved with Laurie Juspeczyk. Alternatively, he may have been impotent.
Events of Watchmen
Dreiberg becomes romantically entangled with the second Silk Spectre, Laurie Juspeczyk, after she leaves Doctor Manhattan. He returns to vigilantism along with her which began with a heartening night out in costume where they successfully save the occupants of a burning building. The excitement of aiding the residents awakens Dreiberg's sexual feelings for Laurie and the two make passionate love following the rescue. They later break Rorschach out of prison in an attempt to stop Ozymandias' scheme to "save the world from itself." Unfortunately, the freeing of Rorschach resulted in the murder of Hollis Mason, which Dan learned of only when he and Rorschach went to interrogate suspects. Upon learning of Mason's death, Dan becomes violent, attacking the informer and loudly swearing vengeance against Mason's killers with such ferocity that Rorschach, a notorious as a sociopathic killer, had to restrain him. In the end, Hollis' killers (the Knot Tops) were killed along half New York by Ozymandias' plot.
Dan and Rorschach travel to Ozymandias' Antarctic fortress without Silk Spectre, as she had been teleported away by Doctor Manhattan. They battle and are swiftly defeated by Ozymandias, who reveals his plan to unleash a telepathic monstrosity on New York City that would expand massive psychic waves that would kill half the city. Dan expresses the desire to stop him and is told that the events already had happened well before the conversation itself. Millions are dead, and the world's nations agree to work together to combat this new 'threat'. Reluctantly, Dan and the returned Laurie agree to keep this secret.
Rorschach leaves anyway, attempting to take Dan's vehicle back to civilization and tell the world. Unseen by the others, Doctor Manhattan attempts to stop him, but Rorschach demands Doctor Manhattan kill him rather than live with keeping such villainy a secret, and Manhattan reluctantly complies. Dan and Laurie are offered hospitality by Ozymandias, which they accept.
They are seen in the conclusion of the story under their new identities of Sam and Sandra Hollis, making a brief visit to Laurie's mother.
source:wikipedia
Titans Tower
Shaped in a giant "T", Titans tower in the harbor of San Francisco. The first of several Towers was located in New York's East River.
This tower was destroyed by Trigon, and the second was blown up by the Wildbeest Society. The latest Titans Tower, is full of state of the art technology and also has a garden, tended by Starfire, planted with the flowers of long dead worlds.
JSA Headquarters
The headquarters of the Jusctice Society of America is amansion in the Morningside Heights area of Manhattan, north of Central Park in New York City. Equipped with personal suites, medical facilities, and a communications comples powered by Waynetech computers the HQ has its own gas and electric power supply, recycles its water, and even has moveable walls that allow the JSA to reconfigure its architecture. There isa JSA museum and memorial open to the public on the first floor. Below the mansion are training facilitiesmonitors, as well as a high-speed rail link that follows a rebuilt submarine steam tunnel and a rocket ship.
Batcave
Carved out from the the subterranean, bat-infested limestone carverns that run beneath his family estate, Wayne Manor, the Batcave is a sprawling underground headquartes equipped with the latest vehicles, weapons, and technology to help Batman in his constant crusade against crime.
The original Batcave was destroyed during the earthquake that leveled half of Gotham City. The new Batcave is a multi-level bunker, powered by its own hydrogen generators. Housing a vast array of vehicles, scientific equipment, a forensics lab, medical facilities, and trainning systems throughout its multi-tiered labyrinth, the Batcave's centrepice is the central computer terminal.
This is powered by seven Cray T392 mainframes, and incorporates a holographic projector. Stored on the computer is Batman's vast archive of crime and criminals.
For a time, Batman hired the hunchbacked mute Harold Allnut, a technological genius, to work in the cave. Harold was duped into revealing Batman's secrets to the villain Hush in exchange for a voice and a new body, and was murdered by the criminal. While several heroes--and a handful of villains--have seen the inside of the Batcave, very few know where it actually exists.
The original Batcave was destroyed during the earthquake that leveled half of Gotham City. The new Batcave is a multi-level bunker, powered by its own hydrogen generators. Housing a vast array of vehicles, scientific equipment, a forensics lab, medical facilities, and trainning systems throughout its multi-tiered labyrinth, the Batcave's centrepice is the central computer terminal.
This is powered by seven Cray T392 mainframes, and incorporates a holographic projector. Stored on the computer is Batman's vast archive of crime and criminals.
For a time, Batman hired the hunchbacked mute Harold Allnut, a technological genius, to work in the cave. Harold was duped into revealing Batman's secrets to the villain Hush in exchange for a voice and a new body, and was murdered by the criminal. While several heroes--and a handful of villains--have seen the inside of the Batcave, very few know where it actually exists.
Joker
First Appearance Batman #1 (Spring 1940)
Status Villain
Real Name Unknown
Occupation Anarchist; mass-murdere; professional criminal
Base Gotham City
Height 6ft 5in
Weight 192 lbs
Eyes Green
Hair Green
Special Powers/Abilities
Though not especially strong or skilled in figthing, the Joker is nonetheless a deadly combatant. Previously, he has demonstrated adeptness at chemistry, concocting his own poisonous Joker Venom, a weapon of mass distraction that leaves its victims with death-rictuses resembling his own manical leer. The Joker often wields deadly joke props or gags as an acid-squirting boutonniere or BANG!- Proclaiming flag pistol that doubles as a spear gun. However, he also plays the straight man in his blackly comedic campaigns of terror and will use conventional weapons-anything from a single-shot Derringer tucked in the brim of his hat to an operational nuclear warhead concealed within the trunk of his garish Jokermobile.
Key Storylines
- The Joker #1-9 (May 1975 - Dec 1976): The Joker becomes the first Bat-Villain to star in his own comic book series, lasting nine issues.
- Batman: #426-429 (Dec 1998 - Jan 1989): The Joker murders Jason Todd, the second Robin, leading Batman to pursue the Clown Prince.
- Batman: The Killing Joke (1988): The Joker's origins are explored as he cripples Barbara Gordon to prove a point to the Dark Knight.
- Joker: The Devil's Advocate (1996): The Joker is finally made responsible for his sins and sentenced to Death Row, but for a crime he did not commit!
Lex Luthor
First Appearance Action Comics #23 (Apr 1940)
Status Villain
Real Name Alexander Joseph Luthor
Occupation Mastermind
Base Metropolis; Washington D.C. (while U.S. President)
Height 6ft 2in
Weight 210 lbs
Eyes Green
Hair None
Special Powers/Abilities
Luthor is one of the smartest men on Earth, able to invent technological marvels or manipulate entire nations. He believes in brute force and is an unskilled figther, relying instead on weapons and armor.
Key Storylines
- Superman: President Lex (TPB, 2000): The world looks on aghast as Luthor become U.S. President, followomg the most controversial election of all time.
- Superman: #1-12 (Sep 2003-Sep 2004): Dating back to their childhood in Smallville, Luthor's tortured relationship with Clark Kent/Superman is redfined and explored.
- Superman/Batman #1-6: President Luthor becomes a kryptonite junkie and goes insane.
- Lex Luthor: Man of Steel (TPB, 2004): Luthor's recovery from his downfall.
Penguin
First Appearance Detective Comics #58 (Dec 1941)
Status Villain
Real Name Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot
Occupation Criminal; stock trader; fixer
Base Gotham City
Height 5ft 2in
Weight 175 lbs
Eyes Blue
Hair Black
Special Powers/Abilities
Devious and ruthless, despite his small stature, he is surprisingly agile; usually prefers to flee rather than fight; formerly favored an array of bizarre umbrella weapons; also used his affinity with birds to assist in his crimes.
Key Storylines
- Penguin Triumphant (TPB, 1992) : A spotlight story on the criminal dealings of a rogue who feels he doesn't get enough respect from the world.
- Secret Origins Special (TPB, 1989) : A look at the tragedy that is the Penguin's life.
- Batman Annual #11 (1987) : The Penguin is in love, convincing a parole board he deserves his freedom.
- Batman #25 (Oct-Nov 1944): in "The Knight of Kanvery", the Penguin teams up with the Joker with nearly deadly results for the Dynamic Duo.
Two Faces
First Appearance Detective Comics #66 (Aug 1942)
Status Villain
Real Name Harvey Dent
Occupation Former D.A.; professional criminal
Base Gotham City
Height 6ft
Weight 182 lbs
Eyes Blue
Hair Brown
Special Powers/Abilities
A criminal genius, whose crimes reveal an obsession with duality and the number two. An average combatant, but capable of savage violence.
Key Storylines
- Batman: Faces (TPB, 1995): An examination into the tortured, often violent relationship between Batman, Two-Face, and Commisioner Gordon.
- Batman Annual #14 (1990): A look at how difficult it is for Two-Face to function, whose face never fits in either the normal world or Gotham City's underworld.
- Secret Origins Special (TPB, 1989): How Harvey Dent changed from successful Disctric Attorney to psychopathic madman.
Captain Marvel
First Appearance Whiz Comics #1 (Feb 1940)
Status Hero
Real Name William Joseph "Billy" Batson
Occupation Radio Personality; super hero
Base Fawcett City
Height (as Billy) 5ft 4in; (as Captain Marvel) 6ft 2in
Weigth (as Billy) 110 lbs; (as Captain Marvel) 215 lbs
Eyes Blue
Hair Black
Special Powers/Abilities
Virtually invulnerable and able to fly; possesses the wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Hercules, the stamina of Atlas, the power of Zeus, the courage of Achilles, and the speed of Mercury.
Key Storylines
- The Power of Zhazam (H/B, 1994): The legend of Captain Marverl is retold in this novel as Billy Batson is given great power by uttering one magic word: Shazam!
- Underworld Unleashed #1-3 (Nov-Dec 1995): The super-villains bargain with the devil Neron for greater powers, but the ultimate prize in this Mephistophelian epic is Captain Marvel's incorruptible soul.
- The Power of Shazam #38-41 (May-Aug 1998): The big Red Cheese battles the Monster Society of Evil. He learns that the wicked worm, Mr. Mind, was first imprisoned on the planet Venus by Green Lantern Abin Sur.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)