Jules Verne (February 8, 1828 – March 24, 1905) was a French novelist, poet and playwright best known for his adventure novels and his profound influence on the literary genre of science fiction. Early in life Verne wrote for magazines and the stage. His collaboration with the publisher Pierre-Jules Hetzel led to the creation of the Voyages extraordinaires, a widely popular series of scrupulously researched adventure novels including Journey to the Center of the Earth (1864), Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (1870) and Around the World in Eighty Days (1873). Verne has had a wide influence on the literary avant-garde and on surrealism in France and most of Europe. Verne has been the second most-translated author in the world since 1979, ranking between Agatha Christie and William Shakespeare.
Marty McFly is a fictional character in the Back to the Future trilogy. In 1985, Marty plays guitar with his group The Pinheads and is a talented skateboarder. His girlfriend is Jennifer Parker and his best friend is Emmett Brown, a scientist whom Marty and Jennifer call “Doc.” Marty is portrayed by actor Michael J. Fox. Marty also appears in the animated TV series (1991-92) and the episodic video game (2010-11).
Green Lantern is the name of a number of fictional superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. They fight evil with the aid of rings that grant them a variety of extraordinary powers. The first Green Lantern character, Alan Scott, was created in 1940 during the initial popularity of superheroes. Alan Scott usually fought common criminals in New York City with the aid of his magic ring. In 1959, to capitalize on the booming popularity of science fiction, the Green Lantern character was reinvented as Hal Jordan, an officer for an interstellar law enforcement agency known as the Green Lantern Corps. Additional members of this agency, all of whom call themselves Green Lanterns, were introduced over time.
Batwoman is a fictional superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. First appearing in 1956, the character is a wealthy heiress who becomes inspired by the notorious superhero Batman and chooses, like him, to put her wealth and resources towards a war on crime as a masked vigilante in her home of Gotham City. Batwoman was introduced as a love interest for Batman in order to combat the allegations of Batman’s homosexuality arising from the controversial book Seduction of the Innocent (1954). Conversely, the modern Batwoman is written as being a lesbian of Jewish descent. Described as the highest-profile gay superhero to appear in stories published by DC, Batwoman’s sexual orientation drew wide media attention following her reintroduction.
I suppose this is my contribution to the long-awaited celebration of the Supreme Court declaring same-sex marriage legal in all 50 states yesterday. It’s always a nice feeling to be proud of something that happens in my country, belated or not. Rainbows are everywhere. As for my 8-bit characters, the LGBTQIA+ tag keeps growing.
The Flash is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The original Flash first appeared in Flash Comics #1 (January 1940). 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 have assumed the identity of the Flash: Jay Garrick (1940-present), Barry Allen (1956-1985, 2008-present), Wally West (1986-2006, 2007-2012, 2013-present) and Bart Allen (2006-2007). The second incarnation of the Flash (Barry Allen) is part of the Silver Age of comic books. The third incarnation (Wally West) is considered the greatest and most well-known superhero of the four. Each version of the Flash has been a key member of at least one of DC’s premier teams: the Justice Society of America, the Justice League and the Teen Titans.
Dr. Crime is the costumed identity of Edward Elmgren, a villain in Marvel’s main universe, Earth-616. Elmgren’s primary weapon was a blow gun that fired darts coated with a lethal poison. In 1941, Elmgren led an expedition into the Amazon looking to find riches, but instead found a concentrated shrinking formula used by an Amazonian tribe to shrink heads. This shrinking formula enabled Elmgren to reduce the size of human beings and their clothes. As Dr. Crime he began administering this liquid using a water pistol. During a battle with Captain America and Bucky, Elmgren attempted to escape by using his own shrinking formula, but was swooped up by a passing eagle and likely carried to his death.
Wolverine is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly in association with the X-Men. Born James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant who possesses animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities (including three retractable claws housed within each forearm) and a healing factor. He has been depicted variously as a member of the X-Men, Alpha Flight and the Avengers. Wolverine is typical of the many tough antiheroes that emerged in American popular culture after the Vietnam War; his willingness to use deadly force and his brooding nature became standard characteristics for comic book antiheroes by the end of the 1980s. As a fan-favorite character, Wolverine has appeared in most X-Men adaptations, including animated TV series, video games and the live-action X-Men film series.
Roshanna Chatterji (also known as Tremor) is a superhero in the DC Universe with the ability to create vibrations, giving her the power to create earthquakes or disrupt land. Tremor is Bengali and was born in India, where she discovered her ability to move the earth with shockwaves. She frequently displayed her powers, which led to people calling her a witch. She moved to the U.S., where she quickly made new friends, before an alcohol-fueled joyride changed her life. Tremor was created by Gail Simone and Jim Calafiore and first appeared in the Secret Six comics. She also appears within the rebooted Prime Earth (or the New 52) continuity, in The Movement comic book series. Tremor, a teenager, is asexual, making her the only known asexual superhero in either DC Comics or Marvel.
Dana Scully is a fictional character in the science fiction-supernatural television series The X-Files (1993-2002) played by Gillian Anderson. Scully is an FBI agent, partnered with fellow Special Agent Fox Mulder for the first seven seasons, and in the eighth and ninth seasons partnered with John Doggett. In the TV series, they work out of a cramped basement office at FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C. to investigate unsolved cases labeled “X-Files.” In contrast to Mulder’s “believer” character, Scully is the skeptic for the first seven seasons, choosing to base her beliefs on what science can prove. She later on becomes a “believer” after Mulder’s abduction at the end of season seven. Scully also appears in the feature films The X-Files: Fight the Future (1998) and The X-Files: I Want to Believe (2008).
Major Motoko Kusanagi is the main protagonist in Masamune Shirow’s Ghost in the Shell anime and manga series. She is a cyborg employed as the squad leader of Public Security Section 9, a fictional intelligence department of the real Japanese National Public Safety Commission. Her counter-terrorist unit specializes in technological warfare against cyber-crime. Being strong-willed, physically powerful and highly intellectual, Kusanagi is known for her skills in deduction and hacking.
Tetsuo Shima is the main antagonist of the manga and 1988 anime movie Akira. One of the youngest members of a motorcycle gang in Neo-Tokyo, Tetsuo was once the best friend of leader Shotaro Kaneda. At the beginning of the story, Tetsuo is severely injured in a mysterious motorcycle accident, which causes him to display immense powers, including telekinesis, teleportation, mind-reading and a shield that allows him to breathe in space. Tetsuo’s mental instability increases with the manifestation of his powers. This ultimately drives him insane and destroys his friendship with Kaneda, who becomes his nemesis.
Note: I created 8-bit Tetsuo after the point in the story where he synthesizes an artificial, metal arm to replace his severed right arm. Also, today is 9/11. Last year on September 11, I published my 666th pixel art character, Nero. In 2012, I posted Augusto Pinochet on this day. That’s three villains in a row. But if you go back to 2011, on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, I published Captain America. Because, ‘Merica.
SpaceBear, created by artist Andy Helms, is a small black bear working as a bounty hunter (or, more accurately, bounty barber). He wields a pins-and-needles pistol and wears an orange robotic spacesuit, called a Xyber-Suit, which features a Xyber-Shield and Xyber-Snips (for cutting facial hair). In the animated short “SpaceBear,” SpaceBear saves Brobot and Frog Teen at a Gas-Teroid before facing off with his bearded wizard nemesis the Astro-Magus, Perplexulo. The cartoon, animated by Dave Ferguson, premiered on Cartoon Hangover one week ago, on August 14, 2014.
Space Cat is a children’s book series from the 1950s, written by Scottish author Ruthven Todd and illustrated by Paul Galdone. The third book, Space Cat Meets Mars (1957) introduces Moofa, a female cat with striped red fur and pink whiskers. While visiting Mars, the protagonist space cat Flyball meets Moofa, who is the last surviving Martian cat. She subsists on golden fish from the Martian canals and takes shelter in caves during the frigid Martian nights and red dust storms. Her story continues in the fourth and final book in the series, Space Cat and the Kittens (1958).
Ming the Merciless is a character who first appeared in the Flash Gordon comic strip in 1934. When the heroic Flash Gordon and his friends land on the planet Mongo, they find it ruled by the evil Emperor Ming, a despot who quickly becomes their enemy. Ming has since been the main villain of the strip and its related movie serials, television series and film adaptation.
Space Cat is a children’s book series from the 1950s, written by Scottish author Ruthven Todd and illustrated by Paul Galdone. The first book, Space Cat (1952), introduces Flyball, an ambitious young cat who is off to the moon in a rocket. Flyball not only makes an important scientific discovery on his way to the moon, but also saves the pilot’s life. The sequels are Space Cat Visits Venus (1955), Space Cat Meets Mars (1957) and Space Cat and the Kittens (1958).
In celebration of Earth Day and my 607th character, I was thinking of cutting back on my pixel art updates to focus more on other creative projects, such as my novel(s). This concept of “other creative projects” might also include “trying to buy all four vintage Space Cat books on eBay for less than $50 each.” However, since I don’t yet feel inspired to write, I think I will carry on as usual with 3+ pixel art characters per week.
Leeloo is the perfect, supreme being in The Fifth Element, a 1997 French science fiction film directed by Luc Besson. In the 23rd century, Korben Dallas (Bruce Willis), a taxicab driver and retired military officer, teams up with Leeloo (Milla Jovovich) to defend the world from an evil presence that enters the galaxy every 5,000 years. They must overcome the evil Zorg and locate four ancient stones representing the four basic elements of earth, air, fire and water. Positioning the stones around the Fifth Element will create a legendary cosmic weapon. Leeloo’s ancient language and strange customs are entertaining.
V for Vendetta is a 10-issue comic book series written by Alan Moore, set in a dystopian future United Kingdom imagined from the 1980s to about the 1990s. A mysterious anarchist revolutionary who wears a Guy Fawkes mask and calls himself “V” works to destroy the totalitarian government. Warner Bros. released a film adaptation of V for Vendetta in 2006.
Barbarella is a 41st-century astronaut in the 1968 French-Italian science fiction film based on Jean-Claude Forest’s French Barbarella comics. The tongue-in-cheek movie was directed by Roger Vadim and stars Jane Fonda, who was Vadim’s wife at the time. Barbarella is noted for the coy nudity of its title sequence, which features Fonda undressing in zero-gravity.
Note: The source of her torn 8-bit outfit is this Barbarella scene with a guy named Dildano.
Admiral Ackbar is a character in the Star Wars franchise. As the Mon Calamari rebel leader, he played a supporting role in the 1983 film Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. Admiral Ackbar’s “It’s a trap!” line is one of the most popular lines from the Star Wars films and is a popular Internet meme.
This week I am attending WebVisions 2012 in Portland, Oregon.
Lando Calrissian is a character in the Star Wars franchise. He first appeared in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) as an administrator of Cloud City who later joins the Rebel Alliance. He helps Han Solo destroy Jabba’s barge and then takes the pilot chair in the Millennium Falcon to lead the attack on the second Death Star.
Batwoman – No. 885
Batwoman is a fictional superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. First appearing in 1956, the character is a wealthy heiress who becomes inspired by the notorious superhero Batman and chooses, like him, to put her wealth and resources towards a war on crime as a masked vigilante in her home of Gotham City. Batwoman was introduced as a love interest for Batman in order to combat the allegations of Batman’s homosexuality arising from the controversial book Seduction of the Innocent (1954). Conversely, the modern Batwoman is written as being a lesbian of Jewish descent. Described as the highest-profile gay superhero to appear in stories published by DC, Batwoman’s sexual orientation drew wide media attention following her reintroduction.
I suppose this is my contribution to the long-awaited celebration of the Supreme Court declaring same-sex marriage legal in all 50 states yesterday. It’s always a nice feeling to be proud of something that happens in my country, belated or not. Rainbows are everywhere. As for my 8-bit characters, the LGBTQIA+ tag keeps growing.