Silverlight Q & A Before the Attack

Host: Welcome to Royal Chat our guest this week is Crown Princess Josephine of the Fiercan Empire let's find out what's happening in her life.
Q: So how does it feel to be the Crown Princess of the Fiercan Empire?
Josephine: (Laughs) You make that sound so official. Who knows if I will even get the crown. You know about the trials the many, many trials. Look what happened to my uncle. (Looks Away). Anything can happen.
Q: Right. Of Course. So your leading the armies North this coming summer. What are you plans going to be when you reach Forestera?
J: You're a sharp shooter there. Look Forestera has been involved in activities that it knows Fierca does not approve of. However, though I admit we are heading there I will not say what we will be up to. (Intense stare). Next Question please.
Q: (Shivers and gulps)Your kingdom is by far the best on the face of this planet, on the face of history. As a current and future leader what do you plan to do to keep our status?
J: I plan to work hard on education. What got us to be such a great nation was hard work in the academic arena. We are so far ahead of the other nations we basically live in an entirely different planet because of it. Our technologies and our lifestyles have vastly improved since my father decided to invest 10 times more money into our educational systems when he took power. I hope to further that. Fierca has no limits.
Q: Impressive. Well princess any suitors at the moment?
J: ( Turns Red)Are you even allowed to ask such questions?
Q: Yup
J: Geez. Well not at the moment. Next question.
Q: (Laughs). Very well and this will be the last. Josephine there are many rumors that your uncle is building an army so large and vast in the south that when they shoot arrows they cover the sun. Is this army a threat to the empire? What do you say to this rumors?
J: (sighs). I say they're just rumors. My uncle is of my blood I understand he is angry for what happened but he'd never do such a thing. He is a Fiercan and this has been our way for thousands of years. He would never do such a thing. Besides my cousins have gone scouting and there is no such army in the South. It's impossible.
Q: I'm happy to hear that and I'm sure the rest of the Fiercan nation is happy to hear that as well. Well those are all the question we have for today come by next week for Royal Chat.

                                               

Comic book girl

I just wanted to comment on the environment of the comic book store by explaining a recent scenario I experienced.I walked into a comic book store that I had never been in L.A. with two of my best guy friends. I was looking forward to buying the new book regarding superman and his "NEW" hipster image. As an avid superhero enthusiast I'm pretty knowledgeable of the happenings in a comic book store and pretty much know a little about every superheroe. However, when I walked in the employee at this said comic book store walked past me and straight toward my guy friends. I guess since I was a girl he must of figured I was just tagging along while my friends were the actual consumers. Might I add my friends pretty much know zero about the comic book world so it just had me wonder how deeply embedded the idea that the comic books are only for boys is in the industry. It goes without saying that I had a nice long chat with said employee who afterward gave me his full attention. However, I find myself annoyed because I don't feel that I have to prove myself in anyway to be a consumer. Any ideas?

Silverlight Adjustments and Explanations

I wish to adjust and add to an earlier post in regards to Silverlight. In relations to her necklace I had said she used it to disguise her real appearance and enable her to move around her nation. I wish to change this and make it so that lighting her necklace enables her to turn into her superhero form.

                                                          


In Fierca the royal line is passed down from Father to Daugther to Mother to Son. She is next in line to the throne but many feel it is not right as many have been fighting her family's eligibility as the royal family since her uncle was denied the throne. In this world you do not simply get the throne because your the oldest or the right gender. You go through many tests to see if you are capable. It could be that a king or queen's children are all incapable so then the nephews and nieces are tried and so on. Josephine's uncle though the oldest and of the right gender failed the tests so her father took the throne as he passed. Something of this nature had not happen in hundreds of years. Those of the right gender and oldest almost always passed the tests. Her uncle infuriated and embarassed attempted the murder of his brother soon after but failed and was banished.

                                                                            

Josephine has always enjoyed war or not so much war but the prepartion and the determination one needed to overcome it. If she was not chosen to be queen and instead her sisters were then she would've liked to been appointed as general of her father's army. She is best known for her good temperment and excellent judgement. She is the eldest.

                                                              

In regards to powers only being reserved to royal families. There are twenty royal families who have been marrying one another for many centuries. However, never had a person ever been able to have more than one elemental powers. Through Fiercan Science they were able to change their genetics to be able to accept more than one power. Many of the nations are scared of this ability as the Fiercans are the only ones who can do this, and the race to discover this power is putting many on edge.

My Challenge

           For my respected challenge I reviewed Joseph Powell’s review of “Boys and Girls: Superheroes in the Doll Conrer Vivian Gussin Paley”. I chose this article because it referenced what we had discussed in our last class in regards to why boys are more likely than girls to be comic book purchasers and it talked about , “ boys and girls in their respected roles as superheroes and homemakers” ( Powell 218).In comic books, or at least the majority of them, girls are more submissive than boys. It is the boys that take action and the girls who just watch it happen. He talked about their dynamics and why they choose their respected roles. Society ,thus, has us think we have to be something even though we’re not.

              He states that it happens when were really young. Boys take the more assertive roles of robbers, and girls are the ones being robbed. I think that just goes to show the reason why boys are more so at a young age able to relate to being a superhero and get into reading comic books. Girls don’t see themselves in these comic books and don’t start reading them when their young. By the time their older they are to set in their ways and not as patient at trying to get to understand the comic book.   Therefore, I think this was a good article because it illuminates the reason why girls can not and are not such big fans of comic books. Society tells them it is not their place. Which is really sad, and unless the comic book world can change that, it could be the set thought that brings the comic book industry to its knees.

        In addition, I have a few suggestions in ways the comic book world can make their industry a more female friendly environment. First, I'd like to have many more female heroines. They are so out numbered by male heroes, and I feel a lot of the better writers out there are more hesistant to write for them. In order for girls to want to buy comics, they are going to have to want to emulate the characters in them and with the type of female heroines currently out there I can see why they hesistate. Secondly, the stores have to be set up in a way that is easier for girls to understand the organization. Girls like organization something many comic book stores never tend to have. Why not have like a small brochure explaining to them how everything is laid out so they don't accidently open a comic book that will forever turn them off. Thirdly, come on gentlemen help a girl out? I think the employees at the store have to be willing to walk up to a girl and ask them if they need help with something. So many times comic book employees just sit behind their register not really doing anything. They should be more proactive.
                                                   

Powell, Jerry. Winterthur Portfolio. 2/3 ed. Vol. 21. N.p.: University of Chicago, n.d. 218-19.

JSTOR. Web. 15 Dec. 2010. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/1181085>.

Early Drawings

Although I know I'm no artist here are my first attempts at drawing Silverlight. On the left you see her while she is a regular princess and on the right is when she is on the road. The colors didn't come out when I scanned but the primary colors for the sketch on the left is grey and pink and on the right it is brown and green.

                                                     

Wonder Woman 604

                                                                  

       This issue really struck at my heart strings. I was saddened to a great extent as the battle that Wonder Woman faced was against the being who killed her mother. The issue commences with his introduction and Wonder Woman discovering this charred being used to be a regular man or at very least a being in a human's body. He was a soldier who was hired by governments to kill and torture. He murdered so many people and didn't even think twice about it. He liked killing. However, one day his plans go askew and the friends and family of those he killed capture him. He is torturned and lit on fire but right before he dies he makes a deal with an evil being that if he can kill all the Amazonians he will be returned to his former self. He takes the offer and does a good job at killing those beings.  Wonder Woman and he fight an epic battle. The charred being wraps her in the famous lasso, however, Wonder Woman discovers that fire hurts him. She is willing to die in the fire with him but her mother saves her as she has been in the fire all that while.  Her mother finishes the battle for her and Wonder Woman lives. Wonder Woman quickly gathers her senses and wants to capture the rest of the evil crew but they fly away. Although, what she has suffered is great Wonder Woman ends her day happily as she learns to  fly and for a split second she has hope.       
         This issue was a real emotional one. Wonder Woman suffers a lot of grief meeting her deceased mother and having to fight the charred being who murdered her is no small feat but she does it. I felt the intensity  of the entire issue and felt myself rooting for Wonder Woman. The next issue does not come out until late December and though the project will be over I know Ill get that issue as well.

Wonder Woman issue 603

                                                      
 This issue of The All-New Wonder Woman was pretty intense. She has finally escaped from those who are trying to capture her, however, when they meet up with the mercenaries who are to help them find their new safe haven they find that they are all dead. Wonder Woman sees that it has happened quite recently and so she searches for the culprits only to find that they are these evil looking harpies. She starts this epic battle but the other Amazonians can't see these harpies so she is left to fend for herself. These evil harpies steal her soul and send her to the underworld and Wonder Woman discovers that Hades has been missing for quite sometime and that the underworld is in utter chaos. Charon the man who usually escorts the souls into the underworld informs her of all the happenings in that world and tells her she needs to fight Cerberus to escape the underworld.  She meets up with the Harpies again and defeats them but when she meets up with Cerberus (the three headed dog) he simply just bows down to her. When she finally escapes the underworld and returns the  men who were following her have caught up as she was in a deep slumber when all this was happening. The men, however, make a deal with her that if she meets their boss that they will let the other Amazonians go. She agrees. The other Amazonians go and she meets the evil being that killed her mother. They are  to fight.

                                                              

     This issue illuminated a lot of issues. It basically showed how everything in regards to this Ancient Greek world is in utter chaos. If the underworld is in bad shape one can only imagine how the other gods are faring. Yet, I can't help but think about all the plot holes this issue has. For one, why couldn't these men have finished off Wonder Woman when she was asleep? Why did they wait for her to wake up? If the evil boss man was really this evil then why would he give Wonder Woman such an opportunity? I just thought that part was pretty comical. Overall, though the issue did help foreshadow the utter chaos that is about to ensue. I can't wait for the next issue.
                                                                     
In addition, if some of you aren't really aware of the awesome  might of Wonder Woman or can't really envision what she is capable of check this clip out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsS1MPnA-vs&feature=related

Women in Comic Books

      In class a topic that is constantly being conversed about is whether the depiction of women in comics is a good one. In the early Wonder Woman, although she is saving the day she is constantly swooning over her love. Why couldn't the writers just depict her as this sole hero like Schuster did Superman? Why did she need a love interest that seemed to inspire all heroic actions?In Fantastic Four, Susan (Invisible Woman) plays let's say for a lack of a better word a silent role. Although, she has all these amazing powers her contribution to the group is that of nurturer. I find her ability to be invisible, build force fields, and throw back energy to be much better than that of Mr. Fantastic's stretching ability then why was she thrown in the background?  In X-Men, Jean might have had an aggresive role more so when she was the Phoenix but this is seen as a bad thing as she is soon taken down by the team. Why is that the comic world which normally plays a progressive role in discussing today's issues is so behind in the depiction of women?
      In my paper I plan to delve into the role of women in comics. How are women depicted as a whole in the world of comics taking the good and bad as we have only just touched on but a few comics? Why are women depicted in such a way? How does this affect the comic book reader?  Has there been any progression? Before this class I did not even think about the depiction of women in comics, however, as the comic book world is looking to revamp itself and gain more readers would changing the way they depict women have them gain many more readers? What I mean is if women were to be depicted in a more positive light couldn't they gain a much bigger audience? These are but a few questions I hope to answer and research.

What makes a Superhero?

                                                                             

 Lately I've been debating the subject on what makes a superhero. The other day a few friends and I had a heated debate about what makes a superhero super. A lot of my friends immediately jumped to the conclusion that it was their special powers that made a person  a superhero, however, when I thought about my favorite superheroe I did not so much think it was their powers but more so their character. My favorite superhero is Superman the most powerful superhero known to man and it is not his power that  make him my favorite superhero but more so his "farm boy" values. He stands up for what is right no matter what and he has the best moral compass amongst all the superheroes.

    

           In additon, many famous superheroes don't have superpowers. Two famous superheroes without powers are  Batman and Green Arrow. However, when bringing these two characters into the picture I don't think my argument stands. When I think about them I don't think it is their character that makes them super because though they both have strong characters I would not put them on the same level as Superman or even on the same playing field. So then I'm back where I started. So what makes a superhero you guys?

My Super Hero- Silver Light

Hey Guys! So I've been working on my own superhero as of late. Here is the basic skeleton. I'm hoping to have some sketches on by early this week and am also hoping to have at least one comic strip up as well. Please comment.

Silverlight

Abilities

·         Creation and Manipulation of Fire

·         Super Strength

·         Super Speed

Origin Story

Silverlight was once the Crown Princess Josephine. Her family ruled over the proud and noble house of Fierca. Her kingdom was one of peace and prosperity until the day her exiled uncle came knocking on her door leading an army of hundreds of thousands of beings from the underworld. Her father’s army did not stand a chance and as the fight came to a close it was only her and her father who remained. Her father has her go through the secret passage in the castle beseeching her to go seek her mother. He fights of the evil beasts long enough to see her go safely. He dies at the hands of his brother.

 Crown Princess Josephine does not go to the safe haven her mother can provide but seeks vengeance for her father. She has distinctive features and can not simply go around her nation as her normal self so her family after hundreds of years of practicing security measures for the royal household created necklaces that changes a person’s appearance while wearing it. While wearing her plain molten rock necklace and activating it with her fire she can change her appearance.  No one outside royal families know how what the real Firecan appearance is so when she takes off her necklace to do a heroic deed no one has inkiling of who she is.  She goes on many adventures in her quest for revenge and quickly changes into her battle attire when trouble calls.

Origin of Powers

Josephine was born with her powers. The Royal families in her world all have some sort of power and are defined by that power. Her grandmother who was Fiercan married into the Poderoso clan and her children gained the powers of Strength and Speed. Although, her father married into the Iglean clan neither Josephine or her brother have demonstrated any ability to manipulate water. The Royal families in this world have had these abilities for as far back as they can remember it is a part of who they are.

Silverlight’s Physical Description                       

Before Transformation

·         15                                                                           

·         Brown Hair ----- Removal of Necklace her hair is Silver

·         Green Eyes---- Removal of Necklace her eyes are Pink

·         Tan skin

·         5’7

The Incredbiles

            The Incredibles a Pixar creation came out in 2004. I was 14 at the time and it became and still is my favorite animated movie.              The Incredibles is a movie about a family with supernatural abilities. The protagonist Robert Parr ( Mr. Incredible) has superstrength and a heightened resistance to harm. His wife Helen Parr (Elastigirl) can stretch her body and shape it to whatever form she wants it to have. Their eldest child Violet Parr has the ability to turn invisible and create spherical force fields. Dashiell Parr is their second child and his supernatural ability is superspeed. Jack Jack Parr the youngest seemingly has limitless supernatural abilities.
             The movie follows Robert Parr and his utter frustration at having to have to give up his hero persona. There was a time when his wife and he use to save the day in the city of Municiberg but after many lawsuit of bystanders claiming they were hurt due to their doings they have to give up their jobs as superheroes. Time goes by and in those years Robert and Helen Parr grow their family and have relocated to Metroville. Robert Parr looks to be having a horrible time living a life where he has to work a 9 to 5 job and come home to his three children. He does not feel fulfilled and it also appears that, that is causing a rift between his wife and he. He eventually loses his job as he loses his temper with his boss for not letting him save the day as he has been doing undercover.
          However, he is unable to tell his wife as he is offered a large sum of money by a mysterious woman who wants him to stop a robot in a remote island. It ends up being all part of the supervillain's plan Syndrome who used to be Robert Parr's sidekick and who was taking his revenge out on Robert for denying him as his sidekick all those years before. It ends up taking all the Parr family and Robert's best friend Frozone to defeat Syndrome and his robot Omnidroid. In the end, the family becomes closer together and Robert feels rejuvenated. 
            In recently reading Fantastic Four, I can not help but see the amount of similarities these two families have. Mr. Incredible's powers remind me a lot of the Thing. Elastigirl appears to have a lot of the leadership abilities and the supernatural abilities of Mr.Fantastic. Violet has a lot of the abilities of the Invisible Woman. Dash does not have the same abilities of the Human Torch but their mischvieous personalities are also very similar. In addition, one can not miss the family aspect that both superhero families have. It appears the superheroes of today can not escape the influence of yesterday's superheroes.
            The storyline also reminded me a lot of Watchmen due to the whole idea of the government hiding the superheroes as the public no longer wants them a part of their lives. The characters then getting utterly frustrated trying to find a new way to live and "fit" in.
             The movie is an absolute joy to watch and one I totally recommend. If you haven't seen it go check it out.
          

Wonder Woman part 2

          Last time around I gave my two cents about The All-New Wonder Woman issue 601 this time around is issue 602.  In issue 602, we follow Wonder Woman to Turkey where a bunch of armed men have the Amazonians trapped in an ancient Temple. Wonder Woman is able to make herself inside the temple but when she enters she is unable to convince the Amazonians there to immediately leave. Their priestess is hurt and needs time to recuperate before any of them are willing to leave. Wonder Woman is beside herself and does not know what to do.
            She confronts one of the young Amazonians who is one of the most adamant about not wanting to leave the priestess behind. The young woman owns a shield with the face of Wonder Woman's mother on it. Wonder Woman barely remembers her mother so she is so enamored by the portrait on the shield. She discovers that the memory of her mother brings these women strength and for her memory their willing to do anything. This brings to light a multitude of feelings for Wonder Woman. She decides to wait for the priestess and fleas to soltitude and begins to argue with the gods. One does not know if she is actually talking to the gods or if she's just fighting her inner frustrations of being stuck in such a precarious situation but one can just feel her desperation.
         The priestess finally gets better but Wonder Woman sees that they can't get out like they could've if they would of taken her advice and left immediately. Although, the gods told her that some would die she is so angry at them for first abandoning her people and second for being so negative that she sends the Amazonians through the back exit as she makes a distraction in the front exit to prove to the gods that they don't know everything. She fights vallantly but is so overwhelmed that one of the other Amazonians has to bravely come to  her rescue, but when giving Wonder Woman her shield she is left defenseless and is murdered. Wonder Woman becomes furious and goes on a rampage. Most of the Amazonians are able to escape and and it appears Wonder Woman wins her battle against all those men.
         I noticed a few peculiar things about this issue that is something I am not accustomed to when I think about Wonder Woman. She was not as powerful as I'm used to her and neither were the Amazonians. They all appear weak and a little too human. Their usually put on a pedestal but in these last two issues they just look so helpless. But I guess that might be the point as Wonder Woman herself just seems so at a loss.  It is also something to note that the famous Wonder Woman has still not been referred to as Wonder Woman in the last two issues. She is in fact just Princess Diana which is her secret but not so secret identity. It is as Princess Diana that she is going to pursue her destiny and not as Wonder Woman which I also find really strange. I guess to find out what is happening I'm going to have to stay tune.

The All-New Wonder Woman

         Wonder Woman is by far the most iconic female superhero in all of comic books. However, though an avid comic book reader I had never once bought her comic book. I wanted to change that so I chose her as the hero I'd follow for a project I was assigned in my comic book class at the university I am attending.
         I picked up the 601 issue of The All-New Wonder Woman. Although, we have been introduced to who Wonder Woman is in class for those who don't know Wonder Woman basics Ill let you know. Wonder Woman gets her powers from the Greek gods and utilizes instruments that have the gods power in them such as her famous lasso. She fights for what is right and plays an immensely important part in the Justice League. Although, if you want to know a more detailed outline of who Wonder Woman is picking up the 601st issue would certainly help.
        It appears J. Michael Straczynski is doing an upheaval to the Wonder Woman image. She no longer has her traditional attire seen above but is now wearing black pants, a blue jacket, and her red shirt no longer looks like a tube top but a tank top.

           In issue 601, Wonder Woman does not know who she is, where she comes from, and the reader is basically going on a journey with her to discover who she is. Which is great for the first time Wonder Woman reader because they find out who she is. This issue is much different from the Wonder Woman stories I am accustomed to because it changes her origin story as I knew it.      
          In issue 601, Wonder Woman visits an oracle apparently after years of solitude where she has been training to utilize her powers to her fullest potential. She is confused and wants to know what her destiny is. She doesn't know exactly what happened to her people in the past so she does not know how to move in the future. It appears her mother died when she was a child. She fought bravely in a battle that came to play because the Amazons (her people) were abandoned by the gods and soon after attacked by the world of men. Her mother fought bravely but to stop herself from disclosing the information of where she hid her daughet and to save her daughter from being captured she threw herself in the fire.
        Wonder Woman is instilled a fierce passion to avenge her mother and to protect the remaining Amazons. After visiting the oracle she immediately starts her trail for her mother's killers. Although, she finds the location where many of her enemies are at she has to leave as she finds out her fellow Amazonians are in danger. She goes to Turkey to where they are at and finds a Greek Temple.
          Now this issue really blew my mind. Not only was the origin story totally flipped but so was the very attire that I identify Wonder Woman with. I am not sure I'm a big fan of this costume either. Although her new costume does make her seem more modern and edgier I think it's something that will be changed in a year or two and does not represent the timeless nature of Wonder Woman. Not only that but the origin story is completely different it appears that in this story she left Paradise Island at an extremely young age and was unable to learn all about her people like she did in the more popular origin story. In the more popular origin story she is a full grown woman and leaves with the intention to help the world of man. She knows where she comes from and is sure of herself. Unlike the 601st issue where she seems so at a lost with who she is and what her mission is. Not only that but her mission for leaving her sanctuary is to defend her people against mankind and not to help mankind. It was just really mind boggling. It does make me really wonder how this will progress.

Kick Ass

        For most of you who don't know I absolutely love Kick-Ass. I own both the movie and the comic book and found both to be really good representations of the comic book world. Kick-Ass follows the life of Dave Lizewski who after reading plenty of comic books feels like he wants to make a difference and become a superhero.
      I think the story does a good job of depicting what would really happen if someone in the real- world tried to don a costume. Kick-Ass gets his butt kicked when he first dons his costume to do heroic deeds and almost dies as he tries to stop two thieves from stealing a car. He does not magically get bitten by a spider and does not gain super powers by being thrown into a toxic waste dump. He just spends a lot of time in the hospital. In the end he finds his inner strength and is able to accomplish a lot of good things along side the more talented heroes Hit Girl and Big Daddy.
      Although, I think the comic book did a better job than the movie did in demonstrating how average Kick-Ass was (he does not get the pretty girl in the comic book)I really could relate to both Kick-Asses portrayal of a kid who just wanted to do good. I know what you guys are thinking. Wait, Jacqueline there have been plenty of supeheroes who are popular and who did not have super powers. Well those same super heroes had millions of dollars, years of martial arts training, and were incredibly intelligent. I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news but Kick-Ass did not have any of those things. He was just a kid.  And that's what has him stand out from the rest he could of been any kid it could of been you. Anyways I totally recommend you guys should definitely check it out.

Who are thou comic book boy?

          Hey guys! This past weekend I went on a trip to Medieval Times. Medieval Times is this sort of restaurant/ show that entertains you by showing you a plot set back in Medieval Times that has knights battle it out. Coincidently, when I went there I was bombarded with thoughts of the superhero. It all started when the actor who played the King did a toast and said something along the lines of, for honor, for courage, and for peace. I thought to myself wow that really does sound like the values superheroes try to live by. Then when introducing each knight, who by the way wore outfits of distinct colors, each knight was presented as having some sort of distinct value or characteristic that made him special sort of like a super power. The people behind me seemed really into the whole show so I turned around to take a look at these interesting characters and one of them was wearing a Superman shirt. Then I thought these boys sort of look like the boys I would see at the comic book store. Could people who so wholeheartedly like this sort of stuff be so easily identifiable? I began to really think about who these people really were.


              In Matthew Pustz “Comic book culture: fanboys and the believers “ he touches on this subject. Pustz said that the typical comic book consumer can be described as , “Most regulars are male and relatively young, usually around high school or college age” (5). Society knows of these boys too. We grew up with them in high school and most of the time looked at them as if they were these strange beings. Growing up we referred to these people as nerds and many times they were outcasts. But why? Sure they are slightly awkward but aren’t we all. Don’t they just outwardly say that they like all the things society says it strives for? Why are we so intimidated and so quick to shun these boys then? I began to think about the countless times I refrained to do the right thing or something I wanted to do because it was not cool. These boys don’t have these parameters and I thought how lucky. They are beyond society’s hold. Perhaps, all the values superheroes try so desperately hard to live by aren’t these mystical values to them but things they actually apply to their everyday lives. In looking at these boys sitting behind me at Medieval Times cheering so loudly I could not help but smile, because even though everyone around them was staring at them, and even though it was not cool they shrugged it all off. They didn’t care. Who are these comic book guys and why are they so awesome?

About Me

Hi my name is Jacqueline Orellana and I am currently a senior at CSUN. I am majoring in English and am also applying to law schools at the moment. I like to play soccer, read, and eat some of mom's delicious meals.