Calling All Sidekicks

 

Some of the most well-known characters in superhero comics are, believe it or not, the sidekicks. The difference between a superhero and a sidekick isn’t usually how much either of them actually does when it comes to fighting crime, or even their powers. but typically revolves more around the age and personality of the character. The best example would be Robin (Or the many different Robins as there were multiple when the previous Robin would die off) sidekick to Batman. Of course, many people might not know that there were several different Robins: Either because the previous Robin “died”, or because the story was in a different version or “universe”. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_(comics) )
Of course, characters rarely stay dead in comics. The usually tend to miraculously make a reappearance or will return in one of the many multi-verses. Comic books and their writers enjoy tugging at your heart-strings. This is why many people never know the true storylines of comic book characters, there are multiple outcomes.

The sad truth is that no one pays much attention to the sidekicks and how much they truly do for their "heroes". Everyone could say that Bruce Wayne is Batman, the legendary Dark Knight, but most people you would ask couldn’t name Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, Stephanie Brown, Damian Wayne, or even Carrie Kelley as any of the Robins. Sidekicks are the most underrated aspects of these storylines and are not given credit for the hundreds of times they’ll save the superhero. Sidekicks are there to save their heroes after an entrapment, they help to find out the evil plans of their enemies. Sidekicks break away from their heroes because they are given minimal credit for the work they've done.

Call Your Allies: Don’t Work Alone

 

        “Everyone must work together and fight back. If we all fight, we can’t lose. Good will always win. We need more help.” How many times have we heard about the importance of ‘teamwork’ when it comes to movies with good versus evil: protagonist versus antagonist? Anyone who has ever seen a superhero movie will understand exactly what I am about to say. SUPERHEROS- DO- NOT- CALL- FOR- HELP! THERE- IS- NO- OUTSOURCING- FOR- BACKUP!

          I cannot adequately describe how irritated I get when I am watching any sort of popular franchised Hollywood portrayal of some cliché superhero that needs to save the earth and decides he can handle everything on his own. Don’t get me wrong, I love everything there is to love about the realm of imagination that is in any sort of association with superheroes, supervillains, and the like, but there are many pet peeves I have about the logic behind the stories. Okay, yes, I realize how idiotic the necessity for logic sounds in this context, but hear me out for just a few minutes. “You want logic? You probably shouldn’t be this interested in superheroes. They are made up people with superpowers, of course there is no logic.” Well, I understand that the entire parameter of the superhero world is fictional, but my problem is when there are major gaping holes in the storylines.

          You’re going to tell me that New York City can be literally destroyed and burned to the ground every other day and there are still people who don’t know superheroes exist? That there are no news reports or any investigations going on in order to be able to explain why a street of skyscrapers just collapsed into smoke? Furthermore, I would like to know how much the taxes and the budgeting for infrastructure would be for the citizens in the area because they have to be paying tons of money in repairs.

          A lot of DC and Marvel characters will be in the same area, but don’t cross each other. As a random example to emphasis my point; if Captain America and Spiderman are both going to be in the same vicinity fighting crime, why do they never cross paths? Not once!

          The sucky hiding of “secret identities” is always a dilemma to me. It’s one of those things that is stuck in the back of my mind. A prime example would be Clark Kent, A. K. A., Superman. He literally goes from a suit and glasses to tights and a cape… HE DOESN’T EVEN WEAR A MASK! Now, not only does this fact bother me within itself, but the fact Lois Lane actually slept with Superman and had a child with him NOT KNOWING IT WAS CLARK! First off, she is really stupid to not realize that her coworker was the superhero she had a child with. Second, she clearly did not know him well enough to do so if she can’t even recognize him. But, I digress.

          The woman above is Carrie Kelley, a female Robin from The Dark Knight Returns. Do you see the green glasses she is wearing? Those aren’t part of her costume. SHE WEARS THEM ALL OF THE TIME! SHE IS LITERALLY ALWAYS WEARING THOSE GLASSES AND, YET, NO ONE KNOWS WHO SHE IS?!

          As frustrating as all of these downfalls of the superhero world are, I could forget it. I forgive all of it; the lack of creativity when hiding their identities, destroyed cities, all of it. What I can’t forgive is the fact that none of the superheroes contact each other. My first realization of this was when I saw the newest Captain America movie, The Winter Soldier. Keep in mind that there had just been a new Avengers movie not too long before, so clearly, they are all friends. In the new Captain America movie, Steve Rogers (A. K. A. Captain America) Is basically trying to keep some strange super soldier from blowing up the city, yet, he never called any other Avengers for help except for the most human of all, Black Widow. My first instinct would have been to call Tony Stark/ Iron Man considering he is a genius with technology and you’re trying to deactivate a bomb, but maybe that’s just me.

The Dying out of the Dire Wolf

 

          There had been a controversy over whether or not the dire wolf actually existed, based mostly on the fact that the dire wolf often appears in stories of mythology (Such and Game of Thrones. I mean..If you haven’t seen that show.. Do it. Now. Do it!)

The dire wolf (Canis dirus "fearsome dog") is an extinct and very carnivorous mammal. The closest that could be measured of its size is that it is roughly the size of the extant gray wolf, but with a heavier build. These beautiful and once extremely powerful wolves were said to have gone extinct over 10,000 years ago. The dire wolf averaged to be about 5 feet in length and weighed between 110 and 174 pounds. Dire wolves are in the same carnivorous grouping as the smaller gray wolves and coyotes. Though, their bites are believed to be about 129% more force than a modern gray wolf. They often fed on larger prey and megafauna which is made quite clear by their strong bite and their body size. They did tend to travel in packs as most wolves do, but they did not specialize in their hunting. They fed on whatever was abundant to them and kept them fed. An interesting difference in the wolves is that the wolves in the older pits show much more breaking of their teeth. Scientists are unsure of whether it is the diet of the previous wolves or the age of the previous wolves that affected this. Whether the dire wolf actually originated in North America or South America is a majorly controversial topic. Most paleontologists would tend to lean toward North America because of the potential for progenitors and the number of sightings in North America to South America is 136 to 3. It is believed this wolf originated in North America and Central America and later migrated to South America. Dire wolves are actually domesticated and used as pets in the first season of Game of Thrones. They are believed to be extinct and, therefore, considered a myth as there are not supposed to be any left. The wolves, at least in the show, domesticated quite well for the children of Winterfell and became very beloved pets. One of them actually protected the young boy who had found him when he was nearly murdered. Another protected the daughter of Ned Stark and was slaughtered for biting Prince Joffrey. Now, how accurately the wolves were portrayed in the show is unknown, but the creatures were quite large in size, hopefully putting into perspective the measurements of these wolves.

The Rage of the Berserkers

 

berserk

[ber-surk, -zurk] /bərˈsɜrk, -ˈzɜrk/ Spell Syllables

·         Synonyms

·         Examples

·         Word Origin

adjective

1.

violently or destructively frenzied; wild; crazed; deranged:

He suddenly went berserk.

noun

2.

(sometimes initial capital letter) Scandinavian Legend.. Also, berserker. an ancient Norse warrior who fought with frenzied rage in battle, possibly induced by eating hallucinogenic mushrooms.

 

Synonyms

1. violent, mad, maniacal, rabid, demented, lunatic.

 

Word Origin and History for berserk Expand

adj.

1844, from berserk (n.) "Norse warrior," by 1835, an alternative form of berserker (1822), a word which was introduced by Sir Walter Scott, from Old Norse berserkr (n.) "raging warrior of superhuman strength;" probably from *ber- "bear" + serkr "shirt," thus literally "a warrior clothed in bearskin." Thus not from Old Norse berr "bare, naked."

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/berserk?s=t

 

          Let me reinstate a fact that you will already know if you read the Dictionary definitions above. Berserkers were Norse warriors.

Norse

[nawrs] /nɔrs/ Spell Syllables

·         Examples

·         Word Origin

adjective

1.

of or relating to ancient Scandinavia, its inhabitants, or their language.

2.

Norwegian (def 1).

noun

3.

(used with a plural verb) the Norwegians, especially the ancient Norwegians.

4.

(used with a plural verb) the Northmen or ancient Scandinavians generally.

5.

the Norwegian language, especially in its older forms.

 

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/norse?s=t

 

Most recollections of these “Berserkers” in the Old Norse literature have described their behavior as uncontrollable, trance-like fury, violence, and unstoppable rage.  The English word “Berserk” was actually derived and based off of the Berserkers as a way to compare a person to the instability of the Berserkers. Many historians who have studied the Berserkers, or at least know of them, believe that berserkers worked themselves into a rage before battle. Basically, these warriors were like our high school football players, working themselves up into a fury with their pre-game locker room pep talk. Of course, like any immoral athlete, there are easier ways to get pumped up. Many historians also believe that the Berserkers ate drugged food or did mushrooms.

I'll ask of the berserks, you tasters of blood,

Those intrepid heroes, how are they treated,
Those who wade out into battle?
Wolf-skinned they are called. In battle
They bear bloody shields.
Red with blood are their spears when they come to fight.
They form a closed group.
The prince in his wisdom puts trust in such men
Who hack through enemy shields.

Haraldskvæði- Composed by: Thórbiörn Hornklofi

 

Well, I don’t know about you, but the idea of a large and almost psychotically deranged Scandinavian man, hopped up on mushrooms, trying to brutally murder me sounds absolutely petrifying. I have only seen one portrayal of the Berserker warriors in my life and it was the first time I had ever heard of them, which was actually quite recently. I saw the Berserkers being a key weapon and ally for the main antagonist, were-jaguar, Kate Argent, in season 4 of Teen Wolf which is the show that dictates my life. One key difference I noticed between the two ideas of a Berserker is the clear cut differences in the portrayed personality of the warriors. While the original warrior Berserkers are described as “violent, uncontrollable, and enraged”, Jeff Davis’ representation was the exact opposite. Of course, they were still much stronger than any protagonist could hope for, but they were more than controlled, not of their own will, nonetheless. They almost seemed like servants to Kate Argent and seemed much less human than they originally were.

 

If a soldier survives the berserk state, it imparts emotional deadness and vulnerability to explosive rage to his psychology and permanent hyperarousal to his physiology — hallmarks of post-traumatic stress disorder in combat veterans. My clinical experience with Vietnam combat veterans prompts me to place the berserk state at the heart of their most severe psychological and psychophysiological injuries.

Jonathan Shay

This fury, which was called berserkergang, occurred not only in the heat of battle, but also during laborious work. Men who were thus seized performed things which otherwise seemed impossible for human power. This condition is said to have begun with shivering, chattering of the teeth, and chill in the body, and then the face swelled and changed its colour. With this was connected a great hot-headedness, which at last gave over into a great rage, under which they howled as wild animals, bit the edge of their shields, and cut down everything they met without discriminating between friend or foe. When this condition ceased, a great dulling of the mind and feebleness followed, which could last for one or several days.

Hilda Ellis-Davidson

The Basilisk: King of Serpents

 

          Though I chose the title because it just sounded awesome, it holds truth. “Basilisk” derives from the Greek word “Basilískos” meaning "little king”. A basilisk is basically like the Medusa of reptiles. It is a legendary creature believed to kill with a simple glance.

            "There is the same power also in the serpent called the basilisk. It is produced in the province of Cyrene, being not more than twelve fingers in length. It has a white spot on the head, strongly resembling a sort of a diadem. When it hisses, all the other serpents fly from it: and it does not advance its body, like the others, by a succession of folds, but moves along upright and erect upon the middle. It destroys all shrubs, not only by its contact, but those even that it has breathed upon; it burns up all the grass, too, and breaks the stones, so tremendous is its noxious influence. It was formerly a general belief that if a man on horseback killed one of these animals with a spear, the poison would run up the weapon and kill, not only the rider, but the horse, as well. To this dreadful monster the crow of a rooster is fatal, a thing that has been tried with success, for kings have often desired to see its body when killed; so true is it that it has pleased Nature that there should be nothing without its antidote. The animal is thrown into the hole of the basilisk, which is easily known from the soil around it being infected. The weasel destroys the basilisk by its odour, but dies itself in this struggle of nature against its own self."

Pliny the Elder: Natural History

           

The basilisk is called "king" because it is said to have some sort of crown-shape on its head. This is one reason that many believe the Basilisk was actually just an abstract recollection of a cobra. Cobras can also stay in an upright position. The king cobra has a crown-like symbol on its head. A few species of spitting cobras can incapacitate anyone by spitting venom, which would explain the deadly reputation of a basilisk. As if that weren’t enough, cobras most often spit the venom into the eyes of its victims. Frankly, I feel as if that is really just over the top.

 

The Moon That Makes Us Howl

 

Lunar Cycle.

Animal Behavior.

Unexplainable Phenomena.

There are countless beliefs and myths about the infamous “werewolf” or the belief in lycanthrope. While the idea of muscular twenty year old men running around shirtless and protecting their teen girlfriends from equally attractive, mysterious, and elusive vampires is much more intriguing, the moon doesn’t just turn humans to wolves. Though, we don’t have to become feral beasts to behave like one.

          I have always had an interest in what is known as the “Lunar Effect”. The term lunar effect is basically the belief that there is an actual correlation between the different stages of the Earth's lunar cycle (The phases of the moon) and behavior in animals (Yes, animals. This includes humans as we are all a bunch of mammals). The odd behavior that seems to occur on certain phases of the moon’s cycle have yet to be explained, though the lunar effects have been studied for quite some time now.

The lunar effect is in no way a new topic of discussion. It has been around and observed for quite a while. By the late 1980s, there were at least 20 published studies on the purported lunar-birthrate connection. Of course, some myths of the lunar cycle are purely coincidence. For example, with fertility rates, it has a lot to do with the menstrual cycle. The typical cycle revolves on a twenty-eight day period, just as the moon does.  There is also said to be an increase in reproduction and an unexplainable blood loss. Surgeons used to refuse to operate because they said that, on the full moon, more people died from lack of blood clotting. Even those with mental disorders show signs of being affected. They have been said to grow more aggressive and violent on full moons. The only mental disorder that showed sign of correlation was with schizophrenic. The problem with these studies is, all recent studies have seemed to prove them wrong. There is no known correlation between them.

Of course, the whole idea of people going crazy on the full moon is quite humorous. The word “Lunatic” is actually derived from the Latin word “Luna” which means moon. Perhaps there is more truth to these myths than modern people care to believe.

http://www.universetoday.com/112861/why-do-people-go-crazy-during-a-full-moon/

There are some who believe that the moon creates an actual spiritual affect. All astrological frequencies actually affect a person’s behavior. http://www.spiritualresearchfoundation.org/spiritualresearch/spiritualscience/spiritualeffectofmoon_on_man

All objects including stars, planets and satellite bodies emit frequencies. These “frequencies” affect humans on a subtle and physical level. The frequencies that are emitted by the moon affect different frequencies in the mind of human beings. ‘Mind’ refers to the feelings, emotions and desires etc. The mind is split into two parts; the conscious mind and the sub-conscious mind. The conscious mind are things that we as humans choose to do of our own accord, while the sub-conscious mind is best described as the part of the mind that controls out nature and, basically, determines a person’s personality.

          In my personal opinion, I believe there is most definitely a possibility that the lunar cycle affects our behaviour. Think about this for a moment. Animals. When there is a natural disaster or something out of place happening, they change their behaviour, don’t they? What causes them to behave this way to something that most humans wouldn’t see coming? Their instincts. Why should astrological changes be any different to those on earth? Only so much of your mind is made up of conscious behaviour. Humans, as a species, are all more intuitive than most would usually believe.