COMIC-CON 2013
by nate johnson
8th grade student
October 21, 2013
Where is the one place you can find overpriced food, famous actors, and awkwardly fat guys in tights? If you guessed Miley Cyrus's basement you're probably right, but in this case I'm referring to Comic-Con 2013! This year’s Comic-Con was full of surprises and awesome things! Here are the top five!
- To start off this amazing, nerdy, and geektacular event, at Sony’s Hall, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 star Andrew Garfield made a dramatic entrance dressed as Spider-Man. It all happened on the last day of the event, Friday at the H panel.
- For all the Batman and Superman fans out there, Zack Snyder announced that he will direct a Superman/Batman Movie Inspired by Frank Miller‘s The Dark Knight Returns! It was said that this movie will be a face-off between the two caped crusaders. Sources say the movie will premier sometime in 2015.
- Legendary Pictures turned an old, red, and brick warehouse in the Gaslamp Quarter district into a blood pressure heightening Godzilla Encounter display! It was an amazing event that all monster movie lovers should have attended, that's part museum and part theme park attraction. The encounter consisted of the blinking lights and blaring horns of an atomic blast shelter to an office in disarray, where Godzilla was leering in the window and then unleashed his trademark high-pitched roaring scream. Men in Hazmat suits and people at a ramen bar add to the effect.
- Adding on to the multitude of stars being disguised, Bryan Cranston, star of the hit television show "Breaking Bad", walked through Comic-Con wearing a mask of his character. His disguise afforded him the ability to freely walk about Comic-Con with complete anonymity and not be bothered by other Comic-Con goers. After walking through the hordes of comic lovers he revealed himself at the "Breaking Bad" panel.
- ABC’s Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. made its Comic-Con debut to a packed Ballroom 20 and gave fans a chance to get a sneak peek at Marvel’s latest step into television. The entire cast was there to answer questions and the pilot episode was shown to the fans.
If you've gotten this far, you might be asking yourself, "Who cares?" Well, NIS students actually care and they weighed in on the topic. When surveyed, 80% of the NIS students knew what Comic-Con was. 50% of the NIS students who know what Comic-Con is say that they would enjoy cosplaying (dressing as a character featured in a comic panel) at Comic-Con. When asked, Alex Sanfillipo said she wouldn't cosplay because she, "Doesn't want to dress like a comic book character." When Jonah Gorham was asked he said, "I would because it's cool and real life sucks". Some of those who know what Comic-Con is didn't know what cosplay is. This years Comic-con was pretty awesome and our school thinks so too.
top 10 SUPERHEROES OF 2013
by jonah gorham
8th grade student
october 21, 2013
10. Wolverine - 2 votes
9. Green Lantern -3 Votes
8. The Flash -4 Votes
7. Captain America -5 Votes
6. The Hulk -6 Votes
5. Superman - 8 Votes
IDENTITY:
Superman's real name is Kal-El, which was given to him on his home planet, Krypton, by his father, Jor-El, and his mother, Lara Lor-Van. His Earthly alias is Clark Joseph Kent, a news reporter for the Daily Planet, a Metropolis newspaper supplier.
ORIGIN:
Over several years, the core of Superman's home planet, Krypton, became increasingly unstable, due to exposure to radiation. It caused a nuclear chain reaction, obliterating and imploding Krypton. A Kryptonian scientist, Jor-El, and his wife, Lara Lor-Van foresaw this happening and just before it happened, sent their infant son, Kal-El, to Earth in an escape pod. He was later found in a crater by a farming couple in Kansas, Jonathan and Martha Kent. They renamed their newly adopted son Clark Joseph Kent. Throughout his teenage years, Clark had trouble coping with his powers. It wasn't until adulthood that he realized he should only use his powers for good.
POWERS:
A list of Superman's superpowers include: superhuman strength and durability, regeneration, frost breath, laser and x-ray vision, super speed, super hearing, invulnerability, and amazing sight. Since Earth's gravitational pull is much weaker than Krypton's, Kal-El was able to train himself to acquire flight and a super high jumping ability also.
RANDOM FACTS: The 'S' on Superman's chest means a number of things. It's said to be 'S' for Superman. Some say it's a Native American symbol representing a snake, which in some tribes is a symbol of healing. However, it is more likely that it was a symbol of the House of El, Superman's Kryptonian family, standing for hope in the recent movie Man of Steel. Superman is a primary member of the Justice League, and is sometimes referred to as the leader of the group.
NIS STUDENT OPINIONS: "He can do anything!...Pretty much." -Nate Johnson "He wears his underwear on the outside." -Nicholas LaPolla
4. Deadpool - 9 Votes
IDENTITY:
Deadpool's real, tongue-twisting name is Wade Winston Wilson.
ORIGIN:
Wade Wilson was a teenager when his mutant power of superhuman agility manafested. Learning he was more powerful than even the deadliest human, he put himself out for hire as a mercenary and became knows as Deadpool. He assassinates people that he feels deserves to die, kind of like a vigilante-villain. Wilson later took part in the Weapon X program and Deadpool ended up gaining a healing factor that regenerates any harm that's dealt to him. The constant regeneration of his cancer in his brain, genetically inherited from his mother, changes the connections, causing gaps in his memory, schizophrenia, and overall, mental instability. With his mental instability, he often switched from bad to good.
POWERS:
Deadpool is a mutant with the ability of regeneration and superhuman agility, which goes great with sword-wielding, firearm-shooting, and martial arts skills.
RANDOM FACTS:
Wilson was originally an antagonist, but over the years, he has become sort of a vigilante-hero type and a villain in different series and perspectives.
NIS STUDENT OPINIONS:
"Just imagine an explosion inside another explosion and that's where Deadpool was born!"-Jacob Maple
"He kills people awesomely!"-Josh Maney "I like the way he kills people..."-Brandon Gibbins
3. Spider-man -10 Votes
IDENTITY:
Spider-man's identity has been shared by Peter Parker, Dr. Otto Octavius, and Miles Morales.
ORIGIN:
Peter was a very intelligent, nerdy high school kid until he was bitten by a radioactive spider on a class field trip.The bite caused him to gain super human powers. While fooling around with his new powers, Peter carelessly ignores the chance to stop a thief on the run. Ironically, the same criminal later mugs and kills his uncle, Benjamin Parker. Peter was enraged and was driven to do good by his uncle's words, "With great power, comes great responsibility." Peter Parker later died while his mind was in the body of his enemy, Doctor Octopus (Octavius). Doctor Octopus, however didn't die. He survived and realized that the Spider-man was a force for good, and becomes determined to be a better Spider-man than Peter ever was, though he still had many lapses where he got into mischief. Miles Morales, an African-American boy who had earlier gained the same abilities as Peter Parker, defeats Dr. Octavius, and continues the Spider-man legacy.
POWERS:
Spider-man has the ability to cling to almost any surface, super-human strength, super-human agility, speed, endurance, super fast reflexes, a genius level intelligence, has wrist-mounted web shooters, and spider-sense. He invented the web shooters, which allow him to shoot super strong, adhesive like webs that can stick to almost anything. His spider-sense allows him to sense when danger is near, working almost as a precognition.
RANDOM FACTS:
Peter is both part of the Avengers and the Fantastic Four, according to several different comics.
NIS STUDENT OPINIONS:
"He can climb walls..."-Cameron Fletcher
"Spider-man's awesome because he's a teenager that creates a very high-tech machine that shoots spiderwebs."-Dustin Comeau
Spider-man's identity has been shared by Peter Parker, Dr. Otto Octavius, and Miles Morales.
ORIGIN:
Peter was a very intelligent, nerdy high school kid until he was bitten by a radioactive spider on a class field trip.The bite caused him to gain super human powers. While fooling around with his new powers, Peter carelessly ignores the chance to stop a thief on the run. Ironically, the same criminal later mugs and kills his uncle, Benjamin Parker. Peter was enraged and was driven to do good by his uncle's words, "With great power, comes great responsibility." Peter Parker later died while his mind was in the body of his enemy, Doctor Octopus (Octavius). Doctor Octopus, however didn't die. He survived and realized that the Spider-man was a force for good, and becomes determined to be a better Spider-man than Peter ever was, though he still had many lapses where he got into mischief. Miles Morales, an African-American boy who had earlier gained the same abilities as Peter Parker, defeats Dr. Octavius, and continues the Spider-man legacy.
POWERS:
Spider-man has the ability to cling to almost any surface, super-human strength, super-human agility, speed, endurance, super fast reflexes, a genius level intelligence, has wrist-mounted web shooters, and spider-sense. He invented the web shooters, which allow him to shoot super strong, adhesive like webs that can stick to almost anything. His spider-sense allows him to sense when danger is near, working almost as a precognition.
RANDOM FACTS:
Peter is both part of the Avengers and the Fantastic Four, according to several different comics.
NIS STUDENT OPINIONS:
"He can climb walls..."-Cameron Fletcher
"Spider-man's awesome because he's a teenager that creates a very high-tech machine that shoots spiderwebs."-Dustin Comeau
2. Iron Man -13 Votes
IDENTITY:
Iron Man's real identity is Anthony Edward Stark. He is known as Tony Stark by his close friends.
ORIGIN:
Stark was a boy genius, and he entered MIT at age 15 to study electrical engineering. Both his parents were killed in a plane wreck thus making him the head of his dad's billion dollar weapons defense company, Stark Industries. When kidnapped by hit-men, hired by one of Tony Stark's enemy to make them weapons, Tony suffered a severe chest injury. This forced him to build the Arc Reactor, a magnetized power source that helps keep pieces of shrapnel away from his heart. He later created an iron suit in secret, a prototype of the suit we know today, to help him escape. Afterwards, he made several new and improved suits. These new suites were made of even harder metals and with even more weapons and gadgets.
POWERS:
Iron Man owns a powered suit armor made of titanium alloy. The suit gives him super strength and durability, flight, and an arsenal of weapons within the suit.
RANDOM FACTS:
Stark eventually became part of a well-known team called The Avengers, nicknamed "Earth's Mightiest Heroes", which saved the world multiple times.
NIS STUDENT OPINIONS:
"He's a billionaire playboy philanthropist genius."-Dylan Monterossa "He's a rich snob, but a good superhero."-Vincent Haviland "He's made of iron. Because he's rich."-Max McCann
1. Batman - 29 Votes
IDENTITY:
Batman's first, true identity is Bruce Wayne. However, Bruce's back later got broken by Bane and Jean-Paul Valley, later known as Azrael, takes the Batman mantle. Azrael was doing a terrible job, and as a result, Richard Grayson stripped him of the identity and took the Dark Knight identity himself. When Bruce's back heals, he takes back the position from Richard, his close friend. After Bruce retires, he passes down the Batman alias to Terry McGinnis, and after much training, he becomes the Batman in "Batman Beyond". Additionally, Batman has been portrayed as Thomas Wayne, Bruce's father, in "Flashpoint", where Bruce gets murdered rather than his parents.
ORIGIN:
When Wayne was a young boy, his parents were mugged and were both murdered. He swore to avenge their death. He trained for years in martial arts, honing his detective skills, and mastering criminal psychology. He was later introduced to the League of Shadows, where he was taught even more extensively by the notorious Ra's Al Ghul. When Bruce found out they wanted to destroy Gotham rather than help it, he took out Ra's Al Ghul and temporarily disbanded the League of Shadows. Afterwards, he came back to Gotham and to his trusted adviser, Lucius Fox, who helped him get most of his equipment. After trying out all his gear, he was ready to start fighting crime.
POWERS:
Batman owns a bulletproof suit, a bunch of high-tech gear, and an arsenal of weapons. A list of the items on his utility belt include: a grapple hook, a freeze blast, a crytographic sequencer, both remote control and regular batarangs (boomerang), explosive gel, x-ray and night vision, a sonar device which calls a swarm of bats, tranquilizing bat-darts, a stun gun, flash bangs, EMP grenades, a Kryptonite ring, the bat-goo gun which shoots adhesive gel, tear gas pellets, smoke pellets, a lock pick, a miniature laser, an underwater breather, a line launcher, a disrupter, and, let's not forget, the shark repellent bat spray.
RANDOM FACTS:
Batman was one of the main members of the Justice League and was the leader of the Outsiders before quitting both. He is often with one of the four sidekicks: Robin, Nightwing, Batgirl, or Batwoman. Occasionally they fight crime as a trio. The Batman spends the majority of his time crusading around his fictional city of Gotham, taking out criminals, but he sometimes spends his time in neighboring cities such as Arkham or Bludhaven. He is consumed with detective work, lowering the crime stats, and being downright awesome.
NIS STUDENT OPINIONS:
"His butler, Alfred, makes him awesome."-Dustin Comeau "He has a cape."-Danielle Bove "He went to ninja school, passed it, and bought a grappling hook!"-Jacob Maple
Attack on titan
TV anime SEries review
by Yana Pineda
8th grade student
october 21, 2013
This incredible story took place within three walls called Maria, Rose, and Sina which were destroyed by the colossal and armored titan. This was an unexpected attack from the titans since they lived safely for the past 100 years.
Since then the humans have been struggling to survive the different titans' attacks. The four type of titans that exist include the following: colossal titans are 60 meters tall, armored titans are 15 meters tall, and regular titans are 7 meters tall, and small titans are five meters in height. Titans only have one weakness which is in the back of their neck, however they can regenerate. Their perceived invincibility could not stop humanity from trying to defeat their greatest enemy. Eren found out the secret weapon for humanity that would probably lead humanity for their first victory (or probably not).
This is the type of beginning one would expect if tuning into Attack on Titan. In my opinion this is the best example of anime out of all. In the past six months I have not been bored because of this show. If you're the type of person that likes action and suspense well Attack on Titan is perfect for you. The majority of anime has always had a boring beginning, however this is not the case for Attack on Titan. Even the first episode was full of action and suspense.This is not a very popular anime show among NIS students but it could be because the show is so entertaining. Although I didn't get many NIS student interviews that have seen Attack on Titan the people that had seen it were very impressed due to the graphics, imprisoning movements of the characters, and a really interesting story. NIS students should at least see one episode, and I'm pretty sure they wouldn't be able to stop watching. However, there is one thing that the students need to know, discretion is advised because there is some strong scenes and it's intended for mature audiences. If your parents allow you to watch PG-13 movies then you should be ok.
It was out in April 2013, It was a success for the creator of this anime, the rating of this anime is a 5.8 and its rated MA for all the violence and strong language. There are rumors that the creator of Attack on Titan is going to make a second season because the fans didn't like the idea for the abrupt ending to season one. This is what the majority of the fans said,"it can't just end at episode 25, its too good to end. So few episodes and there is a lot to cover." Its likely a second season will be made...if we're lucky.
Since then the humans have been struggling to survive the different titans' attacks. The four type of titans that exist include the following: colossal titans are 60 meters tall, armored titans are 15 meters tall, and regular titans are 7 meters tall, and small titans are five meters in height. Titans only have one weakness which is in the back of their neck, however they can regenerate. Their perceived invincibility could not stop humanity from trying to defeat their greatest enemy. Eren found out the secret weapon for humanity that would probably lead humanity for their first victory (or probably not).
This is the type of beginning one would expect if tuning into Attack on Titan. In my opinion this is the best example of anime out of all. In the past six months I have not been bored because of this show. If you're the type of person that likes action and suspense well Attack on Titan is perfect for you. The majority of anime has always had a boring beginning, however this is not the case for Attack on Titan. Even the first episode was full of action and suspense.This is not a very popular anime show among NIS students but it could be because the show is so entertaining. Although I didn't get many NIS student interviews that have seen Attack on Titan the people that had seen it were very impressed due to the graphics, imprisoning movements of the characters, and a really interesting story. NIS students should at least see one episode, and I'm pretty sure they wouldn't be able to stop watching. However, there is one thing that the students need to know, discretion is advised because there is some strong scenes and it's intended for mature audiences. If your parents allow you to watch PG-13 movies then you should be ok.
It was out in April 2013, It was a success for the creator of this anime, the rating of this anime is a 5.8 and its rated MA for all the violence and strong language. There are rumors that the creator of Attack on Titan is going to make a second season because the fans didn't like the idea for the abrupt ending to season one. This is what the majority of the fans said,"it can't just end at episode 25, its too good to end. So few episodes and there is a lot to cover." Its likely a second season will be made...if we're lucky.