query: Bradley Cooper's role as Will Tippin in Alias was the first of his to gain recognition.

pos: Bradley Cooper Bradley Charles Cooper ( born January 5 , 1975 ) is an American actor and producer . He was one of the world 's highest-paid actors for three years , and has been nominated for various accolades , including four Academy Awards , two BAFTA Awards and two Golden Globe Awards . Cooper appeared in Forbes Celebrity 100 on two occasions and Time list of 100 most influential people in the world in 2015 .   Cooper enrolled in the MFA program at the Actors Studio , New York City in 2000 . His career began with a guest role in the television series Sex and the City in 1999 and his film debut came two years later in Wet Hot American Summer . He first gained recognition as Will Tippin in the spy-action television show Alias ( 2001 -- 2006 ) , and achieved minor success with a supporting part in the comedy film Wedding Crashers ( 2005 ) . His breakthrough role came in 2009 with  The Hangover , a commercially successful comedy which spawned two sequels in 2011 and 2013 .   Cooper 's portrayal of a struggling writer in the thriller Limitless ( 2011 ) and a rookie police officer in the crime drama The Place Beyond the Pines ( 2012 ) drew praise from critics . He found greater success with the romantic comedy-drama Silver Linings Playbook ( 2012 ) , the black comedy crime film American Hustle ( 2013 ) , and the biopic American Sniper ( 2014 ) . For his work in these films , Cooper was nominated for Academy Awards -- two Best Actor , one Best Supporting Actor , and one Best Picture . Cooper became the tenth actor to receive an Academy Award nomination in three consecutive years . In 2014 , he portrayed Joseph Merrick in a Broadway revival of The Elephant Man , garnering a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play .

neg: Thomas Henty Thomas Henty ( 19January 195613August 1988 ) was an English actor , and the son of the magician and prop comedian Tommy Cooper .   Born Thomas John Cooper , he attended Sutton Court Primary School in Chiswick and Latymer Upper School , Hammersmith . He went on to appear alongside his famous father in an episode of the Thames Television variety series London Night Out in 1979 , as well as in four episodes of the series Cooper 's Half Hour in 1980 , also for Thames . He also acted as occasional stage manager to his father , and was backstage when Cooper died in front of a live television audience at Her Majesty 's Theatre on 15April 1984 .   In addition to his work with his father , Henty was an actor in his own right . His desire to make his own mark in the field was behind his decision to adopt his mother 's maiden name . In an archive interview with the television personality Frank Bough , included in the ITV documentary The Unforgettable Tommy Cooper ( 2001 ) , Henty explained that he did not want people in the acting profession to know that he was Cooper 's son , presumably because he was fearful of claims of nepotism . Henty made appearances in episodes of the popular British television series Robin of Sherwood ( 1984 ) and Just Good Friends ( 1986 ) , as well as the British film Bellman and True ( 1987 ) .   His role in Bellman and True was his last . In 1988 Henty 's marriage collapsed after seven years . Just six weeks later he died suddenly on 13 August 1988 , aged just 32 , of haemophilia , following complications caused by liver failure . Doctors had attempted to pump seventy pints of new blood into his body , but the blood failed to clot and after three days his mother took the decision to have his life support machine switched off , just four years after his well-known father Tommy Cooper died . He left a six-year-old son , Tam Henty ( born in 1982 ) .

neg: Golden Boot Awards The Golden Boot Awards is an American acknowledgment of achievement honoring actors , actresses , and crew members who have made significant contributions to the genre of Western television and movies . The award is sponsored and presented by the Motion Picture & Television Fund . Money raised at the award banquet is used to help finance various services offered by the Fund to those in the entertainment industry .   Actor Pat Buttram conceived the idea of the Golden Boot Award , and the first ones were presented in 1983 . The awards appear to have been discontinued since 2007 .

neg: Ellis Carver Ellis Carver is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire , played by actor Seth Gilliam . Carver is an African American police officer and former commander of the Baltimore Police Department 's Western District Drug Enforcement Unit . While initially matched to the simple-minded and brutish policing of his loyal partner and unfailing friend Thomas `` Herc '' Hauk , under the counsel of Major Colvin in the Western District , Carver incrementally matures into a reflective and generally upstanding officer , often drawing the ire of his Western District colleagues .

neg: Black and White Lodges The Black Lodge is a fictional setting featured in the television series Twin Peaks . It is an extradimensional place which seems to include , primarily , the `` Red Room '' first seen by Agent Cooper in a dream early in the series . As events in the series unfold , it becomes apparent that the characters from the Red Room , the room itself and the Black Lodge , along with the White Lodge , are connected .

neg: The Big Bounce (2004 film) The Big Bounce is a 2004 American comedy heist film starring Owen Wilson , Charlie Sheen , Sara Foster and Morgan Freeman . It was directed by George Armitage and based on a novel of the same name by Elmore Leonard . Leonard 's novel had previously been adapted for the big screen in a 1969 film of the same name directed by Alex March and starring Ryan O'Neal .

neg: Herbert Mason Not to be confused with Herbert Mason the photographer who photographed St Paul 's Survives ( 1940 ) .   Samuel George Herbert Mason ( 1891 -- 20 May 1960 ) was a British film director , producer , stage actor , army officer , presenter of some revues , stage manager , stage director , choreographer , production manager and playwright . He was a recipient of the Military Cross the prestigious award for `` gallantry during active operations against the enemy . '' He received the gallantry award for his part in the Battle of Guillemont where British troops defeated the Germans to take the German stronghold of Guillemont .   Mason began his theatrical career at the age of 16 and appeared in several productions at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre including Barry Jackson 's The Christmas Party . During the 1920s he stage managed some of the largest shows in London ( including many of Andre Charlot 's musical revues ) and began his film career with the arrival of sound in motion pictures . Mason was the Assistant director for I Was a Spy , which was very successful in the box office and voted best film of the year . He made his debut as director in 1936 with The First Offence . His most prominent film was A Window in London a dark thriller set in the London Underground , which was a remake of the original French drama film Metropolitan . Another successful film included Take My Tip , in which he directed Jack Hulbert whose `` dances -LSB- were -RSB- beautifully staged . ''   Several rising actors and actresses ( including Vivien Leigh ) made their film debuts in some of his films before they rose to prominence . He worked for several studios and production companies including Gaumont British , Gainsborough Pictures , London Films and MGM-British Studios . Mason directed 16 films ( from thrillers to comedies ) , moved into producing for the rest of his career and authored some plays with his wife Daisy Fisher , a novelist and playwright also with a background in theatre .   His films were generally very well received , and some of them were marked out for the inventiveness of the plot , locations used for shooting and humour . Some of his films are remembered for introducing rising actors and actresses to the screen before they became famous .

neg: Hugh Grant Hugh John Mungo Grant ( born 9 September 1960 ) is an English actor and film producer . Grant has received a Golden Globe , a BAFTA , and an Honorary César for his work . His films have earned more than US$ 2.4 billion from 25 theatrical releases worldwide . Grant first received attention after earning the Volpi Cup for his performance in James Ivory 's Maurice ( 1987 ) but achieved international success after appearing in the Richard Curtis-scripted Four Weddings and a Funeral ( 1994 ) . Grant used this breakthrough role as a frequent cinematic persona during the 1990s , delivering comic performances in films such as Mickey Blue Eyes ( 1999 ) and Notting Hill ( 1999 ) . One of the best known figures in 1990s British popular culture , Grant was in a high-profile relationship with Elizabeth Hurley , which was the focus of much attention in the British and international media .   By the turn of the 21st century , Grant had established himself as a leading man , skilled with a satirical comic talent . Grant has expanded his oeuvre with critically acclaimed turns as a cad in Bridget Jones 's Diary ( 2001 ) , About a Boy ( 2002 ) , and American Dreamz ( 2006 ) . Grant later played against type with multiple cameo roles in the epic sci-fi drama film , Cloud Atlas ( 2012 ) . He 's also known for appearing in period pieces such as The Remains of the Day ( 1993 ) , Sense and Sensibility ( 1995 ) and Florence Foster Jenkins ( 2016 ) .   Within the film industry , Grant is cited as an anti-star who approaches his roles like a character actor , and attempts to make his acting appear spontaneous . Hallmarks of his comic skills include a nonchalant touch of irony/sarcasm and studied physical mannerisms , as well as his precisely-timed dialogue delivery and facial expressions . The entertainment media 's coverage of Grant 's life off the big screen has often overshadowed his work as an actor . Grant has been outspoken about his antipathy towards the profession of acting , and in his disdain towards the culture of celebrity and hostility towards the media . In a career spanning 30 years , Grant has repeatedly claimed that acting was not his true calling , but rather a career that unintentionally developed by happenstance .

neg: Edward Ashley-Cooper Edward Montague Hussey Cooper ( August 12 , 1906 -- May 5 , 2000 ) was an actor descended from an English family but born in Australia . Known by his professional name of Edward Ashley ( to avoid confusion with a fellow actor Edward Cooper ) , Cooper performed in 60 films for Metro Goldwyn Mayer including Pride and Prejudice ( 1940 ) where he played George Wickham .

neg: Gary Cooper filmography The filmography of Gary Cooper chronicles the film appearances of American actor Gary Cooper . After starting his career in 1925 as a film extra and stuntman , Cooper made his official cinematic debut in 1926 in the Samuel Goldwyn production The Winning of Barbara Worth . He went on to become a contract player with Paramount Pictures where he established himself as a popular leading man prior to the end of the silent film era .   Cooper 's future in the sound era was assured with the release of The Virginian ( 1929 ) , his first all-talkie film . For the next 32 years , he would be one of cinema 's top money-making stars . From 1936 to 1957 , Cooper ranked 18 times among the top ten box office attractions -- a record when he died in 1961 , and later surpassed only by John Wayne , who ranked among the top ten 25 times , Clint Eastwood ( 21 times ) and Tom Cruise ( 20 times ) .   Cooper was nominated for the Best Actor Academy Award five times and won twice , for Sergeant York ( 1942 ) and High Noon ( 1952 ) . The latter film boosted his popularity , resulting in him being the number one box office attraction in 1953 . Cooper received a third Academy Award -- an honorary one -- just prior to his death in 1961 . His final film , The Naked Edge , was released shortly after his death .   As of February 2008 , more than half of Gary Cooper 's feature films are available on DVD , while others not yet on home video are available for television broadcast . Unfortunately , at least two of his silent films -- Beau Sabreur ( 1928 ) and The Legion of the Condemned ( 1928 ) -- are now considered lost films . Another of his silent films , Wolf Song ( 1929 ) , was originally released as a part talkie , but survives only as a silent film . One of Cooper 's earliest talkies , Paramount on Parade ( 1930 ) , survives incomplete . The prints that are available for television are missing all but one of the film 's Technicolor scenes -- a partial restoration of these scenes was done by the UCLA Film Archives .   This filmography contains sections for Cooper 's work as an extra in the earliest part of his film career , his feature film appearances , his occasional appearances in short films , and a section for a compilation film . Due to its length ( 92 films ) , the listing of his feature films is divided in four sections . Cooper 's film roles are listed , as well as the names of each film 's director and co-stars . Cooper 's awards and nominations are also listed . Except where noted , all of his films were shot in 35mm black and white . All films released prior to Lilac Time ( 1928 ) are silent films and all from The Virginian ( 1929 ) onward are sound films . The films made during the silent-to-sound transition are noted as being either silent or sound films . As an addendum , Cooper 's handful of television appearances are also listed .

neg: Will Zimmerman Dr. William `` Will '' Zimmerman is a main character and male lead of the Canadian fantasy-science fiction television series Sanctuary . He is portrayed by Robin Dunne . Will is introduced in the series as an FBI 's Behavioral Analysis Unit forensic psychiatrist , who was recruited by Helen Magnus ( Amanda Tapping ) , head of the Sanctuary Network , to become her recent protégé .   Dunne was approached to appear on the series by director Martin Wood , whom he worked with before , but was initially reluctant to appear in the original web series . The second season of the show introduced more of a darkness to the character . In the third season , Will appears in a more leadership position , and becomes instrumental in the Hollow Earth story-arc .   Critical reactions behind the character , and Dunne 's portrayal , were generally positive reviews , with some television critics comparing Will to Stargate SG-1 character Daniel Jackson . Dunne 's portrayal of Will earned him a Leo Award for `` Best Lead Performance by a Male in a Dramatic Series '' in 2010 . He was nominated a further two Leo Awards in the same categories and a Constellation Award , in which he narrowly lost to Doctor Who actor David Tennant .

neg: Trust the Saint Trust the Saint is a collection of short stories by Leslie Charteris that originally appeared in The Saint Mystery Magazine and was first published in October 1962 by The Crime Club in the United States and by Hodder and Stoughton in the United Kingdom . This was the 35th book to feature the adventures of Simon Templar , alias `` The Saint '' , and was published around the time the character began to receive wide recognition through the TV series The Saint starring Roger Moore as Templar .

neg: List of Person of Interest episodes Person of Interest is an American science fiction crime drama television series created for CBS by Jonathan Nolan , who serves as an executive producer alongside J.J. Abrams , Bryan Burk , Chris Fisher , Greg Plageman , and Denise Thé . The series stars Jim Caviezel as John Reese , a former CIA agent who is presumed dead . He is approached by a mysterious billionaire named Harold Finch ( Michael Emerson ) who is trying to prevent violent crimes before they happen by using an advanced surveillance system dubbed `` The Machine '' that provides the SSN of a POI ( person of interest ) who will be involved in an imminent lethal crime as either a perpetrator or a victim . Their unique brand of vigilante justice attracts the attention of two NYPD officers , Joss Carter ( Taraji P. Henson ) and Lionel Fusco ( Kevin Chapman ) , whom Reese uses to his advantage as he investigates the POI . Reese and Finch are later aided by Samantha `` Root '' Groves ( Amy Acker ) , a highly intelligent computer hacker and contract killer whom the Machine later identifies as its `` analog interface '' , and Sameen Shaw ( Sarah Shahi ) , a former ISA assassin who unknowingly dealt with the `` relevant '' numbers found by the Machine .

neg: Peter Greene Peter Greene ( born Peter Green ; October 8 , 1965 ) is an American character actor , generally known for playing villains .

neg: Will Smith Willard Carroll Smith Jr. ( born September 15 , 1968 ) is an American actor , producer , rapper , and songwriter . In April 2007 , Newsweek called him `` the most powerful actor in Hollywood '' . Smith has been nominated for five Golden Globe Awards and two Academy Awards , and has won four Grammy Awards .   In the late 1980s , Smith achieved modest fame as a rapper under the name The Fresh Prince . In 1990 , his popularity increased dramatically when he starred in the popular NBC television series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air , which ran for six seasons until 1996 . After the series ended , Smith transitioned from television to film , and has gone on to star in numerous blockbuster films . He is the only actor to have eight consecutive films gross over $ 100 million in the domestic box office , eleven consecutive films gross over $ 150 million internationally , and eight consecutive films in which he starred open at the number one spot in the domestic box office tally .   Smith has been ranked as the most bankable star worldwide by Forbes . As of 2014 , 17 of the 21 films in which he has had leading roles have accumulated worldwide gross earnings of over $ 100 million each , five taking in over $ 500 million each in global box office receipts . As of 2016 , his films have grossed $ 7.5 billion at the global box office . For his performances as boxer Muhammad Ali in Ali ( 2001 ) and stockbroker Chris Gardner in The Pursuit of Happyness ( 2006 ) , Smith received nominations for the Academy Award for Best Actor .

neg: Kyle MacLachlan Kyle Merritt MacLachlan ( -LSB- məˈglɒklən -RSB- born February 22 , 1959 ) is an American actor . MacLachlan is best known for his role as Dale Cooper in Twin Peaks ( 1990 -- 1991 ; 2017 ) and its subsequent film continuation Twin Peaks : Fire Walk with Me ( 1992 ) , as well as in cult films such as two of David Lynch 's films : Paul Atreides in Dune ( 1984 ) and Jeffrey Beaumont in Blue Velvet ( 1986 ) . MacLachlan 's other film roles include Lloyd Gallagher in the science fiction action film The Hidden ( 1987 ) , Ray Manzarek in The Doors ( 1991 ) , Clifford Vandercave in The Flintstones ( 1994 ) , and the voice of Riley 's dad in Inside Out ( 2015 ) . He has also had prominent roles in television shows including appearing as Trey MacDougal in Sex and the City ( 2000 -- 2002 ) , Orson Hodge in Desperate Housewives ( 2006 -- 2012 ) , The Captain in How I Met Your Mother ( 2010 -- 14 ) , the Mayor of Portland in Portlandia ( 2011 -- 2017 ) , and Calvin Zabo in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. ( 2014 -- 2015 ) .   MacLachlan has won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor -- Television Series Drama and has been nominated for two Emmy Awards , all for Twin Peaks .

neg: An Englishman Abroad An Englishman Abroad is a 1983 BBC television drama film , based on the true story of a chance meeting of actress Coral Browne , with Guy Burgess ( Alan Bates ) , a member of the Cambridge spy ring who spied for the Soviet Union while an officer at MI6 . The production was written by Alan Bennett and directed by John Schlesinger ; Browne stars as herself .   The film is set is Moscow in 1958 , after Burgess had defected to the Soviet Union in 1951 with Donald Maclean when it became apparent that Maclean was about to be investigated by British intelligence . Burgess barges into Browne 's dressing room in the interval of a touring Shakespeare Memorial Theatre ( which became one of the bases of the Royal Shakespeare Company ) production of Hamlet , in which she portrayed Gertrude , and charms her . Later on she is invited to his Moscow flat , finding it with some difficulty , to measure him for a suit that he would like ordered from his London tailor .   Several plot changes were made from the true story told by Browne to Bennett . Burgess in fact threw up in the dressing room of Michael Redgrave , who asked for Browne 's help . Redgrave documented the incident in his biography . The play also contained scenes in Moscow 's British Embassy and in London shops where Browne encountered resistance to helping Burgess , none of which happened in reality .   Rather than film in the Soviet Union , Schlesinger used several locations in Scotland . The Caird Hall and Whitehall Theatre in Dundee stood in for the Moscow theatre , and the grand marble staircase of Glasgow City Chambers played the part of the British Embassy . Additional filming was done at Glasgow 's St. Andrew 's Suspension Bridge ( `` luckily , in a snowstorm '' Bennett later wrote ) and the Moss Heights flats in Cardonald , which represented Burgess ' Moscow apartment .   Both Browne and Bates were winners of the BAFTA awards for acting for their roles in this production .   Bennett gives the date of Browne 's meeting with Burgess as 1958 in the introduction to his Single Spies , which contains the text of An Englishman Abroad in the stage play version and the text of A Question of Attribution about Anthony Blunt .   The play was also adapted for radio on the BBC World Service in 1994 starring Michael Gambon as Burgess and Penelope Wilton as Coral Browne . It was subsequently re-broadcast on BBC Radio 7 and BBC Radio 4 Extra , most recently in 2013 as part of BBC Radio 4 Extra 's Cambridge Spies season .   On the BFI TV 100 , a list compiled in 2000 by the British Film Institute ( BFI ) , chosen by a poll of industry professionals , to determine what were the greatest British television programmes of any genre ever to have been screened , An Englishman Abroad was listed at no. 30 on the list .

neg: Brad Willis (Neighbours) Bradley `` Brad '' Willis is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours . He made his first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 31 October 1989 . The character was initially played by Benjamin Mitchell , before Scott Michaelson took over the role two years later . Brad was re-introduced alongside his sister , Gaby ( Rachel Blakely ) , during a period of roller coaster ratings for the show . Michaelson revealed that as soon as he learnt he had won the role of Brad , he went surfing five days in a row , as he knew he was going to be busy over the upcoming months . Michaelson signed a new twelve-month contract with Neighbours in October 1992 and a year later , he announced he would be leaving the soap . Michaelson filmed his final scenes in November and departed on 15 December 1993 .   Before the character returned to Neighbours , he was said to be living in America after gaining a basketball scholarship . The scriptwriters had wanted Brad to become a professional player , but after Michaelson told them he was a surfer , Brad became a `` surf bum '' instead . Brad was described as being a `` friend to all '' and a `` nice , lovable fool '' . He had a caring attitude and a love for family . The character 's storylines often revolved around his relationships . He dated his neighbour , Lucy Robinson ( Melissa Bell ) , and then fell in love with Beth Brennan ( Natalie Imbruglia ) . The couple became engaged , but Beth learned Brad was having an affair with Lauren Carpenter ( Sarah Vandenbergh ) on their wedding day . After dating different people for a while , Brad and Beth got back together and married .   In August 1992 , Brad was shot after trying to save his mother from a hostage situation involving Bob Landers ( Bruce Kilpatrick ) . Michaelson stated that Brad 's actions might not have been sensible , but he acted instinctively and the actor thought that others would have reacted the same way . A writer from BBC Online named the storyline as Brad 's most notable moment throughout his duration on the show . While a reporter for the Herald Sun called Brad `` one of the show 's most popular characters '' and commented that Michaelson had a huge following because of his good looks . For his portrayal of Brad , Michaelson earned a nomination for Most Popular Actor at the 1993 Logie Awards . He also received a nomination for Hottest Man in Soap at the Inside Soap TV Awards , while Brad was nominated for Best Male Character .   The character was reintroduced in early 2013 , with Kip Gamblin taking over the role . Brad displayed a more mature attitude , but still retained his relaxed outlook . He returned with a new wife , Terese ( Rebekah Elmaloglou ) , and their children , Josh ( Harley Bonner ) , Imogen ( Ariel Kaplan ) and Piper ( Mavournee Hazel ) . The character departed on 7 April 2017 , along with his wife Lauren ( Kate Kendall ) .

neg: Ralph Cooper Ralph Cooper ( January 16 , 1908 -- August 4 , 1992 ) , was an American actor , screenwriter , dancer and choreographer . Cooper is best known as the original master of ceremonies and founder of amateur night at the Apollo Theater in Harlem , New York City in 1935 . He wrote , produced , directed and acted in ten motion pictures . Titles include , `` Duke Is Tops , '' `` Dark Manhattan , '' `` Gangsters on the Loose '' and `` Gang War . ''

neg: Alice Cooper (band) Alice Cooper was an American rock band formed in Phoenix , Arizona in 1964 . The band consisted of lead singer Vince Furnier , Glen Buxton ( lead guitar ) , Michael Bruce ( rhythm guitar , keyboards ) , Dennis Dunaway ( bass guitar ) , and Neal Smith ( drums ) . Furnier legally changed his name to Alice Cooper and has had a solo career under that name since the band became inactive in 1975 . The band was notorious for their elaborate , theatrical shock rock stage shows .  In 2011 , the original Alice Cooper band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame .   After several years of little success , the Alice Cooper band rose to fame in 1971 with the success of the single `` I 'm Eighteen '' and the album Love It to Death . The band peaked in popularity in 1973 with the album Billion Dollar Babies and its tour , which broke box-office records previously held by The Rolling Stones .

neg: Crime Doctor (character) The Crime Doctor is a fictional character created by Max Marcin . A crook named Phil Morgan suffers amnesia and becomes criminal psychologist Dr. Ordway . He uses his expertise to solve crimes as well as to help patients .   The character was the hero of a popular CBS radio program titled Crime Doctor on Sunday nights between 1940 and 1947 . Dr. Benjamin Ordway was played by Ray Collins , House Jameson , Brian Donlevy , Hugh Marlowe , Everett Sloane and John McIntire .   Columbia Pictures Corporation made a series of 10 low-budget `` Crime Doctor '' mysteries from 1943 through 1949 . In them , Dr. Robert Ordway was played exclusively by Warner Baxter . In the first film , as an in-joke , Collins played the supporting role of Dr. John Carey , the Crime Doctor 's doctor . Baxter was in poor health much of the time while working on the series , and two years after making the tenth film , he died of pneumonia .   In March 2014 , the `` Crime Doctor '' film series was shown on GetTV , an American digital multicast television network owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment . Sony acquired Columbia Pictures Corporation in 1989 .


query: John Woo created a comic that was published by Virgin Comics.

pos: John Woo John Woo SBS ( Ng Yu-Sum ; born 1 May 1946 ) is a Chinese-born Hong Kong film director , writer , and producer . He is the owner of Lion Rock Productions . He is considered a major influence on the action genre , known for his highly chaotic action sequences , Mexican standoffs , and frequent use of slow motion . Woo has directed several notable Hong Kong action films , among them , A Better Tomorrow ( 1986 ) , The Killer ( 1989 ) , Hard Boiled ( 1992 ) , and Red Cliff ( 2008/2009 ) .   His Hollywood films include the action films Hard Target ( 1993 ) and Broken Arrow ( 1996 ) , the sci-fi action thriller Face/Off ( 1997 ) and the action spy film Mission : Impossible 2 ( 2000 ) . He also created the comic series Seven Brothers , published by Virgin Comics . Woo cites his three favorite films as David Lean 's Lawrence of Arabia , Akira Kurosawa 's Seven Samurai and Jean-Pierre Melville 's Le Samouraï .

neg: Twinkle (comics) Twinkle , ` the picture paper specially for little girls ' was a popular British comics magazine , published by D. C. Thomson & Co. Ltd from 27 January 1968 to 1999 ( 1612 issues ) . It was aimed at young girls and came out weekly , supplemented each year with a Summer Special and a hardcover Annual ( the first annual was dated 1970 ) .   The comics were introduced by Twinkle herself and featured comic strips , dress-up dolls , a Twinkle Club letters page , and , often , puzzles . Among the most popular comic strips were Nurse Nancy ( illustrated by Sabine Price ) , Jenny Wren , Witch Winkle , Polly 's Magic Paintbox , Goldilocks and her Three Bears , My Baby Brother , The Three Pennys , Patsy Panda , Patty Pickle , Sally Sweet , Molly and her Dollies and Dandy Lion .   Twinkle was given a make-over in the late 1970s and again in the late 1980s , but essentially the character of Twinkle , the comic strips and the essence of the comic remained the same throughout its life .   On March 19 2012 , the Royal Mail launched a special stamp collection to celebrate Britain 's rich comic book history . The collection featured The Beano , The Dandy , Eagle , The Topper , Roy of the Rovers , Bunty , Buster , Valiant , Twinkle and 2000 AD .

neg: TV Comic TV Comic was a British comic book magazine published weekly from 9 November 1951 until 29 June 1984 . Originally started by Beaverbrook , it was published by Polystyle Publications from 1960 and featured stories based on television series running at the time of publication . The first issue ran to eight pages , with Muffin the Mule on the front cover . It also featured many other TV favourites of the day , including Mr. Pastry , Larry the Lamb , Tom Puss , Prince Valiant ( Hal Foster reprint ) , Jack & Jill and Prudence Kitten .   In common with other British children 's comics , TV Comic absorbed other , less successful titles during its run . These included TV Land and TV Express in 1962 , TV Action ( formerly Countdown ) in 1973 , Tom and Jerry Weekly in 1974 ( Tom and Jerry already featured in TV Comic ) and the short-lived Target in 1978 .   Editors of TV Comic included Dick Millington ( who also edited Pippin and created Mighty Moth ) , Robin Tucheck and John Lynott . Artists included Bill Titcombe , John Canning , Neville Main , H. Watts , Gerry Haylock , Mike Lacey and Steve Maher .

neg: Jack Staff Jack Staff is a British superhero created by comic book writer/artist Paul Grist . Billed as `` Britain 's Greatest Hero '' , it is known for being in the style of an anthology title and for its multi-linear plotlines .   He first saw print in comics published by Paul Grist 's Dancing Elephant Press , and is now published by Image Comics . Comics International began exclusive publication of a monthly four-page strip featuring the supporting character Ben Kulmer ( the Claw ) ; this started in # 185 of the magazine and was set to run for twelve episodes . These strips have since been reprinted by Image Comics in a special .

neg: Albion (comics) Albion is a six-issue comic book limited series plotted by Alan Moore , written by his daughter Leah Moore and her husband John Reppion , with covers by Dave Gibbons and art by Shane Oakley and George Freeman . As a result of a deal forged by Vice-President Bob Wayne of DC Comics and Publishing Director Andrew Sumner of IPC Media , it was published through DC Comics ' WildStorm imprint . The series aimed to revive classic IPC-owned British comics characters such as Captain Hurricane , Robot Archie , The Steel Claw and The Spider ( as well as minor characters like Fishboy and Faceache ) , all of whom appeared in comics published by Odhams Press and later IPC Media during the 1960s and early 1970s , such as Valiant and Lion .   Debuting with a cover date of August , 2005 the first two issues were released monthly , with the third issue delayed two months ( Moore & Reppion cited delays in scheduling impacting the art production ) . Initially solicited release between October 2005 and January 2006 , issues 4 -- 6 were subsequently resolicited , and finally released throughout 2006 , with cover dates between June and November . The TPB collection followed swiftly after No. 6 was released in both the US and UK , from WildStorm and Titan Books respectively .

neg: The World of Wooster The World of Wooster is a comedy television series , based on the Jeeves comedy stories by P. G. Wodehouse .   The series aired on BBC Television from 1965 until 1967 in three series . Most episodes are lost . ( See Wiping . )

neg: Suburban Tribe Suburban Tribe is a webcomic written and illustrated by John Lee . It was launched in January 2003 . The comic alternates between story arcs that further plot and character development and stand-alone jokes . The comics tend to be relatively risqué , with bodily functions and sex often part of the humor . The longer plot arcs focus on the characters ' love lives ( usually failures ) , the frustrations of the corporate workplace , and the rivalry between Dave and Caesar , a super-intelligent cat .   A printed volume of the comic was released in May 2006 . Lee originally tried to have the comic published in newspapers , but all five comic syndicates rejected it . A local newspaper ran a story on Lee and his comic in June 2006 , and this was followed by an interview with a television outlet .

neg: Jack Upland Jack Upland or Jack up Lande ( c. 1389 -- 96 ? ) is a polemical , probably Lollard , literary work which can be seen as a `` sequel '' to Piers Plowman , with Antichrist attacking Christians through corrupt confession . Jack asks a `` flattering friar '' ( cf. Piers Plowmans `` Friar Flatterer '' ) nearly seventy questions attacking the mendicant orders and exposing their distance from scriptural truth .   Two extant works respond to Jack 's questions : Responsiones ad Questiones LXV ( before 1396 ) and Friar Daw 's Reply ( Digby 41 , c. 1420 ) . The latter text blasts John Wycliffe as one of history 's major heretics . Responding to Friar Daw , an unknown author wrote Upland 's Rejoinder , which survives in Digby 41 , in the margins surrounding Friar Daw 's Reply . Upland 's Rejoinder intensifies the level of invective : Daw is said to recruit the young sons of true-living plowmen to become ( paradoxically ) `` worldly beggars , '' apostates against true rule , and sodomites .   Jack Upland was printed by itself in an octavo edition c. 1536 -- 40 by John Gough ( STC 5098 ) . John Foxe 's Acts and Monuments ( 1563 , 1570 ) reprinted Jack Upland and attributed it to Geoffrey Chaucer . Thomas Speght 's 1602 edition of Chaucer 's Works ( STC 5080 ) included Jack Upland .

neg: Captain Marvel (DC Comics) Captain Marvel , also known as Shazam , is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics . Artist C. C. Beck and writer Bill Parker created the character in 1939 . Captain Marvel first appeared in Whiz Comics # 2 ( cover-dated Feb. 1940 ) , published by Fawcett Comics . He is the alter ego of Billy Batson , a boy who , by speaking the magic word `` SHAZAM '' ( acronym of 6 Greek `` immortal elders '' - Solomon , Hercules , Atlas , Zeus , Achilles , and Mercury ) , can transform himself into a costumed adult with the powers of superhuman strength , speed , flight , and other abilities .   Based on book sales , the character was the most popular superhero of the 1940s , outselling even Superman . Fawcett expanded the franchise to include other `` Marvels '' , primarily Marvel Family associates Mary Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr. , who can harness Billy 's powers as well . Captain Marvel was also the first comic book superhero to be adapted into film , in a 1941 Republic Pictures serial titled Adventures of Captain Marvel .   Fawcett ceased publishing Captain Marvel-related comics in 1953 , partly because of a copyright infringement suit from DC Comics , alleging that Captain Marvel was a copy of Superman . In 1972 , DC licensed the Marvel Family characters from Fawcett , and returned them to publication . By 1991 , DC had acquired all rights to the characters . DC has since integrated Captain Marvel and the Marvel Family into their DC Universe and has attempted to revive the property several times , with mixed success . Due to trademark conflicts over another character named `` Captain Marvel '' owned by Marvel Comics since 1967 , DC chose to publish the character 's adventures in a comic book titled Shazam ! for many years , leading many to assume that this was the character 's name . DC later officially renamed the character `` Shazam '' when relaunching its comic book properties in 2011 .   In addition , since 1972 , the character has been featured in two television series adaptations , one live action and one animated , by Filmation , and an upcoming Warner Bros. . Shazam ! feature film scheduled for release in 2019 as part of the DC Extended Universe . Captain Marvel was ranked as the 55th greatest comic book character of all time by Wizard magazine . IGN also ranked Captain Marvel as the 50th greatest comic book hero of all time , stating that the character will always be an enduring reminder of a simpler time . UGO Networks ranked him as one of the top heroes of entertainment , saying , `` At his best , Shazam has always been Superman with a sense of crazy , goofy fun '' .

neg: List of The New York Times Manga Best Sellers The New York Times Best Seller list for manga published in the United States was introduced on March 5 , 2009 , along with two additional lists for hardcover and paperback graphic novels . The three lists are grouped under the `` Graphic Books '' category . Deborah Hoffman , an editor for the Best Seller lists , explained that the term `` Graphic Books '' was selected to create an `` inclusive and expansive '' list which can extend to works of both fiction and non-fiction . Journalist George Gustines announced , in his introduction of the new lists , `` Comics have finally joined the mainstream . '' The announcement was made the week the film Watchmen , based on the comic book of the same name , was released in movie theaters throughout the U.S. . The Best Seller lists are printed weekly in The New York Times Book Review magazine , which is published in the Sunday edition of The New York Times and as a stand-alone publication .   Gustines explained the methodology used to determine the rankings :   Rankings reflect sales of graphic novels -LSB- ... -RSB- at many thousands of venues where a wide range of books are sold nationwide . These include hundreds of independent book retailers ( statistically weighted to represent all such outlets ) ; national , regional and local chains ; online and multimedia entertainment retailers ; university , gift , supermarket , discount department stores and newsstands . In addition , these rankings also include unit sales reported by retailers nationwide that specialize in graphic novels and comic books .   On multiple occasions , manga have been listed outside its designated list . Mike Kiley , then-Senior Vice President of the publisher Tokyopop , explained in 2010 that it has become more difficult to draw a distinguishing line between works that are manga and manga-inspired , such as Korean manhwa and American original English language ( OEL ) manga . A Drifting Life , an autobiographical manga by Yoshihiro Tatsumi , appeared on the May 3 , 2009 , Best Seller list for paperback graphic novels , where it ranked third . X-Men : Misfits , an original English manga based on the X-Men comic book franchise , ranked fifth at its debut on the August 30 , 2009 , paperback graphic novels list , and stayed on the chart for five consecutive weeks . The first volume of a manhwa adaptation of the popular vampire-themed Twilight novels by Stephenie Meyer remained on the hardcover graphic novels Best Seller list for 27 consecutive weeks in 2010 .   In January 2017 , the Times decided to stop producing the separate manga best seller list .

neg: Erotic comics Erotic comics are adult comics which focus substantially on nudity and sexual activity , either for their own sake or as a major story element . As such they are usually not permitted to be sold to legal minors . Like other genres of comics , they can consist of single panels , short comic strips , comic books , or graphic novels/albums . Although never a mainstream genre , they have existed as a niche alongside -- but usually separate from -- other genres of comics .   During the mid-twentieth century , most comics were produced for children , and in North America the contents of most comics were constrained by the Comics Code Authority to be suitable for children . Consequently erotic comics have sometimes been subject to criticism and extra scrutiny compared to other forms of erotic art and storytelling . Additionally , the application of laws against child pornography to materials featuring fictional characters with no legal ages , have varied internationally .

neg: Union Jack (comics) Union Jack is the name of three fictional superheroes appearing in the Marvel Universe comic books published by Marvel Comics and Marvel UK . Created by Roy Thomas and Frank Robbins , the first Union Jack first appeared in Invaders # 7 ( July 1976 ) , a second incarnation from the same creators appeared in The Invaders # 21 , and a third incarnation was created by Roger Stern and John Byrne for Captain America Vol . 1 # 254 ( February 1981 ) .   Following The Invaders , Union Jack has been featured as a regular character in ongoing series Knights of Pendragon , New Invaders and Invaders Now , as well two self-titled mini-series .

neg: Eighth Doctor comic stories Eighth Doctor comic stories are two ranges of comic series that featured the adventures of the eighth incarnation of the Doctor , the protagonist of the hit sc-fi series , Doctor Who .   Two separate series of original comic strips featuring the Eighth Doctor ( and thus the likeness of actor Paul McGann ) were published during the character 's original tenure . The Radio Times published a weekly comic strip for a time . There was also the standard Doctor Who Magazine strip . The two series introduced brand-new companions , although the Eighth Doctor 's only on-screen companion , Grace Holloway , also appeared twice . There were also cameo appearances by companions from past DWM series . The Master was also resurrected .   During the latter period of the DWM 's comic stories the stories switched from black and white strips to full colour .   One of the strip 's most noted fans was Russell T Davies , the future executive producer and head writer of the revived Doctor Who series . Davies had proposed that the Magazine 's strip regenerate McGann 's Doctor at the conclusion of The Flood . Whilst a draft was prepared to include the regeneration , the idea was abandoned as the Magazine team had reservations about taking such an important element from the television series should McGann ever be used in the series for flashback purposes . Eventually the decision was taken to simply end `` The Flood '' on a note similar to Survival , with The Eighth Doctor and Destrii 's later adventures left a mystery to the readers .   It has been speculated that Davies loosely adapted elements from The Flood in his later DW storylines The Parting of the Ways and Army of Ghosts ( in particular the Doctor absorbing the time/space vortex to save Rose Tyler 's life , triggering his regeneration and the ghost-shifting infiltration of The Cybermen on an unsuspecting public )

neg: Slapstick (comics) Slapstick ( Steve Harmon ) is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics . He resembles an animated clown and has the abilities of a slapstick cartoon character , such as one from Looney Tunes , including warping reality to match that of an animated cartoon .

neg: Fantastic Four Adventures Fantastic Four Adventures is part of Marvel UK 's ` Collector 's Edition ' line . It is being published by Panini Comics but reprints Marvel Comics from the United States . It began in 2005 around the release of the Fantastic Four film and follows the format established by the Collector 's Edition Range . Fantastic Four Adventures is sold once every 28 days through newsagents , although a subscription offer is available . Fantastic Four Adventures retailed at # 2.40 upon its release , but rising in printing costs have seen the price rise to # 2.50 and then onto the current price of # 2.95 . It was announced at the end of 2011 that Fantastic Four Adventures would cease publication with its final issue in March 2012 , only to be replaced by a new CE , Incredible Hulks .

neg: Midnight Nation Midnight Nation is a religious-themed twelve-issue American comic book limited series , created by J. Michael Straczynski and published from 2000 to 2002 by Top Cow Productions under their Joe 's Comics imprint . It is about a man who is killed , in a sense , and is on a journey to save his soul .

neg: I Love You (comics) I Love You was a romance comic published by Charlton Comics from 1955 -- 1980 .   Notable creators who worked on the title included inker Vince Alascia , who contributed to nearly every issue during its 25-year run . Joe Sinnott drew many early covers ; most were inked by Vince Colletta , who worked on the title during the period 1959 -- 1968 . Dick Giordano illustrated a number of covers during this period as well . Charles Nicholas was a frequent contributor from 1959 -- 1976 . Norman Nodel illustrated for the title from 1966 -- c. 1972 . Art Capello drew for the title throughout the 1970s , including many covers .

neg: Miss Fear (comics) Miss Fear ( or simply , Fear ) was a recurring character in Blackhawk comics ( published by Quality Comics , later bought by DC Comics ) between 1946 and 1948 . Her first appearance in Modern Comics # 49 ( May , 1946 ) told her origin as daughter of the slain leader of an obscure nation in central Asia . When Blackhawk and his men arrived to investigate the murder , they found Fear always a half-step ahead on her vendetta , ruthlessly avenging her father with a Tommy gun .   Further Golden Age appearances by Miss Fear included Blackhawk Comics issues 13 , 14 , 17 , 19 , 20 , and 22 ( December , 1948 ) . In these stories she developed a distinctly romantic yet seemingly unrequited interest in Blackhawk , meanwhile involving and assisting the team in various cases and missions , usually in central Asia . Fear displayed an impressive array of skills including flying , horsemanship , martial arts , and wielding a bullwhip , as well as crack marksmanship . The conclusion of the final story , however , seemed to imply that she was resigned to disappointment in carrying a torch for Blackhawk .   In 1998 , Miss Fear returned in a somewhat different form in the four-issue miniseries Guns of the Dragon , by Timothy Truman , starring Enemy Ace and Bat Lash . Set in China , 1927 , this story depicted her as a young , half-Chinese / half-Caucasian spy in service of the communists . The plot also involved a recurring Blackhawk villain , the Thunderer , as well as a brief appearance by Chop-Chop , although his age at that point seems impossible to reconcile with his later career as Blackhawk 's sidekick . The outcome of the adventure led Fear to reconsider her loyalty to the communists and suggested her future as a freelance freedom-fighter . However , her only subsequent appearance thus far has been in the form of a limited edition 1/6 scale G.I. Joe action figure , produced by Dreams & Visions in 2003 , licensed by Hasbro and DC Comics .

neg: The Dandy The Dandy was a long-running British children 's comic published by the Dundee based publisher DC Thomson . The first issue was printed in December 1937 , making it the world 's third-longest running comic , after Detective Comics ( cover dated March 1937 ) and Il Giornalino ( cover dated 1 October 1924 ) . From August 2007 until October 2010 , it was rebranded as Dandy Xtreme .   One of the best selling comics in British popular culture , along with The Beano , sales of The Dandy reached two million a week in the 1950s . The final printed edition was issued on 4 December 2012 , the comic 's 75th anniversary , after sales slumped to 8,000 a week . On the same day , The Dandy relaunched as an online comic , The Digital Dandy , appearing on the Dandy website and in the Dandy App . The digital relaunch was not successful and the comic ended just six months later .

neg: Plastic Man Plastic Man ( real name Patrick `` Eel '' O'Brian ) is a fictional comic book superhero originally published by Quality Comics and later acquired by DC Comics . Created by cartoonist Jack Cole , Plastic Man was one of the first superheroes to incorporate humor into mainstream action storytelling . The character has been published in several solo series and has interacted with other characters in the mainstream DC Universe as a member of the Justice League . He has additionally appeared in several television and video game adaptations , including a short-lived television show of his own .

neg: Nowhere Man (comics) Nowhere Man is a comic limited series from Virgin Comics created   The series will be an odyssey of futurist science fiction , in an epoch where man has traded privacy for safety . It will be written by Hugh Jackman and Marc Guggenheim , who wrote stories for Wolf and The Amazing Spider-Man and created Eli Stone , with art from Paul Gulacy .   The Australian actor Hugh Jackman affirmed in a bulletin that he hopes that Nowhere Man should reach sufficient popularity as to turn into a movie .


query: Slovakia is a place.

pos: Slovakia Slovakia ( listen ) , is a landlocked country in Central Europe . It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west , Poland to the north , Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south . Slovakia 's territory spans about 49000 km2 and is mostly mountainous . The population is over 5 million and comprises mostly ethnic Slovaks . The capital and largest city is Bratislava . The official language is Slovak .   The Slavs arrived in the territory of present-day Slovakia in the 5th and 6th centuries . In the 7th century , they played a significant role in the creation of Samo 's Empire and in the 9th century established the Principality of Nitra . In the 10th century , the territory was integrated into the Kingdom of Hungary , which itself became part of the Ottoman Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire . After World War I and the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire , the Slovaks and Czechs established Czechoslovakia . A separate ( First ) Slovak Republic ( 1939 -- 1945 ) existed in World War II as a client state of Nazi Germany . In 1945 , Czechoslovakia was re-established under Communist rule as a Soviet satellite . In 1989 the Velvet Revolution ended authoritarian Communist rule in Czechoslovakia . Slovakia became an independent state on 1 January 1993 after the peaceful dissolution of Czechoslovakia , sometimes known as the Velvet Divorce .   Slovakia is a high-income advanced economy with a very high Human Development Index , a very high standard of living and performs favourably in measurements of civil liberties , press freedom , internet freedom , democratic governance and peacefulness . The country maintains a combination of market economy with a comprehensive social security system . Citizens of Slovakia are provided with universal health care , free education and one of the longest paid maternity leave in the OECD . The country joined the European Union in 2004 and the Eurozone on 1 January 2009 . Slovakia is also a member of the Schengen Area , NATO , the United Nations , the OECD , the WTO , CERN , the OSCE , the Council of Europe and the Visegrád Group . The Slovak economy is one of the fastest growing economies in Europe and 3rd fastest in eurozone . Its legal tender , the Euro , is the world 's 2nd most traded currency . Although regional income inequality is high , 90 % of citizens own their homes . In 2016 , Slovak citizens had visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 165 countries and territories , ranking the Slovak passport 11th in the world . Slovakia is the world 's largest per-capita car producer with a total of 1,040,000 cars manufactured in the country in 2016 alone and the 7th largest car producer in the European Union . The car industry represents 43 % of Slovakia 's industrial output , and a quarter of its exports .

neg: Slovak National Theater The Slovak National Theater ( Slovenské národné divadlo , abbr . SND ) denotes :  the oldest Slovak professional theater consisting of 3 ensembles ( opera , ballet and drama )  a Neo-Renaissance theater building in the Old Town of Bratislava , Slovakia , which formerly housed two of the theater 's ensembles ( opera and ballet , drama was based elsewhere ) , and  the theater 's large modern theater building in Bratislava near the Danube , which opened on 14 April 2007 .

neg: Open-air museums in Slovakia Slovakia has around 14 open-air museums , or skanzens , showcasing the country 's folk traditions , architecture , and economic history . The museums include examples of traditional buildings and furnishings , and many offer demonstrations of traditional handicrafts . The largest open-air museum is the Slovak Village Open Air Museum in Martin .

neg: Human trafficking in Slovakia Slovak Republic is a source , transit , and limited destination country for women and girls from Moldova , Ukraine , Bulgaria , the Balkans , the Baltics , and China trafficked to Germany , Austria , the Czech Republic , Switzerland , Sweden , Italy , Austria , the Netherlands , Spain , Croatia , and Slovenia for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation . Men from Vietnam were trafficked to Slovakia for the purpose of forced labor . Roma women and girls from Slovakia are trafficked internally for sexual exploitation . The Government of the Slovak Republic does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking ; however , it is making significant efforts to do so . The government allocated $ 91,000 for anti-trafficking efforts in 2007 , an increase from $ 60,000 in 2006 . In February 2008 , police began investigating the country 's first identified labor trafficking case involving eight Vietnamese nationals forced to work in a cigarette factory in Bratislava . The government also made efforts to improve victim identification and assistance referral . However , the number of victims assisted by government - funded programs decreased in 2007 .

neg: Slovak Central Mountains The Slovak Central Mountains ( Slovenské stredohorie ) are a group of mountain ranges in southern central Slovakia . The town of Zvolen lies roughly in the centre of the mountains .   The Slovak Central Mountains are a part of the Inner Western Carpathians . They are bordered by the Fatra-Tatra Area to the northwest and north , Slovak Ore Mountains ( Slovenské rudohorie ) to the east , Southern Slovak Basin ( Juhoslovenská kotlina ) to the south and by the Pannonian Plain to the southwest .   The Slovak Central Mountains are divided into the following subdivisions :   Vtacnik Mountains  Pohronský Inovec  Štiavnica Mountains  Kremnica Mountains  Poľana  Ostrôžky  Javorie  Krupina Plain  Zvolen Basin  Pliešovce Basin ( Pliešovská kotlina )  Žiar Basin   The highest mountain is Poľana at 1,458 m.

neg: Stužica Stužica is a uniquely preserved and undisturbed primeval beech forest of the Eastern Carpathians range . It is located in Slovakia and borders with Poland and Ukraine . The forest has been protected since 1908 and in 1993 the area was upgraded to a National Nature Reserve . In 2007 Stužica and several other locations in the range , including six components in Ukraine , were declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site . Five German components were added in 2011 . Together they form Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and the Ancient Beech Forests of Germany WH site with outstanding universal value .

neg: Petržalka Petržalka ( -LSB- ˈpetr̩ʒalka -RSB- ; Engerau / Audorf Pozsonyligetfalu ) is the largest borough of Bratislava , the capital of Slovakia . Situated on the right bank of the river Danube , the area shares a land border with Austria , and is home to around 120,000 people .

neg: Komárno Komárno ( Komárom , colloquially Révkomárom , Öregkomárom , Észak-Komárom , Komorn , Komoran / Коморан ) is a town in Slovakia at the confluence of the Danube and the Váh rivers . Komárno was formed from part of a historical town in Hungary situated on both banks of the Danube . Following World War I and the Treaty of Trianon , the border of the newly created Czechoslovakia cut the historical , unified town in half , creating two new towns . The smaller part , based on the former suburb of Újszőny , is in present-day Hungary as Komárom ( the historical Hungarian town had the same name ) . Komárno and Komárom are connected by the Elisabeth Bridge , which used to be a border crossing between Slovakia and Hungary until border checks were lifted due to the Schengen Area rules .   Komárno is Slovakia 's principal port on the Danube . It is also the center of the Hungarian community in Slovakia , which makes up roughly 60 % of the town 's population . The town is the historic seat of the Serbian national minority in Slovakia .

neg: Slovakia in the Eurovision Song Contest Slovakia has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest seven times , debuting in 1994 . It had attempted to debut in 1993 , but did not pass through the qualifying round . In the first three finals that Slovakia participated in , it placed no better than 18th , which it achieved in 1996 . Because of its poor results , it was forced to miss a year after each contest and then the country opted not to return for a number of years . It did eventually return to the Contest eleven years later , in 2009 , although they withdrew again within 4 years , having failed to qualify to the final every year since their return .

neg: Brno Brno ( -LSB- langpronˈbɜrnoʊ -RSB- -LSB- ˈbr̩no -RSB- , German : Brünn ) is the second largest city in the Czech Republic by population and area , the largest Moravian city , and the historical capital city of the Margraviate of Moravia . Brno is the administrative center of the South Moravian Region in which it forms a separate district ( Brno-City District ) . The city lies at the confluence of the Svitava and Svratka rivers and has about 400,000 inhabitants ; its greater metropolitan area is home to more than 800,000 people while its larger urban zone had a population of about 730,000 in 2004 .   Brno is the seat of judicial authority of the Czech Republic -- it is the seat of the Constitutional Court , the Supreme Court , the Supreme Administrative Court , and the Supreme Public Prosecutor 's Office . The city is also a significant administrative centre . It is the seat of a number of state authorities , including the Ombudsman , and the Office for the Protection of Competition . Brno is also an important centre of higher education , with 33 faculties belonging to 13 institutes of higher learning and about 89,000 students .   Brno Exhibition Centre ranks among the largest exhibition centres in Europe ( 23rd in the world ) . The complex opened in 1928 and established the tradition of large exhibitions and trade fairs held in Brno . Brno hosts motorbike and other races on the Masaryk Circuit , a tradition established in 1930 , in which the Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix is one of the most prestigious races . Another cultural tradition is an international fireworks competition , Ignis Brunensis , that usually attracts tens of thousands of daily visitors .   The most visited sights of the city include the Špilberk castle and fortress and the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul on Petrov hill , two medieval buildings that dominate the cityscape and are often depicted as its traditional symbols . The other large preserved castle near the city is Veveří Castle by Brno Reservoir . This castle is the site of a number of legends , as are many other places in Brno . Another architectural monument of Brno is the functionalist Villa Tugendhat which has been included on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites . One of the natural sights nearby is the Moravian Karst .

neg: East Carpathians Protected Landscape Area East Carpathians Protected Landscape Area ( Chránená krajinná oblasť Východné Karpaty ) is a protected landscape area in north-eastern Slovakia , in the Prešov Region , in the Carpathian Mountains . The PLA occupies a slice of land along with the border with Poland . The park was first created in 1977 , when it was originally larger than today , occupying area of 968.1 km2 ( 373.8 sq mi ) until 1997 , when the Poloniny National Park was created in the eastern part , reducing the area into 253.07 km2 ( 97.7 sq mi ) .

neg: History of Slovakia This article discusses the history of the territory of Slovakia .

neg: Danubian Flat The Danubian Flat ( Slovak : Podunajská rovina , German : Donauebene ) , also translated as Danubian Plain , is the south-western , more flat , part of the Danubian Lowland in Slovakia .   The border with the Danubian Hills runs approx . along the line Bratislava -- Senec -- Sereď -- Nové Zámky -- Patince .   It has been formed by the arms of the Danube ( Little Danube and others ) and by the southern Váh , Nitra and Žitava rivers . It is filled with huge layers of gravel from the Danube and other rivers of the area . These Danubian gravels are covered with loess and other very fertile soils .   The Danube forms here a unique continental delta system of meanders and dead arms . The area between one of those arms called Little Danube and the Danube is known as the Žitný ostrov , the biggest river island in Europe . The Žitný ostrov is an area with marsh depressions , natural lakes and artificial lakes . The drainage system of the southern area was ( deliberately ) significantly changed by the construction of the Gabčíkovo Dam on the Danube . The Žitný ostrov has been a `` Protected Water Management Area '' since 1978 .   The area is rich in forest glades , water and marsh fauna and flora . It has rich subterranean water reservoirs . Those in Žitný ostrov are among the largest in Central Europe . Warm springs can be found in Komárno , Štúrovo and Patince .   The area has the warmest and driest climate in Slovakia . This , and the fact that it has fertile soils , make it the ideal place for agriculture . Wheat , sugar beets , sweet corn , vegetables and tobacco are grown here . Fruit and vine growing are also important .   The most important towns of the area are the Slovak capital Bratislava ( the Danube Flat begins in below Bratislava Castle in central Bratislava ) , Galanta , Sereď , Dunajská Streda , Komárno , and Nové Zámky .   The area features many small-scale protected areas , such as Ostov Kopáč in Bratislava or the Vlčianske mŕtve rameno , Čičovské mŕtve rameno . Protected marshes are for example the unique Šúr area in Svätý Jur . The area of Zlatná na Ostrove provides an extensive habitat for great bustards .   Excellent opportunities for summer recreation are provided by the lakes Zlaté piesky in Bratislava and the lakes Slnečné jazerá in Senec , or by thermal swimming pools in Dunajská Streda , Veľký Meder and Diakovce .   Category : Landforms of Slovakia  Category : Plains of Slovakia  Category : River deltas of Europe

neg: Nitra District Nitra District ( okres Nitra ) is a district in  the Nitra Region of western Slovakia . It is the most populated of Slovakia 's 79 districts . Before 1996 the present-day district belonged to the West-Slovak region ( Západoslovenský kraj ) . It is named after city of Nitra , which is undoubtfully its main economy and cultural center .

neg: Denmark–Slovakia relations Denmark -- Slovakia relations refers to the current and historical relations between Denmark and Slovakia . Denmark has an embassy in Bratislava . Slovakia has an embassy in Copenhagen . The relations between Denmark and Slovakia are described as good and friendly . Denmark has a trade office in Slovakia . Both countries are full members of the European Union and NATO . On 4 September 2002 , a Memorandum Of Understanding between the two countries , were signed .

neg: Slovak Socialist Republic From 1969 to 1990 , the Slovak Socialist Republic ( Slovenská socialistická republika in Slovak ; abbreviated SSR ) was the official name of that part of Czechoslovakia that is Slovakia today . The name was used from 1 January 1969 until March 1990 .

neg: Catholic Church in Slovakia The Roman Catholic Church in Slovakia or Latin Church in Slovakia is part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church , under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome .   Around 62 % of the total population is Roman Catholic ( i.e. of Latin rite ) . The country is divided into 8 dioceses including 3 archdioceses . In Slovakia there is also a separate jurisdiction for those of the Byzantine Rite , see Slovak Greek Catholic Church .   Slovakia is the third most Catholic Slavic country , after Poland and Croatia .

neg: Transport in Slovakia Transport in Slovakia is possible by rail , road , air or rivers . Slovakia is a developed Central European country with a well-developed rail network ( 3,662 km ) and a highway system ( 225.25 km ) . Main international airport is the M. R. Štefánik Airport in the capital , Bratislava . Most important waterway is the river Danube used both by passenger , cargo and freight ships .

neg: Slovak Brotherhood The Slovak Brotherhood or Slovenská pospolitosť is a civil society group in Slovakia . ` Slovenská ' means `` Slovak '' ; ` pospolitosť ' is a rather archaic word meaning `` solidarity '' or `` community '' or `` togetherness '' . The group has been characterised as `` extremist . ''   Slovenská pospolitosť was formed in 1996 to bring together sections of the local far right population and place them under the leadership of more astute ideologues . The group has links to the International Third Position and has posted details of its activities on their websites . The movement has come under increasing pressure from the government of Slovakia in 2005 , to the extent where the leading member Ján Kopunek has claimed that the Slovak police have been ordered to crush the group entirely . Since then , Marian Kotleba has been charged with hate crimes in absentia . Later , Kotleba was charged for finishing one of his speeches with `` Na stráž ! '' the phrase used in the fascist Hlinka Guard . After that the charges were dropped as it `` could n't be proven that the phrase itself constitutes the promotion of fascism '' . However the American embassy in Bratislava characterised the groups activities as `` commemorating the wartime fascist state and to spread messages of intolerance against ethnic and religious minorities . ''   In 2006 , Kotleba tried to transform the group into a political party ( Slovak Togetherness - National Party ) . The party was dissolved by the Supreme Court because of its non-compliance with the Constitution ( restriction of universal suffrage , replacement of the party system by the state of estates ) as the first and yet only dissolved political party in the modern history of Slovakia . The group then continued to exist as a civil society . Also in this form it was temporarily banned by the Interior Ministry for `` activities that incite hatred and national , racial , religious as well as political intolerance '' , but the Slovak Supreme Court reinstated the group , claiming that `` the legal conditions for disbanding Slovenská Pospolitosť had not been met . '' The group resumes operation unhindered .   In August 2009 the group led a march in protest at the local Roma community during which members threw rocks and bottles at police , resulting in over 30 arrests and seven injuries .   They have been associated with the European National Front and support their ideas of European nationalist unity . They hosted a meeting for some affiliated groups in 2004 .

neg: Great Moravia Great Moravia ( regnum Marahensium , Μεγάλη Μοραβία -- megale Moravia , Velká Morava , Veľká Morava , Wielka Morawia ) , the Great Moravian Empire , ( historiographical terms -- original formal name is unknown ) or simply Moravia , was the first major state that was predominantly Slavonic to emerge in the area of Central Europe . Its core territories were located on the Morava river which gave its name to the kingdom . `` Morava '' in both Czech and Slovak refers to both the river and the land of Moravia - the medieval Margraviate of Moravia , which is now the eastern part of the Czech Republic . The river Morava flows south through the whole of Moravia , later forming the present-day border between the Czech Republic and Slovakia before finally becoming the border between Slovakia and Austria ( where it is called the March in German ) . The kingdom saw the rise of the first ever Slavic literary culture in the Old Church Slavonic language . After the fall of Great Moravia , its core territory was gradually divided between the newly ascending Czech Kingdom ( Bohemia ) and Hungarian Kingdom : the frontier was originally settled on the Morava river ( the Czech Kingdom to its west , and Hungary - present-day Slovakia - to its east ) . However , from the 12th century , the Czech kings managed to gain more and more of the region on the eastern bank - eventually gaining the whole stretch of the eastern territory from Uherské Hradiště down to Strážnice , and this region retained its non-Czech identity in its designation `` Slovácko '' as an alternative dialectal for `` Slovakia '' . After this , the Czech-Hungarian border shifted east to the White Carpathians . The core region of Great Moravia along the Morava river , thus divided between the present-day Moravia and Slovakia , has retained a unique culture in the rich folklore tradition both on the western bank of the Morava ( including the southern Záluží region ) and the eastern bank - the Slovácko ( in Moravia ) and Záhorie ( in Slovakia ) . Záhorie also boasts the only surviving building from Great Moravian times - the chapel at Kopčany just across the Morava from the archaeological site of Mikulčice . The core of Great Moravia was established , according to legend , in the early 830s , when Prince Mojmír I ( -LSB- moimi : r -RSB- ) crossed the Morava and conquered the principality of Nitra ( present-day western Slovakia ) . The former principality of Nitra was used as the údelné kniežatsvo , or the territory given to , and ruled by , the successor to the throne , traditionally the nephew ( sister 's son ) of the ruling kъnendzь or Prince .   The extent and location of Great Moravia are a subject of debate . Rival theories place the center of it either south of the river Danube ( the river Morava in Serbia ) or on the Great Hungarian Plain . The exact date when the Moravian state was founded is also disputed , but it probably occurred in the early 830s under Prince Mojmír I , ( r. 820s/830s -- 846 ) , who is the first known ruler of the united Moravia . Mojmír and his successor , Rastislav ( `` Rostislav '' in Czech ) , who ruled from 846 to 870 , initially acknowledged the suzerainty of the Carolingian monarchs , but the Moravian fight for independence caused a series of armed conflicts with East Francia beginning in the 840s .   Moravia reached its largest territorial extent under Svätopluk I , ( Svatopluk in Czech ) , who ruled from 870 to 894 , and who was occasionally styled as king in contemporaneous sources . Although the borders of his empire can not be exactly determined , he controlled the core territories of Moravia as well as other neighbouring regions , including Bohemia , most of Slovakia and parts of Slovenia , Hungary , Poland and Ukraine , for some periods of his reign . Separatism and internal conflicts emerging after Svätopluk 's death contributed to the fall of Great Moravia , which was overrun by the Hungarians . The exact date of Moravia 's collapse is unknown , but it occurred between 902 and 907 .   Moravia experienced significant cultural development under Prince Rastislav , with the arrival in 863 of the mission of Saints Cyril and Methodius . Rastislav had asked the Byzantine emperor to send a `` teacher '' ( učitelja ) to introduce literacy and a legal system ( pravьda ) to Great Moravia . The brothers Cyril and Methodius introduced a system of writing ( the Glagolitic alphabet ) and Slavonic liturgy , the latter eventually formally approved by Pope Adrian II . The Glagolitic script was probably invented by Cyril himself and the language he used for his translations of holy scripts and his original literary creation was based on the Slavic dialect he and his brother Methodius knew from their native Thessaloniki . The language , termed Old Church Slavonic , was the direct ancestral language for Bulgarian , and therefore also referred to as Old Bulgarian . Old Church Slavonic , therefore , differed somewhat from the local Slavic dialect of Great Moravia which was the ancestral idiom to the later dialects spoken in Moravia and western Slovakia .   Later , the disciples of Cyril and Methodius were expelled from Great Moravia by King Svätopluk I. Arriving in the First Bulgarian Empire , the disciples continued the Cyrilo-Methodian mission and the Glagolitic script was superseded by Cyrillic . The Cyrillic script and translations of the liturgy were disseminated to other Slavic countries , particularly in the Balkans and Kievan Rus ' , charting a new path in these Slavic nations ´ cultural development .

neg: Beer in Slovakia Beer in Slovakia ( pivo ) has been produced and consumed at least since the 15th century . Together with the neighbouring Czech Republic , with whom it has a shared and intertwined history , Slovakia has a number of breweries and a rich beer culture . Brews in Slovakia usually range between 3.8 and 5.0 % alcohol content , and are classified further by its appearance of colour with 10 ° ( pale ) 12.5 ° and 12 ° ( lager ) being the most common degrees , however dark beers up to 16.5 degrees and above are also available .   Since the fall of communism , most large commercial breweries were privatized and subsequently bought by foreign multinational companies . Today most are owned by either Heineken or SABMiller .


query: Mary Marvel predates Supergirl by more than a decade.

pos: Mary Marvel Mary Marvel is a fictional character originally published by Fawcett Comics and now owned by DC Comics . Created by Otto Binder and Marc Swayze , she first appeared in Captain Marvel Adventures # 18 ( cover-dated Dec. 1942 ) . The character is a member of the Marvel/Shazam Family of heroes associated with the superhero Shazam/Captain Marvel .   She is the alter ego of teenager Mary Batson ( adopted name Mary Bromfield ) , twin sister of Captain Marvel 's alter-ego , Billy Batson . Like her brother , Mary has been granted the power of the wizard Shazam , and has but to speak the wizard 's name to be transformed into the superpowered Mary Marvel . Mary Marvel was one of the first female spin-offs of a major male superhero , and predates the introduction of Superman 's female cousin Supergirl ( also created by Otto Binder ) by more than a decade .   Following DC 's licensing of the Marvel Family characters in 1972 , Mary Marvel began appearing in DC Comics , co-starring in DC series such as Shazam ! ( 1973-1978 ) and The Power of Shazam ! ( 1995-1999 ) . Two limited series from 2007-2009 , Countdown and Final Crisis , feature an evil version of Mary Marvel having acquired powers from first Shazam Family archenemy Black Adam and further from Apokoliptian supervillain god Desaad . In current continuity following DC 's 2011 New 52 reboot , Mary Bromfield appears as one of Billy Batson 's foster siblings , and can share Billy 's power at his whim to become an adult superhero similar to the traditional Mary Marvel ( the `` Marvel '' monikers having been retired with the reboot ) .

neg: Miraclewoman Miraclewoman is a fictional superheroine appearing in the Eclipse Comics comic book Miracleman .   In the Miracleman comic , Miraclewoman is the analog of other feminine super heroines such as Wonder Woman and Mary Marvel . Her given name is Avril Lear , but she also uses the alias of Dr. McCarthy .

neg: Doctor Strange Stephen Vincent Strange , M.D. is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics . Created by artist Steve Ditko and writer Stan Lee , the character first appeared in Strange Tales # 110 ( cover-dated July 1963 ) . Doctor Strange serves as the Sorcerer Supreme , the primary protector of Earth against magical and mystical threats . Inspired by stories of black magic and Chandu the Magician , Strange was created during the Silver Age of Comics to bring a different kind of character and themes of mysticism to Marvel Comics .   The character 's origin story relates that he was once a brilliant but egotistical surgeon . After a car accident severely damages his hands and hinders his ability to perform surgery , he searches the globe for a way to repair them and encounters the Ancient One . After becoming one of the old Sorcerer Supreme 's students , he becomes a practitioner of both the mystical arts as well as martial arts . Along with knowing many powerful spells , he has a costume with two mystical objects -- the Cloak of Levitation and Eye of Agamotto -- which give him added powers . Strange is aided along the way by his friend and valet , Wong , and a large assortment of mystical objects . He takes up residence in a mansion called the Sanctum Sanctorum , located in New York City . Later , Strange takes the title of Sorcerer Supreme .   In 2008 , Doctor Strange was ranked 83rd in Wizards `` 200 Greatest Comic Book Characters of All Time '' list , and in 2012 was ranked 33rd in IGN 's list of `` The Top 50 Avengers '' . He was also ranked 38th on IGN 's list of `` Top 100 Comic Book Heroes '' . The character was first portrayed in live-action by Peter Hooten in the 1978 television film Dr. Strange . Benedict Cumberbatch stars as the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe , first appearing in the role in the 2016 film Doctor Strange .

neg: Krypton (comics) Krypton , a planet appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics . The planet is the native world of Superman and is named after the element krypton , which is abundant in its atmosphere . The planet was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster , and was first referred to in Action Comics # 1 ( June 1938 ) . The planet made its first full appearance in Superman # 1 ( Summer 1939 ) .   Krypton is also the native world of Supergirl , Krypto the Superdog , and Power Girl ( in her case , an alternate-universe version designated `` Krypton-Two '' ) . It has been consistently described as having been destroyed shortly after Superman 's flight from the planet , although the exact details of its destruction vary by time period and writers . Kryptonians were the dominant species on Krypton .

neg: Captain Marvel (Marvel Comics) Captain Marvel is the name of several fictional superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics . Most of these versions exist in Marvel 's main shared universe , known as the Marvel Universe .

neg: The New Avengers (comics) The New Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics . The title has been used for four American comic book series . The first two were written by Brian Michael Bendis and depicted a version of Marvel 's premiere superhero team , the Avengers . The third was written by Jonathan Hickman and depicted a group of characters called the Illuminati ( formerly introduced in New Avengers Vol . 1 # 7 -LSB- July 2005 -RSB- ) . The fourth is written by Al Ewing and depicts the former scientific terrorist group A.I.M. , reformed as `` Avengers Idea Mechanics '' , whose field team has appropriated the name `` New Avengers '' for itself .

neg: Action Comics Action Comics is an American comic book series that introduced Superman , one of the first major superhero characters as the term is popularly defined . The publisher was originally known as National Allied Publications , and later as National Comics Publications and as National Periodical Publications , before taking on its current name of DC Comics . Its original incarnation ran from 1938 to 2011 and stands as one of the longest-running comic books with consecutively numbered issues . A second volume of Action Comics with issue # 1 ran from 2011 to 2016 . Action Comics returned to its original numbering beginning with issue # 957 ( Aug. 2016 ) .

neg: All Star DC Comics All Star was an imprint of ongoing comic book titles published by American company DC Comics that ran from 2005 to 2008 . DC has published two titles under the All-Star banner , featuring Batman and Superman .   The premise of the imprint was to partner DC Comics ' top tier characters with the most popular and acclaimed writers and artists . The creators had access to all elements in the characters ' histories to present their interpretation for a modern audience that have not read these DC characters ' comics previously , or had not seen them lately . The creative teams were not beholden to any previous and present continuities , and told stories that featured `` the most iconic versions of these characters '' .   The project had been compared to the Ultimate line of Marvel Comics , which was a successful attempt to re-introduce Marvel 's most popular characters to a new generation of readers by presenting new , updated versions unburdened by decades of plotlines . There were several differences between the two imprints , though . While the Ultimate titles have closely interrelated storylines , of the two All-Star series released , there has been no effort to make them conform to each other or indicate they exist in the same continuity . Another is that All-Star did not seek to introduce brand new versions of the characters so much as to present them in unhindered continuity . Robin 's origin was the only one `` rebooted '' in this imprint .   Some observers , and DC themselves , had pointed to the return of DC 's major film franchises as an impetus for All-Star . `` No one can doubt that some kind of continuity shedding is necessary with Superman and Batman coming to the big screens , '' the website Comicon.com wrote . `` Moviegoers entertained by these films would find the current comics storylines impenetrable '' .   With the end of Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely 's All-Star Superman and the rebranding of Frank Miller and Jim Lee 's All Star Batman and Robin as Dark Knight : Boy Wonder as well as the introduction of the DC : Earth One line of OGNs , the imprint is effectively defunct .

neg: Hawkeye (Kate Bishop) Hawkeye ( Katherine `` Kate '' Bishop ) is a fictional superheroine appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics . She is a member of the Young Avengers , a team of superheroes in the Marvel Comics ' shared universe , the Marvel Universe . She is the third character and first female to take the Hawkeye name after Clint Barton of the Avengers and Wyatt McDonald of the Squadron Supreme . Her costume appearance is patterned on the first Hawkeye and Mockingbird .

neg: Galactus Galactus is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics . Formerly a mortal man , Galactus is a cosmic entity who originally consumed planets to sustain his life force , and serves a functional role in the upkeep of the primary Marvel continuity . Galactus was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and first appeared in the comic book Fantastic Four # 48 , published in March 1966 .   Lee and Kirby had desired to introduce a character that broke away from the archetype of the standard villain , culminating in the creation of Galactus . In the character 's first appearance Galactus was depicted as a god-like figure who feeds by draining living planets of their energy , and operates without regard to the morality and judgements of mortal beings . Galactus ' initial origin was that of a space explorer named Galan who gained cosmic abilities by passing near a star , but writer Mark Gruenwald further developed the origin of the character , revealing that Galan lived during the previous universe . As Galan 's universe came to an end , Galan merged with the `` Sentience of the Universe '' to become Galactus , an entity that wielded such cosmic power as to require devouring entire planets to sustain his existence . Additional material written by John Byrne , Jim Starlin , and Louise Simonson explored Galactus ' role and purpose in the Marvel Universe , and examined the actions of the character through themes of genocide , manifest destiny , ethics , and natural/necessary existence . Frequently accompanied by a herald ( such as the Silver Surfer ) , the character has appeared as both antagonist and protagonist in central and supporting roles . Since debuting in the Silver Age of Comic Books , Galactus has played a role in over five decades of Marvel continuity .   The character has been featured in other Marvel media , such as arcade games , video games , animated television series , and the 2007 film Fantastic Four : Rise of the Silver Surfer .   In 2009 , Galactus ranked 5th on IGN 's list of `` Top 100 Comic Book Villains '' , citing the character 's `` larger than life presence '' as making him one of the more important villains ever created . IGN also noted `` Galactus is one of the few villains on our list to really defy the definition of an evil-doer '' as the character is compelled to destroy worlds because of his hunger .

neg: Alternative versions of Mary Jane Watson Mary Jane Watson , often shortened to MJ , is a fiction supporting character originally appearing in Marvel comic book as the best friend , love interest , and wife ( as Mary Jane Watson-Parker ) of Peter Parker , the alter ego of Spider-Man . She was created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Romita , Sr. . She has appeared in multiple spin-offs , alternative realities , and dramatizations of the Spider-Man titles .

neg: Legion of Super-Heroes The Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team appearing in books published by DC Comics . Created by writer Otto Binder and artist Al Plastino , the Legion is a group of superpowered beings living in the 30th and 31st centuries of the , and first appears in Adventure Comics # 247 ( April 1958 ) .   Initially , the team was closely associated with the original Superboy character ( Superman when he was a teenager ) , and was portrayed as a group of time travelers . Later , the Legion 's origin and back story were fleshed out , and the group was given its own monthly comic . Eventually , Superboy was removed from the team altogether and appeared only as an occasional guest star .   The team has undergone two major reboots during its run . The original version was replaced with a new rebooted version following the events of the `` Zero Hour '' storyline in 1994 and another rebooted team was introduced in 2004 . A fourth version of the team , nearly identical to the original version , was introduced in 2007 .

neg: Events from the Modern Age of Comic Books One of the key aspects of the Modern Age of Comic Books was that it was the beginning of big events . In 1984 , Marvel Comics debuted the first large crossover , Secret Wars , a storyline featuring the company 's most prolific superheroes , which overlapped into a 12-issue limited series and many monthly comic books . A year later , DC Comics introduced its first large scale crossover , Crisis on Infinite Earths , which had long-term effects on the `` DC Universe '' continuity .   In the early and mid-1990s , big events were regularly published by Marvel and DC , often leading to extra publicity and sales . These events helped fend-off competition from Image Comics , and such events were more likely to become `` collector 's items . '' Some events , such as DC 's `` Zero Hour '' and Marvel 's `` Onslaught saga '' spanned a publisher 's entire line while others only affected a `` family '' of interrelated titles . The X-Men and Batman franchises featured crossovers almost annually .   Some of the most significant mid-1990s events , such as Spider-Man 's `` Clone Saga , '' Batman 's `` Batman : Knightfall '' and particularly , `` The Death of Superman '' caused dramatic changes to long-running characters and received coverage in the mainstream media .   These events led to significant sales boosts and publicity , but many fans began to criticize them as excessive and lacking compelling storytelling . They also complained that monthly series had become inaccessible because one had to follow a number of comics to understand the full storyline . By the end of the 1990s , the number of large crossovers decreased , but they were still launched sporadically .

neg: Wonder Women! The Untold Story of American Superheroines Wonder Women ! The Untold Story of American Superheroines is a 2012 documentary film exploring the concept of heroic women from the birth of the superhero in the 1940s to the TV and big screen action blockbusters of today .

neg: Superman (Earth-Two) Superman of Earth-Two is an alternate version of the fictional superhero Superman , who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics . The character was introduced after DC Comics created Earth-Two , a parallel world that was retroactively established as the home of characters whose adventures had been published in the Golden Age of comic books . This allowed creators to publish Superman comic books taking place in current continuity while being able to disregard Golden Age stories , solving an incongruity , as Superman had been published as a single ongoing incarnation since inception . The character first appeared in Justice League of America vol . 1 # 73 ( August 1969 ) , and his Kryptonian birth name is Kal-L .

neg: Spider-Girl Spider-Girl ( May `` Mayday '' Parker ) is a fictional superheroine in Marvel Comics ' MC2 universe . The character was created by Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz as the teenage daughter of Peter Parker ( Spider-Man ) and Mary Jane Watson , and first appeared in What If ( vol . 2 ) # 105 ( February 1998 ) . She later acquired her own ongoing comic book , Spider-Girl , written by DeFalco and drawn by Frenz and Pat Olliffe , which was the longest-running superhero book with a lead female character ever published by Marvel before being relaunched as The Amazing Spider-Girl , and later The Spectacular Spider-Girl .

neg: Golden Girl Golden Girl is the name of two fictional superheroine characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics , the first of them during the 1930-1940s period known to historians and collectors as the Golden Age of Comic Books .

neg: Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell) Captain Marvel ( Mar-Vell ) is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and designed by artist Gene Colan and first appeared in Marvel Super-Heroes # 12 ( December 1967 ) .   The character debuted during the Silver Age of comic books and has made many appearances since then , including a self-titled series and the second volume of the Marvel Spotlight series . Captain Marvel was ranked 24th in IGN 's list of `` The Top 50 Avengers '' and has appeared in television series and video games .

neg: Captain Marvel (DC Comics) Captain Marvel , also known as Shazam , is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics . Artist C. C. Beck and writer Bill Parker created the character in 1939 . Captain Marvel first appeared in Whiz Comics # 2 ( cover-dated Feb. 1940 ) , published by Fawcett Comics . He is the alter ego of Billy Batson , a boy who , by speaking the magic word `` SHAZAM '' ( acronym of 6 Greek `` immortal elders '' - Solomon , Hercules , Atlas , Zeus , Achilles , and Mercury ) , can transform himself into a costumed adult with the powers of superhuman strength , speed , flight , and other abilities .   Based on book sales , the character was the most popular superhero of the 1940s , outselling even Superman . Fawcett expanded the franchise to include other `` Marvels '' , primarily Marvel Family associates Mary Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr. , who can harness Billy 's powers as well . Captain Marvel was also the first comic book superhero to be adapted into film , in a 1941 Republic Pictures serial titled Adventures of Captain Marvel .   Fawcett ceased publishing Captain Marvel-related comics in 1953 , partly because of a copyright infringement suit from DC Comics , alleging that Captain Marvel was a copy of Superman . In 1972 , DC licensed the Marvel Family characters from Fawcett , and returned them to publication . By 1991 , DC had acquired all rights to the characters . DC has since integrated Captain Marvel and the Marvel Family into their DC Universe and has attempted to revive the property several times , with mixed success . Due to trademark conflicts over another character named `` Captain Marvel '' owned by Marvel Comics since 1967 , DC chose to publish the character 's adventures in a comic book titled Shazam ! for many years , leading many to assume that this was the character 's name . DC later officially renamed the character `` Shazam '' when relaunching its comic book properties in 2011 .   In addition , since 1972 , the character has been featured in two television series adaptations , one live action and one animated , by Filmation , and an upcoming Warner Bros. . Shazam ! feature film scheduled for release in 2019 as part of the DC Extended Universe . Captain Marvel was ranked as the 55th greatest comic book character of all time by Wizard magazine . IGN also ranked Captain Marvel as the 50th greatest comic book hero of all time , stating that the character will always be an enduring reminder of a simpler time . UGO Networks ranked him as one of the top heroes of entertainment , saying , `` At his best , Shazam has always been Superman with a sense of crazy , goofy fun '' .

neg: Hellfire Club (comics) The Hellfire Club is a fictional society appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics . The Hellfire Club often comes into confrontation with the mutant superhero team , the X-Men . Although the Club appears to merely be an international social club for wealthy elites , its clandestine Inner Circle seeks to influence world events , in accordance with their own agenda .   Created by the Uncanny X-Men writer/artist duo of Chris Claremont and John Byrne , they were heavily influenced by a 1966 episode of the British television series The Avengers ( `` A Touch of Brimstone '' ) . The name `` Hellfire Club '' in fact has a historical precedent , having been a popular name for gentlemen 's clubs in the 18th century . Additionally , the hierarchy of the Inner Circle is modeled on the pieces of a chess set , with Black and White sets of Kings , Queens , Bishops and Rooks .   The Hellfire Club and its Inner Circle were introduced in `` The Dark Phoenix Saga '' , attempting to subvert the X-Men 's Jean Grey . This incarnation , composed most notably of Black King Sebastian Shaw and White Queen Emma Frost , would remain prominent for many years . After their initial confrontations , the Hellfire Club and the X-Men settled into an uneasy alliance . This eventually changed as endless power struggles perpetuated a series of upheavals within the Inner Circle . The club has appeared in two X-Men animated series ( X-Men : The Animated Series and Wolverine and the X-Men ) , both times being renamed as simply The Inner Circle , due to the hesitations to use the word Hellfire in animated children series . Members of the Hellfire Club appeared in 2011 's X-Men : First Class as the main villains , led by Sebastian Shaw and Emma Frost .

neg: Mister Mxyzptlk Mister Mxyzptlk ( -LSB- mɪksˈjɛzpɪtlɪk -RSB- , -LSB- ˈmɪksɪlplɪk -RSB- or -LSB- mɪksˈjɛzpɪtəlɪk -RSB- ) , sometimes called Mxy , is a fictional impish character who appears in DC Comics ' Superman comic books , sometimes as a supervillain and other times as an antihero .   Mr. Mxyzptlk was created to appear in Superman # 30 ( Sept. 1944 ) , in the story `` The Mysterious Mr. Mxyzptlk '' , by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Ira Yarborough . But due to publishing lag time , the character saw print first in the Superman daily comic strip by writer Whitney Ellsworth and artist Wayne Boring .   He is usually presented as a trickster , in the classical mythological sense , in that he possesses reality warping powers with which he enjoys tormenting Superman in a cartoonish way . In most of his appearances in DC Comics , he can be stopped only by tricking him into saying or spelling his own name backwards ( Kltpzyxm - `` kel-tip-zix-um '' ) , which will return him to his home in the 5th dimension and keep him there for a minimum of ninety days . However , this specific limitation of the character has been eliminated since the Crisis on Infinite Earths reboot , upon which the character leaves only when he willingly agrees to do so after meeting some conditions he sets , such as having Superman succeed in getting Mxyzptlk to paint his own face blue .   In 2009 , Mister Mxyzptlk was ranked as IGN 's 76th-Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time .