New Appreciation for Opera

So I watched Phantom of the Opera the other day, and after thinking about it for some time, I actually really enjoyed it. It was directed by Joel Shumacher, and is an adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Weber's 1986 Musical. It stars Emmy Rossum, Gerard Butler, and Patrick Wilson who all light up the screen with some amazing musical scores. Emmy Rossum was downright gorgeous playing the part, and it makes me wonder why she hasn't had any other success recently. The story consists of a woman who gets caught up in a love triangle between a prince and the phantom of the opera and she must choose one. The movie is full of powerful music, sets, and choreography. I would put it in a category above typical musicals such as West Side Story or Chicago, and put it with the masterful likes of Amadeus.

So I've began to see Opera in a new light and have come to really appreciate it over the past few days. I've always enjoyed Classical music, yet Opera is a whole different thing where dialouge is sung in extremely dramatic fashion. It is sung in duets, trios, quartets, and so forth all in the backdrop of beautiful classical music. I remember the first time I really experienced an opera was while watching Amadeus. It's beautiful music yet at the same time it can drag on back and forth, up and down, overly dramatic. This is one thing that comes with the Opera. It's a story through music, yet far more sophisticated than those noisy Broadway musicals. It's music at it's highest potential, vocalization at it's ultimate peak, and I think for this reason it should be appreciated. It's probably safe to say that your best singers in the world are Opera singers. Consider the list of masterful composers such as Mozart, Beethoven, Wagner, and Stravinsky, all of which were operatic geniuses. I would definetely like to one day experience a show perhaps maybe in Vienna or Prague. Here are some pieces I would want to see:

• Mozart: "The Marriage of Figaro", "Don Giovanni", "The Magic Flute"

• Richard Wagner: "The Rhinegold", "The Valkyrie", "Siegfried", "The Twilight of the Gods"

• Georges Bizet: "Carmen"

• Leo Delibes: "Lakme Flower Duet"

• Giacomo Puccini: "Turandot: Nessun dorma", "Madame Butterfly"

• Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman: "Con te Partio"

Looking Back at History: The Ruins of Warsaw

During World War II there was no city in Europe hit harder than Warsaw, Poland. It all started in September 1, 1939 when Nazi Germany invaded Poland so to have more land and resources. Under the rule of Fascist leader Adolf Hitler, a new system of totalitarianism and conquest was put into order so that Germans could be the superior race. This meant squashing those whom they considered inferior, most notably the Jews. The invasion itself was very fast moving and the Polish could hardly put up much resistance against both the Nazis and the Soviets. By October 6, 1939 Germany had annexed Poland. It wasn't long after until the terrible persecution of Jews began.

Following the invasion of Poland, the Jews were first branded so that the soldiers could tell them apart from others. They were then sent to ghettos, a tightly condensed area that was walled off from the rest of the city. Here they were forced to live with one another, secluded from the rest of society. It was only a matter of time before they begun to die of starvation and disease. The Warsaw Ghetto was by far the biggest in all of Poland, with over 400,000 Jews living in this tight area. To put things into perspective the area took up 2% of Warsaw, while it had over 30% of Warsaw's population. So basically what you had here was Jews living on top of one another.

By 1942 Hitler came up with his Final Solution, which was to totally exterminate all the Jews. Trains began loading Jews by the thousands, and sending them off to these far off secluded camps away from civilization. Most of the Warsaw Jews were sent to Treblinka, the largest of extermination camps, where over 850,000 were killed. There were many other camps throughout Poland, such as Auschwitz, Belzec, Sobibor, and Sajmiste that either forced the Jews to labor or sent them to total genocide. It was by far the darkest period of the Holocaust, and perhaps the darkest time of humanity.

Of course it was only natural that the Jews would revolt and uprise against their oppressors, the most famous of these being the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of 1943. I saw this battle recently portrayed in the Polanski film, The Pianist and was inspired by the Jew's courage. First was the actual coordinating of the uprising, which surely was no easy task for these harshly treated Jews. The Jewish workers managed to smuggle weapons into the ghetto, and create an underground resistance. On April 19th of 1943 they began their attack from the rooftops and windows of buildings firing handguns and gasoline bottles. These first few days of insurgency proved to be most damaging to the Nazis, who eventually had commander Jurgen Stroop take over the situation. Stroop neutralized the fighting by burning buildings down, and by May 16, 1943 the uprising was terminated. The conspirators were all executed, and in the end the total numbers were estimated at about 17 dead Nazis and 13,000 dead Jewish insurgents. And to top things off, Hitler had the entire ghetto razed to the ground following this uprising.

About a year later, with Germany beginning to lose their advantage in the war, the Polish Underground also decided to coordinate an uprising. They knew the Russians were closing in on the Nazis from the east, and felt that they had to win back their government before the Russians took over it. And so on the 1st of August 1944, a scattered uprising took place all throughout Warsaw where the Polish insurgents caught the Nazis by surprise. They fought in the streets, dugouts, and trenches using a wide variety of weapons. The uprising was intended to only last a few days, so to coincide with the arrival of the Russians. However it is believed that Soviet leader, Josef Stalin, did not want to enter Warsaw during this conflict and instead preferred to defeat the Nazis himself. And so after a month of fighting the Polish resistance was defeated by the Nazis, and once again much of the city was razed to the ground. Following the end of the uprising nearly 85% of Warsaw was in shambles.

By late September of 1944 the Soviets had defeated the Nazis on the eastern borders of Warsaw, and had control of the city of Warsaw. It is clear in my opinion that the Soviets chose not to aid the Polish resistance, so that they themselves could take over the country. Following the end of the war, Warsaw began its reconstruction as a Communist regime. Although much of its historical buildings had been destroyed it once again became the center of political and economic life in Poland. By 1979 Pope John Paul II helped liberate his native country to a democratic society. And so to this day Warsaw has moved forward from this terrible destruction brought upon them, and are now experiencing it's greatest economic boom. Yet it will always remain a significant historical sight. After reading up on the role Warsaw played in WWII, I myself am very interested in visiting the city.

Movie Masterpiece: The Pianist

Very rarely do I watch a movie so good, that I need to watch it a second time shortly after. I recently obtained this DVD from Lindsey's grandma Billy, may she rest in peace, a new film to add to my collection. I remember first hearing about it, at the 2003 Academy Awards when Adrien Brody accepted the Oscar, gave Halley Berry a kiss on the lips, and gave a passionate acceptance speech. I knew I would enjoy it for it's subject matter, and the many awards it won, yet wasn't exactly sure on how good it would be. Well after watching it a second time, I can say that the film is truly a masterpiece, Top 50 material, 2nd greatest Holocaust movie behind Schindler's List. Roman Polanski teams up with the incredible artistic production of Focus Features, to bring a unique and more visual perspective on the Holocaust. It is a true auto-biography of a famous Jewish pianist named Wlayslaw Szpilman, who gets separated from his family and must hide in Warsaw for several years. The story begins with the Nazi invasion of Warsaw in 1939, and spans for five years as things get worse for the Jews. His family is shipped off to extermation camps, yet he is saved and manages to hide from the Nazis. During this time he must fight starvation and sickness. He also witnesses several uprisings such as the Jewish Ghetto Uprising of 1943 and the Warsaw Uprising of 1944... It's a very realistic eye-opening film, with an incredible classical music soundtrack. Pieces from Chopin, Bach, and Beethoven. Brody does an amazing job delivering as a classy pianist who grows weaker and weaker throughout the film. Polanski also won the Academy Award for directing, which was definetely deserved. This was surely a very personal project for him, since he also was a Holocaust survivor. I have to admit that Polanski has lived quite a crazy life full of ups and downs; from his escape of the Jewish ghetto, to having his wife murdered by the Manson family, to creating masterful films such as Chinatown, and now this recent sexual scandal with a 13-year old girl. Speculations aside he definetly hit a homerun with this passionate film.

Looking Back at History

Over the past few years I have grown a deep admiration for the study of History. It began mostly after I finished high school where I discovered that I could finally develop my own opinions. Through my appreciation for movies as well as my discovery of Wikipedia, I quickly found a new source of information. And so I began to unlearn what I was taught in High School, and understand history with a more open perspective. I have often spent hours on Wikipedia, jumping from one link to another, one event to another, one name to another, one picture to another, and so forth. Lost in time with stories of Corruption, Conspiracy, War, Genocide, Depression, and Rebellion... So much information, and it's all here online! And with this easy access to all this information, I can dig deeper than ever before, trying to understand the significance of these events. History is truly an incredible thing... It is true stories of epic proportions... Stories that have shaped our society today... And the most interesting part is that these stories hardly ever have one side to them...

Coming Soon: The Ruins of Warsaw

Avatar

More than ten years in the making, James Cameron (director of Titanic) once again creates a giant, with this Sci-Fi movie of the year. Avatar is without question the future of movies, with groundbreaking sound, visuals, and effects that are simply jaw-dropping. Just as director George Lucas created Star Wars, Cameron uses his creative directing approach to bring his vision to the screen. Set in the future year of 2154 Cameron creates a planet known as Pandora full of many species such as the native Na'vi... The story itself is nothing new, very similar to the 1992 animation Ferngully, where basically humans invade the environment to obtain it's resources. In this particular matter, humans seek to obtain a precious mineral that lies under the Tree of Life, which is home to the Na'vi. The Na'vi are extreme environmentalists and obtain their energy from the plants and the animals. When the humans disguise one of their own, he is quickly discovered for his reckless ways and is thus trained and taught in the ways of the Na'vi. He eventually comes to understand their way of life, and prefers it over his own species. He thus helps them in standing up against the humans, and sending them away from the planet. It's a movie that has a little bit of everything for everyone; Action, Comedy, Romance, and Drama. It's colorful visuals make for a very imaginative and unique viewing experience that I highly recommend to see in theaters! And the best part is that the movie has a very important message which is that we should take care of our nature and not give in to this terrible Corporate Exploitation that really does happen in real life...

Fifa 10

I can't get enough of this game right now! It was the biggest reason I encouraged Gabriel to purchase an X-Box 360. And I am very happy that I bought it for the X-box instead of the Wii... Such amazing graphics... It's easily the best part of the game, which transforms you from your seat and puts you there on the field. When I play this game I lose track of time, match after match, sucked into these realistic stadiums, the fast game-play, the detailed weather, the sound of the crowd, and the passionate commentary of Andy Gray. The players themselves are also full of detail; from Peter Cech's Helmet, C. Ronaldo's infamous dives, and Kaka's glorious goal celebration. It's all here, with thousands of real players and hundreds of real clubs. Even the international squads are up to date, including Netherlands' full roster (a rare thing). Of course it has a few minor kinks here and there, but with the amount of detail in this one, they are completely insignificant! There are many new features to this game, such as the arena mode that sets you on a practice field, before you select the menu. It's a great way to work on shots, dribbling, free-kicks, etc, while waiting for a game to load. I 've had the game for about a month now, and am just now beginning my obsession. No question as to what I"ll be spending most of my vacation doing! Getting lost in some Fifa!

Invictus

I didn't waste anytime to see this one, opening night, and I must say that it truly met my expectations! I think I can already say it is my favorite movie of the year, and should easily be nominated for several Academy Awards. First for director Clint Eastwood, who has now established himself as one of the best directors of our time. Over the past few years he has released a string of successful dramas, starting with Mystic River(2003), Million Dollar Baby (2004), Letters of Iwo Jima (2006), Changeling (2008), Gran Torino (2008), and now this one. I think the thing that makes him so good is that he is just great at telling stories! Then there is Morgan Freeman, Eastwood's equally talented friend. He is one of the most likable characters in film, and plays the part of Nelson Mandela to perfection. Finally even Matt Damon, an actor of which I have always had low regards for, comes through as a South African Rugby player. He must of put on 20 pounds of muscle, and truly looks and speaks the part with a passionate South African persona.

The story itself is all based on true history, set in 1995 during the South African apartheid. Mandela is the newly elected president and seeks a way to unite the whites and the blacks. He does this through the Rugby World Cup, and encourages team captain Francios Pienaar to not only lead his team, but to set an example for the entire country. The team quickly gains momentum and success throughout the early stages, and soon become contenders against the stronger countries. In the final match they face the All-Blacks of New Zealand in a very intense match. The film does an incredible job of actually putting you there in the stadium in the midst of the action. Never have I appreciated the sport of Rugby until now. Along with the great acting, and amazing visuals, its just an all around inspiring story, that I think everybody should watch.

Random Notes

So come this January, I'll be starting a new career in autism, starting as a therapist at my uncle's clinic in Indianapolis. Sure I probably wouldn't have this opportunity unless I had the connections, but it's not like I'm walking completely into the dark on this one. Over the past year now, I've emerged myself into a social work atmosphere, and have found that I truly enjoy it. It's something that I could probably do for the rest of my life. It's the type of work that you can get engaged in, lose track of time, use your creativity, and do some good for society! Sure the pay isn't high, but it's a small price to pay for actually enjoying what it is you do. It's that gratifying feeling of doing something good for society, instead of robbing it...

The past month now has been incredibly busy, dating back to early November. I've managed to coordinate a Scout field trip, work 2 football games, buy a new car, bag a new job, find a new apartment, and still make it in for each of my jobs. It's been a chaotic month, yet I think things will finally slow down.

December 18th is a big date on my calender! My last day working at the YMCA and my last day at UHA... I can already tell that it will be sad to leave both places, especially UHA, but it's just something that has to be done. Also on this day is our family reunion up in Michigan. That's when my 2 week vacation will begin!!

Still haven't even started Christmas shopping yet, but I intend to do it all at Glenbrook this year, and hopefully get it done in one clean sweep!

Over the past few months now, I've found myself caught up in a hip-hop phase, most of which I just can't escape from... I think it began this summer, going out to the clubs with Jackie and Gily... Then at UHA, listening to the radio while driving Big Bertha... Or with the students singing these tunes.. It's just all around here, and I guess there's nothing wrong with that. I myself have gotten into Shakira lately, and am not afraid to admit it... haha

The other day I watched Michael Clayton, and must say that I really enjoyed it. It is a very complex movie about a fixer who covers up corporate scandals. Well one of his clients takes a turn for the worse, and he gets sucked into a complicated scenario threatening not only his job but his life... If you can make it to the end on this one, I gaurentee it's worth it! Great performances by George Clooney, Tilda Swinton, and Tom Wilkinson! Georgy has become the king of complex movies...

Then on the other hand I saw Wanted, and wasn't quite as impressed. It's a typical summer blockbuster full of action, sex, and violence, full of terrible acting by James McAvoy, and a creepy looking Angeline Jolie... The movie is flat-out ridiculous, with impossible stunts that defy the laws of physics... After watching the opening scene, I knew it was going to be a joke! I fell asleep half way through this one, and don't think I intend to finish it.

I think my good ole HP lab top is in its final days here, moving slower than slow... Yet as of now, there's just no room for a replacement, due to a very tight budget... It would have been nice to get one at the Black Friday sales, where they were going for $200, but even then I don't think there would have been enough money. So I guess I'll just have to suck it up, and hope it can last me another few months...

All Eyes on South Africa

To my knowledge the World Cup is the most followed sporting event in the world, surpassing even the Olympics and the Super Bowl... For this reason it is no surprise that all eyes have recently turned to South Africa, this summer's host of the 2010 World Cup. Although it's still a good 6 months away, I myself have been caught up in the hype. With the recent group selections, and the unveiling of the new game ball, it seems all the closer. Then there's this new Nelson Mandela movie coming out this winter, Invictus, which will gives us a good taste of South African history and culture. Over the next few months I'm very excited to learn about this country. I've even considered buying a plane ticket to Cape Town, yet not sure if I could afford it... (We shall see) For now though all I can do is wait for that first opening game on June 4th between South Africa and Mexico. It's still a while, but I definitely have lots to keep me busy in the meantime... Here's a look at the Groups... I intend to make predictions as the Cup gets closer...

Group A: South Africa, Mexico, Uruguay, France (Another strong group)
Group B: Argentina, Nigeria, Korea, Greece
Group C: England, United States, Algeria, Slovenia
Group D: Germany, Australia, Serbia, Ghana
Group E: Netherlands, Denmark, Japan, Cameroon
Group F: Italy, Paraguay, New Zealand, Slovakia
Group G: Brazil, Korea DPR, Cote d'Ivoire, Portugal (The Group of Death)
Group H: Spain, Switzerland, Honduras, Chile

Batman Villains: The Joker

Bio: There are many back stories to the Joker, none of which reveal his real name. It is generally understood that the Joker has an extremely confusing background, of which he himself doesn't even remember. Some of his back stories tie him to the name Jack, or with a secret identity as the Red Hood. One of the most popular stories is that he was an engineer at a chemical plant and was strong-armed into helping some criminals break into the plant. During the robbery, he was cornered by Batman and the police, and escaped by jumping into a tub of chemicals. He managed to escape the plant but came out with a terribly damaged face. White skin, red lips, and bright green hair. Other portrayals describe that the Joker worked his way up the crime world, and after a confrontation with Batman, he became disfigured and turned insane. All we know is that after some form of conflict with Batman, he was transformed into the Joker, Batman's ultimate arch-enemy.

Powers and Abilities: The Joker commits his crimes with a twisted sense of humor. He is extremely intellegent with a good knowledge of chemistry and engineering. His arsenal consists of comedic weapons; from razor sharp playing cards, acid spraying flower, exploding cigars, joy buzzers, and his most infamous is his Joker Venom, a deadly poison that causes his victims to laugh to death. His hand-to-hand combat is slightly above average, where he can often stand his ground against the Batman, yet usually avoids this option. Instead he uses his masterful schemes to put Batman in extremely daunting situations.

Media Portrayal: Starting with the comics, the Joker is instantly portrayed as the Batman's number one arch-enemy, modeled after the Joker playing card. In his first comic portrayal he announces over the radio that he will kill three of Gotham's most prominent citizens. With this publicity he instantly becomes the defining villain of Gotham City. The Joker often teams up with many other villains in finding a way to defeat Batman and cause havoc for everyone else. In one story he teams up with the Scarecrow, who eventually turns his fear gas on the Joker, and to his surprise discovers that the Joker is not afraid of anything.

In the cheesy TV series, he is portrayed in 22 episodes and a film by Cesar Romero. This portrayal is merely a comedy of which the Joker is more of a clown than an insane killer.

In the 1989 film, Batman, Jack Nicholson gives a strong performance as the Joker. In this film, the Joker is given a back story as Jack Napier, who works as a right-hand man for a major crime boss, Carl Grissom, as well as the murderer of Bruce Wayne's parents. Keeping true to the comics, Jack is disfigured in a tank of chemicals during a confrontation with Batman. He later kills Grissom, takes over his gang, and becomes the insane Joker. Throughout the film he causes havoc upon Gotham City, yet eventually falls off a building and dies in the end. His most glorious moment in the film was when he pulled out a long gun from his pants, and shot Batman's jet down. Major Kudos to Jack Nicholson for this brilliant performance.

In the animated series he was portrayed by Mr. Luke Skywalker himself, Mark Hamill. In this portrayal he was given a history as a hitman who went on to start his own gang. He is once again given the name Jack Nipier and is foiled by Batman during a plot to rob a chemical plant.

Yet his hands down most memorable portrayal to date, is in the recent film The Dark Knight. Here he is masterfully portrayed by Heath Ledger, as not so much of a clown but as a psychotic anarchist. Throughout the film he uses masterful schemes to turn Gotham City into total chaos. This portrayal won Heath Ledger numerous awards including the Academy Award for best supporting actor. Some believe he put so much into the role that it was the cause to his death. Speculations aside, Heath truly created an iconic villain, arguably the greatest fictional villain ever, and for that reason he shall always remain a legacy.

The Appeal: The Joker is a mad genius, with a twisted humor, a great sense of creativity, and a taste for the theatrics. He's got a unique style to him, a man with nothing to lose, out for total chaos. He's a masterful schemer, always one step ahead of the Batman, and really knows how to turn people against one another. I think of him as a masterful pupeteer, creating twisted schemes to manipulate the people of Gotham City into total anarchy. He wants to turn the city into a zoo of freaks, just like himself. Throughout his countless battles with the Batman, whether he wins or loses, he always seems to come on top, laughing with his infamous red smile.

Lionel Messi wins the Ballon D'Or

Futbol's greatest honor is the Ballon d'Or (French for the Golden Ball) and it is awarded each year to FIFA's best international player. The award dates back to the 1950s, and began as only a European award, thus omitting South American greats such as Pele and Diego Maradona. Yet in 1995 the award became international, and it's list of names is now truly note-worthy. Names such as Beckenbauer, Platini, Ronaldo, Zidane, Luis Figo, and so forth... Just last year the award went to my favorite player, the Portuguese superstar, Christiano Ronaldo. This year he was unable to edge out Lionel Messi, the Argentinian/Barcelona star who brought his club a UEFA Championship with one of the most memorable goals of the year. His header in the final game of the Championship League had to of been a deciding factor. I can't help but notice a building rivalry between Messi and C. Ronaldo. These two are easily the greatest players in the world, perhaps along with Kaka, and have been toggling for this award for the past three years now. It's actually kind of funny, just last night I was playing a tense match as Portugal verses Argentina in my new Fifa 10 game (full review on the game to come)... and wouldn't you know it, Messi scored the equalizing goal in the final 90th minute, sending the game into OT, of which I later lost... I was greatly frustrated at the time, yet I can't be mad at Messi... He's the Maradona of our time, and has the potential to lead his country to winning the Cup. I just hope both he and C. Ronaldo can bring their A-game next summer in South Africa, and make it a truly unforgettable World Cup!

Batman Villains: Poison Ivy

Bio: Originally from Seattle, Pamela Lillian Isley was raised into a wealthy family and quickly grew a fascination with botany. She later studied botanical biochemistry, and became seduced be her professor, Dr. Jason Woodrue. She becomes Woodrue's personal assistant in his many experiments involving poisons and toxins. Several of the experiments nearly kill her, and Woodrue decides to flee from authorities, leaving Pamela severely transformed in the hospital. Pamela becomes insane from the poisonous experiments, and develops severe mood swings. She drops out of school and moves to Gotham City where she discovers her new found powers, and becomes the criminal mastermind known as Poison Ivy. She begins her life of crime, with a goal to create a plant environment free of humans. It is not long until she is captured by Batman and sent to Arkham Asylum. From this point on, she develops an obsession to defeat Batman. While in prison she is rescued by her former mentor Dr. Woodrue who has also been transformed into a freak, with the new identity as Floronic Man. Once she is freed from prison, Poison Ivy turns against the man guilty for making her insane, and leaves the Floronic Man for Batman to decapitate. She thus begins her endless rivalry with Batman to take over Gotham City.

Powers and Abilities: Poison Ivy has a high amount of plant based toxins in her blood stream, that makes her touch poisonous and gives her immunity to all forms of poisons, viruses, bacterias, and fungi. She is more plant than human, and requires sunlight to survive. She is often able to use mind control, by emitting pheromones (a form of communication through chemical signals). She has total manipulation over the most toxic of plants, and can use her knowledge and control of these plants to create some of the most deadly drugs, potions, and chemicals known to Gotham City. She is a notorious seductress, and her kiss is deadly due to the poison that flows in her veins.

Media Portrayal: She has a long extensive role in the comics, with a deep back-story rooted in her raising in Seattle. When she comes to Gotham she quickly threatens the city with her new found powers. Following the great earthquake in Gotham she settles in Robinson Park where she nurtures the plants and creates a tropical paradise. She makes many alliances with other villains such as Clayface and most notably Harley Quinn, whom she rescues and develops a very close friendship with. She despises the Joker, and constantly tries to convince Harley to stay away from him.

In the animated series her powers were limited, and her only real power was immunity to poison. She is still a master botanist, and uses her extensive knowledge and obsession with plants as the ultimate weapon. She creates a deadly toxic lipstick, that can kill anyone she kisses.

In the film, Batman and Robin she was poorly portrayed by Uma Thurman, and donned a ridiculous looking costume. The character was incredibly lame and cheesy, and lacked that seductive, vixen-like appeal that makes Poison Ivy such a catch. Everything about the portrayal was wrong, from the costume, the personality, to especially the casting of Uma Thurman.

She was once again brought to life in the video game, Arkham Asylum, with an obsessive scheme that went well with her smoking new look.

I hope she is portrayed in one of Nolan's films. I think Rachel McAdams (Sherlock Holmes/Wedding Crashers) could really rock that green costume and create a more twisted, darker, and sexier Poison Ivy, unlike we've seen before.

The Appeal: Poison Ivy is an obsessed environmentalist, who wants to rid the world of humanity so that she can live in peace with her plants. She claims to be more plant than human, and considers herself the mother and nurturer of all plants. She is an extremely difficult adversary for Batman, and brings a new unique challenge to the table, not through sheer force but through natural force. She also has an incredible erotic seduction to her persona, making her the ultimate femme-fatale in Gotham City.

Batman Villains: Scarecrow

Bio: As a child Johnathon Crane was bullied due to his nerdy, lanky appearance. He was easily frightened by many things including darkness and bats. He later became obsessed with studying the psychology of fear, and became an expert doctor in the field. He worked as one of the chief psychologists at Arkham Asylum. During his sessions he would often perform fear-inducing experiments on his patients. He was later fired due to his unusual behavior. Dr. Johnathon Crane thus turned to crime, and developed a new persona, known as the Scarecrow. With his horrifying scarecrow mask, and a variety of toxins he is able to manipulate people through fear. The Scarecrow becomes one of Batman's major foes, always exploiting his fear of bats.

Powers and Abilities: He is a master of psychology and uses his knowledge of fear against his adversaries. He uses chemicals and toxins to hallucinate his victims, into a true state of fear. Through these toxins he is able to exploit their biggest fears and phobias. He wears a creepy scarecrow mask to enhance the hallucination. He is an expert in crane style combat, a form of violent dancing. He also often carries a pitchfork as a weapon.

Media Portrayal: In the comics he causes havoc through Gotham City, with his fear-inducing schemes, until he is finally defeated by Batman and Robin. They send him to the Gotham State Penitentiary yet he is later able to escape. He often teams up with other villains to contribute his psychological specialties in bringing down Batman or Gotham City.

His portrayal in the Animated Series, was horrifying as a child, and he was always one of my favorite villains in the series, because of his creepy madness. He had a lanky costume, a spooky mask, and a crazy demeanor. I remember he inspired me so much, that I once spent an entire night trying to draw and color him. The drawing was one of my best animations I'd ever done at that age, and I decided to submit it to a magazine, yet never made it in. I believe the magazine was "Highlights".

In the film, Batman Begins he is portrayed by Cillian Murphy who works in Arkham Asylum as a mastermind chief pyschologist. He is quickly accused of foul-play for always declaring his patients insane, so they do not have to go prison. He works with mobster, Carmine Falcone, yet his true boss is Ra's al Ghul, whom he develops a fear toxin with. During his sessions, Johnathon crane puts on his mask and sprays his toxin at his victims, making their fears come to life. This is done brilliantly throughout the movie, especially when we see the effect for the first time. Along with Ra's al Ghul he plans to put this toxin into Gotham's water supply, and have the city turn on itself. His classic line in the movie, is when he sets Batman aflame, and says, "You want my advice, you need to lighten up!"

In the video game, Arkham Asylum, he becomes a major boss three times throughout the game, in a non-linear structure. He will completely take over what ever it is you are doing, and manipulate Batman into falling into his trap. Batman is thus transported to his world, where he must climb through many obstacles and avoid the Scarecrow's deadly glare. It's not an easy task, and the game does a very good job of bringing the Scarecrow's dark creepiness into the objective.

The Appeal: His downright mad creepiness. As a child he was the most scary of all Batman villains, and for that reason I feel it is necessary to glorify him. He is a genius in psychology, and along with his lanky appearance and crazy personality he is truly the epitome of a Scarecrow. He is able to transport Batman into a world of fear, where he discovers his past-life, and his phobia of bats. I think this villain is extremely original, and one of the DC comic series' most clever and twisted creation.

Regarding Western Michigan

Being only 30 minute east of Battle Creek, the city of Kalamazoo, Michigan has a significant history in my family. Mostly due to the fact that along with my dad, several other of my aunts, uncles, and cousins attended the university of Western Michigan. My uncle Carl himself lived in the city for nearly 20 years, before he moved to Indianapolis. My dad attended the university to study music and said he had greatly enjoyed his time there. It's a city I've always known of yet never had visited. Well just this last week, I was assigned to work a game there, and finally was able to see the university I had always heard of.

I got there early Monday morning in my Knight Rider, and met up with an older co-worker named Steve, who was very strung-out and on-edge the entire time. He seemed like he was on coke or something, because he could never stay still for more than 5 seconds. I must say that the job did not go very smoothly, and was hands down my most stressful one this year. On set day everything that could go wrong, went wrong, and we were there working until 7pm. The next day problems continued to persist, and along with the cold rain, things were just never easy. The entire crew were just unhelpful, rude, and very lazy, making things even harder. I was very happy once the job was done...

As for Western Michigan, the campus was very nice, yet the stadium was even nicer. The stadium was very new and was connected to a practice facility. It was set inside a valley surrounded by trees and hills. You could not see from the highway, since you had to drive down a hill to get to. It was a very unique design, and due to our two long days, I got to explore this stadium more than any other this year. As for the people there, all were very friendly. The local utilities were all my age, friendly sociable people, who were quick to help me whenever I asked. I also met several other stadium staff, who also were friendly and talkative people. After set day, me and Steve went out to B-dubs for a well deserved beer along with some good chicken wings. One thing I noticed, and have to come to conclude is that Michigan loves them some hockey. It's always something I've noticed every time I've been to a bar in Michigan.

Regarding Ball State

It was about 2 weeks ago, when I drove out to Muncie to work a game at Ball State, and I've been meaning to write this post for some time now, yet have just been way to busy. The past 2 weeks have been some of the busiest days in my life, yet now I finally have some breathing room this Thanksgiving weekend... Anyway, I thought I'd take this free time to make a few posts of some worthy subjects... The first being of Ball State, a college of which I have low regards for...

I hope I do not offend any Ball State Cardinals too much here, but I just have to say it like it is... The city is the flat out pits! A nesting place for all the white trash, rednecks, and heffers in the Midwest... I've recently discovered that Ball State is the Greenest College in the country. Meaning they really emphasize the importance of healthy living, healthy eating (lots of organic food here) and sustaining the environment... Yet it must be in a early phase, since I surely don't see any results. The city is surrounded by factories, the campus isn't very impressive, and almost every person there is on the obese scale. I'm happy to know that they are the greenest of colleges, yet I guess I'm justing waiting to see some results.

So I actually do have some history with Ball State, maybe not as much as Purdue or MSU, but there have been several experiences here and there. Back in High School when it was time to begin my college search, Ball State was definitely a contender, and i had other friends as well who were considering it. I always remember I enjoyed their commercial with their catchy jingle, "Ball State University... Everything you need!" During my junior year of high school, I took a very memorable road trip with my friends, Jaybo, David Rodriguez, and Sergio to visit the campus. We drank the entire way down, got a tour of the campus, and flirted with one very hot cheerleader. I'll never forget on the way out, Jaybo accidentally ran over a goose... At the time I think I enjoyed Ball State, and the visit gave me one of my first inside looks at the campus life.

As things would go I chose IU and many of my friends joined me on that decision, while others chose to go to Ball State. Throughout my four years of college, I visited my friends at Ball State two times, both were somewhat memorable experiences.

I remember the first time was back in my junior year, I drove down with Palmer to visit Jaybo and Brittany Reher. We stayed at Jaybo's place, who had a really nice house with a fireplace and the works. He made us some amazing bacon burgers, and that night Brittany joined us to go to a party. It was a marker-party, where people where white t-shirts and write on each other's shirts with markers. I remember the party being very lame, and me and my Palms were constantly joking how we wished we hadn't missed a weekend at IU for this. We went to a bar afterwards with Jaybo, and ordered some dark beers with cigars. The next day we joined Jaybo for an afternoon drink at a Pub that had over 200 types of beers. It was pretty awesome as we sat in the bar during daytime, playing good songs from the jukebox, talking, and ordering beers from all around the world. That was the highlight of the trip. On our way out, my Toyota truck got a flat tire, and Jaybo had to come help us. I bought him some Applebee's for his help. We didn't get back to Bloomington till late Sunday night, but I was happy once we finally did.

Another story of interest concerning Ball State, was actually a weekend at IU. Brittany brought several of her friends, who happened to be somewhat large. That night we drove around for hours trying to find a party yet could not get anywhere. We joked amongst ourselves that it was the bad luck of bringing the "Ball State Bitches" as we called them. Because they actually were bitches. The funniest part of the night had to be when they were fighting over the last piece of the pizza. That's when things just came into perspective.

The next experience was my senior year in college, we went to visit Jill Davidson, Brittany, and her friend Christina Emmons, a girl of which I had somewhat of an interest in. We pre-gamed at Jill's place, got some Taco Bell, then went out to the bars. That night there were some reality TV stars at the bar, and the place was packed with girls. Nothing too memorable happened that night, yet I do remember tossing a bottle of beer at the bar, of which I think I got thrown out for. I was definetely pretty drunk... I also remember that night we loss an hour, for daylight savings, and before we knew it, it was 4am... The next morning, I awoke to the sound of Palmer spraying the futon of which he had pissed on during his sleep... It was all pretty funny. After saying goodbye to everyone we left that afternoon back to B-town.

So in conclusion I would say Ball State is definitely a tier below a Big Ten college, yet has potential. The fact that they are the greenest college in the country, makes me proud that it is located here in Indiana, and I live only an hour away from it. I just hope that it's students can eventually incorporate that philosophy of a green healthy lifestyle!

My Brand New Car!!

Okay so I kind of went on an impulse on this one, yet this was something that just had to be done. I've needed my own car for some time now, yet have been hesitant, waiting for the right time. Well that time finally came today. When I woke up this morning I fixed a cup of coffee, and began some researching on Cars.com... And there I saw it. The perfect car! A black 2005 Chevy Cobalt, under 50,000 miles and under $7000... I knew it was now or never, since today was the only day I had a little bit of free-time. So after talking it over with my dad, we decided to act upon it, and drove out to the Kelley Automotive Superstore out on Illinois Rd. Mike Hamilton was his name, my first ever experience with a car dealer. He was a friendly guy, a fellow Hoosier, and didn't play any price games with us. We took the Cobalt out for a spin, and I was satisified. He showed me some other options, yet my mind was already set the minute I got there. We then did the paperwork and the financing, of which I recieved a little criticsm for not taking the warranty. Those insurance gimmicks can just go to hell, if you ask me! Shortly after I got the car insured for an extremely unfair high price, then had the information faxed and by 1pm I was driving out of the parking lot, with my brand new 2005 Chevy Cobalt... I'm very excited... I haven't had my own car since the Toyota Truck, and this one being new and all I know I will be very attached. I especially enjoy the Batman-like shiny black color... I've decided to call it the Night Rider!!!

Batman: Arkham Asylum

For the past few weeks now, I have emerged myself into this game for our Xbox. It had become my late night ritual after getting home from UHA, where I could get away from everything and take on Gotham City. I must say it was this game, that re-ignited my current obsession with the Batman universe. Well after many nights, I finally beat it tonight, and am ready to give a full review: It's an all-around great game, a darker game, very similar to the re-vamped Nolan series. Most of the voice-cast was from the Animated Series, which won more points in my book. In the story, the Joker takes over the Arkham insane asylum, and frees many of it's prisoners such as Bane, Poison Ivy, Killer Croc, Harley Quinn, Victor Zsasz, and the Scarecrow. He takes Commissioner Gordon prisoner, and intends to poison Gotham City's water supply. Throughout the game Batman must journey all across the island, with some guiding help from Oracle, to re-gain control. The game is full of puzzles, high gadgetry and weapons, complex maps, and some awesome hand-to-hand combat play. And the graphics are simply astonishing! It does take a little while to get the hang of it, especially using detective mode. One of the most annoying parts for me, was navigating the map and finding your way through some extremely dark locations. It's definitely a mature game, not for children, and I would highly recommend it for your serious gamer or Batman fan!

Batman Villains: The Riddler

Bio: As a child Edward Nigma steals a puzzle book from his teacher and masters the art of puzzle solving. He gets through school with ease, yet is abused by his jealous father, for not possessing the intelligence of his son. As a young adult Edward works many jobs, such as a carnival performer where he uses his mastery of puzzles to cheat customers out of their money. He eventually gets bored with this lifestyle, and longing for a greater challenge he creates the disguise of the Riddler. Dressed in a green suit, green hat, mask, and a notorious question-mark cane. He starts as a double informant for the criminal underground as well as for Batman, whom he considers his biggest adversary. The Riddler eventually becomes one of Batman's biggest enemies. He drives Batman insane by always testing his analytical problem-solving skills to their limit.

Powers and Abilities: He is extremely intelligent and a master problem-solver. His specialties are puzzles, mind games, and manipulation. He also has a wealthy fortune of which he has acquired from crime. He always walks with a cane that has a question-mark as a handle. He does not carry many weapons, unless it's something related to a puzzle gimmick. His brain power makes up for his average physical strength.

Media Portrayal: In the comics the Riddler always sets up a scenario where Batman has to choose the outcome. Yet in almost every case the Batman manages to find a third option and escape a potential life threatening puzzle.

The most memorable portrayal of the Riddler to date was Jim Carrey's performance in the 1995 film, Batman Forever. I must say I enjoyed the film at the time, and it brought me a further appreciation of the franchise. I remember Philip and I purchased the video game for Super NES, yet could never beat it. I think Jim Carrey was a good choice to play the part, and to my memory he did a fairly decent job. Yet my biggest complaint was it lacked seriousness or darkness. Instead he was dressed in ridiculous skin-tight green pajama suit, and had a terrible orange hairstyle. The storyline had a complex theme that was true to the Riddler's character, yet at the same time it was just flat out cheesy. All-in-all I'd say the portrayal was simply mis-directed.

Rumor has it The Riddler will be the main antagonist in the 3rd installment of Nolan's darker series. The question is who could play the part. There's much desire for Depp to play the villain, and I have no doubt that he would be a perfect fit, yet I don't think it's fair to count others out. I mean who would have ever thought that Heath Ledger, Mr. Brokeback Mountain himself, could create one of the most memorable villains in movie history. Therefore, I have faith in Nolan's casting decisions.

The Appeal: He is the one super-villain who doesn't need weapons or combat to defeat Batman. Instead he uses his brain as his ultimate weapon. He is a master schemer and comes up with extremely complex puzzles for the Batman to solve. Just like the Joker or Harley Quinn everything is a big game to The Riddler, and he is willing to destroy Gotham City, only so he can prove that he is the smartest man alive.

Batman Villains: Two-Face

Bio: Abused as a child, Harvey Dent still manages to rise the political ladder and eventually become Gotham City's youngest District Attorney. He is elected 6 months before Batman begins his war on crime. He is nicknamed "Apollo" and "The White Knight" for his clean-cut determination and his eagerness to rid the streets of crime. He later forms an alliance with the Chief Police Officer James Gordon and Batman. Harvey's campaign comes to an end, when crime boss Sal Maroni disfigures half of his face with sulfuric acid. He is driven mad by his horrific appearance, and escapes the hospital to hide in the sewers. After several weeks he re-emerges as the insane Two-Face, out to take revenge on the mob. Once he enacts his revenge, he himself becomes a twisted crime boss and villain, who uses the chance of a coin-flip to make his decisions.

Powers and Abilities:Back when they were friends, Batman trained Harvey Dent in basic hand-to-hand combat. As a crime boss he has many henchmen working under him as well as a large arsenal of weapons; guns, knives, rocket launchers, and poison gases. He is obsessed with the number 2, and always leaves his important decisions to the flip of a scarred coin.

Media Portrayal: In the comics Two-Face becomes a super villain of Gotham City, the complete opposite of his heroic life as District Attorney. As a major crime boss, he crusades against his many enemies; the mob, his father, Commissioner Gordon, Batman, and Gotham City.

In the animated series, he is dressed in a black-and-white mobster suit, with half of his face disfigured, blueish skin and white hair. He mostly battles with other crime bosses, yet his biggest battle is always against himself. In one episode he is nearly killed by Poison Ivy, who seduces him with a poisonousness kiss, thought Batman is able to save him.

Two Face has been portrayed in three films; The first was a minor role played by Billy Dee Williams in the 1989 film Batman, where he played Harvey Dent leading up to his incident.

In the film, Batman Forever, Tommy Lee Jones played the part as one of the major antagonists alongside the Riddler. Tommy Lee did a fairly well job, yet took away the seriousness of the character and instead brought out the madness. He also had two sexy girlfriends in the movie, Sugar & Spice to match both sides.

His most recent portrayal was by Aaron Eackhart in the film, The Dark Knight. In this film we mostly saw Harvey Dent's rise and fall as the District Attorney of Gotham City. He put away many criminals, and became known as the White Knight of Gotham, until he got caught-up in the Joker's master scheme. His girlfriend was killed, and his face was disfigured in a terrible explosion. Towards the end of the movie he became the Two-Face, but by the point I think Heath Ledger's Joker had already stolen the show. An all around good performance as Harvey Dent, yet not enough Two-Face in the film... Some speculate that he will return in the next film. We shall see.

The Appeal: Just as his name suggests, the Two-Face has two personalities. A good side; heroic and incorruptible, which is his former self as the clean cut District Attorney, Harvey Dent. And then the evil side; out for vengeance for what happened to his face, the loss of his girlfriend, and being abused as a child. He is at constant battle with himself, trying to choose which side to act upon, and thus uses his signature coin to make his decisions. He emerges himself in the crime world, out for power and vengeance, and thus becomes a major player and a super-villain of Gotham City. Batman's former friendship with Harvey Dent, makes it all the harder for him to bring justice upon the Two-Face.

Batman Villains: Harley Quinn

Bio: Harleen Quinzel majored in psychology, with a very high IQ yet not much common sense. She lands an internship at Arkham Asylum where she becomes very interested in the Joker. She is assigned to analyze him and during their sessions she quickly falls madly in love with him. Harleen helps the Joker escape a number of times, all of which Batman intervenes and brings him back. She eventually grows annoyed with Batman, and becomes Harley Quinn, the Joker's sidekick, dressed in a red and black Jester costume. She becomes as insane as the Joker, causing havoc and chaos in Gotham City. Harley Quinn also develops a very close friendship with another one of Batman's enemies, Poison Ivy.

Powers and Abilities: Harley's biggest threat is her insane madness, her seduction, and her blind love for the Joker. She is extremely acrobatic, and was once a gymnast at Gotham State University. She uses many weapons, often seen with a gun or a large wooden mallet. She also has two pet hyenas of which she calls her babies.


Media Portrayal: She was first created in the Animated Series, as a sidekick to the Joker. In the first portrayals she is obsessed with him, and does anything he wants. It is eventually discovered that the feeling isn't quite mutual, and in one story the Joker sends her off on a rocket. She is found by Poison Ivy, who takes care of her and gets her back up on her feet. Poison Ivy and Harley develop a strong friendship and work together to cause havoc on Gotham City. Although Poison Ivy despises the Joker, Harley can never get over him, and returns back to him claiming that he was only joking.

In the video game Arkham Asylum, she wears a new schoolgirl costume. She helps the Joker takeover the island and puts Batman in many situations that he must overcome.

She has yet to be portrayed in film, yet I really hope Christopher Nolan can bring her insane seductive character to the screen. I think Brittany Murphy (Sin City) could play the part pretty well...


The Appeal: She is a sexy insane vixen, who specializes in seduction. Just like the Joker, everything is a joke to her, one big game. She may not be much of a challenge for the Batman, yet she is still quite the formidable opponent. She always manages to create some form of challenge... I especially find her red & black Jester costume very appealing...

Batman Villains: Mr. Freeze

Bio: As a child Victor Fries develops a strange fascination of freezing animals, and is eventually sent to a strict boarding school by his concerned parents. While at the school he falls in love with a woman named Nora and later marries her. He becomes a molecular biologist, and works for a ruthless company under the evil CEO Ferris Boyle. His wife later becomes extremely ill, and he decides to secretly use company equipment to sustain her until he can find a cure. Ferris Boyle, eventually discovers the operation and he and Victor Fries get into a scuffle, which results in Victor falling over a table of chemicals. The chemicals nearly kill Victor Fries, and cause him to survive only at sub-zero temperatures. He is then forced to wear a special suit that keeps his body at low temperatures. Along with his suit, he creates a freeze gun as his primary weapon. He is thus transformed into a super villain known as Mr. Freeze out for revenge. His first act completely backfires on him, when he decides to seek revenge against his boss, Ferris Boyle. Batman interferes with his plans, and during the scuffle Mr. Freeze fires a shot that misses Batman, and instead destroys his wife's capsule. Infuriated by losing what he loves most, Mr. Freeze turns his hatred towards Batman and swears to someday return the favor.

Powers and Abilities: He is a cold killer with nothing to lose, seeking revenge for the loss of his wife. His refrigeration suit gives him superhuman strength and durability. His ice cold freezing-beam can freeze anything in it's path. He is also extremely smart, with a great understanding of science and chemicals.

Media Portrayal: In the comics, Mr. Freeze almost always works alone, freezing anything and everything in his path. In one story he is hired as a hitman for another of Batman's enemies, known as the Black Mask.

In the animated series, he was portrayed brilliantly, as a scientist madly in love, who suffered a freak accident. After losing his wife, he falls into madness, transformed into the super villain known as Mr. Freeze. He carries her memory inside a snow globe.

In the disgraceful movie, Batman and Robin, he was poorly portrayed by Arnold Schwarzenegger. The movie was full of typical Schwarzenegger cheesy lines, and bad acting. The suit was also terribly, altered from the comics into some form of metallic cyborg.

The Appeal: Mr. Freeze is as cold as his name suggests, miserable from the loss of his wife. He decides to share his misery with the entirety of Gotham City, especially Batman for whom he blames for his misery. The common person can't help but sympathize for Mr. Freeze, who was once a good hearted man, deep in love, and then became loss in madness. He is a unique character, with a cold force to match his cold fury....

Batman Villains: The Penguin

Bio: As a young child, Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot, was raised into a high-class society, yet was rejected by many due to his short, obese stature and his beak-like nose. He was given the nickname Penguin at an early age due to his appearance and obsession for birds. This rejection from his peers, causes him to take part in the criminal underworld of Gotham City. With his family's wealth he is able to become a major player and opens up a very popular nightclub known as the Iceberg Lounge. He remains true to his status as a high-class gentlemen, always dressed in formal wear, a tuxedo, a top-hat, and an eye-glass. He also carries around an umbrella of which he has personalized into a deadly weapon.

Powers and Abilities: He is a brilliant business-man and strategist, with a good understanding of the underground criminal world. He uses his sly wit to achieve greater wealth and power within the city. He has many henchmen who usually do his dirty-work, yet he himself is not afraid of hand-to-hand combat. His most deadly weapon is his umbrella that ranges from a blade, a machine gun, a flame-thrower, or even a missile launcher.

Media Portrayal: In the comics, Batman tolerates the Penguin's corruption as long as he serves as an informer. Nonetheless he still serves as an ultimate schemer for profit and power in the city. He is constantly at war with other gangs, and his power in the underworld makes him a threat to civility and thus an arch-nemesis of Batman.

In one of the Batman animated cartoons, it is revealed that he has a grudge against Bruce Wayne's butler, Alfred, who abandoned the Cobblepot family to serve the Wayne Manor.

In the 1992 film "Batman Returns", the Penguin was portrayed by Danny Devito. I must admit at the time I enjoyed the film, and admired Devito's grotesque performance as the Penguin. Tim Burton did a good job of bringing a darker side to Gotham City. Yet as I come to think of it now, I feel the Penguin was wrongly portrayed as more of a freak, instead of the classy mobster that he is.

The Appeal: For a city as corrupt as Gotham, it is no surprise that a Mobster Boss such as the Penguin could be such a threat. He is hands down the defining boss of the organized crime of Gotham City. He is full of character; from his appearance, his stature, his beak nose, his eye-glass, his cigarette holder, his tuxedo, his top-hat, the way he moves, the way he talks, and his catch phrase laugh, "Waugh, Waugh, Waugh..." He is the epitome of a penguin, that has rose to power to bring further corruption to Gotham. He is both funny and twisted, and all-in-all makes for a very interesting villain in the Batman Universe.

Batman Villains: Ra's al Ghul

Bio: His early story is somewhat complex, where it is generally understood that he was raised by a tribe of nomads somewhere in the Arabian desert. He became interested in science and later moves to a city where he falls in love with a woman named Sora. He discovers the secret of partial immortality within the Lazarus Pit. His wife is later strangled to death by the mad prince of the city. Ra's then begins his quest for vengeance, where he kills both the king and the prince, burns the entire city to the ground, and declares himself the "Demons Head"... He then spends the next several centuries journeying the world, fighting in Napoleonic Wars and the French Revolution. He becomes a master of combat and martial arts, and eventually establishes The Demon, which becomes an international organization of assassins.

Powers and Abilities: Since he has lived for so long, Ra's has acquired countless skills in combat, martial arts, science, and pure wisdom... He has many international contacts as well as a vast wealth gained over the centuries. He favors ancient weaponry such as the sword, bola, smoke pellets, and explosives. His combat style is very similar to the tactics and weapons Batman uses. His greatest weapon is his ability to re-heal himself and live as an immortal through the Lazarus Pit.

Media Portrayals: In the comics he unleashes a deadly virus on Gotham City, of which Batman must team up with allies to travel the world to find the source of the virus.

His daughter Talia al Ghul plays an important role in the series, always torn between her love for Batman and loyalty to her evil father. She later has a child with Bruce Wayne, the grandson of Ra's Al Ghul. She is portrayed as a smoking hot vixen, half Chinese-half Arabic...

In the animated series, Ra's Al Ghul adopts Batman as his heir, with hopes that he can cleanse the world of humanity and find true immortality.

In the film, Batman Begins, he was portrayed brilliantly by Liam Neeson and Ken Watanbee... In the beginning he acted as the character Henri Ducard, who trained Batman in ancient martial arts and to fight for justice. Yet it is later revealed that Ducard is secretly Ra'sal Ghul with the intention to completely eliminate Gotham City, of which he considers the source of all evil in the world.


The Appeal: I must confess that I really didn't understand Ra's importance until I saw the movie Batman Begins. He is Batman's ultimate arch-nemesis, perhaps right behind the Joker. He is a mastermind, who believes in eye-for-an-eye justice, and is out for the complete destruction of Gotham city... Although his motives are understandable his means for achieving those motives are completely unmerciful. He is a man who has lived for over 700 years, traveled the world, fought in many wars, and is out to put an end to humanity all together.