Tuesday, October 12, 2010

DC Legacies GL and GA

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We have Alan Scott, the original Green Lantern: Newsarama\'s field guide to Green Lantern (Alan Scott)

Alan Scott, the One, Original Green Lantern: The first Green Lantern found fictional life in the pages of All-American Comics #16, cover-dated July of 1940. The concept began with artist Martin Nodell who, with writer Bill Finger, gave us the character that had its partial roots in the railroad. Proving that inspiration can come from any place at any time, Nodell fused the sight of a subway rail employee waving a green “all clear” lantern with the idea of Aladdin. From that germ came the blueprint for the story of a man with a “magic ring” powered by said lantern that could accomplish feats basically limited by his imagination and willpower and the energy’s weakness in the face of . . . wood.

In terms of comics continuity, Earth-2 dweller Alan Scott’s lantern was composed of a green flame that came to Earth in the distant past. When Scott came into possession of the object, it “told” him how to make his ring from the lantern itself, and the young engineer created the identity of Green Lantern. In the wake of “Crisis on Infinite Earths”, Alan Scott’s story would become more complicated. The original green flame turned out to be The Starheart, mystic energy collected by Oa’s Guardians and hidden in a star, which then attained sentience. This made for a direct connection between Scott and the Corps, even if he himself is not an official member.

Scott can proudly boast membership and founder status with the Justice Society of America. When the security of America and the life of the president were in danger just prior to World War II, GL and a number of other heroes (including the Jay Garrick Flash, the original Hawkman, Dr. Fate, Hourman I, the Atom, and more) saved the day and remained a team at the behest of the president. When World War II began, the JSA became the Justice Battalion and also held simultaneous membership in the larger group of heroes known as the All-Star Squadron.

Thanks to his mystical roots, Scott has been a member of the loosely affiliated Sentinels of Magic, heroes tasked to deal with supernatural threats. He’s also been a part of Checkmate. For a period of time prior to Zero Hour (1994) and on up until 2003, Alan Scott went by the name “Sentinel” partially in deference to the destruction of the GL Corps and the fact that Kyle Rayner operated as the only remaining GL for much of that time. During the “Princes of Darkness” storyline which led to the redemption of Obsidian (more later), Scott took back the GL name.


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Next is Green Arrow: newsarama\'s guide to Green Arrow


Golden Age/Earth-2: Shipwrecked millionaire Oliver Queen learned to survive by becoming the world’s greatest archer; upon his return to civilization, he battled crime with trick arrows as Green Arrow (More Fun Comics #73, 1941). That was easy! As you know, the Golden Age versions of DC’s icons found themselves relegated to Earth-2 at the advent of the Silver Age. The Golden Age Green Arrow and his sidekick Speedy (Roy Harper) held memberships in the Seven Soldiers of Victory (aka The Law’s Legionnaires) and the All-Star Squadron. During the “Crisis on Infinite Earths”, the Earth-2 Green Arrow was killed fighting the Anti-Monitor’s shadow demons. When the history of the new Earth was shown later, Green Arrow and Speedy had been retconned out of the Soldiers and the Squadron, replaced by, depending on the retcon, by some combination of Alias the Spider, Crimson Avenger’s sidekick Wing, or Vigilante’s sidekick Stuff. Weirdly enough, yet another retcon line-up was introduced in DC Legacies #2, this one including TNT and Dan the Dyna-Mite.

”Our” Ollie: The updated Green Arrow had essentially the same origin as his counterpart, though other tweaks and details have sunk in over time. Originally clean-shaven and wearing the green and red, Ollie popped the Vandyke and adopted his classic look in 1969. This Green Arrow was the first post-founding member of the Justice League of America (though JLA Year One, which probably isn’t even in continuity anymore, suggests that Queen secretly financed the young team from the beginning).

Monday, October 4, 2010

God Does Not Dwell in a Temple Made With Hands

In the Old Testament, when God commanded the Tabernacle to be built, it was a place for God to dwell with the people. The people did not meet inside the Tabernacle. Only the priests entered the Tabernacle. The people met together and worshiped God outside under the open sky. They never entered the Tabernacle or later the Temple.

Today, God does not dwell in a building, He dwells in our hearts. We do not have to meet at a special building or enter a special building to worship God. A church building is not needed for us to meet or worship God, nor is it needed for the center of the life of the church.

Acts 17:24-25 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25 Neither is worshiped with men's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
God does not dwell in a temple made with hands

Acts 7:48-51 Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, 49 Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? 50 Hath not my hand made all these things? 51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

Isaiah 66:1-2 Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? 2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

Jeremiah 7:1-14 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, 2 Stand in the gate of the LORD's house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the LORD, all ye of Judah, that enter in at these gates to worship the LORD. 3 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. 4 Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these. 5 For if ye throughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye throughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbor; 6 If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt: 7 Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, forever and ever. 8 Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit. 9 Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not; 10 And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations? 11 Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD. 12 But go ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh, where I set my name at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel. 13 And now, because ye have done all these works, saith the LORD, and I spoke unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not; 14 Therefore will I do unto this house, which is called by my name, wherein ye trust, and unto the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh.

1 Corinthians 3:16-17 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

2 Corinthians 6:16-17 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

Ephesians 2:19-22 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto a holy temple in the Lord: 22 In whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of God through the Spirit.

We, as Christians, are the temple of God; we are the church. It is totally unnecessary to worship Him in a special building.

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I'm a comic and movie buff. I love superhero stuffs and anime. I got 2 lovable kids.