Stephen

Stephen or Steven /ˈstiːvən/ is a masculine first name, derived from the Greek name Στέφανος (Stéfanos), in turn from the Greek word "στέφανος", meaning "wreath, crown, honour, reward", literally "that which surrounds or encompasses". In ancient Greece, a wreath was given to the winner of a contest (from which the crown, symbol of rulers derived). The use of the noun was first recorded in Homer's Iliad. The name is significant to Christians: according to the Book of Acts in the New Testament, Saint Stephen was a deacon who was stoned to death and is regarded as the first Christian martyr. The name has many variants, which include Stephan, Stevan, Stefan and Stevon.

In Middle English, the name Stephen or Stephan was pronounced as a bi-syllabic word — Step-hen or Step-han — much like a Scandinavian surname. Steve was pronounced as it is in Modern English. This etymological usage began a decline in the mid-19th century.

Steve is the common short form, while various diminutives such as Stevie and Ste are also used. Many family names are derived from Stephen: the most common are Stephens/Stevens and Stephenson/Stevenson (others include Stephen, Stephan, Staphan, Stefan, Stevin and Stever).

Lego Batman

Lego Batman is a theme and product range of the Lego construction toy, introduced in 2006, based on the superhero character Batman, under license from DC Comics. The sets feature vehicles, characters and scenes from the comics and films. The inspirations for the design of these varies widely. For example, the Batmobile retains its basic sleek shape and prominent fins from the Tim Burton films, whereas the "Bat-Tank" seems to be based on the tank-like Batmobile in Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns. In 2008, a video game based on the theme, Lego Batman: The Videogame, was released, along with four new sets. The theme was relaunched in early 2012 as part of the Lego DC Universe Superheroes line, which is a sub-theme of the Lego Super Heroes line. In total there were seventeen sets, almost all of them including Batman.

List of Lego Batman sets from 2006-2008

Batman is given a wide range of vehicles, their appearances resembling their accepted forms. Several vehicles, including the "Batman Dragster", "Batman's Buggy", and "Bat-Tank", have also been introduced. The Batmobile appears similar to the way it does in the 1989 film, while the Batboat takes on a hovercraft-like form. All the set-boxes feature a comic strip by artist Greg Hyland at the back, featuring stylized versions of the set in action.

Joker (comics)

The Joker is a fictional supervillain created by Bill Finger, Bob Kane, and Jerry Robinson that first appeared in the debut issue of the comic book Batman (April 25, 1940) published by DC Comics. Credit for the Joker's creation is disputed; Kane and Robinson claimed responsibility for the Joker's design, while acknowledging Finger's writing contribution. Although the Joker was planned to be killed off during his initial appearance, he was spared by editorial intervention, allowing the character to endure as the archenemy of the superhero Batman.

In his comic book appearances, the Joker is portrayed as a criminal mastermind. Introduced as a psychopath with a warped, sadistic sense of humor, the character became a goofy prankster in the late 1950s in response to regulation by the Comics Code Authority, before returning to his darker roots during the early 1970s. As Batman's nemesis, the Joker has been part of the superhero's defining stories, including the murder of Jason Todd—the second Robin and Batman's ward—and the paralysis of one of Batman's allies, Barbara Gordon. The Joker has had various possible origin stories during his decades of appearances. The most common story involves him falling into a tank of chemical waste which bleaches his skin white, turns his hair green, and his lips bright red; the resulting disfigurement drives him insane. The antithesis of Batman in personality and appearance, the Joker is considered by critics to be his perfect adversary.

Aerial Assault

Aerial Assault is a horizontal scrolling shooter video game for the Sega Master System and Sega Game Gear.

Gameplay

The player takes the role of a Freedom Fighter who must destroy five targets, including the Vinsk (a flying battleship in the Game Gear version, an ordinary ship in the Master System), the CB-53 Bomber, "El", and two cliff fortresses. During each of the five missions, the player encounters enemy jets, choppers, submarines, jeeps, parachute bombs, and several other enemies which they must destroy. Shooting either the spinning fighters, the small flying helicopters, or the mines on the final mission will earn the player a power-up that allows them to upgrade or downgrade their firepower. There are three difficulty settings: "Easy", "Normal", and "Hard". Players will not be able to complete the game if they select the "Easy" setting.

Plot

"Some years ago, an evil militaristic organisation known simply as the N.A.C. developed a huge laser emitter, "EL", which was capable of gradually destroying the ozone layer. This posed an ominous threat to all life on the planet, and cast a shadow of fear stretching to the far corners of the Earth. In the year 1999, the N.A.C. began an all-out offensive against every country in the world. Although initially, each nations Self-Defense forces valiantly stood their ground against the most formidable adversaries, they eventually proved to be no match for the sheer power and size of the enemy. However, just when all seemed lost, the "Freedom Fighter" appeared on the scene. Not officially attached to any one nation, it secretly sped off to clash with the unsuspecting enemy forces."

The Terminals

The Terminals are an alternative rock band from New Zealand. They released material on the Xpressway and Flying Nun labels.

History

The band was formed in 1988, with several members veterans of other bands. Vocalist Stephen Cogle and drummer Peter Stapleton had both been members of The Victor Dimisich Band in the early 1980s, Stapleton also playing with The Pin Group and Scorched Earth Policy. Guitarist Ross Humphries was an ex-member of The Pin Group, and Mick Elborado played bass and keyboards with Scorched Earth Policy. Signing to Flying Nun, the band's debut release was the Disconnect EP in 1988, followed by two albums for the label. Humphries was replaced by former Scorched Earth Policy guitarist Brian Crook. The band moved to the Xpressway label for their third album, Touch.Little Things followed in 1995.

Band members

Original line-up

Second line-up