Lantern

A lantern is a portable lighting device or mounted fixture used to illuminate areas. Lanterns may also be used for signaling, as torches, or as general light sources outdoors. Low light level varieties are used for decoration. The term "lantern" is also used more generically to mean a light source, or the enclosure for a light source. Examples are glass pane enclosed street lights, or the housing for the top lamp and lens section of a lighthouse. The term is commonly associated with Chinese paper lanterns.

History

Lanterns are first spoken of by Theopompus, a Greek poet, and Empedocles of Agrigentum. Lanterns were used by the ancients in augury. The only known representation of an ancient Egyptian lantern probably is not much different from those spoken of by John the Evangelist in John 18:3 from the New Testament, where the party of men who went out of Jerusalem to apprehend Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane is described as being provided “with lanterns and torches.” Lanterns in ancient China were made of silk, paper, or animal skin with frames made of bamboo or wood. One of the earliest descriptions of paper lanterns is found in records from Khotan, which describe a "mounting lantern" made of white paper.

Green Lantern

Green Lantern is the name of a number of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. They fight evil with the aid of rings that grant them a variety of extraordinary powers.

The first Green Lantern character, Alan Scott, was created in 1940 during the initial popularity of superheroes. Alan Scott usually fought common criminals in New York City with the aid of his magic ring. The publication of this character ceased in 1949 during a general decline in the popularity of superhero comics, but the character saw a limited revival in later decades.

In 1959, to capitalize on the booming popularity of science fiction, the Green Lantern character was reinvented as Hal Jordan, an officer for an interstellar law enforcement agency known as the Green Lantern Corps. Additional members of this agency, all of whom call themselves Green Lanterns, were introduced over time. Prominent Green Lanterns who also have had starring roles in the books include Guy Gardner, John Stewart, Kyle Rayner, and Simon Baz.

The Green

The Green may refer to:

See also

Green Lantern Corps

The Green Lantern Corps is the name of a fictional intergalactic military/police force appearing in comics published by DC Comics. They patrol the farthest reaches of the DC Universe at the behest of the Guardians, a race of immortals residing on the planet Oa. According to DC continuity, the Green Lantern Corps has been in existence for three billion years, surviving multiple conflicts both internal and foreign. Currently operating divided as pairs amongst the 3600 “sectors” of the universe, there are 7202 members, two lanterns for every sector except sector 2814 which has 4 members (known commonly as Green Lanterns) are estimated to be serving within the Corps. Each Green Lantern is given a power ring, a weapon granting the use of incredible abilities that are directed by the wearer's own willpower.

Publication history

In 1959, during a revival of the popularity of superhero comics in America, DC Comics editor Julius Schwartz decided to reinvent the 1940s superhero character Green Lantern as a science fiction hero. Schwartz's new conception of Green Lantern had a different name (Hal Jordan), costume, and origin story, and no connection to the original Green Lantern. Whereas the Green Lantern of the 1940s was a lone vigilante who only had adventures on Earth, the new Green Lantern was but one of a group of interstellar lawmen who all called themselves Green Lanterns. The group is first mentioned in Showcase #22 (1960) when a dying Green Lantern passes on his ring to Hal Jordan. Over the years, writers have introduced a large cast of Green Lanterns in both supporting and starring roles.

Birds of Tokyo

Birds of Tokyo is a five-piece alternative rock band from Perth, Western Australia. Their debut album Day One, gained them domestic success with it reaching number three on the AIR Independent Album charts, spending a total of 36 consecutive weeks in the top ten.

In 2008, the band released Universes, which made it to number three on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart. 2010 saw the band's self-titled third studio release Birds of Tokyo spend over eight months in the Australian top 20, peaking at number two on the ARIA Albums Chart. The double platinum album received the 2010 ARIA Award for Best Rock Album and in early 2011 the band's breakthrough hit "Plans" ranked number four on Triple J's Hottest 100. The album's follow-up single, "Wild at Heart", reached number one on the country's national airplay chart and won the band an APRA Award.

Most recently, in 2013 the band released their fourth studio album March Fires. Supported by the album's first two singles "This Fire" and "Lanterns", March Fires debuted at number one on the ARIA Albums Chart—the band's first ever number one record. The album was certified gold within four weeks of release and the triple platinum single "Lanterns" was the most played song on Australia radio for the first six months of 2013.