Theory Linking the Fault in Our Stars, Divergent, and the Hunger Games

                     By Lil’ Leia

Hi guys! This is a theory that came to me the other day— that potentially links The Fault in Our Stars, the Divergent  and The Hunger Games trilogy together, even though they each have different authors. It may not seem that geeky to you, but it is to me— because I am a huge bookworm!  There is going to be a huge amount of parentheses and stuff, so bear with me. Anyway, there are MAJOR SPOILERS for each of these books, so if you haven’t read these books yet, you can either proceed at your own risk or stop reading altogether.  If you did read them, good for you! I present my theory now:

So in TFIOS, as most of you may know already, Hazel and Gus did the thing when they were staying in Amsterdam (as seen partially in the trailer). When Gus died later on, (this would take place directly after the novel) Hazel realized she was pregnant. Nine months later, she gave birth to a girl and nearly died in labor (due to the tumors in her lungs), but in life-saving surgery after the baby’s birth, the doctors decided to take all of her tumors out and make an emergency lung transplant (yes, her cancer was THAT severe).  After the surgery she was cancer-free. Later on she marries Isaac and raises her daughter healthily and happily. Her daughter grows up, gives birth, and the cycle goes on and on until (here we enter the Divergent part of the theory) Amanda Ritter (Edith Prior, Tris’s paternal ancestor) is born. 

The Purity War occurs, the Bureau of Genetic Welfare is established, and an older Amanda Ritter volunteers to participate in the experimental implementing of factions in Chicago.  She makes the video that is shown in Erudite headquarters at the end of Insurgent (book 2 of the Divergent trilogy), erases her memory with a serum, joins Abnegation, and reinvents herself as Edith Prior. One of her offspring joins Erudite, and then about two generations later, Andrew Prior (Tris’s father) is born into Erudite. Soon after, he falls in love with Natalie Wright from Dauntless in school (Tris’s mother, who later uses Prior as her last name), and they transfer to Abnegation together. They marry and, about 10 years later, have Tris and Caleb (Tris’s brother).  

Then the events in Divergent and Insurgent occur.  When in Allegiant (book 3 of the Divergent trilogy) it’s revealed that Chicago was an experimental city for the Bureau, (entering the Hunger Games part of the theory) it is also possible to assume that Panem was also an experimental city that just went awry and declared independence from the US government. (Based on current world news it is implied that sea level rises and global warming continues at their current pace.) That would account for the description of life before Panem (war, global warming. etc.). The US government barely holds power 45-75 years later and collapses; Panem conquests what was left of US possessed land, expands the district systems and its culture, and the events of The Hunger Games trilogy take place.

So… What do you think? I think it’s possible, given that this is totally fictional. I’m going to sign off early, so you can think about the possibility of this. See ya next week!

Why Tragedy Should Not Be the Norm but the Exception Part 2

By Snow Drift

Many months ago, Dan Didio said “Heroes shouldn't have happy personal lives. They are committed to being that person and committed to defending others at the sacrifice of their own personal interests. […] It’s wonderful that they try to establish personal lives, but it’s equally important that they set them aside. That is our mandate, that is our edict and that is our stand,” emphasizing how people, to truly be heroes, need to have tragedies and sacrifices in their lives. To him, a person cannot care about humanity without them suffering tragedies over and over again. To him, without tragedy, there is no motivation to save. To him, a hero having a happy personal life is a subtraction of their heroic selves. I personally believe him to be incorrect. 

   

I believe that what many readers, since the humble origins of comics, have found so enticing and endearing about comic book superheroes is not simply their fights and superhuman adventures, but the fact that these men and women are symbols of hope. Superman decided to help humanity out of his own will and love for it. Wonder Woman, also known as Princess Diana, saw that Man’s World could still be saved through peace and love. Green Arrow aka Oliver Queen saw that even the most cornered citizens of the world deserved to live in safety. These people loved humanity and its potential so much that they saw their salvation was worth it. It goes beyond the notion of it being simply “the right thing to do”: it’s about how these men and women believe in the goodness of humanity at its core; that every single human, if given the chance and being guided when needed, can become heroes too. Each person deserves to live, to love, to give, and to receive.

   

For love for humanity to manifest itself to such an extent that Barry Allen would sacrifice his life in Crisis on Infinite Earths, for Superman to do the same when fighting Doomsday, for Charles Xavier and his X-Men to fight for the unity of humans and mutants; it all comes down to their own experiences of love. These heroes feeling that they can belong, that they are loved and cherished by people who will always be by their side, who will always smile at them at the end of the day and say “you did good”, is what motivates many of them to keep getting up every day to fight the evils of the universe. Because we must all remember that these characters, be they humans, aliens, spirits, or machines, still feel. They still experience emotions, from happiness to anger to pain; they still experience loss and loneliness, desperation and hopelessness. For them to have the strength and courage to fight incredible odds every day, they need to be reassured that their struggle has a reason to exist. Lois Lane always being there for Clark Kent to keep him grounded and hopeful and full of love; the Amazons of Themyscira nurturing and loving Diana throughout all of her life, Supergirl and Superboy having found a family with the Kents, Jaime Reyes, the Blue Beetle, being able to find a home where a family awaits him with pride and love, and the Bat Family, from Dick Grayson to Cassandra Cain to Damian Wayne, finding all of the same in Bruce Wayne, who himself found it in Alfred. In a world where everything is in constant tragedy and suffering, is very hard for an individual, one like any of us, to jump in and proclaim at the top of their lungs that they will save everyone until the very end of time. If they do not have a backdrop, an experience of love and compassion in their own lives, then they cannot see the same in the world outside of their own private lives.

Because these heroes are not gods or the Messiah or anything equivalent to those; they are not people who were born with the purest of hearts, chosen by a divine entity to save the universe from the darkness and evil. These are people who were born to have the same probabilities of either having a normal or abnormal life, depending on their future circumstances. None of them are perfect; they have all done their mistakes and erroneous decisions. Some have harbored prejudice where there was none to be deserved, others have not had the ability to be a proper parent, brother, sister, lover, or friend. However, they struggle to do better and we, as readers, witnessing their development and transformations into heroes are what motivate us to keep up with their lives.

Again, is it bad to have heroes whose motivation is based on tragedy and who keep experiencing it multiple times? No, it is not, nor is it bad for someone to have interest in these type of stories. But if every single hero in a comic book universe is made to be tragic from beginning to end, then this fictional plane of existence will drown itself in the darkness and whatever happens in this will affect reality, for fiction does not exist in a vacuum; it has consequences on the lives of the readers.

All in all, there is an incredible importance for these heroes to have a semblance of happiness in their lives. Some of their back-stories might be tragic or maybe their ultimate suffering will come later on in their adulthood, but to have them submerged into absolute darkness takes away what is essential of their beings.

   

Heroes are not named as such for their capes, their poses, or their powers. Their true heroism comes from not only physically saving innocents, but from also inspiring the same to do better; to fight, to run, and to stand again and again every time they fall, for we all have the strength and hope in ourselves to stare at the darkness and say “No. You may push me, you may wound me, but you will never stop me, for I am strong and live by the power of love and hope.” And so does everyone.  

Manga Review: Life Span and God Shop vol.1 and 2

Manga Review: Life Span and God Shop vol.1 and 2

Story and art by Josue Acevedo

Writer Alan J. Porter

By Aliraluna

1. Life Span

Life Span is the story of Kazuhiro Takano, a man who has been given a second chance in life after his death. Yet, Kazu with the aid of a medallion, female protector Hozeki, and an anima, he must destroy a threat that has dark plans against human kind and the universe. In chapter 1: Genesis, Kazu defeats an enemy and an anima appears and he must decide either to absorb it or use subordination. Later on, just when he’s arriving to the enemy’s Atelier base he encounters with Hagaro whose master ordered him to test him… by fighting.

2. God Shop vol.1 and 2

Mr. Ronald Drake, a weather man, wishes to have respect in the town he lives as he predicts the weather every day in the wrong way. When suddenly a waiter appears with a free drink that has a paper under it that reads “Think about the answer”. Later on, Mr. Drake appears at a special store called The God Shop in which the waiter; called Joshua and “the caretaker” offer to loan him the powers of a god for one day… Which god’s power will be borrowed from? Is Mr. Ronald Drake the chosen one? And who is this mysterious guy that wants to take over Joshua? Find out….

My thoughts

Life Span is a really good story in which I’m crazy to know more about Kazu’s past. Like why and how he died and who gave him a second chance; also, about his enemy, the anima, the kingdom, and just about everything. I really can’t wait to see how this story will keep growing. With God Shop I hope there are more volumes about this story as I love Greek gods/goddesses and I’m hoping to see Mr. Drake again, and to finally know more about the mysterious guy and know why he wants the caretaker position. Really awesome stories I wish to keep reading!

Why Tragedy Should Not Be the Norm, but the Exception Part 1

By Snow Drift 

Ah, tragedy. You’re misery, you’re pain, but gosh darn it aren’t you so luring. From Oedipus Rex to Romeo and Juliet to Batman, you follow us all around the world, across all of time, giving us an infinitude of stories where men and women suffer and die. And sometimes we love it so much. 

Tragedy has always been a literary aspect for thousands of years that have helped create drama and compelling and memorable characters. And sometimes, within our hearts of hearts, we love to see this side of characters. It’s interesting, one has to admit, to witness the growth of a man or woman from their fall into the metaphorical darkness of misery and despair to their stand as beacons of light for humanity, both in the fictional universe and the real one.
  
However, ever since the birth of what can be called the Dark Age of comics (what many believe began with the death of Gwen Stacy, but that is still being debated), but especially with the explosion that was the DC Comics company-wide reboot, the New 52, almost every single superhero, no matter who they are and where they come from, have a massive pile of tragedy thrust into their lives, with an added dose of the oh so famous “grim and gritty”. Superman’s adoptive parents are now dead; Barry Allen’s, the Flash’s, mother was murdered by one of his enemies and his father was erroneously condemned to life in prison because of it; Hal Jordan’s, the Green Lantern’s, father was killed in a plane crash; Bruce Wayne has had two Robins actually die, including his son; the Amazons are now men-and-baby killing warriors; Buddy Baker’s, Animal Man’s, son has been killed and so on and so forth. 

On and on and on do we see this new tendency to infiltrate tragedy into the lives of our heroes over at DC Comics. Is it bad to do this? Not necessarily, since many heroes may have different motivations for their actions and decisions to fight as vigilantes. Batman and the Punisher are classical examples of men motivated by tragedy, along with Peter Parker with his Uncle Ben, Cassandra Cain with experiencing what it feels like to kill another human, and Helena Bertinelli, the Huntress, with the massacre of her family, these last being based on the old DC Universe. It’s fascinating to see how these characters attempt to right the wrongs of these tragedies and avoid the same events from happening to others who do not deserve it. To see them fight and struggle for these beliefs is enriching in itself. However, among these characters and many others, there is another tendency that follows them around, along with the memories of their tragedies: their happiness, especially the one coming from their loved ones.

Bruce Wayne could have ended up hating the world that he lived in. He could have witnessed the crimes, the injustice, and the corruption of the police and justice system and determined to himself that society was a lost cause; that it did not deserve, or was unable to reach, a future of happiness and peace. But he didn't, because within the tragedy of the murder of his parents, he had the opportunity to witness love and comfort from Alfred Pennyworth, hope in the police from Commissioner James Gordon, joy and innocence against all odds from Dick Grayson back when he was Robin, and so on. He saw all of that and understood that life, and the world, was made up of more than just hate and misery: it had love, it had happiness, and it had justice. 

Science Fiction Tropes: Why Do We Keep Going Back to the Same Themes?

By. Survivor8

The first article alluded, as you were likely aware of, to science fiction as a deep, varied, and multi-tiered genre.  Though it may be considered an offshoot of fantasy, it has become a monster of its own right— big and ready to devour the weak. It’s okay, though we’re all weak when compared to it. The beauty of the genre is just how limitless it really can be. Sure, science is used as its backdrop, but the fiction part is where we shove science down a bottomless pipe. All writers can play god with their stories, but science fiction writers turn into malevolent and twisted gods attempting to seek the new and thrilling.

Despite its ongoing and revolutionary  innovations, the genre has a few themes or tropes it can’t shake off. Humanity continuously concerns itself with these topics and are sometimes stubbornly unable to move on. Leading them to pressure the writers, to have the main character save the day or write a spin-off.. Whether you want to write a great science fiction story or keep an eagle-eye out for the next great hit, here are a few ideas that tend to cling a lot.

The Apocalypse and the Ruins It Leaves Behind

Strangely, we as a whole seem to be consistently concerned with our eventual demise. This does vary according to when a story is written (e.g. the Cold War where the population was freaking out about a nuclear winter). Yet, there have been moments where we’re not seemingly teetering towards pressing the self-annihilate button. This was evident during the Bubonic Plague as it is now with North Korea, whose leader constantly threatens to bomb something new with every passing week. Due to events such as this there’s an older generation constantly lamenting the atrocities in their present lives, even though the state of everything was likely no different when they were young.

The fact is? People are not only seemingly-obsessed with the destruction of our society, but as well with its aftermath. When stripped away from our every day needs, how would humanity react? Judging from most stories that run with this trope, usually we devolve into anachronistic cannibalism. The trope remains popular because it’s an easy medium for writers to express how exactly they view human nature. Who are we really, when the smart-phones are gone and the responsibilities are swept under a rug? Short answer: we’re terrible, apparently.

Travelling Through Time

Time is not a thing. It doesn’t exist in a room. You can’t put a leash on it and call it George. It’s figurative at best and confusing at worst. Thousands of years of thought have been put into it, and the most scientists and philosophers can come up with to explain it is a shrug. This is another theme that is only a reflection of human thought.  In short, it’s our obsession with either fixing that one little mistake that cost us something dear (possibly whatever screwed over your new Flappy Bird high score) or seeing what lies ahead of us (perhaps preventing heartbreak or hangovers).

It’s a mix of curiosity and regret that makes us want to time travel. We can’t actually achieve this. If we could, what then? What if nothing can be changed and it’s all predetermined? What if your time travel escapades turn into a Simpsons Halloween episode and stepping on a twig means you destroyed humanity before it even got its start? Considering its immense popularity, maybe you just want to get on that London police box and go traveling with a handsome man of the medical profession. The topic has yet to abate in popularity, so might as well get used to it.

Aliens

Aliens, man. 

Calvin and Hobbes Complete Collection Review

  By. DLaw

One thing from pop culture that has shaped generations is comic strips. Calvin and Hobbes, by cartoonist Bill Watterson, is the story of a 5 year old that has a stuffed tiger that he believes is real and with whom he goes on amazing adventures. The strip began on November 18, 1985 and ended on December 31, 1995, and has since become one of the most successful syndicated comic strips in history.

Bite-sized review:

The design is really easy to follow. The art looks updated and feels like its from a brand new newspaper. The layout is divided by date starting with its very first strip and ending with its last strip (sadly, but all good things do come to an end). The Sunday strips are full paged, colored and presents more of Calvin’s amazing imagination.  The series touches on many topics such as public education, the environment, and, to an extent, politics and how flawed it is. The comics even delve into philosophical questions that can keep the reader pondering the answer long after we’ve read the strip.

The Complete Collection is long, with a total of four books, and though it seems like a tedious task to read them all, it’s worth it in the end. You will laugh at the satire and even be surprised that strips made around twenty or even thirty years ago can still be relevant to this day. Besides, reading stories of an awesome kid who has a tiger for a friend is pretty cool!

The collection is a bit pricey at $100, but it’s still a great reading experience.

All in all, I would totally recommend this collection. It gets a 5/5 and I highly recommended for anyone who reads comics and likes comic strips. The art style doesn’t need to be over the top like modern comics to impress you and the story will have you hooked till the end.

Pros	Cons
Complete collection of the series	Price
Full art in black and white or colored
Once you start, you can’t stop