Napoleon the Great through postage stamps

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Very rarely has the title “Great” been conferred on anyone throughout the course of history. There has always been some reason for those bearing it and who rightly deserve it: Alexander the Great, Charlemagne, Peter the Great, Catherine the Great and so on.

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Napoleon the Great was a military genius and he would have been

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considered even greater if Alexander the Great had not been born, who was the only general never to have been defeated in battle. Napoleon was born in Corsica (Figures 1,2) in 1769 and became an artillery officer. This, in the long term, proved to be one of his strong points. After the turmoil of the French Revolution, he had a rapid progress, starting with the Italian Expedition (1796) as a commander in chief. He won a personal victory at the battle of Arcole (Figure 3).

He defeated the Mameluks during the Expedition in Egypt, in 1798, while the scientists that escorted him laid the foundations of Egyptology (Fig. 4). However, the sea battle of Abukir, where Nelson was involved, (Fig. 5) blocked his advancement. Napoleon became Consul in 1799 and Life Consul in 1802. The battles that he personally took part always crowned France with success. However, the great victory in Marengo, in 1800, was brought by Desaix (Fig. 6).

After so many victorious battles and with ingenious, though hard, political maneuvers he was crowned as an Emperor in 1804 at Nontre Dame in Paris along with the Empress Josephina (Fig. 7).

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In 1807, he suffers defeat, once more by Nelson, at the naval battle of Trafalgar (Fig. 8). France lost its domination of sea routes for ever. Nevertheless, Napoleon triumphed in Austerlitz (Pic. 9) against the Austrians and the Russians and seized Vienna. The battle of Austerlitz is still being taught, today, in the most important military academies. His Field Marshals grasped many victories and enjoyed a great deal of honor and distinction such example are Lahn (Fig. 10) and Bernadotte who, in a twist of luck, was called to stand at his coronation ceremony as a king of Sweden. The present kings of Sweden are his descendants (Figure 11).

From then on, Napoleon acted as he pleased. He invaded countries, seized small states and offered them to his allies, won battles, in some cases he was curbed, he abducted the Pope, Spain was ceded to his brother Joseph, Naples to Mira and proclaimed his sister, Paullina, queen: nepotism in its full scale.

After a series of blunders, the fatal one loomed in the background: the Russian Expedition (Fig.12) of Alexander I (Fig.13) in 1812. As Napoleon was the only general to invade Moscow, his retreat led to his crushing defeat. Despite his victory in the battle of Leipzig, he lost his last one in Waterloo in 1815 as he was unable to meet his enemies individually: a thing that he had always practiced in the past. While he was engaged in a battle with Wellington (Fig.14) the first Prussians under Blucher made their appearance (Fig.15). The chief of staff of one Blucher’s army corps was the renowned Claousewitz (Fig.16). His minister of foreign affairs was Talleyrand (Fig.17): a decadent, avaricious individual who, on the other hand, was the best diplomat ever to be brought up to surface in France! The battle was lost, the curtain fell and Napoleon found himself exiled by the British on the island of St Helena until the end of his life (Fig.18). He died in 1821.

Stamps with Napoleon (Pictures 19-26), as it is easily understood, are not to be found in countries which suffered his invasions such as Spain, England, Germany and Russia. Sets about the great general, apart from France which has been glorified as much as ever, were issued by the French Colonies, mainly in 1968, in 32 values. Those large-shaped, wonderful stamps complete the puzzle of the “Napoleon Phenomenon”: an atheist, authoritarian, materialistic and conceited individual who attributed a cosmopolitan air to his state and laid the foundations for modern France.

Even today, we use such terms as “Napoleonic Maneuver, Napoleonic Campaign” but mainly “Napoleonic Era” as this period between 1800-1815 is frequently called. All this surely justify the term: “Great”.

Many of these stamps are on sale on eCharta stamps page right now. Enjoy this thematic, topical Napoleonic collection!

Jimmy Long for eCharta

Comic List Last Week – Jun.23.13- Preview

Its back my weekly  preview list of comics that I read and liked although this time there are a couple that I did not like so much. Here it is starting with my least favorite pick…

Thunderbolts #11 by Daniel Way and Phil Noto: I usually try to find the best in a comic and share it but sadly this issue did disappoint me, left me with the worst of impressions. The conclusion of a story-line which was closed in a rush, with no meaning or any specific consequence and plot-lines just left dangling. I love all these “heroes” who are featured in this comic but they are so much out of character. Liking the roster is not enough to continue reading it though. I’ll just give it one last chance to see if the new creative team will freshen it up and give it an edge that it’s supposed to have.

Uncanny Avengers by Rick Remender and Daniel Acuna: It’s quickly becoming one of my favorite reads. The art is excellent and the story is consistently becoming better each issue.  More accurately the character interaction and how the plots strengthen with actual twists and turmoil’s for this specific team are quite intriguing. There is continuous conflict between the X-Men and the Avengers and each part has its right and wrongs whenever they debate a situation. A very cool comic and a promising one. There is Kang, Immortus, Apocalypse Twins, X-Men & Avengers all in one comic what more can you ask?

Cable & X-Force # 10 by Dennis Hopeless and Salvador Larocca: Nothing special in this issue which doesn’t mean that the story was not good. We see the Uncanny Avengers pursue and attack X-Force just as they about to go on separate missions to deal with multiple future disasters. The fun part is that Blaquesmith returns and in the most unexpected ways. I like this title not only because the art is superb or that the story is good and intriguing it’s also the original X-Force team with a couple of pretty cool new addition Forge and Dr Nemesis! I really like it and I will continue to read it as a long time fan.

Venom #36 by Cullen Bunn and Pepe Larraz: What I like about Venom is that even if they decide to rip the symbiote out of Flash Thompson he has become a very developed character that can easily now hold his own title with another superhero persona. I have seen in each issue the inner workings and demons of Flashes mind and Cullen Bunn continues to add more layers to this. In this issue Flash deals with a new crime lord who seems to be a lot more ruthless than what he expected. The art by Larraz is very nice, I like it plus the cover by Shalvey and Bellaire is amazing.

Constantine #4 by Ray Fawkes, Jeff Lemire and Fabiano Neves: To be honest I expected more from this issue but I believe it serves its purpose. It’s a standalone issue where Constantine decides to take a day off. He fights a mage crime lord and finds that Sargon is still keeping an on him. In a way issue 4 works as a prologue to the upcoming crossover between Justice League and Justice League Dark. A nice issue but not enough.

Half Past Danger #2 (of 6) by Stephen Mooney and Jordie Bellaire: This comic book can easily be compared to a movie and not because of its story but mostly for the dialogue and the structure of how the story unfolds. Issue #2 continues to be as interesting as the first one with its character interaction and art, the simple things like expressions accompanied by body language has won me over. It’s also fast paced but not rushed, Simon Mooney moves the story forward with action but with the necessary time to build his heroes and the plots. I’m not saying more about the story you should read it it’s a great comic.

Keep on reading comics!

Cheers!

Con Barbatsis for eCharta

Daron Kappauff and Chris Delloiacono creators of the new graphic novel “Horizon’s End”

CHRIS DELLOIACONO is an elementary school teacher in New Jersey.

Daron Kappauff and Chris Delloiacono are the writing team and creators of the new graphic novel “Horizon’s End” that is featured on the Kickstarter! Both have a great love for comics and are finally being given a chance to show their love with this new project! This isn’t the first attempt to be a part of the comic industry, as both of them have been writers and editors for 411Mania and ComicsNexus, also Daron wrote a 4-issue back-up story in Image Comics’ Small Gods (though the book was cancelled before his issues saw print). Writing is something they love to do, Daron has published short stories in a number of literary journals, and his first novel was a finalist in Blank Slate Press’ 2012 New Novelist Talent Hunt. Similarly, Chris had a short story published in the collection Contagion: War Stories, and Triptych is his first novel is currently serialized on Pulpline Magazine. Although both have a day job,

DARON KAPPAUFF is an English professor and proposal writer in St. Louis Missouri. Here with Ron Marz.

Daron as an English professor and Chris as an elementary school teacher, their love for comics as a medium and as a way of expressing the imagination has lead them to team up and give us a comic which looks to be fantastic. And although they have busy schedules, they gave some of their time to answer several of our questions

Question: Both of you have careers and jobs out of the comic book industry so what made you want to be a part of it?

Daron: I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember, and as you know I dabble in just about everything: fiction, poetry, screenplays, etc. Through it all, though, comics have called to me. There’s something about the medium that entices me, a freedom you don’t get with most others. If you can imagine it, you can do it in comics, and I think that’s really appealing for a writer. I also really like the serialization aspect of comics. As a writer there’s so much more you can do with a character when you get to continually write them. In a novel, even a series, you only get to spend so much time with a character or group of characters. Eventually the book or series has to end. Not so with comics.

As for writing comics versus my career, I’m not looking to quit my day job. Hell I’m not even looking to make money on our current project (though I wouldn’t complain if we did). For me, telling the story, and finding people who like the stories I have to tell are the most important aspects of being writer. A lot of people try to break into comics thinking they’re going to be rich and famous. That’s not me. I want to entertain people and tell fun and engaging stories. If someday that means I could write full time, great. But as of now, I’m planning on keeping my day job, and I’m just going to pour all my creative energy into telling the best stories I can and not worry about how many books I have to produce to keep food on the table. Plus I’m pretty sure my wife would kill me or divorce me or worse if I quit my job to pursue a freelance gig in comics.

Chris: Like Daron said, I’m not looking to quit my day job. I’ve been a teacher for close to a decade and it’s such a fulfilling career. I couldn’t imagine giving up that aspect of my life. Storytelling and expressing my feelings in writing are one of my passions in my time away from the classroom. I can’t sit on the couch and relax for long, so letting my imagination run wild is a fabulous outlet.

About 35 years ago I bought my first comic, Marvel’s Star Wars #18, and my love of the medium has been there ever since. I’ve also written lots of different types of work over the years but comics have a special place in my heart. I don’t think there’s a more beautiful form of storytelling than the fusion of words and images that sequential comic panels offer. I’ve been going to comic shops on a weekly basis for since the ‘80s, and I’d love for others to read Horizon’s End with the same anticipation I’ve felt for countless comics.

Question: Obviously you read comics from when you were kids and you are comic book fans so the step to become comic book writers was it a long time plan or an unexpected decision you took at some point?

Daron: Adding on to what I said above, I think I’ve wanted to write comics as long as I’ve been writing and reading comics. However, it’s not the only thing I enjoy writing, so I haven’t pursued it with the same vigor as others might. I’ve dipped my toes in a bunch of fields, and while I’m still actively working in other forms of writing, I’ve decided now is the time to really make a go for the comic field.

Question: In the past you both have reviewed comics so how is it different for you from comic book fans and reviewers to become comic book writers?

Daron: Writing about comics and writing comics are about as fundamentally different as writing poetry and writing fiction. With that said, one isn’t necessarily more difficult than the other; they’re just two different types of writing, requiring different skill sets. And this is the case in all forms of writing. There are always different rules to follow and different skills used in every field and discipline.

For me, switching from one to the other isn’t all that difficult. I’ve studied writing, both academically and personally, for years, and I’m constantly working on improving my skills in various fields. So it’s mainly just switching gears. I’ll say this, though, it’s definitely a lot more fun to actually write comics, but I think it’s due to the inherent joy that’s affiliated with “creating” something.

Question: Horizon’s End is the graphic novel you are working on so how did you two end up collaborating?

Chris: Back when Daron was the EIC of the comic department at 411Mania, he posted on the old DC Message Board that they were looking for writers to join the site. I answered the ad and that one small missive led to us becoming so close we’re essentially brothers. We live 1,000 miles apart but we get together as often as possible, talk all the time on the phone, and each of us have been part of the other’s wedding party.  That friendship and the love we both have for writing led us to this momentous point.

Question: Whose idea was Horizon’s End and how much input did the other have in forming the graphic novels final story?

Daron: The initial idea for Horizon’s End was mine, based on a loose concept I had rattling around my head for years. I pitched the idea to Chris, and the two of us set about fleshing out the idea and populating the world with interesting characters.

Past the initial spark, it’s been an entirely collaborative project. We’ve both brought ideas to the table, and we always confer before we move forward with changing or adding anything. To me, this is the whole point of doing a co-written project. If we didn’t want each other’s input, we wouldn’t be working on this together. We’ve both written plenty of things separately, but we really enjoy working together, bouncing ideas around, and creating a world that is very much a part of both of us.

How did each of you approach the writing of Horizon’s End, what I mean is did you divide on who will be doing the script or the dialogues or did you work the whole scenario together?

Chris: We first broke the story down into the broad strokes we were looking to tell. Horizon’s End was initially planned out as a five-issue miniseries, but Kickstarter is such a special distribution channel, we decided it was best to tell the story as a graphic novel. We’re essentially releasing the graphic novel in lieu of five individual issues. It just didn’t make sense to do it any other way, since our backers are helping us fund the complete story.

As for the actual writing process, once we had the major story, we broke each of the issues (or chapters) down into more detailed segments. Each of us worked on a specific chunk of the story then passed the section back and forth. It’s amazing, but the work has been so refined at this point that it’s hard to remember who originally wrote what. We each have strengths and weaknesses as storytellers, so I think Horizon’s End has become a true synthesis that accentuates our strengths.

Question: Darryl Banks is a well-known creator and a fan favorite for those who followed his Green Lantern run; he will be doing the art on Horizon’s End so how did this collaboration come about?

Daron: Chris and I have been acquainted with Darryl for many years now. We first met at the Pittsburgh Comicon, which was the first show we covered together as reporters. Both of us were fans of his work, so he was one of the primary creators we sought out. Since then Darryl and I have stayed in contact, discussing his career, my writing, and any and everything else.

As Chris and I progressed on Horizon’s End, we’d often talk about how great a fit Darryl would be for the project. We’d even conceive characters based on how we thought Darryl might design them. Then after many failed attempts to get an amateur artist to commit to the project, we decided to pitch it to him. Luckily for us, the timing was right and Darryl liked what he heard.

Question: How is it to work both as fans and as professional writers with Darryl Banks?

Daron: I’m not going to lie; it’s nothing short of amazing. Darryl is on the short list of artists I’ve always said I’d want to work with if I ever broke into comics. So getting to work with him as I’m breaking in is a dream come true (cliché as that sounds).

Similarly, Chris and I are both extremely excited about helping Darryl break back into comics. Comic fans have been deprived of Darryl’s fantastic work for far too many years now. To say that we’re proud and ecstatic to have a hand in redirecting the spotlight in his direction is an understatement.

Professionally speaking, Darryl has been great to work with. From character design to page layout, he’s impressed us with his dedication to the project and his willingness to do whatever it takes to make the project look incredible. We honestly couldn’t have asked for a better experience or collaborator.

Question: Who else is on the creative team or is contributing to helping bring Horizon’s End to its final form?

Chris: We’ve been blessed to work with some of the finest talents in the comic industry. Our colorist, Moose Baumann, has worked on hundreds of comics for Marvel, DC, Valiant, Dark Horse, and just about every other publisher over the past twenty years. Troy Peteri is going to do the lettering, and he may be the busiest man in the comics. Currently, he’s working with Mark Waid’s Thrillbent imprint, Top Cow, and many other areas as both letterer and writer. And let’s not forget our eye catching logo, which was designed by the incomparable Dave Lanphear. Then of course that’s all capped off with the fantastic cover Stephane Roux did for us!

Going past the people actively involved in the graphic novel, numerous pros are contributing artwork. These one-of-a-kind pieces will be available as Kickstarter rewards. World famous talents like Mike Grell, Mikel Janin, Barry Kitson, Todd Nauck, Jim Calafiore, and Ryan Benjamin will offer sketches of our cast, and many of them will be printed in the book. I think it’s fair to say that Horizon’s End is packed front to back with some amazing creators!

Question: Based on pictures you have posted on Horizon’s End Facebook page we can assume it’s a scifi graphic novel, would you like to tell us of when and where the story is taking place?

Chris: Talking real life for a minute, let me say, I’m a firm believer that the universe is inhabited by beings outside of our solar system. Horizon’s End could be going on somewhere out there in the midnight sea of space. Imagine a galaxy where a malevolent force, The Black Dominion, is running roughshod from planet to planet taking anything they want. This particular adventure occurs on the planet Usyel as its pre-industrial civilization is terrorized by the superior might of the Dominion. Hope seems lost and a miserable life strip-mining their own planet is the only option for most residents of Usyel.

Question: Does the story concern a protagonist and its supporting cast, a team of powered individuals or something completely different?

Chris: Andara is the key protagonist, and her arrival on Usyel sets our story in motion. She has tremendous strength, endurance, and amplified fighting abilities. She’s bent on revenge, but how will that help an enslaved world? The will of the people of the planet have been so thoroughly subjugated Andara must find a way to fashion a resistance to the oppressors. In short, it’s revenge and revolution.

Question: What makes it different from the mainstream comics that are being published at the moment? Is it the story, the art, the characters or something else?

Daron: You mean besides the fact that it’s being written and drawn by people who aren’t currently doing any mainstream comics?

Chris: Daron and I aren’t trying to reinvent the comic book. Horizon’s End can almost be considered our love letter to the comics, novels, movies, and television shows that were a seminal part of our coming of age. We may not be creators in the mainstream of today’s comic market, but I feel that Horizon’s End would fit in on the shelf of any comic shop in the world. It’s a fantasy, space opera with grand battles and a coming of age quest. We hope it’s a blast for everyone to read!

Question: Being a graphic novel will it appeal only to comic book fans or will it have a broader range of readers who will find interest in it?

Daron: Our goal is for the book to appeal to science fiction fans as much as comic book fans. The project is very much influenced by our mutual love for science fiction and super heroes, and we’ve tried to find the right balance between the two.

Chris and I are both unabashed classic Sci-Fi fans, and we haven’t in anyway tried to hide our influences. We proudly wear our inspiration on our sleeves, and readers should easily be able to see them in our work. We’re hoping this honest admiration for what came before inspires our readers and help them appreciate what we’re trying to do with this story.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2020859758/horizons-end

Question: Is there any possibility to see a Horizon’s End sequel exploring and expanding its story or is it a one shot?

Daron: If we have anything to say about it there will most definitely be more Horizon’s End *ahem* on the horizon. We have the story planned as a series of graphic novels that tell Andara’s ongoing story as she ages and finds her place in the universe. The creation of those further adventures will be entirely dependent on how the first book is received and if there’s a demand for more.

With all that said, what’s presented in this first book is a complete story. We’ve come up with an ending that we feel is satisfying, while at the same time points to further adventures to come. Think Star Wars: A New Hope or The Matrix. Either franchise could have ended with the first film and viewers could have been satisfied, but they also nicely paved the way for future movies.

Chris: Sometimes storytellers take for granted how invested a reader will be in their world. We don’t assume there will be more Horizon’s End stories, so we’re not holding anything back. We want to give every reader their money’s worth with a beginning, middle, and end. Our hope is that you’ll ask for more!

Question: Last question in summary what is Horizon’s End about and why will people have a blast reading it?

Daron: Simply put, Horizon’s End is a high-energy Sci-Fi romp focused on character driven stories that touch on engaging themes everyone can relate to. It’s a story about self-discovery and accountability set against the backdrop of alien worlds. Plus, are you seeing this art? Darryl Banks and Moose Baumann: what else needs to be said?

Thank you both for the time for this interview! I hope the best for “Horizon’s End” which I’m more than sure it will be a big success! There are more than enough pages to read created by several of the most talented people! “Horizon’s End” for me seems to be an ultimate sc-fi graphic novel for every comic fan that will enjoy reading!

Con Barbatsis for eCharta

Like it on Facebook  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Horizons-End/281816161954456?fref=ts

Our photographs

We love Primarolia photos. We can’t wait to see them for sale on our site.

primarolia NYC

Me and my wife we love photography. We love to shoot anything with any camera we’re holding at that moment. We know that moments are unique. We live them once in our life time. No moment is repeated. That’s it. Once. You have it or you lose it forever. So, we agreed always have our camera with us without lugging our whole photo bag or a tripod around like a tourist in our own town; just have our camera body and one lens handy.

We took some pictures in the day Sandy hurricane was approaching NYC. It sucks walking in the street and seeing something awesome and not having my camera with me to capture that perfect slice of time!But I had it at this particular moment. And you can see Mercer street empty just a few hours before Sandy hits.

This is a street photography and I believe street…

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New X-Men – Read it and enjoy it

Let’s see this all new X-Men title by fan favorite creators writer Brian Wood and artist Olivier Coipel along with the talented colorist Laura Martin and inker Mark Morales. There has been much anticipation for this X title due its new twist.  This time the roster consists of a full cast of X-Women Storm, Kitty Pryde, Rogue, Rachel Grey, Psylocke and Jubilee and it seems that many more will be featured and referred to from all ages of X-Men history from the youngest to the eldest.

I too anticipated with a thrill this comic because it features my favorite female heroines from all the Marvel Universe and wanted to see how Brian Wood will handle this comic. All the characters have a big history and are known for having the strongest most dynamic personalities which thankfully Chris Claremont had built a couple of decades ago. So did Brian Wood do justice to these heroines? Yes he definitely did.

Each heroine is shown strong and dynamic using their powers as an extension of their personalities.  All of them know their place on the team and how they will be more useful in achieving to save a situation from a fatal disaster.  They are well-trained heroines who take the initiative to act upon a critical moment but also know when to follow orders and listen to suggestions.  It’s been a very long time since I’ve seen such a well-organized full functional group that use methodical tactics in an almost successful way.  This does not mean that their individual personalities aren’t fleshed out.

Storm is portrayed as the ultimate confident leader, Kitty shows her usual wittiness and cheekiness, Psylocke is lethal and a strong inquisitor, Rogue has full control of her powers and is more passionate in using them; all seven of are in character to the point.  They are not weak insecure females, they do not flaunt their powers and physiques they are strong confident heroines but above all with a realistic human personality.

Brian Wood has built a strong character driven comic with a lot of emotional and action moments perfectly balanced.  He has created a story arc where the main villain is considered an extreme threat and you understand this by the terrified reaction another arch nemesis of the X-Men has when he realizes the villain is in the X-Mansion.  Also from issue one Brian Wood is weaving a new plot thread concerning the students which eventual will become a main story at some point.  Story wise it’s a great issue one promising even greater ones in the future.

Now the art is fantastic Olivier Coipel has given his best work.  It’s beautifully drawn with an excellent storytelling and great perspective angles.  Each character is drawn with a different body language showing both attitude and personality.  Also colors by Laura Martin and inks by Mark Morales compliment the art making it a visual delight.  The art on this comic is simply brilliant its level is so high that you cannot distinguish it as something separate from the story. You have to see it to understand how good it is.

So the new X-Men title has succeeded in delivering an amazing issue one and we have to thank this brilliant creative team that has approached it with total respect both for the heroines and for the readers. It’s not about how the women of X are perceived but a team book with individuals who are shown to us in the best way; dynamic, powerful and strong-minded.  This is a comic book I strongly suggest to read because it promises a lot of thrilling moments in the future which people will be talking about for a long time with satisfaction.

Read it and enjoy it!

Con Barbatsis for eCharta