GhostDancer

Largely a cross post, such a creature appears in one of the MHI novels - Yoshitoshi, the Spider Princess, is a Tsuchigumo (土蜘蛛), literally translated "dirt/earth spider", a historical Japanese derogatory term for renegade local clans, and also the name for a race of spider-like yōkai in Japanese folklore. Like others of her kind, she has no allegiance to the Japanese Emperor, and she only looks human. Her monstrous true form is seen by who are Stunned, or when she is Stunned, Knocked out, or asleep. A Tsuchigumo is described as being a spider that has lived long enough to gain magical powers. Using said powers it can disguise it's true form as that of a human. All the stories seem to indicate that they all turn themselves into lovely women, suggesting that much like the kitsune the "woman" you see can actually be a male or female creature. The standard it seems for the Tsuchigumo is that once they have disguised themselves as a woman they will find a semi secluded place and wait for a human (usually male) to show up. The tales vary; some tell of the Tsuchigumo asking individuals to marry them (with often disastrous results) or ask someone to care for their baby which is later discovered to be the spider's egg sack. There are also stories of men falling in love with the Tsuchigumo and slowly die as she drains his life away every time he goes to see her. The most common however seems to be that the Tsuchigumo will find a safe place to wait and lure a an to sit with her as she plays her Biwa, a Japanese instrument. It is said her playing is so beautiful that the man doesn't notice he's being cocooned until it's too late. Soon after the Tsuchigumo devours it's victim or feeds them to it's young. There is however another aspect to the Tsuchigumo, a legend tells of a man who was down by a waterfall in Kashikobuch (meaning "clever abyss") and managed to escape the web trap the Tsuchigumo had laid by wrapping it around a stump. After she tore the stump out of the ground and into the water he fled, but as he ran he heard her voice call out, "How clever, how clever!". It seems she was so impressed by his escape and decided to reward humans as a whole; as she is now worshiped there as a a goddess who protects the residents from drowning. There is still a shrine standing there in her honor. Yoshitoshi has four Invisible Extra Limbs with exoskeleton Armor, the body of a tiger, and the head of a demon. Her blood is white. She has a suite of spider Powers: Clinging, and 25 Multipower Spider Webs, Susceptible to Flame (-1) 1) Entangle 4d6 DEF 4, 1/2 END (+1/4), 1 2) Stretching 4", No END (+1/2), 1 3) Swinging 15", 4x NCM, No END (+1/2) An idea for her use as a Player Character would be to have her bodyguards slain in action (in play), and then offer employment to our other Player Characters as bodyguards. They may have to spar with her to show their skills. Funerals may also be role-played. There is plenty of room for improvement of her illusion ability. For use of her as a Player Character, I recommend her Hand-to-Hand damage not exceed the PC average, given that she can blindside a foe with her Invisible Spider Limbs. If her Player wants to keep the other Players unaware of this exact capacity, this could be referred to as her Shadowless Strike. Perhaps her mother is known as Our Lady, Queen of Secrets.

1858 Minnesota became the 32nd state in the United States. 1894 The Pullman Strike began. 1949 Siam changed its name to Thailand. 1960 Israeli agents captured Nazi Adolf Eichmann in Argentina. 1973 Charges against Daniel Ellsberg for his role in the Pentagon Papers case were dismissed. 1981 Reggae performer Bob Marley died of cancer in Miami at the age of 36. 1997 IBM's supercomputer, Deep Blue defeated Garry Kasparov, the reigning world champion, in a six game chess match (2 for blue, 1 for Kasparov, and 3 ties). 1998 India set off atomic blasts. 2003 91% of Lithuanian voters opted to join the European Union—the first former Soviet nation to do so.

So glad you're still here to pester us!

1775 Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Boys captured Fort Ticonderoga from the British. 1863 Confederate General Stonewall Jackson died after being accidentally shot by his own troops. 1869 The United States’ first transcontinental railroad was completed with a ceremony in Promontory Summit, Utah. 1924 J. Edgar Hoover became director of the FBI. 1940 Winston Churchill succeeded Neville Chamberlain as British prime minister. 1994 Nelson Mandela was sworn in as South Africa's first black president.

You have reached your quota of positive votes for the day

In addition, 1794 Antoine Laurent Lavoisier, the father of modern chemistry, was guillotined during the Reign of Terror. 1877 The first Westminister Dog Show was held. 1902 Mount Pelee on Martinique erupted, destroying the town of St. Pierre, and killing 40,000 people. 1973 The 10-week Wounded Knee occupation ended when members of the American Indian Movementsurrendered. 1978 David Berkowitz, a.k.a. the “Son of Sam,” plead guilty to killing six people in New York City. 1999 The Citadel in South Carolina graduated its first female cadet, Nancy Mace.

First cartoon TV version of a comic book superhero lead in a feature-length movie?

I just did a build like this, largely based on a real person - she is a cross-post from Martial Hero: Red Lady (Ulaan Khatun) Also Known As: Red Widow, Persian Princess Background: Red Lady is a noble traveler from the Ilkhanate, the independent Mongol state centered in Iran. She is the paternal aunt of Ghazan and Kharbanda [O ̈ ljeitu ̈ Ilkhan]. Among the Mongols, she is greatly respected, often referred to, highly revered and her words are valued and appreciated. She is sharp-minded and courageous, skilled in horsemanship [dha ̄tshaha ̄mahwa-furu ̄siyyah]. She was married to Urab, and her dwellings were not far from the borders of the lands of Islam, the Mamluk Sultanate. When her husband was murdered, she rode on her own and killed his killer, beheaded him and hanged his head on the collar of her horse. It stayed there for a long time until she was approached about it and she then got rid of it. Some say that she only got rid of it when instructed by a royal decree [yarligh]. She never married again after Urab. Aqqush al-Afram desired to marry her. He wrote to her about this and the Mamluk sultan and Sala ̄r started writing about him. He offered her Homs and its environs as a marriage gift [.sada ̄q] but she drove away his envoys and answered them with rejection. She said: “I advise faithfully [an.sah.u] the people of Muhammad, may peace be upon him. I do not advise this person or the other and if my words of advice [muna ̄.sah.a ̄t ̄ı] in favour of the Muslims are what stirred al-Afram’s interest in me, then I shall not continue to give them good advice [una ̄.sih. uhum]. How does al-Afram dare to approach me? Who is al-Afram? My most insignificant horse groom [ku ̄talj ̄ı] is like al-Afram.” Personality: Red Lady loves good deeds and the benevolent. She dislikes the diminishing role of women with the Islamization of her home, so she headed east. Quote: "We are amused." Powers/Tactics: She has the prowess of a classic Mongol warrior, which includes the slyness of a hunter. Campaign Use: She needs new bodyguards and such, and will invite our characters to apply for the jobs. Val Char Cost 13 STR 3 14 DEX 12 13 CON 6 12 BODY 4 13 INT 3 11 EGO 2 15 PRE 5 16 COM 0 6 PD 3 6 ED 3 4 SPD 16 6 REC 0 26 END 0 26 STUN 0 6" RUN 0 2" SWIM 0 2 1/2" LEAP 0 Characteristics Cost: 50 Cost Martial Arts Maneuver 3 Defensive Shot: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, +2 DCV, Range +0, Strike 4 Choke Hold: 1/2 Phase, -2 OCV, +0 DCV, Grab One Limb; 2d6 NND 3 Martial Grab: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, -1 DCV, Grab Two Limbs, 23 STR for holding on 3 Martial Throw: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +1 DCV, 2 1/2d6 +v/5, Target Falls 4 Jink: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +4 DCV, FMove, Dodge, Mounted Or On Foot 3 Weapon Element: Axes, Maces, Hammers, and Picks, Blades, Lances Martial Arts Cost: 20 Cost Skill 2 Animal Handler 12- 3 Breakfall 12- 3 Charm aka Seduction 12-, 14- vs. Mongols 3 High Society 12-, 14- vs. Mongols 2 KS: Archery 11- 2 KS: Wrestling 11- 3 PS: Hunter 12- 1 Language: Old Mandarin (basic conversation) 3 Language: Persian (fluent conversation, literate) 0 Language: Mongolian (idiomatic) 3 Paramedics 12- 2 Navigation 12- 3 Persuasion 12-, 14- vs. Mongols 3 Riding 12- 3 Stealth 12- 3 Tactics 12- 3 Teamwork 12- 3 Tracking 12- 2 Weaponsmith (Bows) 12- 0 Everyman Skill- KS: Mongol Culture 8- 2 WP: Classic Mongol Weapons Skills Cost: 49 Cost Talent 8 Mounted Warrior (HTH and Ranged Combat) Talents Cost: 8 Cost Perquisites 2 Fringe Benefit: Member of Lower Nobility 5 Money: Very Well Off 4 Reputation: Mongols appreciate, respect, value and highly revere her, 14- Perquisites Cost: 11 Cost Equipment 0 Brigandine Armor: 4 PD/4 ED, OIF 0 Small Shield: +1 DCV, 5 STR Min, OAF 0 Survival Kit: +1 with Climbing, Mending, Navigation, Paramedic and Survival, OAF 0 Lasso: Entangle 5d6, 5 DEF, Entangle and Character Both Take Damage, 1 Recoverable Charge, 6m Range 0 Small Axe: Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 1d6+1, 0 END, OAF, 8 STR Min 0 Scimitar: Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 1d6+1, 0 END, OAF, 12 STR Min 0 Lance: Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 1d6+1, 0 END, OAF, 12 STR Minimum, No STR Bonus 0 Medium Bow, 1d6+1K, STR Min 9, 16 Recoverable Charges, OAF, 2H, 350m Range 0 Heavy Bow, 1 1/2d6K, STR Min 10, 16 Recoverable Charges, OAF, 2H, 350m Range 0 Frog Crotch Arrows, 1d6K, 8 Recoverable Charges, OAF, 2H, 150m Range [Notes: Designed to cut lanyards, bowstrings, etc.] 0 Willow Leaf Arrows, 1d6K AP, 8 Recoverable Charges, OAF, 2H, 350m Range 0 Whistler Arrows: +15 PRE, Signals or Inspires Fear only plus 1d6K, 8 Recoverable Charges, OAF, 2H, 150m Range 0 Flaming Arrows: 1d6K, Sticky, Continuous, 8 Continuing Charges lasting 5 Minutes each, OAF, 2H, 225m Range 0 8888 cash Total Character Cost: 138 Pts. Disadvantage 10 Distinctive Features: Mongol Warrior: (Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses) 20 Hunted by Shih (Chinese Knights): 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Harshly Punish) 15 Reputation: Merciless Raider from the Steppes, 11- (Extreme) 10 Social Limitation: Subject to Orders (Frequently, Minor) Disadvantage Points: 55 Base Points: 100 Experience Required: 0 Total Experience Available: 17 Experience Unspent: 17

1901 New York became the first state to require license plates on cars. 1915 British, Australian, and New Zealand forces landed at Gallipoli. 1928 The first seeing eye dog was presented to Morris S. Frank. 1945 Delegates met in San Francisco to organize the United Nations. 1953 The Francis Crick and James Watson article describing the double helix of DNA is published in the magazine Nature. 1959 The St. Lawrence Seaway opened to shipping. 1960 Peanuts character Lucy Van Pelt made a statement that became a book title, as well as one of the most-parodied utterances in comics history. Lucy's famous sentence, "Happiness is a Warm Puppy." 1990 Violeta Barrios de Chamorro was inaugurated as president of Nicaragua. 1992 Islamic forces took over most of Kabul, Afghanistan after the Soviet-controlled government collapsed. 2003 The Georgia legislature voted to scrap the "Confederate flag" design from its state flag.

Red Lady (Ulaan Khatun) Also Known As: Red Widow, Persian Princess Background: Red Lady is a noble traveler from the Ilkhanate, the independent Mongol state centered in Iran. She is the paternal aunt of Ghazan and Kharbanda [O ̈ ljeitu ̈ Ilkhan]. Among the Mongols, she is greatly respected, often referred to, highly revered and her words are valued and appreciated. She is sharp-minded and courageous, skilled in horsemanship [dha ̄tshaha ̄mahwa-furu ̄siyyah]. She was married to Urab, and her dwellings were not far from the borders of the lands of Islam, the Mamluk Sultanate. When her husband was murdered, she rode on her own and killed his killer, beheaded him and hanged his head on the collar of her horse. It stayed there for a long time until she was approached about it and she then got rid of it. Some say that she only got rid of it when instructed by a royal decree [yarligh]. She never married again after Urab. Aqqush al-Afram desired to marry her. He wrote to her about this and the Mamluk sultan and Sala ̄r started writing about him. He offered her Homs and its environs as a marriage gift [.sada ̄q] but she drove away his envoys and answered them with rejection. She said: “I advise faithfully [an.sah.u] the people of Muhammad, may peace be upon him. I do not advise this person or the other and if my words of advice [muna ̄.sah.a ̄t ̄ı] in favour of the Muslims are what stirred al-Afram’s interest in me, then I shall not continue to give them good advice [una ̄.sih. uhum]. How does al-Afram dare to approach me? Who is al-Afram? My most insignificant horse groom [ku ̄talj ̄ı] is like al-Afram.” Personality: Red Lady loves good deeds and the benevolent. She dislikes the diminishing role of women with the Islamization of her home, so she headed east. Quote: "We are amused." Powers/Tactics: She has the prowess of a classic Mongol warrior, which includes the slyness of a hunter. Campaign Use: She needs new bodyguards and such, and will invite our characters to apply for the jobs. Val Char Cost 13 STR 3 14 DEX 12 13 CON 6 12 BODY 4 13 INT 3 11 EGO 2 15 PRE 5 16 COM 0 6 PD 3 6 ED 3 4 SPD 16 6 REC 0 26 END 0 26 STUN 0 6" RUN 0 2" SWIM 0 2 1/2" LEAP 0 Characteristics Cost: 50 Cost Martial Arts Maneuver 3 Defensive Shot: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, +2 DCV, Range +0, Strike 4 Choke Hold: 1/2 Phase, -2 OCV, +0 DCV, Grab One Limb; 2d6 NND 3 Martial Grab: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, -1 DCV, Grab Two Limbs, 23 STR for holding on 3 Martial Throw: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +1 DCV, 2 1/2d6 +v/5, Target Falls 4 Jink: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +4 DCV, FMove, Dodge, Mounted Or On Foot 3 Weapon Element: Axes, Maces, Hammers, and Picks, Blades, Lances Martial Arts Cost: 20 Cost Skill 2 Animal Handler 12- 3 Breakfall 12- 3 Charm aka Seduction 12-, 14- vs. Mongols 3 High Society 12-, 14- vs. Mongols 2 KS: Archery 11- 2 KS: Wrestling 11- 3 PS: Hunter 12- 1 Language: Old Mandarin (basic conversation) 3 Language: Persian (fluent conversation, literate) 0 Language: Mongolian (idiomatic) 3 Paramedics 12- 2 Navigation 12- 3 Persuasion 12-, 14- vs. Mongols 3 Riding 12- 3 Stealth 12- 3 Tactics 12- 3 Teamwork 12- 3 Tracking 12- 2 Weaponsmith (Bows) 12- 0 Everyman Skill- KS: Mongol Culture 8- 2 WP: Classic Mongol Weapons Skills Cost: 49 Cost Talent 8 Mounted Warrior (HTH and Ranged Combat) Talents Cost: 8 Cost Perquisites 2 Fringe Benefit: Member of Lower Nobility 5 Money: Very Well Off 4 Reputation: Mongols appreciate, respect, value and highly revere her, 14- Perquisites Cost: 11 Cost Equipment 0 Brigandine Armor: 4 PD/4 ED, OIF 0 Small Shield: +1 DCV, 5 STR Min, OAF 0 Survival Kit: +1 with Climbing, Mending, Navigation, Paramedic and Survival, OAF 0 Lasso: Entangle 5d6, 5 DEF, Entangle and Character Both Take Damage, 1 Recoverable Charge, 6m Range 0 Small Axe: Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 1d6+1, 0 END, OAF, 8 STR Min 0 Scimitar: Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 1d6+1, 0 END, OAF, 12 STR Min 0 Lance: Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 1d6+1, 0 END, OAF, 12 STR Minimum, No STR Bonus 0 Medium Bow, 1d6+1K, STR Min 9, 16 Recoverable Charges, OAF, 2H, 350m Range 0 Heavy Bow, 1 1/2d6K, STR Min 10, 16 Recoverable Charges, OAF, 2H, 350m Range 0 Frog Crotch Arrows, 1d6K, 8 Recoverable Charges, OAF, 2H, 150m Range [Notes: Designed to cut lanyards, bowstrings, etc.] 0 Willow Leaf Arrows, 1d6K AP, 8 Recoverable Charges, OAF, 2H, 350m Range 0 Whistler Arrows: +15 PRE, Signals or Inspires Fear only plus 1d6K, 8 Recoverable Charges, OAF, 2H, 150m Range 0 Flaming Arrows: 1d6K, Sticky, Continuous, 8 Continuing Charges lasting 5 Minutes each, OAF, 2H, 225m Range 0 8888 cash Total Character Cost: 138 Pts. Disadvantage 10 Distinctive Features: Mongol Warrior: (Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses) 20 Hunted by Shih (Chinese Knights): 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Harshly Punish) 15 Reputation: Merciless Raider from the Steppes, 11- (Extreme) 10 Social Limitation: Subject to Orders (Frequently, Minor) Disadvantage Points: 55 Base Points: 100 Experience Required: 0 Total Experience Available: 17 Experience Unspent: 17

Thanks, steriaca. Not too wire-fu, Wild Martial Arts Type One. We did have a general's daughter player character in another such game! Re: doctor type - my shaman pregen is a healer.

1836 Texan army under Sam Houston defeated Mexicans in the Battle of San Jacinto. 1910 Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain), author of the novel Huckleberry Finn, died at the age of 74. 1918 Baron Manfred von Richthofen, the notorious World War I German flying ace known as the "Red Baron," was killed in action today. 1960 Brazil inaugurated its new capital, Brasilia. 1975 South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu resigned. 1980 Rosie Ruiz was the first woman to cross the finish line at the Boston Marathon. She was later disqualified for cheating. 1991 Daffy Duck, Winnie the Pooh, Alvin and many others teamed up to warn kids about the dangers of using drugs. All of the major TV networks simultaneously broadcast Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue. 1995 Timothy McVeigh was arrested in connection with the Oklahoma City bombing. 1997 The ashes of Timothy Leary, Gene Roddenberry, and 22 others blasted into space for the first space funerals.

1775 The "shot heard around the world" was fired. Colonial Minute Men took on British Army regulars at Lexington and Concord, Mass., starting the American Revolution. 1824 Lord Byron died of a fever while helping the Greeks fight the Turks. 1882 Naturalist Charles Darwin, developer of the theory of evolution, died. 1897 The first Boston Marathon was run. 1933 The United States went off the gold standard. 1943 The Warsaw ghetto uprising began, one of the first mass rebellions against the Nazis. 1993 The siege at Waco, Texas, ended when FBI moved into the Branch Davidian compound with tear gas and cult members set fire to the compound killing over 80 people. 1995 The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Okla., was destroyed by a car bomb. 168 people, including 19 children were killed in the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history up to that time. 2000 TV version of a comic book superhero appeared in a feature-length movie. Batman Beyond: Return of The Joker. 2005 Germany's Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI.

Champions Day (also known as "Day of Champions" or "City of Champions Day") is a special day that was set aside in to commemorate a number of sporting victories and accomplishments by Detroit, Michigan natives and teams in the early 1930s, and especially the 1935–36 sports season. This season was called "...the most amazing sweep of sport achievements ever credited to any single city" by the Windsor Daily Star. This sports season featured, among other Detroit national championships, the rise of Joe Louis in the professional boxing world, the Detroit Tigers winning their first World Series, the Detroit Lions winning their first NFL championship, and the Detroit Red Wings winning their first NHL championship.

1775 Paul Revere rode from Charlestown to Lexington to warn Massachusetts colonists of the arrival of British troops during the American Revolution. 1906 The Great San Francisco Earthquake destroyed over 4 sq mi. and killed over 500 people. 1923 The first game was played in Yankee Stadium (“the House that Ruth built”). Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 4–1. 1936 Champions Day (also known as "Day of Champions" or "City of Champions Day") is a special day that was set aside in to commemorate a number of sporting victories and accomplishments by Detroit, Michigan natives and teams in the early 1930s, and especially the 1935–36 sports season. This season was called "...the most amazing sweep of sport achievements ever credited to any single city" by the Windsor Daily Star. This sports season featured, among other Detroit national championships, the rise of Joe Louis in the professional boxing world, the Detroit Tigers winning their first World Series, the Detroit Lions winning their first NFL championship, and the Detroit Red Wings winning their first NHL championship. 1956 Grace Kelly married Prince Rainier of Monaco. 1968 London Bridge was sold to an American. It was rebuilt in Arizona. 1978 The U.S. Senate voted to hand over the Panama Canal to Panamanian control on Dec. 31, 1999. 2002 Afghanistan’s former king, Mohammad Zahir Shah, returned after 29 years in exile. 2012 American Bandstand and New Year's Rockin' Eve host Dick Clark died of heart failure.

I'd like to see your supers house rules, please.

1790 Benjamin Franklin, U.S. patriot, diplomat, and a signer of the Declaration of Independence, died in Philadelphia. 1895 The Sino-Japanese War ended with the signing of the Treaty of Shimonoseki. 1937 Daffy Duck made his debut in Porky's Duck Hunt. 1961 Supported by the U.S. government, 1,500 exiles made the unsuccessful Bay of Pigs invasion in Cuba. 1964 Geraldine Mock became the first woman to fly solo around the world. 1969 Sirhan Sirhan was convicted for the murder of Robert F. Kennedy. 1970 The Apollo 13 astronauts safely splashed down after their near-disastrous flight. 1975 Phnom Penh fell to the Khmer Rouge, ending the five year Cambodian war.

1775 Benjamin Rush was among those who founded the first American antislavery society. 1828 Noah Webster copyrighted the first edition of his dictionary. 1860 The first pony express rider reached his destination of San Francisco. He left St. Joseph, Mo., on April 3. Mongols did much the same six centuries earlier in Asia. 1865 Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. 1894 The first kinetoscope parlor opened in New York City. 1912 Titanic hit the iceberg that would sink her the next morning. 1969 In a record breaking night at the Academy Awards, a tie between Katherine Hepburn and Barbra Streisandresulted in the two sharing the the Best Actress Oscar and Hepburn broke the record as the only actress to win three Best Actress Oscars. 2002 Hugo Chávez returned as president of Venezuela after being forced out of office two days previously. 2003 Abu Abbas, the leader of the terrorist group Palestine Liberation Front when the group hijacked the liner Achille Lauro, was captured by U.S. forces in Iraq. 2010 An explosion in the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland results in a volcanic ash plume in the atmosphere over northern and central Europe. Air travel in the region is halted for several days.

1775 Benjamin Rush was among those who founded the first American antislavery society. 1828 Noah Webster copyrighted the first edition of his dictionary. 1860 The first pony express rider reached his destination of San Francisco. He left St. Joseph, Mo., on April 3. 1865 Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. 1894 The first kinetoscope parlor opened in New York City. 1912 Titanic hit the iceberg that would sink her the next morning. 1969 In a record breaking night at the Academy Awards, a tie between Katherine Hepburn and Barbra Streisandresulted in the two sharing the the Best Actress Oscar and Hepburn broke the record as the only actress to win three Best Actress Oscars. 2002 Hugo Chávez returned as president of Venezuela after being forced out of office two days previously. 2003 Abu Abbas, the leader of the terrorist group Palestine Liberation Front when the group hijacked the liner Achille Lauro, was captured by U.S. forces in Iraq. 2010 An explosion in the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland results in a volcanic ash plume in the atmosphere over northern and central Europe. Air travel in the region is halted for several days.

1861 The Civil War began when Fort Sumter was attacked. 1862 James J. Andrews led the raiding party that stole the Confederate locomotive "The General," inspiring the 1926 Buster Keaton movie. 1945 President Franklin Roosevelt died. 1955 The polio vaccine of Dr. Jonas Salk was called "safe, effective, and potent." 1961 Soviet cosmonaut Yuri A. Gagarin became the first human in space and also the first human to orbit the earth in a spacecraft. 1981 The first space shuttle, Columbia, took its first test flight. 1983 Harold Washington was elected Chicago’s first African-American mayor. 1999 Arkansas federal judge Susan Webber Wright found President Clinton in contempt of court for lying about his relationship with Monica Lewinsky. 2003 the Rugrats babies were seen at a later point in their lives for the second time, the first having been an anniversary special in 2001. Though the regular All Grown Up series was still several months off, it was in production.

1814 Napoleon was exiled to the island of Elba. 1899 The treaty ending the Spanish-American War took effect. 1921 Iowa imposed the first state cigarette tax. 1941 one of the first families of comics got a little bit bigger. Cookie Bumstead, Blondie's daughter, was born. 1945 Allies liberated Buchenwald concentration camp. 1951 President Harry Truman fired General Douglas McArthur. 1968 President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the 1968 Civil Rights Act. 1979 Ugandan dictator Idi Amin was overthrown. 1981 President Ronald Reagan returned to the White House after he was shot in an assassination attempt. 2007 Science-fiction writer Kurt Vonnegut died in New York City at age 84.

1862 Gen. Ulysses S. Grant defeated the Confederates at the battle of Shiloh. 1913 5,000 suffragists march to the Capitol in Washington, D.C. , seeking the vote for women. 1927 U.S. secretary of commerce Herbert Hoover’s Washington speech was seen and heard in New York in the first long-distance television transmission. 1943 LSD was first produced at Sandoz Laboratorie in Basil, Switzerland, by Albert Hoffman. 1948 The World Health Organization, a UN agency, was founded. 1949 Rodgers’ and Hammerstein’s Pulitzer Prize winner, South Pacific opened on Broadway. 1994 Hutu extremists in Rwanda began massacring ethnic Tutsis and politically moderate Hutus. In 100 days of killing, an estimated 800,000 are murdered. 2003 Cécile de Brunhoff, creator of Babar the elephant, died. Astro Boy was "born," according to his 1951 origin story. 2009 Vermont becomes the fourth U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage, just days after Iowa becomes the third.

1830 Joseph Smith and five others organized the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Fayette, New York. 1862 The Battle of Shiloh in the American Civil War began. 1896 First modern Olympic Games opened in Athens, Greece. 1909 Robert Peary and Matthew Henson became the first to reach the North Pole. 1917 U.S. declared war on Germany and entered World War I. 1948 a future cartoonist who would specialize in matters forbidden by polite American society was born; Larry Todd, creator of Dr. Atomic. 1994 The presidents of Rwanda and Burundi were killed in a plane crash.

1614 Pocahontas married John Rolfe. 1792 George Washington cast the first presidential veto. 1887 Anne Sullivan makes the breakthrough to Helen Keller by spelling "water" in the manual alphabet. 1951 Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were sentenced to death for giving away atomic secrets to the Russians. 1955 Winston Churchill resigned as prime minister of Britain. 1971 Canadian Fran Phipps became the first woman to reach the North Pole. 1998 Creators Syndicate (Crank, Thatch) launched a comic based on a popular TV show from Nickelodeon (Ren & Stimpy, The Wild Thornberrys). Rugrats became a daily and Sunday newspaper. 1999 Libya gave over two suspects in the Lockerbie, Scotland Pan Am bombing.

1818 Congress adopted a U.S. flag with one star for each state. 1841 President William Henry Harrison died from pneumonia, one month after his inauguration. 1905 Earthquake in Kangra, India, killed more than 20,000. 1945 The Ohrdruf death camp was liberated from Nazi occupation. 1949 The treaty establishing the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was signed. 1968 Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated. 1973 The ribbon was cut to open the World Trade Center in New York City. 1979 Pakistan prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was executed by the military. 1981 Henry Cisneros became the mayor of San Antonio, Texas: the first Hispanic mayor of a major U.S. city. 1983 Sally Ride became the first U.S. woman in space aboard the space shuttle Challenger.