Super Heroes with vices Part 1 Cigar Smokers

Super Heroes, at least the Marvel and DC types, are a stuffy old lot.  They live by a boy scout code, and they aspire to be paragons of righteous action and clean living.

Or do they...

There are a few superheroes that many can name that enjoy the occasional cigar, or the odd drink.  But is it just a few?  Read on...

Part 1

Cigar Smokers

The Thing, from the Fantastic Four, is a classic example of a big, orange, rocky guy who loves to chomp on a cigar.

And, of course, Wolverine, from the X-Men, is partial to the odd stoogie as well.

The Uncanny X-Men had a few other cigar smokers, such as Storm...

And...Kitty Pride?!?

Colonel (former Sergeant) Nick Fury, of S.H.I.E.L.D. ( The Strategic Hazard Intervention Espionage Logistics Directorate).  (Formerly the Supreme Headquarters, International Espionage, Law-Enforcement Division) is was rarely seen without a cigar either in his hand or in his mouth.  He fought all of World War II constantly chain-smoking cigars, and his early days of S.H.I.E.L.D. were a thick haze of cigar smoke.  He even jumped from airplanes with cigar in hand!

Smoking cigars seemed to be a S.H.I.E.L.D. thing, as Dum Dum Dugan was also a cigar-chompin' hard guy, and former Howling Commando along with Sgt. Nick in WWII.

Some not-so-human characters seemed to enjoy cigar smoking as well, including Pip the Troll, the Laxidazian (yes, really), from the planet Laxidazia, fourth from the sun in the Dolenz star system in the Milky Way galaxy.

And Howard the Duck

Lobo (from the planet Czarnia) is very fond of cigars

As is Hellboy, who comes from wherever the hell he comes from.  Possibly even Hell.

And while not superheroes as such, both editors of the newspapers from the Marvel and DC Universes (J Jonah Jameson, former editor of the Daily Bugle, currently Mayor of Marvel New York City, and Perry White, editor of the Daily Planet) are cigar smokers.

So here's to the cigar smokers of the super hero world!

Cigars can be seen to represent class, sophistication and power, and are often associated with characters like that, or who think they are like that.  Of course, you would never, ever catch someone like, say Superman, smoking a cigar, now would we...

(pictures used without permission, but with lots of love and respect.  Please don't sue me...)

Next, cigarette smokers

Japan Bonus Level

  Here are some more photos I took over in Japan on my recent visit.  All of the photos taken were in Tokyo, unless otherwise stated.  It's a random mix of images, presented with no other thematic
relationship, other than being from Japan.  Enjoy.

   Icicles in Gunma, not far from the onsen (hot springs resort) where we stayed.   

 No, not London, as you may have guessed from the double-decker bus, but Roppongi, just in front of Midtown. 

 Roppongi Crossing, with a sparkle filter. 

 Kabuki-cho, Shinjuku

 This Onsen (hot springs resort) is the Shima Onsen in Gunma Prefecture (100 kn north-west of Tokyo).  This 80 year old onsen is serviced by a 320 year old ryokan (Japanese inn).  More recently, it served as one source of inspiration for the bathouse in Sen to Chihiro no Kami Kakushi (Spirited Away), the Studio Ghibli anime masterpiece from Hayao Miyazaki.

 Snow and an Ishi-Doro (Stone Lantern) in Gunma

 Chochin (Paper Lanterns) in Shinjuku

 The Spider sculpture and the Mori Building, Roppongi (Roppongi Hills).

 Underground walkway leading to Shinjuku station, the world's busiest train station. (An average of 3.64 million people use Shinjuku station daily)

 Above some train lines, Shinjuku

 Ghost footprints, Shibuya, near Shibuya Crossing.

 Kiosk, Shinjuku station

 Vending machine, Shinjuku station

 Sweets are raised to an artform (Shinjuku station)

 Shinjuku at night

 Underground, leading to Shinjuku station

 The Tokyo Kokusai Forum (International Forum), Yurakucho, near Tokyo Station. 

Unrestricted advertising, Kabukicho, Shinjuku

  My images do not belong to the Public Domain. All images in this portfolio are owned and © copyrighted by Peter Pascoe. Any reproduction, modification, publication, transmission, transfer, or exploitation of any of the content, for personal or commercial use, whether in whole or in part, without written permission from myself is prohibited by law. All rights reserved.

Framed in Shibuya

    Walking around Shibuya in Tokyo with an empty frame is a great way to meet people, a great excuse to take pictures, and just plain fun.  Thanks to everyone that consented to being a part of this little project, and a big thanks to Claw, for being my frame-holder for the majority of the shots. 

My images do not belong to the Public Domain. All images in this portfolio are owned and © copyrighted by Peter Pascoe. Any reproduction, modification, publication, transmission, transfer, or exploitation of any of the content, for personal or commercial use, whether in whole or in part, without written permission from myself is prohibited by law. All rights reserved.