Marty Kopulsky (born October 12, 1965) is an American Hair and Wig Designer for theatre and television. He is well known for his work on Broadway and off with his high point in NYC was designing his first show on Broadway in 2005 (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee).
Also one of his favourite memories was working on Broadway with Farrah Fawcett on Bobbi Boland a play that was to open at the Cort Theatre but never did in late 2003.
Broadway work has included:
Cats (The Winter Garden Theatre), The Will Rogers Follies (The Palace Theatre) as a wig dresser.
Marty has been written about in books including:
Playbill yearbooks 1,2,3,4, Broadwayworld (volumes 6 & 7)
Also one of his favourite memories was working on Broadway with Farrah Fawcett on Bobbi Boland a play that was to open at the Cort Theatre but never did in late 2003.
Broadway work has included:
Cats (The Winter Garden Theatre), The Will Rogers Follies (The Palace Theatre) as a wig dresser.
Marty has been written about in books including:
Playbill yearbooks 1,2,3,4, Broadwayworld (volumes 6 & 7)
The Dempsey roll is boxing technique culled from the aggressive, bobbing and weaving style characteristic to the Heavyweight champion of the 1920s, Jack Dempsey. It is a "rolling" move that requires considerable speed and strength of the lower body. It begins with a series of dodging and ducking motions, using the abdomen and legs to turn the upper body. During this stage, the head and shoulders move in a near figure-eight pattern. As one speeds up, one moves forward a step at a time. Once approaching the opponent, one pushes with the legs and utilizes momentum created by the rolling motion to throw powerful, smooth punches, often hooks, to the body or head—while still moving back and forth in the figure-eight to keep up the momentum and avoid incoming punches. However, the simple and predictable side-to-side movement makes it vulnerable to well-aimed counterpunches and head-on shoves. The most effective use of the style requires that the boxer break his rhythms while approaching.
Long after the end of Dempsey's reign over the boxing world, his technique was used to great effect by boxers with similar builds and styles. Most notable of these was "Iron" Mike Tyson, whose short stature allowed him to duck under opponents' punches using the Roll far more easily than a taller boxer would have been able to, and whose enormous punching power resembled that of Dempsey himself
Fictional variations
In the course of the Fighting Spirit manga series, the main character Ippo Makunouchi develops variations of this technique to combat the numerous challenges he receives by other boxers that believe they can exploit the Dempsey Roll's weaknesses. In theory, the variations are based on actual boxer principles, but no actual boxer has been known to apply them in an actual fight. The variations include:
* Ippo's KO Pattern - Ippo used two of his best punches (Liver Blow and Gazelle Punch) to disorient his opponent, and immediately followed with the Dempsey Roll before his opponent could recuperate.
* Dempsey Roll Counter Counter - Knowing that the Dempsey Roll was weak against counters, Ippo added a brief pause to the momentum. By pausing when the opponent was about to counter, he would throw off their timing and restart the rolling motion to counter against the counter punch originally directed towards him.
* Dempsey Roll 360 (name in progress) - Developed as a way to remove the weakness of the Dempsey Roll's predictability, this variation ultimately would create a weaving pattern that could attack with either a hook or an uppercut. However, it is unknown whether or not Ippo himself can use this indefinitely, as he only attempted to weave into the uppercut once, and only as a finishing blow.
Videogame appearances
*The video game Victorious Boxers, based on the manga and anime series Fighting Spirit (Hajime no Ippo), includes the character of Ippo Makunouchi using the Dempsey Roll as a learned finishing move.
*The boxing character of Street Fighter III, Dudley, has a special move called "Rolling Thunder", which is in fact a sped up Dempsey Roll.
*In addition, Steve Fox (a boxing character in the fighting series Tekken) has a move called the "Endless Roll" which is also a variation of the Dempsey Roll.
*The King Of Fighters, a fighting video game that has a character called Vanessa added since The King Of Fighters 2000. Vanessa has a move called "Puncher Weaving" which is similar to the initial movement (ducking, dodging) of the Dempsy Roll, it is used to dodge projectile objects and jabs. However, it is not possible to move while performing it and The move ends with only one punch.
*In Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams, Roberto, a warrior with a boxing style while swaying side to side, with proper timing do a series of powerful hooks akin to a Dempsey roll.
Long after the end of Dempsey's reign over the boxing world, his technique was used to great effect by boxers with similar builds and styles. Most notable of these was "Iron" Mike Tyson, whose short stature allowed him to duck under opponents' punches using the Roll far more easily than a taller boxer would have been able to, and whose enormous punching power resembled that of Dempsey himself
Fictional variations
In the course of the Fighting Spirit manga series, the main character Ippo Makunouchi develops variations of this technique to combat the numerous challenges he receives by other boxers that believe they can exploit the Dempsey Roll's weaknesses. In theory, the variations are based on actual boxer principles, but no actual boxer has been known to apply them in an actual fight. The variations include:
* Ippo's KO Pattern - Ippo used two of his best punches (Liver Blow and Gazelle Punch) to disorient his opponent, and immediately followed with the Dempsey Roll before his opponent could recuperate.
* Dempsey Roll Counter Counter - Knowing that the Dempsey Roll was weak against counters, Ippo added a brief pause to the momentum. By pausing when the opponent was about to counter, he would throw off their timing and restart the rolling motion to counter against the counter punch originally directed towards him.
* Dempsey Roll 360 (name in progress) - Developed as a way to remove the weakness of the Dempsey Roll's predictability, this variation ultimately would create a weaving pattern that could attack with either a hook or an uppercut. However, it is unknown whether or not Ippo himself can use this indefinitely, as he only attempted to weave into the uppercut once, and only as a finishing blow.
Videogame appearances
*The video game Victorious Boxers, based on the manga and anime series Fighting Spirit (Hajime no Ippo), includes the character of Ippo Makunouchi using the Dempsey Roll as a learned finishing move.
*The boxing character of Street Fighter III, Dudley, has a special move called "Rolling Thunder", which is in fact a sped up Dempsey Roll.
*In addition, Steve Fox (a boxing character in the fighting series Tekken) has a move called the "Endless Roll" which is also a variation of the Dempsey Roll.
*The King Of Fighters, a fighting video game that has a character called Vanessa added since The King Of Fighters 2000. Vanessa has a move called "Puncher Weaving" which is similar to the initial movement (ducking, dodging) of the Dempsy Roll, it is used to dodge projectile objects and jabs. However, it is not possible to move while performing it and The move ends with only one punch.
*In Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams, Roberto, a warrior with a boxing style while swaying side to side, with proper timing do a series of powerful hooks akin to a Dempsey roll.
Kemal & Rob Data are a Scottish Drum & Bass DJ/production duo. Between 1999 and 2002 they released a great volume of techno drum and bass material, much of which holds anthem status in the Drum & Bass music scene. They recorded together as Konflict from 1999 to 2000.
Hailing from Glasgow, the two producers - real names Kemal Okan and Robert Rodgers - have a strong Techno influence in their music. With releases on labels such as Renegade Hardware (where they were signed under the name Konflict), Outbreak, Moving Shadow, Underfire, Audio Blueprint and their own short-lived Negative Recordings, their reputation as producers has preceded them far and wide. Their tracks are considered by to be among the greatest examples of the drum and bass sub-genres known as Techstep and Neurofunk.
In the wake of (and perhaps precipitated by) the huge success and rumours of financial displeasure surrounding their 2000 release "Messiah" (Renegade Hardware), Kemal and Rob Data left the label and the Konflict name behind, opting to go under their existing identities as Kemal & Rob Data. It is worth noting that though Kemal amassed a great deal of solo work as well as producing with Rob Data, he also has production credits alongside such artists as Dom & Roland, Technical Itch, Paul Reset, Black Sun Empire and Dresden Codex. Rob Data, for reasons unknown, has only ever produced with Kemal. In 2002 Rob quit DJing and production.
After the 2001 closing of Negative Recordings, Kemal launched Cryptic Audio; a label which has seen four releases in the space of three years, as well as spawning a short-lived live stage show.
In 2004, Kemal returned to his studies, only emerging for the occasional DJ set and to collaborate with Black Sun Empire on "Stranded" v1.0 & v2.0 (oBSEssions Recordings).
Progressively, Kemal moved away from the mainstream electronic scene and began to find inspiration in the diversity of the World music genre. Joining Nomad'iqa June 2004, Kemal wasted no time in adding extra oomph to live daff (frame drum), heading up the band's progressive Electronic Arabesque sound.
In 2005, Dutch trio Noisia and UK producer Spor remixed Konflict's biggest hit, "Messiah," for Renegade Hardware.
In 2006, Rob Data briefly returned to the Glasgow DJ circuit as an occasional guest at the now defunct Scottish Drum & Bass Sessions, an event loosely affiliated with ScottishDrumandBass.com -- though it is rumoured his style now encompasses a far broader spectrum than Drum & Bass.
Kemal has been indirectly (and possibly mis-) quoted as refusing to return to Drum & Bass while the scene remains in its current state, which may or may not be tied to an incident involving Clayton (founder and CEO of the Renegade Hardware label) over control of their hit tune "Messiah," during which Clayton, of his own admission in an interview on Dogs On Acid, purportedly forced compliance to his ownership of the song by way of "street methods".
Hailing from Glasgow, the two producers - real names Kemal Okan and Robert Rodgers - have a strong Techno influence in their music. With releases on labels such as Renegade Hardware (where they were signed under the name Konflict), Outbreak, Moving Shadow, Underfire, Audio Blueprint and their own short-lived Negative Recordings, their reputation as producers has preceded them far and wide. Their tracks are considered by to be among the greatest examples of the drum and bass sub-genres known as Techstep and Neurofunk.
In the wake of (and perhaps precipitated by) the huge success and rumours of financial displeasure surrounding their 2000 release "Messiah" (Renegade Hardware), Kemal and Rob Data left the label and the Konflict name behind, opting to go under their existing identities as Kemal & Rob Data. It is worth noting that though Kemal amassed a great deal of solo work as well as producing with Rob Data, he also has production credits alongside such artists as Dom & Roland, Technical Itch, Paul Reset, Black Sun Empire and Dresden Codex. Rob Data, for reasons unknown, has only ever produced with Kemal. In 2002 Rob quit DJing and production.
After the 2001 closing of Negative Recordings, Kemal launched Cryptic Audio; a label which has seen four releases in the space of three years, as well as spawning a short-lived live stage show.
In 2004, Kemal returned to his studies, only emerging for the occasional DJ set and to collaborate with Black Sun Empire on "Stranded" v1.0 & v2.0 (oBSEssions Recordings).
Progressively, Kemal moved away from the mainstream electronic scene and began to find inspiration in the diversity of the World music genre. Joining Nomad'iqa June 2004, Kemal wasted no time in adding extra oomph to live daff (frame drum), heading up the band's progressive Electronic Arabesque sound.
In 2005, Dutch trio Noisia and UK producer Spor remixed Konflict's biggest hit, "Messiah," for Renegade Hardware.
In 2006, Rob Data briefly returned to the Glasgow DJ circuit as an occasional guest at the now defunct Scottish Drum & Bass Sessions, an event loosely affiliated with ScottishDrumandBass.com -- though it is rumoured his style now encompasses a far broader spectrum than Drum & Bass.
Kemal has been indirectly (and possibly mis-) quoted as refusing to return to Drum & Bass while the scene remains in its current state, which may or may not be tied to an incident involving Clayton (founder and CEO of the Renegade Hardware label) over control of their hit tune "Messiah," during which Clayton, of his own admission in an interview on Dogs On Acid, purportedly forced compliance to his ownership of the song by way of "street methods".
Alek Knight is the antihero protagonist of the popular underground dark fantasy vampire series Slayer (Black Death Books, 2002) written by Karen Koehler. Slayer was first published in 2001 and has never been out of print. Alek and his world have been explored in several sequel novels, including Slayer: Black Miracles and Slayer: Stigmata.
Origins
An orphan left on the steps of an orphanage, Alek and his twin sister Debra had a troubled childhood, going through various foster homes before being discovered by the Coven, a secret sect of vampire slayers ordained and controlled by the Vatican. Amadeus, the master slayer of the New York City-based Coven, takes a personal interest in Alek, and after years of mental manipulation forces Alek to take the life of his sister in order to become a completely ordained member. Alek, like most members of the Coven, is a dhampir or half-vampire, who at times has trouble controlling his thirst for blood. Throughout the series, Alek and Amadeus' relationship would facilitate between many different extremes. In many ways, Amadeus is a sensei or father-figure to Alek, but they have sometimes crossed the line into close intimacy and they share a rocky mutual attraction to each other, but whether due to their blood bond or some other precursor has never been sufficiently explored.
Novels
Slayer itself takes place years after the death of Debra, when Alek is approached by a female vampire named Teresa desperately searching for a top-secret document previously owned by the Vatican but now lost. The document contains information that could conceivably upset the balance between humans and vampires. Alek takes it upon himself to search for the lost document while simultaneously trying to avoid the Coven at all costs, and in particularly Amadeus, who now considers him a rogue and betrayer to his sect. The document is eventually found hidden in a special niche beneath a carousel, but by the time it's been discovered there has already been a great loss of lives, including all of Alek's former Coven, as well as Teresa herself, who dies feeding him her own blood so he can take revenge on his former master. Finally, Alek and Amadeus are forced to face off over possession of the document and their battle takes place in the form of a Japanese swordfight with the use of sacred katana swords.
The sequel, Slayer: Black Miracles, again casts Alek Knight as the rather put-upon antihero dragged into battle when he'd much rather live in seclusion. The book contains two novellas, "Dragon's Blood", in which Alek faces off against the local New York Yakuza and its vampire emissary, and "Immortal", where Alek must battle a mad scientist at work on genetically modifying vampirekind. Both books were well-received by the underground audience.
Slayer: Stigmata is a self-contained novel and centers on a young girl named Damia who is feared to be the Antichrist by the Vatican. The Roman Catholic Church seeks her capture, but Damia gains Alek's trust and protection, and again he finds himself a wanted enemy of the church he once served. The book introduces readers to several new characters, including The Griever with his Grim Reaper-style scythe, Nostradamus, still alive and living off the blood of a vampire familiar, and Raven, an ancient vampire connected to Amadeus. The story also delves deeply into Amadeus' past and the origins and motivations behind the creation of the Coven, which is ultimately credited to him.
Short Stories
Alek has made two recent appearances in independent short stories. "Coffin Worm" (Horror World, February, 2006), and "The Sign of Six" in the collection The Blackburn & Scarletti Mysteries, Volume I by Karen Koehler. Both stories are considered a part of the Slayerverse canon.
Powers
Alek has shown a great aptitude for telepathy and a controlled out-of-body power he can initiate at will, called flight. He may also be capable of a low level of telekinesis, but he has only demonstrated this power in relation to the distance between himself and his sword, which will move toward him on command, sometimes covering great distances. He has a psychic link with those he has shared his blood with, and his power seems to grow in relation to the amount of blood he feeds on. As a dhampir, he has about half the powers and weaknesses of a vampire. He has a slight aversion to direct sunlight, but it will not destroy him. Additionally, he is immortal, can recover from severe wounds (though he is incapacitated, and can probably be killed, by iron weapons), and has not seemingly aged past the age of 33, even though he is well into his fifties by the time the first novel takes place. As an ordained Roman Catholic priest and long-time scholar of many subjects, his strength usually comes from his keen understanding and observation of the world.
The Slayerverse
As of 2005 the Slayer series is still being written by Karen Koehler. Slayer, and particularly the look and mannerisms of Alek Knight, are credited with beginning the underground-based industrial gothic movement , which is an urban-based subset of the traditional gothic movement with an emphasis on leather street wear and swordfights, and has inspired writers, gamers and vampire fans. It has its own unique fashion, etiquette and language. Slayer dress usually includes a long black Gestapo-style leather coat, called a Great Coat (in the books) or Knight Coat (among fans), chains and other weapons or metal fittings affixed to clothing, a katana sword, a long ponytail of hair, and a shuriken cross worn around the neck on a chain or pinned at the collar like a brooch. A shuriken cross is an amalgamation of a Roman Catholic cross and a Japanese shuriken star.
Slayer is currently being translated and published in various foreign editions, with the Greek language edition scheduled for release in 2007. Further novels and other projects in the franchise, including a comic adaptation, are currently being developed.
Trivia
*The first drafts of the novel were written in 1992 and subsequently submitted by the author to various publishers over the course of the next nine years. It was finally published in a self-published format for the first time in 2001, and is one of the first U.S. novel series to feature a dhampir protagonist.
*The novel's primary inspiration came from the Vampire Hunter D (1985) movie, based on the novels by Hideyui Kikuchi, though the physical appearance of Alek Knight was inspired by the late actor Brandon Lee as he appeared in The Crow. The main inspiration for Amadeus was late German-Russian actor Klaus Kinski.
*The author was given an offer for letting her protagonist make a guest appearance during the sixth season run of the , but an agreement could not be met and as a result the rights of the character were not sold.
*The book was reportedly rejected from almost 90 different publishers, both U.S. based and international, during the period of 1992-2000 and went through one self-published edition before Black Death Books was established by a group of Slayer fans to publish it. Black Death Books has since gone on to publish a number of horror titles by other popular authors.
*Black Death Books holds all U.S. publishing rights to the character of Alek Knight, though not to the Slayerverse as a whole. The character of Alek Knight cannot legally appear in any U.S.-published novel not published by Black Death Books.
*Slayer was first self-published by the author in 2001 by the Xlibris Corporation. Reportedly, less than thirty copies were printed before Black Death Books was established to re-issue the novel in 2002. First self-published editions of Slayer have been bought and sold at online bookshops and auctions for as much as $750,000.00 apiece. Exact estimates of the value of first editions is unknown.
*Alek Knight is often misspelled in reference and reviews as "Alex" Knight, and in the first draft of Slayer was actually named Alex, but since Koehler wrote the first draft in longhand in pencil in a notebook, she found it easier to write "Alek". Subsequently, she renamed the protagonist Alek partway through the story.
*The novel has seen several different editions since its first self-published print run in 2001. Assuming one counts the first run of books, Slayer has therefore been in print since 2001. It has never been out of print since that time.
Origins
An orphan left on the steps of an orphanage, Alek and his twin sister Debra had a troubled childhood, going through various foster homes before being discovered by the Coven, a secret sect of vampire slayers ordained and controlled by the Vatican. Amadeus, the master slayer of the New York City-based Coven, takes a personal interest in Alek, and after years of mental manipulation forces Alek to take the life of his sister in order to become a completely ordained member. Alek, like most members of the Coven, is a dhampir or half-vampire, who at times has trouble controlling his thirst for blood. Throughout the series, Alek and Amadeus' relationship would facilitate between many different extremes. In many ways, Amadeus is a sensei or father-figure to Alek, but they have sometimes crossed the line into close intimacy and they share a rocky mutual attraction to each other, but whether due to their blood bond or some other precursor has never been sufficiently explored.
Novels
Slayer itself takes place years after the death of Debra, when Alek is approached by a female vampire named Teresa desperately searching for a top-secret document previously owned by the Vatican but now lost. The document contains information that could conceivably upset the balance between humans and vampires. Alek takes it upon himself to search for the lost document while simultaneously trying to avoid the Coven at all costs, and in particularly Amadeus, who now considers him a rogue and betrayer to his sect. The document is eventually found hidden in a special niche beneath a carousel, but by the time it's been discovered there has already been a great loss of lives, including all of Alek's former Coven, as well as Teresa herself, who dies feeding him her own blood so he can take revenge on his former master. Finally, Alek and Amadeus are forced to face off over possession of the document and their battle takes place in the form of a Japanese swordfight with the use of sacred katana swords.
The sequel, Slayer: Black Miracles, again casts Alek Knight as the rather put-upon antihero dragged into battle when he'd much rather live in seclusion. The book contains two novellas, "Dragon's Blood", in which Alek faces off against the local New York Yakuza and its vampire emissary, and "Immortal", where Alek must battle a mad scientist at work on genetically modifying vampirekind. Both books were well-received by the underground audience.
Slayer: Stigmata is a self-contained novel and centers on a young girl named Damia who is feared to be the Antichrist by the Vatican. The Roman Catholic Church seeks her capture, but Damia gains Alek's trust and protection, and again he finds himself a wanted enemy of the church he once served. The book introduces readers to several new characters, including The Griever with his Grim Reaper-style scythe, Nostradamus, still alive and living off the blood of a vampire familiar, and Raven, an ancient vampire connected to Amadeus. The story also delves deeply into Amadeus' past and the origins and motivations behind the creation of the Coven, which is ultimately credited to him.
Short Stories
Alek has made two recent appearances in independent short stories. "Coffin Worm" (Horror World, February, 2006), and "The Sign of Six" in the collection The Blackburn & Scarletti Mysteries, Volume I by Karen Koehler. Both stories are considered a part of the Slayerverse canon.
Powers
Alek has shown a great aptitude for telepathy and a controlled out-of-body power he can initiate at will, called flight. He may also be capable of a low level of telekinesis, but he has only demonstrated this power in relation to the distance between himself and his sword, which will move toward him on command, sometimes covering great distances. He has a psychic link with those he has shared his blood with, and his power seems to grow in relation to the amount of blood he feeds on. As a dhampir, he has about half the powers and weaknesses of a vampire. He has a slight aversion to direct sunlight, but it will not destroy him. Additionally, he is immortal, can recover from severe wounds (though he is incapacitated, and can probably be killed, by iron weapons), and has not seemingly aged past the age of 33, even though he is well into his fifties by the time the first novel takes place. As an ordained Roman Catholic priest and long-time scholar of many subjects, his strength usually comes from his keen understanding and observation of the world.
The Slayerverse
As of 2005 the Slayer series is still being written by Karen Koehler. Slayer, and particularly the look and mannerisms of Alek Knight, are credited with beginning the underground-based industrial gothic movement , which is an urban-based subset of the traditional gothic movement with an emphasis on leather street wear and swordfights, and has inspired writers, gamers and vampire fans. It has its own unique fashion, etiquette and language. Slayer dress usually includes a long black Gestapo-style leather coat, called a Great Coat (in the books) or Knight Coat (among fans), chains and other weapons or metal fittings affixed to clothing, a katana sword, a long ponytail of hair, and a shuriken cross worn around the neck on a chain or pinned at the collar like a brooch. A shuriken cross is an amalgamation of a Roman Catholic cross and a Japanese shuriken star.
Slayer is currently being translated and published in various foreign editions, with the Greek language edition scheduled for release in 2007. Further novels and other projects in the franchise, including a comic adaptation, are currently being developed.
Trivia
*The first drafts of the novel were written in 1992 and subsequently submitted by the author to various publishers over the course of the next nine years. It was finally published in a self-published format for the first time in 2001, and is one of the first U.S. novel series to feature a dhampir protagonist.
*The novel's primary inspiration came from the Vampire Hunter D (1985) movie, based on the novels by Hideyui Kikuchi, though the physical appearance of Alek Knight was inspired by the late actor Brandon Lee as he appeared in The Crow. The main inspiration for Amadeus was late German-Russian actor Klaus Kinski.
*The author was given an offer for letting her protagonist make a guest appearance during the sixth season run of the , but an agreement could not be met and as a result the rights of the character were not sold.
*The book was reportedly rejected from almost 90 different publishers, both U.S. based and international, during the period of 1992-2000 and went through one self-published edition before Black Death Books was established by a group of Slayer fans to publish it. Black Death Books has since gone on to publish a number of horror titles by other popular authors.
*Black Death Books holds all U.S. publishing rights to the character of Alek Knight, though not to the Slayerverse as a whole. The character of Alek Knight cannot legally appear in any U.S.-published novel not published by Black Death Books.
*Slayer was first self-published by the author in 2001 by the Xlibris Corporation. Reportedly, less than thirty copies were printed before Black Death Books was established to re-issue the novel in 2002. First self-published editions of Slayer have been bought and sold at online bookshops and auctions for as much as $750,000.00 apiece. Exact estimates of the value of first editions is unknown.
*Alek Knight is often misspelled in reference and reviews as "Alex" Knight, and in the first draft of Slayer was actually named Alex, but since Koehler wrote the first draft in longhand in pencil in a notebook, she found it easier to write "Alek". Subsequently, she renamed the protagonist Alek partway through the story.
*The novel has seen several different editions since its first self-published print run in 2001. Assuming one counts the first run of books, Slayer has therefore been in print since 2001. It has never been out of print since that time.