Memetastic: explaining yer icons

Tagged by tactisle for this one (well, okay, I ran into his outstretched palm). Ping here to be forced to explain six of your own icons.

Forthwith, his curiosities:

This is a magnet I picked up at the Imperial War Museum when Steve and I were in London. I just loved it to bits; it sums up exactly what the Nice Cup of Tea is about, for me, and it represents gathering my energies and/or thoughts for the next wave of action. A Post-12 Recovery Phase, if you will.

A rare color picture of Clara Bow. I came across it when we were looking for old-timey pictures to represent our characters in Steve's Call of Cthulhu campaign. Though I in no way resemble the divine Ms. Bow, nor can I hope to, the picture encapsulates the allure of glamour, fashion, and elegance.

This is a panel from the pinnacle of Frank Miller's unparalleled run on Daredevil, the story arc called "Born Again". I have dariodevil to thank, of course, for introducing me to this most excellent work. This particular panel takes place after DD has fought a semi-super-soldier called Nuke, who is a juiced-up psychotic hyper-patriot (he has the American flag tattooed on his face) used by elements within the military for serious dirty work. Captain America is following up to find out who this Nuke guy is. And so he asks... This, I felt, perfectly encapsulated how I feel about the way our country and its very real, very important values & purposes are being utterly debased by vile people who are wrapping themselves in the flag and calling everyone else traitors.

Happier matters: my maneki neko mug! I saw this at an Asian imports store (they mostly carry jewelry, really nice stuff at that; I have several pieces from them) and fell instantly in love. I love the way it fits my hand; I love the feel of the pottery; and I am inordinately fond of fortune cats. It makes me happy in every possible way, far beyond what a chunk of clay should.

This is not the Hulk. It's J'onn J'onzz, the Martian Manhunter, who is (among other things) a shapeshifter. This particular image is from a plotline during the storied Giffen/DeMatteis Justice League International era, in which J'onn gets dependent on Oreos Chocos. Booster & Beetle, being their usual impish selves, hide his stash, sending one of the most powerful sentients on the DC Earth on a rampage. Hilarity ensues. What better to signify my self-control and impulse issues?

Oh, Murdoc... It's undoubtedly very, very wrong to have a crush, however brief, on an entirely fictional and fairly vile character. But when the video for Clint Eastwood hit, we were all completely blown away; and in that vulnerable state, my yen for The Wrong Kind Of Guy took hold. I got better quick enough. But, Murdoc's attitude was just about right for a FOAD icon (though it was harder than I thought to find an image where he actually looks cranky).