LEGO: The Lord of the Rings: Rivendell #10316

...it's definitely a bit on the pricey end, but WOW!

A Wondrous Wizard

“A Wondrous Wizard” is now available over at my #CafePress Shop: (http://www.cafepress.com/azodnem/9900562) 

Unseen for most of the novel, the Wonderful Wizard of Oz is the ruler of the Land of Oz and highly venerated by his subjects. Believing he is the only man capable of solving their problems, Dorothy Gale and her friends travel to the Emerald City, the capital of Oz, to meet him. Although the Wizard is very reluctant to meet them, they are all eventually granted an audience. He meets them separately, and appears to each in a different form; once as a giant head, once as a beautiful fairy, once as ball of fire, and once as a horrible monster.

Oz Fact: The Wizard’s real name is Oscar Zoroaster Phadrig Isaac Norman Henkel Emmannuel Ambroise Diggs.

Artist's Personal Note: This Wonderful Wizard of Oz’s appearance is a departure from his description in the Baum’s novels, as well as from his appearance in the 1939 MGM film. Inspired by the iconic and traditional image of fantasy wizards, artist Roberto Mendoza creates an Emerald City Sophisticate like no other. The Wizard’s regal turban is in actuality a hot air balloon, and the pattern decorating his robe is a stylized crown / jester’s hat.

LEGO: Professor Dumbledore

Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore is a major character and one of the protagonists of J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. For most of the series, he is the headmaster of the wizarding school, Hogwarts. As part of his backstory, it is revealed that he is the founder and leader of the Order of the Phoenix, an organization dedicated to fighting the main antagonist of the series, Lord Voldemort.

Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore

Professor Dumbledore is available in the following LEGO Sets:

#3862 Harry Potter Hogwarts (microfigure)
#4707 Hagrid's Hut (purple robes with yellow skin)
#4709 Hogwarts Castle (purple robes with yellow skin)
#4729 Dumbledore's Office (purple robes with yellow skin)
#4767 Harry and the Hungarian Horntail (blue robe variation)
#5378 Hogwarts Castle (blue robe variation)
#4757 Hogwarts Castle (flesh skin with purple robes)
#4842 Hogwarts Castle (light blue robe variation) 

Albus Dumbledore

Albus Dumbledore
Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore is a major character and one of the protagonists of J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. For most of the series, he is the headmaster of the wizarding school, Hogwarts. As part of his backstory, it is revealed that he is the founder and leader of the Order of the Phoenix, an organization dedicated to fighting the main antagonist of the series, Lord Voldemort. 

Considered the most powerful wizard in the world, Dumbledore is benevolent and wise, a good wizard in the style of Merlin. He almost constantly gives off an aura of serenity and composure, rarely displaying intense emotions of anger or fear. Yet despite his benign nature, it is said that Dumbledore was the only wizard Lord Voldemort ever truly feared. Dumbledore is very eccentric and even slightly effeminate; he is very fond of knitting patterns and frequently wears flamboyant clothing (at one point, he is seen wearing a flowered bonnet). He is also known for his odd displays of whimsicality; he often uses humor to make people feel comfortable in his presence. As a supremely talented wizard, Dumbledore displays numerous examples of extraordinary powers. His abilities as a wizard are combined with a kind of cunning and subtlety of mind that allowed him to comprehend human nature and turn the better aspects of humanity (trust, love, and friendship) to Voldemort's disadvantage in particular. Yet despite his many talents and accomplishments, Dumbledore is never arrogant, self-important or pompous and in this he stands above the other great wizards of his day. 

As a mentor to the central character Harry Potter, "Dumbledore is a very wise man who knows that Harry is going to have to learn a few hard lessons to prepare him for what may be coming in his life. He allows Harry to get into what he wouldn't allow another pupil to do, and he also unwillingly permits Harry to confront things he’d rather protect him from." In a 1999 interview, Rowling stated that she imagined Dumbledore "more as a John Gielgud type, you know, quite elderly and – and quite stately." During his time as a student, Dumbledore was in Gryffindor House. Rowling claimed in an interview that Dumbledore was about 150 years old. However, on her website, she states that Dumbledore was born in 1881, making him either 115 or 116 when he died.

The author has stated that she enjoys writing Dumbledore because he "is the epitome of goodness." Rowling said that Dumbledore speaks for her, as he "knows pretty much everything" about the Harry Potter universe. Rowling mentioned that Dumbledore regrets "that he has always had to be the one who knew, and who had the burden of knowing. And he would rather not know." 

Albus Dumbledore (portrayed by Michael Gambon)

October 11th is "National Coming Out Day",
and to honor the holiday I present this little fun fact...
On October 19, 2007, JK Rowling was asked by a young fan whether Dumbledore finds "true love." Rowling said that she always thought of Dumbledore as being homosexual and that he had fallen in love with Gellert Grindelwald, which was Dumbledore's "great tragedy"; Rowling did not explicitly state whether Grindelwald returned his affections, however. Rowling explains this further by elaborating on the motivations behind Dumbledore's flirtation with the idea of wizard domination of Muggles: "He lost his moral compass completely when he fell in love and I think subsequently became very mistrustful of his own judgement in those matters so became quite asexual. He led a celibate and a bookish life."

Dumbledore is portrayed by Richard Harris in the film adaptions of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. After Harris' death, Michael Gambon portrayed Dumbledore for all of the remaining films.

Let the witchery begin! Celebrate Halloween all October long
with a new witch post every day! Who's your favorite?

Gargamel

Gargamel
"Practice makes perfect...

In the fictional world of The Smurfs, Gargamel the Evil Wizard is the sworn enemy of the Smurfs and always tries to capture the Smurfs. He is the main antagonist in the show and comic books. His main goal in life is to destroy the Smurfs or to capture enough of them to create a potion to turn base matter into gold.

Gargamel

Gargamel is a man who is perpetually stooped. His dark robe is worn and patched, and his teeth are rotten. He is a misanthrope, hating pretty much everyone and everything (the Smurfs in particular). Though he will sometimes feign friendship if there is something in it for him. He is also an abject coward, surrendering or fleeing upon the merest hint of personal risk or harm. Gargamel lives in a run-down, though solidly built hovel with his mangy cat Azrael. Gargamel frequently denigrates, insults, and abuses poor Azrael, but he does in fact love him. Gargamel is an eternal bungler. Most of his schemes to catch the Smurfs border on the bizarre (such as a "blue magnet" that attracted solely blue items), though he does have rare moments of genius (the creation of Smurfette, for one). He has a seemingly endless library of spellbooks, potions, and gimmicks for his life's passion. However, no matter how elaborate Gargamel's plans, they invariably end in failure, causing him to spout his catch phrase, "I hate those Smurfs!" and vow, "I'll get you if it's the last thing I do!"

Let the witchery begin! Celebrate Halloween all October long
with a new witch post every day! Who's your favorite?