Cool Vids

I was watching the new start to Beavis and Butthead and they have replaced the oldschool video watching with newer stuff. Like Jersey Shore and newer videos. It's still funny and I liked it. Which leads me to this. One of the videos they watched was First of the Year by Skrillex. It's one of those "dub step" songs that I could really care less about but the video to it was awesome and I had to reshare it to everyone here.

NB of the Week

Annihilators: Earthfall #2 (of 4)
Much like Uncanny X-Force, this is a series that I've said needs to be read and it only continues to get better.
Before Nova and Star-Lord "sacrificed" themselves, Star-Lord told Cosmo (the telepathic, Russian dog) that there was too much evil for for the Guardians to handle. That what they needed was "flarking annihilators" to got the job done. Thus began the new team. Quasar, Beta Ray Bill, Silver Surfer, Ronan and Gladiator. All the cosmic heavy-hitters. After a first mini, Silver went his way with Galactus and was essentially replaced with Ikon, who was a member of the oldschool Spaceknights.
Into this mini, we get the Annihilators first encounter with Earth and it's heroes. After finding out that the Church of Universal Truth (see the latest and greatest run of Guardians of the Galaxy) had a sect hiding on Earth and was just activated, they came knocking. Only problem is that the Avengers see Ronan and Gladiator and think another invasion is happening. Which is the bad news. As Ronan, Gladiator and Beta Ray stay outside to try and talk sense into everyone, Quasar, Ikon and Spider-Man (though Spidey was just following them) go into the headquarters to stop the Church. As they make their way to the weapon, a life cocoon (or whatever they call it. The thing that Adam Warlock was originally found in, seen on this cover of FF to the right) was opened, and is empty. As they find themselves too late, they are surprised from behind with the words "I am the Magus. I'm here to save you. We all are.", with the last page being a tiny, kid version of Magus (Adam Warlock's evil persona from way back when) and many other kids behind him, all with scary glowing eyes.
What the hello, man?! Magus was brought back at the end of the run in Guardians and was "killed" in Thanos Imperative but now he is a kid? Or many kids? Dude was tough enough without being all creepy with it. As you read this, you probably feel like that is a lot you've missed and would need to get caught up on but there's really not. The story is massively rewarding if you have been reading for these years but alone it's still pretty damn good. DnA have done some of the best writing in the industry over the years, in my opinion, and it keeps impressing me. Any cosmic book they touch for Marvel is a book that I will buy.
Lets just hope that Loeb and McGuinness don't muck up Nova when he comes back in Point One.

American Horror Story

Is anyone else watching this messed up show? It's three episodes in and I'm kind of addicted. It's the story of a family (played by Connie Britton, Dylan McDermott and Taissa Farmiga) and how messed up their lives are and become more so after moving into a haunted house. And calling it a haunted house is putting it very mildly. First episode alone we get twin gingers being killed by a Gollum-looking creature. A down syndrome girl that freaks me out (she keeps telling people that they're going to die). That girl's creepy mother who seems to know a helluva lot more than she tells the family. A gay bondage ghost that gets the mother pregnant (hence the weird promo image posted with this). A house maid that is old to the mother but a young, sexy temptress to the father (McDermott cheated on the wife already). Ya see McDermott's ass three times, with the third time...
Warning: This Part Gets A Little Dirty!!!
coming after he showers, sees the maid touching herself at him and proceeds to masturbate and then cry. And then being watched by some dude who is all scared with burns and killed his family in that house years prior and wants to warn McDermott that he'll kill too. And did I mention that the gay bondage ghost was the previous owner? He and his lover mere a murder/suicide case.
Yeah. Messed up. And I'm really liking it. The next two episodes have started bringing in more story to the house and it's history so it's been picking up a lot more. Plus, Zachary Quinto is coming into it at some point and throwing Sylar into this house may just make it even cooler.
This is definitely not a show that everyone will be able to get into and I do seem to have a sick enjoyment for weird ass things (I did think Human Centipede was rather tame and boring after all...) but this show absolutely has my interest. I think peoples should give it a shot if they have a stronger stomach.

Child of the 80's

The Chipmunk Adventure (1987)
I loved the Chipmunks growing up. From Mr T. helping them out to Theodore being trapped in a record costume that everyone else thought was a tire. More so, I'm a fan of the movie The Chipmunk Adventure.
In what may be the largest movie case of child endangerment ever, the Chipmunks and the Chipettes race around the world in hot air balloons. Why would they do this? For the most obvious reason of Alvin and Brittany get in an argument over who would win such a race after Brittany beat him at it in an arcade game. And the argument just happened to take place in front of Klaus and Claudia Vorstein, brother and sister diamond smugglers. These sets of kids are the perfect way for them to trade out money and diamonds across the globe, conveniently hidden in dolls made to look like each of the kids. Along the way, they all get into their own perils and eventually have to help each other out as they come to find what they have actually been doing the whole time.
I'm pretty sure this is the reason why I like musicals so much. The songs still put a smile on me to this day, with Girls of Rock and Roll being my favorite (make from that whatever you would like). It was also a kid's wet dream to do this. Who wouldn't want a balloon ride around the world? I'd pee myself and I still want one.
Overall, this move had everything a kid could enjoy. Action, adventure, sharks, danger, mischief, money, dancing cobras, crazy Aborigines, fiestas, baby penguins, a fat kid who wants nothing more than to eat, Wooly Bully, alligators (or crocodiles, I don't know the difference), twerps ("what is a twerp?") and singing at the Parthenon. I don't care what people say about it today, The Chipmunk Adventure is a great cartoon and a great time to be had.

NB of the Week

Wonder Woman #2 - Home
Brian Azzarello should be in charge of more comics. The dude knows how to string together a brilliant story.
After failing to kill Zola and the bastard child of Zeus' inside her, Hera is rather pissed and decides to let another God go after them all: her daughter Strife. We then cut to Wonder Woman carrying the wounded Hermes into a the jungles of Paradise Island to her people and her mother. Providing shelter, we are given a few filler conversations, seemingly to set up the new status of Wonder Woman in the new DC. Zola finds out that Hippolyta carved Wonder Woman out of clay and awoke up to find the child alive, we find out that Wonder Woman can still hold her own against the other Amazons and for some reason Hippolyta is afraid that Hera is coming for Bastard children of Zeus. We are cut of by a large explosion, of which everyone goes running into the forest to find it. Turns out it's Strife. She is turning all the Amazons against each other and only Wonder Woman can see it. As WW confronts her, Strife claims all she is here for is to embrace her little sister. Wonder Woman presumes she speaks of Zola but we are all surprised (unless you read the news that DC released a few weeks ago) to learn that Strife is actually speaking of Wonder Woman.
In my opinion, Wonder Woman was the best of all the fist 52 issues and the second one isn't letting up. As much as WW is part of the League, she is a God first and foremost and I love that Azzarello is playing that. Let League deal with the hero community. The best part is that Azzarello is able to make this read as something new and yet completely familiar. Like an old friend and remembering why you became friends all those years ago, even is you don't see them very often now. It's fresh and crisp and amazing and you should read it.

Notable Mentions
Fear Itself #7 (of 7) - More set-up than ending, this issue was jammed. The Worthy have a few pages of fighting. Broxton comes to help Cap fight. Cap picks up Mjolnir (badass). Odin cast out the Asgardians from Asgard (?).
Oh, and Thor died. For now.
Justice League #2 - This is the start that I was expecting issue one to have. Awesome fighting and awesome restart to the team. If things are this good, it should become a great book.

NB of the Week

Uncanny X-Force #16 - The Dark Angel Saga: Chapter 6
There's really nothing more that I can say about Uncanny X-Force that I haven't already said. 16 issues in and I have loved every single one of them. Very, very few books can hold that statement.
Within this issue we get AoA Iceman and Blob fighting the Forcers (which could start to explain how AoA Nightcrawler is on the Regenesis Force team). We get awesome dialogue, awesome fighting, awesome everything. I really can't be stressing enough how much you should be reading this book. It may just be the best book that I am reading and dare I say the best book of what I'm not reading as well.. Pick it up.

Clif-Notes: Five Finger Death Punch - American Capitalist

If you listen to Five Finger's first album of The Way of the Fist, it's almost laughable. I still liked it and it has a couple of cool tracks but it comes off as a high school garage band, that is playing what they think rock is suppose to sound like. Just loud noises, loud voices and a lot of cursing.
Two years later, they released War is the Answer and it's very clear that they have "evolved" as a band. Throwing in melody with those loud noises and real vocals with those screams. They still had some of those garage tendencies but they were above and beyond what they were. And their remake of Bad Company is one of the better remakes to have come out in a long time.
Two more years down the line and releasing this next Tuesday, the 11th, is their third, American Capitalist and it is easily their best one yet. Great sounds. Great Voices. Great beats. The fianl track is still very "garage" but I'll let it slide. I don't really know music enough to tell you why it's so great, just that it is. If you like 5FDP, you will love this album. It's great.

NB of the Week

Action Comics #2 - In Chains
After being trapped by a speeding locomotive at the end of issue one (oh the irony), we get another Superman that most may not be used to.
For the first 11 pages of this issue, we get Superman being poked and prodded and essentially tortured by Luthor and the Army, trying to get answers to what he is and how he works. After page 11, though, we get back to the action (aptly titled book, finally) as Supes breaks free. "All I needed was a minute to recover. Lucky for me you talk too much." Following a threat to snap Luthor's neck (classy move), Superman heads out. Along the way he finds his ship which seems to be slightly alive. He reassures it that he will be back for him later and takes off again. Crashing through walls and melting guns, Superman finally makes it out to safety. The last page is a doozy as we have Luthor talking to his "source" who has been feeding him his knowledge about the Kryptonian. As he screams into his phone, demanding to know who or what it is he's talking to, we are left with an alien ship hovering up high, looking a lot like what would be Brainiac's ship.
There are eight pages in the back of art with commentary from Grant Morrison and Rags Morales and it only makes me love the book more. Morrison intends on making Superman move a lot. Action entitles movement and he wants it that way. Also, things can hurt Superman like they could in the good days. He bleeds and is knocked out and heals and it happens again. It gives him vulnerability that the reader can get behind and it's brilliant. It's one of those things that I never may have figured out on my own but is absolutely obvious when it's said. Morrison seems to be the perfect choice for the relaunch of Action Comics and I am extremely glad that I have gotten it so far.

(Late) NB of the Week

Somehow I'm slipping in my old age and I completely forgot to tell everybody how much of a nerd I am (and in the process how lonely I shall end up...). So here is my late NB from Wednesday. I hope I can win you're affection back and to try such, I shall give you Co-NB's.

The Ultimates #2 - Part Two
After being attacked by a new "race" of super-beings, we get a little history. Turns out they come from The Dome, in which time is different. They have had lifetimes to perfect their species. Through cloning and genetics, they have formed a perfect society where they can evolve at will to help in any way. And it's time to come out and take what is rightfully theirs. After some cool throw downs, they can trace Thor's power back to Asgard and the World Tree. As Thor races to save his people, he finds that he is too late. All his people are dead or dying. Thor hides his son in the Tree, giving him Mjolnir to help find his way out when he is worthy before he and Loki jump into battle one last time.
"This was the day. The day the World Tree died and what was divine became ordinary. When, like rain, dead gods fell from the sky. It was the last day of myth. It was the last day of legend. It was the day the children of Tomorrow killed all the gods. And they were gone. Forever."
And at the last minute, Stark flied in, pulling Thor away, with the Odinson claiming he can feel nothing any more.
Hickman gets it. This dude can write and I'm all for most anything he wants to write. In the Ultimate Universe, anything can happen and Asgard dying is pretty damn awesome especially given that rebirth is always used and Hickman will get to write that eventually also. No offense to Miller and Loeb and anyone else who has written the Ultimate Avengers before but I'm pretty sure that in two issues, Jonathan Hickman has made this book his.

Ultimate Spider-Man #2
Miles is learning that he has powers. Speed, agility and now a "spider sting". Freaked out he goes to his best friend Ganke (he's Asian), thinking that he's a mutant and people will soon be after him. Before either can figure anything out, though, Miles' father finds him and takes him off. As they walk and talk, we find out one of the biggest (and oddly similar) differences between Miles and Peter: Miles father was a criminal. He grew up in hard times and did what he felt would be most beneficial to surviving. This also includes doing time in the clanker (my words, not the comic's). While Miles' uncle never really got the grasp on life and growing out of it, his father had. He met Miles' mother and the rest is that. And in this speech, we get out new "responsibility montra":
"Anyone can be bad. Anyone. It's easy. It's the easiest thing. But to stay focused. To live a good life... It's the hardest damn thing."
As Miles tries to sleep later, he is woken by a text. It's his friend, Ganke and he has it figured. He just read an article by a Ben Urich, talking about how Spider-Man got his powers. All the same ways that Miles has his powers. As Ganke asks "R U Spider-Man?!!", Miles looks surprised and proceeds to crawl up his bedroom wall. Our final page is him on the ceiling, saying "Oh no."
Bendis gets Spider-Man. Ultimate Spidey has been amazing from the get-go and it continues to be so. When everyone was yelling for his head after killing Pete (as I reserved the right to do also), he was telling us be patient and read it. That Spider-Man has transcended Peter Parker and is an idea that is far greater than him. Miles Morales proves it. This kid is Spider-Man, showing that age and skin color have nothing to do with it. This book is as much Spider-Man as any of the other Ultimate Spider-Man issues and I would argue even more than the crappy Amazing Spider-Man title. Somebody give Amazing this book. It could learn a thing or two.