NB of the Week

The Ultimates #16 - United We Stand: Part 1
Written By - Sam Humphries
Drawn By - Luke Ross
News was released a few weeks ago that Ultimate Captain America was taking over as President of the United States. He got that call at the end of issue 15. I admit to being very hesitant towards this idea. Yeah, it seems to make sense but under the wrong writer, it could also be a train wreck and with Jonathan Hickman leaving the book a few issues ago, that was my fear. Thankfully Humphries has proven me wrong. So far.
With a quick swearing in, Cap takes off in order to take back this country. He pretty much just runs the Avengers as usual only now with highest authority in the US. He is taking names and kicking ass and the USofA is gonna be back in control in no time. Only a larger problem comes up. Thor recognized an Asgardian symbol a bit back and knows that there is still at least one more alive with him. As he follows the trail, he finds the main man behind the turmoil in the country. As he calls out Loki and demands answers, he (and I) are surprised to find that the man is not Loki but Thor's Son, Modi.
"Bow, father. Bow, and obey."
Humphries has had a hard task in writing this book. Taking over after the brilliant Hickman is difficult for most anybody and while he's been a bit "hit and miss" with it so far, this issue was definitely a hit for me. Well paced and well plotted, I can't complain much about this issue. Thor's son came outta nowhere but as a God, it makes sense that he's been planting his seed in every woman he looks at.
And I'm on board for Cap as President. Tell me where I can vote for him in November and I'm there.

Good Lordy...

The first official picture of Jackman as Wolverine from the upcoming movie The Wolverine has been released and I'm loving it. I assume it's just a promo image so some works probably been done to make it look better but I'm fine with that. My fingers are crossed that it's better than the last one (even though I liked it).

That's How I Pictured It Too

Saw this sketch today from the very talented Mike Deodato and it confirmed my question down to the tee.

GOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!

This video has been making the rounds the last few days and for good reason. Pretty damn impressive.

I Need A Fulltime Title...

There's so many weird things in comics that I'd love to try and show people. Not sure how regular it'd become (My Main Man Jackie Chan for example...) but I'd love to try. So somebody give me a cool/witty/funny name and I'll gladly steal it. Until then, ponder over how much Namor apparently loves bagels.

NB of the Week

Justice League #0 - Shazam!
Written By - Geoff Johns
Drawn By - Gary Frank
With the exception to issue 12, we've been given back-up stories in from Johns and Frank reintroducing the Shazam family into the New 52-niverse. Now, with issue 0, we're given the real deal. Black Adam has been released. After becoming the champion of magic, Adam killed his creators save for one. That Wizard was able to imprison him and hide the magic he used. But as I said, Black Adam has been released. It's time for the Wizard to choose a new defender. One that can take his chair on the Council of Eternity and defeat Black Adam once again. That task falls upon the shoulders of young Billy Batson. He may not be of "pure good" but he has those embers within him and time is dire. It is now his task to stop Adam from releasing the Seven Sins of Man once more and saving everyone (and presumably everything). So what's the first thing Billy does? Flip the car of the guy who's been bullying Billy and his family at the orphanage. He then saves a lady from a mugging and is rewarded with $20. Now he has the perfect chance to become rich. Looks like his life as a hero is off to a rocky and selfish start.
Johns' writing is spot on here. If you are a fan of his, this issue is gonna nail it for ya once again. And as I stated two and a half months ago, Gary Frank's art nails these characters. Every line is used perfectly and every emotion is felt. As much as you kind of root for Billy and his antics as a "child hero", you can feel just how bleak things are and will further become. Black Adam is a huge threat and I can't wait for the two of them to come head-to-head and for that moment that's going to surge Billy from bitter orphan to empowered greatness.

How Do These Things Keep Being Printed?

This is from yet another issue of Amazing Spider-Man. This older gentleman was offering MJ a "lollipop". Sure buddy. That's a "lollipop". Just make you sure you don't walk within a hundred yards of a school with it again.

Trailer Watch: Mama

Who doesn't love Guillermo Del Toro? I know I do. Which brings me to the trailer for the movie Mama. Yeah he's just producing and such but I don't care. It looks creepy as hell and it's got Jaime Lannister in it. That dude needs to die in something for being an incestuous bastard in Game of Thrones and I'll be damned if I don't take this as my opportunity!

NB of the Week

Green Lantern Corps #0 - Freshman
Written By - Peter Tomasi
Drawn by - Fernando Pasarin
As DC's Zero Month continues, we got the new back-story to Guy Gardner (possibly new? Full disclosure, I have never read the "origin" of him before so I'm not so sure how different it may or may not be).
First few pages are of Guy and a whole bunch of other, new recruits to the Corps being slaughtered by a baddie. As he's help as the final Lantern to kill, we flash back to three months prior. Having graduated from the academy, Guy's sister now joins their brother as a Baltimore police officer. Guy, having been kicked out of the force at a point in the past, has always been the proverbial black sheep in the eyes of his father, who is a retired officer himself after gunfire left his left crippled. Having to work, Guy's brother gives him two tickets to the Orioles game, hoping that he could take the old man and try to mend their gap. Which of course doesn't go well. After yelling and breaking and father passing out drunk, Guy hears over his father's police scanner that shots have been fired at a spot on his brother's cover. Guy charges in on his motorcycle, dragging his wounded brother into the cop car where his partner sits dead. as He speeds outta there, a green ring comes along and chooses him. Getting his brother to the hospital, Guy knows he can be better then that hack on the League team. Cut back to the first page baddie about to kill Guy, Guy gets that last surge of "hero-power", taking him down and earning his Lantern as a full member. He changes his spandex to the look of a leather jacket, meets his sector partner Hal Jordan and the rest is history.
I was reading the other day that this book is the lowest selling book of any book that was going before the reboot and currently still going (down 16% in sales from a year ago) and it breaks my tiny little heart. Tomasi was brilliant on this book before and I still believe he's made this book one that is a perfect companion piece to Johns' regular Lantern. It's great character built around fast action and it's one of my favorites from the New 52 right now. If you want any book outside of Johns' run, this is the Lantern book to go with.

Boobs of the Day

Carla Gugino
With a recent watching of Sin City (it had been too long), I was reminded that when she's not playing the loving mother in Spy Kids, she's playing a hot, mostly naked, lesbian parole officer. She's got a gorgeous body and it's somehow even better knowing that she's in her 40s looking this hot. However, it does feel a little creepy seeing her in Saved by the Bell or Troop Beverly Hills as a child...

This is Why I Love This Show...

I saw this video today and wanted to share. It's some of the dumbest answers from the life of Family Feud. Makes me think even I could do this show.

NB of the Week

We've got a good week on our hands. I'll try to not focus on just one but here's the best of the best for the week.

The Punisher #15

Written By - Greg Rucka

Drawn by - Marco Checchetto

All poo-poo hits the fan as the cops swarm Frank and his partner Rachel after the baddie called them in. as gas spreads the nobody can see, we get a faint skull image following the baddie. As shots ring out, we find that Frank has gunned down the baddie and his partner has killed a detective. Oops.

Action Comics #0 - The Boy Who Stole Superman's Cape
Written By - Grant Morrison
Drawn By - Ben Oliver
DC starts their Zero Month with new back-stories to go with their new universe. In Action, we get Clark as he first sets up in Metropolis. Meets Lois. Saves a boy. Is plain awesome. This is the Superman I have wanted from Morrison but mostly all we get is jumpy stories that seem to come and go as he pleases. It's nice to have a simple, great Superman story.

Dial H #0 - Sundial H for Hero

Written by - China Mieville

Drawn by - Riccardo Burchielli

In the history of the Hero Dial, we find that a sundial was once the source of it's power and that by dialing in, you steal the power from another, in another dimension. It also turns out that the ones stolen from, don't seem to like it. I'm not sure of that how the old universe dial worked, but this is an awesome addition if not. This book is weird and very '80s British feeling and it's great.

X-Factor #243 - Breaking Points: Day 3
Written By - Peter David
Drawn by - Leonard Kirk
As the Factor team falls apart even further, we get the breakdown of Polaris this issue as she finds out the truth about her parents from Longshot's psychic impressions. She though her mother and "father" were killed by her real father, Magneto but that's not it at all. As her parents fought, she manifested her powers and she is the one who crashed the plane, killing her parents. Magneto and Mastermind came along and wiped her mind so that she wouldn't have to live with it. David keeps knocking this book farther and farther out of the park. Still loving it a decade later.

Green Lantern #0 - The New Normal

Written by - Geoff Johns

Drawn by - Doug Mahnke

Simon Baz is an Arab-American, living in Dearborn, Michigan and was only a child when the 9-11 attacks changed his life forever. Bullied, picked on and prejudiced against (is that a term or word?) and after the car plant shut down, he turned to car stealing to get by. Which is exactly why the messed up ring of both Sinestro and Hal Jordan has chosen him as the new Green Lantern now that they are "dead". Now we have a "terrorist" Lantern on the loose. Doesn't look so good for Mr Baz and his first day on the new job.