Trailer Watch: Transcendence

To be perfectly frank, I had never heard of this movie until the last few days. I probably heard or read some things on it at its start but nothing comes to mind. That being said, this looks pretty cool and I'm in.

NB of the Week

-I AM THE ONE WHO SPOILS.-

Switching things up a little, I wanted to further sell the amazing title that is Saga. This week saw the release of issue 17 and it's ridiculous how brilliant each issue gets. If I haven't filled you in before (and I speak a lot so it's possible to have forgotten), here's the jist:
Marko and Alana are from two different species who are at war. They have fallen in love and have sired a daughter, making a lot of people angry and wanting them dead. Alana was in the military and she is the one who helped Marko escape, branding her a traitor along the way (though Marko breeding with her has also put a sentence on his head). The two are on the run with their newborn daughter, making friends with a ghost girl who has become something of a nanny to Hazel (their daughter), mercenaries are on their trail with cat's that tell if you're lying, trees that are rocket ships, princes who are robots and dream about weird sex (which we get to see on their tv heads). This book has been described as a combination of Star Wars, Romeo and Juliet, Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones and I'd actually say that's a very good description. It's scifi love mixed with magic and fantasy and odd sex (that the Thrones connection, if ya didn't know) and I truly believe it is the best written comic being published today. The art of Fiona Staples, whom I never even heard of before this book, is an absolute perfect match to what Brian K Vaughan writes and I would argue that her art is the most complimentary art to a story out of everything published today as well.
Vaughan and Staples have created a masterpiece of a book. Almost two years of story and everything just keeps getting better. Every book has a slow point. Every story and character has a point where things are just not as good as the last. Not to say it's bad but that it loses it's excitement and flavor for a bit. Saga has lost nothing. Every issue makes you want more. Every death brings a tear. Every kiss brings a smile. It plays on your emotions in every direction and I can't wait for more after every read. There is some really good stories being told in the comic world but in my book, nothing is better than Saga. This is a title that I absolutely recommend to anybody who wants a smart, mature, eloquent story that makes you forget you're paying 2.99 for a comic book.

Trailer Watch: 22 Jump Street

If you haven't seen this yet, you need to. If you have seen this yet, watch it again.
Naughty language is in this red band trailer. Please be careful and responsible.

NB of the Week

Montezuma's Revenge!

Justice League #25

DC continues to tell a few good stories as their whole line suffers from Dick Editor Syndrome. This one kinds falls in the middle. Essentially all we get here is Owlman telling Nightwing that he wants to stop Ultraman from enslaving all of humanity. Nightwing chooses the lesser of the two evils and says he'll help Owlman. All while Superwoman just happens to be listening. (amazing variant cover shown)

Cataclysm: Ultimate Spider-Man #2
Galactus has destroyed New Jersey (not much loss there) and it's up to Spidey and his gang to try and stop him. Only not in this issue. Cloak and Dagger get close and try to shoot light in his eye but that's about it. Big ending, though, as Miles reveals himself as Spider-Man to his father, not wanting to hide anything from him if this may be their final moments together.

Cataclysm: Ultimates #2
Down on the street level of the Galactus fight, Fury and his Commandos are going against the Gah Lak Tus swarm, which is turning all it touches into part of it's hive mind. After some great fighting, that includes Hulk, Abigail Brand, Emil Blonsky, Stature and Punisher. Fury, Dum Dum and Danny Ketch are left with no choice but to flee. All Seems lost as this mini has become the darkest and most bleak of all 4 Cataclysm minis.

Captain America #14
Cap and Falcon are left fighting Nuke and, no surprise, defeat them. Falcon has to stop Cap from crossing the line (I assume playing on how dark the last 10 years in Dimension Z have been) and Falcon, after letting a photographer leave with her camera intact, finds that she published those photos, claiming America was part of Nuke's murdering the whole time. Things look bleak in Cap's world right now.

Astro City #7
After some female villains are stopped and captured, they reveal to all that they have been working for the hero Winged Victory the whole time. As a strong feminist, Victory vows to stop these lies on her own. Problem is that her powers come from the strength of females so with her loyalty in doubt, she may be stripped of her power. Not to mention the Confessor is now on the trail. Great old Astro City just as it should be.

Trailers Watch

Two awesome trailers were released in the last day. The first was Jupiter Ascending by the Wachowski Siblings. It visually looks amazing, as they always do. My only problem is that I'm not quite sold in Tatum and Kunis being stars  of a scifi action movie. But it looks damn amazing

 The Next is the teaser for the new Godzilla. I've been a pretty big Godzilla fan for a while and can't wait for this one. It's just a teaser so there's not much but it's enough to get my excitement going.

 

(Late)NB of the Week

-YOU THINK I'M NOT SPOILS JUST BECAUSE I CARRY A RABBIT?-

Much like last week, I had two comics that left me wanting more for one specific reason: jaw-dropped ending. The first comic I'll definitely spoil the ending to while the second I'll leave much more open.

DC Universe vs. Masters of the Universe #3 (of 6)
Written by Keith Giffen/Tony Bedard
Drawn by Dexter Soy/Derlis Santacruz/Andres Ponce

Skeletor is now all souped-up and trying to steal magic from the DCUniverse. Last issue, He-Man stabbed Superman clean through the chest as he and the League had been taken over and attacking the Masters. Evil-Lyn high-tails herself and the Masters out of there before anybody else can overreact, leaving the League lost and wondering how to stop their new foes. Shortly after, Man-At-Arms and other Masters arrive in the DC looking for Adam and the others, which of course leads to another fight. We end the issue back with Skeletor, giving the villain monologue and revealing his new, powerful master... Dark Orko. Shoulda been nicer to the little guy.
In theory, it's a little lame and worn out to turn a hero bad and turn on the other heroes but I could care less. This is fraking Orko and he looks evil and pissed and I can't wait to see what actually happens with this story.

Inhumanity #1
Written by Matt Fraction
Drawn by Olivier w/ Yu and Weaver

I won't say anything about the big ending but it's a whopper. After the events of Infinity, Black Bolt has released the Terrigen Wave across the globe, seemingly killing himself to so. As Karnak explains to the other characters, at the dawn of civilization, the Inhumans were created. From there, a portion left the city, wanting to live a different life than what was given. Hundreds of thousands of years later, Inhuman DNA has been spread and moved throughout the world and bred into the human race. What the Terrigen Wave did was unlock that code in all those descendants, creating a new breed of Inhuman, in the hopes of hiding Thanos's son from Thanos himself (which is what Infinity was partially about). What all this leads to in this issue is a big death and a lot of unanswered questions that make me want to read wherever it is that Fraction is going to take the Inhumans in the new ongoing series (that was pushed back to April, gosh-darn-it). This issue was pretty heavy in dialogue as it's a lot of back-story and explaining but it's totally worth it. If you have any interest in the Inhumans, now is the time to start following.

Clif-Notes: Now You See Me

When I first saw a trailer for this one, I figured it's be a big flop cuz nobody wants to see the Facebook douche as a magician, somehow stealing money from banks and just being an all around nuisance (or at least I didn't). What I got was much better than expected, though still nothing worth running to.
Now You See Me is the story of four magicians (in one way or another) who are brought together by a mystery person. A year later, they are the biggest magic act on the scene. As their first of three final acts, they rob a man's back from across the globe. As the feds (Mark Ruffalo and Melanie Laurent) get involved, they begin chasing after the Four Horsemen (original) and soon find that they are always two steps behind this silly show that has to be more than they see. Cuz magic isn't real, right? -dun dun dun-
The movie isn't anything amazing and I'm glad I waited until after the theater run but it was worth a watch. I won't give anything away but I will say that this was one of the few movies that won me ovber with it's ending more than the rest of the movie. I was having some problems with the story and decisions characters were making but by the end, you see it all in another light and it does make more sense. Again, nothing too grand but it definitely won me over with it's reveals. Which is the perfect way for a magic show to end.

NB of the Week

-HOW CAN THERE BE CONVERSATION IF ONE SPOILS IS DUMB?-
Co-Winners Of The Week Edition!

Powers: Bureau #8
Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Drawn by Mike Avon Oeming

Hawkeye #14
Written by Matt Fraction
Drawn by Annie Wu

What these two issue did this week was prove that real, down to Earth, human dialogue will always win out for me over big story plots. No offense to Hickman and the ending of Infinity but it wasn't even close.
Over in Powers we get the start of a new story in which the super-team The Circle (which is lead by The Extreme, an obvious play on Cable and his old X-Force team and I'm assuming a little poke at Liefeld as well) is murdered except for one, who demands to only talk to Christian Walker. Meanwhile, something seems to infect Retro Girl and she is having massive problems gaining control over herself in any fashion.
In Hawkeye, the issues have now begun their split-focus with every other issue switching between Clint and Kate, this one starting with Kate. Having taken Lucky with her (I'm still partial to the name Pizza Dog) and leaving Clint for LA, she tries to start her own life as a crime-fighter. What that starts with is the finding of a thief who stole some rare flowers from a floral shop after the shop refused to sell 'em because they were special for a wedding (of whom Kate has befriended those two grooms-to-be, hence how this all began.). She's a bit out of her league in that she hasn't really practiced his solo, investigation stuff but by the end, she gets the thief, who it turns was working for Madame Masque who is looking for Kate after their earlier debacle (in the Annual from a few months ago).
In premise, these stories are nothing grand or even overtly creative but what they both have is amazing dialogue. Bendis, though causing his stories to sometimes suffer, has shown over and over that dialogue is important to him. What he writes is absolutely authentic sounding. You don't even really notice the story goes nowhere because you love reading it so much.
Fraction, on the other hand, has a knack for slow progression included in his dialogue. It's witty and funny and often filled with lines that you kinda miss until a few panels later. Much like with Clint Barton, he has turned Kate into a person instead of a character. They may be (Young)Avengers but under the work of Fraction, her and Clint are nothing more than human. These are people that we could be talking to every morning at the water cooler (if you have a water cooler near by). If more writers were able to write this realistically, I would be broke withing the first month.

Brain Tunes

A Great Big World feat. Christina Aguilera - Say Something
Most who know my music taste know that I may have a definite preference but that I'm open to listening to most anything (sans country). A few days ago, my brother dropped me this song. I have never heard of A Great Big World but I'd give one song a whirl. I love it. It's a very touching and sad song but it's beautiful. Everybody knows that Aguilera has an amazing, loud, strong voice but all she does is soft harmony and that for me is what makes the song so great. Will I listen to this band more? Meh, probably not. But this song stays.

NB of the Week

-I SWEAR BY MY PRETTY FLORAL BONNET, I WILL SPOIL YOU-

100 Bullets: Brother Lono #6 (of 8)

Written by Brian Azzarello
Drawn by Eduardo Risso

Last we saw, Lono was stepping up and trying to do right, but as he stood against Craneo, thug-turned-ally Paulo steps behind him, holding a gun out. His friendship seemly a ruse. Or is it?...
When this issue starts, Paulo starts shooting at the car Craneo is in, past the head of Lono. He's going to protect this orphanage and kids no matter the cost. As Craneo drives off for the inevitable backup, everybody gathers back in the church as Paulo reveals he knows the secret of Sister June. He got the gun from her because she's DEA and came her for Craneo, his crew and their whole operation. Just as it's all coming to light, Craneo arrives again with more in tow. At first, the priest goes out to try and talk sense into them. Paulo them follows in order to save him and the children. As a last ditch, the priest warns them that the DEA is here and is watching them, which only sets them off into a larger rage. Out of nowhere, shots fire, men begin to fall and Lono has stolen a car, claiming he's the DEA, forcing the gang to leave the church and children and chase after. He's doing right but it feels so unnatural. He knows it's not like him to ever run. As June and Paulo and the kids all come together, the priest finds a scooter and says he has to go after them. That before all this, he heard Lono's confession. He knows what Lono was and what he's likely to do to his captors.
"Paulo... Your friends have no idea what they're going to do. What they have... What he will submit to just to get their measure. Only God can torture the devil. Your friends... I have to save them."

And with that, we're left with this haunting eyeline. Lono is back and the dog is about to be let off the leash.
Ive said it with this mini before and it deserves repeating: Azzarello is writing this like he never ended 100 Bullets. It's grit and crime to a perfect point and I can only hope that more minis come after this one.

(Fake)Trailer Watch: Machete Kils Again... In Space

Apparently this trailer was shown at the beginning of Machete Kills but since I was unable to get to it in time, I never saw it. Luckily it's now online. Not that another Machete movie is likely but good lord I'd love to see this.

Clif-Notes: Parkland

Parkland is based on the book Four Days in November by Vincent Bugliosi and is the story surrounding the Kennedy assassination and the people who then have to deal with it all. As history goes, I know that there are many conspiracies around this. From it revolving around Johnson becoming president to there being another gunman. Thankfully, I really have no desire to find out about these as I figure it's done and it deserves to be over. What this story does is tell about the events that happened. No theories, no debates. Here's what did happen on those days and as far as the movie goes, I was quite amazed. The movie stars many great names including Paul Gimatti, Marsha Gay Harden, Billy Bob Thorton, Colin Hanks, Mark Duplass and Jackie Earle Haley and even some very solid performances from names I wouldn't normally put at the top like Zac Efron and Tom Welling. Everybody in this movie was pretty damn good, in the very least. Anybody who knows me knows that I can have quite the stomach for violence and gore and everything between but I found the first 30 minutes or so very strong and kinda hard to watch. It revolves around the actual shooting and the doctors trying to save his life and the reaction of people to the news of Kennedy's death. The mood is very heavy and you can feel it through every face, from main stars to the extras. I felt the pain of that day and it was not an easy feeling. We then follow the arrest of Oswald and his subsequent murder and are left very empty, but not really in a bad way. It's left open in a way that you know those conspiracy theories are all following suit. That you know it's not a happy ending and the last fifty years fills in all the gaps after it.
Maybe this movie didn't have the fullest story to tell and maybe it's a story that some could feel has been told countless times and therefore has less meaning. None of that takes away from the amazing acting and that acting is what makes an emotional and personal story like this one worth watching.

A Preacher Revival?

Word is that the amazing Garth Ennis comic Preacher is being picked for a pilot at AMC with Seth Rogen set to produce. For those that are comically-challenged, Preacher is the story of a preacher (duh) named Jesse Custer who bonds with an entity known as Genesis (the offspring of a demon and an angel) which in turn gives him "The Word" (forcing anybody do whatever he says). He then embarks across anywhere he needs to find answers, along with his vampire friend Cassidy and his trigger-happy ladyfriend Tulip. It's a brilliant comic from start to finish and if ya like yourself some good 'ol mature reading, look no further. Which brings me to my only problem. There's a lot of tv-unfriendly things in this book. And not just violence and harsh language. Garth Ennis is pretty much known for his adult themed writing and it's kinda hard to imagine a lot of key moments being used. As Walking Dead has shown, it's not always a problem and they could definitely figure out ways around it but Walking Dead ain't no Preacher. We're talking about things like incest, beastiality and God biting out eyes (well maybe just one but still). I love the book and would love to see any incarnation of it put to live action but I'm obviously hoping for a better one over a shitty one.

(Late)NB of the Week

-GUESS WHAT? I JUST SPOILED A BEAR!-

Cataclysm: Ultimate Spider-Man #1 (of 3)

Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Drawn by David Marquez

When Marvel's Age of Ultron had finished, 3 things had happened: 1) Those of us that bought it were screwed out of $40, 2) the Spawn character Angela was moved over to the Marvel Universe and 3) the 616 Galactus had been moved to the Ultimate-verse. That last one is from where this Cataclysm stems. Galactus has merged with the Gah Lak Tus swarm and is going after the Ultimate Earth and it's up to the Ultimate heroes to take on a new challenge.
Each of the three ongoing titles are on hiatus as they all get 3-issue minis tying into the main mini, Cataclysm: The Ultimates Last Stand, and Spidey leads the way for 'em. In this issue, we get some aftermath from the last Ult Spidey story and not much else but that's also where Bendis exceeds as a writer. His writing and dialogue is as crisp and real as ever. Spider-Woman wants the Ultimates to go after Roxxon (from the last story), Lana (Ult exclusive villain-turned-possible-hero) is finding that she may be better suited to be a villain-turned-possible-hero, Miles finds out that his year long absence has made people (namely the police) actually miss him and Cloak and Dagger realize they are alone and may need Spidey in their lives. And then they turn around to see Galactus.
Bendis is a master with words. He makes every issue of Ult Spidey feel natural and fun and comics need those books to settle the serious tone that most others take. He writes a world that is ridiculous and lavish and he makes it all feel like it's the one we have right outside and that's an amazing talent to have. However, his writing is also the worst part of this title. We are given three issues instead of the ongoing in order to tie into the big Cataclysm event and this issue has nothing but the last page tying into it. It's an issue that would have been better suited in the monthly because now we only have two issues to take Miles into the big Galactus brew-ha. Amazing issue, just nothing to do with why it was started.

Comics Are No Place For Science...?

-MY RANTING INVOLVES ELEMENTS BROUGHT TO THE GREEN LANTERN-VERSE FROM THE LAST STORY, LIGHTS OUT. STOP IF WISH NOT TO KNOW THE CONCEPT-
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So, in a book that has different alien species harnessing emotions as energy based weapons, should I really be this baffled by the science of it? At this point in the game? In the latest story, a villain from before the current creation, called Relic (nice, subtle name), comes in claiming that he must stop the emotions from being used because it turns out that all the energy being used is from a "reservoir" that they are depleting and once it's out, existence ends. Here's where I for some reason can't stop with the science: energy cannot be destroyed so... how are they using it all? I get that the "well" could become dry, but in the idea that they are using energy from emotions, how is that energy being destroyed? How did it get filled to begin with? The storyline ended with Kyle Rayner, with all the Entities of each emotion (sans Fear but with Life. How the shit did Life just die?!) sacrificing himself to refill that "reservoir". Only he came back out and the Entities stayed to die and do it (they killed Life?!). So... emotion can refill it? Or better yet, since energy can't be destroyed, why can't somebody like Firestorm change something over into energy they can use? Then again, the "reservoir" is contained behind the Source Wall, so it's pretty convenient that the energy can be drained out from it, but nothing can go back in... I don't understand how not one Lantern from any of the factions can remember that energy can't be created or destroyed.
Or maybe I'm suddenly thinking too much into it. I'm probably thinking too much into it.

NB of the Week

-GIVING YOU THE RUNS LIKE BAD THAI FOOD-

Earth 2 #17
Superman is evil and the only way to stop him may be by magic. Until he stops the crap outta Fate. General Lane decides the Red Tornado is the best hope but in order to give it the advantage, he puts the "essence" of his daughter Lois in, hoping to provoke something from him. Before that encounter happens (in the nest issue), we also see the new Batman trying to break out some evil dudes from stasis, claiming they may be the only way to save everybody.

Superman Unchained #4
Superman and Wraith fight some Russian robots that can hurt him, Lois is given a crystal of some kind and Luthor claims Jimmy Olsen is gonna be the one to kill Superman... This book has been so late, I'll probably have to reread it all once this first story is done.

Cataclysm: The Ultimates Last Stand #1
Regular Galactus had merged with Ultimate Galactus and is trying to devour the Ultimate Universe now. The Ultimates and everybody figure out he's not from there and they don't know how to stop him. That's about all the progress we get in this first issue, which is written by Mister Progress himself, Brian Michael Bendis.

Forever Evil #3
Somehow, the heroes have been gathered into Firestorm's matrix, with Batman and Catwoman being the ones to escape beforehand. With no heroes, it's time for the villains to step up as Luthor, Bizarro, Black Manta and Captain Cold (without any powers now) claim it's their turn to take out the Crime Syndicate.

Fatale #18
I won't even lie, this book is pretty weird and it's hard to follow unless you're familiar with the whole book. Demons, cults, robbery, rock N roll and lots of murder and sex. It's still amazing but golly darn it's getting difficult to explain.

Clif-Notes: The Kings of Summer

Tired of their home lives, Joe, Patrick and Biaggio (although Biaggio is just kinda there. No real reason) move themselves out to the woods, build a house and decide to live there. They are their own masters now. It's really that simple of a movie. The first thing that hit me about this movie was the humor. I was laughing the entire time. Biaggio in particular stole it all as the creepy, little kid who just sorta shows up and continues to hang around. And I'm pretty certain he tried to speak parseltongue at one point. The three boys (or young men, as Hollywood typically uses/calls them) had amazing chemistry together.
I'm not going to sit here and say that it's a heart-warming, coming of age type of comedy. I don't really see it being a voice for teens everywhere. A lot of people compare it to Stand By Me but I have no problem admitting I have never seen that one so I can't add to it (though if you have, there ya go) but I can say that I oddly connected. I'm twice the age of these characters and yet I understood how they felt. From the isolation of their family to their jealousy of each other over a girl. Not sure if that's a positive for the writing and acting or a negative for me and my inability to let go of the past but it connected either way. This movie has made me feel the way Safety Not Guaranteed did. not in the specifics of each, perse but in the delivery. A smaller, Indie film that took my completely by storm and kinda blew my mind.
Check out the trailer. If you have an interest, watch it. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
(It's red band so be careful of the potty language)

Boobs of the Day

Noel Pugliese
I saw Miss Pugliese on an episode of What Not To Wear. While watching it wasn't done by choice, it was certainly enjoyed once I saw her body. Amazing, full and curvy. Just like the good lord intended. She has a website and a facebook if ya want to see all the other pictures. Some are definitely nicer than others but all are worth seeing.

NB of the Week

-THE SUPER-LATE-BUT-I'M-LAZY-SO-IT'S-OK EDITION-

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Villains Micro #7: Bebop & Rocksteady
Written by Dustin Weaver
Drawn by Ben Bates

IDW has done an amazing job with their new Turtles series and considering how much they've released, it's impressive how high the quality has stayed (with ongoing, Micros and minis, it's been 47 total issues in two years!). However, up until this current story (City Fall), fans have had only one small hint to fan favorite villains Bebop & Rocksteady and that was almost two years ago. Now that Shredder and The Foot and waging war to take over the city, it's time for Karai to take some initiative and have her own warriors. A call is placed to all who want to serve and a battle royal is help, with the two left standing being able to change their lives forever. How will they change? By becoming badass mutants.

 

This spotlight on the two wasn't anything mind-blowing but as a fan, it was pure joy to see them wrecking havoc. They prove that they are pure force and great at destroying things. Brains and plans may not be their strong suit but that's why their henchmen. They now join the ranks of Krang, Baxter Stockman and Slash and I can only hope we get more and more characters reintroduced into the new Turtles universe. If you are a TMNT fan at all, this series is one you have to join. It's easily the best Turtles since the original Eastman and Laird stuff.

Yes Please and Thank You

NB of the Week

-IT IS A SPOILS AS VAST AS SPACE AND AS TIMELESS AS INFINITY-

Aquaman #24 - Death of a King: Chapter 6
Written by Geoff Johns
Drawn by Paul Pelletier

Anybody who talks comics with me (or the five of you that read this) knows my distaste for the direction DC Comics has been going with their relaunch of continuity/titles. That being said, I can't also say that I'm so married to any idea from previous stories that I froth at the thought of it no longer being cannon. Give me good writing that tells good stories and you'll get my support. One such book (for the most part) has been Aquaman. Johns has become DC's go-to guy with reinventing characters and concepts over the years (Green Lantern, Flash, Justice League, Batman) so it's not a big surprise he's changing things up here for the King of Atlantis. Which is now a title he can't rightfully claim.
Over this last story, we have gotten the "return" of The Dead King of Atlantis as he comes for the throne he claims he is due. Well, in this issue, we actually find that claim to be complete fact. Arthur straps himself into the ice throne of the Dead King and is shown all the truth. Turns out Dead's name is Atlan and was ruler of the Seven Kingdoms, himself the King of Atlantis. He had finally been uniting all the Kingdoms when his brother decided they deserved to rule more than the others, overthrew his brother and killed his brother's family. Having escaped death himself, Atlan vowed revenge. Over the next years (exact number was not given, sorry) he forged the artifacts that Arthur had been collecting in the previous issues and eventually took back to Atlantis. He laid siege to the kingdom, killing his brother and his wife and with his first words in years, Atlan claims, "Let it all Die!" and he sinks Atlantis. Arthur holds no claim to the throne of Atlantis and is the ancestor of what may be their greatest villain.
Good writer, good story. This is what DC needs. They can't be afraid to change things in this new universe. In fact, that should be they point: revitalize what was old and stale and give us new, fresh stories and takes on characters. It's just a shame that Johns is already leaving the book. I'd love to see what else he has in store for us.

NB of the Week

-BECAUSE HE'S THE SPOILS GOTHAM DESERVES, BUT NOT THE ONE IT NEEDS RIGHT NOW-

Hawkeye #13 - The U in Funeral

Written by Matt Fraction
Drawn by David Aja

It's been a few months since the last Hawkeye issue but nothing misses a beat here. It was a very simple issue telling us once again that Matt Fraction is one of the best at writing human stories.
With a little bit of creative play on the past, we get Clint leading up to the murder of Grills and the leaving of Kate Bishop (and subsequent leaving of Arrow/Pizza Dog) and we find that his brother Barney was there when she/they left ans is also welcomed into the "family" of apartment dwellers (or tenants for those who prefer proper titles. Ya snobs...). But that pails in comparison to the real winner of this story and that's the funeral of Grills. Clint and Kate are cold as they go to pay their respects, Clint knowing that this all happened because he has imposed his life as Hawkeye onto these innocent people isn't sitting too well with his. At the burial, we

see the Tracksuit Bros watching, waiting for the moment to strike again. And most heartbreaking, we get Hawkeye telling Grills father in person about the loss. The issue ends with a very common scene: one the apartment rooftop. Grills father is grilling food for everybody, almost as a thank you for being a family to his son, Barney being accepted in and Clint looking over the roof edge, knowing that this is far from over.
Another book that has been near perfect for me from the start. Not much more I can say. Fraction is amazing on this title. Hawkeye has no right to be this damn awesome. You should read this.

Timm. Snyder.

That's all you need to know.

Boobs of the Day

Melissa Rauch
As any good geek should be doing, I watch The Bog Bang Theory and while it may be penny that gets all the attention of the ladies, Bernadette definitely is a scene stealer. Throw her in some tight cloths and you can start to see why she could give Penny a run any time she wanted.

He's Still Funny

If you haven't listened to some comedy from Mitch Hedberg, you're really missing out. He died in 2005 but I still love hearing his jokes. His mannerisms and delivery are spot on with his odd humor. Do yourself a favor and listen to some of his stuff
(Fair warning, there is a little bit of harsh language)

NB of the Week

-SPOILS BEWARE... YOU'RE IN FOR A SCARE-

Infinity #4 (of 6)

Written by Jonathan Hickman
Drawn by Jerome Opena & Dustin Weaver

Infinity has been pretty damn amazing from it's start but if you haven't been reading Hickman's full run on Avengers, you could be a little lost. Here's a quick (for me) recap of where things stand before this issue:
The Builders (the world changers that Hickman created in the very first issue of his Avengers run) have come to destroy Earth. They demand servitude from all races and such but Earth must surrender and then be destroyed. The Avengers are in space trying their best to stop them. Back on Earth, Thanos is continuing his quest to kill all the offspring he has sired (as seen in Jason Aaron's Thanos Rising mini) and is down to his last son that is also part Inhuman. In order to save that child and the rest of the Inhumans, Black Bolt and his brother Maximus have created a terrigenesis bomb. When Thanos attacks Bolt, his cry not only destroys their beloved city of Attilan, crashing it down into New York, but it also releases their bomb across the world.
In this issue (finally), we start seeing the effect the bomb has as people all across the world begin to change. Throughout time, the Inhuman races have splintered and faded and some of the genes have been crossed and mixed as they lived with other races (namely human). Any bloodline that has Inhuman genes is changed, including the son Thanos has been searching for. Once a healer for the village he lived in, his transformation has killed everybody there (I do believe Marvel has said he has the powers of both "life and death" so no idea how it exactly happened or what it means for him yet).
Back in space, Captain America and the Space Council have decided the best thing to do in order to save as many as they can is to surrender to the Builders, just as Ronan the Accuser and his Kree already have. Cap sends in the best messenger they have: Thor. Thor says a prayer to Mjolnir as he hurls it far into space, for they will allow him no weapons, and begins to try and work a truce. Builder says there will be no give and take and that Earth shall die. As this happens, Gladiator (back with Captain America) is surprised to find that radar is showing an incoming trajectory. Cap answering that "It's a reckoning". Mjolnir has traveled around a burning hot sun and has flung itself back to Thor. As the Builder lectures him, we get the setup and pay off we're all giddy for:
"Humanity should have the good sense to know their story is over. Mankind should know they are done."
"And what if I am not just a man?"
And as their alarm begins to sound, Builder turns just in time to see it's too late. Mjolnir finds the mighty hand of Thor once again, killing the Builder in order to do such. Thor calls a rally to the Kree and all their Accusers to rejoin their cause and fight once more as free men. Gladiator and Cap send our issue off with words of hope that maybe not all is lost:

"What follows after this?" Gladiator asks.
"Now we win."
As I've said, this may all be a bit confusing and a bit much if you haven't been reading Hickman's run but golly damn does he know how to rally the troops. I was amped and ready for a fight after this issue. We know that, for the most part, the Avengers will likely win. But even with that, I want to cheer them on every step of the way. I can't wait to see how this mini ends and I can't wait to see what happens with all the random Inhumans popping up (Hint: it leads to a new ongoing book by Matt Fraction).

NB of the Week

-THE SPOILS OF GETTING WHAT YOU WANT IS GETTING WHAT YOU ONCE WANTED-

Earth 2 #16 - To The Victor...
Written by  James Robinson
Drawn by Nicola Scott

The issue was pretty strait forward up to the end so forgive the short synopsis.
Steppenwolf and his army are attacking the World Army for control of Earth. His Hunger Dogs are kicking the collected asses of The Wonders and Steppenwolf is taking out the WA. In flies Green Lantern to stop Steppen but before he can get to far, Steppenwolf's Dog, Brutaal, flies in and helps pound Scott into submission. Steppen then grabs a reporter (who has been narrating this issue) and begins to claim to her camera that he shall be the new ruler of Earth. That he is the God that they shall all bow to. And before you can shake your fist at him, Brutaal slams down and karate chops him down in half. As Brutaal begins to speak of how Steppenwolf was selfish and only sought to conquer for himself, he reveals his true identity: Superman! "Hail Darkseid" is the last we see as the survivors fly off to whatever safety they can find. Earth has lost.

This was James Robinson's last issue (DC bastards) and boy did he go out with a bang. Normally Superman going evil wouldn't get a thumbs up from me but on this world, where they've shown there's little hope, him doing Darkseid's work somehow fits perfectly with the tone. The world needs heroes again and this only proves it further. This has been a damn good read from it's start and I can only hope that the writer taking over can do Robinson's story justice. Thankfully, it's the writer who has been doing Justice League: Injustice For All so he knows a little about writing a Superman who has lost control and taken over things.

NB of the Week

-HE MURDERED HIS LITTLE GIRLS WITH A SPOILS, HIS WIFE WITH A SPOILS, AND HIMSELF THE SAME WAY-

Jupiter's Legacy #3
Written by Mark Millar
Drawn by Frank Quitely

What do you do if your parents are the world's greatest superheroes? You've lived like a rockstar in the shadows of their fame and glory but you feel you will never live up to their standards. So why even bother? The biggest hero of them all, The Utopian, is being double crossed by his own family. His son and brother want the world ran a different way and his daughter is now pregnant with the child of a super drug dealer. As his daughter (Chloe) comes back home to try and live a better life for her newly conceived baby, his son (Brandon) begins their strike against him. As heroes turn on Utopian and try to attack all at once (possibly the only chance they have against him), a few others fall on Chloe and her mother. As they try to take Chloe away, her mother does her best to stop them. Only it turns out it's hard to do when they fight has only been taking place in her mind. In reality, she has already lost as they killed her body before they let her mind rejoin. As a silver lining, that druggie Baby-Daddy comes in and is able to save Chloe. Meanwhile, Utopian is completely thrown off when all his teammates are the ones beating the living snot out of him. As he lies bloody and beaten, Brandon comes in. As Utopian tries to plead with his son, begging him to stop this and help him set things right, Brandon knows things will never be right as long as his father is the one in charge. With one final blast, Brandon kills his father and sets off with his uncle to remake the world as they see fit.
There seem to be a lot of people who dislike Millar's writing because they see him as only writing towards "Hollywood standards" so that he can make movie money from the stories later. And with the success of Wanted and Kick-Ass, he'd be kinda stupid not to continue that path but to say he disregards his comic base is absurd. His writing is still top notch as he's able to join big, blockbuster action with the dark comic stories he became famous for (let's not forget that he made a name for himself by writing a story where murdering versions of the Avengers had to fight the Authority). Throw in the amazing art of Frank Quitely and you have a book that even though it's always late, has been damn great for it's first three issues. If this is what comic readers think Hollywood is like than I may have to watch more movies.

NB of the Week

-I'M RUNNING FREE, YEAH, I'M RUNNING FREE-

Powers: Bureau #7

The question (alright, a question) Multiple Man fans have asked for years is in Powers: Is it murder if all you're doing is killing copies of yourself? Walker, Pilgrim and Sunrise try to find out. Meanwhile, Walker finds something out about Pilgrim that he didn't see coming and it reminds us why Bendis is at his best on a book like this (Spoiler alert: she was pregnant).

Infinity #3
Everything continues to hit the fan. Cap and his armada fight off one invasion of the Builders only to piss them off further. Namor turns on Panther further as he lies about the fate of Atlantis. And Thanos comes to Black Bolt for his son only to find a very loud response of "No!" (and in Bolt speak, that's not a good outcome).

Savage Wolverine #8
Alright, so it turns out that this was a pretty pointless story. Wolverine wins, Elektra wins, Fisk rekills his dead wife. But at least it was fun and the art of Joe Mad is always great to look at .

Wonder Woman #23.1 - Cheetah
DC villain's month is dragging along as we get the New 52 Cheetah origin. She's a hunter with women who want to be Amazonian hunters... And a dude she calls a manhunter will probably turn into the new Manhunter. Seems subtle enough.

New Avengers #10
The Illuminati search for the hidden son of Thanos but in doing such, give the location to the Ebony Maw instead. And to top it all off, another Incursion happens to distract them. Dammit all with this timing.

Thor: God of Thunder #13
Very simple but very cool issue. the Dark Elf Malekith is finally released and is hellbent on killing all the Dark Elves. And just in time for his movie debut (go figure, right?).

Justice League 23.3 - Dial E
Not gonna lie, this one was all over the place and I have no idea how to explain anything without babbling on with all the backstory. Read Dial H and then this and you'll understand. I think.

Ultimate X-Men 31

Kitty hands the leadership over to Pete so that they can focus on taking Jean Grey down. Over in Tian, James is told that he either helps kill Kitty or he will be killed himself. After refusing to do that, Jean releases him and makes it open season to everybody in Tian: James Hudson is to be killed.

100 Bullets: Brother Lono #4
Lono continues to try and live the strait life but with Mexican dealers wanting the church land to hide their "activities", that may become more and more difficult to do (and I'm personally hoping that he falls off that wagon sooner rather then later).

Trailer Watch: The Last Days on Mars

I have said before that I feel like the first three Alien films may be my favorite trilogy (disagree all you like) so it should be no surprise that a movie with the feel of Alien gets me excited. For me, it's the litmus test for any sci-fi movie.
And we get Casey Jones fighting alongside Sabretooth so that's awesome.

Trailer Watch: Grudge Match

Stallone vs DeNiro. This dish may be covered in cheese but I can't wait to try it. I'm definitely in.

NB of the Week

-HUMAN BEINGS ARE FREE, EXCEPT WHEN HUMANITY NEEDS SPOILS-

Justice League #23.2: Lobo - The Last Paycheck
Written by Marguerite Bennett
Drawn by Ben Oliver

(Early disclaimer, the cover is not of the Lobo that is in this book...)
This issue is one of those cases where everything leading up to it was setting me up for one thing when it delivered something much, much better. Here are the negative setups:
All month long, the villains are the stars of the DC Universe books. Nothing too bad there but then you realize that not every book has a villain issue. Instead, the main, big selling titles are used to push the others by making books like Justice League have four, weekly villains issues (23.1 - 23.4), most having nothing to do with the Justice League title or it's stories. It's a cheap gimmick that forces us to read other characters and stories in the hope of them picking up the book the villain is actually a part of. It's a shit move but sadly it's selling.
Second, DC has made headlines by revealing that a "new" Lobo was coming in. They already had Lobo in the New 52 but he's apparently an impostor and the "original" Lobo is a small, fit, pretty boy. I actually don't mind the look as much as the bullshit cop out that he's the original and the Lobo we have is a fake. It's Spider-Man Clone Saga level shit.
So that's how I went into this issue of Justice League: Villain that has nothing to do with the story and a day time soap opera explanation for him. And it turned out a lot better.
Lobo is a bounty hunter who wants some specific information. He's told he'll finally get it if he does this one more job of transporting a package. The rest is a bit cliched as somebody else wants the cargo and he kills 'em good to keep it. He checks on it
only to find that it's a group of "people" (aliens of sorts). As they thank him for freeing them and saving them from their doom, he quickly shows why he's a bastich and puts them back in. He has a delivery to make and needs his information. Which turns out to be the whereabouts of the other Lobo that has taken his name.
The issue was predictable and nothing new but the writing was good and the art was great. And I gotta admit, I like this Lobo. He may be slimmer and better looking but that's how books sell. Women aren't the only characters that need to look overtly gorgeous. In the run of things, this still feels like Lobo. It may take some getting used to seeing him this way but if the attitude is there (and hopefully his bike and dog eventually), I can live with his being pretty. I went into this book expecting very little and I was very much surprised with how I liked it. The "new" Lobo has my approval.

Four Colored Frak

-INSERT YOURSELF HERE EDITION-

With some quick erasing, we get a very nice scene from the Guardians as they... do something together. I myself like to think that they are reenacting scenes from Pretty Woman.

In Which I Come to Terms with DC Comics

Over the last two years, DC has been trying their best to stay relevant to the world of comics beginning with the mostly-complete reboot of their universe. Love it or hate it, this was a chance to make old things new and c-list characters meaningful. At least, I'm sure that was the idea.
DC has been getting a reputation over these years for not letting creative control rest on the comic title's creative team. Writers who have left have said that the editors are dictating where things go, often forcing last minutes changes to the stories. Unless you're on the inside, that's a claim that's hard to prove but if you look at some numbers, it seems very likely.
DC has had 73 different ongoing titles in the last two years. 25 have been cancelled (or ended for whatever reason they may claim) and of those, seven didn't even get to make it past issue #8. I can tell ya that comics are ordered two months in advance, so really the decision to can the titles came at issue #6 or even sooner. Pretty damn early to be calling it quits.
Amongst those 73 titles, the creative changes have been many. This last week, the writers and artist of Batwoman (one of the only books from the start to still have the original writers) quit the book after forced changes at the "eleventh hour" that they didn't agree with, one of them being that they weren't allowed to marry the character off (she is gay but the writers have said the gay marriage was not the reason why). This seems like their new MO after you look at the numbers over these two years: 163 total writers have been credited on these titles. Even more staggering are the 419 artists. And I guarantee that's lower than the actual number. I counted those issue for issue and didn't even go through every title completely.
DC is lost and confused. They keep changing everything in order to sell everything like it was Batman and are often cancelling smaller character books to launch another title from a selling name (including combining names to do such like the just launched Batman/Superman and the upcoming Superman/Wonder Woman). DC needs to let their people go. I understand you want things to sell and you do this for profit but you can't make profit when all you're doing is stretching your product thin and repeating yourselves. I still have some faith in these characters and their possible stories.
I just wish DC had some.

Boobs of the Day

I've been watching a bit of Syfy lately and a newer show easily struck a chord with me: Heroes of Cosplay, where we follow peoples around to Cons and see them put together their costumes for each. One of the main ladies is Yaya Han, who you have probably seen but never knew a name. Well now ya do. And I'm pretty sure we'll all forget it just as quickly for obvious, male reasons...

NB of the Week

-SO WHEN YOU SAY PSYCHOSOMATIC, YOU MEAN LIKE HE COULD START SPOILS WITH HIS THOUGHTS?-

X-Factor #262 - The End of X-Factor: Part 6
Written by Peter David
Drawn by Neil Edwards

Layla has a problem. The man she loves and married is turning further into a demon. Worse over: she's pregnant with his child. And not a dupe child like he reabsorbed years ago (in an awesome but slightly messed up story). Real flesh and blood child. But Madrox is losing what little humanity he has left and Layla is scared. She did not see this one coming. After he breaks his chains, Madrox attacks her, no longer knowing who she is. As she screams, she yells out the only thing she hops will help: I'm pregnant with your child. What bit of life he still has must have understood something because he gets off her and crawls back into his hole (literally). As Layla deals with cops and more mess (not the important stuff to this issue), Jamie begins to pray. Soon, he is visited by Theresa (Banshee/Siryn), who a bit back became the Morrigan and told them to pray for her is they ever needed anything. So Jamie prayed. Back up to Layla, she is fighting some cops who are going to arrest her and some big-wig in a suit with a nifty gun that can penetrate her forcefield. Just when she figures it's all over, Jamie Madrox comes in and forces everybody off his land. He has been cleared of the demon and mack to normal. As the three (Layla, Banshee and himself) of them talk, Theresa says she can summon everybody back and start back up again to which Madrox smiles, looks at wife and says:
We have a child to raise. A farm to get back up and running. And a world to leave to other people to save. We're Done.
We're Done.

This issue was a double edge sword for me. Being the final issue of David's amazing run of X-Factor, it was a bitter feeling knowing that no more would be coming but it was a very satisfying ending as well. Characters were left for better and worse but leaving with the main two happy together was completely worth it. And remember a month ago in issue 260 where a shadow figure offered Polaris a position on a new X-Factor? Peter David has said that issue was a big clue as to his next book from Marvel. So maybe X-Factor is over, but it looks like X-Factor isn't quite done yet.

Trailer Watch: Neighbors

This is the red band trailer for the new comedy Neighbors. It's about a couple and their newborn who suddenly have to deal with the crap that comes with the fraternity that has moved into the house next door. Looks like it could be a funny movie and maybe Efron will make it so that we don't mind his High School Musical past. Even if some of us liked that first movie...
-TRAILER IS RATED R SO WATCH AT YOUR OWN RISK-

Let's See If That's Now Solved...

I've been having some problems with this blog and the template (I think) that I've been using. My computer freezes while trying to load it, I can't type at times (seemingly out of nowhere) and I've been told that comments aren't being allowed too. So I changed it up again. We'll see it this fixes things but if anybody continues to have problems, let me know and I'll mess around more.

NB of the Week

-NEVER FORGET WHAT YOU ARE, FOR SURELY THE SPOILS WILL NOT-

Captain America #10 - Man Further Out of Time
Written by Rick Remender
Drawn by John Romita Jr

Big spoils ahead. You get a second warning. That's how big it is.
Jet and Cap have seemingly defeated Zola and need to stop his ship and mutates from invading our dimension before it's too late. As Sharon comes back and reveals the plan to blow everything up, Jet has a slight change of heart. If all the mutates die, her father (Zola, if you haven't kept up) dies completely so she begins to try and stop Sharon. After some choice words from Sharon, she convinces Jet that she can choose right as her little brother Ian did and leave her evil father behind, which is what she finally decides to do. Except it turns out that Zola wasn't as "dead" as they thought and that this was the final test that his disgrace of a daughter yet again failed. Now she shall die with them. With explosions rigged everywhere (thanks to Sharon's plan), the three of them try to escape but Zola is too big and too close. The only way to ensure Earth's survival is to stop Zola in his steps. That's where Sharon Carter proves to be every bit a hero that Cap is. Slipping herself from Cap's hold, she begins to fight Zola by herself until Cap is clear enough before she sets off the bombs with her and Zola still at ground zero.
"To watch you die knowing you failed. Knowing that Steve got away--
And your daughter with him. To watch you die in the same explosion that erases all of your work -- all your plans to invade Earth. And most importantly --
That I get to pull the trigger, you rotten son of a bitch."
Steve and Jet fly through the portal as the blast goes off but time is different in that dimension and as Steve runs back through, hoping to find Sharon, everything is gone and has been for years. His seconds outside, were many years for whatever was left inside. Twelve years away from his home and the people he loves, Cap is now back without the one woman he wanted to be with.
As en epilogue, we get narration from Dimension Z over the many years there as people have continued to rise above the power of Zola that is still left behind. Rumors are that Zola is still alive in some form, somewhere (Sharon?) but more so, rumors are that somebody has picked up the shield there. That somebody still fights with the values of Captain America. And on the last page, we see what appears to be a more adult Ian holding Cap's shield and the text reading that this mystery man of moral is like a wondering Nomad...
I've said it before and I'll stick with it: this book started slow but if you can work through it, there is amazing payoff. Remender is proving to be one of Marvel's best go-to guys and is nailing Cap. I never thought I would be happy to see somebody other than Brubaker on the title but this is one time I'm happy to be wrong.

Trailer Watch: Pompeii

Paul WS Anderson isn't exactly a name that blows people away. He does a lot of movies that I feel tend to just be fun and ok (though I do still love the first Resident Evil movie). He is only directing this one and the writers of Batman Forever don't help on paper either but dammit all if this movie doesn't look like it could be pretty awesome. It's only a teaser and there's not much footage but so far, I'd go see it.
Not to mention the bastard Jon Snow versus a volcano should be badass.

NB of the Week

-SORRY. IT'S AGAINST THE RULES FOR ME TO SPOIL, ISN'T IT?-
Co-habitat Edition!

Wonder Woman #23 - God Down
Written by Brian Azzarello
Drawn by Cliff Chiang

The First born has risen and wants to rule Olympus as he sees he is due. Standing in his way (other than the various characters and Gods trying to stop him) is Zola's prophetic baby Zeke (people hate this baby). Just as things begin to look bad, War brings in his army of lost soldiers, which helps turn the tide but not as far as they wanted. Orion tried and lost, Wonder Woman tried and lost and now it's all up to War, who also doesn't fair so well. As First Born holds War by his throat, he figures killing him and becoming the new God of War will be a nice trophy before killing Zeke. Unfortunately for First, Diana was War's greatest student and she knows the stakes as she plunges a spear through both War and First, killing War in the processes. As he dies in her arms, he tells her he's proud of her choice and action, only regretting that he won't be around to watch her live up to the burden she now has. Apollo (current King of Olympus) comes for First as Hell comes for War and we end with a page of Wonder Woman carrying War onto their waiting ride and leaving to lay his body to it's rest.
Best book DC is currently making. While most every other title is the same crap as before the relaunch, WW is daring to break her mold and craft something new and strong and brilliant and it outshines all other books over there.

Ultimates #29 - Disassembled: Part 5
Written by Joshua Hale Fialkov
Drawn by Carmine Di Giandomenico

If you've read my other rants about this you know the plot. Reed Richards and his team of baddies are trying to take over everything with the help of the Infinity Gems. This issue doesn't do much for that progression but it does do a lot to make you crap yourself. It's main two points are that Quicksilver knows Kang is not his loved sister Wanda, which is why he joined up. After figuring things out, Kang stabs poor Quicksilver through the heart (very fitting) and he's able to make his way to Wanda's grave before dropping dead. The second big reveal is the identity of the time-traveler as all the heroes come together to stop Reed at the end. They think they've all won but then enters Kang, revealing herself to be the near future Susan Storm.
The Ultimate world may be hit and miss and it may even be coming to an end (possibly) but the hits just keep coming and they just keep turning the Fantastic Four evil. After more than ten years of stories, the Ultimate-verse still gets me and I'm always excited to see how this plays out.

Boobs of the Day

Laura Prepon
If ya have Netflix, you should give Orange Is The New Black a try. I've only watched the first two but I have been very surprised by both. It's the story of a lady who, ten years ago during her after-college-lesbian-phase, she helped her girlfriend carry some drug money. Once. Now she's having to spend 15 months locked-up. Only it turns out that her old lover is also in there with her. That old lover? That 70s Show star Laura Prepon, who looks pretty damn good with her dark hair, possibly more so than her red. Even if this show doesn't pan out by it's end, I still got to see Donna topless and that makes it all worth it.

NB of the Week

-EYES SHINNING, MOUTHS OPEN, TRIUMPHANT, THEY SAVORED THE RIGHT OF SPOILS-

Thor: God of Thunder #11 - Godbomb: Conclusion
Written by Jason Aaron

Drawn by Esad Ribic

As the last issue ended. Gorr the God Butcher had set off his Godbomb just as the three Thors descended upon him. As this issue begins, Gods throughout time are falling over, painfully dying from the bomb that is stretching in every direction. As the Thors try to keep fighting, Current Thor decides he will not go lightly:

 "If he'd been a lesser God, Thor might have accepted that Gorr had won. And more so, that Gorr deserved to win. That Gods were cruel and jealous creatures. That it was time for their age to pass. But this was no lesser God.
This was the God of roaring thunder and raging storms, and even if he had been the last God left alive in all the universe...
He still would have been God enough."

And with his last push, Current Thor absorbs the impact of the entire bomb into himself. As the air clears, Gorr stands in disbelief as Thor still stands before him. Turns out, the black Hounds that Gorr has been using are a weapon. A weapon that was never meant for the likes of him but for a God. And Thor now possesses it. And in one, amazing, double-splash page, he redirects it all at Gorr, weakening him near death and allowing Past Thor to cleave his head clean off.
The Thors go back to their lives, forgetting about the time excursion and
likely to never meet each other again. The Gods were threatened, and the Gods were saved by the greatest of them all.
This was a story of pure myth. A tale of the Gods and the good and bad that they do and the problems they have to face due to their existence. Jason Aaron's dark tones match it perfectly with Ribic's art finishing off the edges. This may not be everybody's cup of Thor tea but it may also be one of my all time favorites. Hopefully, in a few years, when I reread this, it will stand the tests and continue to blow me away.

NB of the Week

-SPOILS ARE ALL SLIGHTLY INSANE-

X-Factor #260 - The End of X-Factor: Part 4 of 6
Written by Peter David
Drawn by Neil Edwards

When Marvel announced that X-Factor was coming to an end, I was saddened. My pillows were salted with many a tear that night. Thankfully, David has said that he is working on another book for Marvel but nothing was said. This may be weird to some but it's possible that book was hinted at here, which is why this book was my favorite (but yes, the writing itself was also amazing).
As the series draws to it's end, each issue is focusing on the characters and what happens to them now that the team is done. In this issue, we have a drunk Polaris trying to wash away her new-found knowledge that she is the daughter of Magneto (now officially) and that she killed her parents. Trying to stop her from causing more havoc is her new half-brother Quicksilver. A typical fight ensues and the speedster is able to get the best of her but before he can take away himself, she is taken into police custody. Or so it would seem. While it very well could have been the police, Polaris comes to in a cell and is greeted by a shadowy figure.
"My name is Harrison Snow. I'm the CEO of a rather large company. I'm here to offer you the ground floor opportunity for a project of ours."
"Yeah. What's it called?"
"We're calling it X-Factor."
"Tell me more."
Could Peter David's new book be X-Factor? Marvel did just relaunch most of their books for the Marvel NOW initiative. Would it be very off to assume it's happening again? Factor has had a very strong and loyal fanbase. It's sales haven't been the best but it's hard to stop a book that's always selling a strong amount like it does so I could see a new title happening. Maybe one that may change the concept or team just enough to help draw in new readers and get it the sales it's so rightly deserved over the years. Peter David getting another book it awesome on it's own but if that book is a continuation of any kind from this one, Marvel has my monthly money once again.

Yeah, Um...

This is out there... so we may as well, you know, use it. Hate for it to go to waste...

Boobs of the Day

Alexis Knapp
I was strong and only watched Pitch Perfect twice this week but of the many reasons why I keep coming back, the super hot Alexis Knapp is definitely towards the top of that list. She plays the sex addicted Stacie and I would have no problem watching the movie muted with her on screen (plus I don't think I need sound anymore. I pretty much have it all...).

NB of the Week

A small, fifth week means not many books but the four I got were damn good so to spread all the love, we have another week of the RUNS...

Guardians of the Galaxy #5

After the dreadful ending to Age of Ultron, Spawn's own heavenly Angela has been brought over to the Marvel Universe and she's be appearing in Guardians. This issue mostly just served as her setup but we do find that Ultron's "destruction" of the space-time continuum has left Peter Quill with a vision of things that were. Or could be. Or something like that and it looks as though this is the reasoning as to how he and Thanos came back from Imperative but not Richard Rider, which is a damn shame cuz I know I'm not alone in wanting him back as well.

Daredevil #29
Last issue, an old, childhood bully of Matt's came looking for some help. As a former member of the Serpent Society, he's been marked for death and needs some legal help. Murdock agrees but the bully is shot at the end of the last issue. This issue played to Waid's writing strength as Daredevil is able to save the bully's life but he finds out even more: the Serpents appear to have their racist, nihilistic hands everywhere and if that's true, his city could be in a lot of trouble.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #24 - City Fall: 3
The Turtles rush Casey to the hospital after being stabbed through by Shredder. After they get him the help he needs, they leave him to recover and they head back out after Leo, who has been taken by Shredder (this dude is pretty bad and definitely badass). As they "team" with Old Hob (villain turned helper turned villain again) they are brought to The Foot where they are attacked by none other than Leo, who has been brain-washed by Shredder and is now after their blood just as he is.

The Ultimates #28
Reed and his team are still making the world "better" while hunting their own agenda. Hulk and Thor had a huge smack-down in which Hulk was the definite victor. Cap is beat. Hawkeye is blind. After killing Tony Stark, Reed goes after his armor and tech only to find that that may the one place Stark was smarter than him in as he finds it's all been booby-trapped. No matter. He knows another body that should be able to sustain the Infinity Gem he pulled from Stark's brain: his comatose and technically still brother-in-law Johnny Storm. Oh, and Stark's body may be dead but it looks as though his brain is still alive in his tech, making him now a true iron man.