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...).