NB of the Week

-IT'S JUST A THAW - SPOILS ISN'T OVER UNTIL EASTER-

Avengers #35

Written by Jonathan Hickman

Drawn by Various

It's 8 Months Later and the begin of the end of Hickman's run on Avengers. In both Avengers and New Avengers, we jump 8 months forward to a changed Marvel landscape as the rest of the Marvel U slowly makes it's way there, showing us how it all happened. Here are the highlight in stories and changes we get:

Ex Nihilo and Abyss tell us the end is coming (a theme Hickman has had for a long while now), that Earth is the center and they plan on trying to stop it.

Over to Cannonball, we get Sunspot and Manifold teleporting in to Sam's home as we find that he is living in Shi'ar space now that Cannonball has a child with Smasher (herself part of the Royal Guard last we saw). While getting re-acquainted, we come to find that Sunspot has actually bought AIM and seemingly turned it into a better organization, which is funny and strange.

Most importantly, we find out that SHIELD is running the Avengers and has taken Avengers Tower as their new Station: Golgotha. We find that Amadeus Cho is trying to infiltrate their files now that Tony Stark is gone (missing, I assume not dead). Once they lock in security, SHIELD sends in some Avengers to apprehend him, Hawkeye, War Machine and Captain Marvel (all now wearing suits colored black and gray ala SHIELD colors) During chase, we see that War Machine may not be Rhodes as we knew him as their are multiple drones that look alike. As they trap Cho, we get the masked, female lead confronting Cho herself, demanding to know where the Illuminati are: Along with Cho, the members seem to be Stark, Banner, Strange, Beast, Panther and Bolt along with newbies Hank Pym and Captain Britain (though Beast, Panther and Bolt could possibly be wanted for previous dealing as the Illuminati and not necessarily current members). Cho tells her he has no idea where Stark is missing to while refusing comment on the others. As the leader begins to unmask herself, she asks about the last member of the Illuminati, her husband Reed Richards. Sue Storm is apparently leading the Avengers on the hunt for the Illuminati.

I love Hickman's long game plans and jumping into the future only opens the doors wider. Marvel has said that this is the future of Marvel. Everything leads to this direction and we will get answers throughout. Superior Iron Man looks to be playing big as Stark seems to be wanted man #1, which surprises me because the book itself didn't look too interesting to me. Best of all, though who can say at this point, is that I don't feel like their are spoilers for such upcoming books as Axis. Marvel is taking a big risk with jumping forward, both story-wise and because DC has Futures End going already. but this first issue was a very promising start. Hopefully the clues play out in smart fashions and the story doesn't kill itself as it unfolds.

(Late)NB of the Week

-WELL AIN'T THAT SOME E.T. SPOILS-

Avengers #34.1

Written by Al Ewing

Drawn by Dale Keown

Back in 1969, the Squadron Sinister was created as villains of the Avengers. Based off members of the Justice League, Hyperion was the Superman. All these years later, the Avengers were joined by a new Hyperion when his planet was destroyed during an incursion (pretty much the main premise going through Hickman's Avengers and New Avengers). This Hyperion is from a world where he was raised to protect mankind from any and all dangers and that's what this issue solidified for us.

When a young boy is kidnapped, Hyperion steps in, desiring to help. Even though he's not met with much appreciation at first, he made a vow to his father (also just called Father) to protect all. What we find through this issue is that even though he is not from this planet or even dimension, this Hyperion is much "softer" than most versions we've seen. When he finds the boy, he finds that he was taken by his real "father". That's in quotation because even though the child is adopted, this isn't his real father. It's the villain Mauler. Turns out that Mauler did in fact give his son up for adoption years ago. After finding out his son was killed, the distraught man say this boy and in him, saw his son. He couldn't bare thinking his son was actually dead and this boy was, in his mind, the son he gave up. Instead of a big fight and badass action, Hyperion remembers back to what Father told him:

"Were you really put here just to react? At best, you'd be treatment for a wound that should never have been inflicted. At worst -- someone's revenge fantasy. The biggest bully in the playground. And I don't think that's what you are. I think you're one of the teachers. I've spent my life trying to teach the world, Marcus. To educate society -- guide it towards change. When I'm gone, that task will fall to all of you. The question is...

What lesson do you have for us?"

So as Mauler unleashes everything he has, Hyperion simply lets him. And when he falls and breaks and cries about his lost son to Hyperion, he merely listens and offers some advice. He feels everything should work in tandem and the only way for all those pieces, "from the smallest to the largest, from the lowest sinner to the highest saint," to work together is through understanding.

"If we flinch from that understanding -- declare it impossible, inconceivable -- then all truth is compromised. All thought will contain error."

This Earth is now his home and all it's life now his family. He will protect it however he can.

I was skeptical about Ewing guest writing this issue but it was extremely well written, even if a bit cliched and unoriginal. Hyperion has made his presence known and I, for one, am very interested to see what happens now. However, I do feel that this may be a setup for a sacrifice. New Avengers and the incursions are gaining momentum and after seeing one family destroyed already, he may be the one to safe his new kin.

Also, this issue is better than any Superman the New 52 has written in it's three years.

Clif-Notes: The Baytown Outlaws

The Oodie brothers are three, red-neck hillbillies who have a little business going for them: hitmen. And they're pretty good at their job. Assuming they actually find the right people. Business changes though when a lady (Eva Longoria) wants to hire them to retrieve her godson from her ex-husband (Billy Bob Thornton). When the brothers finally arrive for the boy they are surprised to see that he's handicapped, in a wheel chair and unable to speak. There is obviously more to the lady's story than she led on and the brothers are about to find out just how much story she left out.
I imagine this movie was made after somebody watched Smokin' Aces, saw the Tremor brothers and said "Hey, I bet if they had more of a moral compass..." Not to say that's a bad thing, but the connection was pretty much my first thought. Overall, it was a fun movie. Story wasn't the greatest and the acting wasn't anything to praise but the movie had just enough action and humor to make it an enjoyable watch. In that regard, it reminded me of a Jason Statham movie but with much less hand-to-hand action. I really liked the brothers and their relationship with the boy, Rob, even if the connection made is pretty loose and cliche. The brothers face a few gangs from the stepfather and those were pretty old-school cheese but fun: a female biker gang who kill with their sexuality, a horde of black guys who look like they came from Mad Max and a gang of Indians who fight with, yup, you guessed it, arrows (and also guns).
As I said, it's nothing great and a good group will likely find it terrible but I found some awesomeness in that terrible and say this is one that's worth watching at least once.
(And yes, that's Colossus himself as the mute muscle)

NB of the Week

-LATE SALT LAKE CON EDITION-

As I finally return from an amazing Con, I also get to finally read this last Wednesday's comics So as to not bore anybody with late reading, I present the best quote from the batch:

"Feel that wind across your cheeks? What a smell! The fragrant flatulence out of the icy ass of K'un Lun"