The Star Wars That I Used to Know

Who's seen this video? It's awesome. Based on the Gotye song, "Somebody That I Used to Know" and it says it all perfectly. (and you should look up the original. It's a pretty cool song and the video may be funnier that way)

NB of the Week

Ultimate X-Men #14 - Divided We Fall: Part One
It's a little weird to me how fast I'm falling for the writing of Brian Wood on this book. The start of a title is one thing but I can't remember the last time I was getting a book where a new writer joined in partly through and it changed the dynamic this much for me.

The United States is in turmoil (see image below). Over in Ultimates, an attack has left the president dead, the White House destroyed and the Ultimates lost, trying to find any way to essentially not die. Over here in Ultimate X-Men, Sentinels rule the law in places and you can kill mutants. It's anarchy. Having left Johnny Storm in the Morlock Tunnels to protect the hiding mutants, Kitty Pryde is leading the team of her, Jimmy Hudson (son of Wolverine), Rogue and Bobby Drake across the US, looking to stop the Anti-Mutant militia that William Stryker Jr started. Kitty may have killed him but his movement continues and it's torturing and killing mutants in camps placed throughout the US. Having got through a mutant check point, Kitty is finally able to get to a phone to call and check on Johnny. Getting a lot of static, Kitty gets what appear to be some disturbing news,
"-krrsshhhh- got him, Kitty -krsshhh- took him away -krrrr- He's not even a mutant -krrssshhh-"
And as if things couldn't get worse, the guys from the mutant check point have caught back up with them for a few more question. As Kitty is outside trying to find answers, gun fire begins in the dinner they stopped at. We're left with her thoughts saying that if they can find this secret person she's trying to get to join, then nobody will ever underestimate them again. "They won't even get a second chance."
I love the way the Ultimate Universe is playing out. Every is bleak and dire and I can't wait for the heroes to fully kick ass and take things back. The X-Men are gonna go camp to camp, rescuing and adding to their numbers and hopefully find the secret character Kitty wants (nut realistically, what are the odds of that happen in a comic, right?) and free everybody. The Ultimate line may not be a good place for the characters right now but it's damn good reading for us.

NB of the Week

Before Watchmen: Ozymandias #1 (of 6)
While there have definitely been better issues than others with the Before Watchmen titles, this one may be towards the top. Len Wein's writing, while noting mind-blowing, fit pretty well and told a nice, cold story about Adrian Veidt's life growing up. Being bullies, losing his parents, giving away his wealth to start over. All very well told and all fitting to what we know about him. However, as anybody who has read it can attest to, the star of this comic is the dark, brilliant art of Jae Lee. I first remember taking note of his name with Marvel's Inhumans and then into Sentry but this may be some of the best of his I've seen. No more talking. More showing.

Marvel is Not Rebooting...

Kinda. That we know of. That they claim.
Marvel has now announced that their current Event title Avengers Vs X-Men is leading into some big changes. Primarily the launch or relaunch of many new titles. Beginning on October and going through February, each week will have at least one new launch or relaunch. As of today, only three new books have been announced:
Avengers is turning into a biweekly title with Jonathan Hickman writing and Jerome Opena drawing. Hickman has been amazing on both Fantastic Four books and Ultimates (which he is currently working his way out of) and Avengers should be a great fit. Opena has made the spectacular Uncanny X-Force his own. Not being on it is a little saddening but I'm excited to see what he does for Avengers.
All-New X-Men is the long rumored X-Book that Brian Michael Bendis is doing. It stars the original five X-Men, from the past as they time travel to modern Marvel and are not very happy with what they find. Bendis calls it time travel more like Pleasantville than Back to the Future.
Uncanny Avengers is the one I'm most excited for and is by Rick Remender with art by John Cassaday. It's a blended book of both Avengers and X-Men and includes Captain America, Thor, Rogue and Havok. Anybody who reads my rambles knows how much love I have for Remender's writing and adding the amazing pencils of Cassaday may be too good to bare.
With only Uncanny starting in October, there should be a bit more revealed through the weeks until the full October solicitations are given. Marvel has also said that there are new costumes (as per the picture) so we can expect many complaints about those (Cyclops is the first to come to mind. And yes, that is him in the corner in all red...).
What do we think? Does anybody really care as long as the stories are well told? I'm good with whatever as long as Remender stays on Uncanny X-Force and Peter David stays on X-Factor.

Trailer Watch: The Man With The Iron Fists

Where can I buy  my ticket?

Boobs of the Day

Olivia Munn
Probably best known for her long running stint as co-host of G4's Attack of the Show, Ms Munn has quite the reputation of being a a nerd's nerdy lady. And after seeing Magic Mike (don't waste your time...) and finally seeing her topless, my mind has been made up. Her and Kristen Bell can now fight over who wears the Slave Leia outfit better...

(Late) NB of the Week

Justice League #10 - The Villain's Journey: Chapter Two
Justice League has it's ups and downs since DC's relaunch. For the most part, it's been a good series. Geoff Johns has been writing some pretty steady stuff and Jim Lee (with a few scheduled fillers) has been pretty consistent on art. This second story, which introduces a new villain (as they have been trying in practically every title) is pretty much more of them same: decent comic telling. However, this issue is also part four of the backup story from Johns and artist Gary Frank re-imagining Shazam for the new DCU. As we have been meeting young, orphan Billy Batson and his journey into foster care, we have also been following Doctor Sivana as he tries to uncover the magic that can save his family. After finding the tomb of Black Adam, Sivana was struck by lightning, giving him the ability to see magic with one of his eyes (cooler than I make it sound). With that vision, he is able to see the inscriptions that tell how to awaken Black Adam. All it takes is one word: "Shazam!" and we are given the single best moment of the week:

Gary Frank has shown in this page why he is the perfect man to draw the new versions of the Marvel family. And in one page, Black Adam looks to be the baddest of the bad in the new DCU. This is a piece that deserves to be framed and hung on a wall. I'm actually more excited for this than I have been for the main Justice League stories. I don't know how things are gonna be collected from this one but picking up the Shazam story is looking to be money well spent.

Trailer Watch: Dredd

More remakes because Hollywood is outta ideas. This time around it's Judge Dredd. You may remember the first one staring Sly Stallone (which was total crap). This one actually looks like it could be pretty awesome. Probably still cheesy but it looks cool. Check it out.

NB of the Week

Saga #4
I know I'm repeating myself with this one a lot and I apologize but that is a book you should be reading. It's more amazing with every issue.
In this one, Marko pulls through only to have to explain himself to Alana about his old flame. Meanwhile, The Will visits Sextillion for exactly what you think a place called Sextillion would be for. Only he lives a much different life as a freelance killer so a "gentleman" takes him to a more private place for one of their best ladies who will do whatever he wants her to. However, this "lady" turns out to be a six year old child. It also turns out that some killers are worse than others as The Will proceeds to crush the "gentleman's" head with his bare hands.
Back to Marko and Alana, just as she calms down about his past, they are found by a vessel from Alana's side. No other choice but to fight back now.
Brilliant issue. Brilliant writing. Brilliant art. Brilliant brilliance.

The Best of the Rest
Punisher #12 - Frank catches up to Alves and pretty much beats it into her that they are dead people. They don't get to feel and remember and care as the living do. Matching the grim writing is the darkly beautiful art. Punisher hasn't been this good in a long while.

Green Lantern Corps #10 - John Stewart has turned himself in for the murder Lantern Kirrt Kallak (back in issue #6) and has been sentenced to death. As he's prepared to let his death be a symbol, Gardner has other plans, busting him out and setting up the Alpha War that is to some.

Winter Soldier #7 - Bucky and Natasha are hunting the third and final Winter Soldier that is still alive and Bucky helped train. After being set up themselves, turns out the third soldier wants Natasha. Brubaker is making this the must get spy book out there.

Nickelodeon Sould Give Airbender One More Shot

As most everybody who saw M. Night Shyamalan's version of Avatar: the Last Airbender can agree on, it's that his movie sucked. No way around it. It was poorly written with chopped sequencing and sloppy dialogue. The acting was almost as bad as a Twilight movie (almost...). They even changed the annunciation of the character's names claiming that the cartoon got it wrong (even though that's where it originated). However, if Nickelodeon is smart, they've give it one more shot to see if it can work. Here's why:

1) The fan base - As bad as the first movie is, I can't be the only fan who still has a little joy while watching it simply because it is Avatar: the Last Airbender. The cartoon has an average rating of 9/10 on IMDB (from over 35,000 votes) and it's series finale reached all time high numbers in viewers with it being the number one show on broadcast and basic cable that week with an average of 5.6 million viewers. Almost four years later, it's sequel series The Legend of Korra premiered to 4.5 million viewers. These are numbers that say people want to see more and given another movie (with different direction, of course), those fans will easily be swayed back to a movie franchise. And with it...

2) The Money - The Last Airbender was made for approximately $150 million (not sure what promotion costs added though so that could make this whole point moot) and worldwide it brought in a little under $320 million. Shitty movie or not, that's a great number to have. Again, it shows what the fanbase can be. Now, those numbers may have dies very quickly and it's more than likely that most fans were very put off by it's quality afterwards but given the new cartoon's success, we know those fans are still there. However, money spent and money gained will mostly depend on...

3) Cast and Crew - If Nickelodeon goes with another movie, it will have to sever ties with most everybody from the first film. Shyamalan wrote this as a fan and for his kids, not with the mid of a movie maker. With that, it comes off more as a fanfilm and not a Hollywood movie. Bringing in new writers and a new director (series creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko should absolutely be a part of that) is needed to change the pace and feel and to distance itself from the first a little. And in all honesty, there's always the chance that the cast will be better with new direction (possible, not likely). However, Airbender is still too new to just scrap and start over. Another movie would have to start where the last left off and that's the hard part; starting over without discounting what just happened. I know it's biased but I feel this could happen if given the right words and voice behind making it.

I can't be disappointed it another movie isn't ever made. By most standards, the first one was a bomb and that always scares studios and makers away. However, as a huge fan of the shows, I also feel there's too much potential to just let it fall to the side (Toph alone would bring me back). My pleas will fall on deaf ears, most certainly but that's why we start these stupid blogs, right? to cheer and bitch for the things we love and hate.

Boobs of the Day

The Women of Piranha 3DD
I very much enjoyed the first Piranha (yes, I know it was a remake). It was cheesy and dumb and funny and just a great time. Bad movie but what a great bad movie it was. So I was a little excited to see it's sequel, Piranha 3DD. Sadly, it was not the same, fun time. Even worse writing, even worse effects. It went from from fun bad to SiFi channel bad. The best part? It took place in an adult themed water-park. Which means there was plenty of nudity. So the invite goes out to all the boobs in this movie. If you can prove it was you, you're in the club.

NB of the Week

Ultimate X-Men  #13 - Born Free
The Ultimate Universe is a little hard to follow right now. Things are every which way now-a-days with X-Men struggling the most. Nick Spencer came on with the new launch and set up a newer (sorta) premise: the world has found out that mutants were created by the government. Thanks to that and the massacre that Magneto created (with Ultimatum which tilted Earth's axis and killed at least three bazillion people including Wolverine, Cyclops, Magneto and Xavier), mutants can be shot on sight if they refuse to be taken into custody (and sent to containment camps which sounds totally awesome and not like Nazis at all). There were fights and arguing and Storm cut her hair off. The book wasn't badly written, just not really moving forward to anything. Until Brian Wood took over this issue.
Kitty Pryde is tired. Tired of running, of hiding, of being the target of violence and death. Her, Johnny Storm, Bobby Drake, Rogue and Jimmy Hudson (son of Wolverine) have a small sanctuary in the sewers for mutants and Kitty Pryde wants a "normal" life again. Kitty Pryde is revealing herself. Kitty Pryde is done running from her life. Kitty Pryde just became the biggest badass in the Ultimate mutant world. Leaving their code-names behind, Kitty Pryde is about to lead the revolution for mutant freedom. Giving the others armbands with the X-Men's X on them, we get her hope for their future:
"We'll put them on later. And then every day after until all mutants are free. And then, once that happens, we won't need to wear them ever again. Just you wait and see. And on that day, we'll truly be free."
Brian Wood has in one issue given this title a clear voice. Here's what the characters face and here's what they're gonna do to stop it. Couldn't be more simple and yet I'm actually excited to see what happens and how they get there. For a while now, the Ultimate Universe has been about Spider-Man first, Avengers second, everybody else third. I'm not saying that Ultimate X-Men is going to suddenly become the flagship book but I do have hope that this could bring it up to the same level as those other two and I'm excited to read how Brian Wood plans on doing that.

NB of the Week

Work sleep late boo.
Before Watchmen: Minutemen #1 (of 06) - The Minute of Truth: Chapter One
A lot has been said about DC's decision to make prequels to Watchmen. Love it or hate it, at the end of the day it's a brand and the only way to continue making money from it is to use it and they'd be stupid to not try something. First on the list of releases is Minutemen and I was very surprised at how similar it felt to Moore's original.
In Watchmen, we didn't get a lot of back story to the Minutemen. We got some chapters from Hollis Mason's  "Under the Hood" and some flashback sequences but that's it. Someone elsewhere said it best: Watchmen is about the end of heroes while this is about their beginning.
This issue is "quick" and simple in it's concept. We are given introductions to the original Minutemen through the eyes of Mason and his book. Every body's small, quick origins before joining together. Not much progression outside of those lines and it worked for a starting point into these minis. Each character has their click as to how they fit into the costumed world and we see how their flaws are already leading into what we know and saw in Watchmen.
And I have to say, when first announced, this was one of the bottom books for my excitement. Darwyn Cooke writes and draws this mini and even though I read, own and love DC New Frontier, I wasn't sure if he has the style and fit for the darker tone that we all know these should and would have and he proved me wrong. His words are older and crisp as they should be. He goes more edgy than what I feel Frontier had and it was a great tone setter for how these books hopefully are. His art, while absolutely cartoony, still manages to fit his atmosphere perfectly. It almost gives off the quality of innocence that should probably be with an old-school hero team but becomes almost ironic when put to the words, which is a perfect feel to have.
Obviously my hope is that all these minis have the same feel as this book and come off as well crafted but only the time shall tell on that. As it stands, DC's risky move is a perfect 1 for 1 in my book.

Can I Borrow Some Money?

This full sized replica of the Iron Throne from Game of Thrones will run me $30,000 plus $1800 in shipping. But look at these details:

• Dimensions: Height: 7'2", Depth: 5'11", Width: 5'5"
• Made Of: Hand finished, hand painted fiberglass throne. Fire rated resin.
• Weight: 350 pounds

How can ya say no to helping with this? I'll even let ya have plenty of chances to sit on it. Every third weekend, for one hour.
Any donations are welcome and appreciated.

Trailer Watch: Les Miserables

The trailer for Tom Hooper's Les Mis was released about a week ago and I have seen it a few time but it deserves to be shared. Believe or not, I'm a fan of musicals. I've even seen this one before in person (and not some local production either). Not sure how I feel about Russell Crowe but everybody else involved definitely makes me wanna give him a chance.