Ultimate Spider-Man #100

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis

Artist: Mark Bagley









There will be spoilers, so enter at your own risk...









Okay, this comic is the exact reason why I started reading the Ultimate line in the first place. I was a little bit slow to jump on the Ultimate bandwagon, I had been burned too recently with all the variant, foil embossed covers, thong wearing superheroines, spider-clones etc... Which makes it ironic in the extreme that I liked this story so well, what with the spider-clones and all.

One of my earliest memories of the Ultimates line was Wolverine and Jean bumping nasties. Oh sure, I had read a few issues before that, but this was the first thing I read that made me realize that all the rules had changed. Thats pretty exciting when you have been reading comics as long as I have (around 31 years when I read that particular story).

There are plenty of other examples I could cite, but I figure you get the idea. When the whole thing started with the Green Goblin kidnapping Mary Jane and taking her up to the top of that bridge, well I didn't know what was gonna happen. To be honest, at the time I felt like they wimped out. I admit, I am a big fan of Gwen Stacy and had hopes that with Mary Jane out of the way, we could see a relationship between Peter and Gwen that we never got to see in the "mainstream" universe. And, even though the Ultimate Gwen is nothing like my first crush, I figure its as close as I am gonna get.

From there, it seemed that the Ultimate titles, with the exception of The Ultimates themselves, started kind of losing their way, taking the safe route. It seemed that the stories quit trying to be different and surprising, and more interested in maintaining the status quo. Honestly, I still feel that Ultimate X-Men is in this rut, and until this issue, I would have said the same for Ultimate Spider-Man.

But I digress... So, Peter's dad is still alive. Yeah, I know they had a similar storyline in the mainstream universe, but this one does it better. For one thing, he's a scientist and not a spy. For another, his reasons for not being there and letting everyone think he was dead makes a lot of sense, and gives the Ultimate universe a sense of cohesion that the mainstream universe is lacking. All these super-powered individuals have some underlying connection to each other, which for me is as it should be.

I really like how Peter's dad seems to be a genuinely good guy who just got caught up in some extra-ordinary circumstances. I hope they keep it that way, and don't reveal him to be some self absorbed a-hole who is more concerned with his "work" than with his family. I'd rather they kill him.

One thing I didn't really like is May's reaction to all this. It seems out of character to me. But who knows how someone would react in a situation like that?

I also like how they are always hinting around about Fury having some secret agenda, that nobody knows about. I think in the long run that will turn out to be untrue, but its cool not knowing. He certainly seems to be less than sterling silver when he shows up at Peter's house with all those... are they mandroids?

And they brought Gwen back. This makes me happy. I suspect when the story has been told she'll be dead again, but I can dream... And its cool not knowing she'll be dead. So what the hell is she? A clone? Was she not really dead when we saw her before, but in some kind of chrysalis state, waiting to be transformed into the new Carnage? I'm really anxious to see next issue, and thats a good thing!

How about that ending? What did the crazy Spider-clone do to poor Mary Jane? I'm thinking it can't be good, but its cool not knowing. Man, between the Ultimate titles and Civil War happening, its good to be a comics fan!

Bonus points for the artwork at the back of the book too.

Related posts:

1. Ultimate Six #4
2. Review: Ultimate Enemy No. 4
3. Ultimate Fantastic Four #1-2

I would imagine that some major percentage of the viewing audience of the Heroes premiere saw it and immediately began comparing it to Lost. A smaller percentage, like me, also saw in it a serious dose of old school X-Men, the kind Joss Whedon dreamed about doing before he did it with Buffy, so tot speak, and then now with Astonishing. But I think beyond that, one thing Heroes has so far captured that was unexpected to me was the steady beat of anticipation, moody and still and very gradual, like a long minamilist crescendo. Sure, it's largely assisted by the score, which makes Heroes the latest of a considerable increase in TV projects with cinematic soundtracks calling to mind some of my favorite film scores (Heroes borrows HEAVILY from the Batman Begins score, and Life on Mars pulls from the Heat score so strongly I had to double-check to see if the score's arranger wasn't a Michael Kamen assistant) but it's also the slow burn stillness of the editing, with long, measured shots of the characters, struggling to realize their own realities and roles, taking it's time the way few shows in the past were allowed to do, before cinematic TV became possible in the last few years. And in that way, more than any other, this show owes a debt to Lost... not just the interwoven characters and storylines, the hubbub about destiny and powers, the coincidences and fate and so on... Lost set the new standard for telling a complex story SLOWLY. And Heroes is following in it's wake, and I hope it's given an opportunity to grow into it's own. If director David Semel gets his way, it will.







The cast is pretty strong. Ali Larter, of the early Adam Sandler films, I think, plays a webcam stripper in Vegas run afoul with the Mob, late of mirror doppleganger abilities, her son Noah Gray-Cabey a genius inventor kid with great articulation. Milo Ventimiglia, most recognizable as Rory's broodish ex on Gilmore Girls, finally has a piece here that plays to his strengths, not the least of which being his idealistic yearning and heroic jawline, and his character's power is a great last-minute bait and switch. Adrian Pasdar plays his politico elder brother, who's entitlement and ego are so teeth-gnashing infuriating that you want to see him buried alive, if not for Milo's character's devotion to him. Hayden Panettiere plays one of the best characters, a popular cheerleader who's become indestructible, continuously attempting to disembowel or behead or ignite herself in an effort to feel something, a suitable teenage metaphor. Santiago Cabrera and Tawny Cypress are each slightly less effective, as the futurecasting junkie painter and his lover, with ties to Milo's character. And the glue to these disparate characters is researcher Sendhil Ramamurthy, who's father's research may hold the clue to these peoples' mysterious capabilities... and purpose. Lastly, our mystery government spook appears to be the bad nasty to bring them all together... in opposition.



Leonard Roberts and Lost and Alias' Greg Grunberg play pivotal characters that haven't even been seen yet in the pilot, or so we think, which is a testament to the patience and confidence of series creator Tim Kring. I look forward, particularly, to Grunberg's character... the actor can do no wrong, as far as I'm concerned.







The real standout here, above all, is Masi Oka as a Japanese salariman whos' desperate yearning for uniqueness manifests in the ability to teleport... and the singular enthusiasm to fully embrace his newfound powers. His glee is infectious, as he squeals "Hello New Yooooowwwwkkk!" in the pilot's most exhilerating scene.



I like a lot of the details: the dark, gritty and vivid NYC, similar to CSI:NY's vision... the references to Kitty Pryde and the X-Men, the apparent comic book that binds the characters, the somewhat heavy-handed cross-polination of characters into each others' experiences (as if they feared we wouldn't put out the Lost-level effort some degree of sublety would have rewarded) the details in the painter's oil paintings, the creative use of the solar eclipse in the logo, the painting, and the reflections of things, and most especially, in a Japanese nightclub, the live kareoke performance that mimics the viral video of the chinese kids in jerseys lip-synching to Backstreet Boys, that the internet savvy viewers will recognize.



There were a few astounding breakdowns in logic int he otherwise sharp script, maybe due to editing, or conevnience, I don't know. A solar eclipse visible all over the world, both sides of the globe? an uncanny level of precision in recreating a field study map? the bike-wielding teen social-second-stringer who shows up at the flame-broiled train wreck the same time our cheerleader does, despite having a bike and her walking? But I'm going to chalk it up to density.



I'm excited to see this show spread it's wings and prove itself to move out of Lost's shadow, and the confidence on display in the pilot suggests it will. But even if it proves to be a Lost clone, Im still entertained. And next Monday can't come soon enough!



8/10 Clicks

Related posts:

1. Heroes S02, Ep 09: Cautionary Tales [In Defense of Heroes]
2. Heroes Fires Loeb?
3. What Is the Sound of One Eclipse Happening?

This may not seem like much to you, when you've been lugging this in your backpack for the last year... but at least the robot DJ above is in wrongrobot orange. Granted, this post may ellicit a tear from Go Dorito, since I believe it was coming back from NextFest, where this was taken, that his PKDick head was stolen, right?

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1. iRobot Design Theft Gives Bad Robot Karma
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3. Sony Robot Attends Nursery School, Is Picked On

Now, you'd think this would be posted Wrong... but how can I turn down robots with hair? Even if they are clickity-clackity screechy robot-voicedly whining to be clubbed?

Related posts:

1. Link : Gizmodo’s robot section
2. When Robots Turn on Humans: A Photo Essay

Not electronic theft, no, me mateys... but the pair o' critical must-haves fer any o ye pirates on me ship, when regarding ye favorite comic illustration site what's involving third rails, and it's message board within!



This:







And thusly, this!

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Astonishing X-Men #17

Written by: Joss Whedon

Art by: John Cassaday



Kitty and Colossus have just had a boy. Yay! Everyone's happy! Oh wait, now the X-Men want to kill the toddler. Kitty won't be having none of that! So she phases an axe through Pete's head to find out where they took her son. "In the basement," is the response. Exactly where Emma wants her to go. To open the secret box in the basement. Emma and her mind tricks. What a bitch.

Up on the S.W.O.R.D. spacestation, Agent Brand gets a status report of Ord's escape. She finds out Danger was the one responsible for freeing him, and that the 2 of them are heading towards Xavier's. Brand contacts her mole there for an update. Her mole Lockheed!

In the basement, Kitty attempts to open the box she thinks has her son. After some extenuous effort, she succeeds. But while she sees her son, we see what appears to be some type of cocoon.

As the no-eyed girl leads girly Logan to the rest of the team, Danger and Ord crash through the roof of the mansion. Wolverine crashes into the fridge, dropping a can of beer onto his head. The beer snaps Logan out of his girlish state. Guess who's screwed now?

As Kitty brings her "son" up from the basement, she's knocked out by Cassandra Nova. Seems that cocoon is 'ol Cassie herself. Now that she's free from the box, she can choose a new host body to inhabit. And she choo-choo-chooses Kitty.

But before Nova can do anything further, Emma is shot in the back 3 times by none other than Cyclops himself. But Scott didn't use his optic blasts, he used a good 'ol fanshioned pistol. Punisher style! Take it bitch!!



Let me just say, I don't know what the hell's going on here! I'm so lost it hurts. I THINK it now seems like Cassandra Nova has been behind everything, not Emma. And now maybe the Hellfire Club WAS actually there, and not a figment of Emma's imagination. But how are there 2 Emma's? And did Cyke just kill one?? Who freakin' knows? But I sure as hell ain't stopping now.

While I consider this issue to be a bit of a let down, I still think Whedon's got a master plan that'll tie everything together beautifully. He's a crafty genius. Just when you think you've got things sorta figured out, he goes in a completely opposite direction. Sometimes 3 opposite directions! He's great. It'll be sad to see him go.

And Cassady ain't half bad either. You know, for someone with superb artistic abilities! He's the current master at facial expressions. Bar none. The scene where Logan wakes up--BRILLIANT! It's gonna be sad to see him go too.

One last thing, I hope Emma's dead. That'd be great. I just know I ain't gonna get that lucky. Nope, she'll still be on the team, and Scott won't need his visor anymore. And that's gonna be a bad move. Scott needs to have that visor on. It's WHO he is. Without that, he's just another mutant. The handicap he had allowed him to be a better leader. It made him strive to do great things. If he doesn't have it, what will make him work as hard as he does now? Maybe this'll just be temporary. Heck, we still have 8 issues to go, including the Giant Size Astonishing #1. There's plenty of room for one of those 3 opposite directions to show up!



I give this ish 7/10 SNIKTS.

Related posts:

1. Astonishing X-Men #15
2. Astonishing X-Men #16
3. Astonishing X-Men #3

X-Men-Phoenix: Warsong #1

Written by: Greg Pak

Art by: Tyler Kirkham



We pick up sometime after the end of Phoenix: Endsong, following up on the Stepford Cuckoos. Seems the Cuckoo-heads have been hearing voices in their heads, and they're determined to find out the cause.

Meanwhile, Emma Frost has a dream where she becomes the Phoenix and kills the X-Men, and then the world.

As the Cuckoos try to figure out where the voice is leading them, one of the O*N*E Sentinels stops them from fleeing the grounds of the Xavier Estate. The X-Men end up putting the girls in one of Emma's psychic prisons (for lack of a better term) until they can figure out what's happening to them.

As the X-Men try to figure out how the Cuckoos suddenly have the power to fly, Emma tells them of the Phoenix dream she had. She believes the Phoenix is involved with the girl's dilemma.

Beast examines Celeste, and finds her to be normal. Logan trains with Phoebe, to get a feel of her present condition, which seems aggressive, but also normal. Finally, Emma talks with Mindee about the recent happenings. Mindee won't come forward, and a mental stand-off ensues. Mindee wins, and as all three girls team up, they are engulfed in a Phoenix flame bird. They blast Emma, and head to the cemetary, where their dead sisters have risen from their graves.



I'm liking where this sequel is going. Even though my Jeannie won't really be featured, it's starting to explain the enigma that is the Stepford Cuckoos. And boy, let me tell you, do they need some 'splaining! They've always been so unexplored. They've been with the X-Men for awhile now, but who are they? What do they do other than use Cerebro? Well, we're gonna find out. Seems Weapon X and John Sublime is involved. That can't bode well, I'm sure.

Greg Pak seems destined to be the next great Marvel writer. His Planet Hulk stuff is off the charts, and he really fits in great with the X-Men. He incorporates the good parts of Grant Morrison's run, and adds much needed depth and explanation. As well as creating his own mark on the X-World. If anybody can take over Astonishing after Joss Whedon, it's Pak.

I do miss Greg Land on art though. Nobody, and I mean nobody, could draw Jean Grey like that man. But, hey, guess what? This ain't Jean's book, so Tyler Kirkham is doing a great job here. It certainly has that Top Cow feel to it that all of their books have: i.e. hot women, less attention to backgrounds, and decent action. I've said all along, that if this book was going to have more action (it is called WARsong afterall), then Land wouldn't fit. He's a "pretty" artist, not a gritty one. Kirkham's got a flare for action. I liked his Amazing Spider-Man issues. Not fantastic, mind you, but a worthy start. Given the right book, and right inker, Tyler's got superstar potential. So far, so good.

And for you Jean Grey lovers like me, page 4 gives you all you need to know about her future: as the Cuckoos hover over Jean's gravestone, the Phoenix utters "Soon, yes. But not yet." So Jean's coming back. That's what trilogys are for right?



I give this ish 7/10 SNIKTS.

Related posts:

1. Ultimate X-Men #72
2. Gatchaman is Dead, but the Phoenix Looks Cool
3. Ultimate X-Men #74

Lost Season 3 Pre-Premiere Clip Show



With a mere 7 days left until the premiere of the new season of Lost, ABC aired a clip show last night, summarizing in one hour what we scrutinized with laughs and tears and more than a little space madness over two seasons. It was much like the last catch-up show, but with an important difference: unlike with the Tailies catch-up episode, this one seemed to deliberately toy with selective memory. It left us wondering: focus and omission in order to tidy up plot threads, or to hint at things to come? Was this misleading? Misinformation? Or just their choice in selecting content from the massive amount of Lost mythology to fill one short hour?



Comments:



1. The clip show ignored major plot points, but brought our attention back to others. It recontextualized some of the disparate information we’ve received, ordering it in ONE possible scenario, as if to suggest the others weren’t viable. We saw the whole Hurley + Sayid listening to the boosted radio signals sequence, seemingly to suggest that either we’ll be looking to this for more data about the outside world, or as a means of further establishing that the island is, you know, on Earth… they also showed the aircraft wreckage, the Black Rock and Desmond’s yacht as all being examples of ‘lost’ vehicles that have found their ways to the island. Lots of attention being focused on Desmond, who plays a major role next season. No mention of the drug plane, which still demands serious answers.



2. Major castmembers and plot points were skipped over: Claire’s mystery baby is old news, demon or not, and Sun’s is the only one referenced. Libby is entirely omitted, though Ana Lucia is shown several times. Rose is omitted, as is the deceased Other, Ethan. Or, you know, Shannon and Boone, at least one of which are returning, flashback or otherwise…



3. The Others were shown in a bit more favorable light. They were shown creepy, menacing, mysterious and unsettling still, but somehow less mysterious that over the breadth of two seasons past. Obviously, the new season will be giving the Others some serious screen time, and it was important to set up the events leading into the premiere: Jack, Kate and Sawyer captured, Hurley on the way back to the camp (somehow) with a message, Michael and Walt on their war to those special coordinates. And, with the numbers secret half-answered over the summer, the whole recap was less about the mysteries of the island itself, and more about the wha-huh-who about the Stations and their purpose. Just re-watching the finale clips gave me goosebumps… the reset key, the metallic droning, the hatch door falling back to the island, Eko, Desmond and John all missing, and Charlie not sweating it.



So, I think it offered just enough information to get people involved who hadn’t yet seen the show. Which is critical for any serial. I was hoping for new information or teases, but the most we got was the trailer for the premiere, which showed the Others’ captives in different types of containment, struggling to get out, crying and screaming, Jack trying to escape, and a hatch door opening up to seawater…much like those mysterious descending hatch ramps as seen in the Caduceus station…



No rating, but fun to watch, just to get amped UP!

Related posts:

1. Lost- Season 2: Episode 7
2. Lost Season 2 Finale Podcast
3. 24 – Season 4 Recap: Ep. 20

Amazing Spider-Man #535

Writer: J. Michael Staczynski

Artist: Ron Garney



Wow I didn't think I could lothe Tony Stark and Reed Richards anymore then I already did.... But I could.... Reed's Story about his uncle and useing that as his resoning why people should just accept the law and belive that bad laws will right themselves sickend me. People like Joe Macarthy weren't defeated by people accepting what they did they were defeated by people like Reed Uncle standing up to them.



The Clockwork Orange Neg Zone prison sickens me and I really don't see how you could ever call Reed and Tony "heroes" ever after all of this.



Tony's thinly veild threat to Peter is going to come back to bite him I hope.



5 for 5

Related posts:

1. Civil War #7 *Spoilers*
2. Civil War #4
3. Thor #3

A book of portraits.

Of monkeys.

Buy it HERE.

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