February 18, 2014 - On the Go in MCO

Marvel Review: World War Hulk

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World War Hulk is one of those mega-crossover events that Marvel puts out regularly. As such, it jumps through a number of titles – many old, some new – to tell it’s story. On at least one occasion you’re bound to see your favorite heroes helping out. This story continues where we left off after reading Planet Hulk. The big green machine is madder and therefore stronger than he’s ever been. His planet has been torn, his capital city destroyed, his wife killed, and his unborn child along with her. Along with his Warbound he sets off in his stone spaceship for Earth. His goal is simple: revenge on those who sent him into space.

The series starts off telling us about what’s been going on since the Hulk left Earth. The answer is “a lot”. Civil War broke out in the United States over the Superhuman Registration Act and Captain America was shot and killed (not really, but at this point everyone thought so). Tony Stark, is now the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. and he’s working behind the scenes to create a nanovirus that is able to shut down the powers of physiologically enhanced post-humans. In simpler terms, he has already predicted that the Hulk will return and he’ll need a way to “shut him off”.

To that end we learn that he’s listed the aid of the Hulk’s cousin, She-Hulk. Of course, she has no clue what she’s doing – he has her thinking that she’s just taking care of problems that the Hulk would have had he not been missing. Yup, she doesn’t know that he’s been rocketed by Stark and the others – in fact, outside of S.H.I.E.L.D. no one seems to know. What we learn is that her targets matter, and she becomes a test subject for the nanovirus when she learns of what they did. That’s when she meets up with Amadeus Cho (who we are repeatedly reminded is the 7th smartest person on Earth). He has a cure for her, but wishes to exchange it for her help. He’s a friend of the Hulk (not Banner), and he knows about the Hulk, and his return. She declines, but the Renegades are born.

What happens next is the Hulk first battles Black Bolt, outside their city of Attilan in the Blue Area of the Moon. Why? He’s considered the most powerful of Hulk’s enemies as he has previously bested Hulk. We don’t get to see the outcome of the battle, just it’s after effects. The moon shifts a little, and the tides are affected. Then the Hulk parks his stone spaceship over Manhattan and tells the entire world what was done to him. He shows the defeated Black Bolt as proof that he means business, and then declares that in 24 hours he’ll destroy Manhattan if Mister Fantastic, Iron Man, and Doctor Strange don’t surrender themselves.

Then a lot happens (as if it didn’t already). The Hulk pays a visit to the X-Men only to discover the ravaged remains of the Mutant community (another thing that happened while he was gone). He sees that Xavier – who admits that had he been there he would have voted to launch Hulk into space – is already suffering greatly and leaves him to continue doing so. There are also some very good battles where the Hulk and his Warbound take down and capture just about every hero on Earth. Though a lot of it occurs out of panel.

There is a subplot where the Heroes for Hire end up having to stop No-Name of the Brood from hatching her children and having them take over the Earth. If you read all the connected issues this one has a lot of play, and eventually ends with the teams dissolution. Though they do succeed. The other relatively interesting subplot involves the creation of a team of gamma enhanced individuals called The Gamma Corps who actually do manage to take down the Hulk during all of this, but only for a brief period of time.

A lot continues to happen, but the gist of it is this – it all comes down Sentry. A character who was retrofitted into the Marvel Universe back in the early 2000s. He didn’t exist before then, and that’s sort of his story in a nutshell (perhaps another time). Basically he’s the Hulk’s best friend – the Hulk calls him “Golden Man” and his power has a calming influence on the Hulk. He’s got some problems of his own including Schizophrenia and Agoraphobia. Bottom line, eventually he steps outside, and they fight, and it’s the Hulk who has to stop him.

Then Rick Jones, the Hulk’s first friend, is stabbed with a spear, and Hulk goes beserk. But he learns that he’s been mislead, and that while the Illuminati did fire him into space, they were not responsible for much of what happened after that point. He basically at this point allows for Stark, Richards, and the others to defeat him. And is placed into S.H.I.E.L.D. custody.

This series is basically the story for which Planet Hulk is the prologue. It has a serious amount of characterization that you might not otherwise have expected. It does draw long at some points, but the battles are good payoffs for each of those periods. Perhaps the most interesting takeaway is this, the Hulk has a secret power. In all his rampages, in all his wanton destruction, he has never once killed anyone he didn’t mean to, and even then only for self defense. Of course, that’s really the point. Never judge a book by it’s cover. Even if that book is a giant green man in purple pants whose favorite words are… wait for it… “Hulk Smash!”

SeaWorld Orlando’s Bands, Brew & BBQ Week 4

SEAWORLD^® ORLANDO’S BANDS, BREW & BBQ™ HEADLINERS FOR WEEK FOUR

THE COMMODORES (FEB. 22), JUSTIN MOORE (FEB. 23)

ORLANDO, Fla. (February 17, 2014) – SeaWorld Orlando’s Bands, Brew & BBQ festival features four more weekends of rocking concerts, mouth-watering BBQ, thirst-quenching beer and toe-tapping fun. Bands, Brew & BBQtakes place weekends in February through the first two weekends in March.

Soul/funk/Motown legends The Commodores play Saturday, February 22.

Country superstar Justin Moore plays Sunday, February 23.

Both shows start at 4 p.m. at the park’s Bayside Stadium. Visit SeaWorldOrlando.com for more details.

Bands, Brew & BBQ also celebrates the food! Serious barbecue connoisseurs can taste it all and pick their favorites. Sample Orlando’s best barbecue from local smokehouses — Bubbalou’s Bodacious Bar-B-Que, Cecil’s Texas Style BAR-B-Q and Sonny’s BBQ^® – plus SeaWorld’s very own Sweet & Smokin’ Barbecue. Sip on our ice-cold craft beer selection while enjoying live rocking concerts and exciting activities for the whole family to enjoy.

Even the little ones have their own area to get up close to animals, work on masterpieces at coloring stations, take photos with SeaWorld costume characters, learn from educators and play interactive games.

During Bands, Brew & BBQ, all Harley-Davidson® riders get free parking when they ride their hog to SeaWorld. And in between all the eating and line dancing, event-goers can take in the proudly displayed 2014 Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

Like all other events at SeaWorld Orlando, Bands, Brew & BBQ is included with park admission or any annual pass product.

The best way to experience Bands, Brew & BBQ is with a Fun Card; pay for a day and play all year – with no blackout dates – to experience all of SeaWorld’s remarkable events.

Visit SeaWorldOrlando.com for more information.

About The Commodores:

In 1968 the group was formed while all the members were in college at Tuskegee Institute located in Tuskegee, Alabama. After being discovered by Berry Gordy, the Commodores went on to sell over 60 million records for Motown. With hits like “Machine Gun” and “Sail On”, the Commodores became proven artists. They proved it then. They proved it in 1986 with “Night Shift”, and they continue to prove it to this day. The Commodores have maintained their place among the most successful entertainers in the world. Their careers as entrepreneurs, as well as performers bring the boys from Tuskegee full circle. Culminating the talent and experience of three decades of writing, producing, and performing hit music to a whole new generation of fans, the Commodores are proving once again that their future is as bright as their past.

About Justin Moore:

Justin Moore’s always had a thing about doing it his way. Call it stubborn redneck mettle, a well-developed case of “who I am” or just the fierce commitment to blaze a trail inherent to people from his home of Poyen, Arkansas. It doesn’t matter why, just that the blazing sense of off the beaten path drives his album of the same name. Again teaming with fellow writer/producer Jeremy Stover, the pair turn up the guitars, lean into the swagger and refine the powerful good ole boy perspective that allows for all the bravado. There’s a strong vein of tenderness and decency holding Moore’s kind of country together. Look no further than Rhett Atkins/Ben Hayslip/Ross Copperman-written “Point At You,” the lead single, that acknowledges every wild hair Moore has, but hits the bottom line of his goodness via the woman who became his bride.

About SeaWorld:

SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment inspires millions, through the power of entertainment, to celebrate, connect with and care for the natural world. The Company has been creating innovative entertainment experiences that blend imagination with nature for more than 50 years and is best known for its 11 U.S. theme parks, attractions that hosted more than 24 million guests in 2012 and include the beloved SeaWorld^®, Busch Gardens^® and Sesame Place^® brands. The parks offer guests a variety of up-close experiences, from animal encounters that invite exploration and appreciation of the natural world, to thrilling rides and spectacular shows. In 2011 SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment began expanding its popular brands into media and entertainment platforms to connect people to nature and animals through movies, television, and digital media; plus began developing new lines of licensed consumer products.

SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment is one of the world’s foremost zoological organizations and a global leader in animal welfare, training, husbandry and veterinary care. The Company maintains one of the largest animal collections in the world and has helped lead advances in the care of species in zoological facilities and in the conservation of wild populations. SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment also operates one of the world’s most respected programs to rescue, rehabilitate and return to the ocean marine animals that are ill, injured and orphaned. The SeaWorld^® rescue team has helped more than 23,000 animals in need over the last four decades.

SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment employs more than 21,000 people nationwide.

Celebrating National Engineers Week In Epcot With Raytheon

Every year Raytheon, sponsor of Sum of All Thrills in Innoventions East, helps guests National Engineers Week in Epcot, but this year they have really taken it to the next level!

For the week of February 17-21, 2014, Raytheon is presenting ‘Science Thrills Live’ show in Innoventions West.

httpv://youtu.be/P9Uvz0AWRis

In ‘Science Thrills Live’, which is part of Raytheon’s Math Moves You program, Dr. Erika Ebbel Angle leads a group of three scientists who demonstrate various scientific concepts with experiments that involve and engage even the youngest members of the audience!

I had the chance to speak with Dr. Erika Ebbel Angle before the show, and this former Miss Massachusetts is also a Biochemist who founded Science for Scientists with a passion for education and firing kids up about STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) to show them the real world applications of science.

Dr. Angle said that ‘Our goal is to dispel stereotypes of science, while also showing kids that science and engineering are awesome, fun, and engaging.’

The energy of the show was really fun, and as an extra bonus they used a lot of music from Meet the Robinsons during the show.

“Science Thrills Live” show is 20 minutes long, and will occur daily all week with shows at 11 a.m., 1, 2, 3, and 4 p.m. in Innoventions West near the Great Piggy Bank Adventure.

I suggest showing up 30 minutes early, because it is not a huge space. While you are waiting there are experiments to do and a really great pre-show that gives you a taste of what you can expect once the show begins!

In addition to ‘Science Thrills Live’, Raytheon employees will be on hand to lead Guests in hands-on experiments, again located in Innoventions West, to share kid-friendly activities while they share their passion for education and engineering.

And after the show and experiments, you definitely have to take the chance to experience science first hand by designing and experiencing their own thrill ride at The Sum of All Thrills presented by Raytheon

We look forward to celebrating National Engineers Week every year with Raytheon, but this year is especially memorable so be sure to drop by Innoventions West this week!