Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back, superhero fans, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Ultraverse fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the mid-1990s to examine one of the many tales of the Ultraverse through the Elven mini-series.
When I grabbed a copy of Elven #1, I did not expect much entertainment and surprise. But as I started reading it and witnessed Elven’s interactions with Prime, the narrative became even more engaging to read. In addition, Len Strazewski’s writing clearly defined the personality of fantasy fanatic and confused girl Elvia Swanson and established Elven as a twisted female parallel to Prime. Along the way, Aaron Lopresti’s art showed a lot of details, emotions and dynamism (on the action).
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Elven #2, published by Malibu Comics in 1995 with a story written by Len Strazewski and illustrated by Aaron Lopresti (Sludge).
The cover.
Early story
The story begins inside the office of a psychiatrist where Elven encounters a demon which just came out of the teenage boy Bruno. As the two fight each other violently, the psychiatrist watches them obsessively and writes down the notable details for a potential advancement in his career. Bruno, who carried the demon in him some time prior, watches the fight from a distance marveling at Elven while also observing how chaotic the demon is.
Elven fights the demon hard while maintaining a mindset of pride and even being superior. The demon reveals his link with Boneyard (for reference, click here) confirming he came from a distant world.
After getting hit by Elven’s elf-fire, the demon begins to laugh at her. Elven gets triggered and starts hitting the demon more…
Quality
By giving in to her impulses, Elven commits a very violent move on a man. This also shows her inability to restrain herself.
While issue #1 established Elvia Swenson personality and her super-powered, fantasy inspired Elven identity who has a genetic connection with Prime, this comic book emphasizes the deeper fantasy aspects of the Ultraverse while expanding the lore within Elven’s part of the shared comic book universe.
Similar to Prime (Kevin Green in disguise), Elven gets triggered emotionally which is the result of the youth and obvious lack of maturity of Elvia. That being said, the moments of Elven getting more violent and shedding a few tears after getting laughed at by the demon deserve any reader’s attention.
Len Strazewski’s writing is pretty rich here and he pulled of some clever moves with the narrative. As the battle between Elven and the demon intensified, there were signs that the conflict would turn into an even bigger and more destructive battle. Instead, there were these deep revelations that happened (note: for relevance, you will have to read Prime #5 which I reviewed some time ago) and even the arrogant boy Bruno has his own share of what has been going on. Even the psychiatrist turned out to be a pretty significant bystander during the battle which suggests a build-up for a sub-plot.
As such, Strazewski wrote the story to be very intriguing and the plot threads are not limited to Elven and the demon. The way I see it, something is being built up and to grasp the relevance, you will have to read some issues of the Prime and Mantra comic book series.
If there is any weakness in the storytelling, it is the fact that the psychiatrist and his office assistant very easily forgot the moments of Bruno turning evil during the late part of issue #1. The way they reacted in this comic book after the end of the battle between Elven and the demon, they did not make any moves to hold Bruno accountable nor did they question Elven’s way of handling matters (which includes the eventual ruining of the office).
Conclusion
After getting triggered (being laughed at by the demon), Elven acted move violently and impulsively.
While there were a few weak spots in certain parts of the story, Elven #2 (1995) is another solid read from the Strazewski-Lopresti duo. Elven got developed even more through conflict with the demon, and her own search for the truth about her origin. Aside from that, the fantasy elements implemented in the story expanded the lore of the Ultraverse in a very unique way. Ultimately, I am looking forward to reading the next chapter of this mini-series.
Recently in the city of Parañaque, local police officers armed with a warrant of arrest arrested an electric bike (e-bike) driver who turned out to be wanted for robbery with homicide, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the report of Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…
Police arrested an e-bike driver listed as the Top 3 Most Wanted Person in Parañaque City on Jan. 27.
Operatives from the Parañaque City Police Warrant and Subpoena Section, in coordination with Baclaran Police Substation 1, apprehended the suspect, identified as Abubakar, 39, at his residence in Barangay Baclaran.
The suspect was nabbed by virtue of a warrant of arrest for robbery with homicide issued on January 14 by the Pasay City Regional Trial Court Branch 110, with no bail recommended.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, are you concerned that there could be more e-bike drivers who may have been involved in criminal activities like robbery and smuggling?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Let’s be very clear here. Americans overwhelmingly support the deportation of illegal aliens/immigrants who committed acts of crime. In the state of Minnesota, there are mobs of radicalized Leftists, social justice warriors (SJWs), extreme Democrats and other brainwashed activists who are doing everything they could to protect the illegal ones and that means rebelling against United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) by using violence.
Of course, the Trump administration is simply not giving up as the White House confirmed that it is laser-focused on removing criminal illegal aliens from Minnesota. Very recently, ICE apprehended the wanted Guatemalan national Esdras Aaron-Rodriguez-Hernandez who was charged in 2024 with domestic assault. The suspect is up for deportation and he previously was heavily protected by the radicalized Democrats of Minnesota. Democrats have this ongoing tradition of rewarding and prioritizing criminals and even terrorists at the expense of their fellow Americans.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the White House press statement. Some parts in boldface…
The Trump Administration is aggressively removing dangerous criminal illegal aliens from Minnesota’s communities — predators that Radical Left Democrats insist on providing safe harbor.
A stark example: Last week, ICE apprehended Esdras Aaron Rodriguez-Hernandez, a Guatemalan national and accused domestic abuser, in a case that exposes the dangerous stupidity of Minnesota’s “sanctuary” policies — and the self-inflicted necessity of Operation Metro Surge.
In 2024, Rodriguez-Hernandez was arrested and charged with domestic assault (intentionally inflicting or attempting to inflict bodily harm on a family member) and released without bail. A warrant was issued after he didn’t show up for court, and he evaded justice for nearly a year.
In November, he was arrested on the warrant and booked into the Hennepin County Jail, only to be released the next day on a $100 bail. After a radical prosecutor downgraded the charge, he was granted a stay of adjudication and set free once again.
At every step, local officials in the “sanctuary” jurisdiction failed to notify ICE of his custody — forcing federal agents to expend significant resources tracking him down and putting Minnesotans at unnecessary risk.
Rodriguez-Hernandez now awaits deportation, joining a long list of criminal illegal alien thugs the Trump Administration has removed from Minnesota’s streets — often with zero help from leaders who prioritize criminals over citizens.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Are you surprised that Satanic Leftists of Minnesota went to the extremes to protect the suspect from ICE? Do you think that the radical Leftists have the means to violate national laws regarding immigration and crime? Do you consider Minnesota a very corrupted state under the control of radical Leftists? If anyone in your family has been heavily influenced by Democrats and their mainstream news media partners-in-crime, is he or she soft-hearted towards illegal aliens/immigrants?
The ties between Israel and Vietnam are only getting stronger which is crucial for the Jewish state as anti-Israel hatred remains intense in many parts of the world. Vietnam did not allow itself to be influenced by those who hate Israel as it boosted its ties with the Jewish state and already a lot of related developments have happened, according to a news article by The Jerusalem Post.
Recently Vietnam joined the Board of Peace which US President Donald Trump welcomed. If you connect the dots, Vietnam has blossoming ties with America which itself is Israel’s strongest ally in the world. This shows that stronger Israel-Vietnam ties make a lot of sense. The Southeast Asian nation is also a major destination for international travelers.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from news article of The Jerusalem Post. Some parts in boldface.
While Israeli diplomacy undoubtedly has become more complex since the October 7 massacre, the relationship between Jerusalem and Hanoi has flourished, according to Israeli Ambassador to Vietnam Yaron Mayer.
“The conflict has naturally raised concerns but did not dominate bilateral engagement,” he told The Jerusalem Post in a recent interview. “Diplomatic dialogue remained professional, respectful, and focused on cooperation. Long-term partnerships were not disrupted.”
“Vietnam maintains a balanced stance, supporting a two-state solution while continuing to value Israel as a top-tier technological partner,” he added.
Mayer, who is also Israel’s ambassador to Laos, has worked for more than a decade in Israeli diplomacy. He previously served as ambassador to Myanmar and Nepal.
Mayer said he has devoted much of his time to developing bonds on a local level. Celebrating his first Vietnamese New Year, which fell on his seventh month in the country, he joined a kindergarten class to learn how to make traditional Vietnamese Trung, a square cake made of sticky rice, green beans, and meat.
Mayer, whose mother was a famed artist born in London, also reflected on both the challenge and the beauty of learning to write a traditional word under the guidance of a calligrapher in Hanoi. The Chinese script, commonly hung on the walls of Vietnamese homes to bring good luck, was demonstrated by a local man who taught him how to write the word “AN,” meaning peace.
Vietnam boosts Israel ties with tech cooperation, tourism push – The relationship between the two countries is at an all-time high, he said, citing recent accomplishments, such as the signing of the free-trade agreement in 2023. Trade is projected to exceed $4 billion by the end of 2026, he added.
Israelis might be able to travel to Vietnam without a visa in the not-too-distant future, Mayer hinted, adding that it would be a natural next step following Hanoi’s 2023 decision to extend e-visas to 90 days.
The new direct Arkia flight from Tel Aviv to Vietnam indicates that Hanoi is investing heavily in attracting Israeli tourists, he said. Last year, at least 50,000 visitors entered Vietnam with their Israeli passports, and the Vietnamese Tourism Ministry hopes to attract 300,000 Israeli travelers by 2030, he added.
Mayer said a plan was in place to increase cooperation in technology transfer, smart agriculture, climate resilience, and digital innovation within the next five years.
Much of Israel’s environmental and agricultural technology is already being employed by Vietnam, he said. The gold standard of Israeli drip irrigation is now being scaled to address water shortages and efficient irrigation in various regions, he added, and it was being used successfully in many rural parts of the country.
Perhaps because Vietnam only recognized Israel in 1993, Mayer said he was pleasantly surprised by the depth of interest in Israeli innovation across Vietnamese institutions. There is strong demand not only from the private sector, he said, but also from provincial governments and universities.
Vietnam is eager for the opportunity to benefit from Israeli technology, and there are many opportunities for Israelis, Mayer said.
He cited strong interest from Israeli start-ups and said the embassy has begun hosting “matchmaker” events, such as the Israel Technology Connection, to link Israeli start-ups with Vietnamese provincial leaders.
FPT, one of Vietnam’s largest hi-tech and pharmaceutical companies, was one of several to benefit from the work of the embassy and opened the doors to its first Israel office a few weeks ago, Yoram Noar, the head of FPT’s Israel branch, told the Post.
The new office will focus on furthering the company’s interests in the fields of artificial intelligence, cyber, and education, he said.
“I urged the ambassador to focus on the hi-tech industry to see if we could bring the Israeli companies from the hi-tech industry into Vietnam to see if we could do joint ventures,” Noar said. “We focused on hi-tech because Vietnam has great potential, and Vietnam wants to show a growth of about 10% a year, so [Hanoi] thought Israel could be a good model of how to promote [economic and hi-tech] activities.”
As you can see, the strong ties between Vietnam and Israel resulted in a whole lot of developments that are economic, social and technological in nature. Soon enough, more Israelis will visit Vietnam while the opportunities for Vietnamese travelers to visit Israel and discover the Holy Land will multiply. Praise and thank the Lord for the stronger ties between Israel and Vietnam.
To all my readers, I encourage you to accept the truth that Israel is the land God designated specifically for the Jewish people (read Genesis 35:10-12) and His command must be followed without hesitation. If you want to be blessed further by the Lord, do so by loving and blessing the Jewish people (Genesis 12:1-3). I did my part when I was in Israel. Also, let me remind you all that the ties between the Jews and Christians are truly biblical!
I encourage you all to pray to the Lord God in support of Israel, to love and bless the Jewish people, and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?
I recommend you check out the following videos I found.
#1 Discover Shiriyaki Onsen In Japan’s Kanto Region – Japan has a lot of wonderful sites and special places of nature that are worth visiting. Within the Kanto region (which contains Tokyo) is the wonderful place called Shiriyaki Onsen which stands out nicely among the hot springs there. Nippon TV recently produced a feature of the place and you can find out more by watching the video below.
#2 Disasters That Hit Cruise Ships And Troubled The Passengers –Spending days at sea on a cruise ship can be a nice way of having a vacation with momentum. However, bad weather conditions can ruin such vacations. Worse, the cruise could turn into bouts of danger and already there have been cruise ships that got hit hard with bad weather at sea which in turn placed the passengers in deep danger. Even as they are inside the cruise ship during powerful storms and big waves at sea, passengers and the crew have to deal with interior damage, falling debris and furniture that moved a lot. You can learn about what happened to the unfortunate ones at sea by watching the video below.
#3 You, Me and the Movies React To Orca: The Killer Whale – When Steven Spielberg and Universal Pictures struck box office gold with Jaws in 1975, it was not surprising that many filmmakers and producers scrambled to cash in on the “creature feature” trend of movies at that time. Indeed, there were imitations or “monster movies” that were inspired by Jaws released during the late 1970s. One of those films was Orca: The Killer Whale (AKA Orca) which had a lot of similarities with Spielberg’s massive blockbuster due to it featuring an aquatic monster and having the sea as the main environment. Still, Orca has certain creative elements that made it stand out in a very disturbing way and its cast has Richard Harris, Charlotte Rampling and Bo Derek. To find out about Orca, watch the movie reaction video below.
#4 The Monster Squad Revisited – What can be said about The Monster Squad? The 1987 movie directed by Fred Dekker was a failure in the American box office and yet it still has a dedicated fan base. A lot of people who support the movie point to its monster lineup composed of horror movie icons like Dracula, Frankenstein’s monster, the mummy, the wolfman and the creature from the black lagoon. As such, it is not surprising to see YouTubers make retrospective features and reaction/review videos about The Monster Squad which have been posted below for your viewing.
#5 The Many Ports Of Final Fantasy IV – Since it was first released in Japan on the Super Famicom, Final Fantasy IV became a critical and commercial success. It was released on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) in America titled as “Final Fantasy II” which further expanded the game’s reach with many gamers who don’t understand Japanese. Furthermore, the classic Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) was ported to multiple systems through the decades and it even had a 3D polygonal remake on the Nintendo DS. To find out the many ports of Final Fantasy IV and which ones stood out technically and visually, watch and learn from the video below.
#6 Ranting For Vengeance Hits Woke Hijackers On Resident Evil – Let us be very clear here. The woke/socialist/LGBTQ/commie/SJW mob cannot help but be very loud with their twisted ideology and they simply cannot stop themselves from literally hijacking pop culture as we know it. In this case, the Leftists are trying to claim the Resident Evil games franchise for themselves and they are only getting worse as the release of Resident Evil Requiem moves closer. In response to this, Ranting For Vengeance posted three RE-related videos, slammed the woke mob and exposed who the fake fans are. You can find out more by watching his videos below.
This early, Malaysia is aiming at the top of the 34th edition of the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) which it will host in 2027, according to news report by VnExpress. Malaysia finished 4th place in the 2025 SEA Games held in Thailand with fifty-seven gold medals won.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of VnExpress. Some parts in boldface…
Malaysia’s Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) has set the goal of the country being overall champions at the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in 2027, which will be hosted by Malaysia.
Newly appointed Youth and Sports Minister Mohd Taufiq Johari said after taking office on Jan. 16 that the ministry, together with the National Sports Council (NSC), will strengthen cooperation with national sports associations and others to work towards that goal.
He expressed confidence that Malaysia could emerge as the strongest team at the SEA Games 2027, and voiced optimism about repeating the overall championship the country secured when it last hosted the event in 2017.
Taufiq praised the dedication and fighting spirit displayed by Malaysian athletes at the SEA Games 2025 in Thailand, saying he hoped they will maintain the same qualities when Malaysia hosts the Games in 2027.
He added that the KBS, together with the NSC and relevant agencies, have already drawn up detailed plans and a clear timeline, including the organization of workshops, to ensure medal targets can be achieved.
Apart from being a highly competitive nation in the SEA Games, Malaysia itself is the 2nd most visited nation of Southeast Asia in 2025. Hosting the SEA Games in 2027 could help it attract more foreign tourists in the short term.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Are you convinced that the preparations initiated by Malaysia will pay off nicely during the 2027 SEA Games? Being the host nation, what sports do you think Malaysia could add to or subtract from the 2027 SEA Games? Do you feel excited about the next Southeast Asian Games?
Vietnam’s entry into the Board of Peace (note: referred to as the Peace Council in the VnExpress report) is not exactly surprising as it already has friendly ties with Israel. Ties between Vietnam and America are also healthy.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the report of VnExpress. Some parts in boldface…
U.S. President Donald Trump has sent a message congratulating Vietnam’s Party General Secretary To Lam on his re-election for a 14th term and welcoming Vietnam’s decision to join the Peace Council initiative.
President Trump said General Secretary Lam’s continued leadership role comes at an important time, as Vietnam and the U.S. are pressing ahead with the positive outcomes achieved in bilateral relations in recent years.
The President also expressed his hope that the two sides would soon make positive progress in negotiations on a reciprocal, fair and balanced trade agreement, thereby further promoting shared prosperity.
He welcomed Vietnam’s decision to join the Peace Council initiative, and thanked and highly valued Vietnam’s role as well as Vietnam-U.S. cooperation in promoting peace and safeguarding freedom, sovereignty and independence of countries in the Indo-Pacific and the world at large.
President Trump said he is confident that Vietnam-U.S. relations would continue to deepen across all fields, from economy and trade to security, defense and people-to-people exchanges, and expressed his hope to welcome General Secretary Lam to the U.S. at an appropriate time.
General Secretary Lam accepted the invitation from U.S. President Donald Trump last month to join the Gaza Peace Council and affirmed Vietnam’s readiness to participate as a founding member state of the council.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think Vietnam will become a major contributor on the rehabilitation of the Gaza Strip? What is your opinion about the state of Vietnam-America ties as well as Vietnam-Israel ties?
While the Philippines continues to endure difficulties on attracting foreign tourists (click here and here), statistics of the global travel platform Agoda revealed that a lot more Filipinos searched online for accommodations in Vietnam, according to a travel article by VnExpress.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the travel article of VnExpress. Some parts in boldface…
Travelers from the Philippines showed the strongest interest in visiting Vietnam in 2025, with accommodation searches rising 86% year-on-year, according to travel platform Agoda.
The trend was consistent with official tourism data. The number of Filipino visitors to Vietnam reached 482,173 in 2025, up 81.3% from 2024, according to the General Statistics Office.
Air connectivity between the two countries has also improved, with several carriers launching new direct routes.
In July last year, Philippine Airlines began operating a Manila-Da Nang service with three flights a week. A month later, Vietjet opened the Ho Chi Minh City-Manila route, offering five round-trip flights per week.
“Growing international interest suggests Vietnam is consolidating its position as a leading regional destination, benefiting from improved connectivity, visa policies and diversified travel experiences,” said Vu Ngoc Lam, country director at Agoda Vietnam.
Vietnam welcomed a record 21.2 million international visitors in 2025, up 20.4% from the previous year and the highest total on record.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think a lot more Filipinos will visit Vietnam this year as the direct flights continue? What is it about Vietnam that captures the interests of foreign travelers? If you have been to Vietnam as a tourist, how much did you spend per day there?
Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!
In this edition of the Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) series, we will take a look at another batch of retro gaming print ads from the 1980s to the 1990s, particularly on role-playing games (RPGs) from the East and the West. This is the RPG Special!
For the newcomers reading this, Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) looks back at the many print ads of games (console, arcade, computer and handheld) that were published in comic books, magazines, flyers, posters and newspapers long before smartphones, social media, the worldwide web and streaming became popular. To put things in perspective, people back in the 1980s to the 1990s were more trusting of print media for information and images about electronic games and related products.
With those details laid down, here is the newest batch of retro gaming print ads for you to see and enjoy…
1. Phantasie North American and Japanese Print Ads
The North American print ad.
The Japanese print ad.
Released by Strategic Simulations in the mid-1980s, Phantasie was a fantasy role-playing game that became a huge commercial success paving the way for not only ports on other computer systems of the time but also sequels later. The ad they came up with for the North American market had strong fantasy vibes and the screenshots gave readers the impression that it looked playable or user friendly. For the Japanese market, Phantasie was ported to the MSX system and they came up with an ad using radically different art work that had a horror vibe.
2. Phantasy Star Japanese Print Ad
Phantasy Star in the Japanese print ad sharing the spotlight with After Burner.
In the 1980s, role-playing games started gaining popularity with Japanese console gamers and there were game developers who were inspired by established RPGs from the West. Enix released two Dragon Quest games and each of them sold a lot of copies on Nintendo’s Family Computer (Famicom). At the time, Sega already had the Master System (called the SG-1000 and its variants with revisions) in the console market and they were way behind Nintendo on hardware sales. Knowing there is a market for console RPGs, Sega went on to make their exclusive RPG Phantasy Star. In 1987, a print ad was released showing Phantasy Star sharing the spotlight with Sega’s blockbuster game After Burner in the background. While the ad felt a bit disorienting to see, the game achieved much-needed success for Sega which in turn brought the game to the Master System in America in 1988. The game sold more and eventually led to sequels in the years that followed.
3. Ultima III Japanese Print Ad
Remember the old days when anime or comic book-style artwork was used to promote games in the Japanese print media?
Released in Japan under the title Ultima: Kyoufu no Exodus, Ultima III: Exodus was a breakthrough for the series as the Famicom version marked the first console release for Japanese gamers (note: the game was also offered for MSX and other computer systems in the country). The anime-style artwork used for the print ad is the same virtually the same with the front cover of Famicom version. Very notably, the art on the covers of the PC-88 and PC-98 versions were different.
4. Lunar: The Silver Star Japanese Print Ad
Game Arts’ Lunar: The Silver Star as advertized in Japanese magazines.
By the 1990s, console RPGs were very popular as franchises like Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy each released sequels that sold a lot of copies. The company Game Arts decided to make a role-playing game which can tell stories better using animation with voiceovers and music while being very playable and enjoyable. They came up with Lunar: The Silver Star and released it on the Mega-CD add-on (connected with the Mega Drive console of Sega) in 1992. As such, it was not surprising to see the print ad having anime-style artwork as the game itself had several minutes of anime cutscenes complete with audio. As most Japanese role-playing games (JRPGs) did not have playable anime cutscenes for storytelling, Lunar: The Silver Star really stood out. Sometime later, the small American company Working Designs would handle the game’s English version and start a healthy business relationship with Game Arts.
5. Dungeons & Dragons: Warriors of the Eternal Sun North American Print Ad
A print ad that strongly appealed to both Sega Genesis gamers as well as fans of Dungeons & Dragons.
By the year 1992, the fantasy games franchise Dungeons & Dragons was wildly popular as players around the world kept enjoying the tabletop RPG modules (using dice, pen paper) as well as many computer and video games already available. Sega acquired a D&D license and eventually released Dungeons & Dragons: Warriors of the Eternal Sun exclusively on their Genesis console in 1992. To promote it, Sega produced a 2-page print ad that had one half showing the game’s box placed with jewelry while using the other half to show the screenshots, descriptive text and other details. The way it was presented, the print ad was cleverly structured to attract the attention of Sega Genesis gamers as well as Dungeons & Dragons fans. The game ended up as the first and only official D&D product for the console.
6. Shadow Sorcerer North American Print Ad
This is one of many Dungeons & Dragons computer games released. The use of painted art for marketing was done many times.
In the history of the Dungeons & Dragons franchise and electronic gaming, it was on computers where the more ambitious and more intricate licensed games were played by many fans. In 1991, the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (AD&D) electronic game Shadow Sorcerer was released on MS-DOS PC, Amiga and the Atari ST. The painted artwork used on the print ad was virtually the same as that on the box covers of the MS-DOS and Amiga versions. I can only guess that the ad markers must have paid a lot of money on the painted art and decided to use it for both marketing and packaging since it looked so detailed.
7. Estopolis Denki Japanese Print Ad
The 2-page Japanese print ad of Estopolis Denki.
In 1993, a brand-new Japanese developer called Neverland was established and its first project was the fantasy role-playing game Estopolis Denki for the Super Family Computer (Super Famicom). That same year, publisher Taito released the game and they promoted it with a 2-page print ad that featured a whimsical looking hand-drawn art work on one half and utilized the other half with details, screenshots and part of the art that was used on the game’s Super Famicom box cover. While Japanese game sales are not available, it seems Estopolis Denki sold enough to convince the publisher to release the game in North America as Lufia & The Fortress of Doom.
8. Lufia & The Fortress of Doom North American Print Ad
If you were able to play Lufia & The Fortress of Doom on the SNES, were you able to see this ad in a comic book or in a magazine?
Upon release in America in late 1993, Taito scored gold as Lufia & The Fortress of Doom on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES or Super NES) became a critical and commercial success. In fact, it literally gained steam during the early months of availability and ended up as the top-selling SNES game in America for the month of February of 1994. Take note that at this particular point of time, RPGs on game consoles in America were not yet in high demand as gamers’ tastes were different. When it comes to the marketing, Taito came up with a single-page print ad showing fantasy artwork, the game’s box cover and the published quotes from game critics who gave the game positive reviews. This is smart marketing on the part of Taito.
9. Record of Lodoss War Japanese Print Ad
The Japanese print ad of Record of Lodoss War for Super Famicom.
Have you ever heard of the Record of Lodoss War fantasy franchise? That one started as a series of fantasy novels by Ryo Mizuno who previously worked on an RPG project. Record of Lodoss War was eventually adapted into comics, anime and video games. One of those games was released on the Super Famicom in December 1995 published by Kadokawa Shoten which in turn made the one-page print ad for the Japanese market. Using established art from the anime OVA (original video animation) series was a strategic move by the publisher as millions of Japanese people viewed it. Unsurprisingly, the art on the ad is almost the same as the one displayed on the game box cover.
10. Fallout North American Print Ad
A gritty looking print ad of the original Fallout PC game.
In my gaming life, I played Fallout 3, Fallout 4 and Fallout: New Vegas on Xbox consoles. When the first-ever Fallout game was released in 1997, I did not notice it as I was more into console gaming than PC gaming. The above print ad appeared is several PC gaming magazines and it clearly shows what it offered which gamers eventually ended up enjoying a lot. The mechanical helmet – protection for the user during battles and from radiation in the nuclear wasteland – on the left side of the ad became a key symbol of the Fallout franchise as further games also featured mechanical helmets. Fallout was highly acclaimed for featuring open-ended gameplay and its immersive post-apocalyptic setting. It sold enough copies to convince publisher Interplay to proceed with a sequel and the rest was history.
11. Xenogears Japanese and North American Print Ad
Japanese advertisement of Xenogears.
This North American print ad of Xenogears clearly showed the main character, a robot, the sci-fi setting and the visual style of the game.
Xenogears was a sci-fi JRPG I played on the PlayStation in 1998 but I was unable to finish it. Before it was released in America, there was speculation that Squaresoft would not be able to produce an English version for international release due to its religious content. The game was highly challenging to translate into English due to religious themes and psychological elements. Regardless, the game achieved successes commercially and critically in both Japan and America. Xenogears has since been considered by many as a classic JRPG and to play it today is pretty challenging as an existing PlayStation One, PlayStation 3 or PlayStation Vita is required as well as the physical PlayStation disc itself (note: digital copy of Xenogears for PS Vita). Square Enix – which previously remastered Chrono Cross and several Final Fantasy games for modern gaming platforms – has yet to remaster Xenogears for those with modern game consoles, mobile devices and the PC.
12. Final Fantasy Anthology Print Ad
I remember seeing this 2-page print ad in many gaming magazines I read.
By the year 1999, Squaresoft established itself as the best role-playing game company as they achieved critical and commercial success with Final Fantasy VII in 1997, Brave Fencer Musashi, Parasite Eve and Xenogears in 1998. For 1999, Squaresoft decided to bring ports Final Fantasy V and Final Fantasy VI – both games were released in cartridge format on Super Famicom/Super NES some years prior – to their fans who owned PlayStation consoles by releasing the collection called Final Fantasy Anthology. For the North American market, Squaresoft aggressively promoted the 2-game collection with the above 2-page print ad on several video game publications. One half featured exquisite artwork by Yoshitaka Amano and the other half showed the screenshots, descriptions and details. Clearly the ad was made with Final Fantasy fans in mind and it was also clever with the use of nostalgia.
13. Final Fantasy VII North American Print Ad
While it did not show any of the characters, this 2-page print ad of Final Fantasy VII appeared in many gaming magazines and ultimately made the public aware of the game which went on to sell millions.
There is no denying that Final Fantasy VII is the most defining Japanese RPG of the 1990s. Given its huge pre-release promotions, the critical acclaim and the tremendous sales achieved in North America and Europe, the game arguably made the JRPG sub-genre more popular among gamers and game publishers while also making the original PlayStation console the must-have machine for video gaming. The above print ad is one of several released through print media and even though it did not show any characters, the image of a futuristic looking city caught the attention of not just gamers but also others who loved entertainment.
Recently in the City of Las Piñas, the local police apprehended a wanted man from Leyte province over the charge of qualified rape, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. The Las Piñas City police officers coordinated with their provincial counterparts.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from news report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…
A barber listed as the No. 2 Most Wanted Person at the municipal level in Dulag, Leyte, for qualified rape, was arrested in a highly coordinated police operation in Las Piñas City on Jan. 25.
Las Piñas City Police chief Col. Wilson Delos Santos identified the suspect as alias “Boy,” 41, a resident of Barangay Talon 1, Las Piñas City.
Delos Santos said the arrest was carried out through a joint operation of the Dulag Municipal Police Station (MPS) and the Las Piñas City Police, particularly its Warrant and Subpoena Section.
The suspect was nabbed by virtue of a warrant of arrest for qualified rape of a minor issued on July 7, 2025 by Judge Avelino Decoroso M. Basco of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 34, Tacloban City, with no recommended bail.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Do you think there could be wanted persons from the provinces who could be working and living in the city? Does this crime news make you concerned about the safety of your local community?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Author Carlo Carrasco 