The 1980s – Author Carlo Carrasco

What To Watch On YouTube Right Now – Part 150

August 12, 2026August 15, 2026carlocarrasco

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 You, Me and the Movies React to Cloak & Dagger (1984) – As some of you readers might know already, I enjoyed the 1984 movie Cloak & Dagger (starring Henry Thomas) and I also liked playing the arcade game that appeared in it as a fictional Atari 5200 game. When it comes to retro gaming, the film strongly resonates with gamers who were old enough to have seen it and played games related with Atari on console and arcades in the 1980s. As such, it is not surprising to see that there are pretty few movie reaction videos of Cloak & Dagger on YouTube. To my personal delight, You, Me and the Movies posted a reaction video of the film and it is entertaining to watch!

#2 Minty Comedic Arts’ Exclusive Interview with Superboy TV star Gerard Christopher – If you were old enough to have seen the live-action Superboy series on TV a long time ago, you would remember that actor Gerard Christopher replaced John Newton as the star. Recently, Minty Comedic Arts posted his exclusive interview with Christopher (who played Superboy in over 70 episodes) and it is not just fun to watch but also surprising and insightful. At the same time, there is a lot to learn and discover from what Gerard Christopher revealed. That said, I encourage you to watch the video below.

#3 Yakisoba in Aichi Prefecture, Japan – I enjoy the taste of Yakisoba which is Japanese noodle stir-fried dish and it is often available in Japanese restaurants in the land of the rising sun as well in other parts of the world. In Aichi Prefecture, there is a family-owned restaurant that specializes in yakisoba. The dedicated cooking, careful processes and sound business management the food joint achieved resulted in a loyal customer base. There is a lot to learn and enjoy from the video below.

#4 Street Fighter II Is Unfair to Gamers? – Here is something that must be seen. Remember how intensely popular Street Fighter II and its updated versions were back in the 1990s? The original arcade game of Street Fighter II revolutionized fighting games and turned it into a wildly popular genre for both gamers and game companies. Still, there is something about the artificial intelligence (AI) in Street Fighter II that makes it “cheat” which resulted in a lot of frustrating experiences for those who played it. Did Capcom’s game developers deliberately set something up? Watch and learn from the video below.

#5 The Death of Criticism with Spider-Man: Brand New Day – Let me ask you this…if the so-called professional movie critics and online influencers unanimously give high praise to a big-budget movie designed to make a lot of money, do you let the critical acclaim influence you into watching it and adjusting your personal standards on judging new movies? In his recent video, Ranting for Vengeance shared a warning about the death of criticism over Spider-Man: Brand New Day which opened with massive commercial success backed with acclaim from the media and a variety of personalities online. By today’s standards, there are many millions of people who got oriented with Spider-Man without ever reading the classic comic books, and there are those who use Spider-Man movies as their main references. What is telling, however, is how some people lowered their standards on judging new movies as a whole. To learn more, watch Ranting with Vengeance’s video below and pay attention to the details.

#6 Assorted Casino (1995) Reaction Videos – I missed out on Martin Scorsese’s 1995 film Casino during its theatrical run and I saw it on home video some years later. Loosely based on real-life events that happened in Las Vegas, the movie was very good with its presentation and the stylized approach on explaining the details regarding casinos and related businesses controlled by criminals. As such, it is not surprising that a lot of movie reaction videos of it were posted on YouTube and I found the most entertaining ones among them for you all to enjoy.

#7 Game Developers Who Went Woke And Ruined The Gaming Industry – I have been playing video games since I was a little boy. This current console gaming generation has been very disappointing and I can say that it is very disgusting that state of gaming deteriorated a lot over the past several years as many game developers hired Leftist activists (the woke, transgendered, social justice warriors, LGBTQ extremists, rabid feminists, racist minority members and other undesirable people) and let them make new video games that reflected their ugly agenda. Very recently, the very woke Halo Studios got away with ruining Halo with the release of Halo: Campaign Evolved. The wokeness of gaming started many years ago and its disease grew a lot through the years. As such, the woke and Leftists working in video games clearly do not care about making video games fun and they do not care about gamers in general. To understand the wokeness and the Satanic Left’s agenda through gaming, watch the video below.

#8 Tempura Onigiri and More in Japan – Recently in Japan, a new form of onigiri with tempura was released and it is gaining popularity with customers. Not only that, newer types of onigiri were being offered to customers as a result of unpredictable market forces, experimentation and the changing tastes of the customers. There is a lot to discover in the Nippon TV, and it just make you crave for onigiri.

+++++

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

A Look Back at Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #109 (1985)

August 10, 2026August 5, 2026carlocarrasco

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 enthusiasts, 1980s arts and culture enthusiasts, Spider-Man fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1985 to examine a small part of the Marvel Comics shared universe through a tale of the Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man monthly series.

The first two chapters of the murder of Jean DeWolff really impacted not only Spider-Man but also Daredevil and the city of New York. Issue #107 was the start and the search for answers started with a good amount of mystery and suspense. In issue #108, the plot thickened somewhat and Spider-Man encountered the Sin-Eater with lots of bystanders nearby. Since the start, the creators crafted a compelling tale with a heavy touch of detective storytelling.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #109, published in 1985 by Marvel Comics with a story written by the late Peter David and the late Rich Buckler.

Early story

The story begins with the news of the violent death of a reverend being reported on television. The local authorities believe that the victim’s concern for criminals – a concern shared by the late judge Horace Rosenthal – marked him as a target of the Sin-Eater. While the news broadcast goes on, Peter Parker talks to Stan Carter as Spider-Man on the phone (with a cloth on the mouthpiece to distort the sound of his natural voice). Other people who saw the news broadcast are affected in different ways and there is the feeling of dread clouding the city.

In the evening, Wilson Grant Fisk (the Kingpin) dictates into his small recorder. While dictating and recording, the Kingpin knows Spider-Man is hiding in the dark very close to him. He fires a shot at Spider-Man who easily evades it. As the webslinger starts talking to him, the Kingpin reminds him that he is trespassing…

Quality

Right from the start, this tale not only maintained the gritty detective story tone since issue #107, it continued to build-up the tension and intrigue smoothly as the story went on. At this stage of the storyline, Spider-Man and Daredevil are both doing detective work to find out who the Sin-Eater really is and why precisely has he been killing people and causing chaos in the first place.

Both superheroes encountered different people in their respective searches for answers. Because he was not successful finding details as Daredevil, he decides to do it in his civilian form as Matt Murdock. Spider-Man, who is not a professional detective at all, continues his search with his limitations and with the only ways he knows how (including the use of violence, humiliation and threats).

Without spoiling the plot, I can say that there two notable plot turning points that are really fine payoffs to the build-up that started since issue #107. What happened here was finely dramatized by the David-Buckler duo and easily justified the cover price.

Conclusion

*Spider-Man doing detective work the way he knows how.*

Considering the very strong qualities of the writing and visuals combined with the two major plot developments, Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #109 (1985) is easily the most compelling part of the death of Jean DeWolff storyline. I should also state that Spider-Man and Daredevil are the key detectives of the tale and the creative team succeeded again in shaping this detective story to be very grounded with reality. The superhero elements are still present but noticeably contained with the brooding detective story. As to the two plot turning points I mentioned earlier, I encourage you all to grab a copy of this comic book and find out for yourselves. I promise you, they are worth your time and attention

Overall, Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #109 (1985) is highly recommended.

+++++

What To Watch On YouTube Right Now – Part 149

August 5, 2026July 30, 2026carlocarrasco

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 A Look At The Johnson County War – If you have seen the 1980 movie Heaven’s Gate, then you have been exposed to the Johnson County War which was a ranger war in the state of Wyoming that happened from 1889 to 1893. What the movie showed, however, was a historical fiction presentation and it could not be taken seriously as a reference of American history. To learn about the Johnson County War with historical attention, watch the video below.

#2 Popcorn in Bed Reacts To U-571 – Speaking of historical fiction, have you seen the movie U-571? When that movie was released in 2000, it only reminded me of other submarine movies like Das Boot, The Hunt For Red October and Crimson Tide. The movie directed by Jonathan Mostow and starring Matthew McConaughey made a lot of buzz when it opened at #1 in the American box office and that success influenced a lot of moviegoers here in the Philippines to watch it in local cinemas. I never saw U-571 but I noticed how much of an impact it had on Popcorn in Bed’s reaction video which I encourage you to watch.

#3 Japan Pushes Back Against Islam – There is a disturbing trend that has been happening in Japan that their local media and the international news organizations are not telling you…the Islamic foreigners there have been causing a series of disturbances such as occupying public spaces for Muslim prayers/gatherings, littering, rape, the construction of an illegal mosque and more. That said, there are lots of Japanese nationalists and concerned citizens who are fighting back and expressing demands and complaints to their government officials. It is clear that the Muslim foreigners there in Japan have this collective mindset of conquering Japan, violating the Japanese and gaining power under the guise of multiculturalism and political correctness. Watch the videos below.

#4 The Relevance Of The 1990s – Remember how unique the 1990s was when it comes to the evolution of technology, the marketing of products, the gradual transformation of pop culture in America and the like? There was indeed something special about the said decade which explains the driving force behind the Millennials’ nostalgia about it. To find out more, watch the video below.

#5 When Hollywood Released Two Similar Movies In 1998 – Way back in 1998, moviegoers worldwide saw two movies from Hollywood that had similar concepts about the world getting hit by something from deep space. The movies were Deep Impact and Armageddon, and they were released in the same summer box office season in America. Deep Impact was more dramatic and tried hard to be believable while Armageddon was highly exaggerated and had Michael Bay’s flair all over it. The two films were released at a time when disaster movies had a resurgence and they used computer-generated images to make realize their respective visual concepts. I find an analytical video about the two 1998 movies and I encourage you all to watch it.

#6 You, Me And The Movies React To Ghost In The Shell (1995) – There are many reasons why the 1995 anime feature film Ghost in the Shell is very significant. The adaptation of Masamune Shirow’s literary Ghost in the Shell was made with very high production values under the direction of Mamoru Oshii, the story had many futuristic concepts that became very relevant today, and it was very influential for many Hollywood filmmakers. That said, I liked how the anime feature film drew reactions from You, Me and the Movies, and their reaction video is a must-see!

#7 Casablanca Reaction Video Of EOM Reacts – There is nothing like watching a classic, black-and-white movie like Casablanca. Set in French Morocco, the story follows many characters dealing with the uncertainty of war and it is inside the nightclub and gambling den of American expatriate Rick Blaine where a lot of developments happened. The 1942 movie is memorable with its top-notch stars (Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman are phenomenal), the dramatic plot, the immersive settings and many iconic lines and moments. I have seen the movie a few times already on 4K Blu-ray format and I enjoyed watching EOM Reacts’ video of it. Go watch his video below.

#8 Soba Getting Reinvented In Japan – Soba – a Japanese noodle made from buckwheat flour – is getting reinvented in Japan as the traditional shops there are struggling with the rising costs of ingredients as well as a growing shortage of successors to the operators. In an effort to stay in business while avoiding raising prices, the surviving soba restaurants (and some new ones) there are reinventing the dining experience and doing other things to preserve the traditional soba culture. Watch and learn from the video below.

#9 Ranting For Vengeance Slams Zach Cregger And His Resident Evil Movie – As some of you already know, there is another new live-action movie of Resident Evil coming out soon and the early previews showed very little connections with the Resident Evil games of Capcom. Actor Zach Cregger is the director and co-writer of the new Resident Evil movie and Ranting for Vengeance slammed him hard in his recent YouTube video. Not only that, the YouTuber also backed up his criticism on Cregger and the 2026 Resident Evil movie with facts and details that you have to see. That said, go watch his video below and pay close attention to the details.

#10 Atari Jaguar CD Revisited – While I played a lot of games of Atari (both on Atari 2600 console and arcade games) in my life, I never owned an Atari Jaguar nor its CD-ROM add-on device. Indeed, there was a time in the 1990s when Atari got back in console gaming starting with the Jaguar console that operated with games in cartridge format. A short time later, the add-on Atari Jaguar CD was released and it looked like a toilet with the lid open. To learn more about the Atari Jaguar CD, watch the retro gaming video below.

+++++

Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 45

August 3, 2026August 1, 2026carlocarrasco

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.

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. Tron Arcade Flyer

*The rear. The details were clearly written for arcade operators.*

Remember how dazzling the 1982 movie Tron was when you first saw it? That film had groundbreaking computer-generated graphics and the filmmakers worked very hard to tell a story covering both the real and digital worlds. Along the way, the movie had strong video game vibes which resonated with gamers at a time when arcade gaming was wildly popular in America. Believe it or not, an official arcade game of Tron was released the same year as the movie and it was a massive success. The arcade flyer perfectly captured the vibe and look from the movie and the machine itself had a control stick the same with what was shown to viewers. This old flyer is still great to look at.

2. Green Beret Japanese Arcade Flyer

Konami was a highly prolific game publisher in the 1980s and it had lots of games that became huge blockbusters. During the decade, their game developers were strongly influenced by both Hollywood action movies and the Cold War. In 1985, Konami released the militaristic game Green Beret in Japanese arcades and to promote it, they created an arcade flyer featuring a very stylish artwork highlighting military images of soldiers (including a guy smoking) and warfare. This ad still looks great and it was not surprising it helped the game achieve huge commercial success. Green Beret was released in America as Rush’n Attack.

3. Darius Japanese And North American Arcade Flyers

Released in arcades worldwide in 1987, Darius is a 2D side-scrolling shooter game from Taito which had a science fiction concept of the starship Silver Hawk (piloted by players) which sets on a mission to destroy an evil empire before it could destroy the world called Darius. The game was successful, most notably in Japan and it eventually led to sequels being released later. What I find intriguing is how the arcade game was promoted in Japan and in North America. The Japanese arcade flyer had this intriguing artwork that reflected a blend of sci-fi with a touch of horror. The North American flyer had a strong sci-fi touch with a male and female model wearing costumes (that made them look futuristic) standing beside the Darius machine. Which flyer looks more appealing to you?

4. Data East’s Arcade Alley Print Ad

*Fun and excitement emphasized in this print ad.*

There is nothing like porting arcade hits to computer systems for gamers to enjoy. In 1988 there in Europe, U.S. Gold released Data East’s Arcade Alley for computer systems and it included ports of popular Data East games like Kung Fu Master, Express Raider, Breakthru, Tag Team Wrestling, Last Mission and Karate Champ. U.S. Gold’s print ad showed a guy in the middle of a video arcade looking on both sides to pick which game to play which strongly emphasized the essence of the game collection (offered in cassettes and disk). This old ad is still amusing to look at.

5. Blasteroids European Print Ad

Blasteroids, the third entry in Atari’s popular Asteroids games series, was released in European arcades by Image Works and eventually landed on computer systems there. For Europe, the ad makers came up with artwork showing a creepy, green space monster surrounded by a few spaceships to emphasize the game’s concept. The said monster eventually appeared on the game covers of the computer ports of Blasteroids later. This ad shows creative adjustments taken to promote games in different parts of the world.

6. Dream Team USA Japanese Print Ad

The legends of the NBA in the Japanese version of EA’s Team USA Basketball. Retitling the game as Dream Team USA made more sense because “Dream Team” was a much more popular reference than “Team USA Basketball”.

Remember how wildly popular the Dream Team (Team USA in Olympic basketball) was in 1992? With NBA legends Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, John Stockton and more representing America in the basketball tournament of the Olympic Summer Games in Barcelona, Spain, the Dream Team (a media-led reference for the team) was easily the main attraction not only for basketball fans worldwide but also those who craved for excitement in international sports events. That said, Electronic Arts secured the license to make an official video game about the Dream Team and actually released the game Team USA Basketball within 1992 for the Sega Genesis. As basketball is popular also in Japan, EA released the game there titled as Dream Team USA and came up with a Japanese print ad to seriously capture gamers’ attention. This ad is still effective in delighting both basketball and video game enthusiasts.

7. Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back And Return Of The Jedi Print Ad

*No screenshots of games used. Just the official images from the posters of the two movies.*

Back in the 1990s, there was a resurgence of the original Star Wars trilogy across different forms of media. Apart from the VHS re-releases of Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, there was a slew of video games of Star Wars released during the decade and the fans had new stuff to entertain themselves with. Along the way, the company THQ secured the rights to Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi for re-release to coincide with the 1997 “Special Edition” theatrical releases of their respective movies. THQ’s print ad simply used official images of Return of the Jedi and inserted a tiny bit of The Empire Strikes Back, and they did not show any screenshots that could have been helpful for Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and Game Boy users. Still, it was smart for THQ to print two excerpts of game reviews to sell the games.

8. Super Mario RPG North American Print Ad

*A mesmerizing ad for the acclaimed Super Mario RPG.*

Remember back in the 1990s when Nintendo and role-playing game giant SquareSoft had a very healthy business relationship that proved successful? Before their eventual breakup (related to Square signing with Sony for PlayStation development), the two companies joined forces to make a fully featured role-playing game for the SNES featuring Super Mario and related characters…Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. To promote the game, Nintendo (the publisher) created a mesmerizing 2-page print ad highlighting their characters while emphasizing the role-playing and fantasy aspects of the game. At the time of its release, Super Mario was often identified with platform games and the Super Mario RPG print ad was a serious attempt to lure fans into RPGs which the SNES was already rich with. This ad, which I first saw in gaming magazines in 1996, still looks great.

9. NBA Shootout ’97 Print Ad

*Did you play this on PlayStation in 1997?*

If there is anything I miss about 1990s console gaming, it is the fact that there were a lot of NBA-licensed video games that were offered to players with different tastes in basketball gaming. Sony had its own exclusive NBA games series called NBA Shootout and they were pretty aggressive selling its own basketball games along with the PlayStation going up against the likes of Electronic Arts (NBA Live), Sega and others. This is reflected in this 2-page print ad of NBA Shootout ’97 which was a PlayStation-exclusive release. They featured a photograph of Lakers’ Eddie Jones about to dunk and showed screenshots as well as the descriptive text written with excitement. Since it first started, NBA Shootout was basketball in full 3D polygonal graphics backed with motion-captured moves and dunks that players could enjoy only PlayStation. This ad is a reminder that Sony used to make official NBA games and there is a lack of variety and players’ choice of NBA gaming in today’s world.

10. Legend of Legaia North American Print Ad

*Perhaps someone at Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) thought Legend of Legaia was a horror video game.*

There was a time when Sony produced Japanese RPGs (JRPGs) exclusive for PlayStation consoles. One of them was Legend of Legaia which had a combat system that emphasized martial arts and it had an interesting fantasy concept. For its 1999 North American release, Sony came up with a very bizarre 2-page print ad that had digital artwork with a very strong horror vibe and the visual designs within the three screenshots shown were clearly not related with it. How this ad was made remains unclear. This is easily one of the most misguided gaming ads of the 1990s.

+++++

What To Watch On YouTube Right Now – Part 148

July 29, 2026July 24, 2026carlocarrasco

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 Heaven’s Gate Revisited – What is there to be said about the 1980 historical epic Heaven’s Gate apart from the facts that it failed spectacularly and brought down United Artists a lot? To its credit, it has a grand look that required a massive amount of money to be spent and the sheer depth of authenticity implemented under the direction of Michael Cimino (The Deer Hunter) is eye-catching. The film also had fine performances by Kris Kristofferson, Jeff Bridges, Christopher Walken and Isabelle Huppert. Historically, the massive failure of the movie impacted Hollywood as a whole and movie studios rarely grant the final cut privilege to movie directors. That said, there is a lot more to learn about Heaven’s Gate and I encourage you all to watch the video below.

#2 Moments That Destroyed Political Careers – Imagine yourself working so hard to get elected into public office in America followed by efforts to solidify the trust of voters who helped you win. With huge expectations, there obviously is pressure on you (the elected official) to serve them and fulfill your promises. Then one day, you committed a blunder or a very embarrassing moment that eventually leads you into a painful downfall. In America, there are Democrats and Republics who saw their political careers get destroyed because of the moments gone wrong. Watch and learn from the video below.

#3 History Of Sega And Its Impact On Video Gaming – Remember long ago when Sega was a highly prolific and innovative maker of games for arcades and consoles? Remember seeing consoles and add-ons with Sega branded on them? Decades ago, Sega was a gaming titan and it was a powerful competitor with Nintendo during the so-called 16-bit wars of the 1990s. Today, Sega is still operating but it is a shadow of what it used to be. To find out what happened, watch the very informative video game documentary below. It also has interviews with Tom Kalinske and other important video game personalities.

#4 Totally Whatever Reacts To Deep Impact – Back in 1998, I encountered some people who claimed to have cried while watching Deep Impact inside the movie theaters. When I saw it in the cinema, I saw a few other moviegoers near me having tears flowing from their eyes. Indeed, Deep Impact was made to move viewers emotionally with its themes of family, strained ties, and the struggle to remain intact before a massive tragedy happens. That said, you must see how the movie impacts the YouTubers in the video below.

#5 Tuna In Japan – Whenever I visited Japan, I always made the effort to enjoy a meal with tuna on it. I enjoy eating sashimi (specifically raw tuna), sushi and cooked meals that have tuna in different forms in them. If you love eating tuna and if you plan to visit Japan soon, watch the video below. Learn the details.

#6 Child’s Play 3 Reaction/Review Videos – Believe it or not, the 1991 movie Child’s Play 3 was released less than a year after Child’s Play 2. The movie followed the character Andy Barclay again, only this time he was portrayed as a troubled teenager who enters a military school. Unsurprisingly, the evil Chucky was revived and pursued Andy once more. Having seen Child’s Play and Child’s Play 3 on home video just months apart from each other, the viewing experience was unique given each film’s differences in terms of casts and settings. When Child’s Play 3 came to an end, there was this feeling among many moviegoers that the film series concluded solidly. To see what kind of reactions the 1991 movie attracted from YouTubers, watch the videos below.

#7 The Legend Of The Lone Ranger’s Failure Explained – As a young boy, I saw The Legend of the Lone Ranger on home video and enjoyed it. Back then, I was completely unaware about the controversy regarding past Lone Ranger actor Clayton Moore who was legally barred from appearing in public wearing the trademark black mask. That controversy alone hounded the movie and was arguably the single biggest factor behind its failure. By the way, the film’s star Klinton Spilsbury was dubbed over as the Long Ranger and he never acted again. To learn more, watch the video below.

#8 Minty Comedic Arts Examines Tales From The Crypt – When you hear the title Tales From The Crypt, do you think about the about the horror anthology TV series or the original comic book series published by EC Comics in the 1950s? I myself read several reprints of EC Comics – including Tales From The Crypt – and saw some episodes of the TV series. That said, both the TV series and the comic books delivered a very unique kind of entertainment that is sadly missing today. In his video, Minty Comedic Arts revealed a lot of interesting details about the TV series as well as EC Comics. I encourage you to watch his video now.

#9 The Unification Church Exposed – When former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated in 2022, the killer Tetsuya Yamagami committed the act not because of politics but because of the perceived connections the politician had with the controversial Unification Church which he blames for financial ruining his family and his own life. The killer’s own mother was a member of the Unification Church and because she donated so much money to it, her own family ended up lacking money for survival, education and other needs. The murder investigation eventually unraveled decades of allegations about financial exploitation, shattered families and the immense influence the said church had on its members from Japan to South Korea and the United States. There are a lot of very intriguing details in Dark Asia with Megan’s video below and I encourage you all to watch it.

+++++

What To Watch On YouTube Right Now – Part 147

July 22, 2026July 19, 2026carlocarrasco

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 Saints Row 2 Revisited – Having played the original Saints Row on my Xbox 360 console in 2006, I wished for a sequel to happen as I enjoyed the game a lot. Saints Row 2 was released in 2008 but it was in 2010 when I played it as it was locally sold to me with a really low price, and I enjoyed the game a lot. As a direct sequel, Saints Row 2 took place in the fictional city of Stilwater (the main setting of the first game) which has been expanded and modified a lot by Volition to not only reflect the passage of time but also offer gamers a bigger environment to explore and enjoy. Among fans of the Saints Row series, it has been argued that Saints Row 2 is the best to play and I myself enjoyed replaying it the most. There is a lot of inspiration behind the game and you can learn all about it by watching the informative video below. Saints Row 2 was made by Volition long before it turned woke and ruined the franchise with Saints Row (2022).

#2 EOM Reacts To Weird Science – If you have seen the 1985 sci-fi teen comedy film Weird Science, did you notice any connects between it and the 1950s sci-fi comic book series published by EC Comics? Did you recognize Bill Paxton, Anthony Michael Hall and Robert Downey Jr. when they were so young making the movie? By today’s standards, Weird Science is very unique when it comes to teen comedy, science fiction and sexiness in cinema. To find out more about it, watch EOM Reacts’ video below.

#3 The Last Time The Future Felt New – Remember the many technological and creative breakthroughs that happened in the late 1990s? As the world slowly crawled to the year 2000, there were these changes that came with technology and turned out to be futuristic in different ways and in different forms to many people. To understand what I am saying, I encourage you all to watch the video below. Enjoy the discoveries and retrospective.

#4 A Look At Chichibu in Japan – Here is something for you who intend to visit Japan soon. In Saitama Prefecture is the place called Chichibu is emerging as one of the nation’s most astonishing tourist destinations. It has rich natural beauty, retro streets and lots of hidden gems that are attracting visitors right now. To learn more about Chichibu, watch the informative video of Nippon TV below.

#5 Reaction Videos Of Live Free Or Die Hard – What do you get when you have the famous action here John McClane (played by Bruce Willis) who is not versed with technology and has to deal with a cyber terrorist who is messing with the entire United States? You get the 2007 movie Live Free or Die Hard (AKA Die Hard 4.0) which was huge box office success and made the Die Hard film franchise relevant in the 21^st century and proved that moviegoers love watching Bruce Willis as John McClane. Considering its reputation, it is not surprising that the movie got featured in many reaction videos on YouTube. For your entertainment, watch the selected reaction videos below.

#6 Satoru Iwata Remembered – It has been over a decade since Satoru Iwata died. He is still remembered for rising from working as a video game programmer to reaching the top of Nintendo’s hierarchy by becoming its president and chief executive officer (CEO). Under his leadership, Nintendo achieved strong growth and it stood its ground in the console wars over many years. Considering the frustrating state of modern-day video gaming, Iwata’s wisdom and business savvy are missed. No matter what the trends of gaming and business were, Iwata maintained strong insight about the gaming industry and really stuck to principles. Watch and learn from the video below.

#7 Double Dragon Revisited – I have been playing video games since I was very young. While me and my friends played Double Dragon on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and on personal computer (PC), I never had the chance to play the game’s original arcade version. By the time I started playing more games in the arcades, Double Dragon was long gone. In the mid-1990s, a Double Dragon live-action movie was released and it only reminded me that Double Dragon grew a lot as a game franchise. That said, now is a good time to examine the very first Double Dragon game, who made it and what led to its creation. Watch the video below.

#8 Ranting For Vengeance Slams New Ghost In The Shell – Anyone among you a long-time fan of the manga and the 1990s anime film of Ghost in the Shell? There is a new TV series of it titled as The Ghost in the Shell released recently and Ranting For Vengeance slammed it in a recent video he posted on YouTube. He also has reasons and explanations supporting his stand against it. Watch his video below now!

#9 Woke Disease In Video Gaming – Over the past several years, wokeness in video games intensified a lot and ruined gaming a lot. There are woke nuts, social justice warriors (SJWS), feminists, Islamists and LGBTQ activists working as game developers and many of the games they worked on were laced with identity politics and other elements reflecting their beliefs and political agenda. The are also Leftists among video game journalists who work in tandem with woke game developers, and these propagandists distort public perception of video games as we know it. That said, you must guard your minds whenever you read video game news articles, reviews and opinion pieces. Watch and learn from the video below.

#10 Leftists Love Violence – Let’s be very clear here. Today’s Democrats and their allies are so twisted, they have grown heartless to people who are simply do not share their beliefs and values. Today’s Leftists are so Satanic, they celebrated political violence a lot. Watch and learn from the video below.

+++++

A Look Back at Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #108 (1985)

July 20, 2026July 17, 2026carlocarrasco

I found issue #107 – the first issue of the Sin-Eater storyline – a pretty engaging tale focused on the murder of Jean DeWolff. The sudden demise of DeWolff really impacted the city of New York and its tale involved not only Spider-Man but also Daredevil. The tale is really a murder mystery that is very grounded with reality.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #108, published in 1985 by Marvel Comics with a story written by the late Peter David and the late Rich Buckler.

Early story

The story begins with Judge Rosenthal lying dead on the floor in his office. Moments earlier, the judge was killed by the Sin-Eater who used a shotgun and in the same room was Matt Murdock (Daredevil). Some people entered the office and the local authorities were called. Murdock slowly makes his way out to discreetly go after the Sin-Eater.

In another part of the city, Peter Parker, Aunt May and the elderly friend named Ernie walk together coming from the courthouse. Ernie could not believe that Judge Rosenthal let go of the punks who mugged him.

As they walked further, people around them begin to panic and move around fast. Peter gets separated from his aunt and Ernie, and eventually he realizes that the Sin-Eater is several feet away armed with a shotgun. The Sin-Eater is speaking to the people even though he is causing a huge disturbance.

Moments later, Peter changed into Spider-Man and proceeds to confront the Sin-Eater in front of many witnesses…

Quality

*Spider-Man investigating the apartment of Jean DeWolff.*

Following the events of issue #107, this comic book shows more of the Sin-Eater and the story emphasizes why he is very dangerous to everyone. The Sin-Eater is not a superbeing himself, and yet he is capable of killing people and causing chaos in public without the need of having multiple weapons and ammunition. That said, he is tremendous villain that Spider-Man has difficulty handling.

The physical encounter between Spider-Man and the Sin-Eater here is unsurprisingly ground in reality. The comic book action visualized by Rich Buckler has this raw action aesthetic and each time a physical blow was executed, impact is really felt. Don’t expect dynamic action here but a more realism and believability.

What makes the fight between the two unique is that it happened in front of a lot of people on New York City’s street. As the fight went on, Spider-Man struggles not only with fighting the Sin-Eater (a truly violent opponent) but also dealing with the risk of bystanders getting hurt and realizing what happened to his beloved Aunt May.

As expected, the detective story elements in this tale are very strong. Spider-Man, who is not a professional detective at all, gets to do detective work with a sheer determination to solve the mystery behind the death of Jean DeWolff. Along the way, I love how the David-Buckler duo invested a lot of details about the crime which are really worth paying attention to as you read.

Conclusion

*The Sin-Eater and Spider-Man in a violent fight!*

Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #108 (1985) is a powerful follow-up in the Sin-Eater storyline. As it contains all the key elements that made issue #107 a very unique and engaging read, this comic book executed good pay-off to the build-up in the previous issue while consistently building-up the plot simultaneously which is typical of Peter David (read the Spider-Man 2099 comic books back-to-back). As of now, this Sin-Eater storyline is compelling and I am looking forward to what comes next.

Overall, Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #108 (1985) is recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #107 (1985)

July 17, 2026July 15, 2026carlocarrasco

As I was not a regular reader of Spectacular Spider-Man comics, I missed out on the Sin-Eater storyline. I first learned about the Sin-Eater while reading a key flashback in Amazing Spider-Man #300. That particular detail boggled me for some time, and it was only recently I decided to start reading the comic books about the Sin-Eater.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #107, published in 1985 by Marvel Comics with a story written by the late Peter David (Spider-Man 2099) and by the late Rich Buckler.

Early story

The story begins with Jean DeWolff recalling several important details from her past as well as her family background. Her father was a police inspector who never forgave her mother for giving birth to her. She was only six months old when her parents split up. Sometime later, her mother married a patrolman named Carl Weatherby and Jean herself admired her stepfather.

As she grew into adulthood, Jean was very influenced by her patrolman stepfather and she went on to go into police academy and graduated. Jean went on to become a fast-rising policewoman.

In the present day, New York police officers barged into a private residence searching for captain DeWolff and the place had bad odor. A dead woman was found inside a bedroom….

Quality

*Spider-Man meets with Stan Carter on the road in the middle of New York City.*

The first thing I will say about this comic book is that the writing done by Peter David is very grounded with reality and this resulted in a dark and gritty approach to storytelling. The heart of the story is the sudden murder of policewoman Jean DeWolff and its impact on the city of New York is strong and evident.

The story here is ultimately a detective story with a good amount of mystery, suspense and intrigue laced all over it. Along the way, Spider-Man here is barely the protagonist as the impact of Jean DeWolff’s murder has been dramatized through multiple characters in the city from J. Jonah Jameson to Matt Murdock (Daredevil).

This comic book also examines how the justice system in Marvel’s fictional portrayal of New York City works and it actually showed Peter Parker attending witnessing a court room arraignment to see how the bad guys he dealt with (as Spider-Man) were handled by the system. Again, this shows how grounded in reality the story is and the details should be seen. There is also a strong sense of local community dramatized.

The art by Rich Buckler is excellent and he really brought to life Peter David’s script with a heavy emphasis on realism. It seems to me that the illustrator took inspiration from TV shows and movies to achieve a unique visual style fitting for this particular tale.

Conclusion

*This is a shocking and powerful way to start the story.*

Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #107 (1985) is indeed a very powerful tale that has to be seen if you want a gritty 1980s Spider-Man story. The David-Buckler creative duo delivered a very grounded story about murder in New York City that impacted its people which serves as a reminder that violent crime can cause waves of disturbance and disruption. That said, this first chapter of Sin-Eater storyline is pretty believable. As the creative team emphasized the murder’s impact on a wide scale, it is not surprising that Spider-Man’s share of the spotlight was sacrificed somewhat to achieve it. As of now, I am looking forward to the next chapter of the Sin-Eater storyline.

Overall, Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #107 (1985) is recommended.

+++++

What To Watch On YouTube Right Now – Part 146

July 15, 2026July 11, 2026carlocarrasco

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 Varied Scary Movie 3 Reaction Videos – After enjoying Scary Movie (2000), I eventually saw Scary Movie 2 in a California cinema and it was disappointing due to its rushed and uninspired presentation. More than two years later, I saw Scary Movie 3 in a packed cinema here in the Philippines. Directed by David Zucker – part of the famous Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker (ZAZ) – Scary Movie 3 does not quite match the fun and quality of the original film of 2000 but it was still a huge improvement over Scary Movie 2. Not only that, the 2003 film had Anna Faris back as Cindy Campbell while the legendary comedian Leslie Nielsen was a notable addition. To see how much of an impact Scary Movie 3 has with YouTubers, watch and selected video reactions below.

#2 A Korean Comic Café – If you are visiting South Korea and if you want to spend time in a place that allows privacy, access to digital entertainment, comic books and a variety of food and drinks during the day, try visiting a comic café. Watch and learn from the video below.

#3 Ranting For Vengeance Looks At Great Comics That Actually Suck – What do you think makes a comic book great? Could it be because of the creators’ work, the storytelling style, real-world events that inspired the creative process, or the reputation of the creators who made it? In his video from 2025, Ranting for Vengeance examines that comics that were perceived to be great but sucked. Watch his video and pay close attention to the details and his explanations.

#4 Ashleigh Burton Reacts To Weird Science – If you have read comic books of Weird Science, could you see their connection with the 1985 science fiction teen comedy film Weird Science? Directed by the late John Hughes, Weird Science follows two nerdy social outcast high school students who have had enough of being humiliated by others and enduring disappointing lives. Together, the two plan to make the perfect dream woman come true using a computer while hacking a government computer system. As it is loosely based on the Weird Science series of EC Comics, the film was a notable product of its time and it remains a memorable part of 1980s Hollywood cinema. To see if it has any entertainment impact, watch Ashleigh Burton’s reaction video now.

#5 Sega’s F355 Challenge Revisited – During a visit to Gameworx inside Festival Mall in 1999, I saw the arcade game F355 Challenge from Sega. After marveling at its graphics during the first several minutes, I bought arcade tokens to play it. To my surprise, F355 Challenge was a racing simulation as it was designed with in-depth driving realism in mind. Yu Suzuki (Virtua Fighter) was the man who produced and directed the game, and in my opinion F355 Challenge has to be played in its original arcade form while the Sega Dreamcast port is the alternative. To see what F355 Challenge has to offer gamers, watch the video below.

#6 Penalties On Littering At Shibuya – Shibuya is one of the most lively urban spots in Japan. Located in Tokyo, is a special ward where visitors can enjoy the immense commercial joints and it is now the premiere hub for youth culture. Sadly, as Japan is attracting tens of millions of foreign tourists each year, littering at Shibuya has gone up tremendously. Fortunately, the local authorities are taking action again littering and those who littered will be penalized when they are caught. Learn from the Nippon TV video below.

#7 GoodBadFlicks Reviews The Bees – Way back in the late-1980s, the 1978 horror movie The Bees was shown on local TV and it drew a large audience. I cannot forget the time when a classmate of mine got so scared watching it. The Bees is a Mexican production that had the late John Saxon in a major role. To see the quality and production details of The Bees, watch the video of GoodBadFlicks below.

#8 Steakhouse In Tokyo – If you are touring Tokyo right now, there is this particular place that serves customers with really delicious and satisfying steaks. This video shows very enticing meals and I would love to visit once I return to Japan someday. Enjoy the video!

+++++

Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 44

July 1, 2026June 28, 2026carlocarrasco

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 early 2000s.

With those details laid down, here is the newest batch of retro gaming print ads for you to see and enjoy…

1. Berzerk Arcade Flyer

Could you imagine being trapped deep within a maze surrounded by dangerous robots (plus one other unstoppable enemy) capable firing laser blasts at you? This was the concept behind the design of Berzerk, an arcade game released by Stern Electronics in 1980. Released at a time when science fiction became wildly popular in American entertainment, Berzerk was immersive for gamers and the multidirectional gameplay feature was captivating for many. To promote the game, Stern Electronics came up with a customized visual design that blended 2D sprite elements with a photograph of two people and some hand-drawn art pieces. The front of the flyer emphasized accurate the core concept of the game while the rear explained the technical details. They even played with their company name with the line “Stern goes berzerk!”

2. Rush’n Attack North American Arcade Flyer

During the late stages of the Cold War, Konami made a lot of military-themed video games which resonated not only with those who were already aware about the global conflict but also with gamers who craved for action and excitement. One of those games was Rush’n Attack (alternative title: Green Beret) which was released in American arcades in late-1985. Konami came up with an arcade flyer showing four people (looking like an American family) having a good time in front of an arcade cabinet, and three screenshots of the game were displayed on the lower half. Rush’n Attack – which was deliberately titled to resemble the phrase “Russian attack” due to its obvious Cold War setting – went on to succeed commercially and critically. One notable game review compared Rush’n Attack favorably with the movie Rambo: First Blood Part II.

3. Turbo Out Run North American Arcade Flyer

Following the massive success Sega achieved with Out Run in 1986, the company went on to release the follow-up Turbo OutRun three years later. As seen in their North American flyer, Sega emphasized the in-game locations, the look of the machine with the driver’s seat and steering wheel, and the excitement they can expect. Turbo OutRun went on to become successful in the arcades worldwide and it got ported to a variety of consoles and computer systems in the years that followed. On its own, the arcade flyer sparked excitement for gamers.

4. Air Duel Japanese Arcade Flyer

*The artwork here is captivating to look at.*

Released in Japanese arcades in 1990, Air Duel from Irem is an intense and fast-paced 2D sprite vertically scrolling shooter that attracted a lot of players. It had a war theme and its aesthetic has a mix of military and somewhat futuristic science fiction elements. The game’s arcade flyer featured a very intriguing artwork by Takashi Yamasaki showing two aircrafts flying over a city heading towards a massively large enemy in the distance. In my opinion, the artwork alone is pretty engaging to see and it’s more than enough to make me think about playing the game.

5. Spellbound Adaptor Print Ad

*The Spellbound Adaptor print ad in Europe. UK design and manufacturing emphasized.*

Remember back in the old days when there were hardware lockouts on game consoles that prevented users from playing games imported from different regions? In Europe, a special cheat and regional bypass cartridge called the Spellbound Adaptor was released and it allowed Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) users to bypass the lockouts and play games from overseas. The Spellbound Adaptor was notably advertised in European print media showing two sexy ladies posing with the adaptor itself (on the SNES), the television and many SNES games. The ad even includes a promo of buying the adaptor with a game of choice for only £69.95. The ad is still impactful to look at.

6. Contra III: The Alien Wars North American Print Ad

*Konami’s made a huge impression visually with this 2-page print ad promoting Contra III: The Alien Wars.*

By the time the SNES was launched in America in 1991, a lot of gamers who enjoyed Contra games on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) have been craving for a sequel on the newer console. Their dreams finally came through in early 1992 when Konami released Contra III: The Alien Wars on the SNES, and it was a lot more than visual upgrade as it had groundbreaking features connected with the game developers’ clever use of the console’s technology. Konami was already aware of Contra’s huge following in America, so they came up with an aggressive looking print ad promoting Contra III: The Alien Wars. With a red-and-black background, the ad had a variety of screenshots that were tilted to look 3D (showing what the game offered) and used a minor space for the descriptive text and image of the game box. This old print ad is one of the finest ways to promote a sequel while also emphasizing the next-generation experience fans can enjoy. This ad is a classic!

7. Apocalypse Print Ads

*With Bruce Willis’ face, this 2-page Apocalypse print ad captured the attention of readers.*

*The more action-oriented 2-page print ad of Apocalypse. Bruce Willis is more visible here.*

Believe it or not, Hollywood legend Bruce Willis actually starred in the ambitious video game titled Apocalypse. Before its 1998 released on PlayStation, Apocalypse started with the player character having an AI-controlled partner named Trey Kincaid to be played by Willis. Publisher Activision signed a multi-million Dollar deal with Bruce Willis to use his likeness and voice for the Trey character. Eventually the Trey Kincaid role was modified to be the playable character. Given the huge deal signed with the super star and the additional costs that came with game design revisions, Activision launched an aggressive marketing campaign for Apocalypse and they heavily used Bruce Willis’s name and imagery. Ultimately the game sold less than one million copies and yet Activision was satisfied with the sales which convinced them to go back to Apocalypse developer Neversoft for a new project.

8. R-Type Delta North American Print Ad

*R-Type Delta was the 4th game of the R-Type series and also the first to be made with 3D polygons.*

R-Type, the long-running series of 2D side-scrolling shooters by Irem, fully embraced 3D polygons with R-Type Delta on PlayStation in 1998. To promote the game in North America, Irem and their partner Agetec went all-in emphasizing their series shift into 3D polygonal graphics while promising new in-game weapons. Very smartly, they included positive quotes from Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM), PlayStation Magazine (PSM) and Official PlayStation Magazine (OPM) to show credibility. In recent times, an enhanced version of R-Type Delta (R-Type Delta: HD Boosted) was released on modern game console and PC.

9. Racing Lagoon Japanese Print Ad

*Have you ever played this game from SquareSoft?*

Released in 1999 for PlayStation only in Japan, Racing Lagoon was one of many games SquareSoft made for a genre other than role-playing games (RPGs). Released at a time when the PlayStation already had lots of racing games available from around the world, Racing Lagoon was a racing game that had role-playing elements mixed in. To promote it, SquareSoft made a print ad that had a night-time city vibe and they showed some screenshots with a unique visual style. The in-game story was influenced by the illegal street racing trend that happened in Japan during the 1980s.

10. Resident Evil – Code: Veronica North America Print Ads

*Truly a next-generation Resident Evil experience first launched on the Sega Dreamcast! I know some people who bought the console just to play Resident Evil – Code: Veronica.*

*The 2-page print ad of RE – Code: Veronica.*

When Resident Evil – Code: Veronica was released on the Sega Dreamcast in Japan in February 2000, it delivered a next-generation survival horror experience to die-hard RE fans and it was easily one of the must-have games for Dreamcast owners of the time. Along the way, RE fans and Dreamcast owners in America were already anticipating the game. Capcom had an aggressive ad campaign for the game with US gamers in mind and this particular single-page print ad showed the fan-favorite characters Claire and Chris Redfield on one corner, six selected screenshots and quotes from the published game reviews of Game Informer, Next Generation and the Official Dreamcast Magazine. The 2-page print ad had the same elements but had the Redfield siblings on the 2nd page. I remember seeing these ads on a few gaming magazines and they made me think about buying a Dreamcast just to play RE – Code: Veronica. These old ads emphasized the strong business trust between Capcom and Sega (which itself lost a lot of money and credibility with the Sega Saturn consoles and many add-on devices released years prior).

+++++

	#tech on Philippines Attracts FDI Worth…
	Business Channel on Philippines Attracts FDI Worth…
	Technology Channel on Philippines Attracts FDI Worth…
	Markets & Financ… on Philippines Attracts FDI Worth…
	AI on Philippines Attracts FDI Worth…

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: