Muntinlupa City joins the World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) We Love Cities campaign, a friendly competition among global cities to raise awareness on sustainability, as one of the representatives of the Philippines.
After qualifying as a finalist in the recent One Planet City Challenge (OPCC), WWF selected Muntinlupa City as one the country’s representatives in the We Love Cities campaign which aims to bridge better communication between city officials and citizens they represent on climate and sustainability issues.
Muntinlupa City under the We Love Cities campaign.
We Love Cities is a public engagement campaign that allows people across the world to express support for sustainable urban development by voting for their favorite finalist from WWF’s One Planet City Challenge and posting improvement suggestions for these cities.
The campaign aims to raise awareness for the sustainability progress being made in cities, give the general public an opportunity to submit suggestions to decision makers, and strengthen public – decision makers’ cooperation.
58 cities from 27 countries that have demonstrated a strong will to transition toward a sustainable future were selected in the online campaign. Joining Muntinlupa City as part of the Philippine delegation are Batangas City, Batangas and Santa Rosa, Laguna.
WWF lauded Muntinlupa’s action plan to combat the urban heat island effect. The organization highlights the city’s holistic approach towards sustainability including gardening initiatives, first aid trainings to equip city employees in assisting the public during particularly hot periods, climate responsive agriculture training for urban farmers, aquaponics, vertical farming, mulching and mushroom culture.
The public may vote using the official hashtag #WeLoveMuntinlupaCityPH in Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Meanwhile, the number of likes, comments, and shares from the City Government of Muntinlupa – OFFICIAL and We Love Cities Facebook Page for Muntinlupa’s bid will also be counted as official votes.
Further, the public may also visit the city’s page at www.welovecities.org/muntinlupa and click the vote button or submit a suggestion on how to make the city even better.
The electric jeepney of Muntinlupa is one of the many environment-friendly projects. (source – Muntinlupa PIO)
The campaign will run for 4 weeks from September 14 to October 11, 2020. Participating cities will be promoted via WWF websites, the campaign page, finalists’ websites and social media. The winner will receive the We Love Cities Award.
The participants for this year’s We Love Cities campaign include: Argentina: Buenos Aires, Chacabuco and San Martin de los Andes; Brazil: Belo Horizonte, Fortaleza and Rio de Janeiro; Canada: Vancouver; Chile: Peñalolén, Santiago and Valdivia; Colombia: Mantizales, Monteriá and Villavicencio; Côte d’Ivoire: Commune de Cocody; Ecuador: Municipio de Loja; Finland: Turku; France: Paris; Guatemala: Escuintla, Iztapa and San José; Iceland: Reykjavik; India: Kochi, Nagpur and Rajkot; Indonesia: Balikpapan, Banda Aceh and Jakarta; Malaysia: Melaka, Petaling Jaya and Sebarang Perai; Mexico: Hermosillo, Mérida and Mexico City; New Zealand: Wellington City Council; Norway: Arendal and Baerum; Peru: Borja, Lima and Magdalena; Philippines: Muntinlupa, Batangas and Santa Rosa; Republic of Korea: Suwon City; South Africa: Cape Town, Durban and KwaDukuza; plus many others.
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Latest City Government of Muntinlupa details sourced from their official media release. Some parts were edited for this website.
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 distorted views and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.
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.
I just love reading stories of UltraForce, the superhero team that involved three major Ultraverse characters – Prime, Hardcase and Prototype – supported by secondary characters from varied parts of the said universe such as Topaz (identified with Mantra), Ghoul (The Exiles), Contrary (Freex) and Pixx. Of course, UltraForce stories would not have been strong without the combined creative forces of Gerard Jones and George Perez who in turn crafted the said team, established a really strong villain in Atalon and making Atalon’s arrival a major international crisis that is epic in scale. The first three issues (plus issue #0) all showed the series’ greatness!
Will the great stuff of the UltraForce creative team continue? We will find out right now in this look back at UltraForce #4, published in 1995 by Malibu Comics with a story written by Gerard Jones and drawn by George Perez.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins with UltraForce member Ghoul being held helplessly by King Atalon. He tells Ghoul that he has no intention of destroying the people of Earth for at least one more day. Some time later, the two arrived at the remains of an old civilization very deep in the cavern. Atalon tells Ghoul: Invoke all the deities you wish, young man. Here we are beyond their reach. The temple city of Zenalla. Once it was the heart and soul of the fire people.
As it turns out, Atalon reveals that he tore through a hundred miles of fallen stone to reopen Zenalla and expressed that he will not event let his own people see it. After some more talk and travel, Atalon kneels and bows to specific monuments of his ancestors who are also the founder of cities and the fathers of the fire people. He tells Ghoul that he will bring them to speak to him.
Elsewhere, the mainstream media magnified the powerful blast that happened off Cuba which contributed to the panic and fear of the public. With people agitated, the UltraForce faces the media in an attempt to provide clarity and calm.
Hardcase (with Prototype, Prime, Topaz, Contrary and Pixx standing with him) tells the world: Activity continues on the island-we have to assume that Atalon planned that blast and survived it! And that was just one bomb-out of dozens he’s threatening to launch against mankind! As long as he has the gravity power to launch those nukes, we can’t afford a replay of our last assault!
Quality
I just love the interactions between the members of Ultraforce.
To make things clear, issue #2 was mainly a build-up story which was followed by a huge, spectacle-filled pay-off in issue #3. Backed with still very solid writing, this comic book is another build-up type of story and its most compelling feature is the origin of Atalon which was very well told by Jones and Perez. Atalon’s background story is definitely one of the finest origin stories of the Ultraverse ever told that focused more on an anti-hero instead of a hero. Through his past, you will realize that Atalon is not your typical big, muscular, raging antagonist but rather a leader who went through a lot of struggles when he was young (and had no power) and was compelled to lead his people as a result of key events that happened.
I really enjoyed discovering also the history of Atalon’s people who existed entirely deep underground and were told by the supposedly wise elders that the surface of the Earth was not an air-world and that they should only remain under it. As for how Atalon gained power, that one was strongly told and, more importantly, was believable in its presentation.
More on the build-up and character development, the members of UltraForce unsurprisingly got a good chunk of the spotlight in favor of characterization. The interaction between Hardcase and Topaz was not only very engaging but also symbolized the conflicts between their respective cultures (with Topaz coming from a society of women). And then there was Contrary with her very distinctive way of interacting with others with a sense of manipulation.
Conclusion
The lost city!
UltraForce #4 (1995) is another great comic book thanks to the Jones-Perez team. The interactions between the UltraForce is top-notch, the origin of Atalon is fantastic, and the theme about society reacting to an existing superhero team that supposed to help them in a time of crisis is very believable. As with the first four issues (including issue #0), the way this comic book’s story was written showed that the creators made preparations. This one is not only a whole lot of fun to read but also very engaging from start to finish.
If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of UltraForce #4 (1995), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the comic book costs $16.
Overall, UltraForce #4 (1995) is highly recommended!
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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. 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 as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
By now you should be aware that Warner Bros. postponed yet again the release of the much-awaited Wonder Woman 1984 and selected December 25, 2020 (Christmas Day) as the new opening day. This is because of the ongoing pandemic which depressed economies around the world and dragged down the movie theaters. Of course, as I personally observed on social networks, a lot of fans are upset with the daily and there are some of them who expressed that a theatrical release of Wonder Woman 1984 is no longer needed and it should instead be released via video-on-demand streaming services. And then there were a few who did not hide their Leftist, socialist beliefs and even condemned Warner Bros. for corporate greed only because it still insists on showing Wonder Woman 1984 in the cinemas first.
Wow! It’s as if doing business is an evil thing and being a socialist and a hater of business are good things. Talk about being delusional and impulsive as a result of being brainwashed with socialism and anti-capitalism views. The truth of the matter is that socialism sucks and will continue to suck. To understand the business side of things before talking more about Wonder Woman 1984, let’s examine the state of movie theaters.
As of this writing, the movie theater operators are slowly reopening their locations and already they have spent time and money on implementing a variety of measures such as sanitation, constant cleaning, practicing social distancing, requiring moviegoers to wear facemasks and the like. At the same time, seating capacity per screen has been reduced to minimize the risk of viral infection. The reopening of cinemas not only means the resumption of their business but also the retention of the employees they still have.
Even with less than 100% of movie theaters in operation, Warner Bros. took the big risk of releasing their $200 million production Tenet which went on to gross more than $20 million in its first four days in the United States and Canada. Elsewhere, the movie raked in more than $100,000,000 in ticket sales and it has surpassed the $150,000,000 mark globally. The more movie theaters open – including the drive-in locations – the better it will be for Wonder Woman 1984 and this obviously requires time.
To have the theatrical opening of Wonder Woman 1984 moved all the way to Christmas Day is, in my honest opinion, a sensible move. Like other forms of businesses negatively affected by the pandemic, movie theaters are struggling to reshape themselves (and retain their employees somehow in order to avoid adding them to the unemployed) and get back to business. Movie studios on the other hand are struggling with what to do with their finished productions, especially the ones that cost $200,000,000+ to make (complete with the hard work of the technical crew, the creative team and the talents who worked).
Like anyone else, I love Wonder Woman (she is my favorite of all superheroes) and I also love 2017 Wonder Woman movie which I still replay on Blu-ray. Unlike other fans who lost patience, I myself am willing to wait for the new Wonder Woman movie to open in the local cinemas, especially in the IMAX cinema. I certainly do not agree with the idea that Warner Bros. should just skip all the movie theaters in favor of releasing Wonder Woman 1984 on VOD streaming services, and I have reasons.
Warner Bros. is right to delay Wonder Woman 1984 and keep it scheduled to open in movie theaters first!
Firstly, Wonder Woman 1984 was made with the movie theater viewing experience first and foremost. The creative team led by director Patty Jenkinseven used IMAX cameras for some scenes. While the filming of scenes for IMAX is limited in total, it is clear that Wonder Woman 1984 will look and play its very best on the gigantic screen in the IMAX theater! It is also likely that the most spectacular (or the most important) scenes filmed with IMAX captured Gal Gadot as the cinematic Wonder Woman. That being said, the visual splendor and the magnificence of big screen viewing will NEVER be matched on VOD streaming nor on the HDTV at home. I should add that the enhanced visuals that come with scenes being filmed with IMAX cameras can only be seen on the large IMAX screen, and this cannot be achieved on HDTV or on the best smartphones via streaming.
Secondly, releasing Wonder Woman 1984 directly to VOD streaming services is harmful not just to the struggling theater operators and their employees but also the economy itself. I do understand that going outside the home during the pandemic has its risks but the fact remains is that businesses around you have suffered a lot and there is a need for commerce and industry to be revived, and you can help the local and the national economy move forward again. Be mindful that many people who lost their jobs and their income are also suffering, and there is a need for businesses to be supported so that new job opportunities can be made…jobs that the unemployed badly need! Let’s face it, you can enjoy watching movies on the VOD streaming service you subscribed to and binge watch at the comfort of your home all you want but still the best place to watch is in the cinema. I can never forget the very day in 2017 I went to the local IMAX cinema to watch Wonder Woman by buying a premium movie ticket, buying popcorn and a drink, sat comfortably and watched the movie in its full greatness. I paid a lot and got tremendous value in return for the premium cinematic experience with Wonder Woman. Right now, movie theaters are struggling to recover and they badly need you to buy their tickets, snacks and drinks and enjoy the movie. It is also clear that both Warner Bros. and the movie theaters need each other, and Wonder Woman 1984 is too expensive a production to be released only on VOD streaming services.
Thirdly, still on the business side, video-on-demand streaming services are not exactly effective in helping movie producers recover the massive amounts of money spent on producing and marketing their major projects. Wonder Woman 1984 is a more expensive production than its predecessor and it is still the movie theater business model that will help it recover all the negative cost and break even (if not profit). The following are my questions to the loudmouths who ranted that Wonder Woman 1984 should be released directly to VOD streaming services only because of their impatience and other reasons: Do you seriously believe that video-on-demand will help Wonder Woman 1984’s producers and investors recover their money? If you are willing to pay a premium rate for digitally availaing Wonder Woman 1984 at all, how much are you really willing to pay? Do you seriously believe that movie theater operators and their employees should suffer only because you are so self-centered with wanting the new Wonder Woman film only on video-on-demand streaming?
Finally, this one is aimed at those who got indoctrinated with socialism and Leftist beliefs …who do you think you are to condemn Warner Bros. for corporate greed only because the studio is focused on releasing Wonder Woman 1984 first in cinemas? We are Wonder Woman fans here, right? It is the movie studio, its investors and other capitalists who pooled the financial resources together to hire Patty Jenkins, Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Kristen Wiig, Hans Zimmer and a whole lot of other people to make Wonder Woman 1984! They did that, not your socialist partners nor your socialist idols! The least we fans can do is be thankful to the filmmakers and their capitalism partners for making the movie. As for Warner Bros., we should keep in mind that the pandemic has made it very hard for them to decide when to release the movie we have been waiting for, and for sure their top executives and strategists have struggled in ways that you cannot imagine. You seriously believe that Warner Bros. and the other movie studios did not lose any money from the months-long shutdown of the cinemas during the pandemic? What is your basis for condemning Warner Bros. for corporate greed over Wonder Woman 1984?
Oh, one more thing, do you still go to a coffee shop, availed of their coffee and WiFi and used your branded smartphone to condemn capitalism and promote socialism? Capitalists made the things that you socialists enjoyed, not to mention all the other Wonder Woman-related products like comic books, toys, action figures, clothes, souvenirs, accessories and much more!
That being said, what we Wonder Woman fans can all do right now is wait for Wonder Woman 1984 to open in cinemas this Christmas Day. I believe that the delayed movie itself will turn out great and prove to be worth the long wait…and then prove that the movie theater is still the best place to watch it.
Who knows? Wonder Woman 1984 could spark a strong revival of the movie theater business around the world and we fans can be part of that!
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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenor is still available in paperback and e-book format. 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 as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
In support of the local health workers handling the daily operations of the Ospital ng Muntinlupa (OsMun), Toyota Motor Philippines formally donated one unit of its popular car, the Vios. Mayor Jaime Fresnedi, OsMun director Dr. Edwin Dimatatac, and City Administrator Engr. Allan Cachuela personally received the service vehicle from TMP Chief Physician Dr. Laennec Baquiran, TMP execs Dr. Jojo Cruz and Allen Rufo on September 9.
The Toyota Vios donated to Ospital ng Muntinlupa. (source – Muntinlupa PIO)
In return, the City Government of Muntinlupa extended its gratitude to Toyota Motor Philippines for its valuable assistance to improve the local COVID-19 response efforts. The donated Toyota Vios will be used by OsMun as a service vehicle.
As of September 9, Muntinlupa City has 3,743 confirmed cases with 2,913 recoveries, 702 active cases, 128 reported deaths, 523 suspect cases, and 595 probable cases.
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Latest City Government of Muntinlupa details sourced from their official media release. Some parts were edited for this website.
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 distorted views and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.
In an Xbox.com article, Xbox division chief Phil Spencer stated: On November 10, a new generation of console gaming begins. That’s when our vision becomes reality with the most performant, immersive and compatible next-generation console gaming experiences, and the freedom to play your games with your friends, anytime, anywhere.
For the newcomers reading this, the premium Xbox Series X was officially announced many months ago and it was only very recently that the budget-friendly Xbox Series S was officially announced (after the leakages, take note).
So what are the differences between the two? Posted below for your general reference are the official specs from Xbox.com
The most obvious difference starts with the GPU with the Xbox Series S having 32 lesser compute units (CUs) as well as a lower frequency per CU compared with the premium Xbox. This results the Xbox Series S also having 4 teraflops of GPU power or barely one-third of the more powerful one. The $299 Xbox also lesser GDDR6 RAM and lower bandwidth. In terms of resolution, Xbox Series X can render visuals in native 4K resolution (3840×2160) while the less powerful Xbox can do up to 1440P. Both of them, however are expected to deliver similar results when it comes to frame-rates. On storage, Xbox Series S has 512GB SSD (solid state drive) which is roughly half that of the premium console. If you enjoy watching movies on Blu-ray or 4K Blu-ray discs, or if you intend to use physical copies of video games, the Xbox Series X has a 4K Blu-ray disc drive while the cheaper Xbox has no such drive at all (note: it’s all digital).
Considering the huge $200 price difference, the two next-generation Xbox consoles will appeal to different kinds of gamers and eventually other consumers who want to improve their home entertainment (or in the case of individuals living away from their families, the personal entertainment) set-up. I can imagine gamers who enjoy playing video games using their PC monitors (at the desks inside their bedrooms or in the house study), who prefer digital downloads over physical media for their games, and looking for bargains will be attracted to Xbox Series S. Gamers who still use optic media for their games, who want to upgrade their movie viewing experience with their 4K TV at home (and start collecting movies on 4K Blu-ray disc format), who want a lot more SSD storage available, and who want the best of 4K gaming will finds Xbox Series X a preferred machine.
Gamers who started their respective Xbox legacies (with Xbox LIVE accounts) for more than one console generation should be happy to know that their old Xbox-related game collection will NOT go to waste as both Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X have been confirmed to be backward compatible with original Xbox, Xbox 360 and Xbox One titles. The beauty with Xbox backward compatibility is that the old games will not only be played, they will have visual enhancements too.
More on the Xbox Series S, the $299 tag price is indeed very enticing especially during this time of pandemic and economic uncertainty. The cheaper console, which has a surprisingly small size compared with other game consoles, is literally a very powerful beast performance wise and (like the premium Xbox) it also has ray-tracing.
Microsoft’s Head of Platform Engineering and Hardware Liz Hamren confirmed the following details: Xbox Series S delivers the same next generation speed and performance that define Xbox Series X. It is similar in CPU and has the identical I/O performance as Xbox Series X, making it easier for developers to deliver the same great performance, while rendering at a lower resolution. Xbox Series S delivers 4x the processing power of an Xbox One console and supports experiences up to 120fps, more immersive and responsive gameplay with support for hardware-accelerated DirectX Raytracing and Variable Rate Shading. In addition, Xbox Series S includes 512GB of custom SSD storage and is powered by the Xbox Velocity Architecture, delivering more than 40x the I/O bandwidth of an Xbox One resulting in faster loading times, steadier frame rates and Quick Resume for multiple titles.
You’ll also experience the same great audio on Xbox Series S that you will on Xbox Series X with Spatial Sound, including support for Dolby Atmos. What’s more, support for Dolby Vision via streaming media apps like Disney+, Vudu and Netflix will be available across Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X at launch, and Dolby Vision support for gaming will come first to our next-gen Xbox consoles in 2021.
As of this writing, I noticed a number of gamers online expressing concern about the 512GB SSD storage on the Xbox Series S. On face value, 512GB looks insufficient considering the sizes of video games and DLC (downloadable content) today. Like the premium console, the SSD storage of Xbox Series S can be upgraded by means of using the proprietary Xbox Storage Expansion Card which will be a very expensive affair for consumers and the sad thing is that traditional SSDs cannot be used.
When it comes to digital services and subscriptions, Microsoft is really going all-out with brand new offerings via the Xbox All Access program which will start in twelve nations. Take note that the wildly popular Xbox Game Pass is included!
Xbox Prdouct Marketing General Manager Jeff Gattis announced the following details: Whether you’re upgrading to the newest consoles or joining the Xbox family for the first time, with Xbox All Access, you can get everything you need to play — an Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S and 24 months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate — from $24.99 a month for 24 months with no upfront cost. We’re also excited to bring Xbox All Access to more fans around the world this holiday, and to offer existing Xbox All Access members more flexibility in their upgrade option.
With Xbox All Access you not only get the latest consoles, but also an instant library of over 100 high-quality games for console, PC, and Android mobile devices (Beta). Plus, you get all new Xbox Game Studios titles the same day they release, including Halo Infinite. What’s more, starting this holiday Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Xbox Game Pass for PC members get an EA Play membership at no additional cost.
With Xbox Series X at $499 and Xbox Series S at $299 backed with very enticing online offerings and features that promise strong value for customers, it is clear that Microsoft is looking strong with launching the two next-generation consoles even though Halo Infinite has been delayed beyond launch. Times like this, I wish that the Xbox-exclusive The Gunk was launch title.
Without Halo Infinite as the showcase of the next-generation launch, Microsoft will have to rely on 3rd-party video games (both cross-generation and next-generation that will be released along with or shortly after the new consoles’ launch) looking and playing great on the next-generation Xbox consoles to convince gamers to make the technological jump forward early. It’s already confirmed that Ubisoft’s much-awaited Assassin’s Creed Valhalla will not only run at 60FPS on Xbox Series X but also in 4K resolution! Considering the open-world design of the said game, playing it the “4K60” way should be mind-blowing to gamers.
It is also clear is that, with the latest Xbox development, Sony has challenges to overcome when it comes to announcing the prices and offerings related to launching its two PlayStation 5 (PS5) consoles – one with a disc drive and the other without. $299 is a very hard launch price for Sony to match with the drive-less PS5, and it should be noted that PS5’s backward compatibility is limited to PS4 games (in other words, Mark Cerny and his team failed to find ways to make PS1-PS2-PS3 game discs play on their upcoming console). PS5 games look interesting but none of them convinced me to buy Sony’s new console. My choice is Xbox Series X because I know the exclusive games coming out in the next two years will be worth the wait plus I love the Gears of War, Halo and Forza Motorsport franchise of games. I also want the premium Xbox for my Blu-ray movie collection and, eventually, the start of a new collection of movies in 4K Blu-ray discs.
In ending this piece, I recommend you watch the videos from Dealer Gaming, Colteastwood and Digital Foundry.
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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. 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 as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
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.
After going through the engaging build-up of UltraForce #2, it is only natural to expect a pay-off filled with spectacle and some intrigue to happen in the following issue. Specifically, within the Ultraverse, Prime, Hardcase, Prototype and the other members of UltraForce made their case already with US President Bill Clinton and other top officials in relation to the growing threat from Atalon and his army from deep underground. Also at stake was the global perception towards the world’s people with superpowers publicly referred to as the Ultras.
So what exactly will happen next with UltraForce? Will they be able to get over individual differences and be able to organize themselves to help protect the world from disaster? Will we see Hardcase, Prototype and rest finally face off with Atalon? We will all find out in this look back at UltraForce #3, published in 1994 by Malibu Comics with a story written by Gerard Jones and drawn by the legendary George Perez!
The cover.
Early story
The story begins with Atalon breaking out from the sea with the intention to transform the whole world and starts by raising an island! He recalls his people’s history of building cities to the light and mentions the time when people living on the surfaces of the Earth drove him and his people into the Earth.
Not only does he have his loyal, armed soldiers with him, Atalon levitates several man-made weapons of mass destruction in the form of missiles. As a result of what he did, disaster strikes with tremendous forces of sea water overwhelming a boatload of Haitian refugees, the release of magma from the seabed, and boats and passenger ships getting overwhelmed.
From his secret place, Rex Mundi watches the disaster as well as images of Atalon. Mundi never expected to be troubled again by his past with the people of Atalon. Mundi, who personally hates Ultras, hopes that the said superbeing will deal with the disaster for him. Meanwhile, the impact of Atalon’s rise from the sea is felt around the world from Cuba and behind the walls of their special headquarters, Hardcase issues the command for their team to take action. They start their trip towards the zone of Cuba…
Quality
UltraForce in action against Atalon!
I can confirm to all of you reading this that this comic book indeed comes with a lot of spectacle in the forms of action and dynamic looking visuals which really provided the anticipated payoff to the tension building and exposition that dominated UltraForce #2. What is also very notable is that the spectacle all look great thanks to the return of the legendary George Perez as the penciller here. It comes to no surprise that all the action scenes, all the crazy moments and hard-hitting stunts here all look great! This is a visual treat and George Perez’s take on the characters are easily among the best in the Ultraverse!
Of course, the spectacle and the payoff would have been hollow had the writing not been strong. The good news here is the script provided for this comic book is very solid and maintains the high quality that started with issue #1. The story progression from issue #2 is very strongly felt through the plotting, dialogue and the narrative. For each page in this comic book, there really is a strong presence of high tension. You can really feel the stakes have been raised high since the previous issue.
Even though there is a lot of stuff, there was still some creative space left to develop the personalities of Contrary (Mantra’s rival) and Pixx. I found the cultural background and history flashback of Contrary’s people really efficiently told and yet compelling in presentation. As for Contrary, her dialogue is greatly written and you can feel how uneasy she is being on Earth while obsessing with getting Mantra. Apart from the expected interactions (and bickering) between UltraForce members, the narrative includes the respective views of the United States, Cuba and England related to the superhero team and the crisis caused by Atalon. This was efficiently done.
As for the presentation of the team, you will really see how compelling the interactions between the members are especially when they are struggling during the missions…outside the safety of their floating ship that is. Hardcase being the field leader is memorable and his reliance on his teammates is quite something to follow.
Conclusion
Atalon proved he is a clear and present danger!
No doubt about it. UltraForce #3 is a great comic book to read and it sure is worth repeating for superhero enjoyment! Unlike the previous three issues (including issue #0), this issue really marks the confrontation between UltraForce and Atalon. Considering the wide scope and impact of the Atalon’s invasion of the surface, I often wondered how the plot fits in within the respective monthly series of Hardcase (I reviewed the 14 issues already), Hardcase (the first 12 issues reviewed already) and Prime.
If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of UltraForce #3 (1994), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the comic book costs $8.
Overall, UltraForce #3 (1994) is highly recommended!
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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. 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 as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
It has been seven years since prominent BF Homes resident and business tycoon Antonio P. Antonio died as a result of a tragedy that happened at his family’s home. It all happened on September 11, 2013 when Antonio (referred to as Tonton by his friends and associates) was shot several times by his son Nelson after their private meeting at Villa Antonio and, after a desperate attempt to get him treated at Asian Hospital in Alabang, passed away at age 63. Antonio has been buried at Everest Hills Memorial Park in Tunasan, Muntinlupa City, where friends and family members pay their respect to him each whenever his death anniversary passes.
His son, the suspect Nelson, is still being tried in court in Parañaque City for the charge of parricide. The trial has yet to conclude.
His other children – Xialen, Vladimir and Lenin to name a few – have taken over the family business left behind.
Prominent in BF Homes and overseas
The late Antonio P. Antonio.
The late Antonio P. Antonio was well established with many community leaders and personalities in BF Homes subdivision (which itself is part of Parañaque, Muntinlupa and Las Piñas). Apart from being highly successful in the world of business, Antonio served as a director as well as president of the old federation United BF Homeowners Association, Inc. (UBFHAI).
Over in Japan, Antonio P. Antonio has his own OHAKA tombstone in a cemetery in Odawara. This is in relation to his being honored by his Japanese business associates who trusted and believe in him very much. He is the only GAIJIN or foreigner to have a tombstone in the mentioned cemetery and it is a high honor for the Japan to do to a friend.
Remembering the father
On behalf of the family, Xialen Antonio shared some insights about their father and how the family turned out over the past seven years.
“I can only say that life hasn’t been easy without our father, his demise simply put us in a chaotic life. Eventually, life paved the way on how we can deal with our loss. Our lifestyle has changed dramatically and it only made us humble before the LORD,” Xialen stated.
When asked what she missed the most from her father, she pointed to his presence, his sense of calm, and protection towards adversities. Xialen’s siblings simply adapted ways to build resilience especially in trying times. The tragedy, unsurprisingly, compelled them to adjust themselves and live on.
Justice pursued
As mentioned earlier, justice for the father is being pursued by Xialen and her family. The parricide trial of Nelson Antonio is continues to be held at Branch 257 of the Parañaque Regional Trial Court (RTC). The status of the trial is as follows…
“We are down to the cross examination of our last witness which will happen very soon. We can never be confident until we finish this trial and there are still obstacles in fighting for the Justice of APA. But then I have put our faith in our justice system, the local government, the police, the media and with the help of the community that put focus and attention to this case,” Xialen stated.
What led to the trial
When tragedy struck on September 11, 2013, Antonio P. Antonio was seen wounded and bleeding shortly after the shooting. His son Vladimir and their driver rushed him to the Asian Hospital in Alabang in an attempt to save his life. Before passing away, the former UBFHAI president told Vladimir that it was Nelson who shot him with a gun.
Back in BF Homes, suspect Nelson arrived at the Philippine National Police (PNP) sub-station along Elsie Gatches street, Parañaque City to surrender himself. Based on the written Investigation Report at the Las Piñas City PNP signed by three officers (SPO2 Edmund Alfonso, PO2 Christian C. Yanga and PO2 Mark Billy S. Carbonell), Nelson’s arrest from the Parañaque PNP sub-station was confirmed. This meant sending a Las Pinas police team to fetch the suspect at the Parañaque sub-station. What was noticeable, however, was that the report had no indication of the recovery of the firearm that was used in killing the father.
Because of the fact that the Antonio residence occupied the border of the cities of Paranaque and Las Pinas, there was confusion with regards to jurisdiction. In fact, police officers from both cities visited the site of incident. Suspect Nelson was turned over to the police of Las Piñas. A release order dated September 27, 2013 was issued by Las Pinas City Prosecutor Zelica Longcob due to the lack of jurisdiction.
After much struggle over the issue of jurisdiction, the case for parricide was tossed back to legal system in Parañaque, specifically at Branch Number 257 of the local Regional Trial Court. On February 27, 2014, Branch 257 Judge Roland G. How issued a Warrant of Arrest for Nelson who was charged with parricide (Criminal Case Number 14-0222). By the time the order was made, the suspect was already overseas. According to flight records, Nelson left December 28, 2013 for Singapore.
On February 16, 2018, Nelson Antonio was arrested in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This was the result of a particular overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who saw an investigative report on television (aired December 2017) which exposed the suspect. The OFW recognized Nelson and contacted the Philippine police attache to arrest him. Eventually an international arrest warrant (the Interpol Red Notice) was issued by the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) which alerted the police force in the UAE.
Escorted by law enforcers, Nelson Antonio arrived here in the Philippines on April 30, 2018.
Xialen’s message to the readers
“Our family would like to seek the support from our community to help us fight for Justice for APA. We want to be the living example of how we can attain TRUE JUSTICE during these unprecedented times. May we request everyone to pray for this and let this be a community standard of a wonderful collaboration among all sectors that are involved.”
An official portrait of the late Antonio P. Antonio.
Due to the alarming rise of confirmed cases and doubling time of COVID-19 transmission in the area, the City Government of Muntinlupa imposed an extreme localized community quarantine in a residential compound situated in an industrial complex in Brgy. Tunasan.
Mayor Jaime Fresnedi ordered a 15-day Extreme Localized Community Quarantine (ELCQ) in RMT 7A Compound starting 12:00pm of September 9 until September 24, 12:00 p.m.
Muntinlupa City Health Officer (CHO) Dra. Tet Tuliao said that the compound has a total of 11 confirmed cases, five probable, and five suspect cases. COVID-19 cases in the area were referred to the city’s isolation and treatment facilities. CHO recorded a narrow doubling time in the community at 6.98 days and a high attack rate of 46/100.
Tuliao added that health protocols were not observed in the compound and it has a high-risk population of children, pregnant women, PWDs, and senior citizens. RMT 7A Compound, which houses 7 families with 24 individuals, is situated inside an industrial complex. There are 57 companies operating in the area with 1,639 employees.
The City Health Office suspects that a canteen in the complex became a transmission hotspot. The City Government has ordered the closure of the canteen while CHO conducts an investigation and inspection with the city’s Business Permits and Licensing Office. Companies in the RMT Industrial Complex were advised to augment health and safety measures to prevent further infections.
CHO is set to conduct a mass testing in the community and will intensify its detection, isolation, and treatment strategies. Contact tracing will also commence in companies inside the complex.
The City Government and Barangay will provide additional relief food packs and other basic goods during the effectivity of the ELCQ.
Mayor Jaime Fresnedi asks for the cooperation of the residents and companies from the affected community and urged them to observe health protocols such as frequent hand-washing, wearing of face masks, and physical distancing.
Muntinlupa City has 3,718 confirmed cases with 2,857 recoveries, 733 active cases, 128 reported deaths, 549 suspect cases, and 584 probable cases as of September 8.
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Latest City Government of Muntinlupa details sourced from their official media release. Some parts were edited for this website.
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 distorted views and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.
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.
Having read lots of X-Men comic books, I should say that I always find the Sentinels (first appearance in The X-Men #14 in 1965) to be more memorable as enemies of Marvel’s mutants. On face value, they only look like oversized, human-like robots but I always find them to be formidable opponents of the X-Men. These machines are not only built with sophisticated technologies, they are able to push the X-Men to their limits during battle.
These anti-mutant robots, by the way, were ranked by IGN at #38 in their Greatest Comic Book Villains chart. Long before that, the Sentinels were the featured anti-heroes in the classic X-Men comic book storyline Days of Future Past and it was no surprise that they were also featured in the 2014 movie X-Men: Days of Future Past.
And then in the early 1990s, the Sentinels were shown in the first episode of the X-Men animated series on television. The said series was also adapted into an “as seen on TV” comic book series by Marvel called X-Men Adventures.
This brings me to this look back at X-Men Adventures #2, published in 1992 by Marvel Comics with a story by Ralph Macchio and drawn by Andrew Wildman.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins with Morph suffering from a nightmare. As he emerged from the vision, he finds himself with Storm, Beast and Wolverine. Together they work to infiltrate a federal government facility which houses the Mutant Affairs Department. Outside the walls of the facility, Rogue Gambit and Cyclops watch from a distance. Cyclops fires his optic blast at the vehicle that just dropped reinforcements that he believes were sent to stop their teammates.
Storm and her teammates break through a door instantly pushing off the security personnel followed by Beast knocking an additional guard. At the room containing the computer, Beast begins to access key information their team has been seeking…
Quality
The Sentinels and the X-Men!
Let me start with the storytelling. As an adaptation of one of the early episodes of the animated series, this comic book does a fine job of recapturing its essence complete with a nice balance between plot, exposition and spectacle. Considering the fact that the animated series was aimed for children, it’s quite intriguing to see the TV episode carrying really heavy themes – apart from the prejudice the mutants suffer from – like top federal government operations, expensive defense and weapons programs, government intrusion into people’s private lives, attempts to require minorities to get registered, etc. Those themes also made it in this comic book which made it feel like it was part of the mainstream X-Men comics of the time.
Compared to the first episode as well as its literary adaptation, this one emphasizes the Sentinels as tools of the government as part of their very expensive program to seek and monitor mutants among their citizens. Mutant Affairs director Peter Gyrich is clearly the villain who has no super powers but has the resources of the federal government and their authority to take action on mutants he perceived to be dangerous.
On the visuals, Andrew Wildman performed a solid job making each page look interesting and detailed enough. While his drawings made each character recognizable to me, it is in the spectacular scenes where he really shines. Wildman’s drawing of the Watcher on the final page of the comic book, however, looks laughable.
Conclusion
Andrew Wildman’s dynamic drawing of the X-Men in action.
While X-Men Adventures #2 is not exactly a literary classic, it is indeed a very solid adaptation of one of the earliest episodes of the animated series of the 1990s. It succeeded on telling a compelling and enjoyable story even though it emphasized the above-mentioned serious themes. As for the iconic Sentinels, this one succeeded in explaining what they are and their place in Marvel’s universe is.
If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of X-Men Adventures #2 (1992), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $8 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition costs $26.
Overall, X-Men Adventures #2 (1992) is recommended.
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Specifically, the MOA for the construction of 96-bed isolation facility was signed during the Coordinated Operations to Defeat Pandemic or CODE Team caravan in Las Piñas City spearheaded by Secretary Villar as the deputized Cabinet member assisting the City Government with the challenges in dealing with the health crisis.
DPWH Secretary Mark Villar. (source – DPWH Facebook page)
Las Piñas City Government officials led by Mayor Imelda Aguilar (seated, wearing black) with DPWH Secretary Viillar seated next to her. (source – DPWH Facebook page)
Secretary Villar has instructed Undersecretary Emil K. Sadain, head of DPWH Task Force to Facilitate Augmentation of National and Local Health Facilities, to fast track the construction of offsite isolation facility at Almanza so that those COVID patients and close contacts traced can quarantine or isolate when in doubt in the quarantine facility to prevent the further spread of infection.
In accordance with the national government’s strategy to intensify response measures, Undersecretary Sadain reported at the CODE Team Caravan that the DPWH Task Force will work towards completing the offsite isolation facility at Almanza by the end of September.
The DPWH Task Force has been supporting the national and local governments efforts against COVID 19 by spearheading the conversion of available spaces into makeshift hospital with bed cubicles and the setting up of modular healthcare facility nationwide.
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Latest Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) details sourced from their official media release. Some parts were edited for this website.
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 distorted views and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.
