Reviews – Page 42 – Author Carlo Carrasco

A Look Back at Prime #7 (1993)

December 21, 2020December 18, 2020carlocarrasco

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, comic book collectors and geeks! Today we will take another journey back into the Ultraverse touching on their first major crossover event Break-Thru but told through the exploits of Prime.

For the newcomers reading this, Break-Thru was a 2-part crossover that involved all the Ultraverse characters in multiple ways. There were Break-Thru crossover spinoff issues of Mantra, Hardcase, Prototype, The Strangers, Solitaire and The Solution to name some. This time, we will find out Break-Thru in an issue of Prime.

What exactly happened to Prime in relation to Break-Thru? We can find out together in this look back at Prime #7, published by Malibu Comics in 1993 with a story written by Gerard Jones and Len Strazewski, and drawn by the late Norm Breyfogle.

Early story

The story begins with Prime, wearing a special suit with air tanks, flying into space for a mission on the moon. Even as he is struggling with breaking through the atmosphere, he knows he cannot afford any setbacks knowing that US President Bill Clinton and military officials are counting on him. It has been some time since he was picked up by Colonel Samuels and his team after the big fight with Max-Man. As he approaches the moon, Prime expressed how much has changed over the past few days from attending science class to working secretly for the government.

After struggling long, Prime finally arrives on the moon’s surface albeit roughly. As he flies around searching for clues, a solid structure of rock suddenly rises from the surface leaving Prime no room to dodge it…

Quality

After going through lots of stories about superhero action, misadventures, intrigue and personal struggles as recorded in the first six issues of Prime, this particular story has a more unpredictable story which is refreshing to read. For one thing, this one has a whole lot of twists that actually test Prime’s sanity and keeps the narrative interesting throughout. Similar to what happened in Mantra #6, Prime encounters images of several people he knew while on the moon. This thing happens to be one of the capabilities of the entity on the moon.

As expected from the creative team of Jones and Strazewski, the writing is of high-quality. For his part, Norm Breyfogle continued to deliver striking visuals and in this issue he really showed off Prime’s modified look to the full extent.

Conclusion

*Prime and his thoughts as he travels to the moon.*

Prime #7 (1993) is a pretty good comic book to read. Ultimately it is a worthy build-up to the Break-Thru crossover and more importantly it continues to show why Prime is truly one of the major characters of the Ultraverse.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Prime #7 (1993), 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, Prime #7 (1993) is recommended.

+++++

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

Gold Delight’s DIY Sundae Box

December 20, 2020December 21, 2020carlocarrasco

Previously, I discussed the Coffee Crumble and Cocoflan ice cream of the Gold Delight brand made by the Ice Cream House company and both were really great. There are other many flavors of Gold Delight ice cream that are just waiting to be discovered like Brownie ala Mode, Triple Choco, Mango Overload, Avocado Frost and Double Dutch to name a few.

What I want to share to you here are my observations about another interesting thing from the Ice Cream House company that has been released to customers in light of the Christmas season. It is something meant to delight families, bring the parents/guardians and the children together in connection to their enjoyment of ice cream. That thing is the DIY Sundae Box which, as of this writing, is offered for P395 to customers (P295 if three Gold Delight half-gallon tubs were purchased).

*The DIY Sundae Box has a nice exterior with a top label that says “Just add ice cream” and has the Gold Delight logo on a corner.*

What does the DIY Sundae Box look like and what does it have? Check the pictures below.

*This is what it looks like upon opening. Nice cards included.*

*Clockwise from the upper-left: roasted nuts, caramel syrup, choco fudge, chocolate chips, rainbow sprinkles and mini-marshmallows. Partially seen above is the ice cream scooper.*

*One nice pack of Fornaio de Fran Brownie Brittle! This one alone makes a nice snack.*

With all the nice stuff in place, I decided to do some experimenting with the Gold Delight ice cream available (specifically Triple Chocolate, Avocado Frost and Mango Overload) using two party cups and one sugar cone. Check out the pics below…

*I had Triple Choco ice cream scoops with mini-marshmallows and rainbow sprinkles. A great tasting delight!*

My first experiment was a party cup filled with portions of Triple Chocolate ice cream with rainbow sprinkles and mini marshmallows on top. The result is a great taste! The Triple Choco ice cream has the expected strong chocolate flavor and the taste is enhanced with the rainbow sprinkles. The mini marshmallows made each bite delightful. I highly recommend this combination.

*Scoops of Mango Overload plus Avocado Frost plus mini marshmallows plus rainbow sprinkles equal a nice fruity taste!*

The next experiment was another party cup with portions of Avocado Frost and Mango Overload. I used mini marshmallows and rainbow sprinkles. The result is a really delightful taste that is fruity and has a candy taste. I personally recommend this combination.

*I used one sugar cone with Mango Overload ice cream.*

Out of curiosity, I used a cone with a rough scoop of Mango Overload. Good enough.

Conclusion

The DIY Sundae Kit is a nice package designed to delight families, provide consumers (especially children) the opportunities to customize their ice cream, and even serve something nice to guests at parties. At its current price, it is worth getting and it spares the consumer from having to go all the way out to the stores to buy the ingredients to customize ice cream at home.

If you are curious for more or if you want to order a DIY Sundae Kit from Ice Cream House, contact them directly at mobile phone number 09190091543 or visit them on their Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/icecreamhouseph

The details regarding ordering such as how to pay, what form to fill up and how long it will take for orders to be delivered are available for viewing at the FB page.

If there is anyone among you who already availed of the DIY Sundae Kit of Ice Cream House, please tell me what you think of it. Did your kids enjoy it? Let me know in the comments below.

+++++

Gold Delight’s Coffee Crumble and Cocoflan ice cream

December 18, 2020December 17, 2020carlocarrasco

Like anyone else, I enjoy consuming ice cream especially when it is very well prepared, finely formulated, has a great mix of ingredients and delivers a really great taste. Here in the Philippines, there are these three major brands of ice cream that are often available around through the groceries, the convenience stores, the community store and the like. Frankly speaking, I have grown tired of the ice cream products of those three major brands.

Fortunately and thanks to the Lord, a great alternative was realized in October 2016 when Ice Cream House opened its branch along Presidents Avenue, Barangay BF Homes, Parañaque City. On my first-ever visit at Ice Cream House, I easily noticed their wide selection of ice cream products and frozen delights under the brand called Gold Delight. Subsequently, I revisited Ice Cream House BF Homes branch again and again taking home pints or half-gallons of their ice cream which are all delicious. Members of our household as well as some friends and guests all found Gold Delight ice cream tasty and nice.

The BF Homes branch of Ice Cream House unfortunately shut down as a result of the pandemic and the community quarantine that followed which brought down the economy. The same thing happened also to the Ice Cream House branch along CAA Road in Las Piñas City. Fortunately for ice cream enthusiasts of South Metro Manila, there is one vendor selling Gold Delight ice cream and frozen delights in Las Piñas City (call 0915-4606505) located across a certain college there. And here is the real deal on acquiring Gold Delight ice cream products – the Ice Cream House company is accepting orders online and they actually deliver the products to the customers! Visit their Facebook page to see the steps and details.

This brings me to the topic of this article. Thanks to the Ice Cream House company for fulfilling my orders and successfully delivering all the way from Quezon City to Alabang, my family enjoyed the Gold Delight ice cream in HGs and pints. For this article, the spotlight is on two notable flavors of Gold Delight ice cream – Coffee Crumble and Cocoflan.

Coffee Crumble

Coffee is very popular here in the Philippines, specifically in its hot form. Coffee also made its way into ice cream locally although there is not much variety of it. There is one particular major ice cream brand that has offered coffee crumble ice cream for a long time and I personally got tired of that. That being said, Gold Delight’s coffee crumble ice cream is so much better than that of the major brand!

Firstly, the coffee blended by Gold Delight alone has stronger flavor compared to that of the major brand. Secondly, there is a sufficient amount of chocolate chips which not only add to the already good coffee flavor, but also ensures crunches for each bite. In other words, the chocolate chips really add to the crumble factor of Gold Delight’s coffee crumble ice cream! Thirdly, the sweetness of it all is pretty satisfying to my taste. Gold Delight’s coffee crumble ice cream is very delicious and I highly recommend it!

Cocoflan

What is Cocoflan? Literally speaking, it is the combination coconut milk and the Philippine delicacy of leche flan. This is, in my opinion, the most unique ice cream ever made by the Ice Cream House company and the good news here is that it is very delicious.

For one thing, there is not enough ice cream products here in the Philippines that make good use of coconut milk. Coconut milk is unique with the way it is sourced and prepared, and has nutritional benefits. That being said, coconut milk gives Cocoflan a unique and nice flavor. Adding more flavor in the same ice cream are pieces of leche flan which are spread randomly from the top to the bottom. Cocoflan is not only very delicious, but also has a very unique taste that really makes it stand out among all ice cream being sold here in the Philippines. As such, it is highly recommended.

Conclusion

If you love ice cream with the taste of coffee or coconut milk or leche flan, or if you simply love very delicious ice cream regardless of brand, you should go for Gold Delight’s Coffee Crumble and its signature Cocoflan. Take note that these are just a few of the many flavors of ice cream that the Ice Cream House company is offering

If you are curious for more or if you really want to order Gold Delight ice cream from Ice Cream House, contact them at mobile phone number 09190091543 or visit them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/icecreamhouseph

Be aware that they are accepting orders through their Facebook page via FB Messenger and you can avail of their order form for you to fill up. Payments can be done by GCash, Pay Maya or bank transfer through BPI, BDO or PNB. Orders successfully processed can be delivered to you within 1 or 2 days.

If anyone of you reading this love ice cream, let me ask you the following key questions: What is your favorite flavor of ice cream right now? What do you look for in ice cream? When was the last time you switched from a major ice cream brand to a lesser-known ice cream brand? You may answer in the comments section below.

+++++

A Look Back at Mantra #14 (1994)

December 17, 2020December 15, 2020carlocarrasco

Hey comic book fans. Are you looking for more science fantasy stories and concepts within the Ultraverse? There is more in the Archimage Quest storyline told within the Mantra monthly series spearheaded by Mike W. Barr.

To put things in perspective, as recalled in issue #1, Lukasz got killed the last time he was in a male body shortly after the evil Boneyard defeated Archimage (Lukasz’s superior) which led to him getting reincarnated into the body of Eden Blake (displacing her soul). Lukasz-occupied Eden later acquired from Katinya a relic which helped her gain a mystical armor. Before dying, Katinya revealed that it was Archimage’s plan all along to have Lukasz placed in a woman’s body because his long-term use of weapons in fighting Boneyard did not work.

Since then, Lukasz has been struggling not only to stay alive, to keep on beating Boneyard’s forces and other forms of opposition, but also to live life as a woman with the family of Eden. After some time, Mantra temporarily joins The Strangers in confronting Boneyard (told in The Strangers #13 and Mantra #12). Afterwards, Mantra entered into a new dimension where two societies of separated men and women exist. The women are led by their queen Topaz. Together Topaz and Mantra led a group on a mission concerning Boneyard and Archimage.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Mantra #14, published in 1994 by Malibu Comics with a story by Mike W. Barr and drawn by Mark Heike.

Early story

The story begin with Mantra and Eden Blake together. Suddenly Mantra’s appearance changes into a man.

In the present, Mantra is leading the group of men and woman in the absence of Topaz. As they try to take Boneyard by surprise, they encounter a caravan of people called the Tradesmen. One of them recognizes her as Lukasz and they met in another place some time ago. Being trade-oriented and very focused on honor, they make a deal which provides Mantra’s group some much-needed assistance in their mission…

Quality

*Mantra versus one of Boneyard’s wives.*

At this stage of the Archimage Quest, Mike W. Barr really raised the stakes by adding more twists, more intrigue and more references to the past. All of that were achieved backed with very strong writing, resulting a story that was more engaging than the previous issue. Not to be outdone is the spotlight given on the family of Eden Blake on Earth during the absence of Lukasz/Mantra. When it comes to the art, Mark Heike did a good job drawing Mantra and other related characters all of which are recognizable.

Conclusion

*A deal made with one of the Tradesmen.*

Mantra #14 (1994) is a fun read. At this stage in the life of the protagonist, the stakes were not only raised higher but things also got more complex particularly with Mantra’s interactions with certain enemies she encountered as well as certain characters who support opposition against Boneyard. It should be noted that there are still some fresh new details about Archimage’s organized strategy about having Lukasz contained in the body of Eden Blake. There was a solid build-up for the tension and intrigue, and there was nice pay-off in the end.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Mantra #14 (1994), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the comic book costs $8.

Overall, Mantra #14 (1994) is recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at Spider-Man 2099 #2 (1992)

December 16, 2020December 15, 2020carlocarrasco

I can hardly believe that it has been a year since Marvel Comics organized the return of their 2099 universe with the release of several comic books. Among those, I bought 2099 Alpha #1 it was a very disappointing read. I also read some other 2099 comic books released late 2019, and none of those engaged me nor gave me much entertainment value in return for what I paid for.

If you ask me, the Marvel 2099 universe of comics was at its best during the early 1990s. That being said, join me on this look back at Spider-Man 2099 #2, published in 1992 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Peter David and drawn by Rick Leonardi.

Early story

The story begins at one of the Alchemax towers. Miguel O’Hara is standing naked in front of a shocked Aaron Delgato, a corporate rival of his who tried to kill him. As he noticed Miguel (with fangs) looking at him, he reacts by firing his gun. With fast reflexes, Miguel (whose DNA has been altered already at this point) dodges all of the shots and tries to get close to his rival. One of the bullets hit a tank which causes a large explosion at the tower. The tremendous force pushed them both to the exterior.

Miguel grabs Aaron’s arm not realizing that his talons are hurting his rival. The skin of Aaron’s arm got ripped off causing him to fall to his death below. Miguel gets dressed as armed personnel arrive. As shots were fired, Miguel falls off the edge…

Quality

This is a very well-written story by Peter David. While the first issue established Miguel O’Hara’s personality and corporate standing, this one established his becoming Spider-Man 2099 by means of mutation. Not only does he have talons (which retract automatically when he touches his own skin) and sharp teeth, he also gains heightened vision, enhance leaping ability, and most notably his costume (backed with a reasonable explanation it exists). The scenes of corporate intrigue and the introduction of the cyber cowboy named Venture easily added a detective story element into the plot which was quite gripping. No doubt about it, I found the story in this comic book more satisfying than the first issue.

Conclusion

*Spider-Man 2099’s talons save him from falling further.*

Spider-Man 2099 #2 (1992) is a great read and this is the one comic book that fully establishes the title character as we know him.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Spider-Man 2099 #2 (1992), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $15 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition costs $45.

Overall, Spider-Man 2099 #2 (1992) is highly recommended!

+++++

A Look Back at Prime #3 (1993)

December 15, 2020December 14, 2020carlocarrasco

Welcome back, superhero enthusiasts, comic book collectors and fans of the Ultraverse! Join me on my journey to one of the early issues of the Prime monthly series. For the newcomers reading this, Prime is one of the major superheroes of the entire Ultraverse and went on to have an active part in the UV team called UltraForce.

Here we go with this look back at Prime #3, published in 1993 by Malibu Comics with a story written by Len Strazewski and Gerard Jones, and illustrated by the late Norm Breyfogle.

Early story

The story begins with Prime struggling as he could not breathe. He remembered the first time, as Kevin, when he woke up inside his own dead body. Back then, Kevin was in his bedroom suffering as he changed into his overly muscular body as Prime while his parents were just outside of his bedroom trying to figure out how to help him. Kevin remembered that the Prime body did not last too long and he broke out of it. The first time he saw the fake flesh of Prime, he got scared. Since that time, Kevin kept everything a secret and has been struggling personally.

In the present, Prime finds himself strapped on a chair surrounded by scientists. He was just captured by them and their monster. One of the scientists asked Kevin how long does his ultra bodies last. The scientist is determined to find out more from Prime and educate him, teach him his nature, his destiny and function…

Quality

As expected, the story told by Strazewski and Jones is of very high quality and the engagement is very strong. What makes this one stand out over issues #1 and #2 is its element of powerful revelations (which establish not only Prime’s heritage but also the Ultraverse’s concept of military and scientific personnel tampering with nature). Reading through the well-explained in-universe history of mad science related to Prime’s origin was very gripping and thought-provoking. This also raises a question about Prime…is he a superhero or a monster?

As the tension and pressure rise, Prime is shown to act impulsively which itself is a convincing reflection of the teenager inside him. This is something that Strazewski and Jones captured perfectly!

As expected, Norm Breyfogle really brought the script to life with his compelling artwork.

Conclusion

*The first time Kevin turned into Prime.*

Prime #3 (1993) is a great comic book to read and a worthy addition to your collection.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Prime #3 (1993), 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, Prime #3 (1993) is highly recommended!

+++++

A Look Back at Mantra #13 (1994)

December 14, 2020December 13, 2020carlocarrasco

Welcome back, superhero enthusiasts, comic book collectors and fans of 1990s comics! This is another examination of the Ultraverse as told through the exploits of Mantra, the pretty armored lady whose body is occupied by the soul of the male warrior Lukasz.

Previously I reviewed Giant Size Mantra, which was a one-shot comic book that was part of the Archimage Quest storyline and it was indeed a well-made Mantra story that fit in nicely with the monthly series. That same comic book is notable for having the debut of Gwendor’s queen Topaz who went on to become a member of the memorable superhero team UltraForce.

With the details made clear, we can find out what happens next in the Archimage Quest in this look back at Mantra #13, published in 1994 by Malibu Comics with a story written by Mike W. Barr and drawn by Jason Armstrong.

Early story

The story begins in an unknown realm. Mantra (wearing her usual mask and armor) and Eden Blake are walking together and talking. After exchanging some words about the displacement of souls, Eden clings to Mantra and apologizes from now realizing what a shock the situation is to Mantra on top of everything else that happened. Eden tells Mantra there is something she wants from her and addresses Lukasz by name.

Suddenly Mantra/Eden Blake/Lukasz wakes up to the call of a technician. She is still in Gwendor and being completely naked, she goes through the process of armoring which is done with highly advanced technology. With her new armor on, Mantra is approached by queen Topaz who brings to her a notable sword to use. They discuss some matters as they walk together.

Meanwhile back in the United States, Eden’s daughter Evie visits a shop and talks to the old lady behind the counter. The young girl asks her about magic…

Quality

*In the realm Mantra is in, it’s difficult for men and women to work together.*

This is one very unique story of Mantra. Carrying over the elements from Giant Size Mantra, you will get to see the protagonist still spending time in the women-filled Gwendor (note: opposite it is another city filled with men) and starts her alliance with queen Topaz who is a very hands-on type of leader, willing to take risks going into battle. As Mantra does not have her mask and armor, she learns to use the magic power within her to make things happen. This is kinda like seeing Marvel’s Tony Stark adjusting and taking action without his Iron Man suit of armor.

Events aside, this story shows a significant development of Lukasz/Mantra’s personality as she adjusts to the ways of the men and women in their realm. The science fantasy elements of the story gave this comic book a unique style of visual presentation nicely pulled off by the illustrator. When it comes to the Archimage Quest, both Mantra and Boneyard are respectively struggling with disadvantages which is a nice storytelling touch. I should state that in this particular story, the complexities between males and females in the new realm is explored.

Conclusion

Mantra #13 (1994) is another solid story to read. As it continues the quest for Archimage, it explores more of the science fantasy world Mantra finds herself in as well as the differences between the two local societies separated by gender.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Mantra #13 (1994), 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 variant edition costs $12.

Overall, Mantra #13 (1994) is recommended.

+++++

Fans of the Ultraverse are encouraged to visit the Ultraverse Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/73184525691

A Look Back at Wonder Woman #10 (1987)

December 12, 2020December 11, 2020carlocarrasco

Having reviewed the first nine issues of the 2^nd Wonder Woman monthly series (1987-2011) that was handled with care initially by great creators George Perez and Len Wein, I can say that the Queen of Superheroes herself was redefined not only for the readers of the post-Crisis era but in general. Under the Perez-Wein team, Wonder Woman was portrayed to be human and compassionate as she gradually discovers what her destiny is just as she takes part in the struggles and affairs of her fellow Amazons led by her mother Queen Hippolyte.

Also told along the way was the story of the deities of Olympus headed by Zeus. In their realm, the deities are divided and each has his or her own ego and agenda. Because they have tremendous power, they are able to manipulate events on the physical world and make mortals struggle. Under them, the Amazons have struggled and even people of Earth got affected as well.

When I reviewed the ninth issue, it was the full debut of the modern Cheetah who proved to be a worthy adversary for Wonder Woman. By the way, Cheetah is the antagonist in the new film Wonder Woman 1984 portrayed by Kristen Wiig. By the end of issue #9, Wonder Woman returned home to Themyscira leaving her American friends Julia and Vanessa Kapatelis in tears.

So what happened next? We can all find out in this look back at Wonder Woman #10, published in 1987 by DC Comics with a story written by George Perez and Len Wein. Perez did the art with inkwork by Bruce Patterson. This is the first chapter of the Challenge of the Gods storyline.

Early story

The story begins in the realm of the deities. They noticed Pan has been joyful recently and Zeus states that has been the case since Wonder Woman thwarted the scheme of Ares. Pan approaches Zeus and followed-up on him regarding a past conversation they had. Zeus then looks Themyscira, finding it secluded yet a true paradise. A paradise worthy of his personal favor.

On Themyscira, Princess Diana/Wonder Woman and a fellow Amazon ride horses not knowing Zeus and the others are watching them. Pan tells Zeus that as Heracles (Zeus’ son) once favored Queen Hippolyte (Diana’s mother), it is only fitting that Diana should be the first among the Amazons to experience his manly grace. Zeus then decides to come to the Amazons and tells Pan to play a love song.

Hestia and Artemis notice Zeus’ decision. An angry Artemis makes her move stating that Paradise Island (Themyscira) will be no one’s brothel.

Diana and Euboea talk while riding their horses slowly on a beach. She states that it is good to be home. She learned so much from the world of men finding its people so different and yet so much the same, that the Amazons all could learn from one another.

Meanwhile the Amazons’ council of justice discuss the gifts and records Diana brought home. Queen Hippolyte is in attendance…

Quality

*Wearing armor and a helmet, Wonder Woman prepares to start taking on the challenge of the deities.*

I can say that this story not only marked the beginning of a new Wonder Woman storyline but also it marked a new turning point not just for the Queen of Superheroes but also for her fellow Amazons as this involves the Olympus deities a whole lot more. The good news here is that the script is of high-quality writing and has special care made on it by the Perez-Wein creative team. As the story is more focused on Themyscira and Olympus, more details about the history and legacy of the Amazons is revealed and it is all done with a deep amount of engagement. The way the details and events were handled, it looked like Perez and Wein had these story elements planned ahead of time as they continued to develop and redefine Wonder Woman in the post-Crisis era of DC Comics.

At the heart of the first chapter of the Challenge of the Gods storyline is the link between the Amazons (who rely on Wonder Woman to represent them) and the divided deities of Olympus. With very compelling writing and visuals, you will get to see how fragile Diana, Queen Hippolyte and their Amazon sisters really are when facing the deities. In relation to that, it is a unique reading experience to see Wonder Woman struggle with interacting with Zeus and the other deities directly.

Conclusion

*Princess Diana, her mother Queen Hippolyte and the Amazons analyze their situation.*

Wonder Woman #10 (1987) is clearly a great comic book to read and it marked the continued excellence done by George Perez, Len Wein and their creative team.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Wonder Woman #10 (1987), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $60 while the near-mint copies of the fold-out edition and the newsstand edition cost $30 and $120 respectively.

Overall, Wonder Woman #10 (1987) is highly recommended!

+++++

A Look Back at Giant Size Mantra (1994)

December 11, 2020December 10, 2020carlocarrasco

Welcome back, superhero enthusiasts, comic book collectors and fans of the Ultraverse! In my recent reviews of the Mantra monthly series, the events of the Archimage Quest were examined. For the newcomers reading this, Archimage is the leader of the tribe of warriors that Lukasz served for fifteen centuries. As told in issue #1, Boneyard neutralized Archimage’s power and Lukasz died one last time in a male body only to be reincarnated as a woman (displacing the soul of single mother Eden Blake). As it turned out, the transfer of Lukasz’s soul into Eden Blake’s body was planned by Archimage some time prior.

The Archimage Quest lasted several chapters and one of them took place in a one-shot Mantra comic book. With the details laid down, here is a look back at Giant Size Mantra, published in 1994 by Malibu Comics with a story written by Mike W. Barr and drawn by Mike Heike (1^st half) and David Williams (2^nd half).

Early story

The story begins with Mantra (wearing original costume) waking up in the presence of a lady wearing white. Upon waking, Mantra sees her and recognizes her from some time back at the Moon (refer to Mantra #6). The lady turns out to be none other than Eden Blake whose soul Lukasz displaced.

Mantra, now wearing a new costume, wakes up suddenly. A short time has passed since she left The Strangers during the previous encounter with Boneyard and now she finds herself trapped in dream-like place. Being really the man (Lukasz) inside the body, Mantra does what she can to break out of the place…

Quality

*The first appearance of Topaz, the queen of Gwendor.*

There is no surprise that Mike W. Barr’s writing remains strongly solid. The story is really engaging from start to finish and by this time, Barr not only knew the characters well but also showed clear signs that he prepared how to portray the characters as the story of Mantra continues. Here are further good news…Barr wrote a pretty expansive story that is worthy of this one-shot comic book that has almost 40 pages of content (told in two portions). While the first half told briefly what happened between The Strangers #13 and this comic book, and had Mantra discovering a brand new science fantasy realm with two cities (one male, one female), the second half was were the narrative really became more fantastic especially since this comic book marked the debut of Topaz (who went on to become a key member of the UltraForce) not to mention the introduction of not one but two different societies separated by gender and city walls. To see Topaz and her society of women comes with vibes of Wonder Woman and Themyscira.

The pace of the story ranged from moderate to fast, and Mike W. Barr carefully took his time with the exposition, the spectacle, the characterization and the sense of discovery with the new realm. This is a story worthy of the one-shot format and as a Mantra story, it clearly stands out and fits in well with the main narrative in the monthly series.

When it comes to the art, Mike Heike and David Williams did good jobs visualizing the script. Most notably, their art really brought the fantasy realm (as well as the two societies and cities) to life.

Conclusion

*All those men staring at Mantra do not realize that the soul of male warrior Lukasz occupies her body.*

I can say that Giant Size Mantra (1994) is a pretty good comic book to read. Its overall concept and high-quality script made it a very worthy one-shot comic book. While this story is not the conclusion of the Archimage Quest, it serves as a turning point in the life of Mantra and the results can be seen in subsequent issues of the monthly series.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Giant Size Mantra (1994), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the comic book costs $8.

Overall, Giant Size Mantra (1994) is recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at Wonder Woman Gallery (1996)

December 9, 2020December 9, 2020carlocarrasco

Welcome back, superhero enthusiasts, comic book collectors and fans of Wonder Woman! I should say that this is the most unusual comic book I have reviewed so far due to its main presentation of varied artworks featuring the Queen of all Superheroes herself – Wonder Woman!

For the newcomers reading this, there were several comic books back in the 1990s that did not really tell stories but showcased artworks of varied superheroes done by several artists. Such publications were in the form of swimsuit specials, apparently inspired by Sports Illustrated’s own publications. There were WildStorm Swimsuit Special #1, Ballistic Studios Swimsuit Special #1, Homage Studios Swimsuit Special #1, Lady Death Swimsuit Special #1 and the Avengelyne/Glory: Swimsuit Special #1 to name some.

The 1990s saw a rise of eroticism in superhero comic books. Not even the Wonder Woman monthly series of that time was spared from the trend. There was a time when DC Comics hired Mike Deodato to illustrate a number of Wonder Woman comic books in the mid-1990s which resulted a more eroticized look of Diana/Wonder Woman and her fellow Amazons. John Byrne took over after Deodato and his stint was not an improvement.

While the 1990s was a weak decade of Wonder Woman comics for me personally, not all was doom and gloom. Around twenty years before Gal Gadot debuted on the big screen as the cinematic Wonder Woman, DC Comics published an art gallery of the Queen of Superheroes in the form of a comic book.

With the details established, here is a look back at Wonder Woman Gallery, published by DC Comics in 1996 featuring the works of multiple artists.

What it is

Wonder Woman Gallery is a showcase of thirty-two artworks done by George Perez, Stuart Immonen, Mike Wieringo and Richard Case, Brent Anderson, Howard Porter and John Dell, Jim Balent (misspelled as Jim Balant), Amanda Conner, Chuck Wojtkiewicz and Will Blyberg, Howard Chaykin, Steve Lightle and 22 others.

As this is an art gallery, there is clearly no story to tell. It is all artwork showcasing the different talents of the artists (and the inkers who helped them) on presenting Wonder Woman (note: the only exception here is a solo image of the forgettable WW replacement Artemis).

*This artistic contribution by Phil Jimenez looks great.*

*Jill Thompson’s inspired take on Wonder Woman.*

*Wonder Woman by Howard Porter and John Dell.*

*Wonder Woman by Ivan Reis and Barbara Kaalberg.*

Quality

As this is an art showcase, the overall quality of the collected art here varies. Such a collection of different art styles will appeal to Wonder Woman fans depending on how they like their favorite superhero presented visually.

In my honest opinion, I always love the art style done by George Perez on Wonder Woman, her fellow Amazons, the supporting characters and more. His presentation here is flawless and timeless. What surprised me here in this collection is the contribution of Phil Jimenez whose quality and art style seem inspired by George Perez’s Wonder Woman legacy. As many of us know already, Jimenez later went on to become one of the top illustrators of DC Comics in the 2000s and his work here is nice to look.

There were a few artworks that showed Wonder Woman with a very cartoony look. Among them is the Wonder Woman piece done in the very distinct style of Sergio Aragones. Some art pieces here showed WW with a bizarre look and then there were a few others whose take on the Queen of Superheroes turned out good.

Conclusion

*This work by George Perez is my favorite in this collection.*

I can say that Wonder Woman Gallery (1996) is a published work that Wonder Woman fans will enjoy for as long as they are willing to accept images of their favorite superhero with styles ranging from realistic to cartoony, obscure and simple. Art styles aside, there is a lot here that fans will marvel at again and again, while art enthusiasts (who are not necessarily fans of the Queen of Superheroes) could find something eye-catching here.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Wonder Woman Gallery (1996), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the comic book costs $40.

Overall, Wonder Woman Gallery (1996) is recommended.

+++++

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