Africa – Author Carlo Carrasco

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 111

November 26, 2025November 18, 2025carlocarrasco

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 Ashleigh Burton Reacts To Full Metal Jacket – A few months ago, my YouTube series post included several reaction videos of Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket. Recently Ashleigh Burton posted her own Full Metal Jacket reaction video and I can say that it is very enjoyable to watch as the YouTuber (who is a jolly person) had her own bouts of laugh-out-loud moments reacting to it. Watch Ashleigh Burton’s video below.

#2 Ghost in the Shell’s Relevance Analyzed – I was still in college the first time I saw the 1995 anime feature film Ghost in the Shell on home video. While I enjoyed the action and the high-quality visuals (2D animation mixed with computer-generated graphics), I was unable to grasp the story and its many philosophical messages within. To really enjoy it and understand Masamune Shirow’s concepts, watching Ghost in the Shell should be done with patience and the right mindset. Fortunately, a YouTuber took the time to replay the anime feature film and paid close attention to the many details within. Indeed, Ghost in the Shell is more relevant than ever today as it tackled hacking, cybersecurity, identity and artificial intelligence early on. To find out more, watch the video below.

#3 Yakisoba In Japan – You like Yakisoba? Yakisoba is a Japanese noodle stir-fried dish and it first appeared in food stalls in Japan about a century ago. There are lots of places in Japan that offer yakisoba to customers and there are also variants of it depending on where you find it. In the city of Kobe (the same city that got ravaged by a massive earthquake in the mid-1990s) is a Yakisoba shop that serves a lot of customers each day. That means something must be really good with the yakisoba. Watch and learn from the video below.

#4 Do You Trust James Gunn? – I never bothered to watch James Gunn’s Superman movie this year. In fact, when it was announced that Gunn and his partner would start a whole new line of DC Comics superhero movie projects under the Warner Bros. banner a few years ago, I was never excited nor interested. I saw Gunn’s work in Guardians of the Galaxy (he wrote and directed it) and the 2004 Dawn of the Dead remake (he wrote it) and neither film was worth replaying. I’m not saying Gunn is a bad filmmaker, I just don’t find his work compelling enough and box office numbers don’t change a thing. He also directed The Suicide Squad which ended up as a commercial disappointment. When it comes to cinematic superhero works, there are reasons why long-time superhero fans and comic book readers don’t trust Gunn which you can learn from the videos below.

#5 Austria Pushes Back Against Mass Migration – Right from the top, Austria made decisive moves to push back against the flow of mass migration and made it clear they want to preserve their culture and prioritize their citizens. It has been over ten years since Germany – under Angela Merkel – committed a huge blunder by opening its borders to so many people from the Middle East and Africa which affected other European nations negatively. It is obvious that the high amount of so-called refugees already in Europe collectively have no desire to assimilate with the culture and norms of the nations they entered, and they want more social benefits and more money at the expense of the citizens. Austria itself had enough and you can find out how they pushed back against mass migration by watching the video below.

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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 @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Trump Puts Pressure On Nigerian Government As More Christians Got Killed By Islamists

November 3, 2025November 3, 2025carlocarrasco

Nigeria, the most populous nation in Africa with over two hundred thirty million people, is now in the spotlight over the continued killings of Christians committed by Islamists and already United States President Donald Trump officially warned their national government that if the killings continued, America will halt aid and act militarily, according to a news report by Breitbart and other sources (for Trump’s Truth Social post, click here).

To be clear, the rise of Islamists and Islamic terrorists in Nigeria has been growing over the past several years (notably a major tragedy happened in 2014 committed by Islamic terrorists and several abducted girls remain missing). Islamic persecution and violence against Christians in Nigeria has worsened this year and so far the corrupted mainstream news media (which often sides with Islamo-Leftists) provided very little news coverage about the tragedies. Very clearly, there is genocide against Christians in the country and it is indeed very crucial that President Trump made everyone aware of it.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from Breitbart’s news report. Some parts in boldface…

President Donald Trump warned that if the Nigerian government continued to allow Christians in the country to be killed, the United States military “may very well” go into Nigeria “guns-a-blazing.”

In a post on Truth Social, Trump instructed the Department of War to “prepare for possible action,” adding that if the U.S. does attack, “it will be fast, vicious, and sweet.” Trump also threatened to “stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria” if the Nigerian government continues to allow the killing of Christians.

“If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,” Trump said in his post.

Trump continued: “I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians! WARNING: THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT BETTER MOVE FAST!”

Trump’s warning comes after he previously said that Christians were “facing an existential threat in Nigeria,” and pointed out that “thousands of Christians are being killed” by radical Islamists.

The President also took action to designate Nigeria as a “COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR CONCERN” and asked Rep. Riley Moore (R-WV) and House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) to work together “to immediately look into this matter” and report back to him with their findings.

“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter,” Trump said in a post on Friday. “I am hereby making Nigeria a ‘COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR CONCERN’ — But that is the least of it. When Christians, or any such group, is slaughtered like it happening in Nigeria (3,100 versus 4,476 Worldwide), something must be done!”

In response to Trump’s comments about the “mass slaughter” of Christians in Nigeria, Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Maitama Tuggar denied that there was a genocide occurring in the country.

For additional insight about Trump and the Islamists’ persecution of Christians in Nigeria, watch the selected YouTube videos below…

I encourage you all to pray to the Lord for the protection and healing of the Christians in Nigeria who were affected by the violent Islamists. Pray to Him with Psalm Chapter 91 from the Holy Bible to help the Christians in the country. Preach the Word of God and remind everyone that Lord Jesus is the hope of ALL nations. Pray to God for the breakthrough and for further support for President Trump and his administration. Pray to Him to end the genocide against Christians and to bring all the guilty Islamists to justice.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think the Nigerian government will not do anything to protect Christians from the Islamic terrorists even as Trump publicly pressure them to act? How many Islamic terrorists do you think there are in Nigeria and how much resources do you think they have to keep on terrorizing people? Who do you think is funding the Islamic terrorists in Nigeria?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Greece pushes back hard against illegal immigrants

August 3, 2025August 1, 2025carlocarrasco

Greece, a nation with a population of over ten million people, has had enough with the influx of illegal migrants and they took action to control the border to protect both their sovereignty and their citizens. Officially there has been a freeze on asylum processes (for the next three months) and many foreigners who arrived on Greece’s shores were detained.

If you were not able to receive this particular news, then I’m not surprised because Islamo-Leftist mainstream news media outlets (the ones who favored illegal immigrants and open borders) refused to report about it. The more conservative news outlets like Sky News Australia managed to report about it early and I encourage you to watch their news video below.

For some time already, a lot of people from the Middle East and north Africa crossed the seas to reach the shores of Greece to enter Europe. The government of Greece has had enough and they started the changes a few months prior which explains their recent action against illegal migrants. For the newcomers reading this, gangs of violent migrants caused chaos in Spain weeks ago. Clearly Greece does not want such tragedies to happen in their country.

By pushing back against illegal immigrants, Greece itself is facing renewed opposition from those who support illegal immigration and the foreigners’ so-called rights. Watch and learn from the DW News video below.

Here is something intriguing to look at…the so-called refugees in Greece even protested at the gates of their camp demanding to be released to the wealthier parts of Europe like the United Kingdom (UK), Sweden and Germany. Seriously, what were these foreigners who illegally arrived thinking? Watch the Sky News Australia video below.

Lastly, United States President Donald Trump spoke out against illegal immigration (plus renewable energy) in Europe right in front of the President of the European Commission of the corrupted European Union (EU). It is clear that America under Trump secured their border with Mexico and they have been working hard to not only prevent illegal crossings but also go after the illegal immigrants and illegal aliens who are already in the country. Trump has solid results against illegal immigration with him and it would be great if the nations of Europe would be inspired to become tougher to secure their borders and protect the citizens. Watch the Sky News Australia video below.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you support Greece’s hard push back against illegal immigrants? Is there are an influx of foreigners who arrived at your country illegally over the past twelve months? Are there huge groups of illegal aliens living in your local community right now? What do you think it will take for Greece to deport all the illegal immigrants they have right now?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Philippines deports over 1,400 foreigners over immigration law violations

August 2, 2025July 26, 2025carlocarrasco

While Spain and other nations of Europe are struggling with the high number of illegal migrants and foreign nationals who keep on trespassing into their respective territories, the Philippines deported more than one thousand four hundred foreigners in the first half of 2025 over a series of violations of immigration law, according to a news article by the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the first PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…

The number of foreign nationals who were deported during the first half of the year doubled compared to last year, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported Friday.

According to Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado, data from the bureau’s deportation and implementation unit (DIU) revealed that a total of 1,422 foreign nationals were deported due to immigration violations during the period. The BI recorded 717 deportees during the same period in 2024.

Chinese nationals topped the list with 957, followed by 231 Vietnamese, 41 South Koreans, 41 Malaysians, and 37 Burmese.

Viado said majority of the deportations were foreigners found to be illegally working in Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) in the country despite the ban.

“Our strengthened deportation protocols follow the directive of the President to act swiftly and remove foreigners who abuse our people’s hospitality. We will continue expediting the deportation of foreign nationals who violate our laws,” the BI chief added in a statement.

The BI earlier reported improvements in deportation protocols, including fast-tracking clearances in partnership with the National Bureau of Investigation, immediate resolution of cases suspected to be filed under the ‘demanda me’ scheme, regular coordination with embassies for swift issuance of travel documents, and opening of a new holding facility for arrested aliens. Meanwhile, Viado also reported the arrest on July 22 of two Sudanese nationals found to be undocumented in San Carlos City, Pangasinan.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the national authorities will be able to apprehend and deport more illegal aliens who are still on the lose all over the Philippines? Do you think the authorities can double the number of deportees by the end of this year?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Gangs of violent migrants attack Spaniards and other innocent people in Spain

July 25, 2025July 17, 2025carlocarrasco

Were you able to watch the news about gangs of violent migrants physically present in Spain who attacked Spaniards and other innocent people, and now act as if they have all the authority to take over local societies away from the citizens? This unfortunate development is only a part of a huge wave of migrant-led violence happening in other parts of Europe. Spain itself announced that it will grant residency and work permits each year for the next three years to about 300,000 migrants who are in the country illegally.

If you were not able to receive the news about the recent chaos, then I’m not surprised because the Islamo-Leftist mainstream news media outlets (the ones who favored illegal immigrants and open borders) refused to report the chaos in Spain when it first happened. The more conservative news outlets like Sky News Australia managed to report about it early and I encourage you to watch their news video below.

Now that you have seen the above news video, I encourage you to think very deeply about the many forms of danger that come with mass migration, multiculturalism, humanism and having a government that does not seem to prioritize its citizens when foreigners overwhelm the nation. Wherever you are located in, I encourage you to imagine what would happen to your country and your local community if ever a massive amount of foreigners entered your country as immigrants or as refugees.

Each and every nation has its own sovereignty, its own people, its own heritage and its own culture and sub-cultures to protect. If you are living with a government that does not care about citizens like yourselves, then you are in potential trouble already. Mass migration and violent foreigners could spark a riot and harm you and your family when you least expect it. You need to be careful, be vigilant and observe how your government deals with foreign migrants and the so-called refugees.

I myself never visited Spain but when I was in Italy and France more than twenty years ago, I personally discovered the culture and heritage of the Italians and the French in each visit. There were foreign tourists and some foreign workers here and there, but there were no violent migrant gangs back then. That being said, I enjoyed the peace of Italy and France and touring around was both enlightening and enjoyable. I also admired the way the Italians and the French local authorities managed their local societies.

Going back to what happened in Spain, I encourage you to watch Asmongold TV’s reaction video to Sky News Australia’s news video of the same topic. Watch and listen closely.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Is your government soft towards foreigners who are trying to trespass into your country? Is your government even making efforts to prevent foreign terrorists and foreign criminals from entering the country? How many applications for immigration and asylum does your government receive from foreigners each year? Is there anyone in your local community who blindly supports people to migrate into any country they want and later commit crime without being held accountable? Is your government doing enough to prioritize legal immigration over illegal immigration?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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What you need to know about the war between Israel and Iran

June 18, 2025June 17, 2025carlocarrasco

As some of you are already aware, I fully stand with Israel which is very connected with my uncompromising faith in the Lord. I keep on praying to Him for Israel to overwhelm its enemies, rescue the hostages and recover from the effects of the October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks committed by the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas. I can assure all of you that nobody from the evil Islamo-Leftist mob, nobody from the pro-Palestine radicals, nobody from the terrorist leadership of Iran and nobody from any evil society would stop me from supporting and loving Israel.

Now, on with the latest developments…

It has been days since the war between Israel and the terrorist state of Iran started. This is a war that did not just start out of the blue. In reality, it has been building up for a very long time going back to the aftermath of the 1979 Iranian revolution when the Ayatollah and his henchmen came to power. Iran drastically changed into what is now an Islamic state driven by an evil ideology that includes genocide (including the annihilation of Israel and Western democracy), hatred, violence and terrorism.

No matter what the Islamists, the Leftists and their mainstream news media partners-in-crime (read: Reuters, Associated Press, and Agence France-Presse) say, it cannot be denied that Iran is a terrorist state and their leaders and officials chanted “Death to America”, “Death to Israel” and “Death to England” so many times through the years. Iran also brutalized Iranian civilians who refused to be part of their culture of terrorism.

Along the way, Iran had been lying to the whole world as they kept moving forward with their uranium enrichment program and nuclear projects which were designed for mass destruction, not for energy. Given how hateful and evil Iran’s government really is, they should never be allowed to have nuclear weapons.

That being said, Israel launched a series of strategic aerial attacks in Iran hitting military facilities, nuclear sites and government facilities. Israel is at conflict with the Ayatollah-led government and not the civilians of Iran. In fact, Israel’s assault against Iran is meant to bring down the wicked regime and pave the way for millions of Iran to become free and hopefully move their nation towards Democracy. Israel is also doing the world a favor as Iran intends to be able to fire weapons of mass destruction (WMD) at Europe, Africa and even America.

To learn about the history between Israel and Iran, watch Ben Shapiro’s explanatory video below.

It should be noted that Israel is not only in conflict with Iran. Israel also has terrorist supporter Qatar (which has Islamic terrorist news network and propagandist Al Jazeera), Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, Houthi terrorists and Hezbollah to deal with. Iran funded and armed Hamas, Houthi terrorists and Hezbollah for a long time now. I should also mention that the corrupted mainstream news media remain antagonistic towards Israel and they allowed themselves to be partners-in-crime of Iran and Islamic terrorists.

Israel’s war with Iran is very costly and they are focused on achieving their goals to not only bring down the evil regime but also secure the safety of the Jewish state. Watch the comprehensive videos of travelingisrael and pay close attention to the details.

As mentioned earlier, you cannot rely on the mainstream news media for international updates or breaking news about the Israel-Iran war. Reuters, Associated Press and Agence France-Presse have sold their souls to Islamo-Leftists a long time ago and it is unfortunate that other smaller news organizations worldwide subscribed to their news feed which are filled with lies and distorted details designed to make Israel look bad and make people hate Israel. If you want truth and clarity, better get the news from TBN Israel and Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN). Some selected news videos posted below for you all.

As some of you may be aware right now, I will always stand with Israel and I reject all forms of evil. Learn from what God declared in the holy scriptures below.

Now the Lord had said to Abram:

“Get out of your country,

From your family

And from your father’s house,

To a land that I will show you.

I will make you a great nation;

I will bless you

And make your name great;

And you shall be a blessing.

I will bless those who bless you,

And I will curse him who curses you;

And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Genesis 12:1-3 (NKJV)

Again God said to him, Your name is Jacob [supplanter]; you shall not be called Jacob any longer, but Israel shall be your name. So He called him Israel [contender with God].

And God said to him, I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall come from you and kings shall be born of your stock;

The land which I gave Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and to your descendants after you I will give the land.

Genesis 35:10-12 (AMPC)

No weapon formed against you shall prosper,

And every tongue which rises against you in judgment

You shall condemn.

This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,

And their righteousness is from Me,”

Says the Lord.

Isaiah 54:17 (NKJV)

Also, let me remind you that Lord Jesus is the hope of all nations. Never allow the forces of evil to bring you down. Never let the wicked ones pull you away from the Lord. Learn from the scriptures below.

For there [is only] one God, and [only] one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,

1 Timothy 2:5 (AMPC)

For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.

Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.

1 Thessalonians 5:9-11 (NKJV)

“I am a true sprouting vine, and the farmer who tends the vine is my Father. He cares for the branches connected to me by lifting and propping up the fruitless branches and pruning every fruitful branch to yield a greater harvest. The words I have spoken over you have already cleansed you. So you must remain in life-union with me, for I remain in life-union with you. For as a branch severed from the vine will not bear fruit, so your life will be fruitless unless you live your life intimately joined to mine.

“I am the sprouting vine and you’re my branches. As you live in union with me as your source, fruitfulness will stream from within you—but when you live separated from me you are powerless. 6If a person is separated from me, he is discarded; such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire to be burned. But if you live in life-union with me and if my words live powerfully within you—then you can ask whatever you desire and it will be done. When your lives bear abundant fruit, you demonstrate that you are my mature disciples who glorify my Father!

John 15:1-8 (TPT)

Always pray to the Lord in support of Israel, its government, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and its stakeholders. Learn to love and bless the Jewish people and pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Pray to Him for Israel’s victory over terrorist state Iran, for the existence of the Jewish state and Western democracy, and for the freedom of the Iranian people.

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A Look Back at Team 7 #2 (1994)

December 13, 2024December 6, 2024carlocarrasco

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, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Image Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1995 to take a close look at one of the many tales of the original WildStorm universe through one of the comic books of the first mini-series of Team 7.

For the newcomers reading this, Team 7 is set in the past within the original WildStorm universe. This is the one special forces team that had major WildStorm heroes – Grifter (WildCATS: Covert Action Teams), Backlash, Jackson Dane (Wetworks), John Lynch (Gen13) and Deathblow – who were younger, were proficient with combat and were destined to gain special abilities that later defined them. Issue #1 reviewed last time worked well by efficiently introducing the characters while also building up the plot and there were some nice pay-offs here and there.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Team 7 #2, published in 1994 by Image Comics with a story written by Chuck Dixon and drawn by Aron Wiesenfeld. This is the 2nd chapter of the 4-issue mini-series.

Early story

Set in the 1970s, a team of armed escorts and some personnel wearing protective gear isolate and examine a battlefield full of dead bodies. Miles Craven and Gabriel Newman analyze the evidence around them. Craven states that what they have is too important an operation to be left to underlings and he wants Gabriel to stay with the project which could use his special talents. Shortly after, the bodies of the Team 7 members were retrieved barely alive.

Seven days later, John Lynch wakes up in a hospital bed feeling traumatized over what happened to his team during the last mission. He was told that they were exposed to a chemical agent and he had been in a deep coma for a week.

Craven then enters the room to provide Lynch crucial updates…

Quality

*Do you recognize Deathblow and Dane on this page?*

As expected, the gritty and dark storytelling from the previous issue continued in this story. Without spoiling the plot, I can say that this issue has some handsome pay-offs to what was built-up in issue #1 and there were new build-ups established along the way. Because the script was crafted to build-up the plot and sub-plot, the military action scenes are lessened which is not surprising. I can assure you that Chuck Dixon’s writing here remains pretty strong.

While the previous issue served as an efficient introduction of the younger versions of WildStorm’s heroes who are in the middle of a world full of violence and espionage, this issue shed some light as to how the heroes dealt with their new abilities (in connection with the climax of issue #1) and how International Operations is handling matters behind closed doors. The suspense kept on building up and this made the narrative more intriguing to follow. Expect to see elements of high-level espionage, unethical science and war throughout.

When it comes to the characters, Lynch (being the captain of Team 7) has a huge share of the spotlight followed by Cole Cash (Grifter). The two have different views about their special forces duty – Lynch follows the superiors while Cole realizes something is wrong about their leadership and the intelligence fed to them.

Conclusion

*This scene showing Cole Cash (Grifter) emerging from dark with a defiant tone is a very defining moment of this comic book.*

Team 7 #2 (1994) is clearly a very engaging read. It has the fine mix of war (with uncompromising violence drawn by Wiesenfeld), intrigue and the dark side of global espionage. The science fiction element here worked well in explaining the powers Team 7 members got after what happened in issue #1. This comic book also marks the beginning of showing Lynch and Cole Cash as the co-leads among the teammates. Die-hard fans of Deathblow, Dane and Backlash will have to wait a bit before their favorites get their share of the spotlight. Regardless, this is a very powerful read and a fine example of doing a prequel within the original WildStorm universe.

Overall, Team 7 #2 (1994) is highly recommended.

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A Look Back at X-Men Adventures Season II #3 (1994)

April 3, 2024April 1, 2024carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the mid-1990s to explore the adaptation of the second season of the X-Men animated series in the form of the X-Men Adventures comic book series.

Before getting to the new retro comic book review, I should state that even though streaming is the norm for millions of people who love entertainment, it would be nice if the classic X-Men: The Animated Series (X-Men TAS) would someday get released on Blu-ray disc format. Even though many X-Men fans are streaming, there are still those who prefer collecting physical releases of what they enjoy. Really, watching entertainment with Blu-ray or 4K Blu-ray format is much better than streaming.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at X-Men Adventures Season II #3, published in 1994 by Marvel with a story written by Ralph Macchio and drawn by John Hebert.

Early story

The story begins at the border of Kenya and Tanganyika where Mount Kilimanjaro rests. Something destructive emerges at the top of the mountain causing great disturbance on the people below. At a village, two black persons could not help but notice a demonic figure coming down at them. One of them gets possessed by it.

Meanwhile at their headquarters in Westchester County, New York, Jean Grey uses Cerebro to comprehensively scan the world to find Professor X’s location. What Jean detected was a psychic plane which catches Beast’s attention.

Shortly after, Rogue arrives with Storm who just returned from a hospital. As Jean updates them both, Storm realizes that the location of the psychic plane is in Africa…

Quality

The first thing I should confirm here is that there is a nice jump in the visual quality – in terms of style and detail specifically – thanks to illustrator John Hebert. Hebert’s work here is a nice relief compared to the rushed works of Andrew Wildman in the previous two issues, and he knows when to use the dynamic moments of spectacle and how to balance it with the calm moments. Hebert’s take on Wolverine is really good.

Regarding the story, I like the way the search for Charles Xavier – which was a sub-plot in the previous issues – unfolded while also opening the opportunity to develop Storm as she returns to Africa. In fact, this tale reveals some really engaging details from Storm’s past as well as her personal connection with a certain tribe of black people. These mentioned elements added nicely to the tension of a particular conflict that followed.

In fact, the Storm-centered story was nicely executed by the creative team and there were revelations that were gripping. Along the way, Rogue got a nice share of the spotlight and was a suitable supporting character even though the comic book had new characters.

Conclusion

X-Men Adventures Season II #3 (1994) is a good read and it also has a nice change of geographic setting as it mainly focused on Africa and Storm’s reconnection with her people. Storm is clearly the main character here and this is a solid pay-off as she only had a tiny part in the previous issue. This is a tale – with themes of family, culture and the responsibility that comes with having special talents or power – that should interest dedicated fans of Storm.

Overall, X-Men Adventures Season II #3 (1994) is recommended.

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Overstaying South African national apprehended by immigration agents in province

February 13, 2024February 6, 2024carlocarrasco

Recently agents of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) located and arrested a South African national in the province of Albay for overstaying in the country by at least a few years, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA article. Some parts in boldface…

Immigration authorities arrested an overstaying South African national in Albay province.

In a news release Monday, Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Norman Tansingco said operatives from the regional intelligence operations unit nabbed Benjamin Michael Theron in an operation along Sikatuna Street, Brgy. 13 Ilawod West, Legazpi City on Jan. 24.

The foreigner was the subject of a mission order issued by the BI chief after receiving a complaint from Theron’s former partner, saying he was causing disturbance in the community.

A check on Theron’s records showed he has been in the country since 2018 and is already overstaying after his visa expired in 2021.

Another foreign national who presented himself as Theron’s employer, attempted to interfere with the operations but eventually yielded after seeing the mission order against the suspect.

BI intelligence division chief Fortunato Manahan Jr. said any individual who conceal, harbor, employ or give comfort to overstaying foreign nationals may face sanctions for violation of the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940, which prohibits harboring of illegal aliens.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent report? Are you concerned that there could be overstaying foreigners living within your local community? Do you think the BI is doing a good job locating and arresting illegal aliens?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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A Look Back at The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones #1 (1983)

July 6, 2023July 5, 2023carlocarrasco

Welcome back fellow geeks, pop culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! I want to make things clear to all of you that when it comes to movies, Indiana Jones is truly an American icon who will be remembered for a long time thanks to the combined works of the legendary creative team of Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Harrison Ford.

I love watching the films Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008). While the respective qualities, artistry and fun factors of those films varied through the years, there is no denying that those are cinematic adventures worth replaying.

In case you are wondering, I have no intention to watch Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023) since that movie was specifically handled by Kathleen Kennedy whose leadership of Lucasfilm (under the Disney banner) ruined Star Wars since 2015. It does not help that the new movie was not directed by Spielberg and clearly it does not involve George Lucas on the creative side. I should state that I reject wokeness, political correctness and identity politics which defined Kathleen Kennedy’s handling of Star Wars and Indiana Jones.

That being said, now is a good time to back into the 1980s when the Indiana Jones entertainment franchise was still new and creatively expanding into other forms of media. In fact, Marvel Comics started publishing an Indiana Jones comic book series between Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones #1, published in 1983 by Marvel Comics with a story written and drawn by John Byrne with ink work by Terry Austin.

Early story

The story begins with Indiana Jones (wearing formal attire for his academic profession) attempting to whip a small stick off the mouth of Miss Greebly who was standing very still. Jones’ superior Dr. Marcus came in to witness the stunt.

Shortly after, Jones and Marcus meet with former student Charlie Dunne who reveals to them he and his sister Edith learned the location of the Ikons of Ikammanen. Just seconds after stating he could prove that the ikons exist, Dunne suddenly gets hit on the back with a knife.

With Dunne suddenly killed and the discreet killer already gone, Jones and Marcus examine the content of the victim’s bag and find a map of coastal Africa, a photograph of a temple and an address…

Quality

*Indiana Jones and Edith on a dangerous search.*

I will start by stating the obvious thing about this comic book…it looks and feels like a genuine Indiana Jones adventure with clear inspiration taken from the 1981 movie. The basic elements are here: Indy does research and some detective work, he travels overseas searching for answers, faces danger along the way, and gets involved in a series of unexpected events. The good news is that John Byrne crafted a fun and high-quality literary adventure featuring the cinematic icon.

This comic book has an original story concept and deliberately the narrative flowed at a medium pace which allows build-up to immerse readers into the details, followed by some bouts of pay-off to entertain readers. I also like the way the narrations laid down the details with the intention of helping readers understand not only the situations, locations and people, but also giving them unique perspectives about Indy himself. The dialogue was well written and clearly believable. When Indiana Jones explains details, he really uses the knowledge he gained through academic research as well as recollections from his past expeditions or adventures.

I should also state that Byrne gave Indiana Jones, the other characters and locations stylized looks. I don’t mind Jones not resembling Harrison Ford at all but Byrne still made him recognizable in his own unique way. There were some location images that looked pretty detailed.

Conclusion

*And just like that, Indiana Jones takes a leave from academic work for his next adventure.*

The best way to describe The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones #1 (1983) is this…John Byrne and his team succeeded in making this a fun read inspired by elements of Raiders of the Lost Ark. The story has a strong adventure feel with Indy having a strong presence and the introduction of new characters were executed smoothly. For a launch issue, this one is indeed engaging to read and it succeeded in convincing me to anticipate the next issue. Ultimately it is clear that John Byrne really is an effective Indiana Jones storyteller.

Overall, The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones #1 (1983) is highly recommended!

+++++

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