Tag: aliens

Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 43

Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 43

carlocarrasco

Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!

In this edition of the Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) series, we will take a look at another batch of retro gaming print ads from the 1980s to the 1990s.

For the newcomers reading this, Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) looks back at the many print ads of games (console, arcade, computer and handheld) that were published in comic books, magazines, flyers, posters and newspapers long before smartphones, social media, the worldwide web and streaming became popular. To put things in perspective, people back in the 1980s to the 1990s were more trusting of print media for information and images about electronic games and related products.

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

1. Taito’s 4-in-1 Print Ad

I remember seeing this ad in some comic books I read back in the 1980s.

There is nothing like taking the clever approach of promoting multiple video games using only one single print ad in the size of a single page. Taito did exactly that in the 1980s when it promoted Elevator Action, The Legend of Kage, Arkanoid and Renegade for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) promising excitement as the mentioned games were making the jump from arcade to console. What is very notable in Taito’s single-page print ad was that it did not show any screenshots of the games. Instead, they used hand-drawn artwork to emphasize each game’s theme or setting, and leave it up to the viewers’ imagination as to how those games would look like on NES. This old ad is intriguing and amusing at the same time.  

2. Chase H.Q. II: Special Criminal Investigation Print Ad

Cars and high-speed action emphasized in this ad.

Following the huge success of the original Chase H.Q. on both arcade and consoles in the late-1980s, the sequel Special Crime Investigation was released in the arcades in 1989 and ported to game consoles and computers in the early 1990s under the title Chase H.Q. II: Special Criminal Investigation. To promote Chase H.Q. II: Special Criminal Investigation for home computers, game publisher Ocean came up with a colorful print ad showcasing a few cars, a city background and elements of gun-related action presented in nice art. The ad has an image of the original arcade machine to remind gamers that they are playing the sequel to Chase H.Q.

3. Dancing Eyes Japanese Arcade Flyer

The front.
The rear.

Released by Namco in Japan in 1996, Dancing Eyes is a puzzle arcade game that became notorious due to its overtly sexual nature. With the way it was designed, players control a small monkey called Urusu-San and crawl along a 3D grid mapped over characters (mostly ladies) or various objects. If the 3D grid is mapped over a young lady, any tile of the grid destroyed by the player exposes the lady’s underwear or skin. Such sexuality is reflected in the arcade flyer of Dancing Eyes which has a suggestive hand-drawn art on the front while the game’s mechanics are explained in the rear. Even the rear of the flyer shows sexual nature of the game with screenshots. While the game was officially released only in Japan, Dancing Eyes actually was made available for gamers to play at the arcade of X-Site amusement center inside Festival Mall in Alabang during the early 2000s and it attracted a lot of guys. I bet Namco did not know about that.

4. Sega Saturn North American Print Ad

This print ad always caught people’s attention.

When the Sega launched the Saturn console in America roughly four months ahead of schedule in 1995, the company suffered as the sales were disappointing, ties with business partners were strained and the available Saturn games were very few. By the fourth quarter of that year, more games became available for the Saturn and this gave Sega the opportunity to aggressively market the console as the one that gamers should get for their enjoyment. To promote the Saturn, Sega came up with a two-page print ad that had a dominant image of a naked woman whose private parts were cleverly covered by screenshots of the available games. Since most gamers were predominantly male from teenagers to adults, it made sense for Sega to come up with an eye-catching sexy ad to promote their console and the video games (including those from other companies). This old ad is considered by the woke and rabid feminists as very offensive today.

5. Blockbuster Video Print Ad

If you won the grand prize and wanted a lot of entertainment, you would not want to leave your home.

Back in the late 20th century, Blockbuster Video was the dominant retailer that offered customers movies in home video format for sale and for rent. Along the way, the company offered video game rentals and attracted millions of gamers around the nation. Given the tremendous growth of video gaming in America in the 1990s, Blockbuster got itself more involved by launching the Games of Summer Sweepstakes in 1996. Utilizing print ads, the sweepstakes offered the Ultimate Game Rooms – composed of a 41-inch big-screen TV, Surround Sound speakers, hi-fi VCR, NBA Jame Extreme arcade game, the Sega Saturn, the PlayStation, a gaming chair, Acclaim games for Saturn and PlayStation, and a 1-year free Blockbuster Video game rentals privilege – as the grand prizes. Do you know anyone who won in Blockbuster’s sweepstakes?

6. Independence Day (ID4) Print Ad

A nice looking ad for a game that was actually mediocre.

Remember how big a blockbuster Independence Day (ID4) was in cinemas in 1996? The film grossed over $800 million worldwide and it revived the disaster movie genre using modern filmmaking techniques and the latest technologies of the decade. Given the massive success of the movie, it was not surprising that an official video game adaptation was released in 1997. To promote the game, Fox Interactive (the video game company of the movie studio behind the film) came up with a 2-page print ad using official artwork from the movie showcasing the alien spaceship being attacked by a military fighter plane. The ad showed only 3 screenshots and the descriptive text was written to make gamers feel like they have the role to lead Earth’s fight against the aliens. While the art looks good, it can only go so far to hide the mediocrity of the game itself.

7. GoldenEye 007 Print Ad

Bond, James Bond.

When GoldenEye achieved both critical and financial success in movies, it revived the James Bond movie franchise big-time and Pierce Brosnan was easily accepted by the public as the newest Agent 007. Several months before the movie was even released, an official video game adaptation started development. After much revisions and hard adjustments, the project evolved into a first-person shooting game for the Nintendo 64 console titled GoldenEye 007. To promote the game, Nintendo came up with a 2-page print ad that cleverly showed Brosnan as James Bond on the left and displayed the screenshots and other details on the right. This ad was easily eye-catching and it made lots of gamers excited. As history showed, GoldenEye 007 got released in 1997 and became a huge critical and commercial success while also proving that first-person shooters on game consoles can be a lot of fun.

8. North American Sega Saturn Games Promo Print Ad

There definitely was something fun offered to gamers. Who could go wrong with titles like Tomb Raider, Nights into Dreams, Virtual On and Virtua Cop 2?

As mentioned earlier, the Sega Saturn had a bad launch in America in 1995 which caused a lot of problems for the company. In 1996, Sega of America went on the offensive to really capture gamers’ attention by launching their Saturn games promo. The message of this 2-page print ad was very clear…Sega offered one free first-party game (limited to four specific games including Nights into Dreams) to those who bought two games (from a lineup of twelve specific titles). It should be noted that the Christmas season of 1996 was the most successful sales period of the Sega Saturn in America as gamers really responded to the promo. Even though some called this promo an act of desperation, nothing changes the fact that Sega succeeded during the most critical sales season of 1996.

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

A Look Back at Independence Day #0 (1996)

A Look Back at Independence Day #0 (1996)

carlocarrasco

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book, watching the 1996 movie 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 science fiction enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1996 to take a close look at one of the licensed comic books Marvel Comics published which was part of the release of the movie Independence Day (also referred to as ID4).

Back in 1996, there was a considerable amount of hype and anticipation for Independence Day’s release in cinemas not just in America but also in other parts of the world. Following the success they achieved together in Stargate (1994), producer Dean Devlin and director Roland Emmerich teamed up again to make Independence Day which was back then the most modern cinematic portrayal of aliens invading Earth causing the people to fight back. The film creatively was also a disaster movie of its own backed with science fiction concepts and the latest special effects of the era. Independence Day went on to gross almost $820 million worldwide and I myself saw it in a fully packed cinema here in the Philippines.

As I saw the movie, I noticed details about events that took place sometime in the past and they were presented not as flashbacks but only as spoken words. There is that verbal reference about Jeff Goldblum’s character punching Bill Pullman’s character some time before the latter became US President. There are also spoken words about Randy Quaid’s character being previously abducted by aliens. As part of the marketing and publicity of the movie, Marvel Comics was licensed to publish not only a 2-part comic book adaptation but also a prequel comic book.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Independence Day #0, published in 1996 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Phil Crain (based on ideas by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerih) and drawn by Terry Pallot, Steve Erwin, Rod Whigham and Gabriel Gecko.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins on July 4, 1947 in Roswell, New Mexico. A thunderstorm took place in the evening compelling residents to stay inside their respective homes. As the storm went on, an unidentified flying object (UFO) of alien origin got struck by thunder causing it to crash on the field of someone’s property with a huge impact that disturbed local residents. The alien ship opens and one of its passengers (alien) ventures out into the stormy night. Injured and still in shock, the passenger slowly moves away from the ship.

The next evening, the property owner arrives and finds several pieces of debris of the crashed ship scattered on the field. He notices the metal are lighter than anything he touched, and he could see the writings were not man-made. The property owner informed the local sheriff of what he found which led to the American army sending troops to the field. The American military plane flies over them and finds the crashed alien ship.  

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When Whitmore was still a US Senator and candidate for US President, he got punched by David Levinson who thought that he was having an affair with his wife Constance “Connie” Spano. This later led to the “You punched the President,” line in the movie.

As described above, this prequel comic book visually dramatizes the past events that were only mentioned in the movie particularly with regards to the Roswell UFO incident as well as Area 51 and how the government handled findings about aliens from outer space. In fact, the story here was scripted to move from one significant event to the next through the decades, and the good news here is that the exposition is not too heavy (when compared to Jurassic Park comic books of 1993) and the pacing moved at a medium pace. The result is a reading experience that is intriguing and entertaining.

The creators really went all in with their fictional portrayal of the movie’s aliens being involved in Roswell and Area 51, and the notable thing is that they really took the presentation seriously. It’s as if they were trying to tell a factual story which smoothly connects with the movie.

When it comes to the characters from the movie, you will find them in this comic book depending on the stage of the narrative and the time setting. While the characters of Pullman, Goldblum, Robert Loggia, Will Smith, Brent Spiner, James Rebhorn, Viveca A. Fox and Margaret Colin are dramatized in the 1990s scenes, you will see the younger versions of a few of them set in the 1960s scenes. The abduction scene of Randy Quaid’s character is set in the 1980s.

The Area 51 scene set in the 1960s.

As for the script written by Phil Crain, the narrative of this comic book surprisingly has a more serious and dramatic tone when compared to what was expressed in the movie. There were even a few horror elements and no comedic stuff at all. Again, this should not be surprising because this comic book was meant to dramatize past events to not only connect with the movie’s core concept but also show why certain characters acted the way they did in the film.

As this comic book involved multiple artists, it should not be a surprise that the result is of varying quality from one scene to another. In fairness, the illustrator (or illustrators) who drew the Area 51 scenes and the crashed alien ship did a good job with the details. As for the characters, pilot Steven Hiller resembled Will Smith enough, and the same can be said about Thomas Whitmore somewhat looking like Bill Pullman, David Levinson looking somewhat like Jeff Goldblum, and General Grey slightly looking like Robert Loggia. Meanwhile, Constance Pano resembled Margaret Colin more while the 1990s Dr. Okun resembled Brent Spiner in a few shots.

Conclusion

The creators went all-in to make the 1947 Roswell UFO incident a history of Independence Day.

To get straight to the point, Independence Day #0 (1996) succeeded with its main objective of establishing visually the past and emphasizing developments connecting with the blockbuster movie of 1996. It was made with a strong appeal to fans of Independence Day as well as people who simply are fond of UFOs and conspiracy theories regarding Roswell and Area 51. People who are not too interested in the movie and UFOs might not be impressed with this comic book. In my view, this prequel comic book has good enough qualities that make it worth reading and its serious narrative is both surprising and enjoyable. Ultimately, it is a worthy companion piece to the movie.

Overall, Independence Day #0 (1996) is recommended.

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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 at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 96

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 96

carlocarrasco

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 Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky Scandal Remembered – Remember how wild the news and opinions were back in 1998 over the scandal of Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky? Even though there was no social media and people’s access to the Internet was not so massive at the time, there was no escaping the media buzz about the scandal which is arguably the most defining scandal of the 1990s. It also made Clinton not only look even more immoral, it damaged the reputation of the Democrats as well. I encourage you all to watch the video below.

#2 The Democrats Who Destroyed Themselves as They Tried to Destroy Donald Trump – By today’s standards, the Democrats of America are the Satanic Left, the Islamo-Leftists, the woke mob, the DEI nuts and also the most foolish group of politicians. That being said, take a close look at the Democrats who tried to destroy Donald Trump only to end up ruining themselves. Watch the video below.

#3 Independence Day Revisited – Way back in 1996, I saw Independence Day in a fully packed cinema here in the Philippines, and almost everyone enjoyed it for the thrills and the so-called ride experience. While it was the highest grossing movie of the world during its year of release, Independence Day clearly had flaws and it did not age well in my view. I have no intention to buy a Blu-ray or a 4K Blu-ray copy of it. Still, a lot of YouTubers made videos of the movie and you can see how it impacts them or what they learned about it by watching the selected videos below.

#4 Poltergeist a Cursed Movie? – If you have seen the 1982 film Poltergeist (directed by Tobe Hooper and produced by Steven Spielberg), chances are you got scared and startled while watching it. That being said, do you believe the claims and reports that the production of Poltergeist was cursed and haunted? To find out, go watch Minty Comedic Arts’ detailed video below. Then decide for yourselves after completing it.

#5 Foreign Tourists Enjoying Eels in Japan – Have you ever tasted eel with your meal? In Japan, it is a tradition for people to eat eels as those have a place in Japanese cuisine. I’m referring to unagi (Japanese for freshwater eel) which is served as part of unadon which is the popular meal consisting of a donburi type bowl (large size) filled with steamed white rice topped with eel fillets. It is not surprising that as Japan is attracted a high number of visitors from around the world, more foreign tourists there are consuming and enjoying it. Watch and learn from the video below.

6. Woke Hollywood Pathetically Freaks Out Over Dean Cain’s Decision to Join ICE – I can say it out loud that actor John Leguizamo – who is very woke and allied with illegal aliens and illegal immigrants – is pathetic with his response to Superman Dean Cain’s decision to join United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to serve the nation in getting rid of illegal immigrants. This goes the same with other woke nuts of Hollywood (Commiewood) who reacted the same way. Watch and learn the details from RK Outpost’s video below. I also want to state again the illegal immigrants are criminals, not refugees.

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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

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 92

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 92

carlocarrasco

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 Superboy star John Newton featured in Minty Comedic Arts’ video – It has been almost forty years since the Superboy TV series first launched with John Newton (formerly John Haymes Newton) as the titular role. It was an entertaining TV show and it easily attracted a lot of Superman fans, DC Comics readers and those who read the Superboy comic books. Recently, John Newton was featured in a special video by Minty Comedic Arts which was the result of information mentioned in Minty’s standalone Superboy trivia video. Newton saw the Superboy video and reached out to Minty Comedic Arts. Minty – who admitted he has a weakness on interviewing/communicating with people – agreed to feature Newton in a documentary style video instead of an online interview. That being said, Newton recorded his minutes-long part and said a lot of intriguing and interesting information about his one-season work as Superboy. That being said, I urge you all to watch Minty’s special video below.

#2 Barack Obama exposed over Russia collusion hoax – It took more than eight years but Tulsi Gabbard did her patriotic duty by declassifying high-level files and messages exposing Barack Obama for treason over his responsibility behind the Russia collusion hoax (designed to undermine Donald Trump who defeated Hillary Clinton for US President in 2016) and he involved America’s intelligence community. What Obama did was not just a corrupted act as US President but a clear violation against the will of the American people who chose Trump over Clinton. This tragedy only showed how corrupted, wicked and arrogant Democrats really are. To understand all the details, what happened behind the scenes back in late-2016 and what the documents showed, watch the selected videos below.

#3 Jeff Daniels and Kamala Harris are the modern Dumb and Dumber  – Do you still remember actor Jeff Daniels? He appeared in 1990s films like Arachnophobia, Speed and Dumb and Dumber. In an interview, he expressed his feelings for the defeated and incompetent Commie Democrat Kamala Harris and he still could not get over the results of the 2024 US Presidential Election won by Donald Trump! Daniels foolishly compared Harris to Abraham Lincoln. Watch the video below and observe who is dumb and dumber.

#4 A look at an Osaka diner – It has been almost thirty years since my one and only visit to Osaka in Japan. As I was browsing YouTube videos to watch, I spotted a video about a certain Osaka diner which has great looking visuals, a strong presentation, and the Japanese dialogue translated into English presented in subtitles. More importantly, the video will give viewers an in-depth look as to how diner is operated and how the food gets prepared before opening. It could be helpful for those inspiring to open a new restaurant. Watch it now!

#5 Reaction videos of Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) – Have you been watching any 1950s movies as of late? If you did, was there any particular film from that decade that scared you or made you feel stressed while watching? The 1956 film Invasion of the Body Snatchers is one such film and people who discovered it and saw it recently often state they found it suspenseful and even scary. I found three reaction videos about the film on YouTube and they are entertaining to watch.

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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

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 91

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 91

carlocarrasco

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 The tragic story of singer Phyllis Hyman – More than thirty years ago, the world lost a very talented singer when Phyllis Hyman died and investigators determined that she took her own life by overdosing on sleeping pills and vodka. Beyond the pieces of evidence found, there were a lot of factors in real life that led to death such as Phyllis Hyman’s struggles with bipolar disorder, depression, music industry complexities and more. For the newcomers reading this Hyman recorded several albums from 1970s to the early 1990s. She was the artist behind the songs Somewhere in My Lifetime, You Know How to Love Me, Old Friend and even the rejected song for the 1983 unofficial James Bond movie Never Say Never Again. If you are interested to learn more about the late Phyllis Hyman and discover her contributions in music and how her life was, watch the video below.

#2 How frozen pizzas are made in great numbers – Do you enjoy eating pizza that was previously frozen? I personally don’t like frozen pizzas because their texture and taste are not as good as those of pizza baked in the oven. Even so, frozen pizza still has a huge industry overseas and millions of them are being made and distributed to groceries and other retailers. In case you are wondering how is the frozen pizza prepared, automation is the answer and you can learn about it from the video below.

#3 Movie with strong summer vibes  – If you were watching a new movie during the summer season or if you saw a movie with a summer setting, does it deliver to you the summer vibe at all? Certain movies from long ago did exactly that and you can see what movies are those by watching the video below.

#4 John Carpenter’s The Thing revisited – The first time I ever saw John Carpenter’s 1982 film The Thing was on cable TV in the mid-1990s. Then in 2011, a prequel film with the same title was released but it only made me interested in the original. While John Carpenter’s film did not have much of an impact on me (note: I admire Kurt Russell’s performance and the impressive practical effects), it did with YouTubers through their respective reaction videos. Watch the selected videos below (note: I added Minty Comedic Arts’ video for those who enjoy trivia).

#5 Michael Jordan’s 1997 flu game heroics remembered – Remember way back in the 1997 NBA Final when Michael Jordan played in Game 5 at Utah feeling sick? Before the game started, something terrible happened to him the previous night and the Chicago Bulls badly needed him as the series was tied at 2-2. Worse, the fifth game was held at the Delta Center and it was always filled with the very loud fans of the Utah Jazz. How did Jordan overcome his sickness to pull off basketball heroics? Watch the retrospective 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

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 80

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 80

carlocarrasco

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 VKunia and Popcorn in Bed react to Minority Report – In 2002, I saw Steven Spielberg’s Minority Report inside one of the cinemas of Festival Mall here in the Philippines. The suspenseful science fiction movie was the first-ever creative collaboration between Spielberg and Tom Cruise, and it ultimately entertained and intrigued many local moviegoers. To find out if Minority Report remains an engaging film by today’s standards, watch the reaction videos of VKunia and Popcorn in Bed below.

#2 PatmanQC examines Zaxxon – I never played Zaxxon in the arcade but managed to play a version of it on MS-DOS PC in the 1980s. Back then, I was often intrigued with Zaxxon’s visual design which involved an isometric view and a clever presentation of the 2D sprites. Due to its depth of gameplay related to the overall design, it was indeed challenging to play. To find who were responsible in making the game and what inspired its visual design, watch the in-depth Zaxxon video of PatmanQC below.

#3 You, Me and the Movies react to Creature from the Black Lagoon  – Released in 1954, Creature from the Black Lagoon is a black-and-white 3D monster horror movie kept moviegoers on the edge of their seats. The feature film’s creature went on to become a part of Universal Picture’s classic monsters and also left an impact on American pop culture. Several months ago, You, Me and the Movies posted their reaction video and it is entertaining to see.

#4 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters retrospective videos – I never got to play Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters when it was released in 1993. We had a Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) but we never bought the game. I heard from a few of my friends – who were fortunate enough to play it – that the game was indeed a lot of fun to play and was a nice addition to the sudden rise of fighting games at the time. Developed and published by Konami, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters was a commercial and critical hit clearly with the SNES version. To find out what made the game competent with other fighting games and why many considered it to be a great licensed video game, watch the selected retrospective videos below.  

#5 Ashleigh Burton reacts to Alien vs. Predator – Back in 2004, I saw Alien vs. Predator in the local cinema in Cebu City, and after watching it I went back home feeling numb and disappointed. For one thing, it was directed by Paul W.S. Anderson who really is not a very good director. Next, the script was pretty bad in quality. Ultimately, the filmmakers did not raise serious efforts to delight fans of both Aliens and Predator. For YouTuber Ashleigh Burton, however, the film has a different impact on her and you can watch her reaction 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

A Look Back at Action Comics #689 (1993)

A Look Back at Action Comics #689 (1993)

carlocarrasco

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, 20th century pop culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1993 to take a close look at one of the tales of the Reign of the Supermen storyline told through an issue of Action Comics.

When Adventures of Superman #500 (1993) was released, it launched the Reign of the Supermen storyline (which focused on the tales of the Eradicator, Steel, Superboy and Cyborg Superman) and the comic book creators working on Superman comic books came up with lots of new concepts and storytelling ideas to sell to fans of the Man of Steel. Along the way, there was some suspense regarding the state of the supposedly dead Superman.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Action Comics #689, published in 1993 by DC Comics with a story written by Roger Stern and drawn by Jackson Guice.  

The cover.

Early story

The story begins in Metropolis when a major infrastructure of the city got heavily damaged leaving both Supergirl and Superboy (the lone teenager among the Supermen who emerged mysteriously after the death and funeral of Superman) no choice but to prevent the loss of human lives.

As the struggle in Metropolis continues, the Regeneration Matrix inside the Fortress of Solitude suddenly overloads with energy and breaks open. A man in Kryptonian garb wakes up feeling disoriented in the presence of several robots of the fortress. The man commands the robots to tell them what has been going on.

A short time later, the man uses the Kryptonian technologies of the fortress to examine simultaneous videos while receiving verbal updates from one of the robots. He gets informed that all individuals operating under the name of Superman have been monitored before he woke up. Carefully the man the captured footage of Superboy, the Eradicator, Steel and Cyborg Superman.

He is convinced that things have gotten completely out of hand and the name of Superman will not be turned into a franchise. He decides that something must be done and he has to get to Metropolis…

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Steel and the Eradicator fought each other.

This chapter of the Reign of the Supermen storyline has a lot of developments moving simultaneously with the spotlight being shared among Superboy, Supergirl, Lex Luthor, Jonathan Kent, Martha Kent, Steel and the Eradicator plus the traditional supporting characters of Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen. To say the least, it will take an effort for any reader to grasp the many plot developments and all the details crammed into this single comic book.

By looking at the plot developments, Superboy’s plot does not have much depth. Apart from seeing him and Supergirl helping the people affected by the disaster, you will see his interactions with (and his perception of) her and Lex Luthor getting frustrated because Superboy rejected his offer to work for Lexcorp. Superboy is not so interesting here.

The other plots such as Jonathan Kent expressing his strong belief that Clark Kent is the true and the definitive Superman, the conflict between Steel and the Eradicator, and the mysterious man (Superman actually) inside Fortress of Solitude are the more engaging ones to follow. It was only right that the cover of this comic book focused on the newly returned Superman monitoring the other Supermen while inside the fortress.

What made this comic book interesting was the creative team’s exploration of the actual meaning of heroism, people’s fear and confusion while dealing with the existence of four Supermen, and humanity’s exploitation of the presence of powerful beings for financial gain or greater influence over the people.

Conclusion

The mysterious man inside the Fortress of Solitude monitors recent events and who the Supermen are.

Action Comics #689 (1993) is crammed and had a lot of plots dramatized. This was intentionally done because DC Comics at the time had momentum with the Reign of the Supermen storyline and it was inevitable that they started building up for the next stage that eventually became the return of the iconic Superman and re-establishing his prominence within the shared post-Crisis universe.

Overall, Action Comics #689 (1993) is satisfactory.

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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 at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 72

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 72

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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 Christine Grace Smith discusses gender differences and major UK Supreme Court decision – I like watching Christine Grace Smith’s commentary about society as well as her ways on pointing out the wrong and the twisted. Recently the United Kingdom’s (UK) Supreme Court delivered its major decision on the legal definition of the term woman in relation to human biology. Christine Grace Smith not only calls the UK Supreme Court decision a win for women (read: men who believe they are women are clearly NOT women at all), she also explains a lot of relevant stuff and details as well. It’s a win for women and a defeat for the transgender mob. Watch and learn from her video below.

#2 Predator reaction videos by Ashleigh Burton, VKunia, Popcorn in Bed and You, Me and the Movies  – The 1980s was a memorable decade of R-rated action movies from Hollywood. Among them was the action-packed science fiction film Predator that starred Arnold Schwarzenegger and the movie itself had a careful blend of elements from specific genres under the direction of John McTiernan. By today’s standards, Predator is a classic and now is a good time to see how it impacts YouTubers like Ashleigh Burton, VKunia, Popcorn in Bed and You, Me and the Movies through their respective reaction videos.

#3 PatmanQC examines the Alien vs. Predator arcade game – In 1994, Capcom released Alien vs. Predator in video arcades around the world. In addition to being well received by game critics, the game became a big hit commercially and added to Capcom’s credibility as an arcade industry player. If you are wondering how the arcade game first started, who the developers were and why the game was never ported to any console, watch and learn from PatmanQC’s in-depth video below.

#4 Decker Shado’s review of The Fifth Element – Back in 1997, The Fifth Element was released in cinemas and it attracted the attention of a lot of people mainly because of Bruce Willis’ fame. With its style of presentation, the movie impressed local moviegoers and there were some who found it a zany film experience. Some time ago, Decker Shado posted his video review of The Fifth Element and it is entertaining to watch.  

#5 Slope’s Game Room examines the history of Pac-Man – Do you still remember playing Pac-Man long ago? As a little boy, I only played the Atari 2600 port of Pac-Man and managed to play the original arcade game on different platforms much later. There is a lot of history behind Pac-Man and it involves the growth of its game franchise and reach towards cartoons and merchandise. To have an in-depth look at Pac-Man’s history, watch the extensive video by Slope’s Game Room below.

#6 Tron revisited – You must have heard the news about the newly announced Tron sequel called Tron: Ares. Honestly, I am not too confident about it and 2010’s Tron: Legacy left me unsatisfied. That being said, the original Tron movie from 1982 remains special and memorable, and now is a good time to take a look back at it through the selected videos below. Watch, learn and enjoy!

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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

Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 27

Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 27

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Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!

In this edition of the Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) series, we will take a look at another batch of retro gaming print ads – including arcade flyers – from the 1980s and to the year 2000.

For the newcomers reading this, Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) looks back at the many print ads of games (console, arcade, computer and handheld) that were published in comic books, magazines, flyers, posters and newspapers long before smartphones, social media, the worldwide web and streaming became popular. To put things in perspective, people back in the 1980s and 1990s were more trusting of print media for information and images about electronic games and related products.

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

1. Tutankham print ad

This print ad appeared in several comic books in 1983.

First released in the arcades in 1982, Tutankham is a 2D adventure game that had a mix of shooting, maze exploration and puzzle-solving with Egyptian settings and concepts. It made its way to the Atari 2600 published by Parker Brother, and it was this specific version I played. This game print ad appeared in comic books I read in 1983, and the people who made it implemented a hand-drawn art of the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun dominating the space to emphasize the Egyptian setting. In fact, this ad made me think more of Egypt and left little to give me an idea of the game design.  

2. Star Trek arcade flyer

The clever use of classic Star Trek imagery was used in this initial flyer by Sega.
Back in the 1980s, a futuristic design for an arcade machine like this one was mind-blowing.

I never played the Star Trek arcade game (full title: Star Trek: Strategic Operations Simulator) Sega released in 1983. I only saw its graphics and gameplay during an episode of Starcade. With its game design and visual presentation, Star Trek was a very ambitious arcade project for its time and Sega really went in to promote it. The initial arcade flyer (first one above) was meant to grab the attention of both gamers and arcade operators. The next arcade flyer (2nd one above) showed the ambitious design of the arcade machine made with player immersion in mind.

3. Battlezone arcade flyer

While the hand-drawn artwork was too detailed for the arcade game’s graphics, it still emphasized strongly the concept of the game.

In the history of video games, Battlezone was a groundbreaking game both visually and with game design. It was designed to give gamers an immersive experience of driving a tank with 3D graphics, fun gameplay and a first-person view. Its own history is worth researching. Atari knew it had to heavily promote their ambitious game and the arcade flyer above featured nice hand-drawn artwork while also showing the two types of Battlezone machines that arcade operators can choose from. Battlezone went on to become a highly influential arcade game.

4. Chrono Cross North American print ad

Arguably, this print ad was aimed at RPG enthusiasts, Chrono Trigger fans and gamers looking for something adventurous to play.

First released on PlayStation in Japan, Chrono Cross made its way to the said console in America just a few months before the PlayStation 2 launched there. While there was a risk that came with releasing the ambitious follow-up to the classic Chrono Trigger so late in the PlayStation’s life, Squaresoft (now Square Enix) still went on to aggressively promote Chrono Cross in America. This 2-page print ad that appeared in many gaming magazines remains captivating to look at. As typical of the time, 3D polygonal models and the epic-looking art were used in dominating fashion leaving the small space (lower-left corner) to display a few gameplay screenshots and other 3D art. Still it a fun game to play and this should remind you that Chrono Cross was recently remastered for modern consoles.

5. Ms. Pac-Man arcade flyer

The wife of Pac-Man and the machine.

Given the fact that Pac-Man was so massively successful, it was not surprising that a sequel had to be made and released on as many arcades as possible. Ms. Pac-Man was the sequel and it was released in arcades in 1982 eventually achieving huge commercial and critical success. To promote the game, Midway’s ad makers came up with an ad showing unique art of Pac-Man’s wife looking glamorous (with a driver and a vehicle in the background) and a photograph of the arcade machine on the right. This also was one of the early arcade flyers to use the words “femme fatale”.

6. Centipede arcade flyer

Three machines of Centipede for arcade operators to choose from.

Centipede is another arcade classic from Atari. Released in 1981, a lot of players enjoyed the game’s simplistic and yet addicting design of shooting an incoming centipede and its remaining portions that move down the field. Similar to the Battlezone arcade flyer, this game’s flyer had nice art of a centipede on the top and images arcade machines. Even by today’s standards, this flyer remains eye-catching.

7. Tempest 2000 print ad

This 2-page print ad of Tempest 2000 is still captivating to look at.

Back in the 1990s, Atari went on to release their Jaguar console which was promoted as a 64-bit machine. At a gaming convention, the company met with prospective game developers over Jaguar projects and one of the developers volunteered to do Tempest (a memorable Atari arcade game). This resulted in the development of Tempest 2000 which was a remake of the classic.

As a Jaguar-exclusive game, Atari came up with an eye-catching 2-page ad showing off the 3D visual presentation (6 gameplay screenshots and one original artwork) while boasting in the text description that Tempest 2000 was named the “Best of Show” at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The game was released in 1994 attracting mostly positive reviews from game critics and was one of the best-selling Jaguar games (note: Tempest 2000 can now be played in the Atari 50 collection). With the Atari legacy and presentation combined, this print ad remains captivating to look at.

8. Alien vs Predator print ad

Arguably the most defining and most entertaining game on the Atari Jaguar.

If there is any game that truly defined enjoyment and the technological features of the Atari Jaguar, it is the 1994 first-person shooter Alien vs Predator. At the time of its release, it was one of the most immersive games of the Alien vs. Predator crossover franchise and it allowed players to experience what fighting the Predator or the Xenomorph was like. The game also allowed gamers to play as a Colonial Marine (human soldier).

To sell the game, Atari came up with a 2-page ad highlighting the Aliens on one page and the Predator on the other. As the Predator was shown with a grotesque human skull, the use of photographs (most likely sourced from the movies) strongly emphasize the game was aimed at the mature audience among gamers. Six screenshots of gameplay were displayed by the ad makers who were clearly aware of the high popularity of first-person shooting games. Alien vs Predator was a critical and commercial success, and its print ad is arguably the most memorable one of any Atari Jaguar game ever made.

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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 at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

A Look Back at Superman #1 (1987)

A Look Back at Superman #1 (1987)

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Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1980s pop culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1987 and explore a notable chapter of the post-Crisis DC Comics universe through the iconic Superman.

To put things in perspective, DC Comics rebooted its entire shared universe in 1986 after the conclusion of Crisis on Infinite Earths. They published the 6-part The Man of Steel mini-series to reboot the iconic Superman and modernize him with the creative leadership of John Byrne. By the time the mini-series ended, the new background stories, the supporting characters and creative foundation of the post-Crisis Superman were established. That being said, a brand new Superman monthly series led by Byrne was inevitable.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Superman #1, published in 1987 by DC Comics with a story written and drawn by John Byrne.  

The cover.

Early story

The story begins with Superman smashing his way through into a secretive, high-tech facility. Noticing so much technology, he begins to wonder why would anyone abandon such a facility. As he slowly makes his way inside, he finds several images of him displayed confirming that someone has been devoting a great deal of time and effort to research him. This makes him concerned that someone in his old home town of Smallville could recognize a picture of Superman as their fellow resident Clark Kent.

As he keeps searching, he finds the body of a dead scientist whose neck was broken. He also notices the corpse’s fingerprints are the same as those found on the truck outside of the facility. The truck itself was involved in the theft of his Kryptonian rocket. After finding more nasty evidence, Superman digs deep down underneath the facility then lifts a huge part of the ground with the said structure on top. He lifts up everything and brought them all into space free from the reach of people below.

Superman then flies off to Metropolis to change into Clark Kent to meet with Lois Lane at the city park…

Quality

I like the way John Byrne told parallel narratives with Superman in the present on the left, and flashbacks of Metallo on the right.

To begin with, this tale written by John Byrne is another inspire piece of work published at a time when the post-Crisis shared universe of DC Comics was still new and expanding. Byrne really defined Superman’s place in the shared universe by modernizing it with the 1980s in mind and he came up with a story introducing the post-Crisis version of Metallo while coming up with a sub-plot of a mad scientist who was not only obsessed with Superman but also was involved with the said super villain.

The plot is clearly well-structured which starts with Superman doing believable detective work of his own which led to the discovery of the mad scientist whose intense research pose a danger to the Man of Steel. Having dual identities and social responsibilities to live up to, Superman also takes the time to adjust to his normal life as Clark Kent at a time when he has to socialize with his Daily Planet colleague Lois Lane. Without spoiling the plot, I can say that you will see the iconic superhero ranging from being mighty to becoming vulnerable, weakened and suffering tremendous pain. How Byrne handled the transition of Superman is excellent.

The sub-plot of the mad scientist obsessing over discoveries about Superman is short and yet highly significant. For one thing, Superman himself has been very careful on keeping his dual identities secret and yet someone managed to secretly photograph him and come up with a lot of information – including the destroyed world of Krypton and the Kryptonian legacy of the hero – that could expose his deepest secrets and ruin his life entirely. The mad scientist’s obsession has strong sci-fi elements related to UFOs and aliens from deep space.

For the Man of Steel, this is too dangerous and also too personal to be left behind untouched. This aspect of the story makes this old tale more relevant in today’s world of drones with cameras, CCTV systems, hacking and the potential of users (or artificial intelligence) who could collect information on people without their consent.

The post-Crisis Metallo looks inspired by the Terminator and appears in human form. He goes by the name John Corben who previously got fatally injured in a car crash and subsequently was taken by the mad scientist (who transplanted the man’s brain into a robotic body). It should be noted that the said scientist also has an obsession about Kryptonians which led to his plan to send a chosen warrior to go against Superman supposedly to prevent Earth from getting conquered. How Metallo and his physical fight with the Man of Steel is a must-read.

Conclusion

Imagine yourself discovering a secret room filled with information and pieces of evidence and visual references about you. This should resonate with people whose privacy got violated. Also try imagining people inside the offices of tech giants with collected information and images about you.

Superman #1 (1987) is still a great read. It has a complex approach on portraying the battle between good and evil without losing focus on the storytelling and the expansion of Superman’s post-Crisis lore. Its sub-plot of the mad scientist and his obsession on Superman will resonate with people who feel vulnerable over the loss of their private information in today’s world of social media, abusive technology giants and artificial intelligence-driven surveillance systems. There is also a lot of superhero action for readers to enjoy, and the spectacle is never silly nor outlandish to look at. Oh yes, seeing Superman in a vulnerable state and getting actually hurt is believable to see.

Overall, Superman #1 (1987) is highly recommended!

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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 at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco