A Look Back at Wonder Woman #8 (1987)

June 6, 2020June 4, 2020carlocarrasco

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

With the combined talents of George Perez, Len Wein, Greg Potter plus others, the reintroduction of Wonder Woman during the early stage of the Post-Crisis era of DC Comics is not only great but an essential read and a true superhero literature classic! When it comes to the presentation, the origin of not only Wonder Woman but also the Amazons was retold with a stronger emphasis on Greek mythology.

To put things in perspective, Wonder Woman #6 saw Ares’ plan on completely ruining man’s world defeated while Wonder Woman #7 saw the revival of Princess Diana as the deities of Olympus bless her and the Amazons. Where could George Perez, Len Wein and the creative team take the post-Crisis Wonder Woman story to?

That we will precisely find out in this look back at Wonder Woman #8, published by DC Comics in 1987 with a story written by George Perez and Len Wein. The art was done by Perez and inked by Bruce D. Patterson.

Early story

The story begins in Boston, specifically at the Harvard University office of academic veteran Julia Kapatelis. She starts typing her recollections about Diana who, by this time, became a celebrated figure with the public thanks in part to Myndi Mayer’s publicity engine. Julia expressed how astonished she was with Wonder Woman’s ability to assimilate a lot of information so quickly (note: when she first arrived in man’s world, she did not even know how to speak English).

She recalled during their time at the United Nations that there were some nations that refused to listen to her and that the delegate from Russia protested Wonder Woman’s star-spangled costume on political grounds.

While Wonder Woman is loved by the public, there still were those who opposed her. Julia recalls the national campaign to outlaw all superheroes launched by the psychologist G. Gordon Godfrey who even won the support of some of America’s political figures. Julia also noticed the effects of Godfrey’s campaign on the minds of some of her students and the division that followed.

Wonder Women went on to interact with other superheroes as she strived to do good and save people. She even got invited to join the newly reformed Justice League with Superman, Batman, the Flash and many others present…

Quality

Before describing the quality of this comic book, I should state that Wonder Woman #8 is not your typical superhero comic book at all. In reality, to reflect the title Time Passages, this one is technically a collection of journals that efficiently showed how much has changed for Wonder Woman and the people around her since after the Ares Affair happened.

When it comes to quality, each journal fictionally authored by Julia Kapatelis, Etta Candy, Vanessa Kapatelis and Myndi Mayer, was well-written by Perez and Wein. Apart from describing what happened and how much had changed with Wonder Woman in their presence, each character’s journal had its own distinct view apart from style of writing. Each journal is important to read and through them you will realize how much impact Wonder Woman had on their society and on themselves.

Still on the writing, there were some pages that provided relief to readers. In between the journals are story pages focused on Dr. Barbara Minerva and her short male companion which served as the build-up leading to the first appearance of the post-Crisis Cheetah.

And there is all the beautiful art provided by Perez. Each page of a fictional journal has artwork that visualize what was told. There are also whole pages highlighting the passage of time and the characters who made each journal. Even with the unusual format used, this is still very good looking comic book to see!

Conclusion

*The test of Wonder Woman with the military as recalled by Etta Candy.*

To describe it bluntly, Wonder Woman #8 is an exposition-heavy, very wordy, time-passing comic book that succeeds in what it was meant to achieve: move Wonder Woman’s post-Crisis development forward efficiently (note: without having to create multiple comic books reflecting the events told) while emphasizing how people look at her, how she connects with other DC Comics superheroes and the like. It was nicely crafted by Perez and the creative team and each page showed that a lot of special care was done. With regards to modernizing Wonder Woman for the 1980s, this comic book is a success.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Wonder Woman #8 (1987), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $26 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition costs $51.

Overall, Wonder Woman #8 (1987) is highly recommended!

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A Look Back at Prototype #5 (1993)

June 5, 2020June 4, 2020carlocarrasco

Previously, I took a look back at the two-part Ultraverse crossover story between Hardcase and the Strangers. It was, indeed, an enjoyable reading experience as a whole to see Hardcase and Choice have an adventure together with the Ultras who previously gained powers while riding a cable car in San Francisco that got hit by energy from the sky. The way the crossover was done resulted an entertaining story and even added to the continued development of some of the characters involved.

This time we examine another crossover of heroes within the Ultraverse by taking a look back at Prototype #5, published in 1993 by Malibu Comics with a story written by Tom Mason and Len Strazewski (with Steve Englehart on the plot) and drawn by Roger Robinson.

Early story

The story begins at North California facility where the Strangers – Atom Bob, Grenade, Electrocute, Zip Zap, Yrial, Spectral and Lady Killer – break in and bring down several uniformed personnel. Their purpose is to get into the rocket and make their way to the moon.

Quite conveniently, the Strangers wore space suits, get into the rocket (the JDH-3000) and launch successfully. This upsets the rich and powerful JD Hunt who rejects the idea of destroying the rocket. The next morning at the office, Hunt is very mad over the fact that his rocket has fallen into the hands of ultras. Knowing where exactly the JDH-3000 is heading, he tells one of his staffers to get him Gordon Bell as he plans to send someone up there to bring it back…

Quality

*Visual build-up of the crossover between Prototype and the Strangers.*

To put things in perspective, Prototype #5 is a well-written part of the big Break-Thru crossover of the Ultraverse that happened in late 1993. On its own, it forms the first part of the crossover between Prototype and The Strangers, and it sure is loaded with a lot of build-up (of key elements within the Ultraverse) and exposition.

In terms of writing, this comic book moved at a medium pace with strong emphasis on build-up. What I really found intriguing here is the politics of the fictional corporate world within the Ultraverse. There were these very powerful corporate executives communicating with each other, and there was JD Hunt who intensely joined a meeting blaming Gorden Bell for costing him billions of Dollars. The corporate politics here are actually connected with Prototype and the Strangers.

As this is a build-up comic book, you won’t get to see Prototype (Jimmy Ruiz the pilot to be precise) physically together with the Strangers until very, very late in the story. In fact, there is a lot development and a few character introductions to go through before Prototype (with two foreign companions developed by his corporate handlers) leaves for space.

Conclusion

*The corporate forces behind the Ultraverse.*

Being heavy on exposition and light on spectacle, Prototype #5 is a decent Ultraverse comic book to read. If you were expecting to see Prototype together with the Strangers for the majority of the comic book (note: the cover art is quite suggestive), you will get disappointed. However, this comic book builds up mainly on other elements of the Ultraverse, specifically the corporate forces behind the scenes. By the time you finish reading Prototype #5, you will gain a better view of what causes events to happen and how they affect the ultras. The ending of the story, I should say, is compelling enough to make you anticipate what would happen next in The Strangers #7.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Prototype #5 (1993), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $4. The near-mint copy of the newsstand edition meanwhile costs $13.

Overall, Prototype #5 (1993) is satisfactory.

COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa City eyes to extend lockdown in Morning Breeze, Alabang up to two-weeks

June 4, 2020carlocarrasco

COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa City eyes to extend lockdown in Morning Breeze, Alabang up to two-weeks

MBreeze — *Personnel on the watch at Morning Breeze. (source – Muntinlupa PIO)*

Following the declaration of a 72-hour Extreme Localized Community Quarantine (ELCQ) in a coastline community in Barangay Alabang starting on June 3, the City Government of Muntinlupa eyes to extend the lockdown up to two-weeks to fully contain the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi says the City Government is studying to extend the lockdown in Morning Breeze, Alabang should there be a spike in confirmed cases despite the stringent quarantine measures.

“An extension of the lockdown in Morning Breeze is a possibility that we are considering should there be a need for such extension upon assessment of the situation. We ask for the cooperation of our residents in Morning Breeze to stay at home for the next days. The lockdown aims to ensure their safety and the successful containment of the virus in their community,” the local exec said.

The mayor recently signed Executive Order No. 19 series of 2020 ordering ELCQ in Morning Breeze, a barrio with 455 families situated near Laguna de Bay, starting June 3, 12:01 AM to June 5, 11:59 PM.

As of June 2, the City Health Office says Morning Breeze has one of the highest COVID-19 cases with 10 confirmed positive cases, 98 probable cases, and three recoveries.

On May 27, CHO conducted targeted mass testing for COVID-19 among residents of the community and six individuals were immediately confirmed positive using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing. The local health office is still waiting for the results of four symptomatic patients who are all residents of Morning Breeze.

CHO has transferred the six residents who tested positive for COVID-19, including 33 suspect individuals, to a dedicated quarantine facility in Ospital ng Muntinlupa for treatment.

During the lockdown, CHO will conduct a mass testing for all residents of Morning Breeze and will strengthen its isolation strategies for residents who will test positive for the disease.

Muntinlupa Social Services Department, together with Barangay Alabang government, will continue to provide relief food packs to cover all meals and sustain the residents during the effectivity of the ELCQ.

Member of the Philippine National Police – Muntinlupa City Station were deployed in the community to provide round the clock security and ensure that residents stay at home and do not violate physical distancing. The local government also partnered with the Philippine Coast Guard – Bayanan Sub-Station to provide security along Laguna Lake coastline of the community.

The City Government also plans to conduct a localized community quarantine in several areas in the city with high number of confirmed COVID-19 cases.

Muntinlupa City has 236 confirmed cases with 163 recoveries, 41 active cases, 32 reported deaths, 57 suspect cases, and 369 probable cases as of June 3.

This is an official Press Release issued by the City Government of Muntinlupa. Some parts were edited for this website.

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.

COVID-19 Crisis: Liquor ban in Muntinlupa City lifted but with restrictions amid GCQ

June 3, 2020carlocarrasco

COVID-19 Crisis: Liquor ban in Muntinlupa City lifted but with restrictions amid GCQ

The liquor ban in Muntinlupa City has been lifted but with restrictions for the duration of General Community Quarantine (GCQ) and Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ).

Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi signed City Ordinance No. 2020-100 into law effectively lifting the liquor ban in the city with provisions on restrictions and guidelines for the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages.

Under the city’s ordinance, residents can only consume alcoholic beverages within the private residence of the consumer. Social drinking involving individuals not living in the same residence shall still be strictly prohibited.

The City Government warns beneficiaries of financial assistance from DSWD, other national government agencies, and the City Government that they are prohibited to use their cash aid to purchase liquor or any alcoholic beverage to ensure that the government assistance is not wasted on alcohol. Beneficiaries of government financial assistance shall sign an undertaking to refrain from consuming alcohol during the GCQ and MGCQ.

The public is encouraged to report violators to the Barangay for proper action. Violators may face disqualification to receive financial assistance from government agencies.

Business establishments selling liquor are required to keep a log book of individuals who will purchase alcoholic beverages containing information including name of buyer, address of buyer, contact details, date and time of purchase, among others.

Minors and individuals already intoxicated are still prohibited to buy alcohol in the city.

A local task force headed by Muntinlupa City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office and Muntinlupa Business Permits and Licensing Office has been inspecting commercial establishments and malls in the city to ensure that local ordinances, including other health protocols such as physical distancing, are followed.

Under the general community quarantine, the local government has also implemented measures for people going to Muntinlupa City Hall compound including temperature checks, “no face mask, no entry” policy, physical distancing and disinfection.

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi reminds city residents to be on guard and to continue observing health protocols as quarantine measures are relaxed in the implementation of GCQ. The local exec warned the public of another spike in COVID-19 cases upon complacency in observing quarantine protocols.

Recently, a community in Barangay Alabang (Morning Breeze) has been placed on a 72-hour Extreme Localized Community Quarantine (ELCQ) starting on Wednesday to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the city.

Muntinlupa City has 236 confirmed cases with 159 recoveries, 45 active cases, 32 reported deaths, 54 suspect cases, and 353 probable cases as of June 2.

This is an official Press Release issued by the City Government of Muntinlupa. Some parts were edited for this website.

A Look Back at X-Men 2099 #34

June 3, 2020June 2, 2020carlocarrasco

Even within the Marvel 2099 universe, the concept of the messiah figure arriving to change people’s destiny has been used. What is notable about this concept, apart from being a cliché, is that it was implemented so close to the end of the X-Men 2099 monthly series in the mid-1990s and the 2099 editor Joey Cavalieri was fired by Marvel Comics at a time of corporate turmoil. The firing led to the resignation of other writers who were sympathetic with Cavalieri. It should be noted that the last time Cavalieri’s name was listed on the credits was in issue #31.

As such, things went downhill for Marvel Comics and the 2099 line as a whole. In retrospect, did the messiah concept result any improvements for the quality of the X-Men 2099 franchise?

This is my retro comic book review of X-Men 2099 #34, published in 1996 by Marvel Comics with a story written by John Francis Moore and drawn by Jan Duursema.

Early story

The story begins with the monstrous-looking Vulcann instantly transforming Joachim (the son of Eddie/Metalhead and Rosa) from infant form into an adult. When asked by the now-grown Joachim who he is, Vulcann lies to him saying: I am your lord and master. My word is absolute as is my love for you. Obey me and I will give you a world that will worship at your feet.

Meanwhile during a stormy day just outside of Halo City, Skullfire, Luna and Krystalin arrive in floating motorcycles. Their new task, which is very daunting, is to help as much as possible as the sea level has risen so much it has flooded the city they are responsible for (as the protectorate).

Shortly after, the X-Men and others meet in Halo City’s tower digitally communicating with Savant who explains that weather patterns around the world are equally aberrant as the storm affecting the city. He also mentions that based on the findings of Alchemax Geotechs, the polar ice caps were melting at an alarming rate…

Quality

First of all, I should say that effort was made to raise the stakes within the story. The introduction of the adult Joachim guided by the evil, over-sized Vulcann was meant to show a twisted take of Christianity’s God and Jesus and turn it into a new anti-hero force against the X-Men.. Then there is the shock on Joachim’s parents, Xi’an’s return to the city and the global weather instability caused by the arrival of another moon orbiting Earth.

The problem here is that the story as a whole was not very compelling, even though the creative team brought heavy spotlight back on the X-Men after spending it on Xi’an and the Lawless. Speaking of X-Men relevance, the creators also brought Shakti back to this monthly series ending her absence (note: she was with the youth team X-Nation which had its own series). Granted, the stakes were raised but the payoff was not too strong specifically for this comic book.

Along the way, Jan Duuersema did what she could to make this story look good.

Conclusion

*The analysis of a moon-sized satellite orbiting earth makes a good build-up for a mission.*

To put it bluntly, X-Men 2099 #34 has the weakest story since before issue #25. In this comic book, I did not care much about the rushed return of Xi’an and Shakti in Halo City. I should also state that having Vulcann and Joachim parallel Christianity’s God and Jesus was done in a very bad taste even though the purpose (apart from giving the X-Men opposition) was to show that the X-Men themselves are no longer worthy to be mutantkind’s standard-bearers right in the city filled with many mutants and other outcasts. The portrayal of the X-Men, meanwhile, felt hollow and not worth caring for which makes the return of the spotlight on them a waste.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of X-Men 2099 #34, be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $6 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition costs $21.

Overall, I don’t recommend buying X-Men 2099 #34 above fifty cents. Better save your money.

COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa City deploys shuttle service for commuters amid public transportation restriction in GCQ

June 2, 2020carlocarrasco

COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa City deploys shuttle service for commuters amid public transportation restriction in GCQ

060220 — Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi and City Administrator Engr. Allan Cachuela inspect city buses to be deployed on Tuesday to help out commuters left stranded by the ban on public transport during the general community quarantine. The local government of Muntinlupa deploys city buses servicing route from Tunasan to Alabang (National Road) and vice versa to ferry stranded commuters from 5:00 AM to 12:00 NN and 1:00 PM to 9:00 PM. A “no mask, no entry” policy and physical distancing will be strictly implemented in the shuttle services. (source – Muntinlupa PIO)

To help the many commuters who were left stranded by the ban on public transport during the general community quarantine (GCQ), the City Government of Muntinlupa deploys shuttle services to ferry them along the city’s National Road.

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi inspected city buses to be mobilized on Tuesday together with City Administrator Engr. Allan Cachuela and Muntinlupa Traffic Management Bureau chief Danidon Nolasco.

Two city buses and one coaster servicing route from Tunasan to Alabang (National Road) and vice versa will ferry commuters from 5:00 AM to 12:00 NN and 1:00 PM to 9:00 PM. A “no mask, no entry” policy and physical distancing will be strictly implemented in the shuttle services.

Recently, the City Government also mobilized 28 Hatid Serbisyo fleets (11 flexi-trucks, 11 e-jeepneys, and six e-tricycles servicing provincial road (Baybayin)) to help frontliners and Authorized Persons Outside of Residence (APOR).

Under the general community quarantine, the Department of Transportation implemented two phases for the resumption of operation of the different modes of public transportation.

For the first phase from June to 21, public utility vehicles including trains, bus augmentation units, taxis, ride-hailing cars, shuttle services, point-to-point (P2P) buses, and bicycles will be allowed to operate at a limited capacity.

While, modern PUVs and UV Express will be allowed to operate for the second phase which will run from June 22 to 30 with limited passenger capacity.

Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi has approved Executive Order No. 15 s.2020 allowing the resumption of tricycle operations in the city during the community quarantine.

Starting May 25, the City Government has allowed tricycle to operate and transport authorized passengers provided that they follow sanitary measures. An odd-even scheme has been enforced and tricycles can only operate from 5:00 AM – 12:00 MN.

Muntinlupa City has 229 confirmed cases with 158 recoveries, 39 active cases, 32 reported deaths, 47 suspect cases, and 342 probable cases as of June 1.

This is an official Press Release issued by the City Government of Muntinlupa. Some parts were edited for this website.

COVID-19 Crisis: 20% discount for Philippine athletes and coaches confirmed

June 2, 2020June 1, 2020carlocarrasco

COVID-19 Crisis: 20% discount for Philippine athletes and coaches confirmed

As I write this, the Philippines is slowly taking steps to move its economy forward gradually now that community quarantine rules have eased more. This means more businesses are allowed to operate and this means getting more of their workforce back to work to earn much-needed income. It’s sometimes mind boggling how the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) from China turned into a pandemic which halted most societies and economies around the world.

For Philippine team athletes and coaches, times are hard as well. Very recently, news have been published that their allowances for this month will be cut by half! According to the Manila Standard report, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) board decided to push through with the reduction following a May 29 board meeting with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR). The remittance declared was reportedly P9 million for June 2020 which is a major drop compared to the P150.75 million PAGCOR remitted to PSC last March.

The National Sports Development Fund (NSDF) was reported to have been severely affected as a result of health-related measures and lockdown implemented nationwide in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It sure is hard for athletes and coaches to train and develop themselves. Truly this is terrible news. Sports events, both local and overseas, have gotten cancelled.

All is not lost, however, as the PSC announced that its athletes and coaches will enjoy the benefits of a 20% discount for their needs.

Below is an excerpt from the PNA.gov article with text italicized and colored blue for clarity.

On Friday night, the PSC said the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) issued Revenue Regulation 13-2020, which paves the way for the discount clause to be fully implemented for all athletes.

“We have been looking forward to this and we are thankful that our athletes and coaches will finally enjoy the privilege they deserve,” said PSC chairman Butch Ramirez, whose organization has been working together with the BIR for the discount benefit to be fully enjoyed by local sportsmen.

The discount clause is part of Republic Act 10699, formally known as the “National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act”.

The discounts shall be applied to food, medicine, recreation centers, hotels, lodging establishments, and sports equipment purchases.

The PSC has already issued identification cards to national athletes, with booklets similar to those used by senior citizens for their own discounts, to follow.

With the reduced allowances and confirmed discount, the past week saw these really drastic announcements affecting the many athletes and coaches supported by the national government. Some things are won and some things are lost.

The COVID-19 crisis affected the private sector so much, it is expected that tax revenues on the part of the national government will be reduced on the short term at least. Think about all the many small businesses around the country that have closed down resulting job losses. Think about the national government’s efforts to support qualified people with cash assistance and other forms of relief.

Now think about the national athletes and coaches. They don’t just need cash to train efficiently for future sports events. They need private sponsorship, new sports equipment, solutions to their current problems, etc.

For more on Philippine sports and COVID-19 Crisis coverage, come back here soon.

Meanwhile, please check out my special features of 2019 Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) gold medalists John Chicano and Kim Mangrobang.

COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa City Council agrees to lift liquor ban but maintains restrictions during GCQ

June 1, 2020carlocarrasco

COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa City Council agrees to lift liquor ban but maintains restrictions during GCQ

The liquor ban in Muntinlupa City is soon to be lifted after members of Muntinlupa City Council today resolved to pass an ordinance lifting the ban but with restrictions for the duration of General Community Quarantine (GCQ) and Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ).

Muntinlupa Public Information Officer Tez Navarro said the City Council is yet to finalize an ordinance lifting the liquor ban in the city with provisions on restrictions and guidelines for the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages.

She noted that social drinking involving individuals not living in the same residence shall still be strictly prohibited. Consumption or drinking of any kind of alcoholic beverages shall only be permitted within the private residence of the consumer.

Navarro added that beneficiaries of any financial assistance given by the national and local government during the community quarantine may not use their cash aid to purchase any alcoholic beverages. Violators shall be disqualified from any existing and future financial assistance from the government.

An ordinance for the lifting of the liquor ban in Muntinlupa City will be issued within the week.

While Muntinlupa City records the highest recovery rate of COVID-19 cases among Metro Manila cities at 69.68% as of May 29, Fresnedi said the City Government will continue to implement more stringent quarantine measures to entirely curb the virus in the city.

Muntinlupa City has 226 confirmed cases with 157 recoveries, 37 active cases, 32 reported deaths, 31 suspect cases, and 302 probable cases as of May 31.

This is an official Press Release issued by the City Government of Muntinlupa. Some parts were edited for this website.

A Look Back at Wonder Woman #7 (1987)

June 1, 2020May 30, 2020carlocarrasco

Having seen Wonder Woman in cinemas in 2017 and having reviewed the comic book Wonder Woman #6 of 1987 recently, I can say that I enjoyed the two different battles between the Queen of Superheroes and the war deity Ares. Both battles had their respective styles of art and presentation and there were a few similarities between them.

I like both conflicts equally and that’s in relation to very different formats used – cinematic and comic book. Also, the Wonder Woman-Ares battles served as effective story turning points on both the big screen and the comic book. In the case of the Post-Crisis era of DC Comics, the major battle was the climax of the brewing, global military aggression (due to Ares influencing people of man’s world to destroy each other) in which Wonder Woman got involved not only with the Cold War but also with the connections between man’s world, Themyscira and Olympus.

That being said, now is time to move forward with the Post-Crisis Wonder Woman saga with this look back at Wonder Woman #7, published in 1987 by DC Comics with a story co-written by George Perez and Len Wein. Perez drew the story which was inked by Bruce D. Patterson.

Early story

The story begins in Olympus with Hermes spreading the news that the threat by Ares has ended. Zeus declares the news are true and issues a decree of a feast of celebration. The others smiled in reaction. As others make merry to the music of the spheres, Athena reminds Zeus that Prince Diana/Wonder Woman lies at death’s threshold emphasizing the her victory of Ares came at such a high price. Realizing the Amazons’ value, Zeus decides to keep a closer look at them.

Over at Themyscira, the Amazons (under the watch of Queen Hippolyte) perform a ritual of revival for their fallen sister Diana. They noticed no progress has been made. From high above, Zeus and his fellow deities watch…

Quality

Top-notch quality once again achieved by the creative team led by George Perez and Len Wein. While the previous two issues had high fantasy concepts with battles as the highlights, Wonder Woman #7 is much more character-driven showing Wonder Woman’s recovery from the great battle and how the Greek deities’ view of the Amazons changed as a result of Ares’ defeat. Specifically, there is a lot of richness emphasizing Wonder Woman’s continued development as the daughter of Queen Hippolyte and as the continued doer of missions as her people’s representative in man’s world. I also like the way the comic book creators explored the divisions between the deities of Olympus.

Without spoiling all the details, this story resolved the crisis on the part of Vanessa, the young daughter of Julia Kapatelis and it also added to Diana’s evolution as a loving and caring superhero. The academic professional Julia – who has grown into a close friend of Wonder Woman’s – also was developed nicely here. And then there is the introduction of someone who is very savvy with the media.

In stark contrast to issues #4, #5 and #6, Wonder Woman #7 does not have any superhero action as it was much more focused on character development. That’s not to say that it is all just characters talking several lines of dialogue and looking dramatic. This story still has that epic fantasy look as it provides readers a good look at Olympus. This comic book really pushed the narrative far more than the three previous issues.

Conclusion

Another great comic book this truly is. Then again, it should not be a surprise at all considering the great talents of George Perez and Len Wein combined. By the time I finished reviewing Wonder Woman #7, I am convinced that the creative team in-charge of this Post-Crisis version of the Queen of Superheroes not only worked with a high level of confidence but also carefully crafted their plans on reintroducing Wonder Woman with the 1980s in mind and making her much more relevant with the public. Storywise, this comic book marks a turning point in the Wonder Woman monthly series.

Other than being another great Wonder Woman story, Wonder Woman #7 also marks the first-ever appearance of Dr. Barbara Minerva (in civilian form specifically) who would later become the Post-Crisis era’s Cheetah a few issues later. For the newcomers reading this, Barbara Minerva/Cheetah was portrayed by Kristen Wiig in the upcoming superhero movie Wonder Woman 1984. With regards to that movie, reading Wonder Woman #9 is a must!

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Wonder Woman #7 (1987), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $77 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition costs $153.

Overall, Wonder Woman #7 (1987) is highly recommended!

A Look Back at Action Comics #545

June 1, 2020May 31, 2020carlocarrasco

Action Comics #544 was, indeed, a very memorable comic book to read. For a comic book about Superman and the celebration of his 45^th anniversary, Action Comics #544 was more about the drastic reform (and improvement) of the super villains Lex Luthor (gaining a powered suit of armor) and Brainiac (becoming fully robotic). That particular issue ended with Superman actually getting defeated and knocked down during his first encounter with the now metallic Brainiac (who also had a huge squid-like space ship of his own).

The story continues with this look back at Action Comics #545, published by DC Comics in 1983 with a story written by Marv Wolfman and illustrated by Gil Kane.

Early story

The story begins with Superman already down on the ground on an alien world in the presence of Brainiac and the strange beings (natives of the planet) standing near him. Braniac explains to him that his red-sun missile brought him down and states: With but the merest thought I can and will destroy you! For only with your death can I be victorious in my battle against he-who-created-us-all! With you dead, this universe and all others will be mine to rule!

After much talking, Brainiac puts the weakened Superman into his small ship and brings into him the main ship (Brainiac’s flyer). Before departing, Brainiac’s flyer fires a powerful blast killing many of the planet’s natives.

Superman is conscious but is too weak to get up. Brainiac then starts analyzing him using his ship’s state-of-the-art equipment…

Quality

*The new Brainiac’s power is felt all over.*

Let me start with the story. Written by the legendary Marv Wolfman (who went on to author Crisis on Infinite Earths), Action Comics #545 is the highly compelling extension of the first encounter between Superman and the highly enhanced Brainiac. Continuing from the events that took place in issue #544, this comic book further emphasizes Brainiac’s new technology and new capabilities complete with revisions in his programming which make him even deadlier than his previous form. While Brainiac is cold and very calculating like a computer, there are still threads of humanity in him, mainly in the form of expressions.

Along the way, Superman is portrayed to be very vulnerable and in more danger than usual. The situation is so bad for him, Superman realizes that attacking Brainiac would be suicidal. Since he could not afford to take the risk to defeat Brainiac, the Man of Steel relied more on his instinct and observations to solve problems.

On the art, Gil Kane delivered pretty good visuals. While his take on Superman makes the icon recognizable, it is his art on Brainiac and the futuristic technologies that really shined. Even by today’s standards of comic book art and sci-fi concepts, Brainiac, his ship and all other forms of technology still look futuristic!

Conclusion

*A very vulnerable Superman being scanned by Brainiac.*

Very entertaining and compelling! That’s how I describe Action Comics #545 and it definitely is a great continuation of the Brainiac story that was featured in issue #544. Lots of action spectacle and intrigue all through the story. While Brainiac’s new abilities and revamped personality were compelling to read, it should be noted that Superman in this comic book thinks more, becomes more strategic and makes decisions knowing he has been weakened. This is a Superman who strives to survive.

As for Brainiac, this comic book shows his rise as one of the premier super villains of DC Comics leading to the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths. The ending here has a very powerful image!

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Action Comics #545, be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $18 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition costs $36.

Overall, Action Comics #545 is highly recommended!

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