BLM – Author Carlo Carrasco

I Love Israel: Israel’s 75th year of independence

April 28, 2023April 27, 2023carlocarrasco

Welcome back my readers and fellow people of faith! By now, you should be aware of my love for Israel and the Jewish people. I was there in Israel this past February because I seek God’s kingdom (Matthew 6:33) in the Holy Land, and I blogged many times about it (to read my Israel 2023 articles, click here, here, here, here, here and here) and I’ll be posting more about the pilgrimage tour I joined. Check out the video clips of my time in Israel below…

For this post, I want to highlight the 75^th year of independence of Israel. Seventy-five years ago, the State of Israel was established which marked the fulfilment of God’s promise to the Jewish people (Abraham’s descendants through his son Isaac and grandson Jacob).

For behold, the days are coming,’ says the Lord, ‘that I will bring back from captivity My people Israel and Judah,’ says the Lord. ‘And I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.’

Jeremiah 30:3 (NKJV)

The land of Israel was designated by God for the Jewish people and no other (read Genesis 35:10-12 in the Holy Bible). The Lord Himself declared that He bless those who bless His people, and He will curse those who curse His people (read Genesis 12:1-3). God protected Israel and the Jewish people when the Arab nations attacked them shortly after the 1948 establishment of the State of Israel, during the Six Day war in 1967 and the war in 1973.

Israel survived and their people are growing and thriving no matter what attacks the terrorists and Leftists do against them. Let it be clear that evil forces of the world such as Iran, the Palestinian terrorists, Black Lives Matter, Antifa, socialists, Communists, Marxists, liberals, the demonic Democrats of America and all the other terrorists and anti-Semitic forces have no stake in Israel and its future while the eternal God is watching! Israel and the Jewish people are here to stay and they still have time to come to Lord Jesus willingly! I encourage you to stand united with Israel as part of your Christian living. When you think about your faith in Lord Jesus, be mindful of the time He spent in Israel and the impact of His holiness on the people.

Going back on the topic of independence, posted below is an excerpt from CBN News’ article focused on the 75^th year of independence of Israel. Some parts in boldface…

Seventy-five years ago, a declaration signed in a Tel Aviv art gallery changed the world forever.

Against overwhelming odds, the fledgling State of Israel not only survived, but has grown beyond expectation, launching it for the next three quarters of a century on the path to becoming a world power.

David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s leading founder and first prime minister, declared the birth of modern Israel in Tel Aviv’s Independence Hall on May 14, 1948, and for the first time in nearly 2,000 years, the Jewish people had a nation.

“Ben-Gurion chose the words, ‘we hereby declare the establishment of a Jewish state in the Land of Israel to be known as the State of Israel,’” Independence Hall tour guide Isaac Dror recalled. “This was the birth of a Jewish state as for all Jews. Ben Gurion was standing here as the voice of 11 million Jews around the world who had no voice, who had no address and nowhere to go to.”

Dror leads the education effort at the site. “This was promised to us by God,” he explained. “We are the only people in the history of the world that live on the same land, speak in the same language and believe in the same God more than 3,000 years.”

From a Biblical perspective, many see Israel fulfilling the prophecy in the book of Ezekiel, where the “dry bones” of the Jewish people come to life after two thousand years of exile.

Organizations such as the Jewish Agency helped lay the groundwork for the two thousand years in the making of the Jewish state.

Danielle Mor of the Jewish Agency told CBN News, “The Jewish Agency was the lead organization in establishing and giving birth to the modern state of Israel. The whole purpose of establishing the Jewish Agency was, on the one hand, unite the global Jewish people, and to bring the global Jewish people in front of the British mandate to be the organization that would lead and establish a national home for the Jewish people in the land of Israel.”

Dani Dayan, Chairman of Israel’s Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial, recounted the genocide that preceded Israel’s independence. “To fully comprehend the miracle of the country’s birth,” he said,” consider that it happened in the shadow of the Holocaust – or “Shoah” in Hebrew – when the world learned how Nazi Germany murdered six million Jews.”

He continued, “When you understand that only three years after the end of the Shoah, the lowest point the Jewish people reached in its exile, we started our redemption process and we … regained our independence after 2000 years of terrible events. Well, if that’s not a miracle, I don’t know what a miracle is,” he said.

Even so, Dayan dispels one myth about the connection between Israel’s beginning and the Holocaust.

“Israel was not established because of the Holocaust. Israel was established in spite of the Holocaust,” he insisted. “Israel would have been a much (more) robust, greater, secure, successful country if there were additional 6 million Jews and their descendants in the world. But Israel is the guarantee that they will be no more – no other Shoah for the Jewish people.”

Now, after 75 years, Israel maintains its safety and security with one of the most powerful militaries in the world.

Former Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Jonathan Conricus described how the military was transformed.

“Then, it was small units of very (patriotic) people, some of them Holocaust survivors, who just came off the boat from Europe and put on IDF uniforms and joined battle and defended Israel in 1948 against six Arab armies. Today, we are a highly organized, developed, and well-funded military, perhaps the strongest in the region, that enjoys a significant technological advantage over all of our enemies.”

Israel is also an economic miracle. This tiny country of less than 10 million people has the highest concentration of new businesses per capita in the world, earning it the nickname of “Startup Nation.”

Jon Medved, founder of Our Crowd, a venture capital investment company, showcases these accomplishments in his annual investor summit.

“This is what Israel is supposed to be doing,” he explained. “If Israel wasn’t the startup nation, what are we going to be? Okay, I’m sorry, this is our destiny. Our destiny is to create. Our destiny is to you know, fix the world.”

Medved added, “And we’re just a little people. We make a lot of noise, but I think most Israelis – if they wear a yarmulke or they don’t wear a yarmulke – view this as a spiritual undertaking, that we are doing this not just to make money, but to do good.”

Yet throughout its history, Israel has faced nearly insurmountable odds. Just hours after Ben-Gurion declared the state, 6 Arab nations drive to drive it into the sea.

While it survived, Israel would be challenged again in the 1967 Six-Day War the 1973 Yom Kippur war. After thousands of years in exile and 75 years as a country, Israel stands, despite enemies within, along each border, and beyond.

For Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, a former Israeli ambassador to the U.S., the phenomenon has one explanation. “It’s a modern miracle, the rebirth of the Jewish state against all odds,” he told CBN News.

Be thankful to God that the State of Israel continues to thrive no matter what their internal problems and external challenges are. Be thankful to Him as many millions of people around the world who believe and follow Lord Jesus now have more opportunities to visit the Holy Land to deepen their faith in Him even more.

If you truly believe in Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Heavenly Father wholeheartedly and you continue to be faithful, you should be aware that Christians are meant to stand united with Israel and love the Jewish people no matter what. You can do your part supporting Israel by donating to Christians United for Israel (CUFI). Do not forget to read the Holy Bible, then pray in tongues to the Lord in the privacy of your room with the door shut.

Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus! Always stand in support of Israel, the land that God designated to the Jewish people (read Genesis 35:10-12)!

In ending this I Love Israel piece, posted below are Israel-related videos for your viewing pleasure and enlightenment.

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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 Spider-Man 2099 #8 (1993)

February 10, 2023January 15, 2023carlocarrasco

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

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the wild 1990s and explore the far future of 2099 within the Marvel Comics shared universe through one of the tales of Spider-Man 2099.

In my previous retro review, the futuristic Spider-Man got involved with his era’s version of Vulture (Vulture 2099 to us readers). It turns out, Vulture 2099 is not your typical evil supervillain but the leader of a group of violent radical people who are willing to dominate society with a destructive mindset even though there are other opposing groups around them. And then Spidey 2099 realized something very wrong about the Vulture which leads to a big battle between them.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Spider-Man 2099 #8, published in 1993 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Peter David and drawn by Rick Leonardi.

Early story

The story begins with Spider-Man 2099 and Vulture 2099 crashing into the interiors of the ancient St. Patrick’s Cathedral located in old New York City (underneath the modern city). Unsurprisingly, the people inside the cathedral got very surprised about the unexpected entry of the two fighters.

Elsewhere, Miguel O’Hara’s brother Gabriel helps Kasey with her head. She tells him that she saw Miguel but Gabriel does not believe her. Suddenly, members of a gang knock on the door and Kasey opens it.

Inside St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the fight between Spider-Man and Vulture continues. Spider-Man remembers that he has lapsed as a Catholic and he feels very uneasy about the trouble he and his enemy are causing inside the old church structure. Vulture suddenly throws a wooden bench at Spidey but breaks open a glass window and then goes outside. Upon looking outside, Spider-Man notices a group of Vulture’s gang…the Freakers.

Quality

*The battle between Spider-Man 2099 and Vulture 2099 is intense and very compelling to read.*

Here is the good news about this comic book…the story here is a fitting conclusion to what happened in issue #7. The conflict between Spider-Man and Vulture here was carefully crafted and there were several key moments or scenes the provided readers some breathing room to grasp and understand the society of 2099 New York as well as the conflict between the downtown social groups who are deprived of the higher standard of living many miles above them. In some ways, the social divisions portrayed in this comic book is a sad reminder about modern day America and the many radical groups or gangs of people who divide society on race, ethnicity, social class, gender and ideology.

As expected, there is a lot of action executed in the fight between Spider-Man and Vulture of 2099 but there were pauses in between. This is not surprising considering how Peter David crafted the action-packed battles Spidey 2099 had with other enemies in the comic books released before this one. Without spoiling what happened, I can say that the battle between the two was nicely built-up and the conclusion turned out very satisfying to see.

Still on the story, Peter David added some layers of complexity into the conflict that easily made things much more difficult for Spider-Man 2099 on a personal level. I’m talking about his brother Gabriel and Kasey getting involved in the gang war against the Freakers.

Vulture 2099 is once again a standout opposition figure here. Not only is his ability to fly and cause chaos above his obsessed Freakers below is symbolic, his distorted, hardcore beliefs are reflected with his unrelenting use of violence as he fights Spider-Man. Not only that, he turns out to be very philosophical thanks to the rich dialogue Peter David came up with. It is also here that the futuristic Vulture is opposed to God and being the socialist-indoctrinated person he is, he easily blames Alchemax for God’s absence. This should remind you that through Vulture 2099, evil comes with fatal attraction that people could not realize until it is too late. The futuristic Vulture has a lot of common with the evil leaders of Black Lives Matter, Antifa, the Democratic Socialists of America and the long-time regime of Iran. Lastly, I should state that radical socialists are always wrong about God and they often live with distorted perceptions about Him. Vulture 2099 qualifies as a woke figure of 2099 and ultimately wokeness is foolishness.

Speaking of sub-plots, this comic book emphasizes Tyler Stone on how he handles ambitious projects of Alchemax that he believes will benefit people. His interactions with Dana here also sheds light about his very own obsession about the future of humanity.

Conclusion

*Spider-Man in trouble with the Vulture’s gang members.*

With rich writing, notable in-story details and a very well designed conflict between the futuristic Spider-Man and Vulture, Spider-Man 2099 #8 (1993) is both very engaging and entertainting to read from start to finish. It is a great pay-off to what was built-up in issue #7. Very notably, the conflict between Vulture 2099 and the protagonist is great to see and it is clear that Vulture is not a disposable supervillain but one of the most definitive forces of opposition against Spider-Man 2099. Of course, as comic book history turned out, Vulture 2099 made it in the crossover comic book event between classic Spider-Man and Spidey of 2099. Along the way, the creative team succeeded with expanding the lore of 2099 and the social underclass of New York.

Overall, Spider-Man 2099 #8 (1993) is highly recommended.

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A Look Back at Venom: Funeral Pyre #1 (1993)

February 8, 2023January 6, 2023carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1993 and explore a part of Marvel Comics’ universe through the first-ever limited comic book series featuring one of Marvel’s most iconic supervillains – Venom.

Previously, I wrote about Venom with his appearances in What If comic books (click here and here) as well as in issues of Venom: Lethal Protector (click here and here). Venom also appeared in the disappointing crossover comic book Spider-Man Meets Spider-Man 2099.

Moving back to the year 1993, the Venom: Lethal Protector limited series ended and Marvel went on to release a 2^nd limited series composed of three issues complete with an all-new creative team. That series was Venom: Funeral Pyre and the most notable thing is that Venom gets to be with the Punisher (read my other retro reviews that include the character here, here, here and here).

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Venom: Funeral Pyre #1 published in 1993 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Carl Potts and drawn by the late Tom Lyle.

Early story

The story begins on the streets of Oakland, California. There, a young guy named Gray Russell watches gang members severely beat up another guy which disturbs him deeply. He is part of the gang. A short time later, he rides with the gang in a car which hits a man (who managed to have his young nephew move out of harm’s way).

Somehow the man survived and moves to another direction deliberately to lure the gang away from his nephew. As the gangsters move towards a local building, Gray separates from his harsh companions to find a phone booth. Gray finds Calvin (the nephew of the man who got hit) nearby and decides to comfort him. From a distance, they heard the gangsters beat Calvin’s uncle to death.

The next day in the underground city beneath San Francisco, Calvin meets Eddie Brock and hands him a note meant for the police. As Calvin reveals more details, Eddie gradually turns into Venom with his alien costume covering up his body. After learning of the death of Calvin’s uncle and hearing the young boy’s plea for help for Gray (an investigative reporter in secret within the gang), Venom agrees to help him as it is their mission to save the innocent and destroy the guilty…

Quality

*Punisher and Venom’s first-ever encounter with each other.*

I want to start first the with the overall presentation crafted by the Potts-Lyle creative duo. In terms of story and setting, this comic book has a very strong urban crime vibe which is not a surprise given the fact that Carl Potts wrote lots of stories of the Punisher and his personal war against criminals. That being said, the tone is very different compared to what was shown in Venom: Lethal Protector and other Venom tales that got published before this comic book. Very clearly, this story is dark, gritty and even disturbing to read due to the subject matter of crime and senseless violence caused by people who are obsessed with violence. The fantasy elements of Venom: Lethal Protector are unsurprisingly absent here.

Carl Potts’ take on Venom’s personality is technically an extension of what was established previously. Venom, who is truly a murderer on the loose, continues to live with his very distorted code by helping the innocent by means of using violence and death on others he personally views as guilty. His getting involved in the turf of crime here is, however, a fresh approach on the super villain now acting “heroic” helping Calvin who lost his uncle. Being a former journalist himself, Eddie Brock “relates” with the investigative journalist involved with the gang.

The other major character – the Punisher – is his typical self in this story. He gets involved in the conflict in Oakland not purposely but accidentally as he was just passing by in his weapons-filled van as he heard the local police communication on local crime. The only thing notable about the way the Punisher is portrayed here is his first-ever interactions with Venom which is a crossover scene filled with a decent amount of hard action.

Gray, the investigative journalist, is presented here as technically the third major character of the story. In some ways, he even overshadows Venom and the Punisher in key parts of this comic book. He is not really an interesting character himself but there are some interesting Marvel universe details shown from his personal memories. What is clear about this uninteresting character is that the creative team planned something with him in a key role within the core concept of this mini-series.

As for the plot itself, it clearly has a dark and gritty concept of street crime in 1990s Oakland which itself plays a big part of the build-up of the story and the eventual crossover between Venom and the Punisher. The problem is that the build-up has an uninteresting character with Gray involved and there is a lot of exposition to go through before the Venom-Punisher encounter.

The encounter between Venom and the Punisher here came with the superhero comics crossover trope of the players misunderstanding the situation and each other, and getting into a conflict very early on. Both characters have their respective obsessions and so-called codes of purposes, which predictably leads them into conflict as they stayed hard-headed towards each other. While it is flawed, the Venom-Punisher crossover here is the highlight as well as the relief from having to read all the exposition and build-up.

Conclusion

*A scene like this could inspire Black Lives Matter terrorists, SJWs, woke activists and North American socialists to become violent and cause havoc around America.*

Venom: Funeral Pyre #1 (1993) is a flawed comic book that happens to highlight the Punisher and Spider-Man’s greatest nemesis of the time. It delivered on its promise of showcasing the two characters – a cold-hearted anti-crime vigilante and an alien costume-equipped murderer – in a crossover but the pay-off was barely enough when you take into account the build-up, the exposition and the involvement of the uninteresting third player named Gray. Compared to what was shown in Venom: Lethal Protector, this comic book clearly has an urban crime flavor which Carl Potts strongly implemented. As for the art, Tom Lyle showed he is really good in visualizing Venom, the Punisher and street gang wars.

Overall, Venom: Funeral Pyre #1 (1993) is serviceable. Definitely this is not the fabulous 1st issue described on the foil cover.

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A Look Back at What If #61 (1994)

January 23, 2023November 13, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the wild 1990s and examine an alternate universe portrayal of one of Spider-Man’s many events told through the What If monthly series!

If you are looking for a portrayal of Spider-Man going over the edge and into the extremes emotionally, you are about to experience something in this retro review of mine. Some time ago, I reviewed a What If comic book about Spider-Man becoming a murderer which was compelling but ended on a whimper.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at What If #61 published in 1994 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Kurt Busiek and drawn by Kirk Jarvinen, Andrew Wildman, Derek Yaniger and Jim Amash.

Early story

The story begins with Richard and Mary Parker (Peter Parker’s parents) arriving in the presence of Aunt May who happens to be visited by their son Peter (Spider-Man). Having learned something from a while back, Aunt May tells Richard and Mary that they are not genuine persons. Suddenly, Peter Parker’s spider sense intensifies and in an attempt to defuse the situation, he leads his aunt to walk out of the house with him. Richard and Mary watch them walk away.

It turns out, Richard and Mary are impostors and they have been working all the time for a secretive boss. Richard calls his employer under an emergency and reports that they have completed phase one of their assignment, that Aunt May knows the truth about them and is about to inform Spider-Man. Richard is then told that under no circumstances is the plan to be jeopardized and anyone who suspects must die. He is also told to flush Mary’s programming and reset her as she showed signs of acting odd to the situation.

A short time later, Richard and Mary – now in morphed forms with vastly different bodies and half their heads resembling their human selves – suddenly break into an apartment surprising Peter, his wife Mary Jane and Aunt May. Violent action by one of them accidentally ripped open Peter’s shirt, revealing his Spider-Man suit to Aunt May. Just as Peter’s aunt figures out the secret, he tells Mary Jane to grab her and get out.

However, the sight of the morphed Mary Parker shocked Aunt May and Mary Jane so much, they failed to move. Mary Parker then morphs her two hands into large, makeshift hammers, and swiftly killed Aunt May and Mary Jane. Peter is instantly shocked by their sudden deaths but deep inside, rage begins to burn…

Quality

*Spider-Man already over the edge and reacting violently to the abusive Daily Bugle.*

I can start by confirming that Kurt Busiek’s writing is very strong and his alternate take on the events of Amazing Spider-Man #388 (1994) is indeed very solid. In one way, I find the emotional stakes for Spider-Man has been raised a lot higher than what was portrayed in the canon story. The concept of losing his beloved family members to enemies who were impostors that looked like his long lost parents is indeed disturbing as well as emotionally charged. In relation to this, Busiek and the illustrators brought to life a Spider-Man who really went over the edge by taking matters into his own hands as the loss of beloved ones led to the blurring of the boundary between good and evil. Even the boundary between innocence and guilt gets blurred which adds more depth to the emotions of the story. As I read the story, there were moments when I felt that Spider-Man became as bad as the evil ones even though he is clearly the victim and his family was targeted.

Apart from showing Spider-Man getting outraged and pushed to the limits, Busiek inserted elements about how people perceive incidents without knowing all the facts and how easily they get manipulated by a news outlet – the Daily Bugle where Peter Parker worked as a freelance photographer – whose leader does not care about ethical journalism nor the pursuit of the truth. In this age of widespread fake news and liberal news media outlets in America doing propaganda for American Communists (read: Democrats, abortionists, LGBTQ, Black Lives Matter, Antifa, the terrorists, the climate change extremists and the socialist hordes), this particular aspect of the story makes this comic book strongly relevant to read today.

The story also sheds light on Spider-Man’s connections with other Marvel superheroes who happen to be in New York City. You will see Captain America and Johnny Storm express their concern about Spider-Man’s state of mind as they themselves still tried to figure out what really happened. In short, the superheroes here showed restraint even as Spider-Man goes to the extreme being a victim as well as a fugitive.

If there are any weak points in this comic book, it would be the art which has this cartoon-like aesthetic for much of the story. Considering the serious subject matter, the visuals are quite contradicting as they make this look like it was made for much younger readers. In fairness, the quality of the art improved during the 2nd half of the story.

Conclusion

*Spider-Man takes on the impostors who looked like his parents.*

As far as storytelling and characterization goes, What If #61 (1994) succeeded a lot on portraying the iconic Spider-Man as the superhero who went over the limits of his emotions and his reasoning which is the result of the tragic deaths of two beloved family members caused by individuals who pretended to be his parents. This is a very solid story which also has a powerful ending. Where What If #72 failed, this comic book succeeded and even exceeded it with Spider-Man truly becoming unheroic. I should state that this comic book should convince readers to go to the Amazing Spider-Man series and follow the Lifetheft storyline in issues #386 to #388 (which were released months before this comic book). Kurt Busiek’s script is indeed great and it is easily the driving force of the comic book.

Overall, What If #61 (1994) is highly recommended.

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A Look Back at What If #47 (1993)

August 3, 2022October 6, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1993 and explore a part of Marvel Comics’ universe through the reimagined tales emphasized in the What If monthly series.

Back in 2021, I reviewed What If #46 (1993) which told a compelling story about division between the mutants, the clash of beliefs between Professor X and Cable, and how terrorism affects everyone. The comic book was also a mesmerizing portrayal of how the X-Men would have organized themselves without Charles Xavier, Jean Grey and Cyclops.

Considering all the chaos that happened in What If #46 (1993), the time was just right for Magneto – the X-Men’s most dangerous enemy of all time – to come in and make an impact not only on mutants but on the world.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at What If #47, published in 1993 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Kurt Busiek and drawn by Tod Smith.

Early story

The story begins with Magneto leading a huge legion of mutants to take overwhelm the remaining resistance – including Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, Captain America, the Avengers and the dedicated American soldiers – in Washington, D.C.

A fierce battle then took place with both sides hitting each other hard. After noticing Magneto’s lack of presence during the battle, Captain America then realizes that the long-time enemy of the X-Men took advantage of the fighting to penetrate the U.S. Capitol’s bomb shelters and got the nation’s leaders hostage. After easing some of his fellow heroes, Captain America decides not to escalate the fight against Magneto in consideration of the lives of America’s top officials…

Quality

To begin with, I can say that this story is a well-planned follow-up to the events of issue #46. While Magneto’s presence has been magnified a lot here, there are still strong story connections to the previous issue.

With regards to what was emphasized on the front cover of the comic book, this story explores what would happen if Magneto took power to control the entire United States while leading a group of mutants with a platform focused on crushing anti-mutant racism even though it includes pushing the non-mutant people (which is the great majority of America’s people) as well as the dissenting mutants out of the way.

For one thing, this superhero fantasy concept is actually socially relevant with today’s geopolitics and the way America has turned out under the fake leadership of Joe Biden (who is NOT leading as US President but only following the modern-day American Communists and reckless SJWs dictating him to do their evil bidding. Biden also arrogantly denies reality when it goes against the desires of his administration and his Satanic Democrats) It should be noted that the US President visualized in this comic book eerily looks like Joe Biden complete with that absent-minded facial expression.

Next, a clear theme in this What If story is absolute power and why groups who crave for it would sacrifice so much and hurt others just to acquire it. Magneto, who carries deep hatred towards people he perceives to be obstacles or opposition for his quest of uplifting mutants, takes advantage of mutants who have lost hope and are depending on someone to lead them. Indeed, the long-time X-Men nemesis gains power to control America but finds himself facing a new force of opposition which leads the nation into a drastic series of change that clearly do not alight with his vision of a better future for mutants.

Still on the theme of absolute power, the US government in this story was portrayed to have developed technologies designed to overwhelm its citizens, as well as the means to establish infrastructure and protocols to transform America into an automated dictatorial state that enslaves its citizens and violate their rights without restraint. Once again, this aspect of the story makes it socially relevant.

Considering the epic concept and the dark turn of events the creative team prepared, this comic book does not have a clear good-versus-evil approach but rather it emphasizes chaos that comes with the pursuit and abuse of absolute power over the nation. You will see key elements from the classic X-Men storyline Days of Future Past here in relation to America’s deformation.

Conclusion

Wow! The US President in this comic book eerily looks so much like Joe Biden whose leadership led America into a lot of problems and hardship. Sky high inflation is just one of the problems that happened under Biden.

What If #47 (1993) is truly a very captivating read mainly because of its core concept which goes way beyond the scenario of Magneto taking control of America. Considering its portrayal of America and the exploration of dark themes about people getting overwhelmed by power abusers, the story is a warning about the fall of America told in superhero fantasy form. Considering the intense social degradation that rocked America the past few years (note: riots by the Black Lives Matter terrorists, SJWs disturbing the peace, Democrats allowing more illegal immigrants into the country, socialists in colleges continuing to brainwash students and more), this story is very socially relevant. It will keep you thinking and reflecting deeply, even if you strongly desire whatever superhero entertainment you seek in this comic book.

Overall, What If #47 (1993) is highly recommended!

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A Look Back at Harbinger #2 (1992)

June 28, 2022June 26, 2022carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the early 1990s and explore a part of the Valiant Comics shared universe through the Harbinger monthly series.

In my previous retro review, the primary characters (Peter/Sting, Kris, Faith/Zephyr, Charlene/Flamingo and John/Torque) composed of mainly young adults with different abilities were gradually introduced and together they became targets of the mysterious private organization referred to as Harbinger (led by Japanese tycoon Toyo Harada). Harbinger has vested interests in people with paranormal abilities. In order to survive, Peter and his so-called team must set aside differences and work together while making the most out of their respective abilities.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Harbinger #2, published in 1992 by Valiant Comics with a story written by Jim Shooter and drawn by David Lapham.

Early story

The story begins at 12:03 AM of June 6, 1991. Peter, Faith, Flamingo and Torque bring their wounded teammate Kris into a hospital for immediate treatment. Upset with the hospital rules on admittance of patients, Peter uses some of his power to lift a few staffers off the floor while demanding that they treat Kris immediately. Their group was told that because they are all minors, parental consent is needed. Gunshot wounds, which Kris has, constitute reporting to the police.

Sting and his companions eventually brought Kris to a hospital bed. As he realized it is pointless to use his power on a doctor (Heyward) to force him to treat Kris, Sting uses his power to remove the two bullets out of her wounds which took a heavy toll on him. The doctor then decides to properly treat Kris.

By 4:49 AM, Kris’ condition has stabilized and the group of Sting decide to leave with their recovering companion with them. As soon as they exited the hospital, the group suddenly gets attacked by snipers…

Quality

*Sting and his teammates on a risky mission.*

As the heavy build-up in the first issue has been established, this comic book’s story executed some pay-off while gradually doing some new build-up of the series’ concept with expository dialogue as creative tools. For one thing, the story of Sting and his companions turned wild as the stakes have been raised further as they have become wanted people and they don’t have much resources left for survival. Next, the story suddenly created an X-Men vibe to me when the young adults take refuge inside a large and nice home of a sympathetic medical doctor they encountered earlier in the hospital.

When it comes to character development, the reluctant leader Sting got the most amount of characterization and along the way, you will see how he shifts his attention and concern to Faith, Flamingo and Torque more as Kris spent some time out of action. At this stage, Sting gradually changed from the reluctant powerful teenager into someone cares for others as they share the same desire to survive and lift themselves up. A clear 2^nd to Sting on characterization is Faith who is the geek and pop culture enthusiast who tries her best to live up to the harshness of the reality they group is facing.

While Sting and his team are sympathetic to look at being targets of the dangerous organization Harbinger (note: they and their leader make their first appearances here), you will realize that they also became criminals with their acts of break-ins, fraud and robbery. These criminals act made those in issue #1 look like rehearsals. Since these powered young adults are on the run and struggling to survive, disregarding the law becomes natural for them. As such, the boundaries between right and wrong clearly got blurred not only with Sting’s team but also with Harbinger and its troops.

When it comes to the first appearances of Toyo Harada and his organization Harbinger in the pages of this comic book, I can say without spoilers that they are worth seeing and they further added depth into this comic book’s concept deep within the Valiant comic book universe.

Conclusion

*The young adults presence inside a very large and nice home reminds me of the X-Men living inside Xavier’s home.*

I can say out loud that Harbinger #2 (1992) is indeed very compelling to read as the stakes have been raised, the lead characters were developed nicely and the first appearance of Harbinger as the antagonistic force all paid-off nicely to the build-up of the first issue. As far as entertainment is concerned, the reading experience is more intriguing mainly due to the strong writing by Jim Shooter and this means that the superhero spectacle was secondary but in a good way. As mentioned earlier, the border between right and wrong got blurred and I can say the same thing about Harbinger and Sting’s group. This eventually will compel you to question if Sting and his companions could still be morally acceptable or not at all as their criminal acts are undeniable. Would you be sympathizing with them? Would you think they are as bad as Harbinger? Could Sting and his team actually pose a greater danger to society than Harbinger itself? Don’t you think Sting and his companions are looking like Black Lives Matter (BLM) social terrorists? This comic book really has to be read.

Overall, Harbinger #2 (1992) is highly recommended!

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me 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/

Pray for the leaders for it is pleasing and acceptable to our Lord

June 3, 2022June 2, 2022carlocarrasco

Here in my native Philippines, the incoming President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (popularly referred to as BBM), was recently proclaimed as the duly elected winner of the presidential contest of this year’s general elections. He won with a majority of the votes counted with 31.6 million which was more than double over his closest arrival Leni Robredo (who was endorsed by people trapped by religion, idolatry and rituals) who ended up with 15 million votes. Marcos and his successful running mate Sara Duterte will take office as President and Vice President respectively on June 30, 2022.

Along the way, President-elect Marcos appealed to the Filipino to pray for him and wish him well. To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Philippine Daily Inquirer report. Some parts in boldface…

Now that he has been proclaimed as 17th president of the country, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. appealed to Filipinos: “Pray for me. Wish me well.”

“Beyond that, I promise you that we may not be perfect but we will always strive to perfection. Thank you very much,” Marcos Jr. told reporters following his proclamation as winner in the May 9 presidential race at the Batasan Pambansa in Quezon City on Wednesday.

“I am inspired by this responsibility that has been given me… Ask you all, pray for me, wish me well. I want to do well because when a president does well, the country does well. And I want to do well for this country,” he added.

Marcos Jr. further said: “I am humbled because for anyone in public service or in a public life, the most valuable thing you may receive from a fellow citizen is their vote.”

“Because embedded in that vote are their hopes and their aspirations for the future. But also embedded in that vote are the trust and the confidence that they give to you to take them to that aspirational future,” he also said.

For the newcomers reading this, President-elect Marcos is the son of the late President Ferdinand Marcos (he served from 1965 to 1986, died during exile in 1989 in Hawaii) who has a very controversial legacy to say the least. For decades, the Marcos family has been hit by criticism and hatred in relation to the legacy of the first President Marcos.

More on the incoming President of the Philippines, Bongbong Marcos’ appeal to the Filipino to pray for him and wish him well so that the entire nation will do well is a big reminder for all of us Christians to return to the Holy Bible which contains a very important scripture that we should pray for our leaders as it is acceptable and pleasing to God. I am talking about the holy scripture in 1 Timothy 2:1-3. To start with, posted below is the scripture from the New King James version of the Holy Bible…

Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,

1 Timothy 2:1-3 (NKJV)

Verse 2 of the above scripture emphasizes that we must pray for those who are in authority over us if we wish to reap the benefits of good government, which is a prized gift from the Heavenly Father for the church’s welfare and advancement of the gospel. While the word “kings” is mentioned in Verse 2, it is not limited to kings or monarchies here on Earth. In fact, 1 Timothy 2:1-3 applies to any form government and any head of state in this divided world we live in. That being said, we must pray for our leaders from as high as the top of the national government right down to the lowest parts of the national government, the regional government, the local government and the civic groups, the homeowners’ associations/federations and other forms of authorities on the community level.

As for the newly elected officials, we must also pray for them as they prepare themselves to take office. As it is acceptable and pleasing to God, we must set aside political ideologies, set aside favoritism and kill off idolatry to pray for current leaders and the next batch of leaders so that they will open their hearts to the Lord and look up to Him for His guiding light so that they can govern properly, make the right decisions and lead our communities and the nation to prosperity, opportunities, positive changes and happiness.

For more holy insight, posted below are versions of 1 Timothy 2:1-3 in the Message, Amplified Bible Classic Edition and The Passion Translation.

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation. This is the way our Savior God wants us to live.

1 Timothy 2:1-3 (MSG)

First of all, then, I admonish and urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be offered on behalf of all men,

For kings and all who are in positions of authority or high responsibility, that [outwardly] we may pass a quiet and undisturbed life [and inwardly] a peaceable one in all godliness and reverence and seriousness in every way.

For such [praying] is good and right, and [it is] pleasing and acceptable to God our Savior,

1 Timothy 2:1-3 (AMPC)

Most of all, I’m writing to encourage you to pray with gratitude to God. Pray for all men with all forms of prayers and requests as you intercede with intense passion. And pray for every political leader and representative, so that we would be able to live tranquil, undisturbed lives, as we worship the awe-inspiring God with pure hearts. It is pleasing to our Savior-God to pray for them.

1 Timothy 2:1-3 (TPT)

Always remember we only worship the Heavenly Father, His Son Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit, not people, not paintings, not statues/statuettes and not whatever new forms of idols come out. Idolatry, which is common among fanatical and extreme followers of politicians when it comes to politics in any nation, is always an abomination to our Lord.

Going back to praying for our leaders so that we can reap the benefits of good government and more blessings from our Lord, posted below is a very meaningful and truthful holy scripture to pray with…

Now then, you kings, act wisely!

Be warned, you rulers of the earth!

Serve the Lord with reverent fear,

and rejoice with trembling.

Submit to God’s royal son, or he will become angry,

and you will be destroyed in the midst of all your activities—

for his anger flares up in an instant.

But what joy for all who take refuge in him!

Psalm 2:10-12 (NLT)

Psalm 2:10-12 clearly shows that our leaders are subject to our Lord who is absolutely watching them all the time. Community and government officials who wield power have responsibilities to live up to and they should make themselves transparent and accountable not only to the constituents but also to the Lord Himself. Any leader or official who becomes corrupt and gets crooked will be subject to eternal judgment by God. There is simply no hiding and no running away from the Lord no matter how big or how much government resources leaders wield.

Leaders who wield power over the people should always remember that the Lord is always the greatest authority over them and there is no way they can match His authority. As they serve the constituents, leaders are destined to serve the Lord high above them. Like all other people, leaders belong to the Lord as it is written in the Holy Bible. Learn from the four translations of Psalm 22:27-28 below…

All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord,

And all the families of the nations will worship before You.

For the kingdom is the Lord’s

And He rules over the nations.

Psalm 22:27-28 (NASB)

All the ends of the world

Shall remember and turn to the Lord,

And all the families of the nations

Shall worship before You.

For the kingdom is the Lord’s,

And He rules over the nations.

Psalm 22:27-28 (NKJV)

All the ends of the earth shall remember

and turn to the Lord,

and all the families of the nations

shall worship before you.

For kingship belongs to the Lord,

and he rules over the nations.

Psalm 22:27-28 (ESV)

From the four corners of the earth,

the peoples of the world will remember and return to Yahweh.

Every nation will come and worship him.

For Yahweh is King of all, who takes charge of all the nations.

Psalms 22:27-28 (TPT)

Finally, I want to encourage you to pray that the next batch of leaders are righteous people. If any of them is not yet righteous, pray for them to help them become righteous under the watch of our Lord. Righteousness on the part of the leader is essential. Wickedness is absolutely an abomination! Learn from the scripture below…

When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice;

But when a wicked man rules, the people groan.

Proverbs 29:2 (NKJV)

For the future of the Philippines which will have several newly elected and re-elected government officials on all levels taking office on June 30, 2022, I encourage you all to pray for the incoming leaders starting from the top with Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos as President, Sara Duterte as Vice President, the Marcos administration’s Cabinet, the Senators, the House of Representatives members, provincial governors, provincial legislators, city government officials, town officials and others. I encourage you to let go off your biases, your emotions and pain to pray for the incoming leaders so that they will all look up to the Lord and follow Him accordingly so that they will govern cleanly, clearly and will lead the entire Philippines to a brighter, more prosperous future.

To the people who voted for the losing candidates of the 2022 Philippine general elections, I encourage you to let go off your bitterness and hatred, and pray for the incoming leaders to obey God as they take office and will function in the years to come. Pray for the leaders – the current and the incoming ones – so that the Philippines will rise stronger from the COVID-19 crisis and more new jobs will be created for the many people who lost their jobs due to the pandemic. Look up to the Lord for His guiding light and His path to the brighter future. Always remember that the Lord’s authority is always higher than that of the entire forms of government in the Philippines! The Lord’s authority is always higher than that of the Philippine President and any other government or civic leader. Come to the Lord as He is always worthy of all the praise!

From this point on, I would like to reach out to all the lost and the unsaved people reading this. Did a religious and idolatrous extremist ruin your life? Have you been living in bondage for too long? Did the atheists, the humanists and the secularists fool you and abused you? Were you victimized by crook? Have you been living as a homosexual or as a transgendered person? Are you still addicted to sex, drugs and other inappropriate elements? Did you spend an entire life worshiping statues, statuettes, images, people and relics? Are you a toxic person or one of those modern-day Leftist activists (Black Lives Matter, Democratic Socialists of America, Antifa, the abortionists and others) who got fed up fighting for worthless causes? Did you kill someone and have been living so long with the guilt?

All of the darkness related to what were mentioned above can finally end and you can decide to do it! How? You can save yourselves by submitting yourselves to the Lord Jesus willingly and realize He is the Light! No force and no coercion here. You have time and freedom to decide to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior. For those who have decided to get born again now and gain salvation, please read the instructions and follow the prayer that I learned from a pastor.

Are you ready? Firstly, open your heart to the Lord and pray this simple prayer in sincerity from your heart:

Father God,

I thank You. I believe Jesus is Your Son. I believe that He died for me and redeemed me from all of my sins. He took my sins and, Father, thank You for loving me and You demonstrated Your love for me through Your Son Jesus Christ. Forgive me for all of my sins. Jesus, I open my heart to You. I welcome You to enter into my heart. I confess today that You are now my Lord and Savior. Thank You for forgiveness. I receive forgiveness. Thank You for Your blood that cleansed me from all of my sins. I will follow You, Jesus. Thank You for Your plan. I receive the Holy Spirit. And Holy Spirit, help me to follow the will of God in my life in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Congratulations! You are now a child of God! You have received Holy Spirit in your heart! This is easily your greatest decision ever made and also the greatest miracle of your life. Always praise, thank and honor the Lord. No more darkness in your life caused by politics, radicalism, toxicity, rebellion, religion, unbelief, evil, idolatry, traditions and rituals! Leave behind the darkness of your life and don’t look back to it. Remember that idolatry is evil, Purgatory is a lie, penance is a deception and Satan always used religion and unbelief to prevent people from being saved by the Lord. Also, do not ever hail Mary (the mother of Lord Jesus) because all the praise and honor belong to God, Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit only.

With Lord Jesus, you are already moving forward and the best is yet to come! You also have a personal relationship with God, a relationship that is strictly off-limits to others (even to your household members or biological family members).

With your new life realized, make an effort to get yourself copy of the Holy Bible (start with New King James Version), study it and apply its lessons into your life no matter what situation you are in right now. I also recommend you to join a local Christian church that God has chosen for you (note: ask Him for a local church!) and find your place in the spiritual family (God’s family!). Be planted when the Lord shows you the way! Worship the Lord together with them and always remember that faith, not religion, is essential in your personal relationship with God. When you are at home, be in your room with the door shut and have fellowship with our Heavenly Father. On a personal level, practice Christian Habits here and there. Remember the truth that God rewards the faithful abundantly, only He can lift you up and restore you fully, and continue to be people of the Word. Declare your love for Him as well!

The Holy Bible is the ultimate authority and nothing else comes close to it for it is the Word of God. Remember always that Lord Jesus did not die on the cross to start religion. He died to redeem us all and showed that we must be led by faith in Him, faith in the Holy Spirit and faith in God the Heavenly Father. He rose from the dead and made His earthly presence felt once more to those who believed in Him. Lord Jesus ascended to Heaven and He promised to return in the future. His return is what we must always remember and keep living with holiness under the watch of God. We can do our part in building up God’s kingdom here on Earth by preaching His Word, blessing the Jewish people and saving the countless lost and unsaved souls around us by leading them to Lord Jesus. Living as a Christian is always about the personal relationship with the Lord, and it is certainly not about religion. Never let the idolaters, the idol makers, the ritual practitioners and other sinister forces fool you into becoming unholy.

In ending this, here are some videos of Christian worship music for you to enjoy and praise the Lord with. Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus!

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Sharing this Christian piece means spreading the good news of the Lord to others. It can help you save the unsaved and the lost souls out there.

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/

Better than Streaming: Red Dawn Collector’s Edition 4K Blu-ray coming out on August 16, 2022

June 2, 2022June 9, 2022carlocarrasco

Welcome back, fellow geeks, Blu-ray collectors and movie buffs! If you are sick and tired of the modern-day wokeness-filled garbage of Communist Hollywood (Commiewood) and if you are nostalgic about 1980s Hollywood cinema, then you should be interested to learn that the Red Dawn Collector’s Edition 4K Blu-ray will be released on August 16, 2022 and already pre-orders are being accepted online.

*Red Dawn Collector’s Edition 4K Blu-ray is set for an August 16, 2022 release.*

According to the Blu-ray.com page of the movie, Red Dawn 4K Blu-ray disc will have native 4K visuals and a brand new 4K restoration of the film from its original negative has been reported. These details are very much welcome because I have Red Dawn on Blu-ray disc (1080p) and its visuals were not very good. Moving forward, posted below are the specs for Red Dawn 4K Blu-ray…

Video

Codec: HEVC / H.265

Resolution: Native 4K (2160p)

HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10

Aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Audio

English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)

English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)

Subtitles – English SDH

Discs – 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray Disc, Two-disc set (1 BD-100, 1 BD-50)

Packaging – Slipcover in original pressing, Inner print

Playback – 4K Blu-ray: Region free, 2K Blu-ray: Region A (B, C untested)

For the newcomers reading this, Red Dawn is a 1984 action movie directed by John Milius that explores what would happen in America – specifically at a Colorado town surrounded by wilderness – once World War III breaks out and the nation gets invaded by the Soviet Union (Russians) and their South American Commies. A small group of teenagers manage to escape the invasion of their town and moved into the wilderness with limited supplies to survive with. As the Leftists impose order in the town, the group slowly organizes itself into a force of opposition with one objective: freedom.

This movie starred the late Patrick Swayze, Charlie Sheen, C. Thomas Howell, Lea Thompson and Jennifer Grey when they were much younger. As the 1980s had lots of Hollywood movies about teenagers presented in comedies and drama films, Red Dawn easily stands out among them all as it deals a very serious concept related to the Cold War back then. Its story is a powerful reminder that Communists and the Satanic Left are essentially evil.

Given the fact that America today has several millions of young people brainwashed by socialists in schools, the fact that Leftist terrorists groups like Black Lives Matter (BLM) and Antifa are tearing down American society, the fact that Hollywood has lots of Commies and SJWs among its members, the fact that gun owners’ rights are being attacked a lot by the Left, the fact that Democrats prioritize illegal immigrants over American citizens, and the fact that lots of politicians abuse their governmental powers to emphasize socialism, Communism, Marxism and other wicked values on the people, Red Dawn of 1984 is still highly relevant. This is the movie that liberals and people poisoned with political correctness cannot tolerate. Watch out for Red Dawn Collector’s Edition 4K Blu-ray on August 16, 2022.

In closing this Better than Streaming piece, posted below are Red Dawn-related videos for your viewing pleasure.

If you wish to join a group of movie enthusiasts and talk about cinema, visit the Movie Fans Worldwide Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/322857711779576

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Legal Expert: Palestinian Authority practices apartheid, not Israel

February 17, 2022November 29, 2023carlocarrasco

Let us be very clear here…deception must be overwhelmed in order for the truth to be realized. I’m talking about the years-long campaigns of lies, distortions, violence and exaggerations by the enemies of the State of Israel being magnified by all of those “free Palestine” activists, Leftists, social justice warriors (SJWs), the United Nations members and Amnesty International.

The side that always hates Israel often repeats lies that the State of Israel is guilty for committing apartheid (a term best associated with the apartness between white and black people in South Africa) which is completely false! In fact, it is the corrupt and terrorist-linked Palestinian Authority (PA) that practices apartheid according to the findings of a legal expert as reported by CBN News. This is something that the world should pay more attention to.

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

CBN News reported on backlash caused by an Amnesty International report accusing Israel of being an apartheid state. One result of the fallout shines the light on a major issue basically ignored by this group that purports to end abuses of human rights.

The amnesty international report concluded that “Israel’s cruel policies of segregation, dispossession and exclusion across all territories under its control clearly amount to apartheid.”

Apartheid refers to the South African policy of separating blacks and whites, which existed for more than 40 years. It ended in the mid-1990’s.

“Amnesty and the UN, which is going to be joining the effort by describing Israel as an apartheid state isn’t getting it wrong, they’re getting it an opposite of the truth,” says legal expert Prof. Eugene Kontrovich.

Kontorovich explains his conclusion in a piece published by the Wall Street Journal titled “There’s Apartheid in The Holy Land, But it’s Not in Israel.”

“Israel is a country where Arabs participate in all walks of public life, hold positions in the government,” he says. “In Israel, Arabs and Jews mingle, in cafes and on busses, in all public places. But right next door, in those areas of the Holy Land run by the Palestinian Authority, real apartheid is practiced.”

Kontorovich points out the PA has a law that calls for the death penalty if a Palestinian sells land to a Jew. Back in November, CBN News asked the Palestinian Authority’s Prime Minister about that law.

“Land in Palestine is not a real estate issue. Land in Palestine is a political issue. So therefore, the Palestinian law does not allow land to be sold to non-Palestinians,” Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh told CBN News.

Another controversial government policy is referred to as pay to slay. That program rewards terrorists convicted of killing Jews.

“Israel is not sponsoring a program of pay to slay against Palestinians,” Kontorovich says. “The Palestinian Authority government supported by Western governments … funds a pay to lay program to pay for the murder of Jews.”

Kontorovich says through all its laws and policies the PA has created a Jew-free zone.

“When you at the areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority, it’s not that there’s no separation between Jews and Arabs, there’s just no Jews. Because they have created a Jew-free state and they have enforced this through official methods.”

Posted below for your viewing is the very video about the CBN News report.

For a deeper understanding about the Israel-Palestine conflict as well as the web of deception and evil forces that are determined to destroy Israel and uplift Palestine (which has a history of terrorism), watch the following videos below.

Going back to the highlighted CBN News report, I urge you readers to NEVER allow yourselves to be deceived by the Palestinian Authority, its evil partners and terrorists. All these blaming and lies against Israel are deceptions recycled all over and over. Israel is the truly the land of the Israelites, not the Palestinians.

For insight about the Palestinian people and the land of Israel, watch this Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) documentary which is credible and truthful.

For more, let’s go to the Holy Bible and take a close look at God’s promises to Abraham as well as the inclusion of Isaac and Jacob as the true inheritors with regards to the land of Israel. Read the following scriptures below…

Now the Lord had said to Abram:

“Get out of your country,

From your family

And from your father’s house,

To a land that I will show you.

I will make you a great nation;

I will bless you

And make your name great;

And you shall be a blessing.

I will bless those who bless you,

And I will curse him who curses you;

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

So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. Then Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they departed to go to the land of Canaan. So they came to the land of Canaan. Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, as far as the terebinth tree of Moreh. And the Canaanites were then in the land.

Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” And there he built an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. And he moved from there to the mountain east of Bethel, and he pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; there he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord. So Abram journeyed, going on still toward the South.

Genesis 12:1-9 (NKJV)

Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there; and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother.”

And Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments. Then let us arise and go up to Bethel; and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me in the way which I have gone.” So they gave Jacob all the foreign [a]gods which were in their hands, and the earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree which was by Shechem.

And they journeyed, and the terror of God was upon the cities that were all around them, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob. So Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him. And he built an altar there and called the place El Bethel, because there God appeared to him when he fled from the face of his brother.

Now Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried below Bethel under the terebinth tree. So the name of it was called Allon Bachuth.

Then God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Padan Aram, and blessed him. And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; your name shall not be called Jacob anymore, but Israel shall be your name.” So He called his name Israel. Also God said to him: “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall proceed from you, and kings shall come from your body. The land which I gave Abraham and Isaac I give to you; and to your descendants after you I give this land.”

Genesis 35:1-12 (NKJV)

And the land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac,

I will give to you,

And I will give the land to your descendants after you.

Genesis 35:12 (NASB)

And I will give you the land I once gave to Abraham and Isaac. Yes, I will give it to you and your descendants after you.

Genesis 35:12 (NLT)

God continued,

I am The Strong God.

Have children! Flourish!

A nation—a whole company of nations!—

will come from you.

Kings will come from your loins;

the land I gave Abraham and Isaac

I now give to you,

and pass it on to your descendants.

Genesis 35:11-12 (MSG)

As seen in the above verses, it is totally clear that Abraham’s illegitimate son Ishmael (whose mother was Hagar) was never meant to inherit the land of Israel. God had other plans for Ishmael and Hagar while His blessings for Abraham were meant for the rightful heirs Isaac and eventually Jacob. For greater insight, look at the scripture below…

And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, scoffing. Therefore she said to Abraham, “Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, namely with Isaac.” And the matter was very displeasing in Abraham’s sight because of his son.

But God said to Abraham, “Do not let it be displeasing in your sight because of the lad or because of your bondwoman. Whatever Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice; for in Isaac your seed shall be called. Yet I will also make a nation of the son of the bondwoman, because he is your seed.”

So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water; and putting it on her shoulder, he gave it and the boy to Hagar, and sent her away. Then she departed and wandered in the Wilderness of Beersheba.

Genesis 21:9-14 (NKJV)

Israel today is a great and blessed nation. It is the true homeland of the Jewish people and the foundation of the State of Israel was a promise fulfilled by the Lord. As this divided world is filled with evil and constantly influenced by Satan, it is no surprise that there are sinister forces that want to destroy Israel. Iran has sponsored terrorism for many years and they won’t give up with their support of Israel’s enemies. The Palestinian Authority has its own agenda, shenanigans, connections with evil forces (note: look at their connection of support with the Marxist terrorist group Black Lives Matter) and legacy of violence against Israel (note: remember what Yasser Arafat did decades ago? Remember when Bill Clinton as United States President accommodated Arafat knowing he committed terror many times?).

Under the watch and guidance of the Lord, the Abraham Accords were established during the days of United States President Donald Trump. The Abraham Accords is indeed working as Israel established new peace deals with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Morocco and the Kingdom of Bahrain. For insight, watch the videos below.

Truly God is faithful and He always keeps His promises to the faithful. I believe that the Abraham Accords will keep progressing and the Palestinian Authority as well as its violent allies (notably Iran as well as the Democrats and Communists of America) will become less relevant in due time. The people in Palestine will become better off without the PA and its evil partners. In due time, the apartheid of the PA will be realized even more and eventually come to an end. Along the way, we must always look up to the Lord and maintain unwavering faith in supporting Israel and the Abraham Accords. Keep on praying to Him!

If you truly believe in Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Heavenly Father wholeheartedly and you continue to be faithful (not religious), you should be aware that Christians are meant to stand united with Israel, love the Jewish people and pray for the peace of Jerusalem. You can do your part supporting Israel by donating to Christians United for Israel (CUFI). Do not forget to read the Holy Bible, then pray in tongues to the Lord in the privacy of your room with the door shut.

Pray to the Lord for the Abraham Accords to keep progressing and establishing more peace and stability between the Jewish people and the Arabs! Pray to the Lord for the Palestinian people to be freed from the corruption and violence of the Palestinian Authority! Pray to the Lord for the fall of the anti-Semitic forces, the fall of the terrorists, the fall of the Leftist forces, the fall of the BDS Movement and the fall of the other enemies of Israel so that all those who oppose Israel will realize their errors, repent to the Lord and submit themselves to Him! Pray to the Lord for the continued protection and progress of the State of Israel no matter how their political landscape changes. Thank God for His Love, His Blessings, His Protection and for sending His Son Jesus who is our Lord and Savior!

Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus! Always stand in support of Israel!

+++++

A Look Back at V: The Final Battle (1984)

January 7, 2022January 19, 2022carlocarrasco

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from watching V: The Final Battle 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 a very engaging story, memorable characters, intriguing concepts and innovative marketing, the $13 million production V: The Original Miniseries (simply called V back then) became a major TV hit in America over two nights in May, 1983. I personally loved watching the said mini-series back in the 1980s and I still love replaying it in this age of high-definition and Blu-ray discs. For me, at least, it is a timeless classic and it carries several lessons about the fragility of society, the rise of fascism, the spread of evil in many forms and the human desire for freedom from oppression.

Given its success and the way creator Kenneth Johnson ended the 1983 sci-fi mini-series, a sequel was inevitable. In fact, two sequels to V: The Original Miniseries were approved in the form of another mini-series (note: I acquired the Blu-ray release in 2021) and a regular TV series. Beyond the small screen, the V franchise entered literature as DC Comics published a V comic book series (read my retro review of V #1 by clicking here) related to the TV series.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at V: The Final Battle, starring Faye Grant, Marc Singer, Jane Badler and Michael Ironside under the direction of Richard T. Heffron. This 3-episode mini-series, which involved a lot of screenwriters, was broadcast on TV in America in May 1984.

*The cover and the title that did not live up to its purpose.*

Early story

The story begins with Mike Donovan (Marc Singer) having a nightmare of him and his son Sean (who was abducted during the events of V: The Original Miniseries) in a desperate escape attempt while inside one of the motherships of the Visitors. He wakes up in the presence of Julie Parrish (Faye Grant) and realizes they have a dangerous mission to execute at a local facility used by the red-uniformed Visitors. It turns out, the Resistance movement led by Julie has been losing ground to the alien humanoids and Mike has been helping them out while prioritizing the state of his son who has been in captivity in one of the mother ships.

During the night, a truck carrying many local civilians inside its trailer arrives at a local factory controlled by the Visitors with officer Steven (Andrew Pine) watching over. After the civilians got directed to enter the factory, it turns out they got processed and came out in the form of food cocoons. The sight shocks Julie watching from a distance with her armed teammates waiting on stand-by.

*Easily the most engaging shot in this sequel. A clear reminder about the fascist takeover by the aliens from outer space.*

After causing damage on the nearest fence, the Resistance begins their attempt to raid the facility and free their fellow cocooned people but the tide turned against them. It turns out, the Visitors’ troops are wearing stronger armor and bright lights were installed on the top of the facility to forcing Julie, Marc and the rest of their team to retreat. They lost some members along the way. During a closed-door meeting with the Resistance stakeholders, Mike Donovan says a key event is needed to make a significant gain against the Visitors.

Over at the mothership hovering over Los Angeles and in the presence of Diana (Jane Badler), the leader John (Richard Herd) tells Kristine Walsh (Jenny Sullivan) that a major medical announcement will be held in the form of an organized special event very soon and that she will be part of the presentation for the global TV audience…

Quality

*Marc Singer as Mike Donovan with Michael Durrel and Michael Wright as Robert Maxwell and Elias Taylor near him.*

I’ll star first with the presentation here. This sequel mini-series was composed of three episodes totaling over 270 minutes. In what looks like to be attempts to ensure more spectacles for the viewers’ enjoyment, each episode of V: The Final Battle has a battle near the end and the creative team succeeded in not only providing on-screen action but also scored well in making the spectacle more varied while still making sense within the main narrative. For the most part, this sequel is indeed a natural progression of what was established in V: The Original Miniseries and that is something to admire given the fact that V creator Kenneth Johnson left this production early.

On the storytelling, V: The Final Battle expands a bit on the Visitors’ dictatorship of Los Angeles and its surrounding areas while the Resistance led by Julie Parrish and supported by close companions Robert Maxwell (Michael Durrell), Elias Taylor (Michael Wright) and Caleb Taylor (Jason Bernard) are shown to be struggling on taking down the alien humanoids even though they secured noticeably more weapons and equipment. The storytelling and the dramatization about the Resistance changes dramatically with the addition of Ham Tyler (Michael Ironside) and partner Chris Farber (Mickey Jones) in the 2^nd episode and from that point on, you get to see a human opposition that becomes more flexible with their operations.

*Michael Ironside as Ham Tyler is the most significant new addition to the cast.*

As mentioned earlier, Kenneth Johnson’s involvement in this sequel was minimal and it is seen on the presentation. The symbolism Johnson implemented in the original mini-series that established parallels between 1980s America to the Nazi occupation of Europe did not continue here which results a more straightforward presentation of details, character moments and story progression. There was also a noticeable lack of suspense when it comes to executing big scenes with big reveals. The pacing, like in the 1983 mini-series, moves smoothly at a moderate pace throughout and there were no boring moments at all.

The quality of script is still good. For the most part, the writers managed to capture the essence of the established characters from the original mini-series as they told the further developments of this sequel. For example, Caleb and Elias’ father-and-son moments quickly remind me of what I saw in V: The Original Miniseries. Robert Maxwell’s struggle to help his troubled daughter Robin (Blair Tefkin) while assisting Julie and the Resistance is a very natural progression of what was shown in 1983. The friendship between good natured alien Willie (Robert Englund) and Harmony (Diane Cary) got developed a lot more than expected eventually adding to one particular side of the conflict. The local collaborators Daniel Bernstein (David Packer) and Eleanor Dupres (Neva Patterson) developed further with their treason towards their fellow humans as they enjoyed further the power they gained from the Visitors. These two characters will surely get on the nerves of viewers rooting for the Resistance.

*Denise Galik as Maggie is a fine new addition to the cast.*

*David Packer returns as Daniel Bernstein.*

*Sarah Douglas as Pamela, a superior of Diana’s.*

When it comes to new additions to the cast, Ham Tyler and Chris Farber are not the only new players to add depth to this sequel. There is also Maggie (Denise Galik) who is an attractive, brave and strategic Resistance member whose contribution makes an impact. On the downside, there is also Andrew Doyle (Thomas Hill) who is bad choice the creative team came up with as the on-screen representative of faith when he in fact represents religion, idolatry, rituals and distortion. On the side of the Visitors is Pamela (Sarah Douglas) who is a higher-ranking officer than Diana and even John. Pamela is the more militaristic type of leader who is more focused on achieving goals while keeping things in order.

If there is anything flawed about the characterization, it is the romantic relationship of Julie Parrish and Mike Donovan which starts in the first episode. Considering how dramatic the performances of Faye Grant and Marc Singer were in this sequel, Julie and Mike still don’t make a believable pair of lovers in my view. While this romantic relationship opens up new dimensions within Julie and Mike and offer viewers something new to focus, it brings down the former’s value as Resistance leader somewhat while also setting aside the hinted personal connection between her and Elias in the 2^nd episode of the 1983 mini-series.

*Faye Grant as Julie Parrish in the conversion process scene watched closely by Jane Badler’s Diana.*

More on Faye Grant, her performance here is more varied. Not only does she play the brave and struggling leader who is talented in fighting, science and medical practice, she also portrayed Julie as an even more vulnerable character this time around. Her act as the traumatized Julie during the conversion process (read: mental and psychological torture using a more detailed form of virtual reality or nightmare generation) scenes under the watch of Diana is very dramatic and compelling to watch. Just seeing Julie in the conversion process will make grip you with despair and you will eventually feel sorry for her. I should state that the nightmare scenes of Julie were presented with a clear touch of horror.

Marc Singer as Mike Donovan is no longer the reluctant action hero but rather a driven man with a mission to get his missing son back while maintaining a secret connection with Martin (Frank Ashmore) of the Fifth Column (secret dissenters among the Visitors) hoping to achieve breakthroughs for the Resistance and their friends among the dissenting aliens. Singer did the best he could with the script provided to him and he remain likable all throughout. Other than the unbelievable romance with Julie as well as his past encounters with Ham Tyler, there is not much new to expect from the way Mike Donovan was written here. What I should point out, however, is that Mike Donovan’s support for the unholy act of abortion (along with the so-called right to abort) is very wrongful, highly immoral and makes the hero having a sinister presence within him even though he is a father searching for his son.

Jane Badler’s performance as Diana deserves admiration here. Not only did she successfully recapture the charismatic and sinister nature of her character in the 1983 mini-series, Badler was very convincing in showing the more desperate side of Diana, especially when it comes to power struggle within the ranks of the Visitors. You can clearly see the desperation and struggle as soon as Pamela appeared. This sequel also showed a lot more of Diana when it comes to personally supervising her conversion process which is much more elaborate here (note: the conversion process in the 1983 mini-series was limited to the showing of a chair with torture devices). Being the very symbol of charisma and evil in the V franchise, Diana’s place in pop culture is solid and her real-world comparative counterparts would be none other than Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris.

*Jane Badler as the ever charismatic yet very wicked Diana.*

As mentioned earlier, Michael Ironside’s Ham Tyler is the most significant addition to the cast and the script. Ironside had that excellent mix of toughness, cruelty and sarcasm portrayed in here and at the same time Ham Tyler brought out very interesting and intriguing interactions with the more established Julie and Mike. As seen in entertainment history, Ironside went on to climb up the ranks in Hollywood with Total Recall (1990), Starship Troopers (1997) and in the Splinter Cell video game franchise. Ironside’s Ham is easily the fourth major character of the V franchise of the 1980s.

Going into the spectacle part of this sequel, the action is more varied as mentioned earlier and the 3-episode structure was a factor. You will see lots of shooting with the use of guns and laser blasters here and there, and with the in-story locations and props as key factors, there are action sequences that are uniquely done. There is a lot to enjoy for any V fan and casual viewers watching this sequel.

As for the special effects part of the spectacle, this one is a mixed bag similar to what was presented in the 1983 mini-series. To put things in perspective, the use of in-camera effects, practical effects and optical effects for TV back in the 1980s was ambitious. That being said, certain effect shots here did not age well such as the miniature shots looking fake (because the camera used did not have a special lens to capture visuals that would have made the miniatures look believable). I should also state that there were certain effects shots that were recycled and reused in key sequences in this sequel which remains embarrassing to see. What is even more embarrassing to see here is the very poor-quality monster effects used during the nightmare scenes (conversion process) of Julie and, more notably, the presentation of Robin’s other child. The monster effects are so fake, they are laughable to watch.

On the bright side of the special effects, the quality of the laser blasts remains good to watch right down to the precise timing with the explosions that were simulated on-set and in-camera.

Conclusion

*The Visitors and Resistance key characters in the sequel.*

While it has its strengths and weaknesses, V: The Final Battle is still engaging and enjoyable to watch, and at the same time it is a worthy addition for your Blu-ray collection when it comes to HD viewing (note: this is the sequel with the best visuals yet albeit with black borders on the sides). Even though creator Kenneth Johnson was not too involved on the production side, the creative team managed to deliver a long story that proved to be a natural progression of the original mini-series while providing more spectacle (especially action), developing the established characters and resolving key plot threads that started in 1983.

The lack of Kenneth Johnson’s personal touch on the presentation was noticeable and somewhat brought this sequel down a bit in terms of style. What brought V: The Final Battle’s quality down were the overall cheaper looking visual effects, the Julie-Mike love relationship and the climax of the final episode which seemed executed with desperation on the part of the creative team (note: giving a little new character instant purpose). In fairness, this sequel still succeeded in showing what fascism in America (or California specifically which is now dominated by Commies) would look like and it built up on its predecessor’s themes such as the deception of power and the collaboration with foreign enemies. This mini-series even added themes of teenage pregnancy and abortion (note: someone from the creative team wanted to promote the wrongful Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision of 1973) to its narrative.

Does V: The Final Battle live up to its title? Absolutely not because a regular TV series that deteriorated in quality followed. In retrospect, it’s clear that this sequel marked the beginning of the decline of the V franchise in pop culture. What more, V: The Final Battle was never counted as canon in Kenneth Johnson’s 2008 novel (and sequel to the 1983 mini-series) V: The Second Generation. On its own, V: The Final Battle still has more positive stuff than negative ones and in my experience, it remains enjoyable and compelling to watch from start to finish. Compared to V: The Original Miniseries, I can say this sequel falls short. It is good, not great.

Overall, V: The Final Battle (1984) is recommended. That being said, let this 1984 mini-series remind you that there is so much evil in the real world in the forms of Iran, the terrorists of Palestine, the social justice warriors (SJWs), the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement and liberal media to name some. Always keep in mind to avoid becoming evil no matter how tempting power in this divided world becomes to you. You also do not want to let the evil ones take over your government and have authority over you, your family members and your community. Push back against evil and stand up strong by faithfully taking sides with the one true Savior whose name is Jesus!

+++++

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