comic books – Page 19 – Author Carlo Carrasco

A Look Back at Amazing Spider-Man #383 (1993)

May 23, 2023May 18, 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 culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1993 and explore a part of the Marvel Comics universe through one of the many tales of the Amazing Spider-Man comic book series.

To put things in perspective, the creative team behind the Amazing Spider-Man title decided to shake things up a bit by having the high-tech team called The Jury (the same team that went against Venom led by a powerful man whose son was murdered by Eddie Brock in Amazing Spider-Man #315) as the force of opposition for the webslinger.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Amazing Spider-Man #383, published in 1993 by Marvel Comics with a story by David Michelinie and drawn by Mark Bagley.

Early story

The story begins in New York with the super-powered being Nova flying around which triggers an alert. It turns out, members of The Jury and their leader General Orwell Taylor have been monitoring and scanning areas of the city with several motion detectors to find Spider-Man. As far as Taylor is concerned, Spider-Man is highly responsible for the existence of Venom in their world and is therefore connected to the murder of his son (committed by Venom while escaping from prison in Amazing Spider-Man #315). Taylor is convinced that the if Spider-Man’s freedom is the price for stopping a monster like Venom, then that would be good.

Suddenly, the team notices that one of their motion detectors went offline. Moments later, a technician reaches the rooftop of the building and finds a motion detector severely damaged. Out of nowhere, Spider-Man grabs the technician and puts his life in danger by moving him off the edge using his fist and strength to carry him. Spider-Man pressures him for details…

Quality

*The Jury’s hunt for Spider-Man is really entertaining to read!*

This is definitely one of the more engaging Amazing Spider-Man stories I read not only from 1993 but from the 1990s in general. In my view, putting Spider-Man up against The Jury is a stroke of genius on the part of the Michelinie-Bagley team and at the same time it was a sound relief after reading so much about the presence of Carnage and Venom on this particular monthly series (note: the Maximum Carnage crossover chapters and Amazing Spider-Man #375 being linked with the Venom: Lethal Protector limited series).

When it comes to The Jury, Michelinie crafted a script that justifies Taylor’s team to pursue Spider-Man after they failure on getting Venom. This shows that Taylor has acquired information about Venom’s origin being the result of Spider-Man bringing home with him the symbiote (alien costume) from his time on a far-away planet (as seen in the Secret Wars series). Creatively, this results in a very convincing portrayal of Taylor not only as a grieving father but also as a very tactical leader who uses vast intelligence and resources to achieve what he believes is justice and the means for achieving the greater good. As for The Jury’s armored members – Sentry, Ramshot, Screech, Firearm and Bomblast – Michelinie did not simply portray them as straight-forward, mission-focused people here. One of them shows hesitancy which added a nice layer of division and human weakness within the team which is felt in action-packed encounter with Spider-Man.

Being the target of The Jury, Spider-Man at this stage is deeply troubled even though the Maximum Carnage disasters are over. He is portrayed to be very disturbed by the alarm signals of his Spider Sense whenever he gets near one of the sensors of The Jury which is a unique display of his special ability.

Those of you who love superhero spectacle will find a lot to enjoy here! Mark Bagley’s art on emphasizing action and stunts is fantastic to look at as The Jury pursues Spider-Man within New York. There are lots of dynamic shots, flashy high-tech images and really intense superhero action complete with collateral damage!

To be clear, this comic book is not simply all about the webslinger and Taylor’s team. There are some scenes here building up on Aunt May’s suspicion about Peter Parker’s parents which added suspense to the narrative.

Conclusion

*As usual, Peter Parker does not have enough quality time for his wife.*

Amazing Spider-Man #383 (1993) remains a very solid and highly entertaining comic book to read from start to finish. The Michelinie-Bagley team really delivered the great stuff as they launched a new concept having The Jury hunting Spider-Man in successful fashion. The Jury is clearly a very formidable team that gave Venom and Spider-Man a lot of trouble. The notable thing here is that this is only the first chapter of a new storyline with focus on Spider-Man’s responsibility with the murderous Venom (and all the victims he made).

Overall, Amazing Spider-Man #383 (1993) is highly recommended!

+++++

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A Look Back at Amazing Spider-Man #381 (1993)

May 18, 2023May 15, 2023carlocarrasco

To put things in perspective, 1993 was another busy year for the iconic Spider-Man who not only had four monthly series of his own but also appeared in the Venom: Lethal Protector mini-series, the 14-part Maximum Carnage crossover and in Marvel’s major crossover The Infinity Crusade. As expected, Spider-Man survived through those storylines.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Amazing Spider-Man #381, published in 1993 by Marvel Comics with a story by David Michelinie and drawn by Mark Bagley.

Early story

The story begins inside the airport in New York where the incredible Hulk/Bruce Banner himself had just arrived from Scotland. Due to his tremendous size, his physical presence easily distract the people around him. Dr. Leonard Samson surprises Banner and informs him of an upcoming scientific demonstration and the scientists behind it have developed something that could have ramifications for people who got exposed to gamma radiation. Samson explains that there is a radiation virus that releases repressed emotions. The Hulk rejects Samson and leaps to the air above towards an unknow destination.

At a school yard in lower Manhattan, two kids bully another kid into giving them his lunch money. Spider-Man suddenly arrives to stop trouble and immediately the two bullies ran away…

Quality

I can say that is one of the more interesting crossovers between Spider-Man and the Hulk who at this stage in Marvel’s comic book history retained his intelligence and personality while in his huge, green-skinned form. Adding variety to the crossover was the presence of Doc Samson who was already an established and notable supporting character in comic books featuring the Hulk.

Set after the events of Maximum Carnage, the Infinity Crusade and Hulk’s time in Scotland (as told in Incredible Hulk #407), this story shows life in New York gradually normalizing. The peace, as it turns out, was only temporary as the big-time scientific demonstration in this story leads to a series of unfortunate events that compels Peter Parker to take action as Spider-Man.

The tale was nicely structured and the creative team took its time to build-up the story concept, the character motivations and execute the superhero spectacle at an overall medium pace. There is simply no boring scene nor any wasted moments. The appearances of Samson and the Hulk in this Spider-Man tale were nicely integrated and they each had their own impact on the plot. There is a lot of stuff here that fans of both Spidey and the green giant can enjoy.

When it comes to the art, I found Mark Bagley’s take on the Hulk distinctive and intriguing to look at. The final shot of this comic book is a must-see.

Conclusion

While there clearly is no villain, Amazing Spider-Man #381 (1993) still turned out to be a fun read complete with a fine crossover between Spider-Man, Doc Samson and the Hulk. Apart from the lack of space for character development, nothing here felt half-baked with the executions of the storytelling and the spectacle. This is a fun read and it was also a modern take on the personal encounter between Hulk and Spidey during the 1990s. This comic book has something enjoyable that fans of the two Marvel icons won’t find in any of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movies and shows.

Overall, Amazing Spider-Man #381 (1993) is recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at Superman #78 (1993)

May 17, 2023May 14, 2023carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1993 and explore a chapter of the Reign of the Supermen storyline through one of the issues of the Superman monthly series.

To put things in perspective, DC Comics fulfilled its promise to kill the iconic Man of Steel in Superman #75 (1993) which sold a whole lot of copies and the daring death concept made Superman a hot news item. After a brief period showing what the world is like without Superman, DC resurrected him in Adventures of Superman #500 which spawned the different Supermen and a new storyline (the Reign of the Supermen) which took effect on the four Superman monthly series of the time.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Superman #78, published in 1993 by DC Comics with a story written and drawn by Dan Jurgens.

Early story

The story begins with Lois Lane still thinking about Superman as she drives her car on a rainy night. At the moment, she still has not learned to live without him. As she is granted access into a facility of Lexcorp, she carefully thinks about the sudden number of many people around the country who claimed to have seen Superman.

Inside the facility, Dr. Meyer meets her and tells her that had met the Man of Steel sometime prior and he believes that the certain person who saved him and others was definitely the same person. Being skeptical, Lois Lane asked him if some other superhero saved them from certain death. In response, he shows to her an image of the heroic figure captured by security cameras. Lois recognizes the face and head even though some parts were shadowed…

Quality

Starting with the storytelling, I can say that this is one solid tale that really pokes the curiosity regarding Cyborg Superman…is he the real Superman or some very clever and capable impostor? Dan Jurgens really knows his Superman stuff and he used a clever approach on arousing the readers’ curiosity while still managing to move the story forward. As one of the early chapters of the Reign of the Supermen storyline, it was very obvious that things were set in motion to set up future post-death Superman stories.

The most engaging parts of this tale were the scenes between Lois Lane and Cyborg Superman (note: he sure looks like a Terminator-inspired take on the Man of Steel which itself was a daring concept back in 1993). Lois Lane here is clearly intelligent and for personal and professional reasons, she would not settle for words as definitive answers but have evidence scientifically analyzed right in front of her. Once again, this is a lively reminder that in the post-Crisis universe of DC Comics, Lois Lane is persistent on verifying facts to realize the truth (which is something clearly missing in today’s world of social media and news media outlets serving as loudspeakers for political forces).

While the storytelling remains good all these decades, what really aged badly in this comic book was the bastardization of Superman’s iconic imagery with some robotic influences of the Terminator mixed in that made him look science fictional in appearance. Of course, Cyborg Superman was just one of the Supermen in this storyline and the Reign of the Supermen concept was clearly an extension of DC Comics’ dishonesty behind the death and return of the Man of Steel. This also shows DC’s irresponsible handling of one of America’s icons. Let’s be honest with ourselves here…how many of you really want to see Cyborg Superman in live-action form in a future DC superhero movie from Warner Bros. and James Gunn?

Conclusion

*How many of you have this poster of a very bastardized image of Superman in your homes right now?*

While Superman #78 (1993) has a good story told and added to the mystery about the resurrection of Superman, it ultimately served as a build-up platform to set up further stories not only about the Man of Steel but also that of Doomsday (note: a big rematch happened a few years later). The image of Cyborg Superman is clearly a defamation of the iconic look of the Man of Steel and that alone really brought the overall entertainment value of this comic book way down in my view. I find it baffling that there was no major backlash nor an outrage from Superman fans back in 1993 over this.

Overall, Superman #78 (1993) is serviceable.

+++++

A Look Back at Web of Spider-Man #90 (1992)

May 10, 2023May 10, 2023carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1992 and explore a part of what was back then the 30^th anniversary celebration of Spider-Man

In what was back then a unique approaching to celebrating the anniversary of an American icon, Marvel Comics published not one but four specific Spider-Man comic books that had holographic covers and more pages than the usual. Each of those special comic books were from a different Spider-Man monthly series. Back in 2020, I published a retro review of one of those gimmick cover comic books from the Spider-Man monthly series.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Web of Spider-Man #90, published in 1992 by Marvel Comics with a story by Howard Mackie and drawn by Alex Saviuk.

Early story

The story begins inside an office in Los Angeles. A hat-wearing businessman has several varied figures of Spider-Man near him and recalls the time when the iconic hero participated in one of his events as the Masked Marvel. Moments later, the businessman’s wife arrives and together they departed in a limousine.

At the South Bronx in New York, Spider-Man chases a speeding car with one of its passengers firing a gun at him. Suddenly, his spider sense bothers him a lot and when he looks around, he suddenly sees Galactus standing with members of the Avengers, the X-Men and the Fantastic Four lying down helpless on the ground…

Quality

*Spider-Man on the set of an entertainment project. It’s a lively reminder about how sickening Hollywood (AKA Commiewood) can get.*

To make things clear and without spoiling the plot, this story deals with illusions and the distortion of reality. Quite ironically, the said distortion made it a challenge to follow the narrative and I can say that a good amount of the spotlight was on the businessman. Spider-Man is clearly the protagonist here but it made sense for the creative team to focus a bit on the businessman (who has been doing entertainment showcases for a long time) to justify the core concept about the conflicts between what is real and what is imaginary.

In relation to the illusion aspect of the story, you will get to see established Spider-Man arch-villains such as the Green Goblin, the Hobgoblin and Venom taking on the superhero himself. As the creative team focused more on providing a great amount of spectacle, there clearly was no room left for character development on Spider-Man. Don’t expect to see Peter Parker in dramatic moments nor see him interact with the established supporting characters.

If there is any moral lesson to learn from this comic book, it would be this – living with a powerful delusion (the result of personal obsession mixed with the personal failure to separate illusion from reality) can lead you to the wrong directions in life.

Conclusion

*To justify the 30th anniversary celebration, distorted flashbacks into Peter Parker’s past were presented here.*

Web of Spider-Man #90 (1992) does not have much depth for those who seek engaging storytelling. That being said, the story itself is not memorable nor would it leave a long lasting impact on you. This comic book was made to entertain readers with lots of action and wild fantasy images that eerily justify its concept about illusion and reality conflicting each other. In fairness to the creative team, the said conflict was consistently visualized and there were some dialogue that related to it in a somewhat philosophical manner. The comic book’s entertainment value is satisfying enough although it does not justify the holographic cover that was part of the gimmick with celebrating Spider-Man’s 30th anniversary. As for who was the main antagonist of the comic book, I simply encourage you all to read and find out for yourselves.

Overall, Web of Spider-Man #90 (1992) is satisfactory.

+++++

A Look Back at Harbinger #24 (1993)

April 17, 2023April 13, 2023carlocarrasco

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 review, the conflict between the Harbinger Foundation and Sting’s team got renewed violently. This resulted in an attack on the team of teenagers which led to one of them getting killed. With his other companions missing, Sting finds himself alone, desperate and outraged.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Harbinger #23, published in 1993 by Valiant Comics with a story written by Maurice Fontenot and illustrated by Howard Simpson.

Early story

The story begins on a very early morning. Desperate and very stressed out, Sting causes a disturbance inside a hospital in New Jersey by lifting one of their workers above the floor while pressing them for answers about the whereabouts of his surviving friends Flamingo, Faith and Kris. Already he has visited three other hospitals since the tragedy struck his team and took the life of Shatiqua. Sting remembers that an ambulance took his friends away after their rented house got burned down.

After calming down and getting told by one of the hospital workers that they have notified the police of his presence, Sting walks out and quickly got caught by a police officer. Also present were a few other police officers with their guns aimed at Sting.

As the tension of the arrest rises, Sting gets enraged and starts using his power to free himself…

Quality

*This is Sting at his most violent yet.*

I can that this Harbinger tale is not only a very solid follow-up to the previous issue, it also showed that the stakes and the suspense have been raised significantly. It also shows that the Fontenot-Simpson team had prepared something for the anticipated conflict between Sting and his former mentor Toyo Harada.

As the other team members were completely absent (note: the nightmare sequence does not count as presence for Faith, Flamingo and Kris), the story strongly focuses on Sting. Yes, as before, he remains reckless and impulsive, he lacks morals (note: he has a bad relationship with his father) and it is no surprise that he becomes suicidal in his desperate search for his companions. Along the way, you will see Sting at his most violent yet which not only blurs the line separating good and evil but also highlights him as a destructive force in human form. Simply put, this series’ so-called hero became as bad as the bad guys and this only added to the anticipation of the one-on-one battle with Harada. While Sting is relatable when it comes to caring and seeking his lost companions, he is also unlikable and very clearly his redemption has yet to happen.

Of course, Sting is not the lone character to follow here as a former Eggbreakers member gets involved. This is significant as the two had some things in common – both were under Harada as Harbinger Foundation’s pupils and left after they realized the wickedness within the organization. The difference here is that the other character spent much more time than Sting under Harada and he went on to get extensive training with the Eggbreakers which is the special team of powered youth under the Harbinger Foundation.

Conclusion

*Even though the police officer was doing his duty in accordance to law, Sting does not care.*

Harbinger #24 (1993) is a great comic book to read and it also served as a powerful build-up for the anticipated showdown between Sting and Harada (which itself was declared in the final page). The creative team delivered high-quality work here and this Harbinger tale highlights not only the conflict between Sting’s team and the Harbinger Foundation, but also what this monthly series was all about. This comic book has a powerful final page and even before reaching it, you will realize that the stakes have been raised a lot while the line between good and evil got blurred away.

Overall, Harbinger #24 (1993) is highly recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at Harbinger #23 (1993)

April 13, 2023April 12, 2023carlocarrasco

In my previous review, Faith, Flamingo and Kris – with her uncle as a companion – accidentally got reunited with Archer and Armstrong at Coney Island. It turns out Kris’ uncle had a negative encounter with Armstrong decades prior which compels him to approach a local crime boss for assistance. This led to a wild chase.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Harbinger #23, published in 1993 by Valiant Comics with a story written by Maurice Fontenot and illustrated by Howard Simpson.

Early story

The story begins with Sting, Flamingo and Faith surrounded by armed personnel at the Harbinger Foundation’s private hangar at La Guardia Airport in New York. Faith does something drastic causing a heavy object from above to start falling down on the armed men. One of the men fires his gun at a barrel of fuel which causes a big explosion.

In a room nearby, Shatiqua and Kris hacked a computer to acquire lots of confidential information from the Harbinger Foundation. After realizing the explosion that happened, they decide to work fast getting the information they need.

On the airport’s tarmac, a private jet is on standby waiting for clearance to take off. Inside is Walter Sakai, who is one of the most trusted men under Toyo Harada…

Quality

*Sting, his teammates and their major enemy Toyo Harada.*

Without spoiling the crucial details of the plot, the Fontenot-Simpson clearly made the moves to raise the stakes between Sting’s team and the Harbinger Foundation, complete with the build-up of a pending high-stakes conflict between their respective leaders.

Of course, this is the latest conflict between the two sides – one side has super-powered teens who want to live freely while the other is a powerful organization that has been developing its of super-powered youth members using vast resources as well as political connections. This time around, the creative team not only raised the stakes but also came up with some really dark and bizarre scenarios within Sting’s own team. The good news is that Fontenot came up with something new and surprising to keep this series going with a clear direction ahead. The mentioned dark scenarios visually have a horror film vibe.

As for Sting himself, he continues to take action recklessly and without any backup, he impulsively goes after one of Harada’s top executives without considering the consequences. At this stage, Sting has turned unlikable and it really looks like the boundary separating good and evil got blurred away. That being said, there will be moments in which you will feel like wanting to tell Sting he is doing things the wrong way.

Conclusion

*Very recklessly, Sting goes after one of Toyo Harada’s most trusted men.*

Harbinger #23 (1993) revives the rivalry between Sting’s team and the Harbinger Foundation, only this time there are some very solid twists that resulted in both surprise and intrigue when I read this tale. It seems to me that something tremendous between Harada and Sting was being built up. Considering the really good quality of this comic book and how the story ended, I can say I am looking forward to the next issue.

Overall, Harbinger #23 (1993) is recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at Armorines #3 (1994)

April 12, 2023April 10, 2023carlocarrasco

In my previous retro review, the armored Marines and their US Navy SEALs counterparts encountered mutated sharks as they struggled to accomplish their mission. Along the way, one of the Armorines literally got swallowed by a huge, organic object that went directly to him during the struggle.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Armorines #3, published in 1994 by Valiant Comics with a story written by Jorge Gonzalez and drawn by Jim Calafiore.

Early story

The story begins deep under the sea as the Benchley explodes and falls down further as a result of the mission. Gunny finds himself falling down as well as he no longer has his ballast and propulsion unit. Fortunately, an armored teammate of his saves him and pulls him up to the surface.

Several kilometers away from the site of the ill-fated Benchley, a huge organic-looking object enters the large hole on the side of a derelict ship. Strangely enough, the interiors have an alien design and the organic-looking object turns out to be a ship of its own. Two human figures with unnatural physical features come out of it and told their alien-looking troops to enter the refrigeration unit to “bring the ‘meat’” to Chantilla.

Inside the refrigeration unit filled with lots of dead human bodies, the armed aliens approach the Armorines suit only to find it empty. As they did not bother to search around to find answers, the Armorines pilot cleverly concealed himself among the other dead bodies pretending to be dead. He gets up after the aliens leave…

Quality

*The first display of the Armorines in action without the aquatic environment.*

After a good amount of build-up executed by the creative team in the first two issues, this particular comic book served as a big pay-off as well as a creative build-up of its own with the future events in mind. In fact, the sci-concepts introduced here along with new figures of opposition (specifically the humans with physical aquatic features) really lifted the storytelling to a whole new level of imagination laced with intrigue. Instead of seeing armed terrorists or an opposing force with military hardware to counter the high-tech Armorines, we see people who have a sinister plan, have been organizing violent operations on Earth and are of alien origin. These aliens, who are even studying human characteristics, were involved in conflicts with X-O Manowar and Turok elsewhere within the Valiant Comics shared universe. In fact, the two individuals who arrived early in the story came from their act of destroying X-O Manowar’s armor (read X-O Manowar #28). I should also state that the duo of Gonzalez-Calafiore cleverly emphasized the aliens’ plan to weaken the coordination and security of Earth’s forces so that they can escape undetected. What is even more intriguing within this comic book is the visualization of the aliens’ secret scientific developments and experiments on Earth.

Going back to the Armorines, you will see them in action without the aquatic environment. The way the creative team showed the Armorines in action against their alien counterparts turned out to be entertaining to read.

Conclusion

Given the fact that Democrats in America today love illegal immigrants so much, can you imagine them and their hordes of woke/socialist/Communist/Marxist/liberal/LGBTQ/transgendered voters welcoming aliens from outer space and allowing them to do bad things against humanity here on Earth? Imagine Joe Biden or Hillary Clinton making secret deals with these aliens.

I can say that Armorines #3 (1994) is a well-executed story that successfully paid off what was built in the first two issues and raised the stakes further with sci-fi concepts and a force of opposition that made impact elsewhere in the Valiant Comics shared universe. As I enjoyed this old comic book, I am looking forward to the next issue.

Overall, Armorines #3 (1994) is recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at Harbinger #22 (1993)

April 11, 2023April 8, 2023carlocarrasco

In my previous review, Sting has been suffering and was revealed to have mononucleosis. After having a nightmare, he stubbornly re-entered his family’s home in the middle of the night trying to reconnect to his past life as Pete Stanchek. He eventually learned something harsh about his estranged father and went on to visit him in the hospital.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Harbinger #22, published in 1993 by Valiant Comics with a story written by Maurice Fontenot and illustrated by Howard Simpson.

Early story

The story begins with Archer and Armstrong having fun at the amusement of Coney Island. They eventually bump into Flamingo, Faith, Shatiqua and Kris who happens to be with her uncle named Mel. Armstrong found Mel looking familiar causing the latter to feel uneasy.

Sometime later that day, Mel visits a bar in Brooklyn managed by a local crime boss called Anthony Carino. After going through some initial trouble with Carino’s tough talking employees, Mel finally meets with their boss and told him that decades Armstrong made a move on his fiancé and then he and his buddies ran him out of town. After revealing Armstrong’s name and his presence at Coney Island, the crime boss reacts with knowledge about him. It turns out, Armstrong busted up his bar sometime in the past. Carino agreed to help Mel get back on Armstrong…

Quality

To start with, I can say that this comic book’s main feature is the crossover between the team (minus Sting) and the duo of Archer and Armstrong which also serves as a reunion in relation to their time together during the Unity crossover storyline. This time around, these established Valiant Comics characters get to interact with each other during a more peaceful time and if you remember Armstrong delivering Kris’ child (note: Magnus Robot Fighter) during the Unity storyline, there is a nice scene between the two characters talking about it. As with other Valiant works of the 1990s, the crossover element here is strong and engaging.

On the story itself, Armstrong’s past encounter with Mel sparks a conflict here which eventually pulled Archer and the other team members into a wild chase that was somewhat entertaining. How the story ended was surprising and even intriguing. If you are looking for character development regarding Faith, Flamingo, Kris and Shatiqua, you won’t find much here which is a bummer. Again, the mentioned crossover is the key feature of this comic book.

Conclusion

*A reunion between Archer & Armstrong and the team (minus their leader Sting).*

While it shifted the focus away from the unlikable Sting, Harbinger #22 (1993) was more about a shared universe crossover between the other team members and Archer and Armstrong. In some ways, Armstrong himself was almost the main character in this tale and what he did in the past sparked a chain of unfortunate events that involved Kris, Faith, Flamingo and Shatiqua. As this comic book was more about crossover, it turned out to be a missed opportunity for the creative team to further develop the other team members. Still, this tale delivered some entertainment value and there definitely is something being built up for further issues.

Overall, Harbinger #22 (1993) is satisfactory.

+++++

A Look Back at Harbinger #21 (1993)

April 5, 2023April 10, 2023carlocarrasco

In my previous review, Sting and new recruit Natalie (Stunner) were inside the stronghold of Kaliph deep within the terrorist state of Iran. Sting’s teammates went there on a high-risk mission to rescue the two even though they had no real resources to deal with Kaliph (first appearance in issue #19) and his private army, and they also had very little time to spare. Regardless, the dangerous mission proceeded and the rescue miraculously turned out successful. The success, however, came with a certain loss.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Harbinger #21, published in 1993 by Valiant Comics with a story written by Maurice Fontenot and illustrated by Howard Simpson.

Early story

The story begins inside the New Jersey apartment occupied by Sting and his teammates. Although weeks had passed since the dangerous mission in Iran, Sting remains in weak physical condition and he had to be carried by Faith/Zepplin and Flamingo as his lover Kris checks out a letter that was hidden from her.

Even though he is obviously not feeling well, Sting lies to Kris that he is fine. Kris reads the letter which turned out to be medical results on Sting done by Doctor Heyward. Sting was diagnosed with Mononucleosis. The weak leader of the group then falls into sleep.

Sometime later, Sting endures a nightmare and wakes up sweating and feeling very troubled…

Quality

*A look at Sting’s troubled relationship with his father in the past.*

As a way of taking a change of direction following the previous two issues, this particular Harbinger story shifts the focus mainly on Sting and went ahead in explaining why he is such a flawed person, why he is reckless and even unworthy to be leading his teammates.

The core issue in this tale is Sting’s painful relationship with his father. Without spoiling the story details, I can say that the creative team succeed in not only dramatizing the strained father-son relationship, they also explored other elements from Sting’s past as Peter Stanchek – the young guy who had friends and lived a normal American life before his powers manifested and gradually changed everything.

More on Sting’s poor relationship with his father, the creative team came up with a pretty solid script and visuals that creatively emphasized the emotions, the pain and uncertainties on the part of the protagonist. More importantly, what they dramatized here clarified why Sting is immature, reckless and continues to live on with a distorted view of life that can be perceived as anti-family and even anti-social. Given the fact that he is unforgiving towards his father, the young team leader was revealed to be unworthy of not only of having super abilities but also unworthy of leading a group of friends who pretty much have faith in him. Sting is more than just a deeply flawed protagonist…he is also an unlikable superhero.

Conclusion

*Even though he is sick, Sting still remains dishonest with Kris.*

Harbinger #21 (1993) is a very power character study of Sting and the creative team deserve admiration for what is clearly the most in-depth development of the character so far in this series. It should be noted that the story, whether intention or not, clearly dramatizes that a person who rejects his or her father is often destined for frustration, pain, suffering and other negative elements in life. Even with super powers, the negative elements won’t disappear and the personal problems will continue to last long. If there is one thing that Sting could do to save himself and his family, it would be coming to his father with forgiveness and having the strong will to make peace with him and be willing to love him unconditionally. Ultimately, this comic book sets up Sting for a potential series of events that could challenge him personally as he continues to lead his team.

Overall, Harbinger #21 (1993) is highly recommended!

+++++

A Look Back at Armorines #1 (1994)

March 28, 2023March 25, 2023carlocarrasco

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 shared universe of Valiant Comics through the Armorines monthly series.

Before I start, I should state that the superhero concept of an armored human protagonist who could do many incredible things made possible by high technology made an impact on comic book storytelling for decades. Look at Marvel’s Iron Man and the Ultraverse’s Prototype for examples.

While Valiant Comics already had its own armored superhero with X-O Manowar (note: his armor is symbiotic, not technological), they decided to move forward with the concept of armored figures in the form of a military team.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Armorines #1, published in 1994 by Valiant Comics with a story written by Jorge Gonzalez and drawn by Jim Calafiore.

Early story

The story begins five hundred kilometers off the southern coast of Australia. Four people dive very deeply to explore nuclear-powered submarine U.S.S. Benchley which has been dormant for some time already. While exploring the interiors of the submarine, the divers got attacked by something in the dark.

At Camp Pendleton in California, an armored U.S. marine goes through an intense training session fighting machines not knowing that there could be traps waiting to get triggered. As Gunny (the armored marine in the session) falls into a trap, his teammates, General Kendall and the scientist Zahn watch the proceedings behind the scenes as another teammate (operating with virtual reality on her high-tech station) continues to communicate with him.

As time passes by, the situation gets even worse for Gunny physically…

Quality

Armorines has members who go out on the field wearing high-tech suits of armor while there are other members who serve as co-pilots using virtual technology and constant communication behind closed doors.

In terms of storytelling, the creative team focused mainly on the build-up of not just the plot but also the importance and the ways of the Armorines themselves. As weapons of the government, Armorines are an expensive team to run due to the use of very advanced technologies for operations. The Armorines have members who go out on the field wearing high-tech suits of armor that provide enhanced protection while also carrying high-tech weapons for offense. The team also has members who stay behind closed doors to use individual stations with virtual reality and enhanced communication with their brothers on the field.

When it comes to the characters, the smoking Gunnery is noticeably the one who got the most exposure and the most development. The other Armorine members got token exposure for the readers.

More on the plot itself, there is a mission that requires the Armorines to go deep underwater to solve a mystery and do something dangerous secretly. The mission was essentially all about protecting America’s top-secret weapons from falling into the wrong hands. To be clear, the mission itself happens in the 2^nd half of this comic book which ultimately serves as a pay-off to the build-up the happened earlier. In fairness to the creative team, there was a good amount of suspense presented when the mission really started moving. There definitely something worth seeing during the mission.

Conclusion

*In this story, Gunny is the closest thing to a definitive protagonist.*

To be very clear, Armorines #1 (1994) is not exactly the high-powered, action-packed story people could expect from seeing the armored marines looking capable of fighting terrorists and other enemies of America in militaristic fashion. This comic book’s story is indeed surprising to me and the creative team was not hesitant to push hard with the concept they came up with here. As this comic book was clearly executed with build-up, introductions and emphasizing concepts in mind, it is not surprising that the pay-off in the 2^nd half led to moments of intrigue and suspense with momentum going into the next issue. Lastly, I should state that this comic book is free from political influence and its focus on the team has been very consistent.

Overall, Armorines #1 (1994) is recommended.

+++++

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