comic review – Page 4 – Author Carlo Carrasco

A Look Back at Backlash #6 (1995)

December 20, 2024December 10, 2024carlocarrasco

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

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

For the newcomers reading this, Backlash is one of the major characters of the WildStorm universe which started in the early 1990s when the famous Jim Lee was one of the founding fathers of Image Comics. Backlash, Deathblow, Wetworks, Gen13 and WildCATS: Covert Action Teams were all connected with each other and many of the major characters were linked together in the Team 7 series of prequel stories.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Backlash #6, published in 1995 by Image Comics with a story written by Brett Booth, Jeff Mariotte and Sean Ruffner. Booth and Dan Norton were the illustrators.

Early story

The story begins inside the Wildlife Organization Research institute in northern Montana. After Dane and Grail (the Filipino soldier Salvador Joel Alonday) of Wetworks easily took out two guards, a third one suddenly tried to attack them only to be killed by Backlash. While the three of them are on a stealth mission, Backlash tells Dane that it’s not too late for Wetworks to pull out as it is not their fight. Dane dismisses the remark and insists on pursuing their objective.

Over at a medical institute in Detroit, Taboo and Cyberjack are operating on their own mission which is directly linked with that of Backlash and Wetworks.

Quality

*Backlash and the WildC.A.T.S. at the team’s headquarters.*

As the sixth issue of its series, this tale has a lot at stake and the writers took their time to balance the build-up with pay-offs and twists. Without spoiling the plot, I can say that a lot is at stake for Backlash as there is something really personal about the missions and the final scene. I can also say that this is a well-crafted comic book that was clearly made with Backlash fans in mind even as the creative team did their parts in expanding the lore of the original WildStorm universe using a clever mix of science fiction and paramilitary action.

I really enjoy reading this comic book and it also has some fine moments that defined Backlash’s personality. The added crossovers with WildC.A.T.S. and Wetworks added not only to the spectacle but also to the depth of the plot. This Backlash comic book is clearly not another adventure but an actual turning point for the former Team 7 member and the series as a whole. That being said, I am looking forward to reading the next issue.

Conclusion

*Backlash with Dane and Grail of Wetworks during the mission.*

Backlash #6 (1995) is a very solid read. Not only was it an improvement over the previous issue, it raised the stakes high and managed to live up to the expectations. The build-up is really powerful and the way the story ended justified it. I can say that anyone who managed to start reading each of the first five issues of Backlash will experience the power of the ending of this comic book. That being said, you better read all the previous issues before reading this one.

Overall, Backlash #6 (1995) is highly recommended.

+++++

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A Look Back at Team 7 #2 (1994)

December 13, 2024December 6, 2024carlocarrasco

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

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

Early story

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

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

Craven then enters the room to provide Lynch crucial updates…

Quality

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

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

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

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

Conclusion

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

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

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

+++++

A Look Back at Predator 2 #1 (1990)

November 29, 2024November 19, 2024carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, movie fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1990 to take a look at the official comic book adaptation of the movie Predator 2 (1990).

For the newcomers reading this, Predator 2 is the sequel to the 1987 movie directed by John McTiernan (Die Hard) and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. As the movie became a huge commercial success, it started a chain of events that led to the rise of the Predator entertainment franchise covering merchandising, comic books and video games to name a few. Of course, the development of a cinematic sequel happened and both the movie studio and filmmakers took their time to make it. Predator 2 was directed by Stephen Hopkins and it starred Danny Glover, Gary Busey and Bill Paxton.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Predator 2 #1, published in 1990 by Dark Horse Comics with a story written by Frank Henkel (based on the screenplay by Jim Thomas and John Thomas) and drawn by Dan Barry. Mark Verheiden (writer of 1989’s Predator #1) was acknowledged with special thanks. This comic book is the first of a 2-part comic book adaptation of the movie.

Early story

The story begins during a very hot day in 1997 Los Angeles. Police office Mike Harrigan rushes to the site of a major shootout between heavily armed gangs (Colombians and Jamaicans). The police managed to corner a gang to a building that was occupied by the foreigners. Knowing that a fellow cop is slowly bleeding to death and the SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) team are still stuck in traffic, Harrigan decides to take action against the armed gangsters with the support of his teammates and some police personnel.

After managing to get close to the gangsters by the building using his car, Harrigan manages to shoot them all and pave the way for his teammates to get closer. Harrigan does not realize that a camouflaged Predator is watching him from above.

At one of the higher floors of the building, the rest of the foreign gangsters prepare themselves for the arrival of the cops by gathering guns and ammunition. Suddenly, the camouflaged Predator crashes in on them…

Quality

*The Predator here is quite aggressive and even arrogant enough to suddenly fight the Jamaican gang alone.*

I am surprised how entertaining this first chapter of the 2-part comic book adaptation of Predator 2 turned out to be. While the accuracy is understandably less than 100% with regards to translation from cinema to literature, this comic book’s narrative is quite faithful to the events of the movie (from the start until the King Willie scene) and the film’s vibe was strongly captured. In fact much of the dialogue spoken in the film were mostly recaptured here, and the same can be said about the way the characters were portrayed.

For brevity and the maximizing of the pages made available, creative liberties or shortcuts were taken by the creators. This means that the presentation of details was carefully done to keep readers properly informed while managing to keep the fun factor and level of intrigue strong. Indeed, writer Frank Henkel did a very good job keeping things together to make the reading experience fun and engaging.

If there is anything that this comic book exceeds the movie on, it is the graphic violence. Artist Dan Barry really ramped up the bloody scenes and gore (examples: Mike Harrigan’s killing of two foreign gangsters with a shotgun, and the scene when Harrigan and his team were stunned by the sight of the many ruined dead bodies of gangsters who were just eliminated by the Predator before they arrived) as he used his own style to make the action scenes as intense as the ones filmed by Stephen Hopkins and crew. It was obvious he saw the movie.

Barry also had his own style on visualizing the characters without the authority to use the likeness of any actor from the film. Mike Harrigan looks nothing like Danny Glover while Peter Keyes does not resemble Gary Busey. Barry’s visual take on the Predator itself has a really distinctive look when compared to how other artists drew Predators.

Barry did not aim to achieve photo realism at all with the characters (who appear with a slightly cartoonish aesthetic), the locations and action scenes but I don’t find anything problematic with his work here. In fact, I enjoyed his way of translating the movie’s visual presentation into literary format.

Conclusion

*Mike Harrigan, Danny and Leona make their moves.*

Predator 2 #1 (1990) is a very enjoyable read. It strongly captured the vibe of the movie complete with the dialogue and the way the characters were presented. Very clearly, the Henkel-Barry duo did really fine work in this comic book adaptation and I am convinced to move on to issue #2.

Overall, Predator #2 (1990) is highly recommended!

+++++

A Look Back at Predator #1 (1989)

November 22, 2024November 17, 2024carlocarrasco

Welcome back science fiction enthusiasts, 1980s arts and culture enthusiasts, movie fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1989 to take a look at a significant event of the Predator entertainment franchise – the comic book launch of Predator.

For the newcomers reading this, Predator started as a sci-fi action movie in 1987 directed by John McTiernan (Die Hard) and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, and Jesse Ventura to name some. The writers and creators were Jim Thomas and John Thomas. As the movie became a huge commercial success, it led to the start of its own multi-media entertainment franchise covering video games, toys, novels and comic books. It also led to the release of more movies including a crossover film with the Alien franchise.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Predator #1, published in 1989 by Dark Horse Comics with a story written by Mark Verheiden and drawn by Chris Warner. The is the first chapter of a 4-issue mini-series and it would later be referred to as Predator: Concrete Jungle.

Early story

The story begins during a very hot summer day in 1991 New York City. A man killed his own wife using a shotgun which eventually leads to the arrival of cops, medics and his arrest. The two detectives Errol Rasche and John Schaefer (brother of Dutch) have been working together in the local war against crime and they have a tendency to do things that violate their superiors’ orders.

In one of the rundown buildings of New York, a secret meeting between two gangs got terribly disrupted by a Predator who attacked from the outside. Chaos and destruction followed.

Shortly after, Rasche and Schaefer arrive outside the same building which has been surrounded and isolated by the local police. When a man suddenly fell out of the building and crashed on top of a police car, the two detectives decide to enter willfully violating the order to stay out.

Once they enter the room where the secret gang meeting was held, Rasche and Schaefer are shocked to see many skinned and dead bodies inside. Schaefer is convinced that what happened was not the result of a gang war…

Quality

*A gang meeting about to be disrupted by the unseen Predator.*

This comic book – written as a not-too-obvious sequel to the 1987 movie – is absolutely very intriguing to read from start to finish. Mark Verheiden clearly wrote a crime story that happens to involve the species of deadly hunters from outer space. In fact, this comic book has very notable elements that also made it into the core concept of the 1990 movie Predator 2.

Story is set within a massive city that happens to be suffering from a heat wave – check! There is rampant crime and conflicts between gangs – check! The Predator causes huge disruptions on the criminals – check! The detectives willingly violate protocol to solve cases – check! One of the detectives is gradually getting closer to retiring and his pension – check. It’s almost as if this comic book was a huge influence on the people who made Predator 2.

Going back to the story, this is a strong tale of crime and urban war told through the exploits of detectives Schaefer and Rasche who have worked many years together, they treat each other like brothers (similar to Predator 2’s Mike Harrigan and Danny Archuleta).

With their record of disobeying orders, Schaefer and Rasche simply involve themselves in cases believing they have the right know the details on the spot and to solve problems their way even though their superiors don’t need them. This is the anti-authoritarian portrayal of law enforcers that easily reminded me of certain TV shows and movies of the 1980s.

All throughout, the story by Verheiden is nicely structured, has lots of engaging details to follow and carefully blends sci-fi elements with detective storytelling. Verheiden clearly knows how to build up tension, keep the narrative progressing and use action or spectacle with precise timing.

When it comes to the visuals, Chris Warner’s style is very good. His approach on drawing the characters made them look exquisite and visceral at the same time. In fact, there were some shots of people in this comic book which reminded me of Todd McFarlane’s way of drawing people during his early works in comics. Lastly, I should say that Warner’s approach on hard action and his way of drawing of the Predator must be seen.

Conclusion

*Rasche and Schaefer defy orders. Schaefer (holding the gun) is the brother of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s character in the Predator movie of 1987.*

I really enjoyed reading Predator #1 (1989). This is indeed really fine work by the Verheiden-Warner team and as far as building up the lore of the Predator goes, they clearly succeeded and their contributions here strongly influenced the creation of Predator 2 which opened in cinemas in late 1990. This comic book has the visceral touch and violence that make it comparable with both the 1987 and 1990 movies.

Overall, Predator #1 (1989) is highly recommended!

+++++

A Look Back at Team 7 #1 (1994)

November 1, 2024December 5, 2024carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Image Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1994 to take a close look at one of the many tales of the original WildStorm universe through one of the comic books of the first mini-series of Team 7.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Team 7 #1, published in 1994 by Image Comics with a story written by Chuck Dixon and drawn by Aron Wiesenfeld. This is the first chapter of a 4-issue mini-series. Also this year marks the 30^th anniversary of this very comic book.

Early story

Set in the 1970s, the story begins when the United States Special Forces Team 7 arrives in Iran with the objective of rescuing hostages. Led by John Lynch, the team encounters several Iranian terrorists along the way and eliminates them as they proceed with their mission. A lot of killings and a few explosions happened as they made their way into the facility.

Eventually, Team 7 discovers that the hostages are gone as they only found stuffed dummies made to look like hostages. As they are so deep within the facility, going outside to survive an incoming powerful bombing was out of the question. They decide to go deeper knowing that the facility has a hardened sub-basement that was designed to absorb a shockwave…

Quality

*See if you could recognize the WildStorm heroes among them.*

I can say out loud that this WildStorm prequel tale by the Dixon-Wiesenfield is a very inspired work of fiction that captures (intentionally or not) the vibe of R-rated Hollywood action and war movies of the 1980s. In my view, the tone and style of this comic book reminds me a lot about Predator (1987), Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) and Full Metal Jacket (1987). Of course, this is a tale about a band of brothers who risk their lives working overseas for their country taking orders from their superiors at International Operations (IO).

As a WildStorm tale, this one efficiently puts up the building blocks needed to define the key characters who would later become major WildStorm figures in what was back then the present day stories (set in the 1990s) told through WildCATS: Covert Action Teams, Kindred, Gen13, Backlash, StormWatch and more. At the same time, readers will get a close look at the developments behind closed doors at IO which itself appeared in WildStorm comic books with a much older Lynch as director. Of course, as this is the first issue the build-up would obviously continue in the succeeding issues of the mini-series.

*The team led by John Lynch fought the Iranian terrorists as they make their way through.*

The story itself has themes of espionage, political intrigue, Islamic terrorism and military conflict. It was made clear here that IO has a wicked director called Craven and the young John Lynch (the protagonist and future IO director) could do nothing but receive intelligence (no matter how limited) and execute orders that put him and his teammates in grave danger.

Along the way, you will see younger versions of WildStorm heroes Grifter (Cole Cash), Jackson Dane, Backlash (Marc Slayton), Deathblow (Michael Cray) as well as a few minor characters whose legacies will be felt in the present day stories (example: Gen13’s Grunge is the son of member Philip Chang). Oh yes, the banter and interactions between Team 7 members were very much inspired by what was portrayed in Predator (1987) and Full Metal Jacket (1987). While Lynch is the protagonist struggling with following orders and leading the team, the young Deathblow here clearly their most natural and aggressive eliminator.

When it comes to the visuals, Aron Wiesenfeld came up with a consistently dark and gritty look backed with uncompromising violence that strongly emphasizes the horror of war. He also has this exquisite approach on displaying the characters and the action portrayed was more of shooting, explosions and hard action. This comic book was released years before Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan (1998) hit the cinemas and caused some controversy with its display of graphical violence. In short, this is a comic book visualized with adults in mind.

Conclusion

*The cover of the variant edition of Team 7 #1 drawn by Whilce Portacio.*

Team 7 #1 (1994) is a very compelling read and it still remains one of the most unique comic books of the original WildStorm universe ever published. It is also one of the most defining war comic books published in the 1990s.

Considering the great work done by the Dixon-Wiesenfield duo, your enjoyment and understanding of this comic book depends a lot on how much you have oriented yourself with the mentioned WildStorm heroes who appeared in the comic books of WildCATS: Covert Action Teams, StormWatch, Wetworks and the like. I enjoyed this comic book a lot because I familiarized myself with Grifter, Backlash, Deathblow, Lynch and Dane before reading it. That being said, I urge you newcomers to get to know the said characters first before reading this comic book.

Overall, Team 7 #1 (1994) is highly recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at RoboCop 2 #3 (1990)

October 25, 2024September 27, 2024carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1990 to take a close look at the concluding chapter of the comic book adaptation of the movie RoboCop 2 (1990).

In my previous retro review, I found the 2^nd issue of the 3-part comic book adaptation mini-series that it lacked the impact of issue #1. It was understood that the comic book team was limited by the source material they had and the movie’s comedic scenes showing RoboCop not being his normal self were adapted. Those scenes did not translate into humorous comic book moments. At the very least, the build-up achieved by the comic book creators in issue #2 (which includes several internal developments at Omni Consumer Products) sets the stage for the final issue.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at RoboCop 2 #3, published in 1990 by Marvel with a story written by Alan Grant and drawn by Mark Bagley based on the movie screenplay by Frank Miller and Walon Green.

Early story

The story begins in Detroit where OCP executives press RoboCop (Officer Murphy) for answers about the spying he recently did on his ex-wife. It turns out that his wife was so traumatized over his death, there were therapists, hypnotists and other treatments involved to help her recover. As a result of the spying, his ex-wife now believes her husband is still alive. In response to questions, RoboCop gave answers that the OCP guys wanted – he is no longer a husband, no longer human, no longer Alex Murphy and he is simply a machine. The private meeting between him and his ex-wife did not go well.

Meanwhile, the City Government of Detroit organizes a telethon in an attempt to raise funds needed to pay off the $37,985,300 they owe OCP. The mayor receives a very important call from former associates of Cain (RoboCop 2).

Shortly after, OCP realizes that the City Government could pay soon and if they fail to foreclose Detroit, their stock will plummet. With the approval from the corporation’s chief, Dr. Juliette Faxx proceeds to launch RoboCop 2 with the mind of Cain inside it…

Quality

*The battle between RoboCop and his bigger rival (Cain) is action-packed and fun to read.*

As it is clear that the imagery and plot developments of the movie screenplay were adapted by the comic book creators with their very own distinctive ways throughout the mini-series, this comic book succeeded in concluding its 3-part story. In fact, this is a huge pay-off to most of the build-up that took place in issues #1 and #2. The much-awaited big battle between RoboCop and the Cain-controlled RoboCop 2 lasted eight pages and it was indeed action-packed and satisfying. Before the said battle took place, RoboCop 2’s debut is short, stylishly obscured visually and yet vicious to see.

Considering the huge amount of details the movie screenplay had, the Grant-Bagley duo managed to adapt the most relevant content efficiently while also telling a literary tale that is cohesive enough.

*This scene did not appear in the movie.*

What I found very notable is the fact that this comic book opened with RoboCop getting berated by OCP executives for his spying on his ex-wife. The said scene actually happened very early in the movie itself and to have it as an opener of this comic book added depth to RoboCop’s character development in this adaptation.

When it comes to weaknesses, there were times when Mark Bagley’s drawing of RoboCop 2 were off. RoboCop 2 was visually huge and intimidating in the movie but in this comic book, the size and scale were clearly lacking particularly in the shot where he is standing near OCP’s chief. The lack of visual details on RoboCop 2’s body showed signs of rush by the artist.

Conclusion

*Is your local government leader making secret deals with criminals in real life?*

RoboCop 2 #3 (1990) is a nice pay-off to the build-up that preceded it and, more importantly, it was a satisfying mini-series conclusion. As a standalone comic book, it has a good amount of plot details, dialogue and action scenes that can delight RoboCop fans. As the conclusion of the 3-part adaptation of the 1990 movie, it has a stronger focus on RoboCop and the plot moved at a better pace than in issue #2. The storytelling is good and the spectacle was much improved.

Overall, RoboCop 2 #3 (1990) is recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at Backlash #5 (1995)

October 11, 2024October 9, 2024carlocarrasco

For the newcomers reading this, Backlash is one of the major characters of the WildStorm universe which started in the early 1990s when the famous Jim Lee was one of the founding fathers of Image Comics. Backlash, Deathblow, Wetworks, Gen13 and WildCATS: Covert Action Teams were all connected with each other and many of the characters were linked together in the Team 7 series of prequel stories.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Backlash #5, published in 1995 by Image Comics with a story written by Brett Booth, Jeff Mariotte and Sean Ruffner. Booth did the artworks.

Early story

The story begins with Backlash having visions of his beloved Diane who eventually turns into a gruesome Daemonite monster. Suddenly his female companion Taboo appears to him only to betray him moments after.

In the real world, it turns out that Backlash is helplessly restrained and connected to machines in the presence of Mindscape and his assistant Virtual Bob. Wetworks leader Jackson Dane and Taboo have been contained separately and could only watch Backlash agonizing. Backlash’s mind has been infiltrated by Mindscape through the use of virtual reality.

Mindscape has been looking for a living subjects who could become suitable for his project of combat droids which require genetic information from the subject. Even though he knows that having two live subjects would confuse the combat droids, Mindscape gives the order to have both Backlash and Dane together in cyberspace…

Quality

*Backlash and Wetworks leader Dane face-off with Mindscape in cyberspace.*

With its heavy emphasis on virtual reality and cyberspace, the creators temporarily changed their approach on storytelling and showing spectacle while managing to introduce a new villain and show more of the friendship of Backlash and Dane.

In my view, Mindscape is indeed a very interesting antagonist who is not the typical super villain who is simply being evil for the sake of it. In fact, Mindscape’s origin was efficiently told here and by the time I finished reading this comic book, I found him to be intriguing. Before he became the powerful villain here, Mindscape used to be a very talented virtual reality developer. Mindscape looks at Dane and Backlash – both of which have extensive military experience as they used to be teammates with Team 7 – not for the sake of murder but as suitable subjects for his combat drones which signifies his intention to build an army that will serve him in the real world.

As this story took place a short time after the reunion that happened late in issue #4, this comic book shows a bit more of the friendship between Backlash and Dane, revealing small details about their past together as specially trained soldiers. With the way the story here was told, there was too little room left for any character development to happen but the small details revealed about the two WildStorm heroes was enough to inspire me to revisit Team 7.

In relation to the story’s concept about virtual reality, the spectacle here is much different and absolutely wilder. You have to see it for yourselves.

Conclusion

*Being trapped and helpless, Taboo could only watch Mindscape and ask him questions.*

Backlash #5 (1995) is an entertaining and intriguing read. This comic book also served as a suitable break from the norm of showing Backlash fighting bad guys in the real world and infiltrating places to accomplish his objectives. Backlash and Dane here were portrayed to be vulnerable as their conflict with Mindscape happened in cyberspace. The final conflict was a spectacle to look at and the story’s ending was satisfying enough leaving the sense that Backlash and Dane would meet each other again.

Overall, Backlash #5 (1995) is recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at Web of Spider-Man #31 (1987)

September 27, 2024August 25, 2024carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1980s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1987 to explore a part of the Marvel Comics shared universe through the Web of Spider-Man monthly series.

In this review, we will examine the opening chapter of one of the more significant storylines of the entire publishing history of Spider-Man… Kraven’s Last Hunt. Behind the scenes, writer J. M. DeMatteis came up with a concept about a limited series featuring the Marvel hero Wonder Man getting buried and returning from the grave. After getting rejected, the writer redeveloped his concept, proposed it to DC Comics (with Batman in mind), got rejected again and pitched the concept again to Marvel (with Spider-Man in mind) with a new villain who would really define the storyline. Marvel accepted the proposal and DeMatteis proceeded to write it while adding more Spider-Man elements to it.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Web of Spider-Man #31, published in 1987 by Marvel Comics with a story by J.M. DeMatteis and drawn by Mike Zeck.

Early story

The story begins with Kraven The Hunter moving and attacking like an animal interacting with life-sized figures of animals inside his castle. Afterwards, he slows down, gets a drink and walks into another large room that has an open coffin. He pulls out a black costume that carries the design of Spider-Man’s own costume. Kraven, who was a child when his parents arrived in America shortly after the overthrow of the Czar in Russia, is convinced that the world seem to have followed Russia’s sad example and he found dignity in the jungles instead of the cities. He found honor in the primal, not the civilized. He knows he will die soon and Spider-Man is the central part of his final pursuit in life.

Meanwhile in another part of New York City, Spider-Man discreetly attends the private gathering of several men in a bar who pay their last respects to the late Joe Face (a helpful friend of Spidey). As soon as he revealed himself, the men got scared of him and tension intensified. The webslinger pays his respect to Joe Face and puts several Dollar bills into the collection of funds.

Spider-Man then swings his way home…

Quality

*As Spider-Man travels, Kraven the Hunter pursues him obsessively.*

I want to state first that this Spider-Man tale has a dark and gritty presentation. The story feels really grounded with reality and it has an almost perfect atmosphere for the concept about Kraven getting ready to eliminate Spider-Man and do something very ambitious afterwards. The pacing of the storytelling moved at a medium pace and most notably, the build-up is really great to follow.

Without spoiling the plot, Kraven is truly the most featured character of this comic book as Spider-Man was written to be his moving target. DeMatteis invested a lot of creativity to build up Kraven not only as the definitive menace but also as a human being. Through the rich writing, Kraven is a man who developed and heavily prepared himself to achieve his goal. You will realize what he thinks about modern society, how he views life and why he is acting as if each day would be his last. As a villain, the evil of Kraven is very subtle yet he emerges as the deadliest foe of Spider-Man. This is truly a major development of the hunter when compared to his first-ever appearance in Amazing Spider-Man #15 (1964).

Through the views of Kraven, you will realize his own perception of Spider-Man which is intriguing to read as we readers know the webslinger’s true identity while the obsessed hunter does not. In relation to his obsession with Spider-Man, Kraven truly immerses himself with what he knows and does things that all other people would never do. I should also state that the hunter’s intense preparation has strong parallels with Batman’s approach on preparing himself for a major encounter.

As mentioned earlier, the webslinger is the target. Spider-Man appears as a disturbed and vulnerable figure and there is nothing that his powers can do to help him overcome his problems. As the build-up grows, the troubles of Spider-Man intensified which made the reading experience captivating.

Conclusion

*People getting spooked by Spider-Man’s sudden appearance.*

Web of Spider-Man #31 (1987) is truly a great read and it is also a very powerful opening of its storyline. By having Kraven as the definitive character and Spider-Man as the target, this comic book really subverted expectations backed with powerful writing by DeMatteis. Along the way, Mike Zeck’s artworks truly captured the dark and gritty tone of the script and this resulted in a very captivating visual presentation.

Overall, Web of Spider-Man #31 (1987) is highly recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at Action Comics #456 (1976)

September 20, 2024August 20, 2024carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1970s arts and culture enthusiasts, DC Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1976 to take a close look at a part of the DC Comics universe through a tale of the Action Comics monthly series.

If you know your entertainment history, you should be aware that Steven Spielberg’s Jaws made a tremendous impact on millions of people who saw the film in cinemas in the mid-1970s. The massive success of the movie caused some people to become afraid of sharks which in turn convinced them to avoid swimming alone at sea. Over at DC Comics, it just so happens that they have a super villain who is actually a highly evolved shark called The Shark (Karshon).

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Action Comics #456, published in 1976 by DC Comics with a story written by Cary Bates and illustrated by Curt Swan.

*The cover inspired by Steven Spielberg’s Jaws.*

Early story

The story begins inside the Metropolis Aquarium where Captain Strong, young boy Jayson, young girl Jill and others closely watch a tiger shark swimming. What the viewers do not realize is that the tiger shark they are watching is a super shark (The Shark) whose evolution jumped by eons as a result of a freak nuclear accident from the previous years.

The Shark is a highly evolved mutant (half-fish and half-human) endowed with fantastic mental powers. The Shark previously encountered Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) who caused him to devolve back to his primitive form as a tiger shark.

At the aquarium, The Shark moves closely towards Captain Strong and Jayson with strong glass separating them. Suddenly, Jayson is turned into a pool of jelly on the floor and The Shark uses its power to form a large stream of water to break the way out of the Metropolis Aquarium and into the air.

Meanwhile, Lois Lane and Clark Kent are riding the metro-island ferry. A giant water sprout emerges near them…

Quality

*The struggle between Superman and The Shark starts.*

While it was clear that DC Comics took a creative stab on people’s awareness of the movie Jaws, the Bates-Swan duo came up with a rather fantastic way of having Superman deal with The Shark. For one thing, the creators efficiently came up with exposition to keep readers informed about who The Shark is, why he exists and what his background was within the DC Comics shared universe. Next, the creators managed to make The Shark an actual threat to the people of Metropolis which serves as an efficient build-up for the inevitable conflict with Superman. The good news here is that Bates-Swan combined efforts turned out to be gripping and believable.

When compared to the many battles Superman had against the other powerful villains, the traditional collateral damage is pretty light in this story. This is because the creators used science fiction concepts and a little bit of real-world science to explain The Shark’s powers, how the water streams used by him got formed and why he has key advantages over Superman. These creative methods more than made up for the lack of hard action and there are explanations that made sense just before the story ends.

This comic book also contains a short, standalone Black Canary tale that ultimate served as added amusement that is not related with the Superman story at all. It should interest fans of Green Arrow.

Conclusion

*The Shark’s menacing face and power overwhelms Lois Lane.*

Do not let the Jaws-inspired cover art fool you. Action Comics #456 (1976) is actually an entertaining read thanks to the combined efforts of the Bates-Swan team. The Shark was a believable threat and the story was well written. To say that this comic book was just a cheap way of exploiting the popularity of Jaws by coming up with shark-related tale of Superman is not true. This old tale is a fun ride free from the politicized science and woke garbage that dominate modern-day entertainment.

Overall, Action Comics #456 (1976) is recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at Universal Soldier #1 (1992)

September 13, 2024August 18, 2024carlocarrasco

Welcome back comic book readers, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, movie fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1992 to take a close look at the official comic book adaptation of the action movie Universal Soldier.

Universal Soldier stood out among Hollywood action films in 1992 as it had Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren as the main stars and both of them were established action movie stars each with huge followings of fans. As it grossed almost $100 million worldwide on a budget of less than $25 million, the movie was successful and eventually sparked its of franchise of movies, TV shows, video games and comic books. NOW Comics was in-charge of making and publishing the comic book adaptation of the 1992 film.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Universal Soldier #1 published in 1992 by NOW Comics with a story written by Clint McElroy and drawn by Lenin Delsol. This was the first chapter of a 3-issue mini-series.

*The cover showing a photographic image of star Dolph Lundgren.*

Early story

The story begins in Vietnam in 1969. The American soldier Luc Deveraux arrives at a village that was secured by the U.S. Army. To his shock, he finds several dead bodies of his squad members and villagers, then encounters Sergeant Andrew Scott with two Vietnamese individuals (male and female) tied together near him. It turns out that Scott, who made a necklace composed of severed ears, has gone insane and executes the Vietnamese man. As Deveraux refuses to follow Scott’s order to shoot the Vietnamese female, the sergeant kills he. Deveraux and Scott shot each other to death and eventually their corpses were recovered by another squad to be cryogenically frozen.

A few decades later in Nevada, the elite counter-terrorism unit of the UniSol (Universal Soldier) arrives and among the members are Deveraux (identified as GR44) and Scott (GR13) who have been reanimated by the government with their past memories fully suppressed. Their team gets deployed to the Hoover Dam (Mackinley Dam in the comic book) to resolve a hostage situation…

Quality

*Operating very much like robots, two Universal Soldiers take down terrorists and manipulated their communication as they make their way through to save the hostages from the remaining terrorists.*

As an adaptation, I find this comic book a surprisingly accurate translation of the movie’s early part of the story (note: the literary narrative ends when Deveraux leaves with the female reporter). While not 100% of the film’s plot and visual details were captured, this comic book still succeeded in replicating the look, feel and tone of the movie. It is clear that the comic book team had access to the footage of the film and a copy of the screenplay (written by Richard Rothstein, Christopher Leitch and Dean Devlin).

Clint McElroy really stuck close to the film’s plot, the dialogue and the way the characters were portrayed. Again, not 100% of the relevant details were adapted and some liberties were taken but McElroy managed to craft a comic book narrative that was solidly structured, had sufficient details to keep readers oriented and engaged, and ensured the story moved at a satisfying pace. By the time I reached the end of this comic book, I got oriented with the story, the characters and the details shown in between.

*Like in the movie, this comic book emphasizes the government’s very cold and heartless approach on handling their Universal Soldiers who are treated more like tools instead of people.*

Lenin Delsol’s artwork here is really good. It is clear that he had access to the film’s production footage as several images of locations and characters here very closely resembled what was shown in the movie most of the time. When it comes to the action scenes, Delsol did not go for visual dynamism (note: the dynamic action style was common with superhero comics of the 1990s) but rather he portrayed the action with realism and varying degrees of brutality.

When it comes to visualizing the characters, it is clear that the creative team was not authorized to use the likenesses of the actors. Luc Deveraux looks absolutely nothing like Jean-Claude Van Damme while journalist Veronica Roberts does not look like Ally Walker. Ironically, there are a few images of Scott’s face that somewhat resembles Dolph Lundgren. The way I see it, it is not problematic to see the characters not resembling the actors from the film. In fact, I like the new character designs Delsol came up with for the characters.

Conclusion

This early scene sets the tone of the entire comic book. As for the characters, Deveraux look nothing like Jean-Claude Van Damme and Sergeant Scott does not look like Dolph Lundgren (note: in other images of Scott shown later in the comic book, he looked a bit like the actor).

Even though I was not a fan of the 1992 movie, Universal Soldier #1 (1992) succeeded in keeping me engaged and entertained until the end. This is a really good adaptation of the early part of the film and I like the approach the Elroy-Densol team took on establishing the literary experience. Of course, if you want more dynamic visuals of the Hoover Dam scene or if you want that strong rated-R vibe when it comes to hard action, you should watch the movie. As of now, I am convinced to look forward to the next issue of this 3-part mini-series adaptation.

Overall, Universal Soldier #1 (1992) is recommended.

+++++

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