Commiefornia – Author Carlo Carrasco

A Look Back at Hulk 2099 #1 (1994)

March 15, 2023March 13, 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 by examining one of the many tales of Marvel Comics’ 2099 line of franchises, specifically through the Hulk 2099 monthly series.

For the newcomers reading this, Hulk 2099 first appeared in 2099 Unlimited #1 (1993) which also had his origin story told. Hulk 2099 was not a mere version of the classic Incredible Hulk with a futuristic touch. In fact, the futuristic green creature highlighted the protagonist John Eisenhart as a very selfish and obsessed Hollywood studio executive who happens to stumble upon the idolaters/worshipers of the classic Hulk Bruce Banner because he was searching for new properties and stories for his studio. Hulk 2099’s origin has notable similarities to that of the classic Hulk and gamma radiation exposure is one of them. As tales of the futuristic Hulk were told through the quarterly releases of 2099 Unlimited, Marvel decided it was time to give the green creature his own monthly series.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Hulk 2099 #1 published in 1994 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Gerard Jones and drawn by Malcolm Davis.

Early story

The story begins with the Hulk of 2099 destroying security droids and verbally attacking civilization. As he retains the intellect of John Eisenhart, he expresses his opposition against civilization for keeping people out of the water reclamation zone.

The story then shifts to California where Lotus Entertainment (Eisenhart’s employer) and its crew work on producing a film which is a dishonest telling of Eisenhart’s dealings with the Knights of Banner (already eliminated in 2099 Unlimited #1). During the production, one of the executives notices the absence of Eisenhart.

Elsewhere, John Eisenhart drives his flying car with Knights of Banner youth survivor Gawain as his passenger. Already struggling with the guilt over the deaths of all the adult Knights of Banner members, Eisenhart intends to end his employment and cash out of his contract. Gawain remains hostile towards Eisenhart.

Quality

*The creative team used flashback images that look really similar to what was told in 2099 Unlimited #1.*

If there is anything that is very obvious to talk about, it is the fact that this tale shows a radically different John Eisenhart who wants to get out of Hollywood’s multiple mazes of crookedness as he feels very guilty over what happened to the Knights of Banner. This happens just as a new entity took corporate control of Eisenhart’s employer before he could leave the company. In many ways, Eisenhart’s distress and struggle with being guilty reminds me a lot about Hardcase of the Ultraverse and the way the creative dramatized him was engaging.

For the story, there is a lot of corporate intrigue going on and Eisenhart’s failure to quit quickly was inevitable because the new enemy he faces here has a lot to do with the sudden takeover of Lotus Entertainment. At least on face value, this looks like an attempt by the creative team to change the status quo and move Hulk 2099 to a new creative direction away from what was established in 2099 Unlimited. Without spoiling the details, I can say that something very significant happened before the comic book’s ending and it will impact readers who followed the futuristic Hulk’s stories closely in the 2099 Unlimited series.

Along the way, there is a lot of action and unfortunate physical happenings which symbolize the chaos concept of the script. The notable thing here is that you won’t see very much of Hulk 2099’s monstrous form as the script was specifically written to tell a tale that went beyond one issue. Clearly, the creative team were sparing Hulk 2099 for a conflict in the next issue.

Malcolm Davis’ art has that visceral aesthetic that fits the established look of Marvel’s 2099 universe of the time but there were instances when he showed so much happening, the visuals looked chaotic and even disorienting. In fairness, his take on Eisenhart, Quirk, Gawain and others made them looked recognizable.

Conclusion

*The future of Commiewood, wokeness, and dishonesty.*

While its story has little of the green monster in it, Hulk 2099 #1 (1994) does a decent job building up the tension on top of the guilt-filled Eisenhart while setting up events that looked like a bold new creative direction was coming. By the time this comic book was published, several Hulk 2099 tales were already published in the quarterly 2099 series. On its own, this comic book lightly builds up the lore of the 2099 universe as it was clearly focused on Hulk 2099’s creative concept and characters.

While Eisenhart was indeed determined to change, it is a turnoff to see him lie and exaggerate details to protect himself from a certain corporate psychologist who is after the truth. There is also a lot of anti-corporate expressions here which seems to suggest that someone within the creative team had been thinking with socialist concepts and decided to use the script as an outlet of expression. The weird but true thing is that by today’s standards, Hollywood is filled with Commies/socialists/Marxists/liberals/woke nuts from the film crew up to the executives that run studios and produce films or shows that are dumb, lies about reality, self-centered and extensions of their ideologies. This showed that this comic book was prophetic in some ways.

Overall, Hulk 2099 #1 (1994) is satisfactory.

+++++

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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.

+++++

A Look Back at Venom: Lethal Protector #4 (1993)

January 26, 2023February 4, 2023carlocarrasco

In my previous retro review, the core concept of the Lethal Protector limited series started to really take shape as issue #3’s plot got more intriguing and interesting to read while emphasizing other powerful forces Venom himself simply could not easily overwhelm. It is also the issue in which Venom’s past act of a certain murder comes to haunt him. The problem I had with that comic book was the creative team’s dramatization of Eddie Brock’s personal history which essentially ruined whatever mystery Venom had. Eventually, the comic book ended with Venom getting into trouble again.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Venom: Lethal Protector #4 published in 1993 by Marvel Comics with a story written by David Michelinie and drawn by Ron Lim.

Early story

The story begins inside a high-tech facility in the Mojave Desert. Inside, Venom is in captivity floating off the floor with high-tech machines keeping him prisoner. He is a captive of the Life Foundation and they have successfully extracted another spawn from Venom’s symbiote which causes tremendous pain on the part of Eddie Brock. It turns out, a total of five “seeds” have been extracted and the organization has big plans with them.

Over at Sta. Cruz in California, Spider-Man spends some of his precious time to stop some local criminals from causing anymore danger to the people. During his telephone talk with Mary Jane, he admits that has not been able to track Venom down but he has a new lead about weird creatures that have been spotted locally. A short time later, Spider-Man arrives at a shopping mall where tremendous damage of property have happened. As soon as he catches a lady and prevents her from hitting the pavement, he is shocked to see a long-haired woman wearing a living alien costume with features that are so similar to that of Venom. The symbiote-wearing woman (Scream) tells Spider-Man directly that breaking him in half will make the “little exercise” a complete success…

Quality

*Spider-Man takes on the “female Venom”*

To start with what is very obvious and clear, this story has Spider-Man overshadowing Venom in terms of literary presence as the plot has the titular character limited to captivity under the tight grasp of the Life Foundation. Given Spider-Man’s previous appearances in this limited series serving as a convenient tool for exposition, you will easily feel the Amazing Spider-Man monthly series’ vibes taking over this comic book’s narrative as Marvel’s icon became the protagonist of the story complete with spectacle and problem solving that drive the plot forward. This is not surprising as David Michelinie was already the lead writer of the Amazing Spider-Man monthly series and it only makes sense to shift the focus on the famous webslinger since his deadliest enemy (who has this very distorted belief about protecting the innocent and keep on murdering people he finds antagonistic) could not contribute much to the story while in captivity.

As reflected in the nice cover of this comic book, it is also Spider-Man who faces off with the “female Venom” herself Scream which leads to yet another Spidey-versus-symbiote villain battle but with a catch – Scream is simply inexperienced in battle and does not have any real strategy to deal with New York’s webslinger. That battle noticeably does not last very long and the short amount of superhero spectacle here paved the way for the creative team to make Spider-Man sneak into enemy territory and closer to Venom.

In terms of visual quality, I can say that things went way down as Ron Lim replaced Mark Bagley here. Lim’s art style of drawing people has this generic aesthetic on the characters’ faces – Mary Jane and Eddie Brock are barely recognizable. While Lim’s artistic take on Venom is clearly a big letdown compared to Bagley’s Venom (note: always looking menacing and unique), he ironically did a decent job visualizing Scream. Lim’s most dynamic shots of superhero action lacked impact. Regardless, Lim’s art is not so appealing compared to Bagley’s. Also it is quite noticeable that Lim drew Venom to be much bulkier with exaggerated muscles.

Conclusion

*The most notable concept in this comic book.*

Considering all the details I mentioned above, Venom: Lethal Protector #4 (1993) is technically an Amazing Spider-Man comic book that just so happens to have Venom much less significant in this particular part of his own limited series. There really was not much room for the creative team use as far as Venom is concerned. Of course, this is all part of a build-up heading into the final two parts of this limited series and it is obvious that Venom would become prominent again. This comic book’s most notable feature was its concept about the Life Foundation extracting seeds from Venom’s living costume but considering what happened, there was not much room to really build-up on the idea that more symbiote-wearing people will emerge. Scream was essentially a warm-up. Ultimately, Spider-Man fans will have a lot to enjoy here while Venom fans will not have much to enjoy.

Overall, Venom: Lethal Protector #4 (1993) is serviceable.

+++++

A Look Back at Venom: Lethal Protector #3 (1993)

January 11, 2023January 3, 2023carlocarrasco

In my previous retro review, Venom discovers a long lost section of San Francisco that fell deep underground. Even though it is cut off from the resources and fresh air of modern San Francisco, the lost city section is filled with homeless people and social outcasts. Even though he helped the city dwellers by defeating the two armed mechs (employed by a powerful organization who oppose the city dwellers and are in pursuit of something related to San Francisco’s park), Venom still gets rejected by the so-called council. This only led him to returning to the surface not knowing that he is being targeted by a certain group.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Venom: Lethal Protector #3, published in 1993 by Marvel Comics with a story written by David Michelinie and drawn by Mark Bagley.

Early story

The story begins with Venom suffering from a sonic blast while being restrained by one of the armed members of the group called The Jury. Their leader (who wears a suit and necktie) introduces himself as Orwell Taylor and he addressed Venom as Mr. Brock. It turns out Taylor spent lots of time and resources researching everything about Brock and the alien costume. More shockingly, The Jury’s leader reveals that he lost his son Hugh years ago due to Venom’s arranged killing of him as he escaped from his prison cell in the federal prison called The Vault. Hugh Taylor is the first man Venom killed when he escaped.

Venom responds by say that he and his symbiote did not want to hurt anyone. This provokes Orwell Taylor into anger and he orders The Jury to kill Venom. Due to the lengthy explanations of Orwell Taylor, Venom managed to recover and regain strength which he uses to free himself and throw one Jury member to another causing quick chaos.

After punching another Jury member, Venom then moves out of the alley and away from Taylor and his team…

Quality

*Very clearly, The Jury is a very formidable force of opposition. Their battle with Venom here comes with a lot of spectacle.*

In terms of storytelling, this one is another improvement over issue #2 (which itself is an improvement over issue #1) as the plot got more interesting and even intriguing. For one thing, I like the fact that David Michelinie recalled Venom’s murderous escape from prison told way back in Amazing Spider-Man #315 (1989) and came up with the establishment of a very angry powerful father who formed the dangerous cybernetic team called The Jury. In a rather symbolic way, this comic book shows how Venom’s past comes back to haunt him and creatively, the battles between Venom and The Jury here are packed with a lot of action and visual dynamism delivered by Mark Bagley. The irony is that The Jury itself is not the main antagonist of this limited series as they are clearly presented to be a recurring force of opposition within Spider-Man’s realm in Marvel Comics’ shared universe of the time.

Still on the plot, the sinister organization hounding the dwellers of the lost city was revealed to be the Treece group whose leader is pursuing something very valuable to feed his greed. Still, even though this is already the third issue, the Treece organization’s presence is very subtle and as the force of opposition towards Venom, they are outclassed by The Jury.

As in the previous issue, Spider-Man got a good share of the spotlight but this one is even more limiting which should delight Venom fanatics who complained about Marvel’s icon overshadowing their guy with the symbiote. Spider-Man serves mainly as a tool for exposition as the creative team showed images from the past of Eddie Brock with his father (whom Spider-Man approached for answers).

The problem here is that showing flashbacks from the past and explaining how Eddie Brock became bitter and sinister as a result of receiving almost no affection from his father ruins the mystery of Venom as a character. During the time of Todd McFarlane drawing Amazing Spider-Man comics and the early Venom tales, the mystery of Eddie Brock’s past added to the intrigue of Venom and his quick rise as the deadliest villain Spider-Man ever faced. I understand that this limited comic book series had Venom as the protagonist who was in high demand among readers of the time but for me the creative team went way too far emphasizing Eddie Brock’s past.

Nothing changes the fact that Eddie Brock aided by the alien costume is a murderer who happens to have previously been a prolific print media journalist whose career got ruined by Spider-Man which in turn led him to a downward spiral and eventually to bonding with the symbiote that once bonded with Peter Parker. The flashbacks were pointless and if there really was an attempt to humanize Eddie Brock and make him sympathetic to readers, the creative team clearly failed.

Conclusion

*Spider-Man with Eddie Brock’s father in California.*

Venom: Lethal Protector #3 (1993) is a mixed bag. Its plot is clearly more intriguing and more interesting to read while there was enough creative space to show The Jury as a powerful force of opposition which is the result of Venom’s murder of Hugh Taylor (read: Amazing Spider-Man #315) while making a prison escape. The spectacle of the battle between Venom and The Jury must be seen! However, the creative team’s move to dramatize Eddie Brock’s past using flashbacks back-fired in my opinion and ultimately they destroyed whatever mystery was left behind Venom. As a protagonist, Venom has no appeal whatsoever and his portrayal here only reminds me that he works best as an antagonist opposite Spider-Man. Venom as a hero for those he perceived to be innocent and helpless remains forced and unconvincing.

Overall, Venom: Lethal Protector #3 (1993) is satisfactory.

+++++

A Look Back at Venom: Lethal Protector #2 (1993)

December 21, 2022December 19, 2022carlocarrasco

In my previous retro review, Eddie Brock returned to his hometown of San Francisco following the events of Amazing Spider-Man #375 (1993). Living with his very distorted belief of protecting the innocent by doing unrelenting acts of violence on others, he begins to get involved with helpless people who happened to be hounded by agents of a certain private organization that wields power. Along the way, Spider-Man arrives in the city find Venom.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Venom: Lethal Protector #2, published in 1993 by Marvel Comics with a story written by David Michelinie and drawn by Mark Bagley.

Early story

The story begins deep underneath the city of San Francisco. Venom, who is caught by the large mechanical fist of a walking mech (piloted by a man working for Roland Treece’s organization), finds himself on the deeply buried section of the city and around them are vagrant people who settled and became residents of a local society that the rest of America does not even know exists.

As the local residents caught the attention of the pilot, Venom breaks free by smashing the mechanical fist into pieces. Another mech suddenly jumps into place near the first one. In response to the first mech’s sudden killing of a local resident (who was armed with a shotgun), Venom jumps to it and kills the pilot inside by punching into the cockpit. Venom then grabs a long sharp object and kills the pilot of the other mech with it.

While the locals were hostile and afraid of Venom, the other people (who were assisted on the surface by Venom) come to support him and tell their fellow underground residents that he is not their enemy. One of the local council members stated that a meeting at the council hall will be held and Venom will attend it…

Quality

*With exposition in mind, Spider-Man here does most of the detective work. Understandably, he is not involved with the superhero spectacle.*

Compared to issue #1, this story has a more interesting setting which is the buried and forgotten section of San Francisco which was the result of the 1906 earthquake. Showing that the lost section has a local population composed of homeless people and those who reject the modern society above was a bright idea nicely executed by the Michelinie-Bagley team as it added some depth into Marvel Comics’ own version of San Francisco.

It was also in the underground city and with the residents where we get to see Venom do his own distorted acts of heroism backed by killing, and see how he fared when trying to win the trust of the locals whose members include those who read about him in the news and those who completely know nothing about him.

Through his interactions with the underground people, Eddie Brock is portrayed to be a bit more human compared to what happened in issue #1. For a man who has gotten very used to using extreme forms of violence and committing multiple acts of murder, it is surprising to see Brock looking and acting more civil in the presence of Americans (and perhaps illegal immigrants) who settled deep underground and established their own rules (note: Eddie Brock does not care about rules while having the alien costume). Still, you will see Venom engage in violent superhero action and even do a bit of detective work.

As with the previous issue, the iconic Spider-Man got a good share of the spotlight in the story as he searches for details about Venom which leads him to finding his rival’s estranged father. Spider-Man’s presence here is noticeably lessened compared to issue #1 and his own search for answers creatively served as exposition. Don’t expect to see any superhero spectacle from Spider-Man.

Without spoiling details and names, I should state that this comic book marks the debut of a ream of armed mercenaries led by a powerful man who lost a son because of what Venom did in Amazing Spider-Man #315 (1989).

Conclusion

*The violent nature of Venom displayed.*

Venom: Lethal Protector #2 (1993) is a marginal improvement over the first issue in terms of storytelling and setting. Part of the big build-up that happened in issue #1 started to get paid-off in this comic book which allowed for the plot to move forward at a more satisfying pace. Venom and Spider-Man share the spotlight again, but this time the edge goes to the black-wearing murderer who also has the benefit of being part of the superhero spectacle here. At this point of the mini-series, Venom is not only facing elements of the Treece organization (which has been organizing something that could impact San Francisco and its people) but also a new force of opposition that is related to something he did a few years prior. That being said, Venom is first and foremost a murderer that Marvel wanted to make big money out of.

Overall, Venom: Lethal Protector #2 (1993) is satisfactory.

+++++

A Look Back at Venom: Lethal Protector #1 (1993)

December 7, 2022December 19, 2022carlocarrasco

To put things in perspective, the origin of Venom started within the events of the 1980s series Secret Wars which took place in a far-away planet. As a result of that series, Spider-Man returned home wearing the alien symbiote as a costume which turns out to have a mind of its own. After Spider-Man successful separate himself from the symbiote (again) using the loud bells of a church, the living costume eventually found a desperate Eddie Brock and bonded with him to form Venom. In the late 1980s comics of Amazing Spider-Man, Venom became the deadliest enemy Spider-Man ever faced.

Going into the early 1990s, Venom’s popularity continued to grow tremendously. He became one of Marvel’s most popular non-hero type of characters and helped sell a lot of comics for the publisher. Knowing they had something to sell, Marvel approved a 6-issue limited series showcasing Venom. It was also the most anticipated comic book among collectors right after DC Comics killed Superman with Superman #75 (1993).

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Venom: Lethal Protector #1, published in 1993 by Marvel Comics with a story written by David Michelinie and drawn by Mark Bagley.

Early story

The story begins in San Francisco, California. Deep within the city, a man cornered a lady at the dead end of an alley. Just as he was about do something bad to her, Venom leaps in at them. Totally surprised, the man was easily grabbed by Venom who lifted him and hit the wall bodily. Using his costume, Venom then chokes the man to death through the mouth and nose. Venom then picks up the lady’s purse and gives it to her. As soon as Venom leaves, the shocked lady runs away screaming.

Venom swings and leaps as he travels through the city. While traveling, Eddie Brock tells his living costume that while their hatred towards Spider-Man got reconciled a bit, the said superhero also helps the innocent. Eddie then reveals that he was born in San Francisco and they can start a new life together in it. Secretly, Venom turns into Eddie Brock in his civilian form. As Brock walks down the sidewalk, police officers nearby recognize him. It turns out. Eddie Brock was listed by police as a wanted person…

Quality

*Spider-Man and Venom face each other unexpectedly.*

Focusing on the plot, this story took place after the events in Amazing Spider-Man #375 (1993) which was released AFTER this particular comic book. As a standalone Venom story, this one clearly portrays him more of a vigilante in the sense that he goes up against a new force of evil that happens to be pouncing on people that Venom believes to be innocent and powerless. Unsurprisingly, Venom does not seek the help of law enforcers to help the innocent but rather he takes violent action to help the victims, going as far as to kill the so-called bad guys. The bad guys in this story work under a powerful man whose son was killed by Venom a few years prior. Within the context of this comic book, the new force of evil was introduced in subtle ways.

With extensive experience writing tales about Spider-Man and Venom, David Michelinie clearly redefined Venom’s beliefs here. Venom believes in protecting the innocent but he is much more violent and is relentless with cruelty which makes him a clear opposite of Spider-Man. Yet in a way, Venom sure talks and acts in a rather psychotic way and this alone makes him a very unlikable comic book protagonist.

Along the way, the iconic Spider-Man got a rather huge chunk of the spotlight in this comic book making him the 2^nd lead next to Venom. I remember back in 1993 when there were Venom fans who complained about Spider-Man literally stealing the thunder away from his greatest enemy while there were a few Spider-Man fans who defended the icon’s guest participation in the story as he has always been linked with Venom’s origin. Considering the lack of depth in the plot, I can say Spider-Man appearance her served as a somewhat helpful filler.

Conclusion

*Helping victims does NOT justify killing. This makes Venom a major turn-off as a comic book protagonist.*

Venom: Lethal Protector #1 (1993) is a comic book that can be alienating, especially when you are not a Venom fan. I find Venom too evil and too unbelievable to be a heroic figure even though he strong believes in protecting and helping the innocent. In my view, he is more of vigilante living with the delusion of achieving something worthwhile as he interacts with people who happen to be not assisted by the many, many Marvel Comics superheroes. It is not surprising that Venom definitely will never be a good role model. He is a murderer and the act of helping victims never justifies murder. The comic book’s plot lacks weight and Mark Bagley’s art looked a little rushed. What made this comic book interesting are Venom and Spider-Man themselves. Yes, there is a lot of superhero spectacle here but don’t expect anything new when you see Spider-Man and Venom resume their violent rivalry. This comic book is unsurprisingly a warm-up of things to come within its series. It is not a terrible literary work. It’s just not really good and it did not deserve the hype and sales of its time.

Overall, Venom: Lethal Protector #1 (1993) is serviceable.

+++++

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 5

December 5, 2022December 1, 2022carlocarrasco

Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?

I recommend you watch the following videos below…

#1 Elizabeth Holmes’ scandal and punishment – In case you missed the news, the heavily hyped Silicon Valley personality Elizabeth Holmes was sentenced to eleven years in prison as a result of the big fraud at her company Theranos. A lot of crookedness and lying happened behind the scenes at Theranos as the years passed by and America’s media highlighted Holmes (who is an idolater of the late Steve Jobs) as an icon. Holmes’ invention of testing blood using only a tiny drop never really worked and Theranos resorted to deception using conventional blood testing machines. To fully understand the background details, what Theranos was and how tremendous the fraud was, watch the videos below. The fourth video below is about the sentencing.

#2 Starfield updates – Starfield is an ambitious science fiction role-playing game being made by Bethesda exclusively for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Windows PC for release sometime in 2023. You can read my preview about it by clicking here. The video game was originally scheduled for a November 2022 release but a delay into 2023 was made. This only added further to the anticipation of the game (note: it will also debut on Xbox Game Pass for subscribers to enjoy). To learn more about Starfield, watch the videos below. The third video at the bottom has the latest updates.

#3 Worship video of God of the Breakthrough – There is another original worship song by New Life Music that I want to share with you all – God of the Breakthrough. Composed by Chynna Cuna, Dem Mokamad, Jed Patricio, Gianna Bautista and Joed Avila, the song emphasizes that the Lord is our Creator, our Provider (Jehovah Jireh), our Ultimate Love, our Miracle Worker, our Guiding light, our Protector, our Redeemer, our Healer and our Ultimate and All-Powerful Authority! The Lord loves the faithful and His care, blessings and guidance still continue! God of the Breakthrough’s lyrics are indeed holy and you can find more by reading my Christian Music Appreciation (CMA) article about it. Posted below is the official worship video.

#4 Informative videos about traveling to Israel – If you are planning to visit Israel, you need to do research for your personal safety, to get the best value out of your money, how to travel efficiently, what to do (and what to avoid doing) and more. Israel is where the Holy Land is and Jerusalem is its eternal capital. In recent times, visitors from around the world have traveled to Israel in high numbers. There is no denying that Israel is the land that God designated for the Jewish people (refer to Genesis 12:1-3 and Genesis 35:10-12 in the Holy Bible). Posted below are videos from TravelingIsrael.com and from Ms. Emily (note: Tagalog language).

#5 Looking back at Steven Spielberg’s Jaws – If you are tired of modern day movies or if you have been disappointed with Steven Spielberg’s movies over the past decade, then going back to one of the director’s most acclaimed works in cinema would be a refreshing experience. The classic movie directed by Spielberg I’m talking about is none other than Jaws (1975). Posted below for your enjoyment are a variety of reaction videos plus a trivia-oriented video by Minty Comedic Arts.

#6 Ashleigh Burton crying – Some of you who have seen enough movie reaction videos by YouTube Asheigh Burton should have realized by now that she is a jolly person. Having seen many of her videos myself, there were lots of times when she laughs even though she was reacting to movies that were not comedies at all. There are certain movie reactions videos of hers in which she got to cry as those respective films touched her deeply. Take note that she does not cry all the time but in key scenes. Watch the reaction videos of hers below.

#7 Worship video of Encounter Song – The Australia-based church Planetshakers continues to keep leading people to the Lord through their worship services, worship events and, of course, their worship music. Among the many, many original worship songs that I want to share with you today is the Encounter Song (note: read my feature of it by clicking here). The song is indeed holy and it definitely should be heard by Christians who are devoted to the Lord, and even to the many lost souls and unsaved souls around the world. Very clearly, Planetshakers was anointed by the Lord to compose it. Posted below is the official worship video of the Encounter Song.

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I Love Israel: Philippine Navy plans to acquire more Israel-made missile boats

December 1, 2022November 29, 2022carlocarrasco

The Philippine Navy (PN) is looking towards Israel with regards to their plan to acquire several more missile boats, according to a news article by the Philippine News Agency (PNA). To be specific, they are looking for Israel-produced Shaldag Mark V missile boats. Thank note that Philippine Navy recently received two new missile boats made in Israel.

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

The Philippine Navy (PN) is planning to acquire at least 15 more Israel-made Shaldag Mark V missile boats, which are the basis of its Acero-class patrol gunboats.

“We are planning to get 15 additional ‘Acero’-class gunboats (to augment the) nine (now on the pipeline),” Navy chief Rear Adm. Toribio Adaci Jr. told reporters on the sidelines of the commissioning and send-off ceremony for the fast attack interdiction craft missiles (FAIC-Ms) BRP Nestor Acero (PG-901) and BRP Lolinato To-Ong (PG-902) Monday.

Adaci said the additional “Acero”-class gunboats would help them to meet their requirements in “patrolling the seas of the country”. He also said the FAIC-Ms will be assigned to the Littoral Combat Force.

He said four more FAIC-Ms, the other name of the “Acero” class in the PN service, will be delivered sometime in 2023.

“I don’t know the exact delivery dates next year but this shall be throughout (next year),” the PN chief added.

The last batch of three, which will be built at the PN shipyard in the Naval Station Pascual Ledesma in Cavite, is scheduled for 2024.

Adaci said Israel Shipyard Limited will help the PN rehabilitate the old shipyard and make it more modern and allow it to build these types of ships.

“In that way, our people can learn how to do it, maintain these ‘Acero’ class boats and that will be the start of the transfer of technology,” he said.

These 32-meter high-speed vessels are equipped with quick intercept ability, remote stabilized weapons, and short-range missiles that are capable of delivering precision strikes against larger hostiles and high-value targets on land and sea.

Four of the FAIC-Ms will be armed with non-line-of-sight (NLOS) missiles with pinpoint accuracy and a range of 25 kilometers while the other five will be armed with Typhoon-mounted 30mm main cannons and .50 caliber heavy machine guns.

The acquisition of these FAIC-Ms is among the 2019 projects approved by former President Rodrigo Duterte under the Horizon 2 List of the AFP Modernization Program.

The notice of award for the FAIC-M project, worth around PHP10 billion, was issued on January 5 last year. These are expected to replace the force of patrol killer medium or medium-sized patrol craft.

For the newcomers reading this, Israel is a military super power as well as a provider of advanced technologies which authorities here in the Philippines are realizing even more in relation to their military needs and objectives. For far too long have locals been obsessed with Silicon Valley (California, the United States) for just about anything related to technology. Many do not realize it but Israel is a major player in technology. As such, we should be thankful to the Lord that the Philippine Navy continues to look at Israel for new military hardware which is surely beneficial.

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 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 and bless their people!

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

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What to watch on YouTube right now

November 8, 2022November 18, 2022carlocarrasco

Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?

I recommend you watch the following videos below…

#1 Ashleigh Burton’s Friday The 13^th Part 2 movie reaction video – I have seen many movie reaction videos about the Friday The 13^th film franchise and among the many YouTubers who published such videos, it is Ashleigh Burton (AKA Awkward Ashleigh) who stands out the most as she is the most entertaining to watch. To find out why, I recommend you watch her video reaction of Friday The 13^th Part 2 below from start to finish. Tell me what you think of the video and the presentation by Burton.

#2 Starbucks’ failure in Australia – Starbucks may be the leading coffee shop chain in the world but there are certain markets where they failed and/or have been struggling in. One notable market they could not make a big impact on is Australia. To find out why Starbucks’ reception among the many coffee-loving Australians did not turn out positively, watch the video below.

#3 KFC’s struggle in Israel – Still on food business, KFC’s struggle in Israel is quite notable and even educational to learn from. Their problem in that nation goes beyond competition. Watch this video and pay close attention to the details.

#4 The 2008 Financial Crisis and its long-lasting effects – It has been almost fifteen years since the financial meltdown of 2008 happened. Back during that time, a lot of people were worried that their savings and investments would simply vanish. While the said crisis has ended, its effects are still felt to this day in more ways than one.

#5 Unsolved Mysteries with the late Robert Stack – Unsolved Mysteries is one of my all-time favorite TV shows of all time and I am very happy to see that many episodes hosted by the late Robert Stack have been made available for free, full-length viewing on YouTube. As such, posted below are the first five episodes from Season 1 of Unsolved Mysteries for your discovery and enjoyment.

#6 The Death of Superman’s impact on comics – It has been almost thirty long years since DC Comics published the Death of Superman storyline (note: read my retro comic book reviews here and here) with the comic book Superman #75 as the climax. I remember back in late 1992, a lot of people really thought that DC Comics would not only kill the iconic superhero but also go on to publish superhero comics without his presence at all. Unsurprisingly, a lot of readers who spent so much money on the death of Superman got pissed off when DC revived the Man of Steel (preceded by the Reign of the Supermen storyline) in 1993. Superman’s death was more than just a commercial success…it had major ramifications on superhero comic book publishing in America. Watch and learn from the video below.

#7 Twitter’s history – Chances are, you must have heard about the news of Elon Musk’s takeover of social media giant Twitter as well as the changes that took effect since. There is a lot more to the history of Twitter and why Musk pushed through with taking it over. Watch and learn from the two ColdFusion videos below. By the way, how is the Twitter experience for you right now?

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A Look Back at The Night Man #8 (1994)

June 14, 2022June 6, 2022carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the mid-1990s which was a pretty wild time for comic collectors. To be more specific, this newest retro comic book review revisits the Ultraverse through The Night Man monthly series.

In my previous retro review, Night Man encountered a new, murderous villain who could change into a werewolf. The mentioned villain named Nik Apocaloff is a lot more than being able to become a monster…he has a notable family background, is highly education and is connected with powerful figures like J.D. Hunt. That makes him a formidable antagonist versus Night Man and his civilian identity as Johnny Domino. Apocaloff proved to be such a powerful villain, he became the center of attention of Night Man during one of his radio broadcasts.

With those details laid down, here is a look back The Night Man #8, published in 1994 by Malibu Comics with a story written by Steve Englehart and drawn by Kyle Hotz.

Early story

The story begins somewhere inside one of the many rooms of city hall. An intense meeting goes on with the mayor present and what happened recently involving both the Night Man and the werewolf made an impact on the matters of discussion.

In an apartment somewhere in the city, Apocaloff is in his monster form and he just murdered a lady and consumed a lot of her flesh. Suddenly the door is knocked by someone who knew the victim. This causes Apocaloff to leave through the window and climb the steps to the rooftop. There, he changes back into his human form.

Elsewhere, Lt. Carleton Briggs arrives back in his office where Sergeant Dade is waiting. After a s short chat, they hug and kiss each other. The Night Man suddenly enters through the window…

Quality

Wow! This is one very compelling tale of the Night Man. To get straight to the point, the highlight of this comic book is the rematch between the title character and Apocaloff. To be clear, the rematch was not handled with brainless action in mind but rather with a lot of strategy combined with a medium-paced approach on progression which brought back a lot of vibes from Night Man’s encounters with the members of TNTNT a few issues back. Storywise, the stakes behind the rematch are much higher as the Night Man makes a solid pitch to the local police in the fight against crime (which made me think about the key elements of Batman comic books) while the tycoon J.D. Hunt (whom Apocaloff interacted with previously) just gave his approval for the Teknight project.

When it comes to character development, Apocaloff’s strong adherence to the past (Russian legacy, old world sensibilities, connections with California’s history) are emphasized some more. For his part, Night Man’s intelligence and approach to vigilantism got developed even more.

Conclusion

*Night Man comes to the police with evidence about Apocaloff.*

The Night Man #8 (1994) is another solid comic book of the Ultraverse. The story was told with an overall medium pace and the payoffs for each build-up were indeed satisfying. Considering the presence of the police in the story, this particular Night Man issue has the strongest similarities with DC Comics’ Batman. More importantly, this issue succeeded in developing both the titular hero and his most elaborate villain. It seems to me that Night Man and Apocaloff were made to clash with each other beyond this issue and the previous one.

Overall, The Night Man #8 (1994) is 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/

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