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.
The cover.
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.
Welcome back, my readers and fellow Christians! In this newest edition of my Christian Music Appreciation (CMA) series, we will focus on Lord Your Goodness, an original worship song of Hillsong Worship with lyrics written by Reuben Morgan.
If you want to discover and learn more about Hillsong Worship, I encourage you to click here (Facebook page), here (Instagram) and here (YouTube).
Before getting into the analysis of the Biblical relevance of Lord Your Goodness, posted below for your reference are the lyrics composed by Reuben Morgan.
I will come to You with an open heart
And bring a sacrifice of praise
I have seen Your power in the holy place
And I have known Your mighty ways
–
I will remember Your mercy
And Lord Your faithfulness
–
Lord Your goodness and Your love will follow me
All the days of my life
I’m surrounded with the favour of the Lord
Always and forever
To begin with, let’s take a close look at the first section of the lyrics above: I will come to You with an open heart, And bring a sacrifice of praise, I have seen Your power in the holy place.
The above lines emphasize that we the faithful children must always come to Him with open hearts and that means being completely transparent and honest with Him as there is simply no hiding of darkness nor sin deep within. To be born again in Christ means having His Spirit – the Holy Spirit – in the heart and always prioritizing the Lord with complete honor and obedience towards Him. Remember when you were still living your old sinful life? You not only had a closed heart hardened by sin, you also had a heart that did not have the Holy Spirit which clearly means it was not a heart of worship. For the lost and unsaved souls thinking about coming to God, always open your heart first before coming to His Jesus for repentance and getting born again. If you are an unsaved or lost soul who still has unholy elements in your heart (note: homosexuality, political correctness, wokeness, idolatry, religion, Marxism, socialism, Communism, atheism, agnosticism, transgender obsession, terrorism, fascism and others), you must get rid of them all and you must reject Satan before you come to the Lord for salvation. Be ready to repent to Him. Once you have a fully opened, worship-oriented heart, praise is inevitable for everyone to do to realize the Lord’s power and holiness. Learn from the scriptures below…
But the moment one turns to the Lord with an open heart, the veil is lifted and they see. Now, the “Lord” I’m referring to is the Holy Spirit, and wherever he is Lord, there is freedom. We can all draw close to him with the veil removed from our faces. And with no veil we all become like mirrors who brightly reflect the glory of the Lord Jesus. We are being transfigured into his very image as we move from one brighter level of glory to another. And this glorious transfiguration comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:16-18 (TPT)
And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
Ezekiel 36:26-27 (ESV)
Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (MSG)
What joy overwhelms everyone who keeps the ways of God, those who seek him as their heart’s passion!
Psalms 119:2 (TPT)
Through Him, therefore, let us constantly and at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name.
Hebrews 13:15 (AMPC)
Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and the earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and Yours it is to be exalted as Head over all.
Both riches and honor come from You, and You reign over all. In Your hands are power and might; in Your hands it is to make great and to give strength to all.
Now therefore, our God, we thank You and praise Your glorious name and those attributes which that name denotes.
1 Chronicles 29:11-13 (AMPC)
Next, take a close look at the following lines of lyrics: I will remember Your mercy, And Lord Your faithfulness.
The mercy and faithfulness of the Lord are undeniably true and real. While there are still lots of religious people who believe the falsehood that the Lord is always very strict and rarely grants mercy, His mercy is actually great and He is compassionate as well. The Lord is faithful (lasting loyalty and trustworthiness in relationships) and His love for His faithful children is connected with faithfulness, mercy and compassion. Lord Jesus proved it all to be true and real. Learn from the holy scriptures below…
And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.”
Exodus 34:6-7 (NKJV)
It is because of the Lord’s mercy and loving-kindness that we are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions fail not.
They are new every morning; great and abundant is Your stability and faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22-23 (AMPC)
The Rock, his work is perfect,
for all his ways are justice.
A God of faithfulness and without iniquity,
just and upright is he.
Deuteronomy 32:4 (ESV)
For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.
John 3:16 (AMPC)
By the time Jesus came ashore, a massive crowd was waiting. At the sight of them, his heart was filled with compassion, because they seemed like wandering sheep who had no shepherd. So he taught them many wonderful things.
Mark 6:34 (TPT)
There failed no part of any good thing which the Lord had promised to the house of Israel; all came to pass.
Joshua 21:45 (AMPC)
This is why he had to be a man and take hold of our humanity in every way. He made us his brothers and sisters and became our merciful and faithful King-Priest before God; as the One who removed our sins to make us one with him. He suffered and endured every test and temptation, so that he can help us every time we pass through the ordeals of life.
Hebrews 2:17-18 (TPT)
For God’s Word is something to sing about! He is true to his promises, his word can be trusted, and everything he does is reliable and right.
Psalms 33:4 (TPT)
The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and abounding in mercy and loving-kindness.
The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works [the entirety of things created].
Psalm 145:8-9 (AMPC)
Celebrate with praises the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has shown us his extravagant mercy. For his fountain of mercy has given us a new life—we are reborn to experience a living, energetic hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
1 Peter 1:3 (TPT)
Next, take a close look at the following lines of lyrics:Lord Your goodness and Your love will follow me, All the days of my life, I’m surrounded with the favour of the Lord, Always and forever.
As the faithful children of God, we have His favor, His love, His goodness and much more. To be faithful to Him and living by His Word (and spreading it) are our responsibilities as Christians. Our faith in Him must always be unbreakable and unwavering. We reject idols and reject unholiness because we are meant to be with the Lord and follow His ways in accordance to His Word. Never forget our union with Lord Jesus, the Heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit. Learn from the holy scriptures below…
Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear, revere, and worship You, goodness which You have wrought for those who trust and take refuge in You before the sons of men!
In the secret place of Your presence You hide them from the plots of men; You keep them secretly in Your pavilion from the strife of tongues.
Psalm 31:19-20 (AMPC)
For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].
Ephesians 2:10 (AMPC)
Oh, thank God—he’s so good!
His love never runs out.
All of you set free by God, tell the world!
Tell how he freed you from oppression,
Then rounded you up from all over the place,
from the four winds, from the seven seas.
Psalm 107:1-3 (MSG)
Give thanks to God—he is good
and his love never quits.
Say, “Save us, Savior God,
round us up and get us out of these godless places,
So we can give thanks to your holy Name,
and bask in your life of praise.”
Blessed be God, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
Then everybody said, “Yes! Amen!” and “Praise God!”
1 Chronicles 16:34-36 (MSG)
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:2 (NKJV)
God, everyone sees your goodness, for your tender love is blended into everything you do.
Psalms 145:9 (TPT)
Jesus explained, “I am the Way, I am the Truth, and I am the Life. No one comes next to the Father except through union with me. To know me is to know my Father too.”
John 14:6 (TPT)
No one is holy like the Lord,
For there is none besides You,
Nor is there any rock like our God.
1 Samuel 2:2 (NKJV)
Jesus commented, “Even more blessed are those who hear God’s Word and guard it with their lives!”
Luke 11:28 (MSG)
It is confirmed and obvious that Lord Your Goodness is a very holy worship song as the Lord anointed Reuben Morgan on writing the lyrics. The same can be said about others at Hillsong Worship who worked behind the scenes on making Lord Your Goodness. The evidence of holiness is spread all over the lyrics and brought to life even more musically.
As it is holy and captures the biblical messages about the goodness of our Lord, I strongly recommend the use of Lord Your Goodness for your local church’s Sunday worship service as well as in praise-and-worship events that involve the church’s music team. Lord Your Goodness is a lively reminder of not only of His goodness, but also of the love, blessings, care, attention and compassion towards each and every faithful child of His with established personal relationships with Him.
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Sharing this Christian piece means spreading the good news of the Lord to others. It can help you save the unsaved and the lost souls out there. Also please consider making a donation to support my publishing of faith articles and CMAs.
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the early 1990s and explore a part of the Valiant Comics shared universe through the Harbinger monthly series.
In my previous retro review, Sting, Kris and Shatiqua got into trouble upon seeing the traitorous Ax and his powered companions. Their encounter turned into a radically different turn of events when the Harbinger foundation’s armed personnel and Eggbreakers members arrived targeting Ax.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Harbinger #17, published in 1993 by Valiant Comics with a story written by Maurice Fontenot and illustrated by Howard Simpson.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins in the past – January 11, 1991 at the Woodville State Mental Institution in Pennsylvania. One of the local doctors leads two formal visitors into the secured room of one of their patients described as a “fascinating subject”. His name is Simon and the visitors turned out to be from the Harbinger foundation. They tell Simon, who is invisible, that the Harbinger foundation was established to help special people like him, help him understand and control his talents, and he will not be alone as the foundation has others like him.
In the present day of December 23, 1992, Faith is flying just above a truck which is slipping out of control along a major bridge in New Jersey. Sting is barely holding on the top of the truck. Being unable to utilize his power to control the situation, Sting instructs Faith to pull the driver out of the truck. Moments after Faith saves the truck driver, the truck itself stops but ended up hitting a vehicle.
As Flamingo uses her power to put out a fire, Kris finds Sting on the side of a car feeling terrible. Sting wonders what is wrong with him as he failed to stop the truck…
Quality
Even though he is already in a relationship with Kris, Sting focused on the blonde lady in the middle of a party.
I want to point out that this is yet another build-up type of story from Fontenot and Simpson, only this time it introduces Simon who is involved with the Harbinger foundation not as a trained Eggbreakers member but rather as a patient still relying on medical and psychological care. Through Simon, you will feel his loneliness, his trouble to fit in with society and his personal pain related to being unwanted. Through him, you will also realize that even though it has lots of resources and experts as employees, the Harbinger foundation is not the ideal replacement for Simon’s father (who rejected him in the first place). That should also remind you readers that government units also can never be your parent nor your guiding light no matter what socialists and Commies say in this age of Joe Biden and the fascist Democrats (read: the Satanic Left). Fontenot’s script here is, unsurprisingly, really strong and Simon’s introduction never felt like a throwaway piece.
Apart from Simon, Sting and his teammates got a lot more of the narrative’s spotlight this time around which is like a breath of fresh air since the previous two issues focused more on Harbinger and the Eggbreakers. Even though they are already dealing with their domestic problems, the primary characters still make efforts to solve problems and help others knowing that they would not be compensated by society.
More on character development, the team leader Sting continues to desire recruiting and helping powered young adults before the organization of Toyo Harada gets them first. This shows his arrogance and delusion as he rejects the reality that he and his team don’t really have the massive resources the Harbinger foundation has when it comes to recruitment and providing the constant needs of recruits. Furthermore, Sting does not even see his current problem (with his super power) as a hindrance at all when facing the Harbinger foundation.
Storywise, this comic book is more balanced with the spotlight on characters on the two sides of the spectrum with Simon being symbolically caught in the middle of the conflict. This is really solid storytelling.
Conclusion
Something’s wrong with Sting.
I like Harbinger #17 (1993) very much. What it lacks in spectacle, it bounces back big time with character development, deep dramatics and introducing a new character who gets connected with both Sting’s team and the Harbinger foundation. This story obviously keep on building up something for a future conflict between the two forces and already I am eager to find out what will happen in the next issue.
Overall, Harbinger #17 (1993) is highly recommended!
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 year 1993 and explore a part of Marvel Comics’ universe through the reimagined tales emphasized in the What If monthly series.
Back in 2021, I reviewed What If #46 (1993) which told a compelling story about division between the mutants, the clash of beliefs between Professor X and Cable, and how terrorism affects everyone. The comic book was also a mesmerizing portrayal of how the X-Men would have organized themselves without Charles Xavier, Jean Grey and Cyclops.
Considering all the chaos that happened in What If #46 (1993), the time was just right for Magneto – the X-Men’s most dangerous enemy of all time – to come in and make an impact not only on mutants but on the world.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at What If #47, published in 1993 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Kurt Busiek and drawn by Tod Smith.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins with Magneto leading a huge legion of mutants to take overwhelm the remaining resistance – including Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, Captain America, the Avengers and the dedicated American soldiers – in Washington, D.C.
A fierce battle then took place with both sides hitting each other hard. After noticing Magneto’s lack of presence during the battle, Captain America then realizes that the long-time enemy of the X-Men took advantage of the fighting to penetrate the U.S. Capitol’s bomb shelters and got the nation’s leaders hostage. After easing some of his fellow heroes, Captain America decides not to escalate the fight against Magneto in consideration of the lives of America’s top officials…
Quality
A recap of the events in issue #46.
To begin with, I can say that this story is a well-planned follow-up to the events of issue #46. While Magneto’s presence has been magnified a lot here, there are still strong story connections to the previous issue.
With regards to what was emphasized on the front cover of the comic book, this story explores what would happen if Magneto took power to control the entire United States while leading a group of mutants with a platform focused on crushing anti-mutant racism even though it includes pushing the non-mutant people (which is the great majority of America’s people) as well as the dissenting mutants out of the way.
For one thing, this superhero fantasy concept is actually socially relevant with today’s geopolitics and the way America has turned out under the fake leadership of Joe Biden (who is NOT leading as US President but only following the modern-day American Communists and reckless SJWs dictating him to do their evil bidding. Biden also arrogantly denies reality when it goes against the desires of his administration and his Satanic Democrats) It should be noted that the US President visualized in this comic book eerily looks like Joe Biden complete with that absent-minded facial expression.
Next, a clear theme in this What If story is absolute power and why groups who crave for it would sacrifice so much and hurt others just to acquire it. Magneto, who carries deep hatred towards people he perceives to be obstacles or opposition for his quest of uplifting mutants, takes advantage of mutants who have lost hope and are depending on someone to lead them. Indeed, the long-time X-Men nemesis gains power to control America but finds himself facing a new force of opposition which leads the nation into a drastic series of change that clearly do not alight with his vision of a better future for mutants.
Still on the theme of absolute power, the US government in this story was portrayed to have developed technologies designed to overwhelm its citizens, as well as the means to establish infrastructure and protocols to transform America into an automated dictatorial state that enslaves its citizens and violate their rights without restraint. Once again, this aspect of the story makes it socially relevant.
Considering the epic concept and the dark turn of events the creative team prepared, this comic book does not have a clear good-versus-evil approach but rather it emphasizes chaos that comes with the pursuit and abuse of absolute power over the nation. You will see key elements from the classic X-Men storyline Days of Future Past here in relation to America’s deformation.
Conclusion
Wow! The US President in this comic book eerily looks so much like Joe Biden whose leadership led America into a lot of problems and hardship. Sky high inflation is just one of the problems that happened under Biden.
What If #47 (1993) is truly a very captivating read mainly because of its core concept which goes way beyond the scenario of Magneto taking control of America. Considering its portrayal of America and the exploration of dark themes about people getting overwhelmed by power abusers, the story is a warning about the fall of America told in superhero fantasy form. Considering the intense social degradation that rocked America the past few years (note: riots by the Black Lives Matter terrorists, SJWs disturbing the peace, Democrats allowing more illegal immigrants into the country, socialists in colleges continuing to brainwash students and more), this story is very socially relevant. It will keep you thinking and reflecting deeply, even if you strongly desire whatever superhero entertainment you seek in this comic book.
Overall, What If #47 (1993) is highly recommended!
If there is anything significant in the recent National and Local Elections that happened here in the Philippines, it is the fact that two notable partylist groups linked to Communist forces were defeated which unsurprisingly caught the attention of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), as reported recently through the Philippine News Agency (PNA). There are still a few more Leftist partylist groups that won and will be part of the next Congress.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the PNA report. Some parts in boldface…
The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) is elated by the electoral loss of party-list groups linked to the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).
In a press statement on Sunday, NTF ELCAC spokesperson for sectoral concerns and Communications Undersecretary Lorraine Badoy thanked Filipinos for not voting for Reds-linked party-list groups Bayan Muna and Anakpawis.
“The expulsion, particularly of Bayan Muna, is of notable worth because for 21 years, they have formidably sat in Congress, garnering the allowable maximum seats, three–while using the immense powers of Congress to destroy our people and our country and wasting the precious time of our real Representatives in Congress with their filibustering and their constant obstruction of important legislative work meant to move our country forward and ease the burdens of the most marginalized among us,” Badoy said.
She said Bayan Muna is “on its way to extinction” with just a little over 200,000 votes compared to over a million in the 2019 elections.
“We applaud the Filipino people for closing ranks behind our President, Chair of the NTF ELCAC, and heeding his call to defend and protect our country from these ruthless urban operatives of [CPP founder] Joma Sison/CPP-NPA-NDF by fully using the power of your vote. Truly, you understood so well that your vote is not only your right but your power. And you flexed it mightily,” she added.
According to Badoy, voting Reds-linked party-lists out of Congress is “the fiercest expression” of Filipinos’ love for the country by giving protection to the most helpless, such as children, indigenous peoples, and the poor.
She also thanked Filipinos for slashing in half the number of seats in the House of Representatives for what she described as “urban operatives of the CPP NPA NDF.”
“From around 3 million votes they garnered in the 2019 elections, they could only manage a little over a million votes in this year’s elections,” she added.
However, Badoy said the NTF-ELCAC is “saddened” that other left-leaning party-list groups, such as Kabataan, registered an increase to half a million votes.
She blamed losing presidential candidate Vice President Leni Robredo’s collusion with the CPP-NPA-NDF as a factor in Kabataan’s three more years in Congress.
“We attribute these votes to the treachery of Leni Robredo who colluded with the CPP-NPA-NDF which have co-opted Robredo followers in the youth sector and are now being radicalized and targeted for recruitment into this communist terrorist organization,” she said.
Robredo’s camp has repeatedly dismissed these allegations as “red-tagging”.
Badoy said NTF-ELCAC work “is not done” because there are still three Reds-linked party-list groups in Congress — Kabataan, Alliance of Concerned Teachers, and Gabriela.
To be clear, the evil of Leftism has been present in Philippine Congress for a long time. As such, what happened in the last national-level election was a very welcome change and this is something to be thankful to the Lord for. What the Philippines and the rest of the world should follow are God the Heavenly Father, His Son Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The next Philippine Congress will serve the people from mid-2022 until mid-2025. Knowing that, I urge you readers to pray for all the nation’s leaders as well as all the newly elected leaders (from the town/city councilors all the way up to incoming Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr.) so that they will open their hearts to the Lord, seek His guiding light and follow His commands to truly take care of the nation and its people. I also urge you to pray for and support the NTF-ELCAC.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this latest national-level development? If you voted in the last national elections, did you intentionally reject Left-linked partylist groups? Do you believe that Leftist members of Congress were abusive and corrupt? Do you actively support the NTC-ELCAC?
Recently in Las Piñas City, a male teacher was arrested by law enforcers as a result of an entrapment operation in relation to his extortion attempts and threatening schools with bombings, the Philippine Star reported. There were more than thirty schools located in different cities that received extortion demands via email from the suspect.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Philippine Star news report. Some parts in boldface…
A (teacher) accused of extortion and threatening schools in Metro Manila with bombings and mass shootings while posing as a New People’s Army (NPA) rebel was apprehended in Las Piñas City, police reported yesterday. Jake Castro, 26, was arrested by operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group under the supervision of CIDG director Maj. Gen. Eliseo Cruz during a sting in Barangay Zapote on Friday.
According to probers, Castro is a teacher at a private school for poor children at Doña Manuela Subdivision in Barangay Pamplona.
Col. Randy Glenn Silvio, who heads the CIDG National Capital Region field unit, said Castro e-mailed extortion demand messages to 33 schools in Las Piñas, Mandaluyong, Makati, Muntinlupa, Parañaque, Pasay, Pasig, Taguig and Quezon City.
Nine of the schools the suspect allegedly threatened are in Parañaque and seven in Quezon City.
Using the e-mail address newpeoplesarmy1969@gmail.com, Castro claims to be a member of the NPA special tactics unit, threatening the schools with bombings and terror attacks if his demands are not met.
One of these educational institutions from Barangay Bago Bantay in Quezon City filed a complaint with the CIDG after receiving e-mail from the suspect demanding P2 million.
“In case the school management failed to give in to the demand, they would bomb and blow the school into pieces and would shoot the people inside the school,” Silvio said.
Police said 26 other schools in Metro Manila received similar threats from the suspect.
A school principal convinced the suspect to agree to lower the amount to P500,000. Acting on this, the CIDG launched an entrapment operation with the help of a delivery rider after Castro agreed to receive the money at his house in Zapote village.
The suspect was placed under arrest after he received the marked money.
Police said they confiscated a .38-caliber handgun, five shotgun bullets, a cell phone, other gadgets and a motorcycle from Castro.
Castro is being held on charges of robbery, resisting arrest, illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, violation of the election gun ban and Presidential Decree 1727 or the Anti-Bomb Joke Law.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this crime story? If you are a school employee, did you work for a school that received a threat from the suspect via email? Are you thankful to the CIDG for apprehending the suspect?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
As I write this, many people around the world are focused on the 2022 Winter Olympics (AKA Beijing 2022) as it is a sports spectacle. Along the way, I read two notable articles recently published by CBN News relating to not just the Olympic games but also the persecution towards Christians in China as well as other people which has been happening for years now. That being said, there is a need to pray to God for the sake of those who are being persecuted by the wicked forces of this world we live in.
The upcoming Olympics in Beijing are putting a spotlight on China’s human rights abuses, and rightfully so.Religious freedom conditions are continuing to deteriorate in China. Things were so bad for one house church, that they fled together to South Korea. Now, that same group of Chinese Christians could be repatriated.
This is the dangerous reality for the 60 members of the Shenzhen Holy Reformed Church, nicknamed the “Mayflower church.” South Korea has chosen to deny these asylum-seekers, but they deserve a place in the land of the free and the home of the brave.
In China, Pastor Pan Yongguang and his congregation faced increasing pressure. By 2014, authorities were often interrogating him multiple times a week, urging him to join the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)-approved Three-Self Patriotic Movement. Yet, refusing to teach Party-approved doctrine, Pastor Pan resisted.
Chinese authorities targeted the church for extra surveillance. Soon, the church-run elementary school was evicted. It was devastating for parents in the church who simply wanted to educate their children with a Christian worldview.
Pastor Pan explained the situation to Radio Free Asia, saying, “Our church would educate our children about our religious beliefs, and the police would come along and force them to enroll in school so they could be brainwashed. They didn’t want us to teach our children the Bible, and children are banned from attending church. This went against our faith and our consciences.”
The church held a vote in 2019, the majority choosing to leave the country together to start over in a place that would afford them religious freedom. They fled together to Jeju Island in South Korea and applied for asylum. Sadly, South Korea — a country that accepts almost no refugees — has denied their asylum applications multiple times. Members of the group have appealed the decision to the highest court and were again rejected. Now, they have less than 14 days to leave the country.
Pastor Pan said, “I have been charged with subversion of state power, colluding with anti-China foreign forces and human trafficking. [That’s because] I took these believers out of China, so now I’m suspected of trafficking or smuggling them. Just one of those charges would be enough to send me to jail for a very long time.” Pastor Pan’s friend, Pastor Wang Yi is currently serving a 9-year prison sentence for “subversion of state power” for his uncompromising and outspoken allegiance to God’s Word. If he’s forced to return to China, Pastor Pan could face something similar.
The hopes of the Mayflower church members were modest. They wanted to educate their children as they thought best — incorporating biblical teachings — and live peacefully with their families and attend their church. Yet, under the CCP, this is not guaranteed in China.
The Mayflower church no longer feels safe in South Korea, and that is not an unreasonable fear. Church members have received repeated calls from someone claiming to be from the local Chinese consulate, trying to entice them to come to the consulate. Multiple church members who remained in China were arrested and threatened by Chinese State Security agents accusing the church members who fled to South Korea of committing “treason.” Now, without legal status in South Korea, the congregants will be largely vulnerable without state protection.
Chinese authorities can make the lives of people whose religious beliefs the government disapproves of very uncomfortable. I know from experience. Before the United States accepted me, I was a leader in a house church in China. I was forced to flee to Hong Kong before finally making it to America. This country has afforded me and my family the freedom and opportunity to flourish. Now, the Mayflower church needs the same refuge and generosity America has so often extended.
Pastor Pan and the church members have expressed a desire to come to the United States. The United States is well-positioned to help them. Will the State Department step up?
The Mayflower church has exhausted all options in South Korea. The State Department should admit Pastor Pan and his congregants as humanitarian parolees and offer them asylum in the United States. American churches and resettlement agencies are already prepared to help give this group a fresh start. The State Department’s own annual religious freedom report details the CCP’s brutal religious persecution; it’s time for the U.S. government to act with that reality in mind and help this group of persecuted Christians while we have the chance.
The above details truly disturbing. Freedom to worship the Lord and read His Word is restricted in China. It is not surprising, really, because Communism is itself evil and very opposed to God the Heavenly Father, His Son Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The same thing can be said about other parts of the Satanic Left like Marxism, Socialism, liberalism and other modern forms like Critical Race Theory (CRT), rabid left-focused feminism, wokeness, Cancel Culture, unrestrained secularism, unrestrained atheism and more. There is also the connection China has with American government leaders who are secretly working for them to weaken America’s sovereignty and rule of law.
Truly we the faithful children of God are living in a very divided and harsh world. What is worldly is unholy. As such, I urge you readers – including those who are lost and unsaved who don’t realize the evil influences of the Left – to look up to God, follow His Word, pray to Him wholeheartedly (not ritually) and allow the Holy Spirit to lead you in praying for the persecuted as well as the nations being attacked by China and other evil forces (like terrorist-sponsor Iran).
Before proceeding to the other CBN News article, I encourage you all to watch these related CBN News videos below…
The next article is more news-oriented about China, the Winter Olympics and the persecution towards Chinese Christians and others. For more perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the February 2, 2022 article published by CBN News and I urge you to pay close attention to the details. Some parts in boldface…
Some human rights groups are calling this week’s Olympics scheduled to start on Friday in Beijing the “Genocide Games.”
China is accused of holding more than 1 million ethnic Muslims in concentration camps while continuing to severely restrict religious freedom and trample on human rights.
“They have oppressed basically every dissent in China,” Wu’er Kaixi told AP.
Kaixi is Uyghur, and at just 21-years-old, he fled China for his leading role in the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989.
“It’s a country that uses Olympic as a platform to show muscle to the world, while they’re at the same time oppressing dissent and violating human rights within their own country,” he said.
The Chinese government has denied all accusations of any human rights abuse.
“It creates a situation of plausible denial. It calls these concentration camps vocational training centers to eliminate poverty in the region, to eliminate terror among Muslims, which is absolutely laughable,” says Nina Shea of the Hudson Institute. “Our military is estimated 1 to 3 million of these Muslims have been incarcerated for indoctrination in these camps.”
The United States, along with the U.K., Australia and Canada, are staging diplomatic boycotts of the Games by not sending government officials in protest of Beijing’s human rights abuses.
“We must show that the United States is [an] unyielding and unapologetic advocate for human rights and unafraid of speaking the truth and upsetting General Secretary Xi and his Communist Party thugs,” says Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL).
Activists are urging athletes and sponsors to speak out during the games.
“Your silence is their strength. This is what they want more than anything: that the world will play by China’s rules, that we will follow China’s lead, that we will look away from these atrocities and crimes for the sake of business as usual,” says Lhadon Tethong of the Tibet Action Institute.
Meanwhile, it’s business as usual as Beijing continues its typical crackdown on political and religious activists ahead of sensitive dates, like Friday’s opening ceremonies.
“They round up the dissidents and known critics of the regime or people that they think will speak out, they put them in detention, they’re called black jails, they are hidden detentions, it’s unofficial, it’s extrajudicial, and they do that as a pre-emptive strike so that there is no opportunity to protest,” says Shea.
With the eyes of the world turning toward Beijing, Voice of the Martyrs is launching PrayforChina2022.com to remind people to pray for China’s Christians.
“Christians are seen as a threat, their message is seen as a threat, and the government is doing everything in their power to keep that message from spreading,” says Todd Nettleton, Voice of the Martyrs’ Chief of Media Relations.
China’s President Xi Jinping has severely suppressed religious freedom in recent years, especially going after Christians.
China sits at number 17 on Open Doors’ World Watch List of the 50 most dangerous countries for Christians.
“China is using a blanket of surveillance monitored by artificial intelligence to watch the movements of people of faith. It’s even using facial recognition to monitor those who enter places of worship,” says Open Doors President David Curry.
Thus far, thousands from more than 100 countries have pledged to pray during the Olympic games.
At this point, you my readers should be aware that the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing are not really meant to be celebrated as China’s persecution against Christians and others continue to happen. Never allow yourselves to be fooled. Keep having unwavering faith in the Lord! Resist the dark forces of this world and stand with God, His Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit! Never compromise!
Pray for the persecuted so that the Lord will lift them up and punish the wicked. The wicked will then repent to Him and submit themselves to Him.
As mentioned earlier, we need to pray to God to stop the persecution by China (as well as the persecution done by other dark worldly forces towards others) and lift up all those who have fallen down, help those who are being held in prison and getting tortured, and lift up those who are suffering from terrorism. Never let the Olympic Games distract you! For added insight, watch the videos below about the wickedness of Communism and how it negatively affects people to this day. Yes, it is indeed true – socialism, Communism, Marxism, progressiveness, political correctness, Cancel Culture, authoritarianism, fascism, totalitarian rule, atheism, secularism, terrorism, discrimination, dictatorship, poverty, idolatry, brainwashing, injustice and violence always go together and they truly represent the evil of Satan.
Pray to the Lord to lift up others!Remember that Lord Jesus is the definitive and true Savior for all! Pray also that the faithful who are suffering will retain unwavering faith to the Lord no matter what happens. Preach God’s Word to others and remind people that God will never abandon those who are faithful to Him! Refer to the following scriptures below and let these empower you and others through faith!
Fear not [there is nothing to fear], for I am with you; do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you; yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My [victorious] right hand of rightness and justice.
Isaiah 41:10 (AMPC)
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
John 14:6 (NASB)
“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.”
John 15:18 (NASB)
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
1 Peter 5:8 (NKJV)
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be terrified nor dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
Joshua 1:9 (NASB)
Why would anyone harm you if you’re passionate and devoted to pleasing God? But even if you happen to suffer for doing what is right, you will have the joyful experience of the blessing of God. And
Don’t be intimidated or terrified
by those who would terrify you.
But give reverent honor in your hearts to the Anointed One and treat him as the holy Master of your lives. And if anyone asks about the hope living within you, always be ready to explain your faith with gentleness and respect. Maintain a clean conscience, so that those who slander you for living a pure life in Christ will have to lie about you and will be ashamed because of their slander. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if it is in God’s plan, than for doing evil.
Christ suffered and died for sins once and for all—the innocent for the guilty —to bring you near to God by his body being put to death and by being raised to life by the Spirit.
1 Peter 3:13-19 (TPT)
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Matthew 5:10-12 (NKJV)
Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.”
Revelation 2:10-11 (NKJV)
Little children, you can be certain that you belong to God and have conquered them, for the One who is living in you is far greater than the one who is in the world. They belong to this world and they articulate the spirit of this world, and the world listens to them. But we belong to God, and whoever truly knows God listens to us. Those who refuse to listen to us do not belong to God. That is how we can know the difference between the spirit of truth and the spirit of deceit.
1 John 4:4-6 (TPT)
Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.
Romans 12:19 (NKJV)
Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,
“I will take revenge;
I will pay them back,”
says the Lord.
Romans 12:19 (NLT)
Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written: “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.
Romans 12:19 (NASB)
Beloved, don’t be obsessed with taking revenge, but leave that to God’s righteous justice. For the Scriptures say:
“Vengeance is mine, and I will repay,” says the Lord.
Romans 12:19 (TPT)
From this point on, I would like to reach out to all the lost and the unsaved people reading this. Are you frustrated with religion? Have you been living in bondage for too long? Did the atheists, the humanists and the secularists deceive you? Were you victimized by a religious zealot? Have you been persecuting Israel while supporting the terrorist-sponsored Palestinians and the wicked BDS movement? Have you been living as a homosexual or as a transgendered person? Are you still prioritizing addictions to sex, drugs and other inappropriate elements over the Lord? Have you been causing trouble as a social justice warrior (SJW)? Did you spend an entire life worshiping statues, statuettes, images, people and relics? Have you been condemning churches and people of faith for a long time now? Have you been working as an agent of Iran to cause terror on others? Are you a toxic person or one of those modern-day Leftist activists (Black Lives Matter, Democratic Socialists of America, the abortionists and others) who got fed up fighting for worthless causes? Did you kill someone and have been living so long with the guilt? Have been practicing sorcery and witchcraft?
All of that darkness mentioned above can finally end and you can decide to do it! How? You can save yourselves by submitting yourselves to the Lord Jesus willingly and realize He is the Light! Glorify only the Lord!
There is no force and no coercion here. You have time and freedom to decide to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior. For those who have decided to get born again now and gain salvation, please read the instructions and follow the prayer that I learned from my first pastor.
Are you ready? Firstly, open your heart to the Lord and pray this simple prayer in sincerity from your heart:
Father God,
I thank You. I believe Jesus is Your Son. I believe that He died for me and redeemed me from all of my sins. He took my sins and, Father, thank You for loving me and You demonstrated Your love for me through Your Son Jesus Christ. Forgive me for all of my sins. Jesus, I open my heart to You. I welcome You to enter into my heart. I confess today that You are now my Lord and Savior. Thank You for forgiveness. I receive forgiveness. Thank You for Your blood that cleansed me from all of my sins. I will follow You, Jesus. Thank You for Your plan. I receive the Holy Spirit. And Holy Spirit, help me to follow the will of God in my life in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Congratulations! You are now a child of God! You have received Holy Spirit in your heart! This is easily your greatest decision ever made and also the greatest miracle of your life. Always praise, thank and honor the Lord. No more darkness in your life caused by politics, radicalism, toxicity, rebellion, religion, unbelief, evil, idolatry, traditions and rituals! Leave behind the darkness of your life and don’t look back to it. Remember that idolatry is evil, Purgatory is a lie, penance is a deception and Satan always used religion and unbelief to prevent people from being saved by the Lord.
With Lord Jesus, you are already moving forward and the best is yet to come! You also have a personal relationship with God, a relationship that is strictly off-limits to others (even to your household members or biological family members).
With your new life realized, make an effort to get yourself copy of the Holy Bible (start with New King James Version), study it and apply its lessons into your life no matter what situation you are in right now. I also recommend you to join a local Christian church that God has chosen for you (note: ask Him for a local church!) and find your place in the spiritual family (God’s family!). Be planted when the Lord shows you the way! Worship the Lord together with them and always remember that faith, not religion, is essential in your personal relationship with God. When you are at home, be in your room with the door shut and have fellowship with our Heavenly Father. On a personal level, practice Christian Habits in reference to what I published here and here. Remember the truth that God rewards the faithful abundantly and continue to be people of the Word. Declare your love for Him as well!
The Holy Bible is the ultimate authority and nothing else comes close to it for it is the Word of God. Remember always that Lord Jesus did not die on the cross to start religion at all. He died to redeem us all and showed that we must be led by faith in Him, faith in the Holy Spirit and faith in God the Heavenly Father. He rose from the dead and made His earthly presence felt once more to those who believed in Him. Lord Jesus ascended to Heaven and He promised to return in the future. His return is what we must always remember and keep living with holiness under the watch of God.
We can do our part in building up God’s kingdom here on Earth by preaching His Word, blessing the Jewish people and saving the countless lost and unsaved souls around us by leading them to Lord Jesus. Living as a Christian is always about the personal relationship with the Lord, and it is certainly not about religion. Never let the idolaters, the idol makers and other sinister forces fool you into becoming unholy. With God, nothing is impossible!
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/
To begin with, watch this official trailer of Two Point Campus.
Developed by Two Point Studios, Two Point Campus has a school setting and players will be challenge to establish and manage a university campus complete with setting up its many parts (like classrooms and laboratories to name a few), hiring a staff of good quality educators, and managing how the students will behave in and around campus. As it is a piece of fantasy, the game has a cartoony vibe on its art and expressions.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the official announcement on Xbox.com written by Two Point Studios Creative Director Gary Carr.
Build your university and manage everything within it.
In Two Point Hospital there is very little time to really get to know your little people, because patients come in for their treatment, you cure them (or they die…oops) and then they leave your hospital. In Two Point Campus this process is very different. Your students will be with you for much longer during their campus experience, giving you the chance to help them on their academic journey to success, or in some cases failure. You’ll have to figure out what’s going on. Are they happy? Are they enjoying their courses? Are they making enough friends? You’ll need to take the time to get to know them, nurture them and pull them through this process. Each student has their own unique character traits, so you’ll have to cater to all their needs to develop them into well-rounded individuals who will do the legacy of your university proud.
We just really want you to care more about your little people, so in Two Point Campus we’re giving you the tools to create an incredible university experience for your students. Keep them entertained with extracurricular activities, such as socials, gigs, clubs and even ‘CheeseBall’ – the highly entertaining sports activity in Two Point Campus. However, too much of the fun stuff will result in students falling asleep during class, which impacts their grades and eventually your overall Campus prestige. It’s the perfect balancing act, to on one hand give your students the adventure of a lifetime, and on the other hand, run a successful Campus environment.
The students in classroom.
Anyone that’s familiar with Two Point Hospital will know that we like to give our games a humorous twist. That’s no different in Two Point Campus. Rather than the typical academic fare, students in Two Point County will experience some very unusual courses. They can learn how to cook giant pizzas in the Gastronomy course or attend Robotics and get into the techy stuff where they build huge robots. We really enjoyed brainstorming about all the different courses in Two Point Campus. It usually starts by thinking of theme or a pun, and from there we think of how we can build it into a course. We love thinking of big and absurd machines or items that the students interact with during their courses, so players are wondering “what on earth going on there??”
Like Two Point Hospital, Two Point Campus is a charming, accessible, and deep management sim, but for the first time, you will be able to build your Campus from the ground up, from the buildings to the grounds they sit in. You can design stylish dormitories for your students, lay down ornamental pathways or pimp up your Campus with super cool items, such as Cheesy Gubbins vending machines. One of the things we enjoyed most at Two Point Studios when Two Point Hospital launched, was watching people play our game and get super creative with the design of their rooms and hospitals. In Two Point Campus we take this a step further, where players can go all out and design absolute masterpieces, or total trash if they wish… However, there will still be plenty of options for people who don’t like that total freedom when it comes to building. We’re keen to cater to all the different playstyles.
The above description really sounds interesting. I wonder if the game will allow players to fire socialists/Communists/Marxists among the university’s educators to prevent the radicalization of students which has been going on for a long time in North America in real life. If I were to establish the campus of my dreams, there definitely will be no Leftism and no elements of the Satanic Left. The focus will be strictly on education, no political ideologies. No socialism, no Marxism and no Communism at all!
Coming soon to Xbox consoles and Xbox Game Pass!
As mentioned earlier, if you are convinced to buy yourself a copy of Two Point Campus for your Xbox console or Windows PC ahead of time, you can do it online and you will get some bonus items in return. However, if you are already subscribing via Xbox Game Pass or PC Game Pass, you only need to wait for the May 17, 2022 launch to download it and play it without extra charge. I myself am an XGP subscriber and I will be playing Two Point Campus on my Xbox Series X this May, and only then I’ll find out how good the game will turn out.
In closing this piece, posted below are Xbox-related videos plus a Two Point Campus video for your viewing pleasure.
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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/
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from watching V: The Final Battle and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
With a very engaging story, memorable characters, intriguing concepts and innovative marketing, the $13 million production V: The Original Miniseries (simply called V back then) became a major TV hit in America over two nights in May, 1983. I personally loved watching the said mini-series back in the 1980s and I still love replaying it in this age of high-definition and Blu-ray discs. For me, at least, it is a timeless classic and it carries several lessons about the fragility of society, the rise of fascism, the spread of evil in many forms and the human desire for freedom from oppression.
The cover and the title that did not live up to its purpose.
Early story
The story begins with Mike Donovan (Marc Singer) having a nightmare of him and his son Sean (who was abducted during the events of V: The Original Miniseries) in a desperate escape attempt while inside one of the motherships of the Visitors. He wakes up in the presence of Julie Parrish (Faye Grant) and realizes they have a dangerous mission to execute at a local facility used by the red-uniformed Visitors. It turns out, the Resistance movement led by Julie has been losing ground to the alien humanoids and Mike has been helping them out while prioritizing the state of his son who has been in captivity in one of the mother ships.
During the night, a truck carrying many local civilians inside its trailer arrives at a local factory controlled by the Visitors with officer Steven (Andrew Pine) watching over. After the civilians got directed to enter the factory, it turns out they got processed and came out in the form of food cocoons. The sight shocks Julie watching from a distance with her armed teammates waiting on stand-by.
Easily the most engaging shot in this sequel. A clear reminder about the fascist takeover by the aliens from outer space.
After causing damage on the nearest fence, the Resistance begins their attempt to raid the facility and free their fellow cocooned people but the tide turned against them. It turns out, the Visitors’ troops are wearing stronger armor and bright lights were installed on the top of the facility to forcing Julie, Marc and the rest of their team to retreat. They lost some members along the way. During a closed-door meeting with the Resistance stakeholders, Mike Donovan says a key event is needed to make a significant gain against the Visitors.
Over at the mothership hovering over Los Angeles and in the presence of Diana (Jane Badler), the leader John (Richard Herd) tells Kristine Walsh (Jenny Sullivan) that a major medical announcement will be held in the form of an organized special event very soon and that she will be part of the presentation for the global TV audience…
Quality
Marc Singer as Mike Donovan with Michael Durrel and Michael Wright as Robert Maxwell and Elias Taylor near him.
I’ll star first with the presentation here. This sequel mini-series was composed of three episodes totaling over 270 minutes. In what looks like to be attempts to ensure more spectacles for the viewers’ enjoyment, each episode of V: The Final Battle has a battle near the end and the creative team succeeded in not only providing on-screen action but also scored well in making the spectacle more varied while still making sense within the main narrative. For the most part, this sequel is indeed a natural progression of what was established in V: The Original Miniseries and that is something to admire given the fact that V creator Kenneth Johnson left this production early.
On the storytelling, V: The Final Battle expands a bit on the Visitors’ dictatorship of Los Angeles and its surrounding areas while the Resistance led by Julie Parrish and supported by close companions Robert Maxwell (Michael Durrell), Elias Taylor (Michael Wright) and Caleb Taylor (Jason Bernard) are shown to be struggling on taking down the alien humanoids even though they secured noticeably more weapons and equipment. The storytelling and the dramatization about the Resistance changes dramatically with the addition of Ham Tyler (Michael Ironside) and partner Chris Farber (Mickey Jones) in the 2nd episode and from that point on, you get to see a human opposition that becomes more flexible with their operations.
Michael Ironside as Ham Tyler is the most significant new addition to the cast.
As mentioned earlier, Kenneth Johnson’s involvement in this sequel was minimal and it is seen on the presentation. The symbolism Johnson implemented in the original mini-series that established parallels between 1980s America to the Nazi occupation of Europe did not continue here which results a more straightforward presentation of details, character moments and story progression. There was also a noticeable lack of suspense when it comes to executing big scenes with big reveals. The pacing, like in the 1983 mini-series, moves smoothly at a moderate pace throughout and there were no boring moments at all.
The quality of script is still good. For the most part, the writers managed to capture the essence of the established characters from the original mini-series as they told the further developments of this sequel. For example, Caleb and Elias’ father-and-son moments quickly remind me of what I saw in V: The Original Miniseries. Robert Maxwell’s struggle to help his troubled daughter Robin (Blair Tefkin) while assisting Julie and the Resistance is a very natural progression of what was shown in 1983. The friendship between good natured alien Willie (Robert Englund) and Harmony (Diane Cary) got developed a lot more than expected eventually adding to one particular side of the conflict. The local collaborators Daniel Bernstein (David Packer) and Eleanor Dupres (Neva Patterson) developed further with their treason towards their fellow humans as they enjoyed further the power they gained from the Visitors. These two characters will surely get on the nerves of viewers rooting for the Resistance.
Denise Galik as Maggie is a fine new addition to the cast.
David Packer returns as Daniel Bernstein.
Sarah Douglas as Pamela, a superior of Diana’s.
When it comes to new additions to the cast, Ham Tyler and Chris Farber are not the only new players to add depth to this sequel. There is also Maggie (Denise Galik) who is an attractive, brave and strategic Resistance member whose contribution makes an impact. On the downside, there is also Andrew Doyle (Thomas Hill) who is bad choice the creative team came up with as the on-screen representative of faith when he in fact represents religion, idolatry, rituals and distortion. On the side of the Visitors is Pamela (Sarah Douglas) who is a higher-ranking officer than Diana and even John. Pamela is the more militaristic type of leader who is more focused on achieving goals while keeping things in order.
If there is anything flawed about the characterization, it is the romantic relationship of Julie Parrish and Mike Donovan which starts in the first episode. Considering how dramatic the performances of Faye Grant and Marc Singer were in this sequel, Julie and Mike still don’t make a believable pair of lovers in my view. While this romantic relationship opens up new dimensions within Julie and Mike and offer viewers something new to focus, it brings down the former’s value as Resistance leader somewhat while also setting aside the hinted personal connection between her and Elias in the 2nd episode of the 1983 mini-series.
Faye Grant as Julie Parrish in the conversion process scene watched closely by Jane Badler’s Diana.
More on Faye Grant, her performance here is more varied. Not only does she play the brave and struggling leader who is talented in fighting, science and medical practice, she also portrayed Julie as an even more vulnerable character this time around. Her act as the traumatized Julie during the conversion process (read: mental and psychological torture using a more detailed form of virtual reality or nightmare generation) scenes under the watch of Diana is very dramatic and compelling to watch. Just seeing Julie in the conversion process will make grip you with despair and you will eventually feel sorry for her. I should state that the nightmare scenes of Julie were presented with a clear touch of horror.
Marc Singer as Mike Donovan is no longer the reluctant action hero but rather a driven man with a mission to get his missing son back while maintaining a secret connection with Martin (Frank Ashmore) of the Fifth Column (secret dissenters among the Visitors) hoping to achieve breakthroughs for the Resistance and their friends among the dissenting aliens. Singer did the best he could with the script provided to him and he remain likable all throughout. Other than the unbelievable romance with Julie as well as his past encounters with Ham Tyler, there is not much new to expect from the way Mike Donovan was written here. What I should point out, however, is that Mike Donovan’s support for the unholy act of abortion (along with the so-called right to abort) is very wrongful, highly immoral and makes the hero having a sinister presence within him even though he is a father searching for his son.
Jane Badler’s performance as Diana deserves admiration here. Not only did she successfully recapture the charismatic and sinister nature of her character in the 1983 mini-series, Badler was very convincing in showing the more desperate side of Diana, especially when it comes to power struggle within the ranks of the Visitors. You can clearly see the desperation and struggle as soon as Pamela appeared. This sequel also showed a lot more of Diana when it comes to personally supervising her conversion process which is much more elaborate here (note: the conversion process in the 1983 mini-series was limited to the showing of a chair with torture devices). Being the very symbol of charisma and evil in the V franchise, Diana’s place in pop culture is solid and her real-world comparative counterparts would be none other than Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris.
Jane Badler as the ever charismatic yet very wicked Diana.
As mentioned earlier, Michael Ironside’s Ham Tyler is the most significant addition to the cast and the script. Ironside had that excellent mix of toughness, cruelty and sarcasm portrayed in here and at the same time Ham Tyler brought out very interesting and intriguing interactions with the more established Julie and Mike. As seen in entertainment history, Ironside went on to climb up the ranks in Hollywood with Total Recall (1990), Starship Troopers (1997) and in the Splinter Cell video game franchise. Ironside’s Ham is easily the fourth major character of the V franchise of the 1980s.
Going into the spectacle part of this sequel, the action is more varied as mentioned earlier and the 3-episode structure was a factor. You will see lots of shooting with the use of guns and laser blasters here and there, and with the in-story locations and props as key factors, there are action sequences that are uniquely done. There is a lot to enjoy for any V fan and casual viewers watching this sequel.
As for the special effects part of the spectacle, this one is a mixed bag similar to what was presented in the 1983 mini-series. To put things in perspective, the use of in-camera effects, practical effects and optical effects for TV back in the 1980s was ambitious. That being said, certain effect shots here did not age well such as the miniature shots looking fake (because the camera used did not have a special lens to capture visuals that would have made the miniatures look believable). I should also state that there were certain effects shots that were recycled and reused in key sequences in this sequel which remains embarrassing to see. What is even more embarrassing to see here is the very poor-quality monster effects used during the nightmare scenes (conversion process) of Julie and, more notably, the presentation of Robin’s other child. The monster effects are so fake, they are laughable to watch.
On the bright side of the special effects, the quality of the laser blasts remains good to watch right down to the precise timing with the explosions that were simulated on-set and in-camera.
Conclusion
The Visitors and Resistance key characters in the sequel.
While it has its strengths and weaknesses, V: The Final Battle is still engaging and enjoyable to watch, and at the same time it is a worthy addition for your Blu-ray collection when it comes to HD viewing (note: this is the sequel with the best visuals yet albeit with black borders on the sides). Even though creator Kenneth Johnson was not too involved on the production side, the creative team managed to deliver a long story that proved to be a natural progression of the original mini-series while providing more spectacle (especially action), developing the established characters and resolving key plot threads that started in 1983.
The lack of Kenneth Johnson’s personal touch on the presentation was noticeable and somewhat brought this sequel down a bit in terms of style. What brought V: The Final Battle’s quality down were the overall cheaper looking visual effects, the Julie-Mike love relationship and the climax of the final episode which seemed executed with desperation on the part of the creative team (note: giving a little new character instant purpose). In fairness, this sequel still succeeded in showing what fascism in America (or California specifically which is now dominated by Commies) would look like and it built up on its predecessor’s themes such as the deception of power and the collaboration with foreign enemies. This mini-series even added themes of teenage pregnancy and abortion (note: someone from the creative team wanted to promote the wrongful Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision of 1973) to its narrative.
Does V: The Final Battle live up to its title? Absolutely not because a regular TV series that deteriorated in quality followed. In retrospect, it’s clear that this sequel marked the beginning of the decline of the V franchise in pop culture. What more, V: The Final Battle was never counted as canon in Kenneth Johnson’s 2008 novel (and sequel to the 1983 mini-series) V: The Second Generation. On its own, V: The Final Battle still has more positive stuff than negative ones and in my experience, it remains enjoyable and compelling to watch from start to finish. Compared to V: The Original Miniseries, I can say this sequel falls short. It is good, not great.
Overall, V: The Final Battle (1984) is recommended. That being said, let this 1984 mini-series remind you that there is so much evil in the real world in the forms of Iran, the terrorists of Palestine, the social justice warriors (SJWs), the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement and liberal media to name some. Always keep in mind to avoid becoming evil no matter how tempting power in this divided world becomes to you. You also do not want to let the evil ones take over your government and have authority over you, your family members and your community. Push back against evil and stand up strong by faithfully taking sides with the one true Savior whose name is Jesus!
+++++
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/
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back, superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we revisit Marvel Comics’ What If monthly series through the 51st issue. Its subject matter was about the Punisher becoming Captain America.
For the newcomers reading this, the Punisher in comics started when Vietnam War veteran Frank Castle lost his family to a gang of criminals who attacked them. Being the only survivor, Castle became obsessed with punishing others by means of assassination and waging a personal war against criminals. Captain America, meanwhile, was serving his country along with his teammates in the Avengers. The story in this reviewed issue of What If diverges from the events told in Captain America #212.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at What If #51, published by Marvel Comics in 1993 with a story written by Simon Furman and drawn by Paris Cullins.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins inside a military hospital deep beneath the Pentagon. Steve Rogers/Captain America was still recovering from his previous mission (told in Captain America #212) when Nick Fury and Falcon arrive. Steve tells Fury that there must be a Captain America again with someone strong to wear the flag.
Shortly after, top secret discussions about replacing Steve Rogers commence with a select committee at work and some representatives present. Due to the lack of real access to the original super soldier serum that enhanced Steve Rogers into becoming Captain America, it was announced that decorated Vietnam War hero Frank Castle was their pick to replace Rogers. Nick Fury expresses his reservation.
At a military camp, Frank Castle refuses to become Captain America expressing that he has served his country already through military operations and he barely has any time left for his wife, son and daughter. As far as he is concerned, his war is over…
Quality
The Punisher as the new Captain America!
On face value, the concept about the Punisher becoming the new Captain America is intriguing and that alone could lead to different outcomes. The story written by Simon Furman clearly shows what kind of Captain America Frank Castle would be. While he does not have the super human abilities of Steve Rogers, Castle’s intense drive to punish others makes his Captain America an effective weapon against not only America’s enemies but also the opposition that the Avengers themselves face. Of course, Castle’s obsession on punishing the opposition is not limited to his role as America’s iconic instrument as he still has a personal desire on bringing down America’s criminals.
The story tackles some of the ethics behind the role and symbolism that comes with being Captain America, and it shows certain elements that Frank Castle lacks when it comes to living up to his higher role. This comic book also serves as a reminder about how valuable it is for Americans, whether fictional or factual, to serve their nation and love it. In today’s era of unrelenting socialism, Communism, Marxism, Critical Race Theory (CRT), unrestrained political correctness, widespread diversity delusions and Leftist activism damaging America which in turn has Joe Biden as a President prioritizing socialism and illegal immigrants over his fellow Americans, this comic book carries a lot of weight about what it means to be an American who is ready to serve and love America. Its meaning will easily offend the social justice warriors (SJWs) in America.
Without spoiling the plot, I can say that the final encounter and conclusion were powerful and sentimental in a good way.
Conclusion
Frank Castle the pick to replace Steve Rogers as Captain America.
What If #51 (1993) could have been another issue that ended disappointingly. It is actually an engaging read and provides readers deep insight about what a Frank Castle Captain America would be like within the Marvel Comics universe of the 1990s. It’s got a good amount of action, several moments of intrigue and it shows a different type of Punisher (note: check out my other retro reviews involving the Punisher by clicking here, here and here) while still retaining some of his classic character background elements. The visuals and art style in this comic book could have been better.
If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of What If #51 (1993) be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $60 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition costs $180.
Overall, What If #51 (1993) is recommended.
+++++
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/
Author Carlo Carrasco 