crossover – Author Carlo Carrasco

What To Watch On YouTube Right Now – Part 137

May 13, 2026May 9, 2026carlocarrasco

Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching.

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 check out the following videos I found.

#1 You, Me and The Movies React To Lone Wolf McQuade – It has been a few months since the movie legend Chuck Norris passed away at age 86. He left behind a legacy of action movies and even played Bruce Lee’s tough opponent in The Way of the Dragon. Norris also had action movies filmed on location here in my native Philippines. In the 1980s, Norris appeared in a lot movies that involved guns and hard action, and one of his more notable films of the time was 1983’s Lone Wolf McQuade in which he faced off with fellow action star David Carradine. Recently, You, Me and the Movies posted their reaction video of Lone Wolf McQuade and it is entertaining to watch. I urge you to watch it now.

#2 Minty Comedic Arts’ Invasion U.S.A. Video – Still focused on the late Chuck Norris, his 1985 action movie Invasion U.S.A. was not merely made to entertain moviegoers with lots of explosions, dangerous stunts and hard action. Norris read an article in Reader’s Digest about the presence of hundreds of terrorists running loose in the United States which impacted him as he care about his country and his fellow Americans. This eventually led to the making of Invasion U.S.A. which succeeded commercially as it spread awareness to the American people as to how they can defend themselves in the event foreign terrorists invade their country. Today, Islamic terrorism as well as the entrance of Islamo-Leftist foreigners into America made this 1985 more socially relevant. The story behind the production of Invasion U.S.A. is pretty fascinating, and you can learn more about by watch Minty Comedic Arts’ video below.

#3 Signature Bowls of Happiness in Japan – Do you eat meals served in bowls often? Meals in bowls are common in Japan where rice and noodles are eaten by people daily. Among the many food joints in Japan that offer meals in bowls to customers are a few standouts visited by Nippon TV. What they discovered are very enticing, attractive and delicious to look at. Watch and learn from their video below.

#4 Ranting For Vengeance Slams CBR And Others Who Hate 1980s Anime – I grew up watching lots of anime shows and feature films early in life and the 1980s is a memorable decade. It was during the 1980s when I saw anime productions from the 1970s and the newest ones of the decade. To name some, I saw the 1980s Astro Boy series, Galaxy Express 999, Captain Future, Super Dimension Fortress Macross, Voltes V, Daimos, Mazinger Z and others. While such old anime productions proved to be entertaining, there are still some people out there who bashed them because those productions (and their stories) did not align with their modern day woke agenda. The popular geek entertainment portal CBR published lots of articles saying that the old anime productions did not age well and a lot of readers and netizens followed suit. As such, Ranting for Vengeance slammed them and stood up for 1980s anime backed with detailed explanations. If you are a true fan of anime, watch the video below.

#5 Western Women Who Embraced Islam End Up Wrong – Did you notice that there is a growing number of women in the West who embraced Islam believing the fantasies that it is a religion of peace and is feminist? Indeed, there are these modern-day feminists who considered themselves Islamic without even fully knowing what Islam truly is, why Sharia Law is wicked and what was recorded in the Quran. SaharTV posted several videos about these newcomers to Islam (including one new Muslim woman who was Catholic) who ended up being very wrong and embarrassed. Watch the SaharTV videos below.

#6 The Significance Of Spider-Man 2099 Explained – In late 1992, Marvel Comics launched Spider-Man 2099 #1 which also marked the start of their 2099 franchise of comic books. Under the direction of writer Peter David with artworks done mainly by Rick Leonardi, the futuristic Spider-Man really stood out differently from the classic Spider-Man (Peter Parker) and his own place under Marvel Comics’ banner was established well. Spider-Man 2099 is clearly the most popular of all the Marvel 2099 titles. That said, I found this YouTube video that examines the significance of Spider-Man of 2099. I encourage you to watch it.

#7 Ashleigh Burton’s Reaction To Witness – The 1980s will always be a memorable decade of Harrison Ford’s cinematic performances. During that decade, he appeared in two Star Wars movies and he was the center of attraction in the original Indiana Jones trilogy. Along the way, he appeared in the 1985 crime thriller film Witness in which he played a police detective protecting an Amish woman and her son. The movie earned several Academy Award nominations including Best Picture and even Best Actor for Harrison Ford. Lately, Ashleigh Burton posted her reaction video of Witness and I encourage you to watch it.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

What To Watch On YouTube Right Now – Part 136

May 6, 2026May 5, 2026carlocarrasco

Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching.

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 check out the following videos I found.

#1 Parasite Eve Revisited– If you were fortunate enough to have played the horror-themed Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) Parasite Eve on PlayStation in 1998, be thankful you did because there is no certainty that the Parasite Eve franchise of games will be revived anytime soon due to legal obstacles and disagreements between Square Enix and PE’s creator Hideaki Sena. That said, I found this in-depth and extensive retrospective video about the 1998 game and I encourage you all to watch it.

#2 Food Courts In Japan Getting Fancy – Have you ever tried eating in a food court while visiting Japan? While food courts in many countries have the typical set-up of chairs and tables with many food/beverage joints present and ready to sell something affordable to customers, there are a few food courts of Japan getting fancier and more unique. Watch and learn from the Nippon TV video below.

#3 The 1995 Mortal Kombat Animated Feature Revisited – In the mid-1990s, live-action film adaptations of popular fighting games were released in cinemas. While the movies of Street Fighter and Double Dragon failed in the cinemas, the live-action Mortal Kombat movie of 1995 succeeded commercially and was mostly approved by the fans. But before the MK film was released, there was actually a prequel animated movie titled Mortal Kombat: The Journey Legends released straight to video in April 1995. If you want to discover the animated Mortal Kombat without having to invest anything on it, go watch the GoodBadFlicks retrospective video of it below. It’s an entertaining watch!

#4 Another Batman Returns Retrospective By Minty Comedic Arts – Minty Comedic Arts made another retrospective video about a version of Batman Returns that most people have not seen. This one covers the original plans of having Robin in the 1992 movie, the casting shifts and scenes that were edited or removed entirely from the film’s theatrical release. If you are a fan of the movie, or a Batman fan or you simply enjoy superhero movies, then this video is a must-see!

#5 Assorted Blade Runner Reaction Videos – Have you ever seen the 1982 science fiction detective movie Blade Runner starring Harrison Ford? I did and it definitely is not the thrilling adventure that the movie’s official poster made people think it would be. It’s more of suspense, intrigue and atmosphere, and the movie was deliberately paced between slow and medium speed to effectively tell its story. For some people, it is a futuristic-looking crawler while others admired it. Not only that, there are multiple versions of the movie released. Considering its reputation, it is not surprising that Blade Runner was featured in many movie reaction videos and I found the ones that are entertaining to watch. Watch the videos below.

#6 Ranting For Vengeance Slams Upcoming Resident Evil Movie – Let us be very clear here. Resident Evil is one of the most popular video game franchises of all time with many of its games ending up as commercial and critical blockbusters. When it comes to live-action movie adaptations of Resident Evil, those films ended up as action-packed vehicles of Milla Jovovich with selected Resident Evil characters like Jill Valentine, Claire Redfield, Chris Redfield and Leon Kennedy ending up as token characters on the big screen. Now there is a new Resident Evil live-action movie coming up and it clearly is not faithful to the games and its bad quality production values are dead giveaways. Recently Ranting For Vengeance posted a video slamming the new RE movie and I encourage you to watch it now.

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What To Watch On YouTube Right Now – Part 135

April 29, 2026April 26, 2026carlocarrasco

Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching.

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 check out the following videos I found.

#1 The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear Reaction Videos – What can be said about the 1991 comedy film The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear? As a sequel to 1988’s The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!, the movie has this weird and sudden change of setting from Los Angeles to Washington, DC, without any explanation at all. At the time of its release, the United States President was George Bush and the movie had a funny portrayal of him complete with an actress who looks so much like then First Lady Barbara Bush. More notably, the movie has its funny portrayal of energy politics and there is bias against fossil fuel. How it entertained YouTubers is a must see with their reaction videos posted below for your enjoyment.

#2 How Pre-Rendered Backgrounds Defined Early 3D Gaming – Remember back in the 1990s when pre-rendered backgrounds were used a lot in video games? The first three Resident Evil main video games were popular examples of pre-rendered backgrounds which came with high levels of detail and immersed gamers who played. Behind the scenes, pre-rendered visuals for backgrounds became the norm both artistically and with regards to game production. By today, such visuals became a forgotten artform and you revisit its legacy by watching the video below.

#3 Vending Machines In Japan Disappearing? – During my two tours of Japan in the 1990s, I noticed there were lots of vending machines present. When compared to my visits to the United States during that same decade, the number of vending machines in Japan were not only higher but were also present in more strategic locations targeting both tourists and locals. As technology evolved, there were consequences realized as the number of vending machines in the land of the rising sun has gone down. Could it really be a growing disappearance? Watch and learn from the video below.

#4 Ashleigh Burton Reacts To The Mask – Were you old enough to have seen The Mask (starring Jim Carrey) in the movie theater when it was released in 1994? I saw it in the cinema with my friends and it turned out to be very surprisingly entertaining. Carrey’s very comedic performance really brought the character to life complete with a nice variety of computer-generated effects that added a lot of punch to entertain viewers. As the movie (loosely based on a comic book series of the early 1990s) is more than thirty years old now, one has to wonder if it still has what it takes to entertain viewers who were born during or after its theatrical run. Watch and learn from Ashleigh Burton’s reaction video below.

#5 You, Me And the Movies Reacts To King Kong (1976) – You might have heard the news that the 1976 King Kong movie (starring Jeff Bridges and Jessica Lange) is coming out on 4K Blu-ray format this June. I first saw that movie on local TV in the early 1980s and saw it again on cable TV a long time later. As it was a remake of the 1933 classic film, King Kong’s story was relevant to those who experienced the oil crisis of the 1970s. It’s relevance and overall fun factor got tested in the reaction video of You, Me and the Movies, which you can watch below.

#6 John Byrne’s The Man Of Steel Revisited – What is there to say about John Byrne’s reboot of Superman in the 1986 limited series The Man of Steel? A lot! Byrne, who made a lot of great works with Marvel Comics’ X-Men and Fantastic Four some years prior, was hired by DC Comics to reboot Superman for the post-Crisis age and he was granted creative freedom to not only modernize the American icon but also make him relevant and essential. Can you just imagine experiencing the tremendous pressure of the task if you were Byrne himself? To see why The Man of Steel comic book limited series and Byrne’s rebooting of Superman are very important, I encourage you all to watch the video below.

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A Look Back at X-O Manowar #1 (1992)

April 24, 2026April 17, 2026carlocarrasco

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, Valiant Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the early 1990s to examine a key part of the Valiant Comics universe through a tale of X-O Manowar.

Valiant – under the banner of Voyager Communications – was established in 1989 by former Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Jim Shooter and Steven Massarsky. This happened following their failed attempt to acquire Marvel Comics. Early on, Valiant hired several creators from Marvel and together they brainstormed to create an all-new shared superhero comics universe which will have varied characters of originally creations as well as some licensed creations. In 1991, the company officially launched with titles of Magnus: Robot Fighter and Solar: Man of the Atom.

In 1992, the first wave of Valiant’s original intellectual properties were launched starting with Harbinger in January followed by X-O Manowar in February.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at X-O Manowar #1, published in 1992 by Valiant Comics with a story written by the late Jim Shooter and Steve Englehart with art by Barry Windsor-Smith.

Early story

The story begins inside an alien space ship traveling through deep space. A brave Visigoth warrior named Aric fights hard against Spider Aliens which he referred to as hard-skins. Even though he is naked and surrounded, he is determined to kill the aliens which have kept him as their slave and prisoner for many years.

Using the makeshift map marked by blood on his right palm, Aric makes his way through the ship until he finds a futuristic, metallic armor which puzzles him as he anticipated something useful in his desperate fight against the aliens. As a Spider Alien approaches him, Aric remembered the map giver advised him to take the ring which he does.

Suddenly, the armor moves to fit into him. Aric calls the armor a good skin and he realizes that it is stronger than fire-light. By instinct, Aric fires a powerful energy blast which not only kills two Spider Aliens but also damaged the hull of the space ship leading him into outer space.

When the space ship blows up near him, the armored Aric is pushed down into Earth’s atmosphere landing him on a snowy hill. He takes the armor off, leaves it behind and walks away fully naked. He still has the ring with him…

Quality

*Even though he clearly has yet to fully master the use of the X-O armor, Aric is able to learn and adjust fast in a dangerous situation like this one.*

Reading this Valiant comic book is indeed a great experience and it has indeed aged well. Right from the start, Aric is the protagonist designed to lead readers to get immersed into the story, follow his experiences, learn from his views and discoveries, and experience his development.

The story Jim Shooter and Steve Englehart came up with had a really strong structure and the narrative moved at a consistent medium-pace which allowed readers to follow the developments and learn the details.

As the titular hero, Aric here is a man from the distant past of Earth who got abducted by aliens and spent time as a prisoner and a slave in space for a number of years (note: time on Earth moved faster due to time dilation) before finally being able to free himself using his bravery and the armor.

Aric was written to be a man out of time and in this comic book, you will see how he struggles to not only survive but also adjust to life in 20^th century Earth. He no longer has his tribe and the ancient world he lived in has long passed away. With the ring still with him, Aric holds the key and the ability to control the armor, and this makes the people of Orb Industries (a company serving as a front of the Spider Aliens who turned out to be operating in Earth for centuries) bothered. As such, Orb sees Aric as prey (who tasted power with the armor) and they have so much resources to commit mass murder and destruction just to get to him.

The build-up of the tale gradually intensified as the narrative moved on. The good news here is that the pay-offs are very rewarding to see. The spectacle is a mix of explosive scenes, shooting and superhero action with a strong science fiction flavor.

Conclusion

*Orb Industries has the armor and they know Aric has the ring.*

X-O Manowar #1 (1992) is absolutely a great comic to read and also one of the very best superhero introduction ever told. It has an adulterated tale that is believable and compelling to follow. By the time I reached the end of the story, Aric became a more relatable protagonist and I am convinced to follow the next issue. The story Shooter and Englehart came up with is indeed immersive and there Valiant shared universe itself became even more attractive to discover. There is no surprise that this comic book is one of the most significant comic book launches of Valiant.

Overall, X-O Manowar #1 (1992) is highly recommended!

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

What To Watch On YouTube Right Now – Part 134

April 22, 2026April 15, 2026carlocarrasco

Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching.

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 check out the following videos I found.

#1 Resident Evil: Apocalypse Reviews, Retrospective And Reaction Videos – After watching the 2002 live-action Resident Evil movie, I left the cinema feeling unsatisfied as it did not have much related to the popular video game series. That film succeeded enough to justify the production of the sequel Resident Evil: Apocalypse, and the first reveal of Sienna Guillory as Jill Valentine (based on her appearance in Resident Evil 3: Nemesis) caught my attention. The reveal of Raccoon City getting hit by the zombie apocalypse and the casting of Oded Fehr as Carlos Oliviera (another RE3 character) interested me. In September 2004, I saw Resident Evil: Apocalypse on opening day in the local cinema and I was entertained for the most part. The Milla Jovovich-led film was indeed flawed, but it was an enjoyable improvement over its 2002 predecessor. How Resident Evil: Apocalypse fares with the YouTubers is something you must see.

#2 The Planned California City That Failed – Have you ever heard of Salton City? It was a planned city in the state of California located along the Salton Sea. It was designed as a resort community capable of supporting forty thousand residents, and it was to have the complete systems of water, roads, sewer and energy. Salton City is a ghost town and the in-depth YouTube video I found will help you realize its history and why development failed.

#3 Star Wars: Shadows Of The Empire Game Revisited – Back in the mid-1990s, George Lucas’ entertainment group launched the Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire multi-media project which told what happened between the movies The Empire Strike Back and Return of the Jedi. The said project was huge even though there was no live action Star Wars movie involved. A Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire novel was released which became the foundation of a comic book adaptation (read my retro reviews here and here), a video game, toys, action figures and merchandise. The video game of Shadows of the Empire was a joint project between LucasArts and Nintendo and its release on Nintendo 64 drew a lot of attention back then. The game itself made gamers – both Star Wars fans and casual gamers – want to get an N64 to play the game. I recently found two in-depth retrospective videos about Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire on N64 and I encourage you all to watch them.

#4 The Embarrassing Woke NDP Of Canada – Have you ever heard about the New Democratic Party? Referred to as NDP for short, New Democratic Party is a very leftist and woke political party in Canada and it had a really bad result in the 2025 federal election. Recently, the NDP had its leadership election and what happened in late March saw a series of awkward and embarrassing moments during their big event. In the videos below, you will see why political correctness, identity politics and wokeness are bad to have, and they made the internal processes of the NDP hard to pull off. In fact, diversity and inclusion zealotry have caused divisions within the NDP’s convention. What happened was funny to watch and it was not a comedy at all.

#5 Elderly Japanese Women And Their Beloved Restaurants – In Japan, many Japanese people live really long lives. Among them are elderly people who are active and managed to make an impact on others. That said, there are two elderly Japanese women who excelled in cooking meals and managing restaurants, and what they offer will impress you. I urge you all to watch the Nippon TV feature below.

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What To Watch On YouTube Right Now – Part 133

April 15, 2026April 11, 2026carlocarrasco

Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching.

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 check out the following videos I found.

#1 The Ring Reaction Videos – When The Ring (an American remake of the 1998 film Ringu) was released in cinemas in 2002, it had a huge impact on many moviegoers as it scared them and made them think that Asian horror can be adapted by Western filmmakers to entertain a larger, English-oriented audience worldwide. In fact, The Ring sparked a wave of American remakes of established horror films from Asia. The movie also made Naomi Watts a movie star. There are viewers who enjoyed the subtle yet creepy approach to horror by the 2002 film and there are those who find it superior to the Japanese original. How The Ring impacts the following YouTubers through their reaction videos below is a must-see.

#2 Batman versus Predator Revisited – Back in the early 1990s, I saw issues of the huge crossover mini-series Batman versus Predator displayed on shelves on local comic book stores, and each one cost a lot of money! Looking back at the crossover, there definitely is a lot of things about it that justify the high cover price. Some comic book enthusiasts say that Batman versus Predator is the best crossover comic book story to feature the Predator while there are others who said that Batman is the perfect superhero to be matched against the sci-fi movie icon. To understand how Batman versus Predator came to be, watch the retrospective video below.

#3 Project Sylpheed Examined – First released in Japan in 2006, Project Sylpheed was a science fiction shooter game that was released by Square Enix exclusively on the Xbox 360 console. I always wanted to play that game’s English version (released in 2007) but I never had the opportunity to buy it. Project Sylpheed was the third game of its franchise and it was the successor to the original Silpheed game of the 1980s. Believe it or not, the game still looks great by today’s standards and the vibrant colors and stylish visual elements made it stand out nicely among 3D shooters. To see what Project Sylpheed is about and why is it still enjoyable to play, watch the video below.

#4 Ranting For Vengeance Slams Jon Bernthal’s Punisher And The Woke Mob – When I first think about the Punisher who first appeared in comics long ago, I think of a very hard-edged vigilante who wages a dangerous war against criminals on his own terms. In the 21^st century, we now have a live-action Punisher who drifted away from his comic book legacy and woke Disney now fully dictates Marvel Comics. Along the way, the current Punisher actor Jon Bernthal is woke and supports the LGBTQ community and its agenda. Ranting for Vengeance recently posted a video slamming Bernthal’s Punisher and the woke mob, and you can find out more by watching it below.

#5 Rice Ball Craze In Japan – In Japan, rice balls are popular and there is nothing like the enjoyment of consuming rice with seaweed wrapping and ingredients mixed in. From time to time, rice balls get discounted and there is always an influx of buyers who pursue them with good taste and better value in mind. Even foreign tourists can take advantage of the discounts of rice balls. Watch and learn from the Nippon TV video below.

#6 Orion Pictures Revisited – When I was very young, there were some notables movies I saw that involved Orion Pictures in more ways than one. Some movies the Orion produced (or co-produced) that were memorable to watch include Caddyshack and Excalibur. Other memorable films distributed by Orion include Platoon, RoboCop, The Terminator, First Blood and The Silence of the Lambs to name some. Before Orion even started as a movie business, there were notable events in Hollywood history that led to its founding. Watch and learn from the retrospective video below.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

A Look Back at Prime #10 (1994)

December 31, 2025December 25, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back, superhero fans, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Ultraverse fans and comic book collectors! Today we revisit the Ultraverse to take a look at one of the many tales of Prime from the monthly series that first launched in 1993.

Within the Ultraverse is a hero that was notably absent in the many UV comic books I reviewed, and Malibu Comics even published a regular series of the character. That character is Firearm who goes by the civilian identity as Alec Swan. Swan, who has no super powers, is a British private investigator who was formerly a member of an elite cover bureau in his home country. He has been working as a PI in California and he has encountered several super-powered people in the Ultraverse. In this comic book review, he gets involved with Prime.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Prime #10, published by Malibu Comics in 1994 with a story written by Len Strazewski and Gerard Jones, and illustrated by the late Norm Breyfogle.

Early story

The story begins Prime crashing into a secret facility where Colonel Samuels and his crew have been working in. Prime angrily accuses the colonel for lying to him and pushing him close to killing the people in the nuclear plant and almost getting him killed in a nuclear blast.

Samuels immediately pulls a switch to electrocute Prime (note: through the collar Samuel placed on Kevin Green’s neck) with a massive amount of energy which knocks him out. A short time later, Prime finds himself restrained in front of the colonel, guards and scientists. Samuels reveals to him that the secret society Aladdin has been stepping up efforts to control ultras (super-powered beings) since the incident on the moon (Break-Thru) happened, and they want him out of business.

What Colonel Samuels and staff do not realize is that Firearm is discreetly watching them and listening in the shadows…

Quality

To begin with, I can say that the Strazewski-Jones-Breyfogle team literally turned things upside-down to tell a Prime story while smoothly integrating Firearm into the narrative. This is the first-ever encounter between Prime and Firearm (who at this point of the story met Kevin Green’s father)

Without spoiling the plot, I can say that this tale is heavy with the action which is justified by the presence of Firearm. Prime himself is in a more vulnerable state as Colonel Samuels has clever advantages over him. The result is a story packed with action and has some suspense and intrigue mixed in. The reading experience flowed smoothly and there never was any boring moment in any scene.

Firearm’s presence here opened some opportunities for the creative team to develop Kevin Green’s personality and what they came up with was executed efficiently and with depth. As for Colonel Samuels, his wickedness reached a boiling point in this tale and the creative team came up with something that caught me off-guard. I promise you, what happened to Samuels here is worth discovering and it will compel you to examine or anticipate the consequences of the action he took.

Conclusion

*Somehow, Colonel Samuels and his staff failed to notice Firearm’s presence.*

While the previous issue was a return to form for the regular series, Prime #10 (1994) was a pleasing crossover tale that successfully showcased action, suspense, intrigue and new dimensions of Kevin Green’s personal growth. This first-ever encounter between Prime and Firearm was executed solidly and the reading experience in general was engaging from start to finish. The way I see it, this old Ultraverse comic book will please fans of both Firearm and Prime.

Overall, Prime #10 (1994) is highly recommended.

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

A Look Back at Amazing Spider-Man #387 (1994)

December 12, 2025December 7, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the 1990s to examine a small part of the Marvel Comics shared universe through a tale of the Amazing Spider-Man monthly series.

In my previous retro review, Spider-Man had a match-up with his arch-enemy the Vulture who returned with a strong obsession within. The rematch is significant not only because it the two have a rivalry that lasted decades in reality, but also because the story was structured to function as a light reintroduction of Adrian Toomes (Vulture) for new Spider-Man fans of the 1990s.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Amazing Spider-Man #387, published in 1994 by Marvel Comics with a story written by David Michelinie and drawn by Mark Bagley.

Early story

The story begins with the Vulture absorbing energy and the youth of Spider-Man using the Juvenator in front of Dr. Sanchez. As a result, Adrian Toomes/Vulture physically turned much younger with rejuvenated skin, cancer getting health, a stronger body and his hair grown back. He declares himself as the new vital Vulture. Spider-Man is down on the floor clearly weakened and with a change of his body’s shape.

Instead of taking the opportunity to kill Spider-Man, the Vulture decides to fly away knowing that his long-time rival will have to deal with brittle bones of old age. As Dr. Sanchez tries to help him, Spider-Man feels exhausted, his lungs feeling gummy and his ears ringing. Knowing that police officers are coming, the webslinger decides to get away and leave Dr. Sanchez behind.

Moments later at the top of the building, the weakened Spider-Man takes his mask and glove off realizing that he has turned into an elderly man…

Quality

To get straight to the point, this continued rematch between Spider-Man and the Vulture is so outlandish (backed with the science fiction approach to life energy and the so-called fountain of youth), it almost felt like it was a story crafted for the What If series of comic books. In fact, the sudden aging of Peter Parker into an actually elderly man getting into close calls with two notable family members made this tale even more suitable for the What If series (note: What If #4 of 1989 had a severely aged Peter Parker in it).

Still on the storytelling aspect of this comic book, the creators used the fountain of youth concept to pull off a significant twist on the enduring Spider-Man/Vulture rivalry. As Spider-Man grew so old, the Vulture became much younger which in turn convinced him he could reinvent himself and put his genius of electro-magnetism to great use.

To make things clear, this tale is not purely a Spider-Man/Vulture rivalry with sci-fi twists. In fact, there is more to the plot than meets the eye here as the Juvenator machine becomes an important element of the story (leading to something intriguing in the next issue), and a sinister revelation concluded this comic book.

Conclusion

*The Vulture rejuvenated into a young man at the expense of Spider-Man.*

Amazing Spider-Man #387 (1994) is a solid follow-up to the previous issue and it also was a radical attempt to twist the Spider-Man/Vulture rivalry a lot reaching to the point of making it look and feel like a What If story. There is a good amount of suspense, character development and enough superhero spectacle that paid-off the build-up nicely. Ultimately, this tale is actually a part of a short storyline leading to the intriguing events of issue #388.

Overall, Amazing Spider-Man #387 (1994) is recommended.

+++++

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

A Look Back at Amazing Spider-Man #386 (1994)

November 21, 2025December 7, 2025carlocarrasco

Following a serious of unfortunate events that kept Spider-Man away from his wife Mary Jane (read my retro reviews by clicking here, here and here), the Amazing Spider-Man creators decided it was time to have the iconic webslinger in a new rematch with the classic villain The Vulture (specifically Adrian Toomes whose first appearance was in Amazing Spider-Man #2 in 1963). What makes Toomes Vulture notable (note: there were other versions of Vulture in Marvel’s history) is that he is an old man who happens to be a brilliant electrical engineer who proved to be a very capable criminal. He is also a co-founder of the Sinister Six.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Amazing Spider-Man #386, published in 1994 by Marvel Comics with a story written by David Michelinie and drawn by Mark Bagley.

Early story

The story begins in the prison complex at Ryker’s Island. Adrian Toomes (Vulture) is inside his prison cell working on a small device with a guard watching from his back. It turns out the device has a tractor beam and Toomes uses it on the guard to physically slam his body on the sliding door of the prison cell. Toomes then uses the tractor beam to pull the metal bars of the other side of the cell to create an opening. He equips himself with mechanical wings and flew out of his cell and reach the speed boat prepared by two companions.

At the residence of May Parker, Peter and his Aunt May talk with an investigator. It turns out Aunt May hired the investigator to follow and observe Richard and Mary Parker. When asked by Peter, she tells him she does not think Richard and Mary are his parents. As far as the investigator is concerned, there is nothing suspicious with Richard and Mary Parker. He tells peters that his aunt needs professional help (related to Alzheimer’s Disease)…

Quality

*The physical conflict between Spidey and the Vulture is intense to see!*

Perceived as modern during the time of publication, the conflict between Spider-Man and the Vulture in this comic book utilized the concept of everlasting youth with science fiction (combined with the villain’s own obsession). This in turn resulted in a unique approach executed by the Michelinie-Bagley duo to make something new with the rematch between Spidey and his winged nemesis.

The Vulture here is not only very obsessed with obtaining everlasting life as there is something deep inside him that has been raging. This explains why the winged super villain is more visceral in his battle with Spider-Man which Mark Bagley visualized with dynamism and intensity. For the newcomers reading this, the two have fought each other a lot since the 1960s and this 1994 rematch was very unique. The Vulture here is not unhinged but rather strategic while being obsessed, and this made him even more dangerous for Spider-Man.

Apart from the promised rematch, this comic book continued building up the tension for the eventual tragedy in Peter Parker’s life (which happened in Amazing Spider-Man #388) while also dramatizing the lasting hardships Mary Jane experiences as Peter’s wife. Peter Parker meanwhile is focused on his family and his intention to find professional help for Aunt May smoothly connected with his rematch with the Vulture.

Conclusion

*Mary Jane Parker participates in a promotional event of her TV show in a shopping mall.*

There is a lot to enjoy in Amazing Spider-Man #386 (1994). The rematch between the Vulture and Spider-Man is engaging and intriguing to read. There is also a good amount of suspense applied on the main plot as well as on the sub-plot about Aunt May being suspicious about Richard and Mary Parker. The result here is a reading experience that is entertaining and also balanced with regards to tone and storytelling.

Overall, Amazing Spider-Man #386 (1994) is recommended.

+++++

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

A Look Back at Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #131 (1987)

October 29, 2025October 29, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1980s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1987 to examine a small part of the Marvel Comics shared universe through a tale of the Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man monthly series.

For this particular review, we will explore the 3^nd chapter of classic storyline Kraven’s Last Hunt. The storyline started in Web of Spider-Man #31 (read my retro review by clicking here) and progressed further in Amazing Spider-Man #293 (read my retro review by clicking here) and creators J. M. DeMatteis and Mike Zeck crafted it to last six chapters.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #131, published in 1987 by Marvel Comics with a story written by J. M. DeMatteis and drawn by Mike Zeck.

Early story

The story begins inside a facility in New York City on a rainy night. Men inside work quietly moving heroin from one vehicle to another. Suddenly Kraven – wearing a black costume believing he is Spider-Man – breaks in and fearlessly attack the men who are already armed. Using very violent force, Kraven beats the men and killed the last one. Eventually, police officers and detectives broke into the facility which compels Kraven to get away fast and leaves them no opportunities to catch up. One of the detectives mentions that fifteen suspects have been hospitalized because of the individual they perceive as Spider-Man.

After climbing to the top of a building, Kraven takes his mask off. He thinks deeply about his victory over Spider-Man and becoming him. He believes he has consumed the spider’s prey and proved himself to be superior in every way. Regardless, Kraven’s obsession continues as he seeks the final proof.

Elsewhere in the city, Vermin pulls a woman into an alley and then comes out on the street as a police car approaches him…

Quality

*A key scene showing how Mary Jane and Joe Robertson react to the absence of Peter Parker who was buried alive by Kraven.*

In this 3^rd chapter of the Kraven’s Last Hunt storyline, the iconic Spider-Man is absent again but his presence is still felt through the way people perceive him and through two notable characters who personally knew Peter Parker. At this point in the storyline, Kraven truly believes he has not only replaced Spider-Man but became even more significant than him. Kraven’s obsession with achieving both greatness and significant placed him on a collision course with Vermin, and I can say that the conflict between the them is a powerful feature of the story. Once again, DeMatteis proved how compelling his script really is and Mike Zeck easily brought the said script to life with strong imagery.

As with the previous two chapters, the darkness and grittiness of the storyline are lively which resulted in a very atmospheric reading experience. The DeMatteis-Zeck duo knew exactly how to engage readers using a powerful script and images that range from being action-packed to looking very disturbing.

Speaking of character development, Mary Jane here shows how the continued absence of her husband is wearing herself down and making her even more worried. Mary Jane is a lively symbol about how we readers miss Spider-Man and how uncertain we feel about the future of comic book storytelling without the iconic superhero.

Conclusion

*Without any concern whatsoever, Kraven’s Spider-Man brutally hits the criminals with powerful strikes.*

Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #131 (1987) is a powerful 3^rd chapter of the Kraven’s Last Hunt storyline. At this point, Kraven continues to not only be Spider-Man but make others feel his impact as he strives to be greater than the genuine Spider-Man. Vermin has turned more prominent in this comic book and the big conflict between him and Kraven is a huge pay-off to what was built-up since Amazing Spider-Man #293. Right now, I am looking forward to the next chapter of Kraven’s Last Hunt.

Overall, Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #131 (1987) is highly recommended.

+++++

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

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