DC Comics – Author Carlo Carrasco

A Look Back at Demolition Man #1 (1993)

December 17, 2025December 16, 2025carlocarrasco

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 movie fans, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1993 to examine the first issue of a comic book mini-series that served as the official adaptation of the movie Demolition Man.

Believe it or not, I completely missed out on Demolition Man’s theatrical run here in the Philippines. I only heard about the movie from feedback from my friends who saw it and they often mentioned the virtual reality sex scene. Strangely, they did not talk much about the match-up between Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes.

The first time I saw the movie was on a rented laserdisc in 1995. As it was a Joel Silver production, the movie really had very high production values and it also had that subtle balance between hard action, science fiction and comedy. I enjoyed watching Demolition Man and its unique presentation about the future was memorable to me. Recently, I finally read the first issue of the comic book mini-series based on the movie.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Demolition Man #1, published in 1993 by DC Comics with a story written by Gary Cohn (based on the screenplay by Daniel Waters, Robert Reneau and Peter M. Lenkov) and drawn by Rod Whigham. This is the first of a 4-issue mini-series.

Early story

The story begins in 1996. Los Angeles has turned into a city of violent crime with a lot of areas left in ruin. A police department helicopter flies over the Hollywood sign bringing John Spartan (Demolition Man) to a wide, old building filled with some armed criminals. Spartan suspects that Simon Phoenix is responsible for hijacking a bus of thirty people and they all could be inside the building. The thermogram scan on the building only shows seven people and no signs of the passengers.

Determined to find the passengers, Spartan does a bungee jump to safely land on the rooftop of the building. He takes down a few thugs as he gradually infiltrates the place.

Elsewhere, Simon Phoenix sees Spartan via security camera. As Spartan eventually breaks into a large room, Phoenix releases a large amount of gasoline on the floor. Spartan and Phoenix encounter each other and an intense talk about missing passengers begins. As the Demolition Man presses for answers with guns aimed, Phoenix prepares to spark a sudden fire…

Quality

*This scene never appeared in the movie. If it made it the final cut, it definitely would have slowed the film’s pace down a lot.*

Having seen the movie a number of times, this comic book covers the opening and closes with a notable scene that took place after the shocking revelation about the passengers. The good news here is that the comic book creators did a really fine adaptation of the scenes from the movie. Certain moments looked and felt like they were adapted from an older version of the script (note: Spartan bidding goodbye to his wife and little daughter is the obvious scene) while some moments seem to be creative additions or expansion by the creators.

The pacing of the story is pretty good and even the slowest scenes never felt boring. This is because the writing by Gary Cohn is quite engaging and there is always some interesting or something important to read as the story goes on. That said, when the spectacle happens, the pay-off to the build-up is truly worth it.

Still on the writing, Cohn inserted a good amount of details into the dialogue as well as the moments revealing what John Spartan is thinking. This ultimately gives readers a clearer look into Spartan’s personality as well as what were the elements from his past defined him as the Demolition Man to many.

Rod Whigham is very good with visualizing the script. For one thing, he does a good job capturing the likeness of Stallone and Snipes in specific pages of the comic book. When it comes to spectacle (action, explosions and stunts), Whigham’s work ranges from efficiency to dynamic depending on what happens. This is a good looking comic book!

Conclusion

*Like in the movie, John Spartan and Simon Phoenix fight surrounded by flames.*

Demolition Man #1 (1993) is a very solid adaptation and it is also a great way to start its mini-series. The comic book essentially captured the elements of several scenes from the movie and whenever the spotlight is focused on John Spartan or Simon Phoenix, I could senses Stallone and Snipes in them. The narrative flows smoothly and I had a very good reading experience. I am looking forward to the next issue.

Overall, Demolition Man #1 (1993) is 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 @HavenorFantasy 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 111

November 26, 2025November 18, 2025carlocarrasco

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 Ashleigh Burton Reacts To Full Metal Jacket – A few months ago, my YouTube series post included several reaction videos of Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket. Recently Ashleigh Burton posted her own Full Metal Jacket reaction video and I can say that it is very enjoyable to watch as the YouTuber (who is a jolly person) had her own bouts of laugh-out-loud moments reacting to it. Watch Ashleigh Burton’s video below.

#2 Ghost in the Shell’s Relevance Analyzed – I was still in college the first time I saw the 1995 anime feature film Ghost in the Shell on home video. While I enjoyed the action and the high-quality visuals (2D animation mixed with computer-generated graphics), I was unable to grasp the story and its many philosophical messages within. To really enjoy it and understand Masamune Shirow’s concepts, watching Ghost in the Shell should be done with patience and the right mindset. Fortunately, a YouTuber took the time to replay the anime feature film and paid close attention to the many details within. Indeed, Ghost in the Shell is more relevant than ever today as it tackled hacking, cybersecurity, identity and artificial intelligence early on. To find out more, watch the video below.

#3 Yakisoba In Japan – You like Yakisoba? Yakisoba is a Japanese noodle stir-fried dish and it first appeared in food stalls in Japan about a century ago. There are lots of places in Japan that offer yakisoba to customers and there are also variants of it depending on where you find it. In the city of Kobe (the same city that got ravaged by a massive earthquake in the mid-1990s) is a Yakisoba shop that serves a lot of customers each day. That means something must be really good with the yakisoba. Watch and learn from the video below.

#4 Do You Trust James Gunn? – I never bothered to watch James Gunn’s Superman movie this year. In fact, when it was announced that Gunn and his partner would start a whole new line of DC Comics superhero movie projects under the Warner Bros. banner a few years ago, I was never excited nor interested. I saw Gunn’s work in Guardians of the Galaxy (he wrote and directed it) and the 2004 Dawn of the Dead remake (he wrote it) and neither film was worth replaying. I’m not saying Gunn is a bad filmmaker, I just don’t find his work compelling enough and box office numbers don’t change a thing. He also directed The Suicide Squad which ended up as a commercial disappointment. When it comes to cinematic superhero works, there are reasons why long-time superhero fans and comic book readers don’t trust Gunn which you can learn from the videos below.

#5 Austria Pushes Back Against Mass Migration – Right from the top, Austria made decisive moves to push back against the flow of mass migration and made it clear they want to preserve their culture and prioritize their citizens. It has been over ten years since Germany – under Angela Merkel – committed a huge blunder by opening its borders to so many people from the Middle East and Africa which affected other European nations negatively. It is obvious that the high amount of so-called refugees already in Europe collectively have no desire to assimilate with the culture and norms of the nations they entered, and they want more social benefits and more money at the expense of the citizens. Austria itself had enough and you can find out how they pushed back against mass migration by watching the video below.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 110

November 19, 2025November 11, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 The Matrix Revisited – What else is there to say about The Matrix? There are some who claimed it is the greatest science fiction movie ever made. Some described it as more relevant than ever due to the wide public use of artificial intelligence (AI) today. In my experience, I saw a special re-screening of The Matrix at the old cinema of Festival Mall in December 1999 and it was entertaining but I never became a fan of its entertainment franchise. Regardless, the film continues to entertain and surprise YouTubers and you can see how by watching the selected videos below.

#2 The Horror Aspect Of Halo: Combat Evolved – It has been 24 years since Halo: Combat Evolved launched along with the original Xbox console. I played and finished the classic sci-fi first-person shooting game on rented Xbox consoles before and it remains a highly significant gaming experience to me. Original game developer Bungie did not just create a great sci-fi game but also designed it to be immersive, captivating and atmospheric. Within the atmosphere in the game is the subtle but effective use of horror elements which added to the mystery. How does the horror function in the classic game? Watch and learn from the video below.

#3 Meat & Rice Meals In Japan – Here is another food-related video in Japan. This is for those who crave for delicious meals composed of nice amounts of meat and rice The food joint in the video below not only serves the mentioned meals, it is able to cook many kinds of fried rice as well! Watch and enjoy the video below.

#4 Most Notable Episodes Of The Real Ghostbusters – As a young boy in the 1980s, I saw the classic movie Ghostbusters in 1984 and a few years later, I started watching episodes of The Real Ghostbusters animated TV series on home video and eventually on local TV. For the newcomers reading this, The Real Ghostbusters was the sequel and spin-off to the 1984 film and it had a specific title (using “Real”) as a result of a dispute with Filmation which had the Ghost Busters franchise. I lost count as to how many episodes of the animated series I saw but there were a few notable ones I still remember and Minty Comedic Arts’ recent video contained them. Watch the video below.

#5 UAE Rejects Radical Islam And The Islamists! – Islamists are an extreme and evil bunch. They cause trouble wherever they are and they are driven to overwhelm others, to bring down societies and become the one discriminating dominant force. Islamists have already infiltrated many European nations by means of mass migration (including entry as asylum seekers or refugees needing the host nation’s humanitarian assistance) and teaming up with the Satanic Leftists (to form a new Islamo-Leftist mob overseas). In the Middle East, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) knows how destructive radical Islam really is and they made clear that they not only reject Islamists but also remove them. Watch and learn from the video below.

#6 Japan Tightens Business Manager Visa Policy! – Recently, I blogged about Japan’s reformed policy on the business manager visa in response to the fraud and violations committed by foreigners – notably the Chinese nationals – who carried it. The requirements were drastically changed, new applicants must have at least a few years real experience of business practice, and the hiring of at least one full-time employee (who is Japanese or a permanent resident) must be done. As many of the abusers of the business manager visa were Chinese nationals, I found a video focused on the topic and what the affected Chinese holders of the visa in Japan think about the reforms done by the Japanese. Watch the video below.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 109

November 14, 2025November 11, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Batman: Mask of the Phantasm Revisited – In late 1993, Warner Bros. released the animated film Batman: Mask of the Phantasm in cinemas. Even though it was based on the popular Batman animated series of the 1990s, the film was a commercial failure in cinemas but it found its audience on home video and other post-theatrical businesses. To this day, the 1993 animated feature film became a popular subject of YouTube reaction and retrospective videos and you can enjoy the following videos I selected for your viewing below.

#2 Pasta in Japan – If you will be touring Japan and you crave for pasta, there is this one particular food join in Aichi Prefecture that not only specializes in cooking delicious pasta but also serves the customer really fast. Watch and learn from the Japanese Food Noodles video below.

#3 The Notable Zombie Movies Of All Time – Known for consistent opposition against the woke mob and the rise of fake fans in comic books, Ranting for Vengeance recently posted a video about an entirely different subject matter – zombie movies. For him, there are only six zombie films that he described as badass. His video is enjoyable to watch and I strongly agree with Ranting for Vengeance’s opinion about two of the six films. Watch his video now.

#4 Double Dragon Retrospective – I can hardly believe it has been almost forty years since I first played Double Dragon which is a classic among the beat-them-up games. I never played Double Dragon in the arcade but my first time playing it was on console and it was an enjoyable experience. Recently, Double Dragon Revive was released for modern consoles and Windows PC and now is a great time to look back at the history of the Double Dragon game franchise through the video of Slope’s Game Room below.

#5 The Long Kiss Goodnight Revisited – Do you enjoy watching actress Geena Davis doing hard action and being very lethal? In 1996, The Long Kiss Goodnight was released in cinemas and the result was a lot of moviegoers talked about Davis being a dangerous action performer. While the movie was never a massive success, it succeeded enough with the critics and theaters and established a long-lasting following of fans. Considering how old the movie is, now is a good time to see how it impacted YouTubers through the selected reaction videos below.

#6 Wickedness Of Chuck Schumer And The Democrats Exposed As US Government Shutdown Finally Ends – In case you missed the news, there were eight Democrat US Senators who crossed the aisle to join their Republican counterparts to end the government shutdown at last which in turn exposed the wickedness (plus insanity) of their own party led by Chuck Schumer. In fact, the Democrats themselves are divided and many Democrat supporters in the media spoke out against Schumer who proved to be a worthless party leader. The fact that Schumer voted to keep the shutdown going proves he does not care about the Americans who are already suffering. Clearly, the Democrats gained nothing by keeping the government shutdown and they are responsible for hurting the American people. Watch and learn from the news videos below.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 108

November 5, 2025October 30, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Jim Shooter Remembered – I am a long-time comic book reader and I can say out loud that modern day superhero comics are NOT worth pursuing anymore. So many woke activists, LGBTQ activists and rabid feminists have entered the comic book industry and they made superhero comics worse. That being said, what happened in recent years in superhero comics only made me revisit not only the comics of previous decades but also focus on the late Jim Shooter (1951-2025) who has a legacy of great creativity as well as big involvement on the business side of comic book publishing. He was the editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics for almost a decade. I recently saw this particular YouTube video about Shooter’s prediction of the industry collapsing and I can say it is very compelling to watch. Go watch the video below.

#2 The Matrix Resurrections Revisited – When The Matrix Resurrections was released in 2021, I never bothered to watch it at all. To be clear, I saw the first three Matrix movies a long time ago and when it was announced that a sequel would actually be made, I was never interested nor intrigued. As such, I checked the movie through varied videos on YouTube and posted below are references that should interest you even if you are not a Matrix fan. By the way, when was the last time you saw Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss together?

#3 Where To Have Burger Steak In Japan – When you think about Japan as your next destination as a traveler, do you think about having very meaty meals there? Recently, Japanese Food Noodles posted a video about five Japanese food joints that serve burger steaks and side dishes to customers. In the video below, you can find out what those food joints are and you can enjoy watching how the food is prepared.

#4 Greta Thunberg Hilariously Mocked – Greta Thunberg, the climate change zealot and active partner-in-crime of Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, was hilariously mocked in an Israeli satire program. As it is a fact that Thunberg and her woke activist pals attempted (for a 2^nd time) to reach Gaza WITHOUT ANY HUMANITARIAN AID at all, it is clear that they did it to generate buzz on social media and on the corrupt mainstream news media while serving Hamas. As such, the satire of Thunberg and her woke pals is a smart move and well-timed. Watch the Sky News Australia video below.

#5 Police Academy Revisited – What could be said about the 1984 comedy Police Academy? Apart from being a hilarious film, it was one of those very low-budget movies that struck gold with moviegoers grossing almost $150 million worldwide. To this day, Police Academy continues to entertain YouTubers and film buffs who were born after the movie was released. There are also some notable details about how the film was made, who made it in the cast and why it still is significant. Watch the selected videos below…

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 94

August 11, 2025August 8, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Popcorn in Bed react to Man of Steel – It has been over twelve years since I first saw Man of Steel in the cinema. Directed by Zack Snyder, the 2013 Superman movie had a mixed reception but managed to gross $670 million worldwide and led Warner Bros. to releasing more DC Comics superhero movies in a shared universe (ended in 2023). Recently, Popcorn in Bed finally posted its reaction video of Man of Steel and I can say it is worth the wait. Watch it now.

#2 Where to buy onigiri in Tokyo – Have you tried eating onigiri lately? Onigiri is a rice ball (rice wrapped in nori) popular in Japan and it is eaten by hand. While there is a growing number of convenience stores selling onigiri, there is still nothing like buying freshly made onigiri in dedicated stores or restaurants in Tokyo. Watch and learn from the video below.

#3 Faked presentation of starvation in Gaza exposed! – You might have seen all the news and images about starvation in Gaza through mainstream news outlets such as CNN, MSNBC, The New York Times, Reuters, Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, The Washington Post and more. Countless reports and images were published showing Gaza residents (Palestinians) desperate for food made gullible people sympathetic for the hungry while also becoming angry towards Israel. The truth of the matter is that the portrayal of Palestinian starvation is fake, staged and deliberately crafted by the Islamic terrorists who have lots of mainstream news media partners-in-crime with them. There is no real famine in Gaza at all and it is undeniable that Palestinian terrorist group Hamas (loved by the Islamo-Leftist media) stole humanitarian aid to feed themselves leaving nothing for their fellow Gaza residents. Watch and learn from the videos below.

#4 Full Metal Jacket reaction videos – Released in 1987, Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket succeeded in intriguing or even shocking moviegoers whose perception of the Vietnam War got shaken. To be clear, the movie (which starred Matthew Modine, R. Lee Ermey, Vincent D’Onofrio, Adam Baldwin, and Arliss Howard) was more than just about war. It also showed the dehumanizing effects of war preparation, the dark humor that happens during war time and how people react when their emotional limits and sanity were really pushed hard. That being said, you should see how the movie draws reactions from the following YouTubers through their respective reaction videos.

#5 Slope’s Game Room examines Castlevania game franchise – Since the 1980s, Konami and its talented developers produced a whole lot of Castlevania video games ranging from 2D side-scrolling adventures into 3D polygonal escapades. Considering how significant Castlevania is as a game franchise, now is a good time to examine the history of Castlevania through the in-depth videos of Slope’s Game Room below.

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A Look Back at Action Comics #550 (1983)

August 8, 2025August 5, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1980s arts and culture enthusiasts, DC Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1983 to take a close look at a part of the DC Comics universe through a tale of the Action Comics monthly series.

If there is anything notable about the presentation of superhero elements in Superman stories, it is the occasional use of science fiction. From time to time, DC Comics published tales of Superman going deep into space, encounter alien species and visit far-away civilizations. Sometimes, sci-fi is used on major disasters that Superman has to solve.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Action Comics #550, published in 1983 by DC Comics with a story written by E. Nelson Bridwell and Bob Rozakis, and drawn by George Tuska.

Early story

The story begins with Clark Kent and Lana Lang presenting television news at the WGBS station telling viewers about The Exploder who attacked a large jumbo jet full of people. As the program continues, breaking news about an enormous underwater eruption north of New Guinea came in.

Shortly after, Clark quickly and discreetly left the station to fly overseas as Superman. By visiting the site of the reported underwater eruption, he notices the entire New Guinea drifting southward. Superman is compelled to go deep underwater to prevent the nation from drifting further and he also realized there is no volcano that caused the blast.

Quality

*Superman goes to outer space to find answers behind the events that took place on Earth.*

This is a Superman tale that does not have the traditional good-versus-evil element of conflict. Instead, it is a sci-fi story that started with solid mystery causing the Man of Steel to do research and detective work to find answers.

The comic book writers behind this were really good in pushing Superman hard on his search for answers to solve mysteries that were really out of this world. Lana Lang’s father appears here as a long-time archaeologist who successfully discovered an ancient artifact described as a so-called disk. The plot turned intense when The Exploder suddenly emerged to take the disk away which unsurprisingly pushed Superman to not only react but also get answers.

I like the fact that as Superman does detective work, Lana Lang and Jimmy Olsen contributed nicely to the plot. At the same time, the mystery and tension really built up as the story went along and the payoff the comic book creators came up with is surprising and also worth it.

Without spoiling the plot, I can say that this Superman tale has its own twists on the concept of UFOs and alien that happen to have special interest on Earth. At the same time, you will realize how dedicated Superman is to protecting the people of Earth and why he would not tolerate aliens who actions would jeopardize billions of lives.

Conclusion

*I liked the interactions Clark had with Lana Lang as he tries to solve mysteries.*

While Action Comics #550 (1983) does not have a super villain for Superman to battle, you will still see him doing good, solving mysteries and prioritizing Earth’s people. The sci-fi concept the creators came up with looked outlandish on face value but when you read the story and pay close attention to all the details, you will realize that the story is actually believable. I also like the mystery aspect which gave the plot a good amount of depth.

Overall, Action Comics #550 (1983) is recommended.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 92

July 28, 2025July 23, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Superboy star John Newton featured in Minty Comedic Arts’ video – It has been almost forty years since the Superboy TV series first launched with John Newton (formerly John Haymes Newton) as the titular role. It was an entertaining TV show and it easily attracted a lot of Superman fans, DC Comics readers and those who read the Superboy comic books. Recently, John Newton was featured in a special video by Minty Comedic Arts which was the result of information mentioned in Minty’s standalone Superboy trivia video. Newton saw the Superboy video and reached out to Minty Comedic Arts. Minty – who admitted he has a weakness on interviewing/communicating with people – agreed to feature Newton in a documentary style video instead of an online interview. That being said, Newton recorded his minutes-long part and said a lot of intriguing and interesting information about his one-season work as Superboy. That being said, I urge you all to watch Minty’s special video below.

#2 Barack Obama exposed over Russia collusion hoax – It took more than eight years but Tulsi Gabbard did her patriotic duty by declassifying high-level files and messages exposing Barack Obama for treason over his responsibility behind the Russia collusion hoax (designed to undermine Donald Trump who defeated Hillary Clinton for US President in 2016) and he involved America’s intelligence community. What Obama did was not just a corrupted act as US President but a clear violation against the will of the American people who chose Trump over Clinton. This tragedy only showed how corrupted, wicked and arrogant Democrats really are. To understand all the details, what happened behind the scenes back in late-2016 and what the documents showed, watch the selected videos below.

#3 Jeff Daniels and Kamala Harris are the modern Dumb and Dumber – Do you still remember actor Jeff Daniels? He appeared in 1990s films like Arachnophobia, Speed and Dumb and Dumber. In an interview, he expressed his feelings for the defeated and incompetent Commie Democrat Kamala Harris and he still could not get over the results of the 2024 US Presidential Election won by Donald Trump! Daniels foolishly compared Harris to Abraham Lincoln. Watch the video below and observe who is dumb and dumber.

#4 A look at an Osaka diner – It has been almost thirty years since my one and only visit to Osaka in Japan. As I was browsing YouTube videos to watch, I spotted a video about a certain Osaka diner which has great looking visuals, a strong presentation, and the Japanese dialogue translated into English presented in subtitles. More importantly, the video will give viewers an in-depth look as to how diner is operated and how the food gets prepared before opening. It could be helpful for those inspiring to open a new restaurant. Watch it now!

#5 Reaction videos of Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) – Have you been watching any 1950s movies as of late? If you did, was there any particular film from that decade that scared you or made you feel stressed while watching? The 1956 film Invasion of the Body Snatchers is one such film and people who discovered it and saw it recently often state they found it suspenseful and even scary. I found three reaction videos about the film on YouTube and they are entertaining to watch.

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A Look Back at Action Comics #497 (1979)

July 23, 2025July 18, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1970s arts and culture enthusiasts, DC Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1979 to take a close look at a part of the DC Comics universe through a tale of the Action Comics monthly series.

Do you enjoy following stories with the “make-a-wish” concept as a key element? Or do you prefer seeing major events happen because someone else has the power to alter reality? I for one don’t enjoy those concepts very much and the element of wish-making really ruined the story of the glossy cinematic failure Wonder Woman 1984 (written and co-directed by Patty Jenkins). When it comes to Superman, the wish-making or the ability to seriously alter reality could be effect in storytelling when the right creators are involved.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Action Comics #497, published in 1979 by DC Comics with a story written by Cary Bates and drawn by Curt Swan.

Early story

The story begins inside a shed on a lot with three boys who have their own Superman club and support the Man of Steel’s never-ending battle for truth, justice and the American way. Arthur, who is up for drawing something for the next club newsletter, shared his idea (inspired by what he saw in a movie) about a gigantic meteor from outer space heading towards Metropolis which would compel Superman to save the city. Near the three boys is an empty chair reserved for a particular someone.

Many miles away deep within Metropolis, Clark Kent attends a conference in which Lana Lang delivers remarks to an audience of GBS affiliates. As Lana tells the audience that their news team is determined to maintain high standards of broadcasting, a uniformed door man causes a disturbance by telling everyone that a blackout has plunged the entire city into darkness.

Suddenly, the audience exited the venue and Lana notices that Clark is gone. Elsewhere, Superman quickly flies high and sees a giant meteor (the size of a stadium) on a collision course with Metropolis…

Quality

*Do you wish you have the power to make superheroes do something as you wish?*

Starting with the concept of reality getting seriously altered by someone with tremendous power, the said concept really brought the fantasy aspect of this Superman tale to a very high level. The Man of Steel ends up getting into unbelievable situations and do things that are amazing or shocking. In order words, the concept of altered reality (related to wishful thinking and intense imagination) actually works well in this tale thanks to the Bates-Swan duo.

Of course, this is not simply a Superman story about wild events that compelled him to react. There are character-driven scenes that emphasize how Superman analyzes what has been going on and why he seems to be controlled or guided to do things that he had no intent of doing. This particular element of the story raises questions about the ethics of having so much power at hand and being able to command a more powerful person to do something (as a wish is made by the one who wields a lot of power).

Considering the wild events that happened throughout the story, I can say that the Bates-Swan duo successfully pulled off a worthy pay-off at the conclusion.

Conclusion

*Superman saves Metropolis and many people once again. Lana Lang is among the people on the street.*

Action Comics #497 (1979) is an old Superman tale that is worth reading. While you won’t see Superman encountering any super villain, the fantasy elements and wild events more than made up for it. More importantly, the Bates-Swan duo was really careful with using the make-a-wish and reality altering concepts to make the plot believable while preventing it from becoming too outlandish. The result is a Superman tale that is entertaining to read.

Overall, Action Comics #497 (1979) is recommended.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 90

July 21, 2025July 20, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 How to catch a shark and prepare it for consumption – If you are fond of fishing, have you ever tried catching a shark and then preparing it for cooking and eating? You can learn a lot from the video of Darcizzle Offshore which showed how a blacktip shark was caught. That being said, let me ask you – when was the last time you had shark for a meal? Watch the video below.

#2 Arcade games that never got ported – Through the decades, I visited the local arcades and played a lot of games. Along the way, there were times when I simply watched other games being played by others. Being an avid gamer, I noticed that there were several games of the arcade that never got ported on to consoles nor home computers nor the mobile devices. I recently stumbled on this video by Just Jamie which is entertaining to watch.

#3 Female bodybuilders and fitness influencers who died this year – With your current knowledge about health, do you often think that being healthy and being very muscular are always related with one another? Did you believe having a bulked up body means you are healthy? Believe it or not, there are already some female bodybuilders who did recently and certain details behind their deaths might shock you. Watch and learn from the video below.

#4 You, Me and the Movies posted another Friday The 13^th (1980) reaction video – In July of 2021, YouTuber You, Me and the Movies posted its reaction video of 1980’s Friday The 13^th. Recently, You, Me and the Movies posted another reaction video of the same movie but “Mrs. Movies” has been replaced by her sister Berly. I encourage to watch the video below.

#5 Fig Newtons remembered – Back in the 1980s, I saw an eye-catching print ad of the snack Fig Newtons while reading a superhero comic book here in the Philippines. Some years later, I managed to eat Fig Newtons imported from the United States and it was delicious to eat. If anyone of you likes snacks in general or if you really loved eating Fig Newtons before, posted below for your viewing pleasure and learning is a video about the history of Fig Newtons.

#6 SwordQuest contests and prizes remembered – Back in the 1980s, Atari released on their Atari 2600 console a fantasy-themed series of video games called SwordQuest. Not only did they release three SwordQuest games (click here, here and here), the company even organized contests (about the games) that had luxurious prizes made of real gold and jewels for champions. To take a close look at the events that happened – complete with archive video footage and pictures – watch the video by Save Data below.

#7 Ashleigh Burton reacts to Moonraker – If you are less than thirty years-old and you started watching James Bond movies in the 21^st century, were you able to watch the movie that had Agent 007 go to outer space? 1979’s Moonraker is the one and only James Bond movie (starring the late Roger Moore) that featured space travel and even laser battles in space. Moonraker was also the first James Bond movie to surpass the $200 million mark in global ticket sales. For some people, Moonraker aged badly but for some it still is entertaining to watch. To find out more about Moonraker, watch Ashleigh Burton’s reaction video below.

#8 The international box office weakness of James Gunn’s Superman explained – No matter what Warner Bros. did and no matter the overseas promotional tours done by the filmmakers and stars of James Gunn’s Superman, the movie ended up as a box office disappointment outside of America grossing only $95 million during its first international weekend. In fact, the new Superman movies could not take down Jurassic World: Rebirth in certain countries during the weekend of July 11-13, 2025. As America generated the majority of its ticket sales, the movie has lesser chances of making $1 billion worldwide and I would not be surprised to see it gross less than 2013’s Man of Steel ($670 million worldwide). To learn why James Gunn’s Superman is already a commercial disappointment with moviegoers outside of America, watch the videos below.

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