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, 1980s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1987 to explore a part of the Marvel Comics shared universe through the Web of Spider-Man monthly series.
In this review, we will examine the opening chapter of one of the more significant storylines of the entire publishing history of Spider-Man… Kraven’s Last Hunt. Behind the scenes, writer J. M. DeMatteis came up with a concept about a limited series featuring the Marvel hero Wonder Man getting buried and returning from the grave. After getting rejected, the writer redeveloped his concept, proposed it to DC Comics (with Batman in mind), got rejected again and pitched the concept again to Marvel (with Spider-Man in mind) with a new villain who would really define the storyline. Marvel accepted the proposal and DeMatteis proceeded to write it while adding more Spider-Man elements to it.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Web of Spider-Man #31, published in 1987 by Marvel Comics with a story by J.M. DeMatteis and drawn by Mike Zeck.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins with Kraven The Hunter moving and attacking like an animal interacting with life-sized figures of animals inside his castle. Afterwards, he slows down, gets a drink and walks into another large room that has an open coffin. He pulls out a black costume that carries the design of Spider-Man’s own costume. Kraven, who was a child when his parents arrived in America shortly after the overthrow of the Czar in Russia, is convinced that the world seem to have followed Russia’s sad example and he found dignity in the jungles instead of the cities. He found honor in the primal, not the civilized. He knows he will die soon and Spider-Man is the central part of his final pursuit in life.
Meanwhile in another part of New York City, Spider-Man discreetly attends the private gathering of several men in a bar who pay their last respects to the late Joe Face (a helpful friend of Spidey). As soon as he revealed himself, the men got scared of him and tension intensified. The webslinger pays his respect to Joe Face and puts several Dollar bills into the collection of funds.
Spider-Man then swings his way home…
Quality
As Spider-Man travels, Kraven the Hunter pursues him obsessively.
I want to state first that this Spider-Man tale has a dark and gritty presentation. The story feels really grounded with reality and it has an almost perfect atmosphere for the concept about Kraven getting ready to eliminate Spider-Man and do something very ambitious afterwards. The pacing of the storytelling moved at a medium pace and most notably, the build-up is really great to follow.
Without spoiling the plot, Kraven is truly the most featured character of this comic book as Spider-Man was written to be his moving target. DeMatteis invested a lot of creativity to build up Kraven not only as the definitive menace but also as a human being. Through the rich writing, Kraven is a man who developed and heavily prepared himself to achieve his goal. You will realize what he thinks about modern society, how he views life and why he is acting as if each day would be his last. As a villain, the evil of Kraven is very subtle yet he emerges as the deadliest foe of Spider-Man. This is truly a major development of the hunter when compared to his first-ever appearance in Amazing Spider-Man #15 (1964).
Through the views of Kraven, you will realize his own perception of Spider-Man which is intriguing to read as we readers know the webslinger’s true identity while the obsessed hunter does not. In relation to his obsession with Spider-Man, Kraven truly immerses himself with what he knows and does things that all other people would never do. I should also state that the hunter’s intense preparation has strong parallels with Batman’s approach on preparing himself for a major encounter.
As mentioned earlier, the webslinger is the target. Spider-Man appears as a disturbed and vulnerable figure and there is nothing that his powers can do to help him overcome his problems. As the build-up grows, the troubles of Spider-Man intensified which made the reading experience captivating.
Conclusion
People getting spooked by Spider-Man’s sudden appearance.
Web of Spider-Man #31 (1987) is truly a great read and it is also a very powerful opening of its storyline. By having Kraven as the definitive character and Spider-Man as the target, this comic book really subverted expectations backed with powerful writing by DeMatteis. Along the way, Mike Zeck’s artworks truly captured the dark and gritty tone of the script and this resulted in a very captivating visual presentation.
Overall, Web of Spider-Man #31 (1987) is highly recommended.
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 topics and the related videos I found.
#1Google in legal trouble in America – Did you notice how overwhelming power Google really is in business as well as in your daily lives? Are you aware that Google made multi-billion Dollar deals with its competitors to ensure its dominance on search, online advertising and other forms of business? Google is now in legal trouble with the Department of Justice (DOJ) in America and ColdFusion’s video below is a must-watch!
#2 Games to look forward to while subscribing to Xbox Game Pass – In recent times, there were changes on Xbox Game Pass (XGP) implemented by Microsoft which I did not like (click here and here to learn the details). If you own an Xbox and you still have not yet subscribed to XGP, you should decide first based on how much you can afford to pay the new rates (note: there are different tiers to subscribe to in Game Pass), what kind of games you really like and how much time you can spare for playing in the comfort of your home. If you are into adventure gaming, then the video by YouTuber Skycaptin 5 below is a must-watch for your reference. Take note that one of the games shown has yet to be released and a few of the games may require the Ultimate tier of XGP.
#3 A look back at Amazing Spider-Man movies of Sony Pictures – Do you have any fond memories of the two movies that had actor Andrew Garfield as the cinematic Spider-Man? I saw The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) and The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014) in the cinemas and I can say that they never thrilled me nor satisfied me as much as the first two Spider-Man flicks of Tobey Maguire. Those movies directed by Marc Webb were not terrible actually but flawed works. Whether you loved or felt disappointed with the two Amazing Spider-Man movies, I urge you to watch the analytical video by YouTuber Owen Likes Comics below.
#4 25 years of the American launch of the Sega Dreamcast – It has been over twenty-five years since Sega launched the Dreamcast console in America. In gaming history, the date of September 9, 1999 is still remembered as the time when Sega really made a very serious effort to re-establish trust with American gamers and they made record-setting numbers in the first 24 hours. As such, it was no surprise that “25 years” or “25th anniversary” videos about the Dreamcast suddenly appeared on YouTube and posted below are videos I selected for your viewing.
#5 You, Me and the Movies’ video reaction of Clash of the Titans (1981) – Whenever I search YouTube for movie reaction videos about the 1981 film Clash of the Titans, not too many pop out for some reason. If you are interested to see the film but don’t have the time or money to watch it in full, then the reaction video by You, Me and the Movies should entertain you.
#6 The fall of Circuit City explained – Way back in 2001, I visited a branch of Circuit City in California. I visited because I was curious and also interested in video games and also movies on DVD format. What I found was a variety of consumer electronic products and the presence of TV units with built-in DVD drives caught my attention. It was my one and only Circuit City visit and many years later, their brand re-emerged when there were these widespread news reports about its bankruptcy and liquidation. If you want to learn about the rise and fall of Circuit City, watch the video below.
#7 GoodBadFlicks’ comprehensive video about The Blob (1988) –The Blob remake of 1988 has always been very entertaining to watch. Not only does it have a really solid story to tell, it has a fine blend of spectacle with well-crafted action/stunt scenes and top-notch practical effects. On 4K Blu-ray, the movie looks better than ever and it is worth purchasing. When it comes to the making of The Blob (1988), the best video to watch online is the one from YouTuber GoodBadFlicks which is posted below for your viewing pleasure.
Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!
In this edition of the Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) series, we will take a look at another batch of retro gaming print ads – including arcade flyers – specifically about fighting games that were released in the 1990s. The said decade marked the time when Street Fighter II became a massive hit in the video arcades (and on game consoles) which sparked a wave of new fighting games from business competitors. In that same decade, 3D polygonal fighting games were also released which added greater choices of fighting games at the arcades and on game consoles that players could choose from.
For the newcomers reading this, Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) looks back at the many print ads of games (console, arcade, computer and handheld) that were published in comic books, magazines, flyers, posters and newspapers long before smartphones, social media, the worldwide web and streaming became popular. To put things in perspective, people back in the 1980s and 1990s were more trusting of print media for information and images about electronic games and related products.
With those details laid down, here is the newest batch of retro gaming print ads for you to see and enjoy…
1. Dead or Alive Japanese arcade flyer
Dead or Alive was the start of new success that impacted the direction of Tecmo in the gaming industry.
The above arcade flyer of Dead or Alive gave Japanese arcade operators and gamers a taste of what to expect with the game. While the screenshots showed some resemblance with what gamers saw in Virtua Fighter 2, the character designs Tecmo and its developers came up with were unique.
Before Dead or Alive was released in Japanese arcades in 1996, company Tecmo was in financial trouble and they asked Tomonobu Itagaki to make a fighting game similar to Sega’s polygonal blockbuster Virtua Fighter. A breakthrough for Tecmo happened when Sega announced they were licensing their Model 2 arcade to third-party companies which paved the way for Itagaki’s team to make Dead or Alive with it. The game became a big hit and it paved the way for Tecmo to release it on Sega Saturn and PlayStation, and the sequels that followed years later.
2. North American Soulcalibur Dreamcast version print ad
Namco came up with a creative approach to emphasize heart-and-soul promoting their game and the Dreamcast.
On September 9, 1999, Sega launched their Dreamcast console in America. With a gap of around ten months between the Japanese launch (November 1998) and the American launch, Sega had time to prepare Dreamcast’s release to American gamers with a huge lineup of games (both Sega’s games and from other publishers). Fortunately for Sega, they had Namco (their rival on arcade games) supporting their console.
Behind the scenes, Namco’s developers worked hard to not only port their arcade hit Soulcalibur to the Dreamcast, but to enhance the graphics using the console’s more advanced technology. The visual enhancements include rendering all of the games stages (and backgrounds) into full 3D polygonal environments. Namco also implemented different game modes and added even more content to ensure satisfaction to Dreamcast gamers.
The above 3-page print ad of Soulcalibur on Dreamcast was undeniably strategic and captivating to look at. The ad described the console as the heart, showed Soulcalibur character Mitsurugi (one of the game’s most popular characters) in the middle and then described the game (with 3 screenshots of game rendered with Dreamcast graphics) as the soul. It was a strong way to promote both the game and the console. In the years that followed, Soulcalibur grew into a popular fighting game franchise and the Dreamcast version will always be remembered as the crucial turning point.
3. X-Men: Children of the Atom arcade flyer
Anyone who read lots of X-Men comic books in the 1990s should be able to tell which character was drawn by which artist.
When Capcom first released X-Men: Children of the Atom in the arcades in the mid-1990s, I was surprised because I did not anticipate the day would come when the company behind Street Fighter II would actually make a 2D fighting game showcasing the Marvel’s mutants. Even more intriguing was the X-Men art Capcom used for the arcade flyer to promote the game. I recognize Jim Lee’s artworks of Magneto, Cyclops and Colossus. The art of Wolverine shown was drawn by Andy Kubert. It was a wise move for Capcom (with Marvel as a business partner) to use established X-Men comic book artworks instead of having their internal illustrator draw the characters. That being said, this arcade flyer still looks great and captivating to look at.
4. North American Ranma ½: Hard Battle print ad
A print ad promoting the game while saving some space to promote the anime and comic books.
By 1993, Street Fighter II and its upgraded follow-ups were wildly popular both in the arcades and on game consoles around the world. At the same time, there were many other 2D fighting games released to compete with and cash-in on Street Fighter II’s success. Believe it or not, the established anime franchise Ranma ½ saw a video game adaptation in the form of a 2D fighting game – Ranma ½: Hard Battle.
The North American print ad above published by DTMC (in cooperation with Viz Communications) promoted the game (one screenshot, the SNES game box and images of the characters as they appeared in the game) as well as Ranma ½ on anime videos and comic books. The way it was presented, the print ad promoted Ranma ½: Hard Battle without much heart nor passion.
5. Fatal Fury: King of Fighters arcade flyer
An intriguing visual presentation on the front.
You get to know the characters and what the game features are.
There is no doubt that Fatal Fury: King of Fighters is the most significant game that SNK made. Apart from being the company’s first fighting game for the Neo Geo system, it established the fictional “king of fighters” tournament that became the core concept for The King of Fighters series of games in the years that followed. Fatal Fury itself is notable for being designed by Takashi Nishiyama, a former Capcom employee who created the original Street Fighter game. What Nishiyama could not do with Street Fighter, he accomplished while making SNK’s fighting game. Compared with the combo-oriented approach of Street Fighter II, Fatal Fury was designed to emphasize the timing of special moves, confrontational play, cooperative play and the 3D-like spacing between characters (background row and foreground row in each stage) while telling a story in a solid way.
The above arcade flyer of Fatal Fury has this unique looking artwork on the front showing stylized rectangular shots of the major characters Terry Bogard, Andy Bogard and Joe Higashi. On the other side of the flyer are the details that emphasized the creative concept of the game, who the characters are and what they could expect with regards to gameplay features. This flyer is still captivating to look at and it could entice you to try playing the original Fatal Fury game before trying out the sequels and spin-offs.
6. Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes arcade flyer
This is NOT a comic book crossover.
If there is anything that truly emphasizes the essence of a fictional crossover in terms of visuals, it’s the art that Capcom and Marvel agreed to for Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Superheroes which is evident on the front of the above arcade flyer. By looking at how the Marvel characters were drawn, it looks like someone at Capcom illustrated the artwork as the Capcom characters still maintained that particular art style seen in the artworks of the Japanese company’s other games like Street Fighter, Darkstalkers, Mega Man and Strider. Regardless, the artwork still is amusing to look at.
7. Art of Fighting arcade flyer
The front of the flyer.
The cast of characters showcased on the other side of the flyer.
Following the success of Fatal Fury, SNK went on to release Art of Fighting in arcades in 1992 and it became successful enough for the company to make sequels. With regards to the realm of fantasy, Art of Fighting was part of the same fictional universe as Fatal Fury and The King of Fighters, and there were times when its own characters appeared in other SNK games.
Art of Fighting’s arcade flyer had an energetic visual concept on the front with a rectangular lightning portion on the left balanced with five screenshots of the game itself. Once you get to the other side of the flyer, you will see really nice art of the characters with Ryo Sakazaki and Robert Garcia as the most dominating figures. Sakazaki and Garcia are the major characters of the Art of Fighting series. This flyer confidently introduced the characters and succeeded in making them look interesting.
8. Fighter’s History arcade flyer and print ad
Great looking front artwork showing the game’s characters, posing and some action.
If you look closely at the controls, you will see the six-button layout and functions which are the same with those used in Street Fighter II.
Data East offered two ways for gamers to enjoy Fighter’s History – pay a high price for the SNES version or gamers can go play the game in the arcade by dropping a few coins.
In 1993, Data East released their fighting game Fighter’s History in the arcades around the world. Along the way, the company released their arcade flyer which had a very captivating art work on the front featuring their characters and some action. The other side of the flyer showed the technical details on how to play, how the control works and who the characters are. Fighter’s History was nicely received in the arcades and the success led Data East into porting the game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). If you look at the print ad above, you can see how clever Data East was promoting the SNES version of the game while keeping an image of the arcade machine which serves like a subtle reminder that the same game is still available in video arcades.
Shortly after the release of Fighter’s History in the arcades, there were gamers who noticed that it had certain visual and gameplay elements that made it so familiar with what Street Fighter II had. When Capcom became aware of the similarities, they sued Data East claiming that Fighter’s History was too similar to their game and that copyright infringement was committed. Capcom lost the case ultimately and Data East went on to release two more Fighter’s History games.
9. Virtua Fighter 3 arcade flyer
Virtua Fighter 3 truly raised the standards for arcade game graphics back in 1996.
When it comes to gaming innovation and standing out among the rest, Sega did exactly those when they released Virtua Fighter 3 in arcades in 1996 and it had the best-looking and really mind-blowing graphics at the time. Developed by AM2 (led by Yu Suzuki) on the very expensive Model 3 arcade hardware, Virtua Fighter 3 broke new ground on graphics as it moved over 1 million polygons per second, had highly detailed visuals on the characters and surroundings, realistic reflection effects, detailed shining, parallel lighting and high-specular Gouraud shading to name some. Even the characters’ eyes followed the opponent’s position.
The Virtua Fighter 3 arcade flyer showcased their reflective, metallic character Dural who in turn was part of the graphical showcase (emphasizing reflections, smooth animation and liquid metal effects) when the game was previewed in the 1996 AOU event in Japan. The words “The New Standard” written on the lower-left corner of the front of the flyer was justified and truthful.
10. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters print ad
This print ad had a nice visual presentation and was easily recognizable to the many TMNT fans.
In 1989, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) franchise made quite a splash on video games which is not surprising as the multimedia franchise was already a popular in the West. More video game adaptation of TMNT were released in the early 1990s providing fans and gamers a lot of fun gameplay at the arcades (click here) and on consoles. Konami had the video game rights of TMNT and in a clear response to the sudden popularity of fighting games, they released Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters on the most popular game consoles of the time achieving varying levels of success critically and commercially (note: the SNES version stood out as the best). This print ad of the fighting game was effective in visually promoting the three console versions and the displayed text contained enough information to lure the attention of both fans and gamers.
Let’s be honest here. There are changes regarding Xbox Game Pass (XGP) that are disadvantageous to both Xbox fans and the gamers who subscribe for the best value in gaming. In fact, the said subscriber service is getting is getting worse as reported by Windows Central Gaming. You heard about the Standard tier of XGP? Are you aware that certain first-party games are not even part of the services below the Ultimate tier of XGP?
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from Windows Central Gaming’s news report. Some parts in boldface…
Xbox Game Pass has long been the key differentiator for Microsoft’s gaming business, offering an alternative subscription-based store against Steam on PC, and offering heaps of value on console against PlayStation with its day-one games pledge. That covenant has been undone now, though.
Now, only users on the $19.99 Xbox Game Pass Ultimate tier will get day one games on console, with PC users retaining them at $11.99. The big change is to the basic “Console” tier, which has now essentially been removed for new users. The new Standard tier will start at $14.99 for new customers, and will include the Xbox Live Gold (Game Pass Core) multiplayer paywall specifically for premium games like Call of Duty Black Ops 6. Crucially, though, it won’t actually include Call of Duty Black Ops 6.
Previously, Xbox Game Pass’ promise was to offer day-one Microsoft-owned titles into the service. Games like Starfield, Forza Horizon 5, Flight Simulator, and many other heavy hitters dropped straight into Xbox Game Pass Console, PC Game Pass, and Ultimate, granting the service far better value on paper than competing options. Xbox Game Pass Standard no longer guarantees day-one access to Xbox games, meaning the hotly anticipated Call of Duty Black Ops 6 will be available only to PC Game Pass users, and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers. Despite paying more than PC Game Pass users, Xbox Game Pass “Standard” members will not get access to said games.
To compound matters, it was discovered recently (via Forbes) that Xbox Game Pass Standard has removed access to a wide variety of games that are currently active on the deprecated Xbox Game Pass “Console” tier, which is only available for users who maintain a subscription. If you swap out your subscription to gain access to Xbox Live Gold, which isn’t available on Xbox Game Pass “Console,” then you’ll lose access to a huge list of titles.
I hope understand what was reported. Specifically for those who own Xbox consoles, the three Xbox Game Pass services available for your choosing are Core at $9.99/month, Standard for $14.99/month and Ultimate for $19.99/month (note: only $1 will be charged for the first 14 days before the regular rate gets implemented).
It is clear that Microsoft is trying to lure gamers to take the most expensive XGP service – Ultimate. This can be disadvantageous to not only Xbox fans but the many millions of gamers out there who have yet to discover and subscribe to Xbox Game Pass.
As for those who have been XGP subscribers since at least a year ago, they are still enjoying the access to the above-mentioned heavy hitters while paying the same old monthly rate as before. If they stop subscribing now, they will lose their privileges and if they decide to return to the service with the same experience as before, they will have to subscribe to XGP Ultimate at $19.99 a month for the Day One access as well as the access to premium games.
Indeed, Xbox Game Pass is changing for the worse. In fact, it could be the first sign of things to come. I’m talking about the future of gaming under Microsoft that could mean the end of Xbox as we know it and Team Xbox becoming a multiplatform game publisher. Microsoft’s love and care for Xbox fans is fading away, and what they’re doing could turn off potential new gamers related to the changing demographics of the world.
This screenshot from Red Dead Redemption II should remind you that Microsoft is aiming at the wrong direction with regards to its video gaming strategy. Imagine being part of Team Xbox receiving orders from Microsoft’s top management that don’t make much sense with regards to gaming and the interests of the players.
If you plan to subscribe to Xbox Game Pass at all, start doing your research carefully before deciding to subscribe. Click https://www.xbox.com/en-US/xbox-game-pass
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, 1970s arts and culture enthusiasts, DC Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1976 to take a close look at a part of the DC Comics universe through a tale of the Action Comics monthly series.
If you know your entertainment history, you should be aware that Steven Spielberg’s Jaws made a tremendous impact on millions of people who saw the film in cinemas in the mid-1970s. The massive success of the movie caused some people to become afraid of sharks which in turn convinced them to avoid swimming alone at sea. Over at DC Comics, it just so happens that they have a super villain who is actually a highly evolved shark called The Shark (Karshon).
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Action Comics #456, published in 1976 by DC Comics with a story written by Cary Bates and illustrated by Curt Swan.
The cover inspired by Steven Spielberg’s Jaws.
Early story
The story begins inside the Metropolis Aquarium where Captain Strong, young boy Jayson, young girl Jill and others closely watch a tiger shark swimming. What the viewers do not realize is that the tiger shark they are watching is a super shark (The Shark) whose evolution jumped by eons as a result of a freak nuclear accident from the previous years.
The Shark is a highly evolved mutant (half-fish and half-human) endowed with fantastic mental powers. The Shark previously encountered Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) who caused him to devolve back to his primitive form as a tiger shark.
At the aquarium, The Shark moves closely towards Captain Strong and Jayson with strong glass separating them. Suddenly, Jayson is turned into a pool of jelly on the floor and The Shark uses its power to form a large stream of water to break the way out of the Metropolis Aquarium and into the air.
Meanwhile, Lois Lane and Clark Kent are riding the metro-island ferry. A giant water sprout emerges near them…
Quality
The struggle between Superman and The Shark starts.
While it was clear that DC Comics took a creative stab on people’s awareness of the movie Jaws, the Bates-Swan duo came up with a rather fantastic way of having Superman deal with The Shark. For one thing, the creators efficiently came up with exposition to keep readers informed about who The Shark is, why he exists and what his background was within the DC Comics shared universe. Next, the creators managed to make The Shark an actual threat to the people of Metropolis which serves as an efficient build-up for the inevitable conflict with Superman. The good news here is that Bates-Swan combined efforts turned out to be gripping and believable.
When compared to the many battles Superman had against the other powerful villains, the traditional collateral damage is pretty light in this story. This is because the creators used science fiction concepts and a little bit of real-world science to explain The Shark’s powers, how the water streams used by him got formed and why he has key advantages over Superman. These creative methods more than made up for the lack of hard action and there are explanations that made sense just before the story ends.
This comic book also contains a short, standalone Black Canary tale that ultimate served as added amusement that is not related with the Superman story at all. It should interest fans of Green Arrow.
Conclusion
The Shark’s menacing face and power overwhelms Lois Lane.
Do not let the Jaws-inspired cover art fool you. Action Comics #456 (1976) is actually an entertaining read thanks to the combined efforts of the Bates-Swan team. The Shark was a believable threat and the story was well written. To say that this comic book was just a cheap way of exploiting the popularity of Jaws by coming up with shark-related tale of Superman is not true. This old tale is a fun ride free from the politicized science and woke garbage that dominate modern-day entertainment.
Overall, Action Comics #456 (1976) is recommended.
If you love classic Japanese role-playing games (JRPGs) or if you are passionate about retro gaming, then be aware that Konami finally confirmed that Suikoden I & II HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars will be released for the Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Xbox One on March 6, 2025.
The good news is here is that customers who proceed with their pre-orders of the game will get the following from Konami in digital form: Prosperity Orb, Fortune Orb and 57,300 potch (in-game currency to purchase in-game items).
In the remastered collection, Suikoden and Suikoden II (read my retro review) will be released with enhancements to look more presentable in high-definition with modern game consoles in mind. According to Konami, the graphical enhancements include: Pixel sprites and environment art enhanced with new screen effects including lighting, clouds, and shadow animations Flickering flames, smoldering smoke, the movement of leaves and insects, all add up to a lively in-game atmosphere!
There are also new character drawings updated in high-definition particularly with the first Suikoden RPG with the involvement of none other than Junko Kawano (the character designer of the said game’s original version from the mid-1990s).
Konami also confirmed that there are game system improvements which are as follows: dialogue log, auto-battle, double-speed battles and more.
For the newcomers reading this, Suikoden and Suikoden II were original released on the first PlayStation console in the mid and late-1990s respectively. Those games were nicely received by gamers and video game critics which resulted in a long-lasting following. I myself played both games on the PlayStation and had a lot of fun collectively. While its predecessor was good, Suikoden II turned out to be bigger, better and more enjoyable. I should state that the sequel was clearly a direct follow-up to the first Suikoden and it was special to see memorable characters from the first game return such as Flik and Viktor. In my honest opinion, Suikoden II is one of the very best JRPGs ever released in the 1990s.
As for Suikoden I & II HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars itself, the said collection was supposed to be released in 2023 but Konami ended up delaying it. The collection is coming out on March 6, 2025 and I can only hope that Konami’s team did a good job with the enhancements and other technical stuff to justify the delay. I know for a fact that there are gamers out there who are disappointed with Konami’s handling of re-releases or enhanced versions of their classic games. For Suikoden I & II HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars, I’m willing to give Konami a chance to prove that it took good care of the product with fans and JRPG enthusiasts in mind.
When it comes to RPGs on Xbox, the collection will be released over a month after that of the Xbox-exclusive RPG Avowed. Xbox fans have two promising RPG releases to look forward to in the 1st quarter of 2025.
If you are an Xbox fan who is fond of Japanese role-playing games (JRPGs), then I encourage you to buy Grandia HD Collection which is available for Xbox online. I am saying this because recently I enjoyed replaying the classic JRPG Grandia on my Xbox Series X a lot and I finished it once again (my 2nd time overall including my 1999 completion of the game on PlayStation). This is not a game review of Grandia but a commentary of replaying it from start to finish.
Feena and Justin are very memorable protagonists. The writers of Game Arts really did their jobs developing and defining the personalities of the characters.
For the newcomers reading this, Grandia HD Collection contains Grandia and the sequel Grandia II. Grandia was originally released on the Sega Saturn in Japan in 1997 and was ported to PlayStation shortly after. It was on the PlayStation when Grandia was translated and dubbed into English and released to gamers in the West. Grandia II was released originally on the Dreamcast console in both Japan and America in 2000. Eventually the sequel was ported to the PlayStation 2 and Windows PC in 2002.
Going back to the original Grandia, the game has visuals that were remastered and made clearer to look at while still maintaining the vibrant colors of its late-1990s version. It took me a little over fifty hours to complete on my Xbox Series X and I can say that the entire replay experience was indeed a lot of fun to do. I’m so happy and satisfied with finishing Grandia, I already got my money’s worth with the entire Grandia HD Collection. I’m currently playing Grandia II and so far I’ve been enjoying it.
Game Arts was exceptional with their work on the graphics and art style.
Without spoiling the story, I can say that Grandia was written and made to emphasize the wonders and risks of adventuring while managing to dramatize a tale of epic fantasy proportions. Along the way, the game has a memorable cast of characters – Justin and Feena are clearly the leads – and the creative team of Game Arts really ensured that their personalities got developed (as the story moved on) and became worth caring for.
The gameplay is also fun to go through once again. There is a satisfying room for exploration whenever I visited a new location and the battle system is still top-notch in terms of mechanics, presentation and functionality. I should say that the battles are not too stressful to do and that means it is more doable to do some grinding to make your characters stronger and their abilities better.
After finally defeating the main villain and completing the last conflict, it was really nice to see the story’s ending (told with a labor of love by the game developers) as well as the follow-up cut-scene that played after the end credits rolled (read: post-credits ending). It’s like 1999 all over again but with much better visuals and the benefits of playing the game on Xbox Series X connected to our 4K TV. This is both retro gaming and fantasy role-playing of great quality and deep enjoyment!
By finishing Grandia and enjoying it a lot, I already got my money’s worth with Grandia HD Collection.
There is no doubt that Grandia is the best gaming experience I’ve had on Xbox this year. That being said, I encourage you fellow Xbox gamers as well as those who love JRPGs to seriously consider buying Grandia HD Collection while it is still available.
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 comic book readers, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, movie fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1992 to take a close look at the official comic book adaptation of the action movie Universal Soldier.
Universal Soldier stood out among Hollywood action films in 1992 as it had Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren as the main stars and both of them were established action movie stars each with huge followings of fans. As it grossed almost $100 million worldwide on a budget of less than $25 million, the movie was successful and eventually sparked its of franchise of movies, TV shows, video games and comic books. NOW Comics was in-charge of making and publishing the comic book adaptation of the 1992 film.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Universal Soldier #1 published in 1992 by NOW Comics with a story written by Clint McElroy and drawn by Lenin Delsol. This was the first chapter of a 3-issue mini-series.
The cover showing a photographic image of star Dolph Lundgren.
Early story
The story begins in Vietnam in 1969. The American soldier Luc Deveraux arrives at a village that was secured by the U.S. Army. To his shock, he finds several dead bodies of his squad members and villagers, then encounters Sergeant Andrew Scott with two Vietnamese individuals (male and female) tied together near him. It turns out that Scott, who made a necklace composed of severed ears, has gone insane and executes the Vietnamese man. As Deveraux refuses to follow Scott’s order to shoot the Vietnamese female, the sergeant kills he. Deveraux and Scott shot each other to death and eventually their corpses were recovered by another squad to be cryogenically frozen.
A few decades later in Nevada, the elite counter-terrorism unit of the UniSol (Universal Soldier) arrives and among the members are Deveraux (identified as GR44) and Scott (GR13) who have been reanimated by the government with their past memories fully suppressed. Their team gets deployed to the Hoover Dam (Mackinley Dam in the comic book) to resolve a hostage situation…
Quality
Operating very much like robots, two Universal Soldiers take down terrorists and manipulated their communication as they make their way through to save the hostages from the remaining terrorists.
As an adaptation, I find this comic book a surprisingly accurate translation of the movie’s early part of the story (note: the literary narrative ends when Deveraux leaves with the female reporter). While not 100% of the film’s plot and visual details were captured, this comic book still succeeded in replicating the look, feel and tone of the movie. It is clear that the comic book team had access to the footage of the film and a copy of the screenplay (written by Richard Rothstein, Christopher Leitch and Dean Devlin).
Clint McElroy really stuck close to the film’s plot, the dialogue and the way the characters were portrayed. Again, not 100% of the relevant details were adapted and some liberties were taken but McElroy managed to craft a comic book narrative that was solidly structured, had sufficient details to keep readers oriented and engaged, and ensured the story moved at a satisfying pace. By the time I reached the end of this comic book, I got oriented with the story, the characters and the details shown in between.
Like in the movie, this comic book emphasizes the government’s very cold and heartless approach on handling their Universal Soldiers who are treated more like tools instead of people.
Lenin Delsol’s artwork here is really good. It is clear that he had access to the film’s production footage as several images of locations and characters here very closely resembled what was shown in the movie most of the time. When it comes to the action scenes, Delsol did not go for visual dynamism (note: the dynamic action style was common with superhero comics of the 1990s) but rather he portrayed the action with realism and varying degrees of brutality.
When it comes to visualizing the characters, it is clear that the creative team was not authorized to use the likenesses of the actors. Luc Deveraux looks absolutely nothing like Jean-Claude Van Damme while journalist Veronica Roberts does not look like Ally Walker. Ironically, there are a few images of Scott’s face that somewhat resembles Dolph Lundgren. The way I see it, it is not problematic to see the characters not resembling the actors from the film. In fact, I like the new character designs Delsol came up with for the characters.
Conclusion
This early scene sets the tone of the entire comic book. As for the characters, Deveraux look nothing like Jean-Claude Van Damme and Sergeant Scott does not look like Dolph Lundgren (note: in other images of Scott shown later in the comic book, he looked a bit like the actor).
Even though I was not a fan of the 1992 movie, Universal Soldier #1 (1992) succeeded in keeping me engaged and entertained until the end. This is a really good adaptation of the early part of the film and I like the approach the Elroy-Densol team took on establishing the literary experience. Of course, if you want more dynamic visuals of the Hoover Dam scene or if you want that strong rated-R vibe when it comes to hard action, you should watch the movie. As of now, I am convinced to look forward to the next issue of this 3-part mini-series adaptation.
Overall, Universal Soldier #1 (1992) is recommended.
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 topics and the related videos I found.
#1Popcorn in Bed’s Logan reaction video – I saw Logan three times in different cinemas – the first viewing on IMAX – here in the Philippines in 2017. The movie is still great to watch as it carries the R-rated vibe of 1980s Hollywood action cinema and it remains Hugh Jackman’s greatest performance as Wolverine. Unsurprisingly, Logan is the subject of several YouTubers’ movie reaction videos and in recent times Popcorn in Bed released its own reaction video which I really enjoyed watching. If you have not seen Logan, I urge you to watch it first before seeing any reaction videos. Otherwise, Popcorn in Bed’s video is posted below for your enjoyment.
#2 Sega Lord X’s Retro Awful video – I’ve been having retro gaming fun on my Xbox Series X this year with Grandia, Grandia II, Contra, Gradius, and Elevator Action Returns to name some. I am also enjoying the Atari 50 Collection Xbox copy as well. When it comes to old games that are not fun or are simply terrible, Sega Lord X published a video about which games from the past to avoid. Watch the video and pay close attention to the games shown.
#3 Chuck E. Cheese documentary – Have you ever heard of Chuck E. Cheese? It started as a restaurant that had a clever blend of entertainment (arcade games, amusement rides and musical shoes) with dining that attracted families. It also became known as a fun-filled place to have wholesome parties at. Although I have visited the United States many times, I never got to visit a single Chuck E. Cheese branch nor was there ever an opportunity for me to try the food they cooked.
Chuck E. Cheese (original name: Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theater) was established in the late 1970s by Nolan Bushnell, the same man who founded Atari. The restaurant chain went through several developments and changes as each decade passed by. The most comprehensive video about Chuck E. Cheese that I found is from YouTuber Bright Sun Films and you can watch it below.
#4 Angry Video Game Nerd’s (AVGN) 3DO console video – If you are into video games for a long time, then you might at least have heard of the failed 3DO (formally called the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer) game console which was notable for its multimedia approach with gaming. The console was also known for not having a strong lineup of video games and for launching with a very high price. As a part of retro gaming culture, the 3DO is the subject of many retrospective videos by YouTubers. The one retrospective 3DO video that I found entertaining to watch is that of the Angry Video Game Nerd (AVGN) which you can watch below. Be warned of brash humor and foul language.
#5 Minty Comedic Arts’ “The Version You’ve Never Seen” videos – YouTuber Minty Comedic Arts is great with making entertainment trivia videos and he has attracted a lot of viewers from around the world. Apart from trivia videos, he is also good with “The Version You’ve Never Seen” videos which provide viewers a captivating new look at movies that could change the way they perceive them. Since there are many, I selected three for your viewing pleasure. To see more of these kinds of videos, visit Minty Comedic Arts’ YouTube channel.
#6 ESPN’s “Nobody came closer to ending the Bulls’ dynasty than Reggie Miller’s Pacers” video – When I look back at the 1998 NBA Playoffs, I could never forget the Eastern Conference Finals between the Indiana Pacers and the eventual repeat champions Chicago Bulls. Both teams played hard, there were a few games that concluded with a high level of suspense, and the series went to a full seven games. Apart from seeing Michael Jordan and Reggie Miller doing their on-court heroics, it was a unique experience to see NBA legend Larry Bird coaching the Pacers (note: Bird led the Boston Celtics to NBA Playoff victories over the Chicago Bulls when Jordan was much younger). To see a detailed and engaging retrospective about the Bulls-Pacers series of 1998, watch the video below.
#7 Ashleigh Burton’s Citizen Kane movie reaction video –Citizen Kane is one of the most revered American movies ever made. Starring and directed by the late Orson Welles, the movie dramatized the story of fictional media tycoon Charles Foster Kane while showcasing many creative filmmaking techniques that influenced other filmmakers through the decades. Citizen Kane was one of the very first Blu-ray discs I ordered through Amazon and I occasionally replay it. Among the many movie reaction videos of Citizen Kane posted on YouTube, Ashleigh Burton’s own reaction should be seen. Before you watch Ashleigh Burton’s video below, I encourage you to watch the classic movie first.
Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!
In this edition of the Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) series, we will take a look at another batch of retro gaming print ads – including arcade flyers – from the 1980s and 1990s.
For the newcomers reading this, Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) looks back at the many print ads of games (console, arcade, computer and handheld) that were published in comic books, magazines, flyers, posters and newspapers long before smartphones, social media, the worldwide web and streaming became popular. To put things in perspective, people back in the 1980s and 1990s were more trusting of print media for information and images about electronic games and related products.
With those details laid down, here is the newest batch of retro gaming print ads for you to see and enjoy…
1. Sega Dreamcast launch print ads
This cryptic Sega Dreamcast American launch print ad has an image that emphasized that gamers are being watched.
This one has an image emphasizing emotions, impulse and excitement.
By the time Sega launched their Dreamcast console in Japan in late 1998, the company was already bleeding from back-to-back years of financial losses. The Dreamcast was their big bet to regain the trust of consumers and business partners, to sell a lot of consoles and games, and somehow survive.
For the North American Dreamcast launch, Sega of America organized an intriguing series of ads emphasizing the September 9, 1999 launch date in very stylized and cryptic ways. As seen in the two selected ads above, the Dreamcast name was not even mentioned but the console’s trademark swirl was present. Anyone who was obsessed with video games – even if one was not a Sega fan – could tell that the print ads made clear that the Dreamcast was going to launch in America. Ultimately, Sega sold roughly $98 million worth of Dreamcast consoles, games and peripherals in the first 24 hours in America.
2. Point Blank 2 print ad
This ad appeared in comic books and magazines.
When Namco released the first Point Blank game, it was commercial successful in both arcades and on the PlayStation console in different parts of the world. To keep on succeeding, Namco made the sequel Point Blank 2 and their confidence in it was made clear with the above PlayStation version print ad that promised it to be multiplayer-oriented and ensure enough content to give players sufficient bouts of fun whichever game mode they pick. The ad’s image of the lady with a gun (Namco’s Guncon peripheral) and the animal trophies were done with humor in mind.
3. Pac-Man arcade flyers
This ad showed that arcade operators can choose which type of machine of Pac-Man they could order.
Midway issued this flyer when Pac-Man was already successful.
In 1980, Namco released Pac-Man in Japanese arcades and it became a big hit in a short span of time. This prompted them to bring the game overseas, especially in America which already had a growing arcade market. In November that year, Namco brought Pac-Man and their other arcade game Rally-X game to a tradeshow and only got mild attention from attendees and distributors. After being turned down by Atari, Namco signed a contract with Midway to distribute Pac-Man and Rally-X in America, and they were formally released the following month.
Upon release, Pac-Man became a strong attraction in American arcades with weekly sales surpassing $8 million per week. When it comes to the presentation, Midway’s arcade flyers above gave arcade operators and gamers a clear view that Pac-Man is fun and available in three physical units (emphasized in the first flyer) and that it made a positive commercial impact (emphasized in the 2nd flyer). Ultimately, Midway went on to sell over 100,000 Pac-Man arcade units resulting in a massive gross of over $1 billion in quarters (coins of twenty-five cents in American currency).
4. Silent Hill print ad
A clear atmosphere of psychological horror in this ad.
Made by a certain team within Konami, Silent Hill on PlayStation turned out to be a surprising and intriguing hit game in 1999. It was a polygonal survival horror game that drew a few comparisons with Capcom’s Resident Evil but ultimately stood out with its gameplay features and psychological horror concept.
The people at Konami must have anticipated that gamers in America would be attracted by the game so they came up with the creepy print ad above which promoted the game with a clear touch of psychological horror. If you look closely, the 2nd screenshot (in the middle) even showed blood in digital form. This Silent Hill print ad was clearly aimed at adult gamers and PlayStation gamers who craved for more horror gaming.
5. Tomorrow Never Dies game print ad
The use of the image of Pierce Brosnan as James Bond in this print ad was the right move to inform readers that the 1997 movie’s video game was coming out.
To really capture the attention of James Bond fans and gamers, MGM Interactive and Electronic Arts (the co-publishers of the game) came up with a Tomorrow Never Dies game print ad showcasing Pierce Brosnan as the iconic Agent 007 in a dominant fashion leaving a minor space for the text description, two screenshots and other details displayed. While some people might look at the ad as an act of desperation to sell the long-delayed game, I find it eye-catching and engaging to look at. It also was a lively reminder back then that Brosnan was James Bond of the 1990s.
6. Wipeout 64 print ad
This is still cool and sleek to look at.
Wipeout, the series best known for its very futuristic portrayal of high-speed anti-gravity racing, showcase of dynamic visuals and the use electronic dance music, made its way to the Nintendo 64 console with Wipeout 64. This 1998 release was significant because at that time developer Psygnosis was already owned by Sony and most Wipeout games of the decade were released on PlayStation. Wipeout 64 was released before the PlayStation-exclusive Wipeout 3 came out.
The above print ad had this very sleek display of two anti-gravity racers moving at high speed and on the side are five screenshots showing what the game looked like on the N64. If you look very closely, one of them shows the 4-player split-screen mode identified with the Nintendo 64’s capabilities. Overall, the Wipeout 64 print ad captured the vibe of the Wipeout series and remains very cool to look at.
7. Ehrgeiz print ad
You want a 3D polygonal fighting game that has Final Fantasy 7 characters in it? Ehrgeiz was the answer.
In 1999, the landscape of gaming really changed. More gamers played 3D polygonal fighting games over the 2D fighting games, and demand for Final Fantasy and Japanese role-playing games (JRPGs) were in high demand in the West arguably because of the massive commercial success of Final Fantasy VII on PlayStation. That being said, Squaresoft released their own 3D polygonal fighting game that had Final Fantasy VII characters in it – Ehrgeiz.
After achieving success in the arcades, Squaresoft brought Ehrgeiz to PlayStation in America in 1999. Unsurprisingly, the print ad had Final Fantasy VII protagonist Cloud and his signature sword in a prominent position which was obviously done to attract the millions of FFVII for potential sales. The screenshots on the ad were presented not for showing off but to give readers a clear view of what kind of gaming experiences they could expect. Ehrgeiz on console even had a standalone RPG mode.
8. Driver print ad
The art used for the muscle car and the police car was a tribute to the car chases of movies from long ago.
Even before it was released on PlayStation and PC in 1999, publisher GT Interactive knew they had something big for gamers to engage with. That game was Driver and developer Reflections Interactive made it with a lot of inspiration taken from cinematic car chases. This particular ad emphasized car chases, the exploration of four real-life cities in digital form, and engaging in a variety of missions. As it successfully delivered what it promised, Driver went on to become a big commercial success on PlayStation and PC, and spawned sequels in the years that followed.
9. Eidos Interactive games print ad
From the time when Eidos Interactive was at the top of its game and Lara Croft was its most popular character.
By the end of the 1990s, Eidos Interactive became a major game publisher which is the result of the massive success they achieved with the Tomb Raider games which collective sold many millions of copies worldwide.
Along the way, they acquired developer Crystal Dynamics which was already a prolific team with many games released and new projects in development. Under Eidos’ banner, Crystal Dynamics went on to release Gex 3: Deep Cover Gecko and Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver in 1999. That being said, this print ad shows the ambitious offers Eidos Interactive had with the Tomb Raider, Gex and Legacy of Kain franchises. It is a reflection about success and confidence about the future of video games.
Author Carlo Carrasco 