fantasy – Page 4 – Author Carlo Carrasco

A Look Back at Action Comics #497 (1979)

July 23, 2025July 18, 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 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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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 90

July 21, 2025July 20, 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 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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A Look Back at Missile Command (Arcade game, 1980)

July 16, 2025July 15, 2025carlocarrasco

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the video game 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 retro gaming enthusiasts, Atari fans, geeks and others who are passionate about video games!

Today we go all the way back to the year 1980 when Atari released in arcades a game that strongly resonated with people who were concerned about a potential nuclear conflict between the United States and Russia during the Cold War…Missile Command.

Designed by Dave Theurer and programmed by Rich Adam with Theurer, Missile Command is a 2-dimension shoot ‘em up arcade game that had a trackball to allow players to control a crosshair to defend six existing cities. The arcade also had three buttons players could use to launch surface-to-air missiles from the three missile bases to protect the cities from incoming ballistic missiles that came from an unseen enemy.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at the Missile Command arcade game of 1980 developed and published by Atari.

*The arcade flyer with a great looking painted artwork. This one really resonated with gamers who lived during the Cold War.*

Game design

As the commander of three missile bases (each armed with 10 defense missiles), the player is tasked to protect six existing cities from waves of ballistic missiles (launched by an unnamed enemy) coming down. From time to time, the enemy deploys bombers, satellites/drones and smart bombs to overwhelm your defense and test your precision and decision making.

You have three missile bases that each has its own supply of defense missiles. There are cities between each base which you have to defend from the endless assault of enemy missiles, smart bombs, war planes and satellites/drones.

When your defense missile detonates in the air, it creates an explosion which serve as a shield to destroy enemy missiles, war planes and satellite/drones when contact is made. If any projectiles from the enemy manages to get through the aerial explosion, you will have to quickly launch more defense missiles from the near base you have.

Players use a single crosshair which designates which part of the sky a defense missile can be fired at. Once the defense missile reaches its destination (placed by the crosshair) in the sky, it will explode and cause a growing flame lasting seconds. The said flame serves as a shield that can destroy the enemy’s ballistic missiles, smart bombs, war planes and satellites/drones upon contact. Defense missiles can be launched consecutively into selected spots in the sky in anticipation of the incoming weapons of the enemy.

To proceed from one level to another, the player must have at least one city remaining intact. Once all the six cities have been destroyed and the player no longer has any unused missiles (and no new cities earned by reaching certain high scores that justify rewards), the game will end with a “Game Over” screen with an explosion in the background.

Quality

In this screenshot, the enemy’s satellite/drone is floating while a smart bomb is about to hit the missile base at the lower-right. Smart bombs can be challenging to intercept because it reacts by avoiding the aerial explosion of defense missiles.

This arcade game – which is currently available for modern console owners to play via the Atari 50: The Anniversary Collection – remains very engaging and a lot of fun to play with after all these decades. As a player, my only objective was to defend the six existing cities and three missile bases from the waves of enemy ballistic missiles (and smart bombs in later levels) coming from the sky. Given the way the game was designed, this is strongly emphasized and the only times I could attack the enemy is by launching my own missiles towards the enemy’s bombers and satellites/drones (note: both of these are capable of launching more missiles at you).

If any of the enemy’s weapons hits one of your missile bases, it and the remaining supply of defensive missiles will be wiped out. Enemy missiles that hit a city will result in total destruction. Considering the intentional increase in challenge with each new level of play started, the enemy’s ballistic missiles move faster, the warplanes and/or satellite/drones appear more and the smart bomb – which is the most difficult to intercept as it deliberately avoids the aerial flames caused by your defense missiles – get launched against you.

When intercepting enemy missiles, you have to think quick where to aim (ahead of incoming missiles), which missile base to use to launch defense missiles and remember how much missiles do you have left per base.

That being said, the game deliberately becomes harder which compelled me to be more watchful of enemy weapon movements, and to be more strategic using my defense missiles while keeping a quick eye on the remaining supply of missiles per base. While the in-game difficulty intensifies per level, the game never became frustrating to play nor did it ever turn into a chore on my part. I just keep playing because I found the increasing challenges actually fun to take on.

The game’s visuals are still good to look at. It’s still engaging to see streaks of missile trails (both your defense missiles and the enemy’s ballistic missiles) fill the air above the cities and the flashing light effects that simulate explosions are still effective as eye candy. Along the way, the game’s sound effects worked perfectly with the visuals and they added a lot to the immersion.

*When you score enough points, the game will reward you with a bonus city.*

*Me putting my initials after achieving a great score in Missile Command.*

Considering its simplicity and the way it was designed, there clearly is no way for players to win at all. Rather, the game will challenge your precision, decision-making and ability to defend your cities and bases. That being said, the greater challenge is to survive and be able to move on to the next level with missile bases and whatever cities remaining you still have to defend. As with other games of the past, achieving the high possible score – which reflects your endurance, skill and progress – is a goal here. Achieving certain high scores also result in an extra city for you.

Cultural relevance

Missile Command’s legacy as one of the greatest arcade games ever released is undeniably real. Not only that, this game resulted in a lot of ports for consoles, portable gaming devices and home computers through the decades. This classic was re-released in several compilations from Atari and the Xbox-listed Missile Command contains the arcade version. In 2020, a remake called Missile Command: Recharged was released as part of the Atari Recharged series of games.

*The different Missile Command arcade machines.*

Missile Command even appeared for a few seconds in Terminator 2: Judgment Day which added more to the film’s concept of nuclear war.

With regards to arcade gaming, Missile Command is notable for having a trackball on its machine as a way for arcade players to control the crosshair during game sessions.

Conclusion

Apart from being the commander of missile defense, try imagining yourself being on of the citizens living in one of those cities. Can you imagine watching real-life missiles get intercepted in sky above you?

The Missile Command (1980) arcade game is a true video game classic and it remains compelling and enjoyable at the same time. It can also be an intriguing game experience since it does not let players complete the game by winning. All players can do is perform the best defense they could, survive to the next round and keep playing until their defense gets overwhelmed by the enemy and the rising in-game difficulty.

As a result of the game design, playing Missile Command is actually moral because the concept of defending your people using powerful yet limited resources is very strong all the time. Even with progressive difficulty, the game never became frustrating to play and I actually enjoyed the challenges knowing that defense and survival are main goals. Achieving the highest possible score is the other goal as reflected by video gaming of the era. Missile Command simply delivers bouts of fun and you cannot go wrong with playing it. It is not surprising that this game became a massive hit and established itself as a true classic among video games.

Overall, Missile Command (1980) highly recommended and the best way to play it on console today is to avail of Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration compilation.

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A Look Back at Superman #412 (1985)

July 7, 2025July 1, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 20^th century pop culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the mid-1980s to take a close look at one of the many tales published through the original Superman monthly series (first launched in 1939).

For the newcomers reading this, the original multiverse of DC Comics formally ended with Crisis on Infinite Earths (1985-1986). That being said, a lot of DC’s monthly comic book series had respective tales the reflect the closing period of the old multiverse (which lasted for decades) and the Superman monthly series of the era was part of the trend.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Superman #412, published in 1985 by DC Comics with a story written by Cary Bates and drawn by Curt Swan.

Early story

The story begins at the unemployment bureau in Metropolis. Clark Kent, who recently lost his jobs with WGBS and the Daily Planet, stands in line and waits for his turn. Being unemployed, Clark feels troubled and other people nearby recognize him.

As his turn at the counter starts, Clark senses something and decides to get out quickly. He enters the emergency exit, changes into Superman and flies out of the building. It turns out a high-rise building accident has occurred and already several pieces of sharp glass have been falling down. To prevent further harm, Superman uses his heat vision to convert the falling glass and collectively turn them into a growing molten ball. He brings the giant molten ball to the top of the building (still in construction/expansion) and meets the hard-hat workers before flying away.

Elsewhere, Lana Lang announces news to TV viewers regarding the dismissal her of close friend Clark Kent which was the result of the fake headline news story about Superman and the NASA satellite. In another location, Lex Luthor is very pleased watching the same broadcast knowing his plan of ruining Superman succeeded and got Clark Kent as a fake news casualty. Luthor is not done with Superman yet…

Quality

*Lex Luthor here is ruthless, strategic and obsessed with defeating Superman.*

I really like this Superman tale. This is a story about Superman who is still dedicated to doing acts of good by helping people with problems even though he is socially in deep trouble being unemployed as Clark Kent. Not only is the unemployment aspect relevant, the consequences of fake news and their negative effect on people made this tale more socially relevant with today’s world of fake news and unethical journalism.

Going back to Superman, it is clear that the embarrassment and unemployment of his civilian identity impacted him as a superhero. This is evident when Lana Lang accused him of betraying Clark Kent resulting in a fake news story that led to the firing by WGBS and the Daily Planet. Lana, who does not realize Superman and Clark are the same person, blamed the Man of Steel that the firing of Clark is so devastating to her as she cares for him so much (note: Clark and Lana were romantically involved during their teenage years at Smallville).

The powerful writing by Cary Bates does not end there. In this comic book, you will see Lex Luthor execute his other plans to ruin Superman whom he personally accused over the loss of his family and his own world Lexor (click here and here for references). This is a Luthor who is not simply being evil but also someone who is well organized, strategic and even fearless. By this stage, the criminal mad scientist Luthor has accumulated a lot of resources to have his own headquarters, technologies and a dedicated staff. In some ways, Luthor in this comic book eerily resembled his financial tycoon version in the post-Crisis era (click here and here for relevance).

I should also state that the personal encounter between Superman and Luthor here is a great pay-off to the build-up that preceded it. You readers should see it for yourselves because to reveal more in this review will ruin it.

Conclusion

*As Lana Lang delivers the news to TV viewers regarding Clark Kent and Superman, tension is brewing over at the Daily Planet.*

Superman #412 (1985) is undeniably a great Superman story published during the very late stage of the original multiverse (note: Superman #423 was one of the final tales of Superman of this particular era. Superman #424 was part of the post-Crisis era). The portrayal of Superman being disturbed by the huge setback he suffered as a civilian is really compelling to see and his encounter with Lex Luthor really brought the tension and suspense to high levels. At the same time, the consequences of Superman’s actions (including those of his civilian form as Clark Kent) are very evident and nicely dramatized by the Bates-Swan team. You really feel that the creators were wrapping up their Superman stories and decided to move this series to a new direction knowing that the original multiverse will end. This is a must-read tale!

Overall, Superman #412 (1985) is highly recommended.

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A Look Back at Action Comics #481 (1978)

June 27, 2025June 24, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1970s arts and culture enthusiasts, DC Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1978 to take a close look at a part of the DC Comics universe through a tale of the Action Comics monthly series.

Believe it or not, there were times when Superman used advanced technology and machinery to achieve his goals, to win a battle or at least survive. This is something we people today can relate with since a lot us have smartphones and computers being used daily. As for the Man of Steel, there was a time when I saw an episode of Super Friends on TV in which a very vulnerable Superman had no choice but to use his personal flying vehicle called the Supermobile to travel and do something. It turns out, the Supermobile itself started in comic books.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Action Comics #481, published in 1978 by DC Comics with a story written by Cary Bates and drawn by Curt Swan.

Early story

The story begins on a city street as Amazo (who recently gained the powers of Justice League members in a previous encounter) is about to strike a weakened Superman and Professor Ivo (who is responsible for Amazo) in front of many people. Amazo strikes but ends up smashing the part of the road as his targets vanished.

It turns out Superman and the professor were teleported safely all the way into the Fortress of Solitude. With his powers gone due to red radiation, Superman revealed that he made some preparations in relation to Amazo’s eventual rampage….

Quality

*Exposition about the Supermobile in this page showing the trapped Justice League members.*

This early, I want to point out that this comic book is not merely a shallow tale designed to introduce the Supermobile in lazy fashion. In fact, there is a lot of work done by the Bates-Swan duo here and this includes plot build-up backed with payoffs, lots of details that were revealed and, most notably, the story has a solid structure complete with smooth execution.

This story was preceded by an unfortunate series of events in which Amazo gained the powers of the Justice League members and had them trapped in space, while Superman got hit by red radiation and managed to get out for a new fighting chance. Here, Superman is powerless and vulnerable, and the fact that Amazo is so powerful, the unveiling and use of the Supermobile is clearly justified. Amazo himself is a fine example of a scientific creation gone wrong and seem inspired by the monster of Frankenstein in literature.

By looking close at the details, the dialogue and the execution of event, this is clearly not a rushed job to introduce the Supermobile. It is a sufficient story on its own and it even delivers a good amount of superhero spectacle to satisfy readers.

Conclusion

*Superman and the professor inside the Fortress of Solitude.*

Action Comics #481 (1978) is indeed a satisfying and fun read. The build-up leading to the Supermobile’s debut is sufficient and the creators went on to keep building up the plot with Amazo getting bigger as a threat to not only against Superman but also against the Justice League. The Supermobile’s debut is justified and definitely it is not a cheap addition to the plot. The idea of Superman using a personal transport looked silly on face value but this comic book proved it is believable and sensible.

Overall, Action Comics #481 (1978) is recommended.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 85

June 25, 2025June 21, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 The Cannonball Run revisited by GoodBadFlicks and You, Me and the Movies – Do you enjoy 1980s comedy films? How about a film that has comedy, an all-star cast, lots of cars and lots of stunts? You will find that in The Cannonball Run which was released in 1981 and became a box office hit. The film has a memorable cast including Burt Reynolds, Roger Moore (technically playing James Bond), Farrah Fawcett, Dom DeLuise, Jackie Chan, Adrienne Barbeau, Tara Buckman and others. For your enjoyment, I posted below the recent reaction video by You, Me and the Movies, and a retrospective video by GoodBadFlicks. If you have not seen The Cannonball Run, watch it first (available on Blu-ray format). Otherwise, enjoy the videos below.

#2 PatmanQC examines Super Mario Bros. 3 – When it comes to picking which is the most influential platform game on the Nintendo Family Computer (Famicom)/Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 3 are often the most popular choices as both games are really great. While the first game sold a lot more copies worldwide, the third game remains highly significant as it influenced platform game designers for a number of years. Not only that, Super Mario Bros. 3 notably was featured in the 1989 movie The Wizard. To see how Super Mario Bros. 3 was made, what the legendary Shigeru Miyamoto and teammates did and how much of an impact the game had on players, watch the in-depth video of PatmanQC below.

#3 Unsolved Mysteries examines 2001 anthrax attacks – 2001 will always be remembered as a year of uncertainty and chaos. During that year, 9/11 shocked the world which raised public fear about terrorism. Adding further to the shock and fear of the time, the 2001 anthrax attacks happened shortly after 9/11. Suddenly, a lot of people got afraid of touching pieces of mail as the anthrax attacks happened through the distribution system of the US Postal Service. Eventually, the TV series Unsolved Mysteries (hosted by the late Robert Stack) released an episode dramatizing and examining the 2001 anthrax attacks. Before watching the video below, be advised that the details can be quite disturbing.

#4 Examining the so-called success of Xbox RPG Avowed – It has been months since the Obsidian-developed Xbox fantasy role-playing game (RPG) Avowed was released. Shortly after, there were these individuals or publishers that declared the game a success even though there is no evidence to prove it was. This only reminds me of the sad reality that there are a lot of woke activists, Marxists and fake fans who have infiltrated the gaming and entertainment industries which explains the misinformation spreading around us. I played and finished Avowed and I can say that it never lived up to my expectations and the long wait since it was first announced was not worth it. Along the way, it is clear that Obsidian allowed its assigned game makers to add elements of identity politics into Avowed. Externally, there are woke nuts among game journalists, vloggers and bloggers who dedicated themselves to make Avowed look like a smash success even though reality, truth and facts are not on their side. Watch and learn from the selected videos below.

#5 James Gunn’s Superman movie to end up a huge disappointment? – Recently here in the Philippines, director James Gunn, producer Peter Safran, Rachel Brosnahan and David Corenswet arrived to meet the fans as part of their world tour to promote the new Superman movie. Considering how lavish the activities and promotions are, it is simply hard to ignore that Superman of 2025 is looking bound for box office disappointment based on the latest box office analysis and predictions. While RK Outpost examines the weakening Superman box office prospects, Ranting for Vengeance examines the many elements of the James Gunn-directed movie (based on the latest footage shown) that could turn off long-time and genuine Superman fans, and lead to failure. Watch the videos below and pay close attention to the details.

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A Look Back at Action Comics #438 (1974)

June 23, 2025June 20, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1970s arts and culture enthusiasts, DC Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1974 to take a close look at a part of the DC Comics universe through a tale of the Action Comics monthly series.

Throughout the superhero comics publishing history of DC Comics, Lois Lane is the definitive leading lady of Superman. Traits of her personality and journalistic work ethic got emphasized through her interactions with fellow reporter Clark Kent (Superman). At times, Lois Lane becomes a rival of Kent’s when it comes to getting the hottest scoop and getting the approval of their boss Perry White for publishing it on the next issue of the Daily Planet. But have ever seen Lane become a monster strong enough to take on Superman?

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Action Comics #438, published in 1974 by DC Comics with a story written by Cary Bates and drawn by Curt Swan.

Early story

The story begins on the busy streets of Metropolis with Clark Kent and Lois Lane riding in a taxi. He gives her a very unique looking necklace as an advanced birthday gift which she gladly wears. Lois then kisses Clark on the lips which surprises him. Moments later, the taxi stops on a sidewalk as something inside happened. Seconds later, a monstrous woman emerges from the taxi which turned out to be none other than Lois Lane in a transformed state. The monster Lois gets out of the taxi, throws the necklace away and leaves Clark behind. The incident causes a commotion in the city.

Still inside the taxi, Clark discreetly changes into Superman and flies away to search for Lois Lane…

Quality

*As Superman works to find monster Lois Lane, the media buzz about her begins on television. This was the time when social media was decades away from realization.*

To begin with, the concept of this comic book is clearly outlandish and the creators decided to make a monster out of Lois Lane and explore what would happen to both the city and Superman. The good news here is that the storytelling has a firm structure and the dialogue – most notably that of Superman – still made sense and was believable to follow. Without spoiling the plot, I can say that Superman is still the main focus of the story and how he made moves to solve problems while still caring for Lois Lane is engaging to read.

In this comic book, you will see some interesting developments that emphasize how Clark Kent works within the limitations of his journalistic career and connections, how Superman takes responsibility things he did before, and how he works to protect his secret identity. The Bates-Swan duo really delivered the goods here.

Conclusion

*Superman has two problems to deal with – finding monster Lois Lane and preventing a train disaster from happening.*

Action Comics #438 (1974) is a fun read but it is not a brainless nor a low-intelligence tale. This is a tale about Superman relying less on his powers and using more of skills as civilian Clark Kent to handle the problem of monster Lois Lane. The story lacked the superhero spectacle of action but it still is entertaining to read, and the emphasis on Superman and Lois alone is worth reading. As for The Atom short story included, it is essentially a somewhat fun additive.

Overall, Action Comics #438 (1974) is recommended.

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A Look Back at Action Comics #436 (1974)

June 18, 2025June 20, 2025carlocarrasco

If you know the Superman lore in comics, you should be aware that Perry White (first appeared in 1940) is the editor-in-chief of the Daily Planet and is the superior of Clark Kent (Superman), Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen. As Perry White got race-swapped (a woke move that’s also idiotic) and presented as a black man in Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel and James Gunn’s Superman (2025), be aware that the long-lasting character originated in the comics as a white man who symbolized dedication and management consistently. I still remember the live-action versions of Perry White played by Jackie Cooper in the 1978 movie and by Lane Smith in the TV series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.

I read a lot of Superman comic books and many times Perry White appeared as a supporting character. He also appeared in the memorable crossover comic book Superman and Spider-Man, interacting with Peter Parker (Spider-Man). As a supporting character in Superman tales, Perry White occasionally provides journalistic direction or a challenge to Clark Kent who in turn tackles problems in his civilian identity or as Superman.

But what if Perry White overshadows Superman himself?

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Action Comics #436, published in 1974 by DC Comics with a story written by Elliot S. Maggin and drawn by Curt Swan.

Early story

The story begins deep within Metropolis when the Daily Planet’s editor Perry White enters the Galaxy Building. White does not realize that he is being watched by two adults who turned out to have special abilities and together they levitated a gift for him before he reaches his office. The gift for Perry White was their response to the help he provided to them – the mutants – to escape the influence of Calixto sometime before. The two adults then vanished.

As White arrives in his office, Superman discreetly flies into the Galaxy Building and changed into his civilian form as Clark Kent. With his enhanced hearing, Kent heard the phone in his office ringing and quickly rushes to it. Through the phone, White (who was notified he won the Pulitzer Prize again) tells him that Edge Morgan has something big happening on both TV and on paper, and they should fly out to New York to work together…

Quality

*Superman and Perry White fly towards an enemy.*

To get straight to the point, this Superman tale shows the wild concept of Perry White overshadowing the Man of Steel in terms of capabilities instead of journalistic power. On paper it sounds crazy but the good news is that the wild concept was told nicely and it is actually fun to follow without ever going over the top.

*With witnesses around, Perry White uses his super powers.*

Apart from the story’s outlandish idea, the plot shows a new dimension of Perry White transforming from a supporting player (in the form of a newspaper editor) into a more heroic figure. Instead of being a helpless witness of events happening, White becomes more involved and contributes something to the prevention of disaster and even tackling evil head on. That being said, this situation allowed the creative duo to show a new side of White’s personality as he himself realizes the sudden weight and pressure that comes with having super powers, and he still has journalistic standards to live up to.

Conclusion

*Superman is surprised to witness Perry White fly and prevent a small plane from crashing.*

A product of its time, Action Comics #436 (1974) has a short story that had a zany concept which turned out to be an entertaining read. It is nice to see Perry White actually becoming super while the storytelling done by the Maggin-Swan team never became too outlandish. Think of this comic book – which also has a short story of Green Arrow – as a bout of fun focused on Superman and Perry White. I first read this comic book as a young boy and now as an adult, it is still enjoyable to read again. No woke garbage and no Zack Snyder-style darkness here. This is classic Superman.

Overall, Action Comics #436 (1974) is recommended.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 81

June 6, 2025June 2, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Retrospective videos of Krull – I was a young boy when I saw Krull inside the cinema way back in 1983. It was an entertaining experience for me as the movie had a clever mix of fantasy, science fiction and even horror in its presentation. As many years passed by, I replayed Krull as an adult on cable TV and DVD, and it still remained entertaining. For those of you who intend to learn more about (or rediscover) Krull, I posted below some videos for your enjoyment. If you have not seen Krull yet, watch the movie entirely first.

#2 The George Foreman Grill remembered – The late George Foreman will be remembered for a long time. He made an impact on the world in professional boxing during his younger days and made a tremendous comeback by becoming the oldest heavyweight champion at age 45. Along the way, he became a preacher of God’s Word, led a local church and managed a youth center. Along the way, the late Foreman found tremendous success by endorsing a product that became the George Foreman Grill. To find out more about the Foreman and the popular grill, watch the video below.

#3 France’s President humiliated – With the way he is leading France as its President and the way he is helping Palestinian terrorists by antagonizing Israel, Emmanuel Macron is on the wrong side of history. He was back in the media spotlight as he got slapped by his wife recently. Watch and learn from the videos below.

#4 Ashleigh Burton reacts to Casper – It has been a little over thirty years since the live-action movie Casper was released in cinemas. As a young boy, I read some Casper comic books and saw some episodes of the cartoon shows on TV but I never was a fan of the character. I did not see the Casper film until it started showing on cable TV. Casper of 1995 does not interest me much but you should see how it draws reactions from Ashleigh Burton in the video below.

#5 PatmanQC examines Cruis’n USA – Cruis’n USA is one of those hit arcade games from the 1990s that I never got to play in Iocal arcades. Most of the time, I received information of Cruis’n USA primarily due to its port for Nintendo 64 (N64) being heavily reported by video game journalists back then. While the original arcade game was successful with both players and game critics, the same cannot be said about the N64 port. To find out more, watch PatmanQC’s in-depth video below.

#6 Ramnexus examines Oblivion Remastered – It’s been over a month since Oblivion Remastered (full title: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion – Remastered) was released, and I still have not played it on my Xbox Series X. While it is popular with gamers, I still was not convinced to return to subscribing to Xbox Game Pass (XGP) for it. The original Oblivion of 2006 is one of my favorite RPGs of the 21^st century and I just might consider playing its remastered version someday. For now, I am just watching YouTube videos of the remastered game and I found a recent video by Ramnexus that turns out to be an engaging look at it. Watch Ramnexus’ video below.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 76

May 14, 2025October 6, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Reactions and retro review of Friday The 13^th: The Final Chapter – If you have seen at least a majority of the many Friday The 13^th movies, which one do you think is the best of them all? For me, it is the fourth movie Friday The 13^th: The Final Chapter and you can read my retro movie review of it by clicking here. Already there are many movie reaction and retro review videos about the 1984 film on YouTube, and I selected the entertaining ones for you to see below.

#2 The failure of BuzzFeed – I never relied on BuzzFeed for updates nor entertainment stuff. As I was browsing YouTube, I noticed this video by It’s Blanko focused on BuzzFeed which has been in trouble for some time now (click here, here and here). Recently, BuzzFeed, Inc. tapped into AI (artificial intelligence) for audience engagement and growth. The video below is quite comprehensive with its examination of BuzzFeed’s culture, business practices and how it struggled years later.

#3 PatmanQC examines the history of Atari’s Star Wars arcade game – Now on to retro gaming! Way back in 1989 in a Las Vegas hotel, I played the Star Wars arcade game produced by Atari. It was an enjoyable experience as the game design was pretty immersive, fun and responsive. It was also one of the early first-person view games that I experienced as a gamer. Storywise, the game was set during the Rebels’ attack on the Death Star. To find out more about the history and making of the arcade classic, watch PatmanQC’s in-depth video below.

#4 Retrospective on Parasite Eve – Back in 1998, Square released Parasite Eve, a role-playing game (RPG) that emphasized horror over fantasy, and a story that had some grittiness related with its police story concept. I finished the game on PlayStation and ultimately I was not too impressed with the game nor was there any incentive for me to replay it. While it was commercially successful enough to spawn two sequels, Parasite Eve has been pretty much forgotten by the public and Square Enix showed no signs of reviving its franchise. That being said, I found a retrospective that should interest both Parasite Eve fans and younger gamers who are interested in the 1998 game.

#5 The Denver Nuggets’ memorable 1994 elimination of the Seattle Supersonics – If you are fond of basketball and if you are interested to discover a great upset in the history of the NBA Playoffs, you should check out the shocking fall of the Seattle Supersonics to the Denver Nuggets in the elimination round of the 1994 NBA Playoffs. Back then, Seattle was #1 in the Western Conference while the Nuggets were at #8. Dikembe Mutombo led the Nuggets and their team was fortunate to have talented supporting players to help them outclass Shawn Kemp and the Sonics. To learn all the details, watch the video below.

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