With the exception of a certain 3rd party games that turned out to be a creative misfires respectively, the 2024 Xbox Games Showcase (also referred to as Xbox Showcase) was clearly a powerful showcase of future games on the Xbox ecosystem and the 1st party games of Team Xbox displayed is the most exciting bunch yet!
As mentioned before, we are now living in the age of Microsoft-owned Activision, Blizzard, King and Bethesda, and Team Xbox has many game studios as a result. The 2024 Xbox Games Showcase is just the taste of many exciting and fun 1st party games coming out in the near future (including the Game Pass services for Xbox and PC) with titles like the Perfect Dark reboot, the Fable reboot, South of Midnight, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and more.
Among the many 1st party games showcased was Gears of War: E-Day which turned out to be the most pleasant surprise as many people heavily anticipated Gears of War 6 and the Marcus Fenix Collection. On my part, I anticipated GOW6 and a Gears Tactics sequel to be announced but what was unveiled officially was both intriguing and captivating. To find out more what Gears of War: E-Day is about, watch the official unveiling below…
Being made by The Coalition using the Unreal 5 engine (the same engine used in Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II), Gears of War: E-Day is the origin story that depicts the horror of Locust invasion on Emergence Day through the eyes of the iconic Marcus Fenix. For the newcomers reading this, Emergence Day refers to the event when the Locus Horde emerged from the depths of the planet Sera and started major assaults on human cities causing massive counts of deaths. Chronologically, Gears of War: E-Day is set fourteen years before the events of the original Gears of War game.
As seen in the above trailer, Marcus Fenix looks younger and you can see him struggling in what seems to be his first-ever personal and physical fight with one of the Locusts. There is also a subtle reference in the video that sends gamers a message – the MK1 Lancer is here and it is NOT the chainsaw-equipped gun that became the iconic weapon of choice in the Gears of War franchise. Again, the story of this upcoming game is set more than a decade before the first GOW and The Coalition developers have planned some changes that will impact not only the interactive experience but also the storytelling.
Do you recognize the eyes of Marcus Fenix in this image? The high level of detail of Unreal Engine 5 combined with the digital artistry of The Coalition make a great combination!
Gears of War: E-Day is looking like a very welcome addition to not only its franchise but also for future releases on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Windows PC, as well as for Game Pass subscribers among Xbox and PC gamers. I doubt that a version of the game will be released on aging Xbox One consoles. As to when will the new game be released, I am speculating it would be in November 2026 as that month would mark the 20th anniversary of the release of the original GOW. It is also possible that Microsoft will release the next-generation Xbox console on that same month as well.
Gears 5 was the last main Gears of War game I played during the final months of the existence of my old Xbox One console. I played Gears Tactics on my Xbox Series X a few years ago which was fun experience. That being said, Gears of War: E-Day is the next GOW game to look forward to.
I certainly hope that The Coalition will STOP implementing wokeness, identity politics and foolish feminism (present in Gears of War 4 and Gears 5) into the new game and just make Gears of War: E-Day be much more like the original Gears of War of 2006…a war story about a band of brothers (the grunts) who risked their lives to accomplish mission objectives. The original Gears of War had the vibe of 1980s Hollywood action cinema – specifically from Predator (1987) – and I want to see that implemented in the new game.
Here is hoping that this prequel will be released within two years’ time. Xbox fans have waited long for 1st party exclusive games to be released in this current console generation.
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.
#1The miraculous rescue of hostages – In case you missed the news, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) successfully rescued four Israeli hostages, fought with the Palestinian terrorists and brought the hostages home safely. This not some high-risk operation turned lucky. This operation was a blessing from the Lord God whose covenant with the Jewish people has always been true and standing to this day. All the praise, honor, thanks and glory to Him! Ignore the lies of the Islamo-Leftist mainstream news media and focus on the truth by watching the selected videos below…
#2 European Union (EU) elections resulted in the fall of the Satanic Left – Very recently, a series of elections took place in Europe which determined the composition of the European Union (EU) parliament. European voters who have grown sick and tired of the policies of the Satanic Left (examples: mass migration, taking care of illegal aliens at taxpayers’ expense, fascist climate change policies, government corruption) made their choices by electing more conservative and more nationalistic/patriotic candidates. In Italy, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni saw her party gain power while the President of France had no choice but to dissolve French parliament (National Assembly) and call for a snap election. Watch and learn more from the videos below…
#3 Documentary of the Houston Rockets’ amazing 1995 NBA championship defense – Never underestimate the heart of a sports champion. That is the moral lesson behind the unbelievable successful NBA championship defense the Houston Rockets achieved in 1995. For the newcomers reading this, the Rockets won the title in 1994 but ended up ranking only 6th place on the Western Conference the following season. This meant that the Rockets had no home court advantage through the NBA Playoffs of 1995. How they defied expectations and overcame tough obstacles to win a 2nd straight NBA championship must be seen in the selected NBA documentary video. Enjoy!
#4 A very deep look back at Lost Odyssey – Lost Odyssey is not just a very notable video game released only on Xbox 360 many years ago. It was arguably the most defining, traditional Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) that can be best described as a Final Fantasy game without the name. To be clear, Lost Odyssey involved the combined talents of Japanese greats Hironobu Sakaguchi (Final Fantasy creator), Takehiko Inoue (famous manga artist) and Nobuo Uematsu (musician always know for Final Fantasy), and it was an ambitious JRPG that also happened to be an Xbox-exclusive game. If you wish to know more about Lost Odyssey, what it has in common with Final Fantasy games and why it remains a very notable game, watch the documentary below…
#5 PatmanQC’s Ring King retrospective – Retro gaming YouTuber PatmanQC published recently his retrospective video about the 1980s game Ring King (also titled as King of Boxer) which is fun and informative to watch.
#6 You, Me and the Movies’ The Blob (1958) reaction – Recently the 1958 version of The Blob was featured by You, Me and the Movies in a movie reaction video which is entertaining to watch.
#7 RK Outpost examines woke Star Wars – It is no secret that under the umbrella of the woke Disney company and the Lucasfilm leadership of Kathleen Kennedy, the established entertainment franchises of Star Wars and Indiana Jones got ruined. Sad to say, Star Wars continues to be made with extreme wokeness and rabid feminism, reaching the point of completely ruining the sci-fi franchise as we know it. Watch and learn from RK Outpost’s videos below…
#8 The evil of Palestinian terrorist group Hamas – It cannot be denied that Palestinian terrorist group Hamas is pure evil. So pure is their evil, they want nothing less than committing complete genocide against Israel and its people. To his day, pro-Palestine zealots cannot even tell the difference between good and evil, and right and wrong. For the Palestinians and its brainwashed supporters (all supported secretly by terrorist state Iran), terrorism, violence and murder are the only ways to achieve what they want. Watch and learn from the videos below…
#9 2024 Xbox Games Showcase videos – Following the lackluster Sony State of Play and Summer Game Fest, Team Xbox and its partners came out blazing with the 2024 Xbox Games Showcase recently. In my view, it was a big improvement over last year’s showcase (which itself was quite good) and there were highlights that should not be ignored. Posted below are selected videos for your viewing pleasure.
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1990 to take a close look at the comic book adaptation of the movie RoboCop 2 (1990).
Before getting to the new retro comic book review, I should state that my friends and I had a fun time watching RoboCop 2 in the cinema shortly after it opened here in the Philippines. Back then, I was not yet a comic book collector and I rarely visited comic book specialty stores. That being said, I was unaware that Marvel Comics actually published an adaptation in the form of a 3-issue mini-series.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at RoboCop 2 #1, published in 1990 by Marvel with a story written by Alan Grant and drawn by Mark Bagley based on the movie screenplay by Frank Miller and Walon Green.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins in Detroit where the cops are run by corporations and the streets have turned into red-alert war zones. Crime is overwhelming the city and the highly addictive narcotic poses the greatest threat facing societies. The surgeon general who made the public warning about nuke was killed and the crime boss Cain (leader of a cult of nuke addicts and pushers) claims responsibility. Through the news media, Cain tells the public that nuke will make people’s problems go away and people want its paradise.
Under the management of Omni Consumer Products (OCP), several of Detroit’s police officers go on strike demanding better terms from their employer. The City Government of Detroit under Mayor Kuzak missed a payment (in relation to them owing $37 million) and OCP begins to move to foreclose the city and its assets in accordance to the terms of the contract. Mayor Kuzak accuses OCP of engineering the police strike which made crime rampant.
Elsewhere in the evening, the cruel activities of the thugs got disrupted by the arrival of a police car. Even though the police car got destroyed by the thugs, RoboCop emerges and begins to fight back…
Quality
There is simply no holding back for RoboCop when it comes to doing police work at a time when many police officers are on strike while crime has turned more rampant in Detroit.
This opening issue of the mini-series sticks close the basic plot of the movie (right until after Cain’s gang dismantled RoboCop) although there were a few notable differences with the sequence of events and there were scenes that showed the creative team took liberties to make the story suitable with the literary format in mind. That being said, don’t expect to see the key moments of the movie look exactly the same in this comic book and don’t expect to see the characters here looking like the actors who played them on the big screen. In terms of visual and literary presentation, this adaptation has a lot in common with the Total Recall comic book adaptation which coincidentally was released the same year.
For me, this is indeed a really readable comic book that has its stylized approach on telling the movie’s concept. OCP is the most powerful entity in the story while Cain and his gang are clearly the force of evil that strongly pose danger not only to Detroit’s people but even to the very divided police force. Nuke as the dangerous object of the plot clearly was inspired from elements of the real life war against drugs in 1980s America which made this story socially relevant.
Very clearly these villains look nothing like actors Tom Noonan, Galyn Görg and Gabriel Damon.
Like in the movie, RoboCop here performs his law enforcement duty in an uncompromising manner even though memories of his past life as officer Murphy re-emerged deep inside. That being said, there are a few moments in which you might sympathize with the titular hero as this comic book pays close attention to the conflict between humanity and technology.
The action scenes here are sufficient but clearly don’t come anywhere close to the intensity of the film in terms of violence. Still, there is enough action for readers to enjoy.
When it comes to the visuals, the artwork done by Mark Bagley eerily looks comparable with Tom Lyle’s art in the Total Recall comic book of 1990. For the newcomers read this, Bagley became a popular artist through the Amazing Spider-Man monthly series and the Venom: Lethal Protector comic books that were released after years after this one. Having seen many of Bagley’s works published in 1992 to 1995, I can hardly recognize his art style in this comic book adaptation. The way he drew people’s faces in this comic book looks very different from those seen in Amazing Spider-Man issues. At the same time, Bagley’s own take on RoboCop has that balanced approach on depicting humanity with machinery while also making the hero look less bulky compared to the movie’s version.
Conclusion
Julie Faxx of OCP sure talks like a woke nut and rabid feminist in this scene.
RoboCop 2 #1 (1990) is clearly not a faithful adaptation of selected parts of the movie but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. This is more about the Grant-Bagley team doing their own visual presentation of the movie script copy they had and ultimately they succeeded in making this comic book a stylized and worthy reading experience. This is indeed a surprisingly entertaining read and I can say that I am looking forward to reading the next issue.
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from watching the film and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back, movie buffs, science fiction fans and geeks! When it comes to making remakes or reimagined versions of established movies from previous decades, the 1980s was indeed a special time to watch them. In 1986, The Fly (directed by David Cronenberg) was released and it made a tremendous impact on moviegoers in ways that the original 1958 movie did not.
Remember when The Blob was first released in 1958? That classic film (read my retro review by clicking here) went on to have a forgettable sequel released in the 1970s but got remade big time with a new version in 1988 simply titled The Blob.
The story begins in the town of Arborville where many locals attend an exciting football game. High school player Paul (Donovan Leitch, Jr.) asks cheerleader Meg (Shawnee Smith) to a date. Elsewhere, the troubled guy Briann Flagg (Kevin Dillon) fails with his attempted stunt as a result of his flawed motorcycle which was witnessed by an elderly vagabond. Flagg goes back to town and encounters the local sheriff (Jeffrey DeMunn) who warns him about trouble.
That evening at the outskirts of town, a meteorite crashes within the forest which the elderly vagabond pursues. With strong curiosity in his mind, the old man uses a stick on a sizable body of slime mold substance (the blob itself) that came out of the crashed meteor. Suddenly, the substance moves and sticks to the elderly vagabond’s hand causing him great pain.
A short time later in the forest, Brian Flagg got surprised by the sudden appearance of the vagabond who desperately tries cutting off his own hand. The blob, which Brian saw for the first time ever, attaches itself even more on the old man causing him to run away until he gets hit by a car (with Meg and Paul inside)…
Quality
The blob in this movie looks more menacing as it has a tumor look and the special effect work remains excellent to look at. You should also see the blob move and what it sounds like.
This late-1980s remake of The Blob is not only more engaging and more entertaining than its 1958 predecessor…it is easily on of the best sci-fi horror movies of the 1980s thanks to a very talented creative team led by Chuck Russell.
To begin with, Russell and Darabont (this is the same great director behind The Shawshank Redemption), crafted a very solid screenplay that used key story elements from the 1958 classic while successfully updating everything else with 1980s America (or Ronald Reagan’s America) in mind. For this version, the three leading teenagers played by Shawnee Smith, Kevin Dillon and Donovan Leitch, Jr. were relatable and clearly worth following.
(From left to right) Shawnee Smith, Kevin Dillon and Candy Clark in an early encounter with the blob.
While the 1958 movie emphasized American teenagers being disadvantaged as local adults don’t take them seriously (even though the youth knew the problem and intend to solve it), this remake moved away from the generational gap as it strongly focused more on the crisis of a fast-growing blob that simply won’t stop killing people and destroying things. In other words, this is a crisis-focused monster story that is more violent, more horrific, more action-packed and more graphic than its predecessor.
I should also state that Russell and his team established a solid structure for storytelling and the narrative flowed on a medium-to-fast pace. As this movie has more spectacle in terms of action, monster moments and the like, the creative team carefully balanced the fun stuff with the dramatic and exposition scenes smoothly.
If you see people wearing protective suits arriving in your community and implementing a lockdown, you know a crisis is in effect.
The cast here is solid! Shawnee Smith’s Meg is the sweet, young good-natured high school girl who is willing to not only survive but also take part in solving the crisis situation not for herself but for her family and the entire Arborville community. Meg has some common elements with that of the character Sarah Connor from The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day. I also love the fact that there is NO WOKENESS and NO RABID FEMINIST VALUES in Meg. Kevin Dillon’s Brian – the troubled youth – is clearly the 2nd lead and he does a good job dramatizing how his character changes from a guy of uncertainty into an actual doer whose efforts proved to be valuable. There definitely is a non-romantic chemistry between Meg and Brian as the crisis situation really brought out solid transformations from them respectively.
The supporting cast is really good too. Candy Clark’s Fran is the relatable community diner owner/manager who contributed nicely to the plot as well as the early showdown of the blob. Jeffrey DeMunn’s sheriff is the local law enforcer who has to deal with the local situations while tackling the challenges of his leadership post. Paul McCrane here plays a local cop who is tough but not necessarily abusive, and this is the same guy who played a very vicious bad guy in 1987’s RoboCop! Joe Seneca is the government scientist who has charisma and deception carefully blended together which added to the plot. You will even see Erika Eleniak in a very small and yet notable appearance that happens to involve the blob. This film has a really interesting cast and I encourage you to research the names mentioned here.
This remake is loaded with action scenes, stunts and incredible visual effects!
On the technical side of things, I really like the cinematography done by Mark Irwin as the visuals captured looked really detailed and clear even during the dark or night-time scenes. The music by Michael Hoenig was pretty good too and his tunes ranged nicely from creepy to sentimental and energetic which reflected the scenes. As for the design of the blob, Lyle Conway deserves the credit for making it very monstrous. As for the physical environment of the movie, the state of Louisiana turned out to be a great location and the real-life Louisiana town Abbeville added strongly to the small town concept of the story.
As mentioned earlier, this version has a lot more spectacle to enjoy. For one thing, there is a good amount of hard action, gunfire and stunts which really added to the excitement (on top of the suspense and horror scenes already implemented). Rest assured, you will not get bored at all when watching this.
Shawnee Smith is the protagonist in this movie and her performance is very memorable.
The highlight of the spectacle is the very blob itself which looks so much like a tumor (instead of the jello form in the 1958 version) and the credit goes to the visual effects, sound effects and the animation team behind it all. Compared to its counterpart in the 1958 film, the blob here is very monstrous and horrifying to watch and the way it got animated is excellent. Apart from being unrelenting, this blob is deadlier and even intelligent. Not only does the blob devour the living which adds to its tremendous growth of size and mass, it also has the ability to extend tentacles which added more to the danger. Thanks to the sound effects, the blob is believably animalistic.
Through the blob’s on-screen presence, you can see the hard work implemented by the special effects crew when showing the monster entirely move and devour people, when showing its flexibility on adjusting its size (or its parts) when entering new places through tight spots, and most notably, how the blob alters the flesh of the victims it touches which resulted in very horrifying visuals. The special effects team really excelled with the use of practical effects (read: no computer-generated images) on presenting the titular monster. This is indeed a special effects extravaganza that a lot of people are missing out on.
Conclusion
The Blob (1988) looks and sounds better than ever in 4K Blu-ray format. I highly recommend this version as it is so much better than streaming.
There is no doubt in my mind that The Blob (1988) is a great sci-fi horror film that has a more menacing monster complete with sufficient action, great visual effects and a pretty solid cast! This is indeed a great example of a how a remake of an established film from the past should be done and this also includes raising the stakes within the story, modernizing past cinematic elements and ensuring high entertainment value. What director Russell, his team and the cast collectively achieved is indeed a creative success and this is the kind of film that Commie-filled Hollywood (Commiewood) today does not want to make.
As a companion piece to The Blob (1958), this remake has the good stuff that people who love horror, science fiction, action and monsters will enjoy.
Of all the many movies I have seen, The Blob (1988) stands out as one of the best remakes ever made as well as one of the best mixed-genre movies of its decade as well as of all time. That being said, today is a great time to watch this movie with better-than-ever visuals and sounds through its 4K Blu-ray release (pictured above) which is now available (you can order it online now). There is also a lot of features and extra stuff with the 4K Blu-ray. Make no mistake, The Blob (1988) is great to watch and its replay value is pretty high.
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1995 and explore a part of the Marvel 2099 comics universe through a tale of the Spider-Man 2099 franchise.
In my previous retro review, Miguel O’Hara arrives in Mexico with Xina and they shared a room together. It turns out his brother Gabriel was also there even occupying the next room. Elsewhere, a lady practicing sorcery (Strange 2099) is told that Spider-Man will be her ally and they will work together to fulfill a mission. Elsewhere, a grave digger performs rituals over the skeletal remains of his beloved sister. Issue #32 had a dark and totally different tone as the sci-fi element of the monthly series got pushed aside.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Spider-Man 2099 #33, published in 1995 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Peter David and drawn by Andrew Wildman.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins when Spider-Man 2099 and his new ally Strange 2099 crash into a room on a mission they must complete. They see the grave digger clinging to a magical item that he believes should resurrect his dead sister.
In an attempt to find a solution, Strange touches the item and suddenly becomes a hideous looking monster.
Meanwhile, the streets of Mexico City suddenly gets filled with several undead people walking. On the street, Xina (walking with Kasey and Gabriel) begins to worry about Miiguel. Soon enough, some of the undead move towards them…
Quality
Spider-Man helps to ensure safety.
As this story is the continuation to the events of issue #32, this one keeps on building up on sorcery and evil forms of the supernatural as the key elements of the narrative as well as the setting. That being said, the usual science fiction element remains completely absent and this opened the opportunity for the creative team to show Spider-Man in action within a supernatural atmosphere complete with the unfortunate event of a demonic possession.
Spider-Man’s team-up with Strange (obviously the futuristic take of Dr. Strange) inevitably led to a conflict with evil and the ironic thing is that the grave digger himself is not even the villain but someone obsessed with bringing his sister back to life by means of resorting to magic and tapping the demonic force he could not even see. The Spidey-Strange team-up clearly dominated the narrative but I should say that the sorceress is not too interesting as a character and she barely has any chemistry with the futuristic web-slinger. It seems to me that Strange 2099 was created to emphasize racial diversity and rabid feminism than to really add any depth to the 2099 universe and its lineup of supporting characters.
As for the concept of the undead walking along many people who happen to be commemorating the day of the dead on the city streets, it really heightened the horror and supernatural aspects of the story while escalating the sense of danger.
Conclusion
Spidey, Strange 2099 and the grave digger.
In line with the concept of the previous issue, Spider-Man 2099 #33 (1995) is a supernatural tale of Spider-Man on a misadventure teamed up with a futuristic take on Dr. Strange. Its pay-off to the build-up in issue #32 was barely felt and I could not help but feel the presentation was rushed. Strange 2099 was simply not interesting and the grave digger’s personal pursuit over his dead sister did not have much of an impact. That being said, the concept of this 2-part story felt more like a diversion than a meaningful story. If there is anything worth focusing on in this comic book, it is Spidey himself struggling in the very nation where he previously got his costume.
Overall, Spider-Man 2099 #33 (1995) is satisfactory.
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, superheo enthusiasts, 1980s arts and culture enthusiasts, DC Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the late 1980s to explore a part of the DC Comics shared universe through a tale of the Queen of Superheroes herself…Wonder Woman!
In my previous retro review, Wonder Woman’s spiritual superior Hermes makes his presence felt on Earth as she continues her interaction with members of the local society. Unsurprisingly, a great disturbance happens with the people as they let their guard down after witnessing something supernatural. This made things more complicated with Wonder Woman who has been trying her best doing her duty as Themyscira’s representative while maintain the personal relationships she established with certain mortals. And then something wrong happened with Hermes.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Wonder Woman #24, published by DC Comics in 1989 with a story written and drawn by the late George Perez.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins Vanessa Kapatelis at home watching news on TV about the strange attack on Hermes. In the city of Boston, two police officers find a man sitting with junk at a wall who cannot help but be very scared of something. The man points to a certain building very nearby.
Beneath the foundation of the building, the earth rumbles with very eerie sounds. The gorgon Euryale and Ares’ son Phobos are on top of a pit and below them is Ixion, the first mass murderer to have ever walked the earth. It turns out, Ixion has long been chained to a large wheel that not only restrained him but also tortured him. The generations of torture disfigured Ixion as well. Hermes, who was defeated very recently, cannot help but be shocked at the sight of Ixion whom he left imprisoned in another place. Phobos tells Hermes he could thank his foolish Olympians as they were so busy with the cosmic migration, it paved the way for him (Phobos) to sneak into Hades and pull out Ixion.
It turns out, it was Hermes who forged the unbreakable chains holding Ixion and only he could break it. Euryale, who wears Hermes’ mystical hat, mocks Hermes. Phobos reveals that he has Hermes’ caduceus all to himself and then uses it to capture and harness energy which he uses to free Ixion.
Suddenly, the building crumbles and Ixion emerges with Hermes caught firmly by his oversized hand. The rise of Ixion terrifies the people of Boston…
Quality
Look at how intimidating Ixion is while Hermes is so helpless and pathetic.
Wow! This is one epic Wonder Woman tale that has a nice blend of fantasy, action and 1980s American culture. The stakes within this comic book are so high as a result of the disaster caused by Ixion who really put many people’s lives in danger. Ironically, the huge scale of disaster did not attract the assistance of other superheroes within the shared comic book universe of DC and this only made Wonder Woman’s involvement more significant. Not only would you see Wonder Woman really struggle with fighting Ixion, you will also see her struggle emotionally and logically when she deals with the helplessness of her superior Hermes (who is rather pathetic here and he really looks like a reject from Olympus) and facing the raging evil of Phobos while trying to prevent any further loss of life. By the way, Ixion here is more than just being one large monster for Wonder Woman to face off with.
While this is indeed a tale heavily loaded with action, the script by Perez sheds light on key themes that are indeed worth thinking over. For one thing, how should Wonder Woman handle herself upon realizing her lord Hermes becomes vulnerable and unworthy of godly authority? How should people deal with idolatry (which is foolish and unholy) when they realize a mythical figure like Hermes is so helpless not so long after he convinced them with his amazing display of the supernatural? More on relationships between mortals and powerful beings, how can an ordinary human like Julia Kapatelis really maintain a sisterly bond with Wonder Woman whose powers and responsibilities are so tremendous and are beyond the reach of humanity? There definitely is something engaging to reflect over in this comic book and the richness behind the writing (as opposed to the visual spectacle) is undeniable.
Themes aside, Perez also crafted very rich dialogue which is very evident near the end of the story. I won’t say which characters engaged in the rich conversation but I assure you it is worth getting this comic book for. The said conversation is not only philosophical but also marks another step in the development of the characters involved.
Conclusion
Wonder Woman unwinding.
Wonder Woman #24 (1989) is indeed a great Wonder Woman tale and it is a significant improvement over issues #22 and #23 with regards to storytelling, conflict and characterization. This comic book is a lively reminder about how great George Perez proved to be when it comes to writing. It has lots of superhero spectacle to keep readers entertained but ultimately it is Perez’s writing that made this one a great read. It certainly has aged well and by the time you read this particular comic book, you will really miss the late Perez. Lastly, this Wonder Woman tale should serve as a lively reminder to you all that Zeus, Hermes, Aphrodite and all those so-called gods are all false and you should never fall into worshiping them. You engage in idolatry, and you will go to hell. There is only one true God and He has a Son named Jesus who redeemed humanity, established a living covenant with the faithful, died on the cross, overcame death, met with the faithful again and ascended to Heaven with a promise to return.
Overall, Wonder Woman #24 (1989) is highly recommended!
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1993 and explore a part of Marvel Comics’ universe through the reimagined tales emphasized in the What If monthly series.
For those of you who have gotten very familiar with Marvel Comics’ vast lineup of superheroes, anti-heroes, super villains and supporting characters, the Punisher is one of the most notable characters as he is the most definitive vigilante the publisher ever has in its shared superhero universe. As a comic book protagonist, the Punisher does “good” in fighting crime but he sure is as bad as the bad guys as he commits torture, issued threats of violence, kidnapping, extortion, coercion and even murder towards them. A major factor in the Punisher’s origin (as Frank Castle) was the killing of his family (wife and two kids) committed by a mob as they witnessed acts of killing in Central Park in New York City. The tragic deaths led Castle to become the Punisher who not only relentlessly waged a personal war against criminals but also often wore dark clothes with a large white skull design on the front of his body. The skull symbolized punishment and death to his enemies.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at What If #10, published in 1990 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Doug Murray and drawn by Rik Levins.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins with the Watcher recalling the time Frank Castle spent with his wife and the two kids at New York City’s Central Park. There, they have fun with their picnic. At this point in time, Frank Castle had previously served his country in the Vietnam War and he carries within him bravery, the experience of violence and vast skills to use weapons.
The weather suddenly worsens as rain starts to fall down causing some inconvenience on the Castle family. Frank’s son struggles as his kite got caught by the large plant nearby. On the other side of the said plant, four armed men and their captive (hanging upside down by the tree) are startled and prepare themselves to shoot anyone who appears.
Frank, who does not realize the mob on the other side of the plant, helps his son get the kite back. The Castle family then decide to go back home not realizing that they came close to discovering and witnessing the illegal activity of the armed men. As the family kept on moving, Frank hears gunfire from a distance…
Quality
Frank Castle the family man.
To get straight to the point about this comic book, it’s story is really engaging and it has noticeable amounts of darkness and grittiness without going overboard. While exploring what would happen had Frank Castle’s family not been killed, the comic book shows the Punisher getting involved in public safety as a New York patrolman which puts him in a unique position facing crime in radically different ways from what we comic book readers have been used to seeing. The story also explores corruption within the police and the justice system as well.
The way the events and action turned out showed the creative team focused on realism while also establishing the Punisher’s own place within the comic book’s alternate portrayal of the shared superhero universe. More on the subject matter of this comic book, there is a twist that surprised me a lot and it is something that you readers should see for yourselves.
Going back to Frank Castle, it is indeed very captivating to see him portrayed a lot more as a family man who really strives to support his wife and kids no matter how dangerous his occupation really is. The aspect of family in this comic book is very significant as it will make you realize that the definition of family in America in the 21st century has been distorted as a result of laws or court decisions that reflected wokeness, homosexuality and unrestrained feminism. In short, woke America’s believers reject the concept of the traditional family and the concept of a father leading the family is considered taboo because it goes against LGBT’s so-called values and principles.
Conclusion
Frank Castle as the police officer.
When you think about the legacy of the Punisher not only on comics but also in movies and other forms of entertainment media, you will often remember a one-man-army against criminals. What If #10 (1990) has is a really unique take on the Punisher and I can say it has a very captivating script brought to life with really good artwork. Not only does this alternate version of the Punisher shows how he affects criminals, but also how he impacts other parts of the fictional New York society within the shared universe of Marvel Comics (note: characters connected to Spider-Man and Daredevil are here). From start to finish, this Punisher tale by the Murray-Levins team turned out to be very engaging to read.
Overall, What If #10 (1990) is highly recommended!
Since early 1973, the unholy and murderous act of abortion became legal in the United States of America as a result of the highly controversial Supreme Court decision referred to as Roe v. Wade. Since that time, many millions of unborn babies were killed and to this day the issue of abortion remains highly divisive among Americans.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the detailed report of CBN News. Some parts in boldface…
Constitutional experts were glued to the Supreme Court’s oral arguments Wednesday, looking for any clues as to how the justices might rule in a case that’s considered the biggest challenge to Roe v. Wade in decades.
And the six conservative-leaning justices appear poised to uphold the Mississippi law that bans abortions at 15 weeks of pregnancy. They could even take it a step further, which would mean overturning the so-called national right to abortion created under the landmark Roe case in 1973.
The Mississippi Solicitor General Scott Stewart argued that the high court should get out of the business of crafting abortion policy and return the issue to the state legislatures to decide.
“Nowhere else does this court recognize a right to end a human life,” said Stewart. “The Constitution places its trust on the people… on hard issue after hard issue, the people make this country work. Abortion is a hard issue. It demands the best from all of us. Not a judgment by just a few of us.”
In Roe v. Wade, the Court declared that a right to abortion can be found within the right to privacy, stemming from the 14th Amendment.
But Stewart argued that the so-called right to abortion is not constitutional.
“A right to abortion is not grounded in the text,” said Stewart. “It’s grounded in abstract concepts.“
If the justices rule in favor of the Mississippi law it would undermine Roe, and if they overrule Roe it would break with precedent.
It’s why much of the arguments focused on the legal principle of “stare decisis,” and whether or not this is the moment to make such a dramatic change.
Some of the liberal justices worried aloud about the country’s trust if the new conservative majority leads the high court to reverse course.
“Will this institution survive the stench that this creates in the public perception that the Constitution and its reading are just political acts,” said Justice Sonia Sotomayor. “I don’t see how it’s possible.”
“They’re going to be ready to say, ‘You’re just political, You’re just politicians.’ And that’s what kills us, as an American institution,” Justice Stephen Breyer argued.
Center for Reproductive Rights Director Julie Rikelman defended Roe before the court, arguing primarily that abortion is about women’s “liberty”.
“For a state to take control of a woman’s body and demand that she go through pregnancy and childbirth with all the physical risks and life-altering consequences that that brings is a fundamental deprivation of her liberty,” said Rikelman.
Justice Sotomayor asked about impoverished women who suffer medical complications with unwanted pregnancies.
Stewart responded that both the mother’s and child’s interests are important and so the states should be allowed to decide such a complicated issue in which two lives are at stake.
Justice Amy Barrett also noted that women with unwanted pregnancies have the option of adoption thanks to safe-haven laws.
“Why don’t safe haven laws take care of that problem,” asked Barrett. “That would answer the reliance concern.”
Rikelman contended that women have come to rely on abortion, and need it for success in education and work.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh pursued questions relating to neutrality and said the Court shouldn’t be forced to pick sides.
“Many say the Constitution is neither pro-life nor pro-abortion and should be left to the state or the Congress and that the court should be scrupulously neutral because the Constitution doesn’t give us the authority,” Kavanaugh said.
The above news ended stating that a decision from the Supreme Court won’t be known until June-July 2022. For more insight on this, watch the related news video posted below.
Pray for victory over abortion not only in America but also for the rest of the world
Abortion is truly unholy as it is clearly more about taking life away from the unborn. Never let the Satanic Left and its pawns (abortionists, radical feminists, socialists, Communists, Marxists, liberals, secularists, atheists, Black Lives Matter, Antifa, the “My Body My Choice” fanatics and others) fool you! Abortion is absolutely not part of liberty and certainly not about freedom at all…it is a rebellious act against God who Himself made plans for each and every person long before they were even born here on this very divided world. Abortion is murder and there is no denying that! Abortion itself increased immorality in America and caused disruptions and division on countless families it affected. Abortion is truly evil. Learn from the following scriptures below…
You shall not murder.
Exodus 20:13 (NKJV)
There are six evils God truly hates
and a seventh that is an abomination to him:
Putting others down while considering yourself superior,
spreading lies and rumors,
spilling the blood of the innocent,
plotting evil in your heart toward another,
gloating over doing what’s plainly wrong,
spouting lies in false testimony,
and stirring up strife between friends.
These are entirely despicable to God!
Proverbs 6:16-19 (TPT)
I was cast upon You from birth.
From My mother’s womb
You have been My God.
Psalm 22:10(NKJV)
The Lord gave me this message:
“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”
Jeremiah 1:5 (NLT)
For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.
Psalm 139:13-16 (NKJV)
Children are God’s love-gift; they are heaven’s generous reward.
Children born to a young couple will one day rise to protect
and provide for their parents.
Happy will be the couple who has many of them!
A household full of children will not bring shame on your name
but victory when you face your enemies,
for your offspring will have influence and honor
to prevail on your behalf!
Psalm 127:3-5 (TPT)
With the fate of abortion rights in America on the balance, now is the time for us all to pray to our Lord to enlighten the Supreme Court justices so they will vote decisively to uphold Mississippi’s law and strike down Roe v. Wade once and for all! It does not matter if you are a citizen of the United States or not. What matters is you are a faithful child of the Lord, you faithfully follow His Word and you can help Him save the unborn from certain death. Overturning Roe v. Wade will also be a major push back against the Satanic Left and their members, including the most radical abortionists, will realize their errors, come to Jesus to repent and submit themselves to Him. Pray to the Lord that nationwide legalized abortion in America will end and pray that the followers of Satan will decide to leave him behind, stop being evil and come to our Lord for forgiveness and salvation. Do not cease praying to our Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit for the breakthrough! Live on with unwavering faith in the Lord!
From this point on, I would like to reach out to all the lost and the unsaved people reading this. Are you frustrated with religion? Have you been living in bondage for too long? Did the atheists, the humanists and the secularists fool and abused you? Were you victimized by a religious zealot? Have you been living as a homosexual or as a transgendered person? Are you still prioritizing addictions to sex, drugs and other inappropriate elements over the Lord ? Have you been causing trouble as a social justice warrior (SJW)? Did you spend an entire life worshiping statues, statuettes, images, people and relics? Are you a toxic person or one of those modern-day Leftist activists (Black Lives Matter, Democratic Socialists of America, the abortionists and others) who got fed up fighting for worthless causes? Have been a Planned Parenthood supporter or activist? Did you kill someone and have been living so long with the guilt? Have been practicing sorcery and witchcraft? All of that darkness can finally end and you can decide to do it! How? You can save yourselves by submitting yourselves to the Lord Jesus willingly and realize He is the Light! Glorify only the Lord!
There is no force and no coercion here. You have time and freedom to decide to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior. For those who have decided to get born again now and gain salvation, please read the instructions and follow the prayer that I learned from my first pastor.
Are you ready? Firstly, open your heart to the Lord and pray this simple prayer in sincerity from your heart:
Father God,
I thank You. I believe Jesus is Your Son. I believe that He died for me and redeemed me from all of my sins. He took my sins and, Father, thank You for loving me and You demonstrated Your love for me through Your Son Jesus Christ. Forgive me for all of my sins. Jesus, I open my heart to You. I welcome You to enter into my heart. I confess today that You are now my Lord and Savior. Thank You for forgiveness. I receive forgiveness. Thank You for Your blood that cleansed me from all of my sins. I will follow You, Jesus. Thank You for Your plan. I receive the Holy Spirit. And Holy Spirit, help me to follow the will of God in my life in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Congratulations! You are now a child of God! You have received Holy Spirit in your heart! This is easily your greatest decision ever made and also the greatest miracle of your life. Always praise, thank and honor the Lord. No more darkness in your life caused by politics, radicalism, toxicity, rebellion, religion, unbelief, evil, idolatry, traditions and rituals! Leave behind the darkness of your life and don’t look back to it. Remember that idolatry is evil, Purgatory is a lie, penance is a deception and Satan always used religion and unbelief to prevent people from being saved by the Lord.
With Lord Jesus, you are already moving forward and the best is yet to come! You also have a personal relationship with God, a relationship that is strictly off-limits to others (even to your household members or biological family members).
With your new life realized, make an effort to get yourself copy of the Holy Bible (start with New King James Version), study it and apply its lessons into your life no matter what situation you are in right now. I also recommend you to join a local Christian church that God has chosen for you (note: ask Him for a local church!) and find your place in the spiritual family (God’s family!). Be planted when the Lord shows you the way! Worship the Lord together with them and always remember that faith, not religion, is essential in your personal relationship with God. When you are at home, be in your room with the door shut and have fellowship with our Heavenly Father. On a personal level, practice Christian Habits in reference to what I published here and here. Remember the truth that God rewards the faithful abundantly and continue to be people of the Word. Declare your love for Him as well!
The Holy Bible is the ultimate authority and nothing else comes close to it for it is the Word of God. Remember always that Lord Jesus did not die on the cross to start religion at all. He died to redeem us all and showed that we must be led by faith in Him, faith in the Holy Spirit and faith in God the Heavenly Father. He rose from the dead and made His earthly presence felt once more to those who believed in Him. Lord Jesus ascended to Heaven and He promised to return in the future. His return is what we must always remember and keep living with holiness under the watch of God. We can do our part in building up God’s kingdom here on Earth by preaching His Word, blessing the Jewish people and saving the countless lost and unsaved souls around us by leading them to Lord Jesus. Living as a Christian is always about the personal relationship with the Lord, and it is certainly not about religion. Never let the idolaters, the idol makers and other sinister forces fool you into becoming unholy.
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back, superhero enthusiasts, comic collectors and fans of 1990s comics culture! We go back to the Ultraverse to witness further events from The Strangers told during the late stage of their 24-issue run as a comic book series. In the previous review, Teknight became more prominent as a member of the team as Candy/Electrocute got heavily damaged which led the Strangers to having her repaired not in just any private facility but rather in the facility of a powerful organization.
And then something happened at the end of The Strangers #21.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at The Strangers #22, published by Malibu Comics in 1995 with a story written by Steve Englehart and drawn by Paul Abrams.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins inside a high-tech facility when the newly repaired Electrocute gets up and attacks her teammates Grenade (her romantic partner) and Teknight. Electrocute is acting under someone’s control. In response to Teknight’s methodical approach on absorbing electric blasts from Electrocute, Grenade warns him about the how capable NuWare is when it comes to control and execution.
Even so, Teknight continues to stand until he gets overwhelmed by the lady’s power and ends up getting paralyzed. An executive walks near Teknight and Electrocute boasting that he loves seeing his designs in action and Grenade comes in to use his power on his romantic partner…
Quality
Grenade and the door.
Once again, Steve Englehart crafted another story that keeps this series fresh and fun to read. The story started with a good amount of action involving Grenade, Electrocute and Teknight. As I don’t want to spoil the plot, I can say that what happened after the action-packed opening sheds light on a new yet significant youth who wields a lot of power thanks to his father (clue: a powerful and ruthless executive who was involved not only with the Strangers but also with Mantra and Night Man). The story is very well structured and moves at a nice pace. Also I can say that the spotlight on the Strangers as a whole team was carefully balanced.
When it comes to character development, it is Grenade who clearly got a good dose of it. Apart from the usual display of his feelings towards Electrocute, this comic book dramatizes his effort to understand not only his lady and their new teammate Teknight, but also his realization about the delicate balance between being alive and being linked with technology.
Conclusion
I wonder how today’s SJWs, radical socialists and Black Lives Matter activists would react to this particular scene.
The Strangers #22 (1995) is another fun-filled superhero story which served its purpose in concluding the story that started in the previous issue. It also achieved its goal of emphasizing the role of NuWare (read: corporate intrigue) and the continued relevance of a certain corporate executive that the Strangers could not just get rid of.
If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of The Strangers #22 (1995), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the comic book costs $27.
Overall, The Strangers #22 (1995) is recommended.
+++++
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
Welcome back, my fellow Christians, music enthusiasts and those who seek the Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit! In this newest edition of my ongoing Christian Music Appreciation (CMA) series, we are about to examine the holiness and relevance of another worship song by the great musicians of Planetshakers Church (Australia) titled Great Outpouring.
Great Outpouring is one of the songs included in Planetshakers’ most recent album Over It All. Its title alone is a great reminder of the truth recorded in the Holy Bible…there truly is a significant outpouring of the Holy Spirit which is something that Christians, each and every member of the Body of Christ, can always keep living with while being faithful to the Lord.
Here are the lyrics for your viewing and musical learning. The analysis of key parts of the lyrics will follow afterwards.
[Verse 1]
Come upon me
Overwhelm me
Overshadow
In Your glory
I am ready
I am willing
Heart surrendered
To Your leading
–
[Pre-Chorus]
You said to wait
For power to clothe me
You’d send a flame again
–
[Chorus]
So come now
Lord resurrect us
In Your power
Fill us afresh
And here now
Pour out Your Spirit again
Pour out Your Spirit again
–
[Verse 2]
There’s a stirring
Things are moving
There’s a hunger
You’re restoring
We are counting
On Your Spirit
Send Your rushing
Wind again
–
[Pre-Chorus]
Oh You said to wait
For power to clothe me
You’d send a flame again
–
[Chorus]
So come now
Lord resurrect us
In Your power
Fill us afresh
And here now
Pour out Your Spirit again
So come now
Lord resurrect us
In Your power
Fill us afresh
And here now
Pour out Your Spirit again
Pour out Your Spirit again
–
[Bridge 1]
I can hear it
The sound of a rushing wind
I can feel it
The flame of Your fire again
I receive it
The power that raised the dead
This is the great outpouring
–
[Bridge 2]
Can you see it?
Revival is in the air
There is freedom
Let churches be filled again
In this season
Heaven is rushing in
This is the great outpouring
–
[Refrain]
Woah
This is the great outpouring
Woah
–
[Chorus]
So come now
Lord resurrect us
In Your power
Fill us afresh
And here now
Pour out Your Spirit again
So come now
Lord resurrect us
In Your power
Fill us afresh
And here now
Pour out Your Spirit again
Pour out Your Spirit
–
[Bridge 1]
I can hear it
The sound of a rushing wind
I can feel it
The flame of Your fire again
I receive it
The power that raised the dead
This is the great outpouring
–
[Bridge 2]
Can you see it?
Revival is in the air
There is freedom
Let churches be filled again
In this season
Heaven is rushing in
This is the great outpouring
–
[Refrain]
Woah
This is the great outpouring
Woah
–
[Outro]
For analysis, let’s start with Verse 1’s lyrics – Come upon me, Overwhelm me, Overshadow, In Your glory, I am ready, I am willing, Heart surrendered, To Your leading. Verse 1 is about making the decision to submit to the Lord, repenting to Him and allowing the Holy Spirit to come not only to you but also into your heart – receiving the Holy Spirit! From that point on, being led by the Holy Spirit and being faithful to the Lord become the new ways of living. This also means living as the new creation under Christ which is the result of getting born again (that Lord Jesus Himself made clear)! All of these happen when the seeker willingly decides to be Christian and get baptized spiritually (note: water baptism does not save anybody). Learn from the following holy scriptures below…
I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Matthew 3:11 (NKJV)
Peter replied, “Repent and return to God, and each one of you must be baptized in the name of Jesus, the Anointed One, to have your sins removed. Then you may take hold of the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:38 (TPT)
We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God freely gives to all who believe in him.
Acts 5:32 (TPT)
Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born [a]again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
John 3:3 (NKJV)
Now, if anyone is enfolded into Christ, he has become an entirely new creation. All that is related to the old order has vanished. Behold, everything is fresh and new.
2 Corinthians 5:17 (TPT)
Moving on, the following lyrics from the longer version of the Chorus, I believe, is the very heart of the song as it deals with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit which goes as follows – So come now, Lord resurrect us, In Your power, Fill us afresh, And here now, Pour out Your Spirit again, So come now, Lord resurrect us, In Your power, Fill us afresh, And here now, Pour out Your Spirit again, Pour out Your Spirit.
Let’s get straight to the point here…the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is real and here are the holy scriptures that confirm it is indeed true…
And it shall come to pass afterward
That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your old men shall dream dreams,
Your young men shall see visions.
And also on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
Joel 2: 28-29 (NKJV)
And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the Lord
Shall be saved.
For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance,
As the Lord has said,
Among the remnant whom the Lord calls.
Joel 2:32 (NKJV)
For I will pour water on the thirsty land
And streams on the dry ground;
I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring,
And My blessing on your descendants;
Isaiah 44:3 (NASB)
When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 2:1-4 (NKJV)
But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,
That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your young men shall see visions,
Your old men shall dream dreams.
And on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days;
And they shall prophesy.
I will show wonders in heaven above
And signs in the earth beneath:
Blood and fire and vapor of smoke.
The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.
And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the Lord
Shall be saved.’
Acts 2:16-21 (NKJV)
“If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.”
John 14:15-17 (NKJV)
In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
Ephesians 1:13 (NKJV)
As seen in the above verses, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit was prophesied in the Old Testament by the prophets Joel and Isaiah. The Old Testament prophecies got fulfilled within the New Testament on the Day of Pentecost and the apostle Paul, in front of many people, confirmed that the prophecy of Joel was fulfilled. By believing in Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we get saved and allow the Holy Spirit to occupy our hearts. Jesus Himself referred to the Holy Spirit as the Helper from the Heavenly Father, and the Spirit of Truth. Getting saved (born again) makes us children of God and as such we must allow ourselves to be led by the Holy Spirit, let Him guide us, reform us, restore us, prosper us and ensure we each have a personal relationship with the Lord. Along the way, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit for us manifests and becomes clearly true.
Going back to the lyrics in the longer chorus, I believe that the line Pour out Your Spirit again is about urging the Holy Spirit to make its presence felt not only for faithful Christians who continue to pursue the Lord but also to those who are still lost and unsaved which our screwed-up world is so full of. It should be noted that there are also Christians who, unfortunately, backslid and lost faith due to circumstances (example: the current pandemic that brought down societies and economies worldwide) at a time when their faith was not strong enough nor refined enough.
That being said, I believe the song Great Outpouring can help deepen the faith of the faithful ones while also working as an invitation to the lost and unsaved souls who have not realized that they can stop suffering by becoming born again and submitting themselves to the Lord for true reform. I assure all of you reading this that there are still lots of people who did not accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior because of religion, unbelief, idolatry (which is truly unholy), traditions, rituals, homosexuality, anarchy, terrorism, socialism, Communism, racism, Leftism, feminism, corruption, immorality, critical race theory, rebellion, political correctness, anti-Semitism, dishonesty and other negative elements used by Satan all over the world. There are lots of people who remain lost and unsaved because of their failure to have true fellowship with the Lord, because they did not believe nor prioritized the Word of God (the Holy Bible), because they allowed themselves to be consumed by evil forces in this world, and because they embraced religion or unbelief instead of getting into a relationship with the Heavenly Father, His Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Obviously, the lost and unsaved souls have not realized the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and they can have it by simply deciding to submit themselves to the Lord. That being said, we Christians should keep on persevering with praying for the lost and unsaved souls, and help them realize God’s Word is always true. Again, the song Great Outpouring can be used to reach out to the lost and unsaved souls around us.
Musically, Great Outpouring is indeed beautiful to listen to and, more importantly, its lyrics are truly holy. I believe that Planetshakers’ music team were led by the Holy Spirit in composing the song and formulating its music before officially recording it. Take note of the following lines from different parts of the lyrics – Let churches be filled again (Bridge 2), The flame of Your fire again I receive it(Bridge 1), There’s a stirring, Things are moving (Verse 2) – and you should see that they are all based on the Holy Bible.
When it comes to playing Great Outpouring at church during Sunday worship service, I would suggest to church music teams/bands to consider playing the song as the conclusion if they want to set solemnity with the church attendees after playing the more energetic songs during the early part of the musical performance. Planetshakers’ Great Outpouring is highly recommended!
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Sharing this Christian piece means spreading the good news of the Lord to others. It can help you save the unsaved and the lost souls out there.
Author Carlo Carrasco 