Tag: fiction

A Look Back at Amazing Spider-Man #374 (1993)

A Look Back at Amazing Spider-Man #374 (1993)

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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 examine a small part of the Marvel Comics universe through a tale of the Amazing Spider-Man monthly series.

In early 1993, the supervillain and murderer Venom was in very high demand among Marvel readers and comic collectors. The Venom: Lethal Protector mini-series launched with issue selling a lot of copies and it portrayed Spider-Man’s greatest enemy as a very twisted and violent makeshift hero who dedicated himself to protecting what he (Eddie Brock specifically) to innocent people. As Venom was one of the few supervillains who knew Spider-Man’s true identity, the creative team behind the Amazing Spider-Man series decided to raise the stakes temporarily by having him encounter Peter Parker’s parents (the ones that appeared in Amazing Spider-Man ).

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Amazing Spider-Man , published in 1993 by Marvel Comics with a story written by David Michelinie and drawn by Mark Bagley.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins inside the bunker beneath the grounds of the deserted Brooklyn amusement park. As Eddie Brock struggles to lift a very heavy piece of equipment, the symbiote forms over his body helping him lift it up above the head. Venom is obsessed with killing Spider-Man and Eddie Brock remains totally bitter over the webslinger’s responsibility on destroying his career. Eddie sees a page of the Daily Bugle on the wall and it contains a news photo of Peter Parker with his mother and father.

At New York’s famous Central Park, Peter, wife Mary Jane and his parents enjoy quality time skating on ice. Aunt May is standing on a wooden platform watching them…

Quality

Lots of intense action scenes in this comic book for fans and readers to be entertained with. The action scenes are not mindless as they serve as reflections of Venom’s powerful quest for revenge.

To begin with, I can say that this tale by David Michelinie is a very intense and dramatic read and it added a new layer of depth into the enduring rivalry between Spider-Man and Venom. At this point in Marvel Comics’ shared universe history, the two icons have encountered each other so many times, the time was right for Michelinie to raise the stakes and have the elderly Parkers (note: Aunt May excluded) as the new targets of Venom (already made obvious on the cover which in turn added tremendous stress on the part of Spider-Man and his wife.

For the newcomers reading this, Eddie Brock’s journalistic career was destroyed over the Sin-Eater story as a result of Spider-Man’s public revelation of Stanley Carter as the said figure (note: Brock’s Sin-Eater article series was based on interviews with Emil Gregg who actually turned out to be a delusional neighbor of Carter’s).

As Brock’s life went way downhill with his reputation destroyed, his hatred of Spider-Man grew and so did his quest for revenge. That being said, what happened in this particular comic book was a very reflective extension of what happened years prior. Anyone who has basic knowledge of the origin of Venom and early appearances of Brock in comics will be able to understand the intensified rivalry in this tale.  

Apart from the great story, this comic book has lots of superhero spectacle for readers to enjoy. That being said, the smashing action of the fight between Spider-Man and Venom was clearly made to be more violent which suitably reflected the supervillain’s lust for revenge. Spidey, meanwhile, had no choice but to avoid causing any more damage or harm as Venom goes after him in public surrounded with lots of bystanders. Along the way, you will see a key moment of the insanity of Venom which served as a useful pause of the fight. Finally, when it comes to the art, this comic book has some of the finest artworks I have seen from Mark Bagley.

Conclusion

At the time of this comic book’s publication, Venom was one of the few supervillains who knew Spider-Man and Peter Parker are one and the same person. The inclusion of Peter’s parents only added to the raising of the stakes.

Amazing Spider-Man (1993) is undeniably a great read complete with intense action scenes, lots of intrigue and, most notably, a rock solid development of the Spider-Man-Venom rivalry. This is the kind of story that will compel long-time Spider-Man fans to revisit Venom’s origin as well as Spider-Man’s involvement with the Sin-Eater. At the same time, this tale will help readers understand the insanity and murderous mind of Venom that took place not only in the Venom: Lethal Protector mini-series in also other mini-series about the symbiotic killer that Marvel published throughout the 1990s.

Overall, Amazing Spider-Man (1993) is highly recommended!

+++++

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

A Look Back at Sludge #5 (1994)

A Look Back at Sludge #5 (1994)

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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 fans, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we revisit the Ultraverse of Malibu Comics and examine one of its many stories told through an issue of the Sludge comic book series.

In my previous retro review about Sludge #4 (1994), we got to see an inspired monster-versus-monster conflict between the protagonist and a huge, intelligent alligator aced with elements of society, urban legends, idolatry and journalism. That particular issue also showed more of the creative side of series artist Aaron Lopresti when it comes to writing. The next issue reviewed also involved Lopresti as writer.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Sludge , published by Malibu Comics in 1994 with a story written and drawn by Aaron Lopresti.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins in New York City. Darkness descends on Manhattan like a shroud, providing haven for those who shun the light. As a man and a lady walk down the sidewalk talking to each other, a very hideous human-like monster comes out of the shadow of the alley and grabs them both.

In the sewers, Sludge hears one of the victims scream which compels him to run to where the trouble happened. As soon as he climbs out of the sewer, he sees the monster in the alley which makes eye-contact with him. As Sludge approaches the alley, the monster gets away leaving the dead bodies of the man and woman behind. As Sludge examines the dead bodies and realizes that the monster ate them, a police car with two officers arrived.

In reaction, Sludge quickly grabs one part of the police car and turns it upside down to buy himself time to get back into the sewer. The details of the encounter between the police and Sludge made it to Shelley, the same New York Daily Globe news reporter who encountered him and the intelligent alligator Veffir Voon Iyax. She discusses the newest information with her skeptical boss…

Quality

Obvious parallel to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein here.

Let me start first with what is obvious with regards to the plot and presentation. Similar to what happened in Sludge #2, there is noticeably less spotlight on Sludge as creative space had to be used to develop the new monster, emphasize its background story (with an additional new character who has significance) and there were even scenes focused on Shelley and what goes on inside the office of her newspaper which became aware of the events that took place.

The next thing I want to point out is the creative inspiration used in this particular story. This comic book has really clear parallels to the literary classic Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus and there was even a mention of its author Mary Shelley. That being said, there is a scientist-and-walking-abomination aspect with regards to the mentioned additional significant character connected with the new monster. That is not to say that this comic book copied Victor Frankenstein and his nameless monster, rather Aaron Lopresti took inspiration from them, mixed things up and implemented them in telling this new tale of Sludge. When it comes to keeping things fresh in telling another Sludge story, I can say that Lopresti succeeded.

More on the story itself, this one has a clever mix with regards to the dimensions used. In here, Sludge is more determined on helping people who shouted for help while Shelley won’t give up on finding out the truth about the tragic events in their city. Without spoiling the details, I can say that there is this deep dramatization about the monster and the new character responsible for its return from the dead.

As for the quality of the writing, Aaron Lopresti’s work here is not only expressive but also impressive. There is this one page near the end that has these few yet powerful words that strongly connect with the images of Sludge and the monster (who is so creepily drawn!).  

Conclusion

This is the 2nd straight Sludge comic book that has reporter Shelley and her newspaper focused on what has been happening. At this point, Shelley had encountered Sludge.

Sludge (1994) in my view is another inspired and intriguing Ultraverse tale to read! While issue had parallels to the 1980 film Alligator, this comic book took inspiration from Mary Shelley’s most famous work of fiction which added elements about resurrection, man’s abuse of science, and the consequences of dealing with the unnatural into Sludge’s side of the Ultraverse. I should state that this comic book also has the scariest looking monster Aaron Lopresti drew for the Ultraverse at the time of publication.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Sludge (1994) be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $16 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition costs $48.

Overall, Sludge (1994) 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. 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/

A Look Back at Wonder Woman #20 (1988)

A Look Back at Wonder Woman #20 (1988)

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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.

It’s the second week of March already. That means we are slowly but surely inching closer to the March 30, 2021 scheduled releases of Wonder Woman 1984 on 4K Blu-ray, Blu-ray and DVD! If you have not yet ordered a copy of the sequel starring Gal Gadot as the Queen of Superheroes, you can do so now if you want to. I already ordered my copy. You can also read my retro review of the 2017 Wonder Woman movie.

On to literature! Last time, the George Perez-led story not only saw the end of Diana’s visit of Greece, it also fully presented to readers what was back then the modern portrayal of Circe (DC Comics’ own take on the false Greek goddess) who proved to be at the time the most sinister and most powerful supervillain Wonder Woman faced. Wonder Woman also showed the Queen of Superheroes in her most vulnerable state.

Now that Diana and her friends have returned to America, we can find out what happens next in this look back at Wonder Woman , published by DC Comics in 1988 with a story written and illustrated by George Perez based on an idea by Carol Flynn. Bob McLeod was in charge of the finishes.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins in the City of Boston at night. Three Chinese men are running away from something until Wonder Woman confronts them. One of the men fires several bullets at her but each bullet got blocked by her using her tremendous reflexes and braces. After Wonder Woman disarms the gunman, another Chinese man tries attacking her with sharp weapons only to be defeated easily. The other Chinese man tries to run away but gets caught by Wonder Woman who uses her lasso. In reaction to his question, Wonder Woman demands answers.

Elsewhere, investigators are searching for clues and details inside a lady’s modern looking office. Lying on the floor is the dead body of a victim and according to the investigator’s report, she had been dead for a few hours. The victim is none other than Myndi Mayer, a highly successful publicist who made a career out of the media and celebrities. Wonder Woman happened to be her most recent, high-profile client. Mayer was involved in the Wonder Woman fair.

Based on their findings, Myndi Mayer looked like she didn’t go without a fight. A bloody letter opener was found in her hand and her purse was found next to her body emptied. Traces of white powder were found on her desk. Mayer’s secretary Christine Fenton was visited by the investigators who told her about the death of her boss. She did not express any surprise and told them that it was only a matter of time before Mayer’s end came. Christine added that she warned Mayer about a certain man.

The investigators then show Christine the sketch of man based on the description of an eyewitness. She expressed surprise as she recognizes him…

Quality

Wonder Woman takes part in the search for truth.

Wow! This is one dark Wonder Woman story to read and I can say that it is a very inspired work written by George Perez based on an idea by Carol Flynn. This is not your typical story of showing the Queen of Superheroes fighting someone evil or saving people from disaster. This is a murder mystery that is laced with corporate intrigue, crime, legal wrangling and the everlasting struggle to determine the truth.

Myndi Mayer’s death really set of a series of events and revelations that are no less striking. Considering the many details about law, crime, investigations and corporate intrigue, the in-depth writing here indicates that George Perez did a lot of researching and found ways to tell a very cohesive story with Wonder Woman playing a role. I should state that as of this writing, this particular story comes close to becoming realistic and reflective of 1980s life. This is top-notch writing by Perez!

When it comes to characterization, Myndi Mayer was deeply portrayed to be in deep trouble both personally and professionally. Of all the Wonder Woman comics of the post-Crisis era of DC Comics I’ve read so far, this one clearly defines Mayer and goes beyond her usual appearance as a prolific publicist.

On Wonder Woman, as mentioned earlier, she does not get to fight a super villain. Rather she takes part in the search for truth and tries her best to solve the mystery even though she is not even fully familiar with the way law and order works in the world of man. In some ways, her approach to literally putting pieces of the puzzle into place and approaching people in different places reminds me somewhat of Batman’s detective work but without the vigilante approach.

Conclusion

This page about the murder investigation at the scene of the crime has some Watchmen vibes to it.

I can say that Wonder Woman (1988) is not only a great comic book to read but also one of the most unique stories about the Queen of Superheroes ever published. By this time, George Perez has proven himself to be very prolific in storytelling on top of his great ability to draw art. I should state I love the way the story was structured and the way it ended delivered both impact and intrigue.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Wonder Woman (1988), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the comic book costs $41.

Overall, Wonder Woman (1988) 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. 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