Freex – Author Carlo Carrasco

A Look Back at Freex #16 (1995)

July 26, 2023July 24, 2023carlocarrasco

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 to revisit one of the many tales of Malibu Comics’ Ultraverse through the Freex monthly series.

In my previous review, the Freex encountered someone very deadly (note: Rafferty who also encountered The Strangers) and out of nowhere one of their members got killed as he made his move to protect someone’s life.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Freex #16 published in 1995 by Malibu Comics with a story written by Gerard Jones and drawn by Klebs de Moura e Silva.

Early story

The story begins at midnight when Ruby arrives at a sorrowful gathering composed of Contrary, her academic students, the Night Man, the Old Man and the remaining members of Freex. They are all mourning over the dead body of Michael. Just after Old Man declared that everyone should move on and let Michael (Plug) rest, Contrary (now an established member of UltraForce) stated that her academy will keep him in the company of others like him at their Mt. Shasta Citadel headquarters as the dead Freex member does not have any known surviving family members.

The loss of Michael then begins to take its toll on Angela/Sweetface as she cries and states that there is nothing left to live for. Suddenly, something appears to the Freex…an angel-like figure who tells Angela to end the pain and join the only one who still cares for her. Valerie and Lewis try to help Angela resist the one who spoke…

Quality

*The Old Man becomes the target of Freex.*

What is obvious to me here is that this comic book is all about the consequences of the death of original Freex team member Michael and how his death impacted specific teammates who had really grown close with him. The plot in this comic book is pretty light as this was clearly written to have strong character dramatization and development.

While there were indeed a whole lot of characters who appeared here, this comic book highlights Sweetface as the one most affected by the sudden death of Michael. That being said, any dedicated Freex fan who seriously followed the series right from the start will be able to relate with Sweetface’s emotions and even feel her deep feelings with Michael. Incidentally, this paves the way for her to interact more with Lewis who also got impacted by the death of their teammate. As the story went on, there were key developments here that strongly symbolized that Freex will take a serious change of direction focusing more on team survival and avenging Michael while severing ties with the Old Man. Clearly the creative team were building up something for the team who at this point have been on a very long and painful journey as nomads.

All throughout, the script really is detailed, richly layered and engaging. Apart from Freex, Night Man, Contrary and her students, and other characters had their fair share of the spotlight strongly symbolizing the current state of the Ultraverse at the time.

Conclusion

*Even as she is mourning over the death of Michael, Angela suddenly sees a mesmerizing vision in front of the others.*

Freex #16 (1995) is indeed a solid comic book to read. The strong writing is its strongest feature and it really delivered the compelling stuff that will resonate most with the long-time Freex fans. The dramatization of the effects of Michael’s death really is strong and the new change of direction for the surviving Freex was implemented really smoothly. The lack of a good-versus-evil element was no problem at all here. By the end of the comic book, I became eager to find out what would happen next to Freex.

Overall, Freex #16 (1995) is 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 Freex #15 (1994)

February 20, 2023January 27, 2023carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the wild 1990s and explore a part of Malibu Comics’ Ultraverse through a tale of Freex.

Since after facing off with Contrary (who eventually became part of UltraForce) and her so-called school and students, Freex had been traveling far and long (refer to my previous Freex reviews here, here and here) and gained Old Man as a useful companion. Along the way, they encountered the unknown deep underground and even saw a powerful being. They even got to the city of Denver temporarily. As they went on, they found the path that led them back to civilization.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Freex #15, published in 1994 by Malibu Comics with a story written by Gerard Jones and drawn by Scott Kolins. This is a flip-side comic book with Ultraverse Premiere #9 (1994) on the other side.

Early story

The story begins with Freex – composed of Plug, Sweet-Face, Pressure, Anything and new member Cayman – have been traveling for some time deep underground with Old Man. They find themselves back in San Francisco, the one city that brought them together. While still a long distance away from the city proper and there are no locals who could see them, the team cautiously move to a high communications tower. Michael/Plug uses his special ability to transform himself into electronic matter and makes his way through the communications network of the city to do something very important. Cayman meanwhile becomes the object of discussion between Pressure and Sweet-Face as he has yet to share with them details about himself.

As Cayman himself was part of Contrary’s academy and joined Freex recently, he has trouble gaining the trust of the others. After wearing new clothes that Lewis found, a guy suddenly appears to them. He introduces himself to them as Evan…

Quality

*The very evil Rafferty monitoring Freex secretly and enjoying his advantage over them.*

Considering what happened in the previous issues, this story feels like a breath of fresh air not only because of the new location the team got into but also because of strong twists that happened. Instead of going through fantastical encounters, Freex found themselves in situations that are more grounded with reality (within Ultraverse standards specifically) and more notably, the story emphasized crossover as Freex and Old Man encountered Firearm. The said crossover, quite cleverly, sets up Freex into a collision course with the serial killer Rafferty (who encountered The Strangers elsewhere within the Ultraverse). For the newcomers reading this, Rafferty is one of the most evil characters of the Ultraverse who has murdered a lot of people – including his own parents – and has developed tremendous hatred of Ultras.

The inclusion of Rafferty here also sheds light on the Freex’s past connection with the Night Man (click here and here). More notably, the said serial killer turned out to be so resourceful and totally obsessed with murdering people with special abilities, he became a formidable force towards Freex. This leads to a pretty powerful and twisting conclusion that must be seen.

Conclusion

With a good amount of intrigue, characterization spectacle, strong dialogue and the element of crossover, Freex #15 (1994) is a pretty engaging comic book to read. The biggest feature here is having Freex in a conflict with a very obsessed killer who not only hates Ultras but also has an extensive record of murdering many people over a long period of time. In my view, the Freex-Rafferty conflict was nicely structured and it added depth to the plot. What happened in the end of this comic book should resonate with dedicated fans of Freex.

Overall, Freex #15 (1994) is highly recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at Freex #14 (1994)

June 15, 2022June 11, 2022carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the mid-1990s which was a really wild time for comic collectors. To be more specific, this newest retro comic book review revisits Ultraverse through the exploits of Freex, the monthly series about a group of young adults with unusual capabilities (or abnormalities) who are constantly on the move as they are social outcasts.

In my previous retro review, the Freex (already without Ray but with Cayman from Contrary’s institution as his replacement) continued their search deep underground and encountered the ancient being called Prometheus. Elsewhere, Atalon and his group move nuclear weapons deep underground setting up a major conflict with the nations on the surface. After some struggle and more movement, the Freex find themselves in Denver.

With those details laid down, here is a look back Freex #14, published in 1994 by Malibu Comics with a story written by Gerard Jones and drawn by Scott Kolins.

Early story

The story begins in Denver, Colorado, where the Freex retreated into a cave dreading the assault by police officers who spotted them. It turns out, the group don’t have only the police to worry about but also the Night Patrol, a group of armed vigilante thugs who hate freaks.

As the Night Patrol start firing at him, Michael realized the protection he got was done by concentrating through the crowns and think about the suits, which he tells his teammates. As the conflict continues, one of the Night Patrol members hits Angela which in turn triggers Michael to take action by using his power to seize control of communications and motility systems and knock down the freak-hating thugs.

Suddenly, one of the Night Patrol members managed to subdue Michael. Valerie tells her teammates to strike back but it turned out unnecessary as the thug falls down. Suddenly, Contrary appears to them…

Quality

*Now with Ray back with them, the Freex go back underground.*

To get straight to the point, this Freex story is more about the continuing development of the team with the Old Man as their mentor but with one notable turn of events that is not really a spoiler (due to the cover art)…the return of Ray to the team.

While the plot is thinner this time around, the character development was bumped up several notches. As the Freex found themselves cornered with opposition, the reappearance of Contrary (note: she took time away from UltraForce in this particular point of time) resulted in a few notable revelations regarding how she operates, how manipulative she is and how obsessed she is with having young freaks (note: those with powers or those injected with wetware) under her own definition of care, education and nurturing. The way the script was written, this comic book made me wonder if Contrary is insane while still maintaining a good amount of control given her vast resources to organize missions. Just thinking about her organizing UltraForce operations and maintaining her institution for powered students is indeed intriguing.

More on the return of Ray – one of the pioneering members of Freex – his return is not a throwaway portrayal. Rather Ray showed clear signs of maturity apart from learning something from his time at Contrary’s institution. Morever, Ray shows he has a big heart from his teammates. This alone added some emotional impact to the end of the comic book.

Conclusion

*A quick appearance of UltraForce within this Freex tale.*

Freex #14 (1994) does not have a deep story to tell, has little in terms of superhero spectacle and it recycled some misadventure elements from the previous issue to move the plot forward. The most defining things in this comic book are the respective returns of Ray and Contrary which added nicely to the character development. Any solid Freex fan will have something to enjoy, especially if they continue loving the main characters.

Overall, Freex #14 (1994) 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 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 Ultraverse Year One (1994)

June 1, 2022May 29, 2022carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the mid-1990s which was a pretty wild time for comic collectors. To be more specific, this newest retro review revisits the Ultraverse through a comic-like publication in the form of a guide meant for UV fans and comic collectors.

The subject at hand is Ultraverse Year One which, as written on the edge of the front cover, was designed to be the “complete guide to the Ultraverse’s first year.” It is a reference guide for those who seriously want to discover each and every Ultraverse comic book that was published during its first year. In my experience as a comic collector, the Ultraverse launch in 1993 was very memorable even though my financial limitations prevented me from acquiring each and every launch comic book and subsequent releases of the time. How useful is this complete UV guide? We can go on and find out.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Ultraverse Year One, published in 1994 by Malibu Comics.

Quality

I can say without a doubt that this publication is indeed a complete guide to each and every Ultraverse comic book released during its first year from 1993 to 1994 specifically. You want to know exactly how many issues of Mantra, Prime, Hardcase, The Solution, Prototype, The Strangers and others were published in the first year? This one has it all listed! You want to know which UV comic book involved the talents of Steve Gerber, Norm Breyfogle, Rick Hoberg, Len Strazewski, Aaron Lopresti, George Perez, James Hudnall, Gerard Jones, Steve Englehart, Tom Mason, Terry Dodson, James Robinson, Howard Chaykin, Mike W. Barr and many others under the Malibu Comics banner? This guide has it all listed! What months were Exiles #1, Sludge #1, Firearm #0, Break-Thru #1 and Mantra #1 were published? The answers to each are included. The same can also be said when it comes to which characters appeared in each comic book.

*This is what each page typically looks like with details of the Ultraverse timeline on the lower part.*

*The timeline reveals that the male warrior Lukasz, who would later end up in woman’s body as Mantra/Eden Blake, was born in 1220 BC.*

Very clearly, the Malibu Comics people worked hard to collect the essential types of information, organized them and put them all into print media form for readers and collectors to use when it comes to searching just about everything about the Ultraverse’s first year. Things did not just stop there, however.

What I found amusing to look at in each page of this Ultraverse guide are details of the shared universe’s timeline posted on the lowest part. The said timeline – which is limited to text and numbers – reveal interesting details such as what year was Lukasz (AKA Mantra) born, when did Rune begin, when was the Choice corporation established, what year did the island of Yrial’s people move up to the clouds, what years were infants injected by Wetware Mary and more. These details are actually quite encouraging to make readers discover or re-read Ultraverse comic books to see how they are dramatized on paper.

Conclusion

*As you can see in the details above, Len Strazewski was involved in both the Prime and Prototype comic book series.*

Ultraverse Year One (1994) is a pretty detailed guide that will not only help readers track down each and every UV comic book of the mentioned time period, but also help them spot the precise comic books that has characters included as well as the published works of varied comic book creators. If you are really determined to track down and buy all the Year One UV comic books, this guide is a must-have. If there are any weaknesses to mention, it would be the fact that each comic book’s entire plot got summarized in full which are actually spoilers.

Overall, Ultraverse Year One (1994) is recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at Freex #13 (1994)

May 19, 2022May 18, 2022carlocarrasco

In my previous retro reviews of Freex, the team encountered Contrary (who later became a significant part of UltraForce) and her so-called school of gifted children. Subsequently, they left Contrary’s lair but without Ray who decided to stay behind. Freex, who gained a new member in replacing Ray, went underground encountering Prime and a lone individual called Old Man. After separating from Prime, the team move further underground with Old Man and discovered a lot of things they never expected.

With those details laid down, here is a look back Freex #13, published in 1994 by Malibu Comics with a story written by Gerard Jones and drawn by Scott Kolins.

Early story

The story begins deep under the Earth’s surface wherein the Freex – AJ, Angela, Michael, Valerie and new member – and Old Man encounter a huge and intimidating sentient being which has the head and tusks of an elephant. The being calls itself Prometheus and claims that he has lived underground for a very long time, created new beings and saw the development of settlements that the people on the surface are not even aware of.

Intriguingly, he reveals to the Freex that he created the substance that were injected by a certain nurse into the bodies of each team member when they were still infants which later manifested into the capabilities and abnormalities they now have…

Quality

*This short scene about Atalon and his army is a prelude to the Atalon storyline in the early issues of UltraForce.*

The most significant aspect about this comic book’s story is the clever approach taken by the creators to not only show the further development of Freex but also emphasize and expand the lore of the Ultraverse while connecting this series to UltraForce (the early issues written by Gerard Jones and drawn by the late George Perez) which itself had a great conflict between Atalon’s forces and Earth’s governments. To put it short, this Freex tale is a prelude to the events seen in UltraForce #0, UltraForce #1 and the rest of the Atalon saga. The good news is that the emphasis of in-universe connection (as opposed to crossovers) was done well and nicely structured.

More on the Freex themselves, the revelation that the members’ powers were the result of being injected (by Wetware Mary) into them with the substance created by Prometheus resulted in dramatic reactions from them which also adds to the tension of their current misadventure together so far away from society. The revelation also added tremendous weight into the series’ narrative raising questions such as the following: Wow will each Freex member reintegrate into society as they know the truth about what caused them to have powers/abnormalities? Where will they go once they made it back to the surface? Will they keep secret the existence of Prometheus?

In relation, the creative team took their time to develop each member’s personality and emotions. Most notable was the portrayal of the new friendship between Valerie and their new member (indoctrinated by Contrary) which hints that something significant could happen to not only themselves but to the team itself.

What also struck me in this comic book was the way the 2^nd half of the story was presented…by becoming really wild and crazy. Eerily, the confusion felt by Freex during the 2^nd half was something I as a reader felt. To find out what I’m talking about, I urge to get a copy of this comic book and read it yourselves.

Conclusion

*This page revealed more about the origins of the Freex members.*

While the 2^nd half of the story had a crazy ride, I still found Freex #13 (1994) to be really engaging and intriguing mainly on the big revelation and UltraForce connections told in the first half. At this stage in the series, it really looked like that the team was on its way into the unknown as their own place within the Ultraverse really widened (similar to what happened on the part of The Solution in issues #10, #11 and #12).

Overall, Freex #13 (1994) is recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at Break-Thru #2 (1994)

May 13, 2022May 14, 2022carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the mid-1990s which was a really wild time for comic collectors. To be more specific, this newest retro comic book review revisits the conclusion of the epic Ultraverse storyline Break-Thru which was illustrated by the late George Perez (1954-2022). I encourage you readers – especially long-time fans of the iconic illustrator – to check out my commemorative article about George Perez by clicking here.

For the newcomers reading this, Break-Thru was a 2-part storyline that creatively involved almost all the main characters of the Ultraverse (The Strangers, Mantra, Prime, Prototype, Freex, The Solution, Hardcase, Sludge, Solitaire and others) who got impacted in varied ways by Amber (of the Exiles) who floated high in the air causing chaos on societies below. Specifically, that was the concept of Break-Thru #1 (1993) and issue #2 has the story continuing with a setting in outer space with the moon as the key destination.

With those details laid down, here is a look back Break-Thru #2, published in 1994 by Malibu Comics with a story scripted by Gerard Jones (plotted by Mike W. Barr, Steve Englehart, Steve Gerber, James Hudnall, Tom Mason, George Perez, James Robinson and Len Strazewski) and illustrated by the late George Perez.

*An epic cover by the late George Perez.*

Early story

The story begins at the surface of the moon with Hardcase, Choice and the members of The Solution who just survived the explosion (connected with Hardcase #7 and The Solution #4) of the flying saucer they used on their journey. Nearby, the people responsible for the destruction are riding their own flying saucer, scanning the surface of the moon searching for an entity.

Behind the scenes, the very hidden yet powerful Rex Mundi watches and tells Gate that other ultras are seeking the entity. As the saucer floats to a cave detecting the presence of the entity, the occupants get shaken as Prime hits them hard. Prime tells himself that the entity in the cave feels danger from the searchers and he has to protect it as he has been connected with it (refer to Prime #7). After getting blasted in retaliation by the saucer, Prime finds himself hit even more as Rex Mundi’s enforcers suddenly come out of a portal very near him.

From a distance, Mantra (refer to Mantra #6) sees the fight happening and needs a life force to survive. Elsewhere, Hardcase, Choice and The Solution witness the arrival of a space shuttle. The Strangers and Prototype (refer to The Strangers #7 and Prototype #5) come out together…

Quality

*This is classic George Perez presentation of action and characters using multiple panels in a single page.*

Starting with the writing, I should mention that all the writers who were involved in plotting this comic book as well as the previous issue should be commended for their combined efforts on making the Break-Thru storyline happen complete with in-universe ramifications, developments and connections to almost all the monthly comic books via the Break-Thru tie-in issue (also check out Sludge #3, Freex #6, Solitaire #2 and Night Man #3). Clearly Break-Thru was planned to be a major turning point of the Ultraverse by involving and mixing most of the major characters together and have them struggle with tremendous obstacles they simply cannot ignore as the stakes were indeed too high.

More on this comic book, the major conflict was set on the moon which proved to be a very unique setting not just for dynamic battles to happen but also to serve as the place where a mysterious and powerful entity is hidden. When it comes to the story, the entity (more science fictional in concept) is mysterious and cleverly not blatantly evil. It is its mysteriousness that makes the entity a worthy force to have the UV’s heroes come after.

The writers added depth to the plot by showing Yrial of The Strangers and Prototype each having their own vested interests to get to the entity and acquire whatever it has that is valuable. At the same time, Mantra and Prime each discovered valuable knowledge about the entity that impacted their perceptions about their purpose as beings with super powers.

*Mantra, Prime, The Solution, Hardcase and Choice.*

While the story here still has so many characters expressing themselves and releasing expository information, the narrative is a little bit easier to understand and follow compared to issue #1 (which had a lot more information to release via exposition). That being said, the scenes of spectacle became more enjoyable to read and along the way there were some notable character moments to look at.

Visually, this is unsurprisingly a great looking comic book as it was illustrated by the late George Perez. What I love most about Perez’s art style and visual presentation are all here: high details on each character drawn as well as their surroundings, the dynamic approach on setting up the panels on each page, fantastic looking superhero action, and much more! As with Break-Thru #1 and other Ultraverse comic books drawn by Perez, this one is absolutely great to look at and it easily lifts up the visual/artistic quality of the UV and its heroes. As George Perez was involved in the plot of this comic book, the narrative was never overwhelmed by his great art and the artist really exerted a lot of effort on visualizing each and every one of the established UV characters (including the supporting characters).

Speaking of the established characters, I should state that Perez made Mantra’s face (with mask) look a bit more realistic and feminine while Kevin Green has a more convincing teenage boy look, Sludge looks a bit more creepier and Yrial looks visually identical to the way Rick Hoberg draws her. When it comes to the varied physiques of each established UV hero, Perez captured them all perfectly. Clearly the late artist did his research on every character.

Conclusion

*The first physical encounter between Prime and Hardcase. Remember this before reading the UltraForce comics.*

Break-Thru #2 (1994) is truly an epic Ultraverse story that also worked as a major turning point of the UV as a whole. Compared to other epic superhero stories that Marvel and DC Comics published, Break-Thru is not the usual large gathering of superheroes who have to work together to defeat an evil force that threatens everyone’s existence. It is more about the UV heroes getting together to solve major obstacles before reaching the main destination. By the time I reached the end of this comic book (and its storyline), I experienced great satisfaction not just from Break-Thru itself but also in relation to how the Ultraverse heroes realized what they are living for and what their respective purposes really are about. What also happened in this comic book explains why jumpstart events happened on Earth. Very clearly, this was an epic story that was planned early and even though this was published just months after the Ultraverse first debuted, the characters were developed enough to make Break-Thru’s concepts sensible and acceptable. There is a lot of fun and engagement in this comic book drawn by the late George Perez (who also worked on DC’s Crisis on Infinite Earths and Marvel’s The Infinity Gauntlet).

Overall, Break-Thru #2 (1994) is highly recommended!

+++++

A Look Back at The Night Man #6 (1994)

March 24, 2022March 21, 2022carlocarrasco

Welcome back, superhero fans, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, and comic book collectors! Today we revisit the Ultraverse of Malibu Comics and examine one of its many stories through The Night Man monthly series.

Remember the group TNTNT? That group appeared in The Strangers #3 and proved to be a strong force of opposition against the team of Atom Bob, Lady Killer, Grenade, Zipzap, Electrocute, Spectral and Yrial. As revealed in that comic book, TNTNT – composed of Tyrannosaur, Naiad, Torso, Neu-Ronnie and Tugun – was trained and equipped by the corporation called NuWare under the watch of their powerful executive J.D. Hunt who clearly has something planned.

That being said, can you imagine what would it be like if TNTNT had ganged up on a solo ultra…like the Night Man?

With those details laid down, here is a look back at The Night Man #6, published by Malibu Comics in 1994 with a story written by Steve Englehart and drawn by Kyle Hotz.

Early story

The story begins with Johnny/Night Man working out hard in a gym observed closely by two attractive ladies. While thinking about what happened recently, the two ladies tried to interact with him. He rejects them and continues to work out hard.

Meanwhile over at a high-tech facility in Sunnyvale, California, the group called TNTNT begins to act in a private training session surrounded by fierce looking robots. One by one, Tyrannosaur, Naiad, Torso, Neu-Ronnie and Tugun make short work of the training robots. Tyrannosaur even declares that the glory of their team is back.

However, the man operating the session from behind a control booth talks to them, reminds them that they are still employees of J.D. Hunt, and he tells them that they recovery from their loss to the Strangers will be realized only after killing the Night Man…

Quality

Wow! This is one well-paced ride with a structured narrative! Without spoiling the plot details, I can confirm that the creators succeeded in delivering the big mismatch of the Night Man facing off with the 5-member TNTNT with a good amount of spectacle balanced with really interesting character moments.

By comparison with their previous appearance in The Strangers #3, the members of the TNTNT each got more defined in terms of personality in this comic book even during their pages-long encounter with the Night Man. Take for example Tugun whose culture really shaped his perception on such things like insults. Tyrannosaur meanwhile is always confident he’ll win for sure as he knows his super strength and very tough skin make him almost invincible. The way Night Man dealt with each TNTNT member was moderately paced, backed with quick details (to explain things) and was executed in rather believable ways. On characterization, Steve Englehart convincingly portrayed TNTNT like they are real people who happen to be paid and trained by some powerful employer who really wants things done for him.

At the point of this comic book’s publishing, the Night Man established himself as San Francisco’s radio commentator-in-hiding believing he can inspire people to stand up for themselves when encountering evil elements. At the same time, this comic book further emphasized connectivity within the Ultraverse. In addition to Night Man’s crossover with Freex, his encounter with TNTNT technically links him with The Strangers.

More on the writing, there are these subtle yet clear traces of socialism and anti-corporatism particularly with the way Night Man confronted a man who bought a stretch of a beach perceived by the protagonist as public. The portrayal of J.D. Hunt as a power-mad and sinister business executive is not surprising, but the way he was portrayed in dealing with his employees TNTNT symbolizes the capitalist being abusive towards his laborers. Whatever this comic book tried to say, nothing changes the fact that socialism sucks and it is wicked, twisted and corrupting.

Conclusion

The Night Man #6 (1994) is entertaining and compelling to read. Its substance is quite rich and it is surprisingly good that the creators managed to develop the TNTNT members even as they proceeded with their mission to kill the protagonist. As for Night Man, he’s clearly a vigilante with a cause and as a symbolic tool of socialism, he was portrayed to be pro-people and an arrogant opponent of capitalism. This made him look more like a foolish pawn of socialism and less of a hero.

Speaking of San Francisco, could you imagine what would it be like if Night Man was real today and witnesses how the Satanic Left of San Francisco led the city into social deterioration and disorder? Watch the videos below for insight…

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of The Night Man #6 (1994) be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $16.

Overall, The Night Man #6 (1994) is recommended.

+++++

COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa City apprehends quarantine violators, strengthens vaccination drive amid rise in COVID-19 cases

January 24, 2022January 24, 2022carlocarrasco

Amid the sharp increase in new COVID-19 cases, members of the Muntinlupa City Police Station (MCPS) has apprehended more than 900 individuals this month for violating city ordinances and quarantine rules, while the City Health Office (CHO) strengthens the local vaccination efforts.

MCPS acting chief-of-police PCOL Angel Garcillano reported that 978 city residents were apprehended violating curfew hours, mandatory wearing of face mask and other city ordinances from January 1-24.

Of the total, 892 were apprehended for not wearing face masks while 54 violated the curfew.

Under City Ordinance No. 2020-109, every person in Muntinlupa is required to wear face masks at all times whenever outside of their residence, at the workplace, when entering government buildings and offices, and in public places.

Penalties for offenders include P300 for first offense, P500 for second offense, and P1,000 for third and subsequent offenses.

For violators who are minors, a stern warning will be given for the first offense, withdrawal of scholarship grant from the local government or P300 for non-grantee for second offense, and P500 for third and subsequent offenses. The penalty fee for minors will be charged against their parents or guardians.

Muntinlupa PNP has also installed COMELEC checkpoints and augmented its monitoring for the “No Vaccination Card/ID, No Ride” policy of the Department of Transportation.

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi continues to urge city residents to strictly follow the minimum public health standards and get vaccinated amid the increasing COVID-19 cases in the city.

Muntinlupa CHO has recorded all time high figures last January 23 with 4,684 active cases and daily new confirmed cases at 467.

CHO acting chief Dr. Juancho Bunyi said the city has strengthened the PDITR + V strategy (Prevention, Detection, Isolation, Treatment, Recovery plus Vaccination) to combat the further spread of the virus.

The City Health Office has also launched the “Rolling Bakuna” to bring the vaccination services closer to the communities. From January 3 – 21, Muntinlupa CHO has inoculated 1,687 individuals for their first and booster dose in different barangays.

The Rolling Bakuna is set to serve the following communities and organizations in the coming days: Morning Breeze Alabang (January 25, 240 slots – Booster), Elsie Gaches Alabang (January 26, 300 slots – Booster), Posadas Sucat (January 27, 100 slots – Booster), and PNP Headquarters (January 28, 500 slots – Booster).

As of January 21, at least 461,766 individuals in Muntinlupa have received their first dose, translating to 120.56% of the target population. While, 395,435 in the city are fully vaccinated which is 103.24% of the target.

Of the total vaccinated individuals, 17,521 were inoculated for first dose and 10,659 for second dose in coordination with the private companies.

City residents may register online through the city’s COVID-19 vaccination registration system via www.vaccine.muntinlupacity.gov.ph/muncovac.

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The above information was sourced from an official press release. Some parts were changed for this website.

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@twitter.com as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

A Look Back at X-Men 2099 #9 (1994)

October 5, 2021October 3, 2021carlocarrasco

Welcome back, superhero enthusiasts, fans of the 2099 universe of Marvel Comics, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we revisit the X-Men 2099 comic book series by focusing on its ninth issue. Since issue #1, the connection between the mutants of 2099 with the original team founded by Charles Xavier was vague. Sure, Xi’an made verbal references to Charles Xavier and Magneto but there was nothing concrete with regards to his team adapting the team name of the classic X-Men.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at X-Men 2099 #9 (1994), published by Marvel Comics in 1993 with a story written by John Francis Moore and drawn by Ron Lim.

Early story

The story begins shortly after the X-Men left the town. Without Eddie/Metalhead (who chose to be left behind), Xi’an and his team arrive at a facility in the middle of nowhere. It turns out, they have been following the coordinates in relation to Krystalin’s assignment to investigate and Xi’an determined there was something odd about her voice during their last communication.

Krystalin suddenly appears to her teammates with Victor Ten Eagles right behind her. Victor was a companion of Xi’an’s during their days together with the group referred to as the Lawless. While the two former Lawless members talk, Skullfire, Shakti and Meanstreak notice there is something very odd with Krystalin. Xi’an notices something is definitely wrong and he remembers that when the Lawless disbanded, he and Ten Eagle never parted on friendly terms.

Suddenly, a very old Asian man appears in front of them floating in the air. He reveals his name as Zhao and he refers to them as his X-Men…

Quality

*X-Men 2099’s leader Xi’an in trouble. This page reveals some threads from his past and the concept that Saigon in Vietnam hosted the 2016 Olympics.*

Starting with the storytelling, the script was clearly written with a lot of confidence on the part of John Francis Moore as he expands further the lore of America of 2099 through the team of mutants. For one thing, it uses its own version of Marvel Comics universe history (note: one possible history since 2099 was one possible future of the Marvel universe) to establish the link between Charles Xavier’s original X-Men with the mutants of 2099 complete with what happened in between. While I won’t spoil what exactly happened, I can assure all of you reading this that something very intriguing happened and Zhao is not just a mere 2099 character. I also liked the concept about the sad state of mutants in the far future and why extremists emerge claiming to be their hope and tell them to join the movement without hesitation. The pacing of the story was smooth and there was sufficient build-up with the X-Men history that led to a nice payoff when the big revelation was made.

As the art on the cover symbolizes, there is something really wrong with the X-Men 2099 leader. In the previous issues, there were signs of Xi’an getting haunted by his past with the Lawless and this comic book marks a significant change in his portrayal. He also tried to be strong as team leader even though he kept some really undesirable secrets away from them. All of that build-up paid off well here. Clearly, this was one of John Francis Moore’s strongest scripts on the X-Men of 2099.

When it comes to spectacle, there is some superhero action here visualized in both the present-day story and the historical flashbacks. Artist Ron Lim paced the flow of the images properly and was creative with the way he framed what happened.

Conclusion

X-Men 2099 #9 (1994) has a great story concept which successfully and clearly establishes the connection between the original X-Men of Xavier with Xi’an’s X-Men. At the same time, this comic book starts a new chapter in the life of the 2099 mutants’ leader whose dark and painful past keeps disturbing him deeply. At the time of its release, the X-Men of far future were portrayed to be nomadic trying to survive and search for other mutants. This makes them distinct from the mainstream X-Men of the time and ironically they become similar with Freex of the Ultraverse.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of X-Men 2099 #9 (1994), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $30 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition costs $90.

Overall, X-Men 2099 #9 (1994) is highly recommended!

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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

A Look Back at Freex #12 (1994)

June 9, 2021June 8, 2021carlocarrasco

Welcome back, Ultraverse fans, superhero enthusiasts, comic book collectors, enthusiasts of 1990s pop culture and all other geeks! Today, we revisit the Ultraverse for more 1990s comic book nostalgia through another tale of Freex, the team of super-powered social outcasts!

Last time around, Plug’s origin story was told just as Freex had a very notable encounter with Contrary and her super-powered students (with ex-teammate Ray on their side) at the headquarters of the Academy for The New Elite. After going through some hard struggles, Freex left losing Ray but gained a scaley new member who left Contrary’s school.

To find out what happens next, here is a look back at Freex #12, published in 1994 by Malibu Comics with a story written by Gerard Jones and drawn by Scott Kolins.

Early story

The story begins in the middle of an ongoing misadventure (note: started with Giant Size Freex #1) with the Freex, Prime, and Old Man together beneath the Earth. To the shock of Freex, there are statues of them. The Old Man claims that more than a thousand years prior, he saw people with powers very much like those of Freex. Legend has it that they came from underground and got chased back by some scared fools. What Valerie and her teammates realize is that the cavern they are in is a place of retreat for super-powered freaks that existed before them.

Suddenly, an oversized deformed creature walks through them and grabs Valerie. Prime tries to help by punching the creature but this only made his body deteriorate into green liquid matter. Freex’s newest teammate jumps to strike the creature’s head which helps Valerie get free.

After noticing a hole on the ground, Lewis calls his teammates to escape. He forms his body into a makeshift slide to pave the way for escaping…

Quality

To begin with, I should state that this comic book really had a very wild and ambitious concept for its plot. Something really big with adventuring in mind which, in my opinion, was meant to be made to make the 12^th issue anniversary of the Freex series stand out. The good news here is that the script if well-written and continues to deliver the good stuff that dedicated Freex readers and superhero enthusiasts will enjoy.

As this is the continuation of the story that started in Giant Size Freex #1, the team of misfits went on to travel and work together with Old Man and Prime (whose spotlight is lessened in this comic book) in a wild misadventure that brought them deep underground which reveals the existence of creatures and remnants of creation that the whole world has not seen. What was conceptualized here significantly expanded Earth’s realm within the Ultraverse and quite intriguingly, there are connections between the new places and Wetware.

When it comes to character development, new team member Cayman’s fitting in was portrayed nicely and his interactions with the other members were pretty interesting. What stood out most, however, are the interactions between Kevin Green (Prime) and Angela (Sweet-face) which I encourage you to read as it will open up a new dimension within his personality (and his being a teenager).

Conclusion

*How would you react if you discovered all of that deep underground?*

Freex #12 (1994) has a fine mix of grand misadventure, discovery, as well as memorable interactions between Freex and Prime. This is definitely not a throw-away story of Freex, nor is it generic when compared to other superhero comic book tales. This comic book also expands the Ultraverse in a really solid way just as it also moved smoothly on redefining the Freex themselves.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Freex #12 (1994), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the comic book costs $16.

Overall, Freex #12 (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 as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

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