As far as the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) is concerned, implementing taxes on social media influencers and collecting from them are still hard to do, according to a Philippine Star news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Philippine Star news report. Some parts in boldface…
The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) continues to have difficulty in making social media influencers comply with the country’s tax laws even amid a widening adoption of various social media platforms as a form of income.
BIR Assistant Commissioner Jethro Sabariaga said the country’s largest revenue collecting agency remains in dialogue with social media influencers for them to pay their tax obligations to the government.
The BIR decided to seek a dialogue with the influencers in March this year. Sabariaga admitted that it is difficult for the BIR to get revenues from the digital space.
“Yes, (it is difficult). We will not mince with words. It might take some time, but that’s what we’ve been doing,” Sabariaga said.
“We are trying to win their side in the engagement process. The more that you can ask them to do voluntary compliance, the better rather than to fight with them,” he said.
BIR defines social media influencers as people whose digital posts are being monetized, classifying them as self-employed individuals or persons engaged in trade or business as sole proprietors.
The BIR earlier said it was looking into some 250 top earning social media influencers to see if they have been paying their obligations.
Based on BIR’s circular, influencers are required to pay income tax and percentage tax or value-added tax, if applicable, as mandated by the Tax Code.
According to the BIR, influencers derive their income from YouTube, sponsored social and blog posts, display advertising and affiliate marketing, among others.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you agree with the BIR’s plan to tax social media influencers? Is your favorite vlogger or YouTuber based in the Philippines who might have made some revenue online based on his or her output?
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1980s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1982 to take a close look at one of the many tales of the Marvel Comics shared universe told through the monthly series of Uncanny X-Men.
In my previous retro review, the X-Men got involved in a high-stakes mission to find and rescue the kidnapped Shi’ar empress Lilandra. Things are not easy on the X-Men’s side as Cyclops is still uneasy over the truth he learned about his father Corsair while the leader Charles Xavier had to deal with the Shi’ar officials who have their agenda that could cause trouble on Earth. What the X-Men faced was a few of the Brood and Deathbird.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Uncanny X-Men #156 published in 1982 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Chris Claremont and drawn by Dave Cockrum.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins in New York City. The X-Men just fought with the Brood and Deathbird, and Charles Xavier has gone missing. Wolverine, Storm, Corsair, Cyclops and the Avengers member Tigra attend to a mortally wounded Colossus who was hit with acid.
Just as the local police arrived, Tigra tries her best to talk with them. Suddenly a gigantic space ship arrived floating above New York shocking everyone. The ship unleashes a beam of light down to pick up Wolverine, Cyclops, Storm, Corsair and the ailing Colossus. The giant ship then flies away leaving a lot of people stunned.
It turns out the ship belongs to the Starjammers, a group of space pirates that Corsair leads. Colossus then gets treated with alien technology…
Quality
The spectacle and the new encounter with the Brood were nicely done.
Similar to issue #155, the story here is very in-depth and has so much details and plot-related connections, it will require a great amount of attention from you in order to understand what is going and what is happening within. In this issue, you will get to see the Starjammers gang that Corsair spent a long time with, further development between Corsair and son Cyclops, the reunion between Charles Xavier and Empress Lilandra, and more of the Brood.
To put things clearly, Chris Claremont invested a lot of details when it comes to dramatizing the characters, insert revelations from the past, emphasized the many reactions of the X-Men members and carefully implemented stronger science fiction elements that really added depth to the plot. In many ways, this story is a huge pay-off to the build-up of the previous comic book and there is a lot more to the connection between Deathbird (a very capable villainess) and the Brood.
Having read lots of Claremont-authored X-Men stories, I found this 1982 story enjoyable and compelling to read. The big difference is that there is a stronger element of spectacle in this story which is related to the stronger sci-fi elements as well as Claremont’s strategic handling of the X-Men. At this point, it is clear that something new was being built up with the Brood, space travel and new frontiers. This is a strong sci-fi X-Men tale.
Conclusion
Professor X with his beloved Lilandra.
Uncanny X-Men #156 (1982) is indeed an enjoyable read provided that you pay close attention to the details, the characters and you have read the previous issue. This is the X-Men literally going deeper with science fiction and the Brood here was just about to rise further as a major force of opposition that would impact Marvel’s mutants. I should also state that Professor X and Empress Lilandra being together is a pretty compelling scene to read. As of this writing, I am convinced to keep on exploring further tales from this era of the X-Men.
Overall, Uncanny X-Men #156 (1982) is highly recommended!
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.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at The Blob, a sci-fi horror movie released in 1958 starring Steve McQueen and Aneta Corsaut, written by Kay Linaker and Theodore Simonson, and directed by Irvin S. Yeaworth, Jr. (Irvin Yeaworth for short). This was a low-budget local-level production by Valley Forge Films, Fairview Productions and Tonylyn Productions.
The Blob movie poster.
Early story
The story begins somewhere within a small town in Pennsylvania. During one evening, teenagers Steve Andrews and Jane Martin spend a romantic time together in a car only to be disturbed when a meteorite from outer space crashes nearby. This easily sparks Steve’s curiosity as he decides to drive to find the spot of the crash taking Jane with him.
Meanwhile, an old man who happened to be living near the spot of the crash went out of his home and finds the meteorite first. Out of curiosity, he pokes the meteorite with a stick which slowly causes it to break open revealing a gelatinous substance (the blob) inside. He uses the stick on the substance, lifts it up and examines it closely. Against gravity, the substance suddenly moves up the stick and wraps itself on the old man’s hand causing him to become desperate to remove it. He failed.
As Steve drives down the road, the old man with the blob suddenly crosses down their path. The old man tells Steve to take him to a doctor…
Quality
Steve McQueen (3rd from left) as teenager Steve Andrews with Earl Rowe (2nd from right) as Lt. Dave and other over-aged actors playing teenagers.
I can say that I really like this old movie which has always been an independent, low budget production that made a solid contribution to the sci-fi genre and pop culture in general.
To begin, this film has a simple plot about an alien creature in the form of a gelatinous blob from outer space which attached itself into an old man’s hand, grew a lot when the man made it to the doctor, and then started consuming people which made it grow so big, life in the town got disrupted and people found themselves in danger. Unsurprisingly, the blob itself does not dominate the narrative considering the limitations the filmmakers had on making special effects work plus they focused more on the characters to move the plot forward. Rest assured, however, that the production team went all out with their limited resources on making the monster look menacing in the final fifteen minutes. I should state that the special effects team did a convincing job with the way they made the blob move to specific directions.
Given the simple plot, it is not surprising to see the narrative focusing more on the characters particularly with teenagers Steve and Jane (both played by obviously over-aged actors Steve McQueen and Aneta Corseaut). The story clearly follows the two mentioned teenagers who have the best knowledge about the blob and what happened, and it just so happens that they are always at a disadvantage when asked by adults to prove things.
With a monster that large within the local community, you know that something must be done before it causes further damage and kills more people. The blob was portrayed to be unrelenting in consuming and killing people which causes it to grow even bigger and with no limits determined. The blob does not care at all about the pain and anguish of its victims which parallels the evil of Communism/Marxism/socialism/anti-Semitism in real life.
Jane (Aneta Corseaut) and Steve (Steve McQueen) with the local doctor (Stephen Chase) early in the film.
The interactions between teenagers (note: Steve McQueen and Aneta Corseaut are not the only over-aged looking actors playing youth) and the mature authorities (local police, parents, educator and house keeper to name some) dramatized a gap in which the youth lacked credibility while the adults remain difficult to convince. Very notably the backward car race early in the film symbolically reflects the Hollywood film trend of the 1950s in which American teenagers are portrayed to be troublesome and living without real purposes.
Going back to the protagonists Steve and Jane, the screenplay was designed to highlight what good teenagers can do when a crisis strikes the local community and why the adults should get over their doubts about the youth.
Given the structure of the script, there are a lot of talk scenes throughout and the progress of the blob growing as a menace within the plot helped break the monotony. While he is clearly too old to play a teenager, Steve McQueen here remains convincing as a youth who strives to achieve something worthy even as he lacks maturity. The same can be said about Aneta Corseaut whose character was designed to help Steve move forward apart from having romance with him. When her character feels troubled, Steve comes in to support her in return. If you ignore their mature looks and focus on the dialogue, you will find convincing lines of youth within Steve and Jane. The same can be said about the other teenagers.
Considering the low budget and the limitations of technology at the time, the man-made practical effects in this movie are still good.
I can say out loud that watching movies inside the cinema is always better than streaming. The best way to enjoy a movie at home, on the other hand, is with physical media like Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray.
While McQueen and Corseaut performed well, there were some moments of stiff acting and lifeless delivery of lines of dialogue scattered throughout.
Those of you who are so used to fast-paced films with thrills and jump scares, you should temper your expectations as this movie moved at a slow-to-medium pace with very little horror elements and very little violence. As this was a low-budget local-level production, certain shots had to be made with very obvious creative shortcuts. Even though this movie was filmed on several locations in Pennsylvania, the filmmakers failed to establish a true sense of geography and this means no scenic shots.
Going back to the blob itself, its jello appearance may not look menacing at first and there were times when the lack of scale (note: they did not have equipment to achieved the depth-of-field visual effect) was noticeable. What I liked here is the way the blob was portrayed – unrelenting and totally immune to the emotions and concerns of people it encounters. The blob here somewhat reminds me of the T-800 in The Terminator (1984) in the sense that it simply would not stop to attack people, consume them and then keep on growing into one very large mass which causes a crisis on the small town community.
In case you are wondering, there were accidents that happened during the memorable scene of moviegoers running out of the cinema in the film. The tripping of some people were purely accidental.
When it grabs someone and starts to consume the victim physically, the blob does not care about the pain it causes on its prey. While it is clear that the movie’s script was written during the early stages of the Cold War, it is possible that the blob served as a symbol of Communism infiltrating America, endangering people and taking their lives (and liberties) away. That being said, the rampant Leftist influence and social violence in the minds of millions of Americans today makes this film socially relevant and the blob’s threat has gotten even more symbolic. Lastly, I should state that composer Ralph Carmichael managed to come up with music to emphasize the threat of the blob.
Conclusion
In my honest opinion The Blob (1958) is still a good movie to watch and it deserves its place in film history as well as in the sci-fi genre of movies in general. While it had its shortcomings, this low-budget local-level production managed to be a worthy viewing experience and set the foundation for its movie franchise (note: a sequel was made in 1972 and the memorable remake of 1988 followed). To say the least, this movie paved the way for Frank Darabont and Chuck Russell to produce the 1988 remake that was very intense and a lot of fun to watch.
The Blob (1958) in Blu-ray disc format from The Criterion Collection. This is the best way to enjoy the movie at home.
The blob itself went on to inspire creative imitations (referred to as blobs or ooze) and new monsters in other forms of entertainment (note: the blob appears as one of the monsters in the 1982 Intellivision game Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Cloudy Mountain). Steve McQueen himself went on to become one of Hollywood’s elite stars in the decades that followed and this film should interest both die-hard fans and any film buff who wants to learn more about him.
Recently, the City Government of Muntinlupa congratulated local resident Kaila Napolis for winning the 52Kg women’s jiu-jitsu gold medal in the 2023 World Combat Games that took place in Saudi Arabia.
The congratulatory message was done through the City Government’s official Facebook page on October 28 with a picture post. For the newcomers reading this, this is not the first time Napolis made big achievements in international sports events and has been congratulated by the City Government before (read my past blog posts by clicking here, here, here and here).
From the official Facebook page of Muntinlupa City.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA sports news article. Some parts in boldface…
The Philippines claimed its first gold medal in the 2023 World Combat Games following the triumph of ju-jitsu fighter Kaila Jenna Napolis at the King Saud University Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Wednesday (Thursday in Manila).
“It’s my first time to qualify in such an event. It feels surreal to be able to get a gold medal especially here in the World Combat Games,” the 25-year-old Napolis told the Philippine News Agency on Thursday.
She scored a 2-0 victory over Anael Pannetier of France in the final of the women’s -52kg Ne-Waza.
“She looks intimidating by her stance and she’s a bit bigger than me so I’m very nervous going into the match. I feel like throwing up but I had to focus and give it my all because it is finals already,” shared Napolis, who defeated Adriana Cruz of Colombia, 6-0, in the quarterfinal and Mongljin Ganbaatar of Mongolia via submission in the semifinal.
“When I stepped on the mat, my mind was cleared already. I just wanna execute my techniques first and have a very good control on her,” added the 2023 Cambodia SEA Games gold medalist and Hangzhou Asian Games silver medalist.
Napolis was grateful to national coach John Baylon for accompanying her in the tournament.
“It’s my first time to travel alone without a teammate so I’m super thankful to coach John for helping me with the training here, assisting me with the schedules, being my corner man and masseur,” said Napolis, a member of the Paranaque-based Checkmat Manila Club headed by coach Manny Jimenez.
“Kaila deserved the gold medal, she trained hard and came here prepared,” said Baylon, a nine-time judo gold medalist in the SEA Games. He also competed in the 1988 (Seoul) and 1992 (Barcelona) Olympics.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, are you very delighted to learn about the latest gold medal victory of Napolis? Does Napolis inspire people in your local community to engage in sports competitions?
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
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1980s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1982 to take a close look at one of the many tales of the Marvel Comics shared universe told through the monthly series of Uncanny X-Men.
This review will examine not only the first-ever appearance of the X-Men foes the Brood but also the effects of other developments that made their impact on key members of Marvel’s team of mutants.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Uncanny X-Men #155 published in 1982 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Chris Claremont and drawn by Dave Cockrum.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins as a jet carrying Cyclops, Storm and Corsair flies. Tensions are already intense as Cyclops is struggling with the shocking truth that his father – Corsair the leader of the Starjammers – is still living and recently returned to Earth seeking help.
Storm tries to emotionally reconnect with her teammate but Cyclops pushes back as he just found out that she knew Corsair was his father for several months already and never bothered to tell him. Tension grew worse as Corsair tried explaining himself to his son only to get a harsh response in return. Cyclops questioned his father if he even tried to learn what happened to him and his brother Alex (Havok) over the previous twenty years.
Suddenly the jet begins to glow. It turns out that a transporter beam hit them. In an instant, jet got transported forty thousand kilometers above the Earth and into the deck of the Shi’ar Dreadnought. Cyclops, Storm and Corsair find themselves surrounded by armed personnel and an audience of several alien beings.
Suddenly, Colossus, Nightcrawler, Kitty Pryde, Wolverine and Professor X appeared out of nowhere and right next to the jet…
Quality
Wolverine takes on one of the Brood. As this marked the Brood’s first appearance in comics, Wolverine’s encounter with one of them here is a prelude of more intense things to come.
Upon close inspection of the storytelling, this comic book is pretty loaded with details related to developments that took place in previous issues. Apart from Cyclops’ personal struggle on accepting the truth about his father’s existence, there are references to what happened recently on the parts of Xavier, Colossus, Nightcrawler, Wolverine and Kitty Pryde. Not only that, this story also reveals details about Professor X’s past interaction with Empress Lilandra and the Shi’ar race.
As it turns out, the Empress was abducted by terrorists and many of her ministers got killed. This previous event incidentally sets the stage for the new tasks for the X-Men to handle in this particular story which also comes with strong science fiction elements.
Adding further to the X-Men’s new mission to follow the trail to Earth and liberate Empress Lilandra if she is still living, Cyclops’ father Corsair was found to be a conspirator (to be punished) and the Shi’ar’s high officials will only follow Xavier’s lawful command (as the imperial consort) to a certain limit. This new conflict is literally loaded with lots of details that became part of the build-up, and to really grasp it all, you should pay close attention to the details here and in the previous comic books. In other words, this is not an easy read.
Apart from the general concept and plot structuring, Chris Claremont pulled off some clever moves with the way he portrayed Charles Xavier’s leadership and cunning. The X-Men leader knows that a lot is at stake in the new mission and he is certain that further Shi’ar presence on Earth would result in catastrophe.
As for the mission itself, the X-Men got someone from the Avengers to aid them. With Storm and Corsair moving and operating apart from the rest of the team. This leads to another series of developments plus twists that you should read for yourselves.
Conclusion
An intense scene that really puts the X-Men into a predicament and a potential conflict between worlds.
Uncanny X-Men #155 (1982) is not an easy read but if you have a strong understanding of the many plot details and related character developments, then you will eventually enjoy this story. The literary debut of the Brood here is not too significant as it preceded the further emphasis of the alien monster race in the succeeding issues. A highlight here is the intriguing portrayal of Professor X as X-Men leader, as Lilandra’s lover and as the bridge between humanity, mutants and the aliens of the Shi’ar empire. There is also a good amount of spectacle to keep you entertained, particularly during the 2nd half of the story. Considering all the build-up and exposition that took place in this comic book, don’t expect the mission to be concluded within.
Overall, Uncanny X-Men #155 (1982) is highly recommended!
Noel Bazaar has an established history as a long-running and popular holiday bazaar and also “features the best of entrepreneurs carrying the latest crafts and merchandise from clothing, Christmas and home decors, fashion accessories, novelty and gift items to food and drinks.”
To put things in perspective, posted below are selected excerpts from the GMA Network article. Some parts in boldface…
Sprinkling the holiday season with an extensive selection of unique gifts, mouthwatering treats, captivating entertainment, and opportunities for charitable giving, Noel Bazaar 2023 boasts of a 48-day run on the following dates and venues: November 10 to December 17 at Okada Manila; November 24 to 30 at the World Trade Center Metro Manila, and December 8 to 10 at the Filinvest Tent Alabang.
Shop ‘Til You Drop – From handcrafted jewelry to bespoke fashion, home décor, accessories, and more, shoppers can find the perfect gifts for their loved ones while supporting hundreds of local artisans and entrepreneurs who are joining the bazaar. A sweet and delectable shopping experience await all visitors of the metro’s ultimate Christmas shopping destination!
Endless Holiday Festivities – Immerse yourself in a festive atmosphere of Christmas cheer when you visit Noel Bazaar across all its selected venues this year! Delight in Okada Manila’s simultaneous Home of Wonder, featuring their Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, Christmas Light Show, Christmas Village, and the Fountain Show. Indulge in seven days of merriment at the World Trade Center featuring magical performances, children’s fashion shows, sweet serenades, delightful workshops and demos, and imported selections from the International Pavilion. Savour what the south has to offer when Noel Bazaar swings by the Filinvest Tent Alabang, bringing an assortment of Christmas gifts and goodies as well as an outdoor food market with live music every evening! With an exciting line-up of activities and surprises at each location, you definitely don’t want to miss Noel Bazaar’s 5-week long comeback this 2023!
Again, for the newcomers reading this, Filinvest Tent not only hosted last year’s edition of the Noel Bazaar, it was also the same venue used for New Life Conference 2023.
The Filinvest Tent.
For those who will be attending Noel Bazaar 2023 at Filinvest Tent, be aware that there are lots of stores, food/beverage vendors and restaurants that are within walking distance. Commercenter Mall is a short walk away from the Filinvest Tent and inside are restaurants such as Akrotiri, Sigekiya Ramen and The Black Pig to name a few. Even closer to the Filinvest Tent are branches of McDonald’s and Jollibee, as well as the area of South Supermarket which has some restaurants, local business joints and a paid parking area on the ground floor. While Filinvest Tent itself has a paid parking area, its parking slots are limited. You could park your cars at the paid parking areas of the nearby joints.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Are you excited about the return of Noel Bazaar in Alabang? If you shopped at a Noel Bazaar before, was your experience within Alabang? Do you think the Filinvest Tent is still a suitable venue for Christmas season shopping?
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
Welcome back, fellow geeks, Blu-ray collectors and movie buffs! Back in the late 1980s, I saw the 1988 version of The Blob – let’s refer to it as The Blob (1988) – on home video and it turned out to be a fine mix of thrills, scares and science fiction concepts that ultimately became fun to watch. Being young at a time when Internet connection and online research were not yet available, I was not even aware that The Blob (1988) was a remake of the 1958 original Blob movie that starred Steve McQueen.
If you who love the late 1980s Blob movie and if you have been looking to add something to your home entertainment collection of Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray movies, be aware that the Collector’s Edition 4K Blu-ray of The Blob (1988) is now available in the market and you can order it online right now and have it delivered to your home. The new release by Shout Factory! is loaded with features and it has native 4K visuals.
The Blob (1988) 4K Blu-ray cover.
To put things in perspective, posted below are the technical specs from The Blob (1988) 4K Blu-ray page at Blu-ray.com. The said website highly recommended it in its review.
Video Codec: HEVC / H.265 (84.99 Mbps) Resolution: Native 4K (2160p) HDR: HDR10 Aspect ratio: 1.85:1 Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Discs – 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray Disc, Two-disc set (1 BD-100, 1 BD-50)
Packaging – Slipcover in original pressing, Reversible cover
Playback – 4K Blu-ray: Region free, 2K Blu-ray: Region A
Having seen both the 1958 and 1988 versions of The Blob, I can say to the newcomers and movie buffs reading this that you can’t go wrong with either version. I enjoyed both movies and I can say that each film has distinctive attractions for viewing. The Blob of 1958 is more sci-fi and has very little horror elements.
However, if you want thrills, the 1980s culture, stronger horror elements, stronger sci-fi elements, the creative approach done by director Chuck Russell and Frank Darabont on reimagining The Blob‘s concept, and the great-looking practical effects (note: the blob effects were made with physical stuff and a lot of man-made work without computers), then The Blob (1988) is the definitive choice. Take note I mentioned thrills as the movie has some fast-paced scenes that happen from time to time as you watch it. Considering its use of sci-fi concepts mixed with action, The Blob (1988) really stood out among the many horror movies released by Hollywood throughout the 1980s. I should also state that the remake has Kevin Dillon, Shawnee Smith, Jeffrey DeMunn, Joe Seneca, Candy Clark and Donovan Leitch Jr. in its cast.
As a 4K Blu-ray collector, I plan to acquire a copy of The Blob (1988) 4K Blu-ray in due time. I was already aware of the Blu-ray release from 2019 but I waited for the 4K version to be made.
If you want the best enjoyment possible from watching The Blob (1988) Collector’s Edition 4K Blu-ray, I highly recommend you avoid watching movie reaction videos and the spoileriffic retro movie reviews posted by YouTubers.
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 mid-1990s to explore another notable chapter of Jim Lee’s WildC.A.T.S.: Covert Action Teams during the creator’s time with Image Comics.
For any fan, witnessing a change of creative direction can either be alienating or engaging to follow. As clearly done in the WildC.A.T.S.-Huntsman storyline done by Chris Claremont and Lee, there was a serious change of direction of the team as it involved in-depth redevelopment of Zealot, the introduction of Claremont’s creation (Huntsman), the introduction of new characters and moving certain WildC.A.T.S. members into the background. Read my retro reviews by clicking here, here, here and here.
After the publication of Erik Larsen’s creative handling of WildC.A.T.S.: Covert Action Teams with issue #14, a new creative team came into the picture with several new stories and the further redevelopment of the titular team in mind.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at WildC.A.T.S.: Covert Action Teams #15, published in 1994 by Image Comics with a story written by James Robinson and drawn by Travis Charest.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins at Jacob Marlowe’s high-end place in Aspen, Colorado. In presence of Spartan, Grifter, Void, Zealot, Voodoo, Maul and Warblade, Marlowe tells them he has important matters to attend to as he, along with other heads of corporations, has been asked by the new government to run an energy commission. The said commission is part of the government’s plan to repair the damage that was done by the possessed US Vice President Dan Quayle.
Suddenly a heavily armed helicopter arrives out of nowhere and fires at them causing a lot of damage. During the attack, Voodoo gets hit and suffers a serious injury. Grifter fires a barrage of bullets at the helicopter which causes it to explode and crash. With Voodoo out of commission, the team just lost its advantage to spot Daemonites.
The next day at the headquarters of IO (International Operations), the team Black Razors hold a meeting as their member Ben Santini has been elevated as their new leader. He leads the briefing and informs the members of the assassination attempts on the members of the commission…
Quality
Meet Ben Santini (left), the new leader of the Black Razors. At right are the members.
When I first read this story way back in 1994, I was alienated a bit by the creative team’s approach to emphasize the Black Razors at the expense of the titular team. And yet, I was pleasantly surprised by the Robinson-Charest creative direction as the Black Razors turned out to be a sensible and strong parallel team to the WildC.A.T.S. without becoming another force of evil. While it is clear that the Daemonite threat is strong with several of the aliens hidden among members of human populations, there clearly had to be another force of opposition for the titular team to face-off with and the Black Razors (which serve IO) clearly fit in well with the concept.
Any dedicated fan of this franchise will realize that the Black Razors first appeared in the original 1992 mini-series but it was only in this issue when Ben Santini (who was shot on the knee by Jacob Marlowe) was realized as a character.
Ben Santini’s introduction here was engaging and his motivations to lead the team were made clear while other Black Razor members had their own small slices of the spotlight. Santini is not exactly evil but he has a clearly defined goal in serving his superiors at IO. This means he intends to make an impact as he struggles with the responsibilities of leading the team even as the other members are not so trusting towards him.
While the paramilitary influence within the WildC.A.T.S. series has often been present, it was noticeably revived strongly by the Robinson-Charest duo in this comic book. The story also served as a creative update of IO for readers to absorb complete with elements of espionage and geo-political developments. In some ways, this comic book made the series more grounded with reality while still maintaining some fantasy concepts to keep readers entertained.
Conclusion
Grifter successfully defeated the armed helicopter but Voodoo remained seriously injured from the attack.
I can say out loud that WildC.A.T.S.: Covert Action Teams #15 (1994) is still great to read and the debut of James Robinson and Travis Charest as handlers of the comic book series remains rock solid in terms of quality and creativity. While the titular team and fan-favorite characters had a very limited presence in this comic book, the introduction of Ben Santini and the stronger emphasis on the Black Razors as a group of trained members (as opposed to being faceless during their appearance in the mini-series) more than made up for it. In fact, the build-up of the Black Razors has a lot of variety and nice quality work by Robinson and Charest. Ultimately, I was entertained with this comic book and it proved effective to make me look forward to the next issue.
Overall, WildC.A.T.S.: Covert Action Teams #15 (1994)is highly recommended!
Ever since it was first announced, the stakeholders behind the Xbox-Activision-Blizzard-King deal worth almost $70 billion went through lots of hurdles that include opposition by Sony’s PlayStation division, a trial with America’s Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and a rejection by the United Kingdom’s regulator Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
The obstacles are over as the Xbox-Activision-Blizzard-King deal recently closed and already the Activision side of the business has officially started integrating into Microsoft. This deal is many times larger than the Xbox-Bethesda acquisition of a few years ago. Watch the related video by Team Xbox below…
Xbox chief Phil Spencer issued a statement related to the newly closed deal. To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from his statement published through Xbox.com. Some parts in boldface…
We love gaming. We play games, create games, and know first-hand how much gaming means to all of us as individuals and collectively, as a community. And today, we officially welcome Activision Blizzard and their teams to Xbox. They are the publishers of some of the most played and most beloved franchises in gaming history across console, PC and mobile. From Pitfall to Call of Duty, World of Warcraft to Overwatch, Candy Crush Saga to Farm Heroes Saga, their studios have pushed the boundaries of gaming for players around the world.
I’ve long admired the work of Activision, Blizzard, and King, and the impact they’ve had on gaming, entertainment, and pop culture. Whether it was late nights spent playing the Diablo IV campaign with friends from start to finish, gathering the entire family in the rec room for our weekly Guitar Hero night, or going on an epic streak in Candy Crush, some of my most memorable gaming moments came from experiences their studios have created. It is incredible to welcome such legendary teams to Xbox.
As one team, we’ll learn, innovate, and continue to deliver on our promise to bring the joy and community of gaming to more people. We’ll do this in a culture that strives to empower everyone to do their best work, where all people are welcome, and is centered on our ongoing commitment of Gaming for Everyone. We are intentional about inclusion in everything we do at Xbox – from our team to the products we make and the stories we tell, to the way our players interact and engage as a wider gaming community.
Together, we’ll create new worlds and stories, bring your favorite games to more places so more players can join in, and we’ll engage with and delight players in new, innovative ways in the places they love to play including mobile, cloud streaming and more.
Players have always been at the center of everything we do. And as we grow, we’ll continue to keep players at the heart of it all. We’ll continue to listen to your feedback, build a community where you can be yourself, where developers can do their best work, and continue to make really fun games. As promised, we will also continue to make more games available in more places – and that begins now by enabling cloud streaming providers and players to stream Activision Blizzard games in the European Economic Area, a commitment made to the European Commission. Today we start the work to bring beloved Activision, Blizzard, and King franchises to Game Pass and other platforms. We’ll share more about when you can expect to play in the coming months. We know you’re excited – and we are too.
For the millions of fans who love Activision, Blizzard, and King games, we want you to know that today is a good day to play. You are the heart and soul of these franchises, and we are honored to have you as part of our community. Whether you play on Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, PC or mobile, you are welcome here – and will remain welcome, even if Xbox isn’t where you play your favorite franchise. Because when everyone plays, we all win.
For their part, Activision Blizzard issued its own statement related to the biggest deal in video gaming with Microsoft. They are looking forward to the future of gaming with Team Xbox. Posted below is an excerpt from their statement with some parts in boldface…
It’s a big day for us at Activision Blizzard. For more than four decades, our players have inspired us to push the boundaries of imagination with iconic universes including Call of Duty, Candy Crush Saga, Crash Bandicoot, Diablo, Overwatch, and Warcraft.
Today we begin a new chapter as we officially become a part of the Microsoft family, uniting with the amazing Xbox team and co-creating the future of gaming together.
In our earliest days we were a modest collective of designers who raided rivers, commanded choppers, and avoided pitfalls. Now as part of Xbox, we will continue our mission to deliver the world’s most epic interactive entertainment experiences to more people, more platforms, and across more worlds than ever before.
All of our history and success leading to this moment is because of you, our incredible gaming community.
Unsurprisingly, the approved Xbox-Activision-Blizzard-King deal made tremendous waves through social media and through YouTube. Watch and learn from the videos below starting with an interview with Activision Blizzard’s Bobby Kotick (note: pay close attention to his words)…
The Xbox-Activision-Blizzard-King deal is not just another multi-billion Dollar business breakthrough…it is a tremendous boost for the credibility of Xbox as a video gaming, PC gaming, cloud gaming and mobile gaming entity.
While it is made clear that Microsoft-controlled ABK will still release games on multiple platforms, the new owners can make the new and upcoming games Xbox-exclusive (meaning released only on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Windows PC plus cloud and mobile devices which collectively are more numerous than Nintendo and PlayStation consoles). For insights about potential Xbox-exclusive Activision Blizzard games, watch Colteastwood’s video below…
More on exclusivity that include games, DLC releases and other matters, it is clear that the pre-existing contracts between PlayStation and Activision will never be renewed (read: PlayStation is no longer the home of Call of Duty). PlayStation, whose leader Jim Ryan has been so arrogant and dishonest when opposing the Xbox-Activision-Blizzard-King deal, will have a lot to worry about on the gaming subscription side of business once Activision Blizzard games get added into the Xbox Game Pass (XGP) service some time in 2024. As much as Team Xbox and Microsoft are benefiting from this mega deal, gamers across different platforms will eventually benefit as well in various ways. Expect new customer-oriented choices to be made through the games under Xbox’s banner.
As of this writing, Xbox fans are rejoicing over the closed Xbox-Activision-Blizzard-King deal while PlayStation fanboys cannot help but agonize with anger and jealousy. All you have to do to see the PS fanboys’ anguish is search for them on social media over their collective negative reactions. The “Xbox has no games” zealots are looking and feeling bad nowadays. Indeed, things are working in Team Xbox’s favor and I personally cannot wait to see the benefits of the ABK deal get realized in my gaming experience. Also there is nothing like seeing ABK’s established franchises like Call of Duty, StarCraft, Warcraft and many others listed with Xbox’s own franchises such as Halo, Forza Motorsport, The Elder Scrolls, Starfield, Fallout and others.
Personally, I look forward to playing Call of Duty, Crash Bandicoot (a game property that started on PlayStation) other Activision titles on my Xbox Series X console through my Xbox Game Pass subscription in the near future.
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1970s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1974 to examine a highly significant tale from Marvel Comics’ shared universe – the first appearance of the Punisher and his first-ever encounter with Spider-Man.
To put things in perspective, Punisher’s literary debut was told within the Amazing Spider-Man comic book series and it happened not too long after the legendary tragedy of Gwen Stacey. During the 1970s, Hollywood made and released several action movies and crime thrillers that were violent, gritty and highlighted vigilantes and assassins. Some of that influence somehow made it into Marvel’s shared universe which was symbolized creatively through the Punisher who debuted as an assassin.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Amazing Spider-Man #129, published in 1974 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Gerry Conway and drawn by Ross Andru (the same creative duo behind Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man crossover).
The cover.
Early story
The story begins inside a private facility an assassin wearing black with a huge skull on his upper body heavily damages a solid statue of Spider-Man using a powerful rifle. This impresses the hideous villain called the Jackal who tells him that if he does well with the real Spider-Man, he would have performed a great service for the world. Knowing he impressed the Jackal, the Punisher states that he will only kill those who deserve killing and he expresses his belief that the webslinger deserves to die.
Elsewhere, Spider-Man swings into action and successfully stops an armed robbery from happening. Along the way he managed to capture photographs, changes into his civilian clothes and enters the Daily Bugle’s office ready to submit the roll of film as Peter Parker. Unfortunately, his superior J. Jonah Jameson disregards Parker’s submission and points out that the Punisher made waves with New York’s readers via the Bugle’s competitor The New York Star. For Jameson, the Punisher is only the most newsworthy thing to happen to New York and tells Parker he wants photos of the assassin…
Quality
This is a scene from the first of two encounters between Spider-Man and the Punisher who was introduced as an assassin.
To make things very clear about storytelling without spoiling plot details, this is a tale about intrigue and the darker side of society that involves vigilantes and murdering. The Punisher here did not debut as a crime-busting vigilante but rather an assassin who accepts assignments from clients as long as the jobs fall in line with his personal philosophy that focuses on taking the lives of those who deserved to be killed. That being said, it is clear that Hollywood’s vigilante flicks of the 1970s influenced the presentation and I can say that whenever the story focuses on the Punisher, there definitely is a grim tone which contradicts the tone of Spider-Man’s scenes.
Spider-Man here continues to struggle somewhat with his personal life having recently lost Gwen Stacey while remaining disturbed about the identity of the Green Goblin. The webslinger also has to live with the heavy situation in which a lot of people in New York were convinced that he killed Norman Osborne which was the result of his own boss’ handling of the Daily Bugle. These elements along with his civilian involvement with his newspaper creatively added to the build-up of Spider-Man’s eventual encounters with the Punisher. The build-up was structured nicely and the pay-off was worth it.
There was also the introduction of Jackal. While he has a hideous appearance, his participation was more about scheming than action which contrasted him with the Punisher. For the newcomers reading this, Jackal is actually Miles Warren in a more monstrous form. From this comic book, it was clear that Jackal was created to be a recurring for of Spider-Man and this was strongly executed in the controversial Clone Saga of the 1990s.
Going back to the Punisher, he symbolically uses guns with designs that were more grounded in reality (inspired by real-life guns in looks) instead of taking influence from science fiction. As an assassin living with a strong code, the Punisher is truly determined to eliminate Spider-Man whom he even referred to as a murderer. The perception of Spider-Man as a criminal on the part of the Punisher clearly reflected the defamation caused by the Daily Bugle on the webslinger. Gerry Conway established the assassin to be a strong believer in fighting evil by using violence and killing.
The build-up of the Punisher is very solid and the pay-off in the form of battles with Spider-Man is tremendous and very satisfying to read. There is a lot of action to enjoy here and most notably Gerry Conway maintained a strong narrative throughout.
Conclusion
Have you ever worked in a newspaper before?
I can say out loud that Amazing Spider-Man #129 (1974) is truly a great read and a true illustrated literary classic of Marvel Comics. This tale alone added a touch of darkness and grit (in the form of vigilante and assassins cultures) into the Spider-Man legacy. Apart from its status as a comic book classic, this one paved the way for the rise of the Punisher in terms of more comic book appearances and the publishing of new comic book series featuring him. While the Punisher’s legacy as a killer is obviously not something worth believing in, Marvel Comics took the risk of having him as one of their primary characters in the decades that followed. This particular story is so significant, Marvel Comics revisited it with What If #58 (1994). Check out my other Punisher-related retro reviews by clicking here, here, here, here and here.
Overall, Amazing Spider-Man #129 (1974) is highly recommended!
Author Carlo Carrasco 