geek – Page 194 – Author Carlo Carrasco

A Look Back at Venom: Lethal Protector #1 (1993)

December 7, 2022December 19, 2022carlocarrasco

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1993 and explore a part of Marvel Comics’ universe through the first-ever limited comic book series featuring one of Marvel’s most iconic villains – Venom.

To put things in perspective, the origin of Venom started within the events of the 1980s series Secret Wars which took place in a far-away planet. As a result of that series, Spider-Man returned home wearing the alien symbiote as a costume which turns out to have a mind of its own. After Spider-Man successful separate himself from the symbiote (again) using the loud bells of a church, the living costume eventually found a desperate Eddie Brock and bonded with him to form Venom. In the late 1980s comics of Amazing Spider-Man, Venom became the deadliest enemy Spider-Man ever faced.

Going into the early 1990s, Venom’s popularity continued to grow tremendously. He became one of Marvel’s most popular non-hero type of characters and helped sell a lot of comics for the publisher. Knowing they had something to sell, Marvel approved a 6-issue limited series showcasing Venom. It was also the most anticipated comic book among collectors right after DC Comics killed Superman with Superman #75 (1993).

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Venom: Lethal Protector #1, published in 1993 by Marvel Comics with a story written by David Michelinie and drawn by Mark Bagley.

Early story

The story begins in San Francisco, California. Deep within the city, a man cornered a lady at the dead end of an alley. Just as he was about do something bad to her, Venom leaps in at them. Totally surprised, the man was easily grabbed by Venom who lifted him and hit the wall bodily. Using his costume, Venom then chokes the man to death through the mouth and nose. Venom then picks up the lady’s purse and gives it to her. As soon as Venom leaves, the shocked lady runs away screaming.

Venom swings and leaps as he travels through the city. While traveling, Eddie Brock tells his living costume that while their hatred towards Spider-Man got reconciled a bit, the said superhero also helps the innocent. Eddie then reveals that he was born in San Francisco and they can start a new life together in it. Secretly, Venom turns into Eddie Brock in his civilian form. As Brock walks down the sidewalk, police officers nearby recognize him. It turns out. Eddie Brock was listed by police as a wanted person…

Quality

*Spider-Man and Venom face each other unexpectedly.*

Focusing on the plot, this story took place after the events in Amazing Spider-Man #375 (1993) which was released AFTER this particular comic book. As a standalone Venom story, this one clearly portrays him more of a vigilante in the sense that he goes up against a new force of evil that happens to be pouncing on people that Venom believes to be innocent and powerless. Unsurprisingly, Venom does not seek the help of law enforcers to help the innocent but rather he takes violent action to help the victims, going as far as to kill the so-called bad guys. The bad guys in this story work under a powerful man whose son was killed by Venom a few years prior. Within the context of this comic book, the new force of evil was introduced in subtle ways.

With extensive experience writing tales about Spider-Man and Venom, David Michelinie clearly redefined Venom’s beliefs here. Venom believes in protecting the innocent but he is much more violent and is relentless with cruelty which makes him a clear opposite of Spider-Man. Yet in a way, Venom sure talks and acts in a rather psychotic way and this alone makes him a very unlikable comic book protagonist.

Along the way, the iconic Spider-Man got a rather huge chunk of the spotlight in this comic book making him the 2^nd lead next to Venom. I remember back in 1993 when there were Venom fans who complained about Spider-Man literally stealing the thunder away from his greatest enemy while there were a few Spider-Man fans who defended the icon’s guest participation in the story as he has always been linked with Venom’s origin. Considering the lack of depth in the plot, I can say Spider-Man appearance her served as a somewhat helpful filler.

Conclusion

*Helping victims does NOT justify killing. This makes Venom a major turn-off as a comic book protagonist.*

Venom: Lethal Protector #1 (1993) is a comic book that can be alienating, especially when you are not a Venom fan. I find Venom too evil and too unbelievable to be a heroic figure even though he strong believes in protecting and helping the innocent. In my view, he is more of vigilante living with the delusion of achieving something worthwhile as he interacts with people who happen to be not assisted by the many, many Marvel Comics superheroes. It is not surprising that Venom definitely will never be a good role model. He is a murderer and the act of helping victims never justifies murder. The comic book’s plot lacks weight and Mark Bagley’s art looked a little rushed. What made this comic book interesting are Venom and Spider-Man themselves. Yes, there is a lot of superhero spectacle here but don’t expect anything new when you see Spider-Man and Venom resume their violent rivalry. This comic book is unsurprisingly a warm-up of things to come within its series. It is not a terrible literary work. It’s just not really good and it did not deserve the hype and sales of its time.

Overall, Venom: Lethal Protector #1 (1993) is serviceable.

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

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 5

December 5, 2022December 1, 2022carlocarrasco

Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?

I recommend you watch the following videos below…

#1 Elizabeth Holmes’ scandal and punishment – In case you missed the news, the heavily hyped Silicon Valley personality Elizabeth Holmes was sentenced to eleven years in prison as a result of the big fraud at her company Theranos. A lot of crookedness and lying happened behind the scenes at Theranos as the years passed by and America’s media highlighted Holmes (who is an idolater of the late Steve Jobs) as an icon. Holmes’ invention of testing blood using only a tiny drop never really worked and Theranos resorted to deception using conventional blood testing machines. To fully understand the background details, what Theranos was and how tremendous the fraud was, watch the videos below. The fourth video below is about the sentencing.

#2 Starfield updates – Starfield is an ambitious science fiction role-playing game being made by Bethesda exclusively for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Windows PC for release sometime in 2023. You can read my preview about it by clicking here. The video game was originally scheduled for a November 2022 release but a delay into 2023 was made. This only added further to the anticipation of the game (note: it will also debut on Xbox Game Pass for subscribers to enjoy). To learn more about Starfield, watch the videos below. The third video at the bottom has the latest updates.

#3 Worship video of God of the Breakthrough – There is another original worship song by New Life Music that I want to share with you all – God of the Breakthrough. Composed by Chynna Cuna, Dem Mokamad, Jed Patricio, Gianna Bautista and Joed Avila, the song emphasizes that the Lord is our Creator, our Provider (Jehovah Jireh), our Ultimate Love, our Miracle Worker, our Guiding light, our Protector, our Redeemer, our Healer and our Ultimate and All-Powerful Authority! The Lord loves the faithful and His care, blessings and guidance still continue! God of the Breakthrough’s lyrics are indeed holy and you can find more by reading my Christian Music Appreciation (CMA) article about it. Posted below is the official worship video.

#4 Informative videos about traveling to Israel – If you are planning to visit Israel, you need to do research for your personal safety, to get the best value out of your money, how to travel efficiently, what to do (and what to avoid doing) and more. Israel is where the Holy Land is and Jerusalem is its eternal capital. In recent times, visitors from around the world have traveled to Israel in high numbers. There is no denying that Israel is the land that God designated for the Jewish people (refer to Genesis 12:1-3 and Genesis 35:10-12 in the Holy Bible). Posted below are videos from TravelingIsrael.com and from Ms. Emily (note: Tagalog language).

#5 Looking back at Steven Spielberg’s Jaws – If you are tired of modern day movies or if you have been disappointed with Steven Spielberg’s movies over the past decade, then going back to one of the director’s most acclaimed works in cinema would be a refreshing experience. The classic movie directed by Spielberg I’m talking about is none other than Jaws (1975). Posted below for your enjoyment are a variety of reaction videos plus a trivia-oriented video by Minty Comedic Arts.

#6 Ashleigh Burton crying – Some of you who have seen enough movie reaction videos by YouTube Asheigh Burton should have realized by now that she is a jolly person. Having seen many of her videos myself, there were lots of times when she laughs even though she was reacting to movies that were not comedies at all. There are certain movie reactions videos of hers in which she got to cry as those respective films touched her deeply. Take note that she does not cry all the time but in key scenes. Watch the reaction videos of hers below.

#7 Worship video of Encounter Song – The Australia-based church Planetshakers continues to keep leading people to the Lord through their worship services, worship events and, of course, their worship music. Among the many, many original worship songs that I want to share with you today is the Encounter Song (note: read my feature of it by clicking here). The song is indeed holy and it definitely should be heard by Christians who are devoted to the Lord, and even to the many lost souls and unsaved souls around the world. Very clearly, Planetshakers was anointed by the Lord to compose it. Posted below is the official worship video of the Encounter Song.

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I Love Israel: Philippine Navy plans to acquire more Israel-made missile boats

December 1, 2022November 29, 2022carlocarrasco

The Philippine Navy (PN) is looking towards Israel with regards to their plan to acquire several more missile boats, according to a news article by the Philippine News Agency (PNA). To be specific, they are looking for Israel-produced Shaldag Mark V missile boats. Thank note that Philippine Navy recently received two new missile boats made in Israel.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA article. Some parts in boldface…

The Philippine Navy (PN) is planning to acquire at least 15 more Israel-made Shaldag Mark V missile boats, which are the basis of its Acero-class patrol gunboats.

“We are planning to get 15 additional ‘Acero’-class gunboats (to augment the) nine (now on the pipeline),” Navy chief Rear Adm. Toribio Adaci Jr. told reporters on the sidelines of the commissioning and send-off ceremony for the fast attack interdiction craft missiles (FAIC-Ms) BRP Nestor Acero (PG-901) and BRP Lolinato To-Ong (PG-902) Monday.

Adaci said the additional “Acero”-class gunboats would help them to meet their requirements in “patrolling the seas of the country”. He also said the FAIC-Ms will be assigned to the Littoral Combat Force.

He said four more FAIC-Ms, the other name of the “Acero” class in the PN service, will be delivered sometime in 2023.

“I don’t know the exact delivery dates next year but this shall be throughout (next year),” the PN chief added.

The last batch of three, which will be built at the PN shipyard in the Naval Station Pascual Ledesma in Cavite, is scheduled for 2024.

Adaci said Israel Shipyard Limited will help the PN rehabilitate the old shipyard and make it more modern and allow it to build these types of ships.

“In that way, our people can learn how to do it, maintain these ‘Acero’ class boats and that will be the start of the transfer of technology,” he said.

These 32-meter high-speed vessels are equipped with quick intercept ability, remote stabilized weapons, and short-range missiles that are capable of delivering precision strikes against larger hostiles and high-value targets on land and sea.

Four of the FAIC-Ms will be armed with non-line-of-sight (NLOS) missiles with pinpoint accuracy and a range of 25 kilometers while the other five will be armed with Typhoon-mounted 30mm main cannons and .50 caliber heavy machine guns.

The acquisition of these FAIC-Ms is among the 2019 projects approved by former President Rodrigo Duterte under the Horizon 2 List of the AFP Modernization Program.

The notice of award for the FAIC-M project, worth around PHP10 billion, was issued on January 5 last year. These are expected to replace the force of patrol killer medium or medium-sized patrol craft.

For the newcomers reading this, Israel is a military super power as well as a provider of advanced technologies which authorities here in the Philippines are realizing even more in relation to their military needs and objectives. For far too long have locals been obsessed with Silicon Valley (California, the United States) for just about anything related to technology. Many do not realize it but Israel is a major player in technology. As such, we should be thankful to the Lord that the Philippine Navy continues to look at Israel for new military hardware which is surely beneficial.

If you truly believe in Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Heavenly Father wholeheartedly and you continue to be faithful (not religious), you should be aware that Christians are meant to stand united with Israel no matter what. You can do your part supporting Israel by donating to Christians United for Israel (CUFI). Do not forget to read the Holy Bible, then pray in tongues to the Lord in the privacy of your room with the door shut.

Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus! Always stand in support of Israel and bless their people!

In ending this I Love Israel piece, posted below are Israel-related videos for your viewing pleasure and enlightenment.

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A Look Back at X-Men Adventures #6 (1993)

November 30, 2022November 26, 2022carlocarrasco

Welcome back, superheo enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts, X-Men fans and comic book collectors! Today we revisit the X-Men Adventures monthly series which was the literary adaptation of the popular X-Men animated series of the 1990s.

In my previous review, the X-Men encountered the Morlocks for the first time ever. Along the way, Storm’s ability to lead and handle her deepest fear got tested. Wolverine, meanwhile, struggled as he recovered from his hard battle with Sabretooth.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at X-Men Adventures #6, published by Marvel Comics in 1993 with a story written by Ralph Macchio and drawn by Andrew Wildman.

Early story

The story begins in the Arctic region. Wolverine travels by himself having left his team as he could not handle being near his teammates Scott/Cyclops and Jean Grey knowing they have feelings for each other. He also feelings for her.

Wolverine keeps on traveling completely unaware that he is being watched from a distance by his fierce rival Sabretooth. As the clawed X-Men member moves over a bridge made of ice with explosives hidden underneath, Sabretooth detonates by remote control causing a huge explosion…

Quality

*A different kind of Wolverine awaits readers here.*

Let me start with the cover art. I can say clearly that those who wanted to see Wolverine and Sabretooth fight each other even more will get exactly what they want in this comic book. The conflict between the two is the highlight superhero spectacle and it works excellently as a pay-off to all the build-up that led to it.

More on the story itself, the script was crafted to heavily emphasize Wolverine’s personality when he is not on duty with his team. You will see a more human side of him when he starts interacting with a group of people (non-mutants) who have been living in the Arctic zone where they catch fish and ride boats for a living. I can say that the dialogue here is pretty rich especially when intense character development on Wolverine happens.

With regards to the Wolverine-Sabretooth rivalry, you definitely will get a lot more interactions and new action actions between them compared to what happened in issue #4. Spectacle aside, the stakes are even higher as the Arctic people got involved which creatively adds more depth on the development of both mutants.

Along the way, X-Men members Gambit, Storm and Jubilee head off to the island state of Genosha. As far as Gambit is concerned, Genosha welcomes mutants with open arms. For Charles Xavier, he sees a perfect opportunity for their team to visit and investigate it. This, of course, leads to the events of issue #7.

Conclusion

*The X-Men talk about Wolverine’s absence and Genosha.*

X-Men Adventures #6 (1993) will surely delight fans of Wolverine as well as his rivalry with Sabretooth. Be aware that the Wolverine tale is the main story while the X-Men tale serves mainly as a build-up for the debut of Genosha in the X-Men animated series and in this adaptive comic book series. I had fun reading this and there definitely is a lot of depth in both story and the way the characters were dramatized.

Overall, X-Men Adventures #6 (1993) is 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. If you want to support my website, please consider making a donation. 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 athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/.

I Love Israel: Israel shares to the Philippines water management solutions

November 29, 2022November 25, 2022carlocarrasco

In recent times, the State of Israel engaged with the Philippines on managing water which is clearly an essential resource, according to a Manila Times news article. Israel’s Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss spoke at the meeting.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Times article. Some parts in boldface…

ISRAEL is offering innovative solutions to help the Philippines improve water resource management and conservation.

Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation and the United States Agency for International Aid shared with the Philippine government and local water concessionaires in the Philippines the expertise and experience of Israel on water resource management.

“Israel invested in technology to support the growing demand and urbanization in the country,” said Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss during a recent seminar.

The technologies, he said, “were introduced together with good policies and regulations that made Israel the leading country in the world in managing the water sector.“

“From desalination to reuse of sewage, minimum loss of water and more,” the ambassador said.

“Through this seminar, we hope that the Philippines’ key implementing agencies will gain insights from the Israeli experience and adapt them to local conditions,” he added.

He noted that Israel faced challenges in water conservation and management. The Middle East is a dry area and more than 50 percent of “Israel is actually desert,” he said.

The Israeli Embassy in Manila said National Water Resources Board Director Susan Abano shared the challenges that the Philippines faces as water availability continues to fall due to rising demand.

The embassy said that engineers Rodel Rik Tumanda and Jon Michael Esteban of Maynilad and Manila Water, respectively, as well as Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System chief regulator Patrick Ty presented their perspectives on managing water scarcity.

“These were analyzed by the Israeli water delegation and presented advanced solutions to better manage the water sector of the country,” the embassy said in a statement.

“The Israeli companies highlighted Israel’s innovation and technology to inspire and encourage the Philippine water sector, businesses and local government units to invest in technologies that will help manage water sustainably,” it added.

Among the Israeli companies who presented their water technologies were ARAD Group, Atlantium, Okiana and Watergen.

For the newcomers reading this, Israel is known for innovation not only with technology and agriculture but also in water management and the development of new sources of water. Constant problems of water supply and resource handling here in the Philippines are not new anymore and the assistance we got from Israel is crucial. This is something we have to be very thankful to our Lord for and we should pray that the Philippine water stakeholders who attended the reported meeting will put into action what they learned from their Israeli counterparts so that water management in the country will be improved.

Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus! Always stand in support of Israel!

In ending this I Love Israel piece, posted below are Israel-related videos for your viewing pleasure and enlightenment.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 4

November 28, 2022November 24, 2022carlocarrasco

Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?

I recommend you watch the following videos below…

#1 McDonald’s struggles in certain nations – Have you eaten at a McDonald’s lately? The fast food giant is indeed highly successful serving many millions of customers worldwide and constantly making a lot of money. There are, however, specific nations where McDonald’s could not succeed in and for a wide variety of reasons. Watch these selected videos below…

#2 Looking back at Marvel Comics’ 2099 franchise – The 1990s was a decade of excess in the history of American comic book publishing, particularly with regards to superhero comics. During the height of the comic book speculator boom, Marvel Comics launched a new comic book universe set within one possible future of Marvel’s shared universe – the future was referred to as 2099. For the newcomers reading this, I myself had published several retro comic book reviews regarding Spider-Man 2099, X-Men 2099, Punisher 2099 and Ravage 2099. To find out more about the history about Marvel’s 2099 line of comics and the legacy it left behind, watch the video below.

#3 Ashleigh Burton’s reaction videos of Stallone movies – For this segment, we take a look at the existing movie reaction videos Ashleigh Burton made related to films that starred the famous Sylvester Stallone. In reality, she actually has published a few Stallone-related reaction videos and she still has yet to react to a Rambo movie and other flicks from Stallone’s career. Watch the videos below and don’t forget to visit her YouTube channel.

#4 Worship video of Now I’m Alive – I love the worship song Now I’m Alive from New Life Music. Written by Faith Tugano, Kate Naranjo and Solomon Pagapong, Now I’m Alive is a beautiful and engaging song to worship the Lord with. You can read my Christian Music Appreciation (CMA) piece about Now I’m Alive by clicking right here. I encourage you all to visit New Life Music on Facebook and YouTube. Watch the worship video of Now I’m Alive posted below.

#5 More of Unsolved Mysteries (hosted by Robert Stack) – If you are a long-time fan of the classic Unsolved Mysteries TV program hosted by the late Robert Stack and you wanted to revisit it, you can watch the episodes for free through the Unsolved Mysteries – Full Episodes YouTube channel. For a taste, posted below are assorted episodes of the 2^nd season of Unsolved Mysteries.

#6 Looking back at Jaws 3 (AKA Jaws 3-D) – Way back in 1983, I got to watch Jaws 3 in the cinema in 3D (wearing the 3D glasses to see the 3D effects from screen) which was a privilege back then. Being a young boy at the time, I enjoyed it and there was nothing like being seated in the middle of a large audience who reacted emotionally towards what they saw. Of course, it is clear to everyone today that Jaws 3 is one of weakest films of the Jaws movie franchise (which started with Steven Spielberg’s 1975 classic) and I noticed some people found it to be really bad. Still, there is a lot of interesting stuff to discover about it and how Jaws 3 got made. If you are curious to learn about the third Jaws movie, I encourage you to watch the videos below.

#7 More details about the FTX financial disaster and Sam Bankman-Fried – The news about the FTX financial disaster is still hot and Samuel Bankman-Fried has a lot of explaining to do. It is indeed tragic to lose all your wealth and investments because of FTX. In recent times, there were new details revealed that will help you understand why and how the FTX financial disaster happened. Financial tragedies like this one should make you think very carefully before making an investment with anything related to cryptocurrency. Watch the videos below.

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Better than Streaming: Black Adam 4K Blu-ray set for January 3, 2023 release

November 23, 2022November 22, 2022carlocarrasco

Welcome back, fellow geeks, Blu-ray collectors and movie buffs! Those of you who are die-hard fans of Dwayne Johnson or his recent superhero movie Black Adam should be excited as Warner Bros. officially announced that Black Adam 4K Blu-ray will be released on January 3, 2023. Already orders are being accepted online.

For the newcomers reading this, Black Adam is the newest DC Comics superhero movie which has grossed over $360 million worldwide in the cinemas. In superhero comics, the feature character is known as a formidable adversary against Superman and Shazam (Captain Marvel). The movie notably has former James Bond star Pierce Brosnan as Dr. Fate. It also has the Justice Society in cinematic form.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt and key details from the 4K Blu-ray announcement at Blu-ray.com. Some parts in boldface…

Nearly 5,000 years after he was bestowed with the almighty powers of the ancient gods—and imprisoned just as quickly—Black Adam (Johnson) is freed from his earthly tomb, ready to unleash his unique form of justice on the modern world.

Johnson stars alongside Aldis Hodge (“City on a Hill,” “One Night in Miami”) as Hawkman, Noah Centineo (“To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before”) as Atom Smasher, Sarah Shahi (“Sex/Life,” “Rush Hour 3”) as Adrianna, Marwan Kenzari (“Murder on the Orient Express,” “The Mummy”) as Ishmael, Quintessa Swindell (“Voyagers,” “Trinkets”) as Cyclone, Bodhi Sabongui (“A Million Little Things”) as Amon, and Pierce Brosnan (the “Mamma Mia!” and James Bond franchises) as Dr. Fate.

Collet-Serra directed from a screenplay by Adam Sztykiel and Rory Haines & Sohrab Noshirvani, screen story by Adam Sztykiel and Rory Haines & Sohrab Noshirvani, based on characters from DC. Black Adam was created by Bill Parker and C.C. Beck.

The film’s producers were Beau Flynn, Dwayne Johnson, Hiram Garcia and Dany Garcia, with Richard Brener, Walter Hamada, Dave Neustadter, Chris Pan, Eric McLeod, Geoff Johns and Scott Sheldon.

Special Features and Technical Specs:

DOLBY VISION/HDR PRESENTATION OF THE FILM

DOLBY ATMOS AUDIO TRACK

The History of Black Adam

Who is The Justice Society?

From Soul to Screen

Black Adam: A Flawed Hero

Black Adam: New Tech in an Old World

Black Adam: Taking Flight

Kahndaq: Designing a Nation

The Rock of Eternity

Costumes make the hero

Black Adam: A new type of action

4K Blu-ray subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French, Italian, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, Canadian French, German SDH, Italian SDH

Blu-ray subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French, Canadian French

For additional insight, posted below are the details from the Blu-ray.com page of Black Adam 4K Blu-ray. Yes, the visuals will be in native 4K.

Video

Codec: HEVC / H.265

Resolution: Native 4K (2160p)

HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10

Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Audio

English: Dolby Atmos

English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)

German: Dolby Atmos

German: Dolby TrueHD 7.1

Italian: Dolby Atmos

Subtitles – English SDH, French, German SDH, Italian SDH, Portuguese, Spanish, Danish, Finnish (more)

Discs – 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray Disc, Two-disc set (1 BD-66, 1 BD-50)

Digital – Digital 4K, Movies Anywhere

Packaging – Slipcover in original pressing

Playback – 4K Blu-ray: Region free, 2K Blu-ray: Region A

I personally have not seen Black Adam in the local cinema. The published movie reviews of the mainstream and entertainment media had nothing to do with it. I just did not read enough comic books of the feature character and the Justice Society. As such, the promotions and release of Black Adam did not motivate me to watch. Still, I heard from some people that the movie was great to look at inside IMAX cinemas even though it was not filmed with IMAX cameras. I noticed that the reception from moviegoers is stronger than the critical reception.

Regardless of reception, Black Adam is significant as it somewhat reflects that DC superhero movies are changing under the leadership of Warner Bros. Discovery CEO and President David Zaslav. For those who missed out on the news, the old regime of AT&T is gone along with Ann Sarnoff, Walter Hamada and Toby Emmerich. Here is hoping that the wokeness (which is purely foolishness) will fade away more as Warner Bros. focuses on making enjoyable DC superhero movies.

Watch out for Black Adam 4K Blu-ray on January 3, 2023.

In ending this, posted below are YouTube videos related to Black Adam.

If you wish to join a group of movie enthusiasts and talk about cinema, visit the Movie Fans Worldwide Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/322857711779576

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 3

November 22, 2022November 24, 2022carlocarrasco

Have you been searching for something fun, enlightening or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?

I recommend you watch the following videos below…

#1 Worship videos of “O Praise The Name (Anástasis)” – I love the worship song O Praise The Name (Anástasis) written by Marty Sampson, Benjamin Hastings and Dean Ussher, and published by Hillsong Music. Its lyrics were clearly written to lead people to the Lord and to encourage them to worship Him. One of these days, I will do a Christian Music Appreciation (CMA) piece of the worship song. For those who are reading this, watch the worship videos below from Hillsong Worship, Hillsong United and Bethel Music. This could also be the worship song your local church could play on Sunday worship services.

#2 The history of Secret Wars – In the history of American superhero comics, the Secret Wars (full title: Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars) series of 1984-1985 remains highly significant not just because it featured a unique gathering of selected superheroes and super villains of Marvel (then led by Jim Shooter as editor-in-chief) but also because of the creative impact it left behind especially with regards to Spider-Man stories and the eventual debut of his deadliest villain – Venom. Secret Wars also marked the debut of the Beyonder, a god-like entity who would impact the Marvel Comics universe later. Apart from its enduring legacy, there were also some notable things that happened behind the scenes leading to the publishing. Watch and learn from the video below.

#3 Ashleigh Burton’s reaction videos of Schwarzenegger movies – For this segment, we take a look at how Ashleigh Burton reacts to movies of the famous Arnold Schwarzenegger. She reacted to two Terminator flicks and Predator which are Schwarzenegger classic but she still has yet to do a Total Recall (1990) video. I urge you to visit her YouTube channel.

#4 Fashion versus videos – If you have not been following the videos published by SHIFT online, there are these versus-type of videos they released on their YouTube channel. Months ago, they published videos pitting popular models in key match-ups and they are posted below for your viewing pleasure.

#5 Looking back at Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park – Are you one of the many moviegoers out there who have gotten upset or tired with the way that Jurassic Park movies turned out, especially with the Jurassic World movies released since 2015? I noticed a lot of movie fans pointed to Jurassic World movies as dumb and bloated even as the filmmakers did what they could to sell dinosaurs and action sequences to entertain people. In times like these, it is refreshing to return to the original Jurassic Park movie of 1993 directed by Steven Spielberg. Watch the following movie reaction/review videos below plus a trivia video and an in-depth retrospective video.

#6 The FTX financial disaster – You heard the recent news about the major disaster of FTX that rocked the financial systems? Are you one of the many people who idolized Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF)? Did you pour your hard-earned money into the FTX cryptocurrency exchange and lost it all? Watch this video by Coldfusion to understand the details.

#7 The struggle of Starbucks Coffee in Vietnam and South Africa – Previously I posted a video about Starbucks’ own struggle in Australia whose coffee market has been highly developed long before the American coffee giant entered. There are also two notable markets where Starbucks also struggled in – Vietnam and South Africa. Watch the videos below to find out why. This is not only interesting but also educational.

+++++

A Look Back at X-Men Adventures #5 (1993)

November 22, 2022November 26, 2022carlocarrasco

In my previous retro review, the encounter with Magneto ended without any resolution. Back at X-Men headquarters, Sabretooth freed himself and got into a fight with Wolverine which symbolically highlighted tensions from their past encounters.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at X-Men Adventures #5, published by Marvel Comics in 1993 with a story written by Ralph Macchio and drawn by Andrew Wildman.

Early story

The story begins inside the Danger Room where X-Men members Storm, Rogue, Gambit and Jubilee are tested for combat and skills development under the tight watch of Professor X. While Xavier is aware that while a real-life threat would cause his team to perfect their reflexes and counterattack strategies, it is the leadership of Storm that concerns him the most.

Just as the amount of danger rises, Xavier decides to raise the stakes of the exercise by drawing upon the deepest fears within Storm. Suddenly the ceiling moves down and the walls start closing in on the X-Men. This causes Storm to lose focus as painful memories from her childhood pertaining to claustrophobia suddenly entered her head. The exercise ended on a negative note and Storm tells Professor X that she cannot lead the X-Men as she believes that her claustrophobia will only put others at risk.

Within Xavier’s mansion, the still recovering Wolverine practices martial arts moves. Standing nearby is Jean Grey who starts talking sense into him. Wolverine then notices something in the way Jean looks at him…

Quality

*Cyclops and Jean Grey cornered by the Morlocks led by Callisto.*

As the cover of this comic book shows, the main feature of the story is the X-Men’s encounter with the Morlocks (first appearance in Uncanny X-Men #169 published in 1983), a group of mutants living underneath the city of New York. Other than being a force of opposition, the Morlocks – led by Callisto – is itself a society composed of outcast mutants who could not really live among humans in normal society not only because of their mutations but also because of their collective look of deformity.

Picking up from the previous issue, the plot moved smoothly starting with a clear focus on Storm and her potential to lead the X-Men followed by the short but intriguing scene between Jean Grey and Wolverine. When the narrative shifted on New York City and the start of the conflict with the Morlocks, the story noticeably turned dark with its tone as the underground mutants become more prominent.

Other than the expected good-versus-evil emphasis of the plot, this comic book sheds light on the social ladder of America with the X-Men symbolizing the normal people and the Morlocks as the misfits. Symbolically speaking, the X-Men are bound to their code of no killing and their search for mutants that their leader Professor X could help, while the Morlocks prefer to be independent believing that isolation best serves their interests. Both the X-Men and the Morlocks have their respective approach on honor which is symbolized further when Storm and Callisto engage in close combat (note: this was the X-Men animated series’ adaptation of their fight as told in 1983’s Uncanny X-Men #170). I should also state that the portrayal of Cyclops and Jean Grey a very vulnerable figures in this story is pretty engaging.

To put things in perspective, the script of this comic book showed that the superhero spectacle is finely balanced with the strong dialogue and dramatization of the X-Men-Morlocks conflict.

Conclusion

*The X-Men during the Danger Room session.*

X-Men Adventures #5 (1993) is not only a very engaging read on its own, it is also one fine adaptation of the X-Men animated series episode “Captive Hearts” which I first saw on local TV way back in 1993.

Overall, X-Men Adventures #5 (1993) is recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at What If #17 (1990)

November 18, 2022November 15, 2022carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1993 and explore a part of Marvel Comics’ universe through the reimagined tales emphasized in the What If monthly series.

Several years ago, I bought myself a trade paperback collection of the 1987 Spider-Man storyline Kraven’s Last Hunt written by J. M. DeMatteis and drawn by Mike Zeck. That particular storyline was very notable not just for its dark approach to storytelling and visualization, but it also explores what would happen had Spider-Man been defeated and someone very obsessed took his place and go on a rampage disguised as Spider-Man. The storyline also explored how Kraven perceived Spider-Man without ever knowing the defining traits of the man behind the mask – Peter Parker. Eventually, Marvel Comic went on to revisit Kraven’s Last Hunt and explored what would happen had Kraven actually killed Spider-Man through their What If? monthly comic book series.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at What If #17, published in 1990 by Marvel Comics with a story written and drawn by Richard Howell.

Early story

The story begins with the Watcher revisiting key moments from the Kraven’s Last Hunt storyline. History then takes a turn towards the unexplored when Kraven, armed with a gun, shoots and kills Spider-Man. As the dead webslinger lies in a coffin, Kraven celebrates his victory with a lot of passion believing that he struck back at what he perceives to be the meaninglessness of the world. Kraven is quite mad as he equates spiders with Spider-Man as well as the decline of civilization.

After fearlessly and grotesquely eating spiders, Kraven wears a black body tight costume that looks almost the same as that of Spider-Man’s. While he is victorious, Kraven is not satisfied and he becomes obsessed by becoming Spider-Man and prove himself superior to him. He then moves into the city whose people are familiar with Spider-Man and also are unprepared with who is coming to them.

In an apartment, Spider-Man’s wife Mary Jane Parker is alone and worried. As she does not know that her beloved Peter Parker has been killed, she cannot help but agonize over the strain of his double-life as a civilian and as a superhero. Determined to find Peter, she walks out during the rainy night and is spotted by two men focused on her.

Suddenly the new Spider-Man (Kraven) appears and in an apparent effort to help Mary Jane, he grabs one of the men and brutally pushes the man’s head on to a nearby wall. As Kraven does not recognize Mary Jane, the wife realizes that the Spider-Man she just saw is definitely not her husband. This only makes her wonder again where he is and what happened to him. She then starts calling others for help…

Quality

In addition to being ruthless, Kraven disguised as Spider-Man resembles Venom.

I’ll start with the visuals. This comic book took a serious effort to come close to capturing the look and visual tone of the Kraven’s Last Hunt storyline which I enjoyed. Richard Howell visualized the characters, the situations and details properly and there was not a single moment when the visuals overwhelmed the narrative. Howell’s artistic take on the characters is simplistic but they remain recognizable which is a plus. The superhero spectacle was presented with a clear and clean approach, and there were a few key moments of action that got highlighted with some dynamism.

As for the story itself, what I found surprising and also pleasant here was the presentation of Mary Jane Parker as the main character instead of Kraven. This makes sense as Kraven himself was the major attraction of the Kraven’s Last Hunt storyline while Spider-Man was out of commission. In the context of this What If story, it only made sense to have Mary Jane as the central figure. Going back to Kraven, Howell captured the essence of the character well when compared to his version in Kraven’s Last Hunt.

In terms of plotting, telling the story through the viewpoint and actions of the superhero’s concerned wife really works well. Without spoiling the plot, you will see Mary Jane get involved with three notable superheroes – including the iconic Captain America – and even with other notable Spider-Man supporting characters such as Flash Thompson and the irresponsible print media figure J. Jonah Jameson. Interactions aside, the plot works sufficiently as a couple of series of events take place before the big confrontation with Kraven (as the new Spider-Man). By the end of it all, I can say that the story is entertaining, engaging and intriguing to read.

Conclusion

*Mary Jane Parker goes out in pursuit of her husband Peter Parker/Spider-Man who happens to be dead already at this particular point of the story.*

I can say that What If #17 (1990) is pretty captivating read and it is a worthy literary companion to Kraven’s Last Hunt. Of course, to really enjoy this alternative tale cleverly told by Howell, you must read Kraven’s Last Hunt first. Otherwise, you would not feel the impact of this comic book very much. I also liked how the death of Spider-Man (note: Spider-Man got killed in another What If tale that itself is worth reading) impacts Mary Jane, how it impacts the superheroes who know him, and most notably how it impacts the fragile relationship between society and superheroes. Lastly, this comic book has one of the more significant portrayals of Spider-Man’s most beloved woman. This is indeed a great story.

Overall, What If #17 (1990) is highly recommended!

+++++

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