Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1995 and explore a part of the Marvel 2099 comics universe through a tale of the Spider-Man 2099 franchise.
In my previous retro review, Spider-Man worked together with Strange 2099 on an abrupt mission dealing with a grave digger who is obsessed with his long dead sibling just as the undead in Mexico start walking again.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Spider-Man 2099 #34, published in 1995 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Peter David and drawn by Andrew Wildman.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins with Miguel O’Hara and Xina returning from Mexico speeding on a lonely road by car. O’Hara suddenly got scanned from a distance. Just as Xina shares to Miguel her newest observations and opinion about Spider-Man, the man suddenly got snatched from the car by uniformed authorities riding a floating vehicle. Miguel tells his abductors to let him go and one of them replies stating that he is being taken to the White House at the request of his Alchemax superior Tyler Stone.
Meanwhile inside an apartment located near the White House in Washington, DC, Dana converses with Tyler Stone by holographic call complaining that without him, the city is getting lonely for her. As soon as her communication ends, someone knocks her out cold…
Quality
For the newcomers reading this, this page shows the first time ever that Doom 2099 sees Miguel O’Hara in person (Spider-Man 2099 without the mask and costume). Spidey and Doom encountered each other previously in The Fall of the Hammer storyline.
I will start what is very obvious about this comic book…its story is totally intriguing as it reflects a very dramatic turn of events within the 2099 realm at the time of publication. I’m talking about the rise of Doom 2099 as the new President of the United States and this comic book dramatizes in detail how the new leader impacts Miguel O’Hara’s career which adds tension to his already hectic 2nd life as the webslinger. This is all about the storyline of One Nation Under Doom and for context, you must read Doom 2099 #26 to #30.
As I just mentioned, life for Miguel became more complicated as he has to deal with the federal government under the control Doom who himself is connected with the powerful tycoon Tyler Stone (Miguel’s own boss at Alchemax). For the newcomers reading this, this is not the first time Doom and Spider-Man of 2099 encountered each other as they were together in the Fall of the Hammer storyline (read my past reviews by clicking here, here, here, here and here).
In relation to the dramatic turn of events that changed the direction of the 2099 comics franchise, I can confirm that the writing by Peter David in this comic book is indeed very strong and highly engaging to follow. You will not see a good-versus-evil superhero tale here but the impact of Doom as US President on Spider-Man and local society. Along the way, this tale has a theme about gaining absolute power, how it affects the one who gains it and how the more powerful person affects many others. You will see the mentioned theme reflected on Spider-Man who himself already has super powers and even a following of idolaters.
Compared to the previous two issues, the dialogue by Peter David here is very rich and I also enjoyed the way how he presented the exposition of details to help Spider-Man 2099 readers understand how Doom’s rise as US President impacts the titular hero and many others. Speaking of Doom, I enjoyed the way how David portrayed him here.
Conclusion
Gabriel O’Hara, Kasey and the Spider-Man 2099 idolaters doing the old fashioned way of protesting against US President Doom.
Spider-Man 2099 #34 (1995) is indeed a great comic book and one of the best tales of the original Spider-Man 2099 monthly series. As Doom’s takeover of the US Presidency really changed the direction of the entire 2099 franchise of comics in the 1990s, it was inevitable that the repercussions would be reflected in a Spider-Man 2099 tale. The result here is a fascinating tale of the futuristic webslinger that does not even have the usual good-versus-evil conflict. What you will see here is how the stakes got raised for Miguel O’Hara not only as a superhero but also as a civilian who has a strong record within Alchemax. Not only that, this is the tale that took place just before the very memorable first encounters between Spider-Man and Venom 2099 (click here, here, here and here).
Overall, Spider-Man 2099 #34 (1995) is highly recommended!
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from watching the movie Cloak & Dagger (1984) 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 my readers, fellow movie buffs and 20th century pop culture enthusiasts! Decades ago, I got to watch the movie Cloak & Dagger when it was first released on home video. As time passed by, I got to replay it on cable TV and DVD. I have yet to see its 4K Blu-ray disc version (note: you can order it here) Starring Henry Thomas (the star of Steven Spielberg’s E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial) and Dabney Coleman, Cloak & Dagger was one of those American movies that did not succeed in movie theaters but found its audience on home video, cable TV and free TV.
The 1984 movie was released at a time when video games gradually made its way into motion pictures in varied ways just before Nintendo started reshaping video gaming. Back then, I was very young and already got into playing games on console and at the arcade which helped me relate with the video game elements of Cloak & Dagger. In case you are wondering, the filmmakers and Atari, Inc. itself collaborated together. There may be some among you who never saw this 1980s flick and some of you may be wondering what is significant about Cloak & Dagger and why is it the topic of this retro movie review.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Cloak & Dagger (1984) directed by Richard Franklin and written by Tom Holland and Nancy Dowd inspired by the short story “The Boy Cried Murder” written by Cornell Woolrich. This movie is the 4th cinematic adaptation of the said short story.
The movie poster of Cloak & Dagger (1984)
Early story
The story begins with Jack Flack (Dabney Coleman) overcoming Soviet guards to enter a place to retrieve top secret documents from incoming people. It turns out that Jack Flack is nothing more than a fictional character imagined by a young boy named Davey (Henry Thomas) who keeps on immersing himself with flights of fantasies, loves playing games and believes that real life is filled with enough opportunities and places to play. In the presence of game store owner Morris (William Forsythe) and his little blonde neighbor Kim (Christina Nigra), Davey boasts a lot about Jack Flack as if he was a real-life hero and even talks to him as his imaginary companion that no one else could see nor hear. Inspired by the said character and the world of espionage he always imagined, the boy carries with him a black water pistol for a “gun” and a softball for a “grenade”.
Morris then sends Davey and Kim out to do a real assignment – an errand to travel within the city going to a certain company and retrieve something for him. Afterwards, the two commuted and entered a building which Davey does with his fantasy of espionage and infiltration burning in his mind. Leaving Kim on the ground floor, he climbs up the stairs until he reaches a certain window and sees something sinister going on in the next level as reflected on one of the windows outside.
Suddenly a door opens near him and a wounded man slowly hands him an Atari 5200 cartridge titled Cloak & Dagger, tells him to bring it to the FBI, and mentions “one million three hundred twenty nine.”
The door near them suddenly opens with two armed men emerging. Right in the presence of Davey, they opened fire at the wounded man who fell down to his death. Davey just became the witness of an actual murder and becomes the target of the two gunmen…
Quality
Henry Thomas and Christina Nigra as Davey and Kim respectively.
To get to straight to the point, I can declare that this movie is very clearly a spy thriller designed to engage both children and adults. It took the key concept of the short story “The Boy Cried Murder” and implemented it into its very own tale that happens to be set during Ronald Reagan’s America (the 1980s) with elements of video games, espionage and even murder mixed together.
The story told through Davey was crafted to be entertaining while keeping viewers in suspense as to how the overly imaginative young boy would deal with real-life danger and consequences as he became the target of murderous men who would not stop at all. Davey is clearly in danger for much of the movie and you will get to sympathize with him and wish he should stop being obsessed with fantasy so he could overcome the trials that were happening. This is, indeed, a well structure and nicely directed work by Richard Franklin who seem to be inspired by past works of Alfred Hitchcock (note: Franklin directed the sequel to Hitchcock’s classic Psycho).
As mentioned earlier, this movie was made to engage both children and adults. Cloak & Dagger is not exactly a wholesome viewing experience as its presentation has always been quite intense because of on-screen violence that was executed carfully. There are guns, shooting and even killing in this flick which proved to be integral to the overall presentation and clearly added to the thrill factor. You will get to see getting Davey shot at by the armed henchmen (Eloy Casados and Tim Rossovich) who clearly do not give a damn of shooting a minor as they are so focused on their mission. Looking at the henchmen in this film, I can imagine them as traitorous Americans conspiring with their nation’s foreign enemies such as the Soviets, the Iranians and the Palestinians. Along the way, there is the clear villain named Rice (Michael Murphy) who has this subtle touch of evil as well as a good amount of sleaziness in him. While the violence is intense, it does not necessarily push this film into rated R territory.
Michael Murphy as the sleazy villain who is willing to kill Davey even though he is a minor.
The two henchmen about to commit murder in the presence of Davey. There is evil visible in their faces.
Henry Thomas really shines as the protagonist here. While Davey here shares a few elements with E.T.’s Elliot – struggling to move forward with the absence of one parent and adjusting his life with what he perceives to be the best ways possible – he truly dramatizes how weird and wild he could be living his life with a very loose grip on reality. For him, local society in San Antonio, Texas, provides him a huge playground for his spy game and he sure distracts people as he walks by them talking to his imaginary friend Jack Flack. Still, there are key parts of the story in which Henry Thomas convincingly dramatizes Davey who feels lonely inside as he misses his late mother and is unable to spend quality time with his father. Thomas also acted with intensity in the scene in which he makes a trade with the villain and also during his last face-off with him in the 2nd half of the film. Henry Thomas really was a good youth actor and his performance here is often overshadowed by his role in Spielberg’s E.T.
Dabney Coleman on the other hand plays both Jack Flack and Davey’s father Hal. Coleman is quite versatile playing different characters here. As Jack Flack, he fits in excellently into Davey’s uncontrolled belief of espionage as he gives him advise which were taken seriously leading into danger. Of course, advising Davey does not really mean the fictional spy cares for him on a personal level and you will eventually Flack’s true value before the film ends. Flack’s final moments could inspire you to re-examine the true meaning of heroism. As Hal, Coleman convincingly plays the father who has been so busy working in the Air Force as an air traffic controller, he has been unable to spend quality time with his son and the recent death of his wife really took its toll on their family. Compared to Jack Flack, Hal is indeed caring towards his son but his hectic work schedule prevents him from bonding closely with him. Coleman delivered a fine performance during the scene when Hal explains to Davey what real-world heroism is and that not all heroes just shoot bad guys. There definitely are helpful values on parenting within Hal.
Henry Thomas and Dabney Coleman are really convincing as son and father.
Thomas and Coleman artistically have really fine chemistry together as the father and son (Hal and Davey) and as the wannabe adventurer spending lots of time with his action hero (Davey and Jack Flack). Considering Davey’s obsession with fantasy and the attention he pays so much to Jack Flack, he was practically living with idolatry and foolishness. If you observe closely, Davey is very lively with Flack and not so lively with his father.
Even though this movie is fictional, it still dramatizes that parenting will never be easy. That being said, this should inspire parents and also incoming parents to prepare themselves on nurturing their children and ensure they help them understand the differences between reality and fantasy.
Video game elements
Screenshot from the Cloak & Dagger arcade game. This game can be played nowadays through Antstream Arcade on Xbox consoles.
To make things very clear, Cloak & Dagger (1984) is not an adaptation of the electronic game that was released the same year. Rather it has the Cloak & Dagger game as a key plot element in the form of an Atari 5200 game cartridge (referred to as a “tape”) which the movie dramatizes to be real.
As a kid, I got to play arcade and console games a lot. As such, seeing Davey play the Cloak & Dagger game on his Atari 5200 as well as gameplay footage was a very entertaining viewing experience for me the first time I ever saw this movie. It was a scene I personally related with.
In real life, however, the Cloak & Dagger game from Atari, Inc. was released only in the arcades as the efforts to create a port for the Atari 5200 never got fulfilled. That being said, it was through very clever film editing that video footage of the arcade version were inserted into the scene in which Davey played the Cloak & Dagger cartridge on his console in the presence of his father. To clarify things, the Atari 5200 was a commercial failure in real life and it seems that making a console version of the arcade game did not make business sense to Atari, Inc. at all.
If you want to play the Cloak & Dagger arcade game in your home right now, you will need an Xbox console and Antstream Arcade ($30 for 1-year subscription, $80 for lifetime pass). Cloak & Dagger is just one of over a thousand games available through Antstream Arcade and you can learn more by clicking here and here.
Conclusion
Henry Thomas as an armed Davey.
I have seen Cloak & Dagger (1984) many times throughout my life from childhood and to adulthood. I can clearly say that this 1980s movie is still really good to watch as its appeal to both children and adults remains strong and intact. It is a medium-paced spy thriller that not only follows a young boy who witnesses and murder and gets into danger (note: even his neighbor gets involved) but also dramatizes (in entertaining ways) how dangerous situations can get when you are living with uncontrolled personal fantasy and interacting with a heroic friend who does not really exist. Considering the time this movie was released, I am delighted to tell you cautious readers that there definitely is no wokeness nor were there any traces of political correctness that got in the way of its presentation. Going back to the parenting aspect of this film, it is made clear that children need their parents for moral support and there is absolutely no way that games, fictional heroes and geek culture could ever be good alternatives. Like the adults, children should never lose their grip on reality and should be taught that uncontrolled fantasy can lead to real-life danger. Very clearly, director Richard Franklin and the crew did a fine job telling a solid story and emphasizing the main characters while also providing suspense, action and thrills.
Considering all the mixed elements it has, Cloak & Dagger (1984) can be engaging towards parents, their children, fans of espionage and people who love video games. Finally, I should state that the City of San Antonio in the Lone Star State of Texas is indeed a great location for filmmaking and viewing.
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from my personal experiences and observations during the Israel pilgrimage tour I joined. This is not a sponsored article. 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, readers and fellow followers of the Lord! This is the 6th chapter of my ongoing series of articles about the holy nation of Israel with recollections about the experiences and discoveries I had during the pilgrimage tour I joined with my local church (hosted by its strategic partner Behold Israel). To see my previous Israel 2023 tour articles, click here, here, here, here and here.
In this latest edition of my Israel 2023 series, I share with you my observations and captured images about my visit to the Pool of Siloam (also referred to as the Pool of Shiloah) in the City of David (just outside of the wall of Jerusalem) which is a highly significant pilgrimage site and, as of this writing, there are developments being done to improve it physically. At its current location, the pool’s remains were discovered in the year 2004 covering an area of three dunams, or three-quarters of an acre dating back to the era of the Second Temple (2nd Jewish Temple).
As of our visit, only a minor portion of the ancient pool was made accessible for visiting and viewing, and there is a lot more excavation work that needs to be done to uncover it and eventually reveal its full size.
The Pool of Siloam is an ancient, rock-cut pool located outside of the wall of the old city of Jerusalem. Water from the Gihon Spring that passed through the Siloam Tunnel (AKA Hezekiah’s Tunnel) made its way to the Pool of Siloam. During biblical times, the pool was an essential destination for Jewish people to get purified first before traveling all the way up along a wide road leading to the Temple Mount in the old city of Jerusalem. Today, there is a tunnel at the end of the site of the pool moving up. The tunnel, which was discovered in recent years, points towards the Temple Mount at least in its current form. It is believed that the tunnel includes a drainage channel that apparently was used as a hiding place for the last Jewish rebels against the Romans in the year 70 CE. The Pool of Siloam ceased to function after the destruction of Jerusalem and as time passed by, it vanished from sight as it got filled with earth. That being said, its 2004 discovery is indeed a miracle from God for people of faith to visit and witness the Holy Bible come to life in front of them. Years from now, the Pool of Siloam’s full size and scope will be realized. The best is yet to come from our Lord!
To put things in perspective, our pilgrimage tour group first went through the ancient City of David and even explored the tunnels moving south. There was even water from the Gihon spring flowing along the way. After regrouping, we marched further to the site of the Pool of Siloam which has a physical set-up designed to accommodate visitors. The site was suitable for tour group members to sit down and listen to a biblical teaching and/or key updates from the tour guide. There was also excavation going on at the opposite side of the site. You can see the place in motion as I captured it with my Samsung Galaxy A50’s camera. The raw video has been uploaded on my YouTube channel and you can watch it below…
Also worth watching is this CBN News YouTube video about the ancient pool. The video was published about a month before our pilgrimage tour happened.
The biblical significance of the Pool of Siloam
The Pool of Siloam is more than just ancient and more than just a great example of construction…it is biblical. It was made during the time of King Hezekiah and the following translations of 2 Kings 20:20 below confirmed it…
Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah—all his might, and how he made a pool and a tunnel and brought water into the city—are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
2 Kings 20:20 (NKJV)
The rest of the deeds of Hezekiah and all his might and how he made the pool and the conduit and brought water into the city, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?
2 Kings 20:20 (ESV)
The rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and all his might, and how he made the pool and the canal and brought water into the city, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?
2 Kings 20:20 (AMPC)
Under King Hezekiah’s leadership, two crews dug the tunnel (as referred to in 2 Kings 20:20 NKJV) through solid rock. One crew started from the Pool of Siloam while the other at the spring of Gihon. Given the fact that they accomplished their tasks without even having the modern technologies of today, the tunnel is absolutely remarkable as a feat of engineering. God made a way for this accomplishment and with Him, nothing is impossible. With constant water flowing from the Gihon spring, the Pool of Siloam was not just a place for people to get cleaned at or a place to refresh themselves at but it became the destination for purification that Jewish people needed before they go to the Temple Mount which remains a very holy place to this day. God had all of these planned and it was executed in Israel by King Hezekiah. Remember this when you visit the Pool of Siloam in Israel.
The Pool of Siloam got mentioned in Chapter 3 of the Book of Nehemiah which itself emphasized a remarkable display of unity in relation to the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. The mention also made clear its location at the bottom of the City of David. Learn from the holy scripture below…
The Fountain Gate was rebuilt by Shallun son of Col-Hozeh, mayor of the Mizpah district; he repaired it, roofed it, hung its doors, and installed its bolts and bars. He also rebuilt the wall of the Pool of Siloam at the King’s Garden as far as the steps that go down from the City of David.
Nehemiah 3:15 (MSG)
The water that flowed from the spring of Gihon and filled up the Pool of Siloam was not ordinary. It was living water and it was essential for the Jewish people and their honoring of the Lord God during those days. Each day during the Feast of Tabernacles, a joyous celebration was observed in which priests brought water from the Pool of Siloam using golden pitchers and brought them to the Jewish temple at the Temple Mount. During the procession, the people recited Isaiah 12:3. The water was poured out on the altar as an offering to God as there were people shouting and singing. Lord Jesus was the fulfillment of all that the ceremony typified. Read the bible verses below…
On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”
But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
John 7:37-39 (NKJV)
I brought my Bible with me to the site of the Pool of Siloam in Israel and took time to read scriptures pertaining to the blind man who got healed at the pool because he followed and trusted our Lord and Savior Jesus. The man who got healed was clearly faithful to Him.That being said, I encourage you to bring the Bible with you when you visit each holy site in Israel.
What makes the Pool of Siloam even more significant within the Holy Bible is the miracle that took place in Chapter 9 of the Book of John. I’m talking about the miracle of our Lord and Savior Jesus healing a man who was born blind and the ancient pool itself was place where the faith-driven healing was realized. Learn from the translations of John 9:1-11 below…
Afterward, as Jesus walked down the street, he noticed a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Teacher, whose sin caused this guy’s blindness, his own, or the sin of his parents?”
Jesus answered, “Neither. It happened to him so that you could watch him experience God’s miracle. While I am with you, it is daytime and we must do the works of God who sent me while the light shines. For there is coming a dark night when no one will be able to work. As long as I am with you my life is the light that pierces the world’s darkness.”
Then Jesus spat on the ground and made some clay with his saliva. Then he anointed the blind man’s eyes with the clay.
And he said to the blind man, “Now go and wash the clay from your eyes in the ritual pool of Siloam.”
So he went and washed his face and as he came back, he could see for the first time in his life!
This caused quite a stir among the people of the neighborhood, for they noticed the blind beggar was now seeing! They began to say to one another, “Isn’t this the blind man who once sat and begged?” Some said, “No, it can’t be him!” Others said, “But it looks just like him—it has to be him!” All the while the man kept insisting, “I’m the man who was blind!”
Finally, they asked him, “What has happened to you?”
He replied, “I met the man named Jesus! He rubbed clay on my eyes and said, ‘Go to the pool named Siloam and wash.’ So I went and while I was washing the clay from my eyes I began to see for the very first time ever!”
John 9:1-11 (TPT)
Walking down the street, Jesus saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked, “Rabbi, who sinned: this man or his parents, causing him to be born blind?”
Jesus said, “You’re asking the wrong question. You’re looking for someone to blame. There is no such cause-effect here. Look instead for what God can do. We need to be energetically at work for the One who sent me here, working while the sun shines. When night falls, the workday is over. For as long as I am in the world, there is plenty of light. I am the world’s Light.”
He said this and then spit in the dust, made a clay paste with the saliva, rubbed the paste on the blind man’s eyes, and said, “Go, wash at the Pool of Siloam” (Siloam means “Sent”). The man went and washed—and saw.
Soon the town was buzzing. His relatives and those who year after year had seen him as a blind man begging were saying, “Why, isn’t this the man we knew, who sat here and begged?”
Others said, “It’s him all right!”
But others objected, “It’s not the same man at all. It just looks like him.”
He said, “It’s me, the very one.”
They said, “How did your eyes get opened?”
“A man named Jesus made a paste and rubbed it on my eyes and told me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ I did what he said. When I washed, I saw.”
John 9:1-11 (MSG)
Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay.
And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.
Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, “Is not this he who sat and begged?”
Some said, “This is he.” Others said, “He is like him.”
He said, “I am he.”
Therefore they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?”
He answered and said, “A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and I received sight.”
John 9:1-11 (NKJV)
What we can learn from the above miracle is that faith in Lord Jesus is essential as He is God in the flesh and someday He will return to us here on Earth. This is about trusting in Him wholeheartedly and following His commands and His direction without hesitation and without any trace of doubt. The blind man, who also had been a beggar who suffered for a long time, followed Lord Jesus and went to the Pool of Siloam (as he was directed by Him) where the healing manifested. It was healing that was super natural because the Lord Himself is greater than the forces of the world.
In response to His disciples’ question about the man’s blindness, Lord Jesus noted that beyond the tragedy of human defects, which result in a general way from man’s fall and the consequent entry of sin, sickness, affliction and death into the world, God’s merciful and sovereign race is available. The many lost and unsaved souls may not realize it yet, but the truth is that Lord Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, and nobody can come to the Heavenly Father except through Him (refer to John 14:6). Lord Jesus is also the mediator between God and people (read 1 Timothy 2:5). As the Anointed One, Lord Jesus emphasized responsibility in connection to doing the works of God. He took it upon Himself to help the blind man and physically used His own saliva on the ground to make clay and spread it on the blind man’s eyes before directing him to the Pool of Siloam where he should wash it off. Then the healing manifested.
For a short while, let us visit a different part of the Holy Bible pertaining to miraculous healing in the presence of Lord Jesus – Mark 5:25-34. There was this suffering yet faithful woman who was truly determined to reach out and touch Lord Jesus to be healed. This miracle has common elements with the miracle at the Pool of Siloam. Read the scripture below…
Now, in the crowd that day was a woman who had suffered horribly from continual bleeding for twelve years. She had endured a great deal under the care of various doctors, yet in spite of spending all she had on their treatments, she was getting worse instead of better. When she heard about Jesus’ healing power, she pushed through the crowd and came up from behind him and touched his prayer shawl. For she kept saying to herself, “If I could touch even his clothes, I know I will be healed.” As soon as her hand touched him, her bleeding immediately stopped! She knew it, for she could feel her body instantly being healed of her disease!
Jesus knew at once that someone had touched him, for he felt the power that always surged around him had passed through him for someone to be healed.
He turned and spoke to the crowd, saying, “Who touched my clothes?”
His disciples answered, “What do you mean, who touched you? Look at this huge crowd—they’re all pressing up against you.” But Jesus’ eyes swept across the crowd, looking for the one who had touched him for healing.
When the woman who experienced this miracle realized what had happened to her, she came before him, trembling with fear, and threw herself down at his feet, saying, “I was the one who touched you.” And she told him her story of what had just happened.
Then Jesus said to her, “Daughter, because you dared to believe, your faith has healed you. Go with peace in your heart, and be free from your suffering!”
Mark 5:25-34 (TPT)
The above biblical account proved that the woman got healed because of her faith in Lord Jesus who in turn recognized her faith in Him. Without faith in Him, there would not have been any healing. Going back to John 9:1-11, the blind man who got healed at the Pool of Siloam fully trusted Lord Jesus with all his heart and this confirms his faith in Him. The man believed in Jesus!
Lord Jesus’ mixing of His saliva with the substance on the ground to make clay is symbolic. The spit and clay symbolize Jesus as God in the flesh (the form of a man). The saliva that came from His mouth symbolize the spoken Word of God and God as incarnate. The clay symbolizes man for our human vessel is a jar of clay. The blind man previously heard people spit as they walked by him and expressed their disgust of him. They were disgusted because they believed that blindness was caused by a curse (refer to Deuteronomy 28:28). Of course, those people did not realize that Lord Jesus was God in the flesh nor did they realize that God’s only begotten Son walked among them and only He could make super natural healing and other miracles happen.
After getting healed and gaining vision, the blind man caught the attention of the people there at the Pool of Siloam and he revealed to them he met Lord Jesus and followed His instructions faithfully.
A view of the site of the Pool of Siloam facing the entrance going to the tunnel.
The story of the miracle at the Pool of Siloam did not end there, however. In fact, the impact of the miracle made the people bring the healed man to the Pharisees and it was on the Sabbath when the encounter with Jesus happened. Learn from the bible verses below…
Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.”
Therefore some of the Pharisees said, “This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.”
Others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them.
They said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?”
He said, “He is a prophet.”
But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight. And they asked them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”
His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself.” His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”
So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, “Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner.”
He answered and said, “Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.”
Then they said to him again, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?”
He answered them, “I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?”
Then they reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples. We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from.”
The man answered and said to them, “Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes! Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.”
They answered and said to him, “You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?” And they cast him out.
John 9:14-34 (NKJV)
To make things very clear about the biblical account above that took place after the miracle at the Pool of Siloam, I want to stress to you all that Lord Jesus did not lead the healed man into trouble. In reality, it was the Pharisees’ failure to realize that Jesus is Lord and Savior of all as they were stuck with their old ways, their religion and blindness to the truth. The perverse reasoning of the Pharisees placed them in a dilemma from which the only escape was to disprove the miracle that happened. They expressed that no miracle could have occurred because it was the Sabbath, and that God would never violate the law of rest by healing a person.
The undeniable fact that a man born blind got healed and gained perfect sight refuted the theory of the Pharisees. Thus, they must either deny the facts or confess the divine nature and holiness of Jesus. The logic of the healed man was undeniable and irrefutable. Unable to deny the man’s testimony, the religious leaders took the cowardly way out by excommunicating him. To be removed from the synagogue was a tremendous loss for most Jews. The religious leaders had their chance to realize the truth and submit themselves to Lord Jesus but they blew it because they did not have faith and they did not realize that Lord Jesus was God in the flesh walking among many people. As the Pharisees excommunicated the healed man, the above biblical account still has the elements which reminds me of the Nazareth Jews who rejected Lord Jesus.
Of course, Lord Jesus learned about the healed man’s excommunication. Read the biblical account below…
Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of God?”
He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?”
And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.”
Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him.
And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.”
Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?”
Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.
John 9:35-41 (NKJV)
This is the view of the Pool of Siloam facing the other direction. In the distance is the entrance and exit for visitors.
As the man who was previously blind submitted himself to Lord Jesus with undeniable faith, He eventually encountered the unbelieving Pharisees responsible for excommunicating the healed man. What Lord Jesus told the Pharisees was about spiritual blindness (as opposed to physical blindness).
Lord Jesus moved the discussion from physical blindness to spiritual blindness. To believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior means to see spiritually, whereas those who do not believe in Him remain blind.
Furthermore, even though the healed man was unable to read Scriptures due to the blindness he was born with, he still established his faith in Lord Jesus! This should remind you all that traditions and superficial knowledge of the Bible can blind our hearts if we do not believe in Lord Jesus above all other religious dogmas. There are many out there who knew the Scriptures but still refused to believe. There are many people out there who strictly practice religion, idolatry, rituals, traditions, the vow of poverty, worldliness and distorted teachings about the Bible while failing to realize that faith in the Lord and His Word is always essential. There are lots of people out there who are not only lost and unsaved, but also spiritually blinded! This should remind you that as Christians, we should never give up evangelizing others with God’s Word and help them come to Lord Jesus in faith.
Ultimately, the miracle that happened at the Pool of Siloam proves that God had come to see us!
Conclusion
A wider view of the site of the Pool of Siloam with ongoing excavation at the other side. In due time, the entire ancient pool will be recovered and it will become an even greater site for pilgrimage tours in Israel.
In a greater context within the Holy Bible, the Pool of Siloam links King David, King Solomon, King Hezekiah and Lord Jesus together with Jerusalem as the holiest city of all. Also connected are the stories of Isaiah and Jeremiah. The Pool of Siloam served as the water system and place of purification of Jerusalem in biblical times. Today, the excavation at the Pool of Siloam continues to go on and in due time, its entirety will be realized and that would make it an even greater holy site for faithful people to visit.
Indeed, our pilgrimage tour group’s visit to the Pool of Siloam is a big blessing from God. I myself brought my Holy Bible to the site and took time out to read the verses about Lord Jesus’ healing of the blind man. Me and our group companions got blessed all throughout the pilgrimage tour of the Holy Land.
Going back to Chapter 9 of the Book of John, the biblical account is a lively reminder that we must always have unwavering faith in Lord Jesus, follow the lead of the Holy Spirit, live on with the truth that miracles and super natural healing are only possible with Him, and we must never allow religion, unbelief, traditions, biblical distortions, idolatry, rituals and the wickedness of the world to get in the way of our faith in Him. We need to seek Lord Jesus first and follow His light. We need to be faithful to the Lord always and I encourage you to read the following holy scriptures below…
Now faith brings our hopes into reality and becomes the foundation needed to acquire the things we long for. It is all the evidence required to prove what is still unseen. This testimony of faith is what previous generations were commended for. Faith empowers us to see that the universe was created and beautifully coordinated by the power of God’s words! He spoke and the invisible realm gave birth to all that is seen.
Hebrews 11:1-3 (TPT)
Therefore then, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us,
Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1-2 (AMPC)
As you can see, Hebrews 11:1-3 and Hebrews 12:1-2 connect well with the healing of the man who was previously blind at the Pool of Siloam which is the result of him being faithful and trustful to Lord Jesus who helped him and gave him a direction. It is his faith in God’s only begotten Son that is the highlight of the miraculous healing at the ancient pool. Jesus is clearly the finisher, the author, the leader and source of our faith!
As John 9:1-41 includes the unbelieving religious Jews who excommunicated the healed man and came into conflict with Lord Jesus Himself, let me remind you not to get into conflict with the lost and the unsaved, and never ever fall into anti-Semitism (prejudice against the Jewish people) which is still a global disease and proof that being worldly is unholy.
Do not reject the Jews who reject Lord Jesus. Instead, you should keep on persevering to love and bless the Jewish people, preach God’s Word to them, share your testimony with them and help (not force) lead them to Jesus so that they can decide for themselves to accept Him as Lord and Savior. The pilgrimage tour in Israel proved to be a very holy and enlightening experience for me and I can clearly say that Israel has a special place in my heart. This is not surprising at all because visiting Israel was God’s answer to my prayers and it was destiny for me to join the pilgrimage tour through my local church. There is nothing like witnessing the Holy Bible come to life while visiting many sites where the recorded events happened. The Holy Bible is more than just a book – it is the living Word of God and it is eternally holy!
Along the way, I encourage you all to stand united with Israel no matter what happens within the country and around the world. Israel is clearly the land that God designated for the Jewish people and His declaration stands way above the so-called rules and philosophies of wicked worldly entities or groups like the United Nations, Amnesty International, Black Lives Matter (BLM), Iran, the so-called state of Palestine, the U.S. Democrat party and others. Learn from the holy scriptures below…
And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; no longer shall your name be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name.” So he called his name Israel. And God said to him, “I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come from your own body. The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give the land to your offspring after you.”
Genesis 35:10-12 (ESV)
Now the Lord had said to Abram:
“Get out of your country,
From your family
And from your father’s house,
To a land that I will show you.
I will make you a great nation;
I will bless you
And make your name great;
And you shall be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
And I will curse him who curses you;
And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Genesis 12:1-3 (NKJV)
Finally, to the readers who are about to visit the Holy Land, I encourage you to verify with your tour group leader the inclusion of the Pool of Siloam in the itinerary of Jerusalem. Israel is a great and holy place to visit! Visit Israel with the Holy Bible! Pray to the Lord and reveal to Him your heart’s desire to visit Israel to deepen your faith in Him. Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus!
Watch out for more Israel 2023 travel articles here. There is more to come!
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 wild 1990s by examining one of the many tales of Marvel Comics’ 2099 line of franchises, specifically through the Hulk 2099 monthly series.
For the newcomers reading this, Hulk 2099 first appeared in 2099 Unlimited #1 (1993)which also had his origin story told. Hulk 2099 was not a mere version of the classic Incredible Hulk with a futuristic touch. In fact, the futuristic green creature highlighted the protagonist John Eisenhart as a very selfish and obsessed Hollywood studio executive who happens to stumble upon the idolaters/worshipers of the classic Hulk Bruce Banner because he was searching for new properties and stories for his studio. Hulk 2099’s origin has notable similarities to that of the classic Hulk and gamma radiation exposure is one of them. As tales of the futuristic Hulk were told through the quarterly releases of 2099 Unlimited, Marvel decided it was time to give the green creature his own monthly series.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Hulk 2099 #1 published in 1994 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Gerard Jones and drawn by Malcolm Davis.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins with the Hulk of 2099 destroying security droids and verbally attacking civilization. As he retains the intellect of John Eisenhart, he expresses his opposition against civilization for keeping people out of the water reclamation zone.
The story then shifts to California where Lotus Entertainment (Eisenhart’s employer) and its crew work on producing a film which is a dishonest telling of Eisenhart’s dealings with the Knights of Banner (already eliminated in 2099 Unlimited #1). During the production, one of the executives notices the absence of Eisenhart.
Elsewhere, John Eisenhart drives his flying car with Knights of Banner youth survivor Gawain as his passenger. Already struggling with the guilt over the deaths of all the adult Knights of Banner members, Eisenhart intends to end his employment and cash out of his contract. Gawain remains hostile towards Eisenhart.
Quality
The creative team used flashback images that look really similar to what was told in 2099 Unlimited #1.
If there is anything that is very obvious to talk about, it is the fact that this tale shows a radically different John Eisenhart who wants to get out of Hollywood’s multiple mazes of crookedness as he feels very guilty over what happened to the Knights of Banner. This happens just as a new entity took corporate control of Eisenhart’s employer before he could leave the company. In many ways, Eisenhart’s distress and struggle with being guilty reminds me a lot about Hardcase of the Ultraverse and the way the creative dramatized him was engaging.
For the story, there is a lot of corporate intrigue going on and Eisenhart’s failure to quit quickly was inevitable because the new enemy he faces here has a lot to do with the sudden takeover of Lotus Entertainment. At least on face value, this looks like an attempt by the creative team to change the status quo and move Hulk 2099 to a new creative direction away from what was established in 2099 Unlimited. Without spoiling the details, I can say that something very significant happened before the comic book’s ending and it will impact readers who followed the futuristic Hulk’s stories closely in the 2099 Unlimited series.
Along the way, there is a lot of action and unfortunate physical happenings which symbolize the chaos concept of the script. The notable thing here is that you won’t see very much of Hulk 2099’s monstrous form as the script was specifically written to tell a tale that went beyond one issue. Clearly, the creative team were sparing Hulk 2099 for a conflict in the next issue.
Malcolm Davis’ art has that visceral aesthetic that fits the established look of Marvel’s 2099 universe of the time but there were instances when he showed so much happening, the visuals looked chaotic and even disorienting. In fairness, his take on Eisenhart, Quirk, Gawain and others made them looked recognizable.
Conclusion
The future of Commiewood, wokeness, and dishonesty.
While its story has little of the green monster in it, Hulk 2099 #1 (1994) does a decent job building up the tension on top of the guilt-filled Eisenhart while setting up events that looked like a bold new creative direction was coming. By the time this comic book was published, several Hulk 2099 tales were already published in the quarterly 2099 series. On its own, this comic book lightly builds up the lore of the 2099 universe as it was clearly focused on Hulk 2099’s creative concept and characters.
While Eisenhart was indeed determined to change, it is a turnoff to see him lie and exaggerate details to protect himself from a certain corporate psychologist who is after the truth. There is also a lot of anti-corporate expressions here which seems to suggest that someone within the creative team had been thinking with socialist concepts and decided to use the script as an outlet of expression. The weird but true thing is that by today’s standards, Hollywood is filled with Commies/socialists/Marxists/liberals/woke nuts from the film crew up to the executives that run studios and produce films or shows that are dumb, lies about reality, self-centered and extensions of their ideologies. This showed that this comic book was prophetic in some ways.
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back, superheo enthusiasts, 1980s arts and culture enthusiasts, DC Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the late 1980s to explore a part of the DC Comics shared universe through a tale of the Queen of Superheroes herself…Wonder Woman!
In my previous retro review, Wonder Woman’s spiritual superior Hermes makes his presence felt on Earth as she continues her interaction with members of the local society. Unsurprisingly, a great disturbance happens with the people as they let their guard down after witnessing something supernatural. This made things more complicated with Wonder Woman who has been trying her best doing her duty as Themyscira’s representative while maintain the personal relationships she established with certain mortals. And then something wrong happened with Hermes.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Wonder Woman #24, published by DC Comics in 1989 with a story written and drawn by the late George Perez.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins Vanessa Kapatelis at home watching news on TV about the strange attack on Hermes. In the city of Boston, two police officers find a man sitting with junk at a wall who cannot help but be very scared of something. The man points to a certain building very nearby.
Beneath the foundation of the building, the earth rumbles with very eerie sounds. The gorgon Euryale and Ares’ son Phobos are on top of a pit and below them is Ixion, the first mass murderer to have ever walked the earth. It turns out, Ixion has long been chained to a large wheel that not only restrained him but also tortured him. The generations of torture disfigured Ixion as well. Hermes, who was defeated very recently, cannot help but be shocked at the sight of Ixion whom he left imprisoned in another place. Phobos tells Hermes he could thank his foolish Olympians as they were so busy with the cosmic migration, it paved the way for him (Phobos) to sneak into Hades and pull out Ixion.
It turns out, it was Hermes who forged the unbreakable chains holding Ixion and only he could break it. Euryale, who wears Hermes’ mystical hat, mocks Hermes. Phobos reveals that he has Hermes’ caduceus all to himself and then uses it to capture and harness energy which he uses to free Ixion.
Suddenly, the building crumbles and Ixion emerges with Hermes caught firmly by his oversized hand. The rise of Ixion terrifies the people of Boston…
Quality
Look at how intimidating Ixion is while Hermes is so helpless and pathetic.
Wow! This is one epic Wonder Woman tale that has a nice blend of fantasy, action and 1980s American culture. The stakes within this comic book are so high as a result of the disaster caused by Ixion who really put many people’s lives in danger. Ironically, the huge scale of disaster did not attract the assistance of other superheroes within the shared comic book universe of DC and this only made Wonder Woman’s involvement more significant. Not only would you see Wonder Woman really struggle with fighting Ixion, you will also see her struggle emotionally and logically when she deals with the helplessness of her superior Hermes (who is rather pathetic here and he really looks like a reject from Olympus) and facing the raging evil of Phobos while trying to prevent any further loss of life. By the way, Ixion here is more than just being one large monster for Wonder Woman to face off with.
While this is indeed a tale heavily loaded with action, the script by Perez sheds light on key themes that are indeed worth thinking over. For one thing, how should Wonder Woman handle herself upon realizing her lord Hermes becomes vulnerable and unworthy of godly authority? How should people deal with idolatry (which is foolish and unholy) when they realize a mythical figure like Hermes is so helpless not so long after he convinced them with his amazing display of the supernatural? More on relationships between mortals and powerful beings, how can an ordinary human like Julia Kapatelis really maintain a sisterly bond with Wonder Woman whose powers and responsibilities are so tremendous and are beyond the reach of humanity? There definitely is something engaging to reflect over in this comic book and the richness behind the writing (as opposed to the visual spectacle) is undeniable.
Themes aside, Perez also crafted very rich dialogue which is very evident near the end of the story. I won’t say which characters engaged in the rich conversation but I assure you it is worth getting this comic book for. The said conversation is not only philosophical but also marks another step in the development of the characters involved.
Conclusion
Wonder Woman unwinding.
Wonder Woman #24 (1989) is indeed a great Wonder Woman tale and it is a significant improvement over issues #22 and #23 with regards to storytelling, conflict and characterization. This comic book is a lively reminder about how great George Perez proved to be when it comes to writing. It has lots of superhero spectacle to keep readers entertained but ultimately it is Perez’s writing that made this one a great read. It certainly has aged well and by the time you read this particular comic book, you will really miss the late Perez. Lastly, this Wonder Woman tale should serve as a lively reminder to you all that Zeus, Hermes, Aphrodite and all those so-called gods are all false and you should never fall into worshiping them. You engage in idolatry, and you will go to hell. There is only one true God and He has a Son named Jesus who redeemed humanity, established a living covenant with the faithful, died on the cross, overcame death, met with the faithful again and ascended to Heaven with a promise to return.
Overall, Wonder Woman #24 (1989) is highly recommended!
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back, superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts, Marvel 2099 fans and comic book collectors! Today we revisit the Marvel 2099 franchise within Marvel Comics’ shared universe during the 1990s. Specifically speaking, we take a look back at one of the early tales of Spider-Man 2099.
In this retro comic book review, Spider-Man made it back to his home after encountering Vulture 2099 and seeing the low life and inhabitants of the people living in the old City of New York far below. His return, however, is not joyful not only because of the growing tension between Miguel O’Hara and the people his connected with but also because his mother suffered a health-related attack.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Spider-Man 2099 #10, published by Marvel Comics in 1993 with a story written by Peter David and drawn by Rick Leonardi.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins inside a hospital room. Conchata O’Hara is slowly recovering and near her are her sons Miguel (Spider-Man) and Gabriel as well as Dana. Conchata starts to feel and move restlessly but for Miguel (who heard his mother call his brother Gabriel a good son), she was just acting. Conchata then gets up from her bed and Gabriel encourages his brother to talk to her. Miguel responds saying that their mother hates him because he reminds her of his father – George O’Hara. Dana and Gabriel tell him to talk to her…
Quality
Spider-Man takes on the local authorities. Does this make him a criminal or a social justice symbol? Read the comic book.
To put it straight, this comic book tells the story of the O’Hara family complete with flashbacks from key points of the past. Unsurprisingly, Peter David’s writing is very rich and in-depth with details which made it a compelling read in my experience, and it should be more engaging for readers who passionate follow Spider-Man 2099 and his civilian life as Miguel.
Without going too far with the details, I can say that this comic book explains why Miguel has a very uneasy relationship with his own mother who in turn is close with Gabriel while also resentful of George. As this is a Spider-Man 2099 story, you will see Miguel do his best to make his mother understand his views and himself better no matter the rift between them. There is also a notable superhero-related twist within the Miguel-Conchata interactions that readers who have troubled relationships with their own mothers (especially those who engage in idolatry which is foolish and unholy) will find strongly relevant personally. Miguel’s own personal assessment of his 2nd life as Spider-Man alone deserves your deep attention. Again, Peter David’s writing here is literally solid gold in terms of richness and characterization.
Conclusion
A quick look at the past of the O’Hara family.
While there is no good-versus-evil conflict for superhero enthusiasts to look forward to, Spider-Man 2099 #10 (1993) is a highly engaging, character-driven story that highlights Miguel O’Hara on a very personal level while also having enough space to explain to readers why the O’Hara family relationships are strained. There are even flashbacks that nicely dramatized the past and the one scene in which Miguel goes out in public in full costume as Spider-Man will make you wonder what the protagonist really believes in and where he plans to take his life to. Peter David’s writing here made all the difference.
Overall, Spider-Man 2099 #10 (1993) is recommended!
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the wild 1990s and explore the far future of 2099 within the Marvel Comics shared universe through one of the tales of Spider-Man 2099.
In my previous retro review, the futuristic Spider-Man got involved with his era’s version of Vulture (Vulture 2099 to us readers). It turns out, Vulture 2099 is not your typical evil supervillain but the leader of a group of violent radical people who are willing to dominate society with a destructive mindset even though there are other opposing groups around them. And then Spidey 2099 realized something very wrong about the Vulture which leads to a big battle between them.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Spider-Man 2099 #8, published in 1993 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Peter David and drawn by Rick Leonardi.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins with Spider-Man 2099 and Vulture 2099 crashing into the interiors of the ancient St. Patrick’s Cathedral located in old New York City (underneath the modern city). Unsurprisingly, the people inside the cathedral got very surprised about the unexpected entry of the two fighters.
Elsewhere, Miguel O’Hara’s brother Gabriel helps Kasey with her head. She tells him that she saw Miguel but Gabriel does not believe her. Suddenly, members of a gang knock on the door and Kasey opens it.
Inside St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the fight between Spider-Man and Vulture continues. Spider-Man remembers that he has lapsed as a Catholic and he feels very uneasy about the trouble he and his enemy are causing inside the old church structure. Vulture suddenly throws a wooden bench at Spidey but breaks open a glass window and then goes outside. Upon looking outside, Spider-Man notices a group of Vulture’s gang…the Freakers.
Quality
The battle between Spider-Man 2099 and Vulture 2099 is intense and very compelling to read.
Here is the good news about this comic book…the story here is a fitting conclusion to what happened in issue #7. The conflict between Spider-Man and Vulture here was carefully crafted and there were several key moments or scenes the provided readers some breathing room to grasp and understand the society of 2099 New York as well as the conflict between the downtown social groups who are deprived of the higher standard of living many miles above them. In some ways, the social divisions portrayed in this comic book is a sad reminder about modern day America and the many radical groups or gangs of people who divide society on race, ethnicity, social class, gender and ideology.
As expected, there is a lot of action executed in the fight between Spider-Man and Vulture of 2099 but there were pauses in between. This is not surprising considering how Peter David crafted the action-packed battles Spidey 2099 had with other enemies in the comic books released before this one. Without spoiling what happened, I can say that the battle between the two was nicely built-up and the conclusion turned out very satisfying to see.
Still on the story, Peter David added some layers of complexity into the conflict that easily made things much more difficult for Spider-Man 2099 on a personal level. I’m talking about his brother Gabriel and Kasey getting involved in the gang war against the Freakers.
Vulture 2099 is once again a standout opposition figure here. Not only is his ability to fly and cause chaos above his obsessed Freakers below is symbolic, his distorted, hardcore beliefs are reflected with his unrelenting use of violence as he fights Spider-Man. Not only that, he turns out to be very philosophical thanks to the rich dialogue Peter David came up with. It is also here that the futuristic Vulture is opposed to God and being the socialist-indoctrinated person he is, he easily blames Alchemax for God’s absence. This should remind you that through Vulture 2099, evil comes with fatal attraction that people could not realize until it is too late. The futuristic Vulture has a lot of common with the evil leaders of Black Lives Matter, Antifa, the Democratic Socialists of America and the long-time regime of Iran. Lastly, I should state that radical socialists are always wrong about God and they often live with distorted perceptions about Him. Vulture 2099 qualifies as a woke figure of 2099 and ultimately wokeness is foolishness.
Speaking of sub-plots, this comic book emphasizes Tyler Stone on how he handles ambitious projects of Alchemax that he believes will benefit people. His interactions with Dana here also sheds light about his very own obsession about the future of humanity.
Conclusion
Spider-Man in trouble with the Vulture’s gang members.
With rich writing, notable in-story details and a very well designed conflict between the futuristic Spider-Man and Vulture, Spider-Man 2099 #8 (1993) is both very engaging and entertainting to read from start to finish. It is a great pay-off to what was built-up in issue #7. Very notably, the conflict between Vulture 2099 and the protagonist is great to see and it is clear that Vulture is not a disposable supervillain but one of the most definitive forces of opposition against Spider-Man 2099. Of course, as comic book history turned out, Vulture 2099 made it in the crossover comic book event between classic Spider-Man and Spidey of 2099. Along the way, the creative team succeeded with expanding the lore of 2099 and the social underclass of New York.
Welcome back, my readers and fellow Christians! In this newest edition of my Christian Music Appreciation (CMA) series, we will focus on Lord Your Goodness, an original worship song of Hillsong Worship with lyrics written by Reuben Morgan.
If you want to discover and learn more about Hillsong Worship, I encourage you to click here (Facebook page), here (Instagram) and here (YouTube).
Before getting into the analysis of the Biblical relevance of Lord Your Goodness, posted below for your reference are the lyrics composed by Reuben Morgan.
I will come to You with an open heart
And bring a sacrifice of praise
I have seen Your power in the holy place
And I have known Your mighty ways
–
I will remember Your mercy
And Lord Your faithfulness
–
Lord Your goodness and Your love will follow me
All the days of my life
I’m surrounded with the favour of the Lord
Always and forever
To begin with, let’s take a close look at the first section of the lyrics above: I will come to You with an open heart, And bring a sacrifice of praise, I have seen Your power in the holy place.
The above lines emphasize that we the faithful children must always come to Him with open hearts and that means being completely transparent and honest with Him as there is simply no hiding of darkness nor sin deep within. To be born again in Christ means having His Spirit – the Holy Spirit – in the heart and always prioritizing the Lord with complete honor and obedience towards Him. Remember when you were still living your old sinful life? You not only had a closed heart hardened by sin, you also had a heart that did not have the Holy Spirit which clearly means it was not a heart of worship. For the lost and unsaved souls thinking about coming to God, always open your heart first before coming to His Jesus for repentance and getting born again. If you are an unsaved or lost soul who still has unholy elements in your heart (note: homosexuality, political correctness, wokeness, idolatry, religion, Marxism, socialism, Communism, atheism, agnosticism, transgender obsession, terrorism, fascism and others), you must get rid of them all and you must reject Satan before you come to the Lord for salvation. Be ready to repent to Him. Once you have a fully opened, worship-oriented heart, praise is inevitable for everyone to do to realize the Lord’s power and holiness. Learn from the scriptures below…
But the moment one turns to the Lord with an open heart, the veil is lifted and they see. Now, the “Lord” I’m referring to is the Holy Spirit, and wherever he is Lord, there is freedom. We can all draw close to him with the veil removed from our faces. And with no veil we all become like mirrors who brightly reflect the glory of the Lord Jesus. We are being transfigured into his very image as we move from one brighter level of glory to another. And this glorious transfiguration comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:16-18 (TPT)
And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
Ezekiel 36:26-27 (ESV)
Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (MSG)
What joy overwhelms everyone who keeps the ways of God, those who seek him as their heart’s passion!
Psalms 119:2 (TPT)
Through Him, therefore, let us constantly and at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name.
Hebrews 13:15 (AMPC)
Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and the earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and Yours it is to be exalted as Head over all.
Both riches and honor come from You, and You reign over all. In Your hands are power and might; in Your hands it is to make great and to give strength to all.
Now therefore, our God, we thank You and praise Your glorious name and those attributes which that name denotes.
1 Chronicles 29:11-13 (AMPC)
Next, take a close look at the following lines of lyrics: I will remember Your mercy, And Lord Your faithfulness.
The mercy and faithfulness of the Lord are undeniably true and real. While there are still lots of religious people who believe the falsehood that the Lord is always very strict and rarely grants mercy, His mercy is actually great and He is compassionate as well. The Lord is faithful (lasting loyalty and trustworthiness in relationships) and His love for His faithful children is connected with faithfulness, mercy and compassion. Lord Jesus proved it all to be true and real. Learn from the holy scriptures below…
And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.”
Exodus 34:6-7 (NKJV)
It is because of the Lord’s mercy and loving-kindness that we are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions fail not.
They are new every morning; great and abundant is Your stability and faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22-23 (AMPC)
The Rock, his work is perfect,
for all his ways are justice.
A God of faithfulness and without iniquity,
just and upright is he.
Deuteronomy 32:4 (ESV)
For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.
John 3:16 (AMPC)
By the time Jesus came ashore, a massive crowd was waiting. At the sight of them, his heart was filled with compassion, because they seemed like wandering sheep who had no shepherd. So he taught them many wonderful things.
Mark 6:34 (TPT)
There failed no part of any good thing which the Lord had promised to the house of Israel; all came to pass.
Joshua 21:45 (AMPC)
This is why he had to be a man and take hold of our humanity in every way. He made us his brothers and sisters and became our merciful and faithful King-Priest before God; as the One who removed our sins to make us one with him. He suffered and endured every test and temptation, so that he can help us every time we pass through the ordeals of life.
Hebrews 2:17-18 (TPT)
For God’s Word is something to sing about! He is true to his promises, his word can be trusted, and everything he does is reliable and right.
Psalms 33:4 (TPT)
The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and abounding in mercy and loving-kindness.
The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works [the entirety of things created].
Psalm 145:8-9 (AMPC)
Celebrate with praises the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has shown us his extravagant mercy. For his fountain of mercy has given us a new life—we are reborn to experience a living, energetic hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
1 Peter 1:3 (TPT)
Next, take a close look at the following lines of lyrics:Lord Your goodness and Your love will follow me, All the days of my life, I’m surrounded with the favour of the Lord, Always and forever.
As the faithful children of God, we have His favor, His love, His goodness and much more. To be faithful to Him and living by His Word (and spreading it) are our responsibilities as Christians. Our faith in Him must always be unbreakable and unwavering. We reject idols and reject unholiness because we are meant to be with the Lord and follow His ways in accordance to His Word. Never forget our union with Lord Jesus, the Heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit. Learn from the holy scriptures below…
Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear, revere, and worship You, goodness which You have wrought for those who trust and take refuge in You before the sons of men!
In the secret place of Your presence You hide them from the plots of men; You keep them secretly in Your pavilion from the strife of tongues.
Psalm 31:19-20 (AMPC)
For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].
Ephesians 2:10 (AMPC)
Oh, thank God—he’s so good!
His love never runs out.
All of you set free by God, tell the world!
Tell how he freed you from oppression,
Then rounded you up from all over the place,
from the four winds, from the seven seas.
Psalm 107:1-3 (MSG)
Give thanks to God—he is good
and his love never quits.
Say, “Save us, Savior God,
round us up and get us out of these godless places,
So we can give thanks to your holy Name,
and bask in your life of praise.”
Blessed be God, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
Then everybody said, “Yes! Amen!” and “Praise God!”
1 Chronicles 16:34-36 (MSG)
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:2 (NKJV)
God, everyone sees your goodness, for your tender love is blended into everything you do.
Psalms 145:9 (TPT)
Jesus explained, “I am the Way, I am the Truth, and I am the Life. No one comes next to the Father except through union with me. To know me is to know my Father too.”
John 14:6 (TPT)
No one is holy like the Lord,
For there is none besides You,
Nor is there any rock like our God.
1 Samuel 2:2 (NKJV)
Jesus commented, “Even more blessed are those who hear God’s Word and guard it with their lives!”
Luke 11:28 (MSG)
It is confirmed and obvious that Lord Your Goodness is a very holy worship song as the Lord anointed Reuben Morgan on writing the lyrics. The same can be said about others at Hillsong Worship who worked behind the scenes on making Lord Your Goodness. The evidence of holiness is spread all over the lyrics and brought to life even more musically.
As it is holy and captures the biblical messages about the goodness of our Lord, I strongly recommend the use of Lord Your Goodness for your local church’s Sunday worship service as well as in praise-and-worship events that involve the church’s music team. Lord Your Goodness is a lively reminder of not only of His goodness, but also of the love, blessings, care, attention and compassion towards each and every faithful child of His with established personal relationships with Him.
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Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back, superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts, Marvel 2099 fans and comic book collectors! Today we revisit the Marvel 2099 franchise within Marvel Comics’ shared universe during the 1990s. Specifically speaking, we take a look back at one of the early tales of Spider-Man 2099.
In this retro comic book review, the futuristic Spider-Man finally made his way back uptown after spending time in the old city of New York down below where he saw people living in poverty, violent gangs and Vulture 2099.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Spider-Man 2099 #9, published by Marvel Comics in 1993 with a story written by Peter David and drawn by Kelley Jones.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins at the Wellvale where Conchata O’Hara (mother of Miguel and Gabriel) suddenly suffers an attack from inside her body. The medics were called for emergency.
Elsewhere, Spider-Man jumps with excitement and relief after finally making it back from deep down the modern city. He almost gets hit by a hover car and decides to stop for a while at an isolated spot to calm down and reflect about what happened recently. He just defeated Vulture in battle below prior to climbing back up.
Suddenly, an armed Public Eye flyboy tries to apprehend him. After making getting near the flyboy and making himself look like he was about to submit himself, the flyboy communicates with his team. During that short moment, Spider-Man fires his organic web at the flyboy’s mouth which causes him to fire his weapon and miss. Spider-Man then knocks the flyboy out cold, leaving the communication line hanging…
Quality
The idolaters of Spider-Man 2099 spotted.
Considering everything that happened to Spider-Man in the previous few issues set deep underneath the modern city, this tale was crafted to develop the webslinger’s personality some more while showing for the first time ever the group of Spider-Man 2099 idolaters who are so obsessed, they go around wearing their idol’s costume and even take risks imitating his physical abilities (example: crawling on the wall). There is no good-versus-evil conflict here but more exploration of the modern society Miguel O’Hara has long been part of.
For one thing, at this point of the monthly series, Spider-Man 2099’s misadventures and acts in uptown New York not only caused disturbance with the modern society watched over by Alchemax, he also sparked a new group of people who perceive him to be their holy savior. This kinda reminds me of DC Comics’ very own Sons of Batman which is a youth group inspired by Batman, and to see the Marvel 2099 have its own version of the concept is a pretty neat move by the creators.
Speaking of characterization, the complexities of the relationships between Miguel O’Hara with his brother Gabriel, his mother Conchata, his romantic interest Dana and the relationships the others have with each other begin to really grow in this issue. The good news is that Peter David not only provided solid dialogue for each character but also clearly defined their respective personality traits and thoughts about others. To see Gabriel personally reacting to Kasey’s reaction towards Spider-Man’s body was amusing and even a bit hilarious.
On the artistic side, Kelley Jones work here as guest illustrator was nice to see and certain visual elements of his work on Batman comic books also made it here. The result is a nice change of style and a new approach of showing visual details. I should state that even though his art style is radically different from that of Rick Leonardi, Jones managed to make the established characters look recognizable to me.
Conclusion
Kelley Jones’ visuals on Spider-Man 2099 is nice to see.
Spider-Man 2099 #9 (1993) is clearly a more characterization-oriented story which is a nice change of pace and approach considering the chaotic story developments of the previous few issues. This comic book also shows that Spider-Man 2099 continues to encounter challenges in both local society and personally. The revelation of idolatry and idolaters connected to Spider-Man added a new layer of foolishness and evil to the local society (for insight, click here and here). At this stage of the monthly series, something new was clearly brewing for the futuristic webslinger and this showed that Peter David laid out his plans for the direction of the series’ narrative. Lastly, Kelley Jones’ work here really stands out.
Overall, Spider-Man 2099 #9 (1993) is recommended!
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.
#3Worship 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.
Author Carlo Carrasco 