Tag: Inclusion

A Look Back at The Solution #14 (1994)

A Look Back at The Solution #14 (1994)

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

Welcome back superhero fans, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Ultraverse fans and comic book collectors! Today we revisit the Ultraverse through the monthly series of The Solution.

Under the direction of the late James Hudnall, issues #9, #10, #11 and #12 told a very wild and compelling story about The Solution that literally was out of this world and gave readers a wide view of the vastness of the Ultraverse. Issue #13 meanwhile saw The Solution involved in a crossover storyline that involved Prototype, Solitaire and the Night Man. Just what happened next in The Solution series?

With those details laid down, here is a look back The Solution #14, published by Malibu Comics in 1994 with a story written by the late James Hudnall and drawn by Huang Nguyen.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins when an armed, muscular man carrying two large guns sees Dropkick. He immediately fires at him. Then he sees Shadowmage and Tech and then fires at them. It turns out they are just non-moving physical models. The aggressive use of weapons is called Incoming. He is a Communist Cambodian man who was hardened by the events in his native country and he served the tyrant Pol Pot by killing others. He is living with brutality and unstoppable rage which makes him dangerous to The Solution.

In New York, Black Tiger anticipates the arrival of a van carrying heroin set to be released to buyers. Suddenly a gang of thugs serving the Pump appear heading attacking the van. Black Tiger suddenly comes in and kills many of the thugs.

On a far-away location in Hong Kong, a fighter called Bloodshed finds himself surrounded by five other fighters who are determined to kill him…

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The three assassins in a meeting for a mission against The Solution.

I’ll get straight to the point here. This comic book has the most jarring story I have read about this series and even among all the Ultraverse comic books I have read so far. The story was truly a build-up of an opposing force composed of assassins who are serving one powerful boss who really targets The Solution. It’s so alienating to read this tale that never really had Tech, Outrage, Dropkick, and Shadowmage at all.

More on what was presented here, Hudnall exerted effort to build up the three assassins (note: they all appeared in issue #1) not merely as villains but as characters with background details that emphasize their personalities. Incoming is a veteran Communist who lives with intense violence which is connected to the events that happened in his past. Considering his background and how he appears, Incoming looks like a fantasized version of Rambo but in Asian form that modern day Communists in America (read: SJWs, diversity freaks, inclusion freaks and socialists) would love to have in their Satanic Leftist movement. Black Tiger, who has this uncanny offensive capability, is similarly violent as he witnessed lots of killing, rapes, robbery and drug deals in his life and went on to join the Dragon Fang gang. Bloodshed meanwhile grew up with opium acquired by his family, joined a gang at a young age and got trained with violence to rise up.

As the three assassins were being prepared for an anticipated rematch with The Solution, the story here really looked like it was crafted to be a direct follow-up to issue #1. That being said, The Solution’s impact against crime was also emphasized with some interesting details told.

On the visual side of things, Huang Nguyen gave this comic book a new but not so polished look. There’s not enough visual detail on his art on the characters. In fact, the three assassins were not that recognizable to me when I first read this comic book and I had to go back to issue #1 to view how they looked in it. On action, Nguyen’s work looks sub-par in quality and presentation. There were even some cartoonish moments along the way.

Conclusion

Five against Bloodshed.

The Solution #14 (1994) is so far the weakest story I’ve read in this series as well as one of the weakest Ultraverse stories I’ve read so far. It is truly a build-up for an upcoming conflict with The Solution which so happens to focus mainly on the villains. You won’t find The Solution themselves here at all and this for me is a turn-off. Ultimately, the story feels hollow and the assassins Incoming, Black Tiger and Bloodshed are themselves not too interesting as Ultraverse villains.

Overall, The Solution #14 (1994) is unsatisfactory.

+++++

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/.

A Look Back at Harbinger #7 (1992)

A Look Back at Harbinger #7 (1992)

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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 and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the early 1990s and explore a part of the Valiant Comics shared universe through the Harbinger monthly series.

In my previous retro review, Sting, his teammates and Solar left the Harbinger facility in Texas after having an intense talk. As far as Solar is concerned, Sting is dangerous and irresponsible. He also advises the powered teenagers to abandon their mission of crushing Toyo Harada. As soon as Solar leaves, Sting decides to lead his teammates back to the Harbinger facility to resume their quest without any real preparation nor analysis. This led to a series of unfortunate events.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Harbinger #7, published in 1992 by Valiant Comics with a story written by Jim Shooter and drawn by David Lapham.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins late one evening on a road in Louisiana. Sting, Kris, Faith and Flamingo are agonizing over the sight of Torque who was just been killed by an insider while inside an ambulance.

As Flamingo starts the model prayer, Sting reveals to them that he was inside Torque’s mind and witnessed him bidding goodbye. As the police suddenly arrive, Sting and his teammates quickly climb up a tree and watched from a distance. As the cops check on the wreckage and Torque’s dead body, Sting says that the ambulance was probably registered to Eight Day or some phony front for Harbinger. Faith, Sting, Flamingo and Kris discreetly fly away to get some rest and reorganize themselves.

Elsewhere, a team of powered young adults receive much-needed assistance from the Eight Day crew and truck that arrived. They have a few teammates who got seriously injured during their battle with Sting’s team. Harada’s limousine arrives and the head of Harbinger talks with Weasel and Rock. While the two young adult tell Harada they eliminated Torque whom they identified as priority number two, the powerful boss tells them of their personal weak points and that they lost their focus on eliminating Sting who is the number one priority as he is perceived to be the greatest threat to Harbinger. Harada declares Weasel and Rock placed on probation…  

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Sting and his team commit another crime for the sake of their departed friend Torque.

The best way to describe this story is that it is essentially the aftermath of the hard battles they went through in issues #5 and #6. The main theme in this comic book is the loss of a friend (as opposed to the loss of a super human) and Jim Shooter used the loss to redevelop the main characters in varying ways. That being said, Shooter showed what the false sense of maturity among teenagers is like and why such young people lose self-control and let their emotions overwhelm their ability to reason. The pain of Torque’s death conveniently kept Sting, Faith, Flamingo and Kris from feeling any guilt about the crimes they committed (as seen in issue #2) as their leader’s obsession with beating Harada remained unchallenged. For those who love dramatics, the funeral scene is a must-see.

Apart from the story of Sting and his teammates, this comic book sheds light further on the Harbinger foundation’s use of powered young adults who were trained to use violence without any regret nor restraint. In relation to this, I find the dialogue of Toyo Harada during his interaction with Weasel and Rock to be richly layered as it emphasizes his authority and insight about priorities as well as his own in-depth knowledge on each member of his personnel. This makes Harada even more intimidating as this series’ primary super villain.

Conclusion

The impact of Torque’s death is felt strongly.

While it lacks spectacle as it was focused more on character development related to the loss of an established main character, Harbinger #7 (1992) is a dramatic character study that was compelling to read from start to finish. While the previous few issues subtly showed that the boundary between good and evil was blurred away, this comic book dramatized Sting, Faith, Flamingo and Kris to be more human and emotional. The death of Torque in the previous issue really showed its impact on his teammates realistically. Readers who enjoy dramatics will enjoy this.

Overall, Harbinger #7 (1992) is highly recommended!

+++++

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

A Look Back at Tomb Raider #1 (1999)

A Look Back at Tomb Raider #1 (1999)

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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 and comic book collectors! Today we go back to 1999 which was the year when the wildly popular Tomb Raider video game franchise made its debut in comic books handled by Top Cow Productions with Image Comics as publisher.

To put things in perspective, Tomb Raider started as a video game in 1996 which astounded millions of gamers worldwide resulting in huge sales for game publisher Eidos Interactive. This, of course, led to sequels which impacted console gaming and established Lara Croft as a video gaming and pop culture icon. From 1996 to 1999, Eidos Interactive released one new Tomb Raider game on consoles selling many millions of copies. Given the tremendous video game success achieved, Tomb Raider’s expansion into the comic book industry was inevitable.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Tomb Raider #1, published in 1999 by Image Comics with a story written by Dan Jurgens and drawn by Andy Park.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins in Iran, a nation that remains hostile to Westerners due to their government being led by fundamentalists with vested interest in terrorism. Two vehicles arrived at a very laid back town and immediately several armed men forcibly unmask the local women searching for a certain Westerner.

One Iranian soldier approaches a lady clothed and masked in black. Upon unmasking the said lady, the Iranian soldier discovers a lady from the West…the Tomb Raider herself – Lara Croft – wearing an extravagant looking necklace. The Iranian soldier puts his gun on Lara’s face and demands she takes the necklace off.

Lara Croft answers by firing her two guns at the Iranian soldiers hitting some while also forcing other soldiers to run away. Knowing she has to get out of Iran, Lara runs away from the soldiers and gets into a jeep forcing the man to drive the vehicle and move away. As the jeep moves out of the town, a truck full of enemy soldiers chases them…

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Lara Croft relaxing as her assistant gets updates about the business dealings.

To get straight to the point, this comic book debut of Tomb Raider and its iconic Lara Croft was clearly written to build up the initial concept the creative team came up with for the series. That being said, Dan Jurgens came up with the clever move to make Lara’s literary introduction action-packed and fast-paced, and his portrayal of Iran remains highly relevant to this day. Lara’s debut is a lively portrayal of the icon’s bravery, determination and special talent on acquiring treasure or items of tremendous value.

In relation to what I stated earlier, the rest of the comic book is a detailed build-up for Lara’s next mission which shows how she deals with powerful clients and why she still accepts million-dollar tasks even though she inherited her family’s huge wealth. While there is a lot of build-up and some exposition here and there, the script by Jurgens is not a bore Jurgens captured Lara Croft’s personality well and there is a good amount of spectacle that balanced well with the wordy exposition that came with the story build-up.

On the art, Andy Park’s work here is pretty good to look at. His visual take of Lara Croft does not involve realism at all as he gave her a look that make her look familiar with how women in comic books looked like in the 1990s. Park clearly is aware of Lara’s iconic status which explains his implementation of dynamism on the action scenes and the unexpected turnout of events that involved her. Still related to the protagonist’s iconic status, it is unsurprising to see Park show off Lara as a sexy action hero dedicated on her risky work.

Conclusion

After getting threatened, Lara Croft fights back against the Iranians! This is symbolic as even until now in real life, Iran’s government is still full of fundamentalists who are causing terror in the Middle East.

As it was the debut issue of a monthly series, Tomb Raider #1 (1999) served its purpose to build up the comic book vision the creators came up with while managing to introduce Lara Croft in her illustrated literature form complete with enough pages of action and spectacle. Even though there is no grand event, this is still an entertaining comic book to read and its build-up never created a single boring moment. By the time I reached the end of this comic book, I got to familiarize myself with literary Lara Croft and more importantly, I got interested enough with this small showcase of what Jurgens and Park prepared. I got interested enough to find out what happens next.

Overall, Tomb Raider #1 (1999) is recommended.

+++++

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

A Look Back at Harbinger #5 (1992)

A Look Back at Harbinger #5 (1992)

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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 and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the early 1990s and explore a part of the Valiant Comics shared universe through the Harbinger monthly series.

In my previous retro review, Peter/Sting, Kris, Faith/Zephyr, Charlene/Flamingo and John/Torque plus Ax returned from space. Due to his traitorous act against them, Ax was dropped by the team with a sense of rejection. It turns out, months had passed by on Earth which really shocked Sting and his teammates.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Harbinger #5, published in 1992 by Valiant Comics with a story written by Jim Shooter and Janet Jackson, and drawn by David Lapham.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins on March 5, 1992 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Sting, Fatih, Flamingo, Kris and Torque are on vacation together. With hours to spare before having a group dinner, the team decide to split up and have fun discovering the local places individually.

That evening, while having a nice dinner together, Kris notices Sting looking tense. Sting reveals that he senses the presence of Toyo Harada and moments later, he and his teammates saw the TV news about the terrible explosion on a building in Dallas, Texas.

Over at the airport in Dallas, Toyo Harada arrives from Louisiana. He and his personnel travel together to the site of the explosion…

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Harada arrives in Dallas, Texas.

I really liked the story here. Without spoiling the plot, the writers crafted a tale about a major incident that affected not only Sting and his teammates but also the Harbinger foundation  (including Toyo Harada himself) and even Valiant’s major figure Solar. Along the way, the creative team slightly expanded the lore of Harbinger within Valiant’s shared comic book universe further (specifically through the Harbinger foundation) before the crossover with Solar happened.

The story started in a really interesting way. I really enjoyed the way Sting, Faith, Kris, Torque and Flamingo were portrayed when they were not doing any superhero-related stuff as they enjoyed their vacation New Orleans. That being said, I felt like I was watching scenes of American teenagers from the 1980s movies written or directed by John Hughes. The scene in which Faith surprised Torque in the city zoo was amusing and believable to read.

Conclusion

Flamingo, Kris, Torque and Faith on vacation in New Orleans.

With a fine balance of spectacle, characterization, exposition and the obvious crossover with Solar, Harbinger #5 (1992) is yet another solid Valiant comic book to read. The progression of the development of Sting and his teammates moved forward some more while simultaneously building up the presence of the Harbinger foundation as the most antagonistic non-military organization in the entire Valiant comic book universe of the era. This is a must-read!

Overall, Harbinger #5 (1992) is highly recommended!

+++++

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

A Look Back at X-Men #30 (1994)

A Look Back at X-Men #30 (1994)

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

Welcome back, superheo enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts, X-Men fans and comic book collectors! Today we revisit the X-Men monthly series of the 1990s and look back at one of its most significant events it ever published – the wedding of Scott Summers/Cyclops and Jean Grey. By the time this particular comic book was published, the 30th anniversary celebration of the X-Men (note: Read my Fatal Attractions storyline retro reviews by clicking here and here) had just been concluded and that includes a major change of direction for the iconic X-Men member Wolverine. It is also notable that the X-Men had Sabretooth contained within Charles Xavier’s mansion (for retro reviews, click here, here and here).

With those details laid down, here is a look back at X-Men #30, published by Marvel Comics in 1994 with a story written by Fabian Nicieza and drawn by Andy Kubert.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins inside Xavier’s mansion. Jean Grey reads a handwritten letter from Logan/Wolverine, who left the household after getting traumatized from their last encounter with Magneto. Logan refers to her and Scott Summers as special. While reading, Jean is already in her fancy wedding dress being assisted by her mother and storm as Rachel Summers looks on. For Jean, the wedding is about her dedication on spending the rest of her life with Scott as well as possibly gaining Rachel (who comes from one possible future) as a daughter.

Professor X with four of his original team members plus Alex Summers.

Elsewhere in the mansion, the groom Scott spends quality time with his original teammates Bobbdy Drake/Ice Man, Warren Worthington/Archangel and Hank McCoy/Beast. With them also is his brother Alex Summers/Havok. Alex tells Scott that the day of his wedding is the first day of the rest of his life which causes Bobby to say something inappropriate.

Suddenly, Professor X comes in to join them…

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Jean Grey in her wedding dress with her mother, Storm and Rachel Summers present.

To get straight to the point here, this comic book serves two purposes: highlighting Scott and Jean’s relationship to an all new level with the wedding as the main event, and offering long-time or die-hard X-Men fans a whole lot of stuff to chew on. Very clearly, Fabian Nicieza wrote the script with X-Men fans in mind while also making references to the past with some creative touches or shortcuts so that the comic book would not be bloated with excessive fan service.

The wedding itself was executed nicely by the Nicieza-Kubert team and was clearly conceptualized to not only be memorable for the fans but also creatively serve as a major pay-off to all those years of Scott and Jean Grey being together early as teammates, getting separated temporarily and getting together again (note: they were also the original X-Factor team). Right after the wedding was executed, the visuals and words elevated the emotions higher and any long-time X-Men fan will find the moment sentimental.

Opposite the wedding are several scenes showing the other X-Men characters plus those from X-Factor and X-Force (with a not-so-recognizable Cable present). The dialogue written ranged from sentimental to comedic. And then there were also a few lines that I felt were just thrown in as fillers.

As far as visuals go, Andy Kubert’s art here are pretty good to look at. While he did his best to really make the story visually appealing and memorable, there were a few panels of art that look rushed.

Conclusion

So many guests. Can you recognize many of them?

Since it highlights the wedding of Scott and Jean Grey with several other X-Men-related characters mixed in, X-Men #30 (1994) is clearly a commemorative story made with X-Men fans in mind. While a lot of work was done to make the story momentous on its own, readers who are unable to immerse themselves deeply into the X-Men mythos (plus X-Force, X-Factor and others) prior to reading this comic book won’t be able to relate to the wedding and the character moments very much. While it may not be significant to newcomers who find this comic book for the first time, it still marks a significant chapter in the history of X-Men within the Marvel Comics universe of the late 20th century. For the long-time fans who were able to read enough of Scott and Jean Grey’s times together from 1963 until the early 1990s, this is one X-Men tale that they can relate with deeply.

Overall, X-Men #30 (1994) is recommended.

+++++

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

A Look Back at Jurassic Park #4 (1993)

A Look Back at Jurassic Park #4 (1993)

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

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1993 for another look at Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park in the form of licensed comic books published by Topps Comics.

In my previous retro review, I found issue #3 to be much more entertaining than the two previous issues mainly due to the thrills and suspense that were the result of the comic book creators’ interpretation the encounter between Dr. Alan Grant’s group and the Tyrannosaurus Rex at its paddock (with the fence no longer electrified due to Dennis Nedry’s dirty act). While the said comic book still had lots of exposition and a wordy presentation, the pace of the storytelling notably moved a bit faster overall.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Jurassic Park #4, published in 1993 by Topps Comics with a story written by Walter Simonson and drawn by Gil Kane with ink work done by the late George Perez. This comic book was the fourth of a 4-issue mini-series based on the Spielberg-directed movie.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins at the ruined side of the Tyrannosaurus Rex paddock. Lawyer Gennaro is dead while Dr. Ian Malcolm got serious injured as a result of being chased by the T. Rex. The same T. Rex is right in front of Dr. Alan Grant and teenager Lex with the flipped, ruined vehicle near them (with Tim still inside). Knowing that the huge dinosaur’s vision is based on movement, Grant tells Lex to stand perfectly still no matter what happens. As they try to make their slow move to safety, the T. Rex suddenly moves the ruined vehicle against them by the wall of the still deactivated fence. While holding Lex with his left arm, Grant grabs a loose cable to break their fall as the vehicle got pushed over the edge. Several feet down, Grant and Lex land safely as the vehicle hits the ground.

Over at Jurassic Park’s control center, John Hammond is outraged over what happened as Nedry left them (secretly carrying the stolen dinosaur embryos) and their safety systems are all down. Hammond dispatches Robert Muldoon to go out and rescue his grandchildren, and Ellie Sattler volunteers to help out. Struggling with the computer, Ray Arnold tells his boss that there is no way to get Jurassic Park back on-line without Nedry.

Elsewhere within the park, Dennis Nedry struggles to find his way to his destination. Suddenly, his vehicle slips and loses traction…

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This is how the memorable scene of the Raptors and Hammond’s grandchildren was adapted.

Let me start by stating what is very obvious here….this comic book is easily the most enjoyable and fastest-moving adaptation of the key events of Spielberg’s movie (from the T. Rex encounter until the end of the film) albeit with some signs of rush and creative short-cuts. It is also here where the exposition has been lessened and the creators focused more on adapting the cinematic dialogue and the remaining scenes along with the spectacle. The narrative is clearly rushed and it is amusingly amazing to see how the creators managed to cover the remaining events of the movie (note: Dennis Nedry’s death, Robert Muldoon’s tragic encounter with the raptors, Ellie Sattler’s struggle to reactivate the park’s power system, and the varied encounters with the raptors were included) to fit within the pages of this very comic book. In my reading experience, it still worked.

While it is flawed in its execution, this comic book managed to click as a pay-off to the build-up that happened in the first three issues. There is a decent amount of action and sudden moments of incidents here and there, and still the creators managed to tell their own interpretation of the remaining events from the movie.

This is how Dennis Nedry’s death and the loss of the canister (containing the stolen dinosaur embros) were portrayed in this comic book.

Gil Kane’s art on the dinosaurs are somewhat good but in what seems to be a sign of behind-the-scenes production rush, his visual take on the T. Rex’s unexpected heroic moment and struggle with the two raptors was drawn with a lack of precision on size and scale. Such literary translation only made me want to return to the movie itself and replay the said scene (which was climactic cinematically speaking). Surprisingly, Gil Kane managed to visualize a few but noticeable bloody moments particularly with the respective deaths of Dennis Nedry (to the Dilophosaurus) and Robert Muldoon (to the raptors).

As the focus here has always been the adaptation of cinematic events, it is unsurprising that there really was no room for character development. Dr. Grant is the only one who showed any real change from being rough on children (as seen in issue #1) to becoming more caring on them (specifically John Hammond’s grandchildren) due to incidents. All the development on Dr. Grant took four issues both literally and visually. John Hammond could have been developed a lot more if only the dialogue was not too limited with the focus on adapting movie dialogue. Speaking of adaptation, the cinematic error about the instant drop (from the perimeter fence of the T. Rex paddock opposite the road) also made it in this comic book.

Conclusion

This is a creative and clever way the comic book creators combined elements of two separate film scenes into a single sequence with readers in mind.

Even though it had a rushed narrative, Jurassic Park #4 (1993) ironically managed to be the most enjoyable issue of the 4-issue mini-series adapting the blockbuster movie. It has the most amount of spectacle, more dinosaur visuals for dinosaur enthusiasts to enjoy, and the pace moved much faster. Compared to each of the previous issues, this one was a breeze to read and there were bouts of fun. As a companion piece to the blockbuster movie, the 4-part Jurassic Park movie adaptation mini-series served its purpose to translate its events within the limits of illustrated literature. While it does not obviously capture the magical moments nor the sentimental elements of Spielberg’s work, this mini-series managed to complete its own interpretation ultimately creating stuff that could satisfy the brainy comic book reader, the reader who loves thrills and the reader who is simply obsessed with dinosaurs. It is somewhat symbolic that this final issue had the most fun stuff.

Overall, Jurassic Park #4 (1993) is recommended.

+++++

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

COVID-19 Crisis: Online registration process for the first booster shot for immunocompromised minors (aged 12-17) of Las Piñas City is ongoing

COVID-19 Crisis: Online registration process for the first booster shot for immunocompromised minors (aged 12-17) of Las Piñas City is ongoing

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In relation to the increased number of COVID-19 cases happening all around Metro Manila, the City Government of Las Piñas recently launched the online registration for the first COVID-19 booster shot (or the 3rd shot following two doses of most COVID-19 vaccines) specifically for local minors aged 12 to 17-years-old, as reported in the Manila Bulletin. The registration is still ongoing.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…

The Las Piñas city government announced that the registration of minors aged 12 to 17 years old under the immunocompromised category is now open to receive their first booster shot.

Mayor Imelda Aguilar told parents or guardians of immunocompromised minors to register at https://laspinascityonline.laspinascity.gov.ph/immunocompromised for their schedule of vaccination of first booster shot.

Aguilar urges residents to answer the question properly including the sickness of the child placed under the immunocompromised category.

She said the vaccination of (first) booster shot for immunocompromised children will be conducted in hospitals.

The mayor encouraged all the parents and guardians to register their children, aged 12-17 years old, for them to get additional protection against the Covid-19 disease.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a Las Piñas City resident, what is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a parent with a child aged 12 to 17-years-old who has been vaccinated with two shots already, are you planning to help your child avail of the first booster shot?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me 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/

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

Star Ocean: The Divine Force all set for October 27, 2022 release on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One plus Windows PC (via Steam)

Star Ocean: The Divine Force all set for October 27, 2022 release on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One plus Windows PC (via Steam)

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After many months of waiting since the initial announcement of Star Ocean: The Divine Force coming to Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One and Windows PC (via Steam), Square Enix finally announced that the new sci-fi Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) is coming to the declared platforms on October 27, 2022.

To put things into perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the official announcement on Xbox.com written by Square Enix Content Communications Manager Duncan Heaney. Some parts in boldface…

Get ready for an adventure that’s out of this world… literally! Star Ocean The Divine Force launches October 27 on Xbox!

This latest entry in the Star Ocean series features a fascinating story that fuses science fiction and fantasy, astonishingly responsive real-time combat, and an almost unparalleled level of freedom.

Add the innovative Dual Protagonist system, which lets you pick between two main characters each with their own journeys and companions, and it’s shaping up to be a stellar adventure in more ways than one – read on and I’ll tell you all about it.

What’s the story of Star Ocean The Divine Force? – The Pangalactic Federation has changed. Once it stood for peace, tranquility, and justice, but, but now it assimilates entire planets against their will.

Raymond Lawrence is the captain of the merchant vessel Ydas. One day, he departs from the nonfederated planet of Verguld on what seems like a standard transport job, but when his ship’s fired upon by the Pangalactic Federation battleship Astoria, he’s forced to crash land on the underdeveloped planet Aster IV.

Action moment from the game.

Separated from his crewmates, and under attack by vicious local wildlife, Raymond is saved by Laeticia Aucerius – the princess of the Kingdom of Aucerius: a large territory located on the underdeveloped planet of Aster IV.

The two embark on a mission to save her land from a warmongering neighbor and find his missing companion.

However, the shadow of the Pangalactic Federation looms large…

What kind of game is Star Ocean The Divine Force? – That setup paves the way for a sprawling action RPG that’s full of twists and turns, secrets to find, fast-paced, strategic combat. The dual protagonist system lets you choose between Raymond and Laeticia, and the events you experience and the allies you build will be different depending on who you play as.

Regardless of which character you pick, you’ll enjoy an amazing feeling of freedom because not only can characters traverse the vast environments of Aster IV from ground level, they can also soar up into the sky and fly around in the air!

Want to fly to the top of a cliff to see what’s there or soar between the buildings in the city like a sci-fi superhero? It’s all possible, and it’s a real thrill to be able to explore many of the nooks and crannies of this detailed world so easily.

This is Elena, the first mate of the merchant vessel Ydas.

Of course, Aster IV has plenty of dangerous areas and sooner or later you’ll run into one of the vicious beasts that prowl the wide expanses of the planet.

Combat in Star Ocean The Divine Force is incredibly fast-paced, with super high-speed movement and attacks, and some awesome skills, such as the ability to vanish for a brief moment right in front of your enemies’ eyes, or even take them out in a single hit!

The pace and fluidity of combat, combined with the glorious freedom of traversal, makes for a game that feels just wonderful to play – I can’t wait for Xbox fans to experience it yourselves!

The above article on Xbox.com mentioned that Star Ocean: The Divine Force will come out on Xbox platforms in a Digital Standard Edition ($59.99) as well as a Digital Deluxe Edition ($74.99). The more expensive edition includes a game’s official soundtrack, as well as some in-game items, including an Armor pack, and Accessory pack.

While it is a fact that Square Enix has no intention to release the Final Fantasy VII Remake and Final Fantasy XVI on Xbox, Star Ocean: The Divine Force plus The DioField Chronicle and Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion are their confirmed releases that JRPG fans and other gamers of the Xbox ecosystem can look forward to. More on JRPGs coming to Xbox that Square Enix is not involved with, there are also Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes and the Persona games to anticipate.

Star Ocean: The Divine Force on Xbox platforms is something that JRPG fans can look forward to this October.

Going to Star Ocean: The Divine Force has that recognizable action-oriented gameplay of the game franchise. Still I cannot understand why the developers went for the plastic, dolly looking aesthetic on their characters. More notably, it remains to be seen if their storytelling in the new game will be any good. Regardless, Xbox gamers and Windows PC gamers who love JRPGs should watch out for Star Ocean: The Divine Force on October 27, 2022.

In closing this piece, posted below are Xbox-related videos plus a few Star Ocean: The Divine Force videos for your enjoyment.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me 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/

Maynilad officially launches “New Water” project

Maynilad officially launches “New Water” project

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Even though a lot of its customers in Bacoor City, Imus City, Cavite City, Las Pinas City, Muntinlupa City, Noveleta, Cavite, Paranaque City, and Rosario, Cavite are suffering from water service disruptions which will keep continuing, water concessionaire Maynilad officially launched their so-called new water project with some guests (note: I published a pre-launch article and you can read about it right here).

The way Maynilad defines it, new water “involves the recycling of used water for potable application.” To see the complete announcement and see who were included in the group photo celebrating the New Water launch, click https://www.mayniladwater.com.ph/maynilad-officially-launches-new-water/

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from Maynilad’s official New Water project launch announcement. Some parts in boldface…

For its pilot implementation of the New Water project, Maynilad built a ₱450-million modular treatment plant that will collect the treated used water discharged by its Paranaque Water Reclamation Facility and convert it to drinkable water. This will yield 10 million liters of New Water per day, which will be fed into the distribution system for blending with the standard drinking water from Maynilad’s La Mesa Treatment Plants before being conveyed to Barangays San Isidro and San Dionisio in Parañaque City. The New Water that Maynilad produces has recently been given a Certificate of Potability by the Parañaque City Heath Office. The New Water project is Maynilad’s initiative to add to its alternative raw water source options so it can better augment supply during times of shortage.

The New Water project is indeed nice and a breakthrough for those who require potable water for consumption and other uses. Still, it can’t be helped that the launch happened at a time when a lot of paying customers of Maynilad went through water-less periods in recent times. Parañaque, the one city that benefits early from the New Water project, had lots of residents in six villages who endured several hours of water service interruption under Maynilad. In the nearby city of Muntinlupa, Maynilad customers there had no access to water for more than 24 hours and the water service problems will continue until the end of the month.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a Maynilad customer who recently endured several hours of having no access to water in your local area, how do you rate Maynilad’s quality of service? Do you believe Maynilad’s New Water project will benefit you soon? Do you think the New Water project will somehow solve the water supply problem of Maynilad anytime soon? Do you perceive the New Water project launch to be special or was it badly timed as it happened when so many Maynilad customers are suffering from water supply problems?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me 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/

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

A Look Back at Jurassic Park #3 (1993)

A Look Back at Jurassic Park #3 (1993)

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

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1993 for another look at Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park in the form of licensed comic books published by Topps Comics.

In my previous retro review, the comic book still had the creative issues of heavy exposition and being very word-heavy to read as the creators focused on adapting the movie’s story closely (from the iconic brachiosaurus scene up to the encounter with the triceratops). Compared to issue #1, the comic book’s narrative improved temporarily as it closely adapted the lunch-and-talk scene between John Hammond, Donald Gennaro, Ellie Sattler, Alan Grant and Ian Malcolm whose dialogue was easily the most engaging in both film and in literary format.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Jurassic Park #3, published in 1993 by Topps Comics with a story written by Walter Simonson and drawn by Gil Kane with ink work done by the late George Perez. This comic book was the third of a 4-issue mini-series based on the Spielberg-directed movie.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins with the group of Alan Grant, Ellie Sattler, Ian Malcolm, Donald Gennaro and the two kids Lex and Tim who are shocked to see a living triceratops. The large dinosaur, however, falls down on its side causing Ellie Sattler to go near and examine it. Gerry Harding, a Jurassic Park employee, suddenly appears and explains that the triceratops was tranquilized by Robert Muldoon and has been sick. After examining the dinosaur further, Ellie wants to have its droppings examined.

Back in the control room of Jurassic Park, Ray Arnold explains to John Hammond that the center of an approaching story has not changed course and states that he likes to cut the current tour and resume the next day. He emphasized to Hammond that the storm is risky to those on tour.

Just across the room, Dennis Nedry (who secretly cut a deal with a business rival of inGen’s and has been frustrated working for John Hammond) carefully communicates with the captain of the ship that will depart once all the workers have boarded. Knowing he is running out of time to steal the dinosaur embryos and send it to Biosyn, he starts his move with Jurassic Park’s main system…

Quality

While the sequences of the T.Rex going after Ian Malcolm are not the same as those in the movie, the dinosaur itself really looks creepy.

When it comes to entertainment value related to spectacle, I can say clearly that this issue really marked the beginning of fun in this 4-issue mini-series. This is because this comic book includes the appearance of the Tyrannosaurus Rex (T.Rex) which arrived just when Alan Grant, Ian Malcolm, Lex, Tim and Donald Gennaro are helpless sitting inside vehicles that stopped by the said dinosaur’s paddock with the fences no longer electrified.

Of course, the minutes-long T. Rex scene in the movie remains memorable as it had a well-blended mix of suspense, action and some horror directed by Steven Spielberg. This comic book’s creators did their best to replicate the experience in illustrated literature format. While it’s not surprising that the essence of the T.Rex paddock scenes in movie were not perfectly captured, this comic book’s adaptation still managed to be entertaining to read showing suspense, horror and some thrills plus Gil Kane managed to even make the infamous dinosaur look frightening. Very clearly, Kane went all-out in presenting the T.Rex as the main dinosaur not only in this comic book but for the whole mini-series.

While the T.Rex paddock scene is the highlight of this comic book, the scene with the triceratops proved to be another exposition-heavy presentation laced with pretentious science and technical explanations dealing with plants, animal health and the like. Meanwhile, the scenes about John Hammond, Robert Muldoon and Ray Arnold struggling with the failures of the park systems while Nedry betrays them secretly were pretty intense to read.

Conclusion

Lots of exposition and creative explanations in this scene about the sick triceratops.

So far, I find Jurassic Park #3 (1993) to be the most entertaining issue so far thanks to the way the comic book creators adapted the Tyrannosaurus Rex paddock scene from the movie. While the narrative still had lots of exposition and creative explanations that started since issue #1, the consequential events of Dennis Nedry’s acts intensified the reading experience and the T.Rex scenes really ramped up the fun factor.

Overall, Jurassic Park #3 (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. 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/