Tag: John Hebert

A Look Back at X-Men Adventures Season II #9 (1994)

A Look Back at X-Men Adventures Season II #9 (1994)

carlocarrasco

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

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the mid-1990s to explore the adaptation of the second season of the famous X-Men: The Animated Series (X-Men TAS) in the form of the X-Men Adventures comic book series.

Before getting to the new retro comic book review, I should state that the subject X-Men Adventures comic book will involve Carol Danvers in a supporting role (in rather creative ways). Yes, I’m talking about the one character who in the history of the Marvel Comics shared universe was identified (in no particular order) as Ms. Marvel, Binary, Warbird and as Captain Marvel. As the subject comic book was published in 1994, Carol Danvers here is obviously not the woke garbage version played by Brie Larson in the movies.  

With those details laid down, here is a look back at X-Men Adventures Season II , published in 1994 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Ralph Macchio and drawn by John Herbert.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins at night in New York City. There, Mystique and Mister Sinister have a serious talk. Sinister believes that without Charles Xavier’s presence, the X-Men are very vulnerable and they will eventually become disorganized and fall down quickly.

Over at the mansion of Xavier, Rogue wakes up from a very intense nightmare which prompts Cyclops and Gambit to calm her down. Rogue reveals that she has been having very disturbing visions ever since Professor X disappeared. It turns out, Xavier helped her previously by using his mental abilities to block out the unpleasant memories of hers.

Jean Grey enters the room and she reveals (in response to Cyclops’ question) that she ran a computer search on the woman Rogue saw the other day and came up with several pictures. As soon as Rogue examines the pictures, she then remembers who the woman is which causes her to be consumed by another vision from deep inside her mind. She sees Ms. Marvel…

Quality

There is a lot of stuff here that Rogue fans will enjoy.

The first obvious thing about this comic book is that it is a character-driven tale told mainly through Rogue. In fact, this is actually a creative portrayal of Rogue’s origin written for TV by Marty Isengerg and Robert Skir, and Macchio’s adaptation here made a really solid reading experience for me.

Without going too much into spoiler territory, I can say that this origin story of Rogue was not only written for TV viewers in mind but also crafted to cater to what was back then the modern tastes of X-Men fans in general. I’m talking about 1990s X-Men and society specifically and the thing is, everything here aged well. Nothing here feels out of place. I should also state that Rogue’s upbringing are well worth exploring here.

The writing by Macchio and art by Hebert are of high quality and this comic book is really worth reading again from start to finish. The emotions channeled through Rogue are very intense without ever reaching to the point of showing her insane. Hebert’s art, meanwhile, fills every page with a good amount of visual details complete with strong facial expressions (including some very scary faces from Mystique and Ms. Marvel) and some dynamic superhero action that really spiced up the reading experience.

As mentioned earlier, Carol Danvers appears in a supporting role and the creative team came up with clever ways to emphasize the character both visually and through dramatics. The way Danvers is portrayed here should inspire readers to go out and read Marvel’s published comic books of her as Ms. Marvel. The same thing can be said about Rogue whose origin and gradual rise from an occasional character (a super villainess no less) to a prominent superhero told through Marvel Comics’ shared universe are worth revisiting.  

Conclusion

A very disturbed Rogue in the presence of her teammates.

X-Men Adventures Season II (1994) is indeed a very powerful and gripping character-driven comic book that will appeal to fans of Rogue, the X-Men and Carol Danvers. Considering the wholesome aesthetic of the X-Men animated series TV episode, this comic book has a much darker presentation that will strongly appeal to X-Men fans who want a more serious portrayal to read. As it was mainly focused on Rogue, I can say that the conflict was nicely built up and the resolution was a strong pay-off. Very clearly, the Macchio-Hebert creative duo really delivered great stuff.

Overall, X-Men Adventures Season II (1994) 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 X-Men Adventures Season II #8 (1994)

A Look Back at X-Men Adventures Season II #8 (1994)

carlocarrasco

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

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the mid-1990s to explore the adaptation of the second season of the famous X-Men: The Animated Series (X-Men TAS) in the form of the X-Men Adventures comic book series.

Before getting to the new retro comic book review, I should state that it is indeed very challenging to implement the concepts of time travel and timeline conflicts into the narrative of an established X-Men universe. As far as the X-Men TAS narrative goes, Bishop and Cable are mutants who each came from different points in the future and in different ways they each made impact with the present day X-Men as portrayed in the comics (the literary X-Men specifically).

With those details laid down, here is a look back at X-Men Adventures Season II , published in 1994 by Marvel with a story written by Ralph Macchio and drawn by John Hebert. The is the 2nd chapter of the Time Fugitives storyline.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins on Earth in the far future of 3999 AD. Cable, who has been leading the fight against Apocalypse, is receiving information from his cube-shaped computer which informs him that a temporal storm has wreaked havoc with the time stream and their present is reconfiguring in response to the existence of a new past. Once realignment gets completed, everyone in the current timeline will cease to exist. Cable then learns that Bishop (who returned to the X-Men in the previous issue) is the primary chronal component of the time readjustment.

Meanwhile in the present day inside Xavier’s mansion, the X-Men listen to Bishop who explains that mutants will be blamed for the plague that a certain virus will precipitate and that the fear of the virus will make things much worse for many people. He states that the virus was not brought into being by mutants.

Beast then shares that his investigation of a viral-ridden cell sample was convincing and discovered that the virus was genetically engineered. He reveals that once the little germs spread to the mutant population and combine with mutant DNA, it could turn out incredibly deadly…

Quality

Conflict brewing in front of a huge audience.

To be straight to the point, what the creative team started in issue got strongly concluded here. With the animated episode’s teleplay being the primary reference, writer Ralph Macchio successfully crafted a script that raised the stakes of the 2-part Time Fugitives story while tying closely the gaps with regards to the time travel and timeline conflicts concepts. Without spoiling the plot, I can say that one development that took place in the present day clearly set off the stage for another futuristic mutant to not only get involved but also make a huge impact on the narrative.

As with the previous issue, this story has elements of xenophobia as well as fear of viruses and potential massive infections which added a good layer of depth to the plot. Macchio’s writing is very strong and no matter how intense the tale got as more details got presented, it still remained very readable and efficient to follow. Also, I should say that Apocalypse’s presence turned out very powerful and it should inspire readers to search for comic books of the supervillain’s conflict with the X-Men and X-Factor for insight.

John Hebert returned on the visual department and his art style really works well with both the sci-fi concept of the story and the presentation of the X-Men plus Bishop and Cable. I really admire Hebert’s stylized take on Wolverine, Cable and Bishop as he made each them look even grittier than before. There is also this creepy vibe with the way Hebert drew some of the X-Men members’ faces. Herbert is also very good with visualizing sci-fi elements such as energy forms, futuristic machines, techno-virus forms on the skin, and more. His presentation of dynamic superhero action is great to look at. This is clearly one of the best looking issues of Season II of the X-Men Adventures series.

Conclusion

Bishop explains things to the X-Men and Beast confirms key details.

X-Men Adventures Season II (1994) is a rock-solid comic book in terms of quality and impact. It concluded the 2-part story with a powerful resolution, it tied the loose ends in a very timely fashion and I really enjoyed the way how the X-Men were dramatized as Bishop and Cable got involved with them in their present day setting. So far, this is the most satisfying and more impactful issue of Season II I have read in this series.  

Overall, X-Men Adventures Season II (1994) 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 X-Men Adventures Season II #5 (1994)

A Look Back at X-Men Adventures Season II #5 (1994)

carlocarrasco

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

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the mid-1990s to explore the adaptation of the second season of the X-Men animated series in the form of the X-Men Adventures comic book series.

Before getting to the new retro comic book review, I should state that I visited Canada only once. Even before my one and only visit there, I knew through the comic books that famous character Wolverine is a native of Canada and a former member of Alpha Flight (Canadian government-sponsored team of mutant operatives). Somewhere in his past, he was live test subject of Weapon X. I have to mention this because the X-Men Adventures about to be reviewed here is focused on Wolverine.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at X-Men Adventures Season II , published in 1994 by Marvel with a story written by Ralph Macchio and drawn by John Hebert.

The cover.

Early story

The story somewhere in the wilderness in Canada where Wolverine helps free an animal that was stuck. Suddenly, Alpha Flight’s Vindicator appears and reminds Wolverine of the fact that he deserted them to work of Charles Xavier. It turns out, Wolverine is back in Canada to visit Heather.

Moments later, he finds himself surrounded by Vindicator’s teammates Puck, Shaman and Sasquatch, and tells them that he is never coming back to Alpha Flight. Even though two more members of the Canadian team joined in, Wolverine manages to avoid defeat in battle and hides away.

As he listens to Alpha Flight from a distance, he hears Vindicator mentioning that a certain lab is expecting their team. This causes Wolverine to remember the traumatic time he had as a live test subject of Weapon X…

Quality

A look back at the time Wolverine joined the Canadian government-sponsored superhero team Alpha Flight. Would you want to join a unit serving the woke Canadian government of Justin Trudeau in real life?

I should mention first that the teleplay by the late Len Wein contains a very solid and sensible interpretation of Wolverine’s Weapon X origin (with a modern touch for the 1990s) which turned out to be a detailed reference for Ralph Macchio to adapt into this comic book.

That being said, this comic book’s plot of Wolverine going to Canada for a solid purpose and encountering challenges – both from his past with Alpha Flight and others – while bringing back his painful Weapon X past turned out to be a really engaging read. The Weapon X flashback scenes added a depth to the story as well as Wolverine’s portrayal in this adaptation. You will see the clawed X-Men member being tough and gritty as usual, and yet you will witness his fragile side as he becomes personally troubled about the past.

The appearance of Alpha Flight here was put to good use. Apart from the revelation of Wolverine’s past membership with them, you will see the team truly operate with a clear goal as mandated by their government (note: this is clearly not the ultra-woke, Islamo-Leftist government of Justin Trudeau). In fact, this tale gives readers a glimpse of how the Canadian government analyzes and decides what to do with Canadians who are very exceptional and are more valuable than many other citizens. Alpha Flight is the government’s tool which is strongly emphasized here.

Apart from the plot focused on Wolverine, this comic book managed to move the sub-plot of Magneto and Charles Xavier forward a bit.

Conclusion

A Weapon X flashback.

X-Men Adventures Season II (1994) has a very engaging and fun tale focused on Wolverine who encounters his fellow Canadians. Anyone who loves the clawed X-Men member will have a lot to enjoy here. The appearance of Alpha Flight here (as well as in the X-Men TAS episode) added a good layer of depth to the plot while also emphasizing the shared Marvel universe in a controlled manner. Lastly, artist John Hebert’s artwork on Wolverine is really good and his high level of visual detail on other characters and locations should be seen.

Overall, X-Men Adventures Season II (1994) 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 X-Men Adventures Season II #3 (1994)

A Look Back at X-Men Adventures Season II #3 (1994)

carlocarrasco

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

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the mid-1990s to explore the adaptation of the second season of the X-Men animated series in the form of the X-Men Adventures comic book series.

Before getting to the new retro comic book review, I should state that even though streaming is the norm for millions of people who love entertainment, it would be nice if the classic X-Men: The Animated Series (X-Men TAS) would someday get released on Blu-ray disc format. Even though many X-Men fans are streaming, there are still those who prefer collecting physical releases of what they enjoy. Really, watching entertainment with Blu-ray or 4K Blu-ray format is much better than streaming.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at X-Men Adventures Season II , published in 1994 by Marvel with a story written by Ralph Macchio and drawn by John Hebert.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins at the border of Kenya and Tanganyika where Mount Kilimanjaro rests. Something destructive emerges at the top of the mountain causing great disturbance on the people below. At a village, two black persons could not help but notice a demonic figure coming down at them. One of them gets possessed by it.

Meanwhile at their headquarters in Westchester County, New York, Jean Grey uses Cerebro to comprehensively scan the world to find Professor X’s location. What Jean detected was a psychic plane which catches Beast’s attention.

Shortly after, Rogue arrives with Storm who just returned from a hospital. As Jean updates them both, Storm realizes that the location of the psychic plane is in Africa…

Quality

Rogue in Africa with Storm.

The first thing I should confirm here is that there is a nice jump in the visual quality – in terms of style and detail specifically – thanks to illustrator John Hebert. Hebert’s work here is a nice relief compared to the rushed works of Andrew Wildman in the previous two issues, and he knows when to use the dynamic moments of spectacle and how to balance it with the calm moments. Hebert’s take on Wolverine is really good.

Regarding the story, I like the way the search for Charles Xavier – which was a sub-plot in the previous issues – unfolded while also opening the opportunity to develop Storm as she returns to Africa. In fact, this tale reveals some really engaging details from Storm’s past as well as her personal connection with a certain tribe of black people. These mentioned elements added nicely to the tension of a particular conflict that followed.

In fact, the Storm-centered story was nicely executed by the creative team and there were revelations that were gripping. Along the way, Rogue got a nice share of the spotlight and was a suitable supporting character even though the comic book had new characters.  

Conclusion

Using Cerebro has big advantages.

X-Men Adventures Season II (1994) is a good read and it also has a nice change of geographic setting as it mainly focused on Africa and Storm’s reconnection with her people. Storm is clearly the main character here and this is a solid pay-off as she only had a tiny part in the previous issue. This is a tale – with themes of family, culture and the responsibility that comes with having special talents or power –  that should interest dedicated fans of Storm.

Overall, X-Men Adventures Season II (1994) 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 X-Men Adventures Season II #4 (1994)

A Look Back at X-Men Adventures Season II #4 (1994)

carlocarrasco

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.

Note: Since this retro review mentions both Russia and Ukraine, I encourage you all to help the people of Ukraine (whose lives have been disrupted by Russian forces) by donating to the Ukraine Appeal project of Hillsong Church. Donate now at https://hillsong.com/appeal/

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

To be more specific, we examine a tale of the major X-Men villain Omega Red within the monthly series adaptation of the 2nd season of the animated series. Take note that I previously reviewed X-Men #4 (1991), X-Men #5 (1992) and X-Men #6 (1992) which told the first tale of Omega Red who turned out to have a history of conflict with Wolverine decades prior.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at X-Men Adventures Season II , published by Marvel Comics in 1994 with a story by Ralph Macchio and drawn by John Herbert.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins in the Caucasus located between Ukraine and Georgia. Inside, a group of people work on a scientific operation resulting a power surge. The surge then causes a stasis chamber’s glass to crack. Moments later, Omega Red emerges and he has clear knowledge about who restrained him, who the government leaders and what happened to the Russian empire. He declares that the Russian empire shall live again. In Moscow, three high ranking military officers discuss their secret plan on restoring the Soviet Union. It turns out, the return of Omega Red is the first step for their ambitious plan.

In America, Jubilee encounters a group of activists who hate mutants inside a convenience store. Peter Rasputin/Colossus, the Russian mutant who encountered the X-Men sometime prior, comes into the store to help Jubilee. Afterwards, Jubilee and Colossus travel to Charles Xavier’s mansion – Xavier’s School for Gifted Children – and discuss important matters. He tells her that Omega Red has emerged in Russia and he need to speak to Professor X. It turns out, Xavier disappeared some weeks prior.

As the situation is so desperate for Colossus, he asks Jubilee if she would help him in his struggle to save his nation. Jubilee makes a hasty decision to do so and leaves a handwritten note telling her teammates that she is off to Russia…

Quality

Colossus and Jubilee in Russia.

While this comic book’s cover art easily reminds me of the Wolverine-Omega Red confrontation on the cover of X-Men (1992), the story here is more varied than that mentioned comic book drawn by Jim Lee. As this is an adaptation of the X-Men animated series episode titled “Red Dawn”, it is not surprising to see the spotlight being divided by many characters.

Omega Red, who has been declared as one of the greatest X-Men villains ever, has a somewhat strong presence serving as the main figure of opposition against Charles Xavier’s team as well as the surviving elite remnant of the Soviet Union. Quite amusingly, Omega Red is totally loyal to the Russian empire similar to how James Bond is very loyal to England and the queen. In comparison to issues to of the X-Men monthly series, the history of conflict between Omega Red and Wolverine was very lightly portrayed.  

Wolverine and Omega Red in battle!

As mentioned earlier, the spotlight is shared a lot by many characters which results a lack of a true protagonist among the X-Men. This is not necessarily a problem as Omega Red’s presence had enough strength. The other Russian Colossus, who at the start of the story has not yet joined the X-Men, got a good share of the spotlight among the good guys and that results some quick and efficient exposition to get readers oriented with him, his family and how he became an outcast in his nation because of his mutation.

The plot itself is light on details which is not surprising due to the high amount of exposition which includes a geopolitical look at the remaining loyalists of the Soviet Union living in Russia which saw some of its regions transformed into republics. With regards to superhero spectacle, this one has a good amount of action and I can easily say the biggest attraction is the fight between Wolverine and Omega Red. Just don’t expect it to be as extensive nor as detailed as the ones Jim Lee drew in the adjective-less X-Men series.  

Conclusion

John Herbert’s take on Omega Red was carefully crafted.

X-Men Adventures Season II (1994) is a fun superhero story to read and I find its portrayal of the Wolverine-Omega Red conflict to be interesting knowing it was not part of comic book canon of the time. Apart from the mentioned conflict, there is something for X-Men fans to enjoy here such as Colossus’ return and his new interactions with the X-Men, how Omega Red’s presence causes danger in Russia, and the current whereabouts of Charles Xavier. Lastly, I should state that John Herbert’s art style is engaging to look at and he made Omega Red look intimidating.

Overall, X-Men Adventures Season II (1994) is recommended!

+++++

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