literature – Page 20 – Author Carlo Carrasco

A Look Back at Superman: The Man of Steel #18 (1992)

October 11, 2022October 9, 2022carlocarrasco

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

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the early 1990s and explore a key chapter in the post-Crisis era of DC Comics through a Superman comic book – the first full appearance of Doomsday!

To those of you who read my retro review of Adventures of Superman #498 (1993) – which was the opening chapter of the Funeral for a Friend storyline – you might be wondering why I decided to revisit the Death of Superman storyline so suddenly. It all comes down to context related to Superman’s eventual death and what killed him. Not only did Doomsday become a very important part of DC Comics’ gallery of super villains having achieved the killing of the Man of Steel, the oversized monster became part of DC’s further comic book universe reboots as well as part of multimedia adaptations of DC Comics stories specifically in the Smallville TV series as well as in 2016’s Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice.

Indeed, Doomsday’s place in American pop culture is sealed and that shows how much of an impact was made by the unstoppable super villain co-created by Dan Jurgens, Brett Breeding, Jerry Ordway, Louise Simonson and Roger Stern. Doomsday was conceived way back in 1991 during the brainstorming session of the Superman comics writers and editors of the time.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Superman: The Man of Steel #18, published in 1992 by DC Comics with a story written by Louise Simonson and drawn by Jon Bogdanove. This comic book marked the beginning of the Death of Superman saga.

Early story

The story begins deep underground as the left fist of a covered, large being keeps punching the metallic wall to get out of containment. As the punches keep on pounding the wall, the glove gets torn revealing a fist with gray skin and sharp bones protruding through the knuckles. After making its way out of containment, the earth shakes and the animals got disturbed as the creature – mostly covered with an alien body suit with only the left arm freed – makes its way from deep underground.

Miles away within the city of Metropolis, a young black boy buys a spray paint container (which has a fluorescent yellow paint that glows in the dark) inside a hardware store. In response to the curiosity of the store owner, the boy denies that he would use the glow-in-the-dark pain on a subway wall. The boy has a very tough task ahead of him as he will be going after monsters.

At a power station, a group of intelligent creatures make their way to steal electricity for their war machines…

Quality

*Even with only his left arm free, Doomsday still caused massive destruction causing injuries and deaths to others.*

To make things clear, this comic book tells two stories that moved in parallel together. The first story involving Superman, Lois Lane and the affairs that involved the mentioned young black boy is the typical good-versus-evil superhero tale. What made that story standout was Lois Lane’s involvement as she got into trouble facing the opposition before Superman came in to save the day. As before, seeing Lois Lane talk to Superman in the presence of others while keeping his identity secret remains engaging to read. This tale was good enough to read.

The other story that follows the sudden appearance and the early rampage of Doomsday is the more engaging one to read. This was clearly a build-up for the Death of Superman concept but it was highly effective, well-paced and clearly defined by the creative team. Not only will you see Doomsday’s unstoppable power of destruction, you will witness his complete disregard of life – animals and humans – which strongly hints the an immense danger that Superman, the Justice League America (JLA) and the people of Metropolis are not prepared for. Like the Terminator, Doomsday cannot be reasoned with as massive destruction and death are his core elements. Within the pages of this comic book, it can be viewed that Doomsday was designed for endless waves of destroying life and anything that gets in the way.

Lastly, I should state that Simonson and Bogdanove presented Doomsday not only to be destructive but also as a frightening force that people in real life would not want to see realized.

Conclusion

*The other tale that involved Lois Lane and the young black boy.*

Superman: The Man of Steel #18 (1992) remains a very powerful read. Yes, it is a build-up of Doomsday and the Death of Superman saga but it remains highly significant as it kicked-off the creative change of direction of DC’s Superman creative teams going towards tragedies that Superman and his allies cannot easily stop. This one marked start of Doomsday’s eventual high rise not only in comics but also in pop culture in general. That being said, this comic book is a must-have in your collection.

Overall, Superman: The Man of Steel #18 (1992) is highly recommended.

+++++

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A Look Back at Superman: The Man of Steel #20 (1993)

October 10, 2022August 26, 2024carlocarrasco

Previously, I reviewed Adventures of Superman #498 (1993) which marked the first chapter of the Funeral for a Friend storyline and dramatized the impact left behind by the death of Superman. That particular comic book had strong writing and succeeded in dramatizing how Superman’s friends, associates and other characters coped with his death with the future looking uncertain to them.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Superman: The Man of Steel #20, published in 1993 by DC Comics with a story written by Louise Simonson and drawn by Jon Bogdanove. This comic book marked the third chapter of the Funeral for a Friend storyline.

Early story

The story begins with people in Metropolis struggling to move forward not only because their hero Superman died but also because of the tremendous damage left behind by Doomsday. In his headquarters, Lex Luthor is talking with the telephone surrounded by several people with Supergirl watching. The matter being discussed was the burial of Superman at Centennial Park particularly in a structure Luthor himself donated. While he has to live on with the fact that he failed to kill Superman, Luthor tells himself he can still bury him.

At the Kent farm far away from Metropolis, Jonathan and Martha Kent are agonizing not only because of the death of their beloved son but also because they realized they cannot even get near him at his funeral as it will be organized as a major event with only the important people allowed to attend…

Quality

It seems like destiny to have the super villain Lex Luthor in the presence of a fictionalized Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton during the funeral of Superman. By today’s standards, the Clintons made it normal for America to bow to terrorists and make deals with them. That being said, their inclusion in this comic book is just wrong.

To go straight to the point, like Adventures of Superman #498 (1993), this comic book continues to dramatize the impact of Superman’s death on Metropolis and its people in a very engaging manner. It shows that DC’s creative teams in charge of Superman comic book at the time were really organized and coordinated with each other on crafting the Funeral for a Friend storyline. What makes this comic book stand out is the funeral itself which was organized as a public event (with the burial itself done in the presence of important people – including a very evil couple from the Democrats who love abortion and terrorism) and this includes the presence of many other DC Comics superheroes like Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Flash, Maxima, Shazam (AKA Captain Marvel) and others. The burial had its own share of intriguing and dramatic moments emphasizing the people’s struggle to adjust themselves knowing they don’t have Superman anymore to help them.

*Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and Robin help out as the huge crowd became rowdy.*

More on the post-death dramatization, the creative team managed to keep Superman’s associates Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen and the other Daily Planet people feeling uneasy over the Man of Steel’s death which makes their work covering the funeral professionally a challenge. Unsurprisingly, Lois Lane gets her own fine share of the spotlight agonizing over the fact that she lost her beloved Clark (Superman to the public) whom she was supposed to get married with. The emotional struggle within her intensified as she experiences difficulty of informing the elderly Kent couple about what happened. This is rich writing prepared by the creators.

Not only that, the creative team also went all-out with dramatizing the impact of Superman’s good deeds on the people. You will see several people from Metropolis’ general population talk about how Superman helped them or inspired them. There are certain lines of dialogue that are quite touching to read.

Conclusion

*A pretty powerful portrayal of Lois Lane’s struggle on dealing with the new reality that she lost her beloved Superman.*

Superman: The Man of Steel #20 (1993) is another solid, post-death story emphasizing the new normal that Metropolis people and Superman’s friends are having difficulty adjusting to…a world without the Man of Steel. Based on the high quality of the storytelling and character development, it is easy to tell that the Superman titles’ creative teams planned ahead and prepared themselves for telling a post-death saga which was pretty risky given the iconic status of Superman and his decades-long legacy in comics and pop culture. This comic book really made Superman’s absence feel powerful and undeniable.

Overall, Superman: The Man of Steel #20 (1993) is recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at Adventures of Superman #498 (1993)

October 6, 2022October 7, 2022carlocarrasco

To put things in perspective, the Death of Superman which climaxed in Superman #75 (1993) was a major comic book event published by DC Comics and it sure involved a whole lot of risks taken by the creative teams. To put the storyline’s concept short, Superman was beaten by an overwhelming, deformed alien humanoid from outer space who caused massive destruction around. Having no real choice and knowing that his fellow super-powered allies could not stand a chance against the alien called Doomsday, Superman went all-in fighting and stood up against him while defending Metropolis and its people. Superman #75 went on to sell many millions of copies and became an instant collector’s item.

Of course, just because Superman died does not mean that the shared DC universe at that time would come to an end and DC Comics had to keep on telling what happened afterwards.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Adventures of Superman #498, published in 1993 by DC Comics with a story written by Jerry Ordway and drawn by Tom Grummett. This comic book marked the first chapter of the Funeral for a Friend storyline.

Early story

The story begins just moments after the Superman passed away in Lois Lane’s arms. Jimmy Olsen, the body of Doomsday and a few of Superman’s allies were near them. Bloodwynd and Dubbilex shared their respective findings that there is no life left in Superman. As emergency personnel slowly approach Doomsday’s body, Lois Lane turns emotional stating that someone has to do something for Superman. More emergency personnel arrive and attempt to revive the Man of Steel who remains lifeless.

Nearby, a man spots an unrecognizable human-like body among the rubble which turns out to be alive. Suddenly the red-headed tycoon Lex Luthor arrives to take care of the ruined being and walks away carrying it. Luthor refers to the being as a female…

Quality

*The Ordway-Grummett team should be recommended for this simple yet very dramatic look at the elderly Kent couple reacting to the death of their adopted son from Krypton.*

As a post-death Superman story, it is clear that the creative team carefully explored how the many people of Metropolis would react to the sudden death of the Man of Steal while also leaving some room to set the stage to develop Lois Lane – who at this stage knew Superman’s true identity and kept it all secret – in a new way. There were also sub-plots started here particularly with Lex Luthor and Supergirl, the people working for the Daily Planet and the Kents (Clark’s earthly mother and father). The way all the dialogue and character expressions were crafted, there is an undeniable tone of discomfort and uncertainty which dominated the narrative as I read from start to finish.

What I liked the most about this story was how the creative team showed the heavy toll of Superman’s death on Lois Lane who not only has to deal with the loss of her beloved Clark (perceived by her peers to be missing as a possible victim of Doomsday’s rampage) but also do her best to keep working professionally as a journalist of the Daily Planet. I felt Lane’s pain a lot as I read on.

Conclusion

*Tension and emotions turned high in relation to Superman’s sudden death.*

In my view, Adventures of Superman #498 (1993) is a really gripping and highly dramatic post-disaster superhero tale to read. The way it was made, it strongly kicked off the Funeral for a Friend storyline with high emotions as well as an understandable amount of uncertainty that can be seen in the characters. Understandably, there is no good-versus-evil conflict in the story nor any superhero spectacle to watch out for but the sub-plots implemented added some depth which made this post-death tale worth reading. More notably, the creative team succeeded in making the people – both in the story and the reading public – start missing Superman.

Overall, Adventures of Superman #498 (1993) is recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at Harbinger #19 (1993)

September 14, 2022September 12, 2022carlocarrasco

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, the creative team of Fontenot-Simpson told another story that built up Harbinger’s concept some more while introducing yet another new character – Screen – who is not part of the team led by Sting. The story symbolically showed the further growth of the tremendous power of Toyo Harada not only through his control of the Harbinger foundation but also of his connection with the new United States President of the time.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Harbinger #19, published in 1993 by Valiant Comics with a story written by Maurice Fontenot and illustrated by Howard Simpson.

Early story

The story begins on the afternoon of January 25, 1993. Inside the New York facility of the Harbinger foundation, a pretty blonde, young lady named Natalie Toynbee – codename: Stunner – gets scanned by the technicians handling the technologies. A technician’s request for Natalie to urinate into a cup reveals that the lady has a huge ego and pride of herself as she reacts negatively.

Suddenly, the wall near Natalie and the technician got damaged by force unleashed by Sting who is accompanied by Faith, Flamingo and Shatiqua. Their mission is to free Natalie from the clutches of the Harbinger foundation which is a small part of their long-term vision of freeing and recruiting more powered young adults.

After subduing the Harbinger foundation personnel, Sting begins to explain to Natalie the situation and tells her to just trust him. Sting tells her to come with them which only drew more of Natalie’s ego along with skepticism. This reaction makes Faith think Natalie is not worth saving…

Quality

*Imagine Iran invading America and causing terror like in this scene. Imagine Joe Biden and the Democrats allowing this to happen to Americans.*

While the story was not crafted to follow-up closely on the events of issue #18, this comic book puts Sting and his teammates into a collision course with a new force of evil – the Iranians (note: issue #20 confirms their national identity) who have interests on specific young adults with powers and special abilities. Along the way, the Fontenot-Simpson team introduced a new sinister force in the form of a very manipulative Iranian named Kaliph.

Kaliph’s introduction here is easily the biggest feature of the story and he unsurprisingly overwhelms the debut of Natalie. Kaliph here works in service of his unidentified superiors and as he does his job, he uses his special ability of manipulating people’s minds through sight and sound to gain information, find directions, make them do his orders and gain access into places that he could never have had he been an ordinary person. By the end of the story, I was convinced that Kaliph was created to be an enduring or recurring villain for Sting and his team.

More on the primary characters of this monthly series, Sting and his teammates were portrayed to get more harbingers (powered young adults) to join them and become part of their long-term opposition against Toyo Harada and the Harbinger foundation, even though their own team lacks the resources needed to support themselves. The lack of resources was cleverly highlighted through Natalie’s reactions (related to her big ego) to what Sting’s team has for her to live with. Looking at the bigger picture going back to issue #1, Sting’s vision of defeating Harada and winning the trust of powered young adults without any solid foundation (specifically resources, connections and security) emphasize his recklessness and false sense of maturity as a team leader.

Conclusion

*Kaliph and his companion arrive in America with a sinister plan.*

In my view, Harbinger #19 (1993) is a solid change of direction for the monthly series complete with the introduction of a new, strong villain who originated from Iran which by today’s standards is the major force of terrorism in this world. The new villain Kaliph has a creepy aesthetic that other villains in this series lacked. More notably, the story remained consistently very engaging and pulled off some notable surprises which were indeed entertaining.

Overall, Harbinger #19 (1993) is highly recommended!

+++++

A Look Back at Harbinger #17 (1993)

August 31, 2022August 30, 2022carlocarrasco

In my previous retro review, Sting, Kris and Shatiqua got into trouble upon seeing the traitorous Ax and his powered companions. Their encounter turned into a radically different turn of events when the Harbinger foundation’s armed personnel and Eggbreakers members arrived targeting Ax.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Harbinger #17, published in 1993 by Valiant Comics with a story written by Maurice Fontenot and illustrated by Howard Simpson.

Early story

The story begins in the past – January 11, 1991 at the Woodville State Mental Institution in Pennsylvania. One of the local doctors leads two formal visitors into the secured room of one of their patients described as a “fascinating subject”. His name is Simon and the visitors turned out to be from the Harbinger foundation. They tell Simon, who is invisible, that the Harbinger foundation was established to help special people like him, help him understand and control his talents, and he will not be alone as the foundation has others like him.

In the present day of December 23, 1992, Faith is flying just above a truck which is slipping out of control along a major bridge in New Jersey. Sting is barely holding on the top of the truck. Being unable to utilize his power to control the situation, Sting instructs Faith to pull the driver out of the truck. Moments after Faith saves the truck driver, the truck itself stops but ended up hitting a vehicle.

As Flamingo uses her power to put out a fire, Kris finds Sting on the side of a car feeling terrible. Sting wonders what is wrong with him as he failed to stop the truck…

Quality

*Even though he is already in a relationship with Kris, Sting focused on the blonde lady in the middle of a party.*

I want to point out that this is yet another build-up type of story from Fontenot and Simpson, only this time it introduces Simon who is involved with the Harbinger foundation not as a trained Eggbreakers member but rather as a patient still relying on medical and psychological care. Through Simon, you will feel his loneliness, his trouble to fit in with society and his personal pain related to being unwanted. Through him, you will also realize that even though it has lots of resources and experts as employees, the Harbinger foundation is not the ideal replacement for Simon’s father (who rejected him in the first place). That should also remind you readers that government units also can never be your parent nor your guiding light no matter what socialists and Commies say in this age of Joe Biden and the fascist Democrats (read: the Satanic Left). Fontenot’s script here is, unsurprisingly, really strong and Simon’s introduction never felt like a throwaway piece.

Apart from Simon, Sting and his teammates got a lot more of the narrative’s spotlight this time around which is like a breath of fresh air since the previous two issues focused more on Harbinger and the Eggbreakers. Even though they are already dealing with their domestic problems, the primary characters still make efforts to solve problems and help others knowing that they would not be compensated by society.

More on character development, the team leader Sting continues to desire recruiting and helping powered young adults before the organization of Toyo Harada gets them first. This shows his arrogance and delusion as he rejects the reality that he and his team don’t really have the massive resources the Harbinger foundation has when it comes to recruitment and providing the constant needs of recruits. Furthermore, Sting does not even see his current problem (with his super power) as a hindrance at all when facing the Harbinger foundation.

Storywise, this comic book is more balanced with the spotlight on characters on the two sides of the spectrum with Simon being symbolically caught in the middle of the conflict. This is really solid storytelling.

Conclusion

I like Harbinger #17 (1993) very much. What it lacks in spectacle, it bounces back big time with character development, deep dramatics and introducing a new character who gets connected with both Sting’s team and the Harbinger foundation. This story obviously keep on building up something for a future conflict between the two forces and already I am eager to find out what will happen in the next issue.

Overall, Harbinger #17 (1993) is highly recommended!

+++++

A Look Back at Sludge #11 (1994)

August 30, 2022August 28, 2022carlocarrasco

Welcome back, superhero fans, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we revisit the Ultraverse of Malibu Comics and examine one of its many stories told through an issue of the Sludge comic book series.

In my previous retro review, a more character-driven story about Sludge was told as the city crime war story has ended. What made issue #10’s story standout was the unexpected physical change Sludge goes through which is something he had desired apart from wanting death. Ironically, this made him more vulnerable to physical attacks. Needing help on something, he reaches out to the New York Daily Globe’s reporter Shelley Rogers.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Sludge #11, published by Malibu Comics in 1994 with a story written by Steve Gerber and drawn by Robb Phipps.

Early story

The story begins with Sludge about to engage in a physical battle with the Bash Brothers just outside the Lalama Clinic. Shelley Rogers is just standing nearby. The Bash Brothers proved to be troublesome for Sludge until Shelley explains to one of them that their mother was not harmed. The said mother comes out and after an exchange of talk between them all, they realize Sludge needs the help of Dr. Ferdinand Lalama who was involved with the Caldwell Pharmaceuticals which itself was responsible for the stuff that affected Sludge in the first place.

Shelley then notices that Sludge is reverting back to his previous gooey state. At the same time, Dr. Lalama made no communication for almost a week…

Quality

As a story that started with Sludge needing to find a specialist to help treat him, this one went wild with the fantasy concepts. Without spoiling the plot, this wild ride has strong science fiction elements such as energy streaming and traveling to another dimension through a portal. The sci-fi elements are indeed a factor that made this tale of the search of Dr. Lalama a really intriguing read.

With regards to the titular hero, this story encourages researching details of his origin (how he went from human into a chemical being) as well as reading issue #1. Sludge himself is more vulnerable than before and the unpredictable changes with him added suspense to the narrative. This story also contains themes of scientific experimentation and molecular manipulation which were nicely planted into the story’s sci-fi aspect. That being said, I can say that what was explained near the end of the comic book was both intriguing and worth reading.

Conclusion

Sludge #11 (1994) is indeed a really intriguing and entertaining read. Without spoiling anything, I can say that it cleverly answered questions about how Sludge came to be, what Zuke and a regeneration formula did to his state and what forces behind the pharmaceutical company took place that affected the titular character. This is really fitting as this comic book was the 2^nd-to-the-last issue ever published. That being said, I can say that I am looking forward to what will be told in issue #12.

Overall, Sludge #11 (1994) is highly recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at Harbinger #16 (1993)

August 29, 2022August 27, 2022carlocarrasco

In my previous retro review, the team of Sting, Faith, Flamingo, Kris and Shatiqua only had a minority of the spotlight as the plot was strongly focused on the Harbinger foundation and its team of powered young adults called the Eggbreakers who are trained and funded to do the dirty works of their founder Toyo Harada. The comic book was clearly building up the tension for future conflicts between the Harbinger foundation and Sting’s team, as well as solidifying the comic book series’ own place in the shared universe of Valiant Comics at the time.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Harbinger #16, published in 1993 by Valiant Comics with a story written by Maurice Fontenot and illustrated by Howard Simpson.

Early story

The story begins on the evening of December 15, 1992. Sting, Flamingo and Shatiqua are inside the elevator and they have just been greeted by the traitorous Ax, two companions and a little black boy. As soon as he expresses his desire to squash Harada, Ax tells Roxy to strike Sting’s group with her bionic arm. Roxy misses and Sting uses his power to push her out with force which causes her male companion to fire his gun inside the elevator.

Sting uses his power to push away mechanical parts over their hands and then lifted himself, Flamingo and Shatiqua up the elevator shaft. Flamingo then uses her power to heat up cables to boost her group’s chance of escape. Shortly after coming out of the top of the building, the three flew and landed on the top of the next building. Sting then falls exhausted. Back inside, Ax and his team continue their pursuit of Sting, Flamingo and Shatiqua.

Elsewhere, Faith and Kris talk about the prospect of attending a Christmas party. Kris suddenly notices man in a trench coat standing outside of their home…

Quality

*The Eggbreakers and an armed man who was once an Eggbreaker.*

To be clear to all those reading this, especially fans of this comic book series, Sting and his teammates once again only got a minority of the spotlight as the story was written to show of the Eggbreakers as well as the other individuals who are not in league with Toyo Harada and his foundation. While the lack of focus on the main characters could be disappointing to the dedicated fans, this comic book’s script is still of very good quality.

That being said, there is some richness to the way Fontenot crafted the story with the goal of emphasizing the Harbinger foundation’s Eggbreakers and armed personnel plus Ax who opposes Harada as well as Sting and his teammates. Ultimately, the plot established that while the Harbinger foundation is the biggest and clearest danger within its own spot of Valiant’s shared universe, there are still powered young adults other than Sting’s team who oppose the said organization. This also shows that even though it has tons of financial resources, technologies and a lot personnel under the very powerful Harada, the Harbinger foundation still has a long way to go before it convinces all powered young adults to join its cause of world domination. In fact, the foundation has not done a good job trying convince the powered individuals to give up their respective lives and private affairs for the sake being part of the organization that is so capable of providing their needs and freeing them from society’s constraints.

The Eggbreakers, like in the previous issue, got developed further here. I noticed that the comic book creators have been building up Eggbreakers member Spikeman for something and he has some sort of personal connection with Ax. The mysteries about Spikeman added some suspense to the narrative.

Compared to the previous issue, the action and superhero spectacle has been ramped up here. You will see action scenes that would look good in an R-rated movie and there is also a rather gory scene that was surprising to see.

Conclusion

*Faith and Kris were at home while Sting, Flamingo and Shatiqua were in the more urbanized part of the city.*

Harbinger #16 (1993) is another really solid story of this comic book series. The creative team just kept on building up the people who serve Harada as well as the others who oppose him which unsurprisingly left Sting and his teammates with not a lot of spotlight. Clearly the team of Fontenot and Simpson were building up something for future stories and even managed to do some pay-off to certain elements that were built up in the previous issues. Ultimately, this comic book is a very intriguing and fun read!

Overall, Harbinger #16 (1993) is highly recommended!

+++++

A Look Back at Harbinger #14 (1993)

August 22, 2022August 20, 2022carlocarrasco

In my previous retro review, Faith encountered an old man who turned out to be highly unusual and this led to her dealing with street troublemakers. More notably, the comic book developed Faith’s personality further and she is definitely more than just the geek among her teammates.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Harbinger #14, published in 1993 by Valiant Comics with a story written by Maurice Fontenot and illustrated by Howard Simpson.

Early story

The story begins during one of the past events in the Unity storyline as the young Geomancer tells Kris to give to him her baby as something crucial was about to happen in just a few minutes. Kris, who already knows that her infant is actually Magnus the robot fighter, unsurprisingly resists. Suddenly, energy and light formed between the two and Kris’ baby suddenly disappears which prompts the Geomancer to state that Solar is sending everyone – including the baby – to a proper place in time.

In the present day of October 9, 1992, Faith helps a kid by retrieving his kite from a tall tree not realizing that she just exposed herself as they are within a public park. Sting warns her that her act was risky as there could by anybody watching them from a distance.

A few feet away from Sting, Faith, Flamingo and Shatiqua is Kris who watches a group of children playing…

Quality

*Even though most of them have special abilities, they are still vulnerable with the costs of independent living as well as being targets of the Harbinger foundation.*

The story here is a complete change of direction compared to issue #13. For one thing, it takes a look back at key events that took place during the Unity crossover storyline which specifically involved Sting and his teammates. The flashbacks were done through Kris’ memory and she provides the narration (conveniently for us readers) as she shares her personal views about what happened.

More notably, the flashback and narrations reflect how much of an impact the loss of the baby truly was for Kris who even expressed that the infant – destined to be Magnus the robot fighter as an adult – must have hated her for letting him go.

Unity aside, this comic book also follows the private lives of Sting, Kris, Flamingo, Faith and Shatiqua as they now live together in a rented home. While almost all of them have special abilities, they are still vulnerable with not just the threat of the Harbinger foundation but also the with the costs and constant challenges of living independently from their respective families. It’s nice that as this was Maurice Fontenot’s debut as writer of this particular monthly series, the general tone was maintained and the story was told with realism in mind. I also like the way Fontenot dramatized the characters particularly with Sting still living with a false sense of maturity at a time when his love Kris is struggling over the visions about the past and her lost child.

This comic book also marked the series debut of Howard Simpson whose art style resembles that of David Lapham.

Conclusion

Harbinger #14 (1993) has a solid touch on developing the lead characters – specifically Kris – and went as far as recalling some of the events of Unity while even having a few pages featuring one of Valiant Comics’ major characters which you can easily guess who. To put it short, this comic book ultimately served as a build-up for further confrontations with the Harbinger foundation but the characterization of Kris here is the real meat of the story. By the time you reach the end, you should be able to know Kris more. Definitely a solid read!

Overall, Harbinger #14 (1993) is highly recommended!

+++++

A Look Back at Harbinger #13 (1993)

August 18, 2022August 16, 2022carlocarrasco

In my previous retro review, Sting, Faith, Kris, Flamingo and newcomer Shatiqua pursued a mission recklessly with revenge over the death of Torque as the main motivator. That story symbolically shows that the boundary between good and evil has been blurred away as Sting and his team just kept on pursuing their goals disregarding the rule of law and committing acts that make them no different from the sinister Harbinger Foundation. In some ways, Sting himself is gradually becoming as evil and abusive as his target (and former mentor) – Toyo Harada.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Harbinger #13, published in 1993 by Valiant Comics with a story written and drawn by David Lapham.

*The cover that closely imitates the iconic image of Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns.*

Early story

The story begins with Faith flying high above the streets of New York City talking to herself as she enjoys the flight as well as the flight of fantasy in her mind. After discreetly landing in an alley, she bumps into a man as she moves into the city sidewalk. Two other men could not help but laugh at what they just saw.

The man Faith bumped into gets mad, grabs her by the shirt and pulls out a knife. Suddenly, an old man comes out of nowhere and threatens the knife-wielding man which in turn prevented Faith from getting hurt. Upon realizing a lot of people are around them and watching, the knife-wielding man and his two companions move away.

The old man then befriends Faith. She thanks him for his help…

Quality

As I expected another Harbinger tale about Sting and his team going up against Harada’s foundation, I can say that this comic book surprised me in a rather delightful way. To be clear, this is a story mainly focused on Faith and under Lapham’s direction, readers will see her personality emphasized more than ever and what she is capable of with not just her special abilities but also with how she deals with problems.

The good news here is that the writing by Lapham is solid. Faith is clearly the comic book geek among her teammates and to see her work inside a comic book store in the city is amusing as her portrayal captures how comic book fans react when they see something really fascinating or special among the many printed materials displayed. It should be noted that Faith’s independence is nicely portrayed and she has her own way of dealing with the harshness of reality without ever letting her personal obsession with entertainment overwhelm her reasoning. The ironic thing about Faith’s view of life around her is that she does not show any regrets about the crimes the she and her teammates committed.

Those who are looking for superhero spectacle will find something gritty and short with regards to Faith. Adding further zest in this comic book are fantasized excerpts from a particular comic book Faith reads in the story.

Conclusion

*Faith working inside the comic book store.*

Harbinger #13 (1993) is a very surprising read that clearly delivered a good bout of fun. Its main attraction is Faith herself and this comic book has the most in-depth development of her character to date. Through her, comic book readers will have something to resonate with when it comes to comic book culture and geek interests. Ultimately, David Lapham succeeded in defining Faith and telling a solid Harbinger tale mainly focused on her. In some ways, this comic book is like a relief from all the tension built up on the rivalry between Sting’s team and the Harbinger Foundation. That being said, this comic book is no filler and it fits right in the monthly series.

Overall, Harbinger #13 (1993) is highly recommended!

+++++

A Look Back at The Solution #15 (1995)

August 16, 2022August 14, 2022carlocarrasco

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.

In my previous retro review, The Solution itself was not really present in the story which was both a shock and a major disappointment. The Solution #14 (1994) refocused mainly on past villains who debuted in the early part of the monthly series and it sent a clear sign that a rematch with The Solution is bound to happen.

With those details laid down, here is a look back The Solution #15, published by Malibu Comics in 1995 with a story written by the late James Hudnall and drawn by George Dove.

Early story

The story begins with Dropkick inside a dark room. Tech comes in searching for him and turns the light on. She is surprised to see Dropkick with a new look complete with face paint. Dropkick insists that his new look will last and he saw the future. The man then surprises Tech once more by instantly changing into casual clothes. She then reveals to him that she found a way to get her company back.

Moments later in a meeting with Dropkick, Outrage and Shadowmage, she reveals that while searching online for information about what the Dragon Fang gang has been doing with her company, she found a memo about a meeting that was set to happen the next week somewhere in Taiwan. The heads of the gang are supposed to be there and for Tech, this is the opportunity to take them on.

As the exact location of the meeting remains unclear, Tech states that they will need to travel overseas as she needs to be near a place to check out the electronic systems. For Dropkick, the whole meeting could be a trap and he states that the Dragon Fang gang knows Tech can read their computers.

Even though she is certain that the trap is real, Tech states that they cannot pass up the opportunity to take on the enemy…

Quality

*Can you recognize anyone on this page?*

Now this is more like it! The Solution is indeed back and this story is pretty much a big pay-off to all the build-up done in the villains-focused story of the previous issue. Take note that this story took place just a short time after the very wild storyline told in issues #9, #10, #11 and #12.

To make things clear, there is a conflict in the story which should resonate with The Solution fans who read the early issues of the series that launched in 1993. There is indeed a rematch between the titular team and the villains (plus Casino in this issue) which fortunately was very well done and proved to be worth the wait and the build-up. Speaking of conflict, there was this surprising development that happened within the side of the villains and that alone added more depth to the plot as well as more tension to the rematch with Tech and her teammates.

Artist Greg Dove did a fine job drawing this story and he knows when to use dynamic visuals when it comes to emphasizing impact. Thanks to Dove, Casino in this issue has that femme fatale look on her face. His take on Tech, her teammates and the three other villains is also good to look at.

Conclusion

*The Solution with Dropkick in his new look.*

The Solution #15 (1995) marks the series’ return to normalcy (meaning fun, intrigue and engagement) and it is indeed a worthy pay-off to the disappointing previous issue. The conflict told within this particular comic book is just the start and as I reached the ending, I can say that I am anticipating what would happen next. There is a lot for fans of The Solution to enjoy here.

Overall, The Solution #15 (1995) 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. 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/.

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