Tag: Make Mine Marvel

A Look Back at Web of Spider-Man #100

A Look Back at Web of Spider-Man #100

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.

As many of you already know, the 1990s was a decade of excess when it comes to American comic book publishing. It was a time when publishers released comic books with special covers (AKA gimmick covers) and high cover prices.

During that time, the presence of comic books with flashy gimmick covers really stood out among the many other comic book on display at retailers’. In 1993, there was this one time I spotted Web of Spider-Man #100 which not only had a flashy looking foil cover but also the introduction of Spider-Man’s armor. Unsurprisingly, I started speculating how significant Spider-Man in armor would be, what features the armor has and how will it be relevant for the foreseeable future of Spider-Man stories. Shortly after, I bought the comic book.

Here is a look back at Web of Spider-Man #100, published in 1993 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Terry Kavanagh and art by Alex Saviuk.

Cover
The cover and its excessive cover price for 1993.

Early story

The story begins with Spider-Man facing off with Dragon Man, Dreadnought, Super Adaptoid and a few others on top of a building. After surviving the attacks thrown at him, he discreetly places a spider-tracer on Dragon Man before finally getting away.

The next night, Peter Parker works on a high-tech project at Empire State University where he is taking a graduate program. His experiment fails which ironically gives him an opportunity to use the equipment until the next morning. He did not just use the equipment to make more web fluid but also something new to wear.

Meanwhile, chaos continues to happen around the city with the involvement of Nightwatch, Dragon Man, Dreadnought, Super Adaptoid, and Blood Rose to name some.

Quality

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This is Spidey’s armor.

I’ll say it straight. Web of Spider-Man #100 is a big disappointment when it comes to highlighting Spider-Man’s new armor, the 100th anniversary issue of the monthly series and even telling a compelling Spider-Man story.

What is clear with the main story of this comic book is that it is heavily loaded with action scenes which eventually resulted a hollow reading experience. The plot is quite shallow and there was not even a single moment that I found Peter Parker in anything interesting. You wanna see Peter Parker interact with Mary Jane? Nothing. You hope to see him pay a visit to his Aunt May? Nothing. Technically this story showed Spider-Man getting involved with a bunch of uninteresting troublemakers, take time out to make his armor, and get back to the troublemakers wearing it. As a story, there is certainly no depth at all.

Regarding Spider-Man’s highlighted armor, its use in the story is also a major disappointment. You will get to see the Spidey Armor for ten pages (including the silhouette appearance) but there really is no payoff for anticipating it.

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An armored Spider-Man in the middle of the action.

More on the presentation, it is clear that this comic book served another purpose that is quite shameless and even irresponsible – to build up Nightwatch, a caped and masked character in dark costume that was arguably Marvel Comics’ blatant imitation of Todd McFarlane’s Spawn. This comic book even contained an origin story of Nightwatch which was not interesting to read.

Conclusion

To make it clear, Web of Spider-Man #100 was a big disappointment for me personally back in 1993. By today’s standards, this comic book is even worse in terms of quality, artistic value, entertainment value and literary value. As a Spider-Man comic book, it is a big letdown and there really is not much for Spider-Man fans to enjoy here. His armor was just a useless showpiece and it’s even insulting that a useless character like Nightwatch got a lot of spotlight. I suppose Marvel Comics’ executives at the time thought they could lure fans of Todd McFarlane and Spawn to their side with Nightwatch serving as a magnet. Quite obviously, Marvel failed.

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Sorry Marvel, but your blatant imitation of Todd McFarlane’s Spawn is pathetic and I’m not even a Spawn fan. 

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Web of Spider-Man #100, be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $11. As for the near-mint copies of the newsstand edition and the Alex Saviuk-signed edition, they cost $39 and $26 respectively.

Overall, Web of Spider-Man #100 is not recommended. Do not ever waste your money on this comic book.

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 as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

A Look Back at X-Men 2099 #29

A Look Back at X-Men 2099 #29

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.

The X-Men of 2099 are struggling with their duty as a security force of Halo City while the Undead causes trouble nearby. Then Shakti’s father is wanted.

Here’s my retro comic book review of X-Men 2099 #29, published by Marvel Comics in 1996 with a story written by John Francis Moore and art by Ron Lim.

Cover
The cover.

Early story

The story begins with the resurrected-but-turned-evil Skullfire doing the Graverobber’s bidding by tampering with Halo City’s power supply. The Graverobber is confident he will gain control of the city. Their gang, the Undead, has Luna (a close friend of Skullfire’s with the X-Men) captured.

Suddenly, Meanstreak rescues Luna and brings her back to the X-Men who just arrived to face off with the Undead. Team leader Shakti tells the Graverobber that he has only one chance to relinquish his hold on Skullfire and leave the city. Meanstreak whispers to Krys his observation of Serpentina whom they witnessed died some time ago.

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The face-off between the X-Men and the Undead.

The Graverobber answers back to Shakti reminding her she renounced her father’s legacy and she should not protect him out of misguided family loyalty. Suddenly Meanstreak run towards the Graverobber offensively…

Quality

Another fun and engaging X-Men 2099 story made and also a worthy conclusion to the 4-part City of the Dead storyline (started with X-Men 2099 ). No surprise that John Francis Moore and Ron Lim delivered the goods, complete with worthy payoffs to the build-up made not only with the storyline but also on the characters themselves. This issue connected nicely with what happened in X-Men 2099 relating to Serpentina being with the Undead. Remember Tim/Skullfire’s past with his departed sweetheart Reiko? This comic book also touched into his inner self and it sure made me rethink if Skullfire really loves Luna even though there was no rivalry between her and Reiko.

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Shakti in action.

By the end of this comic book, I really felt how much the X-Men of the far future have changed not simply because of their new roles as the security force of Halo City, but also with how their members – Skullfire and Shakti specifically – dealt with their respective connections to the past.

Conclusion

This 29th issue of the X-Men 2099 series of the 1990s is worth reading for as long as you knew the characters well enough, even before the 26th issue. It’s nice that John Francis Moore decided to creatively connect with dots from the past just as he crafted a story showing the X-Men struggling with being authorities themselves. The addition of Morphine as a superior of their added a lot of tension and it sure made up for the absence of Xi’an.

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The battle between the mutants and the undead.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of X-Men 2099 #29, be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $4. The newsstand edition’s near-mint copy costs $8.

Overall, X-Men 2099 #29 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 as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

 

 

A Look Back at X-Men 2099 #28

A Look Back at X-Men 2099 #28

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.

The more I read about the development of the X-Men of the far future that took place after X-Men 2099 , the more I found myself getting more intrigued and surprised with the stories penned by John Francis Moore.

Any way, let’s take a look back at X-Men 2099 , published in 1995 by Marvel Comics with a story written by John Francis Moore and drawn by Ron Lim.

Cover
Definitely not drawn by Ron Lim.

Early story

The story begins in Halo City where people flock to a club that is oddly operating considering the fact that the city was just attacked. A band called The Disinterred begins performing to the delight of the crowd. As it turned out, the band was actually the members of The Undead under disguise and suddenly Tim Fitzgerald/Skullfire (one of the key members of the X-Men) appeared with them and starts causing chaos. The Graverobber appears and tells all the people that no matter their wealth or position or power, they will all die. He tells them to follow him and join The Undead.

“Soon this city will be purged with blood. Those loyal to me need not fear. I offer them life beyond death. Those who will oppose me shall rot forever, food for maggots,” said the Graverobber. “The first test of your loyalty is simple. The butcher Zail Haddad hides within the city, thinking himself safer from my wrath. Bring him to me within twenty-four hours.”

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The X-Men with Morphine, their boss.

Meanwhile over the Tower, the X-Men meet with Morphine and discuss their new problem at hand. Even though the members are aware of Tim being allied with their enemies, Morphine expressed that the Graverobber will not turn Halo City into a city of undead or Necropolis. The team is aware that Shakti’s father Zail Haddad is in the city and has been targeted by the Graverobber.

Subsequently they meet with Zail Haddad who shares the details of his involvement with the Undead…

Quality

I really enjoyed the depth this comic book has. Its plot and its script both have a good level of intrigue plus additional details about the history of events that led to the current situation of not only the X-Men but also that of Zail Haddad (which in turn shows some new character development on the part of his brave daughter Shakti/Cerebra) as well as that Morphine (whose secret connections are revealed in this comic book). As the story went on, the plot got deeper which I really liked.

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The power of Skullfire!

Not to be outdone is the story of Skullfire who finds himself on the wicked side of the spectrum being undead and working with the Undead. Anyone who followed Skullfire’s entry into the X-Men and his development with them should see how the character turned out in this comic book.

If you are looking for spectacle and superhero action, there is less of them here. Even so, Ron Lim still managed to make John Francis Moore’s script look interesting and exciting.

Conclusion

X-Men 2099 is a good superhero comic book to read. It continues to show the redevelopment of the X-Men following the events in the 25th issue. By this time, I’ve gotten used to seeing the futuristic mutants working as authority personnel complete with having meetings and brainstorming on how to deal with the problems of Halo City.

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The future of music?

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of X-Men 2099 , be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $4 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition costs $8.

Overall, X-Men 2099 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 as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

 

A Look Back at Spider-Man 2099 #35 (1995)

A Look Back at Spider-Man 2099 #35 (1995)

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.

When Marvel Comics first launched the 2099 imprint of comic books showcasing many futuristic versions of their present-day characters – like Spider-Man, Ravage and Dr. Doom – it was inevitable that the same treatment will be applied to their popular supervillains.

In 1993, the 2099 version of Vulture was introduced and he sure proved to be one tough opponent for Spider-Man 2099. Even back then, there already was clamor for a futuristic version of Venom which at the time was riding high with readers being the featured anti-hero in several limited series (starting with Lethal Protector) of comic books.

Then in 1995, after doing a creative teaser in issue , Marvel formally introduced Venom 2099 by releasing Spider-Man 2099 #35. This is my review of the comic book written by Peter David and drawn by Andrew Wildman (X-Men Adventures).

Cover
The cover drawn by Rick Leonardi.

Early story

Picking up from the events of issue , the story begins in Washington, DC with Dana freeing herself only to find out that Alchemax’s CEO Tyler Stone was down suffering from a gun shot and losing blood. Minutes later, emergency personnel take Stone’s body for immediate treatment.

Meanwhile, Spider-Man 2099 (Miguel O’Hara) encounters the SHIELD flyboys in New York. After almost getting into trouble together, Spidey gets informed that US President Doom 2099 ordered them to leave him alone for a period of seventy-two hours while he considers a cabinet offer. Back in Washington, Dana gets interrogated by one of the authorities. President Doom enters the scene telling Dana that she will join Tyler Stone immediately in the medical center.

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Andrew Wildman’s take on Spider-Man 2099 and the future was really nice to look at.

In New York, two guys sitting on the sidewalk witness a moving black liquid coming out of the sewer. The thing turns out to be a living symbiote (or alien costume) forming into a human-like shape – Venom 2099!

Quality

As with other comic books of this particular series, the writing by Peter David is pretty deep and engaging. The usual balance between dramatization, character development, plotting and spectacle is here once again but with a slight touch of horror in relation to the introduction of Venom of 2099. Speaking of dramatization, the portrayal of Venom 2099 as a vicious villain is similar to the 20th century Venom (Eddie Brock) but with a very powerful obsession to kill Miguel O’Hara and Tyler Stone.

Here’s an excerpt from the dialogue of Venom of 2099: Miguel O’Hara…and Tyler Stone…together again. We…I get to kill you…at the same time…how awfully…awfully…considerate. To show my appreciation…I’ll kill you slowly.

What makes this comic book unique is the artwork by Andrew Wildman who temporarily replaced regular illustrator Rick Leonardi. For comparison, I find Wildman’s art style a welcome thing in this comic book mainly because he draws with a lot more detail per panel and per page than Leonardi ever could. Instead of seeing the usual sketch-like art style of Leonardi, Wildman’s style is livelier and more expressive to look at. I also enjoyed Wildman’s visual take on Spider-Man 2099/Miguel O’Hara, Lyla, Tyle Stone, and the other established characters. Their facial expressions are also livelier to see.

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Venom 2099 appears! Take note of the “liquid” at the edges of the page.

More on visuals, Wildman’s take on Venom 2099 is unforgettable. Like 20th century Venom, he has a dark suit, elongated jaw with rows of sharp teeth and an elongated tongue but with green acid dripping all the time. There are also those tentacles-like things that stretch from his body until the arms. Also his white-colored mask with large eyes make him look horrific.

Conclusion

Despite being shorter than the usual 22-pages, Spider-Man 2099 #35 is still a very engaging and fun old comic book to read. Its purpose was to build-up anticipation leading to the introduction of Venom 2099 was achieved nicely and the respective qualities of the writing and visuals are very good even by today’s standards. More on the presentation of Venom of 2099, it seems like Peter David took inspiration from movie director James Cameron on building-up tension and suspense before showing the villain. That’s a move I enjoyed in this comic book.

Overall, Spider-Man 2099 #35 is highly recommended. If you plan to acquire an existing and legitimate hard copy, be aware that the near-mint copy of it is over $100 for the newsstand version while the Rich Leonardi-drawn “Venom 2099 AD” cover version is priced at over $80 at MileHighComics.com as of this writing.

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. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenor is still available in paperback and e-book format. 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 as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com