Tag: Malibu Comics

A Look Back at Sludge #4 (1994)

A Look Back at Sludge #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.

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

Previously, I reviewed Sludge #3 which was a tie-in comic book to the first big crossover event of the entire Ultraverse – Break-Thru. In that issue, he encountered the “lord” Pumpkin who himself became a notable super villain in the UV. That story also showed the first major test of Sludge when it comes to resisting temptation and evil.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Sludge #4, published by Malibu Comics in 1994 with a story written and drawn by Aaron Lopresti, and scripted by Steve Gerber.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins when two black teenagers go down the city sewer to look for something as part of a job of them agreed to do for someone named Gordy. They accidentally find Sludge whose appearance and ability to talk scares them away. As the two keep running to another direction, a reptilian monster sees them. The monster grabbed and killed the taller youth, leaving the shorter one scared.

A short time later, a police officer finds the scared teenager hiding behind plants at Central Park. The survivor is in a state of shock repeating his friend’s name a lot. The police update about the boy eventually reaches the office of the New York Daily Globe and an attractive reporter named Shelley intends to follow what could be a hot scoop…

Quality

The battle between these two has a lot of stuff that should be seen.

In this comic book, I can see that the creative team of Steve Gerber and Aaron Lopresti decided to shake things up a bit when it comes to telling a new story of Sludge laced with elements of society, urban legends and journalism. The good news here is that this story is well-written and the visuals really brought the script to life for readers to be engaged with.

When it comes the elements that inspired this particular story, the concept about alligators occupying the sewers instantly reminds me of the 1980 film Alligator and along the way, Gerber-Lopresti went on pounce on the concept resulting in the introduction of a brand new Ultraverse villain in the form of a monstrous, human-like alligator named Veffir Voon Iyax which can also talk and reason like humans. This new villain is really interesting and its background about being part of a species of alligators worshipped by people from long ago sheds light on the idolatry which is both unholy and foolish.  

On the aspects of society and journalism, the story sheds light on how some people – even minors – would go to really unsafe places and do very risky jobs for a variety of reasons. The journalistic aspect of this comic book emphasizes how far journalists would go to write stories based on questionable data and that a newspaper would recklessly publish such stories even though they lacked solid evidence to prove the unbelievable is true. The newspaper journalist Shelley had quite an amount of the spotlight, she became a clear supporting character in this comic book.

In keeping up with the superhero flavor of the Ultraverse, there is a good amount of spectacle here as it has a big battle between Sludge and the monstrous alligator which is nicely presented. This is a battle between monsters that was carefully structured and executed well.

Conclusion

A look at what happens behind the scenes at a city newspaper.

Sludge #4 (1994) is both an intriguing and enjoyable read. The Gerber-Lopresti team succeeded in telling another Sludge tale that is fresh as it took inspiration from pop culture and society. At the same time, this comic book show that Sludge is clearly not the only monster in New York City’s sewers. As such, his place within the Ultraverse is really unique.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Sludge #4 (1994) be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $16 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition costs $48.

Overall, Sludge #4 (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/

A Look Back at WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #6 (1993)

A Look Back at WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #6 (1993)

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 culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we continue revisiting Jim Lee’s flagship title under Image Comics – WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams!

For the newcomers reading this, I recently completed reviewing the 4-issue mini-series (read my retro reviews here, here, here and here), the first issue of which was one of the launch titles published under Image Comics’ banner through Malibu Comics. Back in 2020, I reviewed issue #5 which itself was highly unusual as it marked the beginning of what was back then the regular series of WildC.A.T.S (note: starting a brand new comic book series is often done with a new issue #1). WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #5 was conveniently part of the build-up for the Killer Instinct storyline that had featured Jim Lee’s creations crossing over with Marc Silvestri’s Cyber Force.

With those details laid down, here is a look back WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #6, published by Image Comics in 1993 with a story written by Brandon Choi and Jim Lee. Lee did the art.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins with the WildC.A.T.S flying in their high-tech aircraft and observing the large explosion which marked the destruction of a top-secret research facility. Their teammate Warblade was left behind which concerns Grifter and Voodoo. Spartan says it is too risky for them to move close to the site of destruction for Warblade as their electronic counter measure and identification systems have been lost due to the explosion. Spartan also told them team that they need to fly away before the Gamorran security forces arrive.

They are too late, however, as three high-tech aircrafts of Gamorra have arrived to take them down. One of them launched several missiles at the WildC.A.T.S aircraft causing Spartan to tell Grifter to redirect all power to their shields.

As hard as he tried, Spartan could only fly their shielded jet to dodge the first four missiles and absorbing the impact of two missiles before getting hit by the other missiles launched by the other two enemy aircrafts.

While their jet got destroyed into pieces, the WildC.A.T.S managed to survive the explosion only to see themselves falling helplessly in the air. As Spartan catches Voodoo, Grifter warns him abou the incoming Gamorran aircraft…

Quality

The team but without Jacob Marlowe, Warblade, Voodoo and Void at this point of the story.

To begin with, this comic book is very much like its predecessors – a very action-packed tale laced with the occasional character moments for fun while having little room left for character development. If there is any notable change in the way this comic book’s story was told, it is the detective work done collectively by key members of WildC.A.T.S followed by exposition dumps here and there. The detective work and exposition were done primarily to add to the build-up of the crossover with Cyber Force with the revelation of a love triangle from the past involving Misery (who gave Grifter a lot of trouble in issue #5), Warblade and Ripclaw (from the other team).

As with Jim Lee’s past works, the action here is highly charged and there is a lot of spectacle to enjoy most of the way. By the time this comic book got published, the respective capabilities of the WildC.A.T.S team members have already been established and the creators pushed the creative limits further on showing what else could the main characters do as envisioned by Jim Lee. There is even this 4-page sequence showing Grifter and Zealot infiltrating one of the Gamorran aircrafts and having lots of banter along the way which was fun to read. Considering the lack of space for character development, the creators made up for it somewhat with the dialogue.

As this is the first chapter of the Killer Instinct crossover storyline, the build-up for it is not really that engaging to me personally. While Ripclaw was already established as a major Cyber Force character and Warblade was a visible yet not so dominating as a member of WildC.A.T.S, the establishment of the personal connection between them through Misery (the woman right in the middle) is just not so strong. Not even a huge exposition dump about the past could have strengthened the background. It would have been more helpful had Jim Lee and Marc Silvestri agreed to publish a prequel comic book (or pages inserted into a few comic books of WildC.A.T.S and Cyber Force) about Warblade-Misery-Ripclaw in the past as a prelude to Killer Instinct. More on Misery herself, I could not help but think of her as a distorted and more wicked version of the X-Men’s Jean Grey complete with long red hair.

Conclusion

Grifter and Zealot infiltrate a Gamorran aircraft.

WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #6 (1993) is another fun comic book to read filled with a lot of stuff that Jim Lee fans love to see again and again. As the opening chapter of Killer Instinct, the creators did the best they could to establish Misery as an important antagonist who happens to have been personally involved with Warblade and Ripclaw some years back. Sadly, the Warblade-Misery-Ripclaw triangle establishment is not so engaging and looked more like an afterthought. Still, this comic book’s story is not brainless and expanded the lore of the WildStorm universe a bit more. There is more good stuff than bad ones which make this worth reading.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #6 (1993), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $20 while the near-mint copies of gold cover edition and newsstand edition cost $300 and $60 respectively.

Overall, WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #6 (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/

A Look Back at WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #4 (1993)

A Look Back at WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #4 (1993)

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 culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we revisit the early days of Image Comics through Jim Lee’s WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams comic book franchise which was one of the launch titles of the said company.

Last time around, I reviewed the third issue of the WildC.A.T.S mini-series and its quality was good enough for me. Other than the visual candies delivered by Jim Lee, WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #3 featured a crossover with Rob Liefeld’s very own Youngblood which was really surprising and intriguing back in those times.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at the final issue of the mini-series…WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #4, published by Image Comics through Malibu Comics in 1993 with a story written by Brandon Choi and Jim Lee. Lee did the art.

Jim Lee drew this cover very similarly to his cover art work on X-Men #4 (1992).

Early story

The story begins with Helspont already declaring victory as well as the beginning of his operation called Reunification which involves the use of the orb to activate a stargate which would allow his brethren of Daemonites to come to Earth to not only overwhelm the Kherubim but also to conquer the whole world. In his presence are two of his deadly companies standing with him and certain members of WildC.A.T.S – including their leader Jacob Marlowe – who are down on the rough surface having been hit hard moments earlier.

Suddenly a group composed of the six Youngblood members, Vice President Dan Quayle and WildC.A.T.S’ members Voodoo and Maul approach Helspont and his companions in an attempt to make them surrender.

As Voodoo realizes her power does not affect Helspont, the vicious Daemonite strikes the group with an energy blast aided by the orb and the high technology of the place. As this happens, Grift, Void and Jacob slowly make their moves. Jacob uses his communicator to send a signal to the heavily damaged Spartan…

Quality

WildC.A.T.S face strong opposition from the Gnome and his dangerous companions.

As the final tale of the mini-series, I can say that the script made for this comic book is a pretty satisfying read from start to finish. Like in issue #3, the pace here moves fast and there is a lot of spectacle that got executed while never overwhelming its narrative. More on the narrative, the conflict between the Kherubim and Daemonites is strongly symbolized by the WildC.A.T.S and Helspont’s forces going head to head. There are some pretty notable character moments that added to the fun factor such as Jacob sarcastically telling Helspont he could not access the back-up systems for his dreaded operation to bring the Daemonites to Earth.

Of course, this is not simply a WildC.A.T.S versus Helspont story in the good-versus-evil type of way. Apart from the inclusion of Rob Liefeld’s Youngblood, there is also the other dangerous party led by the Gnome who also have a strong interest in the orb. While their participation in the story happens pretty late, they do provide serious opposition against Jacob Marlowe and his team.

As mentioned earlier, there is a lot of action that expresses the intensity of the conflicts. While there is almost no room left for any real character development, the creators managed to craft a story that never felt brainless or unintelligent. As such, there is a lot of entertaining stuff to enjoy here and I personally find the establishment of WildC.A.T.S’ core concept to be solid and worth following.

Conclusion

As Helspont emphasizes his evil plan, Jacob Marlowe makes his move.

WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #4 (1993) is a not just a fun comic book to read. It is also a worthy conclusion to its mini-series and also it succeeded in establishing the WildC.A.T.S as both Jim Lee’s passion project and as one of the most worthy early titles of Image Comics. By the time I reached the end of this comic book, it became clear to me back in 1993 that Jim Lee was moving forward to a new territory on superhero comic book creations leaving behind his legacy with Marvel and their X-Men franchise. While this comic book ended the 4-issue mini-series, the funny thing was that Jim Lee and his team went on to start a regular comic book series of WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams by actually publishing issue #5 (in late 1993) instead of starting with a brand new issue #1.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #4 (1993), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $20 while the near-mint copies of newsstand edition (without card) and the numbered-and-signed edition cost $48 and $160 respectively.

Overall, WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #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/

A Look Back at WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #3 (1993)

A Look Back at WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #3 (1993)

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 culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we revisit the early days of Image Comics through Jim Lee’s WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams comic book franchise which was one of the launch titles of the said company.

Last time around, I reviewed the 2nd issue of WildC.A.T.S. which literally had more meat in its storytelling as the required introductions of the core characters were over. Issue #2 had some really nice revelations as it helped expand the WildStorm universe a bit more and it was intriguing to see International Operations (I/O) emphasized more as the mini-series established the Kherubim-Daemonite conflict.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #3, published by Image Comics through Malibu Comics in 1993 with a story written by Brandon Choi and Jim Lee. Lee did the art.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins inside the top-secret research facility of SDI with Maul holding a Daemonite disguised as US Vice President Dan Quayle off the ground with Spartan and Voodoo near him. The problem they have, however, is that the Youngblood team is facing them ready to fight. Shaft of Youngblood demands the release of the Vice President.

With his massive build, Maul lets go of the Vice President and hits Diehard sparking a battle between his team and Youngblood. Shaft tells his teammates that as they fight the three WildC.A.T.S, he wants them alive. The impostor Vice President Quayle tells Youngblood to kill them all.

After Diehard and Badrock knock off Maul, Chapel fires several blasts at Spartan to separate him from the impostor. Shaft then fires an arrow that generates disruptive sound which prevents Voodoo from executing her power.

Elsewhere within the facility, Grifter, Jacob Marlowe, Warblade, Void and Zealot quietly make their way to the control center where the Daemonite leader Helspont is overseeing secret operations…

Quality

You love Jim Lee-style action, you will find a lot to enjoy in this comic book.

Starting with the storytelling, this one is expectedly a natural progression from issue #2 but the key difference is that the pace moved much faster as there was more emphasis on action and visual splendor. Along the way another sub-plot was dramatized complete with the showing of additional characters Attica, Slag, HARM and their superior who are after a key object that happens to be a crucial part of Helspont’s operation. The way the script was written, the narrative was told in a disciplined manner even though the pace was faster and the creators had to integrate Rob Liefeld’s Youngblood which resulted one of the earliest Image Comics crossovers that unfortunately did not justify the fancy cover art. Given the addition of Youngblood, the mentioned sub-plot and the way the script was made, there was clearly no room left for character development. In my experience, re-reading this comic book’s story was fun and engaging enough.

As this story was action-packed, fans of Jim Lee will surely enjoy what he presented here. Even by today’s standards, the art and presentation of the spectacle is great to see! Personally, I like Jim Lee’s visual take on Youngblood (except that I still find Rob Liefeld’s drawing of Chapel more detailed) and the short-but-sweet battle between the two superhero teams is quite a spectacle. In terms of visual details, Lee drew the characters and environment with a lot of detail all throughout. There were no signs of rushed art here.

Conclusion

The battle between three WildC.A.T.S members and Youngblood begins!

As mentioned earlier, WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #3 (1993) is pretty entertaining and engaging. Compared to issue #2, this one has a lot more action and the narrative moved at a faster pace without becoming brainless. At the same time, there is a clear feeling that the stakes were raised as the WildC.A.T.S made their moves in what is clearly their final objective as a team. Also a factor here is the continued emphasis on the Kherubim-Daemonite war which was executed well. More on Rob Liefeld’s Youngblood being involved in the story, this results the illusion that Image Comics back then had a shared universe (note: read the legal stuff on the bottom of the credits). The crossover done here was more of an experiment done to emphasize the cooperation between Jim Lee and Liefeld as they were co-founders of Image.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #3 (1993), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the gimmick cover edition costs $20 while the near-mint copies of newsstand edition and the signed editions cost $60 each.

Overall, WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #3 (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/

A Look Back at WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #2 (1992)

A Look Back at WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #2 (1992)

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 culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we revisit the early days of Image Comics through Jim Lee’s WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams comic book franchise which was one of the launch titles of the said company.

For the newcomers reading this, Jim Lee is one of the co-founders of Image Comics and during his previous stint with Marvel Comics, he was instrumental in modernizing the X-Men both visually and creatively (note: look at all the paramilitary elements implemented during his X-Men days). WildC.A.T.S was his independent superhero team project which went on to not only grow as a comic book franchise in the 1990s, but also became an animated TV series. WildC.A.T.S dealt with conspiracy as well as aliens from outer space.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #2, published by Image Comics in 1992 with a story written by Brandon Choi and Jim Lee. Lee did the art.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins in the headquarters of International Operations (I/O) whose officials have been monitoring a situation far away. Suddenly a portal appeared inside I/O which surprised director Lynch and his fellow officials. Seen through the portal – which appeared for only seconds in front I/O’s people – were Jacob Marlowe, Spartan, Grifter, Maul, Zealot, Voodoo, Void and Warblade who just escaped from certain death which is connected to the explosion monitored by I/O.

The WildC.A.T.S instantly arrived inside their highly advanced aircraft safe and sound. After some talk, they begin to move to a safehouse of Grifter’s near Quantico…

Quality

An efficient exposition about the science fiction concept of WildC.A.T.S.

As far as storytelling goes, this comic book has more depth to its plot. While the first issue was filled with introductions of characters and story concepts as well starting its narrative in cryptic fashion, there was more freedom in this issue for the writers to properly structure their story, gradually build-up tension, execute payoffs satisfactorily while still managing to insert spectacle to complete the work. The story moved with a moderate pace and things moved fast when it was needed. I find re-reading this WildC.A.T.S tale a more satisfying experience than before and it is also an improvement over the first issue.

More on the core concept about Daemonites infiltrating human societies on Earth with the involvement of the Cabal to enhance their efforts, there literally more meat to chew here as Jim Lee and Brandon Choi came up with clever and efficient ways on executing exposition. The I/O meanwhile literally jumped from being background decoration into the main story as a connection was made between one of the top officials of the organization and WildC.A.T.S leader Marlowe.

More on the WildC.A.T.S themselves, you will get to know more about each member and how their respective personalities differ from each other as they all struggle to keep up with the changes around them. Voodoo here is still the witness of a conflict she never anticipated would involve her and many times she is clueless and really struggling to figure out what has been happening. While Marlowe has the strong tycoon mentality all throughout, Spartan is the dedicated and focused operator while Grifter is the cocky gunslinger and Zealot is the battle-hardened warrior whose perception about life and survival could make readers wonder if she is truly brave or truly reckless. With the introductions of each character already done, in issue #1 it was no surprise that there was a bit more space for the creators to define each team member with limited space (pages) they had during comic book production.

Conclusion

In the heat of the action, something visceral happened with Voodoo who is not even a fighter.

The best way to describe WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #2 (1992) is that its core concept as well as its mini-series plot really started to take shape as Brandon Choi and Jim Lee got over all the creative hurdles in issue #1. The result was not only more focus on plotting but executing payoff for story build-up, characterization and putting enough action in a rather disciplined way. There was no sign of creative rush by Choi and Lee here. I should also state that it is in this same comic book where you will see more interesting traits of the WildC.A.T.S members which, in my experience, made me anticipate the next issue.

As one of the very early comic books of Image Comics, this one had one of the first, if not the first, gimmick covers of the said publisher and I can say that its content was good enough to justify the flashy cover and its rather high cover price of $2.50 (note: back in 1992 many of Marvel’s and DC’s comic books had cover prices of $1.25 while WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #1 had a $1.95 cover price). I could not forget the day in 1992 when I visited a local comic book specialty store in Makati that had WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #2 (1992) displayed with its cover really shining under a strong light source. I also remember there were others in the store staring at it.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #2 (1992), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the gimmick cover edition costs $20 while the near-mint copies of the signed gimmick cover edition and the newsstand edition cost $60 each.

Overall, WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #2 (1992) 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/

A Look Back at Sludge #3 (1993)

A Look Back at Sludge #3 (1993)

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 culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we revisit the Ultraverse of Malibu Comics and examine one of its many stories through the Sludge comic book series.

Previously I reviewed issue #2 of the series which was a surprising and fun comic book to read as the creative team took the risk of emphasizing the violent character Bloodstorm over Sludge himself. Ultimately, this move served as a way to not just build up tension but to expand the specific place of Sludge and the dark forces within the Ultraverse. For this retro review, issue #3 is set during the events of the memorable Ultraverse crossover story Break-Thru.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Sludge #3, published by Malibu Comics in 1993 with a story written by Steve Gerber and drawn by Aaron Lopresti.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins with Sludge still lying down at the dock after just being defeated by Bloodstorm. Suddenly a mob of chaotic people (driven mad by the effects of Break-Thru that just happened) lift him up and throw him into the water without any regrets whatsoever. In hiding, Bloodstorm witnesses their act and thought to himself that he should avoid the madness happening. Suddenly, other mad people ganged up on him forcing him to react by firing his gun and set himself free from their grip. He safely makes it to his car and speeds away, even bumping off a few people on the way.

As Bloodstorm speeds away, another man in hiding who knew him and the boss Marcello was found by the mad people. Out of desperation he runs away and jumps into the water. He realizes that the people are so obsessed with going up to the sky (the Break-Thru effect), they did not bother to follow him at all.

Deep down the water, Sludge finds himself alone and getting relieved of the pain he experienced above. Feeling hopeless, he waits for the river to wash him away…

Quality

Sludge in trouble!

Being a standalone story set during the events of Break-Thru, this comic book focuses more on the protagonist while simultaneously raising the stakes with regards to the evil forces as the elements of crime gang combined with the supernatural took effect. To be clear, fantasy elements were added to this series which had darkness and grit dominating the plot of the first two issues.

This comic book has an early appearance of “lord” Pumpkin (AKA The Pump) who is the element of sorcery and, more notably, serves as the Ultraverse’s very own Satanic figure. Not only does the Pump have vast powers to take life away from others and has evil pawns to wield, he also leads and guides an apprentice (the kid gangster called Pistol) with pure wickedness, crafted plans of evil, is cunning in his ways of manipulating others to do evil, and he makes promises or deals with others who will receive some rewards but ultimately will be disregarded and lose a lot. This Ultraverse super-villain, as recorded in Malibu Comics’ publishing history, went on to become a walking symbol of pure evil, corruption, sins and danger in other UV comic books.

While there is indeed more focus on Sludge in this issue, it is the Pump who overshadows him. As for Bloodstorm, his presence has been drastically reduced here which is kind of jarring to read as he was the dominant and heavily emphasized in issue #2. Speaking of characters, the gang boss Marcello (who is Bloodstorm’s client) makes a short appearance but his connections not only with criminals but also with para-military forces emphasized his influence in the city.

More on the plot itself, this comic book is pretty loaded and the stakes were really raised high. In key scenes, Sludge finds himself in the middle of gangsters, the people driven mad by the Break-Thru effect, the para-military forces and the Pump’s ugly and evil pawns. Steve Gerber crafted a story that expectedly built up a lot and paid of strongly since the stakes were raised. I should state that Aaron Lopresti’s art here showed signs of improved creativity

Conclusion

The gang boss Marcello and Bloodstorm talk during the events of Break-Thru.

Sludge #3 (1993) is a more engaging and more intense comic book on its own complete with the literary debut of the Pump who is clearly the Ultraverse’s most evil villain. If issue #2 was twisting with the way it presented its characters, this comic book has more of its protagonist who went on to face new elements of evil while the story of Break-Thru transpired. I also noticed the Pump’s offer to Sludge symbolizes Satan offering a troubled soul a place in his force of evil. How did Sludge react to the offer from the evil one? You will have to read this comic book.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Sludge #3 (1993) be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $16.

Overall, Sludge #3 (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/

A Look Back at Sludge #2 (1993)

A Look Back at Sludge #2 (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 revisit the Ultraverse of Malibu Comics and examine one of its many stories through the Sludge comic book series.

For the newcomers reading this, I published my retro review of Sludge #1 back in December of 2020. I really enjoyed that Ultraverse comic book and now is a good time to revisit that series and find out what will happen next to Sludge, the UV’s most notable monster protagonist. I should state that Steve Gerber (Man-Thing) and Aaron Lopresti made a solid creative duo in Sludge #1.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Sludge #2, published by Malibu Comics in 1993 with a story written by Steve Gerber and drawn by Aaron Lopresti.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins with a quick flashback of a young blonde boy who got bullied by other kids due to his unusual appearance and the way he expresses himself. Fast forward to the present day, an armed man (the same kid in the flashback) fires his guns on a man who was on his bed inside his residence.

After finishing the killing, the armed man enters his unusual looking car and leaves in high speed. After passing through the city streets, he drives his vehicle into his secret hideout filled with several weapons. Shortly after cleaning himself, he takes his seat in his private study and starts communicating with Mr. Barnett who tells him that bad news that something happened to his father. The killer then states, “Payment is due.”

Somewhere in lower Manhattan, a man is being beaten by two men who are enforcers of a man wearing a trench coat in their presence. The beaten man named Mikey swears he will get the money to pay off his debt but the coated man tells him that he is a week late and will be penalized.

Suddenly out of nowhere, Sludge comes out and grabs the two enforcers which frees Mike whose ear just got cut off by the coated man. Sludge then calls the coated man by his nickname…

Quality

The situation only gets more intense whenever Sludge comes in.

I’ll go straight to the point on the storytelling by Steve Gerber. The biggest surprise is here is that the focus was shifted from the titular protagonist Sludge in favor of the first appearance of Bloodstorm who is more than just a typical villain. Gerber heavily emphasized Bloodstorm’s personality as one who enjoys inflicting violence or death to others (and get paid for it) as a result of his painful childhood and his eventual acceptance of the beliefs that violence itself is always part of life. Even so, this comic book shows that Bloodstorm does not believe in inflicting misery for money and he calls it a cowardly way of earning money. Even as he finds his client’s business appalling, he still proceeds to do the dirty work to make money. This, of course, puts Bloodstorm in the dark work organized, target-focused mobbing which also puts him on the same course as Sludge. 

As with issue #1, the violence here is pretty intense and adulterated which goes along almost perfectly with the story’s dark and gritty tone. There is a fine mix of suspense, shock moments and the revealing of key details. I assure you all reading that that even though Sludge himself was not so dominant as the centerpiece of the story, the payoff for all the build-up was still worth reading.

Conclusion

Get to know Bloodstorm through this comic book.

Sludge #2 (1993) is a pretty surprising comic book. One might think that it would become the natural progression of what was established in issue #1 (which itself was the first appearance and origin of Sludge) but ultimately it took a completely different approach. I should also state that the duo of Steve Gerber and Aaron Lopresti continued to deliver compelling stuff in this comic book. While the fact that Sludge is not the dominating force in the story might turn off some readers, I can say to you that Sludge #2 (1993) is still a very worthy read and it builds up on something waiting to be revealed in succeeding issues.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Sludge #2 (1993) be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $16 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition costs $48

Overall, Sludge #2 (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/

A Look Back at The Night Man #5 (1994)

A Look Back at The Night Man #5 (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 enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we revisit the Ultraverse and focus on the Night Man who is one of the most intriguing heroes of the UV ever created. Having read the first four issues, it is clear that the storytelling with Night Man was done with darkness and grit in mind plus the villains introduced were unconventional. The good news is that each of the first four issues were actually enjoyable to read.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at The Night Man #5, published by Malibu Comics in 1994 with a story written by the Steve Englehart and drawn by Kyle Hotz.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins with a private investigation being done by a detective and a police officer over a dead man whose chest was ripped open. While the two discuss who could be responsible for the victim’s death, Night Man appears and showed no fear when guns were pointed at him.

He tells the police officer and the detective that he is searching for a murderer responsible for the kidnap of two ladies and the extraction of their respective glands. Night Man explains that he rescued the two said ladies and victim right in front of them must be the first substitute victim…

Quality

Getting answers is tough for the Night Man.

To cut through the chase, I can say that this comic book has a very strong detective story element in it told through Night Man. In fact, seeing Night Man doing detective work made him look and feel like DC Comics’ own Batman but with the Ultraverse touch still maintained.

While telling a detective story, Steve Englehart also took time to humanize Night Man and the scene in which the protagonist questions what being the Night Man has gotten him into was a really nice touch.

Serving as the highlight of this comic book was the rematch between Night Man and antagonist from issue #4. The rematch was not much about spectacle or hard-hitting action but rather more about intrigue and shock value expressed through dialogue (which the Night Man and the villainess engaged a lot with). The villainess is absolutely not the typical comic book antagonist but someone who has a legacy of not just taking people’s lives away but also living through the decades without aging nor anyone from local society opposing her. The villainess is pretty much an ideological opposite of the Night Man.  

Conclusion

The Night Man doing detective work and research.

With its continued approach on darkness, grit and shock value on its storytelling, The Night Man #5 (1994) is another engaging read and it is best enjoyed when you focus on the dialogue and the details in text. As for the Night Man himself, he got developed as a person even more here even though key storytelling elements were used that made the comic book feel like a Batman comic book. Lastly, I should say that Night Man really has his own unique place within the Ultraverse.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of The Night Man #5 (1994), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $16.

Overall, The Night Man #5 (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/

A Look Back at The Solution #5 (1994)

A Look Back at The Solution #5 (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 enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we revisit the Ultraverse and focus on The Solution, which remains as one of the most entertaining and intriguing team comic book series ever published by Malibu Comics! For the newcomers reading this, I previously published reviews of some The Solution comic books such as issue #6 (a great origin story of Lela Cho), issue #4 (a part of the Break-Thru crossover storyline), and issue #13 (part of a crossover storyline involving Night Man).

With those details laid down, here is a look back at The Solution #5, published by Malibu Comics in 1994 with a story written by the late James Hudnall and drawn by Alan Jacobsen.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins with The Solution’s member Dropkick trying to save an infant by carrying him strategically through the burning interior of a tall building. Dropkick jumps out through a window falling down with the infant still with him….

Quality

Before the mission starts, here is what happened.

To make things clear, this The Solution comic book is actually a solo story focused on Dropkick. You will get to see members of the team together but only for a few pages. More on Dropkick himself, this story was written to show not only the team member’s capabilities but also provide readers insight on his personality, specifically about how he thinks and reacts when he is under the heat of a dangerous mission. As there are no scenes showing his personal life as a civilian, James Hudnall wrote the script to emphasize Dropkick as the determined yet vulnerable action hero which somehow reminds me of John McClane in the action classic Die Hard.

Apart from the solid storytelling, you must be wondering if Dropkick himself is interesting enough as one of the many action-oriented characters within the Ultraverse. I can say yes.

Conclusion

Dropkick in action!

Being on the first solo stories of The Solution series, I can say that The Solution #5 (1994) is entertaining enough and the creative team succeeded in defining Dropkick as an essential member of the group he belongs to. Speaking of solo stories, in retrospect this comic book is almost like a warm-up to prepare readers for The Solution #6 which had a really great story focused on Lela Cho and her origin as well as the events that led to forming the team.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of The Solution #5 (1994), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $16 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition costs $48.

Overall, The Solution #5 (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/

A Look Back at Freex #12 (1994)

A Look Back at Freex #12 (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, Ultraverse fans, superhero enthusiasts, comic book collectors, enthusiasts of 1990s pop culture and all other geeks! Today, we revisit the Ultraverse for more 1990s comic book nostalgia through another tale of Freex, the team of super-powered social outcasts!

Last time around, Plug’s origin story was told just as Freex had a very notable encounter with Contrary and her super-powered students (with ex-teammate Ray on their side) at the headquarters of the Academy for The New Elite. After going through some hard struggles, Freex left losing Ray but gained a scaley new member who left Contrary’s school.

To find out what happens next, here is a look back at Freex #12, published in 1994 by Malibu Comics with a story written by Gerard Jones and drawn by Scott Kolins.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins in the middle of an ongoing misadventure (note: started with Giant Size Freex #1) with the Freex, Prime, and Old Man together beneath the Earth. To the shock of Freex, there are statues of them. The Old Man claims that more than a thousand years prior, he saw people with powers very much like those of Freex. Legend has it that they came from underground and got chased back by some scared fools. What Valerie and her teammates realize is that the cavern they are in is a place of retreat for super-powered freaks that existed before them.

Suddenly, an oversized deformed creature walks through them and grabs Valerie. Prime tries to help by punching the creature but this only made his body deteriorate into green liquid matter. Freex’s newest teammate jumps to strike the creature’s head which helps Valerie get free.

After noticing a hole on the ground, Lewis calls his teammates to escape. He forms his body into a makeshift slide to pave the way for escaping…

Quality

Angela takes action!

To begin with, I should state that this comic book really had a very wild and ambitious concept for its plot. Something really big with adventuring in mind which, in my opinion, was meant to be made to make the 12th issue anniversary of the Freex series stand out. The good news here is that the script if well-written and continues to deliver the good stuff that dedicated Freex readers and superhero enthusiasts will enjoy.

As this is the continuation of the story that started in Giant Size Freex #1, the team of misfits went on to travel and work together with Old Man and Prime (whose spotlight is lessened in this comic book) in a wild misadventure that brought them deep underground which reveals the existence of creatures and remnants of creation that the whole world has not seen. What was conceptualized here significantly expanded Earth’s realm within the Ultraverse and quite intriguingly, there are connections between the new places and Wetware.

When it comes to character development, new team member Cayman’s fitting in was portrayed nicely and his interactions with the other members were pretty interesting. What stood out most, however, are the interactions between Kevin Green (Prime) and Angela (Sweet-face) which I encourage you to read as it will open up a new dimension within his personality (and his being a teenager).

Conclusion

How would you react if you discovered all of that deep underground?

Freex #12 (1994) has a fine mix of grand misadventure, discovery, as well as memorable interactions between Freex and Prime. This is definitely not a throw-away story of Freex, nor is it generic when compared to other superhero comic book tales. This comic book also expands the Ultraverse in a really solid way just as it also moved smoothly on redefining the Freex themselves.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Freex #12 (1994), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the comic book costs $16.

Overall, Freex #12 (1994) 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. 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