Marvel Comics – Page 24 – Author Carlo Carrasco

A Look Back At X-Men 2099 #33

May 23, 2020May 22, 2020carlocarrasco

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 I first read X-Men 2099 #1 way back in 1993, I found Xi’an a pretty interesting team leader. He was a reformed person driven to help not only his fellow mutants but other people described as outcasts who are all unwanted by what he referred to as corporate structures that look down on them. The big speech he delivered in issue #1 technically highlighted diversity which reminds me of how the Political Left of America emphasizes it for their self-serving socio-political agenda. Of course in the comic book, Xi’an did not highlight diversity for political gain but to help the outcasts live on with hope and move forward to choose their destiny.

Several issues later, demons from Xi’an’s past with the Lawless caught up with him and made his leadership of the X-Men questionable. Xi’an then became more impulsive, more violent and a less compassionate person.

This time, as I’m about to do this retro comic book review, Xi’an past with the Lawless finally got him and anyone who liked him as X-Men leader will find him very alienating.

Here’s a look back at X-Men 2099 #33, published by Marvel Comics in 1996 with a story written by John Francis Moore and drawn by Jan Duursema.

Cover — *Perhaps this comic book should have been re-titled as The Lawless…*

Early story

The story begins with Xi’an and the Lawless on the move searching for the Foolkiller who captured their teammate Mongrel (who strongly resembles Hank McCoy/Beast of the mainstream X-Men). As Mongrel and the Foolkiller exchange words with each other, the Lawless arrive to get their teammate back and fight.

Elsewhere in Halo City, Eddie/Metalhead and Rosa enjoy the nice new place with their baby. They have a friend accompanying them. The peace gets broken when two beasts suddenly appeared to attack them…..

Quality

Even though John Francis Moore continued to write consistently and proved to be knowledgeable about all the characters introduced in this monthly series, I should say that the concept of this comic book did not interest me that much. Like the previous issue, this one was less about the X-Men and more about the Lawless (with the continued spotlight on Xi’an) but the more I read it, I found myself becoming less interested. Nothing here impressed me.

As for the art, Jan Duursema’s work here showed how quickly she adapted the established look of not only the characters but also Halo City. Her art here is pretty good. She was a worthy replacement for Ron Lim. John Francis Moore himself stated in an interview that Duursema did an admirable job.

Conclusion

*The blue-skinned character is NOT Hank McCoy/Beast.*

After the dramatic turn of events for the mutants of 2099 told in issue #25, X-Men 2099 #33 is so far the weakest follow-up. It’s not a terrible comic book, it’s just not too interesting and not too compelling. Anyone who is dedicated with the X-Men team will be disappointed with the shift of the spotlight moved to the Lawless.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of X-Men 2099 #33, be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $8 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition costs $26.

Overall, X-Men 2099 #33 is serviceable. If you intend to really spend money on this comic book, better buy it below its cover price. Really, you should be conscious about your money when it comes to collecting back issues of this past monthly series of the 1990s.

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 #32

May 18, 2020May 15, 2020carlocarrasco

If you were one of the early fans of X-Men 2099 and you admire Xi’an a lot, then this next comic book I’m about review may interest you. For one thing, a whole lot has changed during the first year of the X-Men 2099 when demons from Xi’an’s past caught up with him. Since issue #25, he became much less prominent until something started building up in issue #31.

That being said, here is a look back at X-Men 2099 #32 published by Marvel Comics in 1996 with a story written by John Francis Moore and illustrated by Jan Duursema (replacing Ron Lim).

Early story

The comic book opens with a flashback set sometime in the year 2094. There on the streets of New Hope, Texas, was the gang called the Lawless led by Xi’an accompanied by his teammates including Junkpile and Ten Eagles. As a badly wounded man points his gun at him, Xi’an strikes him hard boasting supremacy.

In the present day over at Halo City, members of X-Nation spend time at a bar called The Negative Zone. They turn away a drunk blonde guy (a mutant actually) who tried to meddle with them. As the said guy leaves the bar, he bumps into a large guy who reacts by striking him. Elsewhere in the city, a large man-like beast arrives to meet Maim, Xi’an and Ten Eagles…

Quality

*Jan Duursema’s quite good on flashy action as well as capturing the look of Meanstreak.*

While the writing remains engaging and balanced with spectacle, be aware that this comic book is essentially more about the Lawless than the X-Men themselves. On face value, it looked like this was a clever set-up for a potential project featuring the Lawless complete with a villain called Foolkiller who was portrayed to be very menacing and has a major plan of his own.

Those who are followers of Xi’an will have a lot to enjoy as he slowly starts regaining the spotlight but with his old gangmates. Quite symbolically in this comic book, Xi’an even said: “It seems I cannot escape the violence of my past.”

Regarding the X-Men of 2099, their presence in this comic book is pretty short but there is a very nice reunion (note: the cover of issue #31 was technically a giveaway) that makes this story worth reading. As the reunion connected to the past, there is something brewing that would impact their future.

When it comes to the artwork, I find Jan Duursema’s work here quite good to look at. Her take on the existing X-Men members like Meanstreak, Krystalin, Metalhead, Luna and Bloodhawk was solid, and I easily recognized them. Like Ron Lim, Duursema is quite capable of visualizing action scenes. Finally, her drawing of a very angry Xi’an at the end of the story is eye-catching.

Conclusion

*That blue-skinned beast is NOT Hank McCoy/Beast!*

Given the fact that this is a story more focused on Xi’an and the return of his old gang, it’s clear that X-Men 2099 #32 will satisfy fans of the character Xi’an as well as those who want to take a short break from the main X-Men team. The short appearance of X-Nation members should delight followers of the X-Nation series.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of X-Men 2099 #32, be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition and the newsstand edition cost $9 and $11 respectively.

Overall, X-Men 2099 #32 is satisfactory. It is enjoyable to a certain extent but don’t pay too much for this comic book.

A Look Back at X-Men 2099 #31

May 14, 2020May 12, 2020carlocarrasco

As mentioned before, much of the stories of X-Men 2099 were set in the southwestern region of the United States which gave the team’s adventures and misadventures a unique setting completely different from what was shown in the stories of Spider-Man 2099 and Punisher 2099. Along the way, John Francis Moore and Ron Lim crafted stories that made the mutants of the far future unique when compared to the X-Men of the 20^th century. Stories were, for the most part, original.

Historically speaking, the X-Men 2099 monthly series ended with a total of thirty-five issues. As such we are gradually nearing the end as we take a close look back at X-Men 2099 #31 published in 1996 by Marvel Comics with a story written by John Francis Moore and drawn by Ron Lim.

Early story

The story begins in Mexico. There a Metro Express train moves on its track smoothly until it comes close to hitting Skullfire who was just standing in front of it. Suddenly, Meanstreak grabs Skullfire moving him out of the path of the train and on to a safe spot where Luna is. Luna reminds Meanstreak that Skullfire has not been himself since their team took out the Graverobber. Meanstreak is not convinced that Tim/Skullfire has returned to normal, and he stressed that their team almost fell apart only because one leader fell off the deep end.

*Meanstreak, Skullfire and Luna on a mission in Mexico.*

As it turns out, the three of them are on a mission searching for a mutant who sent them a message claiming he was being held against his will. They start moving towards to the headquarters of the Quetzalcoatl Corporation and their mission is to raid it.

Meanwhile at another location in Mexico, a gray, rock-like mutant is held prisoner in the dark. Chairman Belize contacts him via live video asking for the market overviews he requested. The imprisoned mutant does not want to cooperate.

Back at Halo City, former X-Men leader Xi’an talks with Ten Eagles (note: Krystalin met him in the wasteland some time ago) who now has a brand new cybernetic arm…

Quality

There was no surprise that John Francis Moore confidently crafted another story showing members of the X-Men separated and placed in different situations far away from each other. As such, the characters got developed more while the plot (or in this comic book, tales of each group of X-Men) thickened.

Without spoiling too much, it was refreshing to see renewed spotlight on Xi’an and Ten Eagles, which helped flesh out the personality of Krystalin. As for the mission of Meanstreak, Skullfire and Luna, it’s nice to see them out of Halo City and take things seriously to accomplish something very important.

Regarding the mysterious mutant imprisoned by a corporation’s leader, the story emphasized once again the theme of the state of mutants in 2099 – mutants are of a lower social class disregarded or exploited by the people who have more money and power (try comparing this to the classic mutants-and-humans conflict of the classic X-Men). To analyze things a bit, there is a bit of Political Leftist influence in the presentation. Come to think of it, the concept of so-called progressive diversity within the X-Men of 2099 had started since the beginning of this monthly series. I’m confident that today’s self-proclaimed socialists, social justice warriors (SJWs) and liberals will find something to relate with in this comic book.

Regarding the art of Ron Lim, he delivered solid visuals as expected. He also exerted effort on visualizing futuristic technology that made sense within Marvel 2099’s fantasy.

Conclusion

X-Men 2099 #31 is fun and worth spending time to read. Just don’t let the cover art mislead you on what to expect with the story.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of X-Men 2099 #31, be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $7 while the newsstand edition’s near-mint copy costs $21.

Overall, X-Men 2099 #31 is recommended.

A Look Back at X-Men 2099 #30

May 11, 2020May 10, 2020carlocarrasco

With the conclusion of the 4-part storyline involving the Undead gang, the X-Men of 2099 find themselves literally back to Square One complete with Skullfire having returned. The team also accepted that their former teammate Serpentina has really come to an end. As the security handlers of Halo City, the X-Men find themselves dealing with responsibilities.

Here’s a look back at X-Men 2099 #30, published in 1996 by Marvel Comics with a story by John Francis Moore and art by Ron Lim.

Early story

The story begins at a medical center in Halo City where Shakti/Cerebra watches her father in a coma. Her teammate Krystallin is with her. Shakti shares some threads from her past and admits to Krys that her father represented everything she despised. Suddenly their boss Morphine arrives, turning off Shakti who abruptly leaves him and Krys.

Walking alone in a part of the city, Shakti notices that some – a mutant – has been following her. She turns and sees Billy, one of the Free Radicals Krys encountered in X-Men 2099 #19. He gives her a high-tech coin. Upon receiving it, Shakti gets transported elsewhere in a flash.

Elsewhere, a ship full of passengers arrives at a dock. Among them are two young guys named Clarion and Nostromo. Even Clarion told him he will take him to Halo City, Nostromo is very uncertain of himself stating that he should not even be alive. After being told of gaining a second chance, Nostromo decided to go down the ship and join Clarion for the journey…

Quality

*Nothing like getting cornered during your first ever visit to a city.*

After going through all the battles and intrigue between the X-Men and the Undead in the past few issues, X-Men 2099 #30 is literally a breath of fresh air. This comic book has a well made story by John Francis Moore emphasizing youth mutants, Halo City’s continued development as a key destination diverse people, and most notably the coming of anticipated messiah among the mutants. What I also enjoyed here is the renewed focus on the state of mutants in 2099, specifically in the southwestern region of the United States.

Without going into spoiler territory, I can confirm that X-Men 2099 #30 serves as a set-up for X-Nation, which is arguably the futuristic X-Men’s version of The New Mutants. That’s not to say that this comic book is just a set-up. Other than that, its focus on Shakti and the important role she’s about to have with mutants is quite engaging.

Conclusion

*This is one of the few visual references to the 20th century X-Men.*

Other than being a very good comic book on its own, X-Men 2099 #30 clearly showed that John Francis Moore was very confident on taking the monthly series on yet a new direction while paving the way for expanding elements of the Marvel 2099 universe which eventually led to the establishment of a short-lived series called X-Nation 2099.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of X-Men 2099 #30, be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $7 while the newsstand edition’s near-mint copy is worth $21.

Overall, X-Men 2099 #30 is recommended.

A Look Back at Web of Spider-Man #100

May 7, 2020May 5, 2020carlocarrasco

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.

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

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 100^th 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.

*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.

*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.

A Look Back at X-Men 2099 #29

May 7, 2020May 6, 2020carlocarrasco

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.

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.

*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 #26). 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 #3 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.

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 29^th 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 26^th 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.

*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.

A Look Back at X-Men 2099 #28

May 4, 2020May 2, 2020carlocarrasco

The more I read about the development of the X-Men of the far future that took place after X-Men 2099 #25, 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 #28, published in 1995 by Marvel Comics with a story written by John Francis Moore and 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.”

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.

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 #28 is a good superhero comic book to read. It continues to show the redevelopment of the X-Men following the events in the 25^th 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.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of X-Men 2099 #28, 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 #28 is recommended.

A Look Back at Bloodshot #6 (1993)

May 1, 2020April 30, 2020carlocarrasco

When I was still collecting comics back in 1993, I was more focused on the X-Men 30^th anniversary celebration and the expansion of the Marvel 2099 universe organized by Marvel Comics, and the launch of the Ultraverse by Malibu Comics.

Along the way, I heard some buzz about Valiant Comics and Defiant Comics. That same year, Valiant Comics generated a lot of buzz among comic book collectors with the launch of Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #1 and the release of Bloodshot #6. Why Bloodshot #6? It’s because of the literary debut of a character who went on to become an one of Valiant’s icons.

Here’s a nice look back at Bloodshot #6 published in 1993 by Valiant Comics with a story by Kevn VanHook drawn by Don Perlin.

Early story

The story begins inside a commercial airplane flying over Sydney, Australia. There is a guy wearing reddish business attire socializing with a lady while standing. A lady in red approached him telling him that he should take his seat as they are in the glide path. The guy in red attire approaches a seat man wearing green business attire, asking him if the vacant seat near him was taken.

The seated man tells him to get away. The guy in red places his right hand on him causing a fire during the flight. What happened turned out to be an assassination. The guy and lady in red rush to the nearest emergency exit and it turned out their names are Marco and Leigh. They jump off the plane which explodes several feet away from them. Marco and Leigh left in the air not worried about falling down.

Meanwhile at the airport in London, Bloodshot arrives and is greeted by his pal Malcolm. They arrive back at their residence in London’s east end. Bloodshot has something to do. Over at France, Alicia Guerrero meets with Montblanc at his office and they discuss the courier assignments that involve acquiring a set of components and the three (of four) intercontinental flights that ended in tragedy.

Quality

*Bloodshot shortly after arriving from the airport.*

As far as storytelling goes, this comic book sure has a lot of intrigue and espionage leaving the title character Bloodshot with much less spotlight (in terms of narrative, not page appearance). It’s not a problem for me as a reader because the writer Kevin VanHook really took his time to emphasize what has been going on, what’s within the web of international secret operations (that involved killing and explosions) and what’s at stake. Of course, the deepening of the plot makes way for Bloodshot to get involved in a less action-oriented but more intelligent way. That being said, action scenes are subdued for the sake of storytelling. Along the way, illustrator Don Perlin did a good job visualizing the deep plot. Perlin also tried his best making the mission briefing of Bloodshot (which even for its time was cliched) look interesting.

Fans of Bloodshot who love action scenes of shooting and striking, as well as displays of his special abilities, won’t find much of such stuff here.

Conclusion

To make things clear to those who are wondering, Bloodshot #6 is significant for fans of Valiant Comics as it marked the first appearance of Colin King who is actually the iconic Ninjak. That fact, however, does not really define the overall quality of this comic book and Colin King’s literary debut is very brief. That way I look at Bloodshot #6, it’s a good comic book laced with a good amount of intrigue and espionage.

For those who are based in the Philippines, Bloodshot #6 is one of the rare American comic books of the 1990s that mentions the Philippines (with Manila as a flight destination) and even showed a few images of it as a location.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Bloodshot #6 of 1993, be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that a near-mint copy costs $28.

Overall, Bloodshot #6 is recommended for those looking for gripping, espionage storytelling with the title character. As a collector’s item, the comic book is a must-have for as long as Ninjak and Bloodshot remain popular.

A Look Back at Warriors of Plasm #1

April 25, 2020April 24, 2020carlocarrasco

It’s truly amazing to see how a grand vision imagined by a veteran comic book creator gets realized into published form with the help of a creative team whose members listened very closely to him. Such a thing happened with Warriors of Plasm #1, published in 1993 by Defiant Comics with a story written by former Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Jim Shooter and drawn by David Lapham (with ink work by Michael Witherby).

Before starting this retro comic book review, let’s take a short look back at the history of Jim Shooter whose tenure as Marvel’s editor-in-chief include such epics like Secret Wars and Secret Wars II. After getting fired by Marvel in 1987, Shooter and his team of business associates tried and failed to acquire Marvel. Not settling for failure, they went on to establish Valiant Comics which made its presence felt in the superhero comic book market. After being ousted by Valiant, Shooter and some others established Defiant Comics.

That being said, here is my review of Warriors of Plasm #1.

Early story

The story begins in the middle of a huge battle. Inside a living, organic ship (a flying creature precisely), acquisitor Lorca leads his force of invaders gradually defeating a resistance force. On the ground, a huge portion of the home city of the resistance has crumbled and Lorca’s fellow soldiers there have gained control of the war zone.

Lorca’s ship moves close to the ground to pick up high gore lord Sueraceen. As it turns out, Lorca and Sueraceen are lovers (the lady referred to him as her lust-mate) and their reunion is nothing less than sensual and expressive. As they talked, the biomass (referring to the inhabitants of the defeated city) will be incorporated genetically and organically into their world, and live again as part of their ecosystem.

After sending Sueraceen back on the ground to resume her duty of leading the troops, Lorca and his crew flew back to space to enter the Org of Plasm, an organic, fleshy space station complete with resources, inhabitants and an actual city inside.

*Admirers, followers and idolaters tried so hard to get Lorca’s attention.*

Given his prominence, Lorca is highly respected, even idolized, by his fellow people. One particular idolater even genetically reshaped his face to look like Lorca. Alone in a private chamber, Lorca is capable of cloning which is illegal. More intriguing, however, is that he has been developing a top-secret project with an intention to overwhelm the rulers of the org.

He begins his project with the holo-orb which is focused on planet Earth. As it turns out, organic beings from Lorca’s world are already present on Earth, spying on ten thousand people. Suddenly, the ten thousand got touched by the organic beings which instantly sent them back to the Org of Plasm.

Quality

Warriors of Plasm #1 is not just a high-quality comic book. It is also a great showcase of the talents of Jim Shooter, David Lapham and others molded together to form a true, sci-fi epic that remains very unique to read to this day.

*Very intriguing art and visual designs by Lapham.*

When it comes to storytelling, structuring and character development, the former Marvel Comics editor-in-chief scored great points which is not surprising given his tremendous experience in comic books. With great art by Lapham, this comic book opened with literally strong arms that pulled me into an all-new, sci-fi universe that is like no other. Within the first few pages, I felt deeply immersed into discovering the universe and quickly realized Lorca’s role, what his side was doing and more. The script and arrangement of panels for the art were executed with high efficiency. Really, I never felt lost reading this comic book.

As I kept reading further, I discovered more about the culture of Lorca’s people, how they operate and traveled efficiently with organic materials and living beings that served their needs without the use of technology (no metals, no computers, no fossil fuel and no digital stuff). This comic book shows how deep and engaging Jim Shooter’s imagination really is and illustrator David Lapham lived up to the difficult task of realizing the visual concepts.

And then there is the dialogue which is really deep and engaging to read. Lorca, Sueraceen and the many other supporting characters involving the org and the surviving few from planet Earth each have unique personalities. Clearly Shooter planned each character with a purpose. What is even more intriguing in this comic book is that the line between good and evil was cleverly blurred.

The art by David Lapham, whose past credits include Magnus Robot Fighter, Harbinger and Shadowman for Valiant Comics, really outdid himself. The characters are really well defined visually but what really stood out was his work on the Plasm world and the functioning organic environment. Of the many works of the illustrator, Warriors of Plasm is his most memorable work.

Conclusion

While it is true that Defiant Comics no longer exists and Warriors of Plasm’s full potential as an entertainment franchise was never realized, this particular comic book is, in my honest opinion, still one of the best new comic books ever launched in 1993. Its epic science fiction concept opened very strongly and remained very engaging right until the very last page. I can assure you that by the time you reach the end of Warriors of Plasm #1, you will want to go out and search for the next issue.

*On the battle zone is gore lord Sueraceen leading the troops.*

If you are thinking about acquiring an existing copy of Warriors of Plasm #1, please take note that as of this writing and based on the latest rates at MileHighComics.com, a near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $4, $26 for the near-mint copy of the edition with five signatures, $7 for the Jim Shooter-signed edition, and $30 for the signed-and-numbered edition.

This comic book is a 1990s classic. As such, Warriors of Plasm #1 is highly recommended!

A Look Back at X-Men 2099 #27

April 20, 2020April 20, 2020carlocarrasco

Recently I mentioned how much I enjoyed reading X-Men 2099 #25 which marked the end of the initial direction of the futuristic mutants transitioning into a new creative direction that is no less intriguing. From being nomads, the X-Men of the future suddenly became authority personnel in Halo City (read my review of X-Men 2099 #26) which was nicely told.

Now we can proceed with a look back at X-Men 2099 #27, published in 1995 by Marvel Comics with a story by John Francis Moore and art by Ron Lim.

Early story

The story begins a short time after the incident at Halo City. Tim Fitzgerald, AKA Skullfire, has been captured by the Undead. As it turns out, Serpentina (who actually died in X-Men 2099 #3) is among them. One of the Undead performs a ritual on Skullfire who finds himself somewhere in the afterlife.

Meanwhile at Halo City, the X-Men, who are now operating as the city’s Protectorate, report back to their boss Somers at the city’s administrative tower. As Meanstreak states that he could not find any trace of Skullfire’s mutant energy signature, Shakti responds by confirming that their missing teammate is dead. This outrages Luna (who got romantically involved with Skullfire).

“I don’t care what Shakti or anyone says! Tim is not dead! I’m going to find him and if you’re not going to help me,” Luna said. “Stay out of my way!”

At this stage, the X-Men discuss what to do next knowing that as authority personnel, they have obligations to attend to.

Quality

When it comes to the story, X-Men 2099 #27 is indeed an engaging follow-up to the previous comic book which ended with a strong twist. The energy from that twist carried on nicely here as John Francis Moore efficiently explored more of the Undead complete with a resurrected and even deformed Serpentina, while still being able to develop the X-Men struggling with their new roles.

A lot really went on with the plot. Not only was Xi’an revisited to be unsure and guilty of himself, there is also the sub-plot of a man spying around Halo City secretly doing his mission as well as further development of the X-Men’s boss.

What I like best about this comic book is the continued development of Skullfire, specifically his continued struggle with his purpose. As seen since X-Men 2099 #4, Skullfire’s humanity gradually slipped away becoming a more visceral, and even somewhat unlikable member of the team. John Francis Moore took this trend several notches higher now that he has been captured by the Undead which involves Serpentina, the one former X-Men member who oriented him about their team. A story like this motivates me to read the first three issues of X-Men 2099.

On the visuals, Ron Lim continued to deliver good stuff. His art on the Undead continues to be scary looking and, unsurprisingly, his take on action scenes remains good.

Conclusion

*Skullfire with the Undead. Can you spot Serpentina?*

X-Men 2099 #27 continued the reinvigorated storytelling engagement as the series brought the futuristic mutants further with the bold new direction that started in issue #25. In other words, it is a creative success and it is clear that John Francis Moore and Ron Lim were laser-focused on redefining 2099’s X-Men. Fun and intriguing to read.

If you are seriously considering buying an existing hard copy of X-Men 2099 #27, be aware that based on the listings of MileHighComics.com, as of this writing, a near-mint copy of the comic book’s regular edition is $4 while a near-mint-copy of the newsstand edition is priced at $8.

Overall, X-Men 2099 #27 is recommended.

	Instapundit »… on I Love Israel: Israel And Japa…
	Instapundit »… on Venezuela To Turn Over 30 Mill…
	Instapundit »… on Venezuela’s Dictator Maduro Ca…
	Instapundit »… on Japanese Prime Minister Takaic…
	Luke on Japanese Language Proficiency…

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: