Mile High Comics – Page 18 – Author Carlo Carrasco

A Look Back at X-Men #8 (1992)

October 31, 2020October 31, 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.

Do you remember the X-Men animated TV series episode – an adaptation of Days of Future Past – wherein Bishop (who came from the dark future) claimed that Gambit would betray the X-Men and lead them all to darkness? You will see Bishop and Gambit in conflict in this retro review of a Jim Lee-drawn X-Men comic book from the 1990s.

To put things in perspective, back in 1991 Bishop was formally introduced in the Uncanny X-Men monthly series. By that time, Gambit was already wildly popular with X-Men fans. It made sense back then to have the two conflict each other in comic book format as it would add variety and some freshness with the X-Men franchise of the time.

With the short history lesson over, here is a look back at X-Men #8, published in 1992 by Marvel Comics with a story done by Jim Lee and Scott Lobdell. The art was handled by Lee and Art Thibert.

Early story

The story begins at the X-Men’s headquarters with Wolverine using the computer to gain access into something until he got interrupted by Jubilee who is accompanied by Cyclops. She tells him that Charles Xavier is about to introduce Bishop to their teammates. Wolverine tells them to go away.

At the mansion, Storm welcomes Bishop in the presence of Xavier who explains to her that the newcomer is from the far future. Slowly Xavier and Storm guide Bishop around the mansion and introduce him to their members. Bishop, who still remembers the legends of the X-Men from his time in the far future, referred to Forge as Genesis. Moments later, Bishop meets Cyclops, Jean Grey, Beast, Rogue, Psylocke, Jubilee and Gambit.

After expressing that there was little know about Gambit, Bishop then claims that a certain someone was the last person to see the X-Men alive before they got betrayed by one of their own. Bishop then tells Xavier to scan Gambit’s thoughts…

Quality

*The interaction between Storm and Bishop is great!*

What really defines this comic book apart from having art by Jim Lee and the lack of villains are the storytelling and characterization. The good news is that the respective qualities of the plotting (by Lee) and scripting (by Lobdell) were very solid. While there is a lack of a good-versus-evil plot element, characterization alone made this an engaging comic book to read. Without spoiling the plot, the story has a lot more than the promised Bishop-Gambit conflict (I’ll describe it as a short yet sweet part of the story). I also love the big twist that happened in the 2^nd half of the story.

More on characterization, I love the fact that Gambit got more developed here complete with a few threads from his past that got visualized efficiently. I also enjoyed the interactions between Gold Team leader Storm and Bishop. Bishop comes from a future filled with violence and desperation which explains why he is always on the edge often thinking of action whenever something happens. Storm meanwhile tried hard to explain to Bishop that their present day society is more peaceful and that he could take things a bit easier, be more reasonable and try to level with others as he became a new part of the X-Men.

As for Jim Lee’s art, his work here is really beautiful to look at which is not surprising at all. As expected, he made the action scenes look dynamic and managed to draw some emotions from certain characters in key scenes.

Conclusion

X-Men #8 (1992) is a pretty good comic book to read. At the time of its publication, the integration of Bishop into the X-Men was done months after Chris Claremont’s departure and was clearly an effort by the X-Men creators to modernize the superhero team and keep it fresh. This comic book is not exactly a landmark read but it is pretty entertaining and engaging.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of X-Men #8 (1992), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $50 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition costs $150.

Overall, X-Men #8 (1992) is recommended.

+++++

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A Look Back at Prime #12 (1994)

October 27, 2020October 26, 2020carlocarrasco

Hey Ultraverse fans and superhero comic book enthusiasts! Are you ready for another tale of Prime? What I am about to review is one of the anniversary Ultraverse issues published by Malibu Comics.

What could be new or special to justify the anniversary of the Prime monthly series? We can all find out in this look back at Prime #12, published by Malibu Comics with a story written by Len Strazweski and Gerard Jones, and drawn by the late Norm Breyfogle.

Early story

The story begins with a young guy named Kuttner who tests his deadly ability to easily cut through solid objects with his powered blades on his hands. He is driven to get revenge against Prime who broke his hand previously. Kuttner, whose career in entertainment had declined, thinks he can establish a new career for himself as a powered being and Prime is his first target.

Meanwhile at school, Kevin Green (Prime) is struggling with the stress over his parents’ separation which he is guilty of. He finds it very weird to be back in school after everything he went through such as his struggles with Colonel Samuels, the Federal Government, Break-Thru and more. After slamming his locker shut, students begin to move away from him…

Quality

*Symbolically, Prime meets Norm Breyfogle.*

To begin with, the writing by Len Strazewski and Gerard Jones is very solid as expected. That being said, the real heart of the story in this comic book is Kevin Green’s personal struggle with life not just with the difficulty of balancing himself between his personal life and being a superhero, but also his place in local society being tainted as a result of his acts as Prime. The way that the events of the previous issues affected (in negative ways) the local community’s perception of Kevin was very compelling and straight to the point.

The strong writing, unsurprisingly, worked very well with the character development. Kevin was presented to be struggling with making the right decisions and he struggles to analyze what would happen if he presents himself to others as Prime or as simply himself. As for the scene between Prime and Kelly’s mother, there was that touch of awkwardness (through Prime) that was present as the scene raised the disturbing idea of the two possibly getting involved sexually.

When it comes to the spectacle of action, there is little to be seen here but the good news is that Norm Breyfogle illustrated them to be energetic and eye-catching. The late illustrator really knew hot to ramp up the energy for the readers making the most out of what it is limited.

Conclusion

Prime #12 is a pretty engaging read. Was it worth the anniversary promotion? It is indeed! If you look back at Prime #1 and read all the succeeding issues leading to this one, you will notice how much Kevin Green changed as well as how his personal growth moved. In a way, Prime #12 symbolizes the growing-up pains Kevin keeps on having.

It should be stated that being 64-pages, Prime #12 is actually one of Malibu’s flip issues. The other side of this comic book is Ultraverse Premiere #3 which contains standalone short stories of Prime, War Strike and a certain villain. This comic book also has “A Primo Farewell” which is a nice tribute (by today’s standards) to Norm Breyfogle. For the newcomers reading this, Breyfogle was one of outstanding comic book artists in America and before joining Malibu Comics, he worked for other publishers like Marvel Comics, DC Comics, Eclipse Comics and First Comics. At DC Comics, his work on their icon Batman is widely remembered. Breyfogle passed away in 2018.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Prime #12 (1994), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the comic book costs $8.

Overall, Prime #12 (1994) is highly recommended!

+++++

A Look Back at Mantra #7 (1994)

October 26, 2020October 25, 2020carlocarrasco

Hey Ultraverse fans and superhero comic book enthusiasts! If you want to see more of Mantra and Prime cross over with each other and find out if they would impact the entire Ultraverse somehow, then you’re in for something here.

Here is a look back at Mantra #7, published in 1994 by Malibu Comics with a story written by Mike W. Barr and illustrated by Terry Dodson. This one follows the events that took place in Prime #8 (1994).

Early story

The story begins with Mantra already captured by the Baby Doctor (a super being feared by Colonel Samuels) and his hideous companions. Prime, who was slowed temporarily by Samuels and his soldiers, flies chasing the vehicle carrying Mantra, even distracting the mother, daughter and son of Eden Blake/Mantra.

A short time later, Mantra wakes up and gets much needed assistance by Prime who breaks into the vehicle and fight those who took her captive. After much action, the moving vehicles crashes and Prime helps Mantra…

Quality

I’ll start with the storytelling and characterization. While Prime #8 marked the actual start of Prime and Mantra getting to know each other more, this story takes their alliance a few notches higher with an emphasis on the big guy (who is actually teenager Kevin Green inside the body) starting to care more for the beautiful eternal warrior (with the soul of the man Lukasz). I also find it refreshing to see Mantra more helpless and Lukasz (the occupant in the body of Mantra/Eden Blake) actually struggles in a really weakened physical state (this points to what happened near the end of Prime #8).

The stakes have been raised in the sense that more information about Prime’s origin was revealed and, more notably, the Doc (Baby Doctor) is a more intriguing character in the Ultraverse and this comic book makes clear why Col. Samuels is afraid of him. I liked the way Mike W. Barr used science fiction concept of genetics and even gender to add a strong element of intrigue in the plot. Speaking of gender, there are a few moments that hint of homosexuality which will make you question how much Lukasz is changing the longer her stays in a woman’s body.

Conclusion

Mantra #7 is a well-written comic book that succeeded in raising the stakes, deepening the Mantra-Prime friendship while delivering a satisfying, action-packed misadventure. The Doc meanwhile proved to be a worthy addition into the Ultraverse.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Mantra #7 (1994), 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, Mantra #7 (1994) is recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at Batman versus Predator II #4 (1995)

October 20, 2020October 20, 2020carlocarrasco

Do you happen to have any comic books of the Batman versus Predator II crossover in your collection? According to MileHighComics.com, their near-mint copies are valuable and you can sell them to make some much-needed money in this time of pandemic, government overreach and economic hardship.

Right now, I am about to finally end my review of the Batman versus Predator II mini-series and so far, I have enjoyed it a lot. To find out if this mini-series will come to a satisfying end, here is my retro review of Batman versus Predator II #4, published in 1995 by DC Comics and Dark Horse Comics with a story written by Doug Moench and drawn by Paul Gulacy.

Early story

The story begins in the bat cave with Batman and Alfred discussing what happened lately. As it turned out, there were two other Predators on the lose apparently sent to stop the first one (who killed one of the mentioned two). Batman also mentioned the deaths of Song Sung and Terraro. Now there are two hunters remaining who may not know that the man who issued their contracts is dead.

Just before leaving with the motorcycle, Batman receives a call from Commissioner Gordon through the special line. Afterwards, he leaves.

In the city, a thug on a motorcycle starts chasing Batman which catches the attention of the local police…

Quality

*From the final encounter with the hunter from space.*

This comic book is a satisfying conclusion to the mini-series. In terms of writing, issue #4 delivered the payoff for what was built-up in issue #3. This results the return of Batman’s trusted ally as well as some more involvement of the police force as the stakes were raised in issue #3 with the involvement of more than one Predator. The hunter Predator – the one Batman and Huntress encountered in the first two issues – was indeed present and it was very interesting to see it pursue its encounter with the two heroes even though he was being hunted by a fellow Predator.

Having more than one Predator was initially confusing but the confusion did not last too long which readers will find relieving. As expected, the Huntress joined Batman in the final encounter and served nicely as a fighting partner whose assistance proved to be valuable. If there is any weak spot in the presentation, it’s the element of the gang and human hunters who only served to add to the death toll.

As with the first three issues of this mini-series, the action here remains very intense and quite uncompromising with its violence. Expect gunshot wounds and decapitations here and there. The hard action presented, especially in the encounters with the Predator, was indeed satisfying. I should state that the final encounter inside the space ship is very thrilling.

Conclusion

*The Bat signal is an attraction to the Predator.*

Batman versus Predator II #4 (1995) is a pretty solid read. What was built-up previously, got paid off nicely here. With regards to raising the stakes and making this mini-series different from its predecessor, the creative team succeeded with the resolutions they came up with. In addition, Batman and the Huntress make a solid duo and their interactions together were compelling.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Batman versus Predator II #4 (1995) be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the comic book costs $50.

Overall, Batman versus Predator II #4 (1995) is highly recommended!

+++++

A Look Back at Mantra #5 (1993)

October 13, 2020October 11, 2020carlocarrasco

Welcome back, Ultraverse fans and comic book collectors! Would you happen to be a fan of illustrator Terry Dodson? I first saw his professional work when I read Mantra #1 way back in 1993 just as my fellow comic book collectors were discovering the newly launched Ultraverse. After the Ultraverse ended, Dodson went on to work for Marvel Comics with projects such as the Storm mini-series and X-Men related comic books. In 2000, Dodson went to DC Comics and his project with them was illustrating issues of the Harley Quinn series. He even got to work on Wonder Woman comic books six years later.

You must be wondering – how did Terry Dodson first broke into the comic book industry and what was his first project? Check out this excerpt from a published interview.

How did you break into comic books?

By doing portfolio samples and taking them to conventions and showing them around. At first it was difficult to hear the critiques, but later on that’s what I wanted to know. What I was doing wrong. Fortunately, when I broke in 1993, they were handing out jobs to anybody with a pulse. I got my first job on Mantra, for the new Malibu Ultraverse.

See? It turns out Mantra of the Ultraverse was his comic book debut.

Now that the history lesson is done, we can see more of Dodson’s work on Mantra in the look back at Mantra #5, published in 1993 by Malibu Comics with a story written by Mike W. Barr and drawn by Dodson.

Early story

The story begins when a man named Strauss faces Mantra and Warstryke. The armed guy presses Strauss for details about some defective merchandise while Mantra mentions to him about their deal. Strauss shows defiance by defending himself with a green field to protect him. Mantra blocks the flow of air into the field, forcing Strauss to give up and lose his protective field.

After a short talk with Strauss, Mantra and Warstrike chat on top of the building. In reaction to Mantra’s handshake as a sign of thanks for helping, the armed guy tries to get sexually involved with the mystical warrior even though he knows Mantra has a male soul occupying a woman’s body. Mantra defies him and flies away.

Along the way, a demon spots Mantra flying through the air. It turns out he has been looking for her and decides to make a move in pursuit of her…

Quality

What do I think about the story by Mike W. Barr? I find it brilliantly written. As the cliffhanger ending of issue #4 got resolved early, the narrative smoothly shifts into Mantra’s other struggle – being a mother to Eden Blake’s children whom she lost quality time with due to superhero pursuits. There was also this really compelling drama between Eden and her mother (who in turn believes her daughter is failing her responsibility as a parent).

Lukasz – the male soul in Eden/Mantra’s beautiful body – is still obsessed with pursuing his search for answers but even so, he cannot simply abandon the family and household of the woman whose soul he displaced. In this particular comic book, Lukasz continued to adjust in his unexpected life as Eden.

I really like the way Mike W. Barr dramatized Lukasz dealing with family matters as well as career matters. All that led to what I would call the most unexpected superhero misadventures I’ve ever read that has something to do with the dimension of hand-drawn animation. That is something you, my readers, should read to find out. It is something very enjoyable!

In terms of visuals, this comic book showed more of the creativity of Terry Dodson. If you already enjoyed his art in the early Mantra issues, you will see something new and fresh here.

Conclusion

Undoubtedly Mantra #5 is a great comic book to read as it has an excellent mix of drama, intrigue, characterization and many bouts of great spectacle (which nicely paid-off on all the build-up). By this stage in the Mantra monthly series, Lukasz/Eden/Mantra got developed more and the stakes have been raised in relation to Eden’s meeting with her boss.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Mantra #5 (1993), 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, Mantra #5 (1993) is highly recommended!

+++++

A Look Back at Bloodshot #7 (1993)

October 12, 2020October 10, 2020carlocarrasco

It’s been quite some time since I last reviewed a Valiant comic book. Previously, I reviewed Bloodshot #6 (1993) which not only had the first appearance of Colin King (AKA Ninjak) but also had some of the spotlight on my native Philippines as a destination. To be specific, back in the 1990s, it was rare for the Philippines to get mentioned or visualized in American superhero comic books.

Anyway, we can return to the 1990s universe of Valiant Comics following the misadventure of Bloodshot in this look back at Bloodshot #7, published in 1993 by Valiant Comics with a story by Kevin VanHook and art by Don Perlin.

Early story

The story begins 1,500 feet in the air above the Philippines with Leigh falling down followed by Bloodshot with the airplane leaving them. After some struggle, Bloodshot manages to grab her boot which turned out helpful as Leigh had been controlling her fall by gliding on the air currents. After breaking the fall, the boot of Leigh slips off separating the them. Bloodshot falls on the jungle’s foliage while the other landed safely.

Over at the Manila International Airport, the secret assassin Marco is weak and was assisted by a certain guy and placed on one of the toilets in the restroom. After being left there alone, Marco wakes up and leaves the restroom to make a telephone call. He does not realize that the same man who assisted him is trailing him.

Back in the jungle, Bloodshot gradually adjusts himself to get moving just as his nanites are healing his fractured right leg and broken rib. With no time to lose, he decides to continue his mission even though he is still injured….

Quality

*Bloodshot and Ninjak in the jungle in the Philippines.*

I can say that this comic book has a stronger story and better spectacle. It is indeed a solid payoff to the build-up in issue #6. Kevin VanHook took his time in pacing the story allowing readers to follow the details behind the events while giving ample spotlight to other characters. Bloodshot is still in the center of the story only this time he’s a lot more vulnerable and less capable as an action hero. As seen in the cover of this comic book, he truly is vulnerable and therefore he is presented more as a survivor striving hard to complete his detective work no matter the costs.

This is not a straightforward action tale. There is still a good amount of intrigue and espionage that happens in the Philippines (as Valiant’s creators imagined it). It should be noted that this comic book marks the first-ever appearance of Ninjak in his costumed form (note: Ninjak appeared in Bloodshot #6 in his civilian form as Colin King) as well as the first-ever personal encounter between Ninjak and Bloodshot (which was written to be believable). Artist Don Perlin cleverly crafted the way Ninjak performs action and evasive maneuvers setting the basic standards that other artists would do later in further comic book featuring the character (who eventually got his own monthly series in 1994).

Conclusion

Bloodshot #7 (1993) is a great comic book to read and it also happens to be one of the more memorable character debuts Valiant Comics ever published in the 1990s. The debut of Ninjak in his costume alone makes this one a must-have and it so happens that the story and art were both of very good quality. The gritty realism applied to the tone of the presentation makes the story believable and there never was a moment when the events felt outlandish.

Going back to Ninjak, the character went on to become one of Valiant’s most original and major superheroes of all. In 1994, the Ninjak monthly series launched big time with an issue #1 that had a chromium cover and the great Joe Quesada drew the cover and interior art. In 2015, Valiant Entertainment launched another Ninjak series.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Bloodshot #7 (1993), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the comic book costs $40.

Overall, Bloodshot #7 (1993) is highly recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at RoboCop versus The Terminator #4 (1992)

October 7, 2020October 6, 2020carlocarrasco

Hey fellow geeks and comic book collectors plus the fans of RoboCop and Terminator! This is it! I have finally reached the end of the 4-issue RoboCop versus The Terminator mini-series of comic books spearheaded by Frank Miller.

To give a recap without spoiling plot details, issue #1 was mainly a build-up issue which did not entertain on its own. In issue #2, there was a huge pay-off to the build-up and seeing RoboCop battle the Terminator was a grand spectacle! Issue #3 meanwhile saw some very daring creative twists taken that further mixed elements of the respective Terminator and RoboCop universes together which ultimately served as a build-up for what could be a potential epic in the comic book featured in this review.

Is the build-up worth it? Did the issue #3 twists pave the way for something memorable? We will all find out in this look back at RoboCop versus The Terminator 4, published in 1992 by Dark Horse Comics with a story written by Frank Miller and drawn by Walt Simonson.

Early story

The story begins again in the dark future when the world is ravage by the war between man and machines. As the human resistance falters, the machines of Skynet march further toward their prey. Suddenly, RoboCop flies in and hits them with a very powerful rocket.

Inside a cybernetic hideout, a familiar short-haired lady gets shaken by the blast. As a result, she will not go back in time and will no longer try to kill RoboCop. On the monitors, she watches the armed cyborg cop destroy Skynet’s troops and saved the human resistance from certain death.

Shortly after, the human warriors take a much-needed rest. Feeling restless, the lady warrior approaches RoboCop privately and states that she figured he is not a Terminator. RoboCop, whose helmet was taken off showing his human face as officer Murphy, pets a dog as the lady approaches them.

It turns out the lady’s name is Flo (short for Florence) and she starts conversing with him peacefully. She then starts trusting RoboCop, even resting by his side. RoboCop, however, knows what has been going on that the humans don’t and he knows that Skynet and its army of Terminators acknowledge him as their creator. How his decision to help the human resistance in the war against the machines will turn out remains to be seen.

Quality

*Another twist, another scenario for the war between man and machines.*

When it comes to its story, Frank Miller really exerted efforts to give this comic book’s final conflict an epic presentation which is no surprise since the stakes were already raised as a result of the big twists in issue #3. Epic concept aside, the concept of RoboCop helping the humans fight Skynet is indeed awesome and daring to see. There is one additional idea Miller came up with which raise the stakes even further in the war, and what that idea was about is something you readers should find out on your own by getting a copy of this comic book.

If there are any weaknesses here, it’s the presentation of the concept of time travel and time distortion which, even in this concluding part of the mini-series, remains used to justify scenario twists. As a result, the ending of this comic book made the whole conflict look and feel like a twisted, wild dream. Another thing to point out was that Skynet, even in its cybernetic form, was portrayed with human-like patterns and even tried to reason with RoboCop. This one weakened the Terminator concept a bit. Still, the series ended with enough satisfaction for me.

Conclusion

RoboCop versus The Terminator #4 is worthy conclusion to its mini-series. On its own, it had an epic concept and the creators really did what they could to raise the stakes of the conflict as well as raising the quality of their presentation. When it comes to combining the creative elements of the Terminator and RoboCop franchises, Miller did a solid job. It’s just that time travel and time distortion were used to create new scenarios once again in this particular comic book which I found unnecessary. On the bright side, this comic book is loaded with lots of action scenes and the quality of the dialogue was improved.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of RoboCop versus The Terminator #4 (1992), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of this comic book costs $10.

Overall, RoboCop versus The Terminator #4 (1992) is recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at Giant Size Freex #1 (1994)

October 7, 2020October 6, 2020carlocarrasco

Hey Ultraverse fans! Are you looking for another crossover between one team and one of the major heroes? Try this: Freex mixing up with Prime in his radical 1990s form. By this time in the publishing history of Malibu Comics, Prime was destined to be a major part of the superhero team UltraForce while Freex went through some dramatic changes along the way. As for making the Freex-Prime crossover materialize, Malibu Comics went on to publish a standalone comic book with a $2.50 cover price.

With that being said, here’s a look back at Giant Size Freex #1, published in 1994 by Malibu Comics with a story by Gerard Jones and drawn by Scott Kolins.

Early story

The story begins Prime already in conflict with Lewis/Anything, Valerie/Pressure, Michael/Plug, Angela/Sweetface, Cayman and their recent companion referred to as the Old Man. As the Old Man restrains Valerie from using her steam-sourced power on the muscular hero (who is teenager Kevin Green inside), Prime gets hit by Cayman while being restrained by Sweetface. Prime strikes back at Cayman and grabs Sweetface by her tentacles putting the pressure again on Freex.

Eventually Prime gets electrocuted and things slowed down. This paves the way for Prime and members of Freex to talk reasonably. Lewis explains that sixteen years prior, several infants were injected with Wetware by a nurse referred to as Wetware Mary. This resulted them having different powers or abilities but this also caused them some pain as the said powers were not only hard to control but also deformed them. While they have powers, they became freaks of local society and had no choice but to keep moving to different locations and engage in stealing food and other items.

And then Contrary and her academy of the new elite gets mentioned…

Quality

In terms of storytelling, this comic book succeeds in two things: telling another creative crossover between one major Ultraverse hero and one major team with a memorable adventure together, and establishing literally the building blocks for UltraForce (note: Gerard Jones also wrote the said superhero team title).

What I enjoyed most here is that the very strong writing clearly defined the characters deeply. Here is Prime (teenager Kevin Green) relating to the plight of Freex (composed of teens and young adults) but decides to keep on pretending he is an adult capable of helping those who are struggling. There is also the Old Man who has lived long enough to see ultras exist through the centuries and by being with Freex, he is giving them something they terribly lacked: guidance and direction. In some ways, the nomadic Freex give Old Man renewed purpose while Prime sees new opportunities to do good by helping Freex. It’s also intriguing to see the overly muscular hero witness the team being hunted by armed groups.

I should also mention that, in addition to the literary feature, there is also a short feature about Contrary and how Pixx (the lone teenage girl of UltraForce) first got involved with her. It was indeed a short yet engaging read.

Conclusion

*Prime and Freex plus the Old Man together.*

Giant Size Freex #1 is a pretty good comic book that will appeal to fans of Prime, Freex and UltraForce. Very well written and nicely presented were the stories. There was nice balance between exposition and spectacle.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Giant Size Freex #1 (1994), 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, Giant Size Freex #1 is recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at X-Men Adventures #3 (1993)

October 6, 2020October 4, 2020carlocarrasco

Who is the most definitive X-Men villain ever? That is none other than Magneto! Co-created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Magneto made his literary debut alongside Marvel’s heroic mutants in The X-Men #1 way back in 1963. Magneto is capable of generating and controlling magnetic fields which make him dangerous since he has the power to manipulate metal and even use them as weapons against others, plus he can even cause destruction to buildings by moving the metal in them to bring them down.

What even makes Magneto more dangerous is his very strong belief that his fellow mutants are genetically superior over humans and he does not believe in the concept of mutants and humans co-existing. Character-wise, Magneto is the complete opposite of Charles Xavier/Professor X of the X-Men.

When it comes to pop culture influence, GamesRadar+ declared Magneto as the #1 best X-Men villain of all time. Even more intriguing was the super villain topping IGN’s Top 100 Comic Book Villains List. Beyond comic books, Magneto also appeared in the X-Men arcade game of 1992 made by Konami. On November 27, 1992, Magneto made his debut in the Enter Magneto episode of the popular X-Men animated series on TV. The said episode was, unsurprisingly, adapted into comic book form in issue #3 of the X-Men Adventures monthly comic book series.

How was Magneto’s debut in the said monthly series? We can find out in this look back at X-Men Adventures #3, published in 1993 by Malibu Comics with a story written by Ralph Macchio and drawn by Andrew Wildman.

Early story

The story begins in outer space where Asteroid M is orbiting above planet Earth completely undetected. As a meteor is on-course to collide with Asteroid M, the operator of the asteroid activates its guns and hits it. While Asteroid M got spared, a smaller meteor found itself falling into Earth’s atmosphere. As it burns through the atmosphere, Charles Xavier spots it from inside his mansion.

Xavier turns his attention to Jean Grey. As they travel together, the doors open and Sabretooth enters landing on the floor. The two have yet to know him.

Over at a prison, the captured Hank McCoy/Beast thinks deeply inside his prison cell only to suddenly witness one of the walls get smashed by some powerful force. Magneto arrives and tells him he came for him…

Quality

The writing, with credit to the screenwriters behind the animated episode, is pretty solid and the essence of the said episode was very well adapted into this comic book. As this is Magneto’s debut in the X-Men Adventure series reflecting his debut in animated series, his character is portrayed very accurately and it only made perfect sense for him to approach Beast first to try to convince him join his pro-mutant movement. More on the writing, Beast’s restraint brought out more of Magneto’s hardcore beliefs and his complete opposition towards humans.

Of course, the creators did not let down their efforts to portray the struggle mutants have under the laws of human society which is strongly reflected in Beast’s court hearing with Wolverine and Cyclops (in civilian forms) observing powerlessly. The court room drama and arguments were intense.

I should also state that there really was a nice build-up leading to the first battle (first half, actually) between the X-Men and Magneto. Unlike the battles in issues #1 and #2, the conflict here showed the X-Men more in danger which is only fitting considering how great the villain is.

Conclusion

X-Men Adventures #3 is a strong adaptation of the Enter Magneto episode. There is no doubt about that and most notably, the comic book creators did another good job making the TV animated episode’s concept engaging and fun to read. This comic book should be part of the collection of anyone who is passionate about Magneto.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of X-Men Adventures #3 (1993), 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 $17.

Overall, X-Men Adventures #3 (1993) is highly recommended!

+++++

A Look Back at Mantra #12 (1994)

October 2, 2020September 30, 2020carlocarrasco

Hey everyone! Welcome back to my continuing effort on reviewing Ultraverse comic books of Malibu Comics from the 1990s. This time we will continue on the crossover between Mantra and The Strangers that started in The Strangers #13.

What I enjoyed most in The Strangers #13 is the interaction between Mantra and members of the superhero team as well as how Boneyard (mortal enemy of Mantra’s) impacts them. It comes to show that careful research of the characters and planning were done to ensure not only a very good story but one that makes mixing Mantra and the Strangers together memorable.

Will the high quality of story, art and crossing over continue? We can find out in the 2^nd chapter of the Mantra-Strangers crossover in Mantra #12, published in 1994 by Malibu Comics with a story written by Mike W. Barr and illustrated by Terry Dodson.

Early story

The story begins with Mantra and the Strangers facing Boneyard, his companions and demons. Boneyard has Atom Bob held captive for his magic use. Determined to kill Boneyard, Mantra draws first blood by blasting one of the demons. Due to having weakened powers, Mantra struggles in battle until Electrocute helps taking the other demons off.

As the battle goes on, Boneyard (aided with Notch’s power) makes his move towards Mantra and touches her body with his….

Quality

The script written by Mike W. Barr (in coordination with Steve Englehart of The Strangers) is pretty solid in the sense that it took the interactions between Mantra and the Strangers a few levels deeper which paved the way for some character revelations and further development of varied personalities. To say the least, this one is pretty wordy and there was clear effort to define the characters even as the struggle went on. There were also common things between Boneyard and Yrial that was nicely explored when it comes to their respective abilities.

This comic book daringly touched on gender issues, particularly with the ever unholy topic of homosexuality (note: read 1 Corinthians 6: 9-10 in the Holy Bible) and even rape. There was this lesbian kiss scene between Electrocute and Mantra. Also it is made clear that even though Boneyard knows Mantra really is male warrior Lukasz occupying a female body, the said villain still wants to mate with the protagonist.

On the visuals, I found this one really looking odd even though it was credited to Terry Dodson. His art here really looked cartoony, so much so it’s almost as if someone else drew it. Try comparing Dodson’s art here with what he did in issue #1 and you will see what I mean.

Conclusion

While it is well written, I should say that the crossover between the protagonist and the featured superhero team could have ended better. Compared to the conclusions of the Prototype-Strangers and Hardcase-Strangers crossovers, Mantra #12 ended up lacking punch. As an anniversary issue, it is serviceable.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Mantra #12 (1994), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy costs $8.

Overall, Mantra #12 (1994) is recommended.

+++++

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