nostalgia – Page 3 – Author Carlo Carrasco

A Look Back at Prime #9 (1994)

December 29, 2025December 23, 2025carlocarrasco

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 fans, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Ultraverse fans and comic book collectors! Today we revisit the Ultraverse to take a look at one of the many tales of Prime from the monthly series that first launched in 1993.

For the newcomers reading this, Prime is one of the definitive, major heroes of the entire Ultraverse along with Hardcase, Mantra and Prototype. Prime is also a major part of the team UltraForce. What makes the muscular and super strong Prime interesting is that his true identity is a teenager named Kevin Green who finds himself struggling between his superhero activities, his social life and his family. Having previously read and reviewed lots of Prime comic books, I can say that I had a lot of fun along the way. There are still some comic books about Prime that I have yet to review.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Prime #9, published by Malibu Comics in 1994 with a story written by Len Strazewski and Gerard Jones, and illustrated by the late Norm Breyfogle.

Early story

The story begins with Kevin’s mother helplessly tied to a chair with her mouth covered inside their home. By this time, Kevin (Prime) has been gone for more than a week already and her husband Russ won’t even call the police for help. For her, the people who informed her that Kevin has to be isolated because of some kind of a disease lied.

Suddenly a uniformed man armed with a rifle tells her that she will be in trouble if she makes so much noise. He tells her that Kevin is just outside the house and his team intends to collect him again.

Outside, Kevin just arrived following his unexpected adventure with Mantra (for crossover references, the comic books are Mantra #7 and Prime #8). Not knowing who Mantra really is, he remembers getting kissed by her and has an intention to see her whenever he wants. As soon as he opens the front door of their home, Kevin immediately gets dragged inside and restrained by two armed men. Colonel Samuels is inside…

Quality

*Prime has no choice but to do the dirty work of the abusive Colonel Samuels (who has access to US President Bill Clinton).*

Being set shortly after the events of Break-Thru (read my retro reviews by clicking here, here and here) and Prime’s encounters with Mantra, this tale is clearly a return to form for the Prime monthly series. Symbolically, Colonel Samuels returns as the chief antagonist and he clearly is not done yet with messing with Prime as well as with the Green family while abusing his power. Samuels is clearly evil and having served in the American military for decades, he has access to the government’s information regarding the ultras (which places the Green family in disadvantageous situations) and he has all resources needed to ruin Prime’s life.

Prime here gets involved in a mission being at a serious disadvantage as Colonel Samuels has the power and means to make him do dirty tasks. Samuels even has direct access to US President Bill Clinton (a real-life abuser of women, a leader who empowered Islamic terrorists and a profiteer with his family’s foundation) to do high-risk operations supposedly in service of America.

What is very clear in this story written by Strazewski and Jones is that intrigue (backed by twists) made the narrative powerful and engaging to follow. Even though there is a clear bias supporting the hippies, the political correctness minds, the anti-nuclear zealots and the solar power extremists, the tale is still entertaining to read. More notably, you will see how Prime develops as he tackles a very dangerous situation that involves annihilation in American land. I really like the way the writers showed Prime struggling to analyze what to do as the pressure mounts immensely on him.

Conclusion

*Easily the most dynamic image of the comic book drawn by the late Norm Breyfogle.*

Prime #9 (1994) is another very solid Ultraverse tale made by the Strazewski-Jones-Breyfogle team. It is creative a return to form for the Prime monthly series (because Prime got busy with Break-Thru and spent time with Mantra) and seeing the evil Colonel Samuel raise the stakes added a lot of depth to the story. At this particular stage of the series, Kevin Green’s life is getting out of hand and his parents are already in the middle of a series of very unfortunate events. This old comic book is still fun to read.

Overall, Prime #9 (1994) is recommended.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. If you want to support my website, please consider making a donation. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/

Better than Streaming: Do You Have Oppenheimer 4K Blu-ray In Your Collection?

December 26, 2025December 22, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back fellow geeks, Blu-ray collectors and movie buffs!

Similar with Godzilla Minus One, it took more than two years to watch Oppenheimer, and I finally did it on 4K Blu-ray. I recently acquired Oppenheimer 4K Blu-ray through Amazon for less than $20.

*Oppenheimer 4K Blu-ray set came with 3 discs. The standard Blu-ray disc of the movie is underneath the 4K Blu-ray disc on the left.*

My personal history with Oppenheimer goes like this. In 2023, the movie was released in lots of cinemas all over the Philippines and there was strong pre-release hype for it. Having seen several movies of director Christopher Nolan, I was interested to watch the acclaimed movie in the cinema. However, something in the back of my mind told me not to pursue it on the big screen.

As time passed, I met with a few friends who claimed to have seen the movie. I told them I have not seen Oppenheimer yet, so that prevented them from revealing spoilers. One of them told me that it is crucial to find the right time and the right mindset to watch Oppenheimer as it heavily tackled not only the history behind J. Robert Oppenheimer and his work on the Manhattan Project (the atomic bomb) but also the thick web of politics and intrigue.

So I took my friend’s advice. When my 4K Blu-ray copy of Oppenheimer arrived, I did not watch it immediately. Eventually, I found the right time to view it on a not-so-busy Saturday night. I had the TV room, the movie and my Xbox Series X (our default 4K Blu-ray player) all to myself.

To be clear to you all, this is NOT a review of the movie. What I can say is that Oppenheimer is indeed a very astonishing movie made with great production values, rock solid performances and intense direction by Nolan. Cillian Murphy is great as the physicist Oppenheimer and the supporting players have such performers like Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Jason Clarke (still great as an antagonist), and Kenneth Branagh (excellent as a mentor) who all delivered fine dramatic performances.

Oppenheimer is not an easy movie to watch and enjoy as it requires you to have enough knowledge about the physicist, the Manhattan Project, World War II and the political climate of the time. My friend is absolutely right that you have to see it with the right time and right mindset because the movie is very heavy with historical and political details. Not only that, the film is very talky – lots and lots of dialogue scenes – and you really have to exert effort to pay attention to all the details. As an information overload-type of film, Oppenheimer can be more challenging to watch than Shin Godzilla.

I had a very engaging viewing experience with Oppenheimer, and the native 4K visuals are great to see! Very clearly, Christopher Nolan and his team ensured the best possible 4K imagery for us viewers and movie collectors to enjoy, and like the past Blu-ray or 4K Blu-ray releases of his other movies, the screen aspect ratio adjusts between the IMAX-filmed scenes and the non-IMAX shots. Being a modern production, I can say that Oppenheimer’s 4K Blu-ray visual quality is as phenomenal as that of Top Gun: Maverick 4K Blu-ray. I am not exaggerating!

With great visuals and a lot of extra stuff packed in, Oppenheimer 4K Blu-ray should be in your list of movies to get on 4K Blu-ray format if you have not acquired it yet. At less than $20 as of this writing, you will get great entertainment value in return.

If you have decided already to order a copy of Oppenheimer 4K Blu-ray, click here. For technical details of the 4K Blu-ray release, click here.

If you wish to join a group of movie enthusiasts and talk about cinema, cinematic trends, Blu-ray releases and more relevant stuff, visit the Movie Fans Worldwide Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/322857711779576

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. 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/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 115

December 22, 2025December 16, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Terminator 2 Arcade Game Revisited – As a teenager, I was a huge fan of Terminator 2: Judgment Day. In 1992, the official arcade game of Terminator 2 arrived here in the Philippines and there was this time I played it in a Makati arcade (with one other player on the other gun), spent a lot of money on tokens for it and played the game extensively. As the game was very hard and overly chaotic, us players were unable to finish it. Recently, I saw this analytical, retrospective video about the Terminator 2 arcade game on YouTube by Mass Replay. It was a very engaging video to watch as it examines the game very closely, explains why it is so challenging to play and how much would it cost gamers today to finish it. Watch the video below and pay attention to the details.

#2 Problems With Windows 11 – Are you using Windows 11 on your personal computer? The way the Microsoft operating system is right now with artificial intelligence (AI) integrated, it has attracted a lot of user complaints over its reliability, lack of efficiency, features, forced updates and being not so user-friendly. The complaints and criticism over Windows 11 are only getting louder as of this writing and you can find out exactly why by watching the ColdFusion video below.

#3 Japan’s Ekiben – You might be familiar with the packed meal in Japan called bento. The Ekiben is a specific type of bento which is normally sold at train stations and those who bought it enjoy their meals while traveling. Ekiben comes with different types of food, ingredients and flavors, and it also highlights the local cuisine of the station or region it was sold in. To learn more about it, watch the Nippon TV video below.

#4 Sega’s Best Games On Xbox 360 – Over twenty years have passed since Microsoft first launched the Xbox 360 game console in America which eventually became the most popular gaming console in Xbox gaming history as well as having the best online gaming network of the 7^th console generation. As with the original Xbox console, Sega released several games on Xbox 360 (a mix of remastered games and brand new ones) via retail and through the Xbox network online (AKA Xbox LIVE). Recently Sega Lord X posted a video highlighting the best of what Sega released on the console, and it is fun to watch!

#5 Street Fighter 1994 Movie Revisited – In late 1994, the live-action movie Street Fighter was released in cinemas and there was buzz about it among Street Fighter II groups of fans of the time. Not only did the filmmakers have Jean-Claude Van Damme as its main attraction, they had to make up a functional story and cram a lot of characters into it. The film event had Australia’s icon Kylie Minogue as Cammy. To this day, some moviegoers (including gamers and fans of the Street Fighter franchise) enjoyed Street Fighter while there were others who found it very flawed. If you want to discover Street Fighter (1994) but are not willing to spend precious time and money on it, watch the videos below.

#6 Ashleigh Burton Reacts To National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation – When it comes to movies set during the Christmas season, do you enjoy watching comedies? Way back in December of 1989, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation – starring Chevy Chase – was released to mixed reviews but managed to achieve commercial success and movie buffs today consider it a classic of the Christmas season. How much of an impact the movie can have on first-timers can be seen in Ashleigh Burton’s reaction video below.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 114

December 15, 2025December 16, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Demolition Man Revisited – Way back in 1993, I completely missed out on Demolition Man in the local cinemas. The first time I saw it was on a rented laserdisc in 1995 and the film (starring Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes) turned out to be entertaining in a unique way. By today’s standards, Demolition Man is considered by many as a film ahead of its time as it accidentally predicted self-driving cars, video conferencing, heavy dependence on computers for solutions and more. As such, it is not surprising that a lot of retrospective and reaction videos of Demolition Man have filled YouTube. Posted below are the more entertaining videos to watch about the 1993 movie.

#2 Soy Milk Becomes More Popular In Japan – Soy milk is a dairy-free, plant-based drink made from water and ground soybeans. In recent times, soy milk has gotten tremendously more popular in Japan. Not only is it being consumed by the Japanese in its beverage form, soy milk also made its way into food items and snacks. There is a lot to learn about soy milk’s popularity in Japan in the video below.

#3 Resident Evil Illustrated Tales – Believe it or not, there was a time when comic books and illustrated tales about the Resident Evil games were published from the late 1990s to the early 2000s. Back then, WildStorm (WildCATs, StormWatch, Wetworks) was licensed to make comic adaptations of Resident Evil starting with the Resident Evil: The Official Comic Magazine (published through Image Comics, 1998-1999) which featured varied short stories that expanded the lore but not necessarily counted as canon with the games. YouTube ScorePN posted a video showcasing the Resident Evil illustrated tales so you don’t have to go to all the trouble of finding the comic books and magazines. Watch and enjoy the video below.

#4 Zaxxon Revisited – In the early 1980s, Sega made a huge splash in the arcades and game consoles with Zaxxon which is now considered a classic by many gamers. I only played it on the personal computer back in the 1980s. While my enjoyment of the game was very limited because of the not-so-friendly keyboard controls, I found Zaxxon an intriguing experience due to its isometric visual design and the illusion of 3D space that came with it. Sometimes I wished that Zaxxon would get remastered for the current console generation. That said, it’s now a good time to look back at the game in the two retrospective videos below.

#5 Ashleigh Burton Reacts To Lethal Weapon – Among all the Lethal Weapon movies released by Hollywood, the first film from 1987 is still the best in my view. Apart from having a strong script, the directing by Richard Donner got fine performances from Mel Gibson and Danny Glover, and the spectacle was executed with a lot of power while never feeling outlandish. That said, it is fun to replay the movie from time to time. To see how it impacts YouTuber Ashleigh Burton, watch her reaction video below.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 113

December 10, 2025November 30, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Setting The Record Straight About Cleveland’s 1986 Balloonfest – If there is anything unfortunate about the Internet and 21^st century culture, it would be falsehoods and distorted information overwhelming the truth about past events. When it comes to Cleveland’s Balloonfest ’86, the event was a spectacle in which the organizers, its volunteers and strategic partners overcame lots of challenges along the way. The vibe and turnout overall in 1986 was generally positive. Today, there are simply too many liars and peddlers of misinformation (note: climate change activists, woke minds and people pretending to be experts) who posted online dishonest retrospective videos and opinions about Balloonfest ’86. That said, key members of the organizing committee and participants of the event got together to set the record straight in a YouTube video of Cleveland.com, and they have the facts to refute the accusations and falsehoods. Watch and learn from the video below.

#2 Tourists Causing Trouble In Japan – As I said some time ago, if you are entering Japan as a tourist, you better behave yourself and follow the rules. Massive tourism has been happening in Japan for some time now which is clearly adding to their economy and to discovering what the Japanese have to offer to the world. Unfortunately, there are foreign tourists who misbehaved and violated local laws to do gimmicks for social media (note: a selfish motive), disturbing the peace, adding to the pollution and even flying drones in restricted areas. Watch and learn from the video below.

#3 Remembering John McCain’s Bad Legacy – It has been years since former US presidential candidate and US Senator John McCain passed away. During his decades-long service in the US Senate, he was called by the corrupted mainstream news media a maverick for his willingness to work with Democrats on pieces of legislation. What many people do not know is the truth (backed with facts) that McCain’s legacy has been pretty bad as he not only betrayed the Republican Party but also the voters. When McCain was the Republican nominee for US President in 2008, his campaign was really doomed and Republicans got embarrassed. There is a lot more to discover about McCain in the MAGAmark video below.

#4 Congo Video Game – In 1995, the adventure movie Congo was released in cinemas and it managed to achieve better-than-expected commercial success despite being hit with negative reviews. The movie was based on a novel by the late Michael Crichton. As part of the film’s business strategy, a video game of it was released on Sega Saturn titled Congo The Movie: The Lost City of Zinj. I never played the game and there is a lot to learn about it in Sega Lord X’s video below.

#5 The Running Man Revisited – Remember the 1987 sci-fi action movie The Running Man starring Arnold Schwarzenegger? That film was not a faithful adaptation of the novel written by Stephen King (who used a different name) but it delivered bouts of fun for moviegoers. That said, there are lots of interesting details about the film, its source material, the process of adapting the story for film, and how it entertained people. Enjoy the selected retrospective and reaction videos below.

#6 You, Me and the Movies React To Frankenstein (1931) – Several decades ago, Universal Pictures released its cinematic adaptation of a 1927 play which itself is an adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein novel. Simply titled Frankenstein, the 1931 movie went on to become a long-lasting part of American pop culture and is often regarded as a Hollywood. You, Me and the Movies’ Frankenstein reaction video is a must-see.

#7 Ashleigh Burton Reacts To Young Frankenstein – If you want to see good old comedy that is effectively funny, you can’t go wrong with Mel Brooks. When it comes to making fun out of a particular horror icon or property, Brooks’ Young Frankenstein is a parody worth considering. Ashleigh Burton’s reaction video is fun to watch.

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Better than Streaming: Do You Have Godzilla Minus One 4K Blu-ray In Your Collection?

December 8, 2025December 3, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back fellow geeks, Blu-ray collectors and movie buffs!

After more than two years of waiting (refer to my 2023 blog post by clicking here), I finally saw Godzilla Minus One (Japanese title: Gojira Mainasu Wan) for the first time ever and it was on 4K Blu-ray format! The movie turned out to be great in terms of storytelling and spectacle, and the immense fun factor justified the long wait I endured.

To put things in perspective, my anticipation for Godzilla Minus One started as soon as it was first announced by Toho and I patiently waited for the opportunity to watch it preferably inside the cinema or on 4K Blu-ray. The Takeshi Yamazaki-directed film only had very limited screenings in a Japanese film festival held here in the Philippines this year. As I was unable to watch it during the said film festival, I patiently waited for its 4K Blu-ray version to come out. Along the way, I avoided its Netflix availability here in the Philippines (because I prefer 4K Blu-ray over streaming). I also avoided watching the spoiler-filled movie reaction videos of Godzilla Minus One on YouTube.

Recently, I received my 4K Blu-ray copy of Godzilla Minus One which I ordered through Amazon. I waited a little over one year to order it as I anticipated price cuts would happen and I got a good bargain. Check out my Godzilla Minus One 4K Blu-ray blog post of 2024 by clicking here.

Godzilla Minus One 4K Blu-ray came with two discs – the 4K Blu-ray disc which has the feature film only, and the other is a Blu-ray disc that also has the film plus bonus features such as the commemorative special feature, an in-depth look at the visual effects, the event video collection and related content about the Tokyo International Film Festival.

*The Blu-ray disc on the left and the 4K Blu-ray disc on the right.*

*The rear of my Godzilla Minus One 4K Blu-ray case.*

Shortly after receiving my 4K Blu-ray of Godzilla Minus One, I had the living room all to myself in the evening and played the movie’s 4K Blu-ray disc on my Xbox One Series X and had my smartphone turned off to avoid distractions. For two solid hours, I had a very immersive home viewing experience and indeed, Godzilla Minus One looks absolutely stunning in uncompromised 4K visuals. The visual experience is absolutely grand and it is clear that the movie was carefully made by the production team to be so much better than streaming (catering to those who love the theatrical experience and the 4K Blu-ray experience at home).

The storytelling itself is very solid in terms of execution, the balance between build-ups and pay-offs, and the high-quality performances of the actors added depth to the narrative. Of course, the film took its time to show a very visceral Godzilla which is ultimately the biggest danger and the true threat to humanity at a time when Japan is still struggling to recover from all the damage it endured during World War II.

By the time the movie ended, I was more than just satisfied…I was overwhelmed by Godzilla Minus One’s top-notch quality, powerful engagement and high-level entertainment. I will replay it soon! While this is not a movie review, I can say Godzilla Minus One is indeed the as great and as compelling as the 1954 classic film. That clearly means I prefer this movie over all the Hollywood-produce Godzilla movies. As such, I can say that Godzilla Minus One 4K Blu-ray is a must-buy and must-see! I encourage you all reading this to go for it and add it to your collection of movies on physical media!

*Godzilla Minus One 4K Blu-ray is a great addition to my movie collection!*

If you have decided already to order a copy of Godzilla Minus One 4K Blu-ray, click here.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 112

December 3, 2025November 27, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 GoodBadFlicks Examines Cheersploitation Movies – Recently YouTuber GoodBadFlicks posted a video examining a certain sub-genre of film involving cheerleaders…Cheersploitation. Before the explosion of raunchy comedy movies in the 1980s, there were sex comedy films involving cheerleaders released in the 1970s. GoodBadFlicks’ video features five movies of the Cheersploitation sub-genre which you should see.

#2 The Odd City In Skyrim – Like many gamers, I bought and played Skyrim (Xbox 360 version specifically) on launch day in 2011, and it was easily the most immersive role-playing game of the 7^th console generation. There is one particular city that always felt odd to me which is Markarth. Recently I saw this particular video on YouTube that explains in detail why Markarth stood out so differently from all other cities and towns of Skyrim, and there definitely is something dark behind its legacy which makes exploring it a very intriguing experience for gamers. This is a reminder about Todd Howard’s team taking creative risks that worked and it is an experience you won’t get in Starfield. Watch the video below.

#3 Japanese Food In Ibaraki Prefecture – Ibaraki Prefecture is located in the Kanto region of Honshu in Japan. Even as Ibaraki Prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, its local food joints offer certain meals that are not available in Tokyo itself. Recently, Nippon TV visited the place and examined why locals travel there to try out the standout food. Watch and learn from the video below.

#4 You, Me And The Movies React To Spawn (1997) – 1997 was not exactly a fun year for superhero enthusiasts when it comes to movies. The movie star-heavy Batman & Robin was terrible and it remains as one of the worst superhero movies ever. Also in 1997, a live-action movie of Spawn was released and even though it took itself seriously (note: creator Todd McFarlane had creative input on the film and his own company was part of the production), it gathered mixed reaction from the fans and very negative feedback from film critics. Recently, You, Me and the Movies posted a reaction video about Spawn which strangely was more entertaining than the movie itself.

#5 Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid Reaction Videos – If you have seen a lot of buddy cop movies from Hollywood, have you seen a Western buddy film? Once such film was 1969’s Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid which starred the late Robert Redford and the late Paul Newman. The movie was critically acclaimed and it was for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” 34 years after its release. As such, it is not surprising that the film became a subject of many YouTube reaction videos and posted below are a few I selected for your enjoyment.

#6 Jennifer Lopez And The Scammers In Music – A few decades ago, Milli Vanilli was exposed as a scam and the public backlash was so intense, the fans destroyed the music records they previously bought. For the newcomers reading this, Milli Vanilli was a duo of Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus who danced and NEVER used their voices in their songs (note: it was all done by others in secret under German music producer Frank Farian). Back in those times, it was normal for music fans and consumers to expect genuine vocal performances from musical artists. As time passed, standards have changed and the musical scam of Milli Vanilli suddenly became the new normal in modern entertainment as more singers today were exposed to be frauds and pretenders (lip-syncing behind vocals produced by others). Watch and learn from the video below.

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Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 37

December 1, 2025December 29, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!

In this edition of the Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) series, we will take a look at another batch of retro gaming print ads – including arcade flyers – from the 1970s to the 1990s.

For the newcomers reading this, Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) looks back at the many print ads of games (console, arcade, computer and handheld) that were published in comic books, magazines, flyers, posters and newspapers long before smartphones, social media, the worldwide web and streaming became popular. To put things in perspective, people back in the 1970s and 1990s were more trusting of print media for information and images about electronic games and related products.

With those details laid down, here is the newest batch of retro gaming print ads for you to see and enjoy…

1. Cabal Japanese arcade flyer/poster

*Can you feel the action and intensity here?*

When it was first released in video arcades in Japan in late 1988, Cabal was another game inspired by military action movies of Hollywood which explains the art work done for the arcade flyer and poster shown above. The Vietnam War was still fresh in people’s minds and the concept of having one or two players firing their weapons against enemy soldiers resonated with gamers who saw Hollywood’s military action flicks. That said, it is not surprising that Cabal became a huge hit in Japan before getting released in arcades around the world.

2. Willows Japanese arcade flyer

Remember the 1988 high fantasy adventure film Willow? That film was produced by George Lucas and was a bold new production of Lucasfilm shifting away from Star Wars. Believe it or not, an official arcade game adaptation of Willow was made by Capcom and they promoted it by having images of Val Kilmer and Warwick Davis on the front of the arcade flyer (opposite the illustrated versions of their characters). The game, which was a side-scrolling platform game with run-and-gun elements, went on to be an arcade hit in Japan and eventually pleased gamers worldwide.

3. Super Punch-Out!! North American print ad

Historically, Nintendo’s Punch-Out!! series started in the arcade in 1984 and the first game was the result of the company’s effort to make a new game using arcade cabinets with two screens. The 2^nd game – Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! – became a huge critical and commercial hit (over 2 million copies sold in 1988) on console and it made great business sense for Nintendo for release another Punch-Out!! for its console gamers to enjoy in the comfort of home. In 1994, Super Punch-Out!! was released on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) in America and to promote it, the company came up with a hilarious 2-page ad that showed fictional high school graduates with boxing-related injuries. The imagery creatively connected with the words “biggest Punch-Out ever” and “Graduating Class of ‘94”.

4. EA Sports 3-in-1 SNES games print ad

In 1994, Electronic Arts (EA) released their sports games NBA Live 95, NHL 95 and Madden NFL 95 for consoles at the time. Even though the Sega Genesis sold better than Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) in America at the time, EA went on to aggressively market their 3 sports video games on Nintendo’s console using a 3-in-1 games print ad. In retrospect, the SNES for the most part had better graphics and sounds than the Genesis which is reflected clearly on EA Sports games of the time. This print ad still looks fun and exciting.

5. Atari Jaguar CD print ad

*Were you able to play any game on the Atari Jaguar with the CD add-on included?*

Apart from the obvious advances of technology that impacted video games, the 1990s is also known for the rise of CD-ROM as a medium for gaming. In an effort to boost sales of the Atari Jaguar console (launched in America in 1993 for around $250) and capitalize on the trust of the fans and console owners, Atari launched a CD-ROM add-on device for about $150 in 1995. To promote it, the company went aggressive with the 2-page ad showing the add-on fully connected on top of the main console, showing off some games and posting a text description emphasizing hardware power and the advantages that come with the CD technology. Even in the captured image, the Atari Jaguar CD still resembled a toilet. This is an aggressive ad campaign that failed as less than 20,000 Atari Jaguar CD units were sold by the time it was discontinued in 1996.

6. 3DO print ad

*While it lacks intensity, this 3DO ad emphasized the games.*

Without showing any hardware, the 3DO Company came up with this 2-page print ad that had a slightly adulterated tone (look at the left page) and aggressively marketed the 3DO console games available at the time. Games like Demolition Man, Shock Wave, Road Rash and Super Street Fighter II Turbo were the standout titles which clearly showed the company made the effort to emphasize gaming more than multimedia features. This 1990s ad tackled the generations with a touch of humor.

7. Lethal Enforcers II: Gun Fighters Sega Genesis print ad

When Lethal Enforcers II: Gun Fighters was released in the arcades in 1994, it became a commercial success for Konami which went on to announce it would port the game to consoles of Nintendo and Sega at the time. While the port for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) was never released, Lethal Enforcers II: Gun Fighters made its way to the Sega Genesis and Sega CD. The print ad of the Sega Genesis version (Sega CD mentioned in small text) had an inspired design emphasizing the Old West, shooting and the conflict between cowboys and Indians. The screenshots gave people the clear idea that Old West was the setting (versus modern day in the previous game). This is still fun to look at.

8. Syphon Filter

*Syphon Filter went on to become a surprise hit game in 1999.*

In 1999, Sony’s 989 Studios released Syphon Filter exclusively on the PlayStation console. This single-page print ad showed a few screenshots on the bottom and several action snippets with a night vision touch ultimately emphasizing the stealth aspect within the gameplay. The marketing proved to be effective as the game sold a lot at retail and went on to establish a new game franchise exclusive to PlayStation consoles.

9. Parasite Eve II Japanese print ad

*Were you a big fan of Aya Brea and the Parasite Eve franchise in the late 1990s?*

Following the critical and commercial success of Parasite Eve in 1998, SquareSoft proceeded with Parasite Eve II and the production (note: initially for a spin-off game before becoming a sequel) did not even involve the main creators of the first game. Instead the company had a different team of developers – including those who previously worked on Resident Evil games for Capcom – in Osaka to make the sequel. This explains why Parasite Eve II had stronger survival horror gameplay resembling a Resident Evil game. As major changes were made during the production, it was decided that Aya Brea would become the main protagonist and already the character was already popular with gamers. That being said, the marketing of Parasite Eve II for the Japanese market heavily featured Aya Brea with subtle sexiness, beauty and action in mind. The marketing intensified leading to its eventual December 16, 1999 release in Japan.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 111

November 26, 2025November 18, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Ashleigh Burton Reacts To Full Metal Jacket – A few months ago, my YouTube series post included several reaction videos of Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket. Recently Ashleigh Burton posted her own Full Metal Jacket reaction video and I can say that it is very enjoyable to watch as the YouTuber (who is a jolly person) had her own bouts of laugh-out-loud moments reacting to it. Watch Ashleigh Burton’s video below.

#2 Ghost in the Shell’s Relevance Analyzed – I was still in college the first time I saw the 1995 anime feature film Ghost in the Shell on home video. While I enjoyed the action and the high-quality visuals (2D animation mixed with computer-generated graphics), I was unable to grasp the story and its many philosophical messages within. To really enjoy it and understand Masamune Shirow’s concepts, watching Ghost in the Shell should be done with patience and the right mindset. Fortunately, a YouTuber took the time to replay the anime feature film and paid close attention to the many details within. Indeed, Ghost in the Shell is more relevant than ever today as it tackled hacking, cybersecurity, identity and artificial intelligence early on. To find out more, watch the video below.

#3 Yakisoba In Japan – You like Yakisoba? Yakisoba is a Japanese noodle stir-fried dish and it first appeared in food stalls in Japan about a century ago. There are lots of places in Japan that offer yakisoba to customers and there are also variants of it depending on where you find it. In the city of Kobe (the same city that got ravaged by a massive earthquake in the mid-1990s) is a Yakisoba shop that serves a lot of customers each day. That means something must be really good with the yakisoba. Watch and learn from the video below.

#4 Do You Trust James Gunn? – I never bothered to watch James Gunn’s Superman movie this year. In fact, when it was announced that Gunn and his partner would start a whole new line of DC Comics superhero movie projects under the Warner Bros. banner a few years ago, I was never excited nor interested. I saw Gunn’s work in Guardians of the Galaxy (he wrote and directed it) and the 2004 Dawn of the Dead remake (he wrote it) and neither film was worth replaying. I’m not saying Gunn is a bad filmmaker, I just don’t find his work compelling enough and box office numbers don’t change a thing. He also directed The Suicide Squad which ended up as a commercial disappointment. When it comes to cinematic superhero works, there are reasons why long-time superhero fans and comic book readers don’t trust Gunn which you can learn from the videos below.

#5 Austria Pushes Back Against Mass Migration – Right from the top, Austria made decisive moves to push back against the flow of mass migration and made it clear they want to preserve their culture and prioritize their citizens. It has been over ten years since Germany – under Angela Merkel – committed a huge blunder by opening its borders to so many people from the Middle East and Africa which affected other European nations negatively. It is obvious that the high amount of so-called refugees already in Europe collectively have no desire to assimilate with the culture and norms of the nations they entered, and they want more social benefits and more money at the expense of the citizens. Austria itself had enough and you can find out how they pushed back against mass migration by watching the video below.

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A Look Back at Uncanny X-Men #286 (1992)

November 24, 2025November 16, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the early 1990s to explore one of the many tales of the Marvel shared universe through the Uncanny X-Men series.

While issue #284 marked the turning point following the successful return of Jean Grey and the encounter with Bishop, issue #285 generated strong vibes of the sci-fi TV series Otherworld as it revealed most of the X-Men’s Gold Team members in a completely different world filled with unknown inhabitants and culture. Clearly a lot has happened following the Gold Team’s debut in issue #281 which reflects the respective contributions of the creators.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Uncanny X-Men #286, published in 1992 by Marvel Comics with a story co-written by Jim Lee and Scott Lobdell (who worked on the script). The art was done by Whilce Portacio with ink work by Art Thibert.

Early story

The story begins with Jean Grey, Colossus, Storm and her male companion (Mikhail Rasputin) together. While Jean is surprised and relieved to see Storm again (she was separated from the team temporarily in the last issue), Colossus is shocked to see his long-lost brother Mikhail alive and well. Mikhail reveals that so many years have passed since he last stood with his little brother and had long abandoned any hope of a reunion.

The reunion is interrupted when a portal has grown larger by the moment and it means that it is only a matter time before Earth is pulled into the realm they are in. Both worlds are at risk of getting destroyed…

Quality

*Charles Xavier and Forge are still on Earth separated from the rest of the X-Men’s Gold Team members.*

Following the build-up and character developments that happened in the previous issue, this X-Men tale is pretty much a strong pay-off while leaving some space for suspense and surprises. The writers intended to conclude what started in issue #284 and along the way, they had to go through the challenges of introducing a new world, new people and the conflicts within. Mikhail Rasputin – the same guy who helped Storm in issue #284 – is easily the most impactful addition to this tale and because of him and what he revealed, Colossus became emotional and felt like his life was crumbling as he simply could not handle the truth. Colossus’ despair and emotional state here served as the creative seeds that later led to the betrayal he would eventually commit (in Uncanny X-Men #304).

The Mikhail-Colossus interaction was easily this comic book’s source of emotions which added some weight to the plot. By the time I reached the end of this issue, I felt really satisfied and at the same time curious about the state of Colossus (note: there’s a still a long road of X-Men tales before Uncanny X-Men #304).

With regards to the writing, John Byrne’s intricate touch on the dialog was clearly missing but Scott Lobdell did a fine job taking over. While Whilce Portacio was credited as illustrator, there were a few pages that looked like they were drawn by someone else. The same also happened with regards to the inking in different parts of the comic book…Art Thibert’s inking has a fine touch and there were some images that had aggressive and thicker inking (it has to be the work of someone uncredited).

Conclusion

*A very significant moment for the Rasputin brothers witnessed by Jean Grey, Storm and a few of the locals.*

While there were some inconsistencies on the quality of the artworks, Uncanny X-Men #286 (1992) had a really strong script and the good news here is that the creative team managed to pull off a solid conclusion. This is the kind of tale in which the X-Men utilized their skills and made tough decisions while being far away from Charles Xavier. At this particular stage of the Uncanny X-Men series, the Gold Team’s development really progressed and they became a more appealing team to follow.

Overall, Uncanny X-Men #286 (1992) is highly recommended!

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