Welcome back Xbox fans, Resident Evil fans and fellow geeks!
This past weekend, Capcom unveiled Resident Evil Veronica which is a modern remake of Resident Evil – Code: Veronica. Already a lot of gamers and Resident Evil fans are talking about the remake which will be released on the Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X/S some time in 2027.
For your excitement and curiosity, watch the official reveal trailer below.
Given Capcom’s record of making ambitious remakes of past Resident Evil games, Resident Evil Veronica has long been rumored to have been in development. Among the RE fans, Resident Evil – Code Veronica was memorable and yet it had certain elements that made it divisive (example: the annoying voice acting for Steve Burnside). As such, many viewed Code Veronica as the one game that really has to be remade and Capcom has only one chance to make a better and more definitive Code Veronica.
Originally released on the Sega Dreamcast way back in 2000, Resident Evil – Code Veronica was not just a follow-up to the popular Resident Evil 2…it was also a technological marvel as it had fully polygonal environments, more detailed polygonal characters and more immersive cinematic cutscenes. It was truly a next-generation RE experience for many gamers and I myself wanted a Dreamcast just to play it. The game also had Claire Redfield and her brother Chris as the playable major characters and both of them are still fan-favorites.
Going back to the trailer above, it is clear Capcom is making Resident Evil Veronica a darker, grittier and more horrific tale than the original game. The shots of Rockfort Island look very creepy, even nightmarish. While Claire Redfield has been revealed, Chris Redfield, Alfred Ashford, Steve Burnside and Alexa Ashford have not. Still, fans already pointed out that the masked man who grabbed Claire is Hunk (often identified with Resident Evil 2). Zombies were shown in a glimpse but the other monsters from the original game have yet to be shown.
Claire Redfield is back and she has gone to Europe to search for her brother Cris.
This facility on Rockfort Island looks terrifying and very difficult to escape from.
Remember the guns that Steve Burnside used in a key part of the story in Resident Evil – Code: Veronica?
A key location remade to be creepy and claustrophobic. Are you ready to discover more about the Ashford family?
Capcom describes Resident Evil Veronica as follows:
Resident Evil Veronica is a remake of 2000’s Resident Evil Code: Veronica. This new title preserves the essence of the original game, while introducing modernized gameplay, a reimagined storyline, and vividly detailed graphics.
In 2027, madness and intrigue, love and hate all combine to create a chilling new entry in survival horror.
3 months have passed since the biological disaster in Raccoon City. Claire Redfield, having survived along with Leon S. Kennedy and Sherry Birkin, travels to France in search of her brother, Chris Redfield.
However, what awaits her is not a reunion with her brother, but the Umbrella special forces unit responsible for the incident. They capture Claire and transport her to a mysterious island.
Now Claire must make a desperate attempt to escape the remote Rockfort Island, which due to another biological disaster, has transformed into a living hellscape of survival horror.
Resident Evil Veronica is set for release on game consoles and PC in 2027. Capcom has yet to show actual gameplay.
If you are a newcomer here who wants to discover what Resident Evil – Code Veronica was all about, I encourage you to watch the two retrospective videos below.
Are you gamers feeling excited for Resident Evil Veronica? Do you feel confident that Capcom will deliver a great remake like 2019’s Resident Evil 2? Have you ever played Resident Evil – Code: Veronica?
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, Image Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the mid-1990s to examine one of the many tales of Jim Lee’s original WildStorm universe through the original Gen13 mini-series.
With the first two issues over, the stakes have been raised now that Caitlin Fairchild has been separated from her eventual teammates. Fairchild is alone in the middle of the desert in Nevada and her pals – who went back to the International Operations (IO) facility that trained them – are in deep trouble already.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Gen13 #3, published by Image Comics in 1994 with a story written by Jim Lee and Brandon Choi with artwork done by Jeffrey Scott Campbell. This is the third issue of the mini-series.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins in the desert. From a distance, Caitlin Fairchild spots a paramilitary convoy delivering something big and important. It turns out the convoy is handled by the Black Razors and they arrived at the IO facility in the middle of the night.
Ivana (one of leaders of the facility) woke up to personally examine what the convoy delivered to them unexpectedly. When she asked who is giving the orders, John Lynch (formerly of Team 7) appears and he tells her that he has an unidentified super-powered being that has to be secured at their facility only for the night.
Inside the heavy containment unit is Pitt…
Quality
Fairchild and Pitt fight!
I can say that the story here is both a thrill ride and also a build-up for what is clearly the next stage of the mini-series’ concept. The addition of Pitt here is actually a crossover-related appearance as the said character is a creation of Dale Keown (essentially a non-WildStorm character). Pitt’s presence added weight to the spectacle as a short fight between him and a stronger Caitland Fairchild over a misunderstanding took place.
One part of the narrative followed Fairchild who made the suicidal move to return to the facility alone as she decided to rescue her companions Roxy, Grunge, Rainmaker and Burnout. Even though she already has an idea that a trap could be set up for her, Fairchild has fully decided to pursue a rescue rather running away to freedom. As such, Fairchild here is braver, took huge risks to meet her new goals and has shown notable changes following what happened in the first two issues.
Another part of the plot follows Roxy, Grunge, Burnout and Rainmaker who have been held captive in very humiliating fashion as they have been stripped naked and have been restrained in ways that would outrage the human rights activists. The main antagonists Ivana, Threshold and Nicole wield absolute power in the facility and they are indeed ruthless. Ivana, who had to receive and meet John Lynch, is obsessed with experimenting on gen-active youth to create her own personal army of super-powered beings. Threshold helps her by torturing the captured companions of Fairchild and he is so cold-hearted, he actually enjoys performing both torture and humiliation.
The WildStorm universe veteran John Lynch (read my past reviews of Team 7 and The Kindred) appears here and was portrayed to be uncompromising and dead serious with his task handling Pitt’s transfer. His presence and interactions with Ivana shed more light on the purpose of International Operations (IO) and how the organization is connected with the youth program at the facility.
Conclusion
Grunge gets tortured in front of his naked companions. Threshold takes pleasure in torturing him.
Gen13 #3 (1994) has a lot of thrills plus intrigue and even some shock value that made it stand out among the many superhero comic books about powered teenagers published in the 1990s. There is clear development on Fairchild and what she does here is the result of the huge decision she made at the end of issue #2. Fairchild’s captured companions also got their fair share of development as well and it is here where their bond as a group really grows. Along the way, Pitt added the monster presence but with a touch of heroism instead of instant death towards others. Anyone who follows Pitt should see his crossover appearance here. Indeed, this third issue of the mini-series is still fun to read.
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 Retro Videos Of Scary Movie (2000) – Some of you might be aware that a brand new Scary Movie (2026) is coming out very soon. Although it’s nice to see Anna Faris and the Wayans brothers in the trailer of the new movie, I am not very motivated to see it. That said, I am more nostalgic about the original Scary Movie of 2000 and that film is significant as there are many retrospective videos about it in YouTube. As such, I posted below the selected videos of Scary Movie (2000) for your enjoyment.
#2 How Tekken 3 Was Made Possible On PlayStation – When I first played Tekken 3 in the arcades in 1997, I was already an avid fan of Tekken 2 which I played a lot on the PlayStation console. Back then, I wondered how Namco would be able to port Tekken 3 on PlayStation are the arcade version had much more powerful hardware. A year later, Tekken 3 was released on PlayStation and I played it a lot. The more I played it, the more impressed I was with how the game looked and felt on PlayStation. Not only that, Tekken 3 on PlayStation had features that the original arcade version did not offer. To find out how Namco made the “impossible port” of Tekken 3 using the PlayStation’s aging hardware, watch the video below.
#3 1990s NBA Plays That Are Still Great To Watch – Remember how exciting NBA basketball action was back in the 1990s? It was during the 1990s when the NBA became a global phenomenon, when the NBA had such super stars like Michael Jordan, Reggie Miller, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and others who made great basketball plays. Back in those days, the Internet was slowly emerging and there obviously was no social media to amplify the great NBA moments. Posted below is a video that looks back at sixty great NBA plays that would have rocked the world had social media existed much earlier.
#4 Lunch At Ginza – Have you ever been to Ginza when you visited Japan? For the newcomers reading this, Ginza is the premier upscale district in Tokyo famous for shopping, fine dining and entertainment. Believe it or not, there are places in Ginza where visitors can have lunch at affordable rates and be satisfied. Watch and learn from the Nippon TV video below.
#5 You, Me And The Movies React To Resident Evil: Degeneration – When the computer-generated movie Resident Evil: Degeneration was released in 2008, it created a lot of buzz for the dedicated fans of the Resident Evil video games, particularly those who followed the iconic characters Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield (the Resident Evil 2 characters). The limited theatrical releases did not stop the movie from achieving good box office numbers and it went on to sell a lot on DVD and Blu-ray later. But has the movie aged well and does anyone here enjoy it more than the live-action Resident Evil movies of Milla Jovovich? Watch the reaction video below and observe how it impacts You, Me and the Movies.
#6 Shoplifting Rampage By Hijabi Muslim Goes Very Wrong – Did you notice any woman wearing a hijab who engaged in theft lately? Overseas, someone committed shoplifting and things went very wrong. If you manage a store or if you care much about preventing the crime of theft from happening, you better watch the video below and pay close attention to the details. Do not let the Islamists manipulate you and never let them terrorize you.
#7 Origin of The Jackal – You ever heard of The Jackal in comic books? The Jackal is one of Spider-Man’s super villains and he is involved in one of the most tragic events of the icon’s life and also in the sagas about clones. Veteran creator J.M. DeMatteis called the Jackal as “a terrific villain.” To get to know more about the Jackal, watch the video below.
#8 Rhetorical Thrill Reacts To Toy Soldiers – Remember back in the 1990s when there was a slew of action or adventure films with terrorists as the antagonists? This was the so-called “Die Hard effect” in reference to the 1988 classic action film that starred Bruce Willis. In 1991, the movie Toy Soldiers was released and it was about an all-male boarding school that got occupied by terrorists, and only a group of rebellious students can achieve a breakthrough. Recently, Rhetorical Thrill posted her reaction video about Toy Soldiers and it is entertaining to watch.
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 from the 1980s 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 1980s to the 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. Taito’s 4-in-1 Print Ad
I remember seeing this ad in some comic books I read back in the 1980s.
There is nothing like taking the clever approach of promoting multiple video games using only one single print ad in the size of a single page. Taito did exactly that in the 1980s when it promoted Elevator Action, The Legend of Kage, Arkanoid and Renegade for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) promising excitement as the mentioned games were making the jump from arcade to console. What is very notable in Taito’s single-page print ad was that it did not show any screenshots of the games. Instead, they used hand-drawn artwork to emphasize each game’s theme or setting, and leave it up to the viewers’ imagination as to how those games would look like on NES. This old ad is intriguing and amusing at the same time.
2. Chase H.Q. II: Special Criminal Investigation Print Ad
Cars and high-speed action emphasized in this ad.
Following the huge success of the original Chase H.Q. on both arcade and consoles in the late-1980s, the sequel Special Crime Investigation was released in the arcades in 1989 and ported to game consoles and computers in the early 1990s under the title Chase H.Q. II: Special Criminal Investigation. To promote Chase H.Q. II: Special Criminal Investigation for home computers, game publisher Ocean came up with a colorful print ad showcasing a few cars, a city background and elements of gun-related action presented in nice art. The ad has an image of the original arcade machine to remind gamers that they are playing the sequel to Chase H.Q.
3. Dancing Eyes Japanese Arcade Flyer
The front.
The rear.
Released by Namco in Japan in 1996, Dancing Eyes is a puzzle arcade game that became notorious due to its overtly sexual nature. With the way it was designed, players control a small monkey called Urusu-San and crawl along a 3D grid mapped over characters (mostly ladies) or various objects. If the 3D grid is mapped over a young lady, any tile of the grid destroyed by the player exposes the lady’s underwear or skin. Such sexuality is reflected in the arcade flyer of Dancing Eyes which has a suggestive hand-drawn art on the front while the game’s mechanics are explained in the rear. Even the rear of the flyer shows sexual nature of the game with screenshots. While the game was officially released only in Japan, Dancing Eyes actually was made available for gamers to play at the arcade of X-Site amusement center inside Festival Mall in Alabang during the early 2000s and it attracted a lot of guys. I bet Namco did not know about that.
4. Sega Saturn North American Print Ad
This print ad always caught people’s attention.
When the Sega launched the Saturn console in America roughly four months ahead of schedule in 1995, the company suffered as the sales were disappointing, ties with business partners were strained and the available Saturn games were very few. By the fourth quarter of that year, more games became available for the Saturn and this gave Sega the opportunity to aggressively market the console as the one that gamers should get for their enjoyment. To promote the Saturn, Sega came up with a two-page print ad that had a dominant image of a naked woman whose private parts were cleverly covered by screenshots of the available games. Since most gamers were predominantly male from teenagers to adults, it made sense for Sega to come up with an eye-catching sexy ad to promote their console and the video games (including those from other companies). This old ad is considered by the woke and rabid feminists as very offensive today.
5. Blockbuster Video Print Ad
If you won the grand prize and wanted a lot of entertainment, you would not want to leave your home.
Back in the late 20th century, Blockbuster Video was the dominant retailer that offered customers movies in home video format for sale and for rent. Along the way, the company offered video game rentals and attracted millions of gamers around the nation. Given the tremendous growth of video gaming in America in the 1990s, Blockbuster got itself more involved by launching the Games of Summer Sweepstakes in 1996. Utilizing print ads, the sweepstakes offered the Ultimate Game Rooms – composed of a 41-inch big-screen TV, Surround Sound speakers, hi-fi VCR, NBA Jame Extreme arcade game, the Sega Saturn, the PlayStation, a gaming chair, Acclaim games for Saturn and PlayStation, and a 1-year free Blockbuster Video game rentals privilege – as the grand prizes. Do you know anyone who won in Blockbuster’s sweepstakes?
6. Independence Day (ID4) Print Ad
A nice looking ad for a game that was actually mediocre.
Remember how big a blockbuster Independence Day (ID4) was in cinemas in 1996? The film grossed over $800 million worldwide and it revived the disaster movie genre using modern filmmaking techniques and the latest technologies of the decade. Given the massive success of the movie, it was not surprising that an official video game adaptation was released in 1997. To promote the game, Fox Interactive (the video game company of the movie studio behind the film) came up with a 2-page print ad using official artwork from the movie showcasing the alien spaceship being attacked by a military fighter plane. The ad showed only 3 screenshots and the descriptive text was written to make gamers feel like they have the role to lead Earth’s fight against the aliens. While the art looks good, it can only go so far to hide the mediocrity of the game itself.
7. GoldenEye 007 Print Ad
Bond, James Bond.
When GoldenEye achieved both critical and financial success in movies, it revived the James Bond movie franchise big-time and Pierce Brosnan was easily accepted by the public as the newest Agent 007. Several months before the movie was even released, an official video game adaptation started development. After much revisions and hard adjustments, the project evolved into a first-person shooting game for the Nintendo 64 console titled GoldenEye 007. To promote the game, Nintendo came up with a 2-page print ad that cleverly showed Brosnan as James Bond on the left and displayed the screenshots and other details on the right. This ad was easily eye-catching and it made lots of gamers excited. As history showed, GoldenEye 007 got released in 1997 and became a huge critical and commercial success while also proving that first-person shooters on game consoles can be a lot of fun.
8. North American Sega Saturn Games Promo Print Ad
There definitely was something fun offered to gamers. Who could go wrong with titles like Tomb Raider, Nights into Dreams, Virtual On and Virtua Cop 2?
As mentioned earlier, the Sega Saturn had a bad launch in America in 1995 which caused a lot of problems for the company. In 1996, Sega of America went on the offensive to really capture gamers’ attention by launching their Saturn games promo. The message of this 2-page print ad was very clear…Sega offered one free first-party game (limited to four specific games including Nights into Dreams) to those who bought two games (from a lineup of twelve specific titles). It should be noted that the Christmas season of 1996 was the most successful sales period of the Sega Saturn in America as gamers really responded to the promo. Even though some called this promo an act of desperation, nothing changes the fact that Sega succeeded during the most critical sales season of 1996.
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Image Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1995 to take a close look at one of the many tales of the original WildStorm universe through one of the comic books of the first mini-series of Team 7.
For the newcomers reading this, Team 7 is set in the past within the original WildStorm universe. This is the special forces team that had major WildStorm heroes – Grifter (WildCATS: Covert Action Teams), Backlash, Jackson Dane (Wetworks), John Lynch (Gen13) and Michael Cray (Deathblow) – who were younger, were proficient with combat and gained special abilities as a result of a sinister move by their superiors. Issue #2 took place after the team got exposed to something they never anticipated and their superiors knew it.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Team 7 #3, published in 1994 by Image Comics with a story written by Chuck Dixon and drawn by Aron Wiesenfeld. This is the 3rd chapter of a 4-issue mini-series.
The cover.
Early story
Set in the 1970s, the surviving Team 7 members (already exposed to the chemical agent) are in the middle of a new mission somewhere in East Africa. Because their teammate Johnson abused his new power to manipulate a black general to kill himself against his own will, Cole Cash eliminates Johnson causing John Lynch to be outraged. Cash tells Lynch that Johnson lost himself completely. He also tells him to list Johnson as MIA (missing-in-action) and turn a blind eye as before.
Lynch points his gun at Cash’s head believing he is standing for the mission and rules. After Cash tells him that they are monsters and that the world is better off without them, Lynch relents and shoots the wall instead. The mission concludes and Team 7 goes home by helicopter.
As the ride goes on, John Lynch thinks very deeply about everything that happened since they got exposed to the chemical agent. He realizes that they were exposed to genetic altering elements and wonders if he and his teammates were nothing more than lab rats for International Operations (IO)…
Quality
John Lynch in the presence of his traitorous superiors following the East African operation.
If there is anything notable here apart from the continued dark and gritty tone, the plot really thickened clearly. At this stage, it is more obvious that the superiors have indeed something more sinister planned for Team 7 to endure. They know that the infected team members are closing ranks to protect itself which means they are ready for the so-called final test.
Along the way, John Lynch gradually realizes the evil of his superiors and being the field leader, he begins to analyze what is best for him and his teammates and which options to take knowing the betrayal from above. Quitting is simply not an option for Lynch and the pressure builds up as the story went on. Cole Cash here sees things very clearly and he easily became the pathfinder among Team 7 members. When he scolds his teammate Fairchild (father of Gen13’s Caitlin Fairchild) for abusing his power in a public place while off-duty, it is clear that Cash wants to keep the team together by means of keeping together while maintaining sanity.
As for Team 7 itself, there is something intriguing that awaits readers once they start their new mission here. I won’t spoil it and it has to be seen. Simply grab a copy of this comic book, read it and pay attention to the details. It’s strong stuff from the creative team.
Conclusion
Cole Cash (Grifter) talks sense into John Lynch about what has really been going on and why they have become monsters.
Team 7 #3 (1994) has a lot of intrigue as the plot thickened. At this stage, it is clear that IO is really up to no good and Team 7 is symbolically their scientific and military experiment. Fortunately for the team, they have John Lynch and Cole Cash as the reasonable members who are able to cut through the noise and became aware of what IO has been executing. The stage is set for the concluding issue and this comic book is indeed a solid build-up and also an engaging WildStorm read.
Overall, Team 7 #3 (1994) is recommended.
+++++
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 @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco
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 Maximum Carnage Revisited – With Spider-Man, Venom and Carnage all in high demand in 1993, Marvel Comics launched the 14-part Maximum Carnage storyline published on the four Spider-Man monthly comic book series and the quarterly Spider-Man Unlimited series. Carnage back then was a still new super villain who is more insane and more bloodthirsty than even Venom. Maximum Carnage has a divisive reception among fans and comic book collectors. Some called it the worst Spider-Man storyline while others found it exceptional as the chaos in New York City attracted other Marvel superheroes – notably Captain America – to help Spider-Man solve the crisis. Regardless of opinion, Maximum Carnage made an impact on pop culture and it got its own official video game adaptation. To discover more about Maximum Carnage in comics and in video game form, watch and learn from the videos below.
#2 The World’s Largest Truck Stop Diner – While I have visited the United States a number of times since 1989, I never had the opportunity to spend time at a truck stop diner nor have I ever experienced traveling long distances in a truck. Having seen truck stop diners (or rest places for truckers) on videos and on TV, I noticed those places have a unique vibe, its own culture and assorted meals customers can enjoy. As such, I urge you to watch the video below and pay attention to the details.
#3 You, Me And The Movies React To Scary Movie (2000) – In November of 2000, I saw Scary Movie in the local cinema here in the Philippines and almost all the seats were filled. That film was released in America in July that same year and it became a surprise box office hit. Even though it was not heavily promoted here in the Philippines, it still attracted a lot of local moviegoers upon opening. Regardless, the Keenen Ivory Wayans-directed movie was a mature parody of varied horror movies (notably the Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer movies) and its success made Anna Faris popular. Local moviegoers who enjoyed American Pie had their enjoyment watching Shannon Elizabeth again. Now that the movie is over a quarter-century old, one has to wonder if it still has the power to entertain viewers, especially those who missed out on it. That said, you should watch the reaction video of You, Me and the Movies below.
#4 Ashleigh Burton Reacts To Patriot Games – Recently, Ashleigh Burton posted her reaction video of the 1992 movie Patriot Games starring Harrison Ford as Jack Ryan. For context, Patriot Games was the cinematic sequel to The Hunt For Red October and both were based on novels by Tom Clancy. At the time of Patriot Games’ release, there was some buzz and even debates about Harrison Ford’s portrayal of Jack Ryan, especially when compared to Alec Baldwin’s take on the same character in the 1990 film. How Ashleigh Burton reacts to Patriot Games is a must-see.
#5 Bears Cause Trouble In Japan Again – Recently in Japan, bears are causing trouble once again and there was one person who got attacked. As there is still a lot of forests and untouched land in Japan, bears are present and arguably multiplying. From time to time, bears come out of the woods and appear in places where people dwell. As such, there is a lot for you to learn about them and you can stay safe in Japan by watching the Nippon TV video below.
#6 Why Gamers Stopped Buying Games At Full Price – Are you a hardcore gamer who got so disappointed with the current state of gaming that you decided to refrain from buying video games at full price? You definitely are not alone. In my experience as an Xbox gamer, I got very turned off by the changes made by Team Xbox as well as the quality of their high-profile first-party games of the past two years, I decided to go for bargains and retro gaming. I also extended my patience for brand new games to drop their prices first before I could even consider buying them. The video posted below explains in detail how the gaming landscape shifted and how the behaviors of gamers have changed which should concern every video game company that invested so much on making new video games. Watch it and pay attention to the details.
#7 Minty Comedic Arts’ Revenge Of The Nerds Trivia Video – During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, Minty Comedic Arts posted his trivia video about the 1984 raunchy comedy classic Revenge of the Nerds. Directed by Jeff Kanew and starring the late Robert Carradine, Anthony Edwards, Ted McGinley and Julia Montgomery, the movie follows a group of socially awkward students who are compelled to form their own fraternity after getting harassed and bullied by a dominant fraternity. Filled with adulterated gags, funny dialogue and memorable character moments, Revenge of the Nerds was a commercial success and it spawned three sequels. The story behind the movie’s production is filled lots of details that are worth exploring and you can learn all about those by watching Minty Comedic Arts’ trivia video below.
#8 The Forgotten Cartoons Based On Video Games – You may have played the video games of Tomb Raider, Darkstalkers, Wing Commander, Mutant League and Bubsy. But have you seen the cartoon shows based on them? Indeed, there were animated adaptation of the said games and not too many gamers remember them. That said, you have to see GoodBadFlicks’ video about them now.
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the early 1990s to examine a small part of the Marvel Comics shared universe through a tale of the Amazing Spider-Man monthly series.
When it comes to the argument as to who is the most evil or the deadliest foe Spider-Man ever has, many point towards Venom (Eddie Brock and the alien costume from Secret Wars) who is murderous, filled with revenge against Spider-Man, is physically formidable and knows Peter Parker and his family members. In the early 1990s, the creative guys behind the Amazing Spider-Man series made the key decision to create another symbiote-wearing super villain like Venom but much more violent, more murderous and truly insane.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Amazing Spider-Man #361, published in 1992 by Marvel Comics with a story written by David Michelinie and drawn by Mark Bagley.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins inside the agro-lab of the Empire State University where an awful figure in black-and-blood intimidates a male worker. The awful figure is Carnage and he decides to play with the worker a bit before fulfilling his intention to kill him. The worker tries to escape but ends up failing as Carnage throws a huge piece of hardware at the door. Carnage grabs the man, slams him on the wall and uses sharp makeshift blades that suddenly stretched to murder the him.
At the a certain home in Forest Hills, Peter Parker spends quality time his aunt May Parker as he repairs an important machine in the basement. Moments later, the phone rings and May goes up to answer it. Peter follows and learns that the call was meant for him.
Upon using the phone, Peter learns the tragic news that his friend Chip at the university was murdered. He excuses himself from May to go outside to secretly change into Spider-Man and make his way to Empire State University. Struck by the tragic news, Spider-Man is aware that there have been a dozen brutal murders in New York City over the last week. He is also aware that a message was written in blood by someone called Carnage…
Quality
The first-ever battle between Spider-Man and Carnage is very intense to look at.
To make things very clear, this comic book has the first full appearance of Carnage which is Cletus Kasady with a living costume spawned from Venom’s symbiote. Kasady himself first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #344 in 1991, and it is very clear that the creators deliberately modeled him after DC Comics’ super villain the Joker to have the psychopath appearance (distinctive messy hair, crazed facial expressions, slim body frames and the unusual jawline). Kasady and the Joker also have a nihilistic view of the world focused on spreading chaos while enjoying unrestrained violence.
David Michelinie was really methodical when it came to build-up the tension, presenting key details and pacing the narrative when showing Carnage (who actually appears on the first page) and emphasizing the details about him (including Kasady’s background history and personality as observed by the witnesses who knew him). The appearance of Carnage in the first half was deliberately limited to ten panels and as the story moved on, details of him were revealed especially when Peter Parker did his own detective work. By the time Spider-Man and Carnage finally faced off with each other, the spectacle (action scenes) really ramped up high and the Michelinie-Bagley duo succeeded in showing Carnage being deadlier and unrelenting towards the webslinger.
Spider-Man doing detective work in costume and in civilian form as Peter Parker. This is also one of the finest pieces of Spider-Man art done by Mark Bagley.
More on the iconic hero, Peter Parker here was portrayed as being highly disturbed by the recent murders of the city and the loss of his friend which compelled him to do very serious detective work leading up to his discovering of Kasady (and the eventual face-off in a ruined property where Carnage took refuge in). Parker also felt uneasy about remembering his recent encounter with Venom and the details of the murder reminded him of the old nemesis. The pacing here is excellent and as the narrative went on, the tension really intensified.
Spider-Man’s encounter with Carnage – which the cover art obviously emphasized without restraint – is really intense to look at. As he is completely unprepared as to what Carnage was capable of doing, the webslinger really struggled and was in danger in key moments. Carnage also has unique capabilities using the symbiote such as forming sharp blades and shooting small but sharp projectiles. If you want super villain-led moments of action that really challenged the superhero, you will find a good amount of that here. Also, I can say that Mark Bagley is very good in presenting the action scenes with dynamism, danger and intensity mixed together well.
Conclusion
The news image of Cletus Kasady on the lower-right corner is obviously patterned after Batman’s nemesis the Joker. That image really looks like it was ripped out of a Batman comic book.
Amazing Spider-Man #361 (1992) marks the very intense debut of Carnage and the way he was presented as the newest super villain for Spider-Man to deal with, he is nastier and deadlier than Venom (who would eventually have the delusion of protecting the innocent while remaining murderous). In fact, the way the battle between the two was executed here made me forget about Venom temporarily which shows the Michelinie-Bagley duo pulled the right moves in making this comic book. To be clear, Carnage is pure evil laced with insanity and with absolute disregard towards people. Both Carnage and Venom are murderers and they should be condemned always. It happens that Carnage is more disastrous and has no regard for human life, which ironically makes Venom looking a bit less evil by comparison.
As for Spider-Man, his portrayal here is really dramatic and his superhero pursuits only added to the trouble of his marriage with Mary Jane. As such, you could end up feeling sorry for MJ even though Peter Parker himself wants to solve problems while protecting not only their lives but also the lives of the innocent.
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 How To Get The Strongest And Most Optimized Spaceship Crew In Starfield – This year, Bethesda launched several important updates to make their 2023 science fiction role-playing game Starfield better and they also offered new DLC for those who crave for new content. One of the more defining aspects of the game is space travel and this includes setting up your own crew for your spaceship and there is impact on its functions and capabilities. If you want to learn how to get the stronger and most optimized crew for your ship, I encourage you watch the video below.
#2 Mari Iijima And The Defining Song of Macross: Do You Remember Love? –I really love watching the 1984 anime feature film Macross: Do You Remember Love? Apart from the great animation, the spectacle, the memorable characters and the solid storytelling, the movie also has a great soundtrack made to delight the long-time Macross fans. Still, the movie has its very own song performed by none other than Mari Iijima (Minmay) and it is a classic among Macross fans. In the videos below, you will see Mari Iijima perform the song live in a 1980s TV broadcast and the song playing with selected footage of Macross: Do You Remember Love? Enjoy these!
#3 The Tuna City In Japan Is Changing With Tourism In Mind – If you plan to visit Japan at all, you might want to discover Miura City located in Kanagawa Prefecture. Miura City is famous for its fresh tuna and in recent times there has been a series of changes as several room-only hotels and new trends have sprouted as the locality is finding new ways to turn visitors into overnight guests. This is a place I would like to visit someday if ever I get the opportunity to return to Japan. Watch and learn from the Nippon TV video below.
#4 Women’s Rights Activist Marries Islamist And Things Went Wrong – Did you notice that there is a gradual rising number of feminists and women’s rights activists who not embrace Islam (wicked and ugly) but also marry Islamists believing that things will be alright and they can just continue their activism. Of course, many of them activists and feminists do not fully understand Islam nor the full content of the Quran. As such, when things go very wrong, they are get into deep trouble. Watch and learn from the video below.
#5 Islamists Violate Hindu Women In India And Get Arrested – Let’s be very clear here. Islamists are oriented to conquer others even though they may not be numerous within a locality. Believe it or not, a group of such people who wielded power inside a business violated the Hindu women (plus at least one male employee) with regards to cultural norms and doing things that go against their faith. Even forced religious conversion happened. Watch and learn from the video below.
#6 Meatballs Reaction And Retrospective – When it comes to cinematic comedy, Bill Murray is iconic and his early work in 1979’s Meatballs already involved the late Harold Ramis and the late director Ivan Reitman. That said, there is something about Meatballs – produced for less than $2 million – that helped it achieve tremendous commercial success with ticket sales of $70 million. Remember, three of the creative minds behind the classic Ghostbusters are involved in this old movie and you will see how You, Me and The Movies react to it in the video below. Be aware that as of this writing, there are not too many movie reaction videos about Meatballs on YouTube. Also posted below is an in-depth retrospective about Meatballs by GoodBadFlicks.
#7 Ashleigh Burton Reacts To The Thin Man – Have you ever heard of The Thin Man? It’s not a UFO reference. It’s the 1934 American pre-Code comedy-mystery movie that was eventually named to the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress having been deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” in 1997. Apart from its reputation in American film history, The Thin Man also resulted in five sequels. If you want to discover the 1934 movie but you don’t have the time nor resources to watch the movie, watch Ashleigh Burton’s reaction video and see how it impacts her.
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 You, Me and The Movies React To Lone Wolf McQuade – It has been a few months since the movie legend Chuck Norris passed away at age 86. He left behind a legacy of action movies and even played Bruce Lee’s tough opponent in The Way of the Dragon. Norris also had action movies filmed on location here in my native Philippines. In the 1980s, Norris appeared in a lot movies that involved guns and hard action, and one of his more notable films of the time was 1983’s Lone Wolf McQuade in which he faced off with fellow action star David Carradine. Recently, You, Me and the Movies posted their reaction video of Lone Wolf McQuade and it is entertaining to watch. I urge you to watch it now.
#2 Minty Comedic Arts’ Invasion U.S.A. Video – Still focused on the late Chuck Norris, his 1985 action movie Invasion U.S.A. was not merely made to entertain moviegoers with lots of explosions, dangerous stunts and hard action. Norris read an article in Reader’s Digest about the presence of hundreds of terrorists running loose in the United States which impacted him as he care about his country and his fellow Americans. This eventually led to the making of Invasion U.S.A. which succeeded commercially as it spread awareness to the American people as to how they can defend themselves in the event foreign terrorists invade their country. Today, Islamic terrorism as well as the entrance of Islamo-Leftist foreigners into America made this 1985 more socially relevant. The story behind the production of Invasion U.S.A. is pretty fascinating, and you can learn more about by watch Minty Comedic Arts’ video below.
#3 Signature Bowls of Happiness in Japan – Do you eat meals served in bowls often? Meals in bowls are common in Japan where rice and noodles are eaten by people daily. Among the many food joints in Japan that offer meals in bowls to customers are a few standouts visited by Nippon TV. What they discovered are very enticing, attractive and delicious to look at. Watch and learn from their video below.
#4 Ranting For Vengeance Slams CBR And Others Who Hate 1980s Anime – I grew up watching lots of anime shows and feature films early in life and the 1980s is a memorable decade. It was during the 1980s when I saw anime productions from the 1970s and the newest ones of the decade. To name some, I saw the 1980s Astro Boy series, Galaxy Express 999, Captain Future, Super Dimension Fortress Macross, Voltes V, Daimos, Mazinger Z and others. While such old anime productions proved to be entertaining, there are still some people out there who bashed them because those productions (and their stories) did not align with their modern day woke agenda. The popular geek entertainment portal CBR published lots of articles saying that the old anime productions did not age well and a lot of readers and netizens followed suit. As such, Ranting for Vengeance slammed them and stood up for 1980s anime backed with detailed explanations. If you are a true fan of anime, watch the video below.
#5 Western Women Who Embraced Islam End Up Wrong – Did you notice that there is a growing number of women in the West who embraced Islam believing the fantasies that it is a religion of peace and is feminist? Indeed, there are these modern-day feminists who considered themselves Islamic without even fully knowing what Islam truly is, why Sharia Law is wicked and what was recorded in the Quran. SaharTV posted several videos about these newcomers to Islam (including one new Muslim woman who was Catholic) who ended up being very wrong and embarrassed. Watch the SaharTV videos below.
#6 The Significance Of Spider-Man 2099 Explained – In late 1992, Marvel Comics launched Spider-Man 2099 #1 which also marked the start of their 2099 franchise of comic books. Under the direction of writer Peter David with artworks done mainly by Rick Leonardi, the futuristic Spider-Man really stood out differently from the classic Spider-Man (Peter Parker) and his own place under Marvel Comics’ banner was established well. Spider-Man 2099 is clearly the most popular of all the Marvel 2099 titles. That said, I found this YouTube video that examines the significance of Spider-Man of 2099. I encourage you to watch it.
#7 Ashleigh Burton’s Reaction To Witness – The 1980s will always be a memorable decade of Harrison Ford’s cinematic performances. During that decade, he appeared in two Star Wars movies and he was the center of attraction in the original Indiana Jones trilogy. Along the way, he appeared in the 1985 crime thriller film Witness in which he played a police detective protecting an Amish woman and her son. The movie earned several Academy Award nominations including Best Picture and even Best Actor for Harrison Ford. Lately, Ashleigh Burton posted her reaction video of Witness and I encourage you to watch it.
Welcome back fellow geeks, Blu-ray collectors and movie buffs!
If you love the animated works of director Ralph Bakshi (American Pop, The Lord of The Rings) and the artworks of Frank Frazetta (Conan The Barbarian, Vampirella), then you should watch out for their memorable collaboration in ultra high-definition as the 1983 animated movie Fire and Icewill be released on 4K Blu-ray format on June 30, 2026, exclusively via MVDshop.
Fire and Ice 4K Blu-ray cover has the same classic artwork of the official movie poster.
With a story co-written by Bakshi and Frazetta and the screenplay done by comic book legends Gerry Conway and Roy Thomas, Fire and Ice is the story of a young warrior named Larn who wants revenge against the evil queen Juliana and her son Nekron. Larn also has the task to rescue their kidnapped princess Teegra. For your interest and reference, watch the classic movie trailer below.
Fire and Ice 4K Blu-ray will be in a Steelbook form containing the 4K Blu-ray disc and the Blu-ray disc. For the 4K enthusiasts reading this, the classic animated film has been restored in 4K and the visuals are rendered in native 4K.
Posted below are the technical details from Fire and Ice’s Blu-ray.com page.
Video
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Resolution: Native 4K (2160p)
HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Audio
English: Dolby Atmos
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
Subtitles – English, English SDH, French, Spanish
Discs – 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray Disc, Three-disc set (2 BD, 1 CD)
Packaging – SteelBook
Playback – 4K Blu-ray: Region free, 2K Blu-ray: Region A
I personally am interested in replaying Fire and Ice in 4K Blu-ray format. I saw Fire and Ice a few times a very long time ago on a rented video tape and on cable TV (randomly viewed it) but I never actually got to watch it entirely. Fire and Ice 4K Blu-ray is on my list of 4K Blu-ray releases of this year. I can only wonder when it would get offered via Amazon.
As for Ralph Bakshi, I admire his works on rotoscoped animation and how he visualized his concepts. His work on The Lord of the Rings animated film of 1978 was ambitious and he made the most out of their limited resources. I own a Blu-ray copy of his animated film American Pop and watching rotoscoped animated scenes and characters move in high-definition is enjoyable.
Fire and Ice, to the best of my memory, has a fantasy concept that reminds me somewhat of Conan The Barbarian (and the sword-and-sandals fantasy elements) and it also the traditional concept of the heroic man who risks his life to save an important woman from the forces of evil. To replay Fire and Ice in 4K is something I desire as a 4K Blu-ray collector and enthusiast of traditional animation.
Director Ralph Bakshi (covered in the background) with performers Cynthia Leake as the princess and Randy Norton as Larn during production. (source – IMDB.com)
The classic movie poster of Fire and Ice. (source – IMDB.com)
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