retro review – Page 11 – Author Carlo Carrasco

A Look Back at The Blob (1988)

January 26, 2024January 16, 2024carlocarrasco

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from watching the film 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, movie buffs, science fiction fans and geeks! When it comes to making remakes or reimagined versions of established movies from previous decades, the 1980s was indeed a special time to watch them. In 1986, The Fly (directed by David Cronenberg) was released and it made a tremendous impact on moviegoers in ways that the original 1958 movie did not.

Remember when The Blob was first released in 1958? That classic film (read my retro review by clicking here) went on to have a forgettable sequel released in the 1970s but got remade big time with a new version in 1988 simply titled The Blob.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at The Blob, a sci-fi horror movie released in 1988 starring Shawnee Smith and Kevin Dillon, written by Chuck Russell, Frank Darabont, Kaye Linaker and Irving H. Millgate, and directed by Chuck Russell.

Early story

The story begins in the town of Arborville where many locals attend an exciting football game. High school player Paul (Donovan Leitch, Jr.) asks cheerleader Meg (Shawnee Smith) to a date. Elsewhere, the troubled guy Briann Flagg (Kevin Dillon) fails with his attempted stunt as a result of his flawed motorcycle which was witnessed by an elderly vagabond. Flagg goes back to town and encounters the local sheriff (Jeffrey DeMunn) who warns him about trouble.

That evening at the outskirts of town, a meteorite crashes within the forest which the elderly vagabond pursues. With strong curiosity in his mind, the old man uses a stick on a sizable body of slime mold substance (the blob itself) that came out of the crashed meteor. Suddenly, the substance moves and sticks to the elderly vagabond’s hand causing him great pain.

A short time later in the forest, Brian Flagg got surprised by the sudden appearance of the vagabond who desperately tries cutting off his own hand. The blob, which Brian saw for the first time ever, attaches itself even more on the old man causing him to run away until he gets hit by a car (with Meg and Paul inside)…

Quality

*The blob in this movie looks more menacing as it has a tumor look and the special effect work remains excellent to look at. You should also see the blob move and what it sounds like.*

This late-1980s remake of The Blob is not only more engaging and more entertaining than its 1958 predecessor…it is easily on of the best sci-fi horror movies of the 1980s thanks to a very talented creative team led by Chuck Russell.

To begin with, Russell and Darabont (this is the same great director behind The Shawshank Redemption), crafted a very solid screenplay that used key story elements from the 1958 classic while successfully updating everything else with 1980s America (or Ronald Reagan’s America) in mind. For this version, the three leading teenagers played by Shawnee Smith, Kevin Dillon and Donovan Leitch, Jr. were relatable and clearly worth following.

*(From left to right) Shawnee Smith, Kevin Dillon and Candy Clark in an early encounter with the blob.*

While the 1958 movie emphasized American teenagers being disadvantaged as local adults don’t take them seriously (even though the youth knew the problem and intend to solve it), this remake moved away from the generational gap as it strongly focused more on the crisis of a fast-growing blob that simply won’t stop killing people and destroying things. In other words, this is a crisis-focused monster story that is more violent, more horrific, more action-packed and more graphic than its predecessor.

I should also state that Russell and his team established a solid structure for storytelling and the narrative flowed on a medium-to-fast pace. As this movie has more spectacle in terms of action, monster moments and the like, the creative team carefully balanced the fun stuff with the dramatic and exposition scenes smoothly.

*If you see people wearing protective suits arriving in your community and implementing a lockdown, you know a crisis is in effect.*

The cast here is solid! Shawnee Smith’s Meg is the sweet, young good-natured high school girl who is willing to not only survive but also take part in solving the crisis situation not for herself but for her family and the entire Arborville community. Meg has some common elements with that of the character Sarah Connor from The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day. I also love the fact that there is NO WOKENESS and NO RABID FEMINIST VALUES in Meg. Kevin Dillon’s Brian – the troubled youth – is clearly the 2^nd lead and he does a good job dramatizing how his character changes from a guy of uncertainty into an actual doer whose efforts proved to be valuable. There definitely is a non-romantic chemistry between Meg and Brian as the crisis situation really brought out solid transformations from them respectively.

The supporting cast is really good too. Candy Clark’s Fran is the relatable community diner owner/manager who contributed nicely to the plot as well as the early showdown of the blob. Jeffrey DeMunn’s sheriff is the local law enforcer who has to deal with the local situations while tackling the challenges of his leadership post. Paul McCrane here plays a local cop who is tough but not necessarily abusive, and this is the same guy who played a very vicious bad guy in 1987’s RoboCop! Joe Seneca is the government scientist who has charisma and deception carefully blended together which added to the plot. You will even see Erika Eleniak in a very small and yet notable appearance that happens to involve the blob. This film has a really interesting cast and I encourage you to research the names mentioned here.

*This remake is loaded with action scenes, stunts and incredible visual effects!*

On the technical side of things, I really like the cinematography done by Mark Irwin as the visuals captured looked really detailed and clear even during the dark or night-time scenes. The music by Michael Hoenig was pretty good too and his tunes ranged nicely from creepy to sentimental and energetic which reflected the scenes. As for the design of the blob, Lyle Conway deserves the credit for making it very monstrous. As for the physical environment of the movie, the state of Louisiana turned out to be a great location and the real-life Louisiana town Abbeville added strongly to the small town concept of the story.

As mentioned earlier, this version has a lot more spectacle to enjoy. For one thing, there is a good amount of hard action, gunfire and stunts which really added to the excitement (on top of the suspense and horror scenes already implemented). Rest assured, you will not get bored at all when watching this.

*Shawnee Smith is the protagonist in this movie and her performance is very memorable.*

The highlight of the spectacle is the very blob itself which looks so much like a tumor (instead of the jello form in the 1958 version) and the credit goes to the visual effects, sound effects and the animation team behind it all. Compared to its counterpart in the 1958 film, the blob here is very monstrous and horrifying to watch and the way it got animated is excellent. Apart from being unrelenting, this blob is deadlier and even intelligent. Not only does the blob devour the living which adds to its tremendous growth of size and mass, it also has the ability to extend tentacles which added more to the danger. Thanks to the sound effects, the blob is believably animalistic.

Through the blob’s on-screen presence, you can see the hard work implemented by the special effects crew when showing the monster entirely move and devour people, when showing its flexibility on adjusting its size (or its parts) when entering new places through tight spots, and most notably, how the blob alters the flesh of the victims it touches which resulted in very horrifying visuals. The special effects team really excelled with the use of practical effects (read: no computer-generated images) on presenting the titular monster. This is indeed a special effects extravaganza that a lot of people are missing out on.

Conclusion

*The Blob (1988) looks and sounds better than ever in 4K Blu-ray format. I highly recommend this version as it is so much better than streaming.*

There is no doubt in my mind that The Blob (1988) is a great sci-fi horror film that has a more menacing monster complete with sufficient action, great visual effects and a pretty solid cast! This is indeed a great example of a how a remake of an established film from the past should be done and this also includes raising the stakes within the story, modernizing past cinematic elements and ensuring high entertainment value. What director Russell, his team and the cast collectively achieved is indeed a creative success and this is the kind of film that Commie-filled Hollywood (Commiewood) today does not want to make.

As a companion piece to The Blob (1958), this remake has the good stuff that people who love horror, science fiction, action and monsters will enjoy.

Of all the many movies I have seen, The Blob (1988) stands out as one of the best remakes ever made as well as one of the best mixed-genre movies of its decade as well as of all time. That being said, today is a great time to watch this movie with better-than-ever visuals and sounds through its 4K Blu-ray release (pictured above) which is now available (you can order it online now). There is also a lot of features and extra stuff with the 4K Blu-ray. Make no mistake, The Blob (1988) is great to watch and its replay value is pretty high.

Overall, The Blob (1988) is highly 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 @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

If you wish to join a group of movie enthusiasts and talk about cinema, visit the Movie Fans Worldwide Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/322857711779576

A Look Back at The Man of Steel #1 (1986)

January 24, 2024January 17, 2024carlocarrasco

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, 1980s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the late 1980s to explore a part of the DC Comics shared universe through a tale of the iconic Superman.

After DC Comics published the maxi-series Crisis on Infinite Earths, the publisher rebooted their entire comic book universe and that meant reintroducing their superheroes, villains and supporting characters with a touch of 1980s modernization. To reboot and modernize Superman, John Byrne was hired and he was granted a lot of creative freedom for production.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at The Man of Steel #1, published in 1986 by DC Comics with a story written and illustrated by John Byrne with ink work by Dick Giordano.

Early story

The story begins sometime in the past in Krypton (Superman’s home world), a world about to meet its doom. Jor-El (Superman’s father) arrives home feeling deeply troubled and he wastes no time to execute an important plan he prepared. He examines his unborn Kal-El inside the birthing matrix which turned to have been removed by one of the servants from the gestation chambers of the planet. Lara confronts her husband over what was committed and asked him why he endangers the life of their unborn child.

Jor-El tells her that he plans for their son to be spared from the pending doom of Krypton (a chain reaction from the planet’s core caused vast pressures to build within the crust, fusing native elements into a new metal – Kryptonite) by sending him far away deep into space with planet Earth as the final destination. Jor-El has done extensive research of Earth and is convinced that their son will not only survive there but also become a supreme being among the inhabitants…

Quality

*Clark’s earthly parents were indeed involved in his development becoming Superman.*

There is no doubt that this John Byrne-led comic book remains great to read and highly significant with anything about Superman. Instead of telling one single extensive story, Byrne created a series of connected short tales that dramatized the icon’s post-Crisis origin and how the Krypton-born American Clark Kent became Superman for the first time ever.

While the prologue set in Krypton was quite heavy with expository dialogue, each subsequent short story was carefully structured and moved at a medium pace gradually emphasizing Clark Kent’s transformation into the Man of Steel. Along the way, there were lots of story details not only about the titular character but also about the Kent couple (Clark’s adoptive parents), what they went through, what secrets had to be kept and more. Very symbolically, this is a tale about an alien human being from space who grew up with traditional American culture and US heartland values while being raised by very loving American parents who previously could not produce children of their own. Through Clark, you will see that he is a blessing for Jonathan and Martha Kent and it is up to the couple to sow good values in him which are essential to his becoming not only a super being among mortals but also his emergence as a hero.

Conclusion

*The origin of the post-Crisis Superman is great to read!*

The Man of Steel #1 (1986) is indeed a great, character-focused comic book that emphasized the origin and debut of the post-Crisis Superman. John Byrne modernized Superman while still maintaining the classic superhero elements from the icon’s past versions as well as the American identity and ways (none of those woke and internationalist nonsense). This is also the optimistic Superman that is very inspirational which the recent DC cinematic universe (referred to as “DCEU”) of Warner Bros. terribly lacked. This illustrated literature work is also a major cornerstone of the post-Crisis era of DC Comics and John Byrne’s take on Superman is very defining and iconic.

If you are the kind of reader who views Superman widely through pop culture, you will notice specific elements from this comic book that made it into other forms of entertainment media such as Man of Steel (2013), the Christopher Reeve Superman movies, the animated movies, the Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman TV series (starring Dean Cain as the Man of Steel) and more. Those multimedia productions showed how influential this comic book became as a major reference for other creators.

Overall, The Man of Steel #1 (1986) is highly recommended!

+++++

A Look Back at Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #2 (1993)

January 17, 2024January 7, 2024carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the early 1990s and explore a part of the Valiant Comics shared universe through a tale of the Turok: Dinosaur Hunter series.

While issue #1 turned out to be entertaining enough, the Indian protagonist Turok was not too engaging. The story worked primarily due to the combined creative works of David Michelinie and Bart Sears.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #2, published in 1993 by Valiant Comics with a story written by David Michelinie and drawn by Bart Sears.

Early story

The story begins in Colombia in 1987. Set some time after he left the village of Serita (a Colombian lady he connected with), Turok finds himself in the middle of a fight with multiple intelligent dinosaurs that serve his rival and target Mon-ark. Turok recently started using locally produced poison for his arrows as part of his unrelenting hunt for dinosaurs.

Meanwhile in another part of Colombia, the drug lord Comacho holds a private meeting and express his frustration over the decimation of his drug shipments. It turns out, the couriers were slaughtered and eaten by the dinosaurs. Upon learning of the presence of an Indian who makes it his business to hunt dinosaurs, Comacho gives an order to find him…

Quality

*You will see Turok in a lot of action scenes fighting these intelligent and savage dinosaurs.*

As the follow-up to the 1^st issue, this is a story about Turok really hunting dinosaurs as part of his effort to get to Mon-ark (the leader of a pack of dinosaurs present in Colombia) in relation to what happened during the Unity storyline. In addition, you will get to see the protagonist get involved the Colombia drug lord who really needs him as the dinosaurs tremendously disrupted the shipment of illegal substances. As a newcomer in this particular time and place within the shared universe of Valiant Comics, Turok here does not care much about the reputation of Comacho as he is obsessed with hunting dinosaurs.

Speaking of the dinosaurs (who were granted human-like intelligence by the Mothergod), you will get to see Mon-ark have his own share of the spotlight and see him being a leader of his fellow dinosaurs. The showcase of his ruthlessness was expectedly done here to symbolize the element of evil in a violent way.

The plot by Michelinie is nicely structured and the narrative moved in a smooth enough pace leading to an obvious new direction.

Like in the previous issue, Bart Sears drew the art but with the involvement of Bernard Chang. For the most part, I recognized Sears’ work and there were some subtle visual differences here and there. The good news here is that if you enjoyed the gritty look as well as the uncompromised approach to violence in issue #1, then you will find those here as well.

Conclusion

*A look at the intelligence and interaction between these two evil dinosaurs in love. There’s no homosexuality here nor anything related to transgender or the disease called wokeness.*

Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #2 (1993) is entertaining and compelling enough to read. It further explores Turok’s story as a man lost in time who simply would not run away from the dinosaurs as he is obsessed with eliminating Mon-ark. The tale, however, involves a Colombian drug lord as well as his private army which adds depth to the narrative as well as Turok’s place within Valiant’s shared universe of the time. Lastly, this one nicely sets up a big conflict between the Indian and his dinosaur rival.

Overall, Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #2 (1993) is recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at Detective Comics #575 (1987)

January 10, 2024January 4, 2024carlocarrasco

After DC Comics published the maxi-series Crisis on Infinite Earths, the publisher rebooted their entire comic book universe and that meant reintroducing their superheroes, villains and supporting characters with a touch of 1980s modernization. Frank Miller led the reintroduction of Batman as a new crime fighter in the Batman: Year One storyline in 1987. Also that same year, DC Comics went on to publish a sequel storyline through four issues of the Detective Comics series. That sequel was titled Batman: Year Two.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Detective Comics #575, published in 1987 by DC Comics with a story written by Mike W. Barr (the same guy who did Mantra for Malibu Comics) and drawn by Alan Davis. This is the first chapter of the Batman: Year Two storyline.

Early story

The story begins in Gotham City where the newly appointed police commissioner Gordon participates in a TV talk show. The talk show host is aggressive towards Gordon cutting him off verbally and pointing out that Batman – who is working with the police fighting crime – is no better than the Reaper, a costumed vigilante who caused trouble and killed many people on Gotham’s streets twenty years prior. Gordon emphasizes that Batman works with the city police and he operates strictly on his own.

As the TV talk show goes on, a group of armed thugs carrying varied items enter an apartment that is dark. Outside the Bat Signal (coming from the machine Gordon recently got) flashes, and soon Batman himself appears inside the apartment and cleverly took the gang down. He leaves the place going to do other things.

The next day, Rachel Caspian is pleasantly surprised to see her father arrive earlier than expected…

Quality

*Batman strikes first in his encounter with the Reaper.*

Set during the 2^nd year of Batman engaging in crime-fighting in coordination with the Gotham City police force, this comic book dramatically portrays the city having a long-running disease and legacy of crime. The references to Gotham’s embarrassing past of being filled with thugs and wicked activities literally paved the way for the return of a masked vigilante who fights criminals with uncompromising violence (including killings). That vigilante’s legacy affects the way the public perceives Batman and why they have trouble seeing the differences between them. The writing and build-up here are very solid.

When it comes to portrayals, you will get to see a younger Bruce Wayne who is clearly pushing himself hard between engaging in business matters and secretly fighting crooks. This is a Batman who is only gaining more experience in the war against crime and he clearly is not the very tactical and very resourceful hero he would become. In his fight against the Reaper, you will really see Batman struggle hard and make really flawed moves that cost him a lot.

The introduction of the Reaper, who became the definitive vigilante of Gotham City long before Batman even started, is very engaging. This vigilante is also very intimidating to see and he clearly overshadows the Caped Crusader both visually and in action.

Conclusion

*Bruce Wayne attending to business on-site.*

As the first chapter of the Batman: Year Two storyline, Detective Comics #575 (1987) is a very solid tale to read. The narrative moved at a medium pace and there were these balanced pay-offs to the build-up (that took place in the first half). The Reaper’s reputation as Gotham’s past blood-thirsty vigilante literally dwarfed that of Batman (the modern vigilante). I should also state that Mike W. Barr symbolized the common traits and differences between Batman and the Reaper which alone are worth reading.

Overall, Detective Comics #575 (1987) is recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #1 (1993)

January 4, 2024December 30, 2023carlocarrasco

I say very notable because Turok, an Indian (North American native), started in comics in the 1950s published by Western Publishing through its licensee Dell Comics. The comic book series Turok: Son of Stone started from 1956 until the early 1980s. In 1989, Valiant Comics was established by former Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Jim Shooter and business partner Steven Massarsky which was the result of a failed 1988 attempt to purchase Marvel Entertainment. In 1991, Valiant published Magnus: Robot Fighter and Solar: Man of the Atom as its early titles which is notable because both characters were licensed properties from Gold Key Comics (which itself was involved in the original Turok series).

Then in 1992, a newer version of Turok was introduced by Valiant Comics in the 12^th issue of Magnus: Robot Fighter and subsequently the character (along with established side-kick Andar) became involved in the Unity storyline which was Valiant’s first major crossover comics event. By the time Unity ended, the road was cleared for Valiant to further emphasize Turok for the modern comic book readers of the time.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #1, published in 1993 by Valiant Comics with a story written by David Michelinie and drawn by Bart Sears.

Early story

The story begins in Colombia (note: written as Columbia in the comic book) in South America in the year 1987. Deep in the forest, Turok performs a ritual believing that his spirit is getting cleansed and purified. He remembers the times when he and Andar discovered a land – filled with dinosaurs and other animals they never encountered previously – where time no longer held much meaning.

He and Andar got involved in an armed conflict with invaders who arrived with advanced technologies. The robot fighter Magnus then got involved and helped Turok and their side turn the tide of battle. Eventually a stunning phenomenon happened as a woman who called herself Mothergod appeared. Turok and Andar foolishly submitted themselves to her and soon, they started operating in her service with violence against those who opposed her.

After encountering Archer and Armstrong, Turok realized the error of his devotion to Mothergod and eventually joined forces with Rai, X-O Manowar and others who waged battle against her.

Back in the present, an intelligent, cybernetically enhance dinosaur attacks Turok…

Quality

*Very intense violence drawn by Bart Sears which reflected the high intensity of Turok’s fight with the dinosaurs.*

To get straight to the point here, when it comes to emphasizing a new version of Turok for comic book readers in the early 1990s, the creative team was quite successful in achieving that goal. By the time I reached the end of this comic book, Turok’s place within the huge shared universe of Valiant got established solidly and the Michelinie-Sears duo dramatized the Indian’s struggle (being lost in time and far away from where he belongs) in South America in the late 1980s.

Being lost in time and having to deal with deadly, intelligent dinosaurs brought not only the warrior within Turok but also the determine survivor in him as well. There is a good amount of character emphasis of Turok which served as an effective balance to all the spectacle (read: uncompromised bloody violence) the creative duo prepared. Instead of using thought balloons, you will read Turok’s thoughts through narration boxes all throughout which made an effective and interesting reading experience.

Considering his great skills in hunting and fighting, Turok is not really a super protagonist. He is as vulnerable as any other person and you will get to see him suffer and become so helpless, he has no choice but to avail of assistance from South American villagers who lived by the land but are themselves very vulnerable to the savagery of the intelligent dinosaurs. The symbolism regarding vulnerability as well as the ramifications of the Unity crossover on this tale is very strong. This is indeed very solid writing by Michelinie.

As for the art, Sears’ work here is very unique and his style on drawing people, monsters and locations made this comic book a visual standout among 1993 comic books. When it comes to the graphic violence, it is clear to me that Sears enjoyed the creative freedom he got and he really emphasized his imagination as to how gruesome violence caused by dinosaurs on human beings would be. That being said, there are lots of violent action scenes and images of physical damage (damage on the flesh specifically) that remain visually disturbing to this day.

Conclusion

*Very foolishly, Turok and Andar submitted themselves to a walking, evil idol. This should remind you that idolatry is both foolish and unholy.*

Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #1 (1993) works nice as modern portrayal of Turok and it succeeds in establishing his place within Valiant’s comic book universe thanks primarily to the Michelinie-Sears duo. Turok himself is not exactly an interesting protagonist to me but I can say it is the creators’ way of portraying him that makes the plot and the comic book work as an entertainment piece. I also liked the way Turok was emphasized as a character who got lost not only in time but also dimensionally lost as he has to live within a whole new world while focusing on survival as well as his desire to kill his rival Mon-Ark (the intelligent dinosaur). If you know your American pop culture history, you will realize that this comic book incidentally paved the way for the Turok video games (starting with 1997’s Turok: Dinosaur Hunter of Nintendo 64) that happened years later.

Overall, Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #1 (1993) is recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at Spider-Man #1 (1990)

December 20, 2023December 20, 2023carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the early 1990s and explore a part of the Marvel Comics shared universe through a tale of the Spider-Man monthly series.

Back in the late 1980s, Todd McFarlane proved to be a highly talented artist who helped Marvel sell a lot of issues of the Amazing Spider-Man series. McFarlane was also highly involved with the creation of Venom which not only became Spider-Man’s deadliest foe but also an icon of Marvel’s. In the year 1990, a brand new monthly series of Spider-Man was launched and it had Todd McFarlane writing and illustrating the tales.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Spider-Man #1, published in 1990 by Marvel Comics with a story written and drawn by Todd McFarlane. This marks the beginning of the Torment storyline.

Early story

The story begins in New York City where countless people walk to their respective destinations not realizing that the local hero Spider-Man was swinging above them. In a dirty alley, Spider-Man prevents an armed thug from harming a woman and leaves him hanging covered with a lot of web.

Elsewhere in the city, a sinister figure conducts a ritual, prays to evil forces and begins using magic.

In yet another location, a hideous creature emerges from the water. It’s the Lizard…

Quality

*This page is an example of Todd McFarlane creating a travel sequence that allowed him to draw something great. It’s a classic example of moving back into the comfort zone.*

To make things very clear here, this comic book is pretty shallow and hollow mainly due to its storytelling as this was the writing of a very young Todd McFarlane. There is no denying that his art here is great to look at from start to finish. In fact, this was one of McFarlane’s finest visual works ever with Marvel.

But if you look beyond the great visuals, the writing is very weak all throughout the issue. At best, this comic book is a grand-looking yet shallow set-up for the conflict of the Torment storyline complete with shared emphasis on the iconic web-slinger, the Lizard (looking more menacing than before) and Calypso (the one behind the magic and rituals).

In fairness to McFarlane, he added his own touch on emphasizing the personalities of Peter Parker and wife Mary Jane simultaneously as a couple. If you were used to seeing in-depth character development and witty dialogue about the two major characters as portrayed in the Amazing Spider-Man, Web of Spider-Man and Spectacular Spider-Man series of 1990, you won’t find them in this comic book. Under McFarlane’s writing, Spider-Man in this issue showed signs of sarcasm and cockiness in the first scene, and with Mary Jane he (as Peter Parker) expressed himself philosophically. To say the least, the portrayal of Spider-Man here is noticeably different under McFarlane.

The Lizard, a long-time rival of Spider-Man’s, was presented to be very violent and murderous in this issue. This was clearly McFarlane’s approach on emphasizing the force of opposition that awaits the iconic web-slinger and he obviously went for a more adulterated approach with the visuals. That being said, the violent content in this comic book is very unique and clearly stood out from the rest of the Spider-Man-related comics published by Marvel in 1990. Lastly, I should say that McFarlane’s visual take on the Lizard is the best I have seen.

Going back to the visuals, McFarlane implemented strong elements of horror, darkness and grittiness which went along well with the adulterated approach to violence. These mixed elements, as they turned out in reality, became part of McFarlane’s future works past Spider-Man.

Conclusion

*McFarlane’s vicious and horrifying approach on visualizing the Lizard can’t be ignored. This Lizard makes the cinematic Lizard of the 2012 movie The Amazing Spider-Man look cartoony.*

Spider-Man #1 (1990) is a very mixed bag when it comes to literary enjoyment. It clearly has great artwork by McFarlane whose adulterated approach on expression and spectacle made it very unique. The writing by McFarlane (who was very young at the time of production) is clearly the big letdown although his own approach on portraying Spider-Man, MJ and the Lizard are very notable. Take note that this was Todd McFarlane starting with writing while doing the art (his true strength), and at this point in comic book history his talent on telling compelling stories would not be realized until a few years later (particularly with Spawn and Image Comics). Notably, his use of visual horror and darkness predates his work in Spawn which makes his Spider-Man take very distinct. Ultimately, this comic book served as a build-up for things to come in the Torment storyline. Don’t expect too much when acquiring this comic book.

Overall, Spider-Man #1 (1990) is satisfactory.

+++++

A Look Back at Armorines #6 (1994)

December 13, 2023December 6, 2023carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the early 1990s and explore a part of the Valiant Comics shared universe through the Armorines monthly series.

During the said decade, Valiant Comics was notable for having crossovers that some readers found to be tightly executed in relation to continuity. The armored U.S. Marines (Armorines) and the powerful individual X-O Manowar have the spider aliens as a common enemy.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Armorines #6, published in 1994 by Valiant Comics with a story written by Jorge Gonzalez and drawn by Jim Calafiore.

Early story

The story begins in space when the spider aliens (located inside a huge space ship) are organizing themselves to get back to their home world.

Meanwhile above the Earth, X-O Manowar significantly helps the Armorines with repairing their space shuttle. It turns out that they have been spending a long time in space and the crew has gotten exhausted after the big battle with the spider aliens. Going back home was their next objective.

Just as the crew prepares to return to Earth, the same huge space ship of the spider aliens suddenly approaches them…

Quality

Set after the crossover tale about the humans’ battle with the spider aliens in space, this tale served as a creative extension of those events utilizing space travel and sci-fi action concepts. The Armorines once again fight the spider aliens and X-O Manowar (a major Valiant character) gets heavily involved as he has a personal grudge against them. Without spoiling the plot, I can say that themes of freeing yourself from the enemy and getting back home are evident.

There is plenty of action to enjoy here and the sci-fi settings (including the interiors of the spider aliens ship) are nicely presented. I also like the fact that the tension gradually built-up as the story went on. Still, at this particular stage of this series, I could not help but feel that the Armorines have been in conflict with the spider aliens for too long.

Conclusion

*There is a lot of sci-fi action to enjoy here.*

Armorines #6 (1994) is a pretty good read but I was getting tired of seeing the Armorines remaining in conflict with the spider aliens. What added strong value to the comic book was the heavy involvement (and crossover) of X-O Manowar and his interactions with the Armorines was well executed. To be clear, the story was not conclusive and at this stage, I still am interested to see what would happen next. Here is hoping that the Armorines conflict with the spider aliens will improve somehow.

Overall, Armorines #6 (1994) is recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #23 (1984)

December 6, 2023December 2, 2023carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1980s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the mid-1980s to explore Marvel Comics’ extensive publishing of a comic book series based on the wildly popular military-themed franchise of toys – G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero.

Whenever a war between good and evil happens, it is only desirable for people siding with the good guys to score a major breakthrough against the evil ones. Breakthroughs include annihilating the enemy entirely or compelling them to surrender unconditionally, or capturing one of their most powerful leaders alive.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #23 published in 1984 by Marvel Comics with the main story written by Larry Hama and drawn by Mike Vosburg.

Early story

The story begins near the Italian border of Switzerland. GI Joe member Snow Job sits high up on a cliff and monitors an institute from long distance. He carefully sees the Baroness (wearing a white garment) and reports to Duke about it. Duke, who is seated close to Roadblock in public, tells him to maintain passive surveillance as their team is anticipating that the Baroness will lead them to Cobra Commander.

Moments later, Roadblock notices a man across the street coming out from one of the buildings. The man turns out to be Major Bludd, a mercenary working for Cobra. Duke then sends a message to Cover Girl and Clutch (both of them riding a car elsewhere) to follow Major Bludd…

Quality

*Cover Girl and Clutch chase the vehicle that has Major Bludd and Baroness.*

I really like this story. While this is clearly not the bombastic, gun-blazing conflict between G.I. Joe and Cobra, this tale has stronger elements of espionage, suspense and intrigue nicely mixed together. The story moved at a medium pace and there were suitable pay-offs to the build-up that occurred throughout.

While the cover of this comic book is indeed a spoiler, it is within the details of the script and its story structure that justified the capture of one of Cobra’s most notorious figures. How G.I. Joe pulled it off and what obstacles they went through were nicely portrayed by the Hama-Vosburg team.

Not only that, the comic book also shed light on the character moments and story developments told through the side of Cobra which are quite intriguing to read.

Conclusion

*Cobra Commander making his way through in the American town of Springfield which is their front.*

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #23 (1984) is another fun and engaging tale Larry Hama crafted. The creative team succeeded in justifying the capture of Cobra Commander (as seen in the cover) while giving readers some new insights about the characters and how they do their duties. By the time I reached the end of this comic book, I was satisfied and convinced to look forward to what would happen next.

Overall, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #23 (1984) is recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #10 (1983)

December 1, 2023November 30, 2023carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1980s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the early 1980s to explore Marvel Comics’ extensive publishing of a comic book series based on the wildly popular military-themed franchise of toys – G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero.

Last time around, G.I. Joe found itself getting attacked within their own base (The Pit) as a result of the robot they brought in from a stronghold of their terrorist rival Cobra. It was a Trojan plan that Cobra Commander and his team organized from far away and they almost succeeded.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #10 published in 1983 by Marvel Comics with the main story written by Larry Hama and drawn by Mike Vosburg.

Early story

The story begins with G.I. Joe members Scarlett, Snake-Eyes and Zap reach the top of a tall New York City building that could be another stronghold of Cobra. On the street just outside of the same building, other Joe members located inside a van on the street and in the sewers carefully make their moves to ensure their operation will succeed.

Behind the scenes inside the building, the Baroness is informed of the Joes’ presence. This causes the top of building’s roof to open causing Snakey-Eyes, Scarlett and Zap to fall down into a room. In response, the Joe members inside the van make their move into the building save Scarlett and her two teammates…

Quality

*A few of the Joes captured by Cobra, and Snake-Eyes got heavily restrained.*

This is another clever story written by Larry Hama highlighting the rivalry between G.I. Joe and Cobra without emphasizing the usual action-packed battles between them. Instead, this tale emphasizes Cobra being more resourceful than meets the eye. What I mean is that the terrorists here are not limited to their military culture and weapons as they also have the means to conduct scientific experimentation, establishing spies among civilians (including minors) and even having American towns as their tactical fronts.

In many ways, this tale shows Cobra being a very diversified terrorist organization that also mastered the uses of disguise and imagery to hide themselves from American authorities right there in America. The town of Springfield symbolizes Cobra’s use of ground level fronts to hide their secret underground stronghold from being spotted which is eerily similar to how Palestinian terrorist group Hamas uses schools, hospitals and other establishments in the Gaza strip to hide their tunnels and operation places deep under. The portrayal of American minors being junior officers of Cobra is really disturbing as it reminds me of the fact that in reality, Palestinian terrorists (note: the Palestinian Authority is corrupted and practices apartheid) have brainwashed their minors to hate and to murder Jews. I should add that the Palestinian terrorists, Hamas, the United Nations (UN), Amnesty International and the many Leftist leaders of nations formed the global axis of evil we know today.

As for the characters, the new kid here is easily the most notable addition and you have to read the comic book to find out why. For the more established characters, you will see Snake-Eyes helpless and Scarlett being really vulnerable in the dream world. On the side of Cobra, Dr. Venom has really fascinating interpretations and observations about the readings of the scientific operations.

Conclusion

*The other G.I. Joe members scramble to rescue their teammates.*

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #10 (1983) is very engaging and intriguing to read from start to finish. This comic book, which is clearly a piece of fantasy, also served as an intriguing reminder that terrorists in the real world (read: Iran, Palestinian terrorists, Hamas, Hezbollah, ISIS and others) are capable of securing or stealing large financial resources for themselves and expand their operations to infiltrate societies and take advantage of the ignorant and helpless members to be part of their wicked causes. There were indeed lots of parallels between Cobra and the Palestinian terrorists.

Overall, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #10 (1983) is recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at Wetworks #1 (1994)

November 29, 2023November 26, 2023carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the mid-1990s to explore the comic book launch of a notable fictional team co-created by the Whilce Portacio and Brandon Choi…Wetworks.

For the newcomers reading this, Whilce Portacio was one of the highly talented illustrators who left Marvel Comics and co-founded Image Comics in the early 1990s. While his fellow co-founders Todd McFarlane, Jim Lee, Rob Liefeld, Marc Silvestri, Jim Valentino and Erik Larsen were able to launch their respective dream projects (creator-owned properties) during Image’s first year of publishing, the launch of Wetworks was delayed by two years due to a death in Portacio’s family.

As a very young comic book reader in those days, I remember hearing rumors about Wetworks inside comic book stores I visited. There were rumors of business negotiations, solicitations and scheduled launches (ranging from October 1993 to January 1994). I also noticed some comic book enthusiasts who bought old copies of X-Factor and Uncanny X-Men that Portacio illustrated while waiting for Wetworks to debut.

In the middle of 1994, Wetworks was finally launched under the Image Comics label and I still remember the day when I saw lots of copies of issue #1 displayed on the shelves and windows of comic book stores.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Wetworks #1, published in 1994 by Image Comics with a story written by Whilce Portacio and Brandon Choi. The art was done by Portacio with ink work by Scott Williams.

Early story

The story begins when a covert operations team working under International Operations (IO) travels to eastern Europe to infiltrate and destroy the base of operations of a certain warring faction and retrieve a biological agent (highly contagious) no matter what the cost. As it turns out, this new mission for the team (led by Colonel Jackson Dane, one of the pioneers of Team 7) started less than twenty four houses after their previous mission and their female member Pilgrim (reconnaissance specialist) pointed out that the demolition charges they are carrying are strong enough to wipe out an entire city block. Another teammate called Grail (the Filipino named Salvador Joel Alonday) stated that they are supposed to be a hostage rescue team.

Meanwhile deep inside the command center of IO in Washington, D.C., Admiral Halsey tells Miles Craven that Team 7 (the team led by Dane) are under his command and states that his sources tell him that there is more to the mission than just a group of ethnic nationalists obsessed on a biological terror campaign. It turns out, Craven sent the team to eastern Europe without fully informing them of what they are going up against. Craven insists that Team 7 are paid to put their lives on the line and to die if necessary just to get the job done. Craven then reveals to Halsey the true nature of the mission. The admiral then realizes Craven is right and certain sacrifices must be made for the greater good.

Craven and his team arrived at the location in Transylvania. They started seeing signs that someone else arrived ahead of them…

Quality

*One of the team members looks at a symbiote.*

I’ll start first with the fantasy concept and the storytelling. Whilce Portacio and Brandon Choi’s joint creation of Wetworks is indeed an inspired move with connections to real-life military influences the creators had. The Wetworks team – initially referred to as Team 7 – started looking and acting like typical military squad in the world of fiction but the major twist that happened drastically redefined and refined them into the most unique military team in the world of superhero comics. It’s the closest thing to seeing G.I. Joe fused with living symbiotes (another inspired move most likely influenced by a certain Marvel murderer with a symbiote whose origin is linked with one of the most iconic superheroes ever) there is and I can say Wetworks remains relevant and stands out nicely among superhero comic book teams to this day.

With regards to the plot, it looks cliched on face value. I’m talking about the trope in which a team is sent by their powerful superiors on a mission without knowing all the crucial details needed (because the superiors hid it from them) and they eventually encounter immense danger. As mentioned earlier, the major twist in the plot not only completed a major transformation of Dane and his teammates but also ramped up the fantasy aspect of the tale to much higher levels.

Still on the plot, Portacio and Choi came up with a solid structure for the narrative. The build-up of details and tension was very good and the pay-offs (lots of spectacle plus twists) were great. As the story moved on, the suspense grew stronger and the narrative succeeded in making me care about the team led by Dane.

*Meet the team members who would later become Wetworks.*

When it comes to the art, Portacio’s work here (with ink by Scott Williams) still looks great and, more notably, it is a fine departure from the superhero visuals he worked in years prior. As with his past works, you will see the artist’s stylized approach on visualizing the narrative related to how he implements the panels per page.

Portacio did a very good job with the military look of Wetworks and he drew their guns with a high amount of detail that should be seen (you should try using a magnifying glass on this comic book). Not only that, his art on military hardware such as the gunships, the interiors plus equipment all have that detailed appearance. When it comes to action, I believe that Portacio took a lot inspiration from Hollywood action flicks (most notably Predator) on portraying Wetworks members using their guns and positioning during battle.

Of course, the spectacle is not totally limited to military stuff. There is a touch of fantasy and horror visuals involved which is directly related to what was set-up for Wetworks to encounter in the near future. To realize what I am saying here, you must read this comic book until the intense end.

Conclusion

*Wetworks #1 from 1994 is still great to read!*

I can say without a doubt that Wetworks #1 (1994) remains as gripping and as entertaining as when I first read it decades ago. In short, it has aged well and reading it all over again today is compelling and a lot of fun to do. If you ask me, this is one of the finest works ever by Whilce Portacio in terms of art and storytelling. As one of the many comic books Image published during its first few years in the industry, Wetworks #1 (1994) clearly stands out with its military theme and fantasy concept. Lastly, Wetworks is set within the WildStorm universe as dramatically symbolized with the presence of International Operations (the team’s superiors).

Overall, Wetworks #1 (1994) is highly recommended!

+++++

	James on SBMA Chairman Aliño Opens New…
	James on A Look Back at Resident Evil:…
	Literbook on A Look Back at Resident Evil:…
	Instapundit »… on Takaichi Eyes Cooperation On U…
	Instapundit »… on Israel Eliminates Iranian Inte…

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: