review – Page 19 – Author Carlo Carrasco

A Look Back at Harbinger #16 (1993)

August 29, 2022August 27, 2022carlocarrasco

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 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 Harbinger monthly series.

In my previous retro review, the team of Sting, Faith, Flamingo, Kris and Shatiqua only had a minority of the spotlight as the plot was strongly focused on the Harbinger foundation and its team of powered young adults called the Eggbreakers who are trained and funded to do the dirty works of their founder Toyo Harada. The comic book was clearly building up the tension for future conflicts between the Harbinger foundation and Sting’s team, as well as solidifying the comic book series’ own place in the shared universe of Valiant Comics at the time.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Harbinger #16, published in 1993 by Valiant Comics with a story written by Maurice Fontenot and illustrated by Howard Simpson.

Early story

The story begins on the evening of December 15, 1992. Sting, Flamingo and Shatiqua are inside the elevator and they have just been greeted by the traitorous Ax, two companions and a little black boy. As soon as he expresses his desire to squash Harada, Ax tells Roxy to strike Sting’s group with her bionic arm. Roxy misses and Sting uses his power to push her out with force which causes her male companion to fire his gun inside the elevator.

Sting uses his power to push away mechanical parts over their hands and then lifted himself, Flamingo and Shatiqua up the elevator shaft. Flamingo then uses her power to heat up cables to boost her group’s chance of escape. Shortly after coming out of the top of the building, the three flew and landed on the top of the next building. Sting then falls exhausted. Back inside, Ax and his team continue their pursuit of Sting, Flamingo and Shatiqua.

Elsewhere, Faith and Kris talk about the prospect of attending a Christmas party. Kris suddenly notices man in a trench coat standing outside of their home…

Quality

*The Eggbreakers and an armed man who was once an Eggbreaker.*

To be clear to all those reading this, especially fans of this comic book series, Sting and his teammates once again only got a minority of the spotlight as the story was written to show of the Eggbreakers as well as the other individuals who are not in league with Toyo Harada and his foundation. While the lack of focus on the main characters could be disappointing to the dedicated fans, this comic book’s script is still of very good quality.

That being said, there is some richness to the way Fontenot crafted the story with the goal of emphasizing the Harbinger foundation’s Eggbreakers and armed personnel plus Ax who opposes Harada as well as Sting and his teammates. Ultimately, the plot established that while the Harbinger foundation is the biggest and clearest danger within its own spot of Valiant’s shared universe, there are still powered young adults other than Sting’s team who oppose the said organization. This also shows that even though it has tons of financial resources, technologies and a lot personnel under the very powerful Harada, the Harbinger foundation still has a long way to go before it convinces all powered young adults to join its cause of world domination. In fact, the foundation has not done a good job trying convince the powered individuals to give up their respective lives and private affairs for the sake being part of the organization that is so capable of providing their needs and freeing them from society’s constraints.

The Eggbreakers, like in the previous issue, got developed further here. I noticed that the comic book creators have been building up Eggbreakers member Spikeman for something and he has some sort of personal connection with Ax. The mysteries about Spikeman added some suspense to the narrative.

Compared to the previous issue, the action and superhero spectacle has been ramped up here. You will see action scenes that would look good in an R-rated movie and there is also a rather gory scene that was surprising to see.

Conclusion

*Faith and Kris were at home while Sting, Flamingo and Shatiqua were in the more urbanized part of the city.*

Harbinger #16 (1993) is another really solid story of this comic book series. The creative team just kept on building up the people who serve Harada as well as the others who oppose him which unsurprisingly left Sting and his teammates with not a lot of spotlight. Clearly the team of Fontenot and Simpson were building up something for future stories and even managed to do some pay-off to certain elements that were built up in the previous issues. Ultimately, this comic book is a very intriguing and fun read!

Overall, Harbinger #16 (1993) 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

A Look Back at Harbinger #15 (1993)

August 25, 2022August 23, 2022carlocarrasco

In my previous retro review, the story heavily emphasized the thoughts, feelings and acts of Kris who is trying to live a normal life, maintain her relationship with Sting and also dealing with the vision she had about the infant she lost who eventually grew up to be Magnus the robot fighter. While Sting and his teammates deal with their domestic matters without the hassle of being held accountable for the crimes they committed, the Harbinger foundation keeps on training several powered young adults called Eggbreakers for dangerous missions.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Harbinger #15, published in 1993 by Valiant Comics with a story written by Maurice Fontenot and illustrated by Howard Simpson.

Early story

The story begins on the morning of December 15, 1992. Ax, the computer expert who turned traitor against Sting, Faith, Torque, Flamingo and Kris before (for reference, click here and here), returns home concealing his left arm with his jacket. He tells his companions that he just ran into a bit of trouble and that encountered Bloodshot. When asked about what happened to his arm, Ax just makes an excuse to move away.

Moments later, Ax is inside a large room filled with computers and other high-tech pieces of equipment. The male companion who asked about the arm realizes that Ax’s left arm is gone. Ax then admits he lost his arm and has to build himself a new arm as soon as possible.

Meanwhile inside a top secret facility of the Harbinger foundation, members of the Eggbreakers are training hard and even having fun talking as the action happen…

Quality

*Nothing like a youth member getting the rare opportunity to meet the big boss right after the end of a big meeting.*

I will go straight to the point here. The biggest and most surprising aspect of this Harbinger comic book is that much of the narrative focused strongly on the Harbinger foundation and its young adult members which left little spotlight for Sting, Faith, Kris, Flamingo and Shatiqua.

As this is the story of the people from the other side of the spectrum, writer Maurice Fontenot crafted a script that emphasized the Harbinger foundation to be more human than the usual sinister force that was portrayed before. You will not only see the founder and main villain Toyo Harada here but also the members of the Eggbreakers who are composed of young adults not too different from Sting and his companions. Unlike Sting’s team, the Eggbreakers are constantly trained with a high-tech facility and necessities provided by Harada who is simply uncompromising with his way on achieving things. There is also one particular young adult member who looks up to Harada as a great and positive figure who is dedicated on making the whole world a better place.

The good news here is that Fontenot’s writing is rock-solid! The character development is very in-depth, the young adults of the Harbinger foundation act and speak naturally, and strong focus on the Harbinger foundation’s internal matters and developments really gave me a clearer understanding of the organization on top of its reputation in this comic book series. That being said, Howard Simpson’s art here maintained the visual tone of the series while moving along smoothly when visualizing Fontenot’s script.

If there are any weaknesses in this comic book, it is the need to re-read it in order to get yourself oriented with who is who among the Eggbreakers and the other Harbinger foundation people. This is because there are lots of characters here.

Conclusion

Considering all the story build-up and character build-up that was focused mainly on Sting and his teammates, Harbinger #15 (1993) is clearly a major surprise and a major pay-off which ultimately adds to the anticipation of the future conflicts between the two sides. What Fontenot and Simpson presented here was outstanding work and it sure is entertaining as well as refreshing to read. At the same time, this Valiant comic book gave me some X-Men vibes but in a twisted and bastardized manner. As such, this Harbinger issue is very unique.

Overall, Harbinger #15 (1993) is highly recommended!

+++++

A Look Back at The Solution #16 (1995)

August 24, 2022August 22, 2022carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero fans, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Ultraverse fans and comic book collectors! Today we revisit the Ultraverse through the monthly series of The Solution.

In my previous retro review, The Solution took a major risk by going all the way to a secret place in Taiwan. Their purpose was to infiltrate the place and find out any details they could find from a planned secret meeting between heads of multiple gangs. For Tech/Lela Cho, she sees an opportunity to get her company back from the Dragon Fang gang. Dropkick expresses his concern that the whole meeting could be a trap as the Dragon Fang gang knows that Tech can hack their computers and extract information.

With those details laid down, here is a look back The Solution #16, published by Malibu Comics in 1995 with a story written by the late James Hudnall and drawn by Daerick Gross.

Early story

The story begins with The Solution members apart from each other and each one has been trapped by deadly enemies. Outbreak is being fired upon by armed personnel. Shadowmage is down on the floor having been shot by one of the assassins. Dropkick finds himself attacked by another assassin. Tech is out cold and the deadly assassin Casino has her cornered.

Instead of going for the kill, Casino just talks to Tech and then calls Kwan Lun. In another part of the facility, the Communist Incoming aims his gun at the head of Shadowmage who suddenly moves and avoids the shot fired. As she finds a place to hide, she casts a spell to heal herself…

Quality

*Dropkick on the losing end of the fight.*

If you want action with The Solution, this comic book has lots of it as it is the continuation of the conflict between the titular team and the evil forces. Quite consistently, the creative team made each team member look vulnerable, especially with Tech who is helpless even though Casino (note: their previous encounter was in issue #7) is ironically not even fighting. While Outrage and Dropkick are on the verge of being eliminated, Shadowmage was also portrayed to be vulnerable in a gritty manner. Adding further depth to the engagement of the story is suspense.

Visually, artist Daerick Gross did a good job and judging from the way the action and sequencing were done, he seems to have researched the previous issues. His artistic takes on The Solution team members plus Casino and the assassins are nice to look at as well as recognizable.

Conclusion

*Even though she was down, Shadowmage managed to avoid certain death giving her a chance to survive and take on the armed Commie.*

The Solution #16 (1995) is entertaining enough for me and it also succeeded in keeping me interested for the next issue which also happens to be the final issue. As this is the 2^nd-to-the-last issue of The Solution series, James Hudnall knew what defined the characters and what kind of stories would keep the fans engaged. That being said, he seemed to have set something up for the next issue as this comic book ended in a cliffhanger.

Overall, The Solution #16 (1995) is recommended.

+++++

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

A Look Back at Harbinger #14 (1993)

August 22, 2022August 20, 2022carlocarrasco

In my previous retro review, Faith encountered an old man who turned out to be highly unusual and this led to her dealing with street troublemakers. More notably, the comic book developed Faith’s personality further and she is definitely more than just the geek among her teammates.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Harbinger #14, published in 1993 by Valiant Comics with a story written by Maurice Fontenot and illustrated by Howard Simpson.

Early story

The story begins during one of the past events in the Unity storyline as the young Geomancer tells Kris to give to him her baby as something crucial was about to happen in just a few minutes. Kris, who already knows that her infant is actually Magnus the robot fighter, unsurprisingly resists. Suddenly, energy and light formed between the two and Kris’ baby suddenly disappears which prompts the Geomancer to state that Solar is sending everyone – including the baby – to a proper place in time.

In the present day of October 9, 1992, Faith helps a kid by retrieving his kite from a tall tree not realizing that she just exposed herself as they are within a public park. Sting warns her that her act was risky as there could by anybody watching them from a distance.

A few feet away from Sting, Faith, Flamingo and Shatiqua is Kris who watches a group of children playing…

Quality

*Even though most of them have special abilities, they are still vulnerable with the costs of independent living as well as being targets of the Harbinger foundation.*

The story here is a complete change of direction compared to issue #13. For one thing, it takes a look back at key events that took place during the Unity crossover storyline which specifically involved Sting and his teammates. The flashbacks were done through Kris’ memory and she provides the narration (conveniently for us readers) as she shares her personal views about what happened.

More notably, the flashback and narrations reflect how much of an impact the loss of the baby truly was for Kris who even expressed that the infant – destined to be Magnus the robot fighter as an adult – must have hated her for letting him go.

Unity aside, this comic book also follows the private lives of Sting, Kris, Flamingo, Faith and Shatiqua as they now live together in a rented home. While almost all of them have special abilities, they are still vulnerable with not just the threat of the Harbinger foundation but also the with the costs and constant challenges of living independently from their respective families. It’s nice that as this was Maurice Fontenot’s debut as writer of this particular monthly series, the general tone was maintained and the story was told with realism in mind. I also like the way Fontenot dramatized the characters particularly with Sting still living with a false sense of maturity at a time when his love Kris is struggling over the visions about the past and her lost child.

This comic book also marked the series debut of Howard Simpson whose art style resembles that of David Lapham.

Conclusion

Harbinger #14 (1993) has a solid touch on developing the lead characters – specifically Kris – and went as far as recalling some of the events of Unity while even having a few pages featuring one of Valiant Comics’ major characters which you can easily guess who. To put it short, this comic book ultimately served as a build-up for further confrontations with the Harbinger foundation but the characterization of Kris here is the real meat of the story. By the time you reach the end, you should be able to know Kris more. Definitely a solid read!

Overall, Harbinger #14 (1993) is highly recommended!

+++++

A Look Back at Harbinger #13 (1993)

August 18, 2022August 16, 2022carlocarrasco

In my previous retro review, Sting, Faith, Kris, Flamingo and newcomer Shatiqua pursued a mission recklessly with revenge over the death of Torque as the main motivator. That story symbolically shows that the boundary between good and evil has been blurred away as Sting and his team just kept on pursuing their goals disregarding the rule of law and committing acts that make them no different from the sinister Harbinger Foundation. In some ways, Sting himself is gradually becoming as evil and abusive as his target (and former mentor) – Toyo Harada.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Harbinger #13, published in 1993 by Valiant Comics with a story written and drawn by David Lapham.

*The cover that closely imitates the iconic image of Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns.*

Early story

The story begins with Faith flying high above the streets of New York City talking to herself as she enjoys the flight as well as the flight of fantasy in her mind. After discreetly landing in an alley, she bumps into a man as she moves into the city sidewalk. Two other men could not help but laugh at what they just saw.

The man Faith bumped into gets mad, grabs her by the shirt and pulls out a knife. Suddenly, an old man comes out of nowhere and threatens the knife-wielding man which in turn prevented Faith from getting hurt. Upon realizing a lot of people are around them and watching, the knife-wielding man and his two companions move away.

The old man then befriends Faith. She thanks him for his help…

Quality

As I expected another Harbinger tale about Sting and his team going up against Harada’s foundation, I can say that this comic book surprised me in a rather delightful way. To be clear, this is a story mainly focused on Faith and under Lapham’s direction, readers will see her personality emphasized more than ever and what she is capable of with not just her special abilities but also with how she deals with problems.

The good news here is that the writing by Lapham is solid. Faith is clearly the comic book geek among her teammates and to see her work inside a comic book store in the city is amusing as her portrayal captures how comic book fans react when they see something really fascinating or special among the many printed materials displayed. It should be noted that Faith’s independence is nicely portrayed and she has her own way of dealing with the harshness of reality without ever letting her personal obsession with entertainment overwhelm her reasoning. The ironic thing about Faith’s view of life around her is that she does not show any regrets about the crimes the she and her teammates committed.

Those who are looking for superhero spectacle will find something gritty and short with regards to Faith. Adding further zest in this comic book are fantasized excerpts from a particular comic book Faith reads in the story.

Conclusion

*Faith working inside the comic book store.*

Harbinger #13 (1993) is a very surprising read that clearly delivered a good bout of fun. Its main attraction is Faith herself and this comic book has the most in-depth development of her character to date. Through her, comic book readers will have something to resonate with when it comes to comic book culture and geek interests. Ultimately, David Lapham succeeded in defining Faith and telling a solid Harbinger tale mainly focused on her. In some ways, this comic book is like a relief from all the tension built up on the rivalry between Sting’s team and the Harbinger Foundation. That being said, this comic book is no filler and it fits right in the monthly series.

Overall, Harbinger #13 (1993) is highly recommended!

+++++

A Look Back at The Solution #15 (1995)

August 16, 2022August 14, 2022carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero fans, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Ultraverse fans and comic book collectors! Today we revisit the Ultraverse through the monthly series of The Solution.

In my previous retro review, The Solution itself was not really present in the story which was both a shock and a major disappointment. The Solution #14 (1994) refocused mainly on past villains who debuted in the early part of the monthly series and it sent a clear sign that a rematch with The Solution is bound to happen.

With those details laid down, here is a look back The Solution #15, published by Malibu Comics in 1995 with a story written by the late James Hudnall and drawn by George Dove.

Early story

The story begins with Dropkick inside a dark room. Tech comes in searching for him and turns the light on. She is surprised to see Dropkick with a new look complete with face paint. Dropkick insists that his new look will last and he saw the future. The man then surprises Tech once more by instantly changing into casual clothes. She then reveals to him that she found a way to get her company back.

Moments later in a meeting with Dropkick, Outrage and Shadowmage, she reveals that while searching online for information about what the Dragon Fang gang has been doing with her company, she found a memo about a meeting that was set to happen the next week somewhere in Taiwan. The heads of the gang are supposed to be there and for Tech, this is the opportunity to take them on.

As the exact location of the meeting remains unclear, Tech states that they will need to travel overseas as she needs to be near a place to check out the electronic systems. For Dropkick, the whole meeting could be a trap and he states that the Dragon Fang gang knows Tech can read their computers.

Even though she is certain that the trap is real, Tech states that they cannot pass up the opportunity to take on the enemy…

Quality

*Can you recognize anyone on this page?*

Now this is more like it! The Solution is indeed back and this story is pretty much a big pay-off to all the build-up done in the villains-focused story of the previous issue. Take note that this story took place just a short time after the very wild storyline told in issues #9, #10, #11 and #12.

To make things clear, there is a conflict in the story which should resonate with The Solution fans who read the early issues of the series that launched in 1993. There is indeed a rematch between the titular team and the villains (plus Casino in this issue) which fortunately was very well done and proved to be worth the wait and the build-up. Speaking of conflict, there was this surprising development that happened within the side of the villains and that alone added more depth to the plot as well as more tension to the rematch with Tech and her teammates.

Artist Greg Dove did a fine job drawing this story and he knows when to use dynamic visuals when it comes to emphasizing impact. Thanks to Dove, Casino in this issue has that femme fatale look on her face. His take on Tech, her teammates and the three other villains is also good to look at.

Conclusion

*The Solution with Dropkick in his new look.*

The Solution #15 (1995) marks the series’ return to normalcy (meaning fun, intrigue and engagement) and it is indeed a worthy pay-off to the disappointing previous issue. The conflict told within this particular comic book is just the start and as I reached the ending, I can say that I am anticipating what would happen next. There is a lot for fans of The Solution to enjoy here.

Overall, The Solution #15 (1995) is recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at Harbinger #12 (1992)

August 15, 2022August 12, 2022carlocarrasco

In my previous retro review, Sting, Faith, Kris and Flamingo adjusted themselves to normal living. As far as they are concerned, several months had passed for them during their time in the unknown world during the events of Unity. For their real world, however, very little time had passed. They also took a renewed effort to search for powered beings like themselves as part of their plan to protect themselves and be able to take down the Harbinger foundation in due time.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Harbinger #12, published in 1992 by Valiant Comics with a story written and drawn by David Lapham.

Early story

The story begins during the wee hours of September 4, 1992 inside the rented house occupied by Sting, Flamingo, Kris and Faith. Flamingo wakes up from another nightmare causing her to unintentionally burn part of her bed. Her teammates rush in to comfort her and it turns out Flamingo just had her third nightmare of the week which reflects her sadness over the death of their late teammate Torque. In response to this, Sting takes Faith with him to fly out and do some information gathering at the Harbinger office in New York.

It turns out Sting had been covertly breaking in to the said office in recent times primarily to get information about the latest moves of the one organization that wants them defeated. After sneaking into the New York office of Harbinger, Sting uses his power on a Harbinger employee named Joan to get codes from her to get into the organization’s computer network…

Quality

*Clearly Sting and his teammates are becoming as bad as their counterparts at the Harbinger foundation. Sting looks like he is destined to become sinister and unstoppable as his target Toyo Harada.*

Considering how I felt after reading issue #11, this comic book series indeed took a turn to a new creative direction under David Lapham’s writing (note: this is the 2^nd Harbinger story Lapham wrote). Not only did Sting and his teammates gain a new member with Shatiqua, they daringly pursued another dangerous mission that could be described as reckless and even idiotic. Even though they knew that the Harbinger foundation was strongly powerful and had many powered young adults as opposition, revenge over the death of Torque motivated them to take on their enemies head-on one member at a time.

David Lapham successfully portrayed Sting and his team to be as ruthless as Harbinger which strongly symbolizes the blurring of the boundary between good and evil. With regards to Sting, I saw a powerful teenager who could someday grow to be an evil leader similar to his rival and main target Toyo Harada. The mere fact that revenge was the objective for the team shows how dark Sting has turned even though he believes that he and his teammates are victims trying to survive and be free from the present danger of the Harbinger foundation.

Along the way, this comic book shows Flamingo at her most emotional state as she still clings on to the ate Torque. Her portrayal in this comic book is quite believable as it reflects the difficulties that teenagers in real life experience when it comes to letting go of the past and struggle to move forward as they carry bitterness and pain with them.

If you are looking for superhero spectacle, there is a lot to enjoy here. I won’t say how it is presented because that is something you yourselves should read and discover.

Conclusion

*Breaking in and hacking into a private company’s network are crimes that Sting and Faith are comfortable with.*

Harbinger #12 (1992) is a very solid read! What Jim Shooter established for this series with the first ten issues, David Lapham carefully moved the narrative forward to a new direction while still maintaining the elements that defined the main characters, why they exist and what they are fighting for. At this stage in the Harbinger series, Sting, Faith, Flamingo and Kris (plus new member Shatiqua) continue to operate as a team while disregarding the laws and morality because they truly believe that they are victims and moving targets of Harada and the Harbinger foundation. This comic book also has an excellent mix of storytelling, characterization and superhero action while still feeling like it is all grounded with reality (note: the X-Men comics published the same year as this had more fantasy elements). Right now, I’m happy with the way Lapham is handling the story and I’m looking forward to the next issue.

Overall, Harbinger #12 (1992) is highly recommended!

+++++

A Look Back at Harbinger #11 (1992)

August 10, 2022August 8, 2022carlocarrasco

In my previous retro review, Sting, Faith, Kris and Flamingo finally arrived home after spending many months away during the events of Unity. While so much time had passed for them, very little time on Earth actually moved forward. At this stage, getting back to normal living was inevitable even though they still have a conflict with the Harbinger foundation.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Harbinger #11, published in 1992 by Valiant Comics with a story written and drawn by David Lapham. This comic book marks takes place after the end of Unity.

Early story

The story begins with Faith telling Kris and Sting that she’s about to go to a big job interview. While the two conversed, Faith notices a blimp floating in the sky. To her, it seems that it has floated up there really long.

After being reminded of their planned meeting with Shatiqua, Faith flies off into the city for the job interview at a local business called Comics Jungle. Kris then approaches Flamingo whom she notices to be sounding down. Flamingo states that she has been thinking about the late Torque (father of the baby Kris had) and expresses her concern about the possibility of Shatique joining their team. Flamingo adds that she does not think they will ever get safe…

Quality

To begin with, this story marked artist David Lapham’s first time to write a Harbinger tale. Building up on what happened in the late stage of the previous issue, Lapham utilized H.A.R.D. Corps (already one of the established regular titles of Valiant Comics) for the Valiant universe crossover element. The good news here is that Lapham made good use of portraying H.A.R.D. Corps as the focused covert operations team that just so happens to be tracking Sting whom they perceive to be very powerful and too dangerous to be left free in society. This aspect of the story brings up parallels between H.A.R.D. Corps and the sinister Harbinger foundation which instantly blurred the line that separates good and evil.

As I don’t want to spoil the plot, I can confirm that as I read the comic book until the end, I literally felt the vibrations of change happening in the sense that a new direction for the Habinger series was materializing.

When it comes to the characters, Lapham did a good job developing the main characters while also shedding a good amount of the narrative on H.A.R.D. Corps’ members. There is a lot of characters to see but the good thing is that the narrative was not overwhelmed by the exposition and multiple speaking parts.

Conclusion

*While Faith goes to the city comic book store for her job interview, Kris, Sting and Flamingo discuss internal matters not knowing they are being targeted.*

Harbinger #11 (1992) delivers a fine mix of crossover, spectacle (note: lots to enjoy here) and characterization that also succeeds in telling its own concept while giving readers a hint of what changes could come soon to Sting, Faith, Flamingo and Kris. With Lapham as the new writer, the story is surprisingly very good and engaging to read. You will see a lot of entertaining elements from the previous issues within this comic book with some new intrigue added that made this particular Harbinger tale fresh to read. Lastly, I should say that the addition of H.A.R.D. Corps really added some depth into the story and the spectacle.

Overall, Harbinger #11 (1992) is highly recommended!

+++++

A Look Back at Harbinger #8 (1992)

July 29, 2022July 26, 2022carlocarrasco

In my previous retro review, Sting, Faith, Kris and Flamingo struggled with the completely unexpected new reality that their teammate Torque had died. As they mourned, Toyo Harada and his foundation just kept on operating and preparing themselves for a future conflict with the protagonists. Harada specifically perceives Sting as the most dangerous object for his organization to deal with.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Harbinger #8, published in 1992 by Valiant Comics with a story written by Jim Shooter and drawn by David Lapham.

Early story

The story begins on April 4, 1992 inside the nice home of Dr. Heyward. There, Heyward, his wife and their two kids are enjoying the company of Faith, Sting and Flamingo. Upstairs, Kris could not fit jeans as she has gained weight. Heyward’s wife Moni arrives, offers her new clothes to wear and shares with her some insight about being in a relationship.

After dinner, Sting and Dr. Heyward have a nice chat with drinks. At the kitchen, Kris and Moni begin to talk about pregnancy with Flamingo present. As soon as Kris says that she is thinking about asking Dr. Heyward about getting an abortion, Flamingo tells her not to do it as the baby inside her all that is left of their dead teammate Torque.

Just as Kris begins to play dumb and divert attention away, a weirdly dressed teenager suddenly appears inside the home. He identifies himself as Geoff McHenry the geomancer…

Quality

*Faith collects and then flies high for a grand view.*

To get straight to the point, this issue of Harbinger is easily the wildest story I’ve read in this series and for a very obvious reason – it is part of the Unity crossover storyline that established the Valiant Comics universe’s overall concept. For the newcomers reading this, Unity was published in 1992 composed of eighteen chapters – beginning with Unity #0 – which saw story parts told in issues of other Valiant titles like Eternal Warrior, Archer & Armstrong, Magnus Robot Fighter, X-O Manowar, Rai and Solar Man of the Atom.

That being said, the story here is not only wilder than ever but also really went higher with its flight of fantasy which really impacted the protagonists. In her, Sting, Faith, Flamingo and even the pregnant Kris get recruited to join what turned out to be a major battle waged by a group of adult heroes (Solar, Eternal Warrior, Archer & Armstrong, X-O Manowar, Rai and others) against Erica Pierce (the Mothergod) who is obsessed with destroying the universe as she wield immense power.

More on the plot, the transition of Sting and his teammates going into battle on an unknown realm progressed very smoothly which surprised me. As there are lots of battle scenes and other forms of superhero spectacle to see, the creative team managed to maintain a compelling narrative that moved at a medium pace which makes following the exploits of the powered teenagers easy to do. Sure, you get to see the other Valiant Comics heroes share the spotlight in this comic book but Sting and his teammates are the clear protagonists.

Even though there are lots of battle scenes, Jim Shooter still succeeded in setting up a good amount of character development scenes which resulted in clear development of Sting and Kris. Not only that, Shooter convincingly captured the impulse of youth and the false sense of maturity on the part of Sting who at this point has to take special care of Kris, think about the future of becoming a father while dealing with pressure from the other Valiant superheroes who need him to really advance against Erica Pierce. This comic book’s script is very strong and richly layered!

Conclusion

*Sting and his teammates stand along with the other heroes of the Valiant Comics universe.*

Being the eight chapter of the Unity crossover storyline, Harbinger #8 (1992) has this almost perfect mix of the epic superhero conflict, spectacle and characterization while maintaining sufficient focus on the exploits Sting, Faith, Kris and Flamingo. At this point of the monthly series, Sting (note: whose immense power was portrayed here) and Kris are preparing themselves for the future while failing to realize they are not really mature enough to deal with both the anticipated parenthood and the Unity conflict at hand. This comic book is a must-read as it works excellently both as a standalone story as well as a chapter of Unity. That being said, I’m looking forward to the next issue already.

Overall, Harbinger #8 (1992) is highly recommended!

+++++

A Look Back at The Night Man #10 (1994)

July 26, 2022July 24, 2022carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the mid-1990s which was a pretty wild time for comic collectors. To be more specific, this newest retro comic book review revisits the Ultraverse through The Night Man monthly series.

In my previous retro review, the Teknight armor remotely controlled by J.D. Hunt and his son broke into a prison to free the defeated Apocaloff. Unsurprisingly, the Night Man arrived to stop Teknight’s operation even though the police were not willing to get involved with the vigilante. Eventually, Teknight and Apocaloff were defeated thanks to a masked man who fired a canister from a distance. The Night Man approached the masked man and discovered that he is someone essential in life.

With those details laid down, here is a look back The Night Man #10, published in 1994 by Malibu Comics with a story written by Steve Englehart and drawn by Kyle Hotz.

Early story

The story begins one week in the past with the shooting of a man witnessed by his lady companion in the presence of three men wearing dark clothes. As the lady agonizes over the injured man, the three men move away, got chased by police officers, and escaped after climbing over a fence.

Moments later, the police isolated the scene of the crime and Johnny Domingo’s father Eddie (the head of Playland security) talks with one of the police officers about what happened. At 3AM the next morning, Eddie returns to the scene of the crime and looks at the blood and the white outline where the victim was marked. At 4:25 AM, with Eddie no longer present, the white outline begins to move and leave the scene of the crime.

In the present day, Eddie and his son Johnny (still in costume as the Night Man) enter an office at Playland…

Quality

*J.D. Hunt calls for the production of a new and improved Teknight armor.*

After reading back-to-back issues that had Apocaloff as the main opposition for the Night Man, this comic book not only made a drastic change of storytelling direction but also came up with something could change the way readers perceive the titular hero.

For one thing, having Eddie know that his son and Night Man are one and the same person is quite striking and this became even more evident when they have this very meaningful private talk early in the story. That exchange of dialogue is a must-read. Next, while Night Man made clear he prefers to continues his vigilante acts against evil without his father’s involvement, he accepts the suggestion of moving into Playland as he knew the place a lot since childhood and found it advantageous for his covert operations.

Along the way, a brand new and highly unusual villain got introduced here and provided the Night Man a new form of challenge. The battle between the titular hero and the new villain was well executed and the special attention to detail during key moments were amusing to read.

With regards to the killing that took place at the start of this comic book, there is a sub-plot related to it and it includes a reference to a key event in the past within the Ultraverse which itself is connected with Night Man’s origin.

Conclusion

*Kyle Hotz’s art made the images look creepy. Even the Night Man himself looks creepy.*

The creative team of Englehart and Hotz set the stage for the new direction of storytelling while succeeded in telling an engaging standalone story in The Night Man #10 (1994). The Night Man fans and Ultraverse fans will have a lot of things to enjoy in this comic book. I personally liked the way the creative team executed story twists and added depth to the plot.

Overall, The Night Man #10 (1994) is recommended.

+++++

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