sci-fi – Page 20 – Author Carlo Carrasco

Star Ocean: The Divine Force all set for October 27, 2022 release on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One plus Windows PC (via Steam)

July 8, 2022July 7, 2022carlocarrasco

After many months of waiting since the initial announcement of Star Ocean: The Divine Force coming to Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One and Windows PC (via Steam), Square Enix finally announced that the new sci-fi Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) is coming to the declared platforms on October 27, 2022.

To put things into perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the official announcement on Xbox.com written by Square Enix Content Communications Manager Duncan Heaney. Some parts in boldface…

Get ready for an adventure that’s out of this world… literally! Star Ocean The Divine Force launches October 27 on Xbox!

This latest entry in the Star Ocean series features a fascinating story that fuses science fiction and fantasy, astonishingly responsive real-time combat, and an almost unparalleled level of freedom.

Add the innovative Dual Protagonist system, which lets you pick between two main characters each with their own journeys and companions, and it’s shaping up to be a stellar adventure in more ways than one – read on and I’ll tell you all about it.

What’s the story of Star Ocean The Divine Force? – The Pangalactic Federation has changed. Once it stood for peace, tranquility, and justice, but, but now it assimilates entire planets against their will.

Raymond Lawrence is the captain of the merchant vessel Ydas. One day, he departs from the nonfederated planet of Verguld on what seems like a standard transport job, but when his ship’s fired upon by the Pangalactic Federation battleship Astoria, he’s forced to crash land on the underdeveloped planet Aster IV.

Separated from his crewmates, and under attack by vicious local wildlife, Raymond is saved by Laeticia Aucerius – the princess of the Kingdom of Aucerius: a large territory located on the underdeveloped planet of Aster IV.

The two embark on a mission to save her land from a warmongering neighbor and find his missing companion.

However, the shadow of the Pangalactic Federation looms large…

What kind of game is Star Ocean The Divine Force? – That setup paves the way for a sprawling action RPG that’s full of twists and turns, secrets to find, fast-paced, strategic combat. The dual protagonist system lets you choose between Raymond and Laeticia, and the events you experience and the allies you build will be different depending on who you play as.

Regardless of which character you pick, you’ll enjoy an amazing feeling of freedom because not only can characters traverse the vast environments of Aster IV from ground level, they can also soar up into the sky and fly around in the air!

Want to fly to the top of a cliff to see what’s there or soar between the buildings in the city like a sci-fi superhero? It’s all possible, and it’s a real thrill to be able to explore many of the nooks and crannies of this detailed world so easily.

*This is Elena, the first mate of the merchant vessel Ydas.*

Of course, Aster IV has plenty of dangerous areas and sooner or later you’ll run into one of the vicious beasts that prowl the wide expanses of the planet.

Combat in Star Ocean The Divine Force is incredibly fast-paced, with super high-speed movement and attacks, and some awesome skills, such as the ability to vanish for a brief moment right in front of your enemies’ eyes, or even take them out in a single hit!

The pace and fluidity of combat, combined with the glorious freedom of traversal, makes for a game that feels just wonderful to play – I can’t wait for Xbox fans to experience it yourselves!

The above article on Xbox.com mentioned that Star Ocean: The Divine Force will come out on Xbox platforms in a Digital Standard Edition ($59.99) as well as a Digital Deluxe Edition ($74.99). The more expensive edition includes a game’s official soundtrack, as well as some in-game items, including an Armor pack, and Accessory pack.

While it is a fact that Square Enix has no intention to release the Final Fantasy VII Remake and Final Fantasy XVI on Xbox, Star Ocean: The Divine Force plus The DioField Chronicle and Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion are their confirmed releases that JRPG fans and other gamers of the Xbox ecosystem can look forward to. More on JRPGs coming to Xbox that Square Enix is not involved with, there are also Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes and the Persona games to anticipate.

*Star Ocean: The Divine Force on Xbox platforms is something that JRPG fans can look forward to this October.*

Going to Star Ocean: The Divine Force has that recognizable action-oriented gameplay of the game franchise. Still I cannot understand why the developers went for the plastic, dolly looking aesthetic on their characters. More notably, it remains to be seen if their storytelling in the new game will be any good. Regardless, Xbox gamers and Windows PC gamers who love JRPGs should watch out for Star Ocean: The Divine Force on October 27, 2022.

In closing this piece, posted below are Xbox-related videos plus a few Star Ocean: The Divine Force videos for your enjoyment.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. 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 Jurassic Park #3 (1993)

July 5, 2022July 2, 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 year 1993 for another look at Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park in the form of licensed comic books published by Topps Comics.

In my previous retro review, the comic book still had the creative issues of heavy exposition and being very word-heavy to read as the creators focused on adapting the movie’s story closely (from the iconic brachiosaurus scene up to the encounter with the triceratops). Compared to issue #1, the comic book’s narrative improved temporarily as it closely adapted the lunch-and-talk scene between John Hammond, Donald Gennaro, Ellie Sattler, Alan Grant and Ian Malcolm whose dialogue was easily the most engaging in both film and in literary format.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Jurassic Park #3, published in 1993 by Topps Comics with a story written by Walter Simonson and drawn by Gil Kane with ink work done by the late George Perez. This comic book was the third of a 4-issue mini-series based on the Spielberg-directed movie.

Early story

The story begins with the group of Alan Grant, Ellie Sattler, Ian Malcolm, Donald Gennaro and the two kids Lex and Tim who are shocked to see a living triceratops. The large dinosaur, however, falls down on its side causing Ellie Sattler to go near and examine it. Gerry Harding, a Jurassic Park employee, suddenly appears and explains that the triceratops was tranquilized by Robert Muldoon and has been sick. After examining the dinosaur further, Ellie wants to have its droppings examined.

Back in the control room of Jurassic Park, Ray Arnold explains to John Hammond that the center of an approaching story has not changed course and states that he likes to cut the current tour and resume the next day. He emphasized to Hammond that the storm is risky to those on tour.

Just across the room, Dennis Nedry (who secretly cut a deal with a business rival of inGen’s and has been frustrated working for John Hammond) carefully communicates with the captain of the ship that will depart once all the workers have boarded. Knowing he is running out of time to steal the dinosaur embryos and send it to Biosyn, he starts his move with Jurassic Park’s main system…

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*While the sequences of the T.Rex going after Ian Malcolm are not the same as those in the movie, the dinosaur itself really looks creepy.*

When it comes to entertainment value related to spectacle, I can say clearly that this issue really marked the beginning of fun in this 4-issue mini-series. This is because this comic book includes the appearance of the Tyrannosaurus Rex (T.Rex) which arrived just when Alan Grant, Ian Malcolm, Lex, Tim and Donald Gennaro are helpless sitting inside vehicles that stopped by the said dinosaur’s paddock with the fences no longer electrified.

Of course, the minutes-long T. Rex scene in the movie remains memorable as it had a well-blended mix of suspense, action and some horror directed by Steven Spielberg. This comic book’s creators did their best to replicate the experience in illustrated literature format. While it’s not surprising that the essence of the T.Rex paddock scenes in movie were not perfectly captured, this comic book’s adaptation still managed to be entertaining to read showing suspense, horror and some thrills plus Gil Kane managed to even make the infamous dinosaur look frightening. Very clearly, Kane went all-out in presenting the T.Rex as the main dinosaur not only in this comic book but for the whole mini-series.

While the T.Rex paddock scene is the highlight of this comic book, the scene with the triceratops proved to be another exposition-heavy presentation laced with pretentious science and technical explanations dealing with plants, animal health and the like. Meanwhile, the scenes about John Hammond, Robert Muldoon and Ray Arnold struggling with the failures of the park systems while Nedry betrays them secretly were pretty intense to read.

Conclusion

*Lots of exposition and creative explanations in this scene about the sick triceratops.*

So far, I find Jurassic Park #3 (1993) to be the most entertaining issue so far thanks to the way the comic book creators adapted the Tyrannosaurus Rex paddock scene from the movie. While the narrative still had lots of exposition and creative explanations that started since issue #1, the consequential events of Dennis Nedry’s acts intensified the reading experience and the T.Rex scenes really ramped up the fun factor.

Overall, Jurassic Park #3 (1993) is recommended.

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A Look Back at Jurassic Park #2 (1993)

June 29, 2022January 13, 2026carlocarrasco

My previous retro review was the literary version of the film’s opening until the start of the iconic scene of the brachiosaur. The comic book was very exposition-heavy, had too few dinosaurs visualized and was ultimately a word-heavy experience with little entertainment value.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Jurassic Park #2, published in 1993 by Topps Comics with a story written by Walter Simonson and drawn by Gil Kane with ink work done by the late George Perez. This comic book was the second of a 4-issue mini-series based on the Spielberg movie.

Early story

The story begins on an island where John Hammond’s guests (Alan Grant, Ellie Sattler, Ian Malcolm and lawyer Gennaro) cannot help but stare and marvel at the brachiosaurus walking in front of them. Soon enough, they spot five more dinosaurs of the same species moving around. As they stare, Dr. Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler can’t help but be amazed as the sight of living dinosaurs literally broke the limits of what they previously learned about dinosaurs through books.

Grant asks Hammond how he was able to come up with dinosaurs. Hammond then takes his guests into the visitor’s center which has a 50-seat auditorium for the prepared pre-show he prepared for their orientation. With Hammond taking an active part in the program, a video presentation shows how Jurassic Park’s personnel extracted dinosaur DNA from fossilized mosquitoes (which drew blood from dinosaurs), used advanced technologies and amphibian DNA to complete DNA sequencing, and created dinosaurs…

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*The baby Velociraptor, John Hammond, Ian Malcolm, Dr. Grant, Ellie Sattler and Dr. Wu in a scene.*

The most obvious thing about this comic book (which starts with the brachiosaurus reveal until the triceratops’ appearance) is that it is very wordy and has lots of expository dialogue and creative explanations which reflected the film it was based on. What makes this a slightly better reading experience over issue #1 is that it closely captured the essence of the best talk scene of Spielberg’s movie – the lunch meeting hosted by Hammond. To see Gennaro, Dr. Grant and Ellie give their feedback to Hammond with Ian Malcolm’s extensive opinion about Jurassic Park’s use of genetics, their revival of extinct species and their lack of humility before nature was easily the most compelling part of the comic book to read. In a way, a lot of exposition dump and build-up that started in issue #1 were paid off nicely in the said scene.

As mentioned earlier, this comic book’s story reaches the appearance of the triceratops and by then John Hammond’s grandchildren (Tim and Lex) joined Grant, Gennaro, Sattler and Malcolm on the basic tour in vehicles. That being said, the story moved at a moderate pace and the only comic book spectacle here are the images of dinosaurs which were decently drawn by Gil Kane. Don’t expect any action nor thrills here because those would not happen until the T. Rex’s first appearance.

Conclusion

*Can you imagine how you would react if you ever see large dinosaurs walking in front of you?*

I can say that Jurassic Park #2 (1993) is a slightly better reading experience than issue #1 mainly due to the way the comic book creators adapted the movie’s best talk scene. The same old issues of heavy exposition and excessive dialogue are here which reflect Simonson and Kane’s focus on adapting scenes from the movie closely. Other than that, there is still no excitement to enjoy here which can be disappointing if you are anticipating dinosaur-related thrills and action sequences. Readers who enjoy exposition and the Jurassic Park entertainment franchise’s approach on portraying science (distorted and fantasized to be more attractive than true science) will still find something to enjoy here.

Overall, Jurassic Park #2 (1993) is satisfactory.

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A Look Back at Jurassic Park #1 (1993)

June 23, 2022June 22, 2022carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1993 which was a wild time for entertainment not only because of the comic book collection craze of the time but also because the whole world marveled at Steven Spielberg’s sci-fi film Jurassic Park which was simply unavoidable.

Jurassic Park was released into cinemas worldwide at a time when computer-generated imagery (CGI) was advanced enough to show and animated dinosaurs in a photo-realistic way on the big screen. Unlike films of today, CGI in Spielberg’s movie was sparingly used and they cleverly used computer graphics to show dinosaurs in their entirety especially on really wide shots that literally made human actors look really small compared to them. What added also to the photorealism of the dinosaurs was the use of animatronics (read: physical models) when capturing close-ups of the dinosaurs. For millions of people, Jurassic Park was a dream come true for those who wanted to see very convincing and lively dinosaurs on the big screen in ways that stop motion animation could not do.

As mentioned earlier, Jurassic Park was unavoidable as it was everywhere from the cinemas to the TV and print ads, to the stores that had licensed toys and merchandise of the movie, to the book stores that sold copies of the novel written by Michael Crichton, and also in the comic book stores that had copies of the comic book adaptation published by Topps Comics.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Jurassic Park #1, published in 1993 by Topps Comics with a story written by Walter Simonson and drawn by Gil Kane with ink work done by the late George Perez. This comic book was the first of a 4-issue mini-series based on the Spielberg movie.

Early story

The story begins at Isla Nublar, an island located over a hundred miles west of the nation of Costa Rica. Uniformed men and heavy equipment operators carefully moved a heavy containment unit that has a dinosaur inside. They are trying to connect the unit into an unusual looking containment facility which has vegetation inside. Their objective was to move the dinosaur into the facility and that includes lifting up the containment unit’s door.

Suddenly, the containment unit shakes as its door opened causing one man (who was responsible for opening the door from the top) falls down. It turns out, the dinosaur inside played a trick on them and it grabbed and pulled the fallen man inside which leads to tragedy.

A short time later, lawyer Gennaro arrives at an amber mind in the Dominican Republic searching for John Hammond for an important matter about a $20 million lawsuit from the family of the injured worker and an insurance company that thinks the accident raises serious safety questions about Jurassic Park.

Over at Montana, Dr. Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler are conducting work at a dig site not knowing that an unexpected visit will happen to them…

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*Nothing like entering a large gate going into a theme park.*

I will start with what is very obvious about this first issue of the mini-series adapting the events of Steven Spielberg’s movie. This is one very wordy comic book filled with lots of details spilled all over by lots of expository dialogue clearly sourced from the movie. To be clear, this comic book follows the movie’s opening scene until the start of the iconic scene in which Dr. Grant, Ellie and Dr. Ian Malcolm saw the large dinosaur for the first time ever (note: this scene stunned and amazed viewers back then).

As the comic creators really pushed themselves to fill in the key details straight out of the movie most of the time, this comic book lacks spectacle and it is unsurprising that it has very few images of dinosaurs.

Like most comic book adaptations of movies, there were certain cosmetic differences between scenes adapted from the movie such as the traitor Dennis Nedry meeting with Lewis Dodgson in a very urban city street setting (as opposed to the location with lots of trees and vegetation in the film). Also notably different looking was Dr. Grant’s place where he and Ellie first meet John Hammond (in the movie, Dr. Grant’s place looked more lived-in).

In what looked like the creators’ attempt to emphasize something more than what was shown in the movie, the scene in which Dr. Grant scares a kid by showing what a Velociraptor would do to him was visualized with two panels of a dream sequence.

Gil Kane’s art looks good here but don’t expect to see the characters resembling their cinematic counterparts at all. I can only guess that Topps Comics had no authority to capture the likeness of the actors for this adaptation. Dr. Grant does not look like Sam Neill. Ellie Sattler looks nothing like Laura Dern.

Conclusion

*This is easily the most entertaining and the most intriguing page from the comic book. The comic book creators succeeded in making Dr. Alan Grant scare the kid more convincingly than the movie.*

Jurassic Park #1 (1993) is not a fun read due to its heavy load of expository dialogue and explanations of key details. This issue, to say the least, was done mainly to get readers oriented with terms and details in order to help them understand Jurassic Park’s concepts. Due to the exposition and explanations, the storytelling here moved at a slow space which ironically provides readers opportunities to understand Jurassic Park. The way this comic book script was written, there was clearly too little space for entertainment. If you are the brainy type of reader or if you like junk science mixed with real science explained, then this one can still entertain you. When it comes to visuals, Gil Kane’s art made this one attractive and also established this comic book’s own look.

Overall, Jurassic Park #1 (1993) is satisfactory.

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Starfield is coming exclusively to Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Windows PC with Xbox Game Pass (XGP) availability in 2023

June 22, 2022June 21, 2022carlocarrasco

Starfield, the ambitious sci-fi role-playing game (RPG) from Bethesda Game Studios led by Todd Howard, is easily one of my most anticipated games for my Xbox Series X since I myself played RPGs of Elder Scrolls and Fallout produced by the said creators. That game, which is set for exclusive release on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series X, Windows PC plus Xbox Game Pass (XGP) sometime in 2023, was one of the highlights of the recent Xbox-Bethesda games showcase which had a real-time gameplay showing which you watch right below…

To put things into perspective, posted below is an excerpt about the related Starfield gameplay reveal as published in an official article at Xbox.com. Some parts in boldface…

The year is 2330. Humanity has ventured beyond our solar system, settling new planets, and living as a spacefaring people. From humble beginnings as a space miner, you will join Constellation — the last group of space explorers seeking rare artifacts throughout the galaxy — and navigate the vast expanse of the Settled Systems in Bethesda Game Studios’ biggest and most ambitious game.

In this next generation role-playing game set amongst the stars, you will create any character you want and explore with unparalleled freedom as you embark on an epic journey to answer humanity’s greatest question: What is out there?

Bethesda Game Studios “can’t wait for all of you to experience the game,” Howard says. “It’s been an incredible journey for us making it, but we know that’s only the beginning, for it’s when all of you play it that the journey begins.”

Like anyone else, I was very disappointed by the news that Starfield would not be released this year. I have been craving for more new, great single-player gaming experiences from Todd Howard’s team and I am done replaying Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Fallout 4. The November 11, 2022 release date was promised several times before the delay happened. As of this writing, there is still no firm date about the new 2023 release for Starfield.

Fortunately, the gameplay reveal of Starfield this past June 12 was very entertaining to see. I really liked the sci-fi look and feel of it while the in-game shooting reminds me somewhat of Fallout 4 which itself was pretty functional and fun with shooting. The gameplay shown did not run at 60 frames-per-second (60FPS) which is insufficient in my view because I personally prefer a 60FPS frame rate even with open-world environments implemented. Like Skyrim, Starfield allows players to view the game in 3^rd person or 1^st person when controlling the in-game protagonist.

There are also key game features that were shown such as the customization of your character’s own traits and skills, crafting systems (by running in-game research using resources you find), and creating mods for your weapons. What struck me is the new outpost creation feature which I find intriguing and attractive. Have you ever dreamed of creating your very own outpost on the surface of an unknown planet you visited and hire people you find qualified to help you operate it? The Starfield feature looks really promising.

Apart from the exploration and action, they also revealed the in-game construction and customization of space ships complete with varying differences in terms of performance and efficiency which players will realize and feel. Not only that, there was also the showcase of space battles in the game which looks really nice and promising. In recent times, I’ve been playing Chorus on my Xbox Series X (thanks to the benefit of my Xbox Game Pass subscription) which is strongly a space shooter in design with exploration and flying as strong gameplay features.

*To see opposing space ships get blown into several pieces shows how much attention to detail was done by the developers supposedly to make the gameplay experience immersive.*

Personally, I don’t expect space flight and shooting in Starfield to be the same as those of in Chorus but I do expect the experience to be fun and that the controls should be fully functional and work precisely. Starfield is, after all, a sci-fi RPG with shooting and exploration as strong features. We will find out soon how efficient and engaging space flight and shooting in the game will really be.

While it is understandable that plot details are very light, I find questionable Todd Howard’s claim that Starfield has over a thousand planet that are open for players to explore. That is pretty wild! I am not a game developer nor am I an expert one making digital worlds but can Todd Howard and his team really deliver on that promise with Starfield? Did his team really in far exceeding what BioWare achieved in their Mass Effect video games that had several worlds composed of those truly explorable (on-foot with the protagonist and teammates engaging on missions or searches) and those which are not explorable (limited to orbital scanning)? Can the developers ensure that each planet has its own distinct environments, alien life forms and other creative designs? Whatever Howard and his team did with regards to in-game world exploration, I can only hope that Starfield will turn out great.

*Here is hoping that space travel will be fun and engaging to do.*

Overall, I am personally looking forward to playing Starfield on my Xbox Series X sometime in 2023. After seeing what was revealed at the recent Xbox-Bethesda games showcase, I can say my disappointment over the delay has waned a lot. Here is hoping that Bethesda will be able to fully polish the game in-and-out, and somehow they can increase the frame rate to 60FPS. Take note that Starfield is just one of many Xbox-exclusive games coming as a result of the seismic Xbox-Bethesda acquisition and integration and the good news is that current Bethesda-published games have been added into Xbox Game Pass and future games will follow! Starfield will eventually solidify Xbox as the best ecosystem for gamers who love role-playing games!

Watch out for more details about the Xbox-exclusive Starfield coming to Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Windows PC plus XGP in 2023.

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A Look Back at WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #10 (1994)

March 25, 2022March 22, 2022carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero fans, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we continue revisiting Jim Lee’s flagship title under the Image Comics label – WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams!

The next WildC.A.T.S comic book up for review here was a collaborative work between Chris Claremont and Jim Lee. For the newcomers reading this, Claremont and Lee worked together for a time at Marvel Comics on the X-Men comic books. The 1991 comic book X-Men #1 was their best-selling work together selling over eight million copies! Behind the scenes Marvel, however, there were conflicts and ultimately Claremont’s very long run with the publisher ended in X-Men #3 which was also drawn by Lee.

It should be noted that back in the early 1990s, Claremont and Lee worked under the watch of then X-Men books editor Bob Harras. Moving forward to the early years of Image Comics, Lee had a lot more freedom of creativity and control plus the power to publish. He not only launched WildC.A.T.S but also had his own line of connected properties (later referred to as WildStorm) like Stormwatch, Gen13, Team 7, Backlash and more.

As WildC.A.T.S started to establish itself among the many, many superhero comic books released, it was only a matter of time before Jim Lee and Chris Claremont started to reunite and create something without the obstacles they faced during their time with Marvel Comics.

With those details laid down, here is a look back WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #10, published by Image Comics in 1994 with a story written by Chris Claremont and Drawn by Jim Lee. Scott Williams in-charge with the ink work.

Early story

The story begins with Zealot teaching Voodoo lessons about combat at a beach outside of New York City during the night. As the lecture goes on, Vodoo asked her warrior teammate if the lessons are really necessary as her beloved Spartan had been teaching her how to fight. Zealot then reminds her that Spartan is a cyborg and is ultimately limited. More notably, she calls Voodoo one of the chosen (note: she is a Daemonite-Kherubim-human hybrid with a power referred to as the Sight) and that she has a heritage and powers that impose an obligation to use them to their fullest potential.

After a slight verbal conflict that resulted in Zealot to strike Voodoo down, corner her and lecture her some more, a huge ship suddenly appears in the air and crashes near them. Even though the crash created a powerful impact, Zealot is able to hear gun fire from aboard the ship and her teammate spots a man on the deck. Suddenly the man got shot from behind and falls down near the two WildC.A.T.S members. The man faintly calls for help…

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*The first-ever appearance of Chris Claremont’s Huntsman!*

Before focusing on the plot, I want to start first with one of the things Chris Claremont is well known for…characterization. Given the way the story was structured, Zealot and Voodoo had the most amount of spotlight among the WildC.A.T.S members who appeared here. It is through Zealot’s portrayal where you will see Claremont really work on her development as a character. Right here, Zealot remains fearless and deadly as before and at the same time, she is more principled and even a bit more philosophical than ever before. It is also in this comic book where you will really see her speak a lot and express herself a bit more emotionally.

Meanwhile Voodoo, in relation to what happened in the story, is presented radically differently as a result of her getting possessed by one of the Raksha. Before possession, she was portrayed to be the young learner who carries a false sense of maturity deep inside which is natural for many teenagers and young adults.

Next, there is the introduction of Claremont’s very own creation called the Huntsman! To be clear, his debut is action-packed and early on he was shown to be skillful, deadly and even comparable with Zealot in terms of combat and efficiency. He is shown to be honorable and dedicated, especially when it comes to defending a teenage girl in the middle of a dangerous environment that has the Raksha which is a race of very frightening and deadly monsters. Given the way the story was written, only bits of the Huntsman’s personality and background were shown.

On the plot itself, there is this new conflict brewing and instead of showing Helspont or the Daemonites as the antagonists, the Raksha comes in as the new force of evil that the WildC.A.T.S are destined to face. There is also a bit of mystery here, particularly with the arrival of the ruined ship and the desperate attempt of the new character Alabastar Wu to meet with Jacob Marlowe whom he has an established connection with. The said ship is just part of a puzzle about people struggling with the Raksha. As this is clearly the first of a multi-part story Claremont came up with, the answers are meant to be revealed later.

The writing, unsurprisingly, has a good amount of depth and nice details (both literally and visually) scattered throughout this comic book. This makes re-reading a must and I can say that I found it worth doing.

Conclusion

*Zealot lecturing Voodoo reminds me of scenes from old X-Men comics (written by Chris Claremont) that showed Storm guiding Kitty Pryde.*

While you will see the titular team only late in the story as the spotlight was focused more on Zealot, Voodoo and the Hunstman which was crucial on building up the new story concept, WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #10 (1994) is a very unique comic book that features the great stuff you can expect from Chris Claremont and Jim Lee. As expected, the writing by Claremont was consistently solid and when it came to spectacle, Lee successfully delivered the stuff that ensured entertainment. I personally enjoyed re-reading this comic and each time I reached the end, I ended up anticipating the next issue strongly.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #10 (1994), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $20 while the near-mint copies of the twice-signed (two signatures) and newsstand editions cost $60 each.

Overall, WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #10 (1994) is highly recommended!

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. 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 The Solution #12 (1994)

March 22, 2022March 21, 2022carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero fans, the enthusiasts of 1990s arts and culture, and comic book collectors! There is no doubt in my mind that The Solution #11 (1994) is a great read as the comic book creators really outdid themselves in raising the level of engagement really high just as The Solution continued the desperate search and rescue of their teammate Aera/Shadowmage only to find themselves caught in the middle of a massive battle between the Darkur and Aerwan armies. While that comic book was a wild, fun-filled read, it was not even the conclusion of the storyline about the captured Shadowmage and her teammates’ struggle for her.

Issue #11 ended with The Solution no longer present in the Darkur-Aerwan battle but in a place that they are about to realize is another very dangerous place to be in. They are moving close to Shadowmage as well as the tremendously powerful aliens called the Vyr.

With those details laid down, here is a look back The Solution #12, published by Malibu Comics in 1994 with a story written by the late James Hudnall and drawn by John Statema.

Early story

The story begins with Tech, Dropkick, Vurk and Harmonica who find themselves in a totally new place as a result of using the Vorlexx to get quickly move away from the Darkur-Aerwan battle. Just as Harmonica stated that their situation is not good, Vurk recognizes the place, realizes they are all in trouble and blames Tech for being responsible on bring them there.

It turns out, they are inside the lair of the powerful and dangerous Vyr who surround them. Very daringly, Tech tells the Vyr they have come for their friend Aera and expressed that they want her to be released to them….

Quality

*Aera/Shadowmage restrained in a torturous manner by the Vyr.*

Going straight to the point, the story here is highlighted by tension, suspense, revelations and characterization which makes it a worthy contrast to the spectacle-heavy issue #11. While it is very clear that The Solution and Harmonica are totally in a disadvantage when facing with the Vyr directly, the said aliens are not exactly bloodthirsty beings who could simply kill them all in just a few quick strokes while their teammate remains captive.

In fact, the Vyr are portrayed to be more intelligent than just being totally destructive and Harmonica knows some things about them a lot more than even Vurk (who encountered the Vyr during his youth). This resulted in some key moments of character development for Tech (whose leadership value has been less significant) and Vurk, as well as notable revelations in the dialogue between the three team members and Harmonica.

As the conclusion of the storyline that started in issue #9, I can say that this comic book is surprisingly satisfying which is quite clever on the part of Hudnall as it was emphasized already that the Vyr are not just overly powerful but are also immortals. How this storyline ended, I won’t reveal. It’s best for you readers to find out.

Conclusion

*Lela Cho, Dropkick, Vurk and Harmonica.*

While the previous issue was one wild ride that greatly showed the boundaries of the Ultraverse with a touch of science fiction and a lot of action, The Solution #12 (1994) is a worthy conclusion and it successfully paid-off what it quickly built within its pages (note: issue #11 itself was the big pay-off to the two issues that preceded it). Anyone who loves seeing The Solution as a complete team will have something to enjoy here. When it comes to revelations, the character Harmonica really came in handy without ever looking too obvious as an exposition dump-type of character. In many ways, The Solution learned something new and helpful from Harmonica which added a nice layer of depth into their character development. Along the way, the spectacle in this comic book is much less in terms of content and style which is understandable as issue #11 was epic and bombastic.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of The Solution #12 (1994), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $16.

Overall, The Solution #12 (1994) is recommended!

+++++

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A Look Back at The Solution #11 (1994)

March 18, 2022March 17, 2022carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero fans, enthusiasts of 1990s arts and culture, and comic book collectors! As the old saying goes…if you’ve got a problem that needs solving, you call The Solution. What if, for example, The Solution is in another world dealing with major problems and are out of reach?

In the previous two issues I reviewed (click here and here), The Solution got themselves in conflict with the powerful alien force called the Vyr as their member Shadowmage (also referred to as Aera) stole the Vorlexx from them many years prior. During the confrontation in France, the Vyr captured Aera who managed to discreetly pass the Vorlexx to Lela Cho (Tech) before their separation. Since after, The Solution traveled to different worlds with the Vorlexx and teamed up with a man called Harmonica who is knowledgeable about the Aerwan and the Darkur. Unbeknowst to them, the Vyr are watching them from a distance.

With those details laid down, here is a look back The Solution #11, published by Malibu Comics in 1994 with a story written by the late James Hudnall and drawn by John Statema with ink work by Barbara Kaalberg.

Early story

The story begins with Dropkick, Harmonica, Tech and Vurk in a desperate situation. Just as they need to get away fast, Dropkick notices that the Vorlexx is not working. Harmonica points to the cliffs as the only way out. With his wings, Vurk takes Tech with him to fly up while Harmonica takes Dropkick. As soon as they arrived up the cliff, they find themselves facing the massive Aerwan army whose members are scattered across the ground and the air. An Aerwan military leader tells The Solution to surrender the Vorlexx.

Meanwhile, the Vyr are watching the live video feed of The Solution and the Aerwan army. Shadowmage, who has been restrained in a very painful and humiliating position, has been watching her friends since they exited the cave. While she still remains unharmed by her captors, she knows that her torments are just beginning. The Vyr want her to see what will happen to her friends…

Quality

*In the middle of a major battle between two alien armies, The Solution were really pushed to their limits as they pursue their dangerous rescue mission of their captured teammate.*

Wow! The storytelling and visual presentation in this comic book got even wilder and the sci-fi element of this particular storyline really went into overdrive! For one thing, much of the tension which started building up in issues #9 and #10 paid off big time in the early part of this comic book as the inevitable battle between the Darkur (Vurk’s people) and the Aerwans (Shadowmage’s people) which easily made The Solution and Harmonica ending up tiny in the middle. Of course, as this is still about the team’s desperate attempt to rescue Aera from the very powerful Vyr, you will really see Lela Cho, Vurk, Dropkick (who carries the Vorlexx) struggle a lot in close encounters with aliens just as they keep on trusting Harmonica (whom they formed an uneasy alliance with) to help them. It is compelling to see how the three mentioned Solution teammates not only struggle to survive but also strive to overcome great odds knowing that if they fail, Aera/Shadowmage will perish. Very clearly, this is a very high-stakes story that James Hudnall prepared and the way I see it, this storyline really added a lot to the development of The Solution.

As for the art, I can say that this, in my opinion, is John Statema at his grandest with the Ultraverse. While being supported by by Barbara Kaalberg’s detailed ink work, Statema really captured the wild sci-fi tale Hudnall prepared and showed The Solution within a very strange environment surrounded by death and uncertainty. A lot of this comic book’s pages are filled with action scenes (note: lots of bloody scenes but without the color red) that are also nicely structured and each member of The Solution had the appropriate dynamic visuals that fitted nicely with their respective big moments. More notably, Statema really worked hard showing the many, many Aerwans and Darkur warriors who filled the pages – especially the two 2-page shots that each showed a wide view of the field – and succeeded in presenting monsters that were scary and very alien in design.

Conclusion

*This is one of two epic views in this comic book by illustrator John Statema, inker Barbara Kaalberg and the colorists. Look at all the details!*

The Solution #11 (1994) is a wild Ultraverse concept that succeeded in engaging and entertaining me from start to finish. It is a great pay-off to what was built up since The Solution #9 and having the team lost in another world in their pursuit of their captured teammate really moved this series forward. In fact, when it comes to expanding the boundaries of the Ultraverse itself, this comic book really achieved that! This is also the most ambitious sci-fi tale of the UV that I’ve read. The ironic thing is that this comic book is not even the conclusion to its storyline. There is still more to come and I can say I’m really motivated to read the next issue.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of The Solution #11 (1994), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $16 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition costs $48.

Overall, The Solution #11 (1994) is highly recommended!

+++++

A Look Back at Sludge #5 (1994)

March 16, 2022March 13, 2022carlocarrasco

Welcome back, superhero fans, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we revisit the Ultraverse of Malibu Comics and examine one of its many stories told through an issue of the Sludge comic book series.

In my previous retro review about Sludge #4 (1994), we got to see an inspired monster-versus-monster conflict between the protagonist and a huge, intelligent alligator aced with elements of society, urban legends, idolatry and journalism. That particular issue also showed more of the creative side of series artist Aaron Lopresti when it comes to writing. The next issue reviewed also involved Lopresti as writer.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Sludge #5, published by Malibu Comics in 1994 with a story written and drawn by Aaron Lopresti.

Early story

The story begins in New York City. Darkness descends on Manhattan like a shroud, providing haven for those who shun the light. As a man and a lady walk down the sidewalk talking to each other, a very hideous human-like monster comes out of the shadow of the alley and grabs them both.

In the sewers, Sludge hears one of the victims scream which compels him to run to where the trouble happened. As soon as he climbs out of the sewer, he sees the monster in the alley which makes eye-contact with him. As Sludge approaches the alley, the monster gets away leaving the dead bodies of the man and woman behind. As Sludge examines the dead bodies and realizes that the monster ate them, a police car with two officers arrived.

In reaction, Sludge quickly grabs one part of the police car and turns it upside down to buy himself time to get back into the sewer. The details of the encounter between the police and Sludge made it to Shelley, the same New York Daily Globe news reporter who encountered him and the intelligent alligator Veffir Voon Iyax. She discusses the newest information with her skeptical boss…

Quality

*Obvious parallel to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein here.*

Let me start first with what is obvious with regards to the plot and presentation. Similar to what happened in Sludge #2, there is noticeably less spotlight on Sludge as creative space had to be used to develop the new monster, emphasize its background story (with an additional new character who has significance) and there were even scenes focused on Shelley and what goes on inside the office of her newspaper which became aware of the events that took place.

The next thing I want to point out is the creative inspiration used in this particular story. This comic book has really clear parallels to the literary classic Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus and there was even a mention of its author Mary Shelley. That being said, there is a scientist-and-walking-abomination aspect with regards to the mentioned additional significant character connected with the new monster. That is not to say that this comic book copied Victor Frankenstein and his nameless monster, rather Aaron Lopresti took inspiration from them, mixed things up and implemented them in telling this new tale of Sludge. When it comes to keeping things fresh in telling another Sludge story, I can say that Lopresti succeeded.

More on the story itself, this one has a clever mix with regards to the dimensions used. In here, Sludge is more determined on helping people who shouted for help while Shelley won’t give up on finding out the truth about the tragic events in their city. Without spoiling the details, I can say that there is this deep dramatization about the monster and the new character responsible for its return from the dead.

As for the quality of the writing, Aaron Lopresti’s work here is not only expressive but also impressive. There is this one page near the end that has these few yet powerful words that strongly connect with the images of Sludge and the monster (who is so creepily drawn!).

Conclusion

*This is the 2nd straight Sludge comic book that has reporter Shelley and her newspaper focused on what has been happening. At this point, Shelley had encountered Sludge.*

Sludge #5 (1994) in my view is another inspired and intriguing Ultraverse tale to read! While issue #4 had parallels to the 1980 film Alligator, this comic book took inspiration from Mary Shelley’s most famous work of fiction which added elements about resurrection, man’s abuse of science, and the consequences of dealing with the unnatural into Sludge’s side of the Ultraverse. I should state that this comic book also has the scariest looking monster Aaron Lopresti drew for the Ultraverse at the time of publication.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Sludge #5 (1994) be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $16 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition costs $48.

Overall, Sludge #5 (1994) is highly recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at The Solution #10 (1994)

March 15, 2022March 12, 2022carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! If you’ve got a problem that needs solving, you call The Solution. For the newcomers reading this, The Solution was spearheaded by the late James Hudnall who also led the storytelling of the Hardcase monthly series.

In my previous The Solution retro comic book review, the team had to act as a result of what Aera had done long before she even joined her teammates. Alien forces had arrived on Earth which sparked a chain reaction of unfortunate events. Ultimately, Aera was taken away but not before handing over to Lela, Vurk and Dropkick the one powerful thing that the Vyr wanted – the Vorlexx.

With those details laid down, here is a look back The Solution #10, published by Malibu Comics in 1994 with a story written by the late James Hudnall and drawn by John Statema.

Early story

The story begins with Dropkick hitting his alien teammate Vurk and accuses him for trying to leave their snatched teammate Aera in the hands of the Vyr. As Vurk transforms into his more monstrous form, Tech comes in between them and tells them to stop and come to their senses. As they have the Vorlexx, Tech insists that they should leave Earth before the Vyr comes back to get the precious items.

Holding the Vorlexx, Tech states that they should all travel together to Vurk’s homeworld and anticipate that the Vyr will come there searching for them. She stresses that they might stand a better chance of rescuing Aera this way. Vurk warns Tech that the Vorlexx will corrupt its user every time it gets used.

Tech issues a command to the Vorlexx and they all disappear to another world…

Quality

*Lela Cho, Dropkick and Vurk struggle during their quest to save Aera.*

While the story of the previous issue brought the fantasy elements of the series raised really high, things went even higher this time as the team went to new worlds far away from Earth which results completely alien environments with creatures that people of Earth had not encountered. This helped pave the way for an encounter between The Solution and a giant monster that reminded about some classic sci-fi tales of EC Comics (note: the Weird Science series) from the 1950s.

More on the plot itself, James Hudnall crafted a script that succeeded in building up suspense and tension as Tech (Lela Cho), Dropkick and Vurk push through with their very difficult mission to rescue Aera. Along the way, you will get to see really nice character moments such as Lela’s leadership traits and Vurk using his knowledge of his past encounters with the Vyr.

There is also a notable twist in the tale which I won’t spoil. In fact, I encourage you readers and those who are just discovering the Ultraverse and The Solution to read this comic book to find out. That twist really added depth to the plot and resulted in some memorable reactions from The Solution.

Conclusion

*The Solution arrived in an alien world by mistake.*

The Solution #10 (1994) is fun and engaging to read. As it follows The Solution’s dangerous attempt to save Aera in unknown parts of the universe, the story became more of a science fiction misadventure that remains believable and stable thanks to Hudnall’s strong writing. John Statema’s return as illustrator in this comic book easily raised the visual quality higher compared to the previous issue. I can say that Statema, by this point in this Ultraverse series, is clearly the definitive artist of The Solution.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of The Solution #10 (1994), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $16.

Overall, The Solution #10 (1994) is recommended.

+++++

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