sci-fi – Page 27 – Author Carlo Carrasco

A Look Back at RoboCop versus The Terminator #4 (1992)

October 7, 2020October 6, 2020carlocarrasco

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.

Hey fellow geeks and comic book collectors plus the fans of RoboCop and Terminator! This is it! I have finally reached the end of the 4-issue RoboCop versus The Terminator mini-series of comic books spearheaded by Frank Miller.

To give a recap without spoiling plot details, issue #1 was mainly a build-up issue which did not entertain on its own. In issue #2, there was a huge pay-off to the build-up and seeing RoboCop battle the Terminator was a grand spectacle! Issue #3 meanwhile saw some very daring creative twists taken that further mixed elements of the respective Terminator and RoboCop universes together which ultimately served as a build-up for what could be a potential epic in the comic book featured in this review.

Is the build-up worth it? Did the issue #3 twists pave the way for something memorable? We will all find out in this look back at RoboCop versus The Terminator 4, published in 1992 by Dark Horse Comics with a story written by Frank Miller and drawn by Walt Simonson.

Early story

The story begins again in the dark future when the world is ravage by the war between man and machines. As the human resistance falters, the machines of Skynet march further toward their prey. Suddenly, RoboCop flies in and hits them with a very powerful rocket.

Inside a cybernetic hideout, a familiar short-haired lady gets shaken by the blast. As a result, she will not go back in time and will no longer try to kill RoboCop. On the monitors, she watches the armed cyborg cop destroy Skynet’s troops and saved the human resistance from certain death.

Shortly after, the human warriors take a much-needed rest. Feeling restless, the lady warrior approaches RoboCop privately and states that she figured he is not a Terminator. RoboCop, whose helmet was taken off showing his human face as officer Murphy, pets a dog as the lady approaches them.

It turns out the lady’s name is Flo (short for Florence) and she starts conversing with him peacefully. She then starts trusting RoboCop, even resting by his side. RoboCop, however, knows what has been going on that the humans don’t and he knows that Skynet and its army of Terminators acknowledge him as their creator. How his decision to help the human resistance in the war against the machines will turn out remains to be seen.

Quality

*Another twist, another scenario for the war between man and machines.*

When it comes to its story, Frank Miller really exerted efforts to give this comic book’s final conflict an epic presentation which is no surprise since the stakes were already raised as a result of the big twists in issue #3. Epic concept aside, the concept of RoboCop helping the humans fight Skynet is indeed awesome and daring to see. There is one additional idea Miller came up with which raise the stakes even further in the war, and what that idea was about is something you readers should find out on your own by getting a copy of this comic book.

If there are any weaknesses here, it’s the presentation of the concept of time travel and time distortion which, even in this concluding part of the mini-series, remains used to justify scenario twists. As a result, the ending of this comic book made the whole conflict look and feel like a twisted, wild dream. Another thing to point out was that Skynet, even in its cybernetic form, was portrayed with human-like patterns and even tried to reason with RoboCop. This one weakened the Terminator concept a bit. Still, the series ended with enough satisfaction for me.

Conclusion

RoboCop versus The Terminator #4 is worthy conclusion to its mini-series. On its own, it had an epic concept and the creators really did what they could to raise the stakes of the conflict as well as raising the quality of their presentation. When it comes to combining the creative elements of the Terminator and RoboCop franchises, Miller did a solid job. It’s just that time travel and time distortion were used to create new scenarios once again in this particular comic book which I found unnecessary. On the bright side, this comic book is loaded with lots of action scenes and the quality of the dialogue was improved.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of RoboCop versus The Terminator #4 (1992), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of this comic book costs $10.

Overall, RoboCop versus The Terminator #4 (1992) is recommended.

+++++

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A Look Back at Batman versus Predator II #3 (1995)

October 5, 2020October 2, 2020carlocarrasco

I am currently enjoying the Batman versus Predator II mini-series of the mid-1990s which was a joint effort between DC Comics and Dark Horse Comics. The first issue was great and nicely built up the energy for the first encounter between Batman and the Predator in issue #2. Along the way, I do enjoy the adulterated tone that came with the presentation. This made each issue look and feel like an R-rated cinematic segment.

Will the strong quality of this crossover continue in the third issue? Find out with me in this look back at Batman versus Predator II #3, published in 1995 by DC Comics and Dark Horse Comics with a story written by Doug Moench and drawn by Paul Gulacy.

Early story

The story begins with Batman emerging from the sewer. He finds himself alone in the middle of a city street and senses danger is around him. Suddenly someone from one of the nearby buildings fires at Batman who dodges and takes cover by a car. He grabs a tool and throws it at the window which hits the rifle. And then, on the street, a man throws a grenade at the caped crusader who deflects it. The grenade enters a nearby establishment and explodes. Batman kicks the antagonist and then encounters a speeding vehicle heading towards him.

The detective fires his weapon which causes the car’s windshield to get smashed. He dodges the car and sees it crash. Suddenly the floor beneath him opens which compels him to use his grapnel to avoid falling down to spikes below.

Meanwhile at another location, the Predator dissolves the decapitated head of a man (killed in issue #2) with hot liquid and keeps the skull for his collection of trophies.

Back at the Bat Cave, Batman and Alfred analyze what happened recently. Alfred states that the Predator killed two of the seven assassins hired by Terraro to kill Batman. The great detective wonders why…

Quality

Let me start with the storytelling. The writing by Doug Moench is solid and, more importantly, there is a nice payoff here in relation what was gradually built up in the first two issues – Terraro’s assassins and operations getting more lively within the plot. This alone adds some nice variety into the ongoing Batman-Predator rivalry, and symbolically the Huntress (who is after Terraro) is involved with the mafia plot and the said rivalry between Gotham’s detective and the hunter from space.

More on Batman and the Huntress, I like the way Moench wrote these two heroes as being divided even though they both face threats from the crime gang and from the Predator. Both characters are vigilantes but Batman has justice in mind while the Huntress is focused on hunting the powerful crime boss. Adding more depth to the story is the subplot about Commissioner Gordon being helpless and recovering in the hospital which complicates matters for the Gotham City police department.

Another thing that makes this issue more unique is the in-depth presentation of Batman doing detective work in the Bat Cave with Alfred providing insight. This alone makes this issue an improvement over issue #2.

When it comes to the visuals, artist Paul Gulacy continues to provide really nice artwork backed with strong support by the colorists. Gulacy took his time pacing the story by following the script closely and made key action scenes look dynamic visually when needed.

Conclusion

*Remember the armor Batman wore in the previous crossover story against the Predator?*

Considering all the good stuff I enjoyed in it, Batman versus Predator II #3 is a great read. It has a better balance on plotting, detective work, spectacle and intrigue. In fact, this comic book has a much more powerful ending than issues #1 and #2, and the ironic thing is that this only leads to the 4^th and final issue which I’ll review soon.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Batman versus Predator II #3 (1995), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the comic book costs $40.

Overall, Batman versus Predator II #3 (1995) is highly recommended!

+++++

A Look Back at Mantra #2 (1993)

September 29, 2020September 27, 2020carlocarrasco

It’s been a long time since I reviewed the first issue of Mantra. For the newcomers reading this, Mantra is one of the major protagonists of the Ultraverse and as the series progressed, several stories containing elements of fantasy and even science fiction got published. With the way Mike W. Barr wrote the stories, the Mantra series really had its very own flavor and style among all Ultraverse comic books. What also made the character Mantra unique was that she was established with the use of the unholy element of reincarnation.

Before Mantra came to be, there was a male eternal warrior called Lukasz who was a part of a group that fought a rival group of warriors through the ages. Their leader Archimage used magic to ensure that whenever Lukasz or any of his teammates die, he would get reincarnated (his soul enters a new body belonging to an already living person whose soul gets displaced) and continue the fight. Then something happened in issue #1 which led to Lukasz occupying the body of a pretty woman named Eden.

To find out more, join me in this look back at Mantra #1, published in 1993 by Malibu Comics with a story written by Mike W. Barr and drawn by Terry Dodson.

Early story

The story begins at the home of Eden Blake in the evening. An armed man named Warstrike knows that Lukasz is occupying Eden’s body. Lukasz/Eden/Mantra starts to resist him but notices that Eden’s son and daughter are both present and seeing them. Quickly and cleverly, Mantra tells the children to get back to bed and hope they did not notice something wrong.

Filled with emotions, Mantra asked Warstrike not to kill her. As it turns out, Warstrike did not come to take her life and reveals that he had been used by Notch (a rival warrior Lukasz often fought with) as a tool to kill him (Lukasz) the last time he was in a male body. Warstrike tells her he’s going to help her.

After the talk and another attempt by Warstrike to charm her, Mantra slams the door and goes to bed. She sleeps to prepare herself for the next day…

Quality

*As Eden, Lukasz inherits the responsibility of taking care of her son and daughter.*

I’ll star with the most obvious thing about this comic book…the writing done by Mike W. Barr is very strong and has a nice balance between plotting, spectacle and characterization all throughout. For his part, Terry Dodson nicely translated the writing into engaging visuals.

For the most part, this comic book is very character driven which is a nice pay-off considering the plot build-up in issue #1. We get to see Lukasz struggling more not only because he displaced Eden’s soul (again, reincarnation is unholy) as he occupied her body, but because he is living Eden’s life which involves being the single mother of two children, going to work at the office, wearing women’s clothes and shoes, and dealing with a certain someone from Eden’s past. All of these add to the tremendous challenge of Lukasz who already has his own mission to fulfill.

Conclusion

*Living Eden’s domestic life alone is a big challenge already for Lukasz who has always been male.*

Mantra #2 is a very strong read from start to finish. As it develops Mantra even further, it also adds to the build-up of another story element: Eden’s domestic life. As the armored Mantra, the protagonist has a mission to find and free Archimage. As Eden, spending time with the two little ones is not only challenging but also crucial to their development. These elements are nice twists to the old hero-civilian formula of superhero comics. Indeed, this one is worthy follow-up to issue #1.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Mantra #2 (1993), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $8, the near-mint copy of the bagged edition costs $16 and the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition costs $26.

Overall, Mantra #2 (1993) is recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at Batman versus Predator II #2 (1995)

September 1, 2020August 31, 2020carlocarrasco

When done right with the comic book format, fantasy crossover concepts can become very entertaining and memorable. Such was the case with the comic book Batman versus Predator II: Bloodmatch #1 which I enjoyed reading a lot.

Now we can find out if the creative team behind that memorable comic book could maintain the high quality of fun and engagement in this look back at Batman versus Predator II #2, published in 1995 by DC Comics and Dark Horse Comics with a story written by Doug Moench and drawn by Paul Gulacy.

Early story

The story begins in the forest outside of Gotham City. A fake use of the Batman signal was lighted there by the Predator which was meant to lure Batman into a potential trap. As soon as he arrived, Batman believes that his old ally commissioner James Gordon bought a portable Batman signal meant to call him to a crime scene far away from the urbanized areas.

Expecting to see Gordon in the woods, Batman sees a tree with several men’s heads hanging each with a net. He realizes that the Predator lured him into what he calls the hunting ground. Batman is correct as the Predator, standing nearby, unleashes a weapon to attack him…

Quality

*This one really looked out of place in this comic book.*

A pretty good crossover comic book. When it comes to storytelling, the comic book starts paying off the anticipation built up in issue #1 by presenting Batman in an early encounter with the Predator which, I must say, was smartly handled complete with key references to the previous Batman versus Predator crossover series from the early 1990s. What happened in the said encounter between the two pop culture icons will make you reflect about what you know about Batman and the Predator. Given how the story turned out, clearly the encounter (which was quite beefy) served as a sign of what is more to come between Batman and the Predator (or the race of Predators). The Huntress meanwhile has a slightly reduced spotlight which is not surprising but she still proved her worth in the conflict. When it comes to presenting the respective views of Batman and the Huntress, I admire the use of narration boxes (instead of the traditional thought balloons) which added depth to the story.

Meanwhile, there is a subplot about an assassin from Asia who came all the way to America for a key transaction. However, this subplot (which does not even look like it’s related to the Batman-Predator conflict) ended up looking like filler.

Conclusion

*An action-packed encounter between the Dark Knight and the warrior from outer space!*

Batman versus Predator II #2 (1995) is almost as good as issue #1 but its first, action-packed encounter between the Dark Knight and the warrior from outer space alone makes it worth collecting.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Batman versus Predator II #2 (1995), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy costs $30.

Overall, Batman versus Predator II #2 (1995) is recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at RoboCop versus The Terminator #3 (1992)

August 31, 2020August 28, 2020carlocarrasco

Hey everyone! It’s time to go back to the comic book crossover featuring two metallic titans, The Terminator and RoboCop! I have already reviewed two issues of the 4-issue mini-series published by Dark Horse Comics and so far, it’s been a mixed ride. Issue #1 was pretty much a huge build-up that led to a nice pay-off in issue #2. Considering what happened at the end of the last issue, I got hooked with wanting to see what follows next.

As such, here is my look back at RoboCop versus The Terminator #3, published in 1992 by Dark Horse Comics with a story written by Frank Miller and drawn by Walt Simonson.

Early story

The story begins in the far future in with planet Earth already saved but at the expense of humanity. The human race not only got crushed but also flattened, processed and converted into energy to fuel the Terminators. While things look certain and final for machines and man in the far future, a universe is about to organize.

Back in the present day, RoboCop just defeated the Terminator in a high-octane battle that caused a whole lot of damage. The lady from the far future asked RoboCop if he understood what has happened and if he finally believes she told the truth. Realizing the truth, RoboCop allows her to come close and try to blast him with her huge weapon. The attempt failed and RoboCop walks away.

RoboCop visits the cemetery and spends time at his grave that states his name: Alex Murphy. After some deep reflection, RoboCop recalls his vision of the far future. This prompts him to take the most drastic action he could think of…

Quality

Considering how the story turned out in the first two issues, it was no surprise that some drastic twists had to be taken to not only continue the combined universes of RoboCop and the Terminator, but also keep things fresh. The good news here is that Frank Miller’s writing is pretty good and he successfully kept the story cohesive even though drastic twists were made.

At the very core of the story is the theme about RoboCop being acknowledged as the creator of Skynet and the Terminators. As a police officer, RoboCop’s duty is to protect the innocent and uphold the law for the good of his local society, and yet for as long as he exists, so will Skynet and the Terminators of the far future. How Frank Miller fused key elements of RoboCop’s mythos with those of the Terminator franchise was pretty clever and believable from a fantasy viewpoint.

When it comes to weak points, I should say that Walt Simonson’s are here is not great although he does a descent job with drawing RoboCop. Simonson’s visual take on the Terminators has that cartoony look which is alienating.

Conclusion

*It sure is hard to make the moves to drastically alter the future for the good of humanity.*

RoboCop versus The Terminator #3 is a successfully told chapter in its 4-issue mini-series. It falls short of the greatness of issue #2 but it still proved to be fun and compelling to read. By the time the comic book ended, the stakes were raised for the next issue which I look forward to read.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of RoboCop versus The Terminator #3 (1992), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy costs $15.

Overall, RoboCop versus The Terminator #3 (1992) is recommended.

+++++

Get ready for more excitement and discovery in The Outer Worlds DLC “Peril on Gorgon”, set for release on September 9, 2020

August 22, 2020August 21, 2020carlocarrasco

Hey fellow gamers and geeks! Let me start by saying that even though I really enjoyed finishing the acclaimed sci-fi role-playing game The Outer Worlds three times on my Xbox One since the initial release, I still have yet to publish my official review of it here.

Apart from being busy with private sector duty, I spent time exploring what the initial release of the Obsidian-developed game had to offer in terms of its content, characters and the outcome of its storytelling which was decided by making decisions. As much as I kept on playing and exploring the game in each playthrough, I could not find ways to visit the other planets in the system and this made me decide to wait first for the DLC. The other reason why I have not published my review is this…I decided to wait first for the announced DLC to be released.

After several months of waiting, Microsoft-owned developer Obsidian Entertainment (Fallout New Vegas) and publisher Private Division finally confirmed on July 23, 2020 (same day as the Xbox Games Showcase) that the first downloadable content (DLC) expansion for The Outer Worlds is titled Peril on Gorgon which will be released for gamers who own the game on Xbox One (note: the main game and the DLC will also work on Xbox Series X), PS4, Switch and PC on September 9, 2020.

To be more specific, Peril on Gorgon is actually the first of two narrative expansion DLCs from Obsidian/Private Division that can be purchased individually or bundled at a discount in The Outer Worlds Expansion Pass. Quite obviously, the copy of The Outer Worlds is required for the DLC to work. If I were you, pay close attention to details on The Outer Worlds listing on your online gaming network for updates about the DLC and expansion pass.

Back to the first DLC coming, you must be wondering what Peril on Gorgon is about. Watch the trailer below first.

Here’s an excerpt straight from Obsidian’s website:

A severed arm and a mysterious message lead the crew of the Unreliable to the Gorgon Asteroid, formerly the site of one of Halcyon’s most ambitious and disastrous scientific undertakings, now a lawless den of monsters and marauders. Wealthy recluse Minnie Ambrose tasks the crew with finding answers about Dr. Olivia Ambrose, her mother and the doomed project’s disgraced director, but they are soon ensnared in an intrigue that will change the colony forever.

As far as the announcement trailer and above description go, the DLC has an asteroid as the setting and the concept of it as the location of a facility is indeed intriguing. How exactly will it connect to the main story remains to be seen. I personally intend to play The Outer Worlds with a new (4^th playthrough) once I download Peril on Gorgon.

*Dead bodies on the floor of a nice looking place…did the robot ahead had anything to do with them?*

What new features will Peril on Gorgon bring to those who already played The Outer Worlds? Below is an excerpt from Obsidian:

Intrigue and danger: Search an abandoned Spacer’s Choice facility and encounter a cast of new characters as you uncover the mystery behind the sudden cancellation of the Gorgon Project.

New locations: Explore the treacherous canyons of the Gorgon Asteroid and encounter enemies that have been warped by science.

More science weapons: Discover three outlandish new science weapons, including the P.E.T. (Pest Extermination Tool), an exciting new melee weapon that draws in enemies for close-range attacks.

Expanded character customization and lore: An increased level cap, additional perks and flaws, wholly new armor sets, and several variants for existing gear. Plus, dig into the story of the Gorgon Asteroid with new Portable Phonograph audio logs that reveal the salacious secrets of a scientific experiment gone wrong.

As seen above, Obsidian not only made efforts to add more variety (if not depth) to the game’s narrative plus new places to explore, they also came up with new science weapons that may improve the battle system. Additional perks and flaws might just improve the way players can customize their characters. As for the new variants for gear and new armor sets, here is hoping their usefulness in the game will really be felt.

*You should look forward to more shooting in this DLC, especially since there will be new science weapons.*

*Are you interested in spending more time drinking at the bar?*

What concerns me is the apparent lack of new monsters to fight. Not only were there no new monsters mentioned in Obsidian’s confirmed DLC details, there were monsters from the original game that appeared in the Peril on Gorgon trailer albeit with different colors.

But then again, the trailer is only a taste of things to come. Perhaps Obsidian is keeping more of the new stuff secret and will just let us gamers buy the DLC, play it and found out what it really has. I hope they will add at least two new species of monsters plus a larger, stronger superior monster per species.

How long will the DLC be in return for the price of downloading? According to a GameRant.com article (citing Polygon.com), players can expect an estimated length of 6 to 8 hours on the new adventure citing the claims of The Outer Worlds director Carrie Patel that it should take about as long as the main game’s Monarch hub. Potentially, the DLC could last more than eight hours if players would really push themselves hard to explore just about every spot in each location and exploring the different outcomes via the decision-making sequences. There is also the possibility that a high number of enemies and monsters may have been set up by the developers to challenge gamers.

*Peril on Gorgon DLC is coming out on September 9, 2020.*

While there is a build-up for Peril on Gorgon, I wish that Microsoft, Obsidian and Private Division would work together somehow to showcase The Outer Worlds being optimized for the next-generation Xbox Series X. In fact, when it comes to optimizing previous Xbox console generation games running on Xbox Series X, I don’t think Microsoft has done enough to emphasize that and there are roughly three months left before the launch of their new console!

Speaking of Xbox Series X, I urge you to watch this brand new video about the console by Dealer Gaming! Follow him on Twitter now!

For more video game news, features and updates, come back here soon.

+++++

A Look Back at V #1 (1985)

August 10, 2020August 8, 2020carlocarrasco

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book, watching the V mini-series (Original Miniseries and The Final Battle) and the 1984 TV series, 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.

Back in the 1980s – a time when Netflix, Blu-ray, social and other forms of digital entertainment were not yet realized – watching a special show on television was really something. During that particular decade, science fiction in cinema was already popular (thanks to George Lucas and Star Wars plus the resurgence of Star Trek) but there was still room for growth on the TV market.

IMDBcoverpic — *The cover of V: The Original Miniseries. (source – IMDB.com)*

Then came the very memorable sci-fi TV mini-series titled V (also referred to as V: The Original Miniseries) in 1983 which not only became a big hit with viewers but also brought the sci-fi concept of reptiloids (reptilian humanoids) to the mainstream. The mini-series also had parallels to the Nazis and the Holocaust. The original mini-series was such a big hit, it spawned a sequel mini-series titled V: The Final Battle (1984) and even a TV series (1984-1985).

IMDBpic — *Jane Badler as Diana, Faye Grant as Julie Parrish and Marc Singer as Mike Donovan. (source – IMDB.com)*

Created by Kenneth Johnson, V became a popular franchise and made stars out of Marc Singer (The Beastmaster), Faye Grant, Michael Ironside (Total Recall) and Jane Badler. Even though there never was a movie made, V was popular enough to have a line of novels, a video game and even a comic book series!

With the history lesson done, it’s high time to start taking a look back at V #1, published in 1985 by DC Comics with a story written by Cary Bates and illustrated by Carmine Infantino.

Early story

The story begins in the city of Los Angeles, California, with millions of locals try to co-exist with the visitors (reptilian beings disguised as humans) who are armed and still have power over Earth’s people. Los Angeles stands as a so-called neutral zone but some things are not what they seem.

Inside a restaurant, Mike Donovan, Julie Parrish, Ham Tyler and Chris Farber talk about their situation. For Ham and Chris, the neutral zone stinks but for Mike, the current situation spares the city from turning into an open battlefield. Suddenly, three men wearing trench coats standing by the bar pull their guns out and fire at Mike and his companions who take cover…

Quality

*The struggle between the resistance and the visitors goes on.*

Before discussing the quality of this comic book, I should state that having sufficient knowledge about the two TV mini-series and the TV series is required in order to understand what has been going on in the literary tale and who the characters are.

On quality, let’s start with the storytelling done by Cary Bates. It is clear Bates carefully researched the TV materials to make a comic book script that pretty much captures not only the essence of V but also the notable differences of each character (examples: Tyler is sarcastic, Mike is determined, Willie occasionally speaks with a misplaced word, and Diana is sadistic). This comic book’s plot was written to be aligned with the events of the TV series as it is clear that its tale took place some time after the climax of V: The Final Battle.

When it comes to translating V’s essence from TV to comic book format, Bates script worked surprisingly well and more importantly there was a careful balance between exposition, plotting, spectacle and suspense. When it comes to character development, what you get from the TV series (in terms of doing characterization) is also present here.

When it comes to visuals, Carmine Infantino’s work is serviceable. The artist did what was possible with the script provided although there were key moments in which the panels and drawings were structured to be a little disorienting. Was this Infantino’s way of trying to be dynamic with the visuals? Lastly, don’t expect to see the major characters resemble their TV counterparts. Ham does not look like Michael Ironside, Mike does not look like Marc Singer and Julie does not look like Faye Grant.

Conclusion

I can say it straight that V #1 is a solid science fiction comic book that specifically will strongly resonate with fans of the V franchise’s entertainment of the 1980s. This comic book strongly captures the essence of the V franchise, specifically the TV series itself, and the good news is that the major characters are nicely dramatized which should delight fans. That being said, it’s tricky to recommend this to people who did not grow up with nor knew the V mini-series and TV series. When it comes to trading and making money out of this comic book, you could be in luck.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of V #1 (1985), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $28 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition costs $33.

Overall, V #1 (1985) is highly recommended specifically for the fans and the collectors. Those who are not oriented with the franchise need to see the mini-series and TV series first in order to realize this comic book’s value.

A Look Back at Total Recall Movie Special #1

July 21, 2020July 20, 2020carlocarrasco

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book, watching the movie 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.

I already published that I really love the 1990 sci-fi action movie Total Recall which starred Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sharon Stone, Michael Ironside and Rachel Ticotin under the direction of the highly talented Paul Verhoeven. The movie is one of my all-time favorites and most notably it has aesthetics that are totally unique mainly due to the combined expressions and artistry of Schwarzenegger and Verhoeven. Behind it all, Total Recall would not have been realized without the short story We Can Remember It For You Wholesale written by the late sci-fi author Philip K. Dick whose published works led to other movies from Hollywood.

As part of a business strategy, Total Recall also had multi-media releases in the form of a novel (by Piers Anthony), video games and a comic book published by DC Comics. Very recently I was able to finally read the comic book adaptation of the film titled Total Recall Movie Special #1. It had a cover that was technically a copy of the American movie poster with Arnold Schwarzenegger’s face dominating it and it came with a cover price of $2.95 which was pretty high for 1990.

Is the comic book adaptation any good? Does it capture the essence of the blockbuster film? We can find out by finally starting this look back at Total Recall Movie Special #1, published in 1990 by DC Comics with a story written by Elliot S. Maggin and drawn by the late Tom Lyle (read my first article of Lyle’s work).

Early story

The story begins on the surface of planet Mars where a man and a woman (both wearing space suits) walk together heading towards an unknown destination. Suddenly a small stone cracks the glass face shield of the man’s helmet exposing him to the deadly atmosphere of Mars.

*Like in the movie, Douglas Quaid and Lori wake up.*

It turns out it was just a dream for Douglas Quaid who was in bed with his wife Lori. The dream turned out to be a recurring one as Lori asked him if the dream lady was in there again. Lori then asked Doug who the dream lady was. A short time later, Doug reports to work and while doing construction work on the field, he asked a colleague about Rekall (note: he saw a video ad of it on his way to work). The guy told Doug about someone getting lobotomized at Rekall and discouraged him from availing of their service.

*Douglas Quaid at Rekall for his virtual holiday.*

Doug eventually visits Rekall after work and availed of their virtual holiday as a secret agent. Something goes wrong as Doug goes berserk while strapped on one of Rekall’s seats. Dr. Lull (in-charge of the operation) explains to her boss that Doug was not acting out his virtual holiday as her team has not even implanted it yet on him…

Quality

*The bad guys on the hunt for Douglas Quaid.*

When it comes to presenting the story, Elliot S. Maggin clearly paid close attention to the details, the plot and dialogue of the movie while implementing adjustments along with artist Tom Lyle to make the story work in comic book format. Clearly, this is not a word-for-word, scene-for-scene adaptation but it comes close to capturing the essence of the film. Unsurprisingly, the comic book adaptation never captured the unique Schwarzenegger-Verhoeven aesthetics of the movie but it still performed well on replicating the sci-fi, hard action moments. I find it surprising that Total Recall Movie Special #1 carried the seal of approval of the Comics Code Authority (CCA) as there were some bloody shots and several moments of strong violence inspired by the R-rated film.

When it comes to the visuals, Tom Lyle succeeded in capturing the sci-fi look of the movie and even had the literary Douglas Quaid occasionally resemble Arnold Schwarzenegger. Lyle’s drawings on other characters like Lori, Melina, Coohagen and Richter looked NOTHING like the actors who played them but that’s not a problem at all as this gives this comic book its own unique touch. In fact, there were some drawings of people that sometimes reminded me of what I saw in EC Comics’ Weird Science comic books.

While Lyle scored nicely with the action scenes, his own drawings of planet Mars and the human colony are quite nice to look at. With regards to the urban environment, Lyle drew a nice mix of 20^th century inspired urban areas laced with futurism. Unsurprisingly, the futurism got stronger when the story was set in Mars.

If there is anything lacking with the art, it would be visual dynamism. This can be forgiven however given the high amount of dialogue and story details that had to be presented with each page carrying a lot of panels.

Conclusion

I can say it out loud that Total Recall Movie Special #1 is a fun read and serves nicely as a literary companion to the cinematic masterpiece Total Recall. As a comic book adaptation of a blockbuster movie, this one is pretty good and in some ways captured some of the flair of the film even as it never successfully replicated the Verhoeven-Schwarzenegger aesthetic in the film. Really, if you want the best of Total Recall you really should watch the movie. This comic book on its own is entertaining and should encourage you to watch the film.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Total Recall Movie Special #1 (1990), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $11 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition costs $31. If you are looking for something more valuable, the near-mint copy of the numbered-and-signed edition of the comic book costs $51.

Overall, Total Recall Movie Special #1 (1990) is highly recommended!

A Look Back at RoboCop versus The Terminator #2 (1992)

July 13, 2020July 28, 2020carlocarrasco

Previously, I found RoboCop versus The Terminator #1 an underwhelming crossover comic book. This was due to the way the story was structured and it had a protagonist who was not interesting to follow. It does not help that RoboCop himself did not appear much in the story while the Terminators were nothing more than window dressing.

Now that the exposition and build-up has been done in the first comic book, we can find out if RoboCop and the Terminator will finally become more prominent in this look back at RoboCop versus The Terminator #2, published in 1992 by Dark Horse Comics with a story written by Frank Miller and drawn by Walt Simonson.

Early story

The story begins in the dark future. A young boy finds himself in the middle of a war zone surrounded by explosions and blasts. With a broken leg, he crawls up the steps of a ruined place only to find himself facing a T-800 Terminator which kills him. The Terminator, acting like a human, raises the boy’s dead body to other Terminators which raised and clenched their firsts to acknowledge victory.

The story then moves back to 20^th century Detroit, Michigan. An ED-209 operating for the city hospital fires at a dog until it got stopped by police officers. RoboCop arrives and enters the hospital with his gun catching everyone’s attention. He enters the room where the young lady from the far future is resting. Knowing that RoboCop is responsible for Skynet and the eventual war between man and machines, she remains hostile towards him.

In response to RoboCop’s inquiry about the weapon used during the shooting incident (that happened at the end of issue #1), the lady responds saying, “You really don’t get it. Do you, monster? Well, you will get it when they plug you into Skynet in a copy of years—when your mind makes the Terminators possible—when you mind starts a war that wipes us out, maybe then you’ll get it!”

Even though he is mostly machine and has been computerized RoboCop (Alex Murphy) was compelled to deeply analyze what the lady from the future said. He decides to investigate…

Quality

*Hard-hitting action between the two pop culture icons is plentiful and satisfying!*

With regards to presentation, I should say that the creative team bounced back big time here delivering lots of fun stuff about RoboCop and the Terminator. The plot, for the most part, is well written and there was a lot of room to have Detroit’s cyborg cop go into conflict with more than one Terminator finally paying-off the build-up that dominated the first issue. There were even a few scenes of dark humor spotted here and there. When it comes to fusing the respective creative elements of the RoboCop and Terminator intellectual properties, this was nicely pulled off. Even ED-209, a rival of RoboCop’s in the movies, got involved in battling a T-800. When it comes to the art, Walt Simonson’s work here is satisfactory at best. He does a decent job visualizing the hard action between RoboCop and the T-800 but there is that cartoony aesthetic of Simon’s that I found to be out of place within this crossover.

Conclusion

*Three Terminator units in different sizes.*

I’m happy to say that fans of both RoboCop and the Terminator will have a lot of good stuff to enjoy in RoboCop versus The Terminator #2. The build-up and heavy exposition in the first issue paid off nicely in this comic book. Those who got annoyed with the lady from the future will be relieved that her spotlight in this issue was heavily reduced. As expected, the fight between RoboCop and the T-800 is brutal and plentiful although the impact could have been stronger had someone else illustrated this comic book. By the end of the story, I was very satisfied and ended up looking forward to the next issue.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of RoboCop versus The Terminator #2 (1992), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy costs $6.

Overall, RoboCop versus The Terminator #2 is highly recommended!

A Look Back at RoboCop versus The Terminator #1 (1992)

July 6, 2020July 4, 2020carlocarrasco

Back in the early 1990s, I was already a fan of the Terminator and RoboCop mainly due to their respective first movies released in the 1980s which became cinematic classics. While RoboCop 2 never came close to the quality of the 1987 original movie, Terminator 2: Judgment Day literally rocked the cinemas and went on to become one of the greatest film sequels ever made. Back then, there was a lot to be excited for over the two entertainment franchises. One day during my high school days (note: there was no social media and Internet access in the Philippines was not yet established), I learned from reading a comic book industry magazine that a crossover comic book mini-series matching the Terminator and RoboCop together. That news excited me a lot and before the end of 1992, I bought myself a copy of the comic book RoboCop versus The Terminator #1 (note: this one has gone out of print).

With the history explained, let’s all take a look back at RoboCop versus The Terminator #1, published in 1992 by Dark Horse Comics with a story by Frank Miller (note: the same successful comic book creator who actually worked on RoboCop movies in Hollywood) and art by Walt Simonson.

Early story

The story begins in the far future wherein human society has been ruined and the world became a constant battleground of a war between powerful machines and desperate humans. Inside a facility being invaded by the machines, a lady working for the rebels has been using computers (via brainfeed) in the battle with Skynet. As far as she knows, leader John Connor has been right in telling her that it was a human mind that merged with software and got linked with Skynet. She points to the 20^th century historical figure Alex Murphy/RoboCop as the one responsible for the war.

Before Skynet’s machines reach her, she strips naked and made a desperate trip back through time. She successfully makes a hard landing into the middle of a city in a time before the war. After struggling with the sudden change, she arms herself and sets off to kill Alex Murphy…

Quality

*Something is off with the pacing of the action here.*

Let me start that this particular mini-series has a very intriguing concept that made it stand on its own (as opposed to simply referencing core concepts of the movies). This is about RoboCop’s technology being used to establish Skynet and this launch comic book emphasized that nicely.

When it comes to storytelling done with this particular comic book, things felt very uneven. For a comic book that strongly focused on the Terminator and RoboCop, this was mainly the story of the rebel lady from the future whose mission was to eliminate officer Alex Murphy in a bid to change the future. While she is portrayed to be highly determined and works by action, the character is never interesting and not worth investing your attention to.

For his part, RoboCop was literally placed on the backseat in this story and he makes his first appearance in the 2^nd half starting with crime-busting. Considering the lack of spotlight, the sci-fi icon himself is not even interesting to follow which is disappointing.

The clear representation of evil here is Skynet and its army of Terminators. To say the least, the machines here make a worthy menace to read and somewhat made up for RoboCop and the lady rebel being uncompelling characters.

When it comes to the art, I should say that Walt Simonson’s visuals are not great to look at. There were crooks that had a cartoony aesthetic on the faces, Terminators that don’t even come close to their cinematic designs and some images looked rushed. At least Simonson’s RoboCop looks recognizable and was satisfactory with the action.

Conclusion

I still remember how underwhelmed I got after completing RoboCop versus The Terminator #1 the first time way back in 1992. It’s even more underwhelming by today’s standards. Of course, the comic book was essentially a build-up issue with the pay-off supposed to happen in the remaining issues. Its best selling point is the fusion of RoboCop and Terminator concepts that helped establish its own universe.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of RoboCop versus The Terminator #1 (1992), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $17 while the near-mint copy of the platinum edition costs $170.

Overall, RoboCop versus The Terminator #1 (1992) is satisfactory. That being said, I would not recommend paying a lot of money for this comic book. Find a near-mint copy priced below $10.

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