Storm – Page 3 – Author Carlo Carrasco

A Look Back at X-Men Adventures #10 (1993)

February 7, 2023December 12, 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, superheo enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts, X-Men fans and comic book collectors! Today we revisit the X-Men Adventures monthly series which was the literary adaptation of the popular X-Men animated series of the 1990s.

If you are a long-time X-Men fan who enjoyed the comic books and the movies, then the cover of this particular X-Men Adventures issue that has Rogue on it should remind you of the mutant cure concept portrayed in the 2006 movie X-Men: The Last Stand. In the said movie, it was Rogue who went out to have her mutant powers neutralized so that she can live a normal life and no longer worry about absorbing another person’s life force.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at X-Men Adventures #10, published by Marvel Comics in 1993 with a story written by Ralph Macchio and drawn by Andrew Wildman.

Early story

The story begins with the arrival of Cable outside a private home in the Swiss Alps. Inside, Warren Worthington (Angel) and Gisela spend quality time together by the fire. They talk about a certain Dr. Adler who is a genetics expert that Worthington sent to Scotland to conduct research.

Suddenly, Cable breaks into the place and points his gun at Worthington looking for Dr. Adler. While talking, Worthington reaches for a gun and fire it at Cable. The huge armed mutant then grabs Worthington by the head and throws him out of the home and into the snow. In response to Cable’s question, Gisela mentions that Dr. Adler has gone to Scotland. Moments later, Worthington (in his angel form) flies back into the house to protect Gisela from whatever harm Cable could do to her.

Over at Muir Island, Professor X and his long-time colleague Dr. Moira MacTaggert discuss the facility and research done there. Xavier mentions that the core of the research done by the mysterious Dr. Adler. Moira states that Adler is not officially part of the research center and he simply pays for everything he uses there.

After failing to meet Dr. Adler inside his research office, Xavier conducts a mind probe which causes a series of stake images enter his consciousness. The experience was so intense, his telepathic inquiry got disrupted abruptly. Professor X then decides to contact the X-Men…

Quality

*Rogue goes through a lot in her pursuit to become normal.*

Let me start with the concept of Rogue’s pursuit to cure herself of her genetic mutation…compared to the 2006 live-action X-Men movie, the plot in this literal adaptation of the X-Men animated series episode makes more sense and is more believable to follow. Without spoiling the identities (note: to find out who they are, read this comic book), I can say that there are sinister forces behind the genetic works of Adler within the Muir Island facility. The Adler operation is just part of a grand scheme that the sinister forces have been working on and Rogue’s involvement was a surprise addition. More on Rogue’s pursuit of getting normal, what was portrayed in this adaptation was nicely structured while also cleverly avoiding the “doing it all for the sake of love” cliché. In short, she made her pursuit not for her romance with Gambit but to really change her life significantly, even if it means losing her membership with the X-Men. Through her actions, you will feel Rogue becoming desperate and reckless to be normal.

Apart from the tale of Rogue, the X-Men meanwhile have been handling themselves without Professor X and Cyclops clearly carries the responsibility of leading them all. As for Charles Xavier, his departure has been explained and incidentally he has gotten close to danger even though Dr. Moira MacTaggert is with him. The writing in this adaptation is filled with suspense, surprises and intrigue which were nicely executed with concise timing.

Conclusion

*Charles Xavier makes contact with his team from far-away.*

X-Men Adventures #10 (1993) is a very good read. Anyone who saw the half-baked mutant cure aspect of the 2006 X-Men movie will find the Rogue tale here more satisfying to read. This is definitely Rogue’s story with some spotlight shared with the X-Men, two other mutants who served as opposition for Rogue, and the sinister forces I mentioned. This comic book is actually the first of two parts focused on Muir Island and it certainly is a really satisfying reading experience on its own.

Overall, X-Men Adventures #10 (1993) is recommended.

+++++

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

A Look Back at What If #40 (1992)

January 30, 2023January 25, 2023carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1992 and explore a part of Marvel Comics’ universe through the reimagined tales emphasized in the What If monthly series.

For this particular retro comic book review, we look at a What If tale that is related with the X-Men, specifically through one of their major characters – Storm. For the newcomers reading, Storm is the black X-Men member whose mutation allows her to manipulate the weather. As seen in X-Men comic books decades ago, Storm was portrayed to be tough and brave, and she became a highly valuable learner under Professor X (Charles Xavier). In the 1990s, Storm rose in prominence among the X-Men, she became leader of their Gold Team. Storm was portrayed in the live-action movies by Halle Berry and Alexandra Shipp. It’s just too bad Storm’s role in X-Men: Days of Future Past (note: for me, it is the best X-Men live-action movie ever) was minimal.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at What If #40, published in 1992 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Ann Nocenti and drawn by Steve Carr and Deryl Skeleton.

Early story

The story begins with the Watcher recalling scenes from the life of Ororo who was born to a mother (a tribal princess in Kenya) and a photojournalist father. After moving from America to Egypt, Ororo loses her mother and became an orphan. Along the way, she experienced severe claustrophobia as a result of being buried under tons of rock. Having survived, she became a thief in Cairo and eventually traveled into Africa by chance. There she discovered her true nature as a walking idol. She eventually meets Charles Xavier.

The Watcher then explores another thread of scenarios of Ororo’s life in which she never stepped on the eventual boat, never sailed for Africa and never met the tribe that worshipped her.

In Cairo, Ororo is a very young thief who made herself look like a male. She uses deceptive tactics on a foreigner who walked by. A short time later, Ororo goes to New York City identified as Jack serving an old man who teaches her to work hard, to gain respect from his friends and immerse herself in a world of grifters and hobos. Ororo lives and works as a thief in the city targeting people who have more than enough…

Quality

*A look at Storm as the super-powered thief. It’s also a portrayal of her as a super villain on the rise.*

Among the many What If tales related to the X-Men that I have read so far, this is one of the most well-written and most intriguing alternate universe stories I have read thanks to Ann Nocenti. This was also released at a time when Storm was already established as a brave X-Men team leader and a potential successor to Professor X. In this comic book, there is this strong twist to the established legacy of Storm as a youth and the exploration of what would happen had she remained a thief (a super-powered thief no less) and never followed Charles Xavier turned out to be very compelling in my experience. For one thing, Storm definitely would have given police officers – who clearly are inferior to the powered heroes and villains – a hard time and even help the crime wave overwhelm society’s defenders. It is also quite striking to see Storm to follow and serve a principled yet theft-oriented superior. In fact, this story shows the popular X-Men team leader as a super villain on the rise.

More on storm, Ann Nocenti’s script literally dissected notable traits of Storm’s personality that are connected to the established comic book legacy which creatively created something new that fits in well in this alternate universe story. Through Storm, the story also sheds light on how thieves view life believing that theft is a necessity and their so-called principles justify it. No matter what the thieves and criminals in general think, nothing justifies theft and crime at all and those who commit such acts must be punished accordingly Without spoiling the details, I can say that there are some grey areas within Storm that were nicely emphasized.

Conclusion

*Storm as a male-looking teenager behind bars with the ladies who got apprehended. Scenes like this should remind you NOT to vote for political candidates who are soft and sympathetic towards crime.*

What If #40 (1990) is indeed a great alternate universe portrayal of one of the X-Men’s most prominent characters of the time. The story is very well structured and the characterization of Storm was clearly organized by Ann Nocenti to be powerful and intriguing to read. This comic book also has a twist that you must see for yourselves as well as an ending that will either surprise or satisfy you depending on what you anticipated. Ultimately, this comic book should remind you all to avoid committing crime and the truth is that poverty is a curse and it NEVER justifies theft. Always remember that the Lord is watching you. For enlightenment, read Exodus 22:1-4, Exodus 22:10-15, Leviticus 6:2-7 and 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 in the Holy Bible.

Overall, What If #40 (1990) is highly recommended!

+++++

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

A Look Back at X-Men Adventures #15 (1993)

December 23, 2022December 21, 2022carlocarrasco

Today is my review about the 15^th and final issue of the X-Men Adventures adaptation of episodes of the 1^st season of the popular animated series. The comic book at hand was the literary translation of the 13^th episode and final episode of season one which was broadcast in March 1993.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at X-Men Adventures #15, published by Marvel Comics in 1993 with a story written by Ralph Macchio and drawn by Andrew Wildman.

Early story

The story begins somewhere in Manhattan where a riot is happening. It turns out that multiple riots have occurred as a result of the of the recent kidnapping of United States Senator Robert Kelly who established himself as the nation’s most prominent anti-mutant public figure.

Deep inside their headquarters, the X-Men watch live news footage of the riot. Even though they were not involved in the kidnapping of Senator Kelly, Charles Xavier and his team are concerned that mutants like them will still be held responsible. The leader tells his team that they must find the missing senator quickly before the wave of intolerance affects all of them mutants. Xavier then starts using Cerebro which he programmed to search for any distortions in the magnetic field of planet Earth.

Elsewhere, inside a vessel that got shipwrecked along the Atlantic seaboard, Magneto has Senator Kelly as his captive. He tells the politician that he holds the key to the future and that they are in agreement that man and mutant cannot co-exist peacefully. For Magneto, the war for dominance must begin as humans remain weak and divided. Suddenly, a huge Sentinel breaks into the place…

Quality

Being the conclusion of the monthly series based on season one of the X-Men animated series, this comic book’s story packs a lot of stuff, intrigue and some memorable character moments. Thematically, the story emphasizes absolute power, intolerance and instability which got dramatized carefully as the narrative progressed.

For the X-Men, the pressure is tremendous as the stakes have gotten so high not just for them but for all mutants as a population. To fail to save the kidnapped Senator Kelly would cause society to become even more hostile to mutants which could compel the federal government to declare a state of emergency. Complicating matters here is Magneto’s obsession with power in connection with his biggest obsession that mutants are essentially superior over humans and that societies will be reformed – even with violence involved – accordingly. Adding even more the complexity of the situation are the presence of government, technology handlers backed by private financiers, and the one gigantic machine (that produces new Sentinels) that becomes self-aware.

The good news here is that the story is very well written, the narrative does not lose focus and the creative duo of Macchio-Wildman managed to craft a tale that consistently remained engaging complete with ensuring sufficient superhero spectacle for entertainment. As expected, the pay-offs executed for all the build-ups proved to be highly satisfying.

When it comes to characterization, everyone here acts and talks as expected. The team dynamics of the X-Men here make for a cerebral reading experience especially when they have these intense private meetings trying to solve their problems and anticipate what would happen next. The dialogue, filled with varied details, are richly written and yet easy to follow. I should state that having the Sentinels as a force of opposition under the control of a rogue AI added a lot to the stakes involved in the plot. The portrayal of machines acting superior over humans proved to be a unique parallel to the humans-mutants conflict.

Conclusion

*The fictional US Senator Robert Kelly in trouble in the presence of Magneto and a Sentinel.*

X-Men Adventures #15 (1993) is not only a worthy conclusion to the monthly series based on animated series’ season one episodes. It is indeed the best comic book of the said series that I have read thanks to the great adaptive works of the Macchio-Wildman team. The story had these very high stakes raised and ultimately the pay-off to all the build-up were great resulting in great satisfaction on my part as a reader. At the same time, there are certain key plot elements and character elements here that eventually made their way into the first X-Men live-action movie of 2000. The core story is the clear feature while the bonus pin-up section was the fun additive. This comic book is a must-have!

Overall, X-Men Adventures #15 (1993) is highly recommended!

+++++

A Look Back at X-Men Adventures #9 (1993)

December 13, 2022December 12, 2022carlocarrasco

Within the lore of the X-Men, Juggernaut is a significant supervillain who not only gave the X-Men a lot of trouble but also did the same with other heroes within the Marvel Comics shared universe. In the 2006 movie X-Men: The Last Stand, Juggernaut made his first-ever cinematic appearance. In 2018’s Deadpool 2, a new cinematic version of Juggernaut appeared. In my retro comic book review of What If #13 (1990), a different version of Juggernaut was featured by the creators.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at X-Men Adventures #9, published by Marvel Comics in 1993 with a story written by Ralph Macchio and drawn by Andrew Wildman.

Early story

The story begins with the X-Men (riding their jet) arriving from Genosha only to see a part of Professor X’s mansion destroyed. After landing, Cyclops, Wolverine and Jean Grey immediately searched through the rubble and found a path into the War Room. Using Cerebro, they uncovered a prepared video message of Professor X who tells them that he is taking a journey whose results may change their lives forever. After apologizing for the cryptic nature of the message, Xavier tells them that he trusts they will continue with their training and look after the School of Gifted Children in his absence.

The X-Men could not determine if their mentor left the mansion before the destruction took place. In response to Gambit’s question related to detection, Wolverine senses big foot prints and there was a familiar smell left behind. Wolverine decides to go out to keep following the scent which causes Cyclops to insist that the situation at hand is not the time for the team members to separate from each other.

After telling Cyclops he has places to go to, Wolverine then leaves his teammates with a motorcycle. Cyclops tells Storm to take Rogue and Jubilee with her to track Wolverine and stay close to him…

Quality

To describe this comic book’s story, I can say it was a fine mix of suspense, mystery and superhero spectacle. As the X-Men struggled to figure out how the damage on the mansion happened and where exactly did Charles Xavier go to, I felt this sense of dread backed with strong mystery. As the plot continued, there were these short-yet-notable character moments among the X-Men such as Gambit getting closer with Jean Grey who believes that she should be helping others on the field as her beloved Cyclops made a decision that kept her with him at the mansion.

The search for who is responsible for the mansion’s big damage creatively took notable paths in the story. One strong figure appeared and became a target of some X-Men members while another one became Wolverine’s target.

As expected, the highlight of this tale is Juggernaut himself and to say that he his huge and powerful is a big understatement. At this point of the X-Men Adventures monthly series, this is the one notable conflict that has multiple X-Men members struggling really hard fighting one single powerful enemy. In some ways, Juggernaut here looks like a much more dangerous foe than Magneto within this series. How the conflict in the story ended in a really intriguing yet sensible way which should resonate with X-Men fans.

Conclusion

*Only Cyclops, Gambit and Jean Grey (who wanted to do more) remained at the mansion.*

X-Men Adventures #9 (1993) is fun and intriguing to read. At the stage of this monthly series, the X-Men are not only more developed but are also challenged deeply as their mentor is no longer around to lead them. This makes the path ahead look more enticing to anticipate.

Overall, X-Men Adventures #9 (1993) is recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at X-Men Adventures #6 (1993)

November 30, 2022November 26, 2022carlocarrasco

In my previous review, the X-Men encountered the Morlocks for the first time ever. Along the way, Storm’s ability to lead and handle her deepest fear got tested. Wolverine, meanwhile, struggled as he recovered from his hard battle with Sabretooth.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at X-Men Adventures #6, published by Marvel Comics in 1993 with a story written by Ralph Macchio and drawn by Andrew Wildman.

Early story

The story begins in the Arctic region. Wolverine travels by himself having left his team as he could not handle being near his teammates Scott/Cyclops and Jean Grey knowing they have feelings for each other. He also feelings for her.

Wolverine keeps on traveling completely unaware that he is being watched from a distance by his fierce rival Sabretooth. As the clawed X-Men member moves over a bridge made of ice with explosives hidden underneath, Sabretooth detonates by remote control causing a huge explosion…

Quality

*A different kind of Wolverine awaits readers here.*

Let me start with the cover art. I can say clearly that those who wanted to see Wolverine and Sabretooth fight each other even more will get exactly what they want in this comic book. The conflict between the two is the highlight superhero spectacle and it works excellently as a pay-off to all the build-up that led to it.

More on the story itself, the script was crafted to heavily emphasize Wolverine’s personality when he is not on duty with his team. You will see a more human side of him when he starts interacting with a group of people (non-mutants) who have been living in the Arctic zone where they catch fish and ride boats for a living. I can say that the dialogue here is pretty rich especially when intense character development on Wolverine happens.

With regards to the Wolverine-Sabretooth rivalry, you definitely will get a lot more interactions and new action actions between them compared to what happened in issue #4. Spectacle aside, the stakes are even higher as the Arctic people got involved which creatively adds more depth on the development of both mutants.

Along the way, X-Men members Gambit, Storm and Jubilee head off to the island state of Genosha. As far as Gambit is concerned, Genosha welcomes mutants with open arms. For Charles Xavier, he sees a perfect opportunity for their team to visit and investigate it. This, of course, leads to the events of issue #7.

Conclusion

*The X-Men talk about Wolverine’s absence and Genosha.*

X-Men Adventures #6 (1993) will surely delight fans of Wolverine as well as his rivalry with Sabretooth. Be aware that the Wolverine tale is the main story while the X-Men tale serves mainly as a build-up for the debut of Genosha in the X-Men animated series and in this adaptive comic book series. I had fun reading this and there definitely is a lot of depth in both story and the way the characters were dramatized.

Overall, X-Men Adventures #6 (1993) is recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at X-Men Adventures #5 (1993)

November 22, 2022November 26, 2022carlocarrasco

In my previous retro review, the encounter with Magneto ended without any resolution. Back at X-Men headquarters, Sabretooth freed himself and got into a fight with Wolverine which symbolically highlighted tensions from their past encounters.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at X-Men Adventures #5, published by Marvel Comics in 1993 with a story written by Ralph Macchio and drawn by Andrew Wildman.

Early story

The story begins inside the Danger Room where X-Men members Storm, Rogue, Gambit and Jubilee are tested for combat and skills development under the tight watch of Professor X. While Xavier is aware that while a real-life threat would cause his team to perfect their reflexes and counterattack strategies, it is the leadership of Storm that concerns him the most.

Just as the amount of danger rises, Xavier decides to raise the stakes of the exercise by drawing upon the deepest fears within Storm. Suddenly the ceiling moves down and the walls start closing in on the X-Men. This causes Storm to lose focus as painful memories from her childhood pertaining to claustrophobia suddenly entered her head. The exercise ended on a negative note and Storm tells Professor X that she cannot lead the X-Men as she believes that her claustrophobia will only put others at risk.

Within Xavier’s mansion, the still recovering Wolverine practices martial arts moves. Standing nearby is Jean Grey who starts talking sense into him. Wolverine then notices something in the way Jean looks at him…

Quality

*Cyclops and Jean Grey cornered by the Morlocks led by Callisto.*

As the cover of this comic book shows, the main feature of the story is the X-Men’s encounter with the Morlocks (first appearance in Uncanny X-Men #169 published in 1983), a group of mutants living underneath the city of New York. Other than being a force of opposition, the Morlocks – led by Callisto – is itself a society composed of outcast mutants who could not really live among humans in normal society not only because of their mutations but also because of their collective look of deformity.

Picking up from the previous issue, the plot moved smoothly starting with a clear focus on Storm and her potential to lead the X-Men followed by the short but intriguing scene between Jean Grey and Wolverine. When the narrative shifted on New York City and the start of the conflict with the Morlocks, the story noticeably turned dark with its tone as the underground mutants become more prominent.

Other than the expected good-versus-evil emphasis of the plot, this comic book sheds light on the social ladder of America with the X-Men symbolizing the normal people and the Morlocks as the misfits. Symbolically speaking, the X-Men are bound to their code of no killing and their search for mutants that their leader Professor X could help, while the Morlocks prefer to be independent believing that isolation best serves their interests. Both the X-Men and the Morlocks have their respective approach on honor which is symbolized further when Storm and Callisto engage in close combat (note: this was the X-Men animated series’ adaptation of their fight as told in 1983’s Uncanny X-Men #170). I should also state that the portrayal of Cyclops and Jean Grey a very vulnerable figures in this story is pretty engaging.

To put things in perspective, the script of this comic book showed that the superhero spectacle is finely balanced with the strong dialogue and dramatization of the X-Men-Morlocks conflict.

Conclusion

*The X-Men during the Danger Room session.*

X-Men Adventures #5 (1993) is not only a very engaging read on its own, it is also one fine adaptation of the X-Men animated series episode “Captive Hearts” which I first saw on local TV way back in 1993.

Overall, X-Men Adventures #5 (1993) is recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at X-Men Adventures #4 (1993)

November 7, 2022November 6, 2022carlocarrasco

In my previous retro review, the X-Men encountered Magneto for the first time and things turned out for the worse for Charles Xavier’s team.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at X-Men Adventures #4, published by Marvel Comics in 1993 with a story written by Ralph Macchio and drawn by Andrew Wildman.

Early story

The story begins in a ruined place where Magneto floats in the air and below him are Cyclops, Storm and Rogue who are down and looked knocked out. It turns out Rogue is still conscious and as Magneto remains unaware of her state, she makes her moves to get Storm and Cyclops back up.

Knowing the risk of absorbing another mutant’s power by touching, Rogue executes CPR to revive Cyclops. Just moments after Cyclops gets revived, powerful beams of laser suddenly come out of Rogue’s eyes. As soon as the problem eased, Rogue then flies off towards Magneto in a mad attempt to tackle him…

Quality

*The encounter between Wolverine and Sabretooth is a must-read!*

To get straight to the point here, this comic book tells two succeeding events starting with the encounter between Magneto and the X-Men. In reflecting Magneto’s first appearance in the animated series, this adaptation emphasizes the first time the X-Men encountered the master of magnetism but with the contemporary character designs and visual aesthetics of the era. On face value, the encounter here looks inspired by the X-Men Blue Team’s encounter with Magneto in 1991’s X-Men #1 but in reality this one was designed in accordance to the animated series creators’ way of establishing the start of the X-Men-Magneto rivalry. There is a good amount of superhero spectacle as Storm, Rogue, Cyclops and Charles Xavier each take turns on bringing down Magneto in their own unique methods. Of course, these developments helped emphasize how powerful Magneto really is.

The other half of this comic book tale focuses more on the presence of Sabretooth as a captive of the X-Men at their headquarters, as well as the eventual rivalry between him and Wolverine. It is during the heat of Wolverine’s encounter with Sabretooth that the dialogue became very rich and engaging to read as elements of their past together got raised, and Sabretooth’s observations on how the X-Men handled things became philosophical. I also enjoyed how the philosophical writing continued within Charles Xavier’s dialogue as he attempts to nullify the rage between Wolverine and Sabretooth.

As with his past works, the art here drawn by Andrew Wildman is very good and he even pushed the limits of on-page superhero violence during two key moments of the physical struggle between Wolverine and Sabretooth (which resulted in altered colors to avoid graphic violence).

Conclusion

*The encounter between Magneto and the X-Men was pretty engaging to read.*

X-Men Adventures #4 (1993) is a solid read from start to finish. By the time I reached the final page, the comic book clearly marked the beginning of the rivalry between the X-Men and Magneto (in accordance to what was set up in the animated series). This comic book emphasized the rivalry further with the clever use of dialogue and visuals (complete with the strategic use of panels on the final pages), so much so there was this genuine feel of the start of a new age.

Overall, X-Men Adventures #4 (1993) is highly recommended.

+++++

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

A Look Back at What If #47 (1993)

August 3, 2022October 6, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1993 and explore a part of Marvel Comics’ universe through the reimagined tales emphasized in the What If monthly series.

Back in 2021, I reviewed What If #46 (1993) which told a compelling story about division between the mutants, the clash of beliefs between Professor X and Cable, and how terrorism affects everyone. The comic book was also a mesmerizing portrayal of how the X-Men would have organized themselves without Charles Xavier, Jean Grey and Cyclops.

Considering all the chaos that happened in What If #46 (1993), the time was just right for Magneto – the X-Men’s most dangerous enemy of all time – to come in and make an impact not only on mutants but on the world.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at What If #47, published in 1993 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Kurt Busiek and drawn by Tod Smith.

Early story

The story begins with Magneto leading a huge legion of mutants to take overwhelm the remaining resistance – including Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, Captain America, the Avengers and the dedicated American soldiers – in Washington, D.C.

A fierce battle then took place with both sides hitting each other hard. After noticing Magneto’s lack of presence during the battle, Captain America then realizes that the long-time enemy of the X-Men took advantage of the fighting to penetrate the U.S. Capitol’s bomb shelters and got the nation’s leaders hostage. After easing some of his fellow heroes, Captain America decides not to escalate the fight against Magneto in consideration of the lives of America’s top officials…

Quality

To begin with, I can say that this story is a well-planned follow-up to the events of issue #46. While Magneto’s presence has been magnified a lot here, there are still strong story connections to the previous issue.

With regards to what was emphasized on the front cover of the comic book, this story explores what would happen if Magneto took power to control the entire United States while leading a group of mutants with a platform focused on crushing anti-mutant racism even though it includes pushing the non-mutant people (which is the great majority of America’s people) as well as the dissenting mutants out of the way.

For one thing, this superhero fantasy concept is actually socially relevant with today’s geopolitics and the way America has turned out under the fake leadership of Joe Biden (who is NOT leading as US President but only following the modern-day American Communists and reckless SJWs dictating him to do their evil bidding. Biden also arrogantly denies reality when it goes against the desires of his administration and his Satanic Democrats) It should be noted that the US President visualized in this comic book eerily looks like Joe Biden complete with that absent-minded facial expression.

Next, a clear theme in this What If story is absolute power and why groups who crave for it would sacrifice so much and hurt others just to acquire it. Magneto, who carries deep hatred towards people he perceives to be obstacles or opposition for his quest of uplifting mutants, takes advantage of mutants who have lost hope and are depending on someone to lead them. Indeed, the long-time X-Men nemesis gains power to control America but finds himself facing a new force of opposition which leads the nation into a drastic series of change that clearly do not alight with his vision of a better future for mutants.

Still on the theme of absolute power, the US government in this story was portrayed to have developed technologies designed to overwhelm its citizens, as well as the means to establish infrastructure and protocols to transform America into an automated dictatorial state that enslaves its citizens and violate their rights without restraint. Once again, this aspect of the story makes it socially relevant.

Considering the epic concept and the dark turn of events the creative team prepared, this comic book does not have a clear good-versus-evil approach but rather it emphasizes chaos that comes with the pursuit and abuse of absolute power over the nation. You will see key elements from the classic X-Men storyline Days of Future Past here in relation to America’s deformation.

Conclusion

Wow! The US President in this comic book eerily looks so much like Joe Biden whose leadership led America into a lot of problems and hardship. Sky high inflation is just one of the problems that happened under Biden.

What If #47 (1993) is truly a very captivating read mainly because of its core concept which goes way beyond the scenario of Magneto taking control of America. Considering its portrayal of America and the exploration of dark themes about people getting overwhelmed by power abusers, the story is a warning about the fall of America told in superhero fantasy form. Considering the intense social degradation that rocked America the past few years (note: riots by the Black Lives Matter terrorists, SJWs disturbing the peace, Democrats allowing more illegal immigrants into the country, socialists in colleges continuing to brainwash students and more), this story is very socially relevant. It will keep you thinking and reflecting deeply, even if you strongly desire whatever superhero entertainment you seek in this comic book.

Overall, What If #47 (1993) is highly recommended!

+++++

A Look Back at X-Men #30 (1994)

July 18, 2022July 16, 2022carlocarrasco

Welcome back, superheo enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts, X-Men fans and comic book collectors! Today we revisit the X-Men monthly series of the 1990s and look back at one of its most significant events it ever published – the wedding of Scott Summers/Cyclops and Jean Grey. By the time this particular comic book was published, the 30^th anniversary celebration of the X-Men (note: Read my Fatal Attractions storyline retro reviews by clicking here and here) had just been concluded and that includes a major change of direction for the iconic X-Men member Wolverine. It is also notable that the X-Men had Sabretooth contained within Charles Xavier’s mansion (for retro reviews, click here, here and here).

With those details laid down, here is a look back at X-Men #30, published by Marvel Comics in 1994 with a story written by Fabian Nicieza and drawn by Andy Kubert.

Early story

The story begins inside Xavier’s mansion. Jean Grey reads a handwritten letter from Logan/Wolverine, who left the household after getting traumatized from their last encounter with Magneto. Logan refers to her and Scott Summers as special. While reading, Jean is already in her fancy wedding dress being assisted by her mother and storm as Rachel Summers looks on. For Jean, the wedding is about her dedication on spending the rest of her life with Scott as well as possibly gaining Rachel (who comes from one possible future) as a daughter.

*Professor X with four of his original team members plus Alex Summers.*

Elsewhere in the mansion, the groom Scott spends quality time with his original teammates Bobbdy Drake/Ice Man, Warren Worthington/Archangel and Hank McCoy/Beast. With them also is his brother Alex Summers/Havok. Alex tells Scott that the day of his wedding is the first day of the rest of his life which causes Bobby to say something inappropriate.

Suddenly, Professor X comes in to join them…

Quality

*Jean Grey in her wedding dress with her mother, Storm and Rachel Summers present.*

To get straight to the point here, this comic book serves two purposes: highlighting Scott and Jean’s relationship to an all new level with the wedding as the main event, and offering long-time or die-hard X-Men fans a whole lot of stuff to chew on. Very clearly, Fabian Nicieza wrote the script with X-Men fans in mind while also making references to the past with some creative touches or shortcuts so that the comic book would not be bloated with excessive fan service.

The wedding itself was executed nicely by the Nicieza-Kubert team and was clearly conceptualized to not only be memorable for the fans but also creatively serve as a major pay-off to all those years of Scott and Jean Grey being together early as teammates, getting separated temporarily and getting together again (note: they were also the original X-Factor team). Right after the wedding was executed, the visuals and words elevated the emotions higher and any long-time X-Men fan will find the moment sentimental.

Opposite the wedding are several scenes showing the other X-Men characters plus those from X-Factor and X-Force (with a not-so-recognizable Cable present). The dialogue written ranged from sentimental to comedic. And then there were also a few lines that I felt were just thrown in as fillers.

As far as visuals go, Andy Kubert’s art here are pretty good to look at. While he did his best to really make the story visually appealing and memorable, there were a few panels of art that look rushed.

Conclusion

*So many guests. Can you recognize many of them?*

Since it highlights the wedding of Scott and Jean Grey with several other X-Men-related characters mixed in, X-Men #30 (1994) is clearly a commemorative story made with X-Men fans in mind. While a lot of work was done to make the story momentous on its own, readers who are unable to immerse themselves deeply into the X-Men mythos (plus X-Force, X-Factor and others) prior to reading this comic book won’t be able to relate to the wedding and the character moments very much. While it may not be significant to newcomers who find this comic book for the first time, it still marks a significant chapter in the history of X-Men within the Marvel Comics universe of the late 20^th century. For the long-time fans who were able to read enough of Scott and Jean Grey’s times together from 1963 until the early 1990s, this is one X-Men tale that they can relate with deeply.

Overall, X-Men #30 (1994) is recommended.

+++++

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

A Look Back at X-Men Adventures Season II #4 (1994)

June 24, 2022June 23, 2022carlocarrasco

Note: Since this retro review mentions both Russia and Ukraine, I encourage you all to help the people of Ukraine (whose lives have been disrupted by Russian forces) by donating to the Ukraine Appeal project of Hillsong Church. Donate now at https://hillsong.com/appeal/

Welcome back, superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts, X-Men fans and comic book collectors! Today we revisit the X-Men Adventures monthly series which was a literary adaptation of the famous X-Men animated series of the 1990s.

To be more specific, we examine a tale of the major X-Men villain Omega Red within the monthly series adaptation of the 2^nd season of the animated series. Take note that I previously reviewed X-Men #4 (1991), X-Men #5 (1992) and X-Men #6 (1992) which told the first tale of Omega Red who turned out to have a history of conflict with Wolverine decades prior.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at X-Men Adventures Season II #4, published by Marvel Comics in 1994 with a story by Ralph Macchio and drawn by John Herbert.

Early story

The story begins in the Caucasus located between Ukraine and Georgia. Inside, a group of people work on a scientific operation resulting a power surge. The surge then causes a stasis chamber’s glass to crack. Moments later, Omega Red emerges and he has clear knowledge about who restrained him, who the government leaders and what happened to the Russian empire. He declares that the Russian empire shall live again. In Moscow, three high ranking military officers discuss their secret plan on restoring the Soviet Union. It turns out, the return of Omega Red is the first step for their ambitious plan.

In America, Jubilee encounters a group of activists who hate mutants inside a convenience store. Peter Rasputin/Colossus, the Russian mutant who encountered the X-Men sometime prior, comes into the store to help Jubilee. Afterwards, Jubilee and Colossus travel to Charles Xavier’s mansion – Xavier’s School for Gifted Children – and discuss important matters. He tells her that Omega Red has emerged in Russia and he need to speak to Professor X. It turns out, Xavier disappeared some weeks prior.

As the situation is so desperate for Colossus, he asks Jubilee if she would help him in his struggle to save his nation. Jubilee makes a hasty decision to do so and leaves a handwritten note telling her teammates that she is off to Russia…

Quality

While this comic book’s cover art easily reminds me of the Wolverine-Omega Red confrontation on the cover of X-Men #5 (1992), the story here is more varied than that mentioned comic book drawn by Jim Lee. As this is an adaptation of the X-Men animated series episode titled “Red Dawn”, it is not surprising to see the spotlight being divided by many characters.

Omega Red, who has been declared as one of the greatest X-Men villains ever, has a somewhat strong presence serving as the main figure of opposition against Charles Xavier’s team as well as the surviving elite remnant of the Soviet Union. Quite amusingly, Omega Red is totally loyal to the Russian empire similar to how James Bond is very loyal to England and the queen. In comparison to issues #4 to #6 of the X-Men monthly series, the history of conflict between Omega Red and Wolverine was very lightly portrayed.

As mentioned earlier, the spotlight is shared a lot by many characters which results a lack of a true protagonist among the X-Men. This is not necessarily a problem as Omega Red’s presence had enough strength. The other Russian Colossus, who at the start of the story has not yet joined the X-Men, got a good share of the spotlight among the good guys and that results some quick and efficient exposition to get readers oriented with him, his family and how he became an outcast in his nation because of his mutation.

The plot itself is light on details which is not surprising due to the high amount of exposition which includes a geopolitical look at the remaining loyalists of the Soviet Union living in Russia which saw some of its regions transformed into republics. With regards to superhero spectacle, this one has a good amount of action and I can easily say the biggest attraction is the fight between Wolverine and Omega Red. Just don’t expect it to be as extensive nor as detailed as the ones Jim Lee drew in the adjective-less X-Men series.

Conclusion

*John Herbert’s take on Omega Red was carefully crafted.*

X-Men Adventures Season II #4 (1994) is a fun superhero story to read and I find its portrayal of the Wolverine-Omega Red conflict to be interesting knowing it was not part of comic book canon of the time. Apart from the mentioned conflict, there is something for X-Men fans to enjoy here such as Colossus’ return and his new interactions with the X-Men, how Omega Red’s presence causes danger in Russia, and the current whereabouts of Charles Xavier. Lastly, I should state that John Herbert’s art style is engaging to look at and he made Omega Red look intimidating.

Overall, X-Men Adventures Season II #4 (1994) is recommended!

+++++

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

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