superhero – Page 32 – Author Carlo Carrasco

Team Xbox reveals 512GB and 2TB Storage Expansion Cards for Xbox Series X|S, set for mid-November and early December 2021 releases respectively

October 25, 2021October 24, 2021carlocarrasco

Are you an owner of Xbox Series S or Xbox Series X? If you were, have you been struggling with managing the limited amount of data storage as video games and their respective DLC (downloadable content) and patches easily consumed a lot of space on your console?

There are new solutions coming but they are quite pricey. Still, you will have choices with regards to how much added storage do you need and how much money you have. I’m talking about the recent announcement made by Team Xbox that the 512 GB and 2TB Storage Expansion Cards (made by Seagate) are coming out some time in the middle of November 2021 (which happens to be the very month of the 20^th anniversary of Xbox) and early December 2021 respectively.

*From left to right: the 512GB expansion card (coming out November 2021), the 1TB expansion card (available already) and the 2TB expansion card (coming out December 2021). (image from Xbox.com)*

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Xbox.com article written by Pamela Wang of Designed for Xbox. Some parts in boldface…

Designed for Xbox has collaborated with Seagate once again, and we’re excited to announce 512GB and 2TB Storage Expansion Cards for Xbox Series X|S will be available soon in all Xbox markets.

The Seagate 512GB Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S is available for pre-order today from Walmart in the United States for $139.99 USD (US Dollars) and will launch mid-November. For other markets and availability, please check your local retailer.

The Seagate 2TB Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S will be available for pre-order in November for $399.99 USD and will launch early December. The Seagate 2TB Storage Expansion Card will also be the next product featuring the Designed for Xbox Limited Series badge, ensuring premium product quality, performance, and design.

How to Use the Seagate Storage Expansion Card

*This is how to insert the expansion card on the rear of the Xbox Series X.* *(image from Xbox.com)*

To use the Seagate Storage Expansion Card, just plug the card into the Storage Expansion port on the back of your Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S console, and you can use it just as you would any external storage solution. You can choose to install games to the expansion card by default, play games directly from it, move or copy games between local and external storage, or do anything you already do today with an external hard drive. The only difference is that the expansion card is designed to match the exact performance of the internal storage of the Xbox Series X|S.

Wow! $139.99 for 512GB and $399.99 for 2TB for the Xbox Series consoles! Remember the high-end edition of Xbox 360 that first launched in November 2005? That console launched with a tag price of $399.99 which is the exact same amount of money required for the 2TB storage expansion card. High price aside, buying the 2TB storage expansion card makes more sense than buying two separate 1TB storage expansion cards that sell for $219.99 each. Do the math and you will realize what I’m saying here.

Apart from gaining additional storage space, it should be noted that there are benefits that will be realized quickly by users in terms of performance and speed. For the newcomers reading this, the Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X both use the Xbox Velocity Architecture, the foundation of which is used by the Seagate storage expansion cards. Check out the excerpt below from the recent Xbox.com article…

Xbox Velocity Architecture

*This shows the flow of data between the inserted expansion card* *and the chips inside.* *(image from Xbox.com)*

The Storage Expansion Card uses the foundation of the Xbox Velocity Architecture. This is the custom, internal SSD delivering 2.4 GB/s of raw I/O throughput, more than 40x the throughput of Xbox One. The Seagate Storage Expansion Card was designed using the Xbox Velocity Architecture to deliver the exact same consistent, sustained performance of our internal SSD ensuring you have the exact same gameplay experience regardless of where the game resides.

The Seagate Storage Expansion Cards are the only external SSDs on market designed to leverage the Xbox Velocity Architecture and deliver the exact same performance as the internal SSD.

For other technical details about this particular development, read the full article at https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2021/10/21/new-seagate-storage-expansion-cards/

While the 512GB and 2TB Storage Expansion Cards for Xbox Series consoles have yet to be released, that means you still have time to raise money for one or both of them depending your needs for digital storage with your console. Be reminded that hot new games like Forza Horizon 5, Halo Infinite, Chorus and The Gunk will be released for Xbox this November-December, while the Saints Row (2022) reboot will be released on February 2022. Expect those games alone to consume a good amount of your Xbox Series console’s storage space. In fact, Forza Horizon 5 requires 103GB on Xbox Series consoles! Think about the future of your video gaming passion when it comes to expanding your current storage space.

In closing this piece, posted below are Xbox-related videos as well as videos of upcoming games for your viewing pleasure.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

COVID-19 Crisis: Safety and sanitation at local cinemas emphasized

October 22, 2021October 21, 2021carlocarrasco

It has been days since Alert Level 3 was officially implemented all over Metro Manila which allowed for the reopening of several businesses and allowing them to accommodate more customers as the limitations on capacity were modified. Among the businesses authorized by the to reopen were the cinemas or movie theaters although the actual reopening has yet to happen. In fact, I passed by the cinemas at a local mall I visited this past Sunday and I saw they were still closed. Take note that there were attempts to push for reopening Metro Manila cinemas (click here, here and here).

As the reopening is still pending, there is this Manila Bulletin article about local cinemas will strictly implement health protocols. To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt plus a few relevant videos about safety and reopening. Some parts in boldface…

Cinemas and movie houses in the Philippines will strictly implement health protocols when these establishments reopen soon.

The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) put Metro Manila under Alert Level 3 and allowed the reopening of cinemas with restrictions. Only fully vaccinated people will be admitted and seating capacity will be limited to 30 percent.

The actual date of reopening of cinemas is still subject to confirmation and the public is advised to wait for further announcement, according to the Cinema Exhibitors Association of the Philippines (CEAP).

Cinemas in Metro Manila have been closed for 19 months due to the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

“That is the main goal right now,” said CEAP Charmaine Bauzon. “We have devoted the past 19 months of cinema closure identifying solutions and precautions based on science. We will implement these measures to confidently welcome back movie fans to cinemas and send them home safe.”

Cinemas are safe spaces

Bauzon assured “the public that cinema is a safe place. In fact, LGUs [local government units] have converted some theaters into vaccination centers, and no super-spreading were ever reported, even though people waited inside for hours.”

CEAP cited a recent study in Germany which concluded that cinemas are safer than almost any other indoor environment as long as safety guidelines are followed like wearing face masks, physical distancing and proper air ventilation.

The German study considered the following factors in its conclusion: People spend an average of only two hours at a cinema; people inside the cinema simply sit down and face the same direction which is known to reduce transmission risks; and people are not talking to each other during a movie, which minimizes possibility of infection.

Cinemas to strictly impose all safety protocols

According to CEAP, besides adhering to the IATF-mandated health standards, it also developed the “Sa Sine Safe Ka” protocols patterned after the “CinemaSafe” measures set by America’s National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) and endorsed by epidemiologists.

I personally support the reopening of cinemas not just because I love watching movies in them but also because cinemas and their employees can contribute a lot to the economic recovery from this COVID-19 crisis we are all living with. When it comes to viewing movies in the comfort of home, I prefer Blu-ray over streaming anytime. Still the very best way to enjoy movies in their full glory is still inside the cinema! I can never forget the day I first saw Wonder Woman (2017) in the IMAX cinema at SM Southmall which was really an immersive experience. I even replayed that same movie in another cinema which had lazy boy seats. I also saw Logan, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Avengers: Endgame, Aquaman and X-Men: Dark Phoenix on IMAX screens in different cinemas. When it comes to regular cinemas, I viewed Write About Love, Shazam!, and Joker to name some. Eventually I got to watch these movies in the comfort of home mainly on Blu-ray (which is always better than streaming) but I can confirm to you all that in my experience, the best place to view movies is still the cinema!

This iconic scene was at its grandest only in the cinema and I was fortunate to watch it on IMAX format!

The immersion of Aquaman on the big screen inside the IMAX cinema was indeed top-notch.

The good news here, as revealed in the excerpt above, is that local cinemas will exert efforts to make their venues clean and safe as their inevitable customers will be those who have been fully vaccinated. Cinema viewing will be far from normal but the latest developments related to Alert Level 3 are very welcome as it is the first step to returning to normalcy as the nation deals with community management and vaccinations for COVID-19. Above all, I urge all of you fully vaccinated people of Metro Manila and around the nation reading this – support the local cinemas! Put a stop to streaming and take the opportunities to watch movies in the movie theater because that streaming will NEVER match the grandeur and immersion of the cinema! The cinema is always better than streaming!

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Are you eager to watch a movie inside the cinema here in Metro Manila as soon as it reopens? Have you been fully vaccinated already? What upcoming movies do you hope to watch in the local movie theater? Have you been following the CEAP on social media lately? Do you think that the top officials of the Metro Manila Council (MMC) and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) really care about the plight of the cinema operators and their employees?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

Better than Streaming: Catwoman: Hunted 4K Blu-ray coming out on February 8, 2022

October 20, 2021October 19, 2021carlocarrasco

Welcome back, fellow geeks, movie buffs and fellow Blu-ray/4K Blu-ray collectors!

If you love Catwoman or if you simply fond of DC Comics stories and concepts portrayed in varied forms of media other than comic books, then you should watch out for the release of Catwoman: Hunted 4K Blu-ray combo on February 8, 2022! Check out the cover and official trailer below…

Posted below are very early details of Catwoman: Hunted 4K Blu-ray from its Blu-ray.com page.

Video

Codec: HEVC / H.265

Resolution: 4K (2160p)

Audio

TBA

Subtitles

None

Discs

4K Ultra HD

Blu-ray Disc

Two-disc set (2 BD)

Digital

Digital copy included

Playback

4K Blu-ray: Region free

2K Blu-ray: Region A

Now here are the details sourced from the Blu-ray.com news page for Catwoman: Hunted 4K Blu-ray…

Studio description: In the all-new original Catwoman: Hunted, Catwoman’s attempt to steal a priceless jewel puts her squarely in the crosshairs of both a powerful consortium of villains and the ever-resourceful Interpol, not to mention Batwoman. It might just be enough to contain her. Or not.

Elizabeth Gillies (Dynasty, Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, Vacation) and Stephanie Beatriz (Brooklyn Nine-Nine, In The Heights) lead the cast of Catwoman: Hunted as the voices of Catwoman and Batwoman, respectively. Also featured is Jonathan Banks (Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul) as Black Mask, Steve Blum (Cowboy Bebop, Star Wars Rebels) as Solomon Grundy, Lauren Cohan (The Walking Dead, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice) as Julia Pennyworth, Keith David (They Live, The Thing, Gargoyles) as Tobias Whale, Zehra Fazal (Young Justice) as Talia al Ghul and Nosferata, Jonathan Frakes (Star Trek: the Next Generation) as King Faraday and Boss Moxie, Kirby Howell-Baptiste (The Good Place, Barry) as Barbara Minerva/Cheetah, Kelly Hu (Arrow, X2: X-Men United) as Cheshire, Andrew Kishino (Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) as Mr. Yakuza and Domino 6, Eric Lopez (Madagascar: A Little Wild) as Domino 1, Jacqueline Obradors (Bosch, NYPD Blue) as La Dama, and Ron Yuan (Mortal Kombat 11) as Doctor Tzin.

Catwoman: Hunted is directed by Shinsuke Terasawa (Gintama, Yo-kai Watch) from a script penned by Greg Weisman (Young Justice, Gargoyles). Producer is Ethan Spaulding (Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms) and Executive Producer is Sam Register.

For the newcomers reading this, Catwoman is one of the classic DC Comics characters co-created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger (the same creators of Batman). Catwoman made her debut as “the Cat” in Batman #1 (1940) and went on to not only become one of the most essential inclusions in Batman’s rogues gallery, but also as the best known love interest of Batman. Through the decades, Catwoman appeared in the live-action Batman TV series of the 1960s, in the movies (best known portrayed by Michelle Pfeiffer in 1992, by Halle Berry in 2004 and Anne Hathaway in 2012), in the video games and also in the Gotham TV series.

Catwoman will also return to the big screen in next year’s The Batman, played by Zoë Kravitz under the direction of Matt Reeves. Watch the latest The Batman trailer below and try to find her…

Personally, I am not a fan of Catwoman and I was not interested in the complex relationships she had with Batman in comic books. In the 1990s, DC Comics published an entire monthly series focused on her and you can check out my retro comic book review of Catwoman #50 (1997).

Catwoman: Hunted is the first of several new DC Comics animated films set for release in 2022 under the Warner Bros. Home Entertainment label. Watch out for its expected listing in online stores to go live soon.

For more entries of my Better than Streaming series of articles, check out my pieces on The Beastmaster 4K Blu-ray, The Transformers: The Movie 4K Blu-ray, Mortal Kombat 2021 4K Blu-ray, Space Jam 4K Blu-ray, V: The Original Miniseries Blu-ray (read my retro review), V: The Final Battle Blu-ray, Highlander 4K Blu-ray, The Suicide Squad, Super Dimension Century Orguss Blu-ray, Unbreakable 4K Blu-ray, Injustice 4K Blu-ray, The Suicide Squad 4K Blu-ray, Terminator 2: Judgment Day 30^th Anniversary 4K Blu-ray, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within 4K Blu-ray, Mad Max Anthology 4K Blu-ray, Night Shift Blu-ray and The Karate Kid Collection 4K Blu-ray.

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

A Look Back at X-Men 2099 #10 (1994)

October 12, 2021October 27, 2021carlocarrasco

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back, superhero enthusiasts, fans of the 2099 universe of Marvel Comics, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we revisit the X-Men 2099 comic book series by focusing on the tenth issue which, I assure you, continues more intrigue carried over from the previous issue as well as the further development of the futuristic team of mutants.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at X-Men 2099 #10, published by Marvel Comics in 1994 with a story written by John Francis Moore and drawn by Ron Lim.

Early story

The story begins shortly after the fall of Zhao with Xi’an looking over his inactive body. Xi’an wants Zhao’s body left outdoors for coyotes to feed on but Shakti tells him that the defeated X-Men master is still conscious. The X-Men noticed something very different about Xi’an and to Krystalin, he has an edge to his voice that she never heard before. Victor tells them that their leader was once a ruthless man during their time together as members of the Lawless.

Zhao’s mutants arrived and one of them tells Xi’an that his victory of their master doomed them all…

Quality

*Long-time X-Men fans will recognize the Savage Land.*

Like the previous issue, the storytelling by John Francis Moore is the strongest factor of this comic book. While issue #9 marked the significant turning point for Xi’an as well as exposing the history of the X-Men between the time of Charles Xavier and Zhao, this story further develops the 2099 mutants’ leader and set up new subplots. I still remember from the first time I read this comic book, I was boggled as to what direction the X-Men of 2099 were heading to.

More on the story, it is very engaging to see Xi’an sliding back to his old violent ways and this creates a large cloud of darkness for the X-Men as he is their leader. Victory Ten Eagles is convincingly written to be believable and lively as Xi’an’s Lawless teammate, and he certainly is not a mere expository dialogue tool. On another aspect of the story, as the cover art showed, Luna makes a return and John Francis Moore excellently developed Skullfire’s personality going further to the point of recklessness and becoming impulsively lost. Skullfire in this comic book has drastically changed from his subdued personality in the early issues. More on the team of mutants, Shakti slowly begins to emerge into a leader figure among her teammates.

When it comes to the art, Ron Lim’s work here is good and he showed consistency when it comes to presenting the look of the future of 2099 far away from the East Coast (where Spider-Man 2099 and others are located at). Lim’s presentation of the power of Skullfire is a must-see!

Conclusion

*Xi’an’s portrayal in this comic book is one of the strongest selling points of this comic book.*

X-Men 2099 #10 (1994) is a very solid story to read. It successfully showed more of the new direction the X-Men were heading to as Xi’an and Skullfire develop further as solo figures. At the same time, this comic book showed more of Skullfire and Luna getting more involved with each other. The writing by John Francis Moore is so good, the lack of the good-versus-evil conflict does not hurt it at all. The conflict is within Xi’an and Skullfire.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of X-Men 2099 #10 (1994), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $30 while the near-mint copies of the newsstand edition and the signed edition cost $90 and $60 respectively.

Overall, X-Men 2099 #10 (1994) is highly recommended!

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A Look Back at X-Men 2099 #9 (1994)

October 5, 2021October 3, 2021carlocarrasco

Welcome back, superhero enthusiasts, fans of the 2099 universe of Marvel Comics, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we revisit the X-Men 2099 comic book series by focusing on its ninth issue. Since issue #1, the connection between the mutants of 2099 with the original team founded by Charles Xavier was vague. Sure, Xi’an made verbal references to Charles Xavier and Magneto but there was nothing concrete with regards to his team adapting the team name of the classic X-Men.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at X-Men 2099 #9 (1994), published by Marvel Comics in 1993 with a story written by John Francis Moore and drawn by Ron Lim.

Early story

The story begins shortly after the X-Men left the town. Without Eddie/Metalhead (who chose to be left behind), Xi’an and his team arrive at a facility in the middle of nowhere. It turns out, they have been following the coordinates in relation to Krystalin’s assignment to investigate and Xi’an determined there was something odd about her voice during their last communication.

Krystalin suddenly appears to her teammates with Victor Ten Eagles right behind her. Victor was a companion of Xi’an’s during their days together with the group referred to as the Lawless. While the two former Lawless members talk, Skullfire, Shakti and Meanstreak notice there is something very odd with Krystalin. Xi’an notices something is definitely wrong and he remembers that when the Lawless disbanded, he and Ten Eagle never parted on friendly terms.

Suddenly, a very old Asian man appears in front of them floating in the air. He reveals his name as Zhao and he refers to them as his X-Men…

Quality

*X-Men 2099’s leader Xi’an in trouble. This page reveals some threads from his past and the concept that Saigon in Vietnam hosted the 2016 Olympics.*

Starting with the storytelling, the script was clearly written with a lot of confidence on the part of John Francis Moore as he expands further the lore of America of 2099 through the team of mutants. For one thing, it uses its own version of Marvel Comics universe history (note: one possible history since 2099 was one possible future of the Marvel universe) to establish the link between Charles Xavier’s original X-Men with the mutants of 2099 complete with what happened in between. While I won’t spoil what exactly happened, I can assure all of you reading this that something very intriguing happened and Zhao is not just a mere 2099 character. I also liked the concept about the sad state of mutants in the far future and why extremists emerge claiming to be their hope and tell them to join the movement without hesitation. The pacing of the story was smooth and there was sufficient build-up with the X-Men history that led to a nice payoff when the big revelation was made.

As the art on the cover symbolizes, there is something really wrong with the X-Men 2099 leader. In the previous issues, there were signs of Xi’an getting haunted by his past with the Lawless and this comic book marks a significant change in his portrayal. He also tried to be strong as team leader even though he kept some really undesirable secrets away from them. All of that build-up paid off well here. Clearly, this was one of John Francis Moore’s strongest scripts on the X-Men of 2099.

When it comes to spectacle, there is some superhero action here visualized in both the present-day story and the historical flashbacks. Artist Ron Lim paced the flow of the images properly and was creative with the way he framed what happened.

Conclusion

X-Men 2099 #9 (1994) has a great story concept which successfully and clearly establishes the connection between the original X-Men of Xavier with Xi’an’s X-Men. At the same time, this comic book starts a new chapter in the life of the 2099 mutants’ leader whose dark and painful past keeps disturbing him deeply. At the time of its release, the X-Men of far future were portrayed to be nomadic trying to survive and search for other mutants. This makes them distinct from the mainstream X-Men of the time and ironically they become similar with Freex of the Ultraverse.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of X-Men 2099 #9 (1994), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $30 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition costs $90.

Overall, X-Men 2099 #9 (1994) is highly recommended!

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A Look Back at X-Men 2099 #7 (1994)

September 21, 2021October 21, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back, superhero enthusiasts, fans of the 2099 universe of Marvel Comics, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we revisit the X-Men 2099 comic book series by focusing on the seventh issue. If there is anything that makes the series of Marvel’s futuristic mutants distinct from other Marvel 2099 monthly series, it is the fact that it shows more of wasteland of America which easily reminds me of the Mad Max movies.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at X-Men 2099 #7, published by Marvel Comics in 1994 with a story written by John Francis Moore and drawn by Ron Lim.

Early story

The story begins in the middle of an abandoned town with the X-Men in battle with the Freakshow. Xi’an fights their leader Breakdown while his teammates struggle with the other members of the Freakshow. Already infected by one of the Freakshow members, Eddie is suffering severe pain even in his metallic form.

The fight suddenly ends when an old lady fires a blast with her rifle. It turns out she is Breakdown’s superior and she is precisely whom the X-Men have been searching for…

Quality

As one of the early stories showing the X-Men of 2099 exploring the American wasteland, this is a well-written piece of work by John Francis Moore which is expected. While it has the usual superhero elements of spectacle and special moves, discovery and exposition are easily the most obvious elements of the story. What I like most about this comic book is that it reveals more of the history about the mutants’ struggle to survive not only with the harshness of the wilderness but also with dealing with rejection from the people who are not mutants (which symbolizes prejudice). This also reveals that the mutants are still searching for a fabled place called Avalon which could be a better destination for all mutants to live in.

As the narrative about the past gets emphasized, the creative team added some elements of emotion and concern on the X-Men visually. This makes a lot of sense since the mutants are clearly searching for purpose and trying to make the most out of their current situation in the hope of having a brighter future. This is similar to the original X-Men and yet X-Men 2099 has its distinct style and concept about mutant survival.

Conclusion

*At an abandoned old town that has government secret facilities.*

X-Men 2099 #7 (1994) is indeed a good comic book to read. As the X-Men of the far future encounter more people in the wasteland, the discoveries they get impacts them and their efforts to survive. As discovery and exposition are strong elements in the story, the comic book is definitely not your typical good-versus-evil superhero story. The strong writing by John Francis Moore and his approach on expanding the world of 2099 America to the readers really made this comic book a solid read.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of X-Men 2099 #7 (1994), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $30 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition costs $90.

Overall, X-Men 2099 #7 (1994) is recommended!

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A Look Back at Dazzler #3 (1981)

September 20, 2021February 15, 2022carlocarrasco

Welcome back, superhero enthusiasts, comic collectors, 1990s culture enthusiasts and fans of Marvel Comics! After a very fine start, things really went downhill with the story and presentation in Dazzler #2. That comic book had Dazzler (then a hot new property for Marvel Comics) completely overshadowed by the big mix of established Marvel superheroes fighting opposition elements. To say the least, Dazzler #2 was a major letdown, a very big disappointment and anyone who loves Dazzler should avoided it.

Will we see Dazzler presented much better in the next issue? We can find out in this look back at Dazzler #3, released in 1981 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Tom DeFalco and drawn by John Romita, Jr., and A. Kupperberg.

Early story

The story begins with Dazzler (not wearing her face paint) participating scientific test conducted by Fantastic Four leader Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic at his team’s headquarters in New York. Dazzler has been converting every nearby sound into radiance and she’s beginning to sense her limitations. The test was done to determine Alison Blaire’s mutant capabilities. Also present were Johnny Storm, Ben Grimm and Sue Richards. Johnny reads a newspaper report about the United Nations’ plan to display the crown jewels that once belonged to their deadliest enemy Dr. Doom.

Afterwards, Dazzler meets her boss at his office and learns that she will be one of the openers at the benefit concert of UNICEF which is supposed to help her with her music career. The next morning, she decides to visit her old home where her father lives in. Over at the Bavarian Alps, Dr. Doom gets informed that among the jewels set to be displayed at the Unite Nations is the Merline stone. This compels him to make a move…

Quality

When compared to the disaster of issue #2, this comic book’s story is indeed an improvement as it has the expected superhero storytelling formula intact. The good news here is that the character development on Dazzler has returned and there is once again the strong emphasis on her relevance with the people of New York with regards to her being both a superhero and a musician.

The story moved at a moderate pace and it is clear that the creative team took the necessary steps to gradually build up the plot leading to the inevitable encounter between Dazzler and the Fantastic Four’s most definitive enemy (and Marvel Comics’ iconic villain). Take note, however, that the Dazzler-Dr. Doom conflict here is only the beginning.

As this story is more focused on Dazzler, you will get to see an early look at her tainted relationship with her father who desired her to become a lawyer like him, plus there is some focus on the behind-the-scenes development in one of the big events involving her. When it comes to spectacle, there is a right amount of it here which makes this comic book more fun to read than the previous issue.

Conclusion

*A look at the business side of the music industry that Alison Blaire/Dazzler is involved with.*

Dazzler #3 (1981) is indeed fun to read and the creators succeeded in developing Alison Blaire more while delivering the good stuff. While the match-up between her and Dr. Doom looks awkward from the surface, the strong writing justified it and all along Dazzler never looked like she was out of place being with Marvel’s iconic supervillain.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Dazzler #3 (1981), 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 $60.

Overall, Dazzler #3 (1981) is recommended.

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Better than Streaming: The Suicide Squad 4K Blu-ray coming out on October 26, 2021

September 10, 2021September 9, 2021carlocarrasco

Welcome back, fellow geeks, film enthusiasts and Blu-ray/4K Blu-ray collectors!

What I mentioned would happen has indeed happened! Warner Bros. officially announced that James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad is coming out on 4K Blu-ray on October 26, 2021 and the good news is that its visuals are native 4K! As of this writing, pre-orders have yet to start but you can visit the DC Comics movie’s Amazon page to anticipate it.

*This is what the 4K Blu-ray combo box looks like.*

Posted below are key details of The Suicide Squad 4K Blu-ray combo from its Blu-ray.com page.

Video

Codec: HEVC / H.265

Resolution: Native 4K (2160p)

HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10+

Aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Original aspect ratio: 1.90:1

Audio

English: Dolby Atmos

English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1

Subtitles

English SDH, French, Spanish

Discs

4K Ultra HD

Blu-ray Disc

Two-disc set (1 BD-100, 1 BD-50)

Digital

Digital 4K

Movies Anywhere

Packaging

Slipcover in original pressing

Playback

4K Blu-ray: Region free

2K Blu-ray: Region A

*The back of The Suicide Squad 4K Blu-ray combo.*

And here are details of the special features and technical specs…

DOLBY ATMOS AUDIO TRACK
Gag Reel
Gotta Love the Squad
The Way of The Gunn
It’s a Suicide Mission Scene Breakdown
My Guns Bigger Than Yours Scene Breakdown
Harley’s Great Escape Scene Breakdown
The Fall of Jotunheim Scene Breakdown
Starro: It’s a Freakin Kaiju!
Bringing King Shark To Life
War Movie Retro Trailer
Horror Movie Retro Trailer
Buddy-Cop Retro Trailer
Directors Commentary by Director/Writer James Gunn
Deleted & Extended Scenes
Optional English SDH, Latin Spanish, Parisian French, Castilian Spanish, Norwegian, Swedish, Teleugu, Hungarian, Tamil, Hindi, Italian, Greek, Romanian, Polish, Finnish, Danish, and Canadian French subtitles for the main feature

I personally am excited about The Suicide Squad 4K Blu-ray combo’s release. Where I am located at, local cinemas have remained closed since March 2020 and as I want the best possible home viewing experience, I deliberately avoided streaming. Definitely my money will NOT go to HBO Max nor HBO Go to watch The Suicide Squad (which has lots of scenes filmed with IMAX cameras and the IMAX footage is better viewed on Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray disc than streaming).

As of this writing, The Suicide Squad is the most exciting 4K Blu-ray release for the month of October. As far as DC Comics movies on disc format goes this year, I’m more excited for the James Gunn-directed movie than the recently released Zack Snyder’s Justice League 4K Blu-ray.

+++++

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

A Look Back at Dazzler #2 (1981)

September 9, 2021September 7, 2021carlocarrasco

Welcome back, superhero enthusiasts, comic collectors, 1990s culture enthusiasts and fans of Marvel Comics! Way back in 1981, Marvel Comics had a successful comic book series launch with Dazzler #1 (read my retro review by clicking here) which sold over 400,000 copies and further sealed Dazzler as an advantageous addition for the company’s superhero comics franchise. Dazzler, a creation of a deal between Marvel and a certain record company, debuted in Uncanny X-Men #130 and got involved with the X-Men until Uncanny X-Men #131. Dazzler appeared with Marvel’s famous webslinger in Amazing Spider-Man #203.

Dazzler #1 ended with a brewing rivalry between the title character and Enchantress. With those laid down, here is a look back at Dazzler #2, published in 1981 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Tom DeFalco and drawn by John Romita, Jr.

Early story

The story begins with Dazzler preparing for her big show at Numero Uno, a prestigious disco in the city of New York. Just before the show starts, a huge crowd of people are in attendance and among them are Wolverine, Peter Parker (Spider-Man), Captain America, Johnny Storm, Ben Grimm and Tony Stark (Iron Man) to name some.

Just as Dazzler appears on-stage and draws a frenzied applause from the audience, the revenger-hungry Enchantress slowly makes her moves to ruin the lady who outclassed her to be the main attraction of the club. Even with her desire for revenge, the Enchantress decides to use her magic sparingly on Dazzler. In the audience, Peter Parker/Spider-Man begins to sense something is about to happen…

Quality

*This shows what this comic book is really about.*

The way the story was told is disappointing. This is because the spotlight on Dazzler and her anticipated conflict with the Enchantress got overwhelmed by the amount of superhero filler on the narrative. To be clear, it is fun and interesting to see a mix of the varied superheroes of Marvel together but this comic book ended up being an all-star showcase (X-Men, Avengers and Fantastic Four members included) than a real, standalone Dazzler story. In fairness, Tom DeFalco showed how skilled he is with plot structuring and capturing the personalities and tropes of the different superheroes (note: unsurprisingly, DeFalco accurately captured Spider-Man’s personality and he went on to be a major force behind Spider-Man comic books) but that does not change the fact that this comic book should have been more about Dazzler.

When it comes to the conflict between Dazzler and the Enchantress, it was executed with no depth at all. Literally speaking, there is not enough meat to consume here and it the conflict really ended up looking very rushed. As if that was not bad enough, there is not enough justification to show Dazzler defeating a monster summoned by the Enchantress. Considering how shallow the Dazzler-Enchantress match-up turned out, it’s no wonder why there is so much Marvel all-star filler in the script.

As for the late-stage attempt to shift the narrative back to Dazzler, it is rather over-the-top and unsatisfying.

Conclusion

*You recognize someone in the audience?*

Dazzler #2 (1981) is an example about a creative team’s lack of confidence on crafting a decent story to develop a new superhero and ultimately resorting to fill it with a mix of other superheroes involved which itself symbolizes desperation. This comic book is not really a Dazzler story but an all-star showcase with Dazzler becoming a minor character in her own monthly series.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Dazzler #2 (1981), 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 $60.

Overall, Dazzler #2 (1981) is unsatisfactory. Anyone who loves Dazzler or who wishes to discover more of her will be disappointed with this comic book.

+++++

Better than Streaming: Injustice 4K Blu-ray coming out on October 19, 2021

September 8, 2021September 6, 2021carlocarrasco

Are you an avid fan of DC Comics and its superheroes? To be more specific, if you love Wonder Woman, Batman, Superman, Aquaman and the Justice League, there is something new coming in 4K Blu-ray format very soon.

I’m not talking about the Zack Snyder’s Justice League 4K Blu-ray release for the American market. I’m talking about the Injustice 4K Blu-ray which is set for an October 19, 2021 release and you can order it online right now. This new release is about the DC animated feature which includes voice performers Janet Varney as Wonder Woman, Justin Hartley as Superman and Anson Mount as Batman to name a few.

Posted below is an excerpt from the studio’s official description of Injustice…

Inspired by Injustice: Gods Among Us, NetherRealm Studios’ popular video game, and the best-selling DC graphic novel based on the video game, Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year One by Tom Taylor, the animated film Injustice finds an alternate world gone mad – where The Joker has duped Superman into killing Lois Lane, sending the Man of Steel on a deadly rampage. Unhinged, Superman decides to take control of the Earth for humanity’s own good. Determined to stop him, Batman creates a team of like-minded, freedom-fighting heroes. But when Super Heroes go to war, can the world survive?

Posted below are key details of Injustice 4K Blu-ray from its Blu-ray.com page.

Video

Codec: HEVC / H.265

Resolution: 4K (2160p)

HDR: HDR10

Aspect ratio: 1.78:1

Audio

English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

French: Dolby Digital 5.1

Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1

Subtitles – English SDH, French, Spanish

Discs

4K Ultra HD

Blu-ray Disc

Two-disc set (2 BD)

Digital

Digital copy included

Playback

4K Blu-ray: Region free

2K Blu-ray: Region A

And here are details of the special features and technical specs…

HDR PRESENTATION OF THE FILM
Adventures in Storytelling – Injustice: Crisis and Conflict (New Featurette) – The storytellers behind the new Injustice animated film discuss how all the intense drama and unabashed action was brought to life.
DC Universe Movies Flashback
- The Death of Superman
- Reign of the Supermen
From the DC Vault
- Justice League – Injustice For All, Part I
- Justice League – Injustice For All, Part II
Optional English SDH, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, and Danish subtitles for the main feature

Personally, I never got to play any of the Injustice video games nor was I able to read any issues of the related comic books. Still, I find this DC animated feature interesting mainly due to its core concept. As for its 4K Blu-ray release, the extra stuff looks interesting although it remains to be seen if the animated feature’s visuals will indeed be native 4K or upscaled 4K. Here is hoping it will be native 4K.

+++++

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

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