superheroes – Page 2 – Author Carlo Carrasco

A Look Back at Prime #9 (1994)

December 29, 2025December 23, 2025carlocarrasco

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 fans, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Ultraverse fans and comic book collectors! Today we revisit the Ultraverse to take a look at one of the many tales of Prime from the monthly series that first launched in 1993.

For the newcomers reading this, Prime is one of the definitive, major heroes of the entire Ultraverse along with Hardcase, Mantra and Prototype. Prime is also a major part of the team UltraForce. What makes the muscular and super strong Prime interesting is that his true identity is a teenager named Kevin Green who finds himself struggling between his superhero activities, his social life and his family. Having previously read and reviewed lots of Prime comic books, I can say that I had a lot of fun along the way. There are still some comic books about Prime that I have yet to review.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Prime #9, published by Malibu Comics in 1994 with a story written by Len Strazewski and Gerard Jones, and illustrated by the late Norm Breyfogle.

Early story

The story begins with Kevin’s mother helplessly tied to a chair with her mouth covered inside their home. By this time, Kevin (Prime) has been gone for more than a week already and her husband Russ won’t even call the police for help. For her, the people who informed her that Kevin has to be isolated because of some kind of a disease lied.

Suddenly a uniformed man armed with a rifle tells her that she will be in trouble if she makes so much noise. He tells her that Kevin is just outside the house and his team intends to collect him again.

Outside, Kevin just arrived following his unexpected adventure with Mantra (for crossover references, the comic books are Mantra #7 and Prime #8). Not knowing who Mantra really is, he remembers getting kissed by her and has an intention to see her whenever he wants. As soon as he opens the front door of their home, Kevin immediately gets dragged inside and restrained by two armed men. Colonel Samuels is inside…

Quality

*Prime has no choice but to do the dirty work of the abusive Colonel Samuels (who has access to US President Bill Clinton).*

Being set shortly after the events of Break-Thru (read my retro reviews by clicking here, here and here) and Prime’s encounters with Mantra, this tale is clearly a return to form for the Prime monthly series. Symbolically, Colonel Samuels returns as the chief antagonist and he clearly is not done yet with messing with Prime as well as with the Green family while abusing his power. Samuels is clearly evil and having served in the American military for decades, he has access to the government’s information regarding the ultras (which places the Green family in disadvantageous situations) and he has all resources needed to ruin Prime’s life.

Prime here gets involved in a mission being at a serious disadvantage as Colonel Samuels has the power and means to make him do dirty tasks. Samuels even has direct access to US President Bill Clinton (a real-life abuser of women, a leader who empowered Islamic terrorists and a profiteer with his family’s foundation) to do high-risk operations supposedly in service of America.

What is very clear in this story written by Strazewski and Jones is that intrigue (backed by twists) made the narrative powerful and engaging to follow. Even though there is a clear bias supporting the hippies, the political correctness minds, the anti-nuclear zealots and the solar power extremists, the tale is still entertaining to read. More notably, you will see how Prime develops as he tackles a very dangerous situation that involves annihilation in American land. I really like the way the writers showed Prime struggling to analyze what to do as the pressure mounts immensely on him.

Conclusion

*Easily the most dynamic image of the comic book drawn by the late Norm Breyfogle.*

Prime #9 (1994) is another very solid Ultraverse tale made by the Strazewski-Jones-Breyfogle team. It is creative a return to form for the Prime monthly series (because Prime got busy with Break-Thru and spent time with Mantra) and seeing the evil Colonel Samuel raise the stakes added a lot of depth to the story. At this particular stage of the series, Kevin Green’s life is getting out of hand and his parents are already in the middle of a series of very unfortunate events. This old comic book is still fun to read.

Overall, Prime #9 (1994) is recommended.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. 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 X-Men Adventures #12 (1993)

December 24, 2025December 23, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back, superhero ans, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, X-Men fans and comic book collectors! Today we revisit the X-Men Adventures monthly series – the first series specifically – which was the literary adaptation of the popular X-Men animated series of the 1990s.

If you are familiar with the classic lore of X-Men literature, you will remember Warren Worthington as Angel who is one of the original members of the X-Men introduced in 1963. That same character would eventually get involved with the super villain Apocalypse and gain a deadlier form as Archangel.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at X-Men Adventures #12, published by Marvel Comics in 1993 with a story written by Ralph Macchio and drawn by Andrew Wildman.

Early story

The story begins inside a facility on Muir Island where genetic experimentation happens and draws mutants who seek a cure for the curse that makes them different. Already four mutants have arrived and were ready to undergo a grand experiment. The doctor in charge of the facility – Gottfried Adler – has already disappeared and in his place is the very powerful mutant Apocalypse.

Apocalypse succeeded in turning four mutants into his Four Horsemen composed of Archangel, War, Famine and Pestilence. For Apocalypse, the age of chaos is at hand.

Meanwhile at Charles Xavier’s School For Gifted Youngsters, the leisure session of Jubilee, Gambit, Jean Grey and Rogue suddenly ends when Storm grabs their attention and shows them TV footage that Professor X wants them to see.

TV news footage shows an important meeting happening in France for the conventional weapons disarmament. Moments later, Apocalypse crashes into the meeting with his Four Horsemen causing harm…

Quality

*Rogue takes on Archangel while Wolverine is busy dealing with Apocalypse.*

This comic book marks the emergence of Apocalypse as a tremendous force of evil following his series debut in issue #10 and short appearance in issue #11. As the main antagonist, Apocalypse – who is obsessed with survival and progress – really comes out in full force against humanity with his Four Horsemen as his deadly enforcers.

The threat of Apocalypse and his Four Horsemen towards humanity is clearly the main feature of this comic book and Macchio’s script has a good structure for the narrative. This makes the story easy to follow while still presenting a lot of details that can be absorbed efficiently. Apocalypse’s presence not only drew the X-Men to spring into action, it also drew Charles Xavier’s own fear that they would face an enemy more dangerous than Magneto.

While the main plot is consistently intense, this comic book also serves as a continuation of Rogue’s personal pursuits since issue #10 which is worth reading. Along the way, Archangel (whose new appearance started at the end of issue #11) notably got enough share of the spotlight and is easily the more captivating member of the Four Horsemen. The way Warren Worthington is portrayed here is clearly different from his literary version and that means you should not expect Professor X to claim him as one of his original X-Men members.

When it comes to the visuals, Andrew Wildman’s artistic style is present but many of the drawings here look rushed. In fairness, Wildman succeeded in making Apocalypse and the Four Horsemen look really threatening to human civilization thanks to his nice execution of visual dynamism in certain pages.

Conclusion

*Professor X reveals his fear of Apocalypse to his team during their meeting.*

X-Men Adventures #12 (1993) is a pretty good read thanks to the strong script by Macchio based on the teleplay from the animated series. It concluded the Muir Island saga in a very satisfying manner which includes putting Rogue’s subplot with solid closure (complete with a moral lesson about accepting her team as her family). By the time I reached the end of the comic book, it was clear that Apocalypse is a major antagonist with the long-term in mind.

Overall, X-Men Adventures #12 (1993) is recommended.

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A Look Back at Spider-Man #4 (1990)

December 5, 2025November 30, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the early 1990s and explore a part of the Marvel Comics shared universe through a tale of the Spider-Man monthly series.

Having reviewed the first three issues of the Spider-Man monthly series written and drawn by Todd McFarlane (click here, here and here), I can say that the 5-part Torment storyline has a daring concept, adulterated imagery and clunky storytelling. Issues #2 and #3 saw Spider-Man in violent battles with the Lizard who is clearly not himself but under the control of the Haitian witch Calypso. It is inevitable Spider-Man, who has been in a long-lasting disadvantage so far, will somehow meet Calypso face to face.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Spider-Man #4, published in 1990 by Marvel Comics with a story written and drawn by Todd McFarlane. This is the 4th chapter of the Torment storyline.

Early story

The story begins in a dirty alley deep within New York City. An exhausted and disoriented Spider-Man is shocked to see a grotesque looking Kraven with the vicious Lizard beside him. The moment made him remember what happened as a result of his previous with Kraven (note: refer to the Kraven’s Last Hunt storyline) which includes him getting buried temporarily with a grave designated to him.

Eventually Spider-Man sees through the illusion and realizes that Kraven is not in front of him but Calypso with the Lizard still under her full control. With an unspoken command from Calypso, the Lizard moves towards the weakened Spidey and carries him bodily…

Quality

*This portrayal of Mary Jane having a good time again in the city without her husband is clearly filler and it did not add anything to the plot.*

As anticipated, the webslinger finally met the Haitian witch who had been controlling the Lizard all along. With a mostly slow pace, the story has Spider-Man being helpless in the presence of two powerful enemies and McFarlane stylishly dramatizes moments from Calypso’s past showing her acceptance of evil ways (witchcraft), her personal connection with Kraven and her desire to have a new sacrifice done.

With Spider-Man restrained a lot for most of the story, it was not surprising to see Calypso have a good share of the spotlight to herself and the Lizard is clearly portrayed as her enforcer and assistant contrasting what was presented in the first 3 issues.

Unsurprisingly, the storytelling feels choppy although the slow pace allows readers to grasp Calypso’s intentions and her main purpose in the entire storyline. The lack of spectacle allowed McFarlane to implement long segments of suspense mixed with horror. With Spider-Man doing not so much, he’s technically a supporting character symbolizing the reader’s curiosity.

Conclusion

*There is nothing like waking up in the presence of two evil figures while being restrained.*

Compared with the previous, Spider-Man #4 (1990) does not have much to show and has even less entertainment value. Unless you are a die-hard fan of Calypso (so twisted and demonic under McFarlane’s handling), this particular story won’t mean much to Spider-Man faithful. The webslinger is still helpless but this is all part of the build-up for the fifth and final chapter.

In fairness, what was shown here might inspire fans to revisit Kraven’s Last Hunt and read past Spider-Man comic books showing Calypso’s connection with Kraven (note: Spider-Man and Calypso were present in Amazing Spider-Man #209). In my view, this comic book is not terrible but it does not have much entertainment value nor does it have anything engaging to show. I don’t feel so motivated to proceed with issue #5.

Overall, Spider-Man #4 (1990) should be avoided.

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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

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 111

November 26, 2025November 18, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Ashleigh Burton Reacts To Full Metal Jacket – A few months ago, my YouTube series post included several reaction videos of Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket. Recently Ashleigh Burton posted her own Full Metal Jacket reaction video and I can say that it is very enjoyable to watch as the YouTuber (who is a jolly person) had her own bouts of laugh-out-loud moments reacting to it. Watch Ashleigh Burton’s video below.

#2 Ghost in the Shell’s Relevance Analyzed – I was still in college the first time I saw the 1995 anime feature film Ghost in the Shell on home video. While I enjoyed the action and the high-quality visuals (2D animation mixed with computer-generated graphics), I was unable to grasp the story and its many philosophical messages within. To really enjoy it and understand Masamune Shirow’s concepts, watching Ghost in the Shell should be done with patience and the right mindset. Fortunately, a YouTuber took the time to replay the anime feature film and paid close attention to the many details within. Indeed, Ghost in the Shell is more relevant than ever today as it tackled hacking, cybersecurity, identity and artificial intelligence early on. To find out more, watch the video below.

#3 Yakisoba In Japan – You like Yakisoba? Yakisoba is a Japanese noodle stir-fried dish and it first appeared in food stalls in Japan about a century ago. There are lots of places in Japan that offer yakisoba to customers and there are also variants of it depending on where you find it. In the city of Kobe (the same city that got ravaged by a massive earthquake in the mid-1990s) is a Yakisoba shop that serves a lot of customers each day. That means something must be really good with the yakisoba. Watch and learn from the video below.

#4 Do You Trust James Gunn? – I never bothered to watch James Gunn’s Superman movie this year. In fact, when it was announced that Gunn and his partner would start a whole new line of DC Comics superhero movie projects under the Warner Bros. banner a few years ago, I was never excited nor interested. I saw Gunn’s work in Guardians of the Galaxy (he wrote and directed it) and the 2004 Dawn of the Dead remake (he wrote it) and neither film was worth replaying. I’m not saying Gunn is a bad filmmaker, I just don’t find his work compelling enough and box office numbers don’t change a thing. He also directed The Suicide Squad which ended up as a commercial disappointment. When it comes to cinematic superhero works, there are reasons why long-time superhero fans and comic book readers don’t trust Gunn which you can learn from the videos below.

#5 Austria Pushes Back Against Mass Migration – Right from the top, Austria made decisive moves to push back against the flow of mass migration and made it clear they want to preserve their culture and prioritize their citizens. It has been over ten years since Germany – under Angela Merkel – committed a huge blunder by opening its borders to so many people from the Middle East and Africa which affected other European nations negatively. It is obvious that the high amount of so-called refugees already in Europe collectively have no desire to assimilate with the culture and norms of the nations they entered, and they want more social benefits and more money at the expense of the citizens. Austria itself had enough and you can find out how they pushed back against mass migration by watching the video below.

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A Look Back at Uncanny X-Men #286 (1992)

November 24, 2025November 16, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the early 1990s to explore one of the many tales of the Marvel shared universe through the Uncanny X-Men series.

While issue #284 marked the turning point following the successful return of Jean Grey and the encounter with Bishop, issue #285 generated strong vibes of the sci-fi TV series Otherworld as it revealed most of the X-Men’s Gold Team members in a completely different world filled with unknown inhabitants and culture. Clearly a lot has happened following the Gold Team’s debut in issue #281 which reflects the respective contributions of the creators.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Uncanny X-Men #286, published in 1992 by Marvel Comics with a story co-written by Jim Lee and Scott Lobdell (who worked on the script). The art was done by Whilce Portacio with ink work by Art Thibert.

Early story

The story begins with Jean Grey, Colossus, Storm and her male companion (Mikhail Rasputin) together. While Jean is surprised and relieved to see Storm again (she was separated from the team temporarily in the last issue), Colossus is shocked to see his long-lost brother Mikhail alive and well. Mikhail reveals that so many years have passed since he last stood with his little brother and had long abandoned any hope of a reunion.

The reunion is interrupted when a portal has grown larger by the moment and it means that it is only a matter time before Earth is pulled into the realm they are in. Both worlds are at risk of getting destroyed…

Quality

*Charles Xavier and Forge are still on Earth separated from the rest of the X-Men’s Gold Team members.*

Following the build-up and character developments that happened in the previous issue, this X-Men tale is pretty much a strong pay-off while leaving some space for suspense and surprises. The writers intended to conclude what started in issue #284 and along the way, they had to go through the challenges of introducing a new world, new people and the conflicts within. Mikhail Rasputin – the same guy who helped Storm in issue #284 – is easily the most impactful addition to this tale and because of him and what he revealed, Colossus became emotional and felt like his life was crumbling as he simply could not handle the truth. Colossus’ despair and emotional state here served as the creative seeds that later led to the betrayal he would eventually commit (in Uncanny X-Men #304).

The Mikhail-Colossus interaction was easily this comic book’s source of emotions which added some weight to the plot. By the time I reached the end of this issue, I felt really satisfied and at the same time curious about the state of Colossus (note: there’s a still a long road of X-Men tales before Uncanny X-Men #304).

With regards to the writing, John Byrne’s intricate touch on the dialog was clearly missing but Scott Lobdell did a fine job taking over. While Whilce Portacio was credited as illustrator, there were a few pages that looked like they were drawn by someone else. The same also happened with regards to the inking in different parts of the comic book…Art Thibert’s inking has a fine touch and there were some images that had aggressive and thicker inking (it has to be the work of someone uncredited).

Conclusion

*A very significant moment for the Rasputin brothers witnessed by Jean Grey, Storm and a few of the locals.*

While there were some inconsistencies on the quality of the artworks, Uncanny X-Men #286 (1992) had a really strong script and the good news here is that the creative team managed to pull off a solid conclusion. This is the kind of tale in which the X-Men utilized their skills and made tough decisions while being far away from Charles Xavier. At this particular stage of the Uncanny X-Men series, the Gold Team’s development really progressed and they became a more appealing team to follow.

Overall, Uncanny X-Men #286 (1992) is highly recommended!

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 110

November 19, 2025November 11, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 The Matrix Revisited – What else is there to say about The Matrix? There are some who claimed it is the greatest science fiction movie ever made. Some described it as more relevant than ever due to the wide public use of artificial intelligence (AI) today. In my experience, I saw a special re-screening of The Matrix at the old cinema of Festival Mall in December 1999 and it was entertaining but I never became a fan of its entertainment franchise. Regardless, the film continues to entertain and surprise YouTubers and you can see how by watching the selected videos below.

#2 The Horror Aspect Of Halo: Combat Evolved – It has been 24 years since Halo: Combat Evolved launched along with the original Xbox console. I played and finished the classic sci-fi first-person shooting game on rented Xbox consoles before and it remains a highly significant gaming experience to me. Original game developer Bungie did not just create a great sci-fi game but also designed it to be immersive, captivating and atmospheric. Within the atmosphere in the game is the subtle but effective use of horror elements which added to the mystery. How does the horror function in the classic game? Watch and learn from the video below.

#3 Meat & Rice Meals In Japan – Here is another food-related video in Japan. This is for those who crave for delicious meals composed of nice amounts of meat and rice The food joint in the video below not only serves the mentioned meals, it is able to cook many kinds of fried rice as well! Watch and enjoy the video below.

#4 Most Notable Episodes Of The Real Ghostbusters – As a young boy in the 1980s, I saw the classic movie Ghostbusters in 1984 and a few years later, I started watching episodes of The Real Ghostbusters animated TV series on home video and eventually on local TV. For the newcomers reading this, The Real Ghostbusters was the sequel and spin-off to the 1984 film and it had a specific title (using “Real”) as a result of a dispute with Filmation which had the Ghost Busters franchise. I lost count as to how many episodes of the animated series I saw but there were a few notable ones I still remember and Minty Comedic Arts’ recent video contained them. Watch the video below.

#5 UAE Rejects Radical Islam And The Islamists! – Islamists are an extreme and evil bunch. They cause trouble wherever they are and they are driven to overwhelm others, to bring down societies and become the one discriminating dominant force. Islamists have already infiltrated many European nations by means of mass migration (including entry as asylum seekers or refugees needing the host nation’s humanitarian assistance) and teaming up with the Satanic Leftists (to form a new Islamo-Leftist mob overseas). In the Middle East, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) knows how destructive radical Islam really is and they made clear that they not only reject Islamists but also remove them. Watch and learn from the video below.

#6 Japan Tightens Business Manager Visa Policy! – Recently, I blogged about Japan’s reformed policy on the business manager visa in response to the fraud and violations committed by foreigners – notably the Chinese nationals – who carried it. The requirements were drastically changed, new applicants must have at least a few years real experience of business practice, and the hiring of at least one full-time employee (who is Japanese or a permanent resident) must be done. As many of the abusers of the business manager visa were Chinese nationals, I found a video focused on the topic and what the affected Chinese holders of the visa in Japan think about the reforms done by the Japanese. Watch the video below.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 109

November 14, 2025November 11, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Batman: Mask of the Phantasm Revisited – In late 1993, Warner Bros. released the animated film Batman: Mask of the Phantasm in cinemas. Even though it was based on the popular Batman animated series of the 1990s, the film was a commercial failure in cinemas but it found its audience on home video and other post-theatrical businesses. To this day, the 1993 animated feature film became a popular subject of YouTube reaction and retrospective videos and you can enjoy the following videos I selected for your viewing below.

#2 Pasta in Japan – If you will be touring Japan and you crave for pasta, there is this one particular food join in Aichi Prefecture that not only specializes in cooking delicious pasta but also serves the customer really fast. Watch and learn from the Japanese Food Noodles video below.

#3 The Notable Zombie Movies Of All Time – Known for consistent opposition against the woke mob and the rise of fake fans in comic books, Ranting for Vengeance recently posted a video about an entirely different subject matter – zombie movies. For him, there are only six zombie films that he described as badass. His video is enjoyable to watch and I strongly agree with Ranting for Vengeance’s opinion about two of the six films. Watch his video now.

#4 Double Dragon Retrospective – I can hardly believe it has been almost forty years since I first played Double Dragon which is a classic among the beat-them-up games. I never played Double Dragon in the arcade but my first time playing it was on console and it was an enjoyable experience. Recently, Double Dragon Revive was released for modern consoles and Windows PC and now is a great time to look back at the history of the Double Dragon game franchise through the video of Slope’s Game Room below.

#5 The Long Kiss Goodnight Revisited – Do you enjoy watching actress Geena Davis doing hard action and being very lethal? In 1996, The Long Kiss Goodnight was released in cinemas and the result was a lot of moviegoers talked about Davis being a dangerous action performer. While the movie was never a massive success, it succeeded enough with the critics and theaters and established a long-lasting following of fans. Considering how old the movie is, now is a good time to see how it impacted YouTubers through the selected reaction videos below.

#6 Wickedness Of Chuck Schumer And The Democrats Exposed As US Government Shutdown Finally Ends – In case you missed the news, there were eight Democrat US Senators who crossed the aisle to join their Republican counterparts to end the government shutdown at last which in turn exposed the wickedness (plus insanity) of their own party led by Chuck Schumer. In fact, the Democrats themselves are divided and many Democrat supporters in the media spoke out against Schumer who proved to be a worthless party leader. The fact that Schumer voted to keep the shutdown going proves he does not care about the Americans who are already suffering. Clearly, the Democrats gained nothing by keeping the government shutdown and they are responsible for hurting the American people. Watch and learn from the news videos below.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 108

November 5, 2025October 30, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Jim Shooter Remembered – I am a long-time comic book reader and I can say out loud that modern day superhero comics are NOT worth pursuing anymore. So many woke activists, LGBTQ activists and rabid feminists have entered the comic book industry and they made superhero comics worse. That being said, what happened in recent years in superhero comics only made me revisit not only the comics of previous decades but also focus on the late Jim Shooter (1951-2025) who has a legacy of great creativity as well as big involvement on the business side of comic book publishing. He was the editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics for almost a decade. I recently saw this particular YouTube video about Shooter’s prediction of the industry collapsing and I can say it is very compelling to watch. Go watch the video below.

#2 The Matrix Resurrections Revisited – When The Matrix Resurrections was released in 2021, I never bothered to watch it at all. To be clear, I saw the first three Matrix movies a long time ago and when it was announced that a sequel would actually be made, I was never interested nor intrigued. As such, I checked the movie through varied videos on YouTube and posted below are references that should interest you even if you are not a Matrix fan. By the way, when was the last time you saw Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss together?

#3 Where To Have Burger Steak In Japan – When you think about Japan as your next destination as a traveler, do you think about having very meaty meals there? Recently, Japanese Food Noodles posted a video about five Japanese food joints that serve burger steaks and side dishes to customers. In the video below, you can find out what those food joints are and you can enjoy watching how the food is prepared.

#4 Greta Thunberg Hilariously Mocked – Greta Thunberg, the climate change zealot and active partner-in-crime of Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, was hilariously mocked in an Israeli satire program. As it is a fact that Thunberg and her woke activist pals attempted (for a 2^nd time) to reach Gaza WITHOUT ANY HUMANITARIAN AID at all, it is clear that they did it to generate buzz on social media and on the corrupt mainstream news media while serving Hamas. As such, the satire of Thunberg and her woke pals is a smart move and well-timed. Watch the Sky News Australia video below.

#5 Police Academy Revisited – What could be said about the 1984 comedy Police Academy? Apart from being a hilarious film, it was one of those very low-budget movies that struck gold with moviegoers grossing almost $150 million worldwide. To this day, Police Academy continues to entertain YouTubers and film buffs who were born after the movie was released. There are also some notable details about how the film was made, who made it in the cast and why it still is significant. Watch the selected videos below…

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A Look Back at Uncanny X-Men #285 (1992)

October 24, 2025October 18, 2025carlocarrasco

What happened in issue #284 was a turning point in storytelling and it is only a part of the early period of the X-Men – Gold Team’s operation. The X-Men were on the way home (with Jean Grey successfully retrieved and restored) following their encounters with Fitzroy’s gang and the mutant from the future Bishop only to proceed to a specific island in response to a distress call. By the end of it, something significant happened which separated the X-Men from Professor X and Forge.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Uncanny X-Men #285, published in 1992 by Marvel Comics with a story co-written by Whilce Portacio, Jim Lee and John Byrne (who worked on the script). The art was done by Portacio with ink work by Art Thibert.

Early story

The story begins with Jean Grey and Colossus (carrying a female primate) who find themselves not only disoriented but also separated from their teammates Iceman, Archangel and Storm. A unknown amount of time has passed since they were sucked forcefully into a void which turned out to be a portal into a new world of unknown origin.

As soon as they land, several primates (humans wearing armor and futuristic gadgets) immediately ganged up on them, knocking Jean Grey out successfully while ramping up their attacks on Colossus. With Colossus down after intense hits, the Russian X-Men member does not fight back and eventually saw his metallic skin turn into flesh fully exposing his human identity. The primates suddenly changed their attitude as they referred to Colossus as a returned savior who has fulfilled the prophecy they grew up with.

Elsewhere, in the middle of a hot desert, Storm is down on the sand feeling weak and groggy. She tries to alter the wind but fails. Suddenly, a man arrives with the intention of carrying Storm to his home…

Quality

*The natives in this page, Archangel is not only accepted by the leader but also perceived to be a great figure of destiny in connection with their beliefs.*

This particular X-Men tale is the result of the turning point that happened in the previous issue. In this comic book, the X-Men’s Gold Team members are separated from each other and the world they are in is alien in nature and yet filled with unusual looking humans who clearly have a long-lasting culture, history and cultural norms formed through generations. This concept the creative team came up with has strong vibes of the 1980s American science fiction TV series Otherworld which I saw a very long time ago. In fact, I find the overall concept of this comic book an inspired piece of work.

Like in Otherworld, the X-Men are in a totally new and unknown world that somewhat looks like Earth but then it is not as the natives they encountered are totally unlike anything they encountered before. Like in The Empire Strikes Back, the X-Men here are separated from each other which opened up opportunities for the creators to develop the characters, show particular threads of their respective personalities (or their talents) and emphasize how they perceive new people and the new world they are in.

Without spoiling the plot, I can say that the natives of the unknown world are living with the foolishness of idolatry which can be seen at least in how they believe Colossus (in the flesh) is their savior and the fulfillment of the prophecy they were oriented with. The idolatry aspect of the tale serves as the twist on the primates’ (specifically the few who went to Earth willing to fight to the death) who first appeared to the X-Men as very daring opponents and it adds depth to the X-Men’s struggle on understanding the new world they are in.

When it comes to character development, Colossus and Jean Grey are strongly emphasized by the creative team who also managed to do the same with Iceman, Storm and Archangel. This tale also serves as a relief from the back-to-back good-versus-evil battles that took place since issue #281 and I can say the writing is solid.

Conclusion

*A very helpless Storm is approached by a man in the middle of the desert.*

While it lacks the usual conflict between Marvel’s mutants and evildoers, Uncanny X-Men #285 (1992) is an inspired piece of work filled with sci-fi concepts, the overwhelming power of discovering a new world and established natives, and a lot of character development on Colossus, Storm, Jean Grey, Ice Man and Archangel. As I read the story, the mystery builds up and there were these subtle pay-offs that happened along the way. Overall, this comic book is a huge pay-off to what was established in issue #284 and the notable thing is that the X-Men Gold Team (who have Sunfire with them) are just getting started in the unknown world.

Overall, Uncanny X-Men #285 (1992) is highly recommended!

+++++

A Look Back at Spider-Man #3 (1990)

October 20, 2025October 12, 2025carlocarrasco

I previously reviewed issues #1 (click here) and #2 (click here) which were also the first two chapters of the Todd McFarlane-led Torment storyline. McFarlane had this grand vision of a dark and more violent concept of telling a Spider-Man story and it involved another rematch with the Lizard (Dr. Connors) and some connections with the Kraven’s Last Hunt saga of 1987 (read my retro reviews by clicking here and here). McFarlane’s vision was daring but his writing style and the sub-par quality of his storytelling really brought down the overall quality of Spider-Man #1 and #2.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Spider-Man #3, published in 1990 by Marvel Comics with a story written and drawn by Todd McFarlane. This is the 3rd chapter of the Torment storyline.

Early story

The story begins at the rooftop of a building in New York City. Up there, the Lizard relentlessly attacks Spider-Man causing some damage on the building. Having recovered previously, Spider-Man manages to hold his ground and punches a solid structure that hit the Lizard hard.

Meanwhile at another part of the city, the evil Haitian Voodoo priestess Calypso communicates with the Lizard telling him to take the fight against Spider-Man easy, avoid killing him and make him suffer first. Calypso is obsessed with making the webslinger an example to the world.

The fight between Spider-Man and the Lizard continues causing even more damage. Spider-Man, who has been poisoned, is having trouble concentrating as the Lizard keeps attacking him violently. Spider-Man wonders why the Dr. Connors’ (the Lizard) blood lust is so consuming…

Quality

*Todd McFarlane’s way of visualizing Spider-Man’s origin.*

To get straight to the point, this comic book is simply a natural progression of the hard-hitting conflict between Spider-Man and the Lizard that started in the previous issue. In fact, this comic book shows the resumption of the battle (after a pause happened in the late stage of issue #2 showing the fight temporarily halting which gave Spider-Man some minutes to rest).

At this stage, Spider-Man has gotten even more vulnerable and damaged. Apart from struggling with the very violent attacks of the Lizard, his own spider sense becomes a major hindrance on his mind (he could not concentrate) as the sounds of “doom-doom-doom” caused by Calypso’s sorcery becomes very unbearable. Like the previous issue, Spider-Man gets close to death and if there is anything new here it is showing the iconic superhero messed up in the garbage.

Along the way, this comic book sheds some spotlight on Mary Jane Parker (Spider-Man’s wife) who has been spending time in the city dealing with the absence of her husband. The Mary Jane scenes felt more like filler to the script by McFarlane.

Conclusion

*This comic book shows the resumption of the violent battle between the Lizard and Spidey.*

Apart from continuing the story, Spider-Man #3 (1990) does not have much to show. Todd McFarlane’s visuals are great and consistently remained high (and even gory) on details, but his weak writing made this one a chore to read through. Being the 3^rd chapter of the Torment storyline, this one is predictable and the pay-off is minimum. At this stage, it is clear that something huge is coming up on the last two chapters of the storyline.

Overall, Spider-Man #3 (1990) is satisfactory.

+++++

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