The 1980s – Page 19 – Author Carlo Carrasco

Retro Gaming Ads Blast

February 2, 2024February 2, 2024carlocarrasco

Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!

Today I am launching a brand-new series of articles titled Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) which will explore the many print ads and promotions of video games, computer games, arcade games and handheld games that were published through the decades.

For the newcomers reading this, print ads of games were widely popular and heavily relied on by gamers/players long before smartphones, social media, the worldwide web and online videos even started. Back in the old days, print media was the most common method for companies to market their games while also helping hardware (machines which played the games) reach potential buyers. Such ads appeared in magazines, comic books and newspapers. Not only that, there were several print ads of games that were made to look creative, compelling and even intriguing.

With those details laid down, here is the first batch of retro gaming print ads for you to see and enjoy…

1. Parker Brothers’ Spider-Man-led print ad

Remember Parker Brothers? That was a company that started way back in 1883 founded with a strong focus on the enjoyment of games in the form of board games, cards and toys. In the late 1970s, Parker Brothers started making electronic versions of their popular board games and engaged in the video game development and publishing. They also went on to make home ports of popular arcade games in the early 1980 for several gaming platforms.

Parker Brothers was very active with making games for the Atari 2600 console which became the dominant machine for home gaming in North America in 1982. In the above print ad, their marketing heavily emphasize the Spider-Man video game for Atari 2600 and added two others games they also published – Tutankham and Amidar – which was a clever move to market multiple games. The ad’s focus on Spider-Man was amusing and even without showing a single screenshot of the game, it was enough to entice people to watch out for it. Be aware that the Spider-Man game’s development was done by Laura Nikolich who was hired by Parker Brothers at a job fair. Nikolich had full creative control on making the game and had no contact whatsoever with Marvel Comics.

2. Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Cloudy Mountain print ad

*An ad like this was strong enough to motivate gamers’ imagination and interest.*

Back in 1982, Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Cloudy Mountain was released on the Intellivision game console and I was fortunate enough to watch my next-door neighbor play it repeatedly. The above print ad – which simply referred to the game as Advanced Dungeons & Dragons – only had a few words which directly pointed to the main objective of the game…the golden crown. While only one screenshot of the game was displayed, the advertisers heavily relied on hand-drawn, comic book-style fantasy art work to sell the game.

For those who were born long after the 1980s, let me share with you that ads like these were really impressive for their time. It was common for advertisers to use art works (even though they may not accurately reflect the gameplay or game design) and post at least one screenshot to catch the viewer’s attention with the hope that it would even encourage him/her to anticipate the game. It should be noted that ads like these were strong enough to make gamers’ imagination or curiosity grow stronger.

3. Konami’s collective military video games advertising

*Print ad of four games for IBM, Amiga and Commodore.*

*Print ad of Jackal and Contra for the NES.*

Konami, the Japanese company that has long been known for Metal Gear, Suikoden and the controversial sacking of famous game designer Hideo Kojima, was aggressive in the gaming business in the 1980s and arguably the aggressiveness was reflected in their publishing of several games that emphasized militarism during the late stages of the Cold War. In short, they made the military look cool and their activities fun to do in digital form.

While Konami has always been identified with console gaming, they actually released Rush’n Attack, Contra, Jackal and Boot Camp on IBM, Amiga and Commodore computers (as seen in the first print ad above) which were popular in the 1980s. The said ad also have a very amusing visual concept emphasizing the excitement and fun of military action games coming to gamers at home for their computers.

The 2^nd print ad above – Jackal and Contra for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) – was very intriguing to see. It was very clear back in the 1980s that the NES always had a wholesome audience (note: a lot of buyers were parents who wanted to entertain their kids at home) and that includes a lot of very young players. To see the collective ad of Jackal and Contra (for the NES platform) having battle-hardened men in military gear holding guns was openly aggressive to perceive and instantly reminded people about the Cold War (and the menace of Communists, socialists, Marxists and terrorists) and the cultural impact of the mega blockbuster film Rambo: First Blood Part II. This is the kind of ad that would drive today’s woke-minded people crazy and even cause them to panic and pretend to be victims of militarism and patriotism. If you look at the ad closely, you will realize there is simply no room for the garbage of political correctness and wokeness.

Lastly, I myself had played Contra and Jackal with my friends on the Nintendo Family Computer (the Japanese counterpart of the NES) and both military games were a lot of fun to play from start to finish!

4. Batman Returns SNES game ad

*This print ad appeared in some comic books I read in the early 1990s.*

Way back in 1992, Batman Returns (the sequel to the mega blockbuster Batman movie of 1989) was released in cinemas with intense marketing and merchandising reflecting Warner Bros. intention to replicate the commercial success they had in 1989. Along the way, there were several video game adaptations of Batman Returns that were released on different platforms. Among those many video games was the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) game of Batman Returns which was developed and published by Konami in 1993 the form of a side-scrolling beat-them-up game.

The above ad was visually appealing with hand-drawn, comic book-style art dominating the spaces while leaving room for some screenshots and a written description of the game. Having seen this ad on multiple comic books I read back then, I can say that the ad was entertaining to see and was effective in making me interested in the game. I played Batman Returns on the SNES but never got to finish it. Oh yes, the game’s audio were really good and there were also digitized images from the movie for the in-game narrative.

5. Flashy Sonic the Hedgehog Japanese print ad

*A dazzling approach by Sega on selling Sonic the Hedgehog.*

1991 will always be remembered as the year of Sonic who eventually became not only Sega’s most defining mascot but also a video game industry icon. That same year, Sega released Sonic the Hedgehog on the Sega Genesis (referred to as Sega Megadrive in other parts of the world) console and it became a massive success with consumers and the game critics.

In the above Japanese print ad, a very captivating display of light and energy rays dominated the space leaving a minority share left for Sega’s console, screenshots and even a UFO Catcher arcade machine picture. While I could not understand the Japanese text, it seems to me that the flashy visual concept of the ad reflected Sega’s high ambitions with Sonic. How many gamers in Japan bought a copy of Sonic the Hedgehog because of this ad remains undetermined.

6. Japanese Super Star Wars print ad

*A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…*

Before Nintendo released its 16-bit game console (referred to as Super Nintendo Entertainment System in America, and Super Famicom in Japan), there were lots of Star Wars video games released on varied platforms and the arcade.

With Nintendo’s 16-bit gaming platform realized, lots of game designers and business partners saw opportunities to make new games with gameplay concepts and designs using the technological advantages of the time. For LucasArts and its partners, taking Star Wars gaming into the next level was inevitable and they made it all come true in 1992’s Super Star Wars video game.

Published in Japan by JVC Musical Industries for the Super Famicom, Super Star Wars was a major leap forward in game design, visuals, sound and enjoyment. Apart from the 2D side-scrolling run-and-gun gameplay, gamers were deeply immersed into Star Wars’ universe with the Mode 7 landspeeder and X-Wing fighter sequences, as well as the first-person trench run sequence.

The Japanese print ad above cleverly presented screenshots from the game while using official imagery from the Star Wars movie poster of 1977 (look at how young Harrison Ford, Mark Hammill and the late Carrie Fisher were back then). The ad is a fine example of combining the greatness of the classic George Lucas-directed film with the highly enjoyable design of Super Star Wars. Lastly, these should remind you that there was a time when Star Wars was not yet tainted by wokeness and the garbage values of the Satanic Leftists (read: woke Disney).

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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

A Look Back at The Blob (1988)

January 26, 2024January 16, 2024carlocarrasco

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from watching the film 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, movie buffs, science fiction fans and geeks! When it comes to making remakes or reimagined versions of established movies from previous decades, the 1980s was indeed a special time to watch them. In 1986, The Fly (directed by David Cronenberg) was released and it made a tremendous impact on moviegoers in ways that the original 1958 movie did not.

Remember when The Blob was first released in 1958? That classic film (read my retro review by clicking here) went on to have a forgettable sequel released in the 1970s but got remade big time with a new version in 1988 simply titled The Blob.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at The Blob, a sci-fi horror movie released in 1988 starring Shawnee Smith and Kevin Dillon, written by Chuck Russell, Frank Darabont, Kaye Linaker and Irving H. Millgate, and directed by Chuck Russell.

Early story

The story begins in the town of Arborville where many locals attend an exciting football game. High school player Paul (Donovan Leitch, Jr.) asks cheerleader Meg (Shawnee Smith) to a date. Elsewhere, the troubled guy Briann Flagg (Kevin Dillon) fails with his attempted stunt as a result of his flawed motorcycle which was witnessed by an elderly vagabond. Flagg goes back to town and encounters the local sheriff (Jeffrey DeMunn) who warns him about trouble.

That evening at the outskirts of town, a meteorite crashes within the forest which the elderly vagabond pursues. With strong curiosity in his mind, the old man uses a stick on a sizable body of slime mold substance (the blob itself) that came out of the crashed meteor. Suddenly, the substance moves and sticks to the elderly vagabond’s hand causing him great pain.

A short time later in the forest, Brian Flagg got surprised by the sudden appearance of the vagabond who desperately tries cutting off his own hand. The blob, which Brian saw for the first time ever, attaches itself even more on the old man causing him to run away until he gets hit by a car (with Meg and Paul inside)…

Quality

*The blob in this movie looks more menacing as it has a tumor look and the special effect work remains excellent to look at. You should also see the blob move and what it sounds like.*

This late-1980s remake of The Blob is not only more engaging and more entertaining than its 1958 predecessor…it is easily on of the best sci-fi horror movies of the 1980s thanks to a very talented creative team led by Chuck Russell.

To begin with, Russell and Darabont (this is the same great director behind The Shawshank Redemption), crafted a very solid screenplay that used key story elements from the 1958 classic while successfully updating everything else with 1980s America (or Ronald Reagan’s America) in mind. For this version, the three leading teenagers played by Shawnee Smith, Kevin Dillon and Donovan Leitch, Jr. were relatable and clearly worth following.

*(From left to right) Shawnee Smith, Kevin Dillon and Candy Clark in an early encounter with the blob.*

While the 1958 movie emphasized American teenagers being disadvantaged as local adults don’t take them seriously (even though the youth knew the problem and intend to solve it), this remake moved away from the generational gap as it strongly focused more on the crisis of a fast-growing blob that simply won’t stop killing people and destroying things. In other words, this is a crisis-focused monster story that is more violent, more horrific, more action-packed and more graphic than its predecessor.

I should also state that Russell and his team established a solid structure for storytelling and the narrative flowed on a medium-to-fast pace. As this movie has more spectacle in terms of action, monster moments and the like, the creative team carefully balanced the fun stuff with the dramatic and exposition scenes smoothly.

*If you see people wearing protective suits arriving in your community and implementing a lockdown, you know a crisis is in effect.*

The cast here is solid! Shawnee Smith’s Meg is the sweet, young good-natured high school girl who is willing to not only survive but also take part in solving the crisis situation not for herself but for her family and the entire Arborville community. Meg has some common elements with that of the character Sarah Connor from The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day. I also love the fact that there is NO WOKENESS and NO RABID FEMINIST VALUES in Meg. Kevin Dillon’s Brian – the troubled youth – is clearly the 2^nd lead and he does a good job dramatizing how his character changes from a guy of uncertainty into an actual doer whose efforts proved to be valuable. There definitely is a non-romantic chemistry between Meg and Brian as the crisis situation really brought out solid transformations from them respectively.

The supporting cast is really good too. Candy Clark’s Fran is the relatable community diner owner/manager who contributed nicely to the plot as well as the early showdown of the blob. Jeffrey DeMunn’s sheriff is the local law enforcer who has to deal with the local situations while tackling the challenges of his leadership post. Paul McCrane here plays a local cop who is tough but not necessarily abusive, and this is the same guy who played a very vicious bad guy in 1987’s RoboCop! Joe Seneca is the government scientist who has charisma and deception carefully blended together which added to the plot. You will even see Erika Eleniak in a very small and yet notable appearance that happens to involve the blob. This film has a really interesting cast and I encourage you to research the names mentioned here.

*This remake is loaded with action scenes, stunts and incredible visual effects!*

On the technical side of things, I really like the cinematography done by Mark Irwin as the visuals captured looked really detailed and clear even during the dark or night-time scenes. The music by Michael Hoenig was pretty good too and his tunes ranged nicely from creepy to sentimental and energetic which reflected the scenes. As for the design of the blob, Lyle Conway deserves the credit for making it very monstrous. As for the physical environment of the movie, the state of Louisiana turned out to be a great location and the real-life Louisiana town Abbeville added strongly to the small town concept of the story.

As mentioned earlier, this version has a lot more spectacle to enjoy. For one thing, there is a good amount of hard action, gunfire and stunts which really added to the excitement (on top of the suspense and horror scenes already implemented). Rest assured, you will not get bored at all when watching this.

*Shawnee Smith is the protagonist in this movie and her performance is very memorable.*

The highlight of the spectacle is the very blob itself which looks so much like a tumor (instead of the jello form in the 1958 version) and the credit goes to the visual effects, sound effects and the animation team behind it all. Compared to its counterpart in the 1958 film, the blob here is very monstrous and horrifying to watch and the way it got animated is excellent. Apart from being unrelenting, this blob is deadlier and even intelligent. Not only does the blob devour the living which adds to its tremendous growth of size and mass, it also has the ability to extend tentacles which added more to the danger. Thanks to the sound effects, the blob is believably animalistic.

Through the blob’s on-screen presence, you can see the hard work implemented by the special effects crew when showing the monster entirely move and devour people, when showing its flexibility on adjusting its size (or its parts) when entering new places through tight spots, and most notably, how the blob alters the flesh of the victims it touches which resulted in very horrifying visuals. The special effects team really excelled with the use of practical effects (read: no computer-generated images) on presenting the titular monster. This is indeed a special effects extravaganza that a lot of people are missing out on.

Conclusion

*The Blob (1988) looks and sounds better than ever in 4K Blu-ray format. I highly recommend this version as it is so much better than streaming.*

There is no doubt in my mind that The Blob (1988) is a great sci-fi horror film that has a more menacing monster complete with sufficient action, great visual effects and a pretty solid cast! This is indeed a great example of a how a remake of an established film from the past should be done and this also includes raising the stakes within the story, modernizing past cinematic elements and ensuring high entertainment value. What director Russell, his team and the cast collectively achieved is indeed a creative success and this is the kind of film that Commie-filled Hollywood (Commiewood) today does not want to make.

As a companion piece to The Blob (1958), this remake has the good stuff that people who love horror, science fiction, action and monsters will enjoy.

Of all the many movies I have seen, The Blob (1988) stands out as one of the best remakes ever made as well as one of the best mixed-genre movies of its decade as well as of all time. That being said, today is a great time to watch this movie with better-than-ever visuals and sounds through its 4K Blu-ray release (pictured above) which is now available (you can order it online now). There is also a lot of features and extra stuff with the 4K Blu-ray. Make no mistake, The Blob (1988) is great to watch and its replay value is pretty high.

Overall, The Blob (1988) is highly recommended.

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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 The Man of Steel #1 (1986)

January 24, 2024January 17, 2024carlocarrasco

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, 1980s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the late 1980s to explore a part of the DC Comics shared universe through a tale of the iconic Superman.

After DC Comics published the maxi-series Crisis on Infinite Earths, the publisher rebooted their entire comic book universe and that meant reintroducing their superheroes, villains and supporting characters with a touch of 1980s modernization. To reboot and modernize Superman, John Byrne was hired and he was granted a lot of creative freedom for production.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at The Man of Steel #1, published in 1986 by DC Comics with a story written and illustrated by John Byrne with ink work by Dick Giordano.

Early story

The story begins sometime in the past in Krypton (Superman’s home world), a world about to meet its doom. Jor-El (Superman’s father) arrives home feeling deeply troubled and he wastes no time to execute an important plan he prepared. He examines his unborn Kal-El inside the birthing matrix which turned to have been removed by one of the servants from the gestation chambers of the planet. Lara confronts her husband over what was committed and asked him why he endangers the life of their unborn child.

Jor-El tells her that he plans for their son to be spared from the pending doom of Krypton (a chain reaction from the planet’s core caused vast pressures to build within the crust, fusing native elements into a new metal – Kryptonite) by sending him far away deep into space with planet Earth as the final destination. Jor-El has done extensive research of Earth and is convinced that their son will not only survive there but also become a supreme being among the inhabitants…

Quality

*Clark’s earthly parents were indeed involved in his development becoming Superman.*

There is no doubt that this John Byrne-led comic book remains great to read and highly significant with anything about Superman. Instead of telling one single extensive story, Byrne created a series of connected short tales that dramatized the icon’s post-Crisis origin and how the Krypton-born American Clark Kent became Superman for the first time ever.

While the prologue set in Krypton was quite heavy with expository dialogue, each subsequent short story was carefully structured and moved at a medium pace gradually emphasizing Clark Kent’s transformation into the Man of Steel. Along the way, there were lots of story details not only about the titular character but also about the Kent couple (Clark’s adoptive parents), what they went through, what secrets had to be kept and more. Very symbolically, this is a tale about an alien human being from space who grew up with traditional American culture and US heartland values while being raised by very loving American parents who previously could not produce children of their own. Through Clark, you will see that he is a blessing for Jonathan and Martha Kent and it is up to the couple to sow good values in him which are essential to his becoming not only a super being among mortals but also his emergence as a hero.

Conclusion

*The origin of the post-Crisis Superman is great to read!*

The Man of Steel #1 (1986) is indeed a great, character-focused comic book that emphasized the origin and debut of the post-Crisis Superman. John Byrne modernized Superman while still maintaining the classic superhero elements from the icon’s past versions as well as the American identity and ways (none of those woke and internationalist nonsense). This is also the optimistic Superman that is very inspirational which the recent DC cinematic universe (referred to as “DCEU”) of Warner Bros. terribly lacked. This illustrated literature work is also a major cornerstone of the post-Crisis era of DC Comics and John Byrne’s take on Superman is very defining and iconic.

If you are the kind of reader who views Superman widely through pop culture, you will notice specific elements from this comic book that made it into other forms of entertainment media such as Man of Steel (2013), the Christopher Reeve Superman movies, the animated movies, the Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman TV series (starring Dean Cain as the Man of Steel) and more. Those multimedia productions showed how influential this comic book became as a major reference for other creators.

Overall, The Man of Steel #1 (1986) is highly recommended!

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Better than Streaming: Do you have American Pop (1981) Blu-ray in your collection?

January 19, 2024January 9, 2024carlocarrasco

Welcome back, fellow geeks, Blu-ray collectors and movie buffs! Decades ago, animator and director Ralph Bakshi made significant contributions to the art of hand-drawn animation with features that made it to cinemas such as The Lord of the Rings (1978), Wizards (1977), and Fire and Ice (1983) to name a few.

Along the way, Bakshi became identified with rotoscoping which is a technique that involves drawing or painting over an element in live-action footage frame by frame (as to create a matte or a realistic animation).

Speaking of Bakshi’s past work as well as rotoscoped animation, Sony Pictures recently released the film American Pop (1981) on Blu-ray disc format and I am happy to say that I now have a copy of it for my Blu-ray collection. This is also my first-ever Blu-ray of a Bakshi-directed animated movie.

*A close look at the cover of my Blu-ray copy of American Pop.*

To begin with, posted below are the specs from the Blu-ray.com page…

Video

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC

Resolution: 1080p

Aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Audio

English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)

Subtitles –English SDH

Discs -Blu-ray Disc, Single Disc (1 BD-25)

Playback – Blu-ray: Region A

In my personal experience, the first time I ever saw American Pop was not in the cinema but on TV here in the Philippines way back in 1993. Back then, I found the film’s combination of music with mostly rotoscoped animated scenes (there were also some live-action shots, archived footage and some very unique pieces of art shown). I was not able to replay Bakshi’s movie until recently.

So after more than thirty long years, I finally got to replay American Pop on Blu-ray and I can say I enjoyed it even more. To see the rotoscoped animation and varied music play in front of me in high-definition is an even more immersive viewing experience than the previous time I saw this film. Another advantage of high definition is being able to see tiny visual details that I was unable to spot long ago. Oh yes, the fine artworks used on the backgrounds in specific parts of the movie now look a lot more engaging to look at.

*A look at the rear of American Pop Blu-ray.*

What I regret to say here is that American Pop Blu-ray absolutely has no special features included. Not even a movie trailer! I can only guess that Sony Pictures did not bother to exert efforts to conduct new interviews with Ralph Bakshi and the cast members, nor did they even try to secure any media features or previews of the movie before its theatrical release. It’s not clear if Sony will someday come up with a collector’s edition Blu-ray of this 1981 Bakshi film.

In case you are interested or if you have made up your mind, you can order a copy of American Pop Blu-ray by clicking https://www.amazon.com/American-Pop-Blu-Ray-Ralph-Bakshi/dp/B0CBXJW38F/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2HXMAKQ7ZRPF8&keywords=american+pop+blu+ray&qid=1704790730&sprefix=American+Pop%2Caps%2C498&sr=8-1

For the dedicated Ralph Bakshi fans as well as enthusiastic film buffs and collectors of movies on physical media, American Pop Blu-ray is recommended as the film itself is more than enough to outweigh the lack of special features. American Pop is more lively than ever to watch and listen as it is now in high-definition.

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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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 13

January 12, 2024April 17, 2024carlocarrasco

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 topics and the related videos I found.

#1 The precise differences between Christianity and Islam, Lord Jesus and Muhammad, and the Holy Bible and the Quran explained – The YouTube channel HolyLandSite is a favorite of mine as it has published a lot of very credible and detailed explanatory videos about the Holy Land in Israel, Christianity, the Jews and how everything is connected with the Holy Bible (the Word of God). In the recent video they published recently, the precise differences between Christianity and Islam, between Lord Jesus and Muhammad, and between the Holy Bible and the Quran are explained in detail by Pastor Todd. I strongly recommend watching the video below…

#2 The deep hatred of the Palestinians towards Israel explained – There is no doubt that hatred, violence and murder are core values that the Palestinians have been oriented with while living under very evil leaders (murderer/terrorist Yasser Arafat is just one of them). To date, there are very few Palestinians who overcame their evil orientation and pushed back against their evil leaders to become good people. In the video below, YouTuber Oren explains in detail why so many Palestinians grew up with hate and live by hate towards Israel and its people. Lastly, I should state once again that the Palestinians are a displaced people, are NOT natives of the land of Israel and they caused trouble when they occupied Jordan and Kuwait.

#3 Remembering the past video game company Working Designs – It has been almost twenty years since American game company Working Designs closed down and ended their business. For the newcomers reading this, Working Designs is best known for localizing several video games from different Japanese companies for the North American market and among their best known releases were Lunar: The Silver Star Story, Lunar: Eternal Blue, Dragon Force and Magic Knight Rayearth. Their business history is very interesting to examine and for your viewing pleasure, posted below is one video about Working Designs’ legacy and another video about their games released across different platforms.

#4 Man of Steel video reviews, analysis, trivia and reaction videos – The cinematic universe of DC Comics superheroes that started in 2013’s Man of Steel is officially over and the newest film Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom won’t match its predecessor’s massive commercial success. Unofficially referred to as the DCEU (DC Extended Universe), the past cinematic universe of Warner Bros. had a very inconsistent record of commercial and critical results. That being said, it is high time to go all the way back to the very beginning with Man of Steel (starring Henry Cavill as Superman) through a series of varied videos I found for you to watch.

#5 DeepStar Six videos – Believe it or not, way back in 1989 there was not one, not two, but three movies that had underwater settings. One of them was DeepStar Six which was directed by original Friday The 13^th movie director Sean S. Cunningham and, for some reason, was released in cinemas here in the Philippines with the title “Alien from the Deep.” While it grossed less than Leviathan and was made for a fraction of the budget of James Cameron’s The Abyss, DeepStar Six still has a long-lasting following and different kinds of videos about it were made. You can watch what I found below…

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A Look Back at Detective Comics #575 (1987)

January 10, 2024January 4, 2024carlocarrasco

After DC Comics published the maxi-series Crisis on Infinite Earths, the publisher rebooted their entire comic book universe and that meant reintroducing their superheroes, villains and supporting characters with a touch of 1980s modernization. Frank Miller led the reintroduction of Batman as a new crime fighter in the Batman: Year One storyline in 1987. Also that same year, DC Comics went on to publish a sequel storyline through four issues of the Detective Comics series. That sequel was titled Batman: Year Two.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Detective Comics #575, published in 1987 by DC Comics with a story written by Mike W. Barr (the same guy who did Mantra for Malibu Comics) and drawn by Alan Davis. This is the first chapter of the Batman: Year Two storyline.

Early story

The story begins in Gotham City where the newly appointed police commissioner Gordon participates in a TV talk show. The talk show host is aggressive towards Gordon cutting him off verbally and pointing out that Batman – who is working with the police fighting crime – is no better than the Reaper, a costumed vigilante who caused trouble and killed many people on Gotham’s streets twenty years prior. Gordon emphasizes that Batman works with the city police and he operates strictly on his own.

As the TV talk show goes on, a group of armed thugs carrying varied items enter an apartment that is dark. Outside the Bat Signal (coming from the machine Gordon recently got) flashes, and soon Batman himself appears inside the apartment and cleverly took the gang down. He leaves the place going to do other things.

The next day, Rachel Caspian is pleasantly surprised to see her father arrive earlier than expected…

Quality

*Batman strikes first in his encounter with the Reaper.*

Set during the 2^nd year of Batman engaging in crime-fighting in coordination with the Gotham City police force, this comic book dramatically portrays the city having a long-running disease and legacy of crime. The references to Gotham’s embarrassing past of being filled with thugs and wicked activities literally paved the way for the return of a masked vigilante who fights criminals with uncompromising violence (including killings). That vigilante’s legacy affects the way the public perceives Batman and why they have trouble seeing the differences between them. The writing and build-up here are very solid.

When it comes to portrayals, you will get to see a younger Bruce Wayne who is clearly pushing himself hard between engaging in business matters and secretly fighting crooks. This is a Batman who is only gaining more experience in the war against crime and he clearly is not the very tactical and very resourceful hero he would become. In his fight against the Reaper, you will really see Batman struggle hard and make really flawed moves that cost him a lot.

The introduction of the Reaper, who became the definitive vigilante of Gotham City long before Batman even started, is very engaging. This vigilante is also very intimidating to see and he clearly overshadows the Caped Crusader both visually and in action.

Conclusion

*Bruce Wayne attending to business on-site.*

As the first chapter of the Batman: Year Two storyline, Detective Comics #575 (1987) is a very solid tale to read. The narrative moved at a medium pace and there were these balanced pay-offs to the build-up (that took place in the first half). The Reaper’s reputation as Gotham’s past blood-thirsty vigilante literally dwarfed that of Batman (the modern vigilante). I should also state that Mike W. Barr symbolized the common traits and differences between Batman and the Reaper which alone are worth reading.

Overall, Detective Comics #575 (1987) is recommended.

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A Look Back at G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #23 (1984)

December 6, 2023December 2, 2023carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1980s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the mid-1980s to explore Marvel Comics’ extensive publishing of a comic book series based on the wildly popular military-themed franchise of toys – G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero.

Whenever a war between good and evil happens, it is only desirable for people siding with the good guys to score a major breakthrough against the evil ones. Breakthroughs include annihilating the enemy entirely or compelling them to surrender unconditionally, or capturing one of their most powerful leaders alive.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #23 published in 1984 by Marvel Comics with the main story written by Larry Hama and drawn by Mike Vosburg.

Early story

The story begins near the Italian border of Switzerland. GI Joe member Snow Job sits high up on a cliff and monitors an institute from long distance. He carefully sees the Baroness (wearing a white garment) and reports to Duke about it. Duke, who is seated close to Roadblock in public, tells him to maintain passive surveillance as their team is anticipating that the Baroness will lead them to Cobra Commander.

Moments later, Roadblock notices a man across the street coming out from one of the buildings. The man turns out to be Major Bludd, a mercenary working for Cobra. Duke then sends a message to Cover Girl and Clutch (both of them riding a car elsewhere) to follow Major Bludd…

Quality

*Cover Girl and Clutch chase the vehicle that has Major Bludd and Baroness.*

I really like this story. While this is clearly not the bombastic, gun-blazing conflict between G.I. Joe and Cobra, this tale has stronger elements of espionage, suspense and intrigue nicely mixed together. The story moved at a medium pace and there were suitable pay-offs to the build-up that occurred throughout.

While the cover of this comic book is indeed a spoiler, it is within the details of the script and its story structure that justified the capture of one of Cobra’s most notorious figures. How G.I. Joe pulled it off and what obstacles they went through were nicely portrayed by the Hama-Vosburg team.

Not only that, the comic book also shed light on the character moments and story developments told through the side of Cobra which are quite intriguing to read.

Conclusion

*Cobra Commander making his way through in the American town of Springfield which is their front.*

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #23 (1984) is another fun and engaging tale Larry Hama crafted. The creative team succeeded in justifying the capture of Cobra Commander (as seen in the cover) while giving readers some new insights about the characters and how they do their duties. By the time I reached the end of this comic book, I was satisfied and convinced to look forward to what would happen next.

Overall, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #23 (1984) is recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #10 (1983)

December 1, 2023November 30, 2023carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1980s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the early 1980s to explore Marvel Comics’ extensive publishing of a comic book series based on the wildly popular military-themed franchise of toys – G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero.

Last time around, G.I. Joe found itself getting attacked within their own base (The Pit) as a result of the robot they brought in from a stronghold of their terrorist rival Cobra. It was a Trojan plan that Cobra Commander and his team organized from far away and they almost succeeded.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #10 published in 1983 by Marvel Comics with the main story written by Larry Hama and drawn by Mike Vosburg.

Early story

The story begins with G.I. Joe members Scarlett, Snake-Eyes and Zap reach the top of a tall New York City building that could be another stronghold of Cobra. On the street just outside of the same building, other Joe members located inside a van on the street and in the sewers carefully make their moves to ensure their operation will succeed.

Behind the scenes inside the building, the Baroness is informed of the Joes’ presence. This causes the top of building’s roof to open causing Snakey-Eyes, Scarlett and Zap to fall down into a room. In response, the Joe members inside the van make their move into the building save Scarlett and her two teammates…

Quality

*A few of the Joes captured by Cobra, and Snake-Eyes got heavily restrained.*

This is another clever story written by Larry Hama highlighting the rivalry between G.I. Joe and Cobra without emphasizing the usual action-packed battles between them. Instead, this tale emphasizes Cobra being more resourceful than meets the eye. What I mean is that the terrorists here are not limited to their military culture and weapons as they also have the means to conduct scientific experimentation, establishing spies among civilians (including minors) and even having American towns as their tactical fronts.

In many ways, this tale shows Cobra being a very diversified terrorist organization that also mastered the uses of disguise and imagery to hide themselves from American authorities right there in America. The town of Springfield symbolizes Cobra’s use of ground level fronts to hide their secret underground stronghold from being spotted which is eerily similar to how Palestinian terrorist group Hamas uses schools, hospitals and other establishments in the Gaza strip to hide their tunnels and operation places deep under. The portrayal of American minors being junior officers of Cobra is really disturbing as it reminds me of the fact that in reality, Palestinian terrorists (note: the Palestinian Authority is corrupted and practices apartheid) have brainwashed their minors to hate and to murder Jews. I should add that the Palestinian terrorists, Hamas, the United Nations (UN), Amnesty International and the many Leftist leaders of nations formed the global axis of evil we know today.

As for the characters, the new kid here is easily the most notable addition and you have to read the comic book to find out why. For the more established characters, you will see Snake-Eyes helpless and Scarlett being really vulnerable in the dream world. On the side of Cobra, Dr. Venom has really fascinating interpretations and observations about the readings of the scientific operations.

Conclusion

*The other G.I. Joe members scramble to rescue their teammates.*

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #10 (1983) is very engaging and intriguing to read from start to finish. This comic book, which is clearly a piece of fantasy, also served as an intriguing reminder that terrorists in the real world (read: Iran, Palestinian terrorists, Hamas, Hezbollah, ISIS and others) are capable of securing or stealing large financial resources for themselves and expand their operations to infiltrate societies and take advantage of the ignorant and helpless members to be part of their wicked causes. There were indeed lots of parallels between Cobra and the Palestinian terrorists.

Overall, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #10 (1983) is recommended.

+++++

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 10

November 24, 2023April 17, 2024carlocarrasco

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 topics and the related videos I found.

#1 Son of Hamas Co-Founder Denounces Palestinian Terrorist Group – This video recently published by the channel of CBN News (under the Christian Broadcasting Network) must be seen in full. Mosab Hassan Yousef, the son of Hamas co-founder Sheikh Hassan Yousef, blasted the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas without hesitation. He defected from the terrorist group in the late 1990s and secretly worked with Israel’s security services to expose and prevent several Hamas terrorist attacks. He later gave his life to Christ and wrote a 2010 autobiography titled Son of Hamas. This is the YouTube video that pro-Palestine fanatics and the terrorists themselves are afraid of. Please share this video to others.

#2 The Transformers: The Movie (1986) nostalgia – Like many people of my generation, I was a fan of The Transformers animated TV series. Then in 1986, a theatrical feature called The Transformers: The Movie was released in cinemas in some parts of the world at a time when Internet connection and social media were not yet common. That same movie became a must-see in our village as soon as it was made available for rent on video tape format. My friends and I had a lot of fun watching it and thanks to the advances of technology, a 4K Blu-ray of it is now available. Of course, The Transformers: The Movie was notable not only because it was the first feature-length Transformers production but also because it had the death of a major character and it marked a turning point in the lore of the Transformers which was reflected subsequently on TV. That being said, there are lots of retrospective videos, retro reviews, reaction videos and more of it on YouTube which you can see below…

#3 Examining the mental instability of climate change activists and believers – Like many others, I prefer to live in an environment that is not very dirty and has abundant clean air. Of course, that does not mean I believe in the movement of climate change which itself has armies of zealots and extremists who disrupted societies with their radical activism while spewing distorted views about many things in order to impose their agenda on others. That being said, one has to wonder how all that unrestrained activism impacted the mental health of each and every climate change believe and why could they not stop doing their stupid acts of public disruption. Fortunately, Sky News Australia made a video about that and you can watch it below…

#4 The ignorance and stupidity of pro-Palestine LGBT people exposed – As the war between Israel and Hamas continues, a lot of pro-terrorist, pro-evil and pro-Palestine rallies have happened around the world which includes zealots of the Satanic Left. Among those zealots are homosexuals and members of the LGBT people who shamelessly supported the Palestinian terrorists in varied ways. What is clear, however, is that the pro-Palestine LGBT rallyists do not even realize that homosexuality, transgender beliefs and the LGBT lifestyle in Palestinian society are NOT acceptable and these would get them into trouble (torture, imprisonment and even death). These same LGBT supporters of the Palestinians collectively attacked Israel which itself has LGBT rights and freedom established. As it is a fact that Leftists always go together with terrorists, the LGBT people’s support for the Palestinians (a displaced people who have no stake in the land of Israel at all) clearly showed their embrace of evil as well their ignorance and their acts of stupidity. It seems the LGBT activists sold their souls to the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas as well as the corrupt Palestinian Authority (PA). To learn more, watch the Sky News Australia video below…

#5 The wickedness and violent nature of the pro-Palestine activists revealed – There is a lot of anti-Semitism and hatred towards Israel that happened in the form of protests around the world. Recently in Washington, DC, a mob of pro-Palestine activists clashed with the police officers just outside the office of the Democratic National Committee (DNC). One of those activists is a Democrat (referred to the Democratic Party as “our party”) who spoke directly to the camera (starts at 0:53) as seen in the Sky News Australia video below. What is clear here is that these pro-Palestine activists in America have been brainwashed to hate Israel, to hate the Jewish people while loving the terrorists also. They have been brainwashed to be violent, to live with delusions and believe in lies. Not only that, there was another pro-Palestine protest in Germany that turned violent and resulted in the injuring of over sixty police officers. Democrats and other Satanic Left elements always go together with terrorists. In fact, the pro-Palestine believers themselves are gradually becoming new terrorists. Watch and learn from the videos below…

#6 G.I. Joe nostalgia – If you are a long-time fan of the G.I. Joe entertainment franchise or if you are a newcomer who is just starting to discover more of the said franchise, then you should check out the reruns (first video posted below) of full episodes the 1980s animated TV series G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero at Hasbro’s official YouTube channel. By the way, check out my two retro comic book reviews of G.I. Joe by clicking here and here. Now, enjoy the G.I. Joe videos below…

#7 You like Team America: World Police? – I never saw the 2004 movie Team America: World Police but I saw a few puppetry shows and films when I was a little boy. Recently, YouTuber Minty Comedic Arts posted a trivia video of it which made me remember the time back in 2004 when I saw movie posters of it during a visit at the local cinema. If you are a fan of the film or if you are just discovering it, watch the videos below…

+++++

A Look Back at G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #3 (1982)

November 23, 2023November 21, 2023carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1980s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the early 1980s to explore Marvel Comics’ handling of a series based on the wildly popular military-themed franchise of toys – G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero.

Last time around, a small number of G.I. Joe members went to the North Pole on a mission to find answers and anyone responsible for the destruction of the American research base. The mission did not involve Cobra at all but a certain specialist who was working as a freelancer.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #3 published in 1982 by Marvel Comics with the main story written by Larry Hama and drawn by Herb Trimpe.

Early story

The story begins shortly after G.I. Joe’s successful raid on a secret stronghold that belonged to their arch-rival Cobra. A huge, bulky robot was found at the site and the Joe team received orders to get the machine back to their command center – The Pit – to run preliminary scans on it.

Due to the very sensitive nature of the robot and the Cobra stronghold, the military uses three trucks disguised as American mail trucks for the trips to The Pit.

Elsewhere, Cobra Commander and his team are aware that G.I. Joe is bringing the robot with them. He has a Trojan plan prepared…

Quality

*The scent of bacon and eggs reached the higher levels.*

To make things clear, this is story still does not put G.I. Joe head-to-head with Cobra in combat. Instead, this is a tale about Cobra’s attempt to cause chaos on their rivals deep within a top secret stronghold of the Americans. That being said, the main character here is the huge robot of Cobra’s which really pushed the Joe team into real challenges. The robot does not even speak and its actions really drove up the tension of both the Joe team’s predicament as well as the narrative itself.

Along the way, you will get to see members of G.I. Joe becoming more tactical with their struggle to survive and solve problems. In fact, the Joe members are more versatile which reflect what they learned from extensive training.

Conclusion

*Cobra Commander monitors the developments from a distance as G.I. Joe members brought with them the robot from what was once a stronghold of Cobra.*

While the lack of a direct conflict between the Joe team and Cobra is evident, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #3 (1982) still had an unrelenting enemy in the form of Cobra’s robot that proved to be a major force of opposition. In terms of presentation, this story has a slight touch of science fiction (due to the robot) but managed to be military in nature the rest of the way. Apart from their resourcefulness, the G.I. Joe members here displayed a strong element of team work. The narrative is packed with action as well as a good amount of details that made the reading experience consistently good.

Overall, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #3 (1982) is recommended.

+++++

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