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, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Image Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the wild 1990s and explore a part of the WildStorm universe through a tale of Backlash!
In my previous retro review, as the mission of Backlash and Taboo intensified, Zealot and Void of the WildCATs got involved in the action. Pike, who had been serving S’ryn, proved to be a formidable foe for Zealot and Taboo. The Savage Dragon meanwhile proved to be more than capable of bringing down S’ryn which made Backlash less relevant in his own comic book. Just as things intensified, something big blew up.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Backlash #4 published in 1995 by Image Comics with a story written by Sean Ruffner, Jeff Mariotte and Booth. Booth was the artist.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins just moments after the big explosion. Savage Dragon, Backlash, Zealot, Jacob Marlowe, Taboo, Void and Jack managed to survive. In line with his duty as a police officer, Savage Dragon tells Zealot that Backlash and his friends are coming with him as they have been tagged by the government as threats to national security. Zealot then lifts her blade up to Savage Dragon’s throat and states that if Backlash had not been with them, then her lord Emp (Marlowe) may well have been assassinated.
Eventually, Void uses her power to transport Backlash, Taboo, Jack, Zealot and Marlowe away, leaving Savage Dragon behind…
Quality
A briefing about the next mission.
To put things straight, this particular comic book serves as the conclusion of the storyline (the mission specifically) that started in issue #2 while also working as a bridge going into the next storyline. The good news here is that the creative team’s work here is good enough in terms of quality.
For one thing, the team really took their time to develop Backlash and Taboo some more right after the end of the first mission. Their talk with each other as civilians inside a New York City bar was nicely written and there were a few witty moments that I found enjoyable. Along the way, there was efficient expository dialogue that explains Taboo’s past connection with Pike and the Cabal. Backlash also shared some key details of himself which ultimately made him and Taboo have something in common.
This story also shows a key flaw in Backlash’s personal integrity – his romantic involvement with Taboo made him betray his beloved Diane. For one thing, this potentially opens a series of problems that will eventually haunt him later. On another thing, it seems that the creative team have something intriguing planned for the protagonist who has clearly been sharing this comic book series’ spotlight with Taboo.
As with the previous issues, this comic book continued the build-up and emphasis of the WildStorm universe’s concepts. In terms of crossovers, Wetworks’ leader Jackson Dane makes an appearance here and his unexpected reunion with Backlash is a must-see. For the newcomers reading this, WildStorm’s Grifter (WildCATs), Backlash, Dane (Wetworks) and Deathblow are all members of Team 7 which had its series of wild stories set twenty years prior (note: think of the Vietnam War era). It was also in 1994 when the first Team 7 comic book mini-series was first published. In some ways, Backlash interacting with Grifter in the Kindred mini-series and reuniting with Dane served as creative ways to emphasize the Team 7 concept to readers.
On the visuals, Brett Booth continues to do a fine job presenting the characters (who are clearly recognizable to me) and I noticed he seems to have fun trying to test readers’ visions by carefully inserting selected X-Men characters into the background during the bar scenes as Taboo and Backlash talked. As for Dane, I like Booth’s own take on the character
Conclusion
Look carefully at the background and you will spot X-Men team members Cyclops, Jean Grey Gambit and Rogue in civilian forms.
Backlash #4 (1995) is more of a build-up comic book that so happens to have a decent amount of action for entertainment value. The characterization scenes of Backlash and Taboo is a must-see while the conclusion of the first mission was nicely done complete with a worthy end to the crossover with WildCATs’ Zealot, Void and Jacob Marlowe. The story itself moved at a medium pace which is not surprising as there was something being built-up with the new mission in mind.
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, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Image Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the wild 1990s and explore a part of the WildStorm universe through a tale of Backlash!
In my previous retro review, Backlash and Taboo went on a mission infiltrating a special social event that attracted the rich and powerful. Jacob Marlowe, the founder and leader of WildCATs, was targeted by S’ryn and Pike who were at the said event disguised. Backlash took action but got wounded while fighting S’ryn. As the chaos continued, the Savage Dragon entered performing police duty.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Backlash #3 published in 1995 by Image Comics with a story written by Sean Ruffner, Jeff Mariotte and Booth. Booth was the artist.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins Jacob Marlowe trying to escape away from the party. While trying to summon his team, he gets cornered by Pike. Pike noticed that Marlowe is not fully aware about the powers he has as a Kherubim. Shortly after Marlowe gets hit, Taboo suddenly jumps in and hits Pike to free the WildCATs leader. Taking advantage of Taboo’s help fighting Pike, Marlowe calls his team by phone.
At the party venue, Savage Dragon tells S’ryn that he is under arrest. Backlash is down on the floor bleeding…
Quality
You will get to see Backlash and Savage Dragon fight each other.
If there is anything very notable here, it is the fact that the creative team not only ramped up the superhero spectacle but also emphasized crossovers by having Zealot and Void of WildCATs involved in the action as well as having Savage Dragon participate heavily during the events. This story continues what started in issue #2 and along the way, you will see Marlowe’s Kherubim heritage emphasized as he is a high-level target of the Daemonites represented by S’ryn here.
While the plot is rather light, the high amount of action turned out to be very entertaining to see while the interactions between the characters were pretty engaging to follow. It is fun to see Backlash and Savage Dragon (Erik Larsen’s creation) conflict with each other over S’ryn. For Backlash, S’ryn is too dangerous to be handled by the local law enforcers while Savage Dragon sees him as a suspect who has to be jailed due to the chaos caused within the local jurisdiction. It should be noted that Savage Dragon was more than capable on bringing down S’ryn which essentially makes Backlash look like a failure.
Pike here noticeably became a more prominent villain. Not only was he dead serious with his mission to kill Jacob Marlowe, he proved to be a formidable foe against Taboo and even the highly proficient Zealot. This is interesting to see since Pike’s participation in the WildCATs mini-series was not too great and the dialogue the creative came up with emphasized his personality a lot.
As this is an action-heavy story, I can say that Brett Booth’s visual work here is very good. He knew how to set-up the action sequences as well as how to frame the action in sequence. There were even moments in which some aspects of his art resembled that of Jim Lee. Speaking of crossovers, Booth’s artistic take on Zealot, Void and Savage Dragon was nice to see.
Conclusion
Zealot and Void of WildCATs got involved in this story.
Backlash #3 (1995) is another fun ride but on a higher gear and with stronger emphasis on crossover elements. To really enjoy this, one must be oriented enough with Savage Dragon and WildCATs to grasp this comic book’s concept and how the guest characters fit into the narrative. This is a meaningful crossover within the WildStorm universe. Fans of Backlash will have a lot to be engage with in this comic book.
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, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the wild 1990s and explore a part of Malibu Comics’ Ultraverse through a tale of Freex.
Since after facing off with Contrary (who eventually became part of UltraForce) and her so-called school and students, Freex had been traveling far and long (refer to my previous Freex reviews here, here and here) and gained Old Man as a useful companion. Along the way, they encountered the unknown deep underground and even saw a powerful being. They even got to the city of Denver temporarily. As they went on, they found the path that led them back to civilization.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Freex #15, published in 1994 by Malibu Comics with a story written by Gerard Jones and drawn by Scott Kolins. This is a flip-side comic book with Ultraverse Premiere #9 (1994) on the other side.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins with Freex – composed of Plug, Sweet-Face, Pressure, Anything and new member Cayman – have been traveling for some time deep underground with Old Man. They find themselves back in San Francisco, the one city that brought them together. While still a long distance away from the city proper and there are no locals who could see them, the team cautiously move to a high communications tower. Michael/Plug uses his special ability to transform himself into electronic matter and makes his way through the communications network of the city to do something very important. Cayman meanwhile becomes the object of discussion between Pressure and Sweet-Face as he has yet to share with them details about himself.
As Cayman himself was part of Contrary’s academy and joined Freex recently, he has trouble gaining the trust of the others. After wearing new clothes that Lewis found, a guy suddenly appears to them. He introduces himself to them as Evan…
Quality
The very evil Rafferty monitoring Freex secretly and enjoying his advantage over them.
Considering what happened in the previous issues, this story feels like a breath of fresh air not only because of the new location the team got into but also because of strong twists that happened. Instead of going through fantastical encounters, Freex found themselves in situations that are more grounded with reality (within Ultraverse standards specifically) and more notably, the story emphasized crossover as Freex and Old Man encountered Firearm. The said crossover, quite cleverly, sets up Freex into a collision course with the serial killer Rafferty (who encountered The Strangers elsewhere within the Ultraverse). For the newcomers reading this, Rafferty is one of the most evil characters of the Ultraverse who has murdered a lot of people – including his own parents – and has developed tremendous hatred of Ultras.
The inclusion of Rafferty here also sheds light on the Freex’s past connection with the Night Man (click here and here). More notably, the said serial killer turned out to be so resourceful and totally obsessed with murdering people with special abilities, he became a formidable force towards Freex. This leads to a pretty powerful and twisting conclusion that must be seen.
Conclusion
The gang by the tower.
With a good amount of intrigue, characterization spectacle, strong dialogue and the element of crossover, Freex #15 (1994) is a pretty engaging comic book to read. The biggest feature here is having Freex in a conflict with a very obsessed killer who not only hates Ultras but also has an extensive record of murdering many people over a long period of time. In my view, the Freex-Rafferty conflict was nicely structured and it added depth to the plot. What happened in the end of this comic book should resonate with dedicated fans of Freex.
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, 1990s culture enthusiasts, Marvel 2099 fans and comic book collectors! Today we revisit the Marvel 2099 franchise within Marvel Comics’ shared universe during the 1990s. Specifically speaking, we take a look back at one of the early tales of Spider-Man 2099.
In this retro comic book review, Spider-Man made it back to his home after encountering Vulture 2099 and seeing the low life and inhabitants of the people living in the old City of New York far below. His return, however, is not joyful not only because of the growing tension between Miguel O’Hara and the people his connected with but also because his mother suffered a health-related attack.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Spider-Man 2099 #10, published by Marvel Comics in 1993 with a story written by Peter David and drawn by Rick Leonardi.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins inside a hospital room. Conchata O’Hara is slowly recovering and near her are her sons Miguel (Spider-Man) and Gabriel as well as Dana. Conchata starts to feel and move restlessly but for Miguel (who heard his mother call his brother Gabriel a good son), she was just acting. Conchata then gets up from her bed and Gabriel encourages his brother to talk to her. Miguel responds saying that their mother hates him because he reminds her of his father – George O’Hara. Dana and Gabriel tell him to talk to her…
Quality
Spider-Man takes on the local authorities. Does this make him a criminal or a social justice symbol? Read the comic book.
To put it straight, this comic book tells the story of the O’Hara family complete with flashbacks from key points of the past. Unsurprisingly, Peter David’s writing is very rich and in-depth with details which made it a compelling read in my experience, and it should be more engaging for readers who passionate follow Spider-Man 2099 and his civilian life as Miguel.
Without going too far with the details, I can say that this comic book explains why Miguel has a very uneasy relationship with his own mother who in turn is close with Gabriel while also resentful of George. As this is a Spider-Man 2099 story, you will see Miguel do his best to make his mother understand his views and himself better no matter the rift between them. There is also a notable superhero-related twist within the Miguel-Conchata interactions that readers who have troubled relationships with their own mothers (especially those who engage in idolatry which is foolish and unholy) will find strongly relevant personally. Miguel’s own personal assessment of his 2nd life as Spider-Man alone deserves your deep attention. Again, Peter David’s writing here is literally solid gold in terms of richness and characterization.
Conclusion
A quick look at the past of the O’Hara family.
While there is no good-versus-evil conflict for superhero enthusiasts to look forward to, Spider-Man 2099 #10 (1993) is a highly engaging, character-driven story that highlights Miguel O’Hara on a very personal level while also having enough space to explain to readers why the O’Hara family relationships are strained. There are even flashbacks that nicely dramatized the past and the one scene in which Miguel goes out in public in full costume as Spider-Man will make you wonder what the protagonist really believes in and where he plans to take his life to. Peter David’s writing here made all the difference.
Overall, Spider-Man 2099 #10 (1993) is recommended!
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, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the wild 1990s and explore the far future of 2099 within the Marvel Comics shared universe through one of the tales of Spider-Man 2099.
In my previous retro review, the futuristic Spider-Man got involved with his era’s version of Vulture (Vulture 2099 to us readers). It turns out, Vulture 2099 is not your typical evil supervillain but the leader of a group of violent radical people who are willing to dominate society with a destructive mindset even though there are other opposing groups around them. And then Spidey 2099 realized something very wrong about the Vulture which leads to a big battle between them.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Spider-Man 2099 #8, published in 1993 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Peter David and drawn by Rick Leonardi.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins with Spider-Man 2099 and Vulture 2099 crashing into the interiors of the ancient St. Patrick’s Cathedral located in old New York City (underneath the modern city). Unsurprisingly, the people inside the cathedral got very surprised about the unexpected entry of the two fighters.
Elsewhere, Miguel O’Hara’s brother Gabriel helps Kasey with her head. She tells him that she saw Miguel but Gabriel does not believe her. Suddenly, members of a gang knock on the door and Kasey opens it.
Inside St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the fight between Spider-Man and Vulture continues. Spider-Man remembers that he has lapsed as a Catholic and he feels very uneasy about the trouble he and his enemy are causing inside the old church structure. Vulture suddenly throws a wooden bench at Spidey but breaks open a glass window and then goes outside. Upon looking outside, Spider-Man notices a group of Vulture’s gang…the Freakers.
Quality
The battle between Spider-Man 2099 and Vulture 2099 is intense and very compelling to read.
Here is the good news about this comic book…the story here is a fitting conclusion to what happened in issue #7. The conflict between Spider-Man and Vulture here was carefully crafted and there were several key moments or scenes the provided readers some breathing room to grasp and understand the society of 2099 New York as well as the conflict between the downtown social groups who are deprived of the higher standard of living many miles above them. In some ways, the social divisions portrayed in this comic book is a sad reminder about modern day America and the many radical groups or gangs of people who divide society on race, ethnicity, social class, gender and ideology.
As expected, there is a lot of action executed in the fight between Spider-Man and Vulture of 2099 but there were pauses in between. This is not surprising considering how Peter David crafted the action-packed battles Spidey 2099 had with other enemies in the comic books released before this one. Without spoiling what happened, I can say that the battle between the two was nicely built-up and the conclusion turned out very satisfying to see.
Still on the story, Peter David added some layers of complexity into the conflict that easily made things much more difficult for Spider-Man 2099 on a personal level. I’m talking about his brother Gabriel and Kasey getting involved in the gang war against the Freakers.
Vulture 2099 is once again a standout opposition figure here. Not only is his ability to fly and cause chaos above his obsessed Freakers below is symbolic, his distorted, hardcore beliefs are reflected with his unrelenting use of violence as he fights Spider-Man. Not only that, he turns out to be very philosophical thanks to the rich dialogue Peter David came up with. It is also here that the futuristic Vulture is opposed to God and being the socialist-indoctrinated person he is, he easily blames Alchemax for God’s absence. This should remind you that through Vulture 2099, evil comes with fatal attraction that people could not realize until it is too late. The futuristic Vulture has a lot of common with the evil leaders of Black Lives Matter, Antifa, the Democratic Socialists of America and the long-time regime of Iran. Lastly, I should state that radical socialists are always wrong about God and they often live with distorted perceptions about Him. Vulture 2099 qualifies as a woke figure of 2099 and ultimately wokeness is foolishness.
Speaking of sub-plots, this comic book emphasizes Tyler Stone on how he handles ambitious projects of Alchemax that he believes will benefit people. His interactions with Dana here also sheds light about his very own obsession about the future of humanity.
Conclusion
Spider-Man in trouble with the Vulture’s gang members.
With rich writing, notable in-story details and a very well designed conflict between the futuristic Spider-Man and Vulture, Spider-Man 2099 #8 (1993) is both very engaging and entertainting to read from start to finish. It is a great pay-off to what was built-up in issue #7. Very notably, the conflict between Vulture 2099 and the protagonist is great to see and it is clear that Vulture is not a disposable supervillain but one of the most definitive forces of opposition against Spider-Man 2099. Of course, as comic book history turned out, Vulture 2099 made it in the crossover comic book event between classic Spider-Man and Spidey of 2099. Along the way, the creative team succeeded with expanding the lore of 2099 and the social underclass of New York.
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, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1993 and explore a part of Marvel Comics’ universe through the first-ever limited comic book series featuring one of Marvel’s most iconic supervillains – Venom.
Previously, I wrote about Venom with his appearances in What If comic books (click here and here) as well as in issues of Venom: Lethal Protector (click here and here). Venom also appeared in the disappointing crossover comic book Spider-Man Meets Spider-Man 2099.
Moving back to the year 1993, the Venom: Lethal Protector limited series ended and Marvel went on to release a 2nd limited series composed of three issues complete with an all-new creative team. That series was Venom: Funeral Pyre and the most notable thing is that Venom gets to be with the Punisher (read my other retro reviews that include the character here, here, here and here).
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Venom: Funeral Pyre #1 published in 1993 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Carl Potts and drawn by the late Tom Lyle.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins on the streets of Oakland, California. There, a young guy named Gray Russell watches gang members severely beat up another guy which disturbs him deeply. He is part of the gang. A short time later, he rides with the gang in a car which hits a man (who managed to have his young nephew move out of harm’s way).
Somehow the man survived and moves to another direction deliberately to lure the gang away from his nephew. As the gangsters move towards a local building, Gray separates from his harsh companions to find a phone booth. Gray finds Calvin (the nephew of the man who got hit) nearby and decides to comfort him. From a distance, they heard the gangsters beat Calvin’s uncle to death.
The next day in the underground city beneath San Francisco, Calvin meets Eddie Brock and hands him a note meant for the police. As Calvin reveals more details, Eddie gradually turns into Venom with his alien costume covering up his body. After learning of the death of Calvin’s uncle and hearing the young boy’s plea for help for Gray (an investigative reporter in secret within the gang), Venom agrees to help him as it is their mission to save the innocent and destroy the guilty…
Quality
Punisher and Venom’s first-ever encounter with each other.
I want to start first the with the overall presentation crafted by the Potts-Lyle creative duo. In terms of story and setting, this comic book has a very strong urban crime vibe which is not a surprise given the fact that Carl Potts wrote lots of stories of the Punisher and his personal war against criminals. That being said, the tone is very different compared to what was shown in Venom: Lethal Protector and other Venom tales that got published before this comic book. Very clearly, this story is dark, gritty and even disturbing to read due to the subject matter of crime and senseless violence caused by people who are obsessed with violence. The fantasy elements of Venom: Lethal Protector are unsurprisingly absent here.
Carl Potts’ take on Venom’s personality is technically an extension of what was established previously. Venom, who is truly a murderer on the loose, continues to live with his very distorted code by helping the innocent by means of using violence and death on others he personally views as guilty. His getting involved in the turf of crime here is, however, a fresh approach on the super villain now acting “heroic” helping Calvin who lost his uncle. Being a former journalist himself, Eddie Brock “relates” with the investigative journalist involved with the gang.
The other major character – the Punisher – is his typical self in this story. He gets involved in the conflict in Oakland not purposely but accidentally as he was just passing by in his weapons-filled van as he heard the local police communication on local crime. The only thing notable about the way the Punisher is portrayed here is his first-ever interactions with Venom which is a crossover scene filled with a decent amount of hard action.
Gray, the investigative journalist, is presented here as technically the third major character of the story. In some ways, he even overshadows Venom and the Punisher in key parts of this comic book. He is not really an interesting character himself but there are some interesting Marvel universe details shown from his personal memories. What is clear about this uninteresting character is that the creative team planned something with him in a key role within the core concept of this mini-series.
As for the plot itself, it clearly has a dark and gritty concept of street crime in 1990s Oakland which itself plays a big part of the build-up of the story and the eventual crossover between Venom and the Punisher. The problem is that the build-up has an uninteresting character with Gray involved and there is a lot of exposition to go through before the Venom-Punisher encounter.
The encounter between Venom and the Punisher here came with the superhero comics crossover trope of the players misunderstanding the situation and each other, and getting into a conflict very early on. Both characters have their respective obsessions and so-called codes of purposes, which predictably leads them into conflict as they stayed hard-headed towards each other. While it is flawed, the Venom-Punisher crossover here is the highlight as well as the relief from having to read all the exposition and build-up.
Conclusion
A scene like this could inspire Black Lives Matter terrorists, SJWs, woke activists and North American socialists to become violent and cause havoc around America.
Venom: Funeral Pyre #1 (1993) is a flawed comic book that happens to highlight the Punisher and Spider-Man’s greatest nemesis of the time. It delivered on its promise of showcasing the two characters – a cold-hearted anti-crime vigilante and an alien costume-equipped murderer – in a crossover but the pay-off was barely enough when you take into account the build-up, the exposition and the involvement of the uninteresting third player named Gray. Compared to what was shown in Venom: Lethal Protector, this comic book clearly has an urban crime flavor which Carl Potts strongly implemented. As for the art, Tom Lyle showed he is really good in visualizing Venom, the Punisher and street gang wars.
Overall, Venom: Funeral Pyre #1 (1993) is serviceable. Definitely this is not the fabulous 1st issue described on the foil cover.
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back, superheo enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts, X-Men fans and comic book collectors! Today we revisit the X-Men Adventures monthly series which was the literary adaptation of the popular X-Men animated series of the 1990s.
If you are a long-time X-Men fan who enjoyed the comic books and the movies, then the cover of this particular X-Men Adventures issue that has Rogue on it should remind you of the mutant cure concept portrayed in the 2006 movie X-Men: The Last Stand. In the said movie, it was Rogue who went out to have her mutant powers neutralized so that she can live a normal life and no longer worry about absorbing another person’s life force.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at X-Men Adventures #10, published by Marvel Comics in 1993 with a story written by Ralph Macchio and drawn by Andrew Wildman.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins with the arrival of Cable outside a private home in the Swiss Alps. Inside, Warren Worthington (Angel) and Gisela spend quality time together by the fire. They talk about a certain Dr. Adler who is a genetics expert that Worthington sent to Scotland to conduct research.
Suddenly, Cable breaks into the place and points his gun at Worthington looking for Dr. Adler. While talking, Worthington reaches for a gun and fire it at Cable. The huge armed mutant then grabs Worthington by the head and throws him out of the home and into the snow. In response to Cable’s question, Gisela mentions that Dr. Adler has gone to Scotland. Moments later, Worthington (in his angel form) flies back into the house to protect Gisela from whatever harm Cable could do to her.
Over at Muir Island, Professor X and his long-time colleague Dr. Moira MacTaggert discuss the facility and research done there. Xavier mentions that the core of the research done by the mysterious Dr. Adler. Moira states that Adler is not officially part of the research center and he simply pays for everything he uses there.
After failing to meet Dr. Adler inside his research office, Xavier conducts a mind probe which causes a series of stake images enter his consciousness. The experience was so intense, his telepathic inquiry got disrupted abruptly. Professor X then decides to contact the X-Men…
Quality
Rogue goes through a lot in her pursuit to become normal.
Let me start with the concept of Rogue’s pursuit to cure herself of her genetic mutation…compared to the 2006 live-action X-Men movie, the plot in this literal adaptation of the X-Men animated series episode makes more sense and is more believable to follow. Without spoiling the identities (note: to find out who they are, read this comic book), I can say that there are sinister forces behind the genetic works of Adler within the Muir Island facility. The Adler operation is just part of a grand scheme that the sinister forces have been working on and Rogue’s involvement was a surprise addition. More on Rogue’s pursuit of getting normal, what was portrayed in this adaptation was nicely structured while also cleverly avoiding the “doing it all for the sake of love” cliché. In short, she made her pursuit not for her romance with Gambit but to really change her life significantly, even if it means losing her membership with the X-Men. Through her actions, you will feel Rogue becoming desperate and reckless to be normal.
Apart from the tale of Rogue, the X-Men meanwhile have been handling themselves without Professor X and Cyclops clearly carries the responsibility of leading them all. As for Charles Xavier, his departure has been explained and incidentally he has gotten close to danger even though Dr. Moira MacTaggert is with him. The writing in this adaptation is filled with suspense, surprises and intrigue which were nicely executed with concise timing.
Conclusion
Charles Xavier makes contact with his team from far-away.
X-Men Adventures #10 (1993) is a very good read. Anyone who saw the half-baked mutant cure aspect of the 2006 X-Men movie will find the Rogue tale here more satisfying to read. This is definitely Rogue’s story with some spotlight shared with the X-Men, two other mutants who served as opposition for Rogue, and the sinister forces I mentioned. This comic book is actually the first of two parts focused on Muir Island and it certainly is a really satisfying reading experience on its own.
Overall, X-Men Adventures #10 (1993) is recommended.
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, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1993 and explore a part of Marvel Comics’ universe through the re-imagined tales emphasized in the What If monthly series.
Some time ago, I reviewed What If #20 (1990) which explored what would have happened had Peter Parker/Spider-Man did not marry Mary Jane Watson. While that comic book’s story and visuals were engaging, the narrative weakened before the end and it turns out the tales was not really designed as standalone What If story. That being said, the story continues on in the 21st issue of the What If series that I just reviewed.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at What If #21, published in 1991 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Danny Fingeroth and drawn by Jim Valentino.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins with a man – who overheard the talk between Black Cat and Mary Jane Watson during the end of issue #20 – who calls someone and starts a negotiation. The unseen person on the other end of the call is not seen but the man knows about the other person’s history of attempts to kill Spider-Man.
Within the City of New York, the romantically bonded Spider-Man and Black Cat work as a crime-fighting duo bringing crooks down. Shortly after, they get married in a private ceremony in Niagara Falls, New York using fake names (Peter Parker as Peter Palmer, and Felicia Hardy as Felina Marvey). During their first night together as husband and wife, Felicia gets out of bed surprising Peter. It turns out, Felicia is in the mood for crime-fighting. This brings them back to New York City where they resume their anti-crime crusade as Spider-Man and Black Cat.
Peter Parker notices something with his new wife. No matter what she says as Black Cat, she is still in love with his Spider-Man identity and only tolerates his true, civilian identity. He wonders if Felicia will come to accept the real him…
Quality
The Vulture attacks Spider-Man’s wife Black Cat.
To begin with, this comic book has a much stronger story, deeper character development, solid twists and a very intriguing conclusion that also happens to be a lot more satisfying compared with issue #20.
For one thing, the team of Fingeroth-Valentino really ramped up their imaginative creations and took this tale to more daring directions. The core concept of Spider-Man and Black Cat being married is deeply explored which resulted in a tale that is intriguing for most of the time. Their marriage also raises questions as to how Spider-Man and Black Cat perceive each other both as civilians and as costumed crime fighters. Also explored nicely was how they handled their secret identities while struggling with their own emotions deep inside. To say the least, seeing Spider-Man and Black Cat as a married couple as well as a dynamic duo of crime fighters makes a solid reading experience.
I should also state that there is a lot of story and characterization-development pay-offs that reflect not only what was built up in this comic book but also in issue #20. To really enjoy and experience this issue, you must read the previous issue as well.
Conclusion
Spider-Man and Black Cat as the married couple and duo of crime fighters.
What If #21 (1991) is a very captivating read. To put it short, it exceeds issue #20 on just about everything and the conclusion is a lot more satisfying and intriguing to read. The Fingeroth-Valentino team created an in-depth look at an alternate married life of Spider-Man as well as what would happen once the webslinger and Black Cat work together in fighting criminals while managing their personal secrets and the stress that comes with marriage. I should also state that the twists within the story are much more satisfying than in issue #20. This is truly a must-read not just for Spider-Man fans but for any superhero enthusiast!
Overall, What If #21 (1991) is highly recommended!
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, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Image Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the wild 1990s and explore a part of the WildStorm universe through a tale of Backlash!
Backlash #1 was indeed a fun and engaging read with the creative direction spearheaded by Brett Booth who was a co-writer and the illustrator. It built-up Backlash as a major WildStorm figure while also emphasized the concepts from his previous appearances in the Kindred limited series which paired him with Grifter. As seen in issue #1, he freed Taboo and it was clear that she was designed to be a key part of the Backlash series.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Backlash #2, published in 1994 by Image Comics with a story written by Sean Ruffner, Jeff Mariotte and Booth. Booth was the artist.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins with a meeting inside the high-tech headquarters of the W.O.R. (Wildlife Organized Research), a front covering the outpost for the criminal organization called the Cabal. During the meeting, the fall of Helspont was discussed and talk about running the Cabal intensified. Just as it was made clear that a new beginning and new leadership were needed to manage the Cabal, a warlord called S’ryn arrives with the deadly Pike behind him. After briefly overwhelming opposition from a Coda warrior and H’tarh, S’ryn performs a ritual and gets the pledge of loyalty from those who recognized him as the new leader of the Cabal. The stage is set for further escalation between the Daemonites and the Kherubim.
In the city of Chicago, Backlash and Taboo spend time together in an apartment that looks worn down and not so clean. It turns out, both of them are fugitives and they are waiting for Cyberjack to complete his surveillance of the security of a hotel where a celebrity ball is set to happen…
Quality
In the middle of a special event, Backlash and Taboo spring into action as WildCATS’ Jacob Marlowe gets into trouble.
Compared to what happened in issue #1, this story moved at a moderate pace in relation to the new mission which involved espionage and suspense. It’s not the action showcase the previous issue was but rather more moderated as the creators took a new approach to not only tell a new story but also do its own build-up of the Kherubim-Daemonite war and other WildStorm universe concepts. The story is well-written and while there is a lot of expository dialogue and creative explanations implemented, it never felt forced. Along the way, the creative team started implementing crossover elements by having Jacob Marlowe of WildC.A.T.S.: Covert Action Teams as well as established Image Comics figure Savage Dragon (from Erik Larsen) included in the story and even getting involved with the operations that took place.
As for Backlash himself, you will see a little less of him in this tale (compared to issue #1) which is not surprising as the creative team focused more on the plot and had to handle the crossover elements. Backlash did not become a supporting character here and you will see some superhero spectacle from him, particularly in his rematch with a certain villain.
Conclusion
S’ryn gets challenged before he becomes the new leader of the forces of evil.
Backlash #2 (1994) is a fun ride that cleverly combined crossover elements with its own approach on building up the WildStorm concepts, notably the war between the Kherubim and Daemonites. It also shows the consequences of what happened in the 4th issue of the WildC.A.T.S. mini-series particularly within the side of the opposition. As such, this comic book is pretty much a sequel to the said mini-series. At this stage, there was clearly something prepared to entertain readers while maintaining focus on establishing Backlash (note: Marc Slayton was one of the Team 7 members) as a major WildStorm character.
Welcome back, my readers and fellow Christians! In this newest edition of my Christian Music Appreciation (CMA) series, we will focus on Lord Your Goodness, an original worship song of Hillsong Worship with lyrics written by Reuben Morgan.
If you want to discover and learn more about Hillsong Worship, I encourage you to click here (Facebook page), here (Instagram) and here (YouTube).
Before getting into the analysis of the Biblical relevance of Lord Your Goodness, posted below for your reference are the lyrics composed by Reuben Morgan.
I will come to You with an open heart
And bring a sacrifice of praise
I have seen Your power in the holy place
And I have known Your mighty ways
–
I will remember Your mercy
And Lord Your faithfulness
–
Lord Your goodness and Your love will follow me
All the days of my life
I’m surrounded with the favour of the Lord
Always and forever
To begin with, let’s take a close look at the first section of the lyrics above: I will come to You with an open heart, And bring a sacrifice of praise, I have seen Your power in the holy place.
The above lines emphasize that we the faithful children must always come to Him with open hearts and that means being completely transparent and honest with Him as there is simply no hiding of darkness nor sin deep within. To be born again in Christ means having His Spirit – the Holy Spirit – in the heart and always prioritizing the Lord with complete honor and obedience towards Him. Remember when you were still living your old sinful life? You not only had a closed heart hardened by sin, you also had a heart that did not have the Holy Spirit which clearly means it was not a heart of worship. For the lost and unsaved souls thinking about coming to God, always open your heart first before coming to His Jesus for repentance and getting born again. If you are an unsaved or lost soul who still has unholy elements in your heart (note: homosexuality, political correctness, wokeness, idolatry, religion, Marxism, socialism, Communism, atheism, agnosticism, transgender obsession, terrorism, fascism and others), you must get rid of them all and you must reject Satan before you come to the Lord for salvation. Be ready to repent to Him. Once you have a fully opened, worship-oriented heart, praise is inevitable for everyone to do to realize the Lord’s power and holiness. Learn from the scriptures below…
But the moment one turns to the Lord with an open heart, the veil is lifted and they see. Now, the “Lord” I’m referring to is the Holy Spirit, and wherever he is Lord, there is freedom. We can all draw close to him with the veil removed from our faces. And with no veil we all become like mirrors who brightly reflect the glory of the Lord Jesus. We are being transfigured into his very image as we move from one brighter level of glory to another. And this glorious transfiguration comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:16-18 (TPT)
And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
Ezekiel 36:26-27 (ESV)
Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (MSG)
What joy overwhelms everyone who keeps the ways of God, those who seek him as their heart’s passion!
Psalms 119:2 (TPT)
Through Him, therefore, let us constantly and at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name.
Hebrews 13:15 (AMPC)
Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and the earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and Yours it is to be exalted as Head over all.
Both riches and honor come from You, and You reign over all. In Your hands are power and might; in Your hands it is to make great and to give strength to all.
Now therefore, our God, we thank You and praise Your glorious name and those attributes which that name denotes.
1 Chronicles 29:11-13 (AMPC)
Next, take a close look at the following lines of lyrics: I will remember Your mercy, And Lord Your faithfulness.
The mercy and faithfulness of the Lord are undeniably true and real. While there are still lots of religious people who believe the falsehood that the Lord is always very strict and rarely grants mercy, His mercy is actually great and He is compassionate as well. The Lord is faithful (lasting loyalty and trustworthiness in relationships) and His love for His faithful children is connected with faithfulness, mercy and compassion. Lord Jesus proved it all to be true and real. Learn from the holy scriptures below…
And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.”
Exodus 34:6-7 (NKJV)
It is because of the Lord’s mercy and loving-kindness that we are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions fail not.
They are new every morning; great and abundant is Your stability and faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22-23 (AMPC)
The Rock, his work is perfect,
for all his ways are justice.
A God of faithfulness and without iniquity,
just and upright is he.
Deuteronomy 32:4 (ESV)
For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.
John 3:16 (AMPC)
By the time Jesus came ashore, a massive crowd was waiting. At the sight of them, his heart was filled with compassion, because they seemed like wandering sheep who had no shepherd. So he taught them many wonderful things.
Mark 6:34 (TPT)
There failed no part of any good thing which the Lord had promised to the house of Israel; all came to pass.
Joshua 21:45 (AMPC)
This is why he had to be a man and take hold of our humanity in every way. He made us his brothers and sisters and became our merciful and faithful King-Priest before God; as the One who removed our sins to make us one with him. He suffered and endured every test and temptation, so that he can help us every time we pass through the ordeals of life.
Hebrews 2:17-18 (TPT)
For God’s Word is something to sing about! He is true to his promises, his word can be trusted, and everything he does is reliable and right.
Psalms 33:4 (TPT)
The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and abounding in mercy and loving-kindness.
The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works [the entirety of things created].
Psalm 145:8-9 (AMPC)
Celebrate with praises the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has shown us his extravagant mercy. For his fountain of mercy has given us a new life—we are reborn to experience a living, energetic hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
1 Peter 1:3 (TPT)
Next, take a close look at the following lines of lyrics:Lord Your goodness and Your love will follow me, All the days of my life, I’m surrounded with the favour of the Lord, Always and forever.
As the faithful children of God, we have His favor, His love, His goodness and much more. To be faithful to Him and living by His Word (and spreading it) are our responsibilities as Christians. Our faith in Him must always be unbreakable and unwavering. We reject idols and reject unholiness because we are meant to be with the Lord and follow His ways in accordance to His Word. Never forget our union with Lord Jesus, the Heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit. Learn from the holy scriptures below…
Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear, revere, and worship You, goodness which You have wrought for those who trust and take refuge in You before the sons of men!
In the secret place of Your presence You hide them from the plots of men; You keep them secretly in Your pavilion from the strife of tongues.
Psalm 31:19-20 (AMPC)
For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].
Ephesians 2:10 (AMPC)
Oh, thank God—he’s so good!
His love never runs out.
All of you set free by God, tell the world!
Tell how he freed you from oppression,
Then rounded you up from all over the place,
from the four winds, from the seven seas.
Psalm 107:1-3 (MSG)
Give thanks to God—he is good
and his love never quits.
Say, “Save us, Savior God,
round us up and get us out of these godless places,
So we can give thanks to your holy Name,
and bask in your life of praise.”
Blessed be God, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
Then everybody said, “Yes! Amen!” and “Praise God!”
1 Chronicles 16:34-36 (MSG)
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:2 (NKJV)
God, everyone sees your goodness, for your tender love is blended into everything you do.
Psalms 145:9 (TPT)
Jesus explained, “I am the Way, I am the Truth, and I am the Life. No one comes next to the Father except through union with me. To know me is to know my Father too.”
John 14:6 (TPT)
No one is holy like the Lord,
For there is none besides You,
Nor is there any rock like our God.
1 Samuel 2:2 (NKJV)
Jesus commented, “Even more blessed are those who hear God’s Word and guard it with their lives!”
Luke 11:28 (MSG)
It is confirmed and obvious that Lord Your Goodness is a very holy worship song as the Lord anointed Reuben Morgan on writing the lyrics. The same can be said about others at Hillsong Worship who worked behind the scenes on making Lord Your Goodness. The evidence of holiness is spread all over the lyrics and brought to life even more musically.
As it is holy and captures the biblical messages about the goodness of our Lord, I strongly recommend the use of Lord Your Goodness for your local church’s Sunday worship service as well as in praise-and-worship events that involve the church’s music team. Lord Your Goodness is a lively reminder of not only of His goodness, but also of the love, blessings, care, attention and compassion towards each and every faithful child of His with established personal relationships with Him.
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. Sharing this Christian piece means spreading the good news of the Lord to others. It can help you save the unsaved and the lost souls out there. Also please consider making a donation to support my publishing of faith articles and CMAs.
Author Carlo Carrasco 