Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?
I recommend you check out the following videos I found.
#1 You, Me and the Movies react to Night of the Living Dead (1990) – While there are a lot of YouTube videos about the Night of the Living Dead from 1968, there are simply much lesser videos to the 1990 remake by comparison. For the newcomers reading this, the 1990 version of Night of the Living Dead was directed by Tom Savini, presented in color and had its own ways of modernizing the zombie apocalypse genre of film. In my experience, I saw the 1990 remake long before I accidentally discovered on cable TV the 1968 original. If you want to discover the movie and don’t mind spoilers, check out You, Me and the Movies’ entertaining reaction video below.
#2 Unsolved Mysteries Season 3 episodes (hosted by Robert Stack) – If there is any American TV show that made weekday nights entertaining or engaging, it’s none other than Unsolved Mysteries hosted by the late Robert Stack. It’s a good thing for Unsolved Mysteries fans worldwide that episodes hosted by Stack are available for free viewing at YouTube via the FilmRise channel. That being said, posted below are assorted episodes from season 3 of the show for you to discover.
#3 PatmanQC examines the RoboCop arcade game – In 1988, Data East released their adaptation of RoboCop in the arcades achieving tremendous success around the world. RoboCop is considered by some as an arcade classic and is arguably the best RoboCop game ever made. To find out who were responsible for the arcade game and what made it so enjoyable, watch the in-depth video by PatmanQC below.
#4 Healthy breakfast recipes by Shannon Barker – Shannon Barker is a pretty model who appeared in lots of fashion shows. In my retro comic book review of The Solution #17, I expressed my opinion that Barker would make a very good cosplay photograph model as Shadowmage. Apart from fashion, Barker is also a lifestyle vlogger and if you are interested in health breakfast recipes, watch her video below.
#5 Space Quest revisited – Decades ago, me and my friends were able to play on PC (DOS era) the graphic adventure game Space Quest (full title: Space Quest: Chapter I – The Sarien Encounter). Space Quest was one of my computer games released by Sierra On-Line and it involved being observant, being able to pay attention to the descriptions, and typing the right commands in order to progress. Recently, I saw a retrospective video of Space Quest done by YouTuber Power Pak, and it definitely is both nostalgic and fun to watch.
#6 Ashleigh Burton reacts to Howard the Duck – In 1986, the comedy Howard the Duck was released in cinemas and ended up failing both critically and commercially. While it is considered as one of the worst films ever released, it still has a dedicated following. Believe it or not, the movie was produced by George Lucas and his company Lucasfilm made it. To say that Howard the Duck is cinematic trash is extreme and if you want to see how it impacts Ashleigh Burton, watch her reaction video below.
Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?
I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.
#1 Revisiting the Ultraverse – When it comes to 1990s comics, the short-lived Ultraverse is the one franchise that defined the decade the most as it had lots of engaging concepts, solid stories and captivating characters to follow such as Prime, Mantra, Harcase, Prototype, The Strangers, The Solution and more! Behind the scenes, publisher Malibu Comics had a great creative team who brainstormed and developed the Ultraverse a lot prior to its 1993 launch. To learn more about the Ultraverse, watch the following videos below.
#2The 1993 debate between Peter David and Todd McFarlane – Way back in 1993, I learned bits of information about a certain debate between the prolific writer Peter David (The Incredible Hulk, Spider-Man 2099) and Todd McFarlane (Spider-Man and Spawn) through word-of-mouth and comics-related print media. Of course, Internet access here in the Philippines was not yet available back then but there was local awareness about the David-McFarlane verbal battle. Fortunately for us, an actual video of the entire debate was uploaded to YouTube and the YouTuber Strange Brain Parts posted an analytical video about it. The videos are now available for your viewing pleasure.
#3 Lefties Losing It (Trump, Richard Gere, Taylor Swift booed and more) – In this recent episode of Lefties Losing It hosted by Rita Panahi, you will see how demented the current congressional Democrats have gotten, US President Donald Trump being cheered and how Taylor Swift was booed during the recent NFL Super Bowl, Richard Gere failing to accept reality and much more. Seriously, a lot of Leftists are still bitter over Trump’s return as President and they prefer to move on with their distorted view of reality. Wokeness truly is living wrongly. Watch and enjoy the video below.
#4 VKunia reacts to Poltergeist (1982) – A lot of people find 1982’s Poltergeist (directed by Tobe Hooper and produced by Steven Spielberg) a scary viewing experience. It has been the subject of many documentaries or reaction or retro reviews on YouTube. YouTuber VKunia posted her own reaction video of it and you can how it affects her in the video below.
#5 PatmanQC explains the history of The House of the Dead – The House of the Dead is a horror-themed series of video games that Sega first launched in 1996. During that year, there were The House of the Dead machines that suddenly appeared in local arcades here in the Philippines. Due to its horror theme and high level of violence, it caused some disturbance to concerned parents whose children saw or even played it. Regardless, the newer The House of the Dead games made its way to the local arcades as the years passed by. If you want to know who created the said Sega franchise and what were the inspirations for each game, watch the in-depth video by PatmanQC now.
#6 Dawn of the Dead reaction videos – To make things clear, I was never a fan of Zack Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead remake. I saw it in the local cinema back in 2004 at a time when the new movies released were not so interesting. Even with modest expectations, I was not so entertained by it. Still the movie is popular with YouTubers who posted their own reactions to it. Watch and learn from the selected videos below.
Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!
In this edition of the Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) series, we will take a look at another batch of retro gaming print ads – including arcade flyers – from the 1980s and 1990s.
For the newcomers reading this, Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) looks back at the many print ads of games (console, arcade, computer and handheld) that were published in comic books, magazines, flyers, posters and newspapers long before smartphones, social media, the worldwide web and streaming became popular. To put things in perspective, people back in the 1980s and 1990s were more trusting of print media for information and images about electronic games and related products.
With those details laid down, here is the newest batch of retro gaming print ads for you to see and enjoy…
1. Galaxian for Atari print ad
A unique approach to the art done by the advertisers.
Developed by Namco, Galaxian was a 2D sci-fi shooter that debuted in arcades in 1979. It was so successful and widely acclaimed, it got ported to varied game consoles and home computers as the years passed by. For its release on the Atari 2600 and Atari 5200, this print ad was created to catch the attention of fans and gamers by utilizing artwork that resembled the look of 2D sprites from the game. That being said, no screenshots of Galaxian on the Atari consoles were shown because the artwork used looked detailed and were attention-grabbing already.
2. 1943: The Battle of Midway arcade flyer
This is a fine looking flyer.
In 1987, Capcom released in the arcades 1943: The Battle of Midway which was their follow-up to 1942. The arcade flyer itself was designed to strongly promote the game using a combination of screenshots, short-but-clear text descriptions and the great looking piece of artwork which really emphasized the World War II concept. Behind it all, this game was made by Japanese developers with the Western markets in mind and the irony is that the game has players control Americans fighting the Japanese fleet.
3. Top Gunner arcade conversion kit flyer
Show this nice looking image to the woke nut or modern day Communist near you. Watch and observe his or her reaction.
To make things clear, Top Gunner is actually the run-and-gun game Jackal and the alternative titles was mainly used in North American arcade distribution and also reflected Konami’s move of coming up with titles inspired by blockbuster movies of the time. To promote its 1986 arcade release in America as a conversion kit, the advertisers had three models playing soldiers on a military jeep to immerse gamers into the core concept of the game – moving armed military jeeps from one location to another while fighting bad guys. The approach used for the visual concept is indeed inspiring, especially during the Cold War. Top Gunner/Jackal became a hit in both arcades and consoles.
4. Joust for Atari print ad
While I played Joust on console, I don’t remember seeing this print ad before.
Made by Williams Electronics, Joust was one of those early 1980s arcade games that eventually made its way to the Atari 2600 console which was massively popular in North America. Strangely enough, the artistic approach Atari’s advertising came up with for the console version of Joust was similar with that of the ad of the Atari version of Galaxian (see item #1 above) in which artwork was used to resemble the 2D sprites of the game. Regardless, the images of this ad showed what a joust looked like – a martial game between two armed combatants going against each other while riding an animal.
5. Kid Chameleon print ad
Can you relate with Kid Chameleon’s identity crisis?
During the early years of the Sega Genesis, Sega of America exerted efforts to make new games that were not only exclusive to their console but also stand out among the many 2D side-scrolling adventure games by coming up with a protagonist with a unique personality that could somehow resonate with young kids and teenagers.
Developed by their internal experts (Sega Technical Institute), the company released Kid Chameleon in 1992 and they came up with the above print ad that had detailed hand-drawn art of the lead character as well as a wordy text description which was a clear attempt to help young gamers (including teenagers) get connected with both the game and the protagonist. The advertisers even had space to spare to accommodate two screenshots of the game.
6. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (AKA T2: The Arcade Game) for Sega Genesis print ad
This print ad appeared on the many comic books I read long ago.
Back in the early 1990s, Terminator 2: Judgment Day was a massive success in the global box office and this resulted in Arnold Schwarzenegger’s popularity to soar very high while also establishing the Terminator as an essential pop culture figure. Apart from comic books and merchandise, video games based on the movie were made and the one that stood out the most was the arcade shooter game initially titled Terminator 2: Judgment Day (later retitled as T2: The Arcade Game).
The arcade mega hit eventually got ported to the Sega Genesis and this print ad really looked flashy with its visual presentation showing screenshots and a zoomed-in look at how the Terminator T-800 looked like in the Genesis version complete with a few explosions in the background. It should be noted that this flashy print ad cleverly concealed the visual downgrades and the redrawn images as the Genesis itself could never come close to matching the high quality visuals of the arcade version.
7. CYBERPad print ad
I never owned the CYBERPad, nor have I ever used one.
During the so-called 16-bit console generation (actually the 4th console generation), there were lots of licensed console peripherals made by independent companies in support of the Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). The company Suncom Technologies came up with the CYBERPad controller for the two consoles and they boasted in their print ad that the product had a programmable control pad that allowed users to create combinations for each game with convenience in mind. The CYBERPad also allowed the saving of the programmable moves and it had a rapid-fire feature and even a slow-motion function. The CYBERPad was made to make the gameplay experience more user-friendly.
If you look closely, this print announcement by GamePro technically advertised the game consoles, the arcade game and Lara Croft to its readers.
In 1999, GamePro magazine celebrated its 10th anniversary and to keep on resonating with gamers and maintaining the loyalty of their fans, they organized a reader sweepstakes with prizes worth over $25,000 to be won by the few winners. GamePro boasted a date with an unnamed model who played the iconic Lara Croft (Tomb Raider). Certain arcade machines plus the modern consoles of the time – including the brand-new Sega Dreamcast – were also at stake. The way it was presented, this GamePro print announcement was enticing to read.
9. Smash T.V. for SNES print ad
Smash T.V. was a lot of fun on both arcade and console.
The arcade hit Smash T.V. made its way to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) in 1992 and the publisher came up with a print ad that had captivating artwork, six screenshots and a text description that emphasized that a lot of fun awaits gamers on the console version. In my view, this old ad is still amusing to look at.
10. David Robinson’s Supreme Court print ad
It was a smart move by Sega to get NBA superstar David Robinson as the endorser of this basketball video game exclusive on the Sega Genesis. This ad was published many years before Robinson finally won an NBA championship.
As part of its strategy in competing with Nintendo during the 4th console generation, Sega of America was focused on producing exclusive sports video games for the Genesis console backed by endorsements of sports professionals. In 1992, they released David Robinson’s Supreme Court on the Genesis and unsurprisingly their print ad used a large, stylized image of the NBA superstar dunking backed with an exciting text description plus screenshots showing the game’s use of the isometric view for gameplay. This is still worth looking at.
11. Taito’s “heat wave” print ad
An amusing and creative way to sell video games.
If your company lacks money to effectively market your video games individually, you can try making a single ad promoting them together. This is what Taito did in this print ad which showcases multiple games for different platforms and they used artwork of a player experiencing the so-called heat wave. This is a nice stroke of creativity on the part of Taito.
12. Jurassic Park Interactive print ad
This was a creepy print ad promoting the 3DO-exclusive Jurassic Park Interactive.
When it comes to video game consoles, having exclusive games is essential as long as they are of high quality, highly playable and enjoyable. The 3DO company acquired a license of the Jurassic Park movie and made the exclusive game Jurassic Park Interactive hoping it would sell a lot and lift up 3DO hardware sales.
This print ad, which features a zoomed-in image of the Raptor from the game, was more focused on selling the 3DO console than the video game as seen on the descriptive text. 3DO ran a promo selling the console which would entitle the buyer to get Jurassic Park Interactive and another game free. Nothing was done to describe the console’s multimedia capabilities of showing videos, images and graphics of the game (which was essentially a collection of mini-games). This print ad shows ignorance on the part of the 3DO company and the ad maker as it showed desperation happening really early in the console’s life. Notably, Jurassic Park Interactive was the only video game adaptation to use actual footage (note: the faces of the actors were edited out) and music from the film.
13. RoboCop 2 print ad
You want to become RoboCop to save the city of Detroit from criminals?
Way back in 1990, RoboCop 2 was a big hit in cinemas here in the Philippines and in some places around the world. As typical of the time, licenses to make video games based on the movie were released resulting in RoboCop 2 games for multiple platforms. The print ad featured two different images of RoboCop – one from the movie poster and the other from an official artwork. The descriptive text does a fine job to immerse readers into the story concept of the game but showing only two screenshots was a lackluster effort to sell the game.
14. Star Trek: The Next Generation – Echoes from the Past print ad
Space…the final frontier waiting for Sega Genesis gamers.
Released in 1994, Star Trek: The Next Generation – Echoes from the Past delivered the Star Trek TNG adventure experience to Sega Genesis gamers. In fact, it is the exact same experience that SNES gamers got the same year. In reality, Star Trek: The Next Generation – Echoes from the Past is actually a port of Star Trek: The Next Generation – Future’s Past on the SNES and the screenshots on the print ad are giveaways about it. In fairness to the ad makers, this print ad never attempted to deceive gamers that it promoted a totally different Star Trek TNG game.
15. Dinosaurs for Hire print ad
This print ad caught my attention and made me interested in the game and the comic book series. Even though it was small, Malibu Comics’ logo was still recognizable.
Dinosaurs for Hire (sometimes referred to as Tom Mason’s Dinosaurs for Hire) was a 2D side-scrolling platform adventure game based on the comic book series of Tom Mason. Published by Sega, it was a Genesis-exclusive game and this print ad had a catchy text description, a few screenshots and the eye-catching artwork of a triceratops facing the viewer. This print ad is still good to look at. If you’re thinking about searching for existing copies of the game, I encourage you to also read some Dinosaurs for Hire comic books before playing. By the way, Tom Mason also wrote several comic books of the Ultraverse.
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 and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the mid-1990s to explore a part of the Ultraverse through a tale of Mantra, the male eternal warrior Lukasz who died during battle then returned in the body of a woman named Eden.
It has been a few years since the last time I reviewed a Mantra comic book. For the newcomers reading this, the Ultraverse was a franchise of superhero comic books launched by Malibu Comics in 1993 which produced a lot of fun, intriguing and memorable tales made by a variety of really talented creators. Mantra was one of the pioneering characters of the Ultraverse and the related comic book series lasted more than twenty issues. Along the way, a standalone story of Mantra was published in the form of a 2-part mini-series.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Mantra: Spear of Destiny #1 published in 1995 by Malibu Comics with a story written by Mike W. Barr and drawn by Paul Abrams.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins when Mantra arrives at a museum to start her attempt (in her civilian identity as Eden Blake) to obtain the Spear of Destiny. While wearing a revealing outfit to distract the men, Mantra gets close to the highly prized spear to observe it and see how the security personnel guard it.
At a different spot within the museum, Mantra decides to start obtaining the spear in magical outfit and with a mask. As Mantra arrives at the room where the Spear of Destiny, already there are monsters overwhelming the men guarding the Spear of Destiny…
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Eden Blake/Mantra reporting to work at Aladdin.
Having read most of the stories of the Mantra comic book series, I can say that Mike W. Barr came up with a fresh concept that emphasizes the quest to gain possession of a highly valuable item while also creating a new approach on presenting Mantra…by engaging in espionage (spying and infiltration).
As I am already used to seeing the eternal warrior Lukasz/Mantra using magic in many struggles or missions, the concept of having the protagonist getting disguised and becoming an impostor on a spy mission is a very inspired move by the writer. The preparations taken by Mantra to becoming a certain blonde woman for the mission were nicely structured and detailed enough to make the transformation. As if that was not enough, a certain piece of technology was implemented which made using magic a huge risk for the eternal warrior. That being said, the story smoothly transitioned from magic-filled fantasy into a convincing spy thriller
Along the way, this comic book also emphasizes the darkness of the secret society Aladdin which Mantra (as Eden Blake) works for. Aladdin’s operations were dramatized several times in other Ultraverse comic books but this one has a more explicit portrayal of them.
Conclusion
Mantra got hold of the Spear of Destiny but for how long?
Mantra: Spear of Destiny #1 (1995) is really entertaining and compelling to read. This is easily one of the more creative and more unique tales of the Ultraverse character ever told and I can say that I am eager to find out what would happen next. This is also the one tale in which Mantra became a spy and gets into a dangerous mission in which the use of magic is too risky. The writing by Mike W. Barr is really strong with this one.
Overall, Mantra: Spear of Destiny #1 (1995) 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, 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 Batman.
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.
The cover.
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…
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Batman strikes first in his encounter with the Reaper.
Set during the 2nd 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.
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 and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1995 to revisit one of the many tales of Malibu Comics’ Ultraverse through the Freex monthly series.
In my previous review, the Freex encountered someone very deadly (note: Rafferty who also encountered The Strangers) and out of nowhere one of their members got killed as he made his move to protect someone’s life.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Freex #16 published in 1995 by Malibu Comics with a story written by Gerard Jones and drawn by Klebs de Moura e Silva.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins at midnight when Ruby arrives at a sorrowful gathering composed of Contrary, her academic students, the Night Man, the Old Man and the remaining members of Freex. They are all mourning over the dead body of Michael. Just after Old Man declared that everyone should move on and let Michael (Plug) rest, Contrary (now an established member of UltraForce) stated that her academy will keep him in the company of others like him at their Mt. Shasta Citadel headquarters as the dead Freex member does not have any known surviving family members.
The loss of Michael then begins to take its toll on Angela/Sweetface as she cries and states that there is nothing left to live for. Suddenly, something appears to the Freex…an angel-like figure who tells Angela to end the pain and join the only one who still cares for her. Valerie and Lewis try to help Angela resist the one who spoke…
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The Old Man becomes the target of Freex.
What is obvious to me here is that this comic book is all about the consequences of the death of original Freex team member Michael and how his death impacted specific teammates who had really grown close with him. The plot in this comic book is pretty light as this was clearly written to have strong character dramatization and development.
While there were indeed a whole lot of characters who appeared here, this comic book highlights Sweetface as the one most affected by the sudden death of Michael. That being said, any dedicated Freex fan who seriously followed the series right from the start will be able to relate with Sweetface’s emotions and even feel her deep feelings with Michael. Incidentally, this paves the way for her to interact more with Lewis who also got impacted by the death of their teammate. As the story went on, there were key developments here that strongly symbolized that Freex will take a serious change of direction focusing more on team survival and avenging Michael while severing ties with the Old Man. Clearly the creative team were building up something for the team who at this point have been on a very long and painful journey as nomads.
All throughout, the script really is detailed, richly layered and engaging. Apart from Freex, Night Man, Contrary and her students, and other characters had their fair share of the spotlight strongly symbolizing the current state of the Ultraverse at the time.
Conclusion
Even as she is mourning over the death of Michael, Angela suddenly sees a mesmerizing vision in front of the others.
Freex #16 (1995) is indeed a solid comic book to read. The strong writing is its strongest feature and it really delivered the compelling stuff that will resonate most with the long-time Freex fans. The dramatization of the effects of Michael’s death really is strong and the new change of direction for the surviving Freex was implemented really smoothly. The lack of a good-versus-evil element was no problem at all here. By the end of the comic book, I became eager to find out what would happen next to 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 and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the early 1990s and explore a part of the shared universe of Valiant Comics through the Armorines monthly series.
Before I start, I should state that the superhero concept of an armored human protagonist who could do many incredible things made possible by high technology made an impact on comic book storytelling for decades. Look at Marvel’s Iron Man and the Ultraverse’s Prototype for examples.
While Valiant Comics already had its own armored superhero with X-O Manowar (note: his armor is symbiotic, not technological), they decided to move forward with the concept of armored figures in the form of a military team.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Armorines #1, published in 1994 by Valiant Comics with a story written by Jorge Gonzalez and drawn by Jim Calafiore.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins five hundred kilometers off the southern coast of Australia. Four people dive very deeply to explore nuclear-powered submarine U.S.S. Benchley which has been dormant for some time already. While exploring the interiors of the submarine, the divers got attacked by something in the dark.
At Camp Pendleton in California, an armored U.S. marine goes through an intense training session fighting machines not knowing that there could be traps waiting to get triggered. As Gunny (the armored marine in the session) falls into a trap, his teammates, General Kendall and the scientist Zahn watch the proceedings behind the scenes as another teammate (operating with virtual reality on her high-tech station) continues to communicate with him.
As time passes by, the situation gets even worse for Gunny physically…
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Armorines has members who go out on the field wearing high-tech suits of armor while there are other members who serve as co-pilots using virtual technology and constant communication behind closed doors.
In terms of storytelling, the creative team focused mainly on the build-up of not just the plot but also the importance and the ways of the Armorines themselves. As weapons of the government, Armorines are an expensive team to run due to the use of very advanced technologies for operations. The Armorines have members who go out on the field wearing high-tech suits of armor that provide enhanced protection while also carrying high-tech weapons for offense. The team also has members who stay behind closed doors to use individual stations with virtual reality and enhanced communication with their brothers on the field.
When it comes to the characters, the smoking Gunnery is noticeably the one who got the most exposure and the most development. The other Armorine members got token exposure for the readers.
More on the plot itself, there is a mission that requires the Armorines to go deep underwater to solve a mystery and do something dangerous secretly. The mission was essentially all about protecting America’s top-secret weapons from falling into the wrong hands. To be clear, the mission itself happens in the 2nd half of this comic book which ultimately serves as a pay-off to the build-up the happened earlier. In fairness to the creative team, there was a good amount of suspense presented when the mission really started moving. There definitely something worth seeing during the mission.
Conclusion
In this story, Gunny is the closest thing to a definitive protagonist.
To be very clear, Armorines #1 (1994) is not exactly the high-powered, action-packed story people could expect from seeing the armored marines looking capable of fighting terrorists and other enemies of America in militaristic fashion. This comic book’s story is indeed surprising to me and the creative team was not hesitant to push hard with the concept they came up with here. As this comic book was clearly executed with build-up, introductions and emphasizing concepts in mind, it is not surprising that the pay-off in the 2nd half led to moments of intrigue and suspense with momentum going into the next issue. Lastly, I should state that this comic book is free from political influence and its focus on the team has been very consistent.
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 by examining one of the many tales of Marvel Comics’ 2099 line of franchises, specifically through the Hulk 2099 monthly series.
For the newcomers reading this, Hulk 2099 first appeared in 2099 Unlimited #1 (1993)which also had his origin story told. Hulk 2099 was not a mere version of the classic Incredible Hulk with a futuristic touch. In fact, the futuristic green creature highlighted the protagonist John Eisenhart as a very selfish and obsessed Hollywood studio executive who happens to stumble upon the idolaters/worshipers of the classic Hulk Bruce Banner because he was searching for new properties and stories for his studio. Hulk 2099’s origin has notable similarities to that of the classic Hulk and gamma radiation exposure is one of them. As tales of the futuristic Hulk were told through the quarterly releases of 2099 Unlimited, Marvel decided it was time to give the green creature his own monthly series.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Hulk 2099 #1 published in 1994 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Gerard Jones and drawn by Malcolm Davis.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins with the Hulk of 2099 destroying security droids and verbally attacking civilization. As he retains the intellect of John Eisenhart, he expresses his opposition against civilization for keeping people out of the water reclamation zone.
The story then shifts to California where Lotus Entertainment (Eisenhart’s employer) and its crew work on producing a film which is a dishonest telling of Eisenhart’s dealings with the Knights of Banner (already eliminated in 2099 Unlimited #1). During the production, one of the executives notices the absence of Eisenhart.
Elsewhere, John Eisenhart drives his flying car with Knights of Banner youth survivor Gawain as his passenger. Already struggling with the guilt over the deaths of all the adult Knights of Banner members, Eisenhart intends to end his employment and cash out of his contract. Gawain remains hostile towards Eisenhart.
Quality
The creative team used flashback images that look really similar to what was told in 2099 Unlimited #1.
If there is anything that is very obvious to talk about, it is the fact that this tale shows a radically different John Eisenhart who wants to get out of Hollywood’s multiple mazes of crookedness as he feels very guilty over what happened to the Knights of Banner. This happens just as a new entity took corporate control of Eisenhart’s employer before he could leave the company. In many ways, Eisenhart’s distress and struggle with being guilty reminds me a lot about Hardcase of the Ultraverse and the way the creative dramatized him was engaging.
For the story, there is a lot of corporate intrigue going on and Eisenhart’s failure to quit quickly was inevitable because the new enemy he faces here has a lot to do with the sudden takeover of Lotus Entertainment. At least on face value, this looks like an attempt by the creative team to change the status quo and move Hulk 2099 to a new creative direction away from what was established in 2099 Unlimited. Without spoiling the details, I can say that something very significant happened before the comic book’s ending and it will impact readers who followed the futuristic Hulk’s stories closely in the 2099 Unlimited series.
Along the way, there is a lot of action and unfortunate physical happenings which symbolize the chaos concept of the script. The notable thing here is that you won’t see very much of Hulk 2099’s monstrous form as the script was specifically written to tell a tale that went beyond one issue. Clearly, the creative team were sparing Hulk 2099 for a conflict in the next issue.
Malcolm Davis’ art has that visceral aesthetic that fits the established look of Marvel’s 2099 universe of the time but there were instances when he showed so much happening, the visuals looked chaotic and even disorienting. In fairness, his take on Eisenhart, Quirk, Gawain and others made them looked recognizable.
Conclusion
The future of Commiewood, wokeness, and dishonesty.
While its story has little of the green monster in it, Hulk 2099 #1 (1994) does a decent job building up the tension on top of the guilt-filled Eisenhart while setting up events that looked like a bold new creative direction was coming. By the time this comic book was published, several Hulk 2099 tales were already published in the quarterly 2099 series. On its own, this comic book lightly builds up the lore of the 2099 universe as it was clearly focused on Hulk 2099’s creative concept and characters.
While Eisenhart was indeed determined to change, it is a turnoff to see him lie and exaggerate details to protect himself from a certain corporate psychologist who is after the truth. There is also a lot of anti-corporate expressions here which seems to suggest that someone within the creative team had been thinking with socialist concepts and decided to use the script as an outlet of expression. The weird but true thing is that by today’s standards, Hollywood is filled with Commies/socialists/Marxists/liberals/woke nuts from the film crew up to the executives that run studios and produce films or shows that are dumb, lies about reality, self-centered and extensions of their ideologies. This showed that this comic book was prophetic in some ways.
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 fans, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Ultraverse fans and comic book collectors! Today we revisit the Ultraverse through the monthly series of The Solution. To be more precise, this review is about the 17th and final issue ever published.
In my previous retro review, The Solution daringly infiltrated a secret in Taiwan knowing that a major meeting between the heads of gangs will take place there. For Lela Cho/Tech, this is an opportunity for her to recover the company she lost to the Dragon Fang gang (read The Solution #6). Unfortunately for Lela and her teammates, the opposition were prepared for them.
With those details laid down, here is a look back The Solution #17, published by Malibu Comics in 1995 with a story written by the late James Hudnall and drawn by John Statema.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins with the arrival of the so-called lords of the Dragon Fang gang at the facility in Taiwan. As far as they know, The Solution has been brought down and the leader Lela Cho has been captured. They entered with a feeling of triumph only to see a large number of human bodies and severed body parts on the floor.
Inside, the insidious Casino has Lela Cho restrained helplessly on a high-tech chair. The Solution’s leader has been drugged by Casino who tells her that she (Lela) will be brought to some brothel in Thailand.
In another part of the facility, two armed guards approach the motionless body of Dropkick on the floor. Suddenly, The Solution’s martial artist moves and knocks the two guards out…
Quality
A very vulnerable Lela Cho in front of Casino.
In consideration of the build-up that started in the few previous issues, this particular comic book proved to be a worthy pay-off complete with a few notable twists that surprised me. Without spoiling the plot, I can say that the story is intriguing, the spectacle is plenty and the creative managed to keep things fresh. Along the way, there is some really relevant story elements that will compel you to re-read the early issues of The Solution series, especially when it comes to Casino who previously encountered the titular team.
As a good-versus-evil story, this one does not go over the edge and it certainly is not brainless entertainment. There is a lot more behind The Solution’s conflict with the Dragon Fang gang here and the impact can be felt more by those who actually started reading this particular series from issue #1.
On the visuals, John Statema’s return here is a very welcome move simply because, in my honest opinion, his style and approach to art really defined the looks of both the series and The Solution itself.
Conclusion
Shadowmage takes on the Commie from Cambodia.
Being the concluding issue of its own series, The Solution #17 (1995) is a solidly fun and intriguing read. Not only did it conclude the build-up that preceded it, it also encouraged revisiting the earlier issues of the series for a deeper understanding of the opposition forces such as Casino and the Dragon Fang gang. While this was the last The Solution series entry, there was a promise of further adventures as it was made clear that another “era” awaited Lela Cho and her team. Unfortunately, as comic book publishing history showed, The Solution as a publishing franchise came to an end as the Ultraverse itself faded to obscurity under the banner of Marvel Comics (which acquired Malibu Comics in 1994). Take note that The Strangers concluded without a really conclusive story (there were even art works for issues #25 to #27) and Prototype ended with a story that felt like a substitute issue. That being said, the only way to keep enjoying The Solution is by simply repeat reading the entire series as well as finding the team’s appearances in other Ultraverse comic books. In my view, The Solution is one of the very best Ultraverse teams!
As this is end of my retro reviews of The Solution, posted below are images of fashion models whom I find suitable as cosplay photography models for Lela Cho/Tech and Shadowmage. Please tell me if the models looked their parts. Enjoy!
Author Carlo Carrasco 