Valiant Comics – Author Carlo Carrasco

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 108

November 5, 2025October 30, 2025carlocarrasco

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

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

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

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

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

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

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

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 86

June 30, 2025June 24, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Retrospective look back at Superman (1978) – I don’t know with you readers but I am not excited about the new Superman movie directed by James Gunn. Nowadays I am more nostalgic about DC Comics’ most famous superhero and I have been reading decades-old Superman comic books. As for movies about Superman, the 1978 movie that starred Christopher Reeve remains a classic for long-time fans of the Man of Steel. If you are wondering how much impact does Superman of 1978 have on YouTubers, watch the videos posted below. If you have not seen Superman of 1978 yet, watch it first. Otherwise, enjoy the assorted videos below.

#2 Trump-led America obliterates nuclear sites in Iran – As Israel and terrorist state Iran continued their war, the United States led by President Donald Trump pulled off a significant move by heavily bombing the enemy’s nuclear sites. With the wicked regime of Iran (in power since 1979) substantially weakened, the bombings were very helpful not only to Israel but also to the Iranian people (who did not join their evil government’s terrorism) who had been wanting freedom for a long time. Watch and learn from the related videos below.

#3 PatmanQC examines Tapper – With my digital Xbox copy of Midway Arcade Origins, I was able to play the classic arcade game Root Beer Tapper (AKA Tapper) on my Xbox Series X. I’ve been having a lot of fun playing it and I admire the game’s design and responsive controls. For the newcomers reading this, Tapper was first released in arcades by Midway in the 1980s and made it to many computers and consoles. Not only that, the game has intriguing details behinds its history and there was more than one version of Tapper released. To learn more about the history of Tapper, watch the in-depth video of PatmanQC below.

#4 Unsolved Mysteries Season 5 Episode 8 – As I was doing a round of replaying past episodes of Unsolved Mysteries (hosted by the late Robert Stack), I replayed the 8^th episode of the show’s 5^th season. The said episode has an intriguing story about a man’s close encounter with a UFO in North America, a scandal within Frontera prison, a shocking crime story and updates to previous stories shown. Take time out to watch the entire episode below.

#5 Defiant Comics revisited – If you are into comic books, have you ever heard of Defiant Comics? I would not be surprised if you have not heard of the publisher or if never ready any of its comic books. Founded in 1993 by former Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Jim Shooter, Defiant Comics published some comic books that had new and unique concepts (read my reviews of Warriors of Plasm #1 and Charlemagne #1) that went against type. Unfortunately the company went out of business in 1995 as a result of having to spend a lot of money on a legal battle with Marvel Comics. On YouTube, there are not too many retrospective videos about Defiant Comics and I posted below a video that can help you discover comics, cards and details about the said publisher.

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A Look Back at Amazing Spider-Man #262 (1985)

July 19, 2024July 5, 2024carlocarrasco

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

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1980s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1985 to examine a small part of the Marvel Comics universe through a tale of the Amazing Spider-Man monthly series.

For this particular review, the Amazing Spider-Man comic book does not involve Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz. Instead, we will see the creative contribution of Bob Layton who already established himself within Marvel Comics on the Iron Man monthly series. Layton is the same guy who co-founded Valiant Comics with former Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Jim Shooter.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Amazing Spider-Man #262, published in 1985 by Marvel Comics with a story written and illustrated by Bob Layton.

Early story

The story begins as Spider-Man arrives at the Newark International Airport in New Jersey distracting a few air traffic control operators. As he makes his way into a deserted baggage room, Peter Parker intends to change clothes as he has a journalistic assignment from the Daily Bugle to photograph President Ronald Reagan who is set to arrive soon. For Peter Parker, the assignment is crucial as he needs to earn money.

Elsewhere within the airport, the sleazy tabloid news photographer D.J. Jones makes his way through and he intends to photograph something unusual or embarrassing about Reagan. He accidentally bumps into a lady whose items fall down. Jones pretends to be kind to her as he secretly takes her wallet while helping her collect her belongings.

As Jones decides to take the lady’s money, he goes into one of the baggage rooms to get rid of the wallet. Inside, he accidentally spots Peter Parker (still wearing the upper half of his Spider-Man costume) changing clothes and quickly photographs him. Jones starts to run away compelling Parker to chase him knowing that his secret identity will get exposed if he fails…

Quality

*This is what happens when you carry very valuable information with you which the mob wants.*

I really like this Spider-Man tale crafted by Bob Layton. For one thing, it tackles the concept of having your secret identity being discovered by someone who has a record of unethical behavior as well as the opportunity of using the acquired confidential information (the secret identity) for financial gain (at the expense of the affected person). Layton’s story also reconnected Spider-Man to a significant part of his legacy (the death of his Uncle Ben and the identity of the man who killed him) which opens up moral and ethical challenges on his part.

Character development of Spider-Man in this story is short yet substantial to read. As he recalls the painful lesson he learned about his uncle’s death, he remembers how guilt (by previously allowing a crook to get away who later turns out to be the same person responsible for the death of Uncle Ben) overwhelmed his early desire for revenge and this compels him to re-evaluate the responsibility he carries with his superhuman abilities.

Instead of utilizing a super villain, Layton presented D.J. Jones as the antagonist that Spider-Man has to overcome somehow. Jones is not exactly evil, he’s just unethical and sleazy. As a human being, Jones is a turn-off but he is not murderer nor a bank robber. The sleazy photographer is an ordinary man who, like Peter Parker, is trying to survive with his occupation which in turn makes him determined to get the big scoop to rise high.

Conclusion

*Spider-Man ended up having to save the lives of many innocent people resulting in losing track of the man he was chasing.*

Amazing Spider-Man #262 (1985) is a very inspired work by Bob Layton who clearly researched the history of Spider-Man and tackled the crucial themes (note: power, responsibility, morality and ethics) through the story. The plot is simple yet engaging to follow and the character development is really solid. This is great writing by Layton and his approach on superhero spectacle (the action scenes) works well within the narrative.

Overall, Amazing Spider-Man #262 (1985) is highly recommended.

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A Look Back at Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #3 (1993)

January 31, 2024January 23, 2024carlocarrasco

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 Valiant Comics shared universe through a tale of the Turok: Dinosaur Hunter series.

Previously, Turok went on exploring Colombia after leaving the village of his romantic interest Serita. The village was decimated by the intelligent dinosaurs (also referred to as bionisaurs) that served Mon-ark, a fierce enemy of Turok’s. Eventually Turok got involved with the Colombian drug lord Comacho who has gang of armed men and lots of resources. Ever the dedicated hunter, Turok makes a deal with the drug lord to pursue dinosaurs.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #3, published in 1993 by Valiant Comics with a story written by David Michelinie and drawn by Bernard Chang.

Early story

The story begins in Colombia in 1987. Turok tries to sell the severed head of a bionisaur to a local buyer (collector of hunt-related trophies) who offers him only three hundred Pesos.

After concluding a disappointing deal, Turok leaves the local joint only to encounter a lady driving a jeep…the scientist Maria Cortez. She tells him that the drug lord Comacho is planning a raid against the dinosaurs very soon and the gang wants Turok to come along. Cortez, who is obsessed with researching dinosaurs, tells him her single condition that one dinosaur should be spared for scientific study. After some thinking, Turok agrees to join…

Quality

Starting first with the plot, I can say that David Michelinie’s script is well-written and never lost focus on the inevitable encounter between Turok and his vicious dinosaur rival Mon-Ark. Right from the start, it is clear that the stakes have been raised higher which is the result of Turok’s successful killing of Mon-ark’s mate. Like in the previous issue, Mon-ark here was portrayed again to be very evil and even abusive to his fellow dinosaurs.

The raid mentioned early in the story is easily the action-packed highlight and it has some notable forms of symbolism. For one thing, the raid was organized by Comacho not because of concern towards Mon-ark nor Turok, but because he wants to stop the disruptions on his illegal drug business caused by the dinosaurs. Cortez meanwhile sees the dinosaurs as animals meant to be studied for the sake of science. And then there is a certain photographer who wants to record everything visually no matter what happens. I can say the raid scenes are entertaining to follow.

As this comic book was not drawn by Bart Sears, I can say that the visual quality and style went way down. I’m not saying that Bernard Chang is a terrible artist at all. It’s just that Chang’s art style does not live up to the gritty, exquisite and intense visuals of the first two issues which clearly defined how Turok stories should look. Along the way, there are several instances wherein Chang’s art style made some characters and facial expressions look somewhat cartoony. The dinosaurs themselves also looked cartoony at times and the heavy loss of visual details on them is very clear.

Conclusion

*The armed raid against the dinosaurs with Turok as a willing participant looking like Rambo.*

Similar to its predecessor, Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #3 (1993) has enough stuff worth following to be entertained even though the visual quality went down several notches. For one thing, the promised battle between Turok and Mon-ark happened and the way it was written was strong on its own. At the same time, the Indian hunter of dinosaurs got more involved Comacho’s gang which raises questions about his ability to differentiate right from wrong, and good from evil. At this stage of the series, Turok’s direction remains clouded.

Overall, Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #3 (1993) is recommended.

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A Look Back at Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #2 (1993)

January 17, 2024January 7, 2024carlocarrasco

While issue #1 turned out to be entertaining enough, the Indian protagonist Turok was not too engaging. The story worked primarily due to the combined creative works of David Michelinie and Bart Sears.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #2, published in 1993 by Valiant Comics with a story written by David Michelinie and drawn by Bart Sears.

Early story

The story begins in Colombia in 1987. Set some time after he left the village of Serita (a Colombian lady he connected with), Turok finds himself in the middle of a fight with multiple intelligent dinosaurs that serve his rival and target Mon-ark. Turok recently started using locally produced poison for his arrows as part of his unrelenting hunt for dinosaurs.

Meanwhile in another part of Colombia, the drug lord Comacho holds a private meeting and express his frustration over the decimation of his drug shipments. It turns out, the couriers were slaughtered and eaten by the dinosaurs. Upon learning of the presence of an Indian who makes it his business to hunt dinosaurs, Comacho gives an order to find him…

Quality

*You will see Turok in a lot of action scenes fighting these intelligent and savage dinosaurs.*

As the follow-up to the 1^st issue, this is a story about Turok really hunting dinosaurs as part of his effort to get to Mon-ark (the leader of a pack of dinosaurs present in Colombia) in relation to what happened during the Unity storyline. In addition, you will get to see the protagonist get involved the Colombia drug lord who really needs him as the dinosaurs tremendously disrupted the shipment of illegal substances. As a newcomer in this particular time and place within the shared universe of Valiant Comics, Turok here does not care much about the reputation of Comacho as he is obsessed with hunting dinosaurs.

Speaking of the dinosaurs (who were granted human-like intelligence by the Mothergod), you will get to see Mon-ark have his own share of the spotlight and see him being a leader of his fellow dinosaurs. The showcase of his ruthlessness was expectedly done here to symbolize the element of evil in a violent way.

The plot by Michelinie is nicely structured and the narrative moved in a smooth enough pace leading to an obvious new direction.

Like in the previous issue, Bart Sears drew the art but with the involvement of Bernard Chang. For the most part, I recognized Sears’ work and there were some subtle visual differences here and there. The good news here is that if you enjoyed the gritty look as well as the uncompromised approach to violence in issue #1, then you will find those here as well.

Conclusion

*A look at the intelligence and interaction between these two evil dinosaurs in love. There’s no homosexuality here nor anything related to transgender or the disease called wokeness.*

Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #2 (1993) is entertaining and compelling enough to read. It further explores Turok’s story as a man lost in time who simply would not run away from the dinosaurs as he is obsessed with eliminating Mon-ark. The tale, however, involves a Colombian drug lord as well as his private army which adds depth to the narrative as well as Turok’s place within Valiant’s shared universe of the time. Lastly, this one nicely sets up a big conflict between the Indian and his dinosaur rival.

Overall, Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #2 (1993) is recommended.

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A Look Back at Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #1 (1993)

January 4, 2024December 30, 2023carlocarrasco

I say very notable because Turok, an Indian (North American native), started in comics in the 1950s published by Western Publishing through its licensee Dell Comics. The comic book series Turok: Son of Stone started from 1956 until the early 1980s. In 1989, Valiant Comics was established by former Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Jim Shooter and business partner Steven Massarsky which was the result of a failed 1988 attempt to purchase Marvel Entertainment. In 1991, Valiant published Magnus: Robot Fighter and Solar: Man of the Atom as its early titles which is notable because both characters were licensed properties from Gold Key Comics (which itself was involved in the original Turok series).

Then in 1992, a newer version of Turok was introduced by Valiant Comics in the 12^th issue of Magnus: Robot Fighter and subsequently the character (along with established side-kick Andar) became involved in the Unity storyline which was Valiant’s first major crossover comics event. By the time Unity ended, the road was cleared for Valiant to further emphasize Turok for the modern comic book readers of the time.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #1, published in 1993 by Valiant Comics with a story written by David Michelinie and drawn by Bart Sears.

Early story

The story begins in Colombia (note: written as Columbia in the comic book) in South America in the year 1987. Deep in the forest, Turok performs a ritual believing that his spirit is getting cleansed and purified. He remembers the times when he and Andar discovered a land – filled with dinosaurs and other animals they never encountered previously – where time no longer held much meaning.

He and Andar got involved in an armed conflict with invaders who arrived with advanced technologies. The robot fighter Magnus then got involved and helped Turok and their side turn the tide of battle. Eventually a stunning phenomenon happened as a woman who called herself Mothergod appeared. Turok and Andar foolishly submitted themselves to her and soon, they started operating in her service with violence against those who opposed her.

After encountering Archer and Armstrong, Turok realized the error of his devotion to Mothergod and eventually joined forces with Rai, X-O Manowar and others who waged battle against her.

Back in the present, an intelligent, cybernetically enhance dinosaur attacks Turok…

Quality

*Very intense violence drawn by Bart Sears which reflected the high intensity of Turok’s fight with the dinosaurs.*

To get straight to the point here, when it comes to emphasizing a new version of Turok for comic book readers in the early 1990s, the creative team was quite successful in achieving that goal. By the time I reached the end of this comic book, Turok’s place within the huge shared universe of Valiant got established solidly and the Michelinie-Sears duo dramatized the Indian’s struggle (being lost in time and far away from where he belongs) in South America in the late 1980s.

Being lost in time and having to deal with deadly, intelligent dinosaurs brought not only the warrior within Turok but also the determine survivor in him as well. There is a good amount of character emphasis of Turok which served as an effective balance to all the spectacle (read: uncompromised bloody violence) the creative duo prepared. Instead of using thought balloons, you will read Turok’s thoughts through narration boxes all throughout which made an effective and interesting reading experience.

Considering his great skills in hunting and fighting, Turok is not really a super protagonist. He is as vulnerable as any other person and you will get to see him suffer and become so helpless, he has no choice but to avail of assistance from South American villagers who lived by the land but are themselves very vulnerable to the savagery of the intelligent dinosaurs. The symbolism regarding vulnerability as well as the ramifications of the Unity crossover on this tale is very strong. This is indeed very solid writing by Michelinie.

As for the art, Sears’ work here is very unique and his style on drawing people, monsters and locations made this comic book a visual standout among 1993 comic books. When it comes to the graphic violence, it is clear to me that Sears enjoyed the creative freedom he got and he really emphasized his imagination as to how gruesome violence caused by dinosaurs on human beings would be. That being said, there are lots of violent action scenes and images of physical damage (damage on the flesh specifically) that remain visually disturbing to this day.

Conclusion

*Very foolishly, Turok and Andar submitted themselves to a walking, evil idol. This should remind you that idolatry is both foolish and unholy.*

Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #1 (1993) works nice as modern portrayal of Turok and it succeeds in establishing his place within Valiant’s comic book universe thanks primarily to the Michelinie-Sears duo. Turok himself is not exactly an interesting protagonist to me but I can say it is the creators’ way of portraying him that makes the plot and the comic book work as an entertainment piece. I also liked the way Turok was emphasized as a character who got lost not only in time but also dimensionally lost as he has to live within a whole new world while focusing on survival as well as his desire to kill his rival Mon-Ark (the intelligent dinosaur). If you know your American pop culture history, you will realize that this comic book incidentally paved the way for the Turok video games (starting with 1997’s Turok: Dinosaur Hunter of Nintendo 64) that happened years later.

Overall, Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #1 (1993) is recommended.

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A Look Back at Armorines #6 (1994)

December 13, 2023December 6, 2023carlocarrasco

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 Valiant Comics shared universe through the Armorines monthly series.

During the said decade, Valiant Comics was notable for having crossovers that some readers found to be tightly executed in relation to continuity. The armored U.S. Marines (Armorines) and the powerful individual X-O Manowar have the spider aliens as a common enemy.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Armorines #6, published in 1994 by Valiant Comics with a story written by Jorge Gonzalez and drawn by Jim Calafiore.

Early story

The story begins in space when the spider aliens (located inside a huge space ship) are organizing themselves to get back to their home world.

Meanwhile above the Earth, X-O Manowar significantly helps the Armorines with repairing their space shuttle. It turns out that they have been spending a long time in space and the crew has gotten exhausted after the big battle with the spider aliens. Going back home was their next objective.

Just as the crew prepares to return to Earth, the same huge space ship of the spider aliens suddenly approaches them…

Quality

Set after the crossover tale about the humans’ battle with the spider aliens in space, this tale served as a creative extension of those events utilizing space travel and sci-fi action concepts. The Armorines once again fight the spider aliens and X-O Manowar (a major Valiant character) gets heavily involved as he has a personal grudge against them. Without spoiling the plot, I can say that themes of freeing yourself from the enemy and getting back home are evident.

There is plenty of action to enjoy here and the sci-fi settings (including the interiors of the spider aliens ship) are nicely presented. I also like the fact that the tension gradually built-up as the story went on. Still, at this particular stage of this series, I could not help but feel that the Armorines have been in conflict with the spider aliens for too long.

Conclusion

*There is a lot of sci-fi action to enjoy here.*

Armorines #6 (1994) is a pretty good read but I was getting tired of seeing the Armorines remaining in conflict with the spider aliens. What added strong value to the comic book was the heavy involvement (and crossover) of X-O Manowar and his interactions with the Armorines was well executed. To be clear, the story was not conclusive and at this stage, I still am interested to see what would happen next. Here is hoping that the Armorines conflict with the spider aliens will improve somehow.

Overall, Armorines #6 (1994) is recommended.

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A Look Back at Armorines #4 (1994)

April 19, 2023April 15, 2023carlocarrasco

In my previous retro review, the armored Marines and their US Navy SEALs managed to survive from the destruction of the submarine deep under the sea as they managed to complete their goal. One of the Armorines – Sirot – got separated from them and found himself in the presence of aliens who have been organizing secret operations on Earth, including the recent destruction of X-O Manowar’s armor. Knowing that their teammate is missing, the Armorines went back to the water on a search-and-rescue mission.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Armorines #4, published in 1994 by Valiant Comics with a story written by Jorge Gonzalez and drawn by Jim Calafiore.

Early story

The story begins inside one of the training domes located just outside Camp Pendleton in California (note: now a Commie-filled state). Teammates Gunny and Sirot engage in a close combat training session using the specialized technology provided to them by Dr. Zhan who carefully watches the statistics. As the session goes on, Sirot sarcastically tells the older Gunny that Senator Ackerman wants him off the Armorines as soon as their superior General Kendall feels the other recruits are properly trained. Sirot mocks him over his age (38-years-old).

Behind closed doors, Senator Ackerman tells General Kendall that even though the Armorines were successful with the mission in Australia and even managed to uncover a nest of aliens, the team were all more than capable without Gunny in their unit. Kendall defends Gunny and stressed that the man is their team’s most experienced member. Ackerman states that once the alien problem is over, he will force Gunny to retire…

Quality

*Scenes like this will help readers get to know the Armorines members better.*

To be clear, this story is more focused on the characters and is also a suitable build-up for the next turn of events ahead of the Armorines. As with issue #1, Gunny is the closest thing this series has to a lead character and he gets a good amount of character development scenes even though the story showed the other characters. Quite conveniently, the creative team used the military base setting to shift focus on the other Armorine team members similar to what was shown in Hollywood movies or TV shows about military personnel. There is the military club setting where the officers are relaxing and socializing with each other. There were also scenes showing specific soldiers at their respective residences where their true personalities (note: private life moments) are emphasized. All of these were done with solid writing and good artwork.

Without spoiling the details, I can say that the final page of this comic book was surprising and added to my anticipation of the next issue.

Conclusion

*Alien vessels leaving Earth for space.*

Armorines #4 (1994) is another solid entry in this particular monthly series which served as a good build-up for the next story that happens to be part of a big event that Valiant Comics published (read: The Chaos Effect). It is also within this comic book that you get to know the Armorines, their superiors and other characters better.

Overall, Armorines #4 (1994) is recommended.

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A Look Back at Harbinger #24 (1993)

April 17, 2023April 13, 2023carlocarrasco

In my previous review, the conflict between the Harbinger Foundation and Sting’s team got renewed violently. This resulted in an attack on the team of teenagers which led to one of them getting killed. With his other companions missing, Sting finds himself alone, desperate and outraged.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Harbinger #23, published in 1993 by Valiant Comics with a story written by Maurice Fontenot and illustrated by Howard Simpson.

Early story

The story begins on a very early morning. Desperate and very stressed out, Sting causes a disturbance inside a hospital in New Jersey by lifting one of their workers above the floor while pressing them for answers about the whereabouts of his surviving friends Flamingo, Faith and Kris. Already he has visited three other hospitals since the tragedy struck his team and took the life of Shatiqua. Sting remembers that an ambulance took his friends away after their rented house got burned down.

After calming down and getting told by one of the hospital workers that they have notified the police of his presence, Sting walks out and quickly got caught by a police officer. Also present were a few other police officers with their guns aimed at Sting.

As the tension of the arrest rises, Sting gets enraged and starts using his power to free himself…

Quality

*This is Sting at his most violent yet.*

I can that this Harbinger tale is not only a very solid follow-up to the previous issue, it also showed that the stakes and the suspense have been raised significantly. It also shows that the Fontenot-Simpson team had prepared something for the anticipated conflict between Sting and his former mentor Toyo Harada.

As the other team members were completely absent (note: the nightmare sequence does not count as presence for Faith, Flamingo and Kris), the story strongly focuses on Sting. Yes, as before, he remains reckless and impulsive, he lacks morals (note: he has a bad relationship with his father) and it is no surprise that he becomes suicidal in his desperate search for his companions. Along the way, you will see Sting at his most violent yet which not only blurs the line separating good and evil but also highlights him as a destructive force in human form. Simply put, this series’ so-called hero became as bad as the bad guys and this only added to the anticipation of the one-on-one battle with Harada. While Sting is relatable when it comes to caring and seeking his lost companions, he is also unlikable and very clearly his redemption has yet to happen.

Of course, Sting is not the lone character to follow here as a former Eggbreakers member gets involved. This is significant as the two had some things in common – both were under Harada as Harbinger Foundation’s pupils and left after they realized the wickedness within the organization. The difference here is that the other character spent much more time than Sting under Harada and he went on to get extensive training with the Eggbreakers which is the special team of powered youth under the Harbinger Foundation.

Conclusion

*Even though the police officer was doing his duty in accordance to law, Sting does not care.*

Harbinger #24 (1993) is a great comic book to read and it also served as a powerful build-up for the anticipated showdown between Sting and Harada (which itself was declared in the final page). The creative team delivered high-quality work here and this Harbinger tale highlights not only the conflict between Sting’s team and the Harbinger Foundation, but also what this monthly series was all about. This comic book has a powerful final page and even before reaching it, you will realize that the stakes have been raised a lot while the line between good and evil got blurred away.

Overall, Harbinger #24 (1993) is highly recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at Harbinger #23 (1993)

April 13, 2023April 12, 2023carlocarrasco

In my previous review, Faith, Flamingo and Kris – with her uncle as a companion – accidentally got reunited with Archer and Armstrong at Coney Island. It turns out Kris’ uncle had a negative encounter with Armstrong decades prior which compels him to approach a local crime boss for assistance. This led to a wild chase.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Harbinger #23, published in 1993 by Valiant Comics with a story written by Maurice Fontenot and illustrated by Howard Simpson.

Early story

The story begins with Sting, Flamingo and Faith surrounded by armed personnel at the Harbinger Foundation’s private hangar at La Guardia Airport in New York. Faith does something drastic causing a heavy object from above to start falling down on the armed men. One of the men fires his gun at a barrel of fuel which causes a big explosion.

In a room nearby, Shatiqua and Kris hacked a computer to acquire lots of confidential information from the Harbinger Foundation. After realizing the explosion that happened, they decide to work fast getting the information they need.

On the airport’s tarmac, a private jet is on standby waiting for clearance to take off. Inside is Walter Sakai, who is one of the most trusted men under Toyo Harada…

Quality

*Sting, his teammates and their major enemy Toyo Harada.*

Without spoiling the crucial details of the plot, the Fontenot-Simpson clearly made the moves to raise the stakes between Sting’s team and the Harbinger Foundation, complete with the build-up of a pending high-stakes conflict between their respective leaders.

Of course, this is the latest conflict between the two sides – one side has super-powered teens who want to live freely while the other is a powerful organization that has been developing its of super-powered youth members using vast resources as well as political connections. This time around, the creative team not only raised the stakes but also came up with some really dark and bizarre scenarios within Sting’s own team. The good news is that Fontenot came up with something new and surprising to keep this series going with a clear direction ahead. The mentioned dark scenarios visually have a horror film vibe.

As for Sting himself, he continues to take action recklessly and without any backup, he impulsively goes after one of Harada’s top executives without considering the consequences. At this stage, Sting has turned unlikable and it really looks like the boundary separating good and evil got blurred away. That being said, there will be moments in which you will feel like wanting to tell Sting he is doing things the wrong way.

Conclusion

*Very recklessly, Sting goes after one of Toyo Harada’s most trusted men.*

Harbinger #23 (1993) revives the rivalry between Sting’s team and the Harbinger Foundation, only this time there are some very solid twists that resulted in both surprise and intrigue when I read this tale. It seems to me that something tremendous between Harada and Sting was being built up. Considering the really good quality of this comic book and how the story ended, I can say I am looking forward to the next issue.

Overall, Harbinger #23 (1993) is recommended.

+++++

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