Tag: virtual reality

A Look Back at Backlash #6 (1995)

A Look Back at Backlash #6 (1995)

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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 year 1995 to take a close look at one of the many tales of the original WildStorm universe through one of the comic books of the Backlash series.

For the newcomers reading this, Backlash is one of the major characters of the WildStorm universe which started in the early 1990s when the famous Jim Lee was one of the founding fathers of Image Comics. Backlash, Deathblow, Wetworks, Gen13 and WildCATS: Covert Action Teams were all connected with each other and many of the major characters were linked together in the Team 7 series of prequel stories.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Backlash , published in 1995 by Image Comics with a story written by Brett Booth, Jeff Mariotte and Sean Ruffner. Booth and Dan Norton were the illustrators.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins inside the Wildlife Organization Research institute in northern Montana. After Dane and Grail (the Filipino soldier Salvador Joel Alonday) of Wetworks easily took out two guards, a third one suddenly tried to attack them only to be killed by Backlash. While the three of them are on a stealth mission, Backlash tells Dane that it’s not too late for Wetworks to pull out as it is not their fight. Dane dismisses the remark and insists on pursuing their objective.

Over at a medical institute in Detroit, Taboo and Cyberjack are operating on their own mission which is directly linked with that of Backlash and Wetworks.  

Quality

Backlash and the WildC.A.T.S. at the team’s headquarters.

As the sixth issue of its series, this tale has a lot at stake and the writers took their time to balance the build-up with pay-offs and twists. Without spoiling the plot, I can say that a lot is at stake for Backlash as there is something really personal about the missions and the final scene. I can also say that this is a well-crafted comic book that was clearly made with Backlash fans in mind even as the creative team did their parts in expanding the lore of the original WildStorm universe using a clever mix of science fiction and paramilitary action.

I really enjoy reading this comic book and it also has some fine moments that defined Backlash’s personality. The added crossovers with WildC.A.T.S. and Wetworks added not only to the spectacle but also to the depth of the plot. This Backlash comic book is clearly not another adventure but an actual turning point for the former Team 7 member and the series as a whole. That being said, I am looking forward to reading the next issue.

Conclusion

Backlash with Dane and Grail of Wetworks during the mission.

Backlash (1995) is a very solid read. Not only was it an improvement over the previous issue, it raised the stakes high and managed to live up to the expectations. The build-up is really powerful and the way the story ended justified it. I can say that anyone who managed to start reading each of the first five issues of Backlash will experience the power of the ending of this comic book. That being said, you better read all the previous issues before reading this one.

Overall, Backlash (1995) is highly recommended.

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

A Look Back at Backlash #5 (1995)

A Look Back at Backlash #5 (1995)

carlocarrasco

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 year 1995 to take a close look at one of the many tales of the original WildStorm universe through one of the comic books of the Backlash series.

For the newcomers reading this, Backlash is one of the major characters of the WildStorm universe which started in the early 1990s when the famous Jim Lee was one of the founding fathers of Image Comics. Backlash, Deathblow, Wetworks, Gen13 and WildCATS: Covert Action Teams were all connected with each other and many of the characters were linked together in the Team 7 series of prequel stories.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Backlash , published in 1995 by Image Comics with a story written by Brett Booth, Jeff Mariotte and Sean Ruffner. Booth did the artworks.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins with Backlash having visions of his beloved Diane who eventually turns into a gruesome Daemonite monster. Suddenly his female companion Taboo appears to him only to betray him moments after.

In the real world, it turns out that Backlash is helplessly restrained and connected to machines in the presence of Mindscape and his assistant Virtual Bob. Wetworks leader Jackson Dane and Taboo have been contained separately and could only watch Backlash agonizing. Backlash’s mind has been infiltrated by Mindscape through the use of virtual reality.

Mindscape has been looking for a living subjects who could become suitable for his project of combat droids which require genetic information from the subject. Even though he knows that having two live subjects would confuse the combat droids, Mindscape gives the order to have both Backlash and Dane together in cyberspace…

Quality

Backlash and Wetworks leader Dane face-off with Mindscape in cyberspace.

With its heavy emphasis on virtual reality and cyberspace, the creators temporarily changed their approach on storytelling and showing spectacle while managing to introduce a new villain and show more of the friendship of Backlash and Dane.

In my view, Mindscape is indeed a very interesting antagonist who is not the typical super villain who is simply being evil for the sake of it. In fact, Mindscape’s origin was efficiently told here and by the time I finished reading this comic book, I found him to be intriguing. Before he became the powerful villain here, Mindscape used to be a very talented virtual reality developer. Mindscape looks at Dane and Backlash – both of which have extensive military experience as they used to be teammates with Team 7 – not for the sake of murder but as suitable subjects for his combat drones which signifies his intention to build an army that will serve him in the real world.

As this story took place a short time after the reunion that happened late in issue #4, this comic book shows a bit more of the friendship between Backlash and Dane, revealing small details about their past together as specially trained soldiers. With the way the story here was told, there was too little room left for any character development to happen but the small details revealed about the two WildStorm heroes was enough to inspire me to revisit Team 7.

In relation to the story’s concept about virtual reality, the spectacle here is much different and absolutely wilder. You have to see it for yourselves.   

Conclusion

Being trapped and helpless, Taboo could only watch Mindscape and ask him questions.

Backlash (1995) is an entertaining and intriguing read. This comic book also served as a suitable break from the norm of showing Backlash fighting bad guys in the real world and infiltrating places to accomplish his objectives. Backlash and Dane here were portrayed to be vulnerable as their conflict with Mindscape happened in cyberspace. The final conflict was a spectacle to look at and the story’s ending was satisfying enough leaving the sense that Backlash and Dane would meet each other again.

Overall, Backlash (1995) is recommended.

+++++

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

Muntinlupa City inaugurates state-of-the-art Disaster Resilience Mobile Learning Hub, the first in NCR

Muntinlupa City inaugurates state-of-the-art Disaster Resilience Mobile Learning Hub, the first in NCR

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In an effort to improve community resilience and level of disaster preparedness of city residents, the City Government of Muntinlupa formally inaugurated its Mobile Learning Hub, the first innovative roving ‘learning bus’ in Metro Manila designed teach disaster resilience.

The state-of-the-art Mobile Learning Hub. (photo contributed by Muntinlupa PIO)

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi, Congressman Ruffy Biazon, and other local officials inaugurated the Department of Disaster Resilience and Management (DDRM) Mobile Learning Hub during the City Government’s first flag raising ceremony yesterday.

The learning bus is equipped with state-of-the-art Virtual Reality area where residents can wear VR headsets to experience being in ‘close-to-actual’ scenarios of disasters including earthquakes, flooding, storm surge, bomb explosion, chemical poisoning, volcanic eruption, tsunami, and landslide.

The VR facility aims to provide immersive, visual and sound-based experience of weather disturbances and calamities and to train residents on disaster response.

Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi inaugurated the city’s DRRM Mobile Learning Hub and tried the Virtual Reality facility during its inauguration ceremony last January 4. Muntinlupa LGU officials led the inauguration ceremony of the Mobile Learning Hub, the first innovative roving ‘learning bus’ in Metro Manila to teach disaster resilience. The learning hub is equipped with state-of-the-art Virtual Reality area where residents can wear VR headsets to experience being in ‘close-to-actual’ scenarios of disasters an interactive Lecture Area with informative videos on disaster mitigation, adaptation, and resiliency. Fresnedi hopes that the Mobile Learning Hub will enhance the level of preparedness and awareness of Muntinlupeños on climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction. (photo contributed by Muntinlupa PIO)

Further, the DDRM Mobile Learning Hub has an interactive Lecture Area with informative videos on COVID-19 Protective Measures, Disaster Prevention, Mitigation and Preparedness, First Aid Response and Management, and Basic Life Support, among others.

Muntinlupa City DDRM chief Erwin Alfonso says the Mobile Learning Hub targets to mainstream disaster mitigation, adaptation, and resiliency by bringing learning resources to communities and vulnerable sectors.

Alfonso added that as the Learning Hub is expected to visit several communities during the time of the pandemic, health and safety protocols will be strictly implemented and regular disinfection of the facility will be conducted. MCDDRM is yet to release the schedule of the Mobile Learning Hub through their Facebook Page.

Mayor Fresnedi hopes that the Mobile Learning Hub will empower Muntinlupeños to become well-prepared on disasters and calamities and to enhance their level of preparedness and awareness on climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction.

Inside the Mobile Learning Hub. (photo contributed by Muntinlupa PIO)

Recently, the local disaster response department also installed early warning system across the city to inform communities in a timely manner about typhoon signal warnings, severe flooding, and earthquakes, among others.

Muntinlupa City has been named Rank 1 in the Resilience Pillar – Highly Urbanized Cities category of the 2020 Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index organized by the Department of Trade and Industry and National Competitiveness Council. The city bested at least 145 LGUs in the country and was followed by Valenzuela City (Rank 2) and Manila City (Rank 3).

As of January 3, Muntinlupa City has 54 active cases, 5,126 confirmed cases with 4,905 recoveries, 167 reported deaths, 22 suspect cases, and 138 probable cases.

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The above information was provided by the City Government of Muntinlupa for the purpose of public information and transparency. Some parts were edited for this website.

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

Kong VR Now Open at Festival Mall in Alabang

Kong VR Now Open at Festival Mall in Alabang

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Among the shopping malls of South Metro Manila (specifically Muntinlupa, Parañaque and Las Piñas), Festival Mall in Filinvest City, Alabang, has been a hot spot for people who wish to immerse themselves with virtual reality by availing the services and facilities of VR entertainment joints in the said mall.

Recently a brand new virtual reality entertainment joint opened at the 2nd level of Festival Mall and it is called Kong VR. It is located just steps away from Decathlon.

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Kong VR occupies this spacious spot of Festival Mall. Lots of high-tech, amusement equipment inside.

Kong VR describes itself as Korea’s top virtual reality theme park. Their Festival Mall branch has a lot of staffers waiting for customers to come in, pay fees and enjoy the many VR amusement experiences (including a King Kong-related game that’s supposed to test players’ balance and perception) they are offering. They also have lots of high-tech equipment inside as well as some machines that remind me of the video arcade experience.

Their featured VR experiences include Top Adventure VR, Beat Saber, Top Vulcan, Z-Town, and Arabian Nights to name some.

While I’m not much of a fan of virtual reality, I find their joint and offers interesting. Perhaps someday I’ll try one or two of their amusement experiences.

Has anyone among you, my readers, experienced any of the VR experiences there at Kong VR at Festival Mall? Please post a comment below.

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Someone playing Beat Saber.

All others reading this….if you are interested in Kong VR, visit them at Festival Mall.

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. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenor is still available in paperback and e-book format. 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 as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.