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 #6, 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 #6 (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 #6 (1995) is highly recommended.
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. River Raid print ad
This River Raid print ad appeared on comic books and magazines long ago.
Decades before it became an industry giant with the best-selling Call of Duty games, Activision became a standout publisher in the early 1980s with River Raid on the Atari 2600. Designed by Carol Shaw, River Raid was a huge success ending up as the 2nd best-seller on the Atari 2600 as well as Activision’s best-selling game for the year 1983. Apart from showing one screenshot and the box cover of the game, the print ad of River Raid had this mesmerizing 3D image that caught many gamers’ attention and helped them feel like they will pilot on dangerous missions. The 3D image was futuristic in its own style became forward-moving 3D sequences in video games became reality many years later.
2. Galaga North American arcade flyer
The front of the flyer showing three Galaga machines that arcade operators can choose from.
Key details about Galaga were nicely presented on the rear of the flyer.
In the history of gaming, Namco’s Galaga was played by countless millions of gamers and it is still highly regarded as an arcade classic as well as one of the most enjoyable arcade games ever made. In preparation for the North American launch (October 1981), Midway prepared the arcade flyer showing the three types of machine on the front that arcade operators can choose from. On the rear is the really neat approach of explaining the details of the game, what kind of gameplay is to be expected, and how to play. Whether you are an individual player or the manager of an arcade joint, this flyer suits your needs.
3. Area 51 arcade flyer and conversion kit flyer
The front of this Area 51 flyer had an enticing message for arcade operators as well as other business owners/managers who are interested in having a machine to add value to their business joints. Atari was already in deep money problems by the time they started making this game.
The Area 51 arcade conversion kit is a cheaper alternative for businesses who want the game.
Moving on to the 1990s, Atari was already struggling financially and desperately needed a hit to lift them up fast. A light gun shooter project was approved as arcade shooters were in good demand and after overcoming serious hurdles during production internally, Atari hired independent team Mesa Logic to take charge of development. After being granted extra time and more creative freedom, the project under Mesa Logic’s handling became a sci-fi shooter titled Area 51. The game became a huge hit in the arcades for Atari resulting in sales of more than 20,000 arcade cabinets as well as a major financial boost for the company (note: Atari still exists today). Atari went on to release Atari 51 versions for PlayStation, Sega Saturn and PC in America in 1996. The Atari 51 flyers you see here are still captivating to look at and were crucial in generating buzz among arcade operators, business joints that had space for arcade cabinets and gamers.
4. Panasonic 3DO print ad
The makers of this print ad forgot to mention the 3DO is also a game machine.
Back in 1993, the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer console manufactured by Panasonic (a licensee of the 3DO Company) was launched with a CD-ROM drive, multimedia features and gaming capabilities (with a 3-button control pad). This print ad strongly emphasized the 3DO’s ability to play high-quality sound and full-motion videos using the Sea of Cortez software which functioned as an interactive movie. Obviously, this did not resonate well with people who loved to play games and by the time the 3DO Company and its partners started marketing games, they could not save the 3DO console from fading to obscurity. The console shown in the ad is specifically model Panasonic FZ-1 R·E·A·L 3DO Interactive Multiplayer. Panasonic was one of five companies that were licensed by the 3DO Company.
5. MechWarrior 3050 SNES print ad
If you were unaware of the 1994 game BattleTech, then this ad would have fooled you into thinking it is promoting a brand new game.
In 1995, the popular BattleTech entertainment franchise arrived on the Super Nintendo Entertainment (SNES) system with MechWarrior 3050 and its print ad had a really blazing artwork of an armed mech in fire which gave readers the illusion of a new and original game. In reality, MechWarrior 3050 was actually a port of BattleTech which was released on the Sega Genesis in 1994. The Genesis game was published by Extreme Entertainment Group while the SNES game was published by the more famous Activision. If you look closely at the MechWarrior print ad, you can tell how hard they tried to sell the game like it was brand new and all-original.
6. Cliffhanger video game print ad
This print ad had Sylvester Stallone hanging on a cliff to be relevant with the title of both the film and the game. They could not show images of Stallone in hard action scenes.
For fans of Sylvester Stallone, 1993 was a big and exciting year as the Hollywood icon appeared in two major action films – Cliffhanger and Demolition Man. Cliffhanger was released first and there were video game adaptations of it released on game consoles, handhelds and computers. This print ad of the Cliffhanger video game had an image of Stallone hanging on a cliff to emphasize the title. The ad makers cleverly posted selected gameplay screenshots and quoted GamePro and Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM) to make the game look credible and worthy of purchasing. The marketing led to nowhere as the game received mostly negative reviews from critics and it faded to obscurity. Lastly, the Cliffhanger game ad had a noticeable amount of space wasted. They could have made the screenshots and text look somewhat bigger to sell the game.
7. Ballz: The Director’s Cut print ad
I never got to play this game on the 3DO.
Here is another ad of the video game released on the failed 3DO console. As its title made obvious, Ballz: The Director’s Cut is an enhanced version of the original Ballz game of 1994 that was released on other consoles. The print ad had an eye-catching piece of artwork and posted beside it were selected shots of the gameplay. Strangely enough, the creative writing on the lower part of the ad does not make any sense and did nothing to convince gamers to play the game. As Ballz: The Director’s Cut was released in 1995, this ad shows the revised 3DO console from Panasonic (model: Panasonic FZ-10 R·E·A·L 3DO Interactive Multiplayer).
8. NFL GameDay 2000 print ad
Did you find this ad funny to look at in 1999?
To promote the PlayStation-exclusive NFL GameDay 2000, Sony publisher 989 Sports and the ad makers decided to implement a humorous look at football TV coverage by having two sportscasters wearing shorts in front of a TV camera that was only showing their heads and upper bodies. The TV sets on the side show screenshots from the game to emphasize the sports gaming experience. Ultimately the game scored mostly positive review from the critics.
9. WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams print ad
WildC.A.T.S. art by Jim Lee was used to promote the SNES video game.
When Image Comics launched in 1992, WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams was Jim Lee’s creator-owned comic book franchise and its launch issue was a big seller. Years later, WildC.A.T.S. grew in popularity with comic book fans and the franchise achieved multi-media status by venturing into TV (with an animated series) and video games. This print ad promoting the video game adaptation had no screenshots to show which kept fans and gamers guessing how the game will turn out in terms of gameplay and game design. It was obvious that the people who made this print ad had to rely on the best WildC.A.T.S. artwork they could find drawn by Jim Lee. This ad made me laugh back in the old days because if you did not look closely, it might fool you into thinking it was more about comic books than the game on the SNES.
10. Cutthroat Island print ad
Exciting imagery without Geena Davis and Matthew Modine was used to promote the video game adaptation.
I never saw the Hollywood mega-flop Cutthroat Island nor have I ever played any of its multiple video game adaptations (released on SNES, Sega Genesis, Sega Game Gear and Game Boy). The video game print ad, however, caught my attention back in 1995 because the ad makers cleverly used a photograph from one the many expensive movie sequences filmed and the hard, physical work by the filmmakers was clearly visible. Then the ad makers had four screenshots placed on the lower-left part and inserted descriptive text that sounded exciting. Lastly, the ad mentioned a sweepstakes promo.
Without using any images of stars Geena Davis and Matthew Modine, this ad was a strong attempt to get gamers excited for the video game adaptation. Like the movie itself, this game flopped and has faded away to the land of the forgotten.
11. AH-3 Thunderstrike print ad
Captivating artwork, vibrant colors and orderly text descriptions made this an effective ad.
AH-3 Thunderstrike is one of the better games that was released on the Sega CD add-on (requires the Sega Genesis console) in 1993. Similar with MechWarrior 3050, the game was actually a port of Thunderhawk which itself was released on the Amiga and MS-DOS PC in 1992. The print ad showcased a captivating artwork (which was also used on the game’s box cover), a few screenshots and strategically placed text descriptions to sell the game. This ad still looks good.
12. James Bond 007 print ad
This print ad appeared in many comic books in 1984.
This is a print ad I saw many times while reading comic books in 1984. James Bond 007 for Atari 2600 was an ambitious licensed video game as it featured levels that were inspired by missions in the James Bond movies Diamonds are Forever, The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker and For Your Eyes Only. Keep in mind that programmers back then had to deal with memory limitations and primitive tools to make games.
To promote the game, original art of Agent 007 was used which did not resemble the James Bond star of the time – Roger Moore. Strangely enough, the illustrated James Bond slightly resembled Timothy Dalton whose debut as 007 happened in 1987. Adding further zest to the add was the use of fictionalized quotes pointing to fantasized critics as sources (example: Vincent Can’tbe is a reference to real life critic Vincent Canby). The use of a pink background made this catchy ad look really odd.
13. Choplifter III: Rescue Survive print ad
A captivating print ad that brought gamers’ attention to the Choplifter series again.
This print ad of Choplifter III: Rescue Survive has a striking look showing a military officer who needs your help as he has been stranded behind enemy lines. The presentation reflects the long-time tradition of the Choplifter game franchise which has been about piloting an armed helicopter to the opposition’s territory, shooting at bad guys and then rescuing the hostages or prisoners-of-war (POWs). The game eventually gathered mostly positive feedback from video game critics.
14. Defender of the Crown print ad
Cinemaware took a gamble with the visual concept of this print ad.
Released in 1986 for home computers, Defender of the Crown was made with a high level of quality backed with solid artistry. To capture gamers’ attention, Cinemaware came up with this print ad showcasing a pretty model looking somewhat seductive which reflects what happens in the game when players rescue a damsel in distress. The selected screenshots showed what the game looked like on different platforms, and the lower part of the ad made the game feel like it was a historical epic waiting to be discovered. Defender of the Crown eventually became a big hit with computer gamers.
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 #5, 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 #5 (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.
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 mid-1990s to explore another notable chapter of Jim Lee’s WildC.A.T.S.: Covert Action Teams during the creator’s time with Image Comics.
For any fan, witnessing a change of creative direction can either be alienating or engaging to follow. As clearly done in the WildC.A.T.S.-Huntsman storyline done by Chris Claremont and Lee, there was a serious change of direction of the team as it involved in-depth redevelopment of Zealot, the introduction of Claremont’s creation (Huntsman), the introduction of new characters and moving certain WildC.A.T.S. members into the background. Read my retro reviews by clicking here, here, here and here.
After the publication of Erik Larsen’s creative handling of WildC.A.T.S.: Covert Action Teams with issue #14, a new creative team came into the picture with several new stories and the further redevelopment of the titular team in mind.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at WildC.A.T.S.: Covert Action Teams #15, published in 1994 by Image Comics with a story written by James Robinson and drawn by Travis Charest.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins at Jacob Marlowe’s high-end place in Aspen, Colorado. In presence of Spartan, Grifter, Void, Zealot, Voodoo, Maul and Warblade, Marlowe tells them he has important matters to attend to as he, along with other heads of corporations, has been asked by the new government to run an energy commission. The said commission is part of the government’s plan to repair the damage that was done by the possessed US Vice President Dan Quayle.
Suddenly a heavily armed helicopter arrives out of nowhere and fires at them causing a lot of damage. During the attack, Voodoo gets hit and suffers a serious injury. Grifter fires a barrage of bullets at the helicopter which causes it to explode and crash. With Voodoo out of commission, the team just lost its advantage to spot Daemonites.
The next day at the headquarters of IO (International Operations), the team Black Razors hold a meeting as their member Ben Santini has been elevated as their new leader. He leads the briefing and informs the members of the assassination attempts on the members of the commission…
Quality
Meet Ben Santini (left), the new leader of the Black Razors. At right are the members.
When I first read this story way back in 1994, I was alienated a bit by the creative team’s approach to emphasize the Black Razors at the expense of the titular team. And yet, I was pleasantly surprised by the Robinson-Charest creative direction as the Black Razors turned out to be a sensible and strong parallel team to the WildC.A.T.S. without becoming another force of evil. While it is clear that the Daemonite threat is strong with several of the aliens hidden among members of human populations, there clearly had to be another force of opposition for the titular team to face-off with and the Black Razors (which serve IO) clearly fit in well with the concept.
Any dedicated fan of this franchise will realize that the Black Razors first appeared in the original 1992 mini-series but it was only in this issue when Ben Santini (who was shot on the knee by Jacob Marlowe) was realized as a character.
Ben Santini’s introduction here was engaging and his motivations to lead the team were made clear while other Black Razor members had their own small slices of the spotlight. Santini is not exactly evil but he has a clearly defined goal in serving his superiors at IO. This means he intends to make an impact as he struggles with the responsibilities of leading the team even as the other members are not so trusting towards him.
While the paramilitary influence within the WildC.A.T.S. series has often been present, it was noticeably revived strongly by the Robinson-Charest duo in this comic book. The story also served as a creative update of IO for readers to absorb complete with elements of espionage and geo-political developments. In some ways, this comic book made the series more grounded with reality while still maintaining some fantasy concepts to keep readers entertained.
Conclusion
Grifter successfully defeated the armed helicopter but Voodoo remained seriously injured from the attack.
I can say out loud that WildC.A.T.S.: Covert Action Teams #15 (1994) is still great to read and the debut of James Robinson and Travis Charest as handlers of the comic book series remains rock solid in terms of quality and creativity. While the titular team and fan-favorite characters had a very limited presence in this comic book, the introduction of Ben Santini and the stronger emphasis on the Black Razors as a group of trained members (as opposed to being faceless during their appearance in the mini-series) more than made up for it. In fact, the build-up of the Black Razors has a lot of variety and nice quality work by Robinson and Charest. Ultimately, I was entertained with this comic book and it proved effective to make me look forward to the next issue.
Overall, WildC.A.T.S.: Covert Action Teams #15 (1994)is highly recommended!
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Image Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the wild 1990s and explore a part of the WildStorm universe through a tale of Backlash!
In my previous retro review, Backlash and Taboo went on a mission infiltrating a special social event that attracted the rich and powerful. Jacob Marlowe, the founder and leader of WildCATs, was targeted by S’ryn and Pike who were at the said event disguised. Backlash took action but got wounded while fighting S’ryn. As the chaos continued, the Savage Dragon entered performing police duty.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Backlash #3 published in 1995 by Image Comics with a story written by Sean Ruffner, Jeff Mariotte and Booth. Booth was the artist.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins Jacob Marlowe trying to escape away from the party. While trying to summon his team, he gets cornered by Pike. Pike noticed that Marlowe is not fully aware about the powers he has as a Kherubim. Shortly after Marlowe gets hit, Taboo suddenly jumps in and hits Pike to free the WildCATs leader. Taking advantage of Taboo’s help fighting Pike, Marlowe calls his team by phone.
At the party venue, Savage Dragon tells S’ryn that he is under arrest. Backlash is down on the floor bleeding…
Quality
You will get to see Backlash and Savage Dragon fight each other.
If there is anything very notable here, it is the fact that the creative team not only ramped up the superhero spectacle but also emphasized crossovers by having Zealot and Void of WildCATs involved in the action as well as having Savage Dragon participate heavily during the events. This story continues what started in issue #2 and along the way, you will see Marlowe’s Kherubim heritage emphasized as he is a high-level target of the Daemonites represented by S’ryn here.
While the plot is rather light, the high amount of action turned out to be very entertaining to see while the interactions between the characters were pretty engaging to follow. It is fun to see Backlash and Savage Dragon (Erik Larsen’s creation) conflict with each other over S’ryn. For Backlash, S’ryn is too dangerous to be handled by the local law enforcers while Savage Dragon sees him as a suspect who has to be jailed due to the chaos caused within the local jurisdiction. It should be noted that Savage Dragon was more than capable on bringing down S’ryn which essentially makes Backlash look like a failure.
Pike here noticeably became a more prominent villain. Not only was he dead serious with his mission to kill Jacob Marlowe, he proved to be a formidable foe against Taboo and even the highly proficient Zealot. This is interesting to see since Pike’s participation in the WildCATs mini-series was not too great and the dialogue the creative came up with emphasized his personality a lot.
As this is an action-heavy story, I can say that Brett Booth’s visual work here is very good. He knew how to set-up the action sequences as well as how to frame the action in sequence. There were even moments in which some aspects of his art resembled that of Jim Lee. Speaking of crossovers, Booth’s artistic take on Zealot, Void and Savage Dragon was nice to see.
Conclusion
Zealot and Void of WildCATs got involved in this story.
Backlash #3 (1995) is another fun ride but on a higher gear and with stronger emphasis on crossover elements. To really enjoy this, one must be oriented enough with Savage Dragon and WildCATs to grasp this comic book’s concept and how the guest characters fit into the narrative. This is a meaningful crossover within the WildStorm universe. Fans of Backlash will have a lot to be engage with in this comic book.
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Image Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the wild 1990s and explore a part of the WildStorm universe through a tale of Backlash!
Backlash #1 was indeed a fun and engaging read with the creative direction spearheaded by Brett Booth who was a co-writer and the illustrator. It built-up Backlash as a major WildStorm figure while also emphasized the concepts from his previous appearances in the Kindred limited series which paired him with Grifter. As seen in issue #1, he freed Taboo and it was clear that she was designed to be a key part of the Backlash series.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Backlash #2, published in 1994 by Image Comics with a story written by Sean Ruffner, Jeff Mariotte and Booth. Booth was the artist.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins with a meeting inside the high-tech headquarters of the W.O.R. (Wildlife Organized Research), a front covering the outpost for the criminal organization called the Cabal. During the meeting, the fall of Helspont was discussed and talk about running the Cabal intensified. Just as it was made clear that a new beginning and new leadership were needed to manage the Cabal, a warlord called S’ryn arrives with the deadly Pike behind him. After briefly overwhelming opposition from a Coda warrior and H’tarh, S’ryn performs a ritual and gets the pledge of loyalty from those who recognized him as the new leader of the Cabal. The stage is set for further escalation between the Daemonites and the Kherubim.
In the city of Chicago, Backlash and Taboo spend time together in an apartment that looks worn down and not so clean. It turns out, both of them are fugitives and they are waiting for Cyberjack to complete his surveillance of the security of a hotel where a celebrity ball is set to happen…
Quality
In the middle of a special event, Backlash and Taboo spring into action as WildCATS’ Jacob Marlowe gets into trouble.
Compared to what happened in issue #1, this story moved at a moderate pace in relation to the new mission which involved espionage and suspense. It’s not the action showcase the previous issue was but rather more moderated as the creators took a new approach to not only tell a new story but also do its own build-up of the Kherubim-Daemonite war and other WildStorm universe concepts. The story is well-written and while there is a lot of expository dialogue and creative explanations implemented, it never felt forced. Along the way, the creative team started implementing crossover elements by having Jacob Marlowe of WildC.A.T.S.: Covert Action Teams as well as established Image Comics figure Savage Dragon (from Erik Larsen) included in the story and even getting involved with the operations that took place.
As for Backlash himself, you will see a little less of him in this tale (compared to issue #1) which is not surprising as the creative team focused more on the plot and had to handle the crossover elements. Backlash did not become a supporting character here and you will see some superhero spectacle from him, particularly in his rematch with a certain villain.
Conclusion
S’ryn gets challenged before he becomes the new leader of the forces of evil.
Backlash #2 (1994) is a fun ride that cleverly combined crossover elements with its own approach on building up the WildStorm concepts, notably the war between the Kherubim and Daemonites. It also shows the consequences of what happened in the 4th issue of the WildC.A.T.S. mini-series particularly within the side of the opposition. As such, this comic book is pretty much a sequel to the said mini-series. At this stage, there was clearly something prepared to entertain readers while maintaining focus on establishing Backlash (note: Marc Slayton was one of the Team 7 members) as a major WildStorm character.
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 and comic book collectors! Today we continue revisiting Jim Lee’s flagship title under the Image Comics label – WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams!
Last time around, members of the WildC.A.T.S were split apart in terms of locations as they had their rest-and-relaxation period. While Grifter went away to do something urgent (read: the Kindred comic books), Zealot, Void and Jacob Marlowe’s executive assistant Jules picked up Warblade and Maul using their high-tech aircraft to head on to the Bahamas where an entire cruise ship disappeared with Marlowe, Voodoo and Spartan on it.
Unbeknownst to the WildC.A.T.S flying in their jet, Voodoo, Spartan and Marlowe found themselves as captives of an armored man (wearing a half-helmet) called Entropy inside his domain in an undetermined location. Entropy refers to Marlowe as lord Emp and states that he will suffer from his wrath. Marlowe does not recognize him.
With those details laid down, here is a look back WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #9, published by Image Comics in 1994 with a story written by Brandon Choi and Jim Lee. Lee did the art with Scott Williams in-charge with the ink work.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins with the partial WildC.A.T.S team arriving in the area of the Bermuda triangle with their aircraft. From their view, there was nothing to spot but Zealot insists that they keep on searching as they must be overlooking something.
Meanwhile, Spartan and Voodoo find themselves in deep trouble as a horde of Daemonites persistently attack them. Already heavily damaged, Spartan keeps on using his energy blasts to hold the monsters off. Voodoo on the other hand is too weak and could not concentrate to help her teammate.
Suddenly one of the Daemonites slashes Spartan’s left arm which neutralizes his energy blast. His body got pierced by one of the monsters which pinned him down, leaving Voodoo completely helpless…
Quality
The WildC.A.T.S on search-and-rescue.
On face value, this comic book looks like another generic or even disposable good-versus-evil story drawn by Jim Lee. In reality, its story has more significance to it and the creators themselves came up with something fresh for WildC.A.T.S fans. Firstly, this is a story about one group of WildC.A.T.S trying to rescue their boss and their two other teammates from Entropy in a location that could not be easily found. Secondly, this comic book puts strong focus back on the Kherubim-Daemonite war which creatively looks back at one of the many events that took place in Jacob Marlowe’s past (which he could not remember at first) complete with implementing a strong fantasy (read: swords and armors) element which gives the story a mixed-genre aesthetic.
The good news here is that the storytelling and visual presentation by the creators are really well done! While the dual approach of storytelling involving both the present and the far past was used in Jim Lee’s past X-Men works with Marvel, the said approach was well executed with WildC.A.T.S which not only expanded its lore further but also developed Jacob Marlowe’s personality even further.
To have Entropy (note: he eerily resembles’ Mantra arch-villain Boneyard in the Ultraverse) as an enraged opposition figure living with a lust for revenge against Marlowe is a smart move and at the same time this adds variety to the kind of opposition WildC.A.T.S have. More on what happened in the past involving both Marlowe and Entropy, the flashback raises new questions about the value and true nature of the WildC.A.T.S’ leader who at this point was a brash manager who wields lots of resources to operate with. The flashback also challenges readers on how to evaluate Jacob Marlowe when it comes to being accountable about his past actions, including the many things he did but could not remember. All of these lead to a really impactful ending that you readers must see.
Conclusion
Meet Entropy, a man with a shared past with Jacob Marlowe.
WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #9 (1994) is a Jim Lee-drawn tale that has solid depth and a very creative approach to its presentation, specifically its daring and well-executed method of mixing the superhero and fantasy elements. When it comes to the narrative, the creative team succeeded in telling both the present and the past tales followed by connecting them with each other while ultimately telling an overall cohesive tale. This is a Wild.C.A.T.S story that must be read from start to finish, and it is a powerful follow-up to issue #8.
If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #9 (1994), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $30.
Overall, WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #9 (1994) is highly recommended.
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we continue revisiting Jim Lee’s flagship title under Image Comics – WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams!
For the newcomers reading this, I recently completed reviewing the 4-issue mini-series (read my retro reviews here, here, here and here), the first issue of which was one of the launch titles published under Image Comics’ banner through Malibu Comics. Back in 2020, I reviewed issue #5 which itself was highly unusual as it marked the beginning of what was back then the regular series of WildC.A.T.S (note: starting a brand new comic book series is often done with a new issue #1). WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #5 was conveniently part of the build-up for the Killer Instinct storyline that had featured Jim Lee’s creations crossing over with Marc Silvestri’s Cyber Force.
With those details laid down, here is a look back WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #6, published by Image Comics in 1993 with a story written by Brandon Choi and Jim Lee. Lee did the art.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins with the WildC.A.T.S flying in their high-tech aircraft and observing the large explosion which marked the destruction of a top-secret research facility. Their teammate Warblade was left behind which concerns Grifter and Voodoo. Spartan says it is too risky for them to move close to the site of destruction for Warblade as their electronic counter measure and identification systems have been lost due to the explosion. Spartan also told them team that they need to fly away before the Gamorran security forces arrive.
They are too late, however, as three high-tech aircrafts of Gamorra have arrived to take them down. One of them launched several missiles at the WildC.A.T.S aircraft causing Spartan to tell Grifter to redirect all power to their shields.
As hard as he tried, Spartan could only fly their shielded jet to dodge the first four missiles and absorbing the impact of two missiles before getting hit by the other missiles launched by the other two enemy aircrafts.
While their jet got destroyed into pieces, the WildC.A.T.S managed to survive the explosion only to see themselves falling helplessly in the air. As Spartan catches Voodoo, Grifter warns him abou the incoming Gamorran aircraft…
Quality
The team but without Jacob Marlowe, Warblade, Voodoo and Void at this point of the story.
To begin with, this comic book is very much like its predecessors – a very action-packed tale laced with the occasional character moments for fun while having little room left for character development. If there is any notable change in the way this comic book’s story was told, it is the detective work done collectively by key members of WildC.A.T.S followed by exposition dumps here and there. The detective work and exposition were done primarily to add to the build-up of the crossover with Cyber Force with the revelation of a love triangle from the past involving Misery (who gave Grifter a lot of trouble in issue #5), Warblade and Ripclaw (from the other team).
As with Jim Lee’s past works, the action here is highly charged and there is a lot of spectacle to enjoy most of the way. By the time this comic book got published, the respective capabilities of the WildC.A.T.S team members have already been established and the creators pushed the creative limits further on showing what else could the main characters do as envisioned by Jim Lee. There is even this 4-page sequence showing Grifter and Zealot infiltrating one of the Gamorran aircrafts and having lots of banter along the way which was fun to read. Considering the lack of space for character development, the creators made up for it somewhat with the dialogue.
As this is the first chapter of the Killer Instinct crossover storyline, the build-up for it is not really that engaging to me personally. While Ripclaw was already established as a major Cyber Force character and Warblade was a visible yet not so dominating as a member of WildC.A.T.S, the establishment of the personal connection between them through Misery (the woman right in the middle) is just not so strong. Not even a huge exposition dump about the past could have strengthened the background. It would have been more helpful had Jim Lee and Marc Silvestri agreed to publish a prequel comic book (or pages inserted into a few comic books of WildC.A.T.S and Cyber Force) about Warblade-Misery-Ripclaw in the past as a prelude to Killer Instinct. More on Misery herself, I could not help but think of her as a distorted and more wicked version of the X-Men’s Jean Grey complete with long red hair.
Conclusion
Grifter and Zealot infiltrate a Gamorran aircraft.
WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #6 (1993) is another fun comic book to read filled with a lot of stuff that Jim Lee fans love to see again and again. As the opening chapter of Killer Instinct, the creators did the best they could to establish Misery as an important antagonist who happens to have been personally involved with Warblade and Ripclaw some years back. Sadly, the Warblade-Misery-Ripclaw triangle establishment is not so engaging and looked more like an afterthought. Still, this comic book’s story is not brainless and expanded the lore of the WildStorm universe a bit more. There is more good stuff than bad ones which make this worth reading.
If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #6 (1993), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $20 while the near-mint copies of gold cover edition and newsstand edition cost $300 and $60 respectively.
Overall, WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #6 (1993) is recommended.
+++++
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. 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/
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 revisit the early days of Image Comics through Jim Lee’s WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams comic book franchise which was one of the launch titles of the said company.
Last time around, I reviewed the third issue of the WildC.A.T.S mini-series and its quality was good enough for me. Other than the visual candies delivered by Jim Lee, WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #3 featured a crossover with Rob Liefeld’s very own Youngblood which was really surprising and intriguing back in those times.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at the final issue of the mini-series…WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #4, published by Image Comics through Malibu Comics in 1993 with a story written by Brandon Choi and Jim Lee. Lee did the art.
Jim Lee drew this cover very similarly to his cover art work on X-Men #4 (1992).
Early story
The story begins with Helspont already declaring victory as well as the beginning of his operation called Reunification which involves the use of the orb to activate a stargate which would allow his brethren of Daemonites to come to Earth to not only overwhelm the Kherubim but also to conquer the whole world. In his presence are two of his deadly companies standing with him and certain members of WildC.A.T.S – including their leader Jacob Marlowe – who are down on the rough surface having been hit hard moments earlier.
Suddenly a group composed of the six Youngblood members, Vice President Dan Quayle and WildC.A.T.S’ members Voodoo and Maul approach Helspont and his companions in an attempt to make them surrender.
As Voodoo realizes her power does not affect Helspont, the vicious Daemonite strikes the group with an energy blast aided by the orb and the high technology of the place. As this happens, Grift, Void and Jacob slowly make their moves. Jacob uses his communicator to send a signal to the heavily damaged Spartan…
Quality
WildC.A.T.S face strong opposition from the Gnome and his dangerous companions.
As the final tale of the mini-series, I can say that the script made for this comic book is a pretty satisfying read from start to finish. Like in issue #3, the pace here moves fast and there is a lot of spectacle that got executed while never overwhelming its narrative. More on the narrative, the conflict between the Kherubim and Daemonites is strongly symbolized by the WildC.A.T.S and Helspont’s forces going head to head. There are some pretty notable character moments that added to the fun factor such as Jacob sarcastically telling Helspont he could not access the back-up systems for his dreaded operation to bring the Daemonites to Earth.
Of course, this is not simply a WildC.A.T.S versus Helspont story in the good-versus-evil type of way. Apart from the inclusion of Rob Liefeld’s Youngblood, there is also the other dangerous party led by the Gnome who also have a strong interest in the orb. While their participation in the story happens pretty late, they do provide serious opposition against Jacob Marlowe and his team.
As mentioned earlier, there is a lot of action that expresses the intensity of the conflicts. While there is almost no room left for any real character development, the creators managed to craft a story that never felt brainless or unintelligent. As such, there is a lot of entertaining stuff to enjoy here and I personally find the establishment of WildC.A.T.S’ core concept to be solid and worth following.
Conclusion
As Helspont emphasizes his evil plan, Jacob Marlowe makes his move.
WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #4 (1993) is a not just a fun comic book to read. It is also a worthy conclusion to its mini-series and also it succeeded in establishing the WildC.A.T.S as both Jim Lee’s passion project and as one of the most worthy early titles of Image Comics. By the time I reached the end of this comic book, it became clear to me back in 1993 that Jim Lee was moving forward to a new territory on superhero comic book creations leaving behind his legacy with Marvel and their X-Men franchise. While this comic book ended the 4-issue mini-series, the funny thing was that Jim Lee and his team went on to start a regular comic book series of WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams by actually publishing issue #5 (in late 1993) instead of starting with a brand new issue #1.
If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #4 (1993), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $20 while the near-mint copies of newsstand edition (without card) and the numbered-and-signed edition cost $48 and $160 respectively.
Overall, WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #4 (1993) is recommended.
+++++
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. 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/
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.
Hey fellow comic book geeks! Remember before that I reviewed X-Men #1 of 1991 drawn by the great Jim Lee? That was over a year ago and so far, that is my only retro review of a dominant Jim Lee-drawn comic book.
Instead of reviewing another X-Men comic book drawn by Lee or any of the illustrator’s other works, I’ve decided to focus on the 1990s particularly on Image Comics. Back in those days, Lee was one of the main figures of Image and through that company he turned his dream projects into published comic books. When Image Comics launched in 1992, Jim Lee launched his superhero team project titled WildC.A.T.S: Cover Action Teams and issue #1 of that sold a lot. Eventually WildC.A.T.S. finished as a 4-issue mini-series.
Along with WildC.A.T.S were other projects launched under Lee and his company WildStorm (previously referred to as Aegis Entertainment) such as Stormwatch and Gen13.
Then in 1993, Jim Lee, Scott Williams and Brandon Choi worked again to produce even more WildC.A.T.S comic books for fans to enjoy and keep business at WildStorm moving. The result was the release of WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #5 which symbolically marked the start of a new regular series without starting with a new issue #1. Here’s an excerpt of Jim Lee’s explanation printed inside the said comic book:
I’m baaack!!! But rather than starting over with a new first issue, I decided to just “extend” the WildCATs miniseries into a regular series. Why? Well, I did it mostly for psychological reasons as first issues are always the most difficult ones to tell and draw. You have to get the readers to accept and understand a whole legion of new concepts and characters—characters which you’re illustrating often for the very first time. And as ant professional in the business can tell you, it takes a while for an artist to get the hang of certain characters-the way they movie, the way they talk, the way they reaction to different situations. And U’ve found that I haven’t really “connected” with any new characters until I’ve had four or five issues worth under my belt. ~Jim Lee
That being said, here is a look back at WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #5 published in 1993 by Image Comics with a story written by Jim Lee and Brandon Choi, and with art drawn by Lee and inked by Scott Williams.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins with WildC.A.T.S members Grifter and Zealot gliding quietly approaching a secret base. Following Grifter’s lead to go into action, Zealot joins him to crash through the glass window and take out the perceived enemy troops called the hunter killers shooting and assaulting them. It turns the two are in search for something and they have their other teammates ready to come in to provide back-up.
Even though they tried to sneak around the place quietly, mechanical enemy reinforcements spotted them and chased them. As a metallic door shuts and separates the two, Grifter successfully got through the armed defense system and finds himself at the vault. After informing his other teammates of his new location, Grifter opens the vault revealing something very captivating with regards to the Daemonites’ secret operations…
Quality
The team and the villain.
Visually, this is one great looking comic book filled with lots of dynamism and flare provided by Jim Lee and Scott Williams. Each and every character looks great and come with a good amount of visual details on them. Also I love the futuristic technology look that dominated most of the scenes. When it comes to spectacle, this one is loaded and Jim Lee’s presentation of adulterated action and stunts is undeniably fantastic. I should also state that the colors are very vibrant thanks to Joe Chiodo.
Great action drawn by Jim Lee.
When it comes to storytelling, however, this one lacks depth. In terms of plotting, it’s pretty basic and goes like this: two heroes infiltrate the base of an enemy, they get discovered and more enemy troops come in, the top villains come in followed by the rest of the heroes’ teammates. As the focus here was more on spectacle and suspense, there was definitely no room left for character development. There is a subplot here worth mentioning and it serves as a link leading to the eventual Killer Instinct crossover with Marc Silvestri’s Cyberforce.
Conclusion
Great visuals and action here but not much in terms of storytelling.
I should say that WildC.A.T.S: Cover Action Teams #5is pretty tricky to recommend to all comic book geeks and superhero enthusiasts. I can easily recommend it to die-hard fans of Jim Lee, the die-hard fans of WildC.A.T.S, as well as those who love Image Comic books from the 1990s. If you are looking for a short bout of fun with action in mind, this comic book will serve you. If you are the kind of reader who wants deep storytelling and solid character development, this one will fall short.
If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of WildC.A.T.S: Cover Action Teams #5 (1993), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $4.
Overall, WildC.A.T.S: Cover Action Teams #5 (1993)is satisfactory. It’s a great looking comic book (with gate-fold pages) that does not have much to fulfill readers looking for the solid combination of art, storytelling, characterization and entertainment.
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. 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 Carrascoand follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
Author Carlo Carrasco 