WildStorm – Page 2 – Author Carlo Carrasco

A Look Back at Wetworks #1 (1994)

November 29, 2023November 26, 2023carlocarrasco

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

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the mid-1990s to explore the comic book launch of a notable fictional team co-created by the Whilce Portacio and Brandon Choi…Wetworks.

For the newcomers reading this, Whilce Portacio was one of the highly talented illustrators who left Marvel Comics and co-founded Image Comics in the early 1990s. While his fellow co-founders Todd McFarlane, Jim Lee, Rob Liefeld, Marc Silvestri, Jim Valentino and Erik Larsen were able to launch their respective dream projects (creator-owned properties) during Image’s first year of publishing, the launch of Wetworks was delayed by two years due to a death in Portacio’s family.

As a very young comic book reader in those days, I remember hearing rumors about Wetworks inside comic book stores I visited. There were rumors of business negotiations, solicitations and scheduled launches (ranging from October 1993 to January 1994). I also noticed some comic book enthusiasts who bought old copies of X-Factor and Uncanny X-Men that Portacio illustrated while waiting for Wetworks to debut.

In the middle of 1994, Wetworks was finally launched under the Image Comics label and I still remember the day when I saw lots of copies of issue #1 displayed on the shelves and windows of comic book stores.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Wetworks #1, published in 1994 by Image Comics with a story written by Whilce Portacio and Brandon Choi. The art was done by Portacio with ink work by Scott Williams.

Early story

The story begins when a covert operations team working under International Operations (IO) travels to eastern Europe to infiltrate and destroy the base of operations of a certain warring faction and retrieve a biological agent (highly contagious) no matter what the cost. As it turns out, this new mission for the team (led by Colonel Jackson Dane, one of the pioneers of Team 7) started less than twenty four houses after their previous mission and their female member Pilgrim (reconnaissance specialist) pointed out that the demolition charges they are carrying are strong enough to wipe out an entire city block. Another teammate called Grail (the Filipino named Salvador Joel Alonday) stated that they are supposed to be a hostage rescue team.

Meanwhile deep inside the command center of IO in Washington, D.C., Admiral Halsey tells Miles Craven that Team 7 (the team led by Dane) are under his command and states that his sources tell him that there is more to the mission than just a group of ethnic nationalists obsessed on a biological terror campaign. It turns out, Craven sent the team to eastern Europe without fully informing them of what they are going up against. Craven insists that Team 7 are paid to put their lives on the line and to die if necessary just to get the job done. Craven then reveals to Halsey the true nature of the mission. The admiral then realizes Craven is right and certain sacrifices must be made for the greater good.

Craven and his team arrived at the location in Transylvania. They started seeing signs that someone else arrived ahead of them…

Quality

*One of the team members looks at a symbiote.*

I’ll start first with the fantasy concept and the storytelling. Whilce Portacio and Brandon Choi’s joint creation of Wetworks is indeed an inspired move with connections to real-life military influences the creators had. The Wetworks team – initially referred to as Team 7 – started looking and acting like typical military squad in the world of fiction but the major twist that happened drastically redefined and refined them into the most unique military team in the world of superhero comics. It’s the closest thing to seeing G.I. Joe fused with living symbiotes (another inspired move most likely influenced by a certain Marvel murderer with a symbiote whose origin is linked with one of the most iconic superheroes ever) there is and I can say Wetworks remains relevant and stands out nicely among superhero comic book teams to this day.

With regards to the plot, it looks cliched on face value. I’m talking about the trope in which a team is sent by their powerful superiors on a mission without knowing all the crucial details needed (because the superiors hid it from them) and they eventually encounter immense danger. As mentioned earlier, the major twist in the plot not only completed a major transformation of Dane and his teammates but also ramped up the fantasy aspect of the tale to much higher levels.

Still on the plot, Portacio and Choi came up with a solid structure for the narrative. The build-up of details and tension was very good and the pay-offs (lots of spectacle plus twists) were great. As the story moved on, the suspense grew stronger and the narrative succeeded in making me care about the team led by Dane.

*Meet the team members who would later become Wetworks.*

When it comes to the art, Portacio’s work here (with ink by Scott Williams) still looks great and, more notably, it is a fine departure from the superhero visuals he worked in years prior. As with his past works, you will see the artist’s stylized approach on visualizing the narrative related to how he implements the panels per page.

Portacio did a very good job with the military look of Wetworks and he drew their guns with a high amount of detail that should be seen (you should try using a magnifying glass on this comic book). Not only that, his art on military hardware such as the gunships, the interiors plus equipment all have that detailed appearance. When it comes to action, I believe that Portacio took a lot inspiration from Hollywood action flicks (most notably Predator) on portraying Wetworks members using their guns and positioning during battle.

Of course, the spectacle is not totally limited to military stuff. There is a touch of fantasy and horror visuals involved which is directly related to what was set-up for Wetworks to encounter in the near future. To realize what I am saying here, you must read this comic book until the intense end.

Conclusion

*Wetworks #1 from 1994 is still great to read!*

I can say without a doubt that Wetworks #1 (1994) remains as gripping and as entertaining as when I first read it decades ago. In short, it has aged well and reading it all over again today is compelling and a lot of fun to do. If you ask me, this is one of the finest works ever by Whilce Portacio in terms of art and storytelling. As one of the many comic books Image published during its first few years in the industry, Wetworks #1 (1994) clearly stands out with its military theme and fantasy concept. Lastly, Wetworks is set within the WildStorm universe as dramatically symbolized with the presence of International Operations (the team’s superiors).

Overall, Wetworks #1 (1994) is highly 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

A Look Back at WildC.A.T.S.: Covert Action Teams #15 (1994)

October 24, 2023October 21, 2023carlocarrasco

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.

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!

+++++

A Look Back at Backlash #4 (1995)

March 2, 2023February 24, 2023carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Image Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the wild 1990s and explore a part of the WildStorm universe through a tale of Backlash!

In my previous retro review, as the mission of Backlash and Taboo intensified, Zealot and Void of the WildCATs got involved in the action. Pike, who had been serving S’ryn, proved to be a formidable foe for Zealot and Taboo. The Savage Dragon meanwhile proved to be more than capable of bringing down S’ryn which made Backlash less relevant in his own comic book. Just as things intensified, something big blew up.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Backlash #4 published in 1995 by Image Comics with a story written by Sean Ruffner, Jeff Mariotte and Booth. Booth was the artist.

Early story

The story begins just moments after the big explosion. Savage Dragon, Backlash, Zealot, Jacob Marlowe, Taboo, Void and Jack managed to survive. In line with his duty as a police officer, Savage Dragon tells Zealot that Backlash and his friends are coming with him as they have been tagged by the government as threats to national security. Zealot then lifts her blade up to Savage Dragon’s throat and states that if Backlash had not been with them, then her lord Emp (Marlowe) may well have been assassinated.

Eventually, Void uses her power to transport Backlash, Taboo, Jack, Zealot and Marlowe away, leaving Savage Dragon behind…

Quality

To put things straight, this particular comic book serves as the conclusion of the storyline (the mission specifically) that started in issue #2 while also working as a bridge going into the next storyline. The good news here is that the creative team’s work here is good enough in terms of quality.

For one thing, the team really took their time to develop Backlash and Taboo some more right after the end of the first mission. Their talk with each other as civilians inside a New York City bar was nicely written and there were a few witty moments that I found enjoyable. Along the way, there was efficient expository dialogue that explains Taboo’s past connection with Pike and the Cabal. Backlash also shared some key details of himself which ultimately made him and Taboo have something in common.

This story also shows a key flaw in Backlash’s personal integrity – his romantic involvement with Taboo made him betray his beloved Diane. For one thing, this potentially opens a series of problems that will eventually haunt him later. On another thing, it seems that the creative team have something intriguing planned for the protagonist who has clearly been sharing this comic book series’ spotlight with Taboo.

As with the previous issues, this comic book continued the build-up and emphasis of the WildStorm universe’s concepts. In terms of crossovers, Wetworks’ leader Jackson Dane makes an appearance here and his unexpected reunion with Backlash is a must-see. For the newcomers reading this, WildStorm’s Grifter (WildCATs), Backlash, Dane (Wetworks) and Deathblow are all members of Team 7 which had its series of wild stories set twenty years prior (note: think of the Vietnam War era). It was also in 1994 when the first Team 7 comic book mini-series was first published. In some ways, Backlash interacting with Grifter in the Kindred mini-series and reuniting with Dane served as creative ways to emphasize the Team 7 concept to readers.

On the visuals, Brett Booth continues to do a fine job presenting the characters (who are clearly recognizable to me) and I noticed he seems to have fun trying to test readers’ visions by carefully inserting selected X-Men characters into the background during the bar scenes as Taboo and Backlash talked. As for Dane, I like Booth’s own take on the character

Conclusion

*Look carefully at the background and you will spot X-Men team members Cyclops, Jean Grey Gambit and Rogue in civilian forms.*

Backlash #4 (1995) is more of a build-up comic book that so happens to have a decent amount of action for entertainment value. The characterization scenes of Backlash and Taboo is a must-see while the conclusion of the first mission was nicely done complete with a worthy end to the crossover with WildCATs’ Zealot, Void and Jacob Marlowe. The story itself moved at a medium pace which is not surprising as there was something being built-up with the new mission in mind.

Overall, Backlash #4 (1995) is recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at Backlash #3 (1995)

February 21, 2023February 24, 2023carlocarrasco

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.

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.

Overall, Backlash #3 (1995) is recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at Backlash #2 (1994)

February 2, 2023January 28, 2023carlocarrasco

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.

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 4^th 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.

Overall, Backlash #2 (1994) is recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at Backlash #1 (1994)

April 29, 2022April 27, 2022carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero fans, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we continue revisiting the Wildstorm universe as it was under the Image Comics banner back in the 1990s. Recently, I reviewed back-to-back issues of Jim Lee’s WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams that involved Chris Claremont and his creation Huntsman (click here, here, here and here) which ultimately expanded the lore of the team within the Wildstorm universe of the time while developing Zealot tremendously.

Still within the Wildstorm universe of the 1990s, it’s time to shift to another key figure – Backlash (civilian identity: Marc Slayton) co-created by Jim Lee and Brett Booth (follow him at Twitter and visit his blog). To put things in perspective, Backlash and WildC.A.T.S’ popular Grifter (Cole Cash) have something in common other than being highly capable fighters – they were teammates within Team 7 long before StormWatch (note: Backlash first appeared in StormWatch #3 in 1993) and WildC.A.T.S were formed. In fact, Team 7 also had Michael Cray (Deathblow), Jackson Dane (Wetworks) and John Lynch (who appeared in early WildC.A.T.S issues and went on to be the mentor in Gen13) who went on to become important Wildstorm figures in the present day.

In 1994, a 4-issue mini-series titled The Kindred was published featuring Backlash and Grifter with a story written by Jim Lee, Brandon Choi, Brett Booth (who illustrated) and Sean Ruffner. Months after that mini-series ended, a regular series focused on Backlash was launched.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Backlash #1, published by Image Comics in 1994 with a story written by Ruffner, Jeff Mariotte and Booth. Booth was the artist.

Early story

The story begins with Backlash quietly infiltrating the Edward H. Levi Federal Penitentiary, a facility designed to control the growing population of criminal super-powered beings (SPBs). Eventually two armored guards pass by and as soon as one of them notices signs of the break-in, Backlash takes them down using his psionic whip and hard action.

After subduing two more pairs of guards, Backlash enters a large place that has prisoners contained in what he refers to as “aquariums”. Two of the prisoners recognize him. He finally reaches the cell of a red-headed lady named Amanda Reed – also known as Taboo – who has been imprisoned for murder. Backlash makes an offer – if she helps him, he will get her out of the prison…

Quality

*Backlash struggling on the way of getting out with Taboo.*

Let me start with the story. This comic book has an unusual approach on its plot in which the flashbacks are more prominent than the present-day tale of Backlash freeing Taboo and getting out of the prison. The good news here is that the flashbacks are pretty engaging to read and they solidly fulfilled the writers’ goals of immersing the readers with useful story details and building up the tension while also emphasizing Backlash’s personality and what motivates him deep from within. To put it short, the flashbacks are the most important features of the storytelling and they also have the most interesting scenes (including an encounter with Pike who previously appeared in the early issues of WildC.A.T.S). The present-day view of the plot lack engagement compared to the flashbacks but the creative team succeeded in emphasizing Taboo, what she is capable off and why she is feared.

The characterization of Marc Slayton is pretty good in my view. By the time I reached the end of this comic book, I found him to be a really intriguing protagonist. Backlash is definitely not inspiring but the irony is that his personality and purpose within the Wildstorm universe of the time were compelling enough to follow.

When it comes to the art, Brett Booth’s work here is still good to look at as I follow the story. Be mindful that this was his work when he was very young and as seen in this comic book, he definitely proved his talent, his art style was clearly distinct and he was capable of coming up with really good action scenes that really made Backlash a notable Wildstorm action hero. It should be noted that Booth illustrated this comic book with dynamism in mind.

Conclusion

*A key scene from the past of Marc Slayton/Backlash nicely drawn by Brett Booth.*

Backlash #1 (1994) is fun and compelling to read. The flashbacks are strangely the most engaging parts of the plot and they succeeded in getting me oriented with the protagonist, what has been going on and what the stakes are right at the start of this particular series. Combined with the still-good-to-view art by a very young Brett Booth, this comic book has a lot of fun stuff to enjoy especially for those who are obsessed or simply wanting to discover more about the Wildstorm universe of the 1990s.

Backlash #1 (1994) 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/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/

A Look Back at WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #13 (1994)

April 22, 2022April 20, 2022carlocarrasco

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!

For the newcomers reading this, I’ve been doing retro reviews of WildC.A.T.S that had Chris Claremont and Jim Lee collaborating together during the early Image Comics years following their previous works together on X-Men comic books while they were at Marvel. Issue #10 of WildC.A.T.S saw the debut of Claremont’s very own Huntsman while Zealot became the major character among her teammates (note: Voodoo had the 2^nd most amount of page presence while the rest made very short appearances). In issue #11, the stakes were raised as most of the WildC.A.T.S got captured by the new super villainess Tapestry and Voodoo remained possessed, leaving Zealot as the only free team member who – out of fear – had to reach out for reinforcements (note: brand new characters who happened to have history with Zealot). In issue #12, Zealot and Huntsman really struggled clashing with the Troika while the reinforcements were on their way. What happened saw new revelations about Zealot and the plot expectedly built up the anticipation of the next big conflict.

The issue I am about to review is the conclusion of the current storyline Claremont wrote and Lee illustrated which, so far, expanded the lore of the WildC.A.T.S within the WildStorm universe of the time. So far, I’ve been enjoying re-reading WildC.A.T.S issues #10 to #12, seeing what kind of creative stuff Claremont and Lee could make while being free from the restrictions and limitations of Marvel Comics.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #13, published by Image Comics in 1994 with a story written by Chris Claremont and drawn by Jim Lee.

Early story

The story begins with the possessed Voodoo – now looking frail and ugly as a result of Raksha’s hunger for flesh – attacking Jacob Marlowe’s two trusted assistants who arrived to help her. Deep inside her body struggling with Raksha’s possession, Pris manages to stop her attack – Voodoo’s face restored to normal – and warns Jules and Stansfield that Jacob and her teammates have been turned into evil by Tapestry and that Zealot may still be free.

Meanwhile, Grifter, Hunstman, Zealot, Savant, Soldier and Mr. Majestic fight the mind-controlled WildC.A.T.S – Spartan, Maul, Jacob Marlowe and Warblade – and Alabaster Wu who are acting under Tapestry’s evil. As Grifter shoots Maul and kicks Jacob Marlowe’s head, Huntsman reveals to him that Tapestry and Zealot have a history together while Alabaster Wu was trying to save his people…

Quality

*Chris Claremont’s Huntsman contributes solidly into the story even though he is not protagonist.*

As expected, this storyline-concluding issue delivers the natural progression of what started in issue #10 laced with lots of solidly fun action, key character interactions and more notably the further development of Zealot supported by Huntsman. To put it short, if you enjoyed the previous works of the Claremont-Lee creative team and you enjoy the early, bombastic ways of WildC.A.T.S, then this comic book should delight you.

Without spoiling the entire plot, this comic book concludes the storyline that started in issue #10 and it also marked the end of Claremont-Lee’s collaboration on this particular volume of the WildC.A.T.S comic book series. What is very notable in my view is the way Claremont emphasized the evolution of Zealot not only as a WildC.A.T.S member but also her very own personality as well as her very own spot within the WildStorm universe.

It is in this storyline where you will see Zealot being much more than just a fearless, hard-fighting warrior who lives by the strict standards of the Coda. In this particular comic book, her greater purpose is realized (and you will realize that in a particular scene with Savant late in the story) and the interactions she has with the Huntsman, her sister Savant and others really brought out more of her personality. This is clearly Zealot redefined just as Claremont expanded the lore of the WildC.A.T.S.

Fans of Grifter should be happy to learn that their favorite character (who returned at the end of issue #11) joined the big battle and Claremont’s prepared dialogue of him made him more livelier than his usual portrayal in this comic book series. Huntsman, meanwhile, is his usual honorable self but gets to define his place among the WildC.A.T.S through action. His companion Miranda (now wearing armor thanks to Zealot) plays a short yet notable key role in the story.

The reinforcements composed of Mr. Majestic, Savant and Soldier each have a stronger presence in this story which is expected and they don’t just talk and do some action…they also contributed to the plot and what Savant knew emphasized the essence of the conflict between Zealot and Tapestry.

As for the super villainess herself, Tapestry is very convincingly evil and this comic book shows exactly why the fearless Zealot deeply fears her and why she is a danger to everyone. While she has a very sinister agenda, Tapestry’s confirmation of her origin (in the form of dialogue) and what her place is between the Daemonites and Kherubim will intrigue readers, most especially WildC.A.T.S fans. As for her conflict with Zealot, this comic book will show you how they are connected with each other and what elements connect them together. Their spectacle-filled duel here is a must-see and you will enjoy it a lot when you pay attention to the details (read Savant’s expository dialogue) as the action happens.

When it comes to artwork, fans of Jim Lee should know that this comic book has some of very best pieces of art the famed creator ever made during his time with Image Comics. Very clearly, Lee took his time designing the shots and when to really go out with great visual detail as the story went on.

Conclusion

*In the heat of a battle against the other WildC.A.T.S, Grifter and Huntsman still managed to talk.*

I can say that WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #13 (1994) is still a great comic book as it solidly and satisfyingly concluded the 4-part storyline that Chris Claremont came up with in this collaboration with Jim Lee. More on the storyline itself, Claremont took a really daring approach on presenting the titular team by having Zealot in the lead (with his creation Huntsman as the 2^nd major player) and then putting most of the other team members on the background which effectively emphasizes the presence of the very wicked Tapestry (truly the definitive parallel to Zealot) along with the Troika (note: this is their best and most action-packed portrayal).

While this WildStorm universe-building story concept could put off some Claremont-Lee team fans who expected to see a WildC.A.T.S story fashioned like what was seen in the creators’ past X-Men works, this particular storyline for me is still a great read and its concept is commendable.

I should also state that the themes of omnipotence, legacy and destiny are all well defined in this comic book which made the 4-part storyline make more sense to read and analyze. More on Zealot, the way Claremont developed her will make you think deeply about how you should perceive her, how you think her place within the WildC.A.T.S will affect her teammates, etc. This comic book and its three immediate predecessors all have very solid writing by Claremont!

Overall, WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #13 (1994) is highly recommended!

+++++

A Look Back at WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #11 (1994)

April 4, 2022April 8, 2022carlocarrasco

Last time around, I reviewed the 10^th issue of the WildC.A.T.S series which saw the reunited work of Chris Claremont and Jim Lee who previously worked together on making many memorable X-Men comic books during their time with Marvel Comics (note: check out three retro reviews of Claremont-Lee X-Men comics by clicking here, here and here).

Being free from the constraints and hurdles of Marvel, WildC.A.T.S #10 showed what Claremont added to Lee’s superhero team while also unveiling the Huntsman (Claremont’s own creation). Even as the story – which had Zealot as the lead character followed by Voodoo and Huntsman – had lots of build-up and the rest of the WildC.A.T.S only had a minor share of the spotlight, Lee still managed to make the story filled with a good amount of spectacle for readers to enjoy. I really liked WildC.A.T.S #10 a lot and in my view, it has aged well.

With those details laid down, here is a look back WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #11, published by Image Comics in 1994 with a story written by Chris Claremont and Drawn by Jim Lee. Scott Williams is in-charge with the ink work. This comic book has a variant cover edition with the cover art done by While Portacio.

*The variant cover edition with art by While Portacio.*

Early story

The story begins moments after Jacob Marlowe secretly met with Alabaster Wu. The WildC.A.T.S – composed of Spartan, Warblade, Void, Maul and the possessed Voodoo – find themselves facing with the Troika – composed of Attica, Slag, H.A.R.M. and Providence – who came in by surprise with the intention to overwhelm them. Providence states that Jacob Marlowe’s destiny is sealed with doom.

Just after Marlowe expressed defiance, the Raksha-controlled Voodoo knocks him out with a hard kick from behind. This surprises Spartan who immediately jumps into action and orders his teammates to form on void for an immediate dust-off. The battle between the Troika and the WildC.A.T.S starts, Attica hits Warblade. Void then discovers that some force is preventing her from teleporting. It turns out, Providence manipulated the quantum field. Using tremendous power, Providence overwhelms Void which puts the WildC.A.T.S into serious trouble.

Meanwhile on the streets of Brooklyn, Zealot, Huntsman and the teenager Miranda are riding fast together. Zealot says that the communication with her team has gone off-line and she only has their current position…

Quality

*Even the fearless and disciplined Zealot is scared of the new super villain Tapestry.*

I’ll start first with the presentation of characters and related developments. While the WildC.A.T.S themselves appeared a lot more here than in the previous issue, they did not end up as the dominating characters in the narrative. Even Zealot and Huntsman had reduced shares of the spotlight. This is because Claremont’s script introduced a few yet clearly significant characters while remaining focused on building up tension in relation to the growing presence of a new force of evil (note: the ugly and scary looking monsters called Raksha are connected with them) on Earth with two distinct figures as evil leaders – Soma and Tapestry. As the WildC.A.T.S fell short of achieving any heroics, their new statuses as targets and tools of Tapestry ultimately made sense in the plot. This is a rather daring way Claremont used to tell a WildC.A.T.S tale that has the titular team in their most vulnerable state yet.

While Soma does have an intimidating presence, it is obvious that Tapestry (who has an eroticized design and is the self-declared weaver of souls and shaper of fate) is the most visceral supervillain here and I had the impression that she was planned to be a major enemy towards the WildC.A.T.S comparable with Helspont. Even the fearless warrior Zealot fears Tapestry.

In a clear move to expand the lore of the WildC.A.T.S series within the WildStorm universe, this comic book saw the entry of Savant (an important associate of Zealot’s) and Soldier (the WildStorm’s own parallel to DC Comics’ Sgt. Rock) plus the mention of Mr. Majestic. Savant and Soldier are not just mere additional characters thrown into the mix but they each have established places within the WildStorm universe that just have not been seen by readers at the time of publishing. Claremont wrote Savant and Soldier as individuals who both knew Zealot from some time before and, more importantly, he made them believable to read even though this comic book only showed little of them.

When it comes to character portrayals, Claremont’s creativity showed Attica clearly having much more personality just as the Troika returned (late in issue #10). The head of the Troika in this comic book was presented as a business-dealing killer who does not hesitate to tell his client to beware of Zealot and Grifter (note: he was last seen in issue #8) as those two are the most dangerous WildC.A.T.S members. Attica’s companion Slag is more expressive here and while H.A.R.M.’s mechanical perspective is emphasized more which reminds me somewhat of the cinematic Terminator reading commands internally. Indeed, there was inspiration behind Claremont’s writing.

With regards to the plot, this comic book has a simple story structure that just so happens to have lots of exposition, explanations and the introduction of new characters destined to become more important later. Combined with the art of Jim Lee, the story still works on engaging and entertaining me. Re-reading this story is still a lot fun after all these decades.

Conclusion

*WildC.A.T.S in bombastic action with the Troika.*

Given the way it was crafted and structured by Claremont, WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #11 (1994) is easily the most unconventional tale of the series at the time of its publication. Unsurprisingly, Jim Lee’s art here is of top-notch quality and he continued to excel in providing readers the adulterated superhero spectacle while also making the more character-focused scenes look interesting (note: there are flashbacks to WildC.A.T.S #1 during Tapestry’s examination of Jacob Marlowe’s memories). As the WildC.A.T.S – without Grifter and Zealot specifically – were at their most vulnerable, this could alienate the die-hard fans who are expecting the usual stuff they love (note: bombastic action against bad guys with character moments in between) to pour in. What I want readers and the die-hard fans to understand is that they should pay close attention to the growing force of evil under Tapestry (who even scares the very brave Zealot) and think about it as a suitable addition into the WildC.A.T.S lore within the WildStorm universe of the time. This comic book also shows that there is more to be explored beyond the conflict of the Kherubim and the Daemonites. That being said, Chris Claremont and Jim Lee’s combined works here are still very solid, a lot of fun and even intriguing to read.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #11 (1994), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $30 while the near-mint copies of newsstand edition and the signed edition cost $90 and $60 respectively. The near mint-copies of variant cover edition (Whilce Portacio art) and the signed variant covered edition cost $30 and $90 respectively.

Overall, WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #11 (1994) is highly 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/and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/

A Look Back at WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #9 (1994)

March 23, 2022March 21, 2022carlocarrasco

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.

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

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.

+++++

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/and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/

A Look Back at WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #7 (1994)

February 25, 2022February 23, 2022carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s 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!

While the 3^rd and 4^th issues of the WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams mini-series had Lee’s superhero team crossing over with Rob Liefeld’s Youngblood, a bigger crossover was agreed upon with Image Comics co-founder Marc Silvestri – Killer Instict! This marked a creative collaboration between Lee and Silvestri resulting a multiple issue crossover between WildC.A.T.S and Cyber Force. For clarification, I already mentioned in my retro review of WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #6 (1993) that its story was the first chapter of the 4-part Killer Instinct crossover. For your reference, Killer Instinct’s 2^nd and 4 chapters were published as Cyber Force issues #2 and #3 of its regular series under Marc Silverstri. This WildC.A.T.S retro review is about the 3^rd chapter of Killer Instinct.

With those details laid down, here is a look back WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #7, published by Image Comics in 1994 with a story written by Brandon Choi and Jim Lee. Lee did the art.

Early story

The story begins somewhere in the skies above Gamorra, off the coast of the Philippines! Stryker, the Cyber Force member with three cybernetic right arms, communicates with his teammates and tells them that if half of what Misery said is true about the new Cyberdata S.H.O.C.S., they’re in for a nasty fight and they have to hit the ground.

Stryker, Impact, Heatwave, Velocity and Ripclaw jump off their high-tech jet (which has Cyblade and Misery inside) and land safely. Using his enhanced ability of smell, Ripclaw begins detecting tracks of what they are look for.

Meanwhile at the back of the Isle of the Dead, a high-tech craft arrives with three passengers who are prepared to do a drug deal. Slowly, someone bleeding and with blades on his hands climbs into the craft surprising the passengers. He takes control of the craft, throws the passengers off and leaves.

As Cyber Force starts its ground search with Misery advising them while carefully using her telepathy on them. As Stryker enters a ravaged high-tech place, his sensors detect nothing and yet his instincts tell him something is present nearby. Standing near him is Spartan of WildC.A.T.S…

Quality

*In this encounter between Grifter and Heatwave, do you notice something lacking visually?*

I’ll start with the very obvious purpose of this comic book. After the build-up done in the first two chapters of the Killer Instinct storyline, this story serves as the start of what turned out to be the big pay-off as WildC.A.T.S and Cyber Force members finally got together with an action-packed battle to kick things off. From a storytelling view point, this one is mainly a WildC.A.T.S versus Cyber Force tale with really nice match-ups between their members such as Spartan-Stryker, Cyblade-Zealot and Maul-Impact to name a few. These match-ups and fights are excellently drawn by Jim Lee and I really enjoyed his own artistic visuals of Marc Silvestri’s Cyber Force.

More on the plot, it is pretty simple in concept and structure. The members of the two teams get to fight each other which gets the attention of Skywatch which itself has vested interest with the operations of Stormwatch (note: this is within the WildStorm lore) and the secret facility on that blew up (as seen in WildC.A.T.S #5). Misery remains the key factor in the story and in this tale, she gets to guide and manipulate Cyber Force to find something valuable while Warblade remains mostly absent. Apart from the battles, the absent Voodoo, Void and Jacob Marlowe have their respective spotlights mainly for the character developments as well as reminding readers about the continuing Kherubim-Daemonite conflict.

The quality of the writing is serviceable and the way I look at this comic book, it is mainly driven by spectacle and match-ups. The amount of crossover action is of top-notch quality (note: Jim Lee apparently missed out on key details while drawing Heatwave in a scene with Grifter) and clearly Jim Lee planned the visuals carefully. While there is little character development here, the ironic thing is that Misery (note: visually she is a wicked version of Jean Grey of the X-Men) is the one who gets a good chunk of the said development. Not only does she become a force in the minds of Cyber Force members, she also has her intimate moments with Ripclaw which is a reminder to readers that they have a shared past together (note: this will resonate more with those who read Cyber Force #2 of the regular series).

Conclusion

*This is how Cyber Force looks like as drawn by Jim Lee.*

To make things clear, WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #7 (1994) will strongly appeal to the respective fans of WildC.A.T.S and Cyber Force, to the readers who love high-quality superhero action, and to those who simply enjoy superhero crossover stories. While it is not a surprise that this comic book has great visuals, the writing this time clearly lacks depth and I really felt that the dialogue and text descriptions were done mainly to fit the obvious spectacle-led concept. If you are the kind of reader who wants storytelling and characterization prioritized in an action-packed crossover comic book, this one might not satisfy you. Ultimately, this one is a fun read even though the quality of the writing does not even come close to the quality of the visuals.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #7 (1994), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $30 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition costs $90. The near-mint copy of the silver cover edition costs $300.

Overall, WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #7 (1994) is recommended.

+++++

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