Wolverine – Page 2 – Author Carlo Carrasco

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 25

July 10, 2024July 10, 2024carlocarrasco

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

I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.

#1 Gus Abelgas Forensics features Antonio P. Antonio justice story – Last March, the surviving family of the late Antonio P. Antonio (APA) rejoiced when the Parañaque Regional Trial Court found suspect Nelson Antonio guilty of murdering his father (legal term: parricide) in 2013. It was a quest for justice that got fulfilled after more than a decade and along the way the family endured lots of challenges as they adjusted to life without their father (read my previous blog posts by clicking here and here). Recently, the local TV show Gus Abelgas Forensics produced an episode (note: Tagalog language) focused on the story of the late Antonio P. Antonio with special attention paid to the details of the investigation, the analysis of the evidence and information revealed by family members who were interviewed. The episode was released in full on YouTube and I recommend you watch it right now.

#2 Critical Drinker’s videos about Apocalypse Now and Fitzcarraldo – Critical Drinker is one of the most notable and more engaging YouTubers when it comes to entertainment. Apart from doing reviews or commentaries about movies and shows, he has a series of videos that closely examine the troubled entertainment productions. Posted below are his videos about Apocalypse Now (which was filmed here in the Philippines) and Fitzarraldo (notorious for manually hauling a 320-ton steamship up a steep hill as well as cases of deaths and plane crashes).

#3 Ashleigh Burton’s reaction video of Air Force One – If you are a Harrison Ford fan who ended up being depressed over his work in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, then it is time to look back at the actor’s more exciting works from long ago apart from the Star Wars and Indiana Jones movies. Recently, YouTuber Ashleigh Burton released her reaction video of the 1997 blockbuster film Air Force One which had Ford play a brave and fighting US President. Her reaction video is entertaining to watch and you can see it below.

#4 Reggie Miller’s memorable play on May 25, 1998 – Way back in 1998 here in the Philippines, I saw live on cable TV Game 4 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals series between the Chicago Bulls and the Indiana Pacers. I was rooting for the Pacers as my all-time favorite NBA legend Larry Bird was the coach and they had a very solid team with Reggie Miller, Rik Smits, Mark Jackson and others. The game is best remembered for Reggie Miller’s stunning 3-point shot which involved pushing Michael Jordan out of the way to get the ball. Not only that, Miller had a sprained left ankle to do it all. Take note that the Pacers was one of very few times to push Jordan and the Bulls into a full seven games in a best-of-seven series. Watch the video below and enjoy.

#5 X-Men: Apocalypse movie reaction videos – As X-Men: Days of Future Past was such a great film to watch, there was hope that follow-up X-Men movies starring James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Nicholas Hoult and Jennifer Lawrence will turn out great and offer moviegoers fine alternatives to the many superhero movies being released by Marvel Studios, Sony Pictures and Warner Bros. Then X-Men: Apocalypse was released in 2016 and I saw it on opening day inside a local IMAX cinema here in the Philippines. I left the cinema feeling entertained but the overall fun factor of the movie paled in comparison with its 2014 predecessor. If you want to see the YouTubers’ opinions of X-Men: Apocalypse, watch the videos below.

#6 Top Hat Gaming Man’s Double Dragon history videos – Top Hat Gaming Man is an engaging YouTuber to follow when it comes to retro gaming. Among his many videos that examined the history of video games, he published videos focused on the Double Dragon game series which used to be wildly popular. If you are a Double Dragon fan or if you are simply interested to discover how was Double Dragon first created, watch the selected videos below.

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

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 24

July 8, 2024July 8, 2024carlocarrasco

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

I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.

#1 Germany is suffering from the acceptance of so many so-called refugees – I want to make clear to all of you that I personally reject illegal immigration and mass migration as I truly believe that nations should always secure their borders, prioritize their citizens, protect their national sovereignty and deport all foreigners who committed crime in their country. That being said, there are lots of YouTube videos about Germany’s suffering which is the result of the huge acceptance (open-borders approach) of so many foreigners in 2015 perceived by the administration of then Chancellor Angela Merkel as so-called refugees. Merkel eventually expressed regret about the big move.

To be clear, allowing so many foreigners to enter your country as migrants or asylum seekers often leads to new waves of crime, cultural tensions and a tremendous drain of taxpayer-funded resources. Also, think carefully about how many asylum seekers lied to German immigration officials about their backgrounds and situations just to enter? Is each and every asylum seeker a genuine victim of war, poverty and crime in their home country? How many people among the asylum seekers are actually terrorists and crooks? Do these asylum seekers seriously believe in reshaping Germany based on their selfish interests and impulses? How many of these migrants are willing to integrate themselves into German society and norms? For your enlightenment, posted below is a video from The Journeyman Pictures about what happened in Germany when the specially treated migrants were already in.

#2 Sega Saturn vs. Arcade videos by Sega Lord X – I never owned a Sega Saturn console. There were times when I wish I owned one as I was fond of arcade games and wanted to play them in the comfort of home. For your retro gaming interest, the Sega Saturn had ports of arcade games and there were some that were released only in Japan. Watch the selected videos of Sega Lord X below.

#3 Ashleigh Burton’s Sean Connery James Bond videos – If you are a fan of Sean Connery and his James Bond movies, then you would be interested to see Asheigh Burton’s movie reaction videos of Dr. No, From Russia with Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice, and Diamonds Are Forever. Each of her videos are entertaining to watch.

#4 A look back at Asteroids – Way back in the early 1980s, I played the classic video game Asteroids on the Atari 2600 a lot. I never got to play it in the arcades but I played the arcade version on my Xbox Series X using the Atari 50 Collection software. If you want to know the history and impact of Asteroids, watch this video by PatmanQC.

#5 A look back at Konami Wai Wai World – Way back in 1988, my friends and I played Konami Wai Wai World (called Konami World for short) on the Family Computer (Famicom) and no matter how challenging it was to write down and input Japanese text for the passwords, we persevered to play and complete it. Konami Wai Wai World was a 2D, side-scrolling adventure game that had this ambitious concept of a crossover gathering of playable original Konami characters plus the characters from licensed games – Mikey Walsh (The Goonies and The Goonies II) and the iconic King Kong (King Kong 2: Ikari no Megaton Punch). The video by RetroGamingKnight is a must-watch for those who intend to really learn a lot about Konami Wai Wai World.

#6 You, Me and the Movies’ Creepshow reaction video – The 1982 film Creepshow is one of those horror movies made to provide viewers horror and fun. It was a film that featured the combined talents of author Stephen King and director George A. Romero. This reaction video by You, Me and the Movies is a must-watch.

#7 Minty Comedic Arts’ X2: X-Men United trivia video – I saw X2: X-Men United in the cinema here in the Philippines on its opening day on April 30, 2003. Sometimes referred to as X-Men 2, the movie was clearly an improvement over its predecessor and the filmmakers took inspiration from a very notable sci-fi movie for its storytelling and character development. This and a lot more await you all in Minty Comedic Arts’ trivia video of X2: X-Men United.

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A Look Back at Wolverine #87 (1994)

June 28, 2024August 12, 2024carlocarrasco

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

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1980s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1984 to examine a small part of the Marvel Comics universe through a tale of the Wolverine monthly series.

This particular tale shows were Wolverine went and what he has been doing since he decided to leave the X-Men in Wolverine #75 (1993). Since Magneto removed the Adamantium out of him in X-Men #25 (1993) and Wolverine discovered that his claws were made of pure bones (part of him all along), he has been very determine to search for answers and the truth about himself.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Wolverine #87, published in 1994 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Larry Hama and drawn by Adam Kubert.

Early story

The story begins in the Southeast Asian city of Madripoor (fictional) where Wolverine and his former teammate Gambit are reunited. As they walk, Gambit tells him that Sabretooth (Wolverine’s long-time rival) is staying in Charles Xavier’s mansion (refer to X-Men #28 and #29). As they talk, Wolverine notices something odd at the Princess Bar which he previously visited and there seems to be something wrong. The two decided to break in, causing damage and expecting the worst. It turns out, a lot of people are inside (including those who became friends of Logan) who prepared a surprise celebration for Wolverine.

As the celebration goes on, ninjas at the top of the building watch Wolverine carefully as they prepare to go down and kill him…

Quality

*Amazingly, Wolverine managed to slash the two falling guys with his bone claws and impressed Gambit.*

If you are familiar with Team X (revealed in flashbacks in X-Men #5 and X-Men #6) composed of Wolverine, Sabretooth and Maverick as black ops operatives, then the story of this comic book will really become relevant with you. In fact, reading the mentioned comic books is a must.

Without spoiling the plot, I can say that creative duo of Hama and Kubert came up with their own contribution to the Team X mythos (with flashbacks visualized in similar style to those in the above-mentioned X-Men comic books of 1992) while emphasizing how the past affects Wolverine, Sabretooth and Maverick in the present day.

What Hama-Kubert came up with was not the typical good-versus-evil superhero tale but rather a believable expansion of the Team X legacy, what the three former members have in common, and what uncertainties are they dealing with as surviving mutants. In the case of Wolverine, this tale adds depth to his solo exploits since leaving his team behind in search for answers.

Conclusion

*Wolverine dancing with a pretty lady while two guys above watch them.*

Wolverine #87 (1994) is a fine character exploration and also a nice revelation about Team X. Considering how good the contributions from Hama and Kubert are, they would not be so relevant if you have never read Team X’s flashbacks in the two specific X-Men comic books published in 1992 and that alone makes this one a tricky read.

Overall, Wolverine #87 (1994) is recommended.

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Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 11

June 17, 2024May 17, 2024carlocarrasco

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 from the 1980s and 1990s. In addition, there will be a few flyers of arcade games as well as promotional posters of a notable console game that was released only in Japan.

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 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. M.I.A.: Missing in Action arcade flyer

*This is an effective way of catching the attention of both players and arcade operators. I can imagine the woke, the SJWs and rabid feminists getting easily offended by this.*

Konami was a very prominent producer of games back in the 1980s. Not only did the company produce high-quality and enjoyable military-themed games on consoles and computers, Konami also made its presence felt in the highly competitive sector of arcade games. In 1989, they released the arcade conversion kit of M.I.A.: Missing in Action and this flyer is the best know promotion of it. M.I.A.: Missing in Action is the follow-up to Konami’s hit game Rush’n Attack.

Visually, the flyer’s display of four screenshots combined with a dominating photographic image of prisoners of war (POWs) getting delightfully released by an attractive female Rambo-type rescuer were designed to catch the attention of young adult and adult gamers. The text descriptions (note: there were more details on the back of the flyer), however, were geared towards arcade operators who were looking for new games to acquire without the hassle of having to buy an entire arcade cabinet. That being said, this flyer was a clever way to appeal to arcade operators and the people who love playing arcade games.

2. Fonz arcade flyer

*Simplistic yet effective to look at. If you are an arcade operator, this flyer conveniently has key information displayed.*

Believe it or not, Sega was already active in arcade games way back in the 1970s. In this particular flyer, Sega’s arcade game Fonz (also called Moto-Cross, Man T.T.) offered players the unique experience of driving a digital vehicle using actual handlebars on the machine that were meant to create an immersive and realistic feel. If you look closely, the flyer has lots of details written with arcade operators and players in mind.

3. Haunted Castle arcade flyer

*Indeed, this game is part of the Castlevania game franchise. It was one of the first Castlevania games released for arcades.*

Arguably, Konami is best known for the Castlevania game series which covered handheld gaming devices, personal computers, video game consoles and even arcades. Haunted Castle (Japanese title: Akumajō Dracula) is the 2^nd arcade game of the Castlevania franchise and it is not a port of any console game. Like the arcade flyer of M.I.A.: Missing in Action, this one was crafted to lure the attention (and money) of arcade operators looking for conversion kits to replace their old games. The visual presentation is eye-catching and even though the Castlevania brand was nowhere to be seen, Castlevania fans could tell this this arcade offering was part of their favorite game franchise.

4. The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love? flyer and poster

*The poster promoting the release of the game for Sega Saturn in Japan.*

*The flyer promoting the Sega Saturn game’s 1997 release as well as the 15th anniversary of Macross.*

In 1997, the 15^th anniversary of the Macross multimedia franchise was celebrated in Japan and among the highlights was the release of The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love? on the Sega Saturn. To promote the game and the franchise itself, lots of flyers and posters were released in Japan. If you look at the illustrated images on the promotional materials closely, you will realize that they are not from the original 1982-83 Macross anime TV series but rather from the The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love? animated movie of 1984 (read my retro movie review by clicking here).

While it might be baffling to some as to why the original anime TV series was not used as the source material for the 15^th anniversary celebration through gaming, the 1984 anime feature film was actually more adaptable for a video game project (read my retro review by clicking here). It is so obvious, you just have to ask yourselves this question – how can the game developers compress the entire concepts of the 36-episode Macross anime series into one game while ensuring fun gameplay? Regardless, the game was a lot of fun to play and I enjoyed playing the PlayStation version in 1999.

5. Venom/Spider-Man: Separation Anxiety print ad

*A clear effort to sell the game to gamers as well as fans of Spider-Man and Venom.*

In 1994, Acclaim released Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage (based on the 1993 comic book storyline Maximum Carnage) on Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and Sega Genesis ultimately becoming popular with comic book fans and gamers who enjoyed sidescrolling beat-them-up games.

Subsequently, Acclaim and develop Software Creations reunited to release the sequel Venom/Spider-Man: Separation Anxiety a year later on the two leading 16-bit consoles as well as on personal computer (PC). If there is anything notable about this eye-catching print ad, it is the fact that its visual presentation (with graphics on-par with the previous year’s game) cleverly hides the fact that it did not have much new to offer gamers with regards to gameplay and story cutscenes (which the previous game prominently had). Eventually, this game attracted weaker reviews from game critics and has since been forgotten.

6. Tecmo Super Bowl SNES print ad

*From the time when Tecmo was still a strong producer of sports video games.*

In 1991, Tecmo Super Bowl was released on the aging Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and because its game design greatly entertained gamers, it became a tremendous commercial success. Not even the very high launch price of $54.99 stopped it from selling a lot.

To keep the commercial success and public interest going, Tecmo announced a new version of the game for the more powerful SNES console with the simple title of Tecmo Super Bowl. If you look closely at the print ad, you will notice that gameplay screenshots were not used at all. Instead, they showed images of the nicely illustrated art works they prepared as eye candy for the game with the intention of making it look cinematic. This is very curious because gameplay itself was the main selling factor of the NES version of Tecmo Super Bowl. I can only guess that Tecmo was not ready to show gameplay images by the time this print ad was made.

7. X-Men 2: Clone Wars print ad

*The art used is too alienating for promoting this game.*

During the age of the 16-bit consoles, there was a variety of X-Men video games released and produced by different companies. In 1993, an X-Men game published by Sega was released exclusively on the Genesis console which turned out to be fun for gamers and received mostly positive reviews from the critics. Sega went on to publish the sequel X-Men 2: Clone Wars and this print ad caught my attention because of how exaggerated the characters looked. It’s so strange, it’s as if the artist took visual reference from a somewhat blocky 3D polygonal portrait then tried to make them look hand-drawn. I wonder if anyone from Sega regretted this.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 21

June 5, 2024June 1, 2024carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.

#1 The fall of Humza Yousaf and vindication of author J.K. Rowling – In case you missed the news, Humza Yousaf (born in Scotland to Pakistani immigrants) stepped down as First Minister of Scotland as he faced imminent votes of no confidence in himself and in his government. This vindicated Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling who opposed Scotland’s new hate crime laws (which extends to people who identified as transgendered and yet ignored biological women) and pointed out Humza Yousaf’s contempt for women. For more details, watch the video below.

#2 PatmanQC’s video documentary of P.O.W.: Prisoners of War – P.O.W.: Prisoners of Wars was one of those classic arcade games that I never got to play. It was made by SNK which is the same company behind the popular fighting game franchises King of Fighters, Fatal Fury and Art of Fighting. P.O.W.: Prisoners of War was a Cold War-inspired side-scrolling beat-them-up game that achieved big success in Japan. In PatmanQC’s video, you will learn a lot about SNK’s arcade game, what elements of real life inspired it, what other arcade games influenced the game designers to create it, and more.

#3 The significance of Rik Smits in the NBA – When it comes to the NBA, one has to take a look at the contributions of retired player Rik Smits (the Dunking Dutchman). Smits’ name may not have the big attraction of other centers of his era such as Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O’Neal, Patrick Ewing and Robert Parish, but still he was a really solid center as well as a huge factor behind the rise of the Indiana Pacers in the 1990s. By the time he retired, the Pacers made it to the NBA Finals of 2000. Watch these selected videos of Rik Smits. You will learn a lot and be entertained with Smits’ basketball action!

#4 X-Men: The Last Stand movie reaction videos – For a movie declared as an inferior or disappointing follow-up to 2003’s X2: X-Men United, X-Men: The Last Stand still became a popular film subject in several movie reaction videos on YouTube. Just type the keywords on YouTube’ search engine and you will find a lot of movie reaction videos of the Brett Ratner-directed superhero movie. For your entertainment, the most enjoyable movie reaction videos have been posted below.

#5 You, Me and the Movies’ reaction video of Clash of the Titans (1981) – As a young boy, I saw Clash of the Titans (1981) and it was an entertaining ride of its time. This was one of those many fantasy movies that were released in the 1980s and it was the final work of stop-motion visual effects legend Ray Harryhausen. Recently, You, Men and the Movies published their reaction video of it which is entertaining and you can watch it below.

#6 PatmanQC’s Super Pac-Man retrospective video – I first learned about Super Pac-Man way back in the 1980s by seeing it on TV but I never got to play it in the arcades. In recent times, I downloaded Pac-Man Museum+ through Xbox Game Pass (XGP) and finally got to play Super Pac-Man on my Xbox Series X. I had fun playing it as I adjusted with the gameplay which had notable differences compared to the original Pac-Man arcade game. To learn more about Super Pac-Man, watch PatmanQC’s retrospective video below.

#7 Extensive look back at Sega Saturn games – YouTuber Sega Lord X recently published this extensive video looking back at the Sega Saturn and its games. This is a must-see video because the Sega Saturn had numerous games and many of them were actually fun to play. Ignore those articles that called the Saturn a bad console and just focus on the games by watching the video below.

#8 FilmComicsExplained’s video about how to survive Deep Impact – In relation to my previous post highlighting the movie reaction video of Deep Impact (by YouTuber Popcorn in Bed), posted below is FilmComicsExplained’s video is focused on survival within the context of the 1998 film. There are some sensible and notable points of discussion made which should encourage people to replay Deep Impact and even question the way governments deal with disaster management on a massive scale. You will possibly think twice about depending on the government for your survival. Watch the video below now.

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Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 10

June 3, 2024May 16, 2024carlocarrasco

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 from the 1980s and 1990s.

With those details laid down, here is the newest batch of retro gaming print ads for you to see and enjoy…

1. Double Dragon II: The Revenge print ad

*Nice looking art used to promote the game.*

The beat-them-up sub-genre of gaming was already popular in the 1980s and one of the most defining game franchises of this type of game was the Double Dragon series which proved to be popular with Nintendo Entertainment System (NES in America) and Family Computer (Famicom in Japan) gamers. As the first game was a very big hit on Nintendo’s consoles, the sequel Double Dragon II: The Revenge was promoted in America with strong confidence on the part of publisher Acclaim that it would become another massive hit. This print ad had a very nice looking comic books-style art that not only captured the concept of the game but also visualized the heroes Billy and Jimmy with enough details to focus on. I can say this was an eye-catching ad.

2. X-Men: Children of the Atom print ad

*Great looking ad but the line “100% direct conversion” is not true at all.*

Developed by Capcom in cooperation with Marvel, X-Men: Children of the Atom was a huge hit in the video arcades and it was not surprising that it got released on the Sega Saturn by Acclaim. Acclaim organized an aggressive promotional campaign by pouncing on the fans’ love and knowledge of the X-Men and the high fun factor of Capcom’s game. What this print ad got wrong, however, was the line “100% direct conversion of the #1 arcade smash!” which was wrong and misleading. In reality, the Sega Saturn version of the game had about one-third of the animation frames cut due to the console’s smaller RAM capacity.

As the years passed by, the Sega Saturn became the more suitable console for home ports of Capcom’s further 2D fighting games as Sony’s PlayStation had even more severe limitations and a graphics processor that was not suitable for 2D graphics. By the end of 2000, Capcom’s 2D fighting games on PlayStation all were inferior to the Sega Saturn versions.

3. Sky Shark NES print ad

Released in Japan as Flying Shark, Sky Shark was released on multiple platforms in 1988 and there was an NES version of it which this particular print ad promoted. The American branch of Taito wisely used positive quotes from media outlets to promote the game while coming up with an engaging text description and displayed NES screenshots. And then there was that very engaging painted cover art that gave this print ad a lot of punch. An effective ad overall.

4. Conflict print ad

*This is a very captivating artwork for advertising.*

There is no denying the fact that the Cold War was a strong influence on arcade games and video games. Titles like Contra, Jackal, Metal Gear, Operation Wolf, Cabal and Rush’n Attack were militaristic games that entertained millions of gamers from the young adults to the little children. In 1990, Vic Tokai released the game Conflict on the NES which had a military theme but an unusual game design composed of digital maps with hexagons in which gamers will play with strategy to win battles. That being said, this print ad’s visual concept was very captivating yet also misleading. If you see how the game is played, you will know what I mean.

5. College Slam print ad

*Were you ever interested in college basketball video games?*

This is one of the more eye-catching print ads I’ve seen due to the artist’s illustration of a basketball with a mouth biting the basketball rim which dominates the space. For the newcomers reading this, College Slam was a basketball video game that was actually a repacked version of the popular NBA Jam with focus on NCAA basketball players. With the biting basketball at the center, it was easily an attraction and the screenshots implemented were larger than usual which easily gave gamers a clear look at what the game looked like. While this print ad is eye-catching, it did not help sell College Slam and there never was a follow-up.

6. Tecmo Super Baseball print ad

*From the time when Tecmo was prolific with video games about sports.*

Long before it started the Dead or Alive game franchise, Tecmo was once heavily invested in making sports video games. Tecmo Super Baseball was their first American pro baseball video game released for Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and Sega Genesis, and it was notable that the publisher secured only the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) which resulted in the game featuring real-life players but the teams had no names and no logos. Regardless, this print ad showed how aggressive Tecmo was in trying to attract consumers’ attention by showing ten screenshots with short text descriptions each. The ad’s write-up boasted realism as well as the promise of gaming quality.

7. The Punisher print ad

In the early 1990s, Capcom and Marvel Comics started their partnership resulting in the releasing of the arcade game The Punisher. Developed by Capcom, the said arcade game became a big hit with gamers as it featured fun gameplay, multiple enemies appearing on screen simultaneously and other fun elements. Unsurprisingly, the game was ported (note: Sculptured Software was the lead developer) to the Sega Genesis with significant downgrades in terms of graphics, sound, enemy variety and other related elements due to technical limitations. That being said, this print ad used detailed art of the Punisher (with Col. Fury in the background) in a clever way to promote the Sega Genesis version while keeping their attention away from the obvious visual downgrades of the two screenshots displayed. The Punisher on Genesis was poorly received.

8. Stargate print ad

*If you did not enjoy the movie, were you able to play the video game adaptation on Sega Genesis or Super NES?*

Remember the sci-fi movie Stargate (1994)? The film was a surprise box office hit and eventually video game adaptations of it were made for the SNES, Sega Genesis, Game Gear and the GameBoy. This particular print ad, however, showed screenshots of the SNES and Genesis versions which is made obvious with the side-scrolling adventure plus 3D flying sequence (one screenshot showed it). Combined with images sourced from the movie poster plus an insert of the movie in home video format (lower-right corner), this print ad was obviously an aggressive way to promote the film with the post-theatrical business in mind. In case you are wondering, the cinematic Stargate is not related at all with the early 1980s video game (a follow-up to the classic game Defender) of the same name.

9. Aerobiz Supersonic print ad

*For a simulation game released on consoles, Aerobiz Supersonic is pretty deep and a lot of fun to play.*

The airline simulation game Aerobiz Supersonic is a highly addictive and surprisingly fun game that I enjoyed playing on the SNES (read my retro review by clicking here) and strangely enough I first learned about not through its print ad but by reading a preview published by Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM) magazine. As for this print ad made by Koei’s American team, this is really odd to look at due to the ad makers’ choice of showing a not-so-attractive flight meal. In contrast to that, the ad makers did a good job describing the game creatively and showed three screenshots that were strategically selected in my view. Having played the game many times, I can say that this print ad is very truthful.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 18

May 3, 2024May 3, 2024carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.

#1 X-Men (2000) movie reaction videos plus trivia and retrospective – When it comes to superheroes, I am fan of the X-Men and most of the engaging stories I read were comic books written by Chris Claremont who is also responsible with defining many key characters. The first-ever live-action X-Men movie was released in 2000 and I saw it on opening day here in the Philippines inside a cinema of Festival Mall and it was not even half-full. Today, a brand new live-action X-Men movie under Marvel Studios has yet to be released and now is a good time to look back at the first movie through the varied movie reaction videos, trivia video and retrospective video below…

#2 Flavors of NCR 2024 videos – If you love food and enjoy food bazaars or food festivals, then you should read my article about the 2024 edition of Flavors of NCR which I attended recently. Flavors of NCR is an annual food festival supported by the local governments of the National Capital Region (NCR) here in the Philippines which gives visitors opportunities to try the food and beverage products offered by different small businesses from each local government. This year’s Flavors of NCR was hosted by Muntinlupa City and Filinvest City Central Park was the venue. Watch and enjoy my videos below…

#3 The Leftists love terrorism, murder, destruction and genocide – On more serious matters, the Islamo-Leftist believers (people who hate Israel and support Iran, the Palestinian terrorists and other evil forces of the world) have turned more chaotic with their protesting and they don’t even care about the safety and concerns of the public. Here are the facts: Leftists/socialists/Marxists/Communists/liberals are consumed by evil and they took sides with the terrorists not realizing they are supporting evil forces. It is also a fact that many pro-Palestine believers don’t even have full knowledge of what they are campaigning for and their ignorance was exposed! Many pro-Palestine believers want to commit genocide against the Jewish people even as they blatantly blame Israel for genocide (a big lie). Observe the evil, the ignorance and recklessness of the people who hate Israel in the videos below. They are clearly very lost people who constantly fail to realize the evil of their ways.

#4 Wicked Iran failed to destroy Israel and got hit strategically – Iran is the heart of evil in this world we live in. Iran – which has a very wicked and unholy regime since 1979 – is Satan’s tool for spreading death, chaos and genocide through the form of terrorism. Iran’s massive attack on Israel turned out a major failure as their missiles (plus some from their terrorist proxies) were deflected by a rate of 99% by Israel’s defenses and assistance from its allies (including Saudi Arabia). Iran was humiliated not only because of the failed massive attack (which cost them many billions of Dollars) on Israel but also because a new coalition of Western and Arab nation was formed to defend Israel.

Shortly after that, Iran suffered from a strategic attack which was not even massive in terms of explosives but was more than enough to rattle Iranian systems. The attack on Iran happened the same day their supreme leader turned 85 and their evil regime got very humiliated. Watch and learn from the videos below…

#5 The Jessica Alfaro Story (1995) full movie – Here in the Philippines, the Vizconde Massacre case is one of the most controversial and most sensationalized cases ever. This is about the 1991 tragedy of three family members – mother, adult daughter and little daughter – who were found dead with multiple stab wounds in their home in BF Homes, Parañaque. In 1995, Jessica Alfaro emerged as the so-called star witness claiming she knew the suspects, was at the Vizconde home when the murders happened, and pointed to several suspects who happened to be members of prominent families. Conviction of the suspects happened in January 2000 followed by further legal disputes through the following years. In December 2010, seven of the nine accused were acquitted as a result of the Supreme Court reversing the earlier judgment of the lower court and the Court of Appeals.

Going back to 1995, believe it or not, a live-action movie dramatizing the life and times of Jessica Alfaro was actually released shortly after the star witness first emerged. The movie was The Jessica Alfaro Story (1995) which starred Alice Dixson which you can watch entirely (note: Tagalog language and several minutes of the film was muted on YouTube due to use of copyrighted music) below.

Take note that due to legal reasons, the Vizconde name was not used in the film which resulted in the use of an alternative name (examples: Vizconde massacre is called Ilagan massacre, Carmella Vizconde is referred to as Lorraine Ilagan), and do not expect to hear Hubert Webb’s name in the film. This goes the same with the other real-life suspects. The Vizconde Massacre case officially started in 1995 and the 2010 Supreme Court decision made The Jessica Alfaro Story’s overall value questionable by today’s standards. However, the movie should still appeal to people who love Alice Dixson, as well as film buffs who are interested to see how Filipino filmmakers dramatize reality and controversial cases.

#6 Elevator Action retrospective – Decades ago, I enjoyed playing Elevator Action games on console and at the local arcade. Specifically, I played the original Elevator Action game on the Family Computer (Nintendo Entertainment System in America) as a young boy. A decade later, I played the sequel Elevator Action Returns which was very fun and immersive arcade game! To learn more about the history of Elevator Action, watch the video of PatmanQC below…

#7 Stargate reaction videos – Before Independence Day (1996) and the atrocious Hollywood Godzilla (1998) were released, the creative duo of producer Dean Devlin and director Roland Emmerich made Stargate (1994). This is the very movie that served as the foundation of the eventual Stargate SG-1 TV series which itself was a sequel. To learn more about the Stargate movie, watch the selected reaction videos below…

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A Look Back at X-Men Adventures Season II #8 (1994)

April 26, 2024April 13, 2024carlocarrasco

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 the adaptation of the second season of the famous X-Men: The Animated Series (X-Men TAS) in the form of the X-Men Adventures comic book series.

Before getting to the new retro comic book review, I should state that it is indeed very challenging to implement the concepts of time travel and timeline conflicts into the narrative of an established X-Men universe. As far as the X-Men TAS narrative goes, Bishop and Cable are mutants who each came from different points in the future and in different ways they each made impact with the present day X-Men as portrayed in the comics (the literary X-Men specifically).

With those details laid down, here is a look back at X-Men Adventures Season II #8, published in 1994 by Marvel with a story written by Ralph Macchio and drawn by John Hebert. The is the 2^nd chapter of the Time Fugitives storyline.

Early story

The story begins on Earth in the far future of 3999 AD. Cable, who has been leading the fight against Apocalypse, is receiving information from his cube-shaped computer which informs him that a temporal storm has wreaked havoc with the time stream and their present is reconfiguring in response to the existence of a new past. Once realignment gets completed, everyone in the current timeline will cease to exist. Cable then learns that Bishop (who returned to the X-Men in the previous issue) is the primary chronal component of the time readjustment.

Meanwhile in the present day inside Xavier’s mansion, the X-Men listen to Bishop who explains that mutants will be blamed for the plague that a certain virus will precipitate and that the fear of the virus will make things much worse for many people. He states that the virus was not brought into being by mutants.

Beast then shares that his investigation of a viral-ridden cell sample was convincing and discovered that the virus was genetically engineered. He reveals that once the little germs spread to the mutant population and combine with mutant DNA, it could turn out incredibly deadly…

Quality

*Conflict brewing in front of a huge audience.*

To be straight to the point, what the creative team started in issue #7 got strongly concluded here. With the animated episode’s teleplay being the primary reference, writer Ralph Macchio successfully crafted a script that raised the stakes of the 2-part Time Fugitives story while tying closely the gaps with regards to the time travel and timeline conflicts concepts. Without spoiling the plot, I can say that one development that took place in the present day clearly set off the stage for another futuristic mutant to not only get involved but also make a huge impact on the narrative.

As with the previous issue, this story has elements of xenophobia as well as fear of viruses and potential massive infections which added a good layer of depth to the plot. Macchio’s writing is very strong and no matter how intense the tale got as more details got presented, it still remained very readable and efficient to follow. Also, I should say that Apocalypse’s presence turned out very powerful and it should inspire readers to search for comic books of the supervillain’s conflict with the X-Men and X-Factor for insight.

John Hebert returned on the visual department and his art style really works well with both the sci-fi concept of the story and the presentation of the X-Men plus Bishop and Cable. I really admire Hebert’s stylized take on Wolverine, Cable and Bishop as he made each them look even grittier than before. There is also this creepy vibe with the way Hebert drew some of the X-Men members’ faces. Herbert is also very good with visualizing sci-fi elements such as energy forms, futuristic machines, techno-virus forms on the skin, and more. His presentation of dynamic superhero action is great to look at. This is clearly one of the best looking issues of Season II of the X-Men Adventures series.

Conclusion

*Bishop explains things to the X-Men and Beast confirms key details.*

X-Men Adventures Season II #8 (1994) is a rock-solid comic book in terms of quality and impact. It concluded the 2-part story with a powerful resolution, it tied the loose ends in a very timely fashion and I really enjoyed the way how the X-Men were dramatized as Bishop and Cable got involved with them in their present day setting. So far, this is the most satisfying and more impactful issue of Season II I have read in this series.

Overall, X-Men Adventures Season II #8 (1994) is highly recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at Uncanny X-Men #273 (1991)

April 17, 2024April 17, 2024carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1991 to explore a chapter of the Uncanny X-Men series that took place between X-Tinction Agenda and Mutant Genesis (the modernization point of Marvel’s mutants for the 1990s).

For the newcomers reading this, X-Tinction Agenda was a very notable part of the history of the X-Men comic book franchise as it marked the first time that the X-Men, X-Factor and the New Mutants were combined and also reunited several X-Men members who were scattered around the world. That being said, the state of mutants within Marvel Comics’ shared universe created a sense of uncertainty towards Charles Xavier’s grand dream of establishing a peaceful co-existence between humans and mutants.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Uncanny X-Men #273, published in 1991 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Chris Claremont and drawn by Whilce Portacio, Klaus Janson, Jim Lee, John Byrne, Rick Leonardi, Marc Silvestri, Michael Golden and Larry Stroman.

Early story

The story begins in the control center within the complex located deep under the ruins of Charles Xavier’s mansion. Storm (X-Men), Jean Grey (X-Factor), Cyclops (X-Factor) and Cable (New Mutants) carefully examine the worldly forces that oppose them. After Storm asked about what they could do about the opposing forces located in different parts of the world, Cable says that they should hit them hard and fast as they have the power to do so.

Storm asked Cable if violence is his only solution. Even though violence got things done for Cable, Cyclops rejects it and states that his fellow mutants (pertaining to the X-Men and X-Factor) are not like him.

As the conversation intensifies, Jean Grey tells Cable that they are not warriors and the school was not founded by Professor X to have mutants to fight wars. Cable replied that war is what they got and reminded them of the two mutants they lost and another one who ended up as a genetically engineered slave. Cable asked them if they want to see more of their fellow mutants end up badly…

Quality

*In the absence of Professor X, Jean Grey (then a member of X-Factor) revisits Cerebro and recalls what she learned long ago.*

In relation to the mentioned fact that this particular story took place between X-Tinction Agenda and Mutant Genesis, this is a tale that reflects a period of transition leading to the latter. That being said, Chris Claremont took the opportunity to emphasize the current state of the X-Men and the other mutants, as well as the uncertainty ahead of them all. To be clear, this story does not have Marvel’s mutants going up against another super villain nor a group that opposes them.

The story opened very strongly with the leading figures of the X-Men (Storm), X-Factor (Cyclops and Jean Grey) and the New Mutants (Cable) being together analyzing the global situation and the forces that oppose them.

For Cable, violence is necessary for their survival and progress because he sees war against mutants already happening and there is simply no room left for error nor compromise. Very symbolically, Storm, Cyclops and Jean Grey – who all were nurtured by Professor X with his pacifist dream of bridging the gap between mutants and humans – reject Cable’s beliefs as they don’t see themselves as warriors and they do not dream of conquering their enemies at all. All the dialogue that took place in the argument are very richly written and there are layers of meanings which long-time X-Men fans will able to relate with.

Along the way, Claremont and the other creators made good use of available comic book space to develop the other characters which resulted in the gradual developments within each team of mutants. Gambit here is a brand new member of the X-Men and his talk with Storm is very sensible to read. There was also this notable Danger Room training session between Archangel and Cannonball in which the former (who is already very experienced as one of the original X-Men and a current member of X-Factor) shares wisdom to the very young mutant (who later went on to lead X-Force some time later). The creative team also inserted a few moments of humor on the other character development scenes.

Conclusion

*Truly this is one of the most symbolic and most engaging arguments between the leading figures of the X-Men, X-Factor and New Mutants (which later became X-Force).*

Even though it was mainly focused on character development and has no battle with any enemy, Uncanny X-Men #273 (1991) remained a very engaging read as it tackles not only the current state of the three mutant teams of the time but also realigned their direction creatively and the results were fully realized through the eventual Muir Island saga as well as Mutant Genesis and even in further tales (including Fatal Attractions). In many ways, this comic book served as a solid foundation of things to come and this partially explains the eventual reform of the X-Men into a much larger group that had to be composed of two teams shortly after the return of Professor X (as seen in X-Men #1 and Uncanny X-Men #281 in 1991).

Overall, Uncanny X-Men #273 (1991) is highly recommended.

+++++

A Look Back at X-Men Adventures Season II #7 (1994)

April 12, 2024March 30, 2024carlocarrasco

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 the adaptation of the second season of the X-Men animated series in the form of the X-Men Adventures comic book series.

Before getting to the new retro comic book review, I should state that decades ago, the use of future timelines was implemented on the X-Men comics. I’m talking about the possible future where Cable and Stryfe came from, another possible future where Phoenix/Rachel Summers came from, and the more established future of the classic Days of Future Past storyline. Time travel and possible future timelines are the themes in the next X-Men Adventures comic book I reviewed recently.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at X-Men Adventures Season II #7, published in 1994 by Marvel with a story written by Ralph Macchio and drawn by Scott Rosema.

Early story

The story begins on Earth in the far future of 3999 AD. Cable, who is fighting for the rebels, battles the deadly forces of the powers that be. It turns out, he and his teammates have been struggling a lot and their team suffered several deaths already. Even though they are very tired and heavily outnumbered, Cable refuses to give up and bravely calls for a frontal assault against their enemies.

Suddenly, Apocalypse appears on the battlefield and commands his robotic troops to destroy Cable and his fellow rebels. To Apocalypse’s surprise, a temporal storm appears and Cable notices it appearing so close to them. One of his teammates got caught by the storm which pushes Cable away. After receiving computer updates, Cable decides to get away from the robotic troops.

Meanwhile in another time period and place, Bishop returns from his mission (his interactions with the X-Men of the 20^th century – click here and here) only to discover from Forge that nothing has changed and the plague still rages on…

Quality

*The X-Men have a new problem to deal with.*

Having read X-Men Adventures #13 and #14 of season 1, I found this particular tale (clearly a sequel to Bishop’s interaction with the X-Men after traveling through time) relatable and enjoyable. There is a strong science fiction vibe here and the time travel aspect added a lot to the build-up of tension.

Bishop here is almost the protagonist as the story showed an altered future in which Forge has no memory of the X-Men and only made a reference to a plague that has lasted for a long time. This compels Bishop to go back to the 20^th century again hoping to meet the X-Men and somehow prevent the plague from bringing down society.

The impact of the mysterious virus is tremendous as so many people got infected and authorities suspect mutants to be the carriers. At this stage, the social aspects inserted by the creators really started to grow stronger within the narrative and you will see the X-Men struggling with not only the increased scrutiny on mutants but also with the manipulative tactics of anti-mutant activists who can’t help but see golden opportunities to wipe out mutants in a more clever fashion.

The dialogue here is noticeably gripping to read and the dramatization worked accordingly. There is also a good amount of superhero spectacle to enjoy here even though the X-Men have no super villains to fight with.

Conclusion

X-Men Adventures Season II #7 (1994) looks like a repeat or even a remake of what happened in X-Men Adventures #13 (Season I) but its concept turned out to be not only unique with strong social commentary and sci-fi elements, but also became really engaging thanks to the fine execution by the creative team. On the aspect of social relevance, this comic book will remind you about the internment of Japanese Americans in America (1942-1946) and the COVID-19 restrictions and the quarantine on communities imposed by governments that disrupted people’s lives. As this comic book marks the first part of the Time Fugitives, I can say that I enjoyed it and I’m looking forward to the next chapter.

Overall, X-Men Adventures Season II #7 (1994) is recommended.

+++++

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