X-Men – Page 13 – Author Carlo Carrasco

A Look Back at X-Men 2099 #32

May 18, 2020May 15, 2020carlocarrasco

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.

If you were one of the early fans of X-Men 2099 and you admire Xi’an a lot, then this next comic book I’m about review may interest you. For one thing, a whole lot has changed during the first year of the X-Men 2099 when demons from Xi’an’s past caught up with him. Since issue #25, he became much less prominent until something started building up in issue #31.

That being said, here is a look back at X-Men 2099 #32 published by Marvel Comics in 1996 with a story written by John Francis Moore and illustrated by Jan Duursema (replacing Ron Lim).

Early story

The comic book opens with a flashback set sometime in the year 2094. There on the streets of New Hope, Texas, was the gang called the Lawless led by Xi’an accompanied by his teammates including Junkpile and Ten Eagles. As a badly wounded man points his gun at him, Xi’an strikes him hard boasting supremacy.

In the present day over at Halo City, members of X-Nation spend time at a bar called The Negative Zone. They turn away a drunk blonde guy (a mutant actually) who tried to meddle with them. As the said guy leaves the bar, he bumps into a large guy who reacts by striking him. Elsewhere in the city, a large man-like beast arrives to meet Maim, Xi’an and Ten Eagles…

Quality

*Jan Duursema’s quite good on flashy action as well as capturing the look of Meanstreak.*

While the writing remains engaging and balanced with spectacle, be aware that this comic book is essentially more about the Lawless than the X-Men themselves. On face value, it looked like this was a clever set-up for a potential project featuring the Lawless complete with a villain called Foolkiller who was portrayed to be very menacing and has a major plan of his own.

Those who are followers of Xi’an will have a lot to enjoy as he slowly starts regaining the spotlight but with his old gangmates. Quite symbolically in this comic book, Xi’an even said: “It seems I cannot escape the violence of my past.”

Regarding the X-Men of 2099, their presence in this comic book is pretty short but there is a very nice reunion (note: the cover of issue #31 was technically a giveaway) that makes this story worth reading. As the reunion connected to the past, there is something brewing that would impact their future.

When it comes to the artwork, I find Jan Duursema’s work here quite good to look at. Her take on the existing X-Men members like Meanstreak, Krystalin, Metalhead, Luna and Bloodhawk was solid, and I easily recognized them. Like Ron Lim, Duursema is quite capable of visualizing action scenes. Finally, her drawing of a very angry Xi’an at the end of the story is eye-catching.

Conclusion

*That blue-skinned beast is NOT Hank McCoy/Beast!*

Given the fact that this is a story more focused on Xi’an and the return of his old gang, it’s clear that X-Men 2099 #32 will satisfy fans of the character Xi’an as well as those who want to take a short break from the main X-Men team. The short appearance of X-Nation members should delight followers of the X-Nation series.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of X-Men 2099 #32, be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition and the newsstand edition cost $9 and $11 respectively.

Overall, X-Men 2099 #32 is satisfactory. It is enjoyable to a certain extent but don’t pay too much for this comic book.

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

A Look Back at X-Men 2099 #31

May 14, 2020May 12, 2020carlocarrasco

As mentioned before, much of the stories of X-Men 2099 were set in the southwestern region of the United States which gave the team’s adventures and misadventures a unique setting completely different from what was shown in the stories of Spider-Man 2099 and Punisher 2099. Along the way, John Francis Moore and Ron Lim crafted stories that made the mutants of the far future unique when compared to the X-Men of the 20^th century. Stories were, for the most part, original.

Historically speaking, the X-Men 2099 monthly series ended with a total of thirty-five issues. As such we are gradually nearing the end as we take a close look back at X-Men 2099 #31 published in 1996 by Marvel Comics with a story written by John Francis Moore and drawn by Ron Lim.

Early story

The story begins in Mexico. There a Metro Express train moves on its track smoothly until it comes close to hitting Skullfire who was just standing in front of it. Suddenly, Meanstreak grabs Skullfire moving him out of the path of the train and on to a safe spot where Luna is. Luna reminds Meanstreak that Skullfire has not been himself since their team took out the Graverobber. Meanstreak is not convinced that Tim/Skullfire has returned to normal, and he stressed that their team almost fell apart only because one leader fell off the deep end.

*Meanstreak, Skullfire and Luna on a mission in Mexico.*

As it turns out, the three of them are on a mission searching for a mutant who sent them a message claiming he was being held against his will. They start moving towards to the headquarters of the Quetzalcoatl Corporation and their mission is to raid it.

Meanwhile at another location in Mexico, a gray, rock-like mutant is held prisoner in the dark. Chairman Belize contacts him via live video asking for the market overviews he requested. The imprisoned mutant does not want to cooperate.

Back at Halo City, former X-Men leader Xi’an talks with Ten Eagles (note: Krystalin met him in the wasteland some time ago) who now has a brand new cybernetic arm…

Quality

There was no surprise that John Francis Moore confidently crafted another story showing members of the X-Men separated and placed in different situations far away from each other. As such, the characters got developed more while the plot (or in this comic book, tales of each group of X-Men) thickened.

Without spoiling too much, it was refreshing to see renewed spotlight on Xi’an and Ten Eagles, which helped flesh out the personality of Krystalin. As for the mission of Meanstreak, Skullfire and Luna, it’s nice to see them out of Halo City and take things seriously to accomplish something very important.

Regarding the mysterious mutant imprisoned by a corporation’s leader, the story emphasized once again the theme of the state of mutants in 2099 – mutants are of a lower social class disregarded or exploited by the people who have more money and power (try comparing this to the classic mutants-and-humans conflict of the classic X-Men). To analyze things a bit, there is a bit of Political Leftist influence in the presentation. Come to think of it, the concept of so-called progressive diversity within the X-Men of 2099 had started since the beginning of this monthly series. I’m confident that today’s self-proclaimed socialists, social justice warriors (SJWs) and liberals will find something to relate with in this comic book.

Regarding the art of Ron Lim, he delivered solid visuals as expected. He also exerted effort on visualizing futuristic technology that made sense within Marvel 2099’s fantasy.

Conclusion

X-Men 2099 #31 is fun and worth spending time to read. Just don’t let the cover art mislead you on what to expect with the story.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of X-Men 2099 #31, be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $7 while the newsstand edition’s near-mint copy costs $21.

Overall, X-Men 2099 #31 is recommended.

A Look Back at X-Men 2099 #30

May 11, 2020May 10, 2020carlocarrasco

With the conclusion of the 4-part storyline involving the Undead gang, the X-Men of 2099 find themselves literally back to Square One complete with Skullfire having returned. The team also accepted that their former teammate Serpentina has really come to an end. As the security handlers of Halo City, the X-Men find themselves dealing with responsibilities.

Here’s a look back at X-Men 2099 #30, published in 1996 by Marvel Comics with a story by John Francis Moore and art by Ron Lim.

Early story

The story begins at a medical center in Halo City where Shakti/Cerebra watches her father in a coma. Her teammate Krystallin is with her. Shakti shares some threads from her past and admits to Krys that her father represented everything she despised. Suddenly their boss Morphine arrives, turning off Shakti who abruptly leaves him and Krys.

Walking alone in a part of the city, Shakti notices that some – a mutant – has been following her. She turns and sees Billy, one of the Free Radicals Krys encountered in X-Men 2099 #19. He gives her a high-tech coin. Upon receiving it, Shakti gets transported elsewhere in a flash.

Elsewhere, a ship full of passengers arrives at a dock. Among them are two young guys named Clarion and Nostromo. Even Clarion told him he will take him to Halo City, Nostromo is very uncertain of himself stating that he should not even be alive. After being told of gaining a second chance, Nostromo decided to go down the ship and join Clarion for the journey…

Quality

*Nothing like getting cornered during your first ever visit to a city.*

After going through all the battles and intrigue between the X-Men and the Undead in the past few issues, X-Men 2099 #30 is literally a breath of fresh air. This comic book has a well made story by John Francis Moore emphasizing youth mutants, Halo City’s continued development as a key destination diverse people, and most notably the coming of anticipated messiah among the mutants. What I also enjoyed here is the renewed focus on the state of mutants in 2099, specifically in the southwestern region of the United States.

Without going into spoiler territory, I can confirm that X-Men 2099 #30 serves as a set-up for X-Nation, which is arguably the futuristic X-Men’s version of The New Mutants. That’s not to say that this comic book is just a set-up. Other than that, its focus on Shakti and the important role she’s about to have with mutants is quite engaging.

Conclusion

*This is one of the few visual references to the 20th century X-Men.*

Other than being a very good comic book on its own, X-Men 2099 #30 clearly showed that John Francis Moore was very confident on taking the monthly series on yet a new direction while paving the way for expanding elements of the Marvel 2099 universe which eventually led to the establishment of a short-lived series called X-Nation 2099.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of X-Men 2099 #30, be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $7 while the newsstand edition’s near-mint copy is worth $21.

Overall, X-Men 2099 #30 is recommended.

A Look Back at X-Men 2099 #29

May 7, 2020May 6, 2020carlocarrasco

The X-Men of 2099 are struggling with their duty as a security force of Halo City while the Undead causes trouble nearby. Then Shakti’s father is wanted.

Here’s my retro comic book review of X-Men 2099 #29, published by Marvel Comics in 1996 with a story written by John Francis Moore and art by Ron Lim.

Early story

The story begins with the resurrected-but-turned-evil Skullfire doing the Graverobber’s bidding by tampering with Halo City’s power supply. The Graverobber is confident he will gain control of the city. Their gang, the Undead, has Luna (a close friend of Skullfire’s with the X-Men) captured.

Suddenly, Meanstreak rescues Luna and brings her back to the X-Men who just arrived to face off with the Undead. Team leader Shakti tells the Graverobber that he has only one chance to relinquish his hold on Skullfire and leave the city. Meanstreak whispers to Krys his observation of Serpentina whom they witnessed died some time ago.

*The face-off between the X-Men and the Undead.*

The Graverobber answers back to Shakti reminding her she renounced her father’s legacy and she should not protect him out of misguided family loyalty. Suddenly Meanstreak run towards the Graverobber offensively…

Quality

Another fun and engaging X-Men 2099 story made and also a worthy conclusion to the 4-part City of the Dead storyline (started with X-Men 2099 #26). No surprise that John Francis Moore and Ron Lim delivered the goods, complete with worthy payoffs to the build-up made not only with the storyline but also on the characters themselves. This issue connected nicely with what happened in X-Men 2099 #3 relating to Serpentina being with the Undead. Remember Tim/Skullfire’s past with his departed sweetheart Reiko? This comic book also touched into his inner self and it sure made me rethink if Skullfire really loves Luna even though there was no rivalry between her and Reiko.

By the end of this comic book, I really felt how much the X-Men of the far future have changed not simply because of their new roles as the security force of Halo City, but also with how their members – Skullfire and Shakti specifically – dealt with their respective connections to the past.

Conclusion

This 29^th issue of the X-Men 2099 series of the 1990s is worth reading for as long as you knew the characters well enough, even before the 26^th issue. It’s nice that John Francis Moore decided to creatively connect with dots from the past just as he crafted a story showing the X-Men struggling with being authorities themselves. The addition of Morphine as a superior of their added a lot of tension and it sure made up for the absence of Xi’an.

*The battle between the mutants and the undead.*

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of X-Men 2099 #29, be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $4. The newsstand edition’s near-mint copy costs $8.

Overall, X-Men 2099 #29 is recommended.

A Look Back at X-Men 2099 #28

May 4, 2020May 2, 2020carlocarrasco

The more I read about the development of the X-Men of the far future that took place after X-Men 2099 #25, the more I found myself getting more intrigued and surprised with the stories penned by John Francis Moore.

Any way, let’s take a look back at X-Men 2099 #28, published in 1995 by Marvel Comics with a story written by John Francis Moore and drawn by Ron Lim.

Early story

The story begins in Halo City where people flock to a club that is oddly operating considering the fact that the city was just attacked. A band called The Disinterred begins performing to the delight of the crowd. As it turned out, the band was actually the members of The Undead under disguise and suddenly Tim Fitzgerald/Skullfire (one of the key members of the X-Men) appeared with them and starts causing chaos. The Graverobber appears and tells all the people that no matter their wealth or position or power, they will all die. He tells them to follow him and join The Undead.

“Soon this city will be purged with blood. Those loyal to me need not fear. I offer them life beyond death. Those who will oppose me shall rot forever, food for maggots,” said the Graverobber. “The first test of your loyalty is simple. The butcher Zail Haddad hides within the city, thinking himself safer from my wrath. Bring him to me within twenty-four hours.”

Meanwhile over the Tower, the X-Men meet with Morphine and discuss their new problem at hand. Even though the members are aware of Tim being allied with their enemies, Morphine expressed that the Graverobber will not turn Halo City into a city of undead or Necropolis. The team is aware that Shakti’s father Zail Haddad is in the city and has been targeted by the Graverobber.

Subsequently they meet with Zail Haddad who shares the details of his involvement with the Undead…

Quality

I really enjoyed the depth this comic book has. Its plot and its script both have a good level of intrigue plus additional details about the history of events that led to the current situation of not only the X-Men but also that of Zail Haddad (which in turn shows some new character development on the part of his brave daughter Shakti/Cerebra) as well as that Morphine (whose secret connections are revealed in this comic book). As the story went on, the plot got deeper which I really liked.

Not to be outdone is the story of Skullfire who finds himself on the wicked side of the spectrum being undead and working with the Undead. Anyone who followed Skullfire’s entry into the X-Men and his development with them should see how the character turned out in this comic book.

If you are looking for spectacle and superhero action, there is less of them here. Even so, Ron Lim still managed to make John Francis Moore’s script look interesting and exciting.

Conclusion

X-Men 2099 #28 is a good superhero comic book to read. It continues to show the redevelopment of the X-Men following the events in the 25^th issue. By this time, I’ve gotten used to seeing the futuristic mutants working as authority personnel complete with having meetings and brainstorming on how to deal with the problems of Halo City.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of X-Men 2099 #28, be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $4 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition costs $8.

Overall, X-Men 2099 #28 is recommended.

A Look Back at Bloodshot #6 (1993)

May 1, 2020April 30, 2020carlocarrasco

When I was still collecting comics back in 1993, I was more focused on the X-Men 30^th anniversary celebration and the expansion of the Marvel 2099 universe organized by Marvel Comics, and the launch of the Ultraverse by Malibu Comics.

Along the way, I heard some buzz about Valiant Comics and Defiant Comics. That same year, Valiant Comics generated a lot of buzz among comic book collectors with the launch of Turok: Dinosaur Hunter #1 and the release of Bloodshot #6. Why Bloodshot #6? It’s because of the literary debut of a character who went on to become an one of Valiant’s icons.

Here’s a nice look back at Bloodshot #6 published in 1993 by Valiant Comics with a story by Kevn VanHook drawn by Don Perlin.

Early story

The story begins inside a commercial airplane flying over Sydney, Australia. There is a guy wearing reddish business attire socializing with a lady while standing. A lady in red approached him telling him that he should take his seat as they are in the glide path. The guy in red attire approaches a seat man wearing green business attire, asking him if the vacant seat near him was taken.

The seated man tells him to get away. The guy in red places his right hand on him causing a fire during the flight. What happened turned out to be an assassination. The guy and lady in red rush to the nearest emergency exit and it turned out their names are Marco and Leigh. They jump off the plane which explodes several feet away from them. Marco and Leigh left in the air not worried about falling down.

Meanwhile at the airport in London, Bloodshot arrives and is greeted by his pal Malcolm. They arrive back at their residence in London’s east end. Bloodshot has something to do. Over at France, Alicia Guerrero meets with Montblanc at his office and they discuss the courier assignments that involve acquiring a set of components and the three (of four) intercontinental flights that ended in tragedy.

Quality

*Bloodshot shortly after arriving from the airport.*

As far as storytelling goes, this comic book sure has a lot of intrigue and espionage leaving the title character Bloodshot with much less spotlight (in terms of narrative, not page appearance). It’s not a problem for me as a reader because the writer Kevin VanHook really took his time to emphasize what has been going on, what’s within the web of international secret operations (that involved killing and explosions) and what’s at stake. Of course, the deepening of the plot makes way for Bloodshot to get involved in a less action-oriented but more intelligent way. That being said, action scenes are subdued for the sake of storytelling. Along the way, illustrator Don Perlin did a good job visualizing the deep plot. Perlin also tried his best making the mission briefing of Bloodshot (which even for its time was cliched) look interesting.

Fans of Bloodshot who love action scenes of shooting and striking, as well as displays of his special abilities, won’t find much of such stuff here.

Conclusion

To make things clear to those who are wondering, Bloodshot #6 is significant for fans of Valiant Comics as it marked the first appearance of Colin King who is actually the iconic Ninjak. That fact, however, does not really define the overall quality of this comic book and Colin King’s literary debut is very brief. That way I look at Bloodshot #6, it’s a good comic book laced with a good amount of intrigue and espionage.

For those who are based in the Philippines, Bloodshot #6 is one of the rare American comic books of the 1990s that mentions the Philippines (with Manila as a flight destination) and even showed a few images of it as a location.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Bloodshot #6 of 1993, be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that a near-mint copy costs $28.

Overall, Bloodshot #6 is recommended for those looking for gripping, espionage storytelling with the title character. As a collector’s item, the comic book is a must-have for as long as Ninjak and Bloodshot remain popular.

A Look Back at Uncanny X-Men #303

April 27, 2020April 25, 2020carlocarrasco

I remember back in 1993 how excited I was with Marvel Comics’ celebration of the 30^th anniversary of the X-Men. Back then the X-Men line of comic books had the Fatal Attractions storyline which was not a crossover but a story arc that connects with the X-Men, Uncanny X-Men, X-Force, X-Factor, Excalibur and Wolverine monthly series highlighted by specific comic books that had hologram cards on the cover.

It was an exciting time. Of course, many geeks who followed the X-Men closely knew that the very comic book that would mark the 30^th anniversary was Uncanny X-Men #304 (dated September 1993) which was previewed with a Magneto hologram card on the cover.

Of course, before getting to that comic book, it’s nice to take a look back at one of the comic books that was released before it. I’m talking about Uncanny X-Men #303 which had a dramatic and even somber looking cover with the words: “If you read only one X-title this month—this issue must be it!”

Are you curious now? Let’s take a look back at Uncanny X-Men #303 published in 1993 by Marvel Comics with a story by Scott Lobdell and artwork by Richard Bennett.

Early story

The story begins with Jean Grey finding Jubilee sitting on the chair (read: Cerebro) doing some makeshift fireworks with her power. She noticed that the youth is troubled. Jubilee expressed her thoughts and mentioned that life stinks. Jean asked her if she wants to talk about it but Jubilee asked if talking would change anything. As the two talk on, it turns out that Xavier’s mansion is nearly deserted.

The story then shifts to what happened just several hours back. Jubilee was spending quality time with Colossus’ sister Illyana who is lying on a bed in the med-lab. Illyana was sick and nearby was Charles Xavier and Moira McTaggert struggling to figure out what to do for the blonde girl.

Moira tells Professor X that they need a fresh perspective on the information they have about the genetic deterioration within Illyana, and they need a miracle. Xavier replies that once the gold team of the X-Men returns, he is certain that they can find some treatment to arrest the disorder’s progress.

Suddenly, Illyana recognizes someone special from her past…

Quality

By today’s standards, Uncanny X-Men #303 is a good comic book to read and it is an effective way of setting up events leading into the 30^th anniversary story of the next issue. On its own, the comic book is clearly very dramatic and cleverly uses nostalgia that is meant to resonate with readers who were fortunate enough to read issues of Uncanny X-Men which had Kitty Pryde/Shadowcat as a newcomer (around the time of the classic Dark Phoenix Saga).

*Kitty Pryde and Illyana symbolize the X-Men youth of the 1980s while Jubilee symbolizes the 1990s.*

As X-Men comic book history showed, Kitty Pryde was the resident teenage girl of her time and eventually she bonded by Colossus and got close with his sister Illyana whose own exploits involved a lot of twists and turns (she was even a young adult for a time) and made her own mark with The New Mutants.

Nostalgia aside, the writing done by Scott Lobdell is pretty good. The wordy approach to presentation kind reminds me of the descriptive writing and character expression styles of Chris Claremont (who left the X-Men franchise in 1991). More importantly, Lobdell’s writing shows he researched the characters Illyana and Kitty Pryde. After seeing those two reunited in this 1993 comic book, I recognized them not just visually but rather in terms of personality. In addition to characterization, the dialogue is richly layered and the script’s pacing was good (I was never bored even though this comic book clearly lacked action scenes). On Jubilee, this comic book is very notable for showing her NOT being annoying.

The art by Richard Bennett, in my view, is satisfactory at best. He’s not a bad artist but his style gives this comic book and the characters a rather imbalanced visual presentation. In fairness, Bennett did his own research on the history of the X-Men and his drawings about key moments from the past (example: The New Mutants) added to the nostalgia. Bennett’s best showing in this comic book happened during the most dramatic moments, especially in the 2^nd half.

Conclusion

I really like this comic book. Even though it lacked action scenes, Uncanny X-Men #303 remains engaging by means of emphasizing the characters while touching into past of the X-Men. It is through dramatizing and defining the characters that made this comic book worth reading until now. Even if the nostalgia does not resonate with you, you will still feel for the characters.

By the time you finish reading this comic book, you will feel prepared for the big 30^th anniversary story of Uncanny X-Men #304. In fact, this is an essential read in order to truly enjoy and understand Uncanny X-Men #304.The art could have been better, though.

In case you are interested to acquire an existing copy of Uncanny X-Men #303, take note of the rates from MileHighComics.com. As of this writing, a near-mint copy of the regular edition is priced at $5. The near-mint copy of the 2^nd printing (gold cover) costs $128 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand costs $15.

Overall, Uncanny X-Men #303 is recommended.

A Look Back at X-Men 2099 #27

April 20, 2020April 20, 2020carlocarrasco

Recently I mentioned how much I enjoyed reading X-Men 2099 #25 which marked the end of the initial direction of the futuristic mutants transitioning into a new creative direction that is no less intriguing. From being nomads, the X-Men of the future suddenly became authority personnel in Halo City (read my review of X-Men 2099 #26) which was nicely told.

Now we can proceed with a look back at X-Men 2099 #27, published in 1995 by Marvel Comics with a story by John Francis Moore and art by Ron Lim.

Early story

The story begins a short time after the incident at Halo City. Tim Fitzgerald, AKA Skullfire, has been captured by the Undead. As it turns out, Serpentina (who actually died in X-Men 2099 #3) is among them. One of the Undead performs a ritual on Skullfire who finds himself somewhere in the afterlife.

Meanwhile at Halo City, the X-Men, who are now operating as the city’s Protectorate, report back to their boss Somers at the city’s administrative tower. As Meanstreak states that he could not find any trace of Skullfire’s mutant energy signature, Shakti responds by confirming that their missing teammate is dead. This outrages Luna (who got romantically involved with Skullfire).

“I don’t care what Shakti or anyone says! Tim is not dead! I’m going to find him and if you’re not going to help me,” Luna said. “Stay out of my way!”

At this stage, the X-Men discuss what to do next knowing that as authority personnel, they have obligations to attend to.

Quality

When it comes to the story, X-Men 2099 #27 is indeed an engaging follow-up to the previous comic book which ended with a strong twist. The energy from that twist carried on nicely here as John Francis Moore efficiently explored more of the Undead complete with a resurrected and even deformed Serpentina, while still being able to develop the X-Men struggling with their new roles.

A lot really went on with the plot. Not only was Xi’an revisited to be unsure and guilty of himself, there is also the sub-plot of a man spying around Halo City secretly doing his mission as well as further development of the X-Men’s boss.

What I like best about this comic book is the continued development of Skullfire, specifically his continued struggle with his purpose. As seen since X-Men 2099 #4, Skullfire’s humanity gradually slipped away becoming a more visceral, and even somewhat unlikable member of the team. John Francis Moore took this trend several notches higher now that he has been captured by the Undead which involves Serpentina, the one former X-Men member who oriented him about their team. A story like this motivates me to read the first three issues of X-Men 2099.

On the visuals, Ron Lim continued to deliver good stuff. His art on the Undead continues to be scary looking and, unsurprisingly, his take on action scenes remains good.

Conclusion

*Skullfire with the Undead. Can you spot Serpentina?*

X-Men 2099 #27 continued the reinvigorated storytelling engagement as the series brought the futuristic mutants further with the bold new direction that started in issue #25. In other words, it is a creative success and it is clear that John Francis Moore and Ron Lim were laser-focused on redefining 2099’s X-Men. Fun and intriguing to read.

If you are seriously considering buying an existing hard copy of X-Men 2099 #27, be aware that based on the listings of MileHighComics.com, as of this writing, a near-mint copy of the comic book’s regular edition is $4 while a near-mint-copy of the newsstand edition is priced at $8.

Overall, X-Men 2099 #27 is recommended.

A Look Back at What If #42 (1992)

April 17, 2020April 16, 2020carlocarrasco

Believe it or not, there was a time when the iconic superhero Spider-Man had additional arms on both sides of his body which made him even more like a spider. Such a story was told in Amazing Spider-Man #100 and #101 published decades ago by Marvel Comics.

In 1992, Marvel Comics published What If #42 to revisit the old crazy story and tell an alternate reality of it. Take note that this comic book we’re about to examine together was released the same year Marvel celebrated the 30^th anniversary of Spider-Man.

Here’s a look back at What If #42 written by Michael Gallagher and drawn by Kevin West. The hot question: What if Spider-Man had kept his six arms?

Early story

The comic book begins with the Watcher telling readers a recap of what happened to Spider-Man in Amazing Spider-Man #100 and #101. It is recalled that Peter Parker got fed up with being Spider-Man as it complicated his personal life with a bunch of problems. After he attempted to eliminate his super powers by creating and using a potion, Peter Parker suddenly grew four additional arms instead.

In reaction, Parker reached out to his friend Dr. Connors/Lizard (who was in Florida) who granted him access to his laboratory in Long Island. Tried as hard as he could, Parker could not come up with a solution.

Meanwhile, many miles away, the vampire Morbius harms the crew of a ship on the sea before diving into the water. Morbius gets overwhelmed by multiple sharks and dies. His death, as it turns out, marked the end of the solution to Spider-Man’s extra arms problem. Morbius had an enzyme unique only to vampire body chemistry which would have cured Spider-Man’s condition.

This leaves Spider-Man with an even longer lasting problem leading to a new reality.

Quality

The story is well written and nicely paced. There is a nice balance between storytelling, characterization and action here. As far as the alternate reality of events go, What If #42 is a smash in the sense that it nicely explores what would happen not only to Peter Parker had he actually kept those extra arms of his, but also what would happen to the people around him as well as balance of superheroes in the state of New York. If you just imagine yourself as Peter Parker having four extra arms, try visualizing how your personal life got destroyed and your connections with people you care about getting strained or even cut off. Nobody in real life would want to end up living like a freak, and this concept is well emphasized with Spider-Man.

Character development on Spider-Man is well done. As you read his lines and thoughts, you will feel the pressure and hassle he is experiencing with the extra arms. You’ll wonder how his Aunt May would react not only to those new arms but also his prolonged absence. As Peter Parker becomes very determined to find a solution in the absence of Morbius, you’ll even relate with his struggle. On top of these, the dialogue was well written and there were even a few intriguing moments.

I also enjoyed the way the comic book creators emphasized the shared universe of Marvel Comics here. You will see the X-Men and Fantastic Four plus several more Marvel characters make appearances.

Along the way, there is a nice scene at the Daily Bugle (the newspaper where Peter Parker works as a photographer) showing how sinister and abusive J. Jonah Jameson really is as he remains obsessed with destroying Spider-Man by means of distorted presentation of news. In this age of fake news, sinister propaganda, distorted views and local community print media publications being operated by people who don’t really know journalism, the Daily Bugle scene is pretty relevant by today’s standards.

As such, Michael Gallagher’s script and story structure here are very strong. For the art, Kevin West did good work. Not only was I able to recognize the Spider-Man-related characters and other Marvel superheroes, West’s notably made the Lizard look visceral enough and the same can be said of his take on Venom. The comic book art had a nice flow as the story was told and West provided enough impact on the action scenes.

Conclusion

What If #42 is a pretty good comic book to read exploring how things would have been had Spider-Man kept those extra arms and really looked truly spider-like. Apart from the good quality of storytelling and visuals, the presence of other Marvel Comics universe characters further add some depth into the story as Peter Parker struggled to find a solution to his problem.

This is the kind of story that I don’t believe we will ever see happen on the big screen. It’s just too jarring and even shocking for Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios to actually show Tom Holland as Spider-Man with extra arms. Such a cinematic move will surely outrage fans and might even put a dent on the credibility and believability of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

If you are seriously considering buying an existing hard copy of What If #42, be aware that as of this writing based on the ratings of MileHighComics.com, a near-mint copy of the regular edition is at $12 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition is priced at $39.

Overall, What If #42 is recommended.

A Look Back at X-Men 2099 #3

April 15, 2020April 14, 2020carlocarrasco

When X-Men 2099 #1 was released in 1993, it was an instant hit with comic book collectors and became one of the top-selling comic books in America during its month of release. That was no surprise not simply because the comic book speculator boom was still in effect back then, but also because the X-Men 2099 monthly series was launched at a time when Marvel Comics spent a lot of money promoting the 30^th anniversary celebration of the X-Men franchise and, on the other hand, agreed to expand the Marvel 2099 universe apart from Spider-Man 2099, Ravage 2099, Doom 2099 and Punisher 2099.

And there I was eager to witness how the 2099 universe got expanded through the futuristic X-Men whose adventures took place far away from New York. After reading the first two issues, I was hooked already on X-Men 2099. And then X-Men 2099 #3 appeared at the shelves of the local comic book store with a rather intriguing cover.

I admit that after seeing that cover, I became more eager to find out if anyone from the futuristic mutants would actually die. By that time, the story that started with issue #1 turned out to be a 3-part story with the objective of establishing X-Men 2099 to readers.

Anyway, let’s start with the retro comic book review of X-Men 2099 #3 published in 1993 by Marvel Comics with a story by John Francis Moore and illustrations by Ron Lim.

Early story

Picking up shortly after the events of issue #2, the comic book begins with Xi’an’s cocooned body being transported back to headquarters by Junkpile (who turned traitor on the X-Men) while captured X-Men team members Meanstreak and Metalhead were placed into liquid-filled chambers. Team member Krystalin managed to elude capture while her teammates Serpentina, Cerebra, Skullfire and Bloodhawk are temporarily free.

*The free X-Men members try to infiltrate the place to rescue their teammates.*

Lytton, who took over the family corporation since the death of his father Noah Synge, is running a brutal operation. His sister Desdemona does not fully trust him. Bloodhawk flies and breaks into a building in Las Vegas causing trouble for the Synge security personnel.

On the side of the chaos, Shakti/Cerebra, Tim/Skullfire and Tina/Serpentina quiet grab uniforms of Synge security personnel to infiltrate the place to rescue Meanstreak, Metalhead and their cocooned leader Xi’an…..

Quality

When it comes to storytelling, the creators delivered a satisfying ending to the 3-story arc complete with actually killing one of the X-Men 2099 members. John Francis Moore was successful in creating a 3-part story that ultimately gave me clear views of the respective personalities of each X-Men member (examples: Tim is the newcomer who is slowly finding his purpose, Shakti is the strong lady with leadership values who supports the leadership of the reformed Xi’an, Bloodhawk is a hard-headed rebel, etc.) while also succeeded in telling a cohesive story that placed the mutants in conflict with the Synge corporate family.

The twist regarding the murder of Noah Synge (the patriarch) was decently pulled off and the executed death of an X-Men 2099 member actually raised the stakes for the team. By the end of issue #3, the purpose of the futuristic X-Men became clear and was different enough from the mainstream X-Men. Unlike Charles Xavier’s mutants, Xi’an’s X-Men have to reclaim their heritage in a totally different America where corporations ruled the cities and outlaws ruled the wasteland and wilderness of the American southwest region. The X-Men of 2099 are nomadic and they don’t have the facilities nor a safe place to live in which Charles Xavier’s X-Men had.

*Desdemona, Junkpile and the cocooned Xi’an.*

When it comes to art, I noticed that Ron Lim exerted more effort not only with visualizing John Francis Moore’s script but added noticeable visual details on key moments in the comic book. Seeing Tim/Skullfire so enraged followed by a violent impact of action was unforgettable when compared to other highly charged, emotional scenes Lim drew in his other works. Lim also delivered good stuff with the action scenes and further visualized the look of Las Vegas of 2099. His design of Desdemona, however, really looks uninspired and generic.

Conclusion

On its own, X-Men 2099 #3 is a good and fun comic book to read complete with a good amount of characterization. To really know the X-Men on a personal level, you really have to buy issues #1 and #2. On the creative side of things, I like the fact that John Francis Moore kept references to Charles Xavier’s X-Men to a bare minimum which nicely kept a strong focus on the X-Men of 2099 and the world they live in.

For the comic collectors reading this, if you are seriously considering acquiring a hard copy of X-Men 2099 #3, be aware that according to Mile High Comics, a near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $4 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition is priced at $8.

Overall, X-Men 2099 #3 is recommended.

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