Text Play: Pokémon Xenoverse #39

Hello, and welcome back to the Eldiw region! This is entry number 39 in my Text Play of Pokémon Xenoverse! 

As is tradition, I want to warn you all I will be spoiling this game.

As such, I very strongly recommend that you download the game and play through it yourself before reading these Text Plays. You may download it here. And with that out of the way, on with the show!

Last time, we explored the Samuel Oak Airport, a large transportation hub where we got to meet various people from around the world. So, with that out of the way, where do we go next from here? 🤔

Well, back in the airport, one lady remarked that she captured a Bulbasaur at a place called the Cluster Jungle. Said jungle's entrance is literally right next to the tarmac, so let's explore that place. Before we go, we should make sure we have plenty of supplies. Potions, PokéBalls, and the like. 

After all, we're going to a jungle. Rather have tons of Potions and Antidotes that end up not being needed than needing a healing item and not having them.

Once we are ready, we go to the left side of the tarmac, where there is a bridge that leads into the Jungle itself.

I do kind of find it funny that there is a jungle right next to an airport. Anyway, the sign just warns us that if we run in tall grass, we'll encounter Pokémon more often. Well, yeah. Let's go into the jungle!

This jungle is rather neat, I'll give it that. I can imagine a jungle like this would be hot and muggy. 🥵 I hate humidity. I hate it so much. If you look around, you can spot an Item Box near a log.

The box contains a Revival Herb. If we go to the river, there is a sign with what looks like a Croconaw on it. When you go up to the river's edge, we hear someone screaming at us to get out of the way.

Do what they say! Do what they say!

Why didn't we get out of the way?!

Feral Kid here is confused by our presence, as he's presumably never seen a "citizen" before in the jungle. I'm guessing he means a city-dweller. I can imagine he's seen his fair share of Pokémon trainers here. He whispers to his Decidueye that he can use us to spite his father. Hey, kid. I can hear you. 

He decides to play the helpful guide, asking us if we're lost and all that. Well, not really, considering we just walked into this here jungle. I'll play along, just so I can tell on the brat to his father. 

I tell him we're on the way to Dorado Village. I find the name appropriate, yet odd. I get the name is referencing the legendary city of El Dorado (the mythical South American city of gold, the name meaning "The Golden One" in Spanish...at least, according to Google Translate), but it doesn't really fit the theme of stellar references. Anyway, we need to cross the stream to get there. Luckily, Feral Kid has a friend to help with that. If you're thinking his friend is a boat, then you are wrong. 

It's likely a Pokémon. Thing is, this Pokémon will only help those who defeat it and Feral Kid here in battle. Let's do this.

(Wild) Boy
1st Pokemon: Decidueye (Lv. 45) - Defeated by Harrowk

He used Decidueye to test us. Wanting to keep us quiet, Feral Kid here decides to summon his friend.

I wonder if that's a shiny Feraligatr or some kind of regional variant. Anyway, this guy can carry us on the stream to Dorado Village. He's one of the many wild Pokemon that Feral Kid here has befriended in the Cluster Jungle. He assures us that this Feraligatr is a big softie, and they can swim through rapids easily. He also points out that the signpost is a way of summoning it. I can imagine that people in Dorado Village train multiple Feraligatr as a way to get around in the Jungle. Feral Kid and Decidueye head out. Before he leaves, he gives us his name: Ruta. Is this a nod to rutabaga? 

When we call Feraligatr, we have two options, straight to the Dorado Village, or further into the Jungle. I'm choosing to go straight to the Village. I want to explore it, and we can always check out the Jungle later on.  

We get a cute short animation of Feraligatr taking us down the river. While there, we pass by another path ending with a summoning sign. That's presumably where this big croc will take us if we decide to explore the jungle further. And we have arrived at the entrance to Dorado Village. 

Alright, a jungle village. That's something unique. That's part of the fun of fangames. Let's go see Dorado Village.

It's a very nice little place. Very peaceful. I can imagine myself visiting here if I need a break from the hustle and bustle of city life. You see those stairs near the entrance? You go up them, and you'll see this guy.

Hey, an Alolan Exeggutor. Must have been brought in. Based on all the shadows from presumably the treetops, I can't imagine an Exeggutor getting enough sunlight to grow into this form on its own. The native standing next to the Pokemon reveals that the soils aren't nutrient-rich enough for him anymore. Yeah, he was clearly brought in. And he's clearly never seen an Alolan Exeggutor if he didn't expect this. This is an opportunity for a trade. If we have the "classic-style Exeggutor", basically one that looks like this...

We can trade it for this Alolan Exeggutor. I have never written the word "Exeggutor" this much before. Unfortunately, we don't have one. I know we don't even have an Exeggcute right now. Sorry, pal. Looks like you're stuck with that Alolan Exeggutor for a little while longer. If we go upwards from here, we see these two houses.

I think they're intended to be huts. Anyway, the one on the left appears to be an ordinary home. 

Yup. Talking to the people inside confirms it. The old lady makes a philosophical point about there not being sunshine without rain. However, if you talked to the masked guy inside, he remarks that someone left behind an item at the Shyleon Temple. It's a Pincer Update.

The Pincer Update allows the usage of the Pokémon Transfer system to evolve Scyther into Scizor. He warns to avoid exploring the temple, as it's tempting fate. It's then that I realized something. The natives here all wear masks that evoke the face of Shyleon, one of the starter Pokémon of this game. The hut on the right is also seemingly another regular home.

The Shyleon-masked man inside gives us some Heal Powder, saying that they still use traditional remedies here away from the city. Uh, buddy? How far away from the city do you think you are? The entrance to this jungle is literally right next to the airport! Well, I checked my PokeWES's map feature and discovered that this jungle is pretty far away from the airport. Remember, we rode on a river to get to Dorado Village. SO yeah, that's my bad.

And I'm afraid that there is where we're going to have to stop for the month. My apologies for this. Hopefully, in the next entry, we can fully explore this village. Thanks for reading this blog entry! Take care of yourselves and each other! See you next time!

Pokemon Obtained:
(Cluster Jungle)
- Pepequeno (encountered, didn't catch)
- Kakuna (encountered, didn't catch)
- Beedrill (encountered, didn't catch)
- Litleo
- Floatzel (encountered, didn't catch)
- Sandile (Funny this game puts this Pokemon in a jungle even though it's associated with deserts).
- Gloom (encountered, didn't catch)

The Punisher: Shadowmasters #1 (October 1989)

Ninjas are cool. The masters of the silent kill. Experts in disguise and infiltration. They can come at you from anywhere, and they seemingly have superhuman powers. And in the 1980s, the ninja captured the imagination. A seeming evolution of the 1970s mania for martial arts, 1980s ninja-mania was an all sorts of media. Comic books were no exception. 

The Marvel Universe had dealt with its fair share of ninjas in the 1980s, mainly thanks to Frank Miller's Daredevil work and Chris Claremont's X-Men work. But another character also had his fair share of ninja madness: The Punisher. And that was primarily due to the influence of Carl Potts.

Potts was a man of many talents. He was an artist, a writer, an inker, and most notably, an editor. He joined Marvel's editorial staff in 1983, working on numerous books. He also helped discover many talented names like June Brigman, Art Adams, and arguably the most famous of his discoveries: Jim Lee. He raised the Punisher to a premier character. He still wrote on occasion, and in the Punisher's book, he introduced the Shadowmasters, an ancient ninja clan.

The Shadowmasters were born out of a pair of interests Potts had: Japanese history and World War II. Potts himself is half-Japanese, and in their origin miniseries, he told a tale that spanned generations from the end of the war to the then-current 1980s, a tale of the titular ninjas as they clashed with a secret group dedicated to bringing about the restoration of the Japanese Empire. So, how did this battle start? Let's find out in Shadowmasters #1!

The cover is a Jim Lee and Frank Cirocco piece, and I think it's really cool. You have a ninja in white with a monster mask fighting some soldiers in snowy hills. The night skies really help put the ninja front and center, as if it's telling you "This is the guy you'll be reading about here".

"Shadows of the Past"
Writer: Carl Potts
Penciler: Dan Lawlis
Inker: Russ Heath
Colorist: Steve Oliff
Letterer: Jim Novak
Editors: Al Milgrom, Marc McLaurin
Editor: Tom DeFalco 

The story begins on August 6. 1945 in Japan. On 8:15 AM, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Another bomb is unleashed on Nagasaki, driving Imperial Japan to surrender, formally ending World War II. And from there, the American occupation of the country begins, lasting until the 1950s. It's here we meet a Captain James Richards. 

"And whatever you do son, don't ask for the fugu."

He is assigned to oversee the government of the mountainous Iga Province. Nowadays, it's part of the Mie prefecture. While being driven there, Richards is informed by his driver Sergeant Dewey that this province has many legends. Most notably, that a race of shadow warriors live here, powerful people who are half-man/half-demon, with mighty magical powers. Considering this is the Marvel Universe, it's certainly plausible that there are actual magical half-demon people there.

It does make a bit of sense that Iga would have such legends. Remember, Iga was the birthplace of the ninja. Ninjas love messing with people's minds. And again, this is the Marvel Universe. Ninjas having superpowers are a thing. Just ask Kwannon. Anyway, the two drive up to a group of villagers helping a woman. She was attacked by bandits, former Imperial Japanese soldiers who refused to accept the surrender and continue the fight. Richards and Dewey carefully put the woman in their jeep and take her to the nearest hospital in a village called Ueno. They arrive, unaware they're being watched.

"Those guys better not be messing with my weed garden."

This white-clad man watches the Americans very carefully, as part of his regular patrol of the town as its legendary guardian tengu. Shigeru Ezaki is the mayor of this village. While he did not share the dreams of Asian conquest that dwelled in the minds of men like Tojo, he isn't exactly a fan of Americans occupying the country either. But they're here, and his village needs him to lead. 

He spots a young boy in a growing crowd of curious villagers. This boy is his son Sojin. His mother was killed in an American bombing while she was in Tokyo. As Dewey and Richards take the woman to the village clinic, Ezaki secretly pushes the handbrake of their jeep, causing it to roll away. This sends the villagers into a panic, accidentally trampling and injuring Sojin...as the jeep barrels towards him. 

Thankfully, Captain Richards is a darn fast runner. It's close, but he's able to save Sojin from becoming a road pancake. 

Ezaki heads to a well, using a secret passageway to emerge from his home. He thanks Richards for saving his son's life. Richards is humble about it, pointing out that Sojin is a tough kid. Didn't even shed any tears. 

From here, a rather unlikely friendship is born. Ezaki and Richards hang out together, learning about each other's cultures. Richards helps Ezaki with his English (presumably learning Japanese himself along the way), and they attend traditional Japanese plays and baseball games. One day, Ezaki and Richards are discussing the village's security when they get some visitors.

"Candygram!"

The villagers have come baring gifts for Richards. It's not his birthday, they're just showing their gratitude for his help around the village. Richards is reluctant to accept the gifts, as (another showing of his humble nature) he's just doing his job. Ezaki convinces him to accept them, as it's a matter of honor. 

Later on, Richards is talking to a Japanese police captain, a Mr. Higashi. Higashi's men have been having some troubles finding the renegade Imperial Japanese soldiers that harass the citizens of Ezaki's town. Richards has been very reluctant to call in the Americans to help, as he has no desire to disturb this place with American presence any more than necessary, but if this keeps up...yeah. He's going to have to call them in. Higashi points out that the villagers are too afraid to speak, and some help hide them. Not to mention Iga is full of mountains. There are tons of places they can hide out. Richards gives them three days. 

That night, Ezaki is on patrol, and he finds a group of men near Richards's home.

"All our problems will be solved once we get that weed garden, gentlemen."

Looks like Ezaki found the renegades. They plan to kill Richards and Dewey. Knowing he can't warn Richards in time, he dons his tengu mask and takes matters into his own hands. 

Ezaki takes out one of the soldiers. The others fire at him, but he gets away thanks to the classic ninja trick of "throw a smoke bomb and leave". The leader commands two of the men to kill the Americans, and the others to take out Ezaki. The commotion gets the Americans' attention. And Ezaki himself proves to be a formidable force, taking down the soldiers. 

The leader's men manage to find Richards and Dewey. A firefight erupts, and Dewey gets a bullet, and so does one of the leader's men. Richards struggles with the other man. Ezaki spots this and gives his American friend a hand in the form of a throwing knife, hitting the hand of the man Richards is wrestling with. 

Ezaki moves to help Richards. The man takes the knife out of his hand. He tosses it at the tengu, but Ezaki, being a skilled martial artist in a comic book universe, easily catches it. Ezaki and Richards struggle with the surviving man. During the struggle, the man manages to knock the Tengu mask off Ezaki, allowing Richards to see his face. 

Richards and Ezaki manage to handle the men, and they discuss this "Tengu" thing. Ezaki explains that he is the last of a long line of warriors who protected this area. He's the last of the Shadowmasters, if you will. 

This puts Richards in an awkward position. Ezaki is technically breaking the law, as martial arts have been banned in Japan. I'm not sure if that was an actual thing during the American occupation of Japan, or if that's just something for this story. Either way, Richards is bound by his duty to report this. Thing is, Richards owes Ezaki his life. Despite this, he'll have to turn Ezaki in...when the morning comes.

Ezaki thinks through his options. He could kill Richards, but he has grown to genuinely like the man, despite his being American. He could grab his son and flee, but this village needs him. He heads out to a small wooded area and meditates on this.

A couple days later, Richards returns. He reveals that he had made a proposal to his superiors that they were all for: If Ezaki uses his skills to help hunt and deal with the renegade Japanese soldiers, then not only will his identity as the "Tengu" remain a secret (known only to Richards, his own superior, and on a "need-to-know" basis, basically) but Ezaki will also remain free. 

Not long afterwards, Richards and Ezaki get an announcement from Higashi. The renegades attacked the Nori family's farm. They slaughtered the family and burned the farm to ash. Ezaki accepts the offer. For the next several months, he uses his Shadowmaster skills to hunt and bring down the renegades. He whittles their forces down, but he also grows weary of this new role. Despite this, their commander, Kentaro Umezu, is not the type of man to give up. 

"We WILL get that weed garden, gentlemen!"

He sent some men to get more supplies, telling them to travel by day and stay on the rocky mountains to reduce traces. They follow Umezu's orders, but they're clearly rattled by Ezaki's activities.

However, Ezaki is a ninja. Ninjas are masters at adapting. Ezaki may prefer striking by night, but he can work days. He creates some traps, like an avalanche to disarm the soldiers of their rifles.

"Oh man, Honda here owed me money!"

Two of the surviving soldiers continue on with their handguns out. One finds a piece of white clothing, believing that Ezaki is wounded.

One of the soldiers is bitten by a viper that Ezaki found earlier and put on a string. And the other gets a small knife to the chest. Ezaki finds another surviving soldier under a log from the avalanche. Ezaki..."recruits" him for some messenger work. The soldier gives Kentaro the message: Cease your activities and the Tengu will leave them alone. The war is over. It's time for a new Japan to rise from the ashes of the violent past. This causes a lightbulb to go off in Kentaro's head.

He now has a new plan of attack: Blend in. They will build covers, new lives, get themselves in high positions, use their connections and cunning to subtly steer Japan back to the Imperial past.  

I enjoyed this comic. In fact, I think the Shadowmasters miniseries is a hidden gem in its own right. I liked seeing Ezaki and Richards becoming friends despite the war and the gulf of their nationalities and cultures. I think Ezaki is a pretty cool guy, defending his home and being an awesome ninja. It was fun seeing him take down the tyrannical Imperial Japanese holdouts, and Kentaro is quite a terrifying villain. It's not hard to see a man like him easily get influence in a post-war Japan. Another nice touch is Richards finding a way for Ezaki to continue his work as the Tengu while accomplishing his mission, showing his smarts.

I also liked the art. Lawlis and Heath make some nice detailed art that is rather expressive and is good at storytelling. I don't remember seeing Lawlis's stuff in other comics, I wonder what else he's done.  

If you want to read this for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 2018 trade paperback The Punisher: Shadowmasters. It's a hidden gem that needs more love, in my honest opinion. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! See you next time!

Marvel Cosmic Invasion Announcement Trailer, My Thoughts

French game developer/publisher Dotemu has made their name in the video game industry for remaking and remastering classic video games. They also have been known to make new games in a retro style. I myself have enjoyed some of their work, like their port of the arcade game Windjammers, Streets of Rage 4, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge. And now they're gracing the marvel universe with a new retro beat-em-up.

Marvel isn't a stranger to the beat-em-up video game. Many characters have appeared in them. Spider-Man (paired with Venom), Captain America and the Avengers, the X-Men, the Punisher...the Marvel Universe loves beat-em-ups. And it's not hard to see why. Superheroes are a great fit for the genre. And now they're coming back to the genre to face the hordes of the Negative Zone tyrant known as Annihilus with the upcoming game Marvel Cosmic Invasion. Let's look at the trailer!

Aw, man! I just made my last payment on that food truck!

Ah, monsters invading New York. In the Marvel Universe, that's just a regular Tuesday.

Imagine being an alien attacking the city, and the last thing you see is that shield heading right for your face. 

Count on Steve Rogers to hand out a quality Grade-A American-style beatdown.

And of course, you cannot have a Marvel fighting game without Spider-Man. Peter, Miles, Miguel, it doesn't matter. You can't have a Marvel game without Spidey.

Naturally, if you're paying homage to the 90s, you gotta have Venom. The symbiote had a bit of a heyday back then.

Wolverine and Storm? Yeah, makes sense. Again, if you're doing a 90s style Marvel game, you include the X-Men. 

Wait, is that...Phyla-Vell?! In her Quasar garb?!

Nice! I love it when games use lesser-known characters! 👍

And the Richard Rider Nova! With his mid-90s haircut!

Gameplay looks fun as heck. But then again, it's DotEmu and Tribute Games. They haven't disappointed yet. The graphics and art style make me think of a 90s beat-em-up, which is always good.

Well, this trailer looks like fun! Nova and Phyla-Vell are surprising additions, but I can guess why. This game is clearly based on the Annihilation crossover, and those two played a role in it (Nova ripped Annihilus's guts out through his throat), so it makes sense they'd show up. This is the kind of game you could support for a long time through DLC, additional campaigns and characters and the like. In fact, I have some ideas on characters they could add...

But yeah, I am hyped for this game. This looks like another home run for Dotemu and Tribute Games! Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! See you next time! 

World Meteorological Day

Ballerina Trailer, My Thoughts

Back in 1972, Elton John sang about a tiny dancer. However, I doubt he and Bernie Taupin had this little lady in mind when the song was born. After all, Eve Macarro may be a dancer, but she is just as deadly as she is graceful. It's why she's known as...Ballerina. 

From the World of John Wick: Ballerina (The full title of the movie) is a spin-off film set between the third and fourth John Wick films. 

That tattoo sounds like it would require a lot of time on the chair and it would hurt like heck.

(ouch)

The kikimora is not something made up for this movie. Kikimoras come from Slavic/Russian mythology. They're spirits that are tied to homes. They are often portrayed as female, and they can be benevolent or malevolent. They can take various forms, even appearing as deceased family members.

(the more you know) 

It's appropriate that a figure of Russian myth is used, considering the antagonists of the first movie.

RIP Lance Reddick. 

"Yes, I'd like a room with one bed, and I would like a wake-up call at 9:00 AM, please." 

There's a certain superhero team that would sue those "X" guys to oblivion.

Ah, more mythological references. Adam and Eve.

I wonder if Eve is a fan of Duck Hunt.

She is going to hunt the most dangerous game. Get it?

(do you understand)

The guns got that bisexual lighting. 

Getting blown up behind a door. That'll hurt.

(ouch)

"Come up to Russia. We'll get together, have a few laughs."

Ehhh, I think she's aware, Mr. Pine. And she wants herself some.

When in doubt, toast 'em with the flamethrower!

Oh hey, John! Yeah, this film is set between three and four, remember? John will survive this. But the idea of him being the antagonist is neat. 

Fantastic Four #184 (July 1977)

Superheroes' lives can go at a break-neck pace. Just when one crisis is abated, it seems like another one pops right up. It doesn't matter if you're a solo hero or part of a team of heroes, the superhero's life can be an endless parade of craziness. For the Fantastic Four, that is especially true, even if they prefer to be seen as "imaginauts". This comic here provides an example of what I am talking about. And it is another opportunity to show off some art by my favorite comic artist of all time: George Perez. This is Fantastic Four #184!

The cover is a George Perez, Joe Sinnott, and Danny Crespi piece. It's really good. But of course, it's George Perez. You have our villain, the Eliminator, front and center.

"Aftermath: The Eliminator"
Writer: Len Wein
Penciler: George Perez
Inker: Joe Sinnott
Colorist: Glynis Wein
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Editor: Len Wein
Editor-in-Chief: Archie Goodwin

The story begins with the FF rescuing Reed Richards from the Negative Zone, aided by their allies Thundra and Tigra. Ben takes Reed to get some rest and presumably to get checked over. I can imagine that the FF have some kind of gadget that can do medical checkups better than any doctor.

Johnny and Tigra look out at the Negative Zone portal's window. The Human Torch notes the irony that Counter-Earth's Reed Richards (who became the evil Brute) attempted to trap Reed in the Negative Zone for good, only for himself to end up there. 

Elsewhere, Sue Storm-Richards keeps an eye on her husband, worried what Ben will do if he finds out that their son's nanny, Agatha Harkness, made off with Sue and Reed's son Franklin.

But Ben has a different concern on his mind at the moment: Calling his beloved Alicia Masters and letting her know he's okay. Afterwards, he heads back to the portal room, finding it...a bit of a mess.

Page 147, Panel 7

The Baxter Building does have auto-repair systems, but the fracas with the Brute knocked them out of commission. 

As such, they will need to clean up. However, Tigra and Thundra, being liberated 1970s women, they decide cleaning the place up is Ben and Johnny's job. Well, yeah. Ben and Johnny do live in the Baxter Building, Tigra and Thundra were just guests helping out for a bit. Johnny is like "Well, time for me to hit the dusty skies", flames on, and flies off. While he's out in the big blue yonder, he finds himself thinking about this girl he's met named Frankie Raye. However, someone has him in their sights.

Page 149, Panels 3-6

Ben tries to clean the Negative Zone portal room when he gets another visitor.

Page 150, Panel 3

Yup, the Impossible Man! And he has a very important question for Ben Grimm. One that could break the Marvel Universe as we know it:

...what's a movie? Yeah. That's his big question. An annoyed Ben tells him that a movie is basically a bigger version of TV. The Impossible Man is like "I like TV! These movie things sound awesome" and flies off. Ben hopes he chokes on popcorn. So, how is Reed doing?

Page 150, Panel 8

Yeah, he's fine. Sue briefs him on Franklin's disappearance and gives him his uniform. Reed is reluctant as he has lost his stretching powers. Sue points out that if his powers were all he contributed, then he could easily have been replaced with a rubber band. That's funny, but it's true. Ben finishes up the cleaning, and the group head to Whisper Hill, Agatha's home. However, something blows up the Fantasticar, sending the three members of the FF reeling. Sue uses her forcefields to cushion their landing. Ben finds a strange metallic egg nearby. Something hatched from it. They enter the old house and find the missing Johnny.

Page 155, Panel 6

Johnny tries to warn his fellow Fantastic Four members, but the being that zapped him introduces themselves.

Page 156, Panel 5

Meet the Eliminator. His job is rather self-explanatory. He was sent to eliminate any evidence of Agatha Harkness's existence among mortals...including anyone she knows. And that includes the FF.

Sue fears this big lug may have killed Franklin. However, the Eliminator tells her he didn't. His masters will deal with the boy in their own way. The Eliminator may be tasked with killing the FF, but that doesn't mean our heroes will let him, as Ben demonstrates by ambushing him. The Eliminator is a tough cookie and himself doesn't go down that easy. He blasts at Ben with flamethrowers in his fingertips, but Johnny absorbs the flames, allowing Sue to knock down the Eliminator with a forcefield.

The Eliminator was prepared for that. His boots have jets that can also work as a vacuum, which he uses to put out Johnny's flames. He uses his hammer hand to knock down the FF and then blasts at the heroes with a laser beam from his head. Sue tries to counter it with a forcefield. It...does not go well.

Page 159, Panel 6

Howling with grief and rage, Reed tries to attack the Eliminator, only to eat Omni-Beam. He then takes down Ben, and overloads Johnny. With the Fantastic Four seemingly dead, the Eliminator triggers his self-destruct sequence, as part of his mission. However, he gets a surprise.

Page 161, Panel 9

The Fantastic Four LIVE!

"How did they live", you ask? Well, a little bit of trickery on their part. Sue's forcefield actually protected her from the Eliminator's Omni-Beam. She turned invisible, and use her forcefields to protect Reed and Ben, and Johnny faked his overloading. They outsmarted the monster.

With that, they decide now is a good time to run.

They flee as fast as they can, but they fear they won't be able to outrun the explosion. Sue throws up a forcefield as Whisper Hill blows up.

The story ends with them vowing to find Agatha Harkness and Franklin Richards.

One thing I always liked about this issue was that the Fantastic Four managed to defeat the Eliminator not by out-brawling him, but with guile and trickery. The Eliminator is a character I find kind of funny. I always had the impression that he was some kind of cyborg. I mean, look at him. He looks like someone who would be the main villain in a B-Movie Terminator ripoff. Yet he claims he was sent by New Salem, which was a community of witches. It's so bizarre to me. Yes, this is the Marvel Universe, where it's possible for Doctor Strange to team up with Deathlok, but in this particular occasion...it feels...off. If the Eliminator's design was changed to make him look more magical, I think it would make more sense.

The only real criticism I have about this comic is that it does feel like we're stuck in the middle of something. Which...it was, really. We were in the middle of some storylines at the time. There is plenty of action, and everything goes at a good pace. 

As for the art, it's George Perez, enough said.

If you want to read this for yourself, you should track down the 2005 trade paperback Fantastic Four Visionaries: George Perez Vol. 1. You can also find it in the 2024 trade paperback Fantastic Four Epic Collection Vol. 10: Counter-Earth Must Die. Thanks for reading this blog entry! if you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! See you next time!