Reviews, ruminations, and (occasional) ramblings.
Batman #409 – “Just Another Kid on Crime Alley” – Max Allan Collins/Ross Andru/Dick Giordano
This issue continues the revised story of how Batman first met Jason Todd, which means it’s set a few years ago. It opens with a recap of last issue, showing how Jason tried to steal the wheels off the Batmobile and how Batman promised not to call the cops if Jason attended Ma Gunn’s School for Wayward Boys. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 409, Detective 576, Outsiders 21”
Wonder Woman #5 – “The Ares Assault” – Len Wein/George Perez/Bruce Patterson
This one starts with the Amazons trying to figure out what’s going on in the outside world. They know Ares is causing trouble and his influence is even being felt in Themiscyra, but they can’t get any word from the gods about how Diana’s mission is going. The gods are all embarking on a huge ship that’s supposed to take them to oblivion, but the goddesses are delaying as much as possible to give Diana a chance to stop Ares. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Wonder Woman 5, Firestorm 60, Vigilante 42, Warlord 118”
One Against an Army – Director: Paul Lynch/Writers: Gene O’Neill, Noreen Tobin
This one starts with Gabi practicing flips by using her staff as a launching point. She finally succeeds and wants to try a flip without the staff, which results in a sprained ankle and Xena’s disapproval (though Xena earns Gabi’s disapproval by ruining one of her boots with her chakram). While tending the ankle, a guy comes by to tell them about Persians invading. Xena says they have to stop the Persians from reaching Athens or all of Greece will be lost. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 3, Episode 13”
Legion of Super-Heroes #35 – “Forgotten Friends” – Paul Levitz/Greg LaRocque/Mike DeCarlo, Arne Starr
This one starts with Saturn Girl, Chameleon Boy, Brainiac 5, and Dream Girl back on Earth after escaping the prison planet they were on. They grab a Science Police officer so Saturn Girl can use her mental powers to read his mind and find out why Earth has suddenly isolated itself from the rest of the galaxy. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Legion of Super-Heroes 35, New Teen Titans 32, Suicide Squad 2”
Justice League #2 – “Make War No More” – Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis/Kevin Maguire/Al Gordon
This one starts with Batman interrogating Kimiyo (Dr. Light) Hoshi about where she got the JLA signal device she used to summon the team last issue. She tells him (over and over) that some guy gave it to her and she had no reason to assume the rest of the team was unaware of that. While they’re talking, Blue Beetle brings a TV show to their attention, one that isn’t too complimentary to the new team. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Justice League 2, Infinity Inc. 39, Young All-Stars 1”
The Bitter Suite – Director: Oley Sassone/Writers: Steven L. Sears, Chris Manheim
This is the culmination of the Rift, the sundering of Xena and Gabi’s relationship caused by them lying and mistrusting each other over the first half of this season (although Steve Sears says the Rift technically started in Sins of the Past, since Xena and Gabi have such different worldviews). This one starts with Gabi in an Amazon purging hut (where she’s been for three days), trying to get rid of the guilt she feels over Solan’s death last episode. Xena is on a mountain dealing with her grief when Ares appears and goads her into going after Gabi, saying she’s responsible for Solan’s death. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 3, Episode 12”
Batman #408 – “Did Robin Die Tonight?” – Max Allan Collins/Chris Warner/Mike DeCarlo
Like the Year One storyline, this is another bit of revisionist history, giving us a new origin for Jason Todd and how he came to work with Batman. Years ago, the original Robin (Dick Grayson) was shot by the Joker. Batman captured Joker and Dick ended up being fine, but Batman realized how much danger he’d been putting Dick (who was just a kid when they first started working together) in by allowing him to be his crimefighting partner. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 408, Detective 575, Outsiders 20”
Wonder Woman #4 – “A Long Day’s Journey Into Fright” – Len Wein/George Perez/Bruce Patterson
Last issue, Diana met Julia Kapatelis, a history professor who took her home to help her assimilate to Man’s World and do some research. Phobos sent a Medusa statuette to the Kapatelis home which was opened by Julia’s daughter, Vanessa. The statuette came to life, manifesting as Decay, the daughter of Medusa, whose power lives up to her name. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Wonder Woman 4, Firestorm 59, Vigilante 41, Warlord 117”
Maternal Instincts – Director: Mark Beesley/Writer: Chris Manheim
This one starts with Xena and Gabi arriving at the Centaur village to celebrate a new treaty reuniting the Centaur nation. They soon run into Kaleipus and Solan (who still doesn’t know Xena is his mother) and Xena assures Kaleipus she’s not there to claim Solan. Elsewhere, we see Hope (now a girl of about ten or so) bringing Callisto back from the lava stream she fell into in A Necessary Evil. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 3, Episode 11”
Legion of Super-Heroes #34 – “Forgotten Foe” – Paul Levitz/Greg LaRocque/Mike DeCarlo
Last issue, Saturn Girl, Dream Girl, Brainiac 5, and Chameleon Boy escaped from the prison planet where they’d been confined and brainwashed. The first planet they come to after escaping is Naltor, Dream Girl’s homeworld, where they’re welcomed by the High Seer (Beren). Turns out they spent weeks on the prison planet and things have changed on Earth in that time, with the Legion being disbanded and their headquarters shut down. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Legion of Super-Heroes 34, New Teen Titans 31, Suicide Squad 1”