Month: May 2022

Comics Reviews: Justice League Annual 1, Legion of Super-Heroes Annual 3, New Teen Titans Annual 3

Justice League Annual 1 coverJustice League Annual #1 – “Germ Warfare” – /Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis/Bill Willingham/Dennis Janke, P. Craig Russell, Bill Wray, R. Campanella, Bruce Patterson, Dick Giordano

This story takes place right after Justice League #4, which is why Guy Gardner is still an asshole and Dr. Fate is still on the team. It starts with a handful of Kord Industries employees flying to a remote island in the South Pacific. Ted Kord (aka Blue Beetle) bought the island sight-unseen, but there’s some kind of old compound there, so he sent some guys to check it out. The place looks deserted until a woman with red glowing eyes pops up out of nowhere. It isn’t long before everyone’s eyes are red and the Kord employees head back to civilization to carry the woman’s “message” to the rest of humanity. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Justice League Annual 1, Legion of Super-Heroes Annual 3, New Teen Titans Annual 3”

Comics Reviews: Firestorm 66, Warlord 124, Batman Annual 11

Firestorm 66 coverFirestorm #66 – “Out of Control” – John Ostrander/Joe Brozowski/Sam De La Rosa

This one starts a million years ago with some aliens destroying an entire planet just to eliminate something called Zuggernaut, which they see as a threat. But Zuggernaut manages to cling to a piece of the blasted planet, which tumbles through space for millennia until it approaches Earth. In Russia, Mikhail Arkadin is being examined by doctors after returning from his clash with Firestorm last issue. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Firestorm 66, Warlord 124, Batman Annual 11”

Xena Reviews: Season 4, Episode 3

Xena title cardA Family Affair – Director: Doug Lefler/Story: Liz Friedman, Chris Manhein/Teleplay: Chris Manheim

This one starts with a shepherd looking for his lost dog in the woods. He finds it, but he and the dog are both killed by … something. In Dahok’s Temple, Joxer is leaving flowers by the lava pit where Gabi died, but he gets a shock when Xena climbs out of the pit and tells him Gabi is still alive. Xena decides to check in Poteidaia to see if Gabi’s family has heard from her. When they get there, Joxer gets distracted by a puppet show, while Xena runs into Gabi in the marketplace. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 4, Episode 3”

Comics Reviews: Outsiders Special #1, Infinity Inc. Special #1

Outsiders Special 1 coverOutsiders Special #1 – “From Here to Infinity” – Mike W. Barr/Chuck Patton/Bob Smith

This story takes place after Infinity Inc 42 and Outsiders 21. It starts with Sylvester (Skyman) Pemberton in Markovia, looking for a location to shoot a movie about the JSA’s wartime exploits. He’s a little leery of Markovia’s new prime minister (Vittings) who seems like an isolationist who isn’t big on international cooperation. But his liaison (Ms. Kazmeyer) assures him Vittings will be glad of the revenue the movie will bring. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Outsiders Special #1, Infinity Inc. Special #1”

Comics Reviews: Wonder Woman 11, Firestorm 65, Vigilante 48, Warlord 123

Wonder Woman 11 coverWonder Woman #11 – “Fire and Torment” – Len Wein/George Perez/Bruce Patterson

Last issue, Pan convinced Zeus that he should “honour” the Amazons by banging them all, starting with Diana (aka Wonder Woman). When she turned him down, Zeus freaked out and decided to make Diana undergo a multi-part test in the deadly caverns beneath Themiscyra. If she wins through, she’ll prove herself worthy (and keep her fellow Amazons from becoming Zeus’s sex toys). Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Wonder Woman 11, Firestorm 65, Vigilante 48, Warlord 123”

Xena Reviews: Season 4, Episode 2

Xena title cardAdventures in the Sin Trade II – Director: T.J. Scott/Story: Rob Tapert, R.J. Stewart/Teleplay: R.J. Stewart

This one starts with Xena and Otere in an Amazon sweat lodge. Xena tells Otere how she first met Cyane and the Northern Amazons and we get the first of a series of flashbacks. Xena spies on Cyane while she’s in a sweat lodge (and seems rather attracted to her), but falls through the roof. Cyane is naked, but pulls all Xena’s clothes off at lightning speed and starts pounding her. Xena grabs a robe and takes off, but Cyane does some tree-running and catches up to Xena, preparing to kill her. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 4, Episode 2”

Comics Reviews: Legion of Super-Heroes 41, Young All-Stars 7, Suicide Squad 8

Legion of Super-Heroes 41 cover Legion of Super-Heroes #41 – “Shall Ne’er Burn So Bright” – Paul Levitz/Greg LaRocque/Mike DeCarlo

This one starts with three muscle-bound thugs causing trouble at a resort on Mars, as part of Starfinger’s extortion schemes. They run into Colossal Boy, Sensor Girl, and Element Lad, who quickly take them down and demand to know where Starfinger is. Out in space, Polar Boy has several teammates (Mon-El, Dawnstar, and White Witch) using their powers to search for Starfinger, even though none of them knows who the new version is, or even what he looks like. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Legion of Super-Heroes 41, Young All-Stars 7, Suicide Squad 8”

Comics Reviews: Justice League International 8, New Teen Titans 38, Infinity Inc. 45

Justice League International 8 coverJustice League International #8 – “Moving Day” – Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis/Kevin Maguire/Al Gordon

This is basically a downtime issue, showing the League as they try to get used to being under the aegis of the United Nations and move into various embassies around the world. This issue is a classic fan-favourite, and really cements the tone of the so-called “Bwa-ha-ha League”. In New York, J’onn J’onzz is supervising the movers (whose load includes a huge crate of Oreos) and finds out the embassy’s infrastructure isn’t all that great when he crashes through the floor into the room below. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Justice League International 8, New Teen Titans 38, Infinity Inc. 45”

Xena Reviews: Season 4, Episode 1

Xena title cardAdventures in the Sin Trade – Director: T.J. Scott/Story: Rob Tapert, R.J. Stewart/Teleplay: R.J. Stewart

This one starts with a half-crazed Xena finding Hades to ask if she can see Gabrielle. Hades doesn’t know where she is and Xena figures Gabrielle must’ve gone to the Amazons’ afterlife after dying in last season’s finale. Hades doesn’t know where that is, but Xena does. She leaves Argo behind and heads out to find Gabi. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 4, Episode 1”

Comics Reviews: Batman 414, Detective 581, Outsiders 26

Batman 414 coverBatman #414 – “Victims” – Jim Starlin/Jim Aparo/Mike Carlin

This one starts with Batman and Commissioner Gordon checking out a crime scene: the body of a young woman has been mutilated and left in a dumpster, the third victim in recent weeks. But whoever’s doing it has left no evidence behind, so the cops are frustrated. As they’re talking, they notice a nearby building on fire and Batman goes to help. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 414, Detective 581, Outsiders 26”