Xena Reviews: Season 4, Episode 17

Xena title cardThe Play’s the Thing – Director: Christopher Graves/Writers: Ashley Gable, Thomas A. Swynden

This one starts with Xena and Gabi doing yoga (yes, Xena’s doing it too) in a meadow, but Gabi can’t enjoy the serenity because she lost her latest scroll. Apparently, it’s a more intimate examination of their relationship (maybe it contains details of their sex life), so Xena tells her to go back to the last town they were in (Piraeus) and look for the scroll. Xena has to go help a prince in another town, so Gabi heads back to Piraeus, a city that’s completely theatre-mad. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 4, Episode 17”

Comics Reviews: Batman 421, Detective 588, Green Arrow 6

Batman 421 coverBatman #421 – “Elmore’s Lady” – Jim Starlin/Dick Giordano/Joe Rubinstein

This one starts with Batman and Commissioner Gordon discussing a serial killer who leaves his victims—all young women— in dumpsters. There’s not much evidence left on the bodies and no real pattern, except the Dumpster Slasher does stick to a schedule, killing once a week but skipping every third week. But there’s been no new victim found and Gordon wonders if the killer has moved on to new hunting grounds. Batman hopes not, since he wants to put the scumbag away. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 421, Detective 588, Green Arrow 6”

Comics Reviews: Wonder Woman 17, Firestorm 72

Wonder Woman 17 coverWonder Woman #17 – “Traces” – George Perez/Dick Giordano

This one starts with Diana and Vanessa packing for a trip to Greece to join Vanessa’s mom (Julia Kapatelis). Steve and Etta help and Etta mentions her jealousy when she thought Steve might have a thing for Diana. Diana says she’s a bit jealous of Etta’s relationship with Steve, since Diana’s romance with Superman went nowhere. Vanessa says goodbye to her friend Eileen (who she treats kinda crappy) and Steve brings in a dove with a message from Themiscyra. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Wonder Woman 17, Firestorm 72”

Xena Reviews: Season 4, Episode 16

Xena title cardThe Way – Director: John Fawcett/Writer: R.J. Stewart

This one starts with Gabi getting philosophical and Xena wondering if her future incarnation as the Mother of Peace means she should renounce violence in this life. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 4, Episode 16”

Comics Reviews: Legion of Super-Heroes 47, New Teen Titans 44, Suicide Squad 14

Legion of Super-Heroes 47 coverLegion of Super-Heroes #47 – “Conspiracy Theory” – Paul Levitz/Greg LaRocque, Pat Broderick/Mike DeCarlo

This one starts with some Legionnaires (Lightning Lass, Tellus, Timber Wolf, Quislet, and Magnetic Kid) at a broadcasting tower in the Atlantic. The tower caught fire for some reason, so the Legionnaires do damage control and rescue people inside. Tellus gets distracted and afterwards tells Magnetic Kid that there’s some kind of conspiracy in the Legion and that Saturn Girl is part of it … a fact he gleaned telepathically right from Saturn Girl’s mind. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Legion of Super-Heroes 47, New Teen Titans 44, Suicide Squad 14”

Comics Reviews: Justice League International 14, Infinity Inc. 51, Young All-Stars 13

Justice League International 14 coverJustice League International #14 – “Shop or Die” – J.M. DeMatteis/Keith Giffen, Steve Leialoha/Al Gordon

This issue really leans into the goofball humour we think of when we think of JLI. It starts with an alien on a planet with the unlikely name of Yecktamecktokovia watching as the planet’s technology is sucked up into orbit by a giant spaceship. Apparently the ship (called the Cluster) is retrieving the tech from the planet which it has just decimated. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Justice League International 14, Infinity Inc. 51, Young All-Stars 13”

Xena Reviews: Season 4, Episode 15

Xena title cardBetween the Lines – Director: Rick Jacobson/Writer: Steven L. Sears

This one starts with Xena and Gabi still in India. Xena gets a new outfit so she can blend in better with the natives, like Gabi does. They see a woman (Nayima) about to be thrown on her husband’s funeral pyre and decide to save her. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 4, Episode 15”

Comics Reviews: Batman 420, Detective 587, Green Arrow 5

Batman 420 coverBatman #420 – “Ten Nights of the Beast Part 4” – Jim Starlin/Jim Aparo/Mike DeCarlo

This one starts with Batman finding the dead body of the underworld engineer who built a weaponized mechanical hand for KGBeast, after he lost one fighting Batman last issue. KGBeast (and his associate Salari) are in town to kill off ten people involved in the Strategic Defense Initiative, hoping to cripple the program. KGBeast has taken out most of his targets, but there’s one big one left … President Reagan. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 420, Detective 587, Green Arrow 5”

Comics Reviews: Wonder Woman 16, Firestorm 71, Warlord 129

Wonder Woman 16 coverWonder Woman #16 – “Bird of Paradise/Bird of Prey” – Len Wein/George Perez/Bob Smith

This one continues from last issue, with Silver Swan attacking the fair where Wonder Woman is appearing for charity. Sliver Swan’s sonic blast brings down the Ferris wheel and Wonder Woman has to catch it to keep all the kids on it from being killed. (Steve helps out by catching a kid who falls.) Silver Swan’s old friend (Maxine) doesn’t think Silver Swan could be this cruel on her own, blaming Swan’s husband (Henry Armbruster) for pushing her into it. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Wonder Woman 16, Firestorm 71, Warlord 129”

Xena Reviews: Season 4, Episode 14

Xena title cardDevi – Director: Garth Maxwell/Writer: Chris Manheim

This one starts with Xena and Gabi in India, exploring the Entertainers’ Quarter in a city. They stop to watch a street magician (Eli) do the classic rope trick, but something goes wrong and his sexy assistant (Maya) goes crazy and attacks him. Xena jumps on stage and knocks Maya into a table. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 4, Episode 14”