Month: October 2023

Comics Reviews: Batman 454, Detective 621, Legends of the Dark Knight 11

Batman 454 coverBatman #454 – “Dark Knight, Dark City Part III” – Peter Milligan/Kieron Dwyer/Dennis Janke

Last issue, Riddler (who’s been acting much more homicidal than usual) kidnapped a bunch of babies and has been leaving clues for Batman to find them. He found the latest one in the sewers, choking on a ping-pong ball, so he had to perform an emergency tracheotomy with a knife he picked up in a bar. Batman performs the operation and gets the baby to hospital, but isn’t sure if he’ll live or not. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 454, Detective 621, Legends of the Dark Knight 11”

Comics Reviews: Wonder Woman 45, Green Arrow 35, Firestorm 100

Wonder Woman 45 coverWonder Woman #45 – “Legacy” – George Perez, Mindy Newell/Jill Thompson, Cynthia Martin, Colleen Doran/Romeo Tanghal

This one starts with Harmonia asking the Fates about some strange visions she’s been having. She feels the visions are prompted by the talisman she wears and tells the Fates they have something to do with Diana (aka Wonder Woman) and Pandora. Harmonia can’t really see a connection between the two women, aside from the fact they were both created from clay, so the Fates show her the past. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Wonder Woman 45, Green Arrow 35, Firestorm 100”

Frankie Drake Mysteries Reviews: Season 1, Episode 7

Frankie Drake titleTies That Bind – Director: Eleanore Lindo/Writer: Carol Hay

This one starts with a young woman named Jenny teaching English to some Chinese people. When she leaves, Mary starts following her through the darkened streets. Jenny meets with a tall Chinese guy and gives him some money. Mary keeps following her, but Jenny just disappears. The next day, Mary goes to Frankie and Trudy to ask them to look into Jenny’s disappearance, since they have connections in Chinatown. Frankie agrees, but notices that Mary is acting weird and figures she’s holding something back. Continue reading “Frankie Drake Mysteries Reviews: Season 1, Episode 7”

Comics Reviews: Legion 10, Suicide Squad 44

Legion of Super-Heroes 10 coverLegion of Super-Heroes #10 – (Roxxas Strikes) – Tom and Mary Bierbaum/Keith Giffen/Al Gordon

This one starts with a disguised Roxxas arriving on Winath where the ex-Legionnaires are congregating. Roxxas knows the Legion might re-form and come after him for killing Blok, so he’s decided to strike at them first. He goes along on a tour group to get close to Garth and Imra’s place. (That’s Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl, in case you didn’t know.) Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Legion 10, Suicide Squad 44”

Comics Reviews: Justice League America 41, Justice League Europe 17

Justice League America 41 coverJustice League America #41 – “Maximum Force” – Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis/Mike McKone/Bruce Patterson

This one starts with Maxwell Lord telling J’onn J’onzz about his power to influence minds, which he got from the gene-bomb during the Invasion. J’onn promises to keep Max’s power a secret, but reminds him about the moral implications of tampering with people’s minds, even quoting Spider-Man’s “with great power comes great responsibility” maxim. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Justice League America 41, Justice League Europe 17”

Frankie Drake Mysteries Reviews: Season 1, Episode 6

Frankie Drake titleWhisper Sisters – Director: Leslie Hope/Writer: Adriana Maggs

This one starts with Frankie experimenting with various blends of homemade gin, using Trudy as the final judge of quality. Trudy points out an article in the newspaper about a mobster (Joe Perry) committing suicide in prison. Frankie is bothered by the news and we get an extended flashback to six months ago, when she and Trudy met Joe Perry. Continue reading “Frankie Drake Mysteries Reviews: Season 1, Episode 6”

Comics Reviews: Batman 452, Batman 453, Detective 619, Detective 620, Legends of the Dark Knight 10

Batman 452 coverBatman #452 – “Dark Knight, Dark City” – Peter Milligan/Kieron Dwyer/Dennis Janke

This one starts with a journal entry by a guy named Jacob Stockman, who writes about a satanic ritual he performed in 1764 with some other men (including a pre-Revolutionary Thomas Jefferson) on his farm outside Gotham. Stockman and the others were attempting to control a “daemon” (Barbathos) by sacrificing a drugged-up girl. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 452, Batman 453, Detective 619, Detective 620, Legends of the Dark Knight 10”

Comics Reviews: Wonder Woman 44, Green Arrow 34, Firestorm 99

Wonder Woman 44 coverWonder Woman #44 – “Caged” – George Perez, Mindy Newell/Chris Marrinan/Romeo Tanghal

Last issue, Wonder Woman was forced to surrender after Etta Candy and Maxine Sterenbuch were captured by Armbruster’s men. Maxine had come to Wonder Woman for help in getting her friend Silver Swan away from Armbruster, but Silver Swan is so smitten by Armbruster that she can’t see he’s just using her (and she shrugs off his abusive behaviour, no matter how bad it gets). Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Wonder Woman 44, Green Arrow 34, Firestorm 99”

Frankie Drake Mysteries Reviews: Season 1, Episode 5

Frankie Drake titleOut of Focus – Director: Sudz Sutherland/Writer: John Callaghan

This one starts with Frankie about to be hanged; naturally, it’s a fake-out, but we don’t get to see the circumstances until later. The real story starts with Frankie and Trudy watching a silent comedy in Frankie’s office. The guy showing them the film turns out to be Mack Sennett, who points out someone getting shot in the background of the scene. Sennett tells them that nobody saw or heard anything, and no dead body has been found, so he wants Frankie to find out what happened. He does mention that a local who worked on the production (Dan Channing) has disappeared, so he could be the victim … or the killer. Continue reading “Frankie Drake Mysteries Reviews: Season 1, Episode 5”

Comics Reviews: New Titans 68, Legion 9, Suicide Squad 43

New Titans 68 coverNew Titans #68 – “New Deal” – Barbara and Karl Kesel/Steve Erwin/Bob Smith

This one starts with the Royal Flush Gang preparing to work for the Joker. The Royal Flushers have kinda gone downhill in the last few years: Queen is an alcoholic, Jack a fading gigolo, King and Ace (who’s human now, not a robot) are pulling small-time robberies to get by, and Ten is making like Fagin, using a gang of street kids as thieves. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: New Titans 68, Legion 9, Suicide Squad 43”