Month: June 2024

G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe 49, G.I. Joe 50

GIJoe 049 coverG.I. Joe #49 (July 1986) – “Serpentor” – Larry Hama/Rod Whigham/Andy Mushynsky

This one starts with Destro and Dr. Mindbender stealing a mummy from a museum in the Middle East and taking it back to Springfield. The Frankenstein parallels continue, with Mindbender planning to extract the DNA from the stolen remains of history’s greatest warriors, mix it together and put it into an artificial body he’s grown, then fill that new creation with historical knowledge to create the ultimate conqueror. (The idea was Mindbender’s, but Cobra Commander is behind him all the way.) Continue reading “G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe 49, G.I. Joe 50”

New Trekker Book

Trekker Spice rewardsI just received the latest volume of Ron Randall’s Trekker (with the provocative title of Spice) and it’s another great read. Mercy is forced to work with someone who’s a lot like her in certain ways, yet completely opposite in others. Naturally, complications ensue, but it wouldn’t be a Trekker story if it wasn’t full of action, intrigue, and a few surprises. Ron Randall has done another spectacular job with the art and writing and he’s still giving out plenty ofGulliver reads Trekker Spice swag as Kickstarter rewards. This time there are stickers, pins, a poster, and a bookmark … I’m running out of room to keep everything I’ve received in all the recent campaigns. Gulliver enjoyed the story too, although he’s still hoping for an ape hero to show up. Maybe next volume. If you’d like to check out Trekker yourself, go right ahead … maybe you’ll end up falling in love with it like I did.

Frankie Drake Mysteries Reviews: Season 4, Episode 8

Frank Drake title season 3Sweet Justice – Director: Bosede Williams/Writers: Jennifer Kassabian, Robina Lord-Stafford

This one starts with Trudy and her family moving into their new house (and naturally Mildred recruits Frankie, Mary, and Flo to help move stuff). Trudy is pretty happy, but they hear a disturbance outside and find a woman across the street pounding a fire hydrant with a sledgehammer. Continue reading “Frankie Drake Mysteries Reviews: Season 4, Episode 8”

Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 47, Conan the Barbarian 48

Conan 047 coverConan the Barbarian #47 – “Goblins in the Moonlight” – Roy Thomas/John Buscema/Dan Adkins

Last issue, Conan was on his way to Phalkar to deliver an amulet to the regent of that city when he got sidetracked by (what else?) a beautiful woman. He saved the woman (Stefanya) from a bloodthirsty mob who accused her of sorcery, but Stefanya told Conan the real sorcerer was her hated master, Zoqquanor. Continue reading “Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 47, Conan the Barbarian 48”

G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe 47, G.I. Joe 48

GIjoe 047 coverG.I. Joe #47 (May 1986) – “Sea Duel” – Larry Hama/Rod Whigham/Andy Mushynsky

This one starts where last issue left off, with the Joes loading the wounded Ripcord into the Killer Whale after finding him on Cobra Island. Of course, we know that this isn’t actually Ripcord, it’s Zartan in disguise hoping to infiltrate Joe headquarters, while the real Ripcord is in the Cobra Firebat plane that just launched from the island. Continue reading “G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe 47, G.I. Joe 48”

Frankie Drake Mysteries Reviews: Season 4, Episode 7

Frank Drake title season 3Life is a Cabaret – Director: Bosede Williams/Writers: Keri Ferencz, Sharron Matthews

This one starts with Frankie and Alessandro getting busy in his race car, which is parked in an alley. They’re interrupted by a struggle between a man and a glammed up woman. Alessandro is about to go help the lady when she decks her aggressor and takes off Frankie checks the guy and finds that he’s dead. Continue reading “Frankie Drake Mysteries Reviews: Season 4, Episode 7”

Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 45, Conan the Barbarian 46

Conan 045 coverConan the Barbarian #45 – “The Last Ballad of Laza-Lanti” – Roy Thomas/John Buscema/Crusty Bunkers

This one starts with Conan drinking in a tavern in Shadizar, trying to forget Red Sonja. A minstrel sings a sad ballad and Conan takes a liking to it, so when local toughs start giving the minstrel a hard time, Conan kicks their asses. The bard (Laza-Lanti) turns out to be a fighter too and saves Conan by tossing a dagger into a thug trying to sneak up on the barbarian. Continue reading “Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 45, Conan the Barbarian 46”

G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe 45, G.I. Joe 46

GIJoe 045 coverG.I. Joe #45 (March 1986) – “In Search of Candy” – Larry Hama/Rod Whigham/Andy Mushynsky

This one starts with Ace and Ripcord doing aerial surveillance of Cobra Island from the Skystriker. Since Cobra Island has been declared a sovereign nation (at least tentatively), the Joes aren’t allowed on the territory, hence the eye in the sky. Professor Appel wants to shoot them down because they’re violating sovereign airspace, but Zartan tells him not to be too hasty. Continue reading “G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe 45, G.I. Joe 46”

Frankie Drake Mysteries Reviews: Season 4, Episode 6

Frank Drake title season 3The Guilty Party – Director: R.T. Thorne/Writer: Carol Hay

This one starts with Frankie, Trudy, and Mary outside the courthouse, where a man (Ernie Logan) convicted of murdering his girlfriend (Christine Mayfield) three years ago has just been released because of a witness recanting their testimony. According to Stephen Reid (left-wing reporter and now officially Mary’s boyfriend), the cops bungled the entire investigation, either through incompetence or on purpose Logan thinks the cops railroaded him and wants them to pay for it, but a man (Derek Walston) shows up and tells Frankie and Trudy he knows Logan really did kill Christine (who was is niece) and wants them to prove it. Frankie accepts the case immediately. Continue reading “Frankie Drake Mysteries Reviews: Season 4, Episode 6”

Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 43, Conan the Barbarian 44

Conan 043 coverConan the Barbarian #43 – “Tower of Blood” – Roy Thomas/John Buscema/Ernie Chan

This one starts with Conan and Red Sonja (remember her from issues 23 and 24?) being pursued by bounty hunters from the City of Thieves. Apparently, Sonja was chosen as a Hyrkanian king’s concubine but stabbed him instead of marrying him, plus one of Conan’s wenches accused them both of murder, so now there’s a price on both their heads. Continue reading “Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 43, Conan the Barbarian 44”