Comics Reviews: JLA 164, Superboy & the Legion 249, Jonah Hex 22

JLA 164 coverJustice League of America #164 – “Murder by Melody” – Gerry Conway/Dick Dillin/Frank McLaughlin

This one starts with Red Tornado (still recovering from injury) on the JLA Satellite dictating recent events. Yup, this is one of those issues where most of it is told in flashback, with the added twist of it being narrated by Red Tornado. I really don’t like that particular storytelling device, but it  was used a lot at DC back in the late 70s. I’ll try to keep my retelling as straightforward as possible and hopefully my tenses won’t get too tangled. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 164, Superboy & the Legion 249, Jonah Hex 22”

Comics Reviews: Superman 333, Action 493, DC Comics Presents 7

Superman 333 coverSuperman #333 – “Happy New Year … Rest in Peace” – Martin Pasko/Curt Swan/Frank Chiaramonte

This issue continues the holiday theme that’s been running this month, although this is set during New Years not Christmas. This one actually starts out on Bizarro World, a planet where imperfection (and stupidity) are practically worshiped, and where everything is the opposite of Earth. Bizarro has gotten a message from the Future-Scope Teletype (the opposite of Earth teletypes, which only report what’s already happened) that Superman’s friends Lana and Lois are going to die. His editor is so happy he fires Bizarro, who heads to Earth to check things out. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 333, Action 493, DC Comics Presents 7”

Lost Girl Reviews: Season 4, Episode 9

Lost GirlEpisode 9: Destiny’s Child

This one starts with the train where Bo was imprisoned at the beginning of the season. It seems to be falling apart and there’s someone in a welding mask trying to keep it together. A hole opens in the side of the train and we see the crown the Wanderer offered to Bo lying on the floor. Continue reading “Lost Girl Reviews: Season 4, Episode 9”

Comics Reviews: Batman 309, Brave & the Bold 148, Warlord 19

Batman 309 coverBatman #309 – “Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas” – Len Wein/John Calnan/Frank McLaughlin

This is a Christmas-themed issue; despite the March cover date, it was probably on the stands in December of 1978. It starts with a bunch of muggers grabbing a young woman’s purse. She freaks out, saying it contains all the money she has left in the world, but the muggers aren’t moved by her pleas. In fact, they seem to think she got off light, since they didn’t rape her or something. The purse only contains five dollars, but before the muggers can go in search of more prey, Blockbuster comes smashing into the alley and kicks the crap out of them. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 309, Brave & the Bold 148, Warlord 19”

Comics Reviews: Flash 270, Wonder Woman 252, Green Lantern 113

Flash 270 coverFlash #270 – “A Fast Way to Die” – Cary Bates/Irv Novick/Frank McLaughlin

This one starts with Flash returning from a leisurely morning jog. Of course, this is the Flash we’re talking about, so his jog consists of zipping around the world at super speed. He gets back to Central City just in time to interrupt a new villain called the Clown as he’s stealing a collection of rare coins. This guy looks like a goofball, but he’s got some pretty lethal gimmicks, like a pogo stick that turns into a missile and a clown car that comes apart and almost buries Flash. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 270, Wonder Woman 252, Green Lantern 113”

Lost Girl Reviews: Season 4, Episode 8

Lost GirlEpisode 8: Groundhog Fae

This one starts with a “Cool Hand Luke” homage; Bo’s washing her car at a gas station (sexily, of course) and Lauren gets a little worked up. Dyson wanders by and is also mesmerized, but Hale comes out of the gas station eating some candy and snaps them out of it. Continue reading “Lost Girl Reviews: Season 4, Episode 8”

Comics Reviews: JLA 163, Superboy & the Legion 248, Jonah Hex 21

JLA 163 coverJustice League of America #163 – “Concert of the Damned” – Gerry Conway/Dick Dillin/Frank Chiaramonte

This one starts with Green Arrow walking through the front door of Oliver Queen’s apartment (way to protect the old secret identity, Ollie) and finding a weirdo named Anton Allegro waiting inside. Allegro is there looking for Oliver Queen, but he attacks Green Arrow with a strange electronic accordion that creates solid creatures from sounds. The creatures attack Arrow and pound him. Up on the JLA Satellite, the team is trying to get answers from Zatanna’s father, Zatara. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 163, Superboy & the Legion 248, Jonah Hex 21”

Comics Reviews: Superman 332, Action 492, DC Comics Presents 6

Superman 332 coverSuperman #332 – “The Eternity Cage” – Martin Pasko/Curt Swan/Frank Chiaramonte

You may remember last issue Lana Lang’s old classmate Carl Draper (who’s had a weirdly obsessive crush on her since high school) designed a new escape-proof prison for super-villains. Superman made some improvements, putting the prison miles up in the atmosphere, and had the prison named after him. Draper, already jealous because of Lana’s crush on Superman, went a little nuts and used the technology that drains the powers from the villainous inmates to attack Superman. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 332, Action 492, DC Comics Presents 6”

Lost Girl Reviews: Season 4, Episode 7

Lost GirlEpisode 7: La Fae Époque

This one continues from last episode, with Dyson in the Una Mens’ custody, facing execution. Bo and Kenzi have grabbed one of the Una Mens monks and brought him to the police station so Hale can help get some answers. But Bo’s succubus power doesn’t work on the monk (because he’s a eunuch), so Hale uses his siren powers. Continue reading “Lost Girl Reviews: Season 4, Episode 7”

Comics Reviews: Batman 308, Detective 482, Brave & the Bold 147, Warlord 18

Batman 308 coverBatman #308 – “There’ll Be a Cold Time in the Old Town Tonight” – Len Wein/John Calnan/Dick Giordano

This one starts with a guy named Jacob Riker watching Batman swing by his window and wishing the Caped Crusader could help him. But Riker figures he’s beyond anyone’s help and we soon see he’s right. Mr. Freeze shows up with some henchmen who look like frozen zombies and Riker says he’ll give in to Freeze’s demands, but Freeze wants to use Riker as an example, so he blasts him with his cold-gun, freezing him solid. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 308, Detective 482, Brave & the Bold 147, Warlord 18”