Author: anarchyinsk

Comics Reviews: Batman 300, Firestorm 3, Warlord 13

Batman 300 coerBatman #300 – “The Last Batman Story?” – David V. Reed/Walt Simonson/Dick Giordano

This is an imaginary story, set some time in the future. As a rule, I don’t like imaginary stories since they don’t really “count”. Some of them are really good, but generally I find it hard to get excited about them since they’re outside of current continuity. Anyway, this story starts with Robin at Gotham Airport, checking on an injured woman who’s about to be flown (via space shuttle) to an orbiting hospital. And you thought health care was expensive now! Before the shuttle can launch, the airport is attacked by thugs with blue skin. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 300, Firestorm 3, Warlord 13”

Lost Girl Reviews: Season 3, Episode 2

Lost GirlEpisode 2: SubterrFaenean

This one starts with Kenzi, Vex, and one of Kenzi’s friends (named Aussie) going to an underground rave club of some kind. Some of Aussie’s friends have been disappearing, so Kenzi and Vex are there to check things out. Continue reading “Lost Girl Reviews: Season 3, Episode 2”

Comics Reviews: Black Lightning 9, Jonah Hex 12

 

black Lightning 9 coverBlack Lightning #9 – “Fear and Loathing at Garfield High” – Tony Isabella/Trevor von Eeden/Vince Colletta

This one starts with my favourite storytelling device (can you tell I’m being sarcastic?), that old trope where we come in right in the middle of the action then catch up through flashbacks. This time, we see Black Lightning getting blasted through the window of a building and falling three stories to the street. The guy who blasted him is called the Annihilist, some kind of terrorist asshole who’s taken over Garfield High School (where Black Lightning teaches in his civilian identity of Jefferson Pierce). Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Black Lightning 9, Jonah Hex 12”

Sad News

Apparently, long-time comics writer Len Wein has died at the age of 69. I’ve read a lot of Wein’s stuff over the years and most of it was pretty good. Of course, he’s probably best known for co-creating Swamp Thing and the All New X-Men, but I remember some of his other work fondly: JLA (he’s the one who brought back the Seven Soldiers of Victory); Batman (with some classic villains); Amazing Spider-Man (where he used plenty of classic baddies like Molten Man, Shocker, Hammerhead, Doc Ock, Silvermane and brought in some new ones, like Will o’ the Wisp and the third Green Goblin). He had  fairly long runs on Incredible Hulk, Thor, Deadman (in Adventure), Green Lantern, and wrote all of the first Blue Beetle series. He also wrote the Legends miniseries, which helped redefine the DCU after the Crisis.

I haven’t read all his stuff, but what I have read I generally like. Wein respected history, but wasn’t afraid to give long-established characters new personality traits. I’ll be reviewing his late 70s/early 80s Batman run next year and I’m looking forward to re-reading those issues; I seem to recall liking them. Len Wein will be missed.

Comics Reviews: Flash 261, Wonder Woman 243, Green Lantern 104

 

Flash 261 coverFlash #261 – “The Lure of the Ringmaster” – Cary Bates/Irv Novick/Frank Giacoia

This one starts with Barry Allen at work, getting a call from his wife, Iris. She reminds him to pick up groceries on the way home and he gets mad when she suggests he write it down. Outside, he answers a random pay phone and it’s Golden Glider on the line. In fact, she’s in the phone booth right opposite Barry. She attacks him, but he can’t fight back without giving away his secret identity—a fact Glider’s counting on, since she knows Barry’s secret. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 261, Wonder Woman 243, Green Lantern 104”

Lost Girl Reviews: Season 3, Episode 1

Lost GirlEpisode 1: Caged Fae

This one starts with Bo (looking pretty funky) walking through a dark alley carrying a big satchel. A couple of dudes corner her and she kicks their asses, but not before getting sliced in the face. Continue reading “Lost Girl Reviews: Season 3, Episode 1”

Comics Reviews: JLA 154, Superboy & the Legion 239, All-Star Comics 72

 

JLA 154 coverJustice League of America #154 – “I’ll Kill You in Your Dreams” – Gerry Conway/Dick Dillin/Frank McLaughlin

This issue starts with a skull-faced bad guy melting wax figurines of some JLA members and gloating about how he’s soon going to get revenge on them for real. He’s not identified, but the fact that he has history with the League, and his constant references to “destiny”, means we can make a pretty good guess as to who he is. We see he’s in a faux castle that sits on top of a huge building, which is located on an island in a river. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 154, Superboy & the Legion 239, All-Star Comics 72”

Comics Reviews: Superman 323, Action 483

Superman 323 coverSuperman #323 – “The Man With the Self-Destruct Mind” – Martin Pasko/Curt Swan/Dan Adkins

This one starts with some drama (or melodrama, as the case may be); we see a weirdo named Atomic Skull freaking out and using his powerful eye-beams to demolish a statue of Superman. Seems Atomic Skull is dying (painfully) and the only people who might have cured him were thrown in jail by the Man of Steel. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 323, Action 483”

Lost Girl Reviews: Season 2, Episode 22

Lost GirlEpisode 22: Flesh and Blood

This one starts with Bo and Kenzi doing an inventory of weapons (plus a teddy bear) to use against the Goruda. Bo figures all the weapons are too mundane to do any real damage and knows she has to use the Naga venom to kill the Goruda but can’t see how. Continue reading “Lost Girl Reviews: Season 2, Episode 22”

Comics Review: Batman 299, Detective 477, Brave & the Bold 141

Batman 299 coverBatman #299 – “The Island of Purple Mist” – David V. Reed/John Calnan/Dick Giordano

When we last saw Batman, he’d been looking for someone who was leaving clues around Gotham to expose Batman’s secret identity. He tracked the clues to a penthouse in downtown Gotham and was greeted by a bright light and a mysterious figure. The figure turns out to be local Millionaire Baxter Baines (in a weird-looking dude in a purple cape) and warns Batman that if he steps out of the circle of light he’s standing in, he’ll die. Continue reading “Comics Review: Batman 299, Detective 477, Brave & the Bold 141”