Author: anarchyinsk

Xena Reviews: Season 2, Episode 3

Xena title cardWarrior … Princess … Tramp – Director: Josh Becker/Writer: R.J. Stewart

This one starts in King Lias’s castle, with Lias seemingly on the point of death (although we’ll see later that Lias is a bit of a hypochondriac) and worried about an assassination plot. Lias tells Diana to send for Xena. In a tavern not far away, Joxer is telling everyone an exaggerated story of how he helped Xena defeat Callisto. Gabi comes in to set the record straight and learns Joxer saw Xena at the tavern not long ago. That surprises Gabi, since Xena was supposed to be in Thebes and wasn’t meeting her until tomorrow. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 2, Episode 3”

Comics Reviews: Batman 393, Detective 560, Batman & the Outsiders 31, Outsiders 5

Batman 393 coverBatman #393 – “The Dark Rider” – Doug Moench/Paul Gulacy

This story reunites Doug Moench with Paul Gulacy; the team did some classic stories together at Marvel in the 70s and it’s great to see them collaborating again (especially since I love Gulacy’s art). Gulacy has a very cinematic style and this tale plays out like a movie (a James Bond movie to be specific). It starts with Commissioner Gordon telling Batman the CIA needs a favour from him. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 393, Detective 560, Batman & the Outsiders 31, Outsiders 5”

Comics Reviews: Wonder Woman 329, Green Lantern 197, Firestorm 44, Vigilante 26, Warlord 102

Wonder Woman 329 coverWonder Woman #329 – “Of Gods and Men” – Gerry Conway/Don Heck

This one starts with Ares (the god formerly known as Mars) and Hades in the Underworld making a deal. Apparently, the Anti-Monitor has taken over the underworld and instead of fighting him, Hades has decided to ally with him. On Paradise Island, Wonder Woman makes peace with her mother Hippolyta, telling her she still loves her. But Hippolyta still despairs about the Crisis, believing it means the end for the Greek gods and the Amazons. Kore (aka Persephone) shows up to tell Hippolyta that death will bring no release. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Wonder Woman 329, Green Lantern 197, Firestorm 44, Vigilante 26, Warlord 102”

Xena Reviews: Season 2, Episode 2

Xena title cardRemember Nothing – Director: Anson Williams/Story: Steven L. Sears, Chris Manheim/Telepay: Chris Manheim

This one starts with Xena and Gabi going to the Temple of the Fates, something Xena does every year to honour her brother Lyceus, who died helping her fight Cortese eleven years ago. The temple is attacked and Xena and Gabi fight the invaders. Heeding a warning from Gabi, Xena kills a swordsman who turns out to be very young, barely a teenager. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 2, Episode 2”

Comics Reviews: Legion of Super-Heroes 19, New Teen Titans 17, All-Star Squadron 54, Infinity Inc. 23

Legion of Super-Heroes 19 coverLegion of Super-Heroes #19 – “No Good Deed Goes Unpunished” – Paul Levitz/Greg Larocque/Larry Mahlstedt

This one starts on Manna-5, a planet that’s recently experienced some damaging tidal waves. Ultra Boy, Phantom Girl, and Colossal Boy are there to help the victims and prevent any more tsunamis. Everything’s going fine until Phantom Girl and Ultra Boy suddenly vanish. Colossal Boy calls headquarters, where Timber Wolf and Blok are on monitor duty. They summon Element Lad, but before he can figure out what to do, he vanishes as well. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Legion of Super-Heroes 19, New Teen Titans 17, All-Star Squadron 54, Infinity Inc. 23”

Comics Reviews: Superman 416, Action 576, DC Comics Presents 90, JLA 247

Superman 416 coverSuperman #416 – “The Einstein Connection” – Elliot S! Maggin/Curt Swan/Al Williamson

This story actually starts a few years ago (on March 14), with Lex Luthor arriving in a motorboat at the New Jersey shore. Superman shows up to grab him (although Lex’s only crime so far is breaking out of jail), and we learn that there’s something about this particular day that has a particular meaning to Lex. He seemingly teleports away, but Superman figures out that he’s hiding invisibly and follows as Lex hitches a ride to Princeton University. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 416, Action 576, DC Comics Presents 90, JLA 247”

Xena Reviews: Season 2, Episode 1

Xena title cardOrphan of War – Director: Charles Siebert/Writer: Steven L. Sears

This one starts with Xena and Gabi in centaur territory, talking about an imminent attack by a warlord named Dagnine. Dagnine used to be in Xena’s army and she knows how dangerous he is, but she isn’t sure if the centaurs will welcome her help, since she fought them too in her evil days. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 2, Episode 1”

Comics Reviews: Batman 392, Detective 559, Batman & the Outsiders 30, Outsiders 4

Batman 392 coverBatman #392 – “A Town on the Night” – Doug Moench/Tom Mandrake/Jan Duursema

This is basically a series of linked vignettes showing Batman and Catwoman hanging out on a typical night in Gotham. Now that Catwoman has reformed, she wants to help Batman in his nightly patrols, but she also wants to spend some one-on-one time with him. The story starts with Batman pounding some drunks in an alley and Catwoman swinging in to help. The drunks are no match for the two vigilantes and after using one strand from her cat o’ nine tails to tie them up, Catwoman suggests she and Batman hang out and get to know each other. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 392, Detective 559, Batman & the Outsiders 30, Outsiders 4”

Comics Reviews: Green Lantern 196, Firestorm 43, Vigilante 25, Warlord 101

Green Lantern 196 coverGreen Lantern #196 – “3” – Steve Englehart/Joe Staton/Bruce Patterson

This one starts with Guy Gardner enjoying his new status as a Green Lantern (after receiving a ring last issue from some renegade Guardians). Guy is in his old neighbourhood in Baltimore, using the ring to demolish the tenement where he used to live. He heads out to sea to look for the Shark, who the Guardians have told him to find. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Green Lantern 196, Firestorm 43, Vigilante 25, Warlord 101”

Xena Season 1 Geography and Chronology

Xena title cardHey Xena fans, this special post is my stab at unraveling some of the geographical and chronological clues in the first season of Xena. Why am I doing this? Well, I’m a continuity guy, so I like it when the episodes fit together in a logical order and I like to figure out where Xena and Gabi’s adventures are taking place in each episode. Naturally, the writers at the time were usually more concerned with telling good (or great) stories instead of with making everything fit together logically, so a lot of the place names and travel times in the episodes don’t really make sense. Continue reading “Xena Season 1 Geography and Chronology”