Author: anarchyinsk

Comics Reviews: Flash 348, Green Lantern 191, Warlord 96, Jonah Hex 92

Flash 348 coverFlash #348 – “The Final Verdict” – Cary Bates/Carmine Infantino/Frank McLaughlin

Last issue, Professor Zoom showed up in Central City, abducting several members of Flash’s Rogues Gallery and throwing Captain Frye (who was dressed as the ridiculous “hero” Captain Invincible) off a roof. Flash saved Frye, but is reluctant to believe Zoom is still alive, since Flash is currently on trial for killing him. But Frye had a camera in his costume and shows Flash the film of Zoom. Flash realizes Zoom is still alive and takes off to look for him. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 348, Green Lantern 191, Warlord 96, Jonah Hex 92”

Xena Reviews: Season 1, Episode 12

Xena title cardBeware Greeks Bearing Gifts – Director: T.J. Scott/Writers: Roy Thomas, Janice Hendler (story); Adam Armus, Nora Kay Foster (teleplay)

This one starts in the city of Troy, which has been besieged by the Greeks for the last ten years. The object of their quest, Helen, has a nightmare about something terrible happening. Her husband (or “husband”) Paris tells her not to worry about it, but she’s pretty freaked out, so she sends a messenger (Miltiades) to find Xena. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 1, Episode 12”

Comics Reviews: JLA 241, Legion of Super-Heroes 13, Tales of the Teen Titans 56, New Teen Titans 11

JLA 241 coverJLA #241 – “Sea Change” – Gerry Conway/George Tuska/Mike Machlan

This one starts in a tiny town in the Yukon (St. Jude), where a drunken reprobate named Slick Jake MacGregor is cursing the entire population for robbing him. He’s so wasted he wanders out into a blizzard and almost freezes to death, but he’s found by a stranger … a big stranger who can generate heat and has super-strength. (And judging by the glimpses we get of his armbands and boots, this is someone we’re quite familiar with.) Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 241, Legion of Super-Heroes 13, Tales of the Teen Titans 56, New Teen Titans 11”

Comics Reviews: Superman 410, Action 570, DC Comics Presents 84, All-Star Squadron 48, Infinity Inc. 17

Superman 410 coverSuperman #410 – “Clark Kent—Fired!” – Cary Bates/Curt Swan/Al Williamson

This one starts with Superman taking care of a satellite that’s fallen from orbit. The satellite breaks in half and he buries one piece (containing a nuclear-fueled engine) deep underground, flying to Hawaii just in time to kick the other piece into a volcano, which gives the crowds in Honolulu a thrill. Back in Metropolis, Superman changes to Clark Kent and writes up the satellite story for the Daily Planet, pretending (as always) that he scored an exclusive interview with Superman. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 410, Action 570, DC Comics Presents 84, All-Star Squadron 48, Infinity Inc. 17”

Xena Reviews: Season 1, Episode 11

Xena title cardThe Black Wolf – Director: Mario Di Leo/Writer: Alan Jay Glueckman

This one starts with some soldiers collecting taxes (in other words, shaking people down for their last dinar) in a village. A bunch of freedom fighters dressed in black show up to pound the soldiers and claim to be working with the Black Wolf, a local hero who opposes Xerxes, the greedy king. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 1, Episode 11”

Comics Reviews: Batman 386, Detective 553, Batman & the Outsiders 24, Firestorm 38, Vigilante 20

Batman 386 coverBatman #386 – “Black Mask: Losing Face” – Doug Moench/Tom Mandrake

This issue introduces a new Batman villain, Black Mask. Pretty much the entire issue is dedicated to his origin story, showing how Roman Sionis (heir to a cosmetics company) became criminal mastermind Black Mask. Moench really goes all out on this one; maybe DC had started giving creators a piece of the characters they invented and Moench was trying to come up with the next Joker. It didn’t quite work out that way, but Black Mask has lasted a long time and been used in other media, so maybe Moench and Mandrake did make some money off him. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 386, Detective 553, Batman & the Outsiders 24, Firestorm 38, Vigilante 20”

Comics Reviews: Flash 347, Wonder Woman 326, Green Lantern 190, Warlord 95

Flash 347 coverFlash #347 – “Back From the Dead” – Cary Bates/Carmine Infantino/Frank McLaughlin

This one starts with Captain Frye showing up at Cecile Horton’s place to tell her he was attacked by Professor Zoom, apparently back from the dead. Frye figured Cecile would want to know since her client (Flash) is on trial for killing Zoom, but Cecile thinks Frye is delusional. We soon see that he isn’t, as Zoom shows up at Mirror Master’s current hideout to wreck one of his mirror devices and kick Mirror Master’s ass. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 347, Wonder Woman 326, Green Lantern 190, Warlord 95”

Xena Reviews: Season 1, Episode 10

Xena title cardHooves and Harlots – Director: Jace Alexander/Writer: Steven L. Sears

This one starts with Gabi getting herself a walking stick and Xena showing off some fighting moves with it. They’re passing through Amazon territory and soon run into some Amazons, but Xena is familiar with their ways and asks for safe passage. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 1, Episode 10”

Comics Reviews: JLA 240, Tales of the Legion 325, Legion of Super-Heroes 12, Tales of the Teen Titans 55, New Teen Titans 10

JLA 240 coverJLA #240 – “The Future Ain’t What It Used to Be” – Kurt Busiek/Mike Sekowsky/Tom Mandrake

This is a combination flashback/untold story featuring some of Kurt Busiek’s early work, plus the art of classic JLA artist Mike Sekowsky. The framing device (which runs through the story) is about a couple of STAR Labs scientists who work in temporal research. (Their names are Fred and Daphne … a Scooby-Doo reference maybe?) There’s a sort of sub-plot about them being interested in each other, even though Daphne is Fred’s supervisor; these days, that comes off as problematic, but neither of them seem too bothered by it. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 240, Tales of the Legion 325, Legion of Super-Heroes 12, Tales of the Teen Titans 55, New Teen Titans 10”

Comics Reviews: Superman 409, Action 569, DC Comics Presents 83, All-Star Squadron 47, Infinity Inc. 16

Superman 409 coverSuperman #409 – “The Sleepwalker From Krypton” – Craig Boldman/Curt Swan/Al Williamson

This one starts with a UFO hunter named Ferlin Nyxly tracking a possible alien spaceship out in the countryside. Apparently, Nyxly has encountered aliens a couple times before and tried to use their superior tech for himself, but was stopped by Superman. Nyxly finds the alien (well, it finds him after he falls off a cliff and almost breaks his neck) and he ends up stealing the alien’s ship, which can turn invisible. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 409, Action 569, DC Comics Presents 83, All-Star Squadron 47, Infinity Inc. 16”