Category: Comics Reviews

G.I. Joe Reviews: G. I. Joe 9, G. I. Joe 10

GIJoe 009 coverG. I. Joe #9 (March 1983) – “The Diplomat” – Steven Grant/Mike Vosburg/Chic Stone

This one starts with a team of Joes raiding a secret Cobra facility in Nebraska and capturing part of a computer hard drive. A lot of the data has been erased, but there’s enough to make Hawk worry. Cobra is very interested in a diplomat named Brian Hassell, who is involved in delicate talks with the (fictional) Middle East country of Al-Alawi. Since Al-Alawi would be a valuable ally in the Middle East, the talks are very important and Cobra would just love to screw things up. Continue reading “G.I. Joe Reviews: G. I. Joe 9, G. I. Joe 10”

Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 9, Conan the Barbarian 10

Conan 009 coverConan the Barbarian #9 – “The Garden of Fear” – Roy Thomas/Barry Windsor Smith/Sal Buscema

This one starts with Conan and Jenna still fleeing after last issue’s troubles. They run into some primitive hill people who (after a brief fight) turn out to be friendly. Conan and Jenna notice a couple of nearby valleys separated by a pass, but the tribesmen are too afraid to even look in that direction. As Conan and Jenna are leaving, she’s grabbed by a winged creature and the hill tribe seems to think she’s as good as dead. Continue reading “Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 9, Conan the Barbarian 10”

G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe 7, G.I. Joe 8

GIJoe 007 coverG. I. Joe #7 (January 1983) – “Walls of Death” – Larry Hama/Herb Trimpe/Chic Stone

Last issue, a team of Joes (Stalker, Scarlett, Flash, Breaker, Clutch, and Steeler) was sent to Afghanistan to retrieve a crashed Russian experimental plane and get it to a ship waiting in Karachi. Naturally, the Russians wanted their plane back and sent their equivalent of the Joe team, the Oktober Guard, to get it. After a running fight, the Joes and Oktober Guard were surprised by Cobra, who also want the plane. Continue reading “G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe 7, G.I. Joe 8”

Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 7, Conan the Barbarian 8

Conan 007 coverConan the Barbarian #7 – “The Lurker Within” – Roy Thomas/Barry Windsor Smith/Dan Adkins, Sal Buscema

This one starts with Conan on the Road of Kings outside Numalia, second-largest city in Nemedia. He saves a high-born lady (Aztrias) from wolves and agrees to drive her chariot to the city (since he probably would’ve been refused entry otherwise). Inside the teeming city, Conan runs the chariot into another, driven by Kallian, owner of the Hall of Relics. A guard captain (Dionus) intervenes and Conan is ready to fight until Aztrias smooths things over. (She’s the governor’s niece, so the other two defer to her.) Continue reading “Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 7, Conan the Barbarian 8”

G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe 5, G.I. Joe 6

GIJoe 005 coverG.I. Joe #5 (November 1982) – “Tanks For the Memories” – Larry Hama/Don Perlin/Jon D’Agostino, Mike Esposito

This one starts with Steeler, Breaker, and Clutch showing off the Mobat (Mobile Armored Battle Tank) to Scarlett. She’s not impressed by all the sophisticated hardware, saying that a tank is a tool not a toy. (Kind of ironic, since Marvel’s deal with Hasbro meant that Larry Hama was forced to introduce all the toys and action figures into the comic.) Continue reading “G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe 5, G.I. Joe 6”

Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 5, Conan the Barbarian 6

Conan 005 coverConan the Barbarian #5 – “Zukala’s Daughter” – Roy Thomas/Barry Windsor Smith/Frank Giacoia

This one starts with Conan passing through a village in Zamora on his way to the debauched city known as Shadizar the Wicked. As Conan talks to a weaponsmith, the skies darken and the smith freaks out, telling Conan the local warlord (Zukala) has sent someone to collect a tribute in gold from the villagers. Continue reading “Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 5, Conan the Barbarian 6”

G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe 3, G.I. Joe 4

G.I. Joe 3 coverG. I. Joe #3 (September 1982) – “The Trojan Gambit” – Larry Hama/Herb Trimpe/Jack Abel, Jon D’Agostino

This one starts with the aftermath of a battle between the Joes and Cobra, in which the Joes have captured a Cobra stronghold and everything inside, including a sophisticated battle robot. The robot is dismantled and taken to the Pit, the Joes’ secret headquarters under the Chaplain’s Assistants’ Motor Pool at Fort Wadsworth. (And from the title of this story, you can probably guess what’s going to happen.) Continue reading “G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe 3, G.I. Joe 4”

Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 3, Conan the Barbarian 4

Conan 003 coverConan the Barbarian #3 – “Twilight of the Grim Grey God” – Roy Thomas/Barry Windsor Smith/Sal Buscema

This story begins with a manacled Conan making his way through the wilds of Hyperborea. He runs into a grey-haired warrior, who tells him Hyperborea and Brythunia will soon be embroiled in a border war. Conan gets snotty with the guy, who tells him to respect his betters and shows him some Valkyrie-type maidens riding through the sky. It’s obvious this is some kind of god, but Conan doesn’t seem too impressed. Continue reading “Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 3, Conan the Barbarian 4”

G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe 1, G.I. Joe 2

G.I. Joe 1 coverG.I. Joe #1 (June 1982) – “Operation: Lady Doomsday” – Larry Hama/Herb Trimpe/Bob McLeod

This is my first G.I. Joe review, but I’ve actually read quite a few of these issues before so this isn’t completely new territory to me. It has been a long time since I’ve read them, but I remember liking the series overall, at least until it turned into Snake Eyes and His Amazing Friends. Don’t get me wrong, I like ninjas as much as anyone (and Larry Hama came up with some great stories about Snake Eyes, Storm Shadow, Zartan, Firefly, and the rest), but I prefer when they’re just part of the story, not the sole focus. Continue reading “G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe 1, G.I. Joe 2”

Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 1, Conan the Barbarian 2

Conan the Barbarian 1 coverConan the Barbarian #1 – “The Coming of Conan” – Roy Thomas/Barry Windsor Smith/Dan Adkins

Welcome to my first review of Conan, a comic I’ve read only sporadically over the years, so a lot of the issues will be new to me. This issue was originally cover-dated October 1970 (a couple years before I was born), but I have read it before in the first Chronicles of Conan collection (which is what I’m using to do these reviews since I like reading Roy Thomas’s comments about the various issues). Continue reading “Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 1, Conan the Barbarian 2”