Reviews, ruminations, and (occasional) ramblings.
Justice League America #44 – “Pastiche” – Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis/Adam Hughes/Jose Marzan Jr.
Last issue, a struggling tabloid reporter named Wally Tortolini won a poker game with a bunch of supervillians, collecting their various weapons (Brainstorm’s helmet, Crowbar’s crowbar, Sonar’s gun, Cavalier’s sword, Black Mass’s armbands, and Blackrock’s … uh, black rock) as his winnings. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Justice League America 44, Justice League Europe 20”
Batman #456 – “Without Fear of Consequence” – Alan Grant/Norm Breyfogle/Steve Mitchell
Last issue, an epidemic of so-called “Crimes of Whim” started, where seemingly ordinary, law-abiding people suddenly decided to become homicidal maniacs, all while wearing skull masks. Batman stops the latest one, a department store Santa who went on a killing spree. The cops tell him the perpetrators have nothing in common and don’t seem to be acting under the influence of drugs or hypnosis. When one of the cops mentions Vicki Vale’s investigation of a guy named Marcuse, he goes to check it out. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 456, Detective 623, Legends of the Dark Knight 12”
Wonder Woman #47 – “Common Ground” – George Perez/Jill Thompson/Romeo Tanghal
As you can tell from the cover, this story features Donna Troy (aka Troia) as a guest star. In post-Crisis continuity, Wonder Woman had nothing to do with Donna’s origin; in fact, they haven’t even met yet. And we’ll have to wait a while before they do, since they start off on opposite sides of the world. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Wonder Woman 47, Green Arrow 38”
New Titans #70 – “Clay Pigeons” – Steve Erwin/Will Blyberg
This is a Deathstroke solo story about him getting involved in politics in the (fictional) South American country of San Miguel. Deathstroke is hired by an arms dealer and rebel sympathizer named Ramon Trujillo to destroy some weapons the government planned to use against the rebel forces. Without their weapons, the government is forced to release the rebel leader Jorge Zaxtro, a champion of the poor (and an old friend of Trujillo’s) who’s been in prison for twenty-five years. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: New Titans 70, Legion of Super-Heroes 12, Suicide Squad 46”
Justice League America #43 – “If You Play Your Cards Right” – Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis/Adam Hughes/Jose Marzan Jr.
This one starts with Sonar pulling off a bank job only to be confronted by the Justice League when he gets outside (including their two newest members, Orion and Lightray). Sonar can’t believe the JLI would show up for a bank robbery, but he uses his sonic gun to keep some of them off balance (which causes Fire to accidentally incinerate the money Sonar stole). Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Justice League America 43, Justice League Europe 19”
Batman #455 – “Identity Crisis: Part One” – Alan Grant/Norm Breyfogle/Steve Mitchell
This one starts with Batman hearing gunshots and rushing to the scene of the crime, where someone in a mask is shooting people at random. Batman takes the shooter down but when the mask is removed, it turns out to be an old lady. She shows no remorse for her actions, but says it was just an old woman’s whim. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 455, Detective 622”
Wonder Woman #46 – “Chalk Drawings” – George Perez, Mindy Newell/Jill Thompson/Romeo Tanghal
The cover pretty much gives away what this one is about: Vanessa’s friend Lucy Spears kills herself, leaving everyone to wonder why, and if they could’ve dome something to prevent it. The story jumps around in time, from Lucy’s funeral (where Julia wonders how to help Vanessa through this whole mess), to a few weeks ago when Vanessa and Lucy were hanging out and Lucy was preoccupied wondering what God might be like. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Wonder Woman 46, Green Arrow 36, Green Arrow 37”
New Titans #69 – “House of Cards” – Barbara and Karl Kesel/Steve Erwin/Bob Smith
Last issue, the Joker put together a new Royal Flush Gang to work for him, but what none of them realize is the “Joker” is really the Gambler tracking them into doing his bidding. Wanting to prove how great he is, Danny Chase let himself get recruited by Ten to join her own band of street thieves (colourfully referred to as Ten’s Little Indians), but the Gang figured out Danny is a friend of the Titans. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: New Titans 69, Legion 11, Suicide Squad 45”
Justice League America #42 – “Solicitations” – Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis/Mike McKone/Jose Marzan Jr.
This one starts with J’onn J’onzz and Gypsy contemplating what’s left of Despero after last issue. J’onn used his mental powers to make Despero think he’d destroyed the Justice League (and the Earth), after which Despero regressed himself to an embryonic state and went into some kind of coma. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Justice League America 42, Justice League Europe 18”
Batman #454 – “Dark Knight, Dark City Part III” – Peter Milligan/Kieron Dwyer/Dennis Janke
Last issue, Riddler (who’s been acting much more homicidal than usual) kidnapped a bunch of babies and has been leaving clues for Batman to find them. He found the latest one in the sewers, choking on a ping-pong ball, so he had to perform an emergency tracheotomy with a knife he picked up in a bar. Batman performs the operation and gets the baby to hospital, but isn’t sure if he’ll live or not. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 454, Detective 621, Legends of the Dark Knight 11”