Comics Reviews: Batman 385, Detective 552, Batman & the Outsiders 23, Firestorm 37, Vigilante 19

Batman 385 coverBatman #385 – “Day of Doom” – Doug Moench/Rick Hoberg, Chuck Patton/Alfredo Alcala

This one continues from last time, with Calendar Man fleeing the new subway tunnel ceremony after running into Batman. Jason (Robin) Todd has disobeyed Batman’s orders to stay home and sees Calendar Man taking off, so he follows. Batman was wounded by a mobster’s bullet, so he has to head back to the Batcave for treatment, but Alfred has told him Jason took off and he’s not happy. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 385, Detective 552, Batman & the Outsiders 23, Firestorm 37, Vigilante 19”

Comics Reviews: Flash 346, Green Lantern 189, Warlord 94, Jonah Hex 91

Flash 346 coverFlash #346 – “Dead Man’s Bluff” – Cary Bates/Carmine Infantino/Frank McLaughlin

Last issue, Flash’s lawyer (Cecile Horton) pulled a bold move in court, unmasking Flash to reveal him as Barry Allen in an effort to show he had a reason to use deadly force against Professor Zoom (since Zoom killed Barry’s wife Iris and was trying to kill his fiancée Fiona Webb). Unfortunately, when Cecile pulls Flash’s mask off, the guy underneath looks nothing like Barry Allen. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 346, Green Lantern 189, Warlord 94, Jonah Hex 91”

Comics Reviews: JLA 239, Legion of Super-Heroes 11, Tales of the Legion 324, Tales of the Teen Titans 54, New Teen Titans 9

JLA 239 coverJLA #239 – “In the Shadow of the Ox” – Gerry Conway/Chuck Patton/Mike Machlan

This one starts with a very stylized parable about Anansi the Spider learning to share his wisdom with the world instead of hoarding it. We quickly jump to JLA Headquarters in Detroit, where Superman, Wonder Woman, and Flash are grilling Aquaman on why he dissolved the old JLA and started a brand-new team. After some haranguing back and forth, the founders realize that these new recruits have the commitment to the League that the older heroes no longer do, so they give the new team their blessing. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 239, Legion of Super-Heroes 11, Tales of the Legion 324, Tales of the Teen Titans 54, New Teen Titans 9”

Comics Reviews: Superman 408, Action 568, DC Comics Presents 82, All-Star Squadron 46, Infinity Inc. 15

Superman 408 coverSuperman #408 – “The Day the Earth Died” – Ed Hannigan (plot), Paul Kupperberg/Curt Swan/Al Williamson

This one starts with Clark Kent having a nightmare about the world being ravaged by nuclear war. When he wakes up, Clark starts wondering why he hasn’t done something (as Superman) about all the nukes that are present on Earth. With his power, he could easily destroy them and make the world a safer place. He contemplates that while flying around as Superman and helping various people. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 408, Action 568, DC Comics Presents 82, All-Star Squadron 46, Infinity Inc. 15”

Comics Reviews: Batman 384, Detective 551, Batman & the Outsiders 22, Firestorm 36, Vigilante 18

Batman 384 coverBatman #384 – “Broken Dates” – Doug Moench/Rick Hoberg/Rudy Nebres

This one starts with the remnants of Dr. Fang’s gang contacting the Monitor (who’s apparently still doing contract work, even though Crisis has already started) to get rid of Batman so they can build up their organization in Gotham again. Monitor calculates that Calendar Man has a good shot at eliminating Batman and contacts him, but Calendar Man isn’t sure he wants the job. He considers himself a thief not a killer, and wonders if his life would be boring without Batman to challenge him. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 384, Detective 551, Batman & the Outsiders 22, Firestorm 36, Vigilante 18”

Comics Reviews: Flash 345, Wonder Woman 325, Green Lantern 188, Warlord 93

Flash 345 coverFlash #345 – “The Secret Face of the Flash” – Cary Bates/Carmine Infantino/Frank McLaughlin

This one opens in the far future, with the mysterious escaped prisoner from last issue breaking into a lab and using a time machine to head back to the mid 1980s. Apparently, historical records of the time (which are spotty) say that this dude did show up in the mid 80s and went after the Flash. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 345, Wonder Woman 325, Green Lantern 188, Warlord 93”

Comics Reviews: JLA 238, Legion of Super-Heroes 10, Tales of the Legion 323, Tales of the Teen Titans 53, New Teen Titans 8

JLA 238 coverJLA #238 – “Savage Symphony” – Gerry Conway/Chuck Patton/Mike Machlan

This one continues from last issue, with General Gorki ordering the Maestro to torture the helpless Wonder Woman using Anton Allegro’s Synthesizor. Gorki blathers on about his vision for Russia and how his superiors can’t see it until Superman reminds him he’ll soon have to face the Justice League as well as the Kremlin. Gorki ends the torture and goes off to plan a response to a JLA attack. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 238, Legion of Super-Heroes 10, Tales of the Legion 323, Tales of the Teen Titans 53, New Teen Titans 8”

Comics Reviews: Superman 407, Action 567, DC Comics Presents 81, All-Star Squadron 45, Infinity Inc 14

Superman 407 coverSuperman #407 – “Peril of the Pass-Along Powers” – Gerry and Carla Conway/Irv Novick/Dave Hunt

This is another goofy Superman story that seems like it belongs back in the Silver Age. Mr. Mxyzptlk casts a spell (while invisible) on Superman so Supes will pass on 75% of his powers to the first friend he touches, who will pass some of that power on to another friend, and so on. Superman notices something destabilizing the bedrock of Metropolis and finds a giant metal worm underground, eating through the city’s foundations. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 407, Action 567, DC Comics Presents 81, All-Star Squadron 45, Infinity Inc 14”

Comics Reviews: Batman 383, Detective 550, Batman & the Outsiders 21, Firestorm 35, Vigilante 17

Batman 383 coverBatman #383 – “Just as Night Follows Day” – Doug Moench/Gene Colan/Alfredo Alcala

This month’s Batman stories are a little different, both of them being more focused on inner conflict than on pounding bad guys. This is issue is basically about how Batman sometimes has trouble maintaining two identities and the toll it takes on him. In a way it’s almost funny: the story starts with Batman having been up for three days and four nights with hardly and rest. Now he’s looking forward to actually spending a day asleep in bed, but various unexpected events conspire to keep him awake. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 383, Detective 550, Batman & the Outsiders 21, Firestorm 35, Vigilante 17”

Comics Reviews: Flash 344, Wonder Woman 324, Green Lantern 187, Warlord 92, Jonah Hex 90

Flash 344 coverFlash #344 – “Betrayal” – Cary Bates, John Broome/Carmine Infantino/Frank McLaughlin, Joe Giella

Last issue, Flash got a shock when his longtime friend Kid Flash was called to testify in Flash’s murder trial … for the prosecution. Flash’s lawyer (Cecile Horton) reminds him that if Kid Flash was subpoenaed he has no choice but to testify, but Flash is still pretty shaken up. He reflects back on his past with Kid Flash and we get a couple of reprints shoehorned into this story. I don’t know if the book was running late, or if Bates just needed some filler leading up to the end of the series in issue 350, but as usual I’m not going to go into depth on the reprint stories. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 344, Wonder Woman 324, Green Lantern 187, Warlord 92, Jonah Hex 90”