Category: Comics Reviews

Comics Reviews: Superman 397, Action 557, DC Comics Presents 71, All-Star Squadron 35, Infinity Inc 4

Superman 397 coverSuperman #397 – “The Born-Again Kryptonite Man” – Paul Kupperberg/Eduardo Barreto

This one starts with a big green dude in a spaceship traveling through space and dreaming of revenge against someone. This guy looks like a cross between Martian Manhunter and Concrete, but I guess he’s the Kryptonite Man of the title. In another part of space, Superman deals with some aliens (the Kymu) who attacked him in retaliation for defeating them a while back. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 397, Action 557, DC Comics Presents 71, All-Star Squadron 35, Infinity Inc 4”

Comics Reviews: Batman 373, Detective 540, Batman & the Outsiders 12, Firestorm 25, Vigilante 8

Batman 373 coverBatman #373 – “The Frequency of Fear” – Doug Moench/Gene Colan/Alfredo Alcala

This one starts with Jason (Robin) Todd being called to the cemetery by Commissioner Gordon and Harvey Bullock. The graves of Jason’s parents are empty and he freaks out, but things get even worse when he sees Batman lying dead on top of the headstones. As Gordon and Bullock put things together and realize Batman was Bruce Wayne and Robin is Jason Todd, crocodiles crawl out of the graves to attack. In case you haven’t figured it out yet, this is all a nightmare and Jason wakes up screaming, with Bruce and Alfred looking on in concern. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 373, Detective 540, Batman & the Outsiders 12, Firestorm 25, Vigilante 8”

Comics Reviews: Flash 334, Wonder Woman 316, Green Lantern 177, Jonah Hex 85

Flash 334 coverFlash #334 – “Flash Freak-Out” – Cary Bates/Carmine Infantino/Frank McLaughlin

This one starts with famous lawyer N.D. Redik reading a tabloid story about Flash being romantically involved with his new attorney, Cecile Horton. Little does Redik know, Cecile told Flash last issue that she hates him and everything he stands for and only took his case as a favour to her injured law partner. Meanwhile, Pied Piper lures a prominent hairdresser into an alley and puts him to sleep so he can take the guy’s place at his next appointment … with the mayor of Central City. Pied Piper uses his micro-transmitter to hypnotize the mayor into doing his bidding. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 334, Wonder Woman 316, Green Lantern 177, Jonah Hex 85”

Comics Reviews: JLA 227, Legion of Super-Heroes 312, Tales of the Teen Titans 43, Warlord 82

JLA 227 coverJustice League of America #227 – “Dragon Keep” – Joey Cavalieri/Chuck Patton/Mark Alexander

This one starts on a lonely island in the Pacific where a bunch of Fiatlux brothers are trying to escape. They end up being devoured by strange flora and fauna on the island, including a couple of dragons. The last leader of Fiatlux (the Falconer, aka Lord Claw) gloats that he’s now the supreme commander of the group, since his two rivals have been taken care of (as we saw in the last couple of issues). Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 227, Legion of Super-Heroes 312, Tales of the Teen Titans 43, Warlord 82”

Comics Reviews: Superman 396, Action 556, DC Comics Presents 70, All-Star Squadron 34, Infinity Inc. 3

Superman 396 coverSuperman #396 – “The Battle for Superman’s Brain” – Joey Cavalieri/Curt Swan/Dave Hunt

This one starts with a big fake out; it looks like Superman is rescuing Jimmy Olsen from a bomb, but it turns out to be Greg Reed making another superman movie. The real Man of Steel is on set as technical consultant, but the director doesn’t take his dialogue suggestion, saying nobody will believe Superman’s brain can calculate faster than a supercomputer. There is someone who believes it though … a goofball named Intellex, the Brain Bandit. He’s observing Superman from a spaceship that he cobbled together from other ships. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 396, Action 556, DC Comics Presents 70, All-Star Squadron 34, Infinity Inc. 3”

Comics Reviews: Batman 372, Detective 539, Batman & the Outsiders 11, Firestorm 24, Vigilante 7

Batman 372 coverBatman #372 – “What Price, the Prize?” – Doug Moench/Don Newton/Alfredo Alcala

This one gets heavy into the world of boxing, so I assume Doug Moench (and maybe Don Newton, since he’s credited as co-plotter) were big fight fans. Dr. Fang is still hot to fix a championship bout and make a ton of money betting on an underdog. Fang settles on an up-and-comer named Tommy Dunfey, currently ranked tenth in the boxing scene. He sends his goon to talk to Dunfey’s trainer (Rudy) and suggest that Dunfey might have a chance against the champ. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 372, Detective 539, Batman & the Outsiders 11, Firestorm 24, Vigilante 7”

Comics Reviews: Flash 333, Wonder Woman 315, Green Lantern 176, Jonah Hex 84

Flash 333 coverFlash #333 – “Down With the Flash” – Cary Bates/Carmine Infantino/Frank McLaughlin

This one starts with a trio of vandals (led by an old dude) sneaking into the Flash Museum to cause trouble. The curator, Dexter Myles, calls the cops and confronts the vandals, who knock him out. They set the place on fire before taking off. A cop shows up with Detective frank Curtis in tow. Frank heads into the inferno to look for Dexter while the officer calls it in. At Peter Farley’s place, Flash talks to Peter’s law partner (Cecile Horton), who has agreed to take over Flash’s manslaughter case after Peter was injured by a bomb last issue. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 333, Wonder Woman 315, Green Lantern 176, Jonah Hex 84”

Comics Reviews: JLA 226, Legion of Super-Heroes 311, Tales of the Teen Titans 42, Warlord 81

JLA 226 coverJustice League of America #226 – “Hell on Earth” – Joey Cavalieri/Chuck Patton/Frank McLaughlin

Last issue, a cult known as Fiatlux started recruiting people who were missing something in their lives. They also stole a new substance called Luciferase from the lab of Ray Palmer, alerting the JLA to their misdeeds. The leader of Fiatlux was playing a more dangerous game and used the Luciferase summon a demon from Perdition named Hellrazer. Zatanna, Black Canary, Green Arrow, and Hawkgirl arrived at cult headquarters just in time for the summoning. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 226, Legion of Super-Heroes 311, Tales of the Teen Titans 42, Warlord 81”

Superman 395, Action 555, DC Comics Presents 69, All-Star Squadron 33, Infinity Inc 2

Superman 395 coverSuperman #395 – “The Power and the People” – Elliot S! Maggin/Curt Swan/Dave Hunt

Last issue, a guy named Bucky Berns started writing a column for the Daily Planet and by some weird quirk of fate, everything Bucky wrote about actually happened. Bucky is now running for President (with Superman’s endorsement) and advanced polls show he has a good chance of winning. Unfortunately, Bucky’s popularity (and predictive powers) are due to some Russians who have been bombarding him with “actualization” rays from a satellite that made whatever Bucky wrote about come true. Continue reading “Superman 395, Action 555, DC Comics Presents 69, All-Star Squadron 33, Infinity Inc 2”

Comics Reviews: Batman 371, Detective 538, Batman & the Outsiders 10, Firestorm 23, Vigilante 6

Batman 371 coverBatman #371 – “Nine Cradles of Death” – Doug Moench/Don Newton/Alfredo Alcala

This one starts with Thomas Blake (aka Cat-Man) in prison in some kind of trance-like state, a condition he’s been in for weeks. The prison doctor diagnoses cataphoria or catatonia (Doug Moench really goes overboard with the cat stuff in this issue) and tells Blake’s cell mate (Collins) not to worry about it. Collins is a little freaked, but goes about his daily life and ends up talking in his sleep about some loot from a big robbery that he stashed in some catacombs. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 371, Detective 538, Batman & the Outsiders 10, Firestorm 23, Vigilante 6”