Category: Comics Reviews

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”

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”

Different Direction

I’ve finished my 1990 comics reviews, but I’ve decided to take a break from DC. I’ve been reviewing DC stuff from 1977 right through 1990 and I’ve seen some great stories (and a few not so great), but I’m feeling a little burnt out on DC stuff. I may come back to it in the future, but for right now I’d like to try something a bit different. I thought about doing some classic Marvel superhero stuff, but I’ve already read a lot of Silver/Bronze Age Marvels, so there wouldn’t be too many surprises for me. So I think I’ll go with Marvel but switch genres a bit by reviewing two series that I’m somewhat familiar with: Conan and G.I. Joe. I’ve read a fair number of issues in both series, but it’s been a long time so I think I’ll have fun delving into these two classics. I’ll be doing two Conans and two G.I. Joes per week, which means I can get through the first run of G.I. Joe in about a year and a half. Of course, I might get burnt out on these after a while too and switch to something else, but I am a fan of both franchises, so I think the genre change will keep me interested. I hope you’ll all join me as I check out these two cool titles and don’t be shy about leaving comments.

Comics Reviews: New Titans Annual 6, Legion Annual 1

New Titans Annual 6 coverNew Titans Annual #6 – “Starfire’s World” – Marv Wolfman/Paris Cullins, Curt Swan, Tom Grindberg/Al Vey

This one starts on Tamaran, with the Citadel forces attacking the planet and demanding the eldest daughter from each ruler’s house. Starfire’s father turned her over, but another ruler preferred to send his daughter (Xyannis, who is Karras’s sister) out in a rocket to avoid her being enslaved, kinda like Superman. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: New Titans Annual 6, Legion Annual 1”

Comics Reviews: Justice League America Annual 4, Justice League Europe Annual 1

Justice League America Annual 4 coverJustice League America Annual #4 – “What’s Black and White and Bl” – Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis/Mike McKone/Bob Smith

This story chronicles the (ever-so-brief) career of Justice League Antarctica. It takes place after Justice League 36 (where G’nort meets Scarlet Skier) but before the JLI Special (where Oberon and Mr. Miracle leave Earth). The story starts with former members of the Injustice League (Major Disaster, Big Sir, Clock King, Cluemaster, and of course the Mighty Bruce) running into each other at the unemployment office. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Justice League America Annual 4, Justice League Europe Annual 1”