Category: Comics Reviews

Comics Reviews: Batman 355, Detective 522, Brave & the Bold 194, Firestorm 8

Batman 355 coverBatman #355 – “Never Scratch a Cat” – Gerry Conway/Don Newton/Alfredo Alcala

This one starts with Catwoman freaking out about Bruce Wayne dating Vicki Vale. Last issue, Catwoman showed up at Vicki’s place to scare her off, but Vicki and Bruce kept dating, which is really putting Catwoman over the edge … even though she’s he one who dumped Bruce and left Gotham in the first place. Speaking of Bruce and Vicki, they’re driving home from a date when a cat-themed car appears on the highway behind them. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 355, Detective 522, Brave & the Bold 194, Firestorm 8”

Comics Reviews: 1983 Preview

Well, that’s another year’s worth of reviews gone by. I actually had some of the 1982 comics, so reviewing them brought back some great memories, and the same will be true of the upcoming 1983 reviews. As usual, I’ll divide this preview into sections corresponding to my groupings for the reviews. The titles I’m doing for 1983 are almost exactly the same as 1982, so I figure I may as well leave the groupings the same. That’ll change in my 1984 reviews, when I add several new titles, but for now everything is staying the way it’s been for the past six months or so. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: 1983 Preview”

Comics Reviews: Batman Annual #8, DC Comics Presents Annual #1

Batman Annual 8 coverBatman Annual #8 – “The Messiah of the Crimson Sun” – Mike W. Barr/Trevor von Eeden

This one starts in a sleepy farming village called Shinn Corners, a few hours outside Gotham. The residents are up early to get on with their business, but the sunrise brings only death, killing everyone where they stand with its unusually strong red rays. We see a thug in a high-tech control room reporting success to his boss, a guy in a red mask. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman Annual #8, DC Comics Presents Annual #1”

Comics Reviews: Legion of Super-Heroes Annual 1, Warlord Annual 1

LSH Annual 1 coverLegion of Super-Heroes Annual #1 – “Monsters in a Little Girl’s Mind” – Paul Levitz/Keith Giffen/Bruce Patterson

This story starts with Shvaughn Erin showing up at Legion headquarters to let them know she’s the new liaison officer from the Science Police. The Legion’s security devices grab her and she wonders if nobody told the legion she was coming. Wildfire blasts her free before he and Dawnstar take off for some R&R. Shvaughn heads inside where Element Lad welcomes her and shows her around the headquarters, which has been revamped recently. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Legion of Super-Heroes Annual 1, Warlord Annual 1”

Comics Reviews: New Teen Titans 26, All-Star Squadron Annual 1

New Teen Titans 26 coverNew Teen Titans #26 – “Runaways” – Marv Wolfman/George Perez/Romeo Tanghal

This one starts with the Titans returning from the their adventure in space (which we covered in the last few reviews). Dick (Robin) Grayson apologizes to Starfire for acting like such a tool lately and finally admits he has feelings for her. Dick says being raised by Batman has made him trust his head more than his heart, so he’ll need some time to process these feelings. Starfire already knows she loves him, but says she can wait for him to figure things out. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: New Teen Titans 26, All-Star Squadron Annual 1”

Comics Reviews: Flash 316, Wonder Woman 298, Green Lantern 159, Jonah Hex 67

Flash 316 coverFlash #316 – “Speed Kills” – Cary Bates/Carmine Infantino/Dennis Jensen

Last issue, Goldface came to Central City to take over the mobs and decided he’d better deal with Flash too. He started busting up the police station and when Flash showed up to fight him, he sent the speedster flying into an alley a few blocks away. Flash wakes up in the alley and zips back to the cop shop. This time he doesn’t confront Goldface head on; he uses his super-speed to hammer the armoured villain through the floor into the sewers, then tries to push him right out of town. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 316, Wonder Woman 298, Green Lantern 159, Jonah Hex 67”

Comics Reviews: JLA 209, Legion of Super-Heroes 294, New Teen Titans Annual 1, All-Star Squadron 16

JLA 209 coverJustice League of America #209 – “Let Old Acquaintances Be Forgot …” – Gerry Conway/Don Heck

We open with the three successful teams from last issue returning to the White House to tell Roosevelt they’ve found most of the nukes. But as long as Degaton still has some left, the world still isn’t safe. We then get a quick recap of the overall story so far. There’s also an interesting aside as Roosevelt is shown pondering the ethics of the Manhattan Project. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 209, Legion of Super-Heroes 294, New Teen Titans Annual 1, All-Star Squadron 16”

Superman 378, Action 538, DC Comics Presents 52, Warlord 64

Superman 378 coverSuperman #378 – “The Man Who Saved the Future” – Paul Kupperberg/Curt Swan/Dave Hunt

This one starts with Superman helping a NASA space shuttle land safely after some mechanical trouble. In side the control room, most of the technicians are amazed to see the Man of Steel in action, but one guy is absorbed in his own work … trying to design a solar-powered interstellar spaceship. Continue reading “Superman 378, Action 538, DC Comics Presents 52, Warlord 64”

Batman 354, Detective 521, Brave & the Bold 193, Firestorm 7

Batman 354 coverBatman #354 – “Showdown” – Gerry Conway/Don Newton/Alfredo Alcala

This one starts with Batman tearing down a wanted poster of himself. Apparently, Commissioner Pauling has canceled Batman’s special status with the police and declared him an outlaw, ordering the cops to shoot on sight. Batman sneaks into City Hall to confront Pauling and Mayor Hamilton Hill. Batman knows they’re working for Boss Thorne, Gotham’s secret puppet-master, and that Thorne tried to have Deadshot killed in prison to cover up the fact Thorne hired Deadshot to kill Bruce Wayne. Continue reading “Batman 354, Detective 521, Brave & the Bold 193, Firestorm 7”

Comics Reviews: Flash 315, Wonder Woman 297, Green Lantern 158, Jonah Hex 66

Flash 315 coverFlash #315 – “The Eradicator Strikes Again” – Cary Bates/Carmine Infantino/Rodin Rodriguez

Last issue, a new vigilante (Eradicator) came to Central City and started killing criminals using some kind of eye-beams to disrupt their molecular structure and reduce them to powder. Eradicator ended up killing an assassin who was gunning for State Senator Creed Phillips (who’s currently dating Barry Allen’s ersatz girlfriend, Fiona Webb) and this issue opens with Flash finding the assassin’s remains and zooming up to the roof, only to find Eradicator is long gone. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 315, Wonder Woman 297, Green Lantern 158, Jonah Hex 66”