Category: Comics Reviews

Comics Reviews: JLA 208, All-Star Squadron 15, Legion of Super-Heroes 293, New Teen Titans 25

JLA 208 coverJustice League of America #208 – “The Bomb-Blast Heard Round the World” – Gerry Conway/Don Heck/Sal Trapani

We start off with something we’ve already seen twice—the confrontation between the JLA and the All-Star Squadron in JSA headquarters on Earth-2 in January 1942. We get the usual misunderstanding fight (remember, Gerry and Roy both worked at Marvel for years), but it’s soon settled and the two teams compare notes and recap the previous two parts of this crossover. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 208, All-Star Squadron 15, Legion of Super-Heroes 293, New Teen Titans 25”

Comics Reviews: Superman 377, Action 537, DC Comics Presents 51, Warlord 63

Superman 377 coverSuperman #377 – “Terra Times Two” – Paul Kupperberg/Curt Swan/Dave Hunt

This one starts with a typical day in Metropolis, as Superman chases the cosmic cowboy Terra-Man through the city. Terra-Man has added to his arsenal of high-tech weaponry and hits Supes with some red sun energy that binds him and drains his powers. Terra-Man shoots razor sharp cacti at the Man of Steel, hoping his weakened condition will leave him vulnerable. Superman uses Terra-Man’s horse to pull him free of the red sun energy and decks the goofy villain. Before he can wrap things up, Terra-Man disappears into a space warp, leaving Superman holding his lasso. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 377, Action 537, DC Comics Presents 51, Warlord 63”

Comics Reviews: Batman 353, Detective 520, Brave & the Bold 192, Firestorm 6

Batman 353 coverBatman #353 – “Last Laugh” – Gerry Conway/Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez/Dan Adkins

This one starts with the Joker practicing with a mini-crossbow for his next confrontation with Batman. Joker goes to a condemned hotel to meet up with his gang of henchmen. They weren’t expecting him and one guy is rather abrupt until he realizes who he’s talking to. Joker squirts him with his trick flower and the guy freaks, thinking it’s loaded with Joker Venom, but it’s just water. Unfortunately the snake hiding up Joker’s sleeve is genuine and the guy dies from its poisonous bite. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 353, Detective 520, Brave & the Bold 192, Firestorm 6”

Comics Reviews: Flash 314, Wonder Woman 296, Green Lantern 157, Jonah Hex 65

Flash 314 coverFlash #314 – “Look Upon the Eradicator” – Cary Bates/Carmine Infantino/Dennis Jensen

This one starts in a fancy penthouse, with a dope dealer paying off a distributor to move some product. They’re interrupted by a weirdo in a cloak who calls himself the Eradicator. He lives up to his name by shooting energy beams from his eyes, dissolving the two dope dealers into piles of goo. While his pet panther (!) prowls around, Eradicator goes on a diatribe about how he’s going to eliminate crime in Central City. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 314, Wonder Woman 296, Green Lantern 157, Jonah Hex 65”

Comics Reviews: JLA 207, All-Star Squadron 14, Legion of Super-Heroes 292, New Teen Titans 24

JLA 207 coverJustice League of America #207 – “Crisis Times Three” – Gerry Conway/Don Heck/Romeo Tanghal

We start out with five members of the Justice Society (Dr. Fate, Starman, Green Lantern, Huntress, and Power Girl) getting ready to beam to Earth-1 for their annual get together with the JLA. Five JLA members (Superman, Hawkman, Firestorm, Aquaman, and Zatanna) eagerly await the arrival of their friends (and we learn that Firestorm still has the hots for Power Girl). But something goes horribly wrong. (Hey, it’s a JLA/JSA crossover… something always goes wrong.) Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 207, All-Star Squadron 14, Legion of Super-Heroes 292, New Teen Titans 24”

Comics Reviews: Superman 376, Action 536, DC Comics Presents 50, Warlord 62

Superman 376 coverSuperman #376 – “The Ozone-Master Comes Calling” – Elliot S! Maggin/Curt Swan/Dan Adkins

This one starts with Superman interrupting a robbery at a high-end glassware store. He’s surprised when the robbers’ weapons actually hurt him, first a heat gun then a force projector. Supes manages to chase the thieves away without smashing up the place and when they attempt to flee in an armoured helicopter, the Man of Steel destroys it and captures them … but not before getting blasted with another painful force beam. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 376, Action 536, DC Comics Presents 50, Warlord 62”

Comics Reviews: Batman 352, Detective 519, Brave & the Bold 191, Firestorm 5

Batman 352 coverBatman #352 – “The Killer Sky” – Gerry Conway (plot), Paul Kupperberg/Don Newton/John Calnan

This one starts with Batman going to visit Jim Gordon in the hospital. Gordon was roughed up last issue by some crooked cops as a warning to him and his private eye partner (Jason Bard, who also got pounded) to stop investigating the recent mayoral election. To reinforce the message, the new Commissioner (Pauling) and one of his bent cops (McClosky) stop by to warn Jim again. Barbara Gordon is there and almost goes for Pauling’s throat, but it’s Batman showing up that gets Pauling and McClosky to leave. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 352, Detective 519, Brave & the Bold 191, Firestorm 5”

Comics Reviews: Flash 313, Wonder Woman 295, Green Lantern 156, Jonah Hex 64

Flash 313 coverFlash #313 – “3-Way Fight for the Super-Simian” – Mike W. Barr/Carmine Infantino/Dennis Jensen

This one starts in Central City’s slum district, where a drunk in an alley gets a surprise. An entity pops out of nowhere, evolves the drunk’s body into a futuristic form (which he christens Psykon), and pops back through another space warp. Psykon materializes outside Gorilla City in Africa. He fights his way inside, using his vast mental powers to overcome the super-intelligent apes, but ends up disappointed. The object of his quest, a high-tech prison cell, is empty … though the gaping hole in the wall tells us how the occupant left. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 313, Wonder Woman 295, Green Lantern 156, Jonah Hex 64”

Comics Reviews: JLA 206, Legion of Super-Heroes 291, New Teen Titans 23, All-Star Squadron 13

JLA 206 coverJustice League of America #206 – “The Secret That Time Forgot” – Gerry Conway/Carmine Infantino/Romeo Tanghal

This one starts out in the 25th Century, with a guy named Thomas Parker taking his son Garner to the Space Museum. They see an exhibit containing a bell, a jar, and a wheel, which confuses Gardner. When he finds out they were used by the Justice League, he wants to know more. Luckily, there’s a whole room dedicated to the League and Gardner drinks it all in. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 206, Legion of Super-Heroes 291, New Teen Titans 23, All-Star Squadron 13”

Comics Reviews: Superman 375, Action 535, DC Comics Presents 49, Warlord 61

Superman 375 coverSuperman #375 – “The Stoning of Lana Lang” – Cary Bates/Curt Sawn/Dan Adkins

Last issue, Lana Lang prepared to leave Earth to go live with her alien loverboy, Vartox. Lana received a boon from out of nowhere, a protective aura allowing her to live in the harsh atmosphere of Vartox’s planet. But unknown to anyone, Vartox’s first love (Syreena) has returned from the dead and is the one who gave Lana the protective aura. Syreena hates Vartox for leaving her and has been screwing with his head, hypnotizing him to believe Superman is trying to get Lana for himself. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 375, Action 535, DC Comics Presents 49, Warlord 61”