Category: Comics Reviews

Comics Reviews: Flash 330, Wonder Woman 312, Green Lantern 173, Jonah Hex 81

Flash 330 coverFlash #330 – “Beware the Land of Grodd” – Cary Bates (plot), Joey Cavalieri/Carmine Infantino/Frank McLaughlin

This one starts with Fiona Webb strapped down in a strait-jacket, rambling about Barry Allen. A reporter for a sleazy tabloid sneaks into her room to record her loony monologue, but Flash vibrates into the room and grabs the guy. Flash is so pissed off at this tabloid vulture, he takes the guy outside and sends him through a car wash at super-speed to dampen his spirits. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 330, Wonder Woman 312, Green Lantern 173, Jonah Hex 81”

Comics Reviews: JLA 223, Legion of Super-Heroes 308, New Teen Titans 39, Warlord 78

JLA 223 coverJustice League of America #223 – “Bloodsport” – Gerry Conway/Chuck Patton/Romeo Tanghal

Last issue, the JLA learned about a group of people who’d turned themselves into animal-human hybrids (the Ani-Men) in an effort to save their genetics company, Repli-Tech. The process worked a little too well and they became more animal than human, staging gladiatorial combats for bored rich people and plotting to rule the world. One of their number (a cat-lady named Reena) defected and filled the JLA in. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 223, Legion of Super-Heroes 308, New Teen Titans 39, Warlord 78”

Comics Reviews: Superman 392, Action 552, DC Comics Presents 66, All-Star Squadron 30

Superman 392 coverSuperman #392 – “If a Body Meets a Body” – Cary Bates, Elliot S! Maggin/Curt Swan/Dave Hunt

Last issue, Lana Lang was kidnapped by Vartox, her old flame, who turned out to be a scumbag alien who took over Vartox’s body. Superman doesn’t know that, so he thinks Vartox has gone nuts. There’s also a goofy guy named Wallace Gurkheim who has a thing for Lana and was urging Superman to get her back. This issue starts with the fake Vartox taunting Superman, daring him to find where he’s keeping Lana. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 392, Action 552, DC Comics Presents 66, All-Star Squadron 30”

Comics Reviews: Batman 368, Detective 535, Batman & the Outsiders 7, Firestorm 20, Vigilante 3

Batman 368 coverBatman #368 – “A Revenge of Rainbows” – Doug Moench/Don Newton/Alfredo Alcala

This one starts with Jason Todd (who’s now officially Batman’s new sidekick) still trying to come up with a name for his costumed identity. They’re stuck until Dick Grayson shows with a suggestion of his own. Across town, Crazy Quilt is talking to a scientist named Kinski who’s built a device to help Crazy Quilt regain his eyesight (which he lost fighting Robin back in Batman 316). Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 368, Detective 535, Batman & the Outsiders 7, Firestorm 20, Vigilante 3”

Comics Reviews: Flash 329, Wonder Woman 311, Green Lantern 172, Jonah Hex 80

Flash 329 coverFlash #329 – “What is the Sinister Secret of Simian and Son?” – Cary Bates/Carmine Infantino/Frank McLaughlin

This one starts with some cops responding to a mugging in Central City. They hold the three muggers at gunpoint, but it turns out to be a ruse. The “victim” is really Gorilla Grodd using his mental powers to make himself look human. Grodd blasts the cops with mental energy and he and his trio of thugs steal the cop car. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 329, Wonder Woman 311, Green Lantern 172, Jonah Hex 80”

Comics Reviews: JLA 222, New Teen Titans 38, Legion of Super-Heroes 307, Warlord 77

JLA 222 coverJustice League of America #222 – “Death Games” – Gerry Conway/Chuck Patton/Romeo Tanghal

Last issue, the JLA tangled with several beast-men, human-animal hybrids like something from the Island of Dr. Moreau. Firestorm encountered one of the beast-men (a cat lady named Reena) who asked him for help. He brought her back to the JLA Satellite so she can tell the JLA her story. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 222, New Teen Titans 38, Legion of Super-Heroes 307, Warlord 77”

Comics Reviews: Superman 391, Action 551, DC Comics Presents 65, All-Star Squadron 29

Superman 391 coverSuperman #391 – “Who Stole the Newswoman of the Year?” – Cary Bates, Elliot S! Maggin/Curt Swan/Dave Hunt

This one follows from last issue, with Lana Lang receiving a broadcasting award at a banquet as her date, Clark Kent, looks on. But Lana’s ex (Vartox) phases through the wall and he’s apparently lost his mind. He grabs Clark and almost exposes his secret identity, but Clark uses his super-breath to suction the words out of Vartox’s mouth before anyone can hear. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 391, Action 551, DC Comics Presents 65, All-Star Squadron 29”

Comics Reviews: Batman 367, Detective 534, Batman & the Outsiders 6, Firestorm 19, Vigilante 2

Batman 367 coverBatman #367 – “The Green Ghosts of Gotham” – Doug Moench/Don Newton/Alfredo Alcala

This one starts at a once-elegant Gothic mansion in Gotham;s slum. The mansion has seen better days, but was recently purchased and we see a purple cloud of spores being released from the skylight. The spores—six million strong—drift across Gotham, but luckily only fifteen end up doing what they were designed to do. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 367, Detective 534, Batman & the Outsiders 6, Firestorm 19, Vigilante 2”

Comics Reviews: 1984 Preview

Well, that’s 1983 finished, so now it’s on to 1984. They say your own personal Golden Age for comics is when you’re twelve, and I was twelve in 1984, so a lot of these comics resonate for me (although I was reading a lot of Marvel stuff then too, especially Spider-Man). As usual, I’ll divide the comics into groups to keep things manageable; since I’ll be adding several comics to the 1984 reviews, my usual groupings will be shuffled a bit, as you’ll see. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: 1984 Preview”

Comics Reviews: DC Comics Presents Annual 2, Superman Annual 9

DC Comics Presents Annual 2 coverDC Comics Presents Annual #2 – “The Last Secret Identity” – Elliot S! Maggin/Keith Pollard/Mike DeCarlo, Tod Smith

This is one of those goofy Silver Age-type stories that old time fans seem to like so much. I’ve never been a huge fan of those, although this one’s certainly well told. It could even fall under the category of “Imaginary Story”, but it’s presented as if we’re meant to take it seriously. I can’t imagine it being canon post-Crisis though. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: DC Comics Presents Annual 2, Superman Annual 9”