Reviews, ruminations, and (occasional) ramblings.
Batman #341 – “The Ghost of Wayne Mansion” – Gerry Conway/Irv Novick/Frank McLaughlin
This one starts with three kids running out of Wayne Manor during a thunderstorm, freaking out because they’re sure they saw a ghost. There is a strange shape flying out of the mansion, but it’s impossible to tell just what it is. The kids almost get run over by a cop and they tell him their story. Continue reading “Comics reviews: Batman 341, Detective 508, Brave & the Bold 180”
Flash #302 – “Lisa Starts With an L and That Stands for Lethal” – Cary Bates/Carmine Infantino/Bob Smith
For the last few issues, we’ve seen Henry Allen (Barry’s father) acting strangely, even canoodling with a young woman named Lisa last issue right after his wife woke from her coma. It’s obvious “Henry” isn’t himself and he has a special hatred for Flash, who he knows is Barry Allen. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 302, Wonder Woman 284, Green Lantern 145, Jonah Hex 53”
Justice League of America #195 – “Targets on Two Worlds” – Gerry Conway/George Perez/John Beatty
I had this three-parter when I was a kid and it’s one of my favourite JLA stories (actually, it’s one of my favourite comics stories) and definitely my favourite JLA/JSA crossover. Judging by what I’ve heard from other comics fans, I’m not alone. Over half of this issue deals with the “recruitment” process, showing the gathering of two sets of villains, one on each Earth. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 195, Legion of Super-Heroes 20, New Teen Titans 12, All-Star Squadron 2”
Superman #364 – “The Sounds That Menaced Metropolis” – Cary Bates/Rich Buckler/Frank Chiaramonte
This one starts with an awards dinner for journalists where Jimmy Olsen wins for a story he did on chemical waste. Clark and Lois are happy for jimmy, but a rival photographer (Rory Stasson) is pissed off; he says Jimmy (and Lois and Clark) have an unfair advantage because of their relationships with Superman. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 364, Action 524, DC Comics Presents 38, Warlord 50”
Batman #340 – “A Man Called Mole” – Gerry Conway, Roy Thomas/Gene Colan/Adrian Gonzales
This one starts with a trail being thrown up through the streets of Gotham, resembling the mound of earth left by moles in a garden … except this mound is in solid concrete. The trail leads to a stockbroker named Elder, who’s grabbed by something that emerges from the mound of concrete. Elder’s screams wake someone, who doesn’t see anything strange but notices a terrible stench in the alley where Elder was grabbed. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 340, Detective 507, Brave & the Bold 179”
Flash #301 – “And the Beat Goes Off” – Cary Bates/Carmine Infantino/Bob Smith
This one starts with Captain Frye, Central City police captain, being kidnapped by a gunman hiding in his car. At police headquarters, Barry Allen reports to work, apologizing to his lab partner (Patty Spivot) for being absent the last three days. Of course, we know Barry was being held at a clinic outside Central City by Abra Kadabra, but he can hardly admit that without blowing his secret identity. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 301, Wonder Woman 283, Green Lantern 144, Jonah Hex 52”
Justice League of America #194 – “Destiny is a Stacked Deck” – Gerry Conway/George Perez/John Beatty
This one starts with a cloaked and hooded figure dealing out some tarot cards and musing on life and death. But six of these tarot cards are a bit different from the others … they hold images of six JLA members. One of those depicted on the card, Clark (Superman) Kent, is at a carnival in Metropolis with Lois. He’s holding a bunch of stuffed animal prizes (all won by Lois) and waits as she tries for another one. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 194, Legion of Super-Heroes 279, New Teen Titans 11, All-Star Squadron 1”
Superman #363 – “The Dying Day of Lois and Lana” – Cary Bates/Curt Swan/Frank Chiaramonte
Last issue, Lois and Lana contracted an alien virus from an artifact dug up by Lana’s father, the same virus that killed Ma and Pa Kent back when Clark Kent was a teenager. Clark hasn’t told Lois and Lana they’re sick, and the virus affects people based on age so they haven’t shown any symptoms yet, but it’s only a matter of time. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 363, Action 523, DC Comics Presents 37, Warlord 49”
Batman #339 – “A Sweet Kiss of Poison” – Gerry Conway/Irv Novick/Steve Mitchell
This one starts with Batman returning from patrol early in the morning. He almost misses his jump while coming in for a landing at his penthouse and Alfred suggests that his double life—fighting crime as Batman at night and being businessman Bruce Wayne by day—might be catching up with him. Batman agrees, but there’s not much he can do about it, since quitting either identity isn’t really feasible. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 339, Detective 506, Brave & the Bold 178”
Flash #300 – “1981—A Flash Odyssey” – Cary Bates/Carmine Infantino/Bob Smith
This is basically a retrospective of Flash’s history for the 300th issue with tons of flashbacks to earlier stories. Last issue we saw someone swathed head-to-toe in bandages in a private clinic called Morningside an hour outside Central City, and we were told it’s Barry Allen. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 300, Wonder Woman 282, Green Lantern 143, Jonah Hex 51”