Category: Comics Reviews

Comics Reviews: Batman 319, Brave & the Bold 158, Warlord 29

Batman 319 coverBatman #319 – “Never Give Up the Ghost” – Len Wein/Irv Novick/Bob Smith

This one starts with Gentleman Ghost and a couple of henchmen stealing industrial diamonds from a factory. Naturally, Batman shows up to pound them and does pretty well until Gentleman Ghost uses a hoist hook to snag Batman’s cape, holding him helpless above the floor. Ghost and his thugs take off, but Batman manages to snag the satchel full of diamonds with his Batarang and invites Ghost to try and retrieve it. Ghost isn’t stupid enough to approach Batman (who has almost freed himself from the hook), but vows he’ll get the diamonds sooner or later. By the time Batman does get free, Ghost is long gone. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 319, Brave & the Bold 158, Warlord 29”

1980 Preview

chess apeWell, that’s 1979 down … bring on 1980! Yup, it’s time for my semi-annual preview of what’s to come on the blog over the next six months. I’ll be reviewing pretty much the same comics I did for the first half of the year, with a notable addition near the end. As you can see, Gulliver is concentrating on his chess game; he’s upset that there aren’t more apes in the comics I’ve been reviewing. For the rest of you, read on to get the lowdown on what’s coming up over the next six months. Continue reading “1980 Preview”

Flash 280, Wonder Woman 262, Green Lantern 123

Flash 280 coverFlash #280 – “The Wrong Man” – Cary Bates/Don Heck/Frank Chiaramonte

This story starts not long after last issue, with Flash zipping all over the city looking for Clive Yorkin, the man he believes responsible for the death of his wife. Flash’s friend Melanie is tracking Yorkin too, and having better luck since her psychic abilities point her in the right direction. Flash finds some vigilantes in the park, about to blow away a shadowy figure. Flash saves their target and reveals that it wasn’t Yorkin, just some homeless guy. The vigilantes feel like idiots and head home. Continue reading “Flash 280, Wonder Woman 262, Green Lantern 123”

Comics Reviews: JLA 173, Superboy & the Legion 258, Jonah Hex 31

JLA 173 coverJustice League of America #173 – “Testing of a Hero” – Gerry Conway/Dick Dillin/Frank McLaughlin

This one starts with some JLA members (Superman, Zatanna, Flash, Green Lantern, and Green Arrow) observing someone from the roof of a building … someone they’re considering for League membership. Of course, we already know who the mystery candidate is from the cover—Black Lightning. The Leaguers watch as Lightning takes down some guys robbing a pawnshop; he deflects bullets with his electrical force-field, zaps a couple of the thieves with a power-packed punch, and scares the last crook so much that he faints before Lightning can touch him. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 173, Superboy & the Legion 258, Jonah Hex 31”

Superman 342, Action 502, DC Comics Presents 16

Superman 342 coverSuperman #342 – “Hero Under Glass” – Len Wein/Curt Swan/Frank Chiaramonte

This one starts with Superman getting a call from Jenet Klyburn at STAR Labs. It seems STAR were trying to solve the problem of industrial pollution, so they seeded the sky over the industrial area with an experimental chemical that was supposed to eliminate pollutants. Unfortunately, it did just the opposite, combining with the pollution to form a noxious black cloud that’s now raining filth on the town. Klyburn says what happened is impossible according to STAR’s simulations, so Superman goes to check it out. Continue reading “Superman 342, Action 502, DC Comics Presents 16”

Comics Reviews: Batman 318, Detective 487, Brave & the Bold 157, Warlord 28

Batman 318 coverBatman #318 – “My City Burns at Both Ends—It Will Not Last the Night” – Len Wein/Irv Novick/Frank McLaughlin

This one starts with Batman trying to rescue a kid from a burning building. He falls off, but manages to bounce off some telephone wires and land on a pile of fire hoses. Yeah, it sounds impossible, but he is Batman, after all. Commissioner Gordon sees someone on the roof on the burning building and Batman heads up to check it out. It turns out to be the arsonist, dressed in a weird costume and calling himself Firebug. His costume includes napalm projectors and he lights another fire in front of Batman while ranting about how the building has killed enough people and it’s now being killed in turn. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 318, Detective 487, Brave & the Bold 157, Warlord 28”

Comics Reviews: Flash 279, Wonder Woman 261, Green Lantern 122

Flash 279 coverFlash #279 – “Death-Feast” – Cary Bates/Alex Saviuk/Frank Chiaramonte

You’ll remember last issue ended on a big cliffhanger, with crazed convict (and number one suspect in the murder of Iris Allen) Clive Yorkin ambushing the Flash and using a weird new power to drain Flash’s life-force. Yorkin used it earlier on some innocent bystanders and on Heat Wave, which left them looking old and ravaged. Flash tries to fight Yorkin, but can’t vibrate out of his grasp because can somehow match his vibrations. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 279, Wonder Woman 261, Green Lantern 122”

Comics Reviews: JLA 172, Superboy & the Legion 257, Jonah Hex 30

JLA 172 coverJustice League of America #172 – “I Accuse!” – Gerry Conway/Dick Dillin/Frank McLaughlin

You’ll remember last issue Mr. Terrific was killed during the annual JLA/JSA reunion on the Satellite. At first, it looked like an accident—an explosion blew out a wall on the Satellite—but it was determined Mr.Terrific was strangled and the explosion was meant to cover up his murder. Since nobody entered or left, and no one is hiding aboard the Satellite, it looks like one of the superheroes is the killer. Superman comes to that conclusion quickly and asks the two Green Lanterns and Dr. Fate to seal off the Satellite until they figure out who the murderer is. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 172, Superboy & the Legion 257, Jonah Hex 30”

Comics Reviews: Superman 341, Action 501, DC Comics Presents 15

Superman 341 coverSuperman #341 – “The Man Who Could Cause Catastrophe” – Len Wein/Curt Swan/Frank Chiaramonte

This one starts with an earthquake opening a huge fault in downtown Metropolis. Superman shows up to rescue the people who fell in, then closes the fault in a very Silver Age way: he fashions a huge needle and thread out of broken lamp posts and telephone cables and sews the fault back together, sealing it with his heat vision. I can’t even begin to analyze all the reasons that wouldn’t work. Superman can’t figure out what caused the fault in the first place, since Metropolis is built on solid bedrock, but we see the man who engineered the whole mess … Major Disaster. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 341, Action 501, DC Comics Presents 15”

Comics Reviews: Batman 317, Brave & the Bold 156, Warlord 27

Batman 317 coverBatman #317 – “The 1001 Clue Caper” – Len Wein/Irv Novick/Frank McLaughlin

This one starts with a cop giving Batman a package at the police station. It’s a book of 1001 Riddles, which tells Batman the Riddler is back to his old tricks. Robin (who’s still helping Batman during his break from university) wonders how they can figure out which riddle in the book is the one Riddler will plan his crimes around. Batman says there’s no point trying to guess; they just have to wait for Riddler to make a move … which doesn’t take long. Riddler steals a truck full of chickens (!) not long after, which hardly helps since there are plenty of riddles about chickens. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 317, Brave & the Bold 156, Warlord 27”