Category: Comics Reviews

Comics Reviews: Flash 273, Wonder Woman 255, Green Lantern 116

Flash 273 coverFlash #273 – “Harvest of Hate” – Cary Bates/Alex Saviuk/Frank Chiaramonte

This issue starts right where the last one left off, with Flash just having crashed through a brick wall. He was following a crooked cop who’d stolen drugs from police headquarters when he was compelled to change course and ended up smashing through the wall. A young woman kneels over him, bragging about how she made him come to her because the two of them are “mind-mates”. Flash hears her, even though he’s half out of it, but before he can get his marbles together, the woman disappears and a couple of guard dogs show up. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 273, Wonder Woman 255, Green Lantern 116”

Comics Reviews: JLA 166, Superboy & the Legion 251, Jonah Hex 24

JLA 166 coverJustice League of America #166 – “The Long Way Home” –  Gerry Conway/Dick Dillin/Frank McLaughlin

This one starts with the JLA still in the hidden city of the Homo Magi, attending the funeral of Zatanna’s mother. The funeral is different from what they’re used to, with nymph-like maidens dancing around the bier and finally absorbing Zatanna’s mother into themselves. Batman is freaked out by all the weirdness, but Wonder Woman and Superman remind him that everyone has different customs and he shouldn’t impose his own beliefs on every culture they meet. The JLA heads for home, Zatanna accompanying Wonder Woman to Paradise Island to recover from her mom’s death. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 166, Superboy & the Legion 251, Jonah Hex 24”

Comics Reviews: Superman 335, Action 495, DC Comics Presents 9

Superman 335 coverSuperman #335 – “Mxyzptlk Spelled Backward is T-R-O-U-B-L-E” – Martin Pasko/Curt Swan/Frank Chiaramonte

This one starts with Superman and Lois Lane hanging out at her place, discussing marriage. No, it’s not an imaginary story, they’ve just been getting closer lately and it’s a natural topic. Superman points out that it would be too dangerous for Lois to be his wife, since his enemies might go after her, but she points out all the times her life has been in danger before. Superman says he’s been trying to find a way to give her super-powers, but hasn’t had any success. He vows to keep looking until he finds a way, then takes off. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 335, Action 495, DC Comics Presents 9”

Comics Reviews: Batman 311, Brave & the Bold 150, Warlord 21

Batman 311 coverBatman #311 – “Dr. Phosphorus is Back” – Steve Englehart/Irv Novick/Frank McLaughlin

This one starts with a quick recap of Dr. Phosphorus’s origin: a guy named Sartorus invested in an offshore nuclear plant, but the construction was shoddy and he got caught in an explosion that turned him into Dr. Phosphorus. He blamed everyone but himself and tried to poison Gotham’s water supply with his own radioactive body, but Batman confronted him and he fell into the reactor core of the offshore nuclear plant. Why are we getting a recap of that? Because the rebuilt reactor went critical for ten minutes and when Batman came to check it out, he found flaming footprints leading out of the core and off the platform. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 311, Brave & the Bold 150, Warlord 21”

Comics Reviews: Flash 272, Wonder Woman 254, Green Lantern 115

Flash 272 coverFlash #272 – “The Girl With the Master Mind” – Cary Bates/John Calnan, Rich Buckler/Vince Colletta

A quick recap of last issue: a villain named the Clown blames the Mayor, the Governor, the head of the local power company, and the Flash for an accident that wiped out three of his family members and left him mute. Clown and his family were acrobats and a power failure at a circus precipitated the fatal fall. Flash was supposed to be at the circus that night but was on a JLA mission, and the Clown thinks if the speedster had been there, his family might still be alive. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 272, Wonder Woman 254, Green Lantern 115”

Comics Reviews: JLA 165, Superboy & the Legion 250, Jonah Hex 23

JLA 165 coverJustice League of America #165 – “A Mother of Magic” – Gerry Conway/Dick Dillin/Frank McLaughlin

This one starts right where last issue left off. You may remember, Zatanna and the JLA tracked down her mother Sindella—who she’d previously believed dead—to a hidden magical city in Turkey. But it turns out Sindella has something inside her head called a Medulla Jewel, that powers the magical city. The Jewel is nearly exhausted, which will mean Sindella’s death, so the Highlord of the city wants to transfer the Jewel to Zatanna. The rest of the JLA isn’t about to let that happen, so they spring into action and attack the Highlord’s soldiers. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 165, Superboy & the Legion 250, Jonah Hex 23”

Comics Reviews: Superman 334, Action 494, DC Comics Presents 8

Superman 334 coverSuperman #334 – “The Man Who Stole Superman’s Eyes” – Martin Pasko/Curt Swan/Frank Chiaramonte

This one opens with Superman searching for Lana Lang, who’s apparently run off half-cocked again and gotten herself in trouble. We see Lana in an abandoned subway station, being held by a bunch of costumed weirdos calling themselves Skeleton. They’re the remnants of SKULL, the gang of high-tech thieves that Superman put away back in issue 325. Superman told Lana about the dregs of SKULL regrouping as Skeleton and she tried to investigate, but got caught. They think Superman sent her to spy on them and they knock her out just as she yells for help. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 334, Action 494, DC Comics Presents 8”

Comics Reviews: Batman 310, Detective 483, Brave & the Bold 149, Warlord 20

Batman 310 coverBatman #310 – “The Ghost Who Haunted Batman” – Len Wein/Irv Novick/Dick Giordano

This one starts with some guys robbing a museum in Gotham. By their clichéd accents, I can only assume they’re British. Batman makes short work of them, but is confronted by their boss, Gentleman Ghost. Ghost takes a shot at the Caped Crusader with a phantom flintlock, but when Batman grabs a shield from the museum’s collection to protect himself, the bullet turns out to be a magnesium flare that blinds him. Gentleman Ghost and his crew escape before Batman’s sight returns. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 310, Detective 483, Brave & the Bold 149, Warlord 20”

Comics Reviews: Flash 271, Wonder Woman 253, Green Lantern 114

Flash 271 coverFlash #271 – “The Silent Slayer of Central City” – Cary Bates/Rich Buckler/Jack Abel

This one starts right where last issue left off, with Flash stuck halfway inside a wall about to get blasted by some rockets. Last issue, a new villain called the Clown showed up with a bunch of gimmick weapons and in their second encounter, a stunned Flash tried to vibrate through a wall but only made it half-way. The Clown then unleashed the rockets from his trick calliope. Flash tries to vibrate again to avoid the rockets, but they blow the wall of the building to pieces and there’s no sign of Flash anywhere. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 271, Wonder Woman 253, Green Lantern 114”

Comics Reviews: JLA 164, Superboy & the Legion 249, Jonah Hex 22

JLA 164 coverJustice League of America #164 – “Murder by Melody” – Gerry Conway/Dick Dillin/Frank McLaughlin

This one starts with Red Tornado (still recovering from injury) on the JLA Satellite dictating recent events. Yup, this is one of those issues where most of it is told in flashback, with the added twist of it being narrated by Red Tornado. I really don’t like that particular storytelling device, but it  was used a lot at DC back in the late 70s. I’ll try to keep my retelling as straightforward as possible and hopefully my tenses won’t get too tangled. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 164, Superboy & the Legion 249, Jonah Hex 22”