Category: Comics Reviews

Comics Reviews: Flash 274, Wonder Woman 256, Green Lantern 117

Flash 274 coverFlash #274 – “The Mark of the Beast” – Cary Bates/Alex Saviuk/Frank Chiaramonte

You may remember last issue Flash stopped a prison riot that was touched off by the prisoners’ opposition to the Nephron Procedure, an experimental treatment to remove criminal impulses by stimulating the brain. Flash found a whacked-out Clive Yorkin, the only prisoner to volunteer for the Process, in a chair that’s wired to deliver either pleasure or pain to a person’s brain. Turns out Yorkin isn’t strapped in—he sat in the chair voluntarily and he’s been pushing the “pain” button over and over, delivering pure agony to his own nervous system. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 274, Wonder Woman 256, Green Lantern 117”

Comics Reviews: JLA 167, Superboy & the Legion 252, Jonah Hex 25

JLA 167 coverJustice League of America #167 – “The League That Defeated Itself” – Gerry Conway/Dick Dillin/Frank McLaughlin

This one starts rather dramatically, with Superman punching out Green Lantern on the JLA Satellite. But if you remember the end of last issue, you know these aren’t the real Supes and GL; the real heroes had their minds switched into the bodies of the Secret Society of Super Villains, and vice versa. So this is actually the Wizard decking Professor Zoom. Zoom tries to use GL’s ring against Wizard, but Wizard uses Superman’s strength to shatter the green energy. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 167, Superboy & the Legion 252, Jonah Hex 25”

Comics Reviews: Superman 336, Action 496, DC Comics Presents 10

Superman 336 coverSuperman #336 – “A Rose By Any other Name” – Len Wein/Curt Swan/Frank Chiaramonte

This one starts with some guys robbing a jewelry store. They’re jumped by the vigilante known as Thorn, who kicks the crap out of them and leaves when the cops show up. Thorn heads home and changes back to her alter ego, Rose Forrest. But unlike most costumed crimefighters, Rose and Thorn aren’t aware of their alter egos because they have a split personality. So when Rose wakes up the next morning, she’s weirded out from the “dream” she had of being Thorn and beating the shit out of the crooks. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 336, Action 496, DC Comics Presents 10”

Comics Reviews: Batman 312, Detective 484, Brave & the Bold 151, Warlord 22

Batman 312 coverBatman #312 – “A Caper a Day Keeps the Batman at Bay” – Len Wein/Walt Simonson/Dick Giordano

This one starts in the middle of the action, with Calendar Man robbing the Metropolitan Museum. It doesn’t really look like Calendar Man because he’s dressed as Odin; why is he dressed as Odin? Because it’s Wednesday and Wednesday is named after Woden, who was also known as Odin. Calendar Man has gone all out in his dress-up, even riding an eight-wheeled motorbike in reference to Odin’s eight-legged horse, Sleipnir. Batman swoops in on his whirly-bat and goes after Calendar Man, who tries to flee into a tunnel. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 312, Detective 484, Brave & the Bold 151, Warlord 22”

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”