Category: Comics Reviews

Comics Reviews: Superman 312, Action 472, Warlord 7

Superman 312 coverSuperman #312 – “Today the City…Tomorrow the World!” – Martin Pasko/Curt Swan/Frank Springer

This issue continues the story from last issue about the mysterious illness at the World News Conference in Central City. We get a WGBS report recapping the outbreak and Morgan Edge freaking out because a bunch of his top people (Clark, Lois, Steve Lombard) are at the conference and he doesn’t even know if they’re still alive. Superman flies in a bunch of supplies and builds a treatment center for the patients right beside the hotel. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 312, Action 472, Warlord 7”

Comics Review: Batman 288, Detective 470

Batman 288 coverBatman # 288 – “The Little Men’s Hall of Fame” – David V. Reed/Mike Grell/Bob Wiacek

This is a continuation of the Penguin story from last issue where he was committing crimes based on the “short men of history”. The first thing we see is a bunch of guys robbing a building. They take out the guards with perfect precision and when Batman shows up, they take him out too. Of course, it’s not the real Batman, and this wasn’t a real robbery; it’s just a dress rehearsal that Penguin’s putting his men through for the real robbery. He expects Batman to have solved his “short men in history” clues, so he’s trying to prepare his men for the inevitable showdown. Continue reading “Comics Review: Batman 288, Detective 470”

Comics Review: Flash 249, Wonder Woman 231, Jonah Hex 2

Flash 249 coverFlash #249 – “A Hero Named Super!” – Cary Bates/Irv Novick/Frank McLaughlin

This one concludes the Master Villain story from last issue, when some punk kid drew a cartoon villain that was then brought to life by a curious alien and slapped Flash around. You know, the usual. This issue starts with Barry talking in his sleep about his high school girlfriend, Daphne Dean (who we met last issue and who has some kind of sinister secret). Iris listens to Barry talking about he and Daphne messing around (and kinda gets into it), but before he can get to the good part, the phone rings. Continue reading “Comics Review: Flash 249, Wonder Woman 231, Jonah Hex 2”

Comics Review: JLA 142, Superboy & the Legion 227, All-Star Comics 66

JLA 142 coverJustice League of America #142 – “Return From Forever” – Steve Englehart/Dick Dillin/Frank McLaughlin

This issue basically solves the mystery of why Aquaman, Elongated Man, and Atom didn’t respond to the JLA emergency signal for the last couple of issues. Apparently, they’ve been hanging out in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, taking a break from the superhero thing. Atom’s having some kind of existential crisis, complaining that his powers are pretty much useless. Maybe he should move to South America and be a swashbuckler … nah, too crazy. Ralph and Aquaman try to cheer him up, but they’re interrupted by a couple of spaceships shooting at each other. Continue reading “Comics Review: JLA 142, Superboy & the Legion 227, All-Star Comics 66”

Comics Review: Superman 311, Action 471, Black Lightning 2

Superman 311 coverSuperman #311 – “Plague of the Antibiotic Man” – Martin Pasko/Curt Swan/Frank Springer

This one starts with my least favourite trope, the old “let’s start the story in the middle then do an extended flashback to catch people up” trick. So we start with a freaky-looking horned dude beating the shit out of Superman and Flash. From the dialogue, we learn that the one-horned purple people eater is named Nam-Ek, he’s from Krypton, and Supes thinks he’s responsible for a plague that’s been ravaging Central City (though Nam-Ek denies it). Flash gets punched right into orbit and then the flashbacks begin. Continue reading “Comics Review: Superman 311, Action 471, Black Lightning 2”

Comics Review: Batman 287, Detective 469, Brave & the Bold 134

Batman 287 coverBatman #287 – “Batman-ex—as in Extinct” – David V. Reed/Mike Grell/Bob Wiacek

This one starts with Bruce Wayne at a gala for the Société Française. He’s not really a francophile, he just wants to jump the press director, Renée. A guy named Chester Cole is shadowing Bruce for a magazine profile (and it kinda sounds like he wants to be there when Bruce bangs Renée), but Bruce ditches him. Outside, he finds some thugs in the bushes and pounds them, but their detonator goes off anyway and a robotic pterosaur bursts out of the Napoleon statue inside. Continue reading “Comics Review: Batman 287, Detective 469, Brave & the Bold 134”

Comics Review: Flash 248, Wonder Woman 230, Green Lantern 94

Flash 248 coverFlash #248 – “Challenge of the Cardboard Criminal” – (Cary Bates/Irv Novick/Frank McLaughlin)

Barry and Iris are out shopping when Barry spots his childhood sweetheart, Daphne Dean. Before he can do anything, Heat Wave tries to rob the jewelry store, so Barry changes to Flash and pounds him. Later, Barry is going on and on about Daphne to Iris when a doctor shows up and says he’s been treating Daphne Dean (who’s apparently some kind of movie star now) for amnesia. Continue reading “Comics Review: Flash 248, Wonder Woman 230, Green Lantern 94”

Comics Review: JLA 141, Superboy & the Legion 226, Black Lightning 1

JLA 141 coverJustice League of America #141 – “No World Escapes the Manhunters” – (Steve Englehart/Dick Dillin/Frank McLaughlin)

This one starts with Green Lantern, Green Arrow, and Black Canary still in the Himalayas, trying to get as far from the Manhunter HQ as possible. But no one escapes the Manhunter, so he tracks them down and attacks. This is the Mark Shaw version of Manhunter, for those of you who lost your scorecards. After a protracted fight, Manhunter is finally kayoed by the three heroes. Continue reading “Comics Review: JLA 141, Superboy & the Legion 226, Black Lightning 1”

Comics Review: Superman 310, Action 470, Warlord 6

Superman 310 coverSuperman #310 – “The Man With the Kryptonite Heart” – (Martin Pasko/Curt Swan/Tex Blaisdell)

This one starts with agents of SKULL breaking into STAR Labs (so many acronyms) and stealing radioactive material. Superman shows up and slaps them around, but one of the SKULL guys is accidentally caught under some falling debris. After Supes leaves, we see Albert Michaels, STAR Labs scientist, cooperating with another SKULL agent. Continue reading “Comics Review: Superman 310, Action 470, Warlord 6”

Comics Review: Batman 286, Brave & the Bold 133

Batman 286 coverBatman #286 – “The Joker’s Playground of Peril” – (Denny O’Neil/Irv Novick/Bob Wiacek)

This one starts with Joker escaping Arkham Asylum (again!). He kills his psychiatrist by shrinking him (get it? Shrinking the shrink? Yeah, I didn’t think it was funny either, but then I’m not a homicidal maniac like the Joker). The dead shrink leaves a clue, so Batman (with Robin tagging along) goes to an amusement park where there’s a big costume party for charity. Continue reading “Comics Review: Batman 286, Brave & the Bold 133”