Category: Comics Reviews

Comics Review: Flash 247, Wonder Woman 229, Jonah Hex 1

Flash 247 coverFlash #247 – “The Mad Mad Earth of Abra-Kadabra” – (Cary Bates/Irv Novick/Frank McLaughlin)

We start out with Flash in a 64th century prison for “killing” Abra-Kadabra last issue. Of course, Abra’s not dead, he just used some weird techno-magic bullshit to teleport away just as Flash was attacking. Abra was aiming to send himself to Flash’s own time period, but instead of materializing on Earth-1, he ends up on Earth-2 and is confused to see the Jay Garrick Flash showing off for a crowd. Continue reading “Comics Review: Flash 247, Wonder Woman 229, Jonah Hex 1”

Comics Reviews: JLA 140, Superboy & the Legion 225, All-Star Comics 65

JLA 140 coverJustice League of America #140 – “No Man Escapes the Manhunter” – (Steve Englehart/Dick Dillin/Frank McLaughlin)

This issue starts the whole Manhunters story, which eventually leads to Millennium and everyone’s brother, wife, or co-worker being a robot. We start with a bang: a Manhunter attacks Green Lantern, Green Arrow, and Black Canary at the Wayne Foundation, where GL has asked for a meeting of the JLA. Arrow and Canary are slapped down pretty fast and GL surrenders. Batman then takes on the Manhunter and gets tossed off the roof. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 140, Superboy & the Legion 225, All-Star Comics 65”

Comics Review: Superman 309, Action 469

Superman 309 coverSuperman #309 – “Blind Hero’s Bluff” – (Gerry Conway/Jose-Luis Garcia Lopez/Frank Springer)

This is the end of the goofy “Krypton never existed” arc. We start with Superman busting up an operation by Sam Simeon’s mob (no, not the guy from Angel and the Ape). This has been an ongoing thing, with a mob war between SKULL and Simeon running for the last few issues. Simeon was planning a strike against SKULL and Supes took them out before they could execute it. Continue reading “Comics Review: Superman 309, Action 469”

Comics Review: Batman 285, Detective 468

Batman 285 coverBatman #285 – “The Mystery of Christmas Lost” – (David V. Reed/Romeo Tanghal/Frank Springer)

This is another Dr. Tzin-Tzin story, so you know what that means: more mystical crap. After busting out of prison using ants, Tzin-Tzin uses some kind of elixir to make everyone in Gotham into a dimwit … except Batman; he’s spared so Tzin-Tzin can gloat. Continue reading “Comics Review: Batman 285, Detective 468”

Comics Reviews: Wonder Woman 228, Green Lantern 93, Warlord 5

WW 228 coverWonder Woman #228 – “Retreat to Tomorrow” – (Martin Pasko/Jose Delbo/Vince Colletta)

The story starts with Wonder Woman flying around in her invisible plane, when a weird rocket ship comes through a “hole” in the air and almost collides with a jet. WW saves the jet and finds out the rocket is occupied by a Nazi called Red Panzer. He seems familiar with her, but is surprised to find her in 1976. As they fight, a grapple ray pulls them and the rocket back through the hole in the air. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Wonder Woman 228, Green Lantern 93, Warlord 5”

Comics Review: JLA 139, Superboy & the Legion 224

JLA 139 coverThis issue of JLA contains two stories (this was in the “52-page” era), including Englehart’s first JLA story. So let’s get to it!

Justice League of America #139 – “The Cosmic Conspiracy Against Adam Strange” – (Cary Bates/Dick Dillin/Frank McLaughlin)

This issue has two stories, which I’ll deal with one at a time. The first is a continuation of last ish. We see Green Arrow, Green Lantern, Hawkman, and Black Canary on the JLA Satellite searching for their teammates (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, and Aquaman). Continue reading “Comics Review: JLA 139, Superboy & the Legion 224”

Comics Review: Superman 308, Action 468

Superman 308 coverSuperman #308 – “This Planet is Mine” – (Gerry Conway/Jose-Luis Garcia Lopez/Frank Springer)

We start where we left off last time, with Superman whining about being an Earth-born mutant instead of a Kryptonian, and Supergirl telling him to grow up and accept it. Continue reading “Comics Review: Superman 308, Action 468”

Comics Review: Batman 284, Brave and the Bold 132

Batman 284 coverBatman #284 – “If There Were No Batman…I Would Have to Invent Him” – (David V. Reed/Romeo Tanghal/Frank Springer)

This is a weird one, folks, so hang on to your chakras. We start with someone describing how he switched the Sphinx at Gizeh for an exact copy, dumping the old one into the Mediterranean sea. Supposedly, this gave rise to “another fable of Atlantis”, but in the DC universe, Atlantis was real, so I don’t know why he said that. Who is “he”, you ask? It’s everybody’s favourite mystic weirdo, Dr. Tzin-Tzin. Continue reading “Comics Review: Batman 284, Brave and the Bold 132”

Comics Review: Flash 246, All-Star Comics 64

Flash 246 coverWelcome to my reviews for Flash #246 and All-Star Comics #64. Nothing really jumps out with these comics; neither the art nor the story is what I’d call spectacular, but I always liked the JSA in general, so it’s fun to read these 70s stories about them. Of course, Roy Thomas has his own take on the JSA in All-Star Squadron, but that’s not until 1981.

Flash #246 – “Kill Me Flash…Faster…Faster” – (Cary Bates/Irv Novick/Frank McLaughlin)

This one starts out with Barry (Flash) Allen, his wife Iris, Stacy Conwell, the young student who lives with them, and Stacy’s new boyfriend, Chuck, all hanging out at a bowling alley. Continue reading “Comics Review: Flash 246, All-Star Comics 64”

Comics Review: JLA 138, Superboy & the Legion 223

JLA 138 coverWelcome to my reviews of JLA #138 and Superboy and the Legion #223. I always gravitated more toward “team” books for DC than “individual” books, so these two titles are favourites from way back. These particular stories are pretty good; I’m a big fan of Mike Grell, so the art on the Superboy comic is the standout for me.

Justice League of America #138 – “Adam Strange—Puppet of Time” – (Cary Bates/Dick Dillin/Frank McLaughlin)

This issue begins with Alanna, Adam Strange’s wife, narrating the story into a recorder. Alanna tells the story which unfolds throughout the rest of the issue; I’m not too fond of that as a storytelling device…why not just have the damn story play out normally? Continue reading “Comics Review: JLA 138, Superboy & the Legion 223”