Category: Comics Reviews

Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 49, Conan the Barbarian 50

Conan 049 coverConan the Barbarian #49 – “Wolf-Woman” – Roy Thomas/John Buscema/Dick Giordano

Last issue, Conan was captured by a bandit lord named Torkal Moh and staked out for some rats to devour. He manages to cut himself free by breaking the ceramic bowl of water Torkal Moh left to taunt him, and he rips the stakes out of the round, scaring the rats away. Conan follows Torkal Moh’s trail and finds water, but he’s beset by wolves. Continue reading “Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 49, Conan the Barbarian 50”

G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe 49, G.I. Joe 50

GIJoe 049 coverG.I. Joe #49 (July 1986) – “Serpentor” – Larry Hama/Rod Whigham/Andy Mushynsky

This one starts with Destro and Dr. Mindbender stealing a mummy from a museum in the Middle East and taking it back to Springfield. The Frankenstein parallels continue, with Mindbender planning to extract the DNA from the stolen remains of history’s greatest warriors, mix it together and put it into an artificial body he’s grown, then fill that new creation with historical knowledge to create the ultimate conqueror. (The idea was Mindbender’s, but Cobra Commander is behind him all the way.) Continue reading “G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe 49, G.I. Joe 50”

Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 47, Conan the Barbarian 48

Conan 047 coverConan the Barbarian #47 – “Goblins in the Moonlight” – Roy Thomas/John Buscema/Dan Adkins

Last issue, Conan was on his way to Phalkar to deliver an amulet to the regent of that city when he got sidetracked by (what else?) a beautiful woman. He saved the woman (Stefanya) from a bloodthirsty mob who accused her of sorcery, but Stefanya told Conan the real sorcerer was her hated master, Zoqquanor. Continue reading “Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 47, Conan the Barbarian 48”

G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe 47, G.I. Joe 48

GIjoe 047 coverG.I. Joe #47 (May 1986) – “Sea Duel” – Larry Hama/Rod Whigham/Andy Mushynsky

This one starts where last issue left off, with the Joes loading the wounded Ripcord into the Killer Whale after finding him on Cobra Island. Of course, we know that this isn’t actually Ripcord, it’s Zartan in disguise hoping to infiltrate Joe headquarters, while the real Ripcord is in the Cobra Firebat plane that just launched from the island. Continue reading “G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe 47, G.I. Joe 48”

Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 45, Conan the Barbarian 46

Conan 045 coverConan the Barbarian #45 – “The Last Ballad of Laza-Lanti” – Roy Thomas/John Buscema/Crusty Bunkers

This one starts with Conan drinking in a tavern in Shadizar, trying to forget Red Sonja. A minstrel sings a sad ballad and Conan takes a liking to it, so when local toughs start giving the minstrel a hard time, Conan kicks their asses. The bard (Laza-Lanti) turns out to be a fighter too and saves Conan by tossing a dagger into a thug trying to sneak up on the barbarian. Continue reading “Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 45, Conan the Barbarian 46”

G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe 45, G.I. Joe 46

GIJoe 045 coverG.I. Joe #45 (March 1986) – “In Search of Candy” – Larry Hama/Rod Whigham/Andy Mushynsky

This one starts with Ace and Ripcord doing aerial surveillance of Cobra Island from the Skystriker. Since Cobra Island has been declared a sovereign nation (at least tentatively), the Joes aren’t allowed on the territory, hence the eye in the sky. Professor Appel wants to shoot them down because they’re violating sovereign airspace, but Zartan tells him not to be too hasty. Continue reading “G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe 45, G.I. Joe 46”

Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 43, Conan the Barbarian 44

Conan 043 coverConan the Barbarian #43 – “Tower of Blood” – Roy Thomas/John Buscema/Ernie Chan

This one starts with Conan and Red Sonja (remember her from issues 23 and 24?) being pursued by bounty hunters from the City of Thieves. Apparently, Sonja was chosen as a Hyrkanian king’s concubine but stabbed him instead of marrying him, plus one of Conan’s wenches accused them both of murder, so now there’s a price on both their heads. Continue reading “Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 43, Conan the Barbarian 44”

G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe 43, G.I. Joe 44

GIJoe 043 coverG.I. Joe #43 (January 1986) – “Crossroads” – Larry Hama/Rod Whigham/Andy Mushynsky

Last issue, Stalker and Snake Eyes were at the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C. to look up their dead war buddies. But one name was missing, that of Wade Collins. The two Joes got a surprise when Fred II (a Crimson Guardsman working for Cobra) stepped out of the shadows with a gun to tell them that he was Wade Collins, given a new face and name by Cobra. Continue reading “G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe 43, G.I. Joe 44”

Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 41, Conan the Barbarian 42

Conan 041 coverConan the Barbarian #41 – “The Garden of Life and Death” – Roy Thomas/John Buscema/Ernie Chan

This one starts with Conan arriving at a small village about a week away from Zamora. He runs into a mob chasing a girl and naturally, he defends her. The mob claim the girl (who they refer to as Zhadorr, although it seems more of an appellation than a name) is a demon in human form, but Conan still won’t let them near her. Continue reading “Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 41, Conan the Barbarian 42”

G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe 41, G.I. Joe 42

GIJoe 041 coverG.I. Joe #41 (November 1985) – “Strategic Diplomacy” – Larry Hama/Rod Whigham/Keith Williams

Last issue, Cobra tricked the Joes into blowing up an underwater bunker in the Gulf of Mexico, which aggravated a fault line on the ocean floor. We soon learn why … the fault line pushes up a new landmass in the Gulf, which Cobra plans to claim as its own sovereign territory. (They already have an army of lawyers ready to plead for formal recognition in various capitals, as well as the United Nations.) Continue reading “G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe 41, G.I. Joe 42”