Well, that’s another year gone by. DC’s comics in 1980 were a bit of a mixed bag. Stuff like Batman, Legion, and JLA had some cool storylines and great art, foreshadowing even better stuff to come. Other comics (Superman especially) seem stuck in the Silver Age, giving us goofy aliens and imaginary stories that don’t mean anything for the characters. Now that Marv Wolfman is writing Action and Green Lantern, and Gerry Conway looks like he’s getting a bit more serious on Wonder Woman and JLA, maybe those titles will get better. The following is my preview for the comics I’ll be reviewing from 1981. As usual, I’ll divide them into the groups they’ll appear in during my reviews, some of which I’ve re-arranged from the 1980 pattern. Continue reading “1981 Preview”
Warehouse 13 Reviews: Season 2, Episode 12
Episode 12: Reset
Last episode, Warehouse 2 came back online, threatening to shut down Warehouse 13 (and blow Mrs. Frederick’s mind). Pete, Myka, and Wells went to Egypt and managed to shut down Warehouse 2, but Wells turned on them and zapped them with a Tesla-type gun. Continue reading “Warehouse 13 Reviews: Season 2, Episode 12”
Comics Reviews: Warlord 40, Jonah Hex 43
Warlord #40 – “The Brotherhood of Death” – Mike Grell/Vince Colletta
This one starts at the royal palace of Kaambuka, where the ruler (Prince Aram Al Ashir) is bored out of his mind with matters of state. He perks when he sees Travis Morgan (and Shakira) outside the throne room, and immediately leaps forward to challenge Morgan to a duel. Ashir boasts that he’s been practicing, but Morgan still manages to defeat him. Before the palace guard can skewer Morgan, Ashir calls them off, explaining that he and Morgan are old friends. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Warlord 40, Jonah Hex 43”
Comics Reviews: Flash 292, Wonder Woman 274, Green Lantern 135
Flash #292 – “Mirror, Mirror, Off the Wall” – Cary Bates/Don Heck
This one starts with Barry Allen and Fiona Webb on a date at the carnival. Fiona seems to have gotten over her negative feelings toward Barry, and (judging by the smooching they do in the House of Mirrors) Barry’s over Iris as well. But the fun is interrupted when Barry sees the face of Joe Scudder (aka his old enemy Mirror Master) in one of the mirrors. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 292, Wonder Woman 274, Green Lantern 135”
Warehouse 13 Reviews: Season 2, Episode 11
Episode 11: Buried
This one starts with Pete having breakfast with Kelly at the boardinghouse … if you call splitting a banana breakfast. Kelly says they could eat a lot better at her place and hints that she’d like him to move in. Pete says Artie is strict about keeping all the agents together in case there’s an emergency, which comes off as Pete being commitment-phobic since Kelly still thinks he works for the IRS. She leaves (taking the entire banana) and it seems like maybe Pete is a bit reluctant to commit fully. Continue reading “Warehouse 13 Reviews: Season 2, Episode 11”
Comics Reviews: JLA 185, Legion of Super-Heroes 270, New Teen Titans 2
Justice League of America #185 – “Darkseid Rising” – Gerry Conway/George Perez/Frank McLaughlin
This one opens with Metron giving us a recap of the last couple issues. Basically, most of the people of New Genesis were kidnapped to Apokolips to construct a machine to return Darkseid to life (with help from three members of Earth-2’s Injustice Society). Metron brought the JLA and JSA to help and they split into teams, as usual. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 185, Legion of Super-Heroes 270, New Teen Titans 2”
Comics Reviews: Superman 354, Action 514, DC Comics Presents 28
Superman #354 – “Twice Upon a Time” – Cary Bates/Curt Swan/Frank Chiaramonte
This one starts with a gang of thieves with rocket packs and other high-tech weaponry fleeing after a successful robbery. They’re reporting to their boss (Mr. Alpha) over a radio link when Superman shows up and ties them in knots … literally. He overhears Alpha’s communication and goes to look for him, but Alpha (who was hiding in a van in a nearby street) sneaks down into the sewers. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 354, Action 514, DC Comics Presents 28”
Warehouse 13 Reviews: Season 2, Episode 10
Episode 10: Where and When
This one starts with a quick scene from Green Bay, Wisconsin in 1961. A woman runs down a sidewalk, apparently trying to get away from someone, but she ends up running into someone else … a cloaked figure who grabs her. Continue reading “Warehouse 13 Reviews: Season 2, Episode 10”
Comics Reviews: Batman 330, Detective 497, Brave & the Bold 169
Batman #330 – “Target” – Marv Wolfman/Irv Novick/Vince Colletta
This one starts with a guy named Archie Skyler on death row, scheduled to be executed in 24 hours. All his hopes for clemency have been exhausted, so he puts the word out that he’s got $10 million in gold stashed away and it’ll go to whoever kills the man who put Archie on death row in the first place … Batman. We see some would-be assassins practicing their Batman killing, but they’re a couple of losers who use a cowboy schtick. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 330, Detective 497, Brave & the Bold 169”
Comics Reviews: Jonah Hex 42, Warlord 39
Jonah Hex #42 – “Wanted for Murder” – Michael Fleisher/Gerald Forton
This one starts with a bunch of sheep rustlers herding their stolen flock down a trail. We learn they’ve already run into Jonah Hex (one guy is wearing Hex’s famous Confederate jacket) and strung him up from a tree. They probably should’ve waited around to make sure he died, but you know how impatient rustlers are. Hex ambushes them, killing or capturing most of the gang except the leader, Sugar Wallace, who takes off with the sheep. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Jonah Hex 42, Warlord 39”