Comics Reviews: JLA 173, Superboy & the Legion 258, Jonah Hex 31

JLA 173 coverJustice League of America #173 – “Testing of a Hero” – Gerry Conway/Dick Dillin/Frank McLaughlin

This one starts with some JLA members (Superman, Zatanna, Flash, Green Lantern, and Green Arrow) observing someone from the roof of a building … someone they’re considering for League membership. Of course, we already know who the mystery candidate is from the cover—Black Lightning. The Leaguers watch as Lightning takes down some guys robbing a pawnshop; he deflects bullets with his electrical force-field, zaps a couple of the thieves with a power-packed punch, and scares the last crook so much that he faints before Lightning can touch him. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 173, Superboy & the Legion 258, Jonah Hex 31”

Superman 342, Action 502, DC Comics Presents 16

Superman 342 coverSuperman #342 – “Hero Under Glass” – Len Wein/Curt Swan/Frank Chiaramonte

This one starts with Superman getting a call from Jenet Klyburn at STAR Labs. It seems STAR were trying to solve the problem of industrial pollution, so they seeded the sky over the industrial area with an experimental chemical that was supposed to eliminate pollutants. Unfortunately, it did just the opposite, combining with the pollution to form a noxious black cloud that’s now raining filth on the town. Klyburn says what happened is impossible according to STAR’s simulations, so Superman goes to check it out. Continue reading “Superman 342, Action 502, DC Comics Presents 16”

Lost Girl Reviews: Season 5, Episode 14

Lost GirlEpisode 14: Follow the Yellow Trick Road

Last episode ended with a bang, as Bo found the bodies of her mother and Trick, murdered by her father, Hades. When Dyson found her, Bo was in some sort of catatonic state. This episode starts with her waking up at home … except it’s not quite how she remembers it. Everything is in black and white except Bo’s dress, a red-checked number. Her hair is also in pigtails. That, combined with the episode’s title, makes me think this is going to be a Wizard of Oz homage, though Bo likens it to a rerun of Lucy. Continue reading “Lost Girl Reviews: Season 5, Episode 14”

Comics Reviews: Batman 318, Detective 487, Brave & the Bold 157, Warlord 28

Batman 318 coverBatman #318 – “My City Burns at Both Ends—It Will Not Last the Night” – Len Wein/Irv Novick/Frank McLaughlin

This one starts with Batman trying to rescue a kid from a burning building. He falls off, but manages to bounce off some telephone wires and land on a pile of fire hoses. Yeah, it sounds impossible, but he is Batman, after all. Commissioner Gordon sees someone on the roof on the burning building and Batman heads up to check it out. It turns out to be the arsonist, dressed in a weird costume and calling himself Firebug. His costume includes napalm projectors and he lights another fire in front of Batman while ranting about how the building has killed enough people and it’s now being killed in turn. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 318, Detective 487, Brave & the Bold 157, Warlord 28”

Comics Reviews: Flash 279, Wonder Woman 261, Green Lantern 122

Flash 279 coverFlash #279 – “Death-Feast” – Cary Bates/Alex Saviuk/Frank Chiaramonte

You’ll remember last issue ended on a big cliffhanger, with crazed convict (and number one suspect in the murder of Iris Allen) Clive Yorkin ambushing the Flash and using a weird new power to drain Flash’s life-force. Yorkin used it earlier on some innocent bystanders and on Heat Wave, which left them looking old and ravaged. Flash tries to fight Yorkin, but can’t vibrate out of his grasp because can somehow match his vibrations. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 279, Wonder Woman 261, Green Lantern 122”

Lost Girl Reviews: Season 5, Episode 13

Lost GirlEpisode 13: Family Portrait

This one starts with Bo showing Tamsin the “weapon” that Hephaestus forged for her … a horseshoe. Tamsin tries to make the best of it, saying Bo could use it like knuckle-dusters, as a back-scratcher, or as a non-returning boomerang. Bo’s not impressed. Continue reading “Lost Girl Reviews: Season 5, Episode 13”

Comics Reviews: JLA 172, Superboy & the Legion 257, Jonah Hex 30

JLA 172 coverJustice League of America #172 – “I Accuse!” – Gerry Conway/Dick Dillin/Frank McLaughlin

You’ll remember last issue Mr. Terrific was killed during the annual JLA/JSA reunion on the Satellite. At first, it looked like an accident—an explosion blew out a wall on the Satellite—but it was determined Mr.Terrific was strangled and the explosion was meant to cover up his murder. Since nobody entered or left, and no one is hiding aboard the Satellite, it looks like one of the superheroes is the killer. Superman comes to that conclusion quickly and asks the two Green Lanterns and Dr. Fate to seal off the Satellite until they figure out who the murderer is. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 172, Superboy & the Legion 257, Jonah Hex 30”

Comics Reviews: Superman 341, Action 501, DC Comics Presents 15

Superman 341 coverSuperman #341 – “The Man Who Could Cause Catastrophe” – Len Wein/Curt Swan/Frank Chiaramonte

This one starts with an earthquake opening a huge fault in downtown Metropolis. Superman shows up to rescue the people who fell in, then closes the fault in a very Silver Age way: he fashions a huge needle and thread out of broken lamp posts and telephone cables and sews the fault back together, sealing it with his heat vision. I can’t even begin to analyze all the reasons that wouldn’t work. Superman can’t figure out what caused the fault in the first place, since Metropolis is built on solid bedrock, but we see the man who engineered the whole mess … Major Disaster. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 341, Action 501, DC Comics Presents 15”

Lost Girl Reviews: Season 5, Episode 12

Lost GirlEpisode 12: Judgement Fae

This one starts (like many before) with a sex scene; Bo and Lauren are going at it in the shower. But now that Lauren has the ability to mimic the powers whatever Fae she touches, their encounter is more balanced, allowing them to drain each other mutually. Continue reading “Lost Girl Reviews: Season 5, Episode 12”

Comics Reviews: Batman 317, Brave & the Bold 156, Warlord 27

Batman 317 coverBatman #317 – “The 1001 Clue Caper” – Len Wein/Irv Novick/Frank McLaughlin

This one starts with a cop giving Batman a package at the police station. It’s a book of 1001 Riddles, which tells Batman the Riddler is back to his old tricks. Robin (who’s still helping Batman during his break from university) wonders how they can figure out which riddle in the book is the one Riddler will plan his crimes around. Batman says there’s no point trying to guess; they just have to wait for Riddler to make a move … which doesn’t take long. Riddler steals a truck full of chickens (!) not long after, which hardly helps since there are plenty of riddles about chickens. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 317, Brave & the Bold 156, Warlord 27”