Reviews, ruminations, and (occasional) ramblings.
Episode 2: Resonance
This one starts with a bank robbery in Chicago, but the thieves have a pretty wild way of dealing with bystanders and guards … they use some kind of sonic pulse to stun everyone and knock out electronic devices, including cameras; the pulse comes from speakers stitched inside one thief’s trenchcoat. Continue reading “Warehouse 13 Reviews: Season 1, Episode 2”
Superman #344 – “The Monsters Among Us” – Len Wein, Paul Levitz/Curt Swan/Frank Chiaramonte
It was a dark and stormy night … No, this isn’t a novel by Bulwer-Lytton (or Snoopy), but it is rather “gothic” in theme. It starts with Superman blocking a lightning bolt from striking in downtown Metropolis and using his heat vision to evaporate the storm clouds. He rushes to a mansion (Castle Kanlyn) outside the city and changes to Clark Kent. Clark is ushered into the mansion by his host, Ms. MacArdle, to find Lois is waiting for him. They’re there to report on a séance where the participants try to contact the spirit of a dead magician named Roland Randall. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 344, Action 504, DC Comics Presents 18”
Batman #320 – “The Curse of the Inquisitor” – Denny O’Neil/Irv Novick/Bob Smith
This one starts with a mail carrier delivering some stuff to an office belonging to a guy named Sigerson. The mailman and a cleaning lady both think it’s strange that they’ve never seen the mysterious Mr. Sigerson. We soon find out why; Sigerson is an alias used by Batman, and the office is a mail drop. Batman subscribes to a clipping service that sends him info about crimes all over the world, but he doesn’t want that correspondence addressed to Bruce Wayne. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 320, Detective 488, Brave & the Bold 159, Warlord 30”
Episode 1: Pilot
Welcome to my first review of Warehouse 13. I’ve never seen this show before, though I remember thinking it looked interesting when it was on, so I’m going in with no preconceptions other than knowing the basic premise of the series (two Secret Service agents investigate weird phenomena and work in a gigantic government warehouse that’s off the grid). I’ll give my overall impressions at the end of the review, so let’s just jump right into the first show. Technically, this could be counted as two episodes, since it was a two-hour premiere, but Wikipedia has it listed as Episode 1, so that’s what I’m going with. Continue reading “Warehouse 13 Reviews: Season 1, Episode 1”
Flash #281 – “Deadly Games” – Cary Bates/Don Heck/Frank Chiaramonte
You’ll remember last issue Barry finally dealt with Clive Yorkin, the crazed prison escapee who Barry thought responsible for the murder of his beloved wife, Iris, by accidentally burying him in a sinkhole. But at the end of the issue, Barry got a call from his friend, Detective Frank Curtis, who told him he had proof that Yorkin wasn’t the one who killed Iris. Before Frank could elucidate, Barry heard what sounded like a gunshot. This issue opens a moment later, with Barry wondering what’s going on at the other end of the line. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 281, Wonder Woman 263, Green Lantern 124”
Justice League of America #174 – “A Plague of Monsters” – Gerry Conway/Dick Dillin/Frank McLaughlin
Last issue ended with Black Lightning turning down membership in the JLA and a new villain in a weird costume (the Regulator) using an army of controlled rats to attack a STAR Labs facility. This issue starts with Regulator inside STAR, ordering his rats to swarm over a guard. A STAR scientist confronts the villain and we get a self-narrated origin. Regulator used to work at STAR and invented a helmet that allowed him to control vermin, but using the helmet drove him crazy and he was committed to an asylum. Now he’s back for revenge on his colleagues at STAR and everyone else who wronged him, which seems to include most of the city. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 174, Legion of Super-Heroes 259, Jonah Hex 32”
Well, I finished my reviews of Lost Girl last week, so today I’m going to do a brief overall review of the series and a quick preview of the next series I’ll be reviewing on Wednesdays. I remember seeing ads for Lost Girl when it first came out and thinking it looked pretty cool, so I started watching and liked it immediately. The humour was great, I like the way they used mythology, and there was enough sex and violence to keep it interesting. Continue reading “Lost Girl Overview/Warehouse 13 Preview”
Superman #343 – “The Last Days of Metropolis” – Denny O’Neil/Curt Swan/Frank Chiaramonte
This one’s kinda goofy, but it seems familiar to me. I may have had it as a kid, or maybe it just reminds me of the typical Silver Age weirdness. This one starts in Ancient Rome, specifically in Pompeii, where a sorcerer named Moximus has conjured a vision in his brazier of Superman in the future. Moximus says Superman heralds destruction, then warns his fellow citizens about a more immediate threat … Mount Vesuvius, which is about to spew lava all over their town. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 343, Action 503, DC Comics Presents 17”
Batman #319 – “Never Give Up the Ghost” – Len Wein/Irv Novick/Bob Smith
This one starts with Gentleman Ghost and a couple of henchmen stealing industrial diamonds from a factory. Naturally, Batman shows up to pound them and does pretty well until Gentleman Ghost uses a hoist hook to snag Batman’s cape, holding him helpless above the floor. Ghost and his thugs take off, but Batman manages to snag the satchel full of diamonds with his Batarang and invites Ghost to try and retrieve it. Ghost isn’t stupid enough to approach Batman (who has almost freed himself from the hook), but vows he’ll get the diamonds sooner or later. By the time Batman does get free, Ghost is long gone. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 319, Brave & the Bold 158, Warlord 29”
Gulliver is sad today because Koko, the famous sign-language gorilla, has died at the age of 46. She was one of a kind 🙁