Reviews, ruminations, and (occasional) ramblings.
A Most Foiled Assault – Director: Gary Harvey/Writer: Jennifer Kassabian
This one starts at a gym where several women are practicing fencing. Women haven’t been allowed to compete in the Olympics so far, but these women are hoping to be the first. Unfortunately, some men aren’t happy about that and have even attacked some of the competitors. Continue reading “Frankie Drake Mysteries Reviews: Season 4, Episode 4”
Conan the Barbarian #39 – “The Dragon from the Inland Sea” – Roy Thomas/John Buscema
This one starts with Conan riding through some wastelands on his way to Zamora. He’s waylaid by some bandits and ends up killing them all, but his horse is lamed and he’s forced to kill it. While contemplating his next move, Conan is bitten by a snake. He sucks as much poison out as he can, but succumbs to what remains inside his veins, passing out in the desert. Continue reading “Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 39, Conan the Barbarian 40”
G.I. Joe #39 (September 1985) – “Walk Through the Jungle” – Larry Hama/Rod Whigham/Andy Mushynsky
Last issue, a team of Joes (Stalker, Ripcord, Gung Ho, and Roadblock) went to Sierra Gordo and made contact with another Joe (Recondo) and his friends, the local Tucaro Indians. They’re in the war-torn banana republic to rescue Dr. Adele Burkhart (who longtime fans will remember from issue 1) from a rebel stronghold. Continue reading “G.I. Joe reviews: G.I. Joe 39, G.I. Joe 40”
The Girls Can’t Help It – Director: Gary Harvey/Writer: Mary Pedersen
This one starts with Mary attending a swinging party full of flappers and dandies making merry at a mansion. She was invited by an old school friend (Jackie), but feels somewhat out of place surrounded by the upper classes. Continue reading “Frankie Drake Mysteries Reviews: Season 4, Episode 3”
Conan the Barbarian #37 – “The Curse of the Golden Skull” – Roy Thomas/Neal Adams
This one starts ages ago, with a dark wizard of Lemuria (Rotath) being killed by King Kull. The dying Rotath put a deadly curse on his own bones, a curse that would affect whoever found his remains. Millennia later, a hillsman was exploring a lost valley and found a ruined city and Rotath’s skeleton, now made of solid gold. The hillsman couldn’t resist the lure of gold, but as soon as he touched the skeleton, he was taken over by Rotath’s spirit. Continue reading “Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 37, Conan the Barbarian 38”
G.I. Joe #37 (July 1985) – “Twin Brothers” – Larry Hama/Frank Springer/Andy Mushynsky
This one starts with Ripcord, Blowtorch, and Gung Ho helping Bongo the Balloon Bear deliver some balloons and other party favours to an organization at the Arbco Brothers Circus. The Joes are helping because they owe Bongo for taking her van to chase Fred II a couple of issues ago, although it seems like Ripcord might have a more personal reason for helping Bongo (who’s actually a hot blonde named Candy). Continue reading “G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe 37, G.I. Joe 38”
Prince in Exile – Director: Eleanore Lindo/Writer: Peter Mitchell
This one starts with Frankie and her new boyfriend (Alessandro Contento) arriving at a club with a bunch of reporters clamouring to take Alessandro’s photo. They don’t really care too much about Frankie, especially one obnoxious reporter who pisses Alessandro off by being rude to Frankie. Inside the club, we learn that Trudy’s fiancé Bill has gotten a job offer in Ottawa, which means Trudy will be moving there after the marriage. It’s obvious she’s still having doubts about marrying Bill, but she won’t admit it. Frankie and Trudy notice a guy aggressively questioning another customer and force him to leave. The guy says he’s looking for a missing Prince, so they decide to help. Continue reading “Frankie Drake Mysteries Reviews: Season 4, Episode 2”
Conan the Barbarian #35 – “The Hellspawn of Kara-Shehr” – Roy Thomas/John Buscema/Ernie Chan
This one starts with Conan and his new companion Bourtai (who he met last issue) travelling across the desert on their way back to Aghrapur. They come upon some desert warriors harrying a lone man and Conan rides in to help. The raiders try to kill the loner, who apparently holds some kind of valuable secret. Continue reading “Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 35, Conan the Barbarian 36”
G.I. Joe #35 (May 1985) – “Dreadnoks on the Loose” – Larry Hama/Rod Whigham, Mark Bright, Bob Camp/Andy Mushynsky, Mike Esposito
This one starts with the Dreadnoks(Buzzer, Torch, and Ripper) admiring Zartan’s new motorbike. Buzzer demonstrates the holographic projector that allows the bike to look like something else (a van, a car, a semi-truck) and explains that it’s the same technology Zartan uses to make himself look like someone else. Continue reading “G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe 35, G.I. Joe 36”
Scavenger Hunt – Director: Eleanore Lindo/Writer: Mary Pedersen
This one starts with Frankie, Mary, Trudy, and Flo tramping around the woods taking part in a scavenger hunt. We get some updates on everyone’s lives: Flo is getting ready to enter medical school, Trudy and Bill are engaged, and Frankie has a new guy in her life. Frankie’s man is supposedly rich, adventurous, and European, which makes the others think she might be lying about how great he is (or about his very existence). Frankie and Mary spot one of the items on their list (a carved wooden moose) and Frankie climbs up an escarpment to get it. From her vantage point, she sees something that’s not on the list … a dead body. Continue reading “Frankie Drake Mysteries Reviews: Season 4, Episode 1”