Frankie Drake Mysteries Reviews: Season 1, Episode 7

Frankie Drake titleTies That Bind – Director: Eleanore Lindo/Writer: Carol Hay

This one starts with a young woman named Jenny teaching English to some Chinese people. When she leaves, Mary starts following her through the darkened streets. Jenny meets with a tall Chinese guy and gives him some money. Mary keeps following her, but Jenny just disappears. The next day, Mary goes to Frankie and Trudy to ask them to look into Jenny’s disappearance, since they have connections in Chinatown. Frankie agrees, but notices that Mary is acting weird and figures she’s holding something back. Continue reading “Frankie Drake Mysteries Reviews: Season 1, Episode 7”

Comics Reviews: Legion 10, Suicide Squad 44

Legion of Super-Heroes 10 coverLegion of Super-Heroes #10 – (Roxxas Strikes) – Tom and Mary Bierbaum/Keith Giffen/Al Gordon

This one starts with a disguised Roxxas arriving on Winath where the ex-Legionnaires are congregating. Roxxas knows the Legion might re-form and come after him for killing Blok, so he’s decided to strike at them first. He goes along on a tour group to get close to Garth and Imra’s place. (That’s Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl, in case you didn’t know.) Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Legion 10, Suicide Squad 44”

Comics Reviews: Justice League America 41, Justice League Europe 17

Justice League America 41 coverJustice League America #41 – “Maximum Force” – Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis/Mike McKone/Bruce Patterson

This one starts with Maxwell Lord telling J’onn J’onzz about his power to influence minds, which he got from the gene-bomb during the Invasion. J’onn promises to keep Max’s power a secret, but reminds him about the moral implications of tampering with people’s minds, even quoting Spider-Man’s “with great power comes great responsibility” maxim. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Justice League America 41, Justice League Europe 17”

Frankie Drake Mysteries Reviews: Season 1, Episode 6

Frankie Drake titleWhisper Sisters – Director: Leslie Hope/Writer: Adriana Maggs

This one starts with Frankie experimenting with various blends of homemade gin, using Trudy as the final judge of quality. Trudy points out an article in the newspaper about a mobster (Joe Perry) committing suicide in prison. Frankie is bothered by the news and we get an extended flashback to six months ago, when she and Trudy met Joe Perry. Continue reading “Frankie Drake Mysteries Reviews: Season 1, Episode 6”

Comics Reviews: Batman 452, Batman 453, Detective 619, Detective 620, Legends of the Dark Knight 10

Batman 452 coverBatman #452 – “Dark Knight, Dark City” – Peter Milligan/Kieron Dwyer/Dennis Janke

This one starts with a journal entry by a guy named Jacob Stockman, who writes about a satanic ritual he performed in 1764 with some other men (including a pre-Revolutionary Thomas Jefferson) on his farm outside Gotham. Stockman and the others were attempting to control a “daemon” (Barbathos) by sacrificing a drugged-up girl. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 452, Batman 453, Detective 619, Detective 620, Legends of the Dark Knight 10”

Comics Reviews: Wonder Woman 44, Green Arrow 34, Firestorm 99

Wonder Woman 44 coverWonder Woman #44 – “Caged” – George Perez, Mindy Newell/Chris Marrinan/Romeo Tanghal

Last issue, Wonder Woman was forced to surrender after Etta Candy and Maxine Sterenbuch were captured by Armbruster’s men. Maxine had come to Wonder Woman for help in getting her friend Silver Swan away from Armbruster, but Silver Swan is so smitten by Armbruster that she can’t see he’s just using her (and she shrugs off his abusive behaviour, no matter how bad it gets). Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Wonder Woman 44, Green Arrow 34, Firestorm 99”

Frankie Drake Mysteries Reviews: Season 1, Episode 5

Frankie Drake titleOut of Focus – Director: Sudz Sutherland/Writer: John Callaghan

This one starts with Frankie about to be hanged; naturally, it’s a fake-out, but we don’t get to see the circumstances until later. The real story starts with Frankie and Trudy watching a silent comedy in Frankie’s office. The guy showing them the film turns out to be Mack Sennett, who points out someone getting shot in the background of the scene. Sennett tells them that nobody saw or heard anything, and no dead body has been found, so he wants Frankie to find out what happened. He does mention that a local who worked on the production (Dan Channing) has disappeared, so he could be the victim … or the killer. Continue reading “Frankie Drake Mysteries Reviews: Season 1, Episode 5”

Comics Reviews: New Titans 68, Legion 9, Suicide Squad 43

New Titans 68 coverNew Titans #68 – “New Deal” – Barbara and Karl Kesel/Steve Erwin/Bob Smith

This one starts with the Royal Flush Gang preparing to work for the Joker. The Royal Flushers have kinda gone downhill in the last few years: Queen is an alcoholic, Jack a fading gigolo, King and Ace (who’s human now, not a robot) are pulling small-time robberies to get by, and Ten is making like Fagin, using a gang of street kids as thieves. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: New Titans 68, Legion 9, Suicide Squad 43”

Comics Reviews: Justice League America 40, Justice League Europe 16

Justice League America 40 coverJustice League America #40 – “Hell on Earth” – Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis/Adam Hughes/Jose Marzan Jr.

Last issue, Despero came to Earth looking for revenge against the JLA for defeating him, but he soon found out that particular iteration of the team no longer exists. After killing Gypsy’s parents, Despero confronted the new Justice League, his hatred making no distinction between them and his original targets. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Justice League America 40, Justice League Europe 16”

Frankie Drake Mysteries Reviews: Season 1, Episode 4

Frankie Drake titleHealing Hands – Director: Sudz Sutherland/Writer: Andrew Burrows-Trotman

This one starts with Trudy and her mom (Mildred) going to church. The pastor (Edmund Thompson) gets everyone going with his sermon, then brings out his daughter Elsie, who’s apparently a healer. Trudy seems a bit skeptical, but Mildred is a believer and wants to get her hip healed. Continue reading “Frankie Drake Mysteries Reviews: Season 1, Episode 4”