Comics Reviews: JLA 255, All-Star Squadron 62, Infinity Inc. 31

JLA 255 coverJustice League of America #255 – “Rising” – Gerry Conway (plot), J.M. DeMatteis/Luke McDonnell/Bill Wray

This issue opens with Zatanna still being held by Adam’s cult and we get a recap of how she ended up there after tracking her friend Sheri (who double-crossed her) and having some blood taken by Adam so he could assimilate her magical powers. Zatanna’s dream of her father helps her reconnect with her powers and she fights off the influence of the drugs she’s under. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 255, All-Star Squadron 62, Infinity Inc. 31”

Xena Reviews: Season 2, Episode 17

Xena title cardThe Execution – Director: Garth Maxwell/Writer: Paul Robert Coyle

This one starts with Xena and Gabi arriving at a village in response to a summons by Meleager. Gabi is extolling Meleager’s virtues (specifically, how he saved Poteidaia in The Prodigal), which seems to be getting on Xena’s nerves. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 2, Episode 17”

Comics Reviews: Batman 400, Detective 567, Adventures of the Outsiders 38, Outsiders 12

Batman 400 coverBatman #400 – “Resurrection Night” – Doug Moench

This is a special anniversary issue of Batman featuring multiple chapters, each illustrated by different artists. (I’ll list each artist for each chapter, but Doug Moench is the writer for all of them.) The basic premise is that someone has released a bunch of Batman’s villains (almost all of them) and he ends up fighting them all (with a little help from Robin, Catwoman, and Talia). This ties into the note Batman received last issue that told him to “Know Your Foes”, a note he’s still pondering as this story begins (which is also the anniversary of the night Bruce Wayne first became Batman). Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 400, Detective 567, Adventures of the Outsiders 38, Outsiders 12”

Comics Reviews: Green Lantern 204, Firestorm 51, Vigilante 33, Warlord 109

Green Lantern 204 coverGreen Lantern #204 – “Young and Innocent” – Steve Englehart/Joe Staton/Mark Farmer

This one starts with the Green Lanterns examining Arisia in a machine whipped up by Kilowog. They’re worried because she freaked out when fighting Whiteout and Lanterns are supposed to be fearless. Katma Tui almost mentions Arisia’s dizzy spell a couple issues ago, but stops herself (although John knows she’s hiding something). Arisia checks out fine, but Hal worries Kilowog’s machine might’ve missed something. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Green Lantern 204, Firestorm 51, Vigilante 33, Warlord 109”

Xena Reviews: Season 2, Episode16

Xena title cardFor Him the Bell Tolls – Director: Josh Becker/Writer: Adam Armus, Nora Kaye Foster

This one starts with Xena heading off to see King Lias and leaving Gabi behind. Gabi’s not too thrilled about that, thinking Xena doesn’t trust her, or sees her only as a sidekick. Gabi runs into Joxer, who says she can be his sidekick. Gabi humours him, letting him tag along with her. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 2, Episode16”

Comics Reviews: Legion of Super-Heroes 26, New Teen Titans Annual 2, All-Star Squadron 61, Infinity Inc. 30

Legion of Super-Heroes 26 coverLegion of Super-Heroes #26 – “Illusion” – Paul Levitz/Greg LaRocque/Mike DeCarlo, Arne Starr

Last issue, a contingent of Legionnaires (Dream Girl, Colossal Boy, Polar Boy, and Tellus) confronted the new Fatal Five on Stratus, suspecting that mysterious Legionnaire Sensor Girl might have joined them. It turned out she hadn’t, but during the fight Sensor Girl was revealed to be Queen Projectra, who’d left the Legion after killing Nemesis Kid to avenge her dead husband, Karate Kid. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Legion of Super-Heroes 26, New Teen Titans Annual 2, All-Star Squadron 61, Infinity Inc. 30”

Comics Reviews: Superman 423, Action 583, DC Comics Presents 97, JLA 254

Superman 423 coverSuperman #423 – “Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?” – Alan Moore/Curt Swan/George Perez

This is an imaginary story (but aren’t they all?) about Superman’s supposed death, or disappearance, or retirement, depending on how you look at it. The Superman comics were ending in anticipation of John Byrne’s reboot of the character and this (very famous) story is a way of saying farewell to the Silver Age Superman before his history was radically altered. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 423, Action 583, DC Comics Presents 97, JLA 254”

Xena Reviews: Season 2, Episode 15

Xena title cardA Day in the Life – Director: Michael Hurst/Writer: R.J. Stewart

This one starts with thugs attacking Xena and Gabi’s campsite early in the morning. Xena wakes up and uses the cooking utensils to pound the attackers, while Gabi sleeps through another fight. When more thugs show up and head for Gabi, Xena wakes her (by squirting water on her) and she joins the fight. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 2, Episode 15”

Comics Reviews: Batman 399, Detective 566, Adventures of the Outsiders 37, Outsiders 11

Batman 399 coverBatman #399 – “Strike Two” – Doug Moench/Tom Mandrake

Last issue, a nutcase named Spivey killed his ex (Mona Lamont) in a fit of jealousy, decapitating her and taking the head as a trophy. Batman is certain of Spivey’s guilt, but couldn’t find any evidence in his apartment (because Spivey took the head to the basement, where he put it in a bucket of chemicals to shrink it). Batman has been staking out Spivey’s place for over a month, getting Catwoman to cover his nightly patrols. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 399, Detective 566, Adventures of the Outsiders 37, Outsiders 11”

Comics Reviews: Green Lantern 203, Firestorm 50, Vigilante 32, Warlord 108

Green Lantern 203 coverGreen Lantern #203 – “The Diabolical Doctor Ub’x” – Steve Englehart/Joe Staton/Mark Farmer

This one starts in Modora, right after the end of last issue. Dr. Ub’x has used his “Sucker Stick” to place all the Green Lanterns (Hal, John, Katma, Kilowog, Salakk, Ch’p, and Arisia) into crystal coffins, where they’re held in some kind of suspended animation. When Dr. Polaris gets mouthy, Ub’x zaps him into a crystal coffin too. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Green Lantern 203, Firestorm 50, Vigilante 32, Warlord 108”