Reviews, ruminations, and (occasional) ramblings.
Intimate Stranger – Director: Gary Jones/Writer: Steven L. Sears
This one starts with Xena tracking Theodorus and the rest of Callisto’s gang to bring them to justice. She runs into her mother (Cyrene), who makes her feel guilty for letting Callisto die in the quicksand last episode. “Cyrene” turns out to be Ares in disguise and he piles on the guilt even harder. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 2, Episode 7”
Batman #395 – “The Film Freak” – Doug Moench/Tom Mandrake
This one starts with a burglar robbing various places in Gotham, setting off the alarms so the cops will chase him down. He seems to be working off some kind of script, trying to set up a scenario where he’s cornered by the cops and has to shoot his way out. At police headquarters, Batman responds to the Bat-Signal only to find Catwoman waiting for him. After their strange night on the town last issue, she wants to talk about their relationship. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 395, Detective 562, Adventures of the Outsiders 33, Outsiders 7”
Green Lantern #199 – “Ignition” – Steve Englehart/Joe Staton/Mark Farmer, Bob Smith
This one starts on Oa, with the Guardians and Green Lantern Corps officially welcoming Hal Jordan back as a Lantern. (Hal got his ring back from John Stewart when John received Tomar-Re’s ring upon Tomar’s death last issue.) We learn that 912 Lanterns died in the Crisis (out of 3600) and fourteen of the thirty-six Guardians also perished. The remaining Guardians are rather subdued, but tell the Lanterns they have specific tasks for them to accomplish. Continue reading “Green Lantern 199, Firestorm 46, Vigilante 28, Warlord 104”
Return of Callisto – Director: T.J. Scott/Writer: R.J. Stewart
This one starts with some guards tormenting Callisto in prison. They figure they’re safe since she’s strapped into a chair, but karma’s a bitch. She manages to steal a dagger, frees herself, and massacres the guards. She frees her lieutenant (Theodorus) and tells him to liberate all the strong prisoners and kill the weak ones. She also orders him to bring the chair she was confined in, since she has plans for it … plans that involve Xena. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 2, Episode 6”
Legion of Super-Heroes #21 – “Obsession” – Paul Levitz/Greg LaRocque/Larry Mahlstedt, Mike DeCarlo
This one starts with Brainiac 5 and Element Lad having a secret meeting in the transport tubes that pass right through the Earth. Brainy is worried about Sensor Girl and thinks her reluctance to reveal her true identity could be dangerous. Element Lad disagrees and has decided to trust Sensor Girl, since Saturn Girl vouched for her. Brainy still isn’t convinced, but can’t change Element Lad’s mind. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Legion of Super-Heroes 21, New Teen Titans 19, All-Star Squadron 56, Infinity Inc. 25”
Superman #418 – “The Replacement” – Cary Bates/Curt Swan/Dave Hunt
This one starts with Superman being shanghaied into space by some aliens. But these aliens aren’t attacking him, they need his help. A strange entity has attacked their planet, consuming its atmosphere, and they need Superman to stop it. Since he knows their race to be a peaceful one, he agrees and they beam him to their planet. The aliens decide they’d better leave a replacement on Earth to do Superman’s job while he’s away (although they don’t tell Superman that). Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 418, Action 578, DC Comics Presents 92, JLA 249”
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun – Director: T.J. Scott/Writers: Adam Armus, Nora Kaye Foster
This one starts with Joxer being chased through a forest by wolves. Elsewhere in the forest, Xena and Gabi learn about six local girls who have disappeared lately. Xena tells Gabi this is the Bacchae Forest, where Orpheus’s singing is supposed to keep the Bacchae under control. But Orpheus is missing, so Xena figures the Bacchae took the missing girls. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 2, Episode 5”
Batman #394 – “At the Heart of Stone” – Doug Moench/Paul Gulacy
This one starts with Batman having a nightmare of getting beheaded by an animated statue. Last issue, a former KGB agent gone rogue (Dark Rider) stole some plutonium and hid it inside a bronze statue of a Cossack horseman. Dark Rider eluded capture in Europe and is now heading for Gotham with the plutonium. Obviously that’s weighing on Batman’s mind. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 394, Detective 561, Batman & the Outsiders 32, Outsiders 6”
Green Lantern #198 – “1” – Steve Englehart/Joe Staton/Bruce Patterson
Last issue, Hal Jordan got a new ring from a Guardian and was told to help Guy Gardner and his band of villains in their mission to destroy the moon of Qward. Right after Guy and company left, Sinestro showed up to tell John Stewart and Katma Tui that they had to stop Guy’s mission. Sinestro explains that Qward is the twin of Oa in the anti-matter universe and its moon is the birthplace of the Anti-Monitor, just as Oa’s moon spawned the Monitor. Sinestro says if the moon is destroyed it’ll break the symmetry between the positive and negative matter universes, throwing everything into chaos. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Green Lantern 198, Firestorm 45, Vigilante 27, Warlord 103”
Giant Killer – Director: Gary Jones/Writer: Terence Winter
This one starts with Xena and Gabi strolling through a Giants’ graveyard, which is weird because Giants don’t bury their dead, so they’re surrounded by huge skeletons and scattered bones. Xena tells Gabi about a battle ten years ago against a Giant named Gareth and how she was saved by a friend. Now she’s meeting the friend at the graveyard. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 2, Episode 4”