Comics Reviews: Batman 394, Detective 561, Batman & the Outsiders 32, Outsiders 6

Batman 394 coverBatman #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”

Comics Reviews: Green Lantern 198, Firestorm 45, Vigilante 27, Warlord 103

Green Lantern 198 coverGreen 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”

Xena Reviews: Season 2, Episode 4

Xena title cardGiant 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”

Comics Reviews: Legion of Super-Heroes 20, New Teen Titans 18, All-Star Squadron 55, Infinity Inc. 24

Legion of Super-Heroes 20 coverLegion of Super-Heroes #20 – “To Control a World” – Paul Levitz/Greg LaRocque/Larry Mahlstedt

Last issue, five Legionnaires (Ultra Boy, Phantom Girl, Shrinking Violet, Chameleon Boy, and Element Lad) were taken across the galaxy by a Controller to help stop Tyrraz, a Death Star-type planet that’s about to start obliterating worlds. This Controller was trying to eliminate Tyrraz before by using a Sun-Eater, but these particular Legionnaires destroyed it, so the Controller figures they should help him destroy Tyrraz now. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Legion of Super-Heroes 20, New Teen Titans 18, All-Star Squadron 55, Infinity Inc. 24”

Comics Reviews: Superman 417, Action 577, DC Comics Presents 91, JLA 248

Superman 417 coverSuperman #417 – “Warrior of Mars” – Elliot S! Maggin/Curt Swan/Dave Hunt

It seems like the Superman comics were in a bit of a holding pattern at this, probably because DC knew Superman was going to be revamped after Crisis and figured there wasn’t much point in starting new storylines. So they ended up doing a lot of inventory stories and imaginary tales like this one. As the title suggests, this is about what might’ve happened if Superman’s rocket had landed on Mars instead of Earth when he was a baby. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 417, Action 577, DC Comics Presents 91, JLA 248”

Xena Reviews: Season 2, Episode 3

Xena title cardWarrior … Princess … Tramp – Director: Josh Becker/Writer: R.J. Stewart

This one starts in King Lias’s castle, with Lias seemingly on the point of death (although we’ll see later that Lias is a bit of a hypochondriac) and worried about an assassination plot. Lias tells Diana to send for Xena. In a tavern not far away, Joxer is telling everyone an exaggerated story of how he helped Xena defeat Callisto. Gabi comes in to set the record straight and learns Joxer saw Xena at the tavern not long ago. That surprises Gabi, since Xena was supposed to be in Thebes and wasn’t meeting her until tomorrow. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 2, Episode 3”

Comics Reviews: Batman 393, Detective 560, Batman & the Outsiders 31, Outsiders 5

Batman 393 coverBatman #393 – “The Dark Rider” – Doug Moench/Paul Gulacy

This story reunites Doug Moench with Paul Gulacy; the team did some classic stories together at Marvel in the 70s and it’s great to see them collaborating again (especially since I love Gulacy’s art). Gulacy has a very cinematic style and this tale plays out like a movie (a James Bond movie to be specific). It starts with Commissioner Gordon telling Batman the CIA needs a favour from him. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 393, Detective 560, Batman & the Outsiders 31, Outsiders 5”

Comics Reviews: Wonder Woman 329, Green Lantern 197, Firestorm 44, Vigilante 26, Warlord 102

Wonder Woman 329 coverWonder Woman #329 – “Of Gods and Men” – Gerry Conway/Don Heck

This one starts with Ares (the god formerly known as Mars) and Hades in the Underworld making a deal. Apparently, the Anti-Monitor has taken over the underworld and instead of fighting him, Hades has decided to ally with him. On Paradise Island, Wonder Woman makes peace with her mother Hippolyta, telling her she still loves her. But Hippolyta still despairs about the Crisis, believing it means the end for the Greek gods and the Amazons. Kore (aka Persephone) shows up to tell Hippolyta that death will bring no release. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Wonder Woman 329, Green Lantern 197, Firestorm 44, Vigilante 26, Warlord 102”

Xena Reviews: Season 2, Episode 2

Xena title cardRemember Nothing – Director: Anson Williams/Story: Steven L. Sears, Chris Manheim/Telepay: Chris Manheim

This one starts with Xena and Gabi going to the Temple of the Fates, something Xena does every year to honour her brother Lyceus, who died helping her fight Cortese eleven years ago. The temple is attacked and Xena and Gabi fight the invaders. Heeding a warning from Gabi, Xena kills a swordsman who turns out to be very young, barely a teenager. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 2, Episode 2”

Comics Reviews: Legion of Super-Heroes 19, New Teen Titans 17, All-Star Squadron 54, Infinity Inc. 23

Legion of Super-Heroes 19 coverLegion of Super-Heroes #19 – “No Good Deed Goes Unpunished” – Paul Levitz/Greg Larocque/Larry Mahlstedt

This one starts on Manna-5, a planet that’s recently experienced some damaging tidal waves. Ultra Boy, Phantom Girl, and Colossal Boy are there to help the victims and prevent any more tsunamis. Everything’s going fine until Phantom Girl and Ultra Boy suddenly vanish. Colossal Boy calls headquarters, where Timber Wolf and Blok are on monitor duty. They summon Element Lad, but before he can figure out what to do, he vanishes as well. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Legion of Super-Heroes 19, New Teen Titans 17, All-Star Squadron 54, Infinity Inc. 23”