Reviews, ruminations, and (occasional) ramblings.
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”
Conan the Barbarian #33 – “Death and 7 Wizards” – Roy Thomas/John Buscema/Ernie Chan
Last issue, Conan was sent to the city of Wan Tengri in Khitai by a Turanian commander who wanted him to gather information for a possible invasion. The city is ruled by seven mysterious wizards who fill the skies with flames from a high tower. Conan ran afoul of one of the wizards and ended up fleeing the city guard, swimming through a watery tunnel where he fought an octopus-woman (which may or may not have been an illusion) before crawling out of a pool in the garden and collapsing. Continue reading “Conan Reviews: Conan the Barbarian 33, Conan the Barbarian 34”
G.I. Joe #33 (March 1985) – “Celebration” – Larry Hama/Frank Springer/Andy Mushynsky
This one starts with General Austin arriving at the Pit before the big opening ceremony. We see Snake Eyes, Airborne, and Spirit in the infirmary recovering from their adventure in the High Sierras last issue. When Scarlett comes in to talk to Snake Eyes (after having a long conversation with the Soft Master), Airborne figures he and Spirit should give the two lovebirds some privacy … but Spirit is already gone. Continue reading “G.I. Joe Reviews: G.I. Joe 33, G.I. Joe 34”
Well, that’s another season of Frankie Drake finished. I like this show a lot, so I wish there were more episodes per season. We learned a bit more about the main characters (finally finding out what happened to Frankie during the Great War) and saw some favourite guest characters (Joe Perry, Tickles Malone, Moses Page) return, along with perennial favourites Mildred and Nora. We also met Frankie’s brother, as well as a few real-life characters like Agatha Christie and William Hubbard. I like how the show throws in topical issues (medicine shows, the lost Debussy concerto, Trudy’s friend
running for office) that are still relatable. In fact some of the issues, like sexual harassment or the land scam, are still happening today. Flo seems to be getting closer to realizing her dream of being a doctor, and Mary has finally learned to stand up for herself, which should help her become a cop. Mary is still my favourite character (and I love how well she and Flo work together), so I hope we get plenty of her in the next season, which I’ll start reviewing next week.