Tag: All-Star Comics reviews

Comics Reviews: JLA 220, Legion of Super-Heroes 305, New Teen Titans 36, All-Star Squadron Annual 2

JLA 220 coverJustice League of America #220 – “The Doppelganger Gambit”– Roy Thomas/Chuck Patton/Romeo Tanghal, Pablo Marcos

Last issue, the annual JLA/JSA reunion was interrupted when all of Earth-1’s heroes were incapacitated, leaving anyone from Earth-2 hale and hearty. Black Canary and Starman were dragged into the Thunderbolt dimension by Johnny Thunder’s T-bolt, now under the control of the Earth-1 Johnny Thunder (who’s an evil bastard). They were startled to see another Black Canary in suspended animation, lying beside Canary’s dead husband, Larry Lance. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 220, Legion of Super-Heroes 305, New Teen Titans 36, All-Star Squadron Annual 2”

Comics Review: JLA 158, Superboy & the Legion 243, All-Star Comics 74

JLA 158 coverJustice League of America #158 – “The Super-Power of Negative Thinking” – Gerry Conway/Dick Dillin/Frank McLaughlin

This one starts in the middle of the action, as Flash and Wonder Woman battle Poison Ivy and Mirror Master at the Central City Museum. Mirror Master uses one of his devices to put a force bubble around Wonder Woman’s head, blinding her and cutting off her air. Poison ivy shoots poison darts at Flash that are attuned to his vibrational frequency, so he can’t just vibrate through them. It looks bad for Flash, but Ultraa shows up out of nowhere and blocks the poison darts with his invulnerable body. Continue reading “Comics Review: JLA 158, Superboy & the Legion 243, All-Star Comics 74”

Comics Reviews: JLA 156, Superboy & the Legion 241, All-Star Comics 73

JLA 156 coverJustice League of America #156 – “The Fiend With Five Faces” – Gerry Conway/Dick Dillin/Frank McLaughlin

This one starts with Aquaman emerging from the ocean in Honolulu and staggering through the streets mumbling about having to warn the JLA about a fiend with five faces. He’s accosted by a couple of muggers (who he quickly slaps down), then finds a cab. The cabbie is really excited to have such a distinguished person in his cab and takes Aquaman to a building where the JLA transporter tube is located. (The joke is that the cabbie thought Aquaman was Steve McQueen—ask your parents.) Aquaman beams to the JLA Satellite where Ralph (Elongated Man) Dibny is on duty. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 156, Superboy & the Legion 241, All-Star Comics 73”

Comics Reviews: JLA 154, Superboy & the Legion 239, All-Star Comics 72

 

JLA 154 coverJustice League of America #154 – “I’ll Kill You in Your Dreams” – Gerry Conway/Dick Dillin/Frank McLaughlin

This issue starts with a skull-faced bad guy melting wax figurines of some JLA members and gloating about how he’s soon going to get revenge on them for real. He’s not identified, but the fact that he has history with the League, and his constant references to “destiny”, means we can make a pretty good guess as to who he is. We see he’s in a faux castle that sits on top of a huge building, which is located on an island in a river. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 154, Superboy & the Legion 239, All-Star Comics 72”

Comics Reviews: JLA 152, Superboy & the Legion 237, All-Star Comics 71

JLA 152 coverJustice League of America #152 – “2000 Light Years to Christmas” – Gerry Conway/Dick Dillin/Frank McLaughlin

This issue is a bit strange; it’s supposed to be a Christmas allegory, an updating of the Star of Bethlehem/Three Wise Men story. But it’s a bit heavy-handed and I’m not exactly sure what point Gerry Conway was trying to make. Anyway, it starts with three weird-looking aliens zipping through space. They run into some kind of space warp and crash land on Earth, losing the three “gifts” they’re carrying. One lands in Georgia, one in the Middle East, and one in Canada. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 152, Superboy & the Legion 237, All-Star Comics 71”

Comics Reviews: JLA 150, Superboy & the Legion 235, All-Star Comics 70

JLA 150 coverJLA #150 – “The Key … or Not the Key” – Steve Englehart/Dick Dillin/Frank McLaughlin

This one starts immediately after last issue (and gives us a recap), when he JLA unmasked Star-Tsar and found him to be their old friend Snapper Carr. Of course, they want an explanation, but he basically tells them to go to hell. They’re attacked by his henchmen (the Star Lords) and kind of get their asses kicked. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 150, Superboy & the Legion 235, All-Star Comics 70”

Comics Reviews: JLA 148, Superboy & the Legion 233, All-Star Comics 69

JLA 148 coverJLA #148 – “Crisis in Triplicate” – Martin Pasko, Paul Levitz/Dick Dillin/Frank McLaughlin

There’s a lot going on in this issue, so hang on to your hats. We start with a recap of last ish—Abnegazar, Rath, and Ghast were summoned to the 30th Century by Mordru to serve him, but they zapped him instead so they could have all the power for themselves. The JLA and JSA were banished into Limbo, except for Green Arrow and Black Canary, who are trapped in a miniature hourglass around Mordru’s neck. Oh, and the Legion of Super-Heroes is there too. Got all that? Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 148, Superboy & the Legion 233, All-Star Comics 69”

Comics Reviews: JLA 146, Superboy & the Legion 231, All-Star Comics 68

JLA 146 coverJustice League of America #146 – “Inner Mission” – Steve Englehart/Dick Dillin/Frank McLaughlin

This one follows immediately after last issue, with a resurrected Red Tornado being mobbed by the Justice League. But not everyone is thrilled to see old Reddy back from the dead; Superman is suspicious since last time Red Tornado came back from the dead, it was part of a plot by T.O. Morrow. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 146, Superboy & the Legion 231, All-Star Comics 68”

Comics Reviews: JLA 144, Superboy & the Legion 229, All-Star Comics 67

JLA 144 coverJustice League of America #144 – “The Origin of the Justice League—Minus One!” – Steve Englehart/Dick Dillin/Frank McLaughlin

This is a retelling of the JLA’s origin. Of course, the JLA’s origin has been retold and rebooted a million times since, but back in 1977, this was kind of a big deal. I’m not sure how well this fits with later JLA origin stories, especially JLA: Year One. A bunch of heroes team up with the JLA in issues 11 and 12 of that maxi-series, but it’s obviously not the same story. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 144, Superboy & the Legion 229, All-Star Comics 67”

Comics Review: JLA 142, Superboy & the Legion 227, All-Star Comics 66

JLA 142 coverJustice League of America #142 – “Return From Forever” – Steve Englehart/Dick Dillin/Frank McLaughlin

This issue basically solves the mystery of why Aquaman, Elongated Man, and Atom didn’t respond to the JLA emergency signal for the last couple of issues. Apparently, they’ve been hanging out in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, taking a break from the superhero thing. Atom’s having some kind of existential crisis, complaining that his powers are pretty much useless. Maybe he should move to South America and be a swashbuckler … nah, too crazy. Ralph and Aquaman try to cheer him up, but they’re interrupted by a couple of spaceships shooting at each other. Continue reading “Comics Review: JLA 142, Superboy & the Legion 227, All-Star Comics 66”