Tag: Batman reviews

Comics Reviews: Batman 309, Brave & the Bold 148, Warlord 19

Batman 309 coverBatman #309 – “Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas” – Len Wein/John Calnan/Frank McLaughlin

This is a Christmas-themed issue; despite the March cover date, it was probably on the stands in December of 1978. It starts with a bunch of muggers grabbing a young woman’s purse. She freaks out, saying it contains all the money she has left in the world, but the muggers aren’t moved by her pleas. In fact, they seem to think she got off light, since they didn’t rape her or something. The purse only contains five dollars, but before the muggers can go in search of more prey, Blockbuster comes smashing into the alley and kicks the crap out of them. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 309, Brave & the Bold 148, Warlord 19”

Comics Reviews: Batman 308, Detective 482, Brave & the Bold 147, Warlord 18

Batman 308 coverBatman #308 – “There’ll Be a Cold Time in the Old Town Tonight” – Len Wein/John Calnan/Dick Giordano

This one starts with a guy named Jacob Riker watching Batman swing by his window and wishing the Caped Crusader could help him. But Riker figures he’s beyond anyone’s help and we soon see he’s right. Mr. Freeze shows up with some henchmen who look like frozen zombies and Riker says he’ll give in to Freeze’s demands, but Freeze wants to use Riker as an example, so he blasts him with his cold-gun, freezing him solid. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 308, Detective 482, Brave & the Bold 147, Warlord 18”

Comics Reviews: Batman 307, Brave & the Bold 146, Warlord 17

Batman 307 coverBatman #307 – “Dark Messenger of Mercy” – Len Wein/John Calnan/Dick Giordano

This one starts with a mysterious guy giving a couple of gold coins to a homeless lady. The guy is all wrapped up in a green coat and hat and a red scarf, which maybe should’ve made her suspicious. Only moments after receiving the coins—which are apparently solid gold—she keels over dead. The weirdo places the coins on her eyes and limps off into the night. At the offices of the Wayne Foundation, Bruce Wayne is talking to Lucius Fox (in his first appearance) about a mysterious billionaire named Gregorian Falstaff. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 307, Brave & the Bold 146, Warlord 17”

Comics Reviews: Batman 306, Detective 481, Brave and the Bold 145

Batman 306 coverBatman #306 – “Night of Siege” – Gerry Conway/John Calnan/David Hunt

This one starts with some shifty dudes unloading boxes from a boat in the middle of the night … definitely suspicious behaviour. Batman seems to agree, since he shows up and beats the hell out of them. The boxes are full of heroin and Batman realizes the boat is from a ship called the Golden Girl II. He goes to check it out, sneaking aboard the ship and cornering the owner, Hannibal Hardwicke. Apparently Hardwicke has been suspected of being behind the heroin traffic around Gotham for a couple of years, but he always managed to wriggle out of the grasp of the law. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 306, Detective 481, Brave and the Bold 145”

Comics Reviews: Batman 305, Detective 480, Brave and the Bold 144

Batman 305 coverBatman #305 – “Death Gamble of a Darknight Detective” – Gerry Conway/John Calnan/Dave Hunt

This one starts with Batman rushing to the site of an explosion. The scene of carnage is STAR Labs, where a paramilitary gang are stealing something, using the explosion and a bunch of smoke grenades as cover. Their leader (Thanatos, who wears a skull mask) seems to have been expecting Batman and tells his soldiers to attack. Batman does pretty well, using the smoke to his advantage, but gets knocked out by a concussion grenade. Thanatos and his gang get away and Commissioner Gordon revives Batman. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 305, Detective 480, Brave and the Bold 144”

Comics Reviews: Batman 304, Firestorm 5, Warlord 15

Batman 304 coverBatman #304 – “To Hell With Batman—and Back” – David V. Reed/John Calnan/Dick Giordano

This one starts with Batman interrupting a truck hijacking. He’s pounding the thugs when one of them conks him with a wrench. They load him into the truck and it seems like the whole hijacking was just a ruse to get Batman’s attention. Batman comes to and can’t remember anything except the feel of cold metal on his fingers. His arms are cramped from being spread apart in the same position for a long time. But consciousness doesn’t bring any answers, as Batman seems to be floating in a disembodied state. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 304, Firestorm 5, Warlord 15”

Comics Reviews: Batman 303, Detective 479, Brave & the Bold 143

Batman 303 coverBatman #303 – “Batman’s Great Identity Switch” – David V. Reed/John Calnan/Dick Giordano

This one starts with Batman fighting Neanderthals. Don’t worry, he wasn’t thrown into the past by Darkseid (like that could ever happen!), he’s just fighting some thugs dressed like Neanderthals at the Natural History Museum. One of the cavemen bonks him with a rock and they flee. The guards find a stunned Batman and ask him if “Dodo Man” was trying to rob the Museum, but Batman’s too confused to give them answers. He leaves and notices the Bat-Signal outside, so he ducks into the shadows and changes into … Bruce Wayne? Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 303, Detective 479, Brave & the Bold 143”

Comics Reviews: Batman 302, Firestorm 4, Warlord 14

Batman 302-coverBatman #302 – “The Attack of the Wire-Head Killers” – David V. Reed/John Calnan/Dick Giordano

This one starts very soon after last issue, with Batman wanted for murder. Dick (Robin) Grayson shows up, wondering what the hell’s going on and Batman gives him (and us) a recap of last issue. Basically, there’s an unknown crime boss in Gotham who uses neural implants in a cabal of “wire-head killers” to protect himself from his mob underlings. If any mobster kills him, the wire-heads slaughter the killer and everyone associated with him. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 302, Firestorm 4, Warlord 14”

Comics Reviews: Batman 301, Detective 478, Brave & the Bold 142

Batman 301 coverBatman #301 – “The Only Man Batman Ever Killed” – David V. Reed/John Calnan/Tex Blaisdell

This one starts out with a charity antiques auction. The auction is an all-cash affair, which just seems like an invitation for trouble to me. Batman thinks so too and watches as the cash is transferred to the bank’s night depository. It seems like everything’s fine, except for a car passing by the bank very slowly. The bank wall suddenly explodes and a well-equipped (and well-coordinated) team of thieves goes into action. Batman jumps in and pounds them all before the cops show up. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 301, Detective 478, Brave & the Bold 142”

Comics Reviews: Batman 300, Firestorm 3, Warlord 13

Batman 300 coerBatman #300 – “The Last Batman Story?” – David V. Reed/Walt Simonson/Dick Giordano

This is an imaginary story, set some time in the future. As a rule, I don’t like imaginary stories since they don’t really “count”. Some of them are really good, but generally I find it hard to get excited about them since they’re outside of current continuity. Anyway, this story starts with Robin at Gotham Airport, checking on an injured woman who’s about to be flown (via space shuttle) to an orbiting hospital. And you thought health care was expensive now! Before the shuttle can launch, the airport is attacked by thugs with blue skin. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 300, Firestorm 3, Warlord 13”