Comics Reviews: Batman 325, Detective 492, Brave & the Bold 164, Warlord 35

Batman 325 coverBatman #325 – “Death—Twenty Stories High” – Roger McKenzie/Irv Novick/Steve Mitchell

This one starts with Commissioner Gordon in his office at police headquarters. A crime wave has hit Gotham, just as Gordon is up for re-election and now someone’s making threats against Batman, so Gordon activates the Bat-Signal and waits on the roof. He figures someone is trying to ruin his chances at being re-elected and wonders if his opponent (Brand) is behind it. He also wonders if it isn’t time for him to step aside and let someone else be commissioner. Batman shows up and scoffs at the death threat, but notices the gleam of a sniper scope on a nearby roof. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 325, Detective 492, Brave & the Bold 164, Warlord 35”

Comics Reviews: Batman 324, Detective 491, Brave & the Bold 163, Warlord 34

Batman 324 coverBatman #324 – “The Cat Who Would Be King” – Len Wein/Irv Novick/Bob Smith

Last issue, we found out Catwoman is dying of some rare disease (which she hasn’t told her boyfriend Bruce Wayne, though he suspects) and she was suspected of stealing some ancient medicinal herbs from an Egyptian exhibit at the museum. Catwoman and Batman tracked the theft to an abandoned warehouse, where they were captured in a polymer spider web coated with super-strong adhesive. Their captor (and the real thief) turned out to be Cat-Man. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 324, Detective 491, Brave & the Bold 163, Warlord 34”

Comics Reviews: Batman 323, Detective 490, Brave & the Bold 162, Warlord 33

Batman 323 coverBatman #323 – “Shadow of the Cat” – Len Wein/Irv Novick/Bob Smith

Last issue Selina (Catwoman) Kyle found out she was dying of some nameless but deadly disease. Her doctor mentioned that the Ancient Egyptians might have found a cure, so Selina was very interested in an Egyptian exhibit that contained jars full of ancient healing herbs that hadn’t been opened for thousands of years. Later, that exhibit was robbed and the guard was scratched by a familiar-looking figure. Following the clues to their logical conclusion, Batman shows up at Selina’s place to arrest her. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 323, Detective 490, Brave & the Bold 162, Warlord 33”

Comics Reviews: Batman 322, Detective 489, Brave & the Bold 161, Warlord 32

Batman 322 coverBatman #322 – “Chaos—Coming and Going” – Len Wein/Irv Novick/Vince Colletta

This one starts with Selina Kyle looking through a scrapbook of her exploits as Catwoman and feeling a bit wistful at leaving that life behind. Elsewhere, a newspaper van delivering bundles of the Gotham Guardian is assaulted (and sliced in half!) by Captain Boomerang. He’s pissed off at the Guardian’s owner, who he says owes him a million bucks and has 24 hours to pay up. Batman shows up to tackle Boomerang, but the villain uses the old “endanger-the-innocents” ploy to distract Batman long enough to escape. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 322, Detective 489, Brave & the Bold 161, Warlord 32”

Comics Reviews: Batman 320, Detective 488, Brave & the Bold 159, Warlord 30

Batman 320 coverBatman #320 – “The Curse of the Inquisitor” – Denny O’Neil/Irv Novick/Bob Smith

This one starts with a mail carrier delivering some stuff to an office belonging to a guy named Sigerson. The mailman and a cleaning lady both think it’s strange that they’ve never seen the mysterious Mr. Sigerson. We soon find out why; Sigerson is an alias used by Batman, and the office is a mail drop. Batman subscribes to a clipping service that sends him info about crimes all over the world, but he doesn’t want that correspondence addressed to Bruce Wayne. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 320, Detective 488, Brave & the Bold 159, Warlord 30”

Comics Reviews: Batman 318, Detective 487, Brave & the Bold 157, Warlord 28

Batman 318 coverBatman #318 – “My City Burns at Both Ends—It Will Not Last the Night” – Len Wein/Irv Novick/Frank McLaughlin

This one starts with Batman trying to rescue a kid from a burning building. He falls off, but manages to bounce off some telephone wires and land on a pile of fire hoses. Yeah, it sounds impossible, but he is Batman, after all. Commissioner Gordon sees someone on the roof on the burning building and Batman heads up to check it out. It turns out to be the arsonist, dressed in a weird costume and calling himself Firebug. His costume includes napalm projectors and he lights another fire in front of Batman while ranting about how the building has killed enough people and it’s now being killed in turn. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 318, Detective 487, Brave & the Bold 157, Warlord 28”

Comics Reviews: Batman 316, Detective 486, Brave & the Bold 155, Warlord 26

Batman 316 coverBatman #316 – “Color Me Deadly” – Len Wein/Irv Novick/Frank McLaughlin

This one starts with some punk being pursued through an alley by Robin. The punk is cut off by Batman and freaks out, surrendering immediately. Apparently, he started a fire at the hospital, which makes Robin want to pound him a bit, but he decides the guy is probably some kind of nut and forgoes the beating. The Dynamic Duo hauls the dude back for the cops and Commissioner Gordon says the fire is already out and there was only some minor damage on the tenth floor. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 316, Detective 486, Brave & the Bold 155, Warlord 26”

Comics Reviews: Batman 314, Detective 485, Brave & the Bold 153, Warlord 24

Batman 314 coverBatman #314 – “Once Beaten, Twice Sly” – Len Wein/Irv Novick/Frank McLaughlin

This one opens with Batman in New Orleans during Mardi Gras. An informant has told him that Two-Face took the stolen nuclear codes to New Orleans, so Batman has come looking for him. Batman wants to get the stolen nuke codes  back, but he also wants to prevent King Faraday from killing Two-Face. Batman rousts a local pickpocket, who gives him Two-Face’s hiding place. Minutes after Batman leaves, King Faraday threatens to blow the punk away if he doesn’t cough up the info again. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 314, Detective 485, Brave & the Bold 153, Warlord 24”

Comics Reviews: Batman 312, Detective 484, Brave & the Bold 151, Warlord 22

Batman 312 coverBatman #312 – “A Caper a Day Keeps the Batman at Bay” – Len Wein/Walt Simonson/Dick Giordano

This one starts in the middle of the action, with Calendar Man robbing the Metropolitan Museum. It doesn’t really look like Calendar Man because he’s dressed as Odin; why is he dressed as Odin? Because it’s Wednesday and Wednesday is named after Woden, who was also known as Odin. Calendar Man has gone all out in his dress-up, even riding an eight-wheeled motorbike in reference to Odin’s eight-legged horse, Sleipnir. Batman swoops in on his whirly-bat and goes after Calendar Man, who tries to flee into a tunnel. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 312, Detective 484, Brave & the Bold 151, Warlord 22”

Comics Reviews: Batman 310, Detective 483, Brave & the Bold 149, Warlord 20

Batman 310 coverBatman #310 – “The Ghost Who Haunted Batman” – Len Wein/Irv Novick/Dick Giordano

This one starts with some guys robbing a museum in Gotham. By their clichéd accents, I can only assume they’re British. Batman makes short work of them, but is confronted by their boss, Gentleman Ghost. Ghost takes a shot at the Caped Crusader with a phantom flintlock, but when Batman grabs a shield from the museum’s collection to protect himself, the bullet turns out to be a magnesium flare that blinds him. Gentleman Ghost and his crew escape before Batman’s sight returns. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 310, Detective 483, Brave & the Bold 149, Warlord 20”