Comics Reviews: Flash 270, Wonder Woman 252, Green Lantern 113

Flash 270 coverFlash #270 – “A Fast Way to Die” – Cary Bates/Irv Novick/Frank McLaughlin

This one starts with Flash returning from a leisurely morning jog. Of course, this is the Flash we’re talking about, so his jog consists of zipping around the world at super speed. He gets back to Central City just in time to interrupt a new villain called the Clown as he’s stealing a collection of rare coins. This guy looks like a goofball, but he’s got some pretty lethal gimmicks, like a pogo stick that turns into a missile and a clown car that comes apart and almost buries Flash. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 270, Wonder Woman 252, Green Lantern 113”

Comics Reviews: Flash 269, Wonder Woman 251, Green Lantern 112

Flash 269 coverFlash #269 – “Domain of the Dark-Eyed Dragons” – Cary Bates/Irv Novick/Frank McLaughlin

This one starts with a guy named Robert Manners, who’s a world-famous scientist and explorer, freaking out in a hospital. Why is he freaking out? Because his daughter Gail has been in a coma for almost a week. Before the coma, Gail was having weird premonitions, which ended up coming true. Gail is also a friend (or maybe girlfriend, I’m not sure) of Wally West, aka Kid Flash. The doctor treating Gail thinks Kid Flash—or the original Flash, he’s not picky—may be able to help Gail out of her coma. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 269, Wonder Woman 251, Green Lantern 112”

Comics Reviews: Flash 268, Wonder Woman 250, Green Lantern 111

Flash 268 coverFlash #268 – “Riddle of the Runaway Comic” – Cary Bates/Irv Novick/Frank McLaughlin

This is one of those fake-out issues where they show you the “guest stars” on the cover, but they never appear in the actual story. You’ll see what I mean as we go on. This issue starts with Barney Sands (twelve year-old neighbor of Barry and Iris Allen) looking all over the place for an old comic he lost. Elsewhere in Central City, Flash is tracking down someone named Griselda, who turns out to be a bear that escaped from the zoo. Griselda almost wastes Flash, but he uses super speed to dig a hole in the ground and trap her. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 268, Wonder Woman 250, Green Lantern 111”

Comics Reviews: Flash 267, Wonder Woman 249, Green Lantern 110

Flash 267 coverFlash #267 – “Heat Wave’s Blaze of Glory” – Cary Bates/Irv Novick/Frank McLaughlin

This one starts with Heat Wave giving us a recap of last issue: Heat Wave went to a criminal shrink and found out he had a phobia about cold because of a childhood incident. He overcame the phobia by breaking into the home of an Arctic explorer who’d been cryogenically frozen, then luring Flash there and swapping him for the frozen explorer. So now Flash is trapped in a cryo-tube, not due to be woken up for decades—or longer. Heat Wave also unmasked Flash, but didn’t recognize him as Barry Allen (though he thought there was something familiar about him). Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 267, Wonder Woman 249, Green Lantern 110”

Comics Reviews: Flash 266, Wonder Woman 248, Green Lantern 109

Flash 266 coverFlash #266 – “Heat Wave Plays It Cool” – Cary Bates/Irv Novick/Frank McLaughlin

This one starts with Heat Wave and three of his henchmen pulling a Trojan Horse; they want to rob an exhibit of Egyptian artifacts at Central City Museum, so they hide inside a pyramid replica that the curator is bringing in to give the exhibit some extra Egyptian flavour. When the exhibit opens, Iris is there to cover it for Picture News and Barry’s tagging along. Heat Wave and his boys emerge from the pyramid and disable the guards, but Barry changes to Flash and takes out the three henchmen by getting them in a slipstream and slamming them into the wall. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 266, Wonder Woman 248, Green Lantern 109”

Comics Review: Flash 265, Wonder Woman 247, Green Lantern 108

Flash 265 coverFlash #265 – “Shift the Earth Goodbye” – Cary Bates/Irv Novick/Frank McLaughlin

This takes place not long after last issue, when Golden Glider broke Barry and Iris up and almost killed them both. But now they’re back together, taking a romantic trip in the country. Iris convinced Barry to drive to their destination (someplace called Mount Roanoke) instead of just zipping there with his super-speed. It’s obviously more romantic if they spend more time together, but as we’ll see, they would’ve been better off taking the Flash Express. Continue reading “Comics Review: Flash 265, Wonder Woman 247, Green Lantern 108”

Comics Reviews: Flash 264, Wonder Woman 246, Green Lantern 107

Flash 264 coverFlash #264 – “The Golden Glider’s Final Fling” – Cary Bates/Kurt Schaffenberger/Frank McLaughlin

Remember last issue when Barry was talking about quitting as the Flash because Ringmaster made him look bad numerous times? Well, he did it. The police commissioner opens a box containing Flash’s ring (which pops out his costume) and a very old-fashioned tape recorder. The tape is from Flash, telling the cops that he’s packing it in. The commissioner is worried and gets Barry Allen to authenticate the tape (how’s that for irony), which he does. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 264, Wonder Woman 246, Green Lantern 107”

Comics Reviews: Flash 263, Wonder Woman 245, Green Lantern 106

Flash 263 coverFlash #263 – “Nobody Stays a Flash Forever” – Cary Bates/Irv Novick/Frank McLaughlin

This one starts with a news report reminding us what’s been going on for the last couple of issues: Ringmaster, a new super hero showed up out of nowhere and caught Golden Glider, who Flash failed to stop. Now everyone’s speculating that Flash may be all washed up. Barry (Flash) Allen is watching the report and gets all huffy about it. He goes for a run on the cosmic treadmill, but his exercise is interrupted  by Golden Glider popping up on the TV and  taunting him about how she arranged for Ringmaster to steal Flash’s thunder—and his wife. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 263, Wonder Woman 245, Green Lantern 106”

Comics Reviews: Flash 262, Wonder Woman 244, Green Lantern 105

Flash 262 coverFlash #262 – “With This Ring … I Thee Master” – Cary Bates/Irv Novick/Frank McLaughlin

This one starts not long after the end of last issue. Flash is following Central City’s newest superhero, the Ringmaster, who’s flying through the streets with Iris in his arms. Yup, Flash is jealous because his wife seems keen on this new guy. Of course, Iris is interviewing Ringmaster for her news show, but she does seem rather charmed by him. Flash breaks off his pursuit, deciding to trust his wife. He heads to the police station where a psychiatrist is about to interview Golden Glider. Barry’s lab assistant, Patty, tells him they have evidence that needs processing right away. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 262, Wonder Woman 244, Green Lantern 105”

Comics Reviews: Flash 261, Wonder Woman 243, Green Lantern 104

 

Flash 261 coverFlash #261 – “The Lure of the Ringmaster” – Cary Bates/Irv Novick/Frank Giacoia

This one starts with Barry Allen at work, getting a call from his wife, Iris. She reminds him to pick up groceries on the way home and he gets mad when she suggests he write it down. Outside, he answers a random pay phone and it’s Golden Glider on the line. In fact, she’s in the phone booth right opposite Barry. She attacks him, but he can’t fight back without giving away his secret identity—a fact Glider’s counting on, since she knows Barry’s secret. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 261, Wonder Woman 243, Green Lantern 104”