Comics Reviews: Flash 301, Wonder Woman 283, Green Lantern 144, Jonah Hex 52

Flash 301 coverFlash #301 – “And the Beat Goes Off” – Cary Bates/Carmine Infantino/Bob Smith

This one starts with Captain Frye, Central City police captain, being kidnapped by a gunman hiding in his car. At police headquarters, Barry Allen reports to work, apologizing to his lab partner (Patty Spivot) for being absent the last three days. Of course, we know Barry was being held at a clinic outside Central City by Abra Kadabra, but he can hardly admit that without blowing his secret identity. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 301, Wonder Woman 283, Green Lantern 144, Jonah Hex 52”

Comics Reviews: Flash 300, Wonder Woman 282, Green Lantern 143, Jonah Hex 51

Flash 300 coverFlash #300 – “1981—A Flash Odyssey” – Cary Bates/Carmine Infantino/Bob Smith

This is basically a retrospective of Flash’s history for the 300th issue with tons of flashbacks to earlier stories. Last issue we saw someone swathed head-to-toe in bandages in a private clinic called Morningside an hour outside Central City, and we were told it’s Barry Allen. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 300, Wonder Woman 282, Green Lantern 143, Jonah Hex 51”

Comics Reviews: Flash 299, Wonder Woman 281, Green Lantern 142, Jonah Hex 50

Flash 299 coverFlash #299 – “A Stab in the Black” – Cary Bates/Carmine Infantino/Bob Smith

Last issue, someone sapped all the colour out of Central City—twice—but Flash couldn’t figure out who was behind it. He got a visit from Shade, who told him the colour that was leached from Central City had showed up in Keystone City on Earth-2. That made it harder for Shade to use his darkness powers, so he offered to help Flash find the colour-thief. Flash wasn’t too enthusiastic, so Shade retreated into another dimension and maintained contact through his wand while Flash mulled over his offer. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 299, Wonder Woman 281, Green Lantern 142, Jonah Hex 50”

Comics Reviews: Flash 298, Wonder Woman 280, Green Lantern 141, Jonah Hex 49

Flash 298 coverFlash #298 – “A Deadly Shade of Peril” – Cary Bates/Carmine Infantino/Bob Smith

This one starts with Barry Allen making a super-speed exit from his lab at police headquarters, leaving Captain Frye and Patty Spivot wondering where he is. Barry’s in a hurry to meet his father at the hospital. When he gets there, he sees the kid responsible for his parents’ accident trying to apologize to Henry Allen, but Henry’s not in a forgiving mood and gives the kid hell. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 298, Wonder Woman 280, Green Lantern 141, Jonah Hex 49”

Comics Reviews: Flash 297, Wonder Woman 279, Green Lantern 140, Jonah Hex 48

Flash 297 coverFlash #297 – “Capt. Cold’s Cold, Cold Flame” – Cary Bates/Carmine Infantino/Bob Smith

This one starts with Barry Allen’s parents (Henry and Nora) driving down to Central City to visit him. They haven’t seen him since Iris’s funeral, almost a year ago. They’ve deliberately kept their distance to let Barry work through his grief by himself. Now that Barry’s seeing Fiona Webb, they figure he’s pretty much over Iris, though I’m not sure Nora is … she still has Barry and Iris’s wedding photo with her. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 297, Wonder Woman 279, Green Lantern 140, Jonah Hex 48”

Comics Reviews: Flash 296, Wonder Woman 278, Green Lantern 139, Jonah Hex 47

Flash 296 coverFlash #296 – “The Man Who Was Cursed to the Bone” – Cary Bates/Carmine Infantino/Bob Smith

That’s right, Infantino’s back on Flash, in a goofy tale that seems like it might have been left over from his first run on the comic. It starts with Flash zipping across country, looking for Ralph (Elongated Man) Dibny, who’s been missing for a few days after taking a case in Chicago. Ralph’s wife, Sue, asked Barry Allen if he’d get his “friend” Flash to look for Ralph, but so far the Scarlet Speedster has come up empty. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 296, Wonder Woman 278, Green Lantern 139, Jonah Hex 47”

Comics Reviews: Flash 295, Wonder Woman 277, Green Lantern 138, Jonah Hex 46

Flash 295 coverFlash #295 – “In Grodd We Trust” – Cary Bates/Don Heck

Last issue, Solovar was worried that his fellow super-intelligent apes were being corrupted by decadent human influences, so he came up with a way to make everyone on Earth (except Flash) forget the existence of Gorilla City and its inhabitants. But simian super-villain Grodd went a little farther, sabotaging the memory-wiping machine so everyone (including Flash and the other gorillas) forgot that Grodd existed. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 295, Wonder Woman 277, Green Lantern 138, Jonah Hex 46”

Comics Reviews: Flash 294, Wonder Woman 276, Green Lantern 137, Jonah Hex 45

Flash 294 coverFlash #294 – “The Fiend the World Forgot” – Cary Bates/Don Heck

Ah, finally an issue Gulliver can enjoy! This one starts in the Gorilla City Embassy in New York, where the ape delegates within are amusing themselves with typically human diversions … ping pong, poker, and reruns of Gilligan’s Island. In Gorilla City, Solovar is holding a meeting with an ape council (and a human guest) about how the gorillas have influenced Earth society for the better since they revealed themselves to the world a few years ago. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 294, Wonder Woman 276, Green Lantern 137, Jonah Hex 45”

Comics Reviews: Flash 293, Wonder Woman 275, Green Lantern 136, Jonah Hex 44

Flash 293 coverFlash #293 – “The Pied Piper’s Paradox Peril” – Gerry Conway/Don Heck

This one starts with Pied Piper playing a tune by a fountain in downtown Central City. Flash happens by and removes the musical miscreant by carrying him away from the crowd on a waterspout. Piper protests that playing music in public isn’t a crime, and that he’s actually doing the people a service. Piper claims his playing is keeping wild elephants from stampeding through the downtown area. Flash figures he’s nuts, but a herd of elephants does come clomping down the street toward the crowd. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 293, Wonder Woman 275, Green Lantern 136, Jonah Hex 44”

Comics Reviews: Flash 292, Wonder Woman 274, Green Lantern 135

Flash 292 coverFlash #292 – “Mirror, Mirror, Off the Wall” – Cary Bates/Don Heck

This one starts with Barry Allen and Fiona Webb on a date at the carnival. Fiona seems to have gotten over her negative feelings toward Barry, and (judging by the smooching they do in the House of Mirrors) Barry’s over Iris as well. But the fun is interrupted when Barry sees the face of Joe Scudder (aka his old enemy Mirror Master) in one of the mirrors. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Flash 292, Wonder Woman 274, Green Lantern 135”