Comics Reviews: JLA 184, Legion of Super-Heroes 269, New Teen Titans 1

JLA 184 coverJustice League of America #184 – “Crisis Between Two Earths or Apokolips Now” – Gerry Conway/George Perez/Frank McLaughlin

Last issue, members of the JLA and JSA were shanghaied to the worlds of the New Gods by Metron, who told them he needed their help. Three members of the Injustice Society were on Apokolips and had helped kidnap most of the citizens of New Genesis for some nefarious purpose. After splitting into teams to investigate different leads, one group of heroes found the Injustice Society members using some kind of ray to bring Darkseid (who’d been turned to stone) back to life. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 184, Legion of Super-Heroes 269, New Teen Titans 1”

Comics Reviews: JLA 183, Legion of Super-Heroes 268, Jonah Hex 41, New Teen Titans preview

JLA 183 coverJustice League of America #183 – “Where Have All the New Gods Gone?” – Gerry Conway/Dick Dillin/Frank McLaughlin

This one starts with members of the JLA (Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, and Firestorm) and their Earth-2 counterparts, the JSA (Power Girl, Huntress, Dr. Fate, and Wonder Woman) preparing to beam to each other’s world via transmatter cube. Naturally, something goes wrong and they end up on an unfamiliar alien world, dominated by a huge floating city … unfamiliar to everyone but Superman, who recognizes the place as New Genesis, home of the New Gods. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 183, Legion of Super-Heroes 268, Jonah Hex 41, New Teen Titans preview”

Comics Reviews JLA 182, Legion of Super-Heroes 267, Jonah Hex 40

JLA 182 coverJustice League of America #182 – “Reprise” – Gerry Conway/Dick Dillin/Frank McLaughlin

Last issue, Green Arrow quit the JLA to focus more on helping regular people instead of taking on cosmic-level threats. But we all know a break-up never takes the first time around, so this issue deals with Green Arrow’s decision and makes us think he might change his mind. As the story opens, he’s so lost in thought about his decision that he almost walks right past some punks stripping a car. But he snaps out of his reverie in time to collar them. A bum wanders by, checking out the action, and we see that it’s the JLA’s old foe, Felix Faust. Continue reading “Comics Reviews JLA 182, Legion of Super-Heroes 267, Jonah Hex 40”

Comics Reviews: JLA 181, Legion of Super-Heroes 266, Jonah Hex 39

JLA 181 coverJustice League of America #181 – “The Stellar Crimes of the Star-Tsar” – Gerry Conway/Dick Dillin/Frank McLaughlin

This one starts out with Green Arrow making a recording for his fellow Leaguers to explain the momentous decision he’s made. We won’t find out what that decision is until later (although it’s pretty obvious from the foreshadowing in the last few issues), but the story plays out in flashback as Green Arrow recounts events leading up to the present. A couple days ago, after a JLA meeting, Green Arrow and Black Canary returned to Star City and Arrow was going on about how he thought the JLA was out of touch with the common people and all that. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 181, Legion of Super-Heroes 266, Jonah Hex 39”

Comics Reviews: JLA 180, Legion of Super-Heroes 265, Jonah Hex 38

JLA 180 coverJustice League of America #180 – “A Beautiful Evil” – Gerry Conway/Dick Dillin/Frank McLaughlin

Last issue Ronnie (Firestorm) Raymond, newest member of the JLA, went with some friends to the penthouse of model Sabrina Sultress to investigate a classmate’s disappearance. Firestorm got inside, but was jumped by Sultress, who has some kind of mesmeric power. He managed to send an emergency signal, so this issue opens with the JLA busting into the penthouse. The place is empty, but Zatanna senses an evil presence and they’re attacked by a fire demon. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 180, Legion of Super-Heroes 265, Jonah Hex 38”

Comics Reviews: JLA 179, Legion of Super-Heroes 264, Jonah Hex37

JLA 179 coverJustice League of America #179 – “The Siren Song of the Satin Satan” – Gerry Conway/Dick Dillin/Frank McLaughlin

This one starts at a really happening disco in New York. A famous model named Sabrina Sultress (aka the Satin Satan) watches a young dancer named Roscoe and gives him the come on look. He follows her out of the disco like he’s hypnotized … which I’m assuming he is. Meanwhile, on the JLA Satellite, the team has just asked a new member to join and he’s pretty excited. Yup, it’s Firestorm, sponsored for membership by Superman. Firestorm’s enthusiasm startles the Leaguers at first, but most of them end up enjoying his exuberance. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 179, Legion of Super-Heroes 264, Jonah Hex37”

Comics Reviews: JLA 178, Legion of Super-Heroes 263, Jonah Hex 36

JLA 178 coverJustice League of America #178 – “The Chess-Master of Mars” – Gerry Conway/Dick Dillin/Frank McLaughlin

Despite the title, this isn’t an Edgar Rice Burroughs pastiche, Last issue, the JLA were menaced by stylized chess pieces come to life and we found out (although they still haven’t) that it was all caused by Despero playing a cosmic chess match against ex-JLA member Martian Manhunter … except Despero is playing the JLA, so Martian Manhunter has to do his best to destroy his friends. This issue opens with the League gathering for an emergency meeting on the Satellite. Zatanna has figured out the chess angle, but doesn’t know who’s behind it. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 178, Legion of Super-Heroes 263, Jonah Hex 36”

Comics Reviews: JLA 177, Legion of Super-Heroes 262, Jonah Hex 35

JLA 177 coverJustice League of America #177 – “Graveyard Gambit” – Gerry Conway/Dick Dillin/Frank McLaughlin

This one starts in the middle of the ocean with Aquaman pounding some Russians who are illegally killing whales. Aquaman gives them a lecture on how surface-dwellers rape and pollute the oceans, and takes out some of his anger by having the whales capsize the ship. Aquaman tells some dolphins to save the whalers from drowning, but suddenly the sailors start glowing and turn into weird gold-colored statues of stylized soldiers. The dolphins freak out and take off, leaving Aquaman to ponder in the sailors were turned into statues, or if they were statues masquerading as sailors to begin with. He also wonders why the statues’ design looks so familiar. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 177, Legion of Super-Heroes 262, Jonah Hex 35”

Comics Reviews: JLA 176, Legion of Super-Heroes 261, Jonah Hex 34

JLA 176 coverJustice League of America #176 – “The Dream Factories of Doctor Destiny” – Gerry Conway/Dick Dillin/Frank McLaughlin

Last issue, Dr. Destiny built a new version of his Materioptikon which could bring people’s nightmares to life. The JLA destroyed his infernal machine and are now tracking him to his hideout by homing in on Destiny’s twisted psyche courtesy of Green Lanterns ring. They trace him to an abandoned film studio and bust in, only to face more manifestations of their own darkest fears. Superman and Wonder Woman decide to bypass the usual brawl and head into the main building to look for Destiny, only to find Zatanna has beaten them to it. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 176, Legion of Super-Heroes 261, Jonah Hex 34”

Comics Reviews: JLA 175, Legion of Super-Heroes 260, Jonah Hex 33

JLA 175 coverJustice League of America #175 – “But Can An Android Dream” – Gerry Conway/Dick Dillin/Frank McLaughlin

As you can tell from the title, this one focuses on Red Tornado. Gerry seemed to like using Reddy to reflect on what it means to be human. The story starts with Red Tornado resigning from the JLA over some mistake he made on a mission. His teammates assure him they don’t care about his screw-up, but he quits anyway and heads down to Earth to “find himself”. He starts by reviving his old John Smith identity and going to see Traya, the orphan girl from the Middle East that Reddy’s sort of adopted. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: JLA 175, Legion of Super-Heroes 260, Jonah Hex 33”