Wednesday Comics: DC, April 1985 (week 2)

I'm reading DC Comics' output from January 1980 (cover date) through Crisis! This week, I read the comics released the week of January 10, 1985. 

Batman #382: Moench and Hoberg/Nebres continue the story from last month's issue of Detective. Catwoman reveals to Vicki and Julia, and later arrivers Batman and Robin, that she tangled with Darkwolf in Egypt and in revenge he poisoned her panther and is out to kill her. After Diablo (the panther) dies, Catwoman vows revenge herself, and Batman agrees to help her. Meanwhile, Darkwolf has made it to Gotham Airport and has hijacked a plan, demanding flight to Damascus. Catwoman goes undercover as a flight attendant while Batman attaches himself to the wing with a parachute. Amazingly, this plan works (sort of) and Darkwolf is defeated, Batman takes the plan in for an emergency landing after the pilot is knocked out, and Catwoman appears to have been killed after falling out of the plan with a grenade in hand after grappling with Darkwolf. 

Amethyst #4: Schaffenberger is on pencils this issue and it gives it a more cartoony look. Amy wakes up back in our world, no worse for wear, but evil is still on the move in Gemworld, and she's soon called back for a brief visit. A muscular, hooded figure hovers over Citrina's bed and brags about his plans to destroy her, before Amethyst's appearance chases him away. Sardonyx has survived the destruction of his city, but a strange, little creature demands he do its bidding if he wants to see his people again. 

Back on Earth, new student Carl Nelligan starts school, but Amy and Emmy know he's Carnelian. When they catch a little gremlin spying on them, they chase it back to Carl's basement where they find a machine for enhancing magical energy. They are threatened then attacked by his Uncle Orville who looks like Dark Opal but turns out to be a robot. The issue ends with the girls in the robot's clutches.

Arak Son of Thunder #43: The Thomases and DeZuniga bring Arak to Kur, the Sumerian Underworld. He manages to rescue Satyricus from the procession of the dead, but Valda has already been brough before Ereshkigal, Queen of the Underworld, and the stone judges of the dead. Arak begins to struggle against the beastmen Anunnaki. His loyalty inspires Gilgamesh, one of the judges, who jumps to join their fight and returns to flesh. Eventually Ereshkigal gives up and allows Arak and his companions to go free--if they can find a passage out of Kur. They succeed in doing so, but back in the living world Gilgamesh lays down and returns to dust. The others continue onward to Angelica's temple which now appears abandoned.

Camelot 3000 #12: After over 2 years, this series reaches its conclusion. Barr and Bolland bring Arthur and surviving knights of the round table to their final confrontation (this cycle, perhaps) with Mordred and Morgan le Fay and her alien allies. Mordred wears armor made of the grail, but that isn't enough to save him from his father's wrath. After Merlin is released, Morgan is left to the mercy of the disease warping her flesh. Galahad loses his life in the battle, and Arthur sacrifices himself for the others. In the epilogue, Tom Prentiss is helping rebuild the Earth, Tristan has at least decided to accept his female body and move on with Isolda, and Guinevere and Lancelot are expecting a baby, which they both hope is Arthur's. Meanwhile, an alien pulls a sword from the stone...

This series mostly gets by on Bolland's art, but Barr's story is better in collection form rather than dragged like it was in its original run.

Flash #344: I feel like what an already languidly paced story arc doesn't need is reprints to give unnecessary backstory, but that's just what we get as Bates and Infantino have Kid Flash take the stand. We get the origin of Kid Flash from Flash #110 and the story where Kid Flash learns the Flash's secret ID from Flash #149, both by Broome and Infantino. We end in the present on Kid Flash's bombshell admission that in his opinion it was unnecessary for the Flash to use deadly force against the Reverse Flash.

G.I. Combat #276: There's only one real Haunted Tank story this issue. The trauma of war has made Jeb cold and distant, an ironic parallel to a German cyborg tank commander that is sent against Stuart's Raiders. Confrontation with the cold steel foe awakens Jeb's humanity. 

There's also a Mercenaries story, where the trio is perhaps in North Africa, hired to help an Arab general, but they find the general has been overthrown by a people's revolution. They decide that's maybe for the best, but the General and his wife coerce them into working for them. As is the pattern of these stories, the Mercenaries manage to turn the tables, doing what's right, but they don't get paid.

One of the non-series stories is by Kashdan/Carillo and involves an aerial spotter for artillery who is forced to give his life in a kamikaze dive to hit one last target. The other is by Drake/Barnes and is one of those stories whose heart is in the right place as it deals with the prejudice faced by Japanese American soldiers but manages to engage in unfortunate stereotypes. 

Jemm, Son of Saturn #7: Potter and Colan/MacLoed seem to be bringing story threads together post the mid-point of the series. Synn and her Koolar warriors met Tull who is indeed much more powerful than I initially thought due to his knowledge of advanced technology. They make an alliance with him agreeing to lead them to the Red Saturnians in exchange for him being allowed to drain the energy of a Koolar to extend his life.

Meanwhile, Jogarr keeps Jemm virtually a prisoner in New Bhok. Given that Jemm fulfills an ancient prophecy he and some of his council fear knowledge of his existence would cause a religious frenzy and social disruption in their community. However, when the actions of a Bishop of New Bhok and an attack by a subterranean bentu accidentally conspire to reveal Jemm to the populace, Jogarr's fears appear to be coming to fruition.

Legion of Super-Heroes #9: Lightle and Mahlstedt are really working well here; this issue looks great. After their stopover in DC Comics Presents last week, the lost Legionnaires are home at last. Element Lad reunites with Shvaughn Erin, but duty keeps getting in the way of them being together until the very end of the issue, as Sklarian raiders are found in Hong Kong. Meanwhile, a much more assertive Shrinking Violet confronts Yera Allon, the investigation begins into who shot Laurel Kent and why, and Timber Wolf frets over his role in settling Karate Kid's estate.

Omega Men #24: Shawn McManus comes on for art on this story. Kalista returns to her childhood haunts to reminisce over happier times on Euphorix. She has also secreted Dulak away in a hunting knowledge nearby and visits him. Dulak has been duped by his Branx allies, though, and Harry Hokum directs a plan to kill Kallista. It fails, and Kallista forgives Dulak, even spends a night with him, but can't return his love because she is queen. She leaves the forest and returns to her duties.

This title has felt directionless for a while, but this issue makes me consider whether it really would been better just to lean into that and make it an anthology about the weird worlds and peoples of Vega. Apparently, the editors are thinking something similar as they've already announced the upcoming "Tales of Vega" backup series.

Star Trek #11: Kirk and crew run a daring gambit to neutralize the Terran Empire. In the Mirror Universe, the Excelsior reports to High Command and Kirk (impersonating Mirror-Kirk) argues now is the time to strike the universe of the Federation. He is tasked with leading the strike force, which he plans to betray. Later, Marlena helps him make contact with the rebels, who to his surprise include Mirror-David! Unfortunately, the Empire has spies. Just as the strike force has gathered, the High Councilor gives the command for the assembled ships to turn on Excelsior. Another good, very Trekian, installment from Barr and Sutton/Villagran.

Superman #406: You can frequently count on the Superman titles to have odd stories, and Kupperberg and Norvick/Hunt continue the tradition. Former wrestler Mo Ramboe is angry that Superman stole his former stage name. Since he's had prophetic dreams in the past, he's happy when he dreams he defeats Superman in the ring and takes back his name; His brother the mobster is also happy because he sees the chance to increase his power in the Metropolis underworld. Meanwhile, Superman begins to experience periodic failure in his Superman strength before he feels inexorably drawn to the arena where Ramboe is going to fight and beat him has the gang leaders of the city watch. Once Superman is beaten, though, his strength returns and he easily takes down Ramboe in an immediate rematch, and Ramboe's brother's mob boss dreams are quashed. 

The second story by Boldman and Saviuk/Kesel makes a more sense but is (perhaps) sillier. A "Can You Stump Superman?" contest is held on to benefit the Lung Foundation. The contest is realized as an attempt to determine what Superman can't do that Earthlings can. Two crooks try to take advantage of the contest to plant a bomb in the Fortress of Solitude, but most of the story is just people's guesses and Superman proving them wrong. In the end, it turns out Superman can't actually inhale if he tries to smoke.

Talent Showcase #16: As promised in last issues editorial, the talent is no longer "new," so that's dropped from the title. We still seem to be getting the same level of "not ready for primetime" stories, though. Eric Shanower is up first with a fantasy story in a vaguely Ancient Egyptian setting that doesn't amount to much, even lampshading it's pat resolution in the final panel. There are three one-page gag strips by Agustin Más, then the rest of the issue is given over the science fiction, albeit one story has a superhero bent. The first has a woman scientist overcoming sexism, but I can't remember much else other than it has to do with FTL travel.

The last story is multi-part and is the origin of the hero Collapsar by Ashley Tillman and Stan Woch. Tillman's only published comic work is in this title, though he was more involved in comics fandom, organizing the 1978 Charlotte NC comics convention. "Collapsar" is the story of a scientist working with a team planning to send an ape into a black hole who discovers he has a terminal disease and decides to take the trip instead of the ape. He doesn't die but finds an inhabited world on the otherside and is transformed into a cosmic superhero form with indigo skin, pupilless eyes, red hair, and these Starlin-y sparkles.  DC publisher a Collapser series from Young Animal about a guy who gets a blackhole in his chest and gains super-powers. I wonder if the writers were aware of this earlier character?

Wednesday Comics: DC, April 1985 (week 1)

My mission: to read DC Comics' output from January 1980 (cover date) to the end of Crisis. This week, I'm looking at the comics that were on stands in the week of January 3, 1985. 

Crisis on Infinite Earths #1: The build-up with hints and teases regarding the Monitor finally pays off as the title originally advertised as DC Universe arrives. Wolfman gives us an extensive intro explaining the rationale for the project (fix/modernize DC's convoluted multiverse) and how it came to be. The story he and Perez give us this issue is mostly setup, though. It starts at the beginning of time, telling us that what was intended to be one universe got fractured into many. We meet Pariah who watches an Earth consumed by nothingness, unable to interfere or to die with it, before he is transported to another imperiled Earth. This is Earth-Three, world of the Crime Syndicate. Those villains, despite their vast powers, are unable to stop the spread of antimatter, but they die as heroes, at least. The world's sole superhero, Alexander Luthor, rockets his infant son to another Earth before he and his wife are destroyed. 

The Monitor says the time is here, and sends forth his assistant Harbinger to select the champions they need: Solovar from the present of Earth-One, and Dawnstar from its future; Psycho-Pirate from Earth-Two's present, and Firebrand from the 1940s there; and Charlton's Blue Beetle makes his DC debut as he's recruited from Earth-Four. A Harbinger duplicate returns to Earth-One and collects Firestorm and (with the aid of Psycho-Pirate) Killer Frost. In the past, a Harbinger recruits Arion but becomes corrupted by a Shadow Demon.

The group is united at the Monitor's satellite, where their host steps out of the shadows and reveals himself at last.

Atari Force #16: Hannigan is on pencils this issue. Babe's foray against the ant creatures is successful, and Scanner One is able to break free and take off, but not before a few of the bugs get into the ship and start causing trouble. Luckily, Taz has her babies and tazlings have an inherent technical aptitude. They effect repairs and the ant-things are dealt with. Meanwhile, Dart is psychically contacted by Chris and the crew discovers that New Earth (and its universe) hasn't been destroyed after all. 

DC Comics Presents #80: Kupperberg and Swan/Hunt present a very much in-continuity team-up, as the Lost Legionnaires step through a stargate and wind up in a Metropolis inhabited by a bunch of Supermen who are out to attack them. It all turns out to be an overelaborate plot by Brainiac to escape the extra-universal realm he's been imprisoned in and get the Legionnaires to kill the real Superman once he shows up. Things don't go his way, though.

Fury of Firestorm #34: Conway and Kayanan/Kupperberg open where last issue left off. After the shock of setting off LeFlambeau's trap, Firestorm rallies and uses his powers to save New York. Meanwhile, the lab accident at the end of last issue has created a new Killer Frost. Ronnie is just about to finally have a take with Doreen about the state of their relationship, when he's whisked away to confront her as Firestorm. He winds up getting trapped under a mass of ice for his trouble. 

Jonni Thunder #2: The Thomases and Giordano/Esposito continue their superhero-detective hybrid story. Jonni is still trying to get all the players straight. She gets another visit from "Slim" Chance who wants the statue. That statue is stolen from her home, but Jonni tracks it to bottom-feeder P.I named Harrison Trump and his employer, a strip club owner called Red Nails--a woman who seems to know something of the mysterious Thunderbolt. In fact, even invoking the Thunderbolt may not save Jonni from Red Nails as she threatens to kill the P.I.'s unconscious body if Thunderbolt doesn't surrender.

Justice League of America #237: Conway and Patton/Maygar have Flash, Wonder Woman, and Superman return to the destroyed JLA satellite with no idea what has happened. In a continuity puzzle, they just got back from the adventure that began in issue 231 back in July of '84. Anyway, a self-destructing Soviet spy satellite leads them to the USSR where they are beaten by the keytar stylings of the Maestro, a super-villain in the service of General Gorki, who plans to stage a coup. Meanwhile, the new League sends Steel, Elongated Man, and Dale Gunn ask Hank Heywood to use his CIA contacts to find out why the three heroes have gone to the Soviet Union, but Heywood's bigoted and reactionary ways lead to Steel throwing him out a window, so the new League is without leads.

Tales of the Teen Titans #52: Wolfman and Buckler/DeCarlo continue what now seems like a "backdoor pilot" for a Searchers, Inc. (the organization founded by Jericho's mother) series. While Jericho and Amber, one of his mother's agents, go to Qurac to free Adeline Wilson, there confronting Cheshire and President Marlo, in the primary story of the issue. Over Changeling's protests, the Titans agree not to intervene in the matter, and so are sidelined. Alerted by Lilith's precognition, they instead go to STAR Labs, where an explosion frees the cryogenically preserved alien, a winged man who instantly falls for Lilith.

Robotech Defenders #2: The issue opens with an editorial revealing that the planned 3-issue series is only going to be two, but this issue is 32 pages and without ads. Our heroes and their giant robots are ambushed by the more numerous Grelon force, supplied with tech by a mysterious faction. The defenders are defeated, and Silky, pilot of Aqualos, is killed. Malek is captured but discovers that pushing the big red button in the cockpit brings the robot to life. She relays this to the others, and the non-sentient robots are able to fight their way free. Regrouping, the robots reveal to their pilots that they were beings from the planet Technor who uploaded their minds into the robot bodies. They are opposing the energy vampire S'Landrai who are using the Grelons to acquire worlds to drain.

With the help of a rebellious Grelon commander, the robots and pilots fight back and defeat the S'Landrai and their Grelon pawns. The ending suggests other adventures to come, but of course they never materialized.

Superman: The Secret Years #3: Rozakis and Swan/Schaffenberger reveal the full story of the death of Billy Cramer, Superboy's new friend and confidante. He dies trying to save a baby that it turns out isn't even in danger, sure that Superboy will save him, but Superboy is busy elsewhere with an emergency. Clark's guilt is worsened because he had been cold to Billy and Pete in the aftermath of his breakup with Lori Lemaris. Superboy is shaken in confidence and doubting his mission.

Vigilante 16: Kupperberg does a fill-in with Saviuk/Maygar on art. In the last days (or so he thinks now), before he gives up his crimefighter identity, Vigilante takes on a highly organized gang who is derailing subway trains and robbing the occupants after they beat up Marcia. It turns out the mugging have only been cover for a bigger job: robbing the collections train. Vigilante foils the plot and brings the gange to justice.

Wonder Woman #324: Thanks to the alien machinations related to Trevor's new gremlin pal, Glitch, the U.S. and the Soviet Union move closer to nuclear confrontation. Gardner Grayle (last seen in DC Comics Presents #57) is troubled by visions of this happening and sees Wonder Woman's and Steve Trevor's actions as a trigger. As the Atomic Knight, he first battles them, then teams up with them to attempt to stop nuclear war, only to have the situation further complicated by the arrival of the alien Ytirflirks who want Glitch back.

Wednesday Comics: DC, March 1985 (week 4)

I'm reading DC Comics' output from January 1980 (cover date) to Crisis! This week, I read the comics on sale on December 27, 1984.

Action Comics #565: In the first story, Todd and Schaffenberger have crook Desmond Dexter looting the Kryptonian ruin of Wizard City (it's first appearance since 1971) unearthed in Africa for advanced technology to commit his crimes.

The rest of the issue is essentially a teaser for the Ambush Bug limited series. Giffen's art and the style of humor have reached their final form, as Ambush uses Superman, Batman, and finally Wonder Woman as straight men for his gags. It has its moments, but it isn't as funny as the series to come, or perhaps it isn't as funny as the series to come is in my memory! We'll see what the reread holds when I get there.

America vs. the Justice Society #3: The Thomases and Bender/Alcala continue the testimony of the members of the JSA. I can't really see what the committee is getting out of this, and frankly, the reader doesn't get much either unless you're dying to know just how some Golden Age story fits into continuity. It's like Marvel Saga, but just for the JSA and with less effort to retcon things. The only real action this issue is the testimony of the Wizard. He (naturally) says the JSA are Nazi collaborators but then is almost immediately shown to be unreliable. The shadowy figure orchestrating this is shown to be Per Degaton, and he's quite reasonably feedup with how things have gone the past 3 issues. He's going to take matters into his own hands.

Arion Lord of Atlantis #29: Nebres comes onboard as inker. The seclusion of the king is becoming a crisis in the city, and some city leaders are beginning to think Arion should take the throne, a suggestion he doesn't like. These issues are pushed aside when Lady Chian returns to the city. Their reunion is cut short by an attack by escape prisoners led by the jackal-headed S'Net. S'Net captures King D'Tilluh forcing Arion to use his new magic to rescue the king. Still, S'Net manages to escape while Arion battles a sorcerer's apprentice. Following the battle, Arion decides he must find a way to restore the rest of his magic. Meanwhile, Mara believes Wyynde has been killed when a prisoner in a small flier crashes into the window where she had left him sitting. Next issue promises the return of Duursema for a "mini-series within a series."

All-Star Squadron #43: Thomas/Baron and Jones/Collins continue the story from last issue. The All-Stars are saved by the arrival of the Guardian, but Daka and his minions Kung and Sumo escape with Liberty Belle captive. He demands the All-Stars bring the defeated Tsunami and Starman's gravity rod to the Bronx Zoo at midnight for a trade. There's a disagreement between the group about whether to do this or not, which as is typical for the genre devolves to a fight. In the end, Firebrand, Guardian, and Amazing Man make the trade, but Daka is treacherous, driving Sumo and Tsunami to turn against him, and he is defeated.

Detective Comics #548: This issue should be a collectors' item, because I feel like it has got to be the only time Alfred has ever said anyone wanted to "jump [Bruce Wayne's] bones" and it's extra-notable because one of the people he is referring to is his own daughter, Julia! Anyway, a panther has been sighted in Crime Alley. Both Batman and Robin and Vicki Vale and Julia Pennyworth go to investigate. Batman and Robin wind up getting called away to hostage taking at the Egyptian Embassy by a terrorist for hire named Darkwolf and barely making it out before a Darkwolf blows up a floor of the building with a grenade. Meanwhile, Vicki and Julia find both the panther and its owner: Catwoman.

Spanner's Galaxy #4: Spanner and Gadj hope to a station run by the Mollusca, but which also houses a blue-skinned humanoid species, many of whom like in the maintenance underbelly of the station and performer repair work in exchange for the Mollusca allowing their presence. With the law on his trail, Spanner hides out among them and but not before having tell stories to the blue-skinned kids. In escaping, Spanner is forced to fight and defeat the cop Baka, who them becomes determined to learn to the alien Shek himself.

Sun Devils #9: Conway and Jurgens/Mitchell finally reveal the traitor they have been teasing. Rik is rescued by Scylla, having welded himself into a piece of wreckage and surviving off the air in his suit until he was saved. Anomie is assumed captured, until she hails them from another ship, requesting they open the docking bay. Everyone but Rik assumes this means she is the traitor; it's just too convenient and unlikely. Rik won't hear it, though, and forces the others at gunpoint to let her in. And of course, she is the traitor. Their Centauran military liaison is killed, Scylla is gravely injured, and everyone else is taken captive for the Sauroids. And the badguys have the neutronium. Meanwhile, a Centauran general plans to not warn Earth of an impending Crustate attack, hoping the attack will wake up Earth leadership and bring them into the war.

Tales of the Legion #321: An unusually violent cover graces this unusually gritty first chapter in a 3-parter by Levitz/Newell and Jurgens/Kesel. While searching for the lost Legionnaires, Dawnstar is attacked with primitive weapons and brought down planet where she can't communicate with anyone. The tribe that found her thinks she's an animal and intends to eat her, but their theocratic rulers show up and free her, only one of them thinks she's a demon. Meanwhile, Brainiac is looking for her and also crashes and is attacked as technology doesn't beyond a certain point doesn't tend to work on this world. He's rescued by a strange and erratic man who he believes his suffering from a psychotic disorder (and to be fair, Brainy has some experience with that). All and all, it's almost more of a Star Trek episode than the usual Legion story.

V #2: The art looks much more DeZuniga than Infantino this issue as some of the resistance discovers a small town that is collaborating with the Visitors: they got special crystals to make their desert land productive and advanced medical treatment in exchange for giving the Visitors the mineral waters of the nearby springs. They have the Resistance team in the town jail as a Visitor craft arrives.

World's Finest Comics #312: Cavalieri and Woch/Alcala have the Network reveal motivation for criminality to record exec they kidnapped: their studio was stiffed on payment for the videos they made! Meanwhile, Batman is dealing with the weirdness of the White Noise dimension. Somehow, though Superman is able to pull him out. Batman enlists Lilane Stern in a sting to capture the Network, but they get captured instead. Meanwhile, Superman has determined the White Noise is sustained and generated by the RTV (Rock TV) satellite signal. Batman rallies, Superman jams the signal, and the Network is defeated. In addition to the topical RTV (MTV was only around 3 years-old at this point), this issues dialog has several references to pop music lyrics.

Wednesday Comics: DC, March 1985 (week 3)

I'm reading DC Comics' output from January 1980 (cover date) to Crisis! This week, I'm looking at comics that were published on November 20, 1984.

Who's Who #1: Following in the footsteps of 1983's Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe and serving as the record of the multiverse that would soon be ended by Crisis, Who's Who was the creation of editor Len Wein, Marv Wolfman, and Robert Greenberger. What I was unaware of when I picked this issue up in 1984, but seems only natural in retrospect, is how much the Who's Who covers the recent DC Universe. There are references to the deeper history of course, but there is a strong recency bias in the choice of entries and their scope. For instance, this issue gives us a number of characters that debuted in the era I've been revisiting: Aegeus from Wonder Woman, Alley-Kat-Abra from Captain Carrot, the All-Star Squadron and Amazing Man, Ambush Bug, Amethyst, Arak, Arion, a two-page spread for Atari Force, the "Sword of..." version of the Atom, the retconned version of the Atomic Knight from DC Comics Presents, and Auron of the Omega Men. Only one of the featured characters (Anthro) hasn't appeared between 1980-1984.

Batman and the Outsiders #19: Barr/Aparo present a Christmas issue, though only because it is clearly shown to take place during the Christmas season. Most of the issue is taken up with a fight between Geo-Force and Superman, which is not as one-sided as one might expect. No sooner have Geo-Force and Halo decided to just be friends, than Brion gets a call from Denise who we saw attempt suicide previously. He rushes to get her medical attention, and she reveals to him the sexual harassment by her professor that led to this. Geo-Force flies off to kill the professor, and Halo goes to Batman for help. Batman calls Superman to intercept Geo-Force while he takes care of something else. 

Using his power to increase gravity, Geo-Force is able to weaken Superman enough to hurt him. (Barr asserts the by this point outdated explanation that it is Krypton's higher gravity that, at least in part, gives Supes his strength.) In the end, though, Superman is just handling Geo-Force with kid gloves. He tires of that and smacks him down.

In the end, Batman shows up with testimony from other women, added to Denise's voice, it's enough to (they hope) end the professor's career. The heroes go home for Christmas.

Blue Devil #10: Mishkin/Cohn and Chen/Martin have Blue Devil having to defend Wayne Tarrant from harpies after he angers the goddess Athena by resuming his schtick from his teen heart-throb pop singer days of performing as Theseus. I fill like this must be an oblique reference to something in pop culture, but I don't know what. Otherwise, it's pretty random. Since Greek goddesses are in the mix, Wonder Woman guest stars. Only 10 issues under his belt, and Dan Cassidy is already teaming up with the big leagues with Superman a few issues ago and Wonder Woman here. There were house ads for this issue, for some reason, but the art there was by Colon. Wonder why he didn't draw the actual story?

Conqueror of the Barren Earth #2: Cohn and Randall chronicle Jinal's essential captivity among Zhengla Koraz and his army of conquest. He wants to make her his consort, but she's not into that and keeps trying to kill him and escape, so he makes her his slave. Eventually, she appears to warm to him and willing becomes his lover. At the end of the issue, the amassed armies of the Harshashan array against the Conqueror, and Jinal knows her friend must be leading them.

Green Lantern #186: Wein and Gibbons begin where last issue left off. Eclipso has the solar-powered jet, and is attacking Ferris Aircraft with his "murder moon." He kidnaps Bruce Gordon, demanding he reveal the secrets of the jet's power systems to him. Stewart comes to the rescue as Green Lantern while Jordan can only watch with ring envy. The Predator gets in the game, too, though he is less effective against the villain. Ultimately, Eclipso is killed by the deadly ray from his own satellite, and Rich brings the solar jet in safely, but at the cost of his own life, as he dies from a heart attack.

In the aftermath, Carol finds a love letter and a rose from the Predator in her office.

Infinity, Inc. #12: The Thomases and Newton/Burgard have the team go public in the wake of their victory. They hold a press conference where they wind up revealing their secret identities on TV. The Harlequin crashes the event to tease the group, but they are unable to catch her.

Legion of Super-Heroes #8: Levitz and Lightle/Mahlstedt keep all the plates spinning as the Lost Legionnaires fight to prevent a Controller from manufacturing another Sun-Eater, while other Legionnaires and the Science Police mop up the remaining members of the Legion of Super-Villains. 

Back on Earth, Cosmic Boy reveals to Night Girl that he's thinking about stepping down from active Legion membership. The trainees are enjoying some time on the beach, when someone shoots Laurel Kent and manages to actually make her bleed.

New Talent Showcase #15: The editorial this issue reveals that they are done with the publications from their talent search, so now the participants can no longer be considered "new", and the title will be rebranded as just Talent Showcase.

We've got fewer superhero features this issue than in the more recent ones. The cover belongs to the one supers feature, though, a team from Davila, Texas, called the Desperados by Dennis Yee, assisted by Barbara Kesel and Malcolm Jones. It's very much in keeping with the indie spirit of the time and reminds of things like other, regional supers teams like Southern Knights. The Chinese American cowboy leader is a bit of a unique innovation, though, and the heroes taking on anti-immigrant bigots is topical still today.

Bjørn Ousland opens the issue with a sci-fi story with art that I would characterize as "talented amateur." Ousland will go one to to work in comics through 1990, but mostly in Europe, a few more shorts for DC aside. This story concerns a couple of agents trying to defend alien species from poachers. Timmons and Scarborough/Blevins tell a whimsical tale of impoverished Leprechauns plotting to steal gold from Fort Knox. 

Sgt. Rock #398: Despite being marred by a hokey frame sequence, Kanigher and Redondo deliver an unusual story of the sort of things kid's ought to be reading in the dwindling war books. Zack, a bazooka man for Easy, loses his arm in a German attack. Shipped stateside, his recovery his hampered by his anger at his fate and self-pity. He discovers neighborhood kids helping black marketeer steal gasoline. Once he realizes his war is continuing just on a different front, he faces off with the black marketeer and wins the day.

Saga of Swamp Thing #34: Moore and Bissette/Totleben deliver something other than cheap entertainment for 10-year-olds. Faced with the knowledge that Matt will likely never wake up from the coma Arcane left him in, Abbie and Swamp Thing are free to confess their love for each other. Unable to share traditional physical intimacy with them being different biological kingdoms, Swamp Thing grows a psychedelic tuber, which Abbie consumes to share his consciousness. 

Warlord #90: I reviewed this issue here.

Wednesday Comics: DC, March 1985 (week 2)

I'm reading DC Comics' output from January 1980 (cover date) to Crisis! This week, I read the comics released the week of December 13, 1985. 

Amethyst #3: Mishkin/Cohn and Estrada/Tanghal pick up where last issue left off. Aquamarine returns to his islands to find the revolution fomented by Fire Jade in full swing. His imperious attitude gets him killed by a rebel with a magic sword provided by Jade. Amethyst travels to the isles and first fights in a rage but then slows down and discovers that the rebels kind of have a point about their treatment under Aquamarine and are only being duped by Fire Jade. The rebel leader teams with her to take Fire Jade down, which happens surprisingly easily, so I don't think we are truly done with her.

Fire Jade's defeat is real enough, however, so that Prince Topaz ensorcelled by her to romance then kill  Lady Turquoise, is freed from the spell, finding he is truly in love with Turquoise.

Arak Son of Thunder #42: Arak follows in the footsteps of Gilgamesh in a quest into the Underworld to get Satyricus and Valda back. Angelica says she will restore them to the land of living if Arak will retrieve the herb of immortality

Arak has to battle Scoropion People guardians and resist the charms of Siduri, only to find the river has dried up and the herb is gone. Blind Utnapishtim overs him the last seed of the plant. Arak refuses to take the seed as he doesn't want Angelica to have eternal life. It was a test, and Arak passed, so the old man opens a portal to Kur where his friends are.

Batman #381: Moench and Hoberg/Alcala bring this phase of the Night-Slayer/Nocturna arc to a close. Night-Slayer is still dressed as Batman and committing crimes. Robin and Nocturna are swinging through the city at night looking for him or Bruce but can't find either. Mayor Hill has convinced himself that Batman really as committing the crimes to taunt him regarding his attempt to frame the cape crusader. When Bruce finally makes his appearance, he's set a plan in motion that traps the Night-Slayer, revealing him for an imposter, and as reveals Hill's misdeeds. Night-Slayer escapes, but Hill is on his way to jail. As a bonus, he also makes the socialworker think Natalia Knight is still working with the Night-Slayer, so Bruce gets custody back, even though they are now friendly with Nocturna. As a coda, Bruce visits the blind woman with the crush on Batman who tried to reveal Anton Knight's imposture, and the implication is that he spends the night with her!

Flash #343: Finally, Bates and Infantino/McLaughlin reveal just what made Cecile Horton dislike the Flash so. It turns out her father was a cop killed by Goldface back in the two-parter in 1982. Flash tries to convince her that Goldface lied about giving Flash a warning to get out of town before he killed, but for some reason Cecile doesn't believe him. Probably because we wouldn't have enough plot for the issue if she did. She goes to Goldface in prison, and he lies, of course, and she believes him, but then he kidnaps her in a jailbreak. The Flash comes to the rescue, but not before a gloating Goldface reveals that he did lie. Cecile feels awful for wrongly blaming the hero than has saved her life twice now.

G.I. Combat #275: The Monitor makes another appearance (or at least his satellite does) in the Haunted Tank story, apparently surveilling the ghost of J.E.B. Stuart in the void. Most of the story is about Stuart's Raiders on a mission to escort of defecting German tank commander to the Allied lines, but it turns out to be a trick, and the crew must battle the enemy inside their own tank.

There are three nonseries stories set in World War II, two of them by written by Kashdan. In one, the lone survivor of a mission in the Pacific Theater merely to distract enemy from the real objective, refuses a medal in disillusionment and anger. In another, a German commander betrays his side and frees U.S. prisoners of war in the name of stopping the destruction of a Belgian church he considers a work of art. In the sole story penned by Wessler, a U.S. squad sweeping for mines, tricks the German who set them into getting blown up by his own handiwork.

In the Bravos of Vietnam feature by Kanigher and Trinidad, Bravo 7-3 disguises themselves as peasants working the rice paddies to lure the Viet Cong into a trap.

Jemm, Son of Saturn #7: The Red Saturnian Jogarr must have been convinced by his talk with Superman last issue, because he arrives on Earth just in time to help Jemm defeat Grayol, a Koolar with a sort of cybernetic control over the ship the Prince and his friends stole from the White Saturnians. Meanwhile, Synn becomes aware of the existence of Jogarr's people and prepares to destroy them, while Tull is still out to get Jemm.

Omega Men #24: The primary draw of this fill-in story is the art of O'Neill, which certainly brings a different feel to the book. The script by Wolfman about the leaders of the Omega Men being tested to the limit in an underground city of Okaara is perfunctory. There's a backup too, a reprint by Wolfman/Gold and Morrow from Witching Hour #13 (1971), which the editorial here suggests the first appearance of the proto-Psions. 

Star Trek #11: Barr and Sutton/Villagran continue their Mirror Universe saga. Before Enterprise self-destructs at the orders of Mirror-Kirk, Scotty and Saavik manage to separate the saucer section from the warp drive. Meanwhile, Spock is revived and wins a psychic duel with his Mirror counterpart. With some hand-wavey rejiggering of the Tantalus field, Kirk disables Excelsior and captures his doppelganger. Scotty and Saavik repair Excelsior and modify the transwarp engines to travel into Mirror Space. Kirk plans to stop the Empire's invasion, disobeying Starfleet's orders. 

Superman #405: The first story is a silly tale by Boldman and Saviuk/Kesel. Superman is fighting criminals in Metropolis wearing the cape and cowl of Batman. Exposure to an accidental blast from a magical syrinx makes Superman grow small horns that he has to disguise as he searches for now stolen syrinx.

The second story by Rozakis and Schaffenberger is sort of holiday themed, as Perry White enlists Superman at Christmastime to prove to a doubting Canadian boy that the hero does exist, but Superman keeps getting delayed by emergencies.

Tales of the Teen Titans #51: Wolfman and Buckler/Smith again have Titans dealing with the fallout of Terra's betrayal. Aided by Lilith, the group thwarts a gang of gun-runners in the service of President Marlo, the leader of an unnamed Middle Eastern country. Jericho's mother stole military secrets on the strength of the neighboring nation of Kyran, and Marlo hires Cheshire to get Adeline Wilson and the information he has so he can plan an invasion. In the re-introduction of Chesire, we get a lot of reference to the mysterious "he" who is the father of her child and former Titan. Meanwhile, the Pentagon and Interpol tell Nightwing they want the Wilsons for questioning. When Nightwing tells Changeling, who's already suspicious of Jericho thanks to his parentage, attacks him and tries to arrest him. Jericho, anxious to pursue his mother's kidnapper, defeats Gar and escapes. Meanwhile, S.T.A.R. scientists discover an alien spaceship and its pilot frozen in the Alaskan ice.