Action Comics #552: Wolfman and Kane get back around to what was going on with the Forgotten Heroes, last seen 7 months ago in issue #545. Dane Dorrance, Cave Carson, and Rick Flag have been brought together with Animal Man, Dolphin, and Congo Bill, by the mysterious Immortal Man. They find they all have one thing in common: they've seen a great, golden temple in their last exploits, knowledge of which was hushed up by the government in many cases. Now Immortal Man tells them that in order to defeat a menace to the entire world, they must destroy Superman! Meanwhile, Vandal Savage has manipulated Superman into a position where dormant plant organisms Savage caused to colonize the Man of Steel to enter an active phase, growing giant vines to menace Metropolis.
Detective Comics #535: Moench and Colon/Smith reveal that Jason Todd wasn't killed in his very first outing as Robin, but he seems to have a concussion. When he wakes up, he's acting oddly. He sucker-punches Batman and heads out dressed as Robin. He goes to Crazy Quilt's hideout where the villain's goons are waiting in ambush. Batman recovers a few minutes later and follows a clue Jason left him. He arrives in time to take out some thugs, but Crazy Quilt seems to be getting the better of them until Jason realizes he needs his helmet to see. Having hypnotized Crazy Quilt with his own reflected light, he makes him remove his helmet attachments.
In the Green Arrow backup by Cavalieri and Patton/McManus, Star City beginning to seem a really ridiculous place. Not only are the Werewolves over the top in their Mad Max stylings, but as Green Arrow and Ozone are trying to escape them, their resident inventor reveals he's turned a shack into a flying contraption. In the end, our heroes have the black box snatched from them by the Detonator.
Arion Lord of Atlantis #16: Arion and friends are walking home after leaving the city of Mu. Arion reveals to Chian that in bis battle with Garn, he didn't kill him, but rather absorbed him somehow. Since that time Arion has felt the evil inside of himself. The magic energy sword that Arion found in Garn's tower in Thamuz has amplified the effect urging the mage to bloodlust.
Arion and his companions are then captured by a group of animal men, victims of experiments by Atlantean scientists. (This seems a reference to the animal men of New Atlantis in Warlord, bring closer together DC's never completely in sync views of Atlantis.) Bylgor, the leader of the animal men hates all Atlanteans for the crimes committed against him, and moves to kill Arion, until the disgraced General Balar, who happens to be hiding out with the animal men, intervenes. Balar wants Arion for himself, but though forced to use the magic sword to win, Arion doesn't kill Balar. The animal men allow them to leave in peace.
Meanwhile, kingship isn't pleasing to Wyynde, but once he's introduced to his intended bride Fawndancer, he starts to warm to it a bit.
All-Star Squadron #30: Wonder Woman tells Liberty Belle about the Justice Society's recent, all-out fight against the Black Dragon Society. Most of the issue by Thomas, Howell, Machlan, and de la Rosa, is the usual split the team to squash the various plots of Black Dragon, but the real reason for the story's existence seems to be to address the U.S. internment of Japanese Americans during the War. The story is admittedly softer in its condemnation than a comic would be today. Still, for kid's media in the 80s it does a decent job.
New Adventures of Superboy #50: Giffen provides the art for the cover and 30th Century framing sequence, and he is moving ever closer to his mid-80s style. Nylor Truggs, a 30th Century criminal, steals the H-Dial from a museum and goes back in time to ally himself with 20th Century criminal Lex Luthor. The 20th Century sequences are by the usual art team of Schaffenberger/Hunt. The Legion of Super-Heroes travels back to team-up with Superboy to help stop them. Krypto also returns from space to help out. Truggs breaks with Luthor but uses the dial to empower a team of villains. As all of the villains are defeated, they transform back into their regular forms--and they turn out to be Bash, Lana, Pete and Lisa. The dial gets destroyed, so it can't get returned to the museum in the 30th Century after all.
Jonah Hex #81: Fleisher and Ayers/DeZuniga have Jonah have a change of heart and rescue Turnbull from his rattlesnake bite. Maybe this is so Turnbull can clear his name, but the issue doesn't make any comment. Anyway, the story purpose is clearly so they can be uneasy allies against a common foe, namely El Papagayo and his band. Not that Turnbull doesn't try to double cross Hex on a couple of occasions, still, at the issue's end they are both in a buggy--when the dynamite Papagayo planted goes off.
During all this time, Hart and Mei Ling are getting close, and Emmy Lou (dressed as sexy cowgirl this time instead of Indian) decides she needs to leave to get Hex out of her mind.
During all this time, Hart and Mei Ling are getting close, and Emmy Lou (dressed as sexy cowgirl this time instead of Indian) decides she needs to leave to get Hex out of her mind.
World's Finest Comics #300: This issue is an all-star jam with segments written by Kraft, Barr, and Wolfman, pencils by Andru, Texeira, and Amendola; and Janson, Smith, Maygar, McLaughlin, and Rodriquez. It primarily features the JLA and the Outsiders teaming up to thwart Zeta who after all is soul-searching has made himself the god of his alien creators and is continuing their mission. The Titans only feature briefly, just to show us they have their hands full in New York.
A group of the JLA and the Outsiders try to stop the invasive tree on Earth while Superman leads another JLA contingent to rescue Batman. The first group is successful against the tree but is captured and crucified by the aliens to be taken to Zeta, Superman and his bunch also encounter Zeta who easily defeats them, turning all but Superman to stone.
Meanwhile, Batman is bouncing around through time. In a prefiguring of Crisis, the alien assault seems to occur in multiple eras. Batman encounters Sgt. Rock, but more helpfully, manages to free Halo. Making their way to Zeta, Batman and Superman confront him. They final shame him into changing his ways. He restores the JLA and sends them with the Pantheon to save the planet that sent out the Cosmic Tree.
In the aftermath of all this, Wonder Woman encourages Batman and Superman to give up their disagreement and reconcile, which they do.
I know I bought and read that issue of Detective. I don't remember much past that. I know I stuck out Moench's Batman for a while, but it never clicked with me.
ReplyDeleteHad I know there was the Legion and Keith Giffen in that issue of Superboy I would have gotten that as well.