Podcast Plugtime – A World on Fire: An All-Star Squadron Podcast

One of the best series of the Eighties was All-Star Squadron. Roy and Dann Thomas’s love letter to DC’s Golden Age, it followed the heroes of the Forties from Pearl Harbor onwards as they fought Hitler and co on the Home Front – well, mainly. As well as the Justice Society of America, 7 Soldiers […]

DC Vs Vampires #1 review

And now, in the tradition of Injustice and DCeased, a new alternate continuity series putting heroes and villains in an apocalyptic scenario. Is there room for another so soon after the two earlier hits? On the basic of this terrific first issue, the answer is a big, ‘Too bloody right, there is!’ Otto Schmidt’s intense […]

Aquaman/Green Arrow: Deep Target #1 review

Two years ago, a general and his science lackeys experimented in Montana. Today, Emerald Archer and King of the Sea are at odds. Hmm, heroes in shadows, time travel… can you see the twist coming? Oliver Queen is Aquaman! Arthur Curry is Green Arrow! Martin Gray is tickled. I didn’t see that coming, although it […]

Checkmate #5 review

Mark Shaw, leader of the rogue country Leviathan, has teleported the church being used by the new Checkmate group as a base from the US to Thailand. The spymasters, though, manage to escape via a portal to the basement of the Hall of Justice. Upstairs, the Wonder Twins show a new batch of Justice League […]

The Flash #775 review

It’s the long-awaited 775th anniversary issue! What’s that, you say? You’ve never heard of such a thing? Well, 75 is a third of the way to a number ending in 00, it’s a giant-sized issue… it must be a special occasion. Who needs a cover blurb, I know a party when I see one? And […]

Nightwing #85 review

The bad news is that the regular story is delayed once more by a Batman Family crossover, Fear State. The good news is that writer Tom Taylor takes those Gotham lemons and makes remarkably tasty lemonade. The great news is that while regular penciller Bruno Redondo is absent – likely getting ahead on the ongoing […]

Superman: Son of Kal-El #4 review

This month, as the cover shows, someone drops in unannounced on Jonathan and Martha Kent. Then, visiting grandson Jon gets through to new pal Jay. The Justice League prove pretty pitiable as guardians of the cornfield. The Kents define ‘sanguine’. And Wally West lends a super-speed shoulder. Or to put it another way, Jon has […]

Podcast plug: Meanwhile… in Justice League Quarterly #1

In the early Nineties the Justice League series was so popular that it birthed a number of spins-offs, including Mister Miracle, Martian Manhunter and, of course, Justice League Europe. My favourite, though, was Justice League Quarterly which, over 17 issues, gave us both solo and team tales of League members and allies. Of course, the […]

Retro review – House of Mystery #224

When I was a kid in the Seventies and Eighties, DC’s Mystery books were a regular part of my comic reading diet. With at least three shorts an issue, one of which was usually pretty splendid, plus the odd feature page and a lettercol – I loved lettercols! – they were good value, and often […]

Blue & Gold #3 review

It’s Michael and Ted vs a space princess in the latest issue of the long-awaited Blue Beetle/Booster Gold mini-series. The lady’s name is Omnizon, and she wants someone to take her to Earth’s leader. Of course, Earth doesn’t have one, with so many governments around the world. Instead of demanding the planet be handed over […]