Doom Patrol #7 review

This is one of those comic books in which the stars of the show hardly appear, but you’re having such a good time it’s barely noticeable. So Robotman, Elasti-Woman and Negative Man are off panel until the final page of the story, recovering from the events of Blackest Night and awaiting transport home. This leaves […]

Siege #2 review

This issue, an Avenger dies! Not ‘alf! Before reading this I’d seen internet hints, but managed not to be spoiled as to who was slain, and how. Needless to say, it wasn’t who I was expecting, and it wasn’t how I was expecting. And that’s all I’m saying, other than if you’ve not read it […]

Justice Society of America Annual #2 review

The All-Stars respond to the news that one of their members, Magog, has organised a prison break. Of course, he hasn’t, but he’s such an obnoxious, irritating, hotheaded pultroon that he’s soon fighting his colleagues rather than bad guys. Did he think to tell his team-mates in advance? Does he take 30 seconds to explain […]

Atom and Hawkman #46 review

In the Sixties, the solo titles of the Atom and Hawkman were amalgamated into one comic when sales fell, with the numbering continuing from Ray Palmer’s title. The book, flagged as starring ‘the Titan and the Fury’, limped along for another seven issues before dying out. Well, it’s Blackest Night and the Dead Will Rise and […]

Batman and Robin #7 review

When I was a kid, reading imported comics from North America, I was often confused by the impossibly exotic things referenced. Baseball? Amtrak? Martha Stewart? Back in those pre-internet days the specifics of the mysteries often remained, though I could usually work the generalities out from the context. And hopefully any non-British readers momentarily thrown by […]

Wonder Woman #40 review

This one, as they say, has it all – giant serpent gods, Washington DC in flames, the return of Etta Candy and Steve Trevor, a surprise guest star and five very naughty boys. The story sees Diana investigating when something big and mysterious swallows a subway train. Being tougher than a serpent’s tooth, she soon […]

The Mighty Avengers #33 review

It’s hinted that after the current Siege event Marvel is returning to the days of brighter, shinier heroes. The funny thing is, we’ve had this concept for months since Dan Slott became writer of Mighty Avengers. Optimistic, bright heroes fighting supremely powerful villains while actually getting along and having fun. The transformation of Hank Pym […]

Blackest Night: Starman #81 review

One comic. One single, slim book. That’s all it takes to make the Blackest Night crossover worthwhile, and have me grinning from ear to ear. Starman was one of the greatest comic runs of the Nineties, a story in which the human dramas were as grand and memorable as the cosmic and supernatural struggles. And […]

The Brave and the Bold #31 review

‘Lost stories of yesterday, today and tomorrow’ is the tagline for J Michael Straczynski’s current run on The Brave and the Bold. You could put it another way: ‘Fun without baggage’ That’s what we get this month, behind a superb Jesus Saiz cover, as Ray Palmer does the Fantastic Voyage thing to save the Joker’s […]

Blackest Night: Phantom Stranger #42 review

Last week, in The Power of Shazam, we saw that minor super-person Osiris was able to overcome the Black Lantern influence due to the magic within him. This week, in The Phantom Stranger #42 (not really), we see that the most powerful magical presence in the DC Universe, the Spectre, can’t say the same thing. […]