Podcast time – Gene Colan and the Phantom Zone

In 1981 one of DC’s earliest mini-series appeared like a bolt from the blue – or rather, purple grey. The Phantom Zone, like such previous minis as World of Krypton, rounded up a lot of DC history but rather than take four issues, it sped through the decades in the first one. That cleared the […]

Future State: Superman: House of El #1 review

In the future, a bunch of Superman’s descendants, along with their partners, allies and droids, defend their Fortress of Sanctuary on the Moon from hordes of horrors sent by the mysterious ‘Red King’. Sometimes people die, but there are plenty more super-folk to fill the ranks. And in the eyes of one ally, all is […]

DCeased: Hope at World’s End Chapter 9 review

Zombies aren’t my thing. They have rubbish conversation. There’s great conversation in this latest mini-series set in the alternate DC Universe in which Darkseid’s Anti-Life equation has turned most of the people on the planet into unliving flesh-eaters. Are they truly unliving, though? That’s a big question in the ninth chapter of writer Tom Taylor’s […]

Action Comics #1023 review

‘Clark Kent walked into a bar.’ It sounds like the beginning of a joke, but it’s no joke for the Invisible Mafia members when Clark Kent, newly revealed as the Man of Steel, shows up. Why is he there? Let’s go back a few pages, to the start of Action Comics #1023. After a very […]

Action Comics 1022

What a difference an inker makes. Danny Miki steps in to embellish John Romita Jr’s pencils and all is right with the world. I’ve been a fan of inker Klaus Janson for decades, but for some reason the teaming with regular partner JR Jr on Action Comics hasn’t worked; the characters have looked too blocky, […]

Retro review: Super Friends #6

I don’t think the original Super Friends ever appeared on British screens. The first time I came across them, other than in DC Comics house ads for Saturday morning TV, was in the comic’s seventh issue, apparently the first distributed widely here, when Zan and Jayna arrived. This issue, though, it’s Wendy and Marvin who […]

Action Comics #1019 review

Superman is being attacked by Legion of Doom members Luthor, Brainiac, Grodd, Sinestro and Cheetah. In flashback, we see Luthor and ‘friends’ recruit Leviathan, appearing for the first time since his big event. And in a more recent flashback, Luthor arranges a meet/cute between Leviathan and Metropolis bad girl Red Cloud. The Legion of Doom […]

Action Comics #1018 review

Today, the Legion of Doom is trouncing Superman and his Justice League partners. Earlier, Metropolis fire chief Melody Moore has news for Clark Kent. Six months ago, dogged young reporter Robinson Goode has a run-in with shady scientists from Star Labs. In order of interest, I’d say the origin of Red Cloud is most compelling, […]

Lois Lane #6 review

Sam Lane, soldier turned spy and Lois Lane’s father, has died, killed during the Leviathan affair. As he’s buried with full military honours, his daughter remembers their stormy, but ultimately loving, relationship. The reporter maintains her composure as she says goodbye, accompanied by husband Clark, son Jon and sister Lucy Finally, though, it all becomes […]

Event Leviathan #6 review

In September, as the finger of suspicion turned towards Kate Spencer, I wondered if Leviathan was Mark Shaw, one of the heroes to carry the name ‘Manhunter’ before her. Last month, it really seemed as if he was Leviathan, but I suspected we’d get a final twist This finale reveals that Leviathan is, in fact… […]