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[Cat-Scratch]

I made a boo-boo in that review and I have made corrections.

[Zenguru]

I made a boo-boo in that review and I have made corrections.

Always nice to see that kind of attention to detail.

[Zenguru]

Detective Comics #549, April 1985

COVER LINK: www.comics.org/coverview.lasso?id=39927&zoom=4

Creative Team: Doug Moench (script), Pat Broderick (pencils), Bob Smith (inks)

Title: "Dr. Harvey & Mr. Bullock"

Synopsis: A beautiful done-in-one story for those who don't want to waste time sifting through multi-part epics in the back issue bin.

Gotham City cop Harvey Bullock needs to find the Batman. He's got some info that will close the case on a criminal ring. And he wants to do it quick. Thing is, Batman's kinda hard to track down during the day.

So Harvey clocks out for the night and looks forward to an old-fashioned double feature at the cinema. But this is Gotham. Before Harvey steps out of his car, a couple of gang-bangers are duking it out on his doorstep. Harvey breaks it up, but one of the kids swears to get even.

The next night, Harvey is surrounded by over two-dozen teens in leather jackets. Batman finally makes an appearance as he helps Harvey face his last stand. Many punches are thrown, but the final blow has an effect that even Harvey Bullock doesn't see coming.

Coolest Quote: "All right, so maybe this alley IS a dead end. And maybe I HAVE painted myself right into its deepest corner. And maybe I WON'T take you all...but you can make book on this, punks...I WILL do more damage than Brando on the waterfront." --- Harvey Bullock

Nostalgia Bit: I bought this comic at a 7-11 after a long hot morning of sitting in church. Just the thing for a sweltering Sunday afternoon. This comic had it all. Plus the first part of a neat little Green Arrow story by Alan Moore and Klaus Janson. And a fan letter from Beau Smith!

[Keb]

Plus the first part of a neat little Green Arrow story by Alan Moore and Klaus Janson.

Night Olympics?

[thefourthman]

SO here's the deal...
I write current reviews for a site exclusively...

however, I don't get to cover back issues there and I have had several requests to do reviews here...

I am constantly reading older books and would be happy to review ones that I find either particularly good or particularly bad...

thing is can some one maybe database what we got her, maybe a companion thread with a link to this thread (and vice versa) in the main post...

since this is someone else's baby, I wanted to see what everyone thought about that set up...

I would be happy to go through the thread and create the new thread, if everyone agrees it is a good idea...

[Cat-Scratch]

SO here's the deal...
I write current reviews for a site exclusively...

however, I don't get to cover back issues there and I have had several requests to do reviews here...

I am constantly reading older books and would be happy to review ones that I find either particularly good or particularly bad...

thing is can some one maybe database what we got her, maybe a companion thread with a link to this thread (and vice versa) in the main post...

since this is someone else's baby, I wanted to see what everyone thought about that set up...

I would be happy to go through the thread and create the new thread, if everyone agrees it is a good idea...

Oh just post some reviews already. You know you want to.

I'm reposting mine at my blog, might as well post something there.

[thefourthman]

Oh just post some reviews already. You know you want to.

I'm reposting mine at my blog, might as well post something there.

I'll review that wart on your ass..
irregular, and it chafes my penis!
I give it a 1 out of ten!

[Cat-Scratch]

I'll review that wart on your ass..
irregular, and it chafes my penis!
I give it a 1 out of ten!

What?

I've no wart on my ass, you must be thinking of Frd or McNut.............

I feel laughter as I read that your penis chafes!

[Cat-Scratch]

The Mighty Crusaders
published by Red Circle Comics/Archie Adventure Groups aka Archie Comics Group in 1983.
Written and drawn by Rich Buckler



The mafia has teamed with The Brain-Emperor in creating a nationwide crime wave to ultimately destroy all the mighty heroes. Lancelot Strong aka The Shield is dealing with a group of crooks in a warehouse. During which he quickly discover a cache of advanced weapons. With The Fly, Fly-Girl and The Jaguar arrive at the end to talk with him about the sudden crime wave and the advanced weapons found. The Fly recognizes that the weapons are of Atlantean origin and could only be from the original Crusaders old enemy, Eterno The Conquerer. They decide to retire to Lancelot's secret headquarters to discuss plans of action. Elsewhere, both The Web and The Original Shield are also dealing with robbers. The Web quickly leaves to met up with a Dr. Reeves and discuss a discovery of the Doctor's. The Shield is quickly swept up an a comet of light. Shortly after arriving at Lancelot's headquarters, our first group speak via a tele-screen with our second group - The Comet, The Black Hood and The Original Shield. The Original Shield had been brought to the Comet's spacecraft via alien technology at The Comet's command. They gather their information and conclude with reports from military sources, that there are strange waves of energy originating from space. They figure that a cloaked satellite is the source. Lancelot's group quickly head out to the last known position of Eterno's city of Atlantis. The Web has met up with Dr. Reeves whom takes the hero to a point in the ocean where he's discovered a hidden city. Both are quickly attacked by a trio of giant robots piloted by human beings. Lancelot Strong, The Fly, Fly-Girl and The Jaguar arrive in time to attack the robots. We learn now of Brain-Emperor's working as a second in command in Eterno's plan to rule the surface world, but we also learn of his plan to betray Eterno for his own gains.................

This was the first issue and a 13 issue run that started a return of these characters and some others to the stands. As you could tell, it was a different time from now in the writing and even then, it was at least a decade behind in the edge of it. Rich Buckler's art is as expected from the famous swiper, tons of Gil Kane, Jim Steranko and Jack Kirby poses for Lancelot and others. I don't really see anything wrong with this, as I think it resulted in greater fun for this reader at least. The characters are clunky, but if you're like me and love the old ones for their silliness and clunkiness, you will be happy. The back pages are a quick who's who of our heroes and are rather nice. Lancelot Strong and The Fly would both get their own short lived spin outs from this along with several others for a short while. Nearly all of these characters are from Archie's past as MLJ back in the forties and a couple of short lived revivals in the late fifties and in the sixities. As a kid I got to see one of the sixties silly adventures for The Original Shield's son and later a reprint/reproduction of an issue of Pep Comics from the forties. That last one had The Shield, The Comet as well as The Hangman in it. Those last two characters are brothers by the way. So again, this title was one of interest for me since it further showed a number of characters to me that I had little or no information on.

You want a quick shot of JLU like comics, but with less cartoony art (not that there's anything wrong with that)? Then try this comic series out and it's fellows. They came cheap last time I looked and of course have an appeal for those, perhaps, that are enjoying Project Superpowers.

Wiki Entry = http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mighty_Crusaders

[Zenguru]

SO here's the deal...
I write current reviews for a site exclusively...

however, I don't get to cover back issues there and I have had several requests to do reviews here...

I am constantly reading older books and would be happy to review ones that I find either particularly good or particularly bad...

thing is can some one maybe database what we got her, maybe a companion thread with a link to this thread (and vice versa) in the main post...

since this is someone else's baby, I wanted to see what everyone thought about that set up...

I would be happy to go through the thread and create the new thread, if everyone agrees it is a good idea...

Just post your reviews here, buddy. You don't need to go to the trouble of another thread and all.

My purpose in starting this thread was to review comics I loved as a kid and make them sound as exciting as I found them to be. But now you've got me thinking. It would also be fun to review books that are really bad or even hilariously bad.

So speak up and chime in! I'd love to see what you have to say.

[thefourthman]

the idea of the other thread would be a listing of what has been reviewed and a link, sort of a table of contents...

I'm horrible busy this week with the other site, but I hope to get on this weekend with one or two...

[Zenguru]

the idea of the other thread would be a listing of what has been reviewed and a link, sort of a table of contents...

I'm horrible busy this week with the other site, but I hope to get on this weekend with one or two...

That doesn't sound like a bad idea. What other site do you review for?

[Cat-Scratch]

The Protectors
published by Malibu Comics in 1992.
Written by R.A. Jones
Drawn by Thomas Derenick & Mike Deodata on inks



The issue opens with an attack on a police station by the Steel Army, a group wearing body armor with energy cannons. Lead by the mysterious Mr.Monday, they kill half the officers there and Mr. Monday leaves a message for Washington - They're next. Next we get a news report explaining the ongoings of the Steel Army as well as an explanation of what's happened to the supranormal heroes that once protected all. In 1986, the town of Brinkston was whiped out with all life during a battle between supranormals.
Next we see the sequestered President being visited late in the night by a a ghostly figure, that figure being the enigmatic Gravestone. The supranormals need to return. From there we met Philip Reinhardt, now a senior but once the dashing hero Nightmask, now visiting Arlington to pay respects to a passed friend. He's summoned away by government agents to see the President at the docked freighter USS Jefferson. There the President enlists Reinhardt to head up a resurrection of the supranormal heroes in a formal government sponsered group. It's revealed that many of the heroes, that had forced to retire after Brinkston, have been kept in arm's reach of the government for a time like this. But many more will need to be found and contacted. The initial members of the team, dubbed the Protectors, bust in on a major drug deal. Man Of War, Arc, Airman and Gravestone make quick work of the criminals. Successful in their trial run, they return to the Jefferson for a review and a meeting with Reinhardt. There they all meet their next member, selected by the President, The new Nightmask, Richard Reinhardt. They begin to talk about their next member of an angry exchange between father and son. The next member will be The Ferret, a supranornal known to Man Of War and not very much liked by him..............

This comic was an interesting one for several reasons. First it was one of the first places that Thom Derenick got started before becoming a bit more of a name and his Neal Adams schooling shows. Crude but there. Next is of course that this came out at the same time as Malibu helped launch the Image line of comics. It wasn't that hard to mistakenly think that it was a part of that line, but, well, paying attention to the indicant on the cover showed otherwise. It helped it's sales at the time without a doubt though. Lastly, for myself was that the title contained new versions of a great many old golden-age characters that had lapsed into public domain. Here, these version were owned by Malibu and as with the present Project Superpower, some sported a new name too. The series ran for 20 issues from that first plus there were a number of one-shots and minis spun out of it, including a shot at a famous GA character, Ms Fury, now simply Fury.
A good deal of it turned to t&a plus it did have the infamous "bullet hole" cover to help sell it. The series it's self wasn't bad and made for some good fluff reading at a time when stories were getting tossed for slick art.
ALSO, as you noticed, the heroes, called SUPRANORMALS, were forced to retire by the government after wiping out a town during a battle. Sound familier? It sure does to me. [size=0]*cough**cough* civil war *cough**cough*[/size] The series has a rather spectacular ending to it all. Pity, I liked a number of the characters. However, Malibu was putting it's money behind the Ultraverse line and shortly, Marvel would own Malibu.
If you like Project Superpower, you may want to check out this old series. It should be cheap out in the back issue bins.

Here's the Wiki entry for more info. = http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protectors

[Cat-Scratch]

My next review coming later this week =

[Zenguru]

Aw, dude! I used to have all the Protectors stuff. The bullet-hole issue, the die-cut Ferret special. All that. One of my favorites was The Arrow. Lee Moder's first work. Now you got me wanting to find those books again.

And I've never read Hero Alliance, but I've heard of them. Published by Innovation, a defunct company from Wheeling, WV. Some of Bart Sears' first work as well came from this company.