Who'd Like A Cocktail? #249

Bad guys saving the world? Seems to be a theme this week.

Monday Memories #29 - Justice League Annual #1

Each Monday this year I'll be taking a look back at a random comic, prestige format issue, graphic novel or collection of reprints from amongst my 3,000 or so comics that date from 1962 to 2003 - I figured anything in the last ten years would be too recent to hark back to.

The comics are chosen completely at random and apart from a four week lead-in period, even I don't know what I'll be looking at in the weeks to come!

Who'd Like A Cocktail? #233

That's right, Flash - piss off the 40 foot giant...

Who'd Like A Cocktail? #225

Let's keep it simple, folks.

Who'd Like A Cocktail? #221

God demonstrating the argumentative capacity of a five year old

Who'd Like A Cocktail? #217

He's not wrong.

Who'd Like A Cocktail? #214

Admitting it is the first step.

Earth 2 #11

Dr Fate returns, everyone!

"As Dr Fate emerges as the latest hero on Earth 2, what other heroes make a most unexpected appearance?"

Any guesses? Hourman, maybe?

Earth 2 #10

From the solicitations:

As Wotan holds The Flash’s mother hostage, Khalid must finally come to terms with his destiny as Doctor Fate!

Wotan! The new Dr Fate! Man, this series just keeps getting better.

Earth 2 #9

From the solicitations:

As a new story arc begins, DR. FATE makes his Earth 2 debut!
Supernatural powers are emerging on Earth 2, and that means new heroes on the scene—not to mention new villains!
Plus: The debut of the new Wotan!

Dr Fate's appearance is no big surprise - he was name-checked a few issues back but it'll be nice to see him back in action.

And Wotan! Who'd have thought that!

Who Was Who Is Who #12

So for want of anything better to write about on a Monday, and with DC's New 52 well under way (how long are they keeping that title do you think?) I'm going to go through all my copies of Who's Who and see if I can predict who will make it over to the new DCU by the end of 2012, who might make it and who hasn't got a Dr Cyber's chance.

DESTINY - ever since Neil Gaiman pinched Destiny and decided he was one of the Endless, he's pretty much been off limits. Even with the recent relaxation between the Vertigo and DCU lines, I can't see him arriving soon.

DETECTIVE CHIMP - one of best characters in the sadly short lived Shadowpact series, I'd love to see him back in action as the ex-alcoholic, surly genius that he is. Kind of doubt it'll happen, though.

DIAL "H" FOR HERO - had I been writing this just a couple of weeks earlier, I'd have said not a chance of ever seeing this series again. As it is, it's been picked up as part of DC's Second Wave of comics so even though it hasn't been published yet, it's going in the "in place" column.

Retroactive - The 80's Part 2

As DC Comics are celebrating the creators that made an impact in the 70's, 80's and 90's, I thought I'd wander through the same decades and pull out my favourite comic of each year.

Welcome back to the 80's!

Retroactive - The 70's Part 3

As DC Comics are celebrating the creators that made an impact in the 70's, 80's and 90's, I thought I'd wander through the same decades and pull out my favourite comic of each year.

Any excuse to look at old comics, eh? 

Who'd Like A Cocktail? #115

Zatanna makes a whole lot of sense

Monday Memes #4

Every now and then, usually on team books, a New Guy turns up which is always an excuse to plaster them all over the cover:

And sometimes it's not a guy but a gal like the time Dr Fate was a woman and joined the Justice League again. For the first time.

But it's not only team books - solo titles get the New Guy treatment as well:

You gotta love John Stewart pushing Hal Jordan out of the way as he proclaims that he's Green Lantern!

Friday Night Fights - Very Big Lights

It's Friday night and, as usual, Spacebooger demands violence!

Just for the hell of it, I've gone for not one on one . . . not even two against one . . . unless you count teams, that is! This is the Justice League America and Justice League Europe together, battling one guy.

But hey, he's a big guy . . .

That's the Gray Man, former servant of the Lords of Order who has, to put it mildly, freaked out, forcing the combined Justice League teams to team up and, as Power Girl says, "Punch his lights out!"

Trouble is, at his size he's able to take even her on and with a slap like that, she's going to need a doctor . . . Dr Fate that is (sorry!)

And with a single FWASH, the big guy's down for the count!

Remember, folks, head over to Spacebooger by clicking on the picture below, check out the other fights and vote for your favourite.

This combined effort first appeared in Justice League Europe #8, cover dated November 1989, written by Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis, with art by Bart Sears, Bob Smith and Pablo Marcos.

Who'd Like A Cocktail? #102

Larfleeze shows why he's the one getting his own Christmas special this year

• BOOSTER GOLD #37 - you're almost left with the thought that either Giffen or DeMatteis is occasionally tapping the other one on the shoulder and saying "Didn't we have a plot we were following at some point?" This is still a great fun series but it does delight in wandering down various sub-plot alleyways before being wrenched back to the main one! And methinks we haven't seen the last of Estrogina!
• GREEN LANTERN #58 - finally, Carol Ferris slaps down Hal Jordan's expectations, reminding him of his girl back home while she gets on with her life. Meanwhile Salaak begins to get suspicious of Jordan's activities and hey, the Flash turns up.
• GREEN LANTERN: EMERALD WARRIORS #3 - the Red Lantern Bleez seems to be along for the ride, but at least she can speak now. Sodam Yat finds he's being hunted by his own father and that creepy, floating dwarf who's behind the draining of Lantern's rings shows up again.
• JUSTICE LEAGUE: GENERATION LOST #11 - this issue's pretty much all about the Metal Men attacking Fire, Ice and Rocket Red which ends up with Ice being forced into her new persona, the origin of which we meet in the next issue and which I moaned about earlier this week.
• JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA 80 PAGE GIANT 2010 - I've said it before: the thing with anthologies is you have to take the rough with the smooth. The Obsidian story was well done though it was little more than an origin tale; Jesse Quick helps a battered woman (as an aside - a trash can lid can deflect bullets? I don't think so!); Mr Terrific's tale was a little empty; Cyclone battles through some some spiteful people and discovers a new power; Sand shoots a cop (but he deserved it); the Wildcats get closer to each other; and Dr Fate manages to help someone in death. Mostly okay stories, though the Mr Terrific one was, as I said, just a little less than the others.
• KNIGHT AND SQUIRE #1 - I've never picked up a book before on the strength of a preview, but had to give this a go. It's wonderfully British and I applaud DC for publishing it. Storywise it does little except establish some characters but does so with humour and charm. Well worth getting.
• UNTOLD TALES OF BLACKEST NIGHT #1 - basically an anthology so again a little hit and miss. I think the most pertinent thing to come out of it was the recruitment of Lyssa Drak by the floating, creepy dwarf from the Green Lantern titles.

And what made me smile:

Induce vomiting! Kiss her!

Who'd Like A Cocktail? #69

• Black Terror #7 - this series kinda seems to be stumbling from one big fight to another but does so with such abandon that I'm still enjoying it - plus it gave me this week's quote for the banner.
• Blackest Night: JSA #2 - oh, those sneaky, tricksy Black Lanterns! Who'd'a thought so many heroes could be so easily duped?
• Green Lantern #50 - Hal Jordan appears as Green Lantern and Parallax in the same issue and has the Spectre along as well. Jeez, it's like all his ex's turned up at once!
• Justice League: Cry For Justice #6 - was it just me or was this issue actually not that bad? Of course, we can all guess how it's going to turn out because of . . .
• Justice League of America #41 - . . . which takes place after the events of Justice League: Cry For Justice #7 which isn't out yet, but even this issue wasn't too bad. Poor old Reddy's been dismantled again but the time-travel aspect with Tomahawk and Miss Liberty looks like a nice set-up; even Green Arrow's grim hunt for Prometheus didn't impair it too much. For the first time in several months, this series seems to be picking up.
• Justice Society of America #35 - this was a really good issue; Mr Terrific's refusal to play by Mordru's rules; Wildcat's prison; even Dr Fate's drooling on the floor all worked superbly. Only one complaint: Flash's dialogue just didn't sound like Jay to me.
• Teen Titans #79 - have to admit this didn't work for me at all; it didn't flow at all, just jumped about everywhere: page 3, the Titans are all working out together and Static says he has to head home; page 4, Static's at his sister's apartment having travelled all the way to Dakota; page 5 and the Titans have just finished their workout. The rest of the issue's just as clumsy, really.
• Ravager co-feature - Ravager manages to break free of the bad guys but doesn't get the answers or closure she needs. Still better than the main story, though.

And what made me smile:

Never a truer word said.

Who'd Like A Cocktail? #64

This is it, the last Cocktail post of 2009! My local comic shop will be getting another delivery next week but I'll be away for Christmas by that point so no more new comics till 2010.

• The Brave And The Bold #30 - odd that I should enjoy the two page recap of Justice League International #7 almost more than the rest of the story. Still, nice seeing the original Dr. Fate once more.
• Green Lantern Corps #43 - after the shock ending of last issue, it was kinda cool to see Kyle brought back and in such a way that it was believable (within the confines of the story at least.) With all the death that been hanging around the Blackest Night event, I did wonder whether Kyle was done for good.
• Justice League of America #40 - did we really need to see Dr. Light lose her costume bit by bit? I don't know, it just seemed a little tacky and unnecessary to me.
• Power Girl #7 - easily the best comic this week, Power Girl is consistently entertaining. With lines like "Fetch the seduction musk rifle", "You shot cologne at me?" and "Stop referring to yourself in the third person! It's annoying!" coupled with the art of Amanda Conner, this series is one every DC fan should be reading.
• Project Superpowers: Chapter Two #5 - with a handy recap of recent events, this series is moving forward apace now.

And what made me smile this week:

There were so many potential moments from this issue, but Power Girl and Dr. Mid-Nite's exchange was great.

Who'd Like A Cocktail? #52

Here we are again for another round of cocktails:

• Blackest Night: Titans #1 - Black Lanterns! Ed Benes! Butt shots! Joking aside, not a bad start - the ghostly pram/stroller in Donna's room was a nice, creepy touch.
• The Boys: Herogasm #4 - 9/11's always going to be an emotive subject even when dealing with an alternate history of it. Ennis handles it very well.
• The Dark Tower: Fall of Gilead #4 - the centre cannot hold / Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world.
• Final Crisis Aftermath: Ink #4 - oh wow, it's the return of the long dead brother complete with super-villain name. And this series started off so well.
• Green Lantern #45 - oh boy is Agent Orange in trouble now!
• Justice Society of America #30 - Dr. Fate's back! Oh yeah! Could do without the bickering but I guess that's building to the JSA All-Stars series coming soon.
• The Last Days of Animal Man #4 - Jeez, poor old Buddy's getting put through the wringer here.
• Project Superpowers: Chapter Two #2 - you know, with such a huge cast in the Superpowers universe, it'd be nice if someone annotated it . . . Seriously, though, this is good stuff.
• Teen Titans #74 - poor Kid Devil, not to mention Kid Eternity.
• Wednesday Comics #8 - hmmm, toss up between Metamorpho and the Flash this week I think.

And what made me smile this week:

Heh - pink bunnies have never done it for me.