Women Wednesday: Zatanna, Wonder Woman and Batgirl

The Brave and the Bold #33 will feature Zatanna, Wonder Woman and Batgirl having a ladies night out. The issue goes on sale April 21 from DC Comics. The cover art would make a great poster.

The Omega Men #1

I have been wanting to pick up The Omega Men (April 1983) for a long time but never found a copy of this science fiction series until recently. The fanboy in me jumped with excitement when I found a copy for ninety-nine cents. The cover was done by Mike DeCarlo and Keith Giffen (the latter also did the interior art). This issue takes place after Green Lantern #141 and Teen Titans #21. My only exposure to the team was house ads and the entry in Who's Who in the DC Universe. The story was written by Roger Slifer. The team takes over a Citadel base on the planet Slagg before going to Broot's homeworld known as Changralyn. I actually ended up liking Broot more than Tigorr, the shape changing feline humanoid, who acted like a Wolverine knock-off.

Detective Comics Annual #3

George Pratt did the cover for Detective Comics Annual #3 (1990), which depicts Batman sitting on a giant mushroom with two Asian warriors about to strike with their swords. "Obligation" is a better story than the cover with Archie Goodwin as the writer, Dan Jurgens as the penciller and Dick Giordano as the inker. Batman finds himself battling the Yakuza in Gotham City before traveling to Tokyo to fight Tsunetomo, who trained a young Bruce Wayne.

Detective Comics #627

Detective Comics #627 (March 1991) is an eighty page anniversary issue celebrating Batman's six hundredth appearance. The cover artwork was down by Norm Breyfogle. The issue reprints "The Case of the Chemical Syndicate" from Detective Comics #27 (May 1939) and "The Cry of the Night is -- Kill!" from Detective Comics #387 (May 1969). Two new versions of "The Case of the Chemical Syndicate" is also included. The first was written by Marv Wolfman, penciled by Jim Aparo and inked by Mike DeCarlo. The second was written by Alan Grant, penciled by Norm Breyfogle and inked by Adrienne Roy. A two-page pin up featuring Batman, his supporting cast and rogues gallery is included in the back of the issue.

Demon #4, #11 and #25

Let's celebrate the most evil of holidays: Valentine's Day. In Demon #4 (October 1990), Jason Blood talks with Belial before finding his friend, Harry Andrews, as a seat cover with a face. After he falls asleep, Etrigan emerges and makes a deal with his father to bring down Beelzebub and Lucifer. Klarion the Witch Boy and his cat, Teekl, shows up at the end.

Demon #11 (May 1991) shows that Jason Blood was a priest of an earth goddess before being cursed with Etrigan. Klarion the Witch Boy goes to Arkham Asylum and causes a demon to come out of Tenzin Wyatt. He also finds C'th the Undying underwater and adds him to his gang that includes Tenzin and Harry Andrews, who is still a seat cover with a face. The Phantom Stranger pops up here and there before Lobo arrives at the end.

Demon #25 (July 1992) starts with the origins of Judge Ryme, a witch hunter in France of 1323 that is cursed by a demon to become immortal. He detects the presence of Etrigan after spotting Jason Blood. The pair fight, which causes an apartment building to collapse.

The Big 45

Today is my forty-fifth birthday and I really have no plans for any big celebrations.

Black Orchid #1

Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean team up to present Black Orchid #1 (1988), which is the first of a three part mini-series. Black Orchid, in disguise, dies early in the book. She is reborn in a human-plant hybrid with no memories. Thankfully, Dr. Philip Sylvian is there to help her and provide an origin story. Great story and artwork makes me want to find the other two books.

Blackhawk #1 And #2

I picked up the first two issues of the 1987 Blackhawk mini series from DC Comics with artwork and story by Howard Chaykin. The first book is titled "Blood & Iron" while the second book is titled "Red Snow". I have been a Chaykin fan ever since picking up American Flagg several years ago. Blackhawk gets kicked out the United States for being a Communist. His arch-nemesis, Death Meyhew, finds out that he has a terminal illness and is determined to get him at all costs. This mini series is more for mature audiences since it does contain sexual situations and violence. The second book introduces Natalie Reed as Lady Blackhawk. I greatly enjoyed both issues and hope to find the third issue one day.

Batman #538

The cover of Batman #538 is an interesting contrast between black and white. There are just a few touches of red on the logo and the blood that is running down the Dark Knight's chin. This issue is part three of "Darkest Night of the Man-Bat" story and Batman finds himself chasing Kirk Langstrom to the North Pole. The scientist turned creature of the night is hit with energy from Project HAARP's pulse injector, which only makes him madder. Batman tracks him down to a cave before finally injecting him with the serum that will change him back to his human form I believe that Man-Bat's ears have grown just as long as the ears on Batman's cowl over the years.

Batman #453

The cover of Batman #453 shows the Dark Knight battling zombies with a sinister creature lurking behind him. The fight inside this issue only lasts for the first five pages. Turns out that one of the zombies is actually not a corpse and was one of the Riddler's henchmen. Batman finds a baby in the Gotham graveyard along with a riddle on a tombstone. He has kidnapped four babies and using them to bait Batman. There is a cool flashback section that shows some detail from the confessions of Jacob Stickman in 1793. Thomas Jefferson and a group of occultists try to summon a demon and calls forth a bat creature. They trap the creature in a cellar and this may be the voice of Gotham that narrated the scene between the superhero and zombies. Batman #453 is part two of the three part "Dark Knight, Dark City" story. The cliffhanging end proves that the Riddler can be just as psychotic as the Joker.

All-Star Squadron #67

I was not sure that I had All-Star Squadron #67 (March 1987) in my collection or not when I picked it up. Turns out that I did but what makes this last issue even more special was that it had two covers. I have picked up a few comics with double covers over the years and I always view them as a special treat. I always wondered if a coverless copy ever hit the newstands. Anyway, the Justice Society combats a fifth column that was adapted from the story in All-Star Comics #4 (1941).

Comac Mac Art #4 from Dark Horse

The only Dark Horse comic that I picked up on my last road trip was Robert E. Howard's Cormac Mac Art #4 (1990) by Roy Thomas and E. R. Cruz. The cover was done by John Bolton. The interior art is above average black and white fantasy fare. I just wish that I had the first three issues of this mini series.