Justice League Europe #41-50

As I transfer my old reading lists from a now defunct website to this blog, I noticed that I am somehow missing issues #41-50 of Justice League Europe. The old site I used grouped books 10 reviews to a page. Since I am missing exactly 10 reviews, I have a feeling that I accidentally skipped a page.

Here's the only thing I can find that I wrote down about this section of the series-

"I think Metamorpho is another element the new JLE has been missing. Hopefully, he’ll stick around. The book’s continued to get better. Maybe I gave Gerard Jones a hard time, but the quality of the stories have really gotten better in the last 3 issues.

Another plus- The art continues to be top notch."

There's no Justice League Europe #51 as the title becomes Justice League International at that point. 

Worth Consuming.

Justice League Europe #40

Finally, Hal Jordan has returned in order to claim his promised role as JLE leader and it seems all is right with the world. At least all the members are in agreement that Hal’s the right guy for the job. Sadly, the battle with that deranged artist has really worn out the League’s welcome and the prospect of housing an embassy in merry old England is pretty much kaput.

It has taken several issues, but it seems that Justice League Europe has returned to its former glory. I said that something was missing in the chemistry and it seems having a Green Lantern in the mix is just what this team needed.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Justice League Europe #39

Finally, things seem to be picking up. The abstract artist whose turned London inside out is on the loose, still. Yet, it seems that despite the fact that half the League doesn’t want Batman as leader, they’ve at least rallied together to finally get the job done.

The way the group gets the job done reminds me of the very quirky, but brainy solutions the JLA would save the day under Julie Schwartz’s reign as DC editor in the 1950s and 1960s.

Keep up the good work, even if it means having to go old school in order to do it.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Valentine Special #1

   This Valentine special features stories about Spider-man & Mary-Jane, Daredevil, Phoenix & Cyclops, as well as some villains like Absorbing Man and his bride, Titania. That one was probably the best story in the whole book. Absorbing Man is hiding out in a Pittsburgh suburb and sneaks out one day to buy a gift for his wife. Only he gets stuck in the middle of a heist in progress (and completely not his fault!) The hijinks in that story was crazy and completely unexpected. I like seeing things from the villain's POV at times and this adventure fits the bill.

   There is also a story about 1950s heroine, Venus, the Greek (or is it Roman?) goddess of love. It’s an okay story. I don’t know that much about her. I just thought it was odd that her tale was drawn like an Archie comic.

   Not a bad find for a dollar bin gem. Sadly, one of my cats got a hold of this book and ripped the cover. Oh, well.

   Worth Consuming.

   Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Christmas with the Super-Heroes #1

Originally from ’88-89, this volume is a collection of reprints and not a volume of new stuff like more recent DC holiday ventures. I didn’t have a problem with this as I had only previously read one tale before- a Batman tale by O’Neil and Miller. The best story starred the JLA and was titled “Who Killed Santa?”

But really, they were all great stories.

This book was the kind of comic I would have loved to have received for a Christmas present. Speaking of presents, the Neal Adams cover looks a lot like the super heroes wrapping paper my parents would have used when I was you. That was sooo cool.

Marvel Adventures Fantastic Four Vol. 6: Monsters & Mysteries

WORTH CONSUMING!

Marvel Adventures are just the best! Sure, there geared for Kids, but the cover says “All-ages”!

This volume has the FF solving a Whodunnit in Atlantis, Fighting a Skrull invasion by what could only be summed up as the only foursome dumber than the guys in “Tropic Thunder”, The Thing becomes the King of the Mole-people, and the group is sent back in time to met Rama-Tut.

 

 The Tut story is the best. Alicia gets her sight back and Thing finally gets an answer as to whether the girl would still love her if she wasn’t blind. Sadly, it all gets ret-conned at the end and the event never really happens (try explaining this all to my wife and watch her head explode.)

"DC Universe (DCU) Holiday Bash II (1998)"

WORTH CONSUMING!

There are some really great stories in this. DC does a much better job at the Holiday tales that Marvel. I think it has to do with the fact that DC seems to have a far greater appeal for families and this title is just that. Kids should demand mom and dad read this on Christmas Eve!