Category: TV Series

JUSTICE LEAGUE ACTION: BATTLES FROM BEYOND! {Season 1, Part Two}

Post author By oddmoonmediareviews
Post date November 12, 2020

SUMMARY: Running Time: 289 min.

Released by Warner Bros. Home Video in 2018, this double-DVD set assembles the second round of twenty-six episodes from Justice League Action. It’s billed as “Season One, Part Two.” Televised in 2017-2018, these approximately eleven-minute episodes are:

DISC 1:

# 27. Time Out.

Premise: Booster Gold must prove his mettle to a skeptical Batman in battling a threat to the space-time continuum.

#28. The Fatal Fare.

Premise: With Superman held captive by Darkseid’s forces, it’s up to Space Cabbie to discreetly summon the Justice League for an emergency intervention.

#29. Mxy’s Mix-Up.

Premise: Amidst a battle against Gorilla Grodd’s minions, Mr. Mzyzptlk bedevils the League with chaotic mischief by playing roulette with the team’s super-powers.

#30. Supernatural Adventures in Babysitting.

Premise: Stargirl’s routine babysitting gig goes awry when Klarion the Witch Boy shows up. Even with Batman & John Constantine involved, it’s up to Stargirl to help thwart Klarion’s fun-and-games.

#31. Booster’s Gold.

Premise: Inspired by Jurrasic Park, a marooned Green Arrow gets an exclusive preview of Booster Gold’s latest get-rich-quick scheme involving time-displayed dinosaurs.

#32. Booray for Bizarro.

Premise: Bizarro may be the League’s only hope to thwart the android Amazo’s ability to copy their super-powers.

#33. Best Day Ever.

Premise: The Joker breaks Lex Luthor out of prison for a day of fun-and-games. The League’s hot pursuit sets up a showdown where the Joker’s true scheme is revealed.

#34. The Cube Root.

Premise: With the Calculator holding Ronnie Raymond captive, Professor Martin Stein to team up with old rival Mr. Terrific to restore Firestorm.

#35. Superman’s Pal, Sid Sharp.

Premise: The Man of Steel must single-handedly invade Apokolips to rescue Clark Kent’s snarky Daily Planet rival from Darkseid’s clutches.

#36. Superman Red vs. Superman Blue.

Premise: Lex Luthor’s latest weapon divides Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman into dual beings, with the blue as their ‘good’ sides and the red as their ‘evil’ counterparts.

#37. The Ringer.

Premise: A seemingly invincible Sinestro battles Green Lantern, Superman, and Wonder Woman in an asteroid field. It’s up to the Atom to seek out Sinestro’s secret power source.

#38. Forget Me Not.

Premise: Unraveling why the other Leaguers have lost their memories, Firestorm must convince a skeptical Clark Kent, Diana Prince, and Bruce Wayne that they are really super-heroes.

#39. The Brain Buster.

Premise: It’s a dangerous contest of the world’s greatest minds, as Lex Luthor, Batman, Mr. Terrific, the Calculator, and the Brain are forced to compete against each other.

DISC 2:

# 40. E. Nigma, Consulting Detective.

Premise: With Batman held captive by the Joker, Wonder Woman and Green Arrow must rely on the Riddler to counter the madcap clown’s unpredictable clues.

# 41. Harley Goes Ape!

Premise: Gorilla Grodd unleashes a gigantic ape’s rampage upon Metropolis, but Harley Quinn may be the League’s best hope to thwart Grodd.

# 42. Phased and Confused.

Premise: It’s up to Booster Gold to save Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman from Zod’s latest scheme to escape the Phantom Zone.

# 43. It’ll Take a Miracle!

Premise: Batman must recruit Mr. Miracle to help rescue a captive Big Barda on Apokolips.

# 44. System Error.

Premise: Five Leaguers ominously discover that they are actually robots.

# 45. Race Against Crime.

Premise: Lex Luthor and Chronos interfere with Superman’s charity race vs. the Flash.

# 46. Party Animal.

Premise: Hosted by Green Arrow, the League’s annual Christmas party shenanigans brings some unexpected guests.

# 47. Watchtower Tours.

Premise: Booster Gold’s side business of selling unauthorized Watchtower tours causes plenty of super-villain mayhem.

# 48. Barehanded.

Premise: A backtracking Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) finds himself in a real jam after he loses his power ring at an intergalactic rest stop.

# 49. Captain Bamboozle.

Premise: Mr. Mxyzptlk cons Shazam’s elderly Uncle Dudley into becoming the world’s new super-hero: the bumbling and all-powerful Captain Bamboozle.

# 50. Keeping Up With the Kryptonians.

Premise: Mxyzptlk’s latest hijinks pit a tyrannical Superman vs. vapid mega-celebrity Supergirl in a skewed alternate reality. Booster Gold may be their own chance to escape.

# 51. Unleashed.

Premise: The Red Lanterns covertly try using the Watchtower’s technology to attack Earth, with only Plastic Man and the two gallant Pets of Steel (Krypto & Streaky) standing in their way.

# 52. She Wore Red Velvet.

Premise: The League gets caught in matrimonial crossfire when Booster Gold’s scorned bride pays him a time-traveling visit for some long-overdue payback.

REVIEW:

While the kid-friendly animation will seem ultra-flimsy to adults, most of these episodes exceed Justice League Action’s visual limitations. More significantly, the show’s production team grasps the formula of balancing good storytelling with fun twists that make sense. The same policy applies to the series regularly anchoring the battle scenes with well-played chuckles that can appeal to anybody.

As seen in some episodes, familiar comic book plots are re-imagined (i.e. Giganto; Superman Red/Superman Blue; the Flash/Superman race) with often impressive results. Still, in an instance where humor isn’t part of the package, “System Error” rates among the best entries of Justice League Action.. Its ingenious scripting keeps in perspective that this fast-paced series also hits occasional speed bumps (i.e. the eye-rolling dud, “Superman’s Pal, Sid Sharp” and the shamelessly goofy “Harley Goes Ape!”).

Supporting the show’s core vocal talents: Jason J. Lewis (as Superman); Rachel Kimsey (as Wonder Woman) and Kevin Conroy (as Batman), this volume’s star-studded guest cast delivers sterling performances. Chris Diamantopoulos’ Green Arrow, Diedrich Bader’s hilariously self-involved Booster Gold and James Woods’ snarky Lex Luthor are spot-on. Additionally, contributions from Jonathan Adams (as Darkseid), Patton Oswalt (as Space Cabbie), Josh Keaton (as Green Lantern), and Gilbert Gottfried (as Mr. Mxyzptlk), among many others, are instances of perfect casting. Yet, as one might expect, Mark Hamill’s Joker steals the show in his few appearances. Above all, Justice League Action: Battles from Beyond! offers solid G-rated episodes that can resonate well with Justice League fans of any age.

Note: Other than the on-line shorts, Episode # 52 is evidently the last Justice League Action episode, as a second season hasn’t been produced.

BONUS FEATURES:

Featurettes aren’t included. Unfortunately, the on-line shorts (essentially, they’re three-minute episodes) aren’t part of this package, either. Instead, there’s an ad for the DC All Access website, as well as a trailer for the LEGO DC Super-Hero Girls: Brain Drain animated film.

QUALITY CONTROL:

Sporting 5.1 Surround or Dolby Surround (depending upon the language), the episodes are in widescreen with excellent picture quality. The remote control access is easily accessible. Language options include English, Spanish, and Portuguese, while the sub-title options include English, Spanish, and French.

PACKAGING:

The two discs each have sturdy storage pages. The back cover effectively conveys all of the pertinent information.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 8 Stars

Note: Volume 1 (or Season 1, Part 1) is entitled Justice League Action: Superpowers Unite!

JUSTICE LEAGUE ACTION: SUPERPOWERS UNITE! {Season 1, Part 1}

Post author By oddmoonmediareviews
Post date November 12, 2020

SUMMARY: Running Time: 290 min.

Released by Warner Bros. Home Video in 2018, this double-DVD set assembles the first twenty-six episodes from Justice League Action. It’s billed as “Season One, Part One.” Televised in 2016-2017, these approximately eleven-minute episodes are:

DISC 1:

# 1-4. Classic Rock, Power Outage, Night of the Bat, & Abate and Switch.

Premise: This four-part opener starts with a team-up between Batman and the immortal Wizard (aka Shazam) to save an abducted Billy Batson from Black Adam. Escaping from the mystical Rock of Eternity are several demons that the Justice League must round up in the three subsequent episodes.

#5. Follow That Space Cab!

Premise: Space Cabbie takes in an injured Superman and a bottled Mr. Mind as his latest customers during a deep space hot pursuit by two loathsome bounty hunters (including Lobo).

#6. Nuclear Family Values.

Premise: Rookie member Firestorm must battle a peculiar family of androids (representing a spoof of a 1950’s All-American family) from unleashing a catastrophic nuclear meltdown.

#7. Zombie King.

Premise: Swanp Thing needs help from Batman & Zatanna Zatara to stop Solomon Grundy’s growing zombie army from invading New Orleans.

#8. Galaxy Jest.

Premise: Mongul abducts the Joker to entertain his alien troops while the League desperately tries to find the Joker’s hidden gas bomb.

#9. Time Share.

Premise: Accompanying Batman to stop the villainous Chronos, teenage rookie Blue Beetle gets a time-traveling glimpse at the Dark Knight’s first caper.

#10. Under a Red Sun.

Premise: Batman & Big Barda seek to help save a powerless Superman from being hunted by one of Darkseid’s glory-seeking sons on an unknown alien world.

#11. Play Date.

Premise: Toyman brings his video arcade shenanigans to the Watchtower for fun-and-games with the League.

#12. Repulse!

Premise: Lex Luthor’s latest scheme to destroy Superman forces the League to improvise a deep space solution.

#13. Trick or Threat.

Premise: The House of Mystery hosts a ghoulish Halloween Night party for kiddie-sized versions of Batman, Zatanna Zatara, Dr. Fate, and John Constantine to thwart Klarion the Witch Boy.

DISC 2:

# 14. Speed Demon.

Premise: Once the wicked Brother Night transforms the Batmobile into a demonic monster, Batman & Etrigan the Demon race to save an abducted Zatanna Zatara.

# 15. Hat Trick.

Premise: Swiping Zatanna Zatara’s magical hat, Felix Faust unleashes a monstrous insect from another dimension. While Batman & Etrigan the Demon try to contain the monster’s rampage, Zatanna battles Faust.

# 16. Field Trip.

Premise: With Superman accidently trapped in the Phantom Zone, a trio of teenage heroes (Stargirl, Firestorm, & Blue Beetle) try to contain three familiar Kryptonian baddies from escaping the Fortress of Solitude.

# 17. Luthor in Paradise.

Premise: When Lex Luthor and the sorceress Circe team up to acquire the mystical powers of Zeus, it’s up to Wonder Woman, Superman, and Batman to hold them at bay.

# 18. Plastic Man Saves the World.

Premise: Rejected by the League to help the team out, Plastic Man takes it upon himself to end Brainiac’s latest Earth invasion scheme.

# 19. Rage of the Red Lanterns.

Premise: Lobo ingeniously sets up the League in a diversion vs. five Red Lanterns to ensure he can make his own ultimate power grab.

# 20. Freezer Burn.

Premise: Batman & Firestorm try to save Gotham City and rescue a kidnapped Killer Frost from Mr. Freeze.

# 21. The Trouble With Truth.

Premise: Accepting an unexpected job offer, Wonder Woman leads the team into battle against H.I.V.E. in what may be her last League mission.

# 22. Inside Job.

Premise: Luthor’s latest scheme has rendered Superman comatose and is slowing killing the Man of Steel. It’s up to Batman, Wonder Woman, and the Atom to go on a microscopic journey to save Superman.

# 23. Double Cross.

Premise: The League plays a dangerous game vs. the sharp-shooting assassin Deadshot by having Plastic Man impersonate a captive Two-Face.

# 24. Battle of the Bottled City.

Premise: With Superman trapped at microscopic size inside the bottled City of Kandor, it’s up to the Atom to face off against Brainiac at the Fortress of Solitude.

# 25. Garden of Evil.

Premise: Poison Ivy’s botanical attack on Gotham City ensnares Swamp Thing to unwillingly do her bidding by battling the League.

# 26. All Aboard the Space Train.

Premise: Space Cabbie returns for a deep space team-up with Jonah Hex to thwart Kanjar Ro’s train hijacking.

REVIEW:

The cheaply simplistic animation is a visual choice meant for kids, but these top-caliber stories exceed Justice League Action’s artistic limitations. Smartly relying on Kevin Conroy’s vocal presence as Batman and Khary Payton’s occasionally-seen Cyborg, these initial episodes are further anchored by Jason J. Lewis’ low-key Superman, sounding virtually identical to his predecessors, Tim Daly and George Newbern. Rachel Kimsey’s Wonder Woman proves a gem working with Conroy and Lewis. Particularly in comedic moments, Kimsey’s spirted voice perfectly synced to Wonder Woman’s animated facial reactions is among the series’ most unique elements.

Yet, these cartoons are energized by the presence of celebrity guest stars Ken Jeong, James Woods, Lacey Chabert, Jerry O’Connell, Christian Slater, Jon Cryer, Mena Suvari, Robert Picardo, Jessica Walter, John De Lancie, Stephen Tobolowsky, and Mark Hamill seamlessly mingling with the other voice actors. The spot-on casting of De Lancie and Woods (as Brainiac and Luthor, respectively) alone is a nod to creative genius by the production team, though Chabert’s Zatanna, Suvari’s Killer Frost, and Slater’s Deadshot are also stellar. However, Hamill’s curiously subdued take on Swamp Thing isn’t close to his best vocal work, unlike his well-played return as the Joker in Galaxy Jest.

Continuing Kin Shriner’s entertaining vocal work as Green Arrow from Justice League Unlimited, Chris Diamantopoulos makes a terrific predecessor. Unfortunately, the character makes too few appearances on this set. Carrying over the same grumbly voice from The Looney Tunes Show, John DiMaggio ensures that his buffoonish Lobo sounds just like Yosemite Sam — in small doses, this raspy gag works well enough. Even if their wacky takes on Plastic Man and Firestorm will likely grate on older viewers fast, at least voice actors Dana Snyder and P.J. Byrne bring a welcome abundance of enthusiasm.

While the animation isn’t close to first-rate (with the exception of a brilliant Trick or Threat), the humor-tinged firepower of these mostly G-rated episodes should resonate well with Justice League fans of any age.

BONUS FEATURES:

Featurettes aren’t included. Unfortunately, the on-line shorts (essentially three-minute episodes) aren’t part of the package, either. Instead, there are trailers for LEGO Ninjago Movie; LEGO Scooby Doo: Blowout Beach Bash; the 2017 Wonder Woman live-action film; and DC Super-Hero Girls: Hero of the Year.

QUALITY CONTROL:

PACKAGING:

The two discs each have sturdy storage pages. The back cover effectively conveys all of the pertinent information.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 8½ Stars

Note: Volume 2 (or Season 1, Part 2) is entitled Justice League Action: Battles from Beyond!

Digital Songs & Albums Individual Tracks (Digital Albums & Singles) Music & Radio Shows Soundtracks (Digital) TV Series

THE BIONIC WOMAN TV SERIES THEME {Possible Cover} (by Music Factory: TV Series, Volume 2: Hits Collection)

Post author By oddmoonmediareviews
Post date November 11, 2020

SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 1:25 MIN.

Released by the generically-named Music Factory, this tune provides the opening credits theme to Lindsay Wagner’s vintage 1970’s TV series. The track appears on Music Factory’s 1996 album: TV Series Vol. 2: Hits Collection.

REVIEW:

If this track is a cover, then it’s simply flawless. It may well be the official version, since the same album also has a complete rendition of “The Six Million Dollar Man” TV theme (including its original voice-overs and sound effects). For those fans seeking an authentic rendition of The Bionic Woman’s hard-to-find theme, this track is highly recommended.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 10 Stars

IMAGE NOT AVAILABLE

Digital Songs & Albums Individual Tracks (Digital Albums & Singles) Music & Radio Shows Soundtracks (Digital) TV Series

THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN TV SERIES THEME {Possible Cover} (by Music Factory: TV Series, Volume 2: Hits Collection)

Post author By oddmoonmediareviews
Post date November 11, 2020

SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 1:01 Min.

Released by the generically-named Music Factory, this tune provides the opening credits theme to Lee Majors’ hit 1970’s TV series. Both the voice-overs and the sound effects are faithfully included. The track appears on Music Factory’s 1996 album: TV Series Vol. 2: Hits Collection.

REVIEW:

If this track is a cover, then it’s simply flawless. However, it’s probably the official version since the narratives by actor Richard Anderson (as OSI boss Oscar Goldman) and producer Harve Bennett (briefly introducing Steve Austin) are still intact. Even the computerized background sound effects are exactly the same. For those fans who seeking a hard-to-find rendition of The Six Million Dollar Man theme, this track is highly recommended.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 10 Stars

Note: This same album also offers a pristine recording of The Bionic Woman’s TV theme.

IMAGE NOT AVAILABLE

Comic Books & Graphic Novels Independent Publishers (Comic Books & Graphic Novels) TV Series

THE NEW ARCHIES # 8 (1988 ARCHIE Comics)

Post author By oddmoonmediareviews
Post date November 10, 2020

Written by (See Credits Below)

Art by (See Credits Below)

Cover Art by Henry Scarpelli

SUMMARY:

Published by Archie Comics for September 1988, this TV cartoon series tie-in features mullet-wearing tween Archie and his childhood pals. This issue offers the following stories:

“Very Fishy Story” (5 pages). Script by Mike Pellowski, with art by Stan Goldberg; Henry Scarpelli; Bill Yoshida; & Barry Grossman. At Riverdale’s annual Jr. Fishing Derby, Archie & Jughead stay busy baiting Reggie in an effort to win the first-prize canoe.

“Star Bright” (1 page). Script & Penciling by Joe Edwards, with inks by Hy Eisman. Young astronomer Eugene confounds Moose.

“A Medieval Knightmare” (11 pages). Script by Mike Pellowski, with art by Doug Crane & Henry Scarpelli. At a medieval fair, Archie inadvertently ends with a magical book. The book transports him into a dreamy medieval world where his family and friends need him to play knight against a fire-breathing dragon.

“Forest Nuts” (5 pages). The script and artwork aren’t credited. The boys (Archie, Jughead, Eugene, & Reggie) ineptly go camping, not realizing the rejected girls (Betty, Amani, & Veronica) have their own camping plans.

REVIEW:

Sporting middling artwork, these tepid stories struggle to justify a single read. Of them, the fishing tale wins, but it’s hardly saying much. Hazarding a guess, even first graders will likely be bored with this comic.

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

The inside front cover is a black-and-white public service message re: AIDS research. Moose offers a page of unscramble-the-riddles. The back inside cover is an “Archie Club News” column where two winning letters earned small cash prizes.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 3 Stars

Comic Books & Graphic Novels Independent Publishers (Comic Books & Graphic Novels) TV Series

BONGO COMICS’ FREE-FOR-ALL! — THE SIMPSONS {FREE COMIC BOOK DAY} (2018 BONGO Entertainment)

Post author By oddmoonmediareviews
Post date November 10, 2020

Written by (See Credits Below)

Art by (See Credits Below)

Cover Art by Jason Ho; Derek Fridolfs; & Nathan Kane

SUMMARY:

Published by Bongo Entertainment, Inc., this 30-page comic offers four stand-alone stories:

“Lisa the Clown.” Writer: John Zakour. Art: Phil Ortiz; Mike DeCarlo; Karen Bates; & Nathan Kane (10 pages). Krusty the Clown is suddenly taken ill, so his producer choses Lisa Simpson as his on-air replacement. Despite increasingly boring efforts to educate Krusty’s young studio audience, Lisa is encouraged by the producer to keep up the good work. Bart smells a rat and calls in the cops.

“Bored Walk.” Writer: Terry Delegeane. Art: Phil Ortiz; Mike DeCarlo; Art Villanueva; & Karen Bates (9 pages). In a Bart Simpson tale, he finds ways to score some free air conditioning on a sweltering day.

“Feets of Fury.” Writer: Dean Rankine. Art: Dean Rankine & Karen Bates (2 pages). Milhouse imagines payback against three toughs targeting his lunch money by using kung-fu.

“Hillbilly Abductshun.” Writer Shane Houghton. Art: John Delaney; Andrew Pepoy; Nathan Hamill; & Karen Bates (7 pages). In a bungled alien invasion, two creatures from the planet Rigel VII think twice re: their attempted abduction of sixty-four hillbillies.

REVIEW:

Though the artwork is spot-on, the entertainment value is purely subjective. Case in point: “Feets of Fury” isn’t funny; it’s just pathetic. Pushing offensive rural stereotyping, “Hillybilly Abductshun” lamely spoofs alien invasion movies. “Bored Walk” at least offers a few chuckles. As for “Lisa the Clown,” the premise could be a decent TV episode, but there isn’t nearly enough humor. Curiously, neither Homer Simpson nor baby Maggie appear in either of the two Simpsons tales. At most, this comic is an okay read.

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

None.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 3½ Stars

Comic Books & Graphic Novels DC Comics DC's Hardcovers & Trade Paperbacks TV Series

SUPERMAN ADVENTURES, VOLUME 2: THE NEVER-ENDING BATTLE (DC Comics)

Post author By oddmoonmediareviews
Post date November 9, 2020

Written by Mark Millar and Art by Aluir Amancio, Terry Austin, & Mike Manley, Etc.

SUMMARY:

Mimicking the style of Superman: The Animated Series, this DC Comics series could be construed as the TV program’s untold adventures between episodes. Reprinting Superman Adventures # 25-29 (from 1998-99), this 112-page, digest-size trade paperback released in 2004 consists of the following five stories:

“(Almost) the World’s Finest Team” (Issue # 25). Written by Mark Millar; Editors Mike McAvennie & Frank Berrios; & Artwork by Mike Manley; Terry Austin; Marie Severin; and Lois Buhalis.
Guest Stars: Batgirl (Barbara Gordon); Bruce Wayne/Batman; Robin (Tim Drake); the Mad Hatter; Alfred Pennyworth; Nightwing; Commissioner Gordon; Sgt. Harvey Bullock; and a cameo by Killer Croc.

Live on television, the Mad Hatter threatens to kill a hostage Bruce Wayne unless Batman surrenders his cowl by midnight. Once Alfred determines that Nightwing can’t intervene in time, Gotham’s guardians turn must improvise a new Plan B. Commissioner Gordon and Sgt. Bullock’s Bat-signal get a surprise response. It’s then up, up, and away for the Dynamic Duo of Superman & Batgirl to save Bruce Wayne and a hypnotized Robin.

“Yesterday’s Man of Tomorrow” (Issue # 26). Written by Mark Millar; Editors Mike McAvennie & Frank Berrios; & Artwork by Aluir Amancio; Terry Austin; Marie Severin; Zylonol; and Lois Buhalis.
Guest Stars: Mr. Mxyzptlk; Superboy; Lana Lang; & Ms. Gsptlnz.

Egged on by his bored paramour, Ms. Gsptlnz, a scheming Mr. Mxyzptlk sabotages the past to prank Superman for always ruining his fun. Going back in time, the imp convinces a gullible Boy of Steel (and his puppy Krypto) to self-exile to the Moon out of fears that he will become Earth’s future dictator. This charade goes too far when Mxyzptlk realizes that a present-day Metropolis without Superman isn’t the playpen he expected. Worse yet, the imp can’t convince the 16-year old Superboy to play their usual game of tricking Mxyptlk to say his name backwards. This dopey tale (deliberately reminiscent of the 1950’s Silver Age Superboy stories) saves its best idea for the final page.

“How Much Can One Man Hate?” (Issue # 27). Written by Mark Millar; Editors Mike McAvennie & Frank Berrios; & Artwork by Aluir Amancio; Terry Austin; Marie Severin; Zylonol; and Lois Buhalis.
Guest Star: “Superior Man.”

The Man of Steel is being upstaged by a mysterious, overbearing, and white-haired “Superior Man,” who seemingly does everything better. Superman smells fraud. A great plot twist erupts, as the story’s title really could refer to either of the two villains. The finale delivers a short, insightful flashback of 7-year old Lex Luthor.

“Jimmy Olsen Versus Darkseid” (Issue # 28).
Written by Mark Millar; Editors Mike McAvennie & Frank Berrios;& Artwork by Mike Manley; Terry Austin; Marie Severin; Lois Buhalis.
Guest Stars: Darkseid; DeSaad; & Kalibak.

It’s the old brain switcheroo, as interdimensional fun-and-games has inadvertently swapped Jimmy Olsen’s mind inside Superman’s body and vice-versa. While Jimmy’s Superman tangles with Kalibak a few times, Superman’s Jimmy is at DeSaad’s mercy (or lack thereof) on Apokolips. Who would have thought that Darkseid would be a voice of reason? In this goofy tale, Lois Lane and STAR Labs’ Professor Hamilton get decent screen time.

“Bride of Bizarro” (Issue # 29). Written by Mark Millar; Editors Mike McAvennie & Frank Berrios; & Artwork by Aluir Amancio; Terry Austin; Marie Severin; Zylonol; and Lois Buhalis.
Guest Stars: Bizarro & Lobo.

Meeting by chance, Lobo pitches a match-making scheme to a despondent Bizarro. While Bizarro abducts Lois from The Daily Planet, Lobo beats up the Man of Steel for fun. As Superman retaliates against Lobo, the lonely Bizarro tries courting Lois, who pities the creature. It’s a sweet Valentine homage to classic Bizarro — here cast as Superman’s dim-witted buddy instead of another misguided villain-of-the-week.

REVIEW:

The Never-Ending Battle is an entertaining, undemanding assortment of five Man of Steel tales. Neither the stories nor the artwork are super-impressive, but DC Comics does the job done well enough. The “World’s Finest” story is the winner of this bunch. Overall, it’s a fast-and-fun read for Superman fans.

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

None. It’s a cheat considering that the cover art is not provided.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 6 Stars

Children's Books Comic Books & Graphic Novels DC Comics DC's Hardcovers & Trade Paperbacks TV Series

JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLMITED, VOLUME 4: THE TIES THAT BIND (DC Comics)

Post author By oddmoonmediareviews
Post date November 9, 2020

Written by Adam Beechen & Paul D. Storrie

Art by Carlo Barberi; Rick Burchett; Ethen Beavers; Gordon Purcell; Jim Royal; Lary Stucker; Bob Petrecca; Jesse Delperdang; Heroic Age; Travis Lanham; Phil Balsman; Rob Leigh; Kanila Tripp; & Ty Templeton

SUMMARY:

Released by DC Comics in 2008, this 142-page, standard-size trade paperback reprints Justice League Unlimited # 16-22 (from 2006). Though unbilled as Volume 4, its seven stories consist of:

“Smashing Through the Snow” (Issue # 16). Written by Adam Beechen; Art (including cover) by Carlo Barbieri; Inks by Jim Royal; Colors by Heroic Age; Letters by Travis Lanham; and Cover Colors by Kanila Tripp.
Heroes: Atom Smasher, Supergirl, Firestorm, Stargirl, Power Girl, & Hawkgirl.

For Christmas Day, the JLU’s youngest members are assigned Watchtower duty. The team investigates a prison break by a Blockbuster-like villain called Girder. Supergirl consoles a grieving Atom Smasher re: his deceased uncle. Learning Girder’s poignant motive for escaping, Atom Smasher & Supergirl are reminded of the holiday’s true meaning.

“Let Freedom Ring” (Issue # 17). Written by Adam Beechen; Art (including cover) by Carlo Barbieri; Inks by Lary Stucker; Colors by Heroic Age; Letters by Phil Balsman; and Cover Colors by Kanila Tripp.
Heroes: Superman; Green Lantern (John Stewart); Green Arrow; Atom; Gypsy; Booster Gold; and The Freedom Fighters (Uncle Sam, Phantom Lady, Human Bomb, Black Condor, Doll Man, & the Golden Age Ray).

Ordered by General Mendenhall to discreetly swipe incriminating evidence against the ‘renegade’ JLU from its own Watchtower, the patriotic Freedom Fighters reluctantly battle their friends.

“Fare 48” (Issue # 18). Written by Adam Beechen; Art (including cover) by Ethen Beavers; Colors by Heroic Age; Letters by Rob Leigh; and Cover Colors by Kanila Tripp.
Heroes: Superman & guest star Space Cabbie, with cameos by Wonder Woman, Batman, Hawkgirl, Flash, Martian Manhunter, & Green Lantern (John Stewart).

Set prior to the Justice League Unlimited era, this Silver Age-like tale has the Man of Steel desperately seeking a fast getaway after a deep space ambush. With the Psions in pursuit, Space Cabbie takes on the galaxy’s hottest fare.

“The Justice Rangers Ride Again” (Issue # 19). Written by Adam Beechen; Pencils by Gordon Purcell; Inks by Bob Petrecca; Colors (including cover colors) by Heroic Age; Letters by Travis Lanham; and Cover Art by Ty Templeton.
Heroes: Wonder Woman, Vigilante (Greg Saunders), Elongated Man; Jonah Hex; El Diablo; & Bat Lash.

A freak time-traveling accident propels Wonder Woman, Elongated Man, and the Vigilante into an Old West showdown vs. the Time Commander. In 1879 Wyoming, the JLU posse recruits Jonah Hex, El Diablo, and Bat Lash. The stakes are even higher, as there’s some potentially chaotic Back to the Future issues to contend with. Note: The Justice Rangers Ride Again isn’t billed on the book’s back cover.

“Just Us Girls” (Issue # 20). Written by Paul D. Storrie; Art by Rick Burchett; Colors (including cover art) by Heroic Age; Letters by Travis Lanham; and Cover Art by Ty Templeton.
Heroes: Mary Marvel; Supergirl; Black Canary; Hawkgirl; Dr. Light (Dr. Kimiyo Hoshi); Huntress; and Wonder Woman. Cameos: Captain Atom; Elongated Man; Blue Beetle (Ted Kord); Fire; Martian Manhunter; along with JLU Watchtower cafeteria cameos by the original Crimson Avenger; Vigilante (Greg Saunders); Hawk & Dove; Crimson Fox; Shining Knight; the alien Starman; Dr. Mid-Nite; Creeper; Mr. Terrific; the original Question; Superman; and B’wana Beast.

Seeking out Wonder Woman for advice, new recruit Mary Marvel is befriended by another teen powerhouse. The world’s two mightiest teenage girls aid an all-ladies JLU squad in battle vs. Gotham gangster Maxie Zeus and his New Olympians.

“Stormy Weather” (Issue # 21). Written by Adam Beechen; Pencils by Carlo Barbieri; Inks by Jesse Delperdang; Colors (including cover art) by Heroic Age; Letters by Travis Lanham; and Cover Art by Ty Templeton.
Heroes: Vixen; Green Lantern (John Stewart); Black Canary; and Green Arrow, with cameos by Hawkgirl, Fire, and Captain Atom.

Reminiscent of the JLU animated episode, “Double Date,” Black Canary & Green Arrow team in a storm-plagued Star City with Vixen & Green Lantern. The opposition, courtesy of Heat Wave & Killer Frost (who are arguing over whether or not she is seeing Mr. Freeze on the sly) includes a massive storm.

“Outside Looking In” (Issue # 22). Written by Adam Beechen; Art by Rick Burchett; Colors (including cover art) by Heroic Age; Letters by Phil Balsman; and Cover Art by Ty Templeton.
Heroes: Gypsy, Flash, and Captain Atom, with back-up from Aztek; Huntress; Atom Smasher; Supergirl; Mr. Terrific; Atom; the Ray (Ray Terrill); and Martian Manhunter.

Apparently botching a warehouse raid, Gypsy tries to make amends for her mistake. Her efforts impact a robotic ambush on the JLU at the Global Defense Summit.

REVIEW:

Featuring a nice assortment of tales and terrific artwork mimicking the TV series’ animation, this compilation should be construed as JLU adventures between episodes. The book also proves an undemanding read for adult fans who prefer a kid-friendly ambiance in reading comics. Two stories even echo the TV series’ ongoing storylines (i.e. the anti-JLU conspiracy and the Green Lantern-Hawkgirl-Vixen love triangle, etc.), as “Let Freedom Ring” and “Stormy Weather” could easily have been stellar episodes. Overall, The Ties That Bind is an excellent buy for Justice League fans.

Note: This book shares the same cover as the digest-sized Vol. 1: United They Stand (which reprints issues # 1-5).

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

For this book’s conclusion, there’s a two-page spread of portrait-sized replicas of the covers.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 8 Stars

Comic Books & Graphic Novels DC Comics DC's Hardcovers & Trade Paperbacks TV Series

JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED, VOLUME 3: CHAMPIONS OF JUSTICE (DC Comics)

Post author By oddmoonmediareviews
Post date November 9, 2020

Written by Adam Beechen and Art by Carlo Barberi; Walden Wong; Heroic Age; Pat Brosseau; & Travis Lanham

SUMMARY:

Released by DC Comics in 2006, Volume 3 reprints Justice League Unlimited # 11-15 (from 2005) as a 102-page, digest-sized trade paperback. Its five stories consist of:

“Postcards from the Edge” (Issue # 11). Written by Adam Beechen; Pencils by Carlos Barberi; Inks by Walden Wong; Letters by Pat Brosseau; and Colors by Heroic Age.
Heroes: Stargirl; Aquaman; Wonder Woman; Superman; and Steel.

Told from Stargirl’s perspective, she is a member of the JLU’s delegation at the annual Coronation Day in Atlantis. After a rocky introduction to Aquaman, she is offered insight from Wonder Woman. An underwater crisis ensues, as the behemoth Umbra dispatches Wonder Woman, Steel, and Superman. Only Stargirl and the King of Atlantis are left to face Umbra. .

“Old School” (Issue # 12). Written by Adam Beechen; Pencils by Carlos Barberi; Inks by Walden Wong; Letters by Pat Brosseau; and Colors by Heroic Age.
Heroes: Golden Age Flash (Jay Garrick) and Flash (Wally West), with single-page cameos from Superman, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Blue Beetle (Ted Kord), Green Lantern (John Stewart), & Red Tornado.

Stung by an unimpressed schoolboy’s accusation that he isn’t the real Flash, Jay Garrick is summoned by Wally West’s Flash for help. Unaware that Wally has been captured by Mirror Master, Jay finds that his JLU support team has been trapped in a teleporter beam. It’s up to Jay to stop Mirror Master and rescue Wally in time.

“Nuts and Bolts” (Issue # 13). Written by Adam Beechen; Pencils by Carlos Barberi; Inks by Walden Wong; Colors by Heroic Age; and Letters by Travis Lanham.
Heroes: Red Tornado & Steel; with cameos by Power Girl; Zatanna; Gypsy; Vigilante (Greg Saunders); Flash; Superman; Green Lantern (John Stewart); Wonder Woman; Atom; Elongated Man; Animal Man; Booster Gold; Ice; Stargirl; Captain Atom; Blue Beetle (Ted Kord); Fire; Wildcat; and Batman.

Red Tornado inexplicably goes haywire nearly crippling the Watchtower. While most of the JLU repairs the damaged Watchtower, Steel leads a squad to Earth to stop the rampaging Tornado. It comes down to Steel vs. the Tornado. Only Batman might deduce who has secretly sabotaged the Tornado to sway public opinion against the JLU.

“Everybody Limbo” (Issue # 14). Written by Adam Beechen; Pencils by Carlos Barberi; Inks by Walden Wong; Colors by Heroic Age; and Letters by Travis Lanham.
Heroes: Zatanna Zatara; Wonder Woman; Superman; Flash; Batman; Booster Gold; Green Lantern (John Stewart); Martian Manhunter; Deadman; Phantom Stranger; Dr. Occult; Etrigan the Demon; Dr. Fate, & Zauriel.

Deadman needs JLU firepower to thwart the Demons Three’s invasion of Limbo. Only the League’s mystical Trenchcoat Brigade (Zatanna; Phantom Stranger; Dr. Fate; Etrigan the Demon; & Zauriel) are able to accompany Deadman into Limbo where they are captured. The opportunistic Etrigan double-crosses them, as he is willing to slit a defenseless Zatanna’s throat. To the end, only Etrigan knows his warped reasoning.

“Urban Legends” (Issue # 15). Written by Adam Beechen; Pencils by Carlos Barberi; Inks by Walden Wong; Colors by Heroic Age; and Letters by Travis Lanham.
Heroes: Vibe, with cameos by Batman; Black Lightning; Ragman; Gypsy; and Black Canary.

Vibe bails his younger brother, Armando, out of jail only to find out that he is being recruited by Jaime, a gang leader of the local El Lobos. The gang are new recruits of Dr. Sivana, seeking to utilize his newest threat: the robotic Mr. Atom. Once the JLU confronts this threat, Vibe’s brother must make a life-changing decision.

REVIEW:

As stand-alone original stories and good artwork mimicking the TV series’ animation, this compilation should be construed as JLU adventures between episodes. Champions of Justice makes an enjoyably light read with “Everybody Limbo” and “Nuts and Bolts” serving as its highlights. “Postcards from the Edge” is a nice contrast for its unusual team-up of Stargirl and Aquaman. The Golden Age Flash and Vibe spotlight stories are fine yet very routine. Overall, Champions of Justice serves up a welcome delight for all comic book fans.

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

None. It’s frankly a cheat considering that the cover art is not provided.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 7½ Stars