CATWOMAN #31 DC COMICS
Having admitted previously that I am not a great fan of the recent going-ons in Gotham, here is another example that things might be on the uptake. And while Fernando Blanco is dark and seductive, the show stealer here is Ram V’s story. This is as close to a pulp noir novel without it actually being one. As Catwoman explains how she was able to not only steal a priceless piece of art right from under everyone’s noses, but used that distraction to free Poison Ivy from her abductors. Like something out of an Ocean’s 11 movie, the tale is amusing, precise, and brilliant! The only question I have is the mysterious disappearing man, Batman in disguise or is their a new player in town. And as Catwoman herself points out, the ending raises even more questions and is leading her further down the rabbit hole. This one deserves a 9 out of 10 Grahams.
ARCHIE & FRIENDS SUPERHEROES #1 ARCHIE COMICS
Good old fashion old timey super-heroes and everybody’s favorite red-headed teen (Not that over hyped boy toy from the Riverdale television show). A gathering of short stories featuring Mighty Crusaders regulars Bob Phantom and Blackjack showing up to help out Pureheart and Powerteen. Classic heroes, classic villains, classic art poses! This is what comics used to be and why us old-timers loved them so much! With Bob Smith’s inks over the pencils of such celebrities like Pat & Tim Kennedy, Jeff Schultz, and a case of switcheroo with Jim Amash inking Jeff Schultz’s pencils, you can’t go wrong! And with a cameo filled cover including America’s Hard-Boiled, Wise Cracking Sleuth from 1950, Sam Hill this one really brings back the memories! I give it a 9 out of 10 Grahams.
THE FLASH #770 DC COMICS
In 1993, James Robinson (a personal hero) and Paul Smith put together a wonderful 4 part mini-series called The Golden Age. A wonderfully nostalgic and mature look at that moment in time when the Golden Age ended and became the Silver Age. Flash forward some 28 years later (Flash forwarded…totally meant to do that!) and writer Jeremy Adams has totally knocked my socks off by working one brief image and 4 small paragraphes into a full blown plot line for this latest issue of Wally West’s time travelling adventures! Expect alot of exclamation marks in this review folks cause this issue steals the whole show! And throws in Golden Age Freedom Fighter The Ray in for good measure! Spear of Destiny! Hilter! Parsifal the Super Nazi whose super power is that his negates everyone elses! And an amazing Quantum Leap reveal on the final page that will have you demanding DC release the next issue now! How did I figure all this out? I mean 1993, that was a while ago! It was the art staff of Jack Herbert, Brandon Peterson, and Kevin MaGuire’s page 5 version of the panel from Golden Age #1! They hit it right on and the memories came flooding back! Ever wonder how to get a 10 out of 10 Grahams here at Doc’s Corner? You’re looking at it!
A little Doc’s Corner Bonus 2021 version (top) vs 1993 version (bottom)
