Chris and Reggie's Cosmic Treadmill ep. 124 - Justice League of America #219-220: Crisis in the Thunderbolt Dimension! (1983)

Cei-U, Cei-Me

Say you folks like comic books? In this episode, multiversal transit cops Chris (@AceComics) and Reggie (@reggiereggie) look at what has been considered a "retcon done right" when they read issues #219 and #220 of Justice League of America from 1983, written by Roy Thomas and Gerry Conway (with an assist by Marv Wolfman) and drawn by Chuck Patton! After some biographical information about the creators involved (except for Marv...we've gone over him at length before), our alternate Earth investigators look at the character Black Canary and what came before these issues, which will serve as a new status quo for the character for years to come! After a break, our pair finish up the bios and talk about what constitutes a retcon, and what makes some acceptable while others are abhorred. They conclude the episode by explaining what Black Canary's been up to since learning this new origin. It's enough to make you stand up and belt out a Canary Cry, you don't want to miss it!

Titans #33 Review and *SPOILERS*

There and Back Again

Written By: Dan Abnett
Art By: Bruno Redondo, Hi-Fi
Letters By: Dave Sharpe

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: January 16, 2019

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

I admittedly was a little easy on the previous issue of Titans. While I still stand by the parts I did enjoy, it was pointed out to me that a lot of the momentum that this book had in the previous issue was lost and after having thought on it, I have to agree. While it was a good idea to have us know the villain of the story, I think it would have done better to continue the main story instead. However, hindsight is 20/20 and I’m much more interested in seeing where this series goes in the future rather than where it has been in the past. Let’s jump into this issue and see where it takes us.

The Flash #62 Review and *SPOILERS*

Casino Heist

Written By: Joshua Williamson

Art By: Christian Duce, Luis Guerrero

Letters By: Steve Wands

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: January 16, 2019

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

Flash is finally really enjoyable! Well, at least for the past couple issues. We finished up the storyline with Fuerza on a nice note and we jump into a villain hideout country of Zandia. Flash encounters the Sage Force user that he has been searching for and finds out that he is not a foe but rather a friend. I’m hoping that we will get something similar to what we got with Fuerza. Obviously, it should be different but I really enjoyed the team up and seeing Flash working alongside a different force user. I hope to at least get the same level of quality that we got in that storyline. Let’s jump into this issue and see where it takes us.

Supergirl #26 Review and *SPOILERS*

Trapped!

Written By: Marc Andreyko

Art By: Kevin Maguire, Sean Parsons, Scott Hanna, Wade Von Grawbadger, FCO Plascencia, Chris Sotomayor
Letters By: Tom Napolitano

Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: January 16, 2019

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

Supergirl has turned a corner after the previous creative team left. However, after starting with such a strong lead, it has stagnated. Don’t get me wrong, I still like the book quite a bit. However, it doesn’t really feel like a lot has happened. Sure we know that Kara is on a quest and she found a former Guardian was involved in Krypton’s death but it’s been several issues since then and I can’t say we are any closer to progressing this story. Instead Kara met “Totally-Not-Starlord” Zn’dr and went to the ruins of Krypton and got captured. I just want more from this story. I’m even enjoying the stuff that doesn’t go anywhere. It’s interesting and well written but without that substance it feels… flat. Let’s just jump into this new issue and hope that things change for the better.

Wonder Woman #62 Review

Writer: G. Willow Wilson
Art team: Xermenico, Romulo Fajardo Jr. and Pat Brousseau
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: January 16, 2019
Reviewed by: Jon Wayne

When G. Willow Wilson was announced as the new ongoing writer for Wonder Woman this past summer, much like Weird Science editor-in-chief Jim Werner, I was ecstatic. Truly, I had begged the gods-of-comic-creative-teams for her to make the jump from Marvel and was rewarded. However, her run has not quite hit home for me yet and by her own admission, Wilson didn’t figure out the voices for all her characters until a few issues in. Does that start here? Let’s find out.

Suicide Squad #50 Review and **SPOILERS**

Back Together, For the First Time

Writer: Rob Williams 

Art: German Peralta, Brent Schoonover and Will Conrad 

Colors: Gabe Eltaeb 

Letters: Dave Sharpe 

Cover Price: $4.99 

On Sale Date: January 16, 2019

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

This is it, folks, the end of Rob Williams’ time on Suicide Squad. I won’t say it’s been a rollercoaster ride of emotions, because it hasn’t. There have been some good times, a few bad times (Red Wave), but for the most part, it’s been a pretty forgettable run. So how will it all wrap up? With an explosive, balls-to-the-wall conclusion? Don’t count on it. But you can find out in my review of Suicide Squad #50, which is below!

Electric Warriors #3 Review and Spoilers

Biting Off More Than We Can Chew…

Written by: Steve Orlando
Art by: Travel Foreman
Colours by: Hi-Fi
Letters by: Travis Lanham
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: January 16, 2019

A state of post-flu weakness – light-headed, enervated, lacking appetite, gullible – might actually be the ideal condition in which to read a Steve Orlando comic. Too feeble to rant and rail against the excesses of the script, one tends to just let the story flow on, absently noting its inconsistencies and heavy-handedness while not being able to summon up even the smallest shred of indignation about how silly it all is. And so it has been with Electric Warriors 3. Last month's cliffhanger is about to be resolved. And a couple of significant mysteries are about to be revealed. (The mysteries themselves, that is – any explanation of them is some way off yet.) Buckle up, pilgrims! It's going to be a ludicrous – and curiously chewy – ride…

House of Whispers #5 Review and **SPOILERS**

Shock the Pana

Written By: Nalo Hopkinson and Dan Watters 
Illustrated By: Dominike “DOMO” Stanton and Aneke 

Colors By: John Rauch 

Letters By: Deron Bennett 

Cover Price: $3.99 

On Sale Date: January 16, 2019

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

I went into this series, knowing it contained specifics about Creole culture and lore, without doing research. On purpose. I felt that I shouldn’t have to learn about a new religion just to enjoy a comic book, everything I need should be within the story. So how has that been going? You can find out in my review of House of Whispers #5, which is below for your perusal.

Hawkman #8 Review

Weapon of Mass Instructions

Written By: Robert Venditti

Art By: Bryan Hitch, Andrew Currie, Andy Owens, Jeremiah Skipper, Starkings & Comicraft

Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: January 16, 2019

Now that we know where Hawkman started, it should be about time that we find out where he's going and hopefully that means right towards the Deathbringers.  I know we just got this back story about how Carter was the Deathbringers General during his first life and that he banished them in the end, but I still really don't know what the Deathbringers are.  Pretty much just look like giant bird mechas that are constantly in the shadows.  Let's hope that we find out more about them as Carter Hall goes to Krypton to get the weapon that will supposedly defeat them now that they're back.  Let's check it out.

Justice League Dark #7 Review

Tales From the Gripped

Writer: James Tynion IV 

Penciller: Alvarez Martínez Bueno 

Inker: Raul Fernandez 

Colorist: Brad Anderson 

Letterer: Rob Leigh 

Cover Price: $3.99 

On Sale Date: January 16, 2019

I think I was about four or five years old when I saw my first EC Comic. It was reprinted in black-and-white in a book—I think it must have been Comix: A History of Comic Books in America, but I’m not sure. I was captivated, and not too long after that Gemstone would reprint the old EC “new trend” books in color. I got as many as I could, I loved them then and I still love them now. So of course, I should have pretty fond feelings for this issue, which is patterned like one of these classic tales, curated by a creepy narrator, right? Find out in my review of Justice League Dark #7, commencing below!

Red Hood and the Outlaws #30 Review

Let's Go To Prison

Written By: Scott Lobdell

Art By: Pete Woods, Rex Lokus, Troy Peteri

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: January 16, 2019

Red Hood continues his quest to take down Underlife as a way to finish what Roy Harper started before he died.  The biggest problem with this is........ Underlife feels so under-developed.  Yeah, I know we've been dealing with them as a antagonist for a bit now, but besides for just saying their name, making some Solomon Grundy techno-organic clones and then just saying that Solitary is the boss behind it, I can't tell you anything about them.  Nothing really seemed setup, but I'm hoping that things become more detailed as we go along, in a more natural feeling way.  Let's jump into this issue as Jason Todd crosses into Mexico to find Solitary and shut down Underlife.  Let's check it out.

Detective Comics #996 Review

Writer: Peter J. Tomasi

Artists: Doug Mahnke, Jaime Mendoza, Mark Irwin, David Baron, Rob Leigh

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: January 16, 2019

This is part 3 of the Mythology story arc. Somebody is not too happy with Bruce Wayne. Two people made to look like Thomas and Martha Wayne were found dead underwater at the Gotham Aquarium with pearls lodged in their throats. Leslie Thompkins was attacked by a big red monster who blew the Joker's gas into her face and Jokerized her, killing her in a heartbreaking scene in Detective Comics #995. Alfred almost met his end too, as he was stabbed with a rapier by a man dressed as Zorro (The Mask of Zorro was the movie the Wayne's saw before they were murdered). In the final pages of the last issue, Batman went to Arkham looking for information from the inmates. And he's going to beat it out of them.

Superman #7 Review

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

Written By: Brian Michael Bendis

Art By: Ivan Reis, Brandon Peterson, Jason Fabok, Oclair Albert, Alex Sinclair, Josh Reed, Carlos M. Mangual

Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: January 16, 2019

Even though I was pissed last issue because we had all that build up for an amazing team-up between Superman and General Zod going up against Rogol Zaar in the Phantom Zone, only to have ripped away from us by Superman getting yanked out and then just going on with his normal save the day shtick like nothing happened.  We did get a pretty interesting cliffhanger with Jon Kent Superboy returning to Earth and looking way older than he did when he left.  Hopefully, Superboy's return is enough to get me over the fact that we never got that General Zod team-up with our Man of Steel, without the explanation being too convoluted.  Let's jump into this issue and check it out.

Catwoman #7 Review

Cat Bird

Writer: Joelle Jones
Artist: Fernando Blanco, Elena Casagrande
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: January 16, 2019

Cover Price: $3.99

I like this book and am glad it has gotten out of the shadow of Batman a bit more since Joelle Jones started it in July.  That said, the first arc kind of ended on a whimper so I was looking forward to seeing what we would get at the start of this one.  Was it any good?  Let's find out...

The Batman Who Laughs #2 Review

Batman Who Knows

Written by: Scott Snyder
Art by: Jock, David Baron, and Sal Cipriano
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: January 16, 2019

There is one big thing you have to get into your head while reading this series...The Batman Who Laughs knows everything that our Bruce Wayne does.  It's something that is explained again in this issue, but it is something that tends to escape me at times.  I think it's because the BWL feels like a character whose Dark Multiverse split off from our familiar one in a way that caused a divergent path that would have then given him a whole different set of memories, situations, etc.  Nope!  The Batman Who Laughs knows everything that our Bruce Wayne does. Say it with me...The Batman Who Laughs knows everything that our Bruce Wayne does.

PREVIEW: Wonder Woman #62

Writer: G. Willow Wilson
Artist: Xermanico
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: January 16, 2019
Cover Price: $3.99

It's the final knock-down drag-out battle between Ares and Wonder Woman-but is there still any hope of changing the young god's ways before he hardens into the worst possible version of himself? And if he does...is Wonder Woman to blame?

PREVIEW: Titans #33

Writer: Dan Abnett
Artist: Bruno Redondo
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: January 16, 2019
Cover Price: $3.99

"Into the Bleed" part one! Raven's soul-self has been trapped in "Unearth" for months, and the team finally figures out a way to return and save their teammate. Not only that, but the formerly fictional fantasy realm holds a crucial key to finally unlocking the mystery of the Source Wall energy-so they may be saving the entire Earth in the process! Only one problem: the Blood Cult may have beaten them to it.

PREVIEW: THE BATMAN WHO LAUGHS #2

Writer: Scott Snyder
Artist: Jock
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: January 16, 2019
Cover Price: $4.99

After the shocking ending of issue #1, a ticking clock sets Batman on a trail throughout the different realities of the Multiverse. He starts to see all the iterations of his life, and what could have been...but more importantly, Bruce Wayne begins to deduce that his current life is somehow wrong, and that all the mistakes he's made are somehow connected. Meanwhile, the Batman Who Laughs raises the curtain on his second act, pulling out the big guns to break into Arkham Asylum... enter one of the most punishing Batmen of the Dark Multiverse: the Grim Knight!

PREVIEW: Supergirl #26

Writer: Marc AndreykoArtist: Kevin Maguire, Sean ParsonsPublisher: DC ComicsRelease Date: January 16, 2019Cover Price: $3.99
Supergirl... super-captured! Still recovering from radiation poisoning, Kara finds herself in the clutches of the Citadel and its ruthless leader Harry Hokum, who is eager to experiment on one of the last Kryptonians in the known universe. How is Kara supposed to track down answers to her Rogol Zaar/Krypton mystery in the midst of a Vega System civil war? And you don't throw a civil war in the Vega System without the Omega Men returning-even some long-lost ones!

PREVIEW: Flash #62

Writer: Joshua Williamson

Artist: Christian Duce
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: January 16, 2019
Cover Price: $3.99

The Flash tracks down a new user of the mysterious Sage Force, a young Zandarian spy named Bashir (a.k.a. Psyche), who's just starting to understand his newfound abilities. Here's hoping he's a quick study, because the Flash needs his help against the dual threat known as Gemini, who wants to steal both the Speed and Sage Forces! And whose side is Power-house on when the Strength Force agent shows up to flex her muscle?

PREVIEW: Electric Warriors #3

Writer: Steve Orlando
Artist: Travel Foreman
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: January 16, 2019
Cover Price: $3.99

The revolution starts now! Inceptor accidentally digs too far into the memories of the Electric Warrior from Gil'Dishpan and uncovers a conspiracy at the heart of the Covenant. The planet games are meant to bring profit and keep the various peoples across the galaxies in check, rather than encourage peace and cooperation. If Inceptor can convince the other Warriors of what he's learned, it might just spark the revolution that will free a galaxy.

PREVIEW: Detective Comics #996

Writer: Peter J. Tomasi
Artist: Doug Mahnke
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: January 16, 2019
Cover Price: $3.99

In the catacombs under Paris, Henri Ducard is not going to sit and wait for the death that's coming for everyone who helped to train Batman...he's going to wrestle it to the ground and put a bullet between its eyes! Good plan-but what if it just gets right back up? Can even Batman save him then?

PREVIEW: Catwoman #7

Writer: Joelle JonesArtist: Fernando Blanco, Elena CasagrandePublisher: DC ComicsRelease Date: January 16, 2019Cover Price: $3.99
What's a cat burglar to do? When things went bad for her in Gotham, Selina Kyle picked up stakes and moved to set up a new life in Villa Hermosa. Things went about as well as they could for an international super-criminal, particularly now that Catwoman has established herself as a major player in her new town. Too bad the past always has a way of catching up with you. Gotham comes to Catwoman in the form of the Penguin, fresh from his most recent tussle with Batman, and he's not just looking to horn in on Selina's new scheme; he comes bearing hot goss about everything-and everyone-Selina tried to leave behind.

PREVIEW: Suicide Squad #50

The Conclusion, Not the End

Writer: Rob Williams 

Art: German Peralta, Brent Schoonover and Will Conrad 

Colors: Gabe Eltaeb 

Letters: Dave Sharpe Cover: Jim Lee, Scott Williams and Alex Sinclair 

Variant Cover: Francesco Mattina 

Editor: Katie Kubert 

Group Editor: Jamie S. Rich 

Cover Price: $4.99 

On Sale Date: January 16, 2019

-->The infection in Temho Me4ta prison spreads, and cannot be allowed to reach the surface. The Suicide Squad is all that stands in the way of a global pandemic. It’s line-in-the-sand time: Will the Squad be forced to live up to its name? Don’t miss this extra-sized anniversary issue!

This is for the Suicide Squad! At least for a little while. I have a feeling they'll be coming back just in time for some film or something. Check out some preview pages below!

PREVIEW: Justice League Dark #7

Swellblazer

Writer: James Tynion IV 

Penciller: Alvarez Martínez Bueno 

Inker: Raul Fernandez 

Colorist: Brad Anderson 

Letterer: Rob Leigh 

Cover Price: $3.99 

On Sale Date: January 16, 2019

First rule of magic: things can always get worse! Man-Bat learns that the hard way when he plays narrator and chronicles the nightmarish menagerie known as the Otherkind—horrific, monstrous entities such as “the Soup,” “the Rip” and “the Offspring”—that burst through the Sphere of Gods and invaded Earth. The JLD soon realize they’re no match for an invading horde of hellspawn, and to have any kind of chance, they’ll have to go down a darker path. But how much darker can this team get before they become monsters themselves?

Hmm...more boogums and haints? Bring 'em on! Have a look at some preview pages, and how 'bout it!

PREVIEW: House of Whispers #5

It's Going Down

Written By: Nalo Hopkinson and Dan Watters 

Illustrated By: Dominike “DOMO” Stanton and Aneke 

Colors By: John Rauch 

Letters By: Deron Bennett 

Cover Price: $3.99 

On Sale Date: January 16, 2019

-->As the life sparks of non-dreamers continue to populate the Dreaming at an alarming rate due to the spreading of Cotard’s delusions in the Waking World, Turtle and Shakpana race to see who can track down Maggie and retrieve the mysterious Book of Whispers first. Turtle, on behalf of Erzulie Dantor, hopes to stop and reverse the epidemic, while Shakpana seeks to control it…

Seems like...more of the same! Have a gander at some preview pages, stashed below-wise for your perusal.