After being damaged by Hellinger’s explosive, Deathlok is rebuilt by the CIA and sent back on the hunt for Ryker. The creative team of Rich Buckler, Bill Mantlo and Klaus Janson serve up a visually striking story that’s overstuffed with plot elements.
READLocked in the JLA satellite, the Justice League and Justice Society investigate who among them is a murderer. The conclusion to this Gerry Conway two-parter stumbles, keeping it from being a classic. (The interior is by JLA regulars Dick Dillin and Frank McLaughlin.)
READA magically induced storm causes Tara to crash, leaving her and Warlord at the mercy of a savage horde. Mike Grell’s classic swords-and-sorcery series loses a some of its magic thanks to Vince Colletta’s mismatched inking.
READSuperman and Flash get drawn into an alien civil war, and end up racing to the end of time. Martin Pasko’s central concept is a good one, and artist José Luis García-López is an underrated master. But this one ends up being less than the sum of its parts.
READAfter battling War-Wolf, Deathlok tries returning to his pre-cyborg home and finds only rejection and despair. Creator Rich Buckler assumes scripting duties this time out but the whole thing seems a little off.
READThe return of the Silver Dagger further complicates Doctor Strange, Spider-Man and Ms. Marvel’s efforts to save Clea. This second half of a two-part tale by Chris Claremont drops off from run-of-the-mill to ho-hum.
READPower Man, Iron Fist and Machine Man scramble to recover a computer “super-circuit” stolen by the Hulk. A ho-hum affair by Roger Stern, Herb Trimpe and a host of inkers.
READSpider-Man and the Human Torch team on Christmas Eve in an effort to thwart the Sandman’s not-so-nefarious plan. Roy Thomas, Ross Andru and Mike Esposito offer a fair-to-middlin’ yuletide yarn to launch one of the Bronze Age’s signature team-up books.
READBatman teams with a down-on-his-luck Plastic Man to crack a tobacco-smuggling ring and return a Christmas display to Gotham. This holiday outing from Bob Haney, Joe Staton and Jim Aparo is a mixed bag, but ultimately quite enjoyable.
READA disgruntled, WW-II-era veteran goes undercover and finds goodness in Luke Cage – then decides to nuke Manhattan anyway! This oddball, Christmas story from Steve Englehart has a little something for everyone, but the art by George Tuska and Billy Graham isn’t very attractive.
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