B-list villain Dr. Death holds Gotham – including Batman and Robin – hostage with a deadly allergen. A surprisingly weak 45th-anniversary outing for DC’s flagship Detective Comics. Creative talent includes Gerry Conway, Gene Colan, Klaus Janson and others.
READAt different points throughout its future, humanity recalls legends of Superman, champion of “truth, justice and the American way.” This anniversary issues – featuring an all-star cast of artists and several strong short stories from Elliot S. Maggin – earns a rare A+ grade.
READDeathlok faces off with Maj. Ryker in a virtual reality “Mind-Lock,” then attempts a mind transference to a clone. This visually strong series – by Rich Buckler, Bill Mantlo and Klaus Janson – continues to be overwhelmed by a plethora of concepts.
READAfter 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.
READDeathlok’s quest to restore his humanity brings him to Maj. Ryker’s brother Hellinger and a Luther Manning clone. New inker Klaus Janson improves the look of this series but it’s still unclear where plotter/artist Rich Buckler is trying to take the story.
READDeathlok is confronted by former friend Mike Travers, then the cyborg antihero resumes his quest to regain his lost humanity. The short lead feature by Rich Buckler and company is padded out by a fun Stan Lee/Gene Colan reprint.
READWulf joins forces with the Free Swordsmen’s Guild to save the city of Rama-Kesh from a magically induced drought. Another surprisingly strong outing from the Atlas (Seaboard) team of Larry Hama and Klaus Janson.
READAn industrialist inventor’s effort to launch a tidal power station runs afoul of the Sub-Mariner – and the Magaia. Throw in Daredevil and Black Panther and this annual – by the creative team of Marv Wolfman, Chris Claremont, George Tuska and Frank Chiaramonte – still falls short of entertaining.
READIn the not-so-distant future, Col. Luther Manning manages to seize control of his cyborg body and escape from his creator. Rich Buckler and Doug Moench tap into the zeitgeist of the era with their new creation Deathlok.
READThe Thing and the Black Widow team to stop terrorists from setting off a tidal wave with a massive bomb. A thoroughly competent outing from the team of Chris Claremont, Bob Brown and Klaus Janson.
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