Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 17

April 3, 2025: 100 Supervillain Stories – #13-15 (Mr. Freeze, The Red Skull, The Kingpin)! And a Columbo reminder!

13 “Snow” (Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #192-196)

When a family tragedy, coupled with the creation of an untested technological development, forges the obsession of a super-villain, a young Batman must assemble a strike force against a frosty foe, Mr. Freeze.

Story: J.H. Williams, Dan Curtis Johnson
Script & Dialogue: Dan Curtis Johnson
Art: Seth Fisher
Colorist: Dave Stewart
Letterer: Phil Balsam

The premise is interesting with its focus on a less seasoned and clearly overwhelmed Batman struggling to stay ahead of crime in a retro 70’s Gotham, but “Snow” often feels tonally off, its narrative set-ups partially sketched, its payoffs dramatically unsatisfying, Victor Fries evolution to Mr. Freeze all perfunctory.

14 “Red Skull: Incarnate”

As Berlin descends into chaos and ruin, sinister forces are on the rise…and the men who will form the Nazi Party ascent to power. Against this tragic backdrop of history, a boy comes of age: Johann Schmidt. Orphan, thug, urchin–Johann has nothing–and how far he would go for power will change the world.

Writer: Greg Pak
Artist: Miko Colak
Colorist: Matthew Wilston
Letterer: VC’s Clayton Cowles

One can draw parallels between “Red Skull: Incarnate” and “Magneto: Testament”. Both set in Germany against the backdrop of WWII, telling the stories of two young boys and their respective struggles for survival. The big difference, of course, being that our young protagonists are on opposing sides of the conflict. In terms of plotting, I thought “Incarnate” was excellent but I was, frankly, put off by the dog slaughter scene that ended the first issue, a sequence that felt manipulative to me and spoiled my overall appreciation for this tale. Oh, and another thing “Incarnate” has in common with “Testament” is that both are ultimately supervillain origin stories devoid of any super heroic elements – both equally unsatisfactory in that respect although in the case of “Incarnate” it’s more excusable since young Johann doesn’t acquire his abilities until much later in life.

15 “Kingpin: Severance Package” (Spider-Man’s Tangled Web #4)

Tom Cochrane, a mid-level boss in Wilson Fisk’s criminal empire, learns the price of failure.

Writer: Greg Rucka
Artist: Eduardo Risso
Colorist: Steve Buccelato
Letterers: Richard Starking, Comicraft’s Wes Abbott

Even though The Kingpin doesn’t appear until the closing pages, he is a strong presence throughout this story – powerful, implacable, menacing – his larger than life persona looming large over every panel, from the opening phone call that sets this tragic tale in motion to the final call that ends it. At a single issue, it’s brief but incredibly effective. Writer Greg Pak is at his very best, backed by strong visuals courtesy Artist Eduardo Risso and Steve Buccelato’s alternately elegant and ominous colors. A brilliant one-shot.

Our Columbo rewatch continues tomorrow, Friday April 4th, with “Requiem for a Falling Star”

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April 2, 2025: Amazing Covers!

A few that caught my eye this week…

Daredevil: Cold Day in Hell #1 – cover art by Steve McNiven

Moon Knight: Fist of Khonshu #7 – cover art by Dan Panosian

Birds of Prey #20 – cover art by Serg Acuna

Justice League: The Atom Project #4 – cover art by Mark Spears

Poison Ivy #32 – cover art by Robin Zombie Higginbottom

Poison Ivy #32 – cover art by Kyuyong Eom

Resurrection Man: Quantum Karma #1 – cover art by Dan Panosian

Grimm Fairy Tales: Tales of Terror #4 – cover art by Pierluigi Abbondanza

So, which were YOUR favorites?

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April 1, 2025: The winner of the Classic T.V. Detective Tournament announced! And Sharky’s April Fools gag!

The final results are in.  And the winner of our Classic T.V. Detective is…

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Columbo!

Was there ever any doubt?

In celebration I repost this – Columbo: A Brief History

Columbo is one of the most beloved crime dramas in television history. It ran from February 1960 to January 2003, spanning 35 years and 69 episodes (including not one but two pilots). It has been broadcast in 44 countries.

From 1971 to 1978, the show ran as part of the NBC Mystery Movie (wheel) and then, following an 11 year hiatus, returned as part of the ABC Mystery Movie from 1989 to 2003, its last episode airing as part of ABC Thursday Night at the Movies.

The show was created by writers Richard Levinson and William Link. The (first) series pilot, Prescription: Murder, was based on their stage play of the same name.

Two other actors portrayed Columbo before Peter Falk made the character his own. Bert Freed was the first actor to play the part in a 1960 episode of The Chevy Mystery Show.

Two years later, Oscar-winner Thomas Mitchell played Columbo in the stage version of Prescription: Murder.

Eight years later when Levinson and Link were looking to cast the role for the small screen, the first actors considered for the role were Lee J. Cobb (star of The Virginian) and Bing Crosby (who passed because he feared the commitment would interfere with his golf game).

The role eventually went to actor Peter Falk who would go on to win four Emmy Awards for his portrayal of lovable, disarming, rumpled detective.

Falk provided his own wardrobe for the show which included the famed trademark disheveled raincoat he had bought in New York for $15.

Falk was a perfectionist, insisting on repeated takes to ensure the performances were their best. His attitude earned him the respect of his guest stars, and the animosity of studio executives who had to swallow the cost overruns.

Occasionally, Falk would ad-lib during his performances – searching his pockets, becoming distracted – to keep his fellow actors on their toes and, in the case of murder suspects, palpably frustrated.

Unlike the Whodunit, Columbo was a Howdunit, with the murderer revealed in the opening and our Columbo himself not making an appearance until after the first act. It was a format the network initially hated…but grew to love.

The show was an immediate and became a worldwide sensation. According to Falk, he was asked by the State Department to record a reassuring message for Romanian fans who had threatened to riot, suspecting their government was holding back on new episodes.

Early contributors to the show’s success included a young Steven Spielberg who directed seasons 1’s “Murder by the Book” and Hill Street Blues creator Steven Bochco who scripted several episodes including the aforementioned.

Columbo’s catch-phrase, “One more thing…”, is as quintessentially Columbo as his raincoat, but it wasn’t originally scripted. According to Levinson “we had a scene that was too short, and we had already had Columbo make his exit. We were too lazy to retype the scene, so we had him come back and say, ‘Oh, just one more thing.’ It was never planned.”

Columbo’s first name was never revealed and his wife, who often referenced, was never seen. His dog, a basset hound named Dog, who has the distinction of being the most featured recurring guest star with 23 appearances.

Numerous actors made multiple appearances on the show and a handful returned to play several murderers. Patrick McGoohan played 5 different murders over the franchise run, Jack Cassidy and Robert Culp 3 a piece, while George Hamilton and William Shatner each played two murderers. Shatner’s killers were especially deliciously devious.

In 2007, Universal shopped just one more Columbo episode to the networks. Titled “Columbo’s Last Case”, it would have been the rumpled detective 70th and final outing. But it never came to be as the networks passed on the 80-year-old Falk’s swan song.

In 2014, Columbo and his dog, Dog, were commemorated with a statue in Budapest, Hungary.

Sharky with the April Fools gag…

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March 31, 2025: Our Columbo rewatch continues with…Dagger of the Mind!

This episode aired November 26, 1972

“Dagger of the Mind” was one of the few episodes Peter Falk did not like as he felt it was too gimmicky, bumping on the scenes where Columbo is playing tourist (My favorite parts of this episode!) because he felt they detracted from the investigation. “That wasn’t one of my favorites,”he admitted. “The network also wanted very badly for Columbo to shoot an episode in Japan. Why? I don’t know. They thought it was a terrific idea.” I think it was a terrific idea. I would have loved to see Columbo visit Japan.

The atmosphere of the London street scenes was courtesy of fog machines that, at one point, pumped out mist so thick that Falk tripped over a curb and shooting had to be halted.

Richard Basehart’s English accent was so inconsistent that Falk good-naturedly poked fun at it throughout filming.

Actress Honor Blackman was perhaps better known as the nimble, leather-clad Catherine Gale in The Avengers (1961), and Pussy Galore in the James Bond film Goldfinger (1964).

Actor Clive Revill, who played the doomed Sir Roger Haversham, was a last-minute-replacement for another actor who had to drop out.

Wilfrid Hyde-White, who played Tanner, owed thousands of pounds of back taxes to the Inland Revenue in Great Britain and couldn’t return to his homeland. As a tax exile, he called California home – and that was where all of his scenes were shot.

My thoughts on this episode in chronological viewing order…

Opening night of MacBeth! Ominous.

I laughed at Frame’s off-hand “Lily, what a curious position.” at the sight of Lilian sitting in the basket, as if she just decided to take a seat there of her own volition.

“He’s gone out of his mind. He’s come straight out of a Victorian novel.” Okay, at this point I already have the sense this episode will be a parody of sorts and, thus, I shouldn’t be overly critical of its very British tone.

Wait. Who is Lilian married to? What’s her relationship with Haversham?

Killed by a jar of cold cream. Yes, definitely an episode not to be taken too seriously.

Love the PAN OVER to the trunk. Aha!

A great segue to the MacBeth rehearsal, the scene following Banquo’s murder.

Holy smokes, this cockney handyman is like something out of Oliver Twist! Curious what the British audience thought of this episode.

“Tomorrow and tomorrow,”says Frame. “It’ll be tomorrow if you don’t get a move on!”warns Lililan. These two are great fun together.

Frame’s constant quoting of the Bard in the grimmest moments (after setting up Haversham’s corpse), is pretty arch – and downright delightful. Boy, I have a feeling this one is a very divisive episode.

This whole airport intro is terrific – the scattered Columbo misplacing his wife’s flower-pattern suitcase, annoying some poor innocent woman, and almost getting hauled off while the English welcome committee searches fruitlessly for him.

Love Columbo’s enthusiastic handshaking.

Also love the exterior shots of London of a bygone era. Ah, simpler times.

While I understand Falk’s dissatisfaction with these Tourist Columbo sequences, I really feel they marry well with the tone of the episode and they show a fun, goofy side of our lovable detective.

Climbing back into the car after making them stop so he can hop out and take pictures: “Gee, I hope I put the film in right.” How can you not love these moments?

Hey, it’s Doctor Bombay! I mean actor Bernard Fox!

This is probably one of the funniest episode’s in the show’s run. The moment where the maid comes out to serve the guard a beer and then both glance over, mortified, at the detectives is hilarious.

Ah, here goes Columbo, smoking in somebody else’s home – and a cigar no less!

Columbo notes the book’s bent spine with “Of course I never knew that until I did it to my mother-in-law’s cookbook. She almost hit me with a frying pan.”

A wonderful moment where Frame is consoling a distraught Lilian at the open coffin and then the two strike a brief pose for the paparazzi.

Another great little bit where Frame briefly considers consoling the buxom blond actress.

Okay, Columbo’s throwaway line to the grieving Lilian: “Terrible time to ask but how could I get tickets? I’d love to see the show tonight.” almost made me cough up my drink.

“That was a great idea you had checking the glasses.” Columbo making Durk think it was all his idea.

Another line that made me laugh out loud was Lilian’s: “But why don’t you know?! If you’d taken that part in the Agatha Christie play liked I told you to you would know these things!”

Another great Tourist Columbo sequence.

“Why do you think we keep the ladies out, sir?” lol

Love them cackling gleefully as they drive off after planting the seeds about the missing MacBeth. Deliciously arch.

What is that guy wearing on his head? A silver turban?

A great sequence here of Columbo popping in and out with the suspects as they are receiving their accolades. And then a great intercut of the double interrogation concluding with all three of them in the same room. Kudos to the director of this episode, Richard Quine. I’m sure he had a blast.

“You not only agree, you use almost the exact same words to tell about it.” Hoo boy. They’re in trouble.

Joe the cockney handyman holding on to his umbrella at the bar like it’s his wallet.

Not sure if I’m following this whole silly umbrella thing. I can understand them needing to take it away from Joe lest it tie Harversham back to the theatre on the night of the murder, but why not just dump it afterwards instead of going through all the trouble of swapping it out?

“I’ve always wanted to be in a horror movie,”says Lilian. Apparently this was an inside joke as Honor Blackman had appeared in the horror movie Fright just six months earlier.

Why didn’t she switch out the umbrella while she was in the closet?

And why is Columbo fixated on the umbrella? Why is he so interested in the handyman’s stolen umbrella? This really feels like a reach.

Ah, Tanner, you poor doomed schemer. If there’s one thing Columbo has taught me it’s to think twice before blackmailing a murderer.

“Those fish and chips are greasy, but they’re sure good.” So true.

That’s a pretty dark reveal of the hanging Tanner.

They have to be idiots to believe Columbo didn’t plant that pearl given how much use that umbrella has gotten since the murder

Poor Nick loses his mind feels kind of contrived – and another nod to MacBeth in an episode chock full of ’em.

Wow. Certainly mixed feelings about this one. I found the whole umbrella angle confusing and had a hard time buying Nicholas and Lilian falling for the planted pearl – and then giving the game away. The show is, admittedly, tonally different from previous Columbo episodes, pretty overt in its parody of British whodunits – but damnit did I have a great time. I loved the Tourist Columbo sequences and all of the very British characters and trappings, especially the absolutely wonderful devious duo of Nicholas and Lilian. If only the detective work and solution had been stronger.

So, where does this episode fall in my overall ranking? Well, despite my initial misgivings going in, it’s up there… #1 Death Lends a Hand, #2 Suitable for Framing, #3 Prescription: Murder, #4 Murder by the Book/Ransom for a Dead Man (tie), #5 Dagger of the Mind, #6 Etude in Black, #7 Lady in Waiting, #8 The Most Crucial Game, #9 Blueprint for Murder, #10 The Greenhouse Jungle #11 Dead Weight, #12 Short Fuse

Finally, it’s time to weigh the evidence against our murderers and decide whether they’ll be looking at a GUILTY verdict or at an ACQUITTAL. Well, setting aside the fact that Columbo planted the evidence against them, there’s almost an admission of guilt here. Almost. But all Lilian says is “He was mad. Don’t you see?” So given Nicholas’s state of mind (assuming he’s not faking his breakdown), I think he evades the manslaughter charge by reason of insanity while dear Lilian gets off scot-free. What do you think?

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March 30, 2025: Sharky Sunday!

When mom wakes up early and Sharky realizes she’s not there…

Sharky’s dog license arrived, and he’s thrilled!

Sharky sheds so much we could collect his discarded fur and make a whole new pug friend for him…

Snow flurries –

The Taste Master…

Sharky waiting for his stop…

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March 29, 2025: 100 Supervillain Stories – #10-12: Black Adam! Dark Phoenix! Harley Quinn!

#10

10 “Black Adam: The Dark Age” (2007-2008)

Black Adam takes extreme measures in his attempts to resurrect his wife, Isis, while the Justice League, Justice Society of America and other agencies seek to take him down.

Writer: Peter J. Tomasi
Penciler: Doug Mahnke
Inkers: Christian Alamy, Norm Raymond, Rodney Ramos
Colorist: Nathan Eyring
Letterers: Nick J. Napolitano, Rob Leigh

A tale of gods, superheroes, wizardry and revenge, “Black Adam: The Dark Ages” is at its best unmired by the likes of the JLA, JSA, and countless black ops hit squads in favor of the story of man driven by love to undertake a seemingly impossible quest. It’s an epic tragedy that culminates in an unfinished and unsatisfying ending.

11  “The Dark Phoenix Saga” (1980)

Gathered together by Professor Charles Xavier to protect a world that fears and hates them, the X-Men had fought many battles, been on adventures that spanned galaxies, grappled enemies of limitless might, but none of this could prepare them for the most shocking struggle they would ever face. One of their own members, Jean Grey, has gained power beyond all comprehension, and that power has corrupted her absolutely! Now they must decide if the life of the woman they cherish is worth the existence of the entire universe!

Writer: Chris Claremont/John Byrne co-plotter
Penciler: John Byrne
Inker: Terry austin
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski
Colorisst: Bob Sharen, Glynis Wein

This tragic tale lands with the same emotional impact as it did some 45 years ago when I first read it, weathering the test of time in its powerful account of Jean Gray’s descent into darkness, and the desperate but ultimately doomed attempts of her friends to prevent the inevitable. So many memorable moments, from Wolverine’s solo sewer reveal in the bowels of New York’s Hellfire Club to Dark Phoenix’s fiery mid-flight manifestation aboard the Blackbird to Jean’s shocking self-sacrifice. Top-notch storytelling.

12  “Mad Love” (1994)

Harley Quinn seeks prove her love to the Joker by attempting to eliminate the Dark Knight on her own!

Writer: Paul Dini
Artist: Bruce W. Timm
Colorists: Bruce W. Timm, Rick Taylor
Letterer: Tim Harkins

Its cartoon visual stylings belie a surprisingly dark story about love, obsession, and the cycles of abuse that typify far too many relationships A well-crafted story that explores Harley Quinn’s aspirations and impulses, revealing her as much a victim as she is a villain.

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March 28, 2025: Our Columbo rewatch continues with…The Most Crucial Game!

This episode aired November 5, 1972.

Members of the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team make a cameo in this episode, among them a young Pat Riley.

The Wagner house was also featured in “Murder by the Book”.

Robert Culp makes his second of four Columbo appearances in this episode.

The writer of this episode, John T. Duggan, also wrote “Counter Weight”, another episode that suffered from some suspect logic.

The exchange where Columbo asks Walter Cunnell how much he paid for his shoes was not scripted. Peter Falk ad libbed the question which resulted in the improvised exchange with the quick-on-his-feet Dean Jagger.

My thoughts on this episode in chronological viewing order…

The episodes now starts with a preview – that appears to just be made up of a bunch of random clips. At one point, it hints at Columbo’s search for the murderer and quick cuts through the various suspects, but as soon as Robert Culp flashes up you already know.

“Hockey is for penguins.” Hard to argue with that.

Are those black satin sheets?

The announcer seems to say “Today all holds are barred.” which doesn’t make any sense. It’s “No holds barred.” “All holds are barred” suggests a pretty tame game.

Lol that kid missing out on his ice cream, his plaintive cries going unheeded as the truck drives away. Easily my favorite moment in this episode.

Ah, ye olde ice block. What 13-year-old kid hasn’t imagined using an icicle as the perfect murder weapon?

Okay, this sequence is as ridiculous as Alex Benedict’s broad daylight scamper and car heist from “Etude in Black”. No one sees him walk down and drive off in the ice cream truck, park it, then drive it back and park? Also, isn’t someone going to miss that truck?

I do love the moment where Hanlon casually helps himself to an ice cream bar as he drives back from the murder scene.

Columbo is afraid of heights, loves and rescues dogs, and is a football fan. It’s like watching a show about me!

Waaaaaaait a minute. He thinks to taste test the water on the deck and compare it to the pool water? Why? And there’s no way that water on the pool deck wouldn’t have dried by this time. Is this the best the writer could come up with?

Love the shot of the elevator opening on Columbo’s rolled up pant leg. Director Jeremy Kagen does a really nice job with this episode.

They were going to Montreal to buy a football team. Buyer beware!

Hanlon immediately antagonizes Columbo, inviting scrutiny right off the bat.

Love the moment where Columbo helps carry in the flowers and is mistaken for the delivery guy.

Another highlight of this episode is this exchange about the shoes.

Great bit with Columbo catching Hanlon at the airport, clearly rattling him.

The DingaLing ice cream truck? DingaLing?

Columbo mentions his wife is mad at everything, even the ice cream truck. She asks why it alway has to come right before lunch and dinner and “ruin the child’s appetite”. What child? Does Columbo have a kid?

“Everybody is a suspect,”says Hanlon. Isn’t that right?” Columbo: “Thank you very much. I’m very happy to hear you say that.” Brilliant.

Another Columbo classic moment – him lying in wait to catch the trespassing P.I.

I did find his tying the feedback to the potential bugs a nice bit of detective work. Wish there had been more of this.

Hanlon’s explanation that Eric’s “Thanks for putting me on to that chick” was a reference to Hanlon’s recommendation of a cleaning company is ludicrous – and the fact that Shirley buys it even more so.

Introducing… Valerie Harper as Eve Babcock and her collection of racist antiquities!

This is a terrific sequence where our escort Eve mistakes Columbo for a client – who casually scares off her actual client.

“You know…it just struck me.” The tiniest little accent came out.” Tiniest?! She sounds like a completely different character.

How about dusting the DingaLing ice cream truck for prints. I forget. Was Hanlon wearing gloves? Also, wouldn’t the actual driver of the DingaLing truck have missed it?

That print ad for the travel agency “Head hurt. Take a trip.” is astoundingly low effort.

“Home – to soak my feet. They’re killing me.” Great line.

The cuckoo clock is the Aha! moment.

Hmmmm. While I found this episode eminently watchable for the many great humorous touches, standout direction, and guest performances, the writing just wasn’t up to snuff. In this respect, it reminded me of “Etude in Black”. Also, at the end of the day, what was Hanlon’s motive for killing young Dean Stockwell anyway? We were never told.

So, given all that, where would I place this episode in my overall ranking? Well, I’m glad you asked: #1 Death Lends a Hand, #2 Suitable for Framing, #3 Prescription: Murder, #4 Murder by the Book/Ransom for a Dead Man (tie), #5 Etude in Black, #6 Lady in Waiting, #7 The Most Crucial Game, #8 Blueprint for Murder, #9 The Greenhouse Jungle #10 Dead Weight, #11 Short Fuse

Finally, let us weigh Columbo’s case against our murderer, Paul Hanlon and consider whether there’s enough there for a GUILTY verdict, or is Hanlon looking at an acquittal? Well, while I have to give Columbo credit for noting the absence of the chiming clock, I’d be very surprised if any jury would convict. More likely, this case would never even get to trial on the basis of insufficient evidence. So it’s an ACQUITTAL FOR Hanlon.

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March 27, 2025: Deleted your DNA data! The Classic TV Detective Tourney advances to round 2! And a reminder, Columbophiles!

Apparently 23andMe, the biotech company that offered personalized genotyping reports, is going bankrupt and people are urging customers to request the deletion of their data given the likelihood the information may fall into the hands of government agencies that will use it to create bioweapons fashioned to target YOU.  Or something.  A friend reached out about this today and I responded: “I got tests done for both Akemi and I to check for potential genetic predispositions to certain conditions and diseases.  According to the results, my carrier status detected no variants of concern, however  I am apparently predisposed to consuming more caffeine than the average person but less likely to be a deep sleeper.  Also, my muscle composition is similar to that of elite power athletes.  But, of course, none of this is surprising.  On the other hand, the Traits Report specify that I am both “less likely than average to be afraid of heights” and “less likely to hate chewing sounds” which really causes me to question the validity of the entire process.

One of the other reasons I wanted to get the test was to check out my ancestry.  According to those results, I’m 89.5% Southern European, and 10.5% Western Asian & North African, possibly Iranian or Mesopotamian.  I thought this interesting and mentioned it to my mother who dismissed it with a “I don’t believe in those things.””Anyway, just to be on the safe side, I’ve gone ahead and requested they delete my data.  OR build me a free clone.  Their call. [image error] Here are the first round results in our Classic TV Detective Tournament.  All the top seeds advance, but there were a few surprise upsets among the lower ranks – Starsky and Hutch laying the beatdown on Matlock, the Blue Moon Detective Agency vanquishing Barnaby Jones and Spenser for Hire besting Dan Tanna in Battle Urich.  Check out the matchups for the second round of play and head on over to X to cast your votes!Speaking of detectives, our Columbo rewatch continues tomorrow with… [image error] “The Most Crucial Game”The manager of a football team murders its callow owner, making it look as if the young man had had an accident in his swimming pool. Lt. Columbo is on the case.Updated viewing schedule:Friday, March 28th: The Most Crucial GameMonday, March 31st: Dagger of the MindFriday, April 4th: Requiem for a Falling StarMonday, April 7th: A Stitch in CrimeFriday, April 11th: The Most Dangerous MatchMonday, April 14th: Double ShockFinally, sis is scheduled to fly back to Montreal late Saturday night while Akemi, Sharky and I are scheduled to fly back to Toronto late Sunday morning – apparently smack dab in the middle of a snowstorm that starts tonight and ends on Monday.  The last time this happened, I was delayed for some 10 hours.

The post March 27, 2025: Deleted your DNA data! The Classic TV Detective Tourney advances to round 2! And a reminder, Columbophiles! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.

March 26, 2025: Amazing Covers!

A few that caught my eye this week…

Godzilla vs. Fantastic Four #1 – cover art by John Romita Jr.

Rogue: The Savage Land #3 – cover art by Pepe Larraz

Uncanny X-Men #12 – cover art by David Marquez

Vampirella #1 – cover art by Mark Spears

Absolute Martian Manhunter #1 – cover art by Guillem March

Batman: The Long Halloween – The Last Halloween #6 – cover art by Tim Sale

Superman #24 – cover art by David Nakayama

The Flash #19 – cover art by Michael Del Mundo

Hello Darkness #9 – cover art by Michael Del Mundo

Papa Duke #2 – cover art by Todd Skull, Naomi Griffin

Palace of the Golden Princess #1 – cover art by Scott Harben

Kill the Villainess, vol. 1 – cover art by Haegi

So, which were YOUR favorites?

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March 25, 2025: Kicking off our Classic TV Detective Tourney! Our 100 Supervillain stories continues with stories #7-#9 – Thanos! Catwoman! The Green Goblin!

Since everyone is doing one, why don’t we? Kicking off the Classic TV Detective Tournament! Who you got?

Head on over to https://x.com/BaronDestructo to cast your votes!

Our 100 Supervillain Stories continues with…

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#7. “The Thanos Quest” (1990)

Thanos of Titan, the mad Eternal, has been released from Death’s domain. In return, he’s pledged to kill half the population of the universe. To do so, he sets out to secure the most powerful weapons in existence: the Infinity Gems!

Writers: Jim Starlin
Penciler: Ron Lim
Inker: John Beatty
Colorist: Tom Vincent
Letterer: Ken Bruzenak

This two mega two-issue story does a bang-up job of setting up The Infinity Gauntlet by laying out Thanos’s obsession with Death and quest for omnipotence while also establishing the infinity gems and their individual powers. Lim’s classic clean-line visuals and Vincent’s bold colors give it a retro cosmic charm while Starlin delivers far-out tale that, for all of its scope, at times, feels a little too compressed, Thanos’s victories a little too easily won. Overall though, a lot fun and an intriguing study of a formidable villain both brilliant and absolutely bonkers.

#8. “Selina’s Big Score” (2002)

Having faked her own death at the hands of her alter ego, Selina Kyle finds herself forced to end her self-imposed exile and return to Gotham for one last heist.

Story & Art: Darwyn Cook
Colors: Matt Hollingsworth

Darwyn Cooke’s noir masterpiece is perfection, a classic heist tale with a Gotham twist. Tense and action-packed with a visual style that echoes Batman: The Animated Series, it is, at its heart, a deep dive into Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman – her motivations and complex relationships; her almost superhuman prowess and her very human vulnerabilities. Doesn’t get much better than this.

#9. “The Child Within” (1991)

Spider-Man’s attempts to contend with a spiraling Harry Osborn and a tortured Vermin force Peter Parker to confront his own buried childhood pain.

Writer: J.M. DeMatteis
Artist: Sal Buscema
Colorist: Bob Sharen
Letterers: Rick Parker, Chris Eliopoulos, Joe Rosen

Hot on the heels of “Kraven’s Last Hunter”, J.M. DeMatteis continues his psychoanalysis of superheroes and villains alike with “The Child Within”. In this case, he explores the daddy issues of no less than three individuals: Peter Parker, Harry Osborn, and the sewer-dwelling Vermin. The tri-narrative approach works well in general, intersecting at times and dovetailing in satisfactory fashion in the final issue, but many of the story beats that get us there feel a little too on the nose, at times a little too emotionally heavy-handed. It culminates in a story that, while admirable in its objective, ultimately fails to land with the same gravitas as its predecessor.

The post March 25, 2025: Kicking off our Classic TV Detective Tourney! Our 100 Supervillain stories continues with stories #7-#9 – Thanos! Catwoman! The Green Goblin! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.