4.5 Razors

Batman: The Animated Series – Harley & Ivy

  • Title: Batman: The Animated Series – Harley & Ivy
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Batman: The Animated Series - Harley & Ivy television review

Throwback Tuesday takes us back to Gotham City for another episode of Batman: The Animated Series. While current team-ups between Harley Quinn (Arleen Sorkin) and Poison Ivy (Diane Pershing) are common nowadays, such a pairing was anything but obvious prior to “Harley & Ivy.” After being fired by the Joker (Mark Hamill), a despondent Harley Quinn strikes out on her own deciding to rob a museum the same night as Poison Ivy decides to liberate some plant toxins from another exhibit. Together alluding the police, a friendship and partnership is born. While Harley is still mooning over the clown who treated her like dirt at the end of the episode, “Harley & Ivy” marks a step forward for the character to move beyond the Joker’s shadow (even if she doesn’t know it yet).

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Spenser: For Hire – A Madness Most Discreet

  • Title: Spenser: For Hire – A Madness Most Discreet
  • IMDb: link

Spenser: For Hire - A Madness Most Discreet television review

Throwback Tuesday takes us back to the mean streets of Boston and the travails of a smart ass private detective. It was common in the 80s for shows to do episodes involving Soviets wishing to defect to the United States. Spenser: For Hire offers a twist to standard tale when Spenser (Robert Urich) is hired by a Russian ballet dancer who actually wants the private detective to help her return home. The episode is notable for pointing out several of Spenser’s rules, one of which is simple: clients lie. Anna Maria Kolvo (Maria Holvoe) is no exception as she offers only a partial truth when hiring the detective and only reveals the rest of it after an attempt is made on her life.

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Leviathan Dawn #1

Leviathan Dawn #1 comic reviewThe next chapter of writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Alex Maleev’s Leviathan tale begins here. The are two stories taking place in Leviathan Dawn #1. The first involves new character Kingley Jacobs taking a look at the destruction which Leviathan has wrought and putting together a team from the ashes of the various spy agencies Mark Shaw left in his wake.

Jacobs’ recruiting pitch begins with Steve Trevor who was meant to be Leviathan’s fall guy until Shaw’s identity was exposed. To that group, Kingley adds Lois Lane, Green Arrow, the Question (who is already investigating in Beijing), Mr. Bones, Kate Spencer, and one of the recruit who nearly kills Trevor before he can make his sales pitch and who the others are less than thrilled about. An unorthodox team to be sure (featuring some fun dynamics), but does this new version of Checkmate stand a chance versus Leviathan?

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The Flash – Grodd Friended Me

  • Title: The Flash – Grodd Friended Me
  • wiki: link

The Flash - Grodd Friended Me television review

The theme of “Grodd Friended Me” is letting go of the past and accepting change, whether you’re ready for it or not. After a post-Crisis check-in which suggest there are an unimaginable number of changes to the timeline such as Pied Piper (Andy Mientus) being a meta-criminal, an experiment goes awry leaving Barry (Grant Gustin) trapped in Grodd‘s (David Sobolov) mind. However, revenge isn’t what the super gorilla is after, instead a remorseful Grodd wants the Flash’s help to escape the mindscape prison A.R.G.U.S. has constructed for him before it crumbles under the weight of both minds. The combined force of Barry and Grodd merging their consciousness, resulting in one fast gorilla, is just what is needed for the pair to get past a familiar gatekeeper and return to the real world.

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Superman #19

Superman #19 comic reviewSuperman #19 offers a follow-up to last month’s issue in which Superman revealed to the world that he and Clark Kent are the same person. There’s not much fallout here, other than Clark getting fired from The Daily Planet (for all of about 10 seconds before being re-hired) and some awkwardness of his co-workers getting used to the new normal. Superman still hits the streets to save the day and look to the stars to take on intergalactic threats.

The folks at the Planet, in Metropolis, and in the Hall of Justice seem totally onboard with the reveal suggesting it may be a bit before any possible negative consequences raise their heads.

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