BRONZE AGE MINUTE: The Brave & the Bold #102
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Title: “The Commune of Defiance”
Synopsis: The Young Aquarians team with Batman and the Teen Titans to defend a neighborhood from the establishment and the mob.
Writer: Bob Haney
Pencilers: Jim Aparo and Neal Adams
Inkers: Aparo and Dick Giordano
Review: There’s nothing quite as awkward as middle-aged writers trying to sound hip – and nobody in comics tried quite as hard as Bob Haney. But, get by the painful dialogue, awkward youth culture stereotypes and plot contrivances, this issue remains pretty groovy. (Plus, art from Bat-legends Jim Aparo and Neal Adams!)
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Title: “The Robot-Maker Must Die”
Synopsis: Cliff Steele wakes to find his brain transplanted into a robot body – and goes on a rampage looking for revenge!
Writer: Arnold Drake
Penciler: Bruno Premiani
Review: Featuring material from Doom Patrol #100 and #105, this Silver Age reprint is a sci-fi ancestor to characters like RoboCop.
Grade (for the entire issue): B
Second opinion: Recommended by The Slings & Arrows Comic Guide second edition (2003).
Cool factor: Like many early ’70s DCs, the lead feature is very dated; this makes it both fun and interesting as a historical relic.
Notable: According to “The Brave and the Bold Mailbag” letters page, Neal Adams stepped in to draw half of the lead feature when Jim Aparo took ill. … The letters page also includes an LOC from future DC writer and production director Bob Rozakis.
Character quotable: “By the prophet cat’s beard, man. We’ve heard that jive before!” – Ben Ahmed, Young Aquarian
Copyright ©2023 Off the Wahl Productions, all rights reserved. Each week, T. Andrew Wahl offers up a Bronze Age Minute. For more reviews like this one, check out Wahl’s website, offthewahl.com.
