Buy Now!

Mild Mannered Reviews - Super Friends

Super Friends #12

Super Friends #12

Scheduled to arrive in stores: February 11, 2009

Cover date: April 2009

"Starro and the Pirates"

Writer: Sholly Fisch
Penciller: Stewart McKenny
Inker: Dan Davis
Cover: J. Bone

Reviewed by: Adam Dechanel

Click to enlarge



Roll Call: Superman, Aquaman, Green Lantern: John Stewart, Wonder Woman, Flash, The Batman

Chapter One:

A cruise ship enjoying a whale watch is suddenly attacked by people pretending to be old fashion pirates, pistols and cutlass to hand. Luckily the Super Friends are passing through the ocean and chase them away.

The bewildered crew ask how the Super Friends knew to rescue them and Arthur tells them the whales had signaled for help! Though even they couldn't solve the mystery of these odd pirates.

Following their trail the Super Friends find the pirates attacking a scientific research platform. The pirates seem oblivious of the Super might of the heroes and attack - only to be quickly beaten and revealed to be the scientists in disguise! Strangely all of the scientists are sporting a bizarre starfish on their bodies!

With a little investigating Batman realizes he's onto a mystery!

Disguised scientists, weird invulnerable starfish and science platforms that have been turned into heat & smog machines!

Before he can solve the mystery, Velma Starro appears and drags them into the ocean!

Activity: Picture puzzle codes.

Chapter Two:

Starro reveals he's travelled the universe conquering its aquatic planets and after he forces Earth's population underwater he can rule our world too! Batman realizes the research platform was designed to do exactly as Starro had planned! Flood the planet by melting the North Pole, and release smog to force humans to live in the sea.

Wonder Woman tries to cut off Starro's limbs with her lasso but it doesn't work as he can re-grow them instantly. Starro babies have busily taken over the Super Friends all except Arthur! Even though his powers can change the starro babies into normal starfish now he must battle his brainwashed friends!

Activity: Aquaman costume.

Chapter Three:

Starro is overconfident that Aquaman cannot defeat his friends and he's right... but Aquaman has some friends of his own to help! All the fish in the sea! When the sea stars see their natural predators, such as sharks, manta rays and puffer fish approaching they change into normal starfish in fear and release the Super Friends.

Subduing Starro, the team allow John to use his Green Lantern power ring to try and kill Starro by removing all the salt in the sea. Starro shrivels and whimpers in fear. John is about to take him to the Oan eternal prison for conquerors before Arthur stops him from committing a terrible murder of the sea life. John realizes his goof and returns the salt to the ocean before any harm can be done. Superman steps in and does John's duty for him while he leaves the team to reawaken the scientists and reverse the pollutant machines!

The End.

SECRET CODE: XOLI DBXIN, INO PEVOY CYSOXRP FBSX INO MSYMEP!

Preach activity: Save the world tutorial.

2Story - 2: A decent fun story for children that completely defies any logic. It was nice to see Starro and the plot was feasible but the undertaking and actions of the Super Friends seemed odd. Wonder Woman happily dismembering a villain? Batman's loss of intelligence, Green Lantern's willingness to kill marine life in the millions? Superman snapping at a friend and Superman being smug...

Aquaman however AT LAST gets to shine in a story, he has brawn, brains and creativity, and at least Sholly Fisch decided to showcase he can do a lot more than sweet talk a sea cucumber.

I'll say it again - great toy commercial does not a comic book make.

2Art - 2: Whoops! The art this month was even worse than usual everyone had such sharp edges to them that Wolverine would be frightened to take them on.

4Cover Art - 4: YEAH! Finally a fight scene! Starro didn't play dress up in the book but it still looks fun and visually interesting. J Bone has experimented heavily over the year run of this book and this is perhaps the best so far.


Mild Mannered Reviews

2009

Note: Month dates are from the issue covers, not the actual date when the comic went on sale.

January 2009

February 2009 March 2009 April 2009 May 2009 June 2009 July 2009 August 2009 September 2009 October 2009 November 2009 December 2009

Back to the Mild Mannered Reviews contents page.

Check out the Comic Index Lists for the complete list of Superman-related comics published in 2009.