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Tomb Raider (Top Cow 1999 series) # 1

 By Mark Rodriguez Lara Croft has rocked the world in 1996 as a thrill-seeking world-traveling adventurer when Tomb Raider hit the SEGA Saturn and Sony Playstation. Garnering a huge fanbase due to the action-packed gameplay as well as Lara's looks and overall bad-assness, it's no surprise she'd eventually branch out into other forms of media or merchandising. In 1999 she got herself a comic book series from Top Cow and Image comics. Thanks to Hipcomics I was able to grab a copy, so let's check it out.  'The Medusa Mask' opens in Iran as the narrator explains how dangerous the place can be, especially towards thieves. Several Iranian soldiers are looking for 'the westerner' and start taking off the hijabs of any woman they see. One of them takes the hijab off a particular woman who turns out to be Lara Croft. One of the men sets her gun to her head and she tells him if he shoots, he'll mess up the 2200-year old necklace he's been told to recover. ...
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Batgirl # 3 2024

 By Mark Rodriguez A clan of ninjas known as The Unburied have returned after being gone for centuries and they're after Lady Shiva, and by extension, her daughter Cassandra Cain. After a fight against Kalden the Unseen, Batgirl's confidence and body is shattered. Lady Shiva and Batgirl get on the first train out of Gotham, but Kalden and the Unburied are in pursuit.   "Mother Part 3 of 6" brings us back to Cassandra and Lady Shiva riding atop a speeding train as they head out of the city. Cassie looks at a picture of the Bat Family, Bruce, Dick, Tim, Steph, Barbara, Damian, Duke, Alfred and herself during happier times. She monologues that she is not like her mother. Her mother is cruel. She doesn't feel, care or love. She only hurts and she only cares about herself.    Lady Shiva says she knows Cassandra is hurt and offers to help. Cassie smacks her hand away and asks where they're going. Shiva says they are going to meet their allies in this war of shadows...

Comic Book Stash 3/21/2026

 By Mark Rodriguez We got to check out Third Eye Comics as they celebrated what they call Spring Slamboree. Everything in the store was 15% off, manga was 50% off and there were boxes full of comics for a dollar. I also got some of the comics I either lost or missed out on the first time around, so let's check them out.    Thundercats X Silverhawks Road to War # 1- Two of my favorite 80's shows clashing. I guess they're going to go to war against each other? Black Cat # 8 - Black Cat teams up with the All-New Venom, which as we know, is her old pal MJ! Eddie Brock Carnage # 5 - Somehow missed this one the first time around, to Third Eye ordered the back issue for me. Eddie Brock Carnage # 6 - Same deal as issue 5. Now I own the full run. Logan Black, White & Blood # 3- Different tales of Logan through different points of his long life, all in black and white and blood red.  Venom # 255 - Venom and Spider-Man work together as they take on Death Spiral.  Jen...

Batgirl # 2 (2024)

 By Mark Rodriguez Lady Shiva has called for Batgirl, Cassandra Cain. A group of ancient warriors called the Unburied are out to kill Shiva, and be extension Batgirl since she is her mother. After Shiva's temple was blown up and her followers inside were murdered, Batgirl finally decides to step in and help her mother out. What will happen next?  "Mother Part 2 of 6" opens with Batgirl and Lady Shiva surrounded by the Unburied ninjas. They fight them and soon defeat them all. Shiva says Batgirl was distracted. Batgirl says Shiva was shot (she was hit by an arrow last issue). Lady Shiva says their train of Gotham departs at sunrise. Batgirl head off and says she's going to see Batman instead. Lady Shiva warns that if she involves the Bat Family, the Unburied will not stop until every last one of them is dead. Batgirl says the ninjas weren't so difficult. Shiva says those pawns are the least of her worries. She says if she still resists her cause by sunrise, she ca...

Batgirl # 1 (2024)

 By Mark Rodriguez After several code name changes like Black Bat and Orphan ans soft reboots, Cassandra Cain is back as Batgirl. While her 2008 6-part mini-series dealt with her father, David Cain, this new series will now have her deal with her mother, Lady Shiva.   "Mother Part 1 of 6" opens with Batgirl, Cassandra Cain, confronting Lady Shiva. Shiva looks out the window of her high-rise and says she never knew she wanted a daughter. Batgirl says she talks as if she wanted a mother. Shiva remarks with 'that's my girl'.  Lady Shiva says Cassandra is late and they don't have much time. Cassandra asks about the dead guy on the floor. Shiva said he was a guy with a taste for violence that couldn't stomach it. Cassandra says 'no killing'. Shiva says the man challenged her and Cassandra repeats her statement. Shiva yields, which Batgirl thinks is suspicious since she never yields. Batgirl asks if she came to Gotham to cause terrorism. Before Shiva ca...

Batgirl # 6 (2008)

 By Mark Rodriguez Cassandra Cain lives with Bruce Wayne and his family while secretly using his resources to track down and kill her father. After Batgirl, Marque and Raveger busted up a plot involving an assassin army, now David Cain has to kill his target himself. The target turned out to be Oracle, Barbara Gordon. Batgirl finally shows up to defeat her father once and for all!! How will this all go down as we reach the epic conclusion?   "Batgirl/Redemption Road Chapter 6- The Great Gray Dragom" opens with Batgirl face to face with David Cain as she reminds herself to only see him as an enemy out to kill her friend Barbara and forget he's her father. Cain tells Batgirl that she's probably not there to help him, and she agrees. She says she's here to kill him and takes a swing at him while he takes the shot. The gunshot blows up Barbara's coffee maker which tips her off to the sniper attack. She quickly tells Charlie to get down as she radios the Batcave. ...

Batgirl # 5 (2008)

 By Mark Rodriguez Cassandra Cain is living with Bruce Wayne and the rest to curb her killer instincts. However she is secretly using the Batcomputer to find and kill her father David Cain. After a mission involving Marque and Ravager resulted in Deathstroke blowing up Cain's assassin army, Cain now seeks another way to secure his investors. Cassandra finds out that Cain's target is Oracle, Barbara Gordon. Rather than warn her, Cassie plans to use Barbara as bait for kill Cain. "Batgirl/Redemption Road- Chapter 5- As My Father Made Me" opens with Nightwing grabbing Batgirl by the cape, telling her that she isn't going anywhere. He's not going to let her fly off in the Batwing without clearance. Batgirl kicks him back and runs for the plane. As she flies off she monologues that she plans to fly to Platinum Flats where her father intends to kill Barbara, but she will kill him first. Once her secret mission is over, she'll see what the Bat Family will do to ...

Batgirl # 4 (2008)

 By Mark Rodriguez Cassandra Cain is now living with the Waynes while secretly using the Bat Cave's resources to track down her father David Cain. The search led to her working together with fellow assassin Marque and later on Rose Wilson. All three of them wants Cain and Deathstroke. As they follow another assassin, she leads them to a training center for more girls to become assassins, but the sisters-in-arms are now being watched by Deathstroke! What will happen now?   "Batgirl/Redemption Road Chapter Four- Daddy Issues" opens with Batgirl, Marque and Ravager looking through the apartment window as several girls train to become more of Cain and Deathstroke's assassin army. As Batgirl ponders that these girls are essentially her sisters, Deathstroke is watching from the rooftop across the street. He launches a grappling hook and swings towards them. Batgirl notices seconds before impact. Deathstroke kicks Ravager and Marque through the window, both women landing in...