BotTalk Reviews

Return of the King! The Decepticons ascendant! Robert Kirkman, chief architect of the Energon Universe, writes the flagship Transformers title and Jason Howard pencils this issue with Mike Spicer on colors. In this thirty-eighth issue, Megatron has finally emerged from his chrysalis, reborn as MEGATRONUS REX! That means a whole world of hurt for Optimus and his team as the Decepticons launch a full-on assault on the Ark! Megatronus...Rex? Yep, Kirkman continues with his penchant for renaming characters as Megatron is re-minted thanks to the pyromaniacal power of his patron progenitor, Megatronus the Fallen! This rebirth comes with a new Triple-changing body and black color scheme that we’ll probably get as a new toy within two years. Megs Rex wastes no time in leading his Decepticons to wipe the Autobots off the face of Earth for good! Yeah, this is almost a solidly wall-to-wall fight scene issue, as Optimus’ under-powered forces have to take on both this new threat and all his troops ...

Story : In Springfield, Cobra Commander and a Techno-Viper inspect a couple of different Revanche cyborgs. In Broca Beach, a couple of thugs suddenly find themselves the newest conscripts in the Iron Grenadiers. On Cobra Island, Doctor Mindbender and Alpha-001 go over their intel and figure they might need to launch their plans earlier. At the Pit, the Joes also examine a Revanche cyborg and try to come up with new tactics against them. Writing : Hama doesn't provide much action here but starts laying the groundwork for his next arcs. We get to see our four major organizations all strategizing and going over some recent events.  One thing was the inclusion of an older but seldom used character, Lightfoot (Explosives Expert). We also get Bench Rest introduced, the Joes armorer.  Art : While not an action heavy issue, the art is pretty good with some nice details on the different cyborgs and their insides.  Overall : This is a good jumping on issue for any new reader. We do...

From last issue, the container with our heroes was beamed to the ship and surrounded by Miller’s goons... but Miller’s trap turned out to be a trap as our Andorian and her companion spring to action and shoot their way through the ship in what turns out to be a violent and fast paced story with a final revelation for our two characters that will be concluded next month. This issue picked up the pace a lot from last issue, and makes good on its mission: to show red shirts as being expendable. The story is consistent and keeps it up by showing how bad Captain Miller really is. Let’s hope they stick the landing! 8/10

Spoilers! Spoilers!  The Angry Planet part One (Script: Alan Hebden. Art: Massimo Belardinelli. Reprinted in JUDGE DREDD MEGAZINE 493.) CHAPTER 1 (2092 AD. Mars is The Angry Planet. A monopolistic megacorp (MARS Incorporated) wants to own the fourth planet from the Sun. Matthew Markham (a Marshy/Marshie i.e. a human born on Mars, an independent farmer (like Luke Skywalker)) refuses to have his land prospected by MARS Inc. for peanuts. To force Matt into selling his land... MARS Inc. stops their deliveries of water from Earth to Matt's farm.) CHAPTER 2 (Matthew will represent the Martian colonists/farmers that are being ruined and exploited by MARS Incorporated. Matt will go to the United Nations (on Earth) to plead for an independent planet. Vince (a friendly Earthling) flies Matt to Earth.) CHAPTER 3 (Earth's gravity is too much for the Martian-born Matt, he is put in a gravity-defying water tank. The richest man in the galaxy and the President of MARS Inc. (Hugo Kray) sends h...

CONAN & DRAGONERO part 7 (of 7): The Demon from Tarantia (chapter two) CONAN OF CIMMERIA and IAN ARANILL kill the hideous creatures of the eldritch demon, they arrive at the temple, Ian fights the demon while Conan restores the giant chalice to its original position, Conan puts the gems back in the chalice and the demon is sent back to its dimension.  Myrva Aranille (Ian's little sister) passes through a magic portal (created by Alben the Wizard from the Order of the Luresindi) to gather her brother. Ian thanks Conan and leaves with his sibling. Dragonero is now back home near the maritime city of Solian, he celebrates his return with Gmor Burpen (an Orc, Ian's best friend), Sera (a She-Elf from Frondascura), Alben and his sister. Back in the Hyborian age, Conan enjoys a night of drinking.  What I did like: An unused cover layout from Lorenzo Nuti showcasing Conan & Dragonero in action. Ian Aranill is an homage to Jeff Bridges as Jack Lucas from The Fisher King (1991)....

Story : After a brief flashback with Lara and Emma climbing the Himalayas, we are back in  the present on Cobra Island with the Joes (Lara, Shipwreck, Outback, Stalker, Helix and Recondo as they approach the freighter. Destro and the Baroness are able to figure out what the Joes are looking for and prepare to search the freighter while a team of Iron Grenadiers heads to engage the Joes. The team is pinned down until help arrives from the air drop team (Hit & Run, Snake-Eyes and Alpine). After taking out the Grenadiers, Lara finds a hidden passageway in the rocks and her and Shipwreck head in.  Writing : a nice second issue, with some good action, plot and suspense to go with it. We learn a bit more of Lara’s background and why she’s on her mission. It’s also nice to see a well balanced field team that makes mostly sense with some characters who don’t get a lot of time in the series, like Hit & Run (Light Infantryman) and Alpine (Mountain Trooper). One thing that does s...

Story : It’s full blown action as MASK tries to rescue Scott Trakker (Matt Trakker's son) from the clutches of V.E.N.O.M. (Vicious Evil Network of Mayhem). Nash Gorey with the Outlaw shows up as well. While Miles Mayhem and VENOM are forced to retreat, they do end up with something valuable.  Writing : This issue is mainly just fast-paced action. We get to see all the current MASK and VENOM characters and vehicles going at it. Nash Gorey and the Outlaw are introduced, a couple of later additions to the toy line.  General Flagg also makes an appearance, along with mentions of Energon, which help keep the series connected to both the ongoing G.I. Joe and Transformers series.  While this is mainly an action issue, it leaves off on a couple of nice cliffhangers.  It’s also nice to see that Matt is more than just a super scientist type, he also studies people and can figure out how they’ll react.  Art : Really solid art. Not only do we get to see the vehicles in acti...

General Ursus forces a Mutant (a mutated human telepath) to make the Predator (an alien Yautja warrior) his and Dr. Zaius' slave. Arch (the ANSA astronaut) blows up her crashed spaceship (and the Gorilla soldiers of General Ursus who were sniffing around for weapons) and grabs all the futuristic guns lying around. Cornelius and Zira bring some primitive humans to The Mutants of the Forbidden Zone (the ruins of New York City). Cronus (another Mutant) utilizes his telepathic powers to teach the primitive humans how to use the futuristic guns. Will Arch and her new army of Mutes and Mutants be able to stop Ursus and his mind-controlled Predator from exterminating all humans? What I did like: Sumptuous covers by Stonehouse & Salvador Larroca/Morry Hollowell! What I did not like: Astronaut Arch has completely forgotten that she is on a rescue mission.  Still no smart aleck giant brains in jars aka The Inheritors. Very disappointing. Where is Mendez XXVI!? Needed more Minister Sabian...

SOLOMON KANE: THE LION ERRANT part 4: Valley of Death  The Valley of Narrai next to the river Gaur (Narmada River).   Ghebal Qagh (Master of artillery in the army of the two Khans) uses his large-calibre cannon to kill Baghela and his mahouts... Kalyan Shah and his musketmen... and Arjun Das and most of his spearmen. Chandra Shah (Prince Vir's uncle, Dalpat Shah's younger brother) flees the scene. The lion named Somnandi/Dawon throws Ramih Khan off of his mount. Somnandi the Lion becomes gigantic. The warrior queen Rani Durgavati turns into the Hindu goddess Durga. Ramih Khan turns into the buffalo demon Mahisha/Mahishasura. The vetala (Lopesh) tries to steal Solomon Kane's Atlantean staff, Abramo Bensaid immolates Lopesh and Kane drives his stave into the vampire's heart. To save the Mughal Empire, Ghebal Qagh fires his cannon on Mahisha, Mahisha kills Durga, Kane kills Mahisha with his Atlantean stave. Prince Vir Narayan (son of Rani Durgavati) and Beohar Kayastha (Ra...

Jim Zub's Cursed Shores Beyond part 4: A Glimpse Beyond Flashback: Conan decapitates Thulsa Doom, Black Stone cultists sense the demise across time, some start worshipping the elder god... The Woeful Eye/Shuma-Gorath, others... a new eldritch being... Jaggta-Noga. Jaggta-Noga knows that Set (the sinister snake-god who loathes the Woeful Eye) sent Conan back in time and that some of Set's power remains sprinkled on the Cimmerian. Jaggta-Noga needs to feed on Conan to completely cross into The Hyborian Age.  On The Isle of Dread, CONAN OF CIMMERIA slays the last two robe wearing "Noga Kinfolk" servants of Jaggta-Noga, Conan battles Morley, Conan offers Morley to Jaggta-Noga, Morley gets ingested by Jaggta-Noga.  With its connection to Conan's world waining, Jaggta-Noga creates a sucking vortex, it grabs the barbarian, VALERIA prevents Conan from reaching the maw of Jaggta-Noga. Denied his Set flavoured amuse-gueule, depleted of power, Jaggta-Noga is forced to return...

Tides of the Tyrant-King part 2 (of 4): The Desperate and The Drowned The Hyborian Age of Conan.  Mago and Tormey die. Hydallan falls in Thulsa Doom's pool of Emerald Water and is strengthened by the malachite liquid he swallows. Hydallan escapes with Conan (as seen in Conan the Barbarian (2023) #4). Hydallan rebuilds his village of Erianne, suffers from Emerald Water withdrawal, gets sick, dies and rises from his grave as a reanimated servant of Thulsa Doom. The forest north of Messantia (capital city of Argos). CONAN OF CIMMERIA dreams of Thulsa Doom, he wakes up and tells Zuleika (the mysterious Circassian girl who needs more of Thulsa Doom's emerald elixir to save her lover (Stephen Costigan in the future) from withdrawal and death) that he has a score to settle with Thulsa. Zuleika explains to the Cimmerian that her lover (Costigan) is a thrall of Thulsa Doom/Kathulos. Wolves attack, Conan butchers the wolves. Chinatown, London (Limehouse in the East End), 1924. (from Robe...

Group huddle! It’s reunion(s) time in Void Rivals! Void Rivals is Robert Kirkman’s sci-fi comic that tells the tale of two crumbling planets linked by a “Sacred Ring” (it’s not Halo), their peoples at war for generations. When a member of each culture are stranded together, the two find they must put aside their differences if they want to survive. This story takes place in the so-called “Energon Universe”, Skybound Entertainment’s initiative to relaunch properties like Transformers and G.I. Joe within a shared universe that also happens to include the original characters and setting of Void Rivals. In this thirty-fifth issue, virtually our entire cast gather, take stock, fight, make new friends, unmask, and do various other things! So everyone’s here? Geez, almost. With Skuxxoid arriving on the planet that Darak and Solila, not to mention Pythona’s gang and ROM are currently stranded, that’s nearly the entire cast of Void Rivals in this issue. That’s not even mentioning the final cou...