Skip to main content

Posts

Transformers #32 (2023) review

It’s Elita Prime Time! A bold new era for the Autobots and this book begins! Robert Kirkman, chief architect of the Energon Universe, writes the flagship Transformers title and Jason Howard takes over as regular penciler for this new story arc with Mike Spicer on colors. Howard had previously drawn issues # 13 and # 14 of this book, along with many covers. In this thirty-second issue, Elita Prime and the Autobots that chose to follow her return to Cybertron via a space bridge portal and land in enemy territory. It isn’t long before Shockwave arrives with a welcoming party for them and a huge battle erupts! Can Elita prove herself worthy of the Matrix in her first major test as the new Prime? Fighty-fighty? Oh yeah, this entire issue is a big fight between Elita and Shockwave’s forces, allowing Jason Howard to showcase his artistic chops at action scenes. Things quickly become desperate for the Autobots and Elita Prime ends up having an “Open, dammit, open!” moment with her new Matrix t...
Read more
Recent posts

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #328 review

Creators : Larry Hama (writer), Andrew Krahnke (artist), Francesco Segala (colorist), Sabrina Del Grosso (flatter), Pat Brosseau (letterer) Story : In Sierra Gordo, the Joe team of Jinx, Dawn, Cover Girl, and Sherlock finish taking down a Terror Drome.  However, an explosion knocks Dawn around, revealing more memories from Snake-Eyes and Dr. Venom using his Brainwave Scanner on Snake-Eyes way back in issue 10.  On Cobra Island. Dr. Mindbender gets notified about these memories as well.   Writing : Hama easily wraps up the Terror Drome story while introducing a new problem for Snake-Eyes.  Hama introduced the world to Dr. Venom, Cobra's original mad scientist back in the early days of the comic's run in the 1980's and has continued to use the dead character and his brainwave scanner again and again.  He's a favorite villain that, while dead, just keeps coming back!   Art : It's nice to see Dawn without her mask on all the time in this issue.  Sometimes ...
Read more

Conan & Dragonero #1 review

CONAN & DRAGONERO part 1 (of 7): The Shadow of the Dragon While battling a gem stealing dragon (with a broken wing) in the Hyborian Age, Captain Conan and his soldiers are teleported by mysterious dark forces to Varliendár aka the "Land of the Dragons". Two moons are shining in the firmament. Algents (savage, mute, albino humanoids who inhabit the desolate ash plains of Varliendár) attack, two of Conan's comrades get killed. Even more Algents attack, Conan and his men run towards "The Great Wall aka Arcelonte", the immense barrier that extends from east to west along the northern border of Erondàr and separates it from Varliendár. The rest of Conan's comrades get slaughtered.  Conan is rescued by the Red Guards of the Wall, they think that Conan could be from the Kingdom of Raghnar. Conan is chained and incarcerated, a young sorcerer gives Conan a real-time translator pendant, so that they can communicate. Commander Deynar is in charge of the border outp...
Read more

Predator versus Planet of the Apes #0 review

aka Alien, Predator & Planet of the Apes CGD 2026 #1 (Comics Giveaway Day 2026). Strange visitors have arrived on the Planet of the Apes. Astronaut Arch overhears General Ursus proclaiming that "The only good human is a dead human!". Arch encounters wild humans, three soldier apes attack. Two of the apes start gunning down the men, a combistick/telescoping spear kills the third ape who was longing to lacerate a woman and her child, one of the other two apes starts shooting at the Predator, the Yautja slaughters the soldiers with his wristblades. What I did like: A sweet cover by Davide Paratore featuring Dr. Zaius! We get to see the statue of the Lawgiver. Arch says the famous George Taylor line: "It's A Mad House." from Planet of the Apes (1968). What I did not like: The ANSA (American National Space Administration) uniform of Arch is incorrect, the flag of the United States should be on her left shoulder. The Predator does not use his plasmacaster shoulder...
Read more

Godzilla Vs America: Texas review

Read more

Energon Universe 2026 Special #1 review

What’s all this then? Oh, it’s just time for a Free Comic Book Day Energon Universe Special! For 2026, this edition features four tales: M.A.S.K., written by Dan Waters with art by Pye Parr. Transformers, written by Robert Kirkman, penciled by Jason Howard, and colored by Sarah Stern. Void Rivals, written by Robert Kirkman, penciled by Conor Hughes, and colored by Patricio Delpeche. G.I. Joe, written by Joshua Williamson, penciled by Tom Reilly, and colored by Lee Loughridge. Oh. Yeah, it’s the usual Free Comic Book day teases of upcoming storylines or in M.A.S.K.’s case, a new ongoing comic. Accordingly, M.A.S.K. gets the longest story that sets up the ongoing as Matt Trakker and Miles Mayhem begin to assemble their teams. The Transformers tale is free of dialogue, introducing a mysterious new human character and a classic Autobot who has been absent from the Energon Universe so far. The Void Rivals tale takes place after the current “Quintesson War” arc (and annoyingly SPOILS some pl...
Read more

Savage Sword of Conan #14 (2024) review

Sword-brothers, sword-sisters, your local spinner rack is once again displaying another brand new issue of SSOC!  Sixty-four startling pages of barbaric savagery in black-and-white printed on newsprint paper! Inside this magazine you will find the following: Art pin-ups: Bêlit the Queen of the Black Coast by Nick Marinkovich Conan the Barbarian by Jordan Raskin CONAN: DWELLERS OF THE OASIS part 1: Deserted Goods and Shifting Sands by Jim Zub and Ivan Gil (Conan: Scourge of the Serpent) It's only eight months after the events of "A Witch Shall be Born". Turan on the shores of the Vilayet sea. Conan is still the leader of a band of Zuagir bandits. Conan and his raiders decimate the Turanian soldiers of King Yildiz. Conan is still suffering from his wounds, he remembers Queen Taramis of Khauran, Salome (an homage to the one who asked for the head of John the Baptist), Constantius aka The Falcon, his crucifixion (as seen in the Conan the Barbarian (1982) movie), Olgerd Vladis...
Read more

Godzilla #10 (2025) review

Read more

Grendizer U: The Inception Vol. 1 review

A thrilling manga prequel to the hit anime Grendizer U! Spoilers! Spoilers!  The cosmic league of nations is ruled by the evil Kingdom of Vega. Planet Fleed/Euphor is protected by a formidable weaponized Mech, Grendizer/Goldorak. Seven invasions by the Vega Star Alliance were repelled by Grendizer. We are introduced to: Gau Su Uls (Duke Fleed's best friend, a lycanthrope from Planet Uls, son of King Uls and a Starker Knight academy student, an homage to Morros/Pollux from episode 71 of UFO Robo Grendizer (1975-1977) and TV Magazine (01/1976)) Duke Fleed (the young prince of Planet Fleed/Prince d'Euphor, the most accomplished Knight of the academy) King Fleed (Father of Duke) Queen Fleed (Mother of Duke) Princess Grace Maria Fleed/Phénicia (Younger sister of Duke) Cassado Zeola Whiter (a sadistic Starker Knight, an homage to Whiter/Sogrady from episode 24 of UFO Robo Grendizer (1975-1977)) Only Starker Knights can pilot "Dizer" mechs. Only the mightiest of the Knights ...
Read more

G.I. Joe: ARAH Sssilent Missions – Firefly #1 review

Creators : Jorge Fornés, Dave Stewart Story : Firefly infiltrates a Soviet Union military base in the Sayan Mountains and while searching their computers for POWs, is almost captured by the Oktober Guard but is able to get away.  Later, he comes across an Afghan woman in a prison. Writing : This issue, another "Sssilent" issue, does a great job showcasing how dangerous Firefly has always been in the comics.  He has physical skills on par with the ninjas, is able to take down, silently, many of the soldiers in the base, plant explosives, and access computer systems.  The nice thing about this issue is we're not too sure who Firefly is actually working for in this issue.  Art : Some great art here.  First off, the Cobra Ice Snake (a high-speed, arctic attack vehicle with jaw snapping roll cage) makes an appearance, which is pretty cool when these vehicles from the end of the original ARAH toy run show up.  We also get some "video game" side-scrolling views as...
Read more

Anyway Gang (album) review

Anyway Gang is Canada's coolest Alternative/Indie Rock supergroup quartet ever assembled:  Chris Murphy (Sloan), Dave Monks (Tokyo Police Club), Menno Versteeg (Hollerado) and Sam Roberts (Sam Roberts Band)! Additional guitars by Nixon Boyd (Hollerado). Trevor James Anderson and Gus van Go played some keys and guitars also.  Additional vocals by Alyson McNamara. Produced by Anyway Gang, Trevor James Anderson and Nixon Boyd. Additional production and mixed by Gus van Go and Werner F. Engineered by Nixon Boyd and Trevor James Anderson; Assistant Engineer: Zach Pepe. Additional Engineering by Mike Gnocato. Mastered by João Carvalho. Recorded at Noble Street Studios (Toronto) and at Banquet Sound recording studio (run by Nixon Boyd in Toronto). Cover art by Ben Marra. Band Picture by Calm Elliott-Armstrong.  Layout by Christina Zalec. A project funded in part by the Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings (FACTOR), the Government of Canada and Canada's private radi...
Read more

Savage Sword of Conan: REFORGED #4 review

48 restored and fully colored pages of barbaric savagery! Inside this magnificent full-color magazine you will find the following: Classic remastered art pin-ups in stunning color: Conan the Barbarian by Jeffrey Catherine Jones from Savage Sword of Conan (1974) #5 Conan the Barbarian by Tim Conrad from Savage Sword of Conan (1974) #13 Conan, Bêlit & Red Sonja ad by Pablo Marcos from Savage Sword of Conan (1974) #23 BLACK COLOSSUS by Robert E. Howard, Roy Thomas, John Buscema and Alfredo Alcala. (New Colors by GFB Group/GFB.it) The mysterious ruins of Kuthchemes. Shevatas (a Zamorian master-thief) finds a treasure. Thugra Khotan, the dark sorcerer who had reigned in Kuthchemes three thousand years ago, wakes up and kills Shevatas.  Khotan, who wants to rule the world, renames himself Natohk, the Veiled One; for his features were always masked.  Natohk amasses an army of nomads and teams-up with a rebellious Stygian prince (Katuman/Kutamun). Natohk lusts for princess Yasmela...
Read more

Universal Monsters: Phantom of the Opera #3 review

The Phantom comforts Christine as an arrest is made.  He makes a deal and has his play, an original composition, set to take over.  Encountering the previous prima donna, Christine begins to question why she wants the spotlight so badly.  The Inspector spots the Phantom observing his play and attempts to confront him.  The performance ends in a mass of dead bodies. Aside from the final pages this issue moves along fairly slowly.  Moments between the previous prima donna are interesting and give us some layers.  Why does Christine want the spotlight?  Why does she want to sing?  And will she be cast aside just as easily.  The final pages seem chaotic.  Perhaps on purpose, though it is a bit difficult to follow.  The Inspector confronts the Phantom.  There is some commotion and we see the audience seemingly dead.  The art, as with most of these Universal Monsters minis, is the highlight here.   five out of ten.   ...
Read more

G.I. Joe: ARAH Sssilent Missions – Copperhead #1 review

Creators :  Howard Porter, Romulo Fajardo Jr. Story :  After retrieving something from some G.I. Joe divers in the ocean for Cobra, Copperhead heads to a penthouse and looks depressed eyeballing a picture of simpler times.  He joins in a street dirt bike race and that leads him to the bayou and a poker game with the Dreadnok pirate, Zanzibar.  They fight over the game and this leads to an airboat race.  Copperhead is brutal during the race and eventually wins.  However, his victory is short-lived as he has another job from Cobra. Writing :  Part of the "Sssilent" issues this month, Copperhead focuses on the driver of the Cobra Water Moccasin toy, though we actually never see it in the issue.  Honestly, it is a bit tough to figure out what's going on in the issue.  Is Copperhead doing this for revenge?  To prove he's the best?  Is the penthouse his home or is he just raiding it?  Does he have a conflict with Zanzibar or are they...
Read more

Void Rivals #29 review

War continues, next on Void Rivals! The Quintesson War continues in issue # 29 of 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. Penciler Andrei Bressan and colorist Patricio Delpeche join Robert Kirkman for the fifth and penultimate part of “Quintesson War”. In this instalment, Darak and the Agorrians are being pushed back by the massive Quintesson Tribunal, while the war continues to be fought on other fronts by Solila, Pythona, Proximus and many others. Wait, what’s the ...
Read more