BotTalk Reviews

Trains, planes, and automobiles! Yup! With Robert Kirkman’s Void Rivals having launched Skybound’s Energon Universe, noted writer/artist rolled-into-one Daniel Warren Johnson takes the reins on the linchpin of this initiative, the flagship Transformers comic series! Well, he maintains the reins on the writing of this series at least, as does Mike Spicer on colors. Jorge Corona has returned to regular penciling duties after Ludo Lullabi filled in for a Megatron solo story last issue! So Megatron is back? He is and it’s time for him to put his house in order. And that means dealing with triplechanger Astrotrain, who wants revenge on him for some unspecified thing we… probably won’t get closure on! Also, Starscream’s about due for a whuppin’ too, right? If there’s one thing this issue does, it’s sell Megatron as the primary threat and mightiest Decepticon, able to basically no-sell Astrotrain even as wounded as he is. Megatron’s cruelty is on full display here as he doles out punishment t...

The issue starts out by giving Beckett Mariner a day of being regressive and dragging Brad Boimler on a field day through the ship which inevitably lands her in Captain Freeman’s ready room where her mother once more gives her a “why are you like this?!” speech. They argue which prompts Freeman to look away heroically as we are thrown into a flashback to the time when Carol Freeman was a thirty something year old ensign, like right after TNG season 2, but still before the uniforms had collars.  Guest stars Katherine Pulaski! ‘Member Pulaski! ‘Member how Pulaski was mean to Data! ‘Member! So this arc will be diving into Carol’s past, when she was a young ensign, married with a kid, and turns out she was somewhat as bad as Mariner is in the present day. Pulaski’s experimenting on transporters and how they affect the brain and Freeman gets sucked into it which leads to her having to take command during a fight with the Romulans. Or does she? As Pulaski is still aboard and thus the ra...

Creators : Larry Hama (writer), Paul Pelletier (penciller), Tony Kordos (inker), Francesco Segala (colorist), Sabrina Del Grosso (flatter), Pat Brosseau (letterer). Story : At the Pit, a car drives up with Cobra agents willing to defect.  Dr. Mindbender makes his case to join Revanche as Alpha-001 brainwashes the tourists so they don't remember their time on Cobra Island.  Cobra Commander continues to be a captive of Destro, who stops the Baroness from killing the Commander.  The Joe Ninja team gets new orders to impersonate the defectors.  Meanwhile, the Cobra Island infiltration team returns only to be told they'll be heading right back to Cobra Island.   Writing : This is a build-up issue.  As the storylines from the past year wrap up, new plots are put forth.  I was a bit disappointed that the Infiltration Team is heading right back to Cobra Island.  While the justification is sound (they just got back and know it well), it's always nice when ...

Free Comic Book Day Godzilla: The New Heroes   The FIRST LOOK at IDW's new Godzilla universe. In July 2025, a bold new Godzilla story is coming...but you can get your first look here! Godzilla: The New Heroes FCBD 2025 features an original ten-page prelude to the new IDW Godzilla continuity, as well as preview pages for other books set in the new Godzilla shared universe. Each of these books is a fresh exploration on what it means to be a Godzilla comic-from a group of mercenaries that fly through space in Mechagodzilla to a strange wasteland inhabited by a half-kaiju, half-human freak, to a bold superhero take on G-Force.  A new era of Godzilla comics starts here!