Bottalk Reviews

Void Rivals has better things to do tonight than die! It does and it continues here with issue # 11! Void Rivals is Robert Kirkman and Lorenzo De Felici’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 eleventh issue, Darak, Solila, and their new best buddy Triple Changer Springer have to fend off an Zertonian battalion intent on capturing or killing them! The Quintessons, Hot Rod, and even our good buddy the Skuxxoid continue along their paths, which will undoubtedly soon intersect again! So lots of Transfor

Creators : Dan Watters (Writer), Andrei Bressan (Artist), Adriano Lucas (Colorist), Rus Wooton (Letterer) Story : Both Destro and Tomax with Xamot go over the events at the end of the last issue (separately) to their respective troops, each blaming the other and planning on how to take the other out.  We get a quick background on Tomax and Xamot as we see their troops training and then get attacked by some Iron Grenadiers. Some Siegies then attack a M.A.R.S. facility but are repelled by some Battle Android Troopers (as it is a storage facility for Energon as well).  The Iron Grenadiers attack another Extensive Enterprises facility but face backlash from some Assault System Pods.  Both sides then meet up at a neutral island but still blame each other for the attack in Darklonia.  While threats are made, both decide it would be best to duel to the death and the winners absorbing the others company.  Destro heads to his hidden sanctuary in Scotland, confident, no one knows where it is but

Prepare for battle! That’s right! With Robert Kirkman’s Void Rivals having launched Skybound’s new Energon Universe, noted writer/artist rolled-into-one Daniel Warren Johnson takes the reins on the linchpin of this new initiative, a brand-new Transformers comic series! Well, he maintains the reins on the writing of this series at least, as does Mike Spicer on colors. Jorge Corona takes over regular penciling duties with a style that barely misses a step from DWJ’s previous efforts. In this tenth issue, we learn what Beachcomber has been doing on Earth this whole time and Shockwave’s horrifying plans for the planet’s resources come to light. I remember Beachcomber! You sure do, he made a cameo appearance in the first arc and we find out here that he’s been on Earth for a long time! It’s a good and familiar take on the hippie dune buggy and fans of his will be happy to see he’s getting this spotlight. Beachcomber’s interactions with Spike and Astrotrain are quite engaging and I hope he’s

Creators : Kelly Thompson (Writer), Marco Ferrari (Artist), Lee Loughridge (Colorist), Rus Wooton (Letterer) Story : Scarlett is now a prisoner of the Arashikage clan, reviewing her objectives (gain access to the stronghold, establish contact with Jinx, secure a possible weapon) and is planning her escape, having fully prepped (including keeping a razor in her abdomen).  She is caught and fights off more ninjas before Storm Shadow stops it and takes her to a room (including a flashback scene of Scarlett training with Jinx) and inquires about what she is trying to do.  She says she wants to find meaning again, feeling her skills aren't being used fully.  The Hard Master arrives and says Scarlett can't join because while she has skills, she lacks loyalty, honour and sacrifice.  They give Scarlett a mission to infiltrate a Yakuza controlled tower to steal back an Arashikage weapon of "unusual" origins to prove herself. Scarlett parachutes on top of the tower, sneaks in a

Who is Rivalling the Void this month?? Void Rivals continues here with issue # 10! It’s Robert Kirkman and Lorenzo De Felici new 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 new 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 tenth issue, Springer’s battle with Proximus comes to an end, and Darak and Solila learn more about how their planets and Cybertron are connected. So we learn more about what makes the Energon Universe, the Energon Universe? Yup! The nature of Energon itself and how it interacts with Darak and Solila’s people is explored. Springer ha

Creators : Dan Watters (Writer), Andrei Bressan (Artist), Adriano Lucas (Colorist), Rus Wooton (Letterer) Story : In the Republic of Darklonia, the Prime Minister's palace is under siege by insurgents and when his troops try to fight them, they encounter a Battle Android Trooper (B.A.T.).  The troops then realize more are being dropped into the city and the BATs defeat the troops.  The Prime Minister calls Destro and surrenders; Destro arrives and says his cousin, Artyom Darklon, will take over and the Prime Minister shoots himself to avoid what the mob might do to him.  Destro is then in call with Cobra Commander, who is upset about his actions in Darklonia and they get into an argument over how M.A.R.S. Industries is working with Cobra, not subordinate to Cobra.  Destro then visits an ancestral shrine and seeks guidance from his ancestors about what to do with the Energon.  Weeks later, at Darklonia's arms convention we're introduced to other arms manufacturers - Boston,

Prepare for battle! That’s right! With Robert Kirkman’s Void Rivals having launched Skybound’s new Energon Universe, noted writer/artist rolled-into-one Daniel Warren Johnson takes the reins on the linchpin of this new initiative, a brand-new Transformers comic series! Well, he maintains the reins on the writing of this series at least, as does Mike Spicer on colors. Jorge Corona takes over regular penciling duties with a style that barely misses a step from DWJ’s previous efforts. In this ninth issue, the Autobots take the fight to the Decepticons and drive them off Earth and everyone lives happily ever after! ...Right? No, of course not. Things go horribly, horribly awry. Wry, huh? Sounds funny. I said “A-wry”! Optimus and crew venture forth in Bizarro Action Master Jetfire to take down the Decepticons, but the Decepticons now have an operational space bridge and access to Cybertron. New characters enter the battle for Earth, and the Autobots find themselves on the back foot again! I