BotTalk Reviews

Transformers Lives Again! With Robert Kirkman’s Void Rivals having launched Skybound’s Energon Universe, he now takes the writing reins of the flagship Transformers comic series as well, with Dan Mora now on pencils and Mike Spicer still on colors. In this twenty-sixth issue, the new alliance the Autobots have struck with the humans is put to the test and the Ark is a stage for conflict as Decepticon Thundercracker seeks to free Skywarp from Teletraan-1. Oh yeah, Thundercracker and Skywarp went on a little trip last issue. Yup, they were teleported into the midst of Cobra-La and when they return, Thundercracker is in no mood to listen after being confronted with the organic horrors he witnessed there. Thankfully, Optimus Prime manages to talk him down and agrees to help free Skywarp from being entangled with Teletraan-1. Thundercracker’s uneasy loyalties take center stage here and Kirkman sets him up for a new role in this universe that may seem a bit familiar to fans of Beast Wars or ...

Void Rivals Recover! UNITY was averted and we recover in issue # 24 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. Ongoing artist Conor Hughes and colorist Patricio Delpeche join Robert Kirkman for this 24th issue and wrap up the second year of Void Rivals. Unity has been averted for now, but the threat of Goliant is still looming over both Agorrian and Zertonian civilization and the universe itself! We catch up with our various factions of characters here as a new era b...

Story : Cobra Commander is running low on energon and tasks his subordinates to search out various locations for more of it.  Meanwhile, he takes Ripper to investigate a strange energon signal.  While on leave, Duke gets a call about the same strange energon signal and discovers Cobra Commander is there but can't get a signal out to tell the Joes.  Cobra discovers it's a trap as their vehicles blow up and Dreadnok Ripper reveals he's been watching and learning and staged this betrayal.  As it seems he has the upper hand, Duke saves Cobra Commander and when he tries to get away, they discover that the rest of the Dreadnoks are fast approaching and quickly drive away while at Cobra Command, Destro makes his moves. Writing : After a few low-key, character-building issues, Williamson's next arc is a 5-parter "Dreadnok War," bringing back the rest of the Dreadnoks last seen in the Cobra Commander mini-series.  Williamson was able to use Ripper pretty effectively he...

Creators : Joshua Williamson (writer), Marco Foderà (artist), Lee Loughridge (colorist), Rus Wooton (letterer). Story : Duke is talking to General Hawk about making sure that the team is focused on the giant robots and not just Cobra.  Beachhead, Flint and Lady Jaye are breaking out Jodie "Shooter" Craig from a Darklonian prison which she has her own reasons for being there.  And at Cobra HQ, Major Bludd joins Cobra while Destro and Mercer figure out ways Cobra Commander could be brought down.  Writing : An interesting story, as we get a couple of "bookends" with Duke and then Destro, with the main story being breaking Jodie out of jail.  We're a year into the comic and we've been slowly building up the Joe team and, in the process have really been getting to know our G.I. Joe characters.  Williamson is carefully concocting this world for us but doesn't want to cram everything in it at once.  He's able to craft good exposition into the story to move ...

New World Era! With Robert Kirkman’s Void Rivals having launched Skybound’s Energon Universe, he now takes the writing reins of the flagship Transformers comic series as well, with Dan Mora now on pencils and Mike Spicer still on colors. Previous artist Jorge Corona also contributes to this inaugural issue as Kirkman begins to reshape the Energon Universe! In this extra-sized twenty-fifth issue, it’s a new day as the Autobots and Decepticons recover from their last epic clash. Megatron stews in the failures of his troops, while Optimus prepares to make new human allies. And on Cybertron, Elita One comes to a momentous decision! So what’s up with this “Kirk Man” fellow? He any good? If you’ve been reading these reviews, you know I haven’t been a fan of Daniel Warren Johnson’s writing on this series, so I was looking forward to someone, ANY-one taking over. Robert Kirkman has never been my favorite comic book writer, but he HAS a track record of producing stuff I’ve enjoyed. I’m happy to...

Void Rivals Fusion! UNITY is here in issue # 23 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. New ongoing artist Conor Hughes has joined Kirkman and colorist Patricio Delpeche as Unity is finally at hand in this latest issue. Why were the Agorrians and Zertonians kept separate, and why do their leaders fear the unification of the two races so much? Find out here! So this is a big pay-off issue? Uh, sort of. We do get to see what Unity entails, how it is linked to the di...

Creators : Joshua Williamson (writer), Andrea Milana (artist), Lee Loughridge (colorist), Rus Wooton (letterer) Story : Risk, Clutch and Autobot Hound take on Mercer and his Viper troops.  In Paris. Baroness continues her fight with Major Bludd while Cover Girl takes on Raptor.  While these arcs finish up, Destro and Cobra Commander come to an understanding about what the future holds, not just for Cobra but maybe the world.  As the two groups return to the Pit (to a confused Duke as to what they actually went through), General Hawk looks on and gives Flint and his crew their next mission. Writing : A good, character driven story, this has Risk, Clutch and Hound coming to an understanding while Baroness and Cover Girl become closer due to their experience.  We get a few hints of what's to come later on but the next issue is a nice mystery.  Great callback at the end when Hawk is talking to Flint too.  Art : Some good action scenes fill this issue, with the ...

It’s OVER, finished! 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, with Jorge Corona on pencils and Mike Spicer on colors! At least for now, because this is this creative team’s final issue! Yes, Optimus Prime and Megatron face off for a climactic battle the likes of which has... been seen before countless times. However, this time something new will be thrown into the mix, won’t it? Yes, surely so as Daniel Warren Johnson wraps his Eisner award-winning run up once and for all! So how climactic IS it? Uh. Well, remember how I said last review that it felt a little like some punches were being pulled? That continues here, as DWJ needs to put the toys back in the box for Robert Kirkman to take over. There’s actually a shocking lack of consequence to the events that play out in this issue. The one thing that ...