BotTalk Reviews

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 ...

Creators : Larry Hama (writer), Chris Mooneyham (art) Story : A high-tech blimp approaches the Pit as Snake-Eyes and Dawn return and put on their ear protection for small-arms training.  Before the Joe team can shoot it down, the blimp begins a sonic attack on the Joes, disabling most.  Dawn and Snake-Eyes then don jet packs and take the fight to the airship, eventually overcoming their foes. Writing :  This is a special "anniversary" issue of the original Silent Interlude (G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #21) which appeared 300 issues ago.  Like that original issue, this one has no word "balloons", however, Hama is able to craft an interesting story without using any text. Art :  Mooneyham is on top of his game in this issue.  With the story relying solely on his art, he really brings his A game.  Details are crisp and the colors are spot-on.  We can easily tell who each classic Joe character is and see some classic vehicles throughout the story. ...

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...

Creators : Tim Seeley, Juann Cabal, and Rex Lokus Story :  Decades after their fame, journalist Hector Ramirez of "Twenty Questions" tracks down the members of the Heavy Metal band Cold Slither to see what they are up to now.  We follow Hector as he visits each member in their new lives and how they remember those old days.  Writer :  What a "banger" of an issue.  This just plays up the classic "Behind the Music" trope while incorporating aspects from classic G.I. Joe (mainly, Mr. Ramirez) with a bit of modern-technology added into the storytelling.   You can tell the team had a few directions they could have taken this story and had fun doing it.  There are references galore to old G.I. Joe stories sprinkled here and there in this issue.  Art : Art is great; for their modern look, some of the Dreadnoks got some sensible updates but you can still easily tell it's them. Colors are good as well.  Some nice references to other Hasbro animated te...

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 ...

Creators : Larry Hama (writer), Paul Pelletier (penciller), Tony Kordos (inker), Francesco Segala (colorist), Sabrina Del Grosso (flatter), Pat Brosseau (letterer). Plot :  This is a parallel plot, with both teams of Joes (in Springfield and on Cobra Island) attempting to escape and get back to headquarters while being pursued.  The Springfield team is attempting to get to the airfield while the Cobra Island team is trying to get to the docks to flee.  Thankfully, Duke and the command crew at the Pit are aware of the situations and send in air support.   Writing : Hama is bringing the action in this issue. The on-going chases while being attacked and trying to get away and both teams having to improvise against more heavily armed and armoured foes.  I did enjoy that he acknowledges sometimes toys and reality don't mix (as it's pointed out they can't fire the Stinger missiles with people riding on the back).  The only downside of such an action-filled issue ...

War of the Void Rivals! War continues, here in issue # 22 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 Agorria and Zertonia go to war in this issue! Hot Rod and Springer are caught in the middle as the Agorrians and Zertonians clash in earnest. Is Unity forever lost, or is it closer than ever? So, big fight. YUP! This is a big fight scene issue as the Zertonians attack Agorria and all...

Creators : Joshua Williamson (writer), Andrea Milana (artist), Lee Loughridge (colorist), Rus Wooton (letterer) Story : Cover Girl and The Baroness continue to fight for Major Bludd so that Raptor doesn't kill the Baroness' parents.  Clutch is trying to figure out Cobra's weapons with Autobot Hound but realizes they have to return to the M.A.R.S. headquarters to see if they can find more.  Destro is unsettled that he doesn't know more about Cobra Commander's past and confronts him in a secret lab of the Commander's. The tide finally turns for the lady Joes and Risk confronts Clutch, wondering what's up with him, at the M.A.R.S. base as Mercer shows up.   Writing : A good fast-paced issue that mixes a bit of action with a lot of intrigue, both from the Joes and from Cobra.  Williamson also has a nice touch of adding in bits and pieces of classic character lore into the mix, such as Major Bludd deciding to share some of his poetry.   Art : Milana continues to ...

Creators : Larry Hama (Writer), Paul Pelletier (Penciller), Tony Kordos (Inker), Francesco Segala (Colorist), Sabrina Del Grosso (Flatter), Pat Brosseau (Letterer) Story : Things come to a head in Scotland, Springfield and Cobra Island.  The Springfield team needs to make a quick escape as does the Cobra Island team.  Meanwhile, in Scotland, Cobra Commander is trying to escape.   Writing :  Wow...this was not Hama's best work.  Part of it is all three narratives of this tale are the same.  Both G.I. Joe teams are made and need to escape while Cobra Commander is trying to escape Scotland.  On top of that, the Joes at the Pit are tapped into the Cobra feeds at various locations and know all of this is happening, which begs the question, why risk soldiers' lives when you already know what is happening.  Then the "we just happened to tap into a feed at a Scottish airport" at the right time to see a Cobra Hurricane VTOL Vertical Takeoff and Landing Jet...

Creators : Joshua Williamson (writer), Andrea Milana (artist), Lee Loughridge (colorist), Rus Wooton (letterer) Story : Raptor (Cobra Falconer) continues his attack on Cover Girl and Baroness in Paris, relating briefly his origin.  Finally, he and Major Bludd are able to capture the duo.  At the Pit (The G.I. Joe command center), Risk expresses concern that Clutch is acting off to Duke, who brushes it off.  Meanwhile, Clutch talks more with Autobot Hound and promises to help him find the Autobots and more Energon.  At a prison facility, Mercer has broken in and found a rogue M.A.R.S. agent who helped fixed up Decepticon Starscream.  Destro tells Mercer to make sure the agent doesn't share the info.  In an undisclosed location, Major Bludd tells the Baroness and Cover Girl they must fight for their freedom, ending the issue on a cliffhanger.  Writing :  Williamson has done a good job making Raptor a bit more interesting.  He keeps the bulk of ...