BotTalk Reviews

Creators : Dan Watters (writer), Pye Parr (artist), Pierluigi Casolino (colorlist), Rus Wooton (letterer) Story : Alex Sector helps Gloria Baker get to shore due to the events of last issue while Matt Trakker takes on Miles Mayhem.  Sector helps Baker understand what her mask can do while she swims for shore.  Mayhem gets away while Baker finally reaches shore only to be saved by Bruce Sato as Vanessa Warfield tries to take down Baker.  On Venom's ship headquarters, we discover Mayhem has a lot more secrets as he consults with a high-powered Baron. Writing : This issue is full of action.  Baker is trying to get away from Mayhem then Warfield, Trakker versus Mayhem and Sector trying to get everyone out alive from behind the scenes.  I enjoyed Sector's introduction, as in the cartoon, you really got the sense he was more of a planner and here we get that, he does well in the "command center", helping the operatives out.  And the reveal of Miles Mayhem talking...

Creators : Dan Watters (writer), Pye Parr (artist), Pierluigi Casolino (colorist), Rus Wooton (letterer) Story : Miles Mayhem tries to retrieve an alien object but it turns on and he loses it.  Matt Trakker reaches out to Bruce Sato and Gloria Baker to help him out.  They discover the artifact opened a wormhole and try to stop it while fending off attacks from V.E.N.O.M. (Vicious Evil Network of Mayhem).   Writing : Second issue in and we're looking at potential world-ending threats and MASK is on the case.  Watters wastes no time in introducing two classic MASK characters into the mix.  When or how Trakker recruited them is unknown but maybe we'll get into that in future issues.  Watters keeps the action and story moving and it never feels like there is any downtime.  We have a threat, we get a team together and they tackle the threat.  While we're not told how long they have been agents, Sato seems a bit surprised that the Shark can transform so...

How do you propose I get to the comic store this week? On My ROLLER SKATES??? The bold new era for the Autobots and this book continues! 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-fourth issue, we meet Doctor Henri Arkeville, Thundercracker and the Aerialbots set out on a quest, and Shredhead and Cliffjumper bite off more than they can chew! Doctor Arkeville? Really? Yep! Kirkman’s appreciation for the Sunbow cartoon continues as he formally introduces Doctor Arkeville into the story, and much like Miles Mayhem, he just has to take a swing at General Flagg! Flagg’s in an ornery mood after learning that Optimus gave up the Matrix and is a less powerful ally now, so he doesn’t take kindly to being attacked. He still offers Arkeville Mayhem’...

Kulgith the Devourer (a Thri-kreen homage?) has kidnaped some kids from an Obrall settlement. ROM the Space Knight decides to rescue the children. ROM leaves his handgun (The Neutralizer) with Grakum and Jorvud (the distressed parents of the tykes). Thinking that ROM is a robot, Kulgith throws the SpaceKnight in his cell for inorganic prisoners, ROM meets his cellmate... "Transformers Studio Series Deluxe Class" Kranix (the scientist from planet Lithone, the Lithonian who was captured by the Quintessons in The Transformers: The Movie (1986)). Carpet (a sentient alien jellyfish and ROM's "Man with No Name" poncho/companion) opens the pen for them. Kranix points ROM in the direction of the cell for organic prisoners. Kulgith fights with ROM, ROM points out that he is a cyborg, ROM beheads Kulgith. ROM borrows one of Kulgith's arms and attaches it to his body. ROM takes the kids back to their kin.  ROM, the wandering guardian of the spaceways, continues his une...

Creators :  Dan Watters, Pye Parr, Pierluigi Casolino Story :  Matt Trakker, trying to escape from the US military, is captured and brought in to see General Flagg.  Meanwhile, Vanessa Warfield and Sly Rax both interrogate individuals in their own way.  Trakker lets loose on Flagg what Miles Mayhem is up to and how unstable he is and how Mayhem framed Trakker and stole his Mobile Armored Strike Kommand technology. In Alaska, Mayhem finds the third person who had interacted with an alien device he wants.  Trakker says he wanted to be captured because he knows Mayhem has an agent nearby, who is the Private in the room.  Both he and Trakker activate their masks and duke it out, with General Flagg and Trakker taking down the Vicious Evil Network Of Mayhem (V.E.N.O.M.) agent.  While Flagg offers Trakker a position within G.I. Joe, he declines and escapes with his flying car, the Thunderhawk.  Mayem, Rax, and Warfield do find an alien device. Writing : ...

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...

Creators : Joshua Williamson (writer), Andrea Milana (artist), Lee Loughridge (colorist), Rus Wooton (letterer) Story :  Picking up from last issue, Trakker and Scrap-Iron go at it, with Trakker driving away.  He is soon rescued by the Joes and Autobot Hound and Clutch has him fix Hound's transponder so he can contact the Autobots.  Duke, Clutch and Hound meet Optimus Prime (from Transformers (2023) #30) and he and Duke have a good talk and come to an understanding.  Meanwhile, Snow Job and Cover Girl meet up to talk about Scarlett.   Writing :  While this issue starts with some good action, that's where most of it is.  The rest is a good set up issue with getting more of Duke's motivation and more insight into Cobra.  After 2 years' worth of stories, Duke is starting to see a bigger picture and realizes what his goals are now. The end of the issue also starts to bring in more elements from the various miniseries and sets up some more stories. ...

Creators : Joshua Williamson (writer), Andrea Milana (penciler), Lee Loughridge (colorist) Story : Zartan now believes he has all the information he needs to start finding more energon for his own purposes.  Recovering from the events of the Dreadnok War, the Joes take Autobot Hound captive as Duke is quite upset and wants answers.  Meanwhile, Matt Trakker gets a notice to meet someone.  Back at the Pitt, the Joes, thinking they'd get a little bit of time off, are quickly reassigned more missions by Hawk, including meeting up with Snow Job.  Duke gets filled in by Hound on some of the basics and that it was Decepticon Starscream who killed his friend.  Matt Trakker meets with an agent at a race track but they are interrupted by Scrap Iron. Writing : I really like how Williamson is taking Duke down this emotional path we're seeing.  As Clutch says, that's not normally him.  But Duke is in a changing world, saw his buddy die, lost Cobra Commander, almost...