BotTalk Reviews

Doctor Doom wants General Ursus to be the new ruler of the Planet of the Apes. Doom gifts Ursus with a suit of armor. Zaius loses his cool, he fights with Cornelius and Dr. Zira. Sue Storm (The Invisible Woman), Cornelius, Zira and Zaius fish George Taylor's submerged spacecraft (The Icarus/Liberty 1) out of the water. Two Super-Apes (Peotor (orangutan) and Igor (baboon)) attack our heroes! Zaius calms and befriends the Super-Apes.  Reed Richards (Mister Fantastic) deduces that they are on Earth... in the future. Ape City. Soldier Apes begin to shoot at the wrathful farmers who have seized the city. President Gaius (supreme leader of Ape City) decides not to flee from the angry mob. Ursus incinerates the guards of Gaius. The Red Ghost (Russian scientist Ivan Kragoff, the brain behind the farmer uprising/rebellion) knocks out Gaius. The reign of puppet President Ursus has commenced. What I did like: A letters page (Parcels of the Apes)! Marvellous covers by Greg Land/Rachelle Rosenb...

President Gaius (supreme leader of Ape City) sends Cornelius and Dr. Zira to jail. The Red Ghost (Russian scientist Ivan Kragoff) entices unappreciated farmers to attack Ape City. Dr. Zaius and General Ursus break Dr. Zira, Cornelius and The Fantastic Four out of prison. They decide to locate George Taylor (who grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana)'s sunken spaceship (The Icarus/Liberty 1).  Ben Grimm mentions Rabbi Lowenthal and quotes 1 Samuel 16:7 (But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.).  Johnny Storm enters Taylor's ship and stumbles upon the mummified corpse of Lieutenant Maryann Stewart.  The hot-headed General Ursus decides to go back (on his own) to Ape City, to defend it from the wrathful farmers. Assisted by Miklho the gorilla Super-Ape, Doctor Doom intercepts General Ursus...

Uatu the Watcher is our narrator for this crossover event. Baxter Building, New York City. Assisted by his Super-Apes (Miklho (gorilla), Peotor (orangutan) and Igor (baboon)) the Red Ghost (Russian scientist Ivan Kragoff) makes use of Reed Richards' Di-Quantum Stabilizer to strip The Fantastic Four of their superpowers AND to banish them to another dimension... The Planet of the Apes! Ape City. Reed Richards (Mister Fantastic), Sue Storm (The Invisible Woman), Ben Grimm (The Thing) and Johnny Storm (The Human Torch) are about to be convicted for their crime of heresy against apekind... when somehow Cornelius, Dr. Zira, General Ursus and Dr. Zaius get exposed to cosmic rays! Cornelius can now stretch his body, Zira can make herself invisible, Ursus can produce flames and Zaius' flesh turns to stone. Back on Earth in the European country of Latveria. Seeking an alliance, Kragoff pays Doctor Doom (Victor Von Doom, the nemesis of The Fantastic Four) a visit. What I did like: First ...

Robert E. Howard's Solomon Kane, the dour English Puritan Swashbuckler, gets a revised complete collection of his classic Marvel suggested for mature readers sword and sorcery adventures.  The omnibus is available in two versions: with a Mike Mignola dust jacket (available everywhere) or with a direct market Howard Chaykin dust jacket (only available from comic book stores). Inside this magnificent hardcover you will find the following: Stories in full color: Kane versus looter Le Loup (Red Shadows by Robert E. Howard, Roy Thomas and Howard Chaykin) Kane versus looter Le Loup (Red Shadows by Robert E. Howard, Ralph Macchio, Steve Carr and Bret Blevins) Kane versus a werewolf (And Faith, Undying... by Ralph Macchio and Bret Blevins) Kane versus kidnaper Sir George Banway (Blades of the Brotherhood by Robert E. Howard, Ralph Macchio, Bret Blevins and Al Williamson) Kane versus Prince Ali-Ben Ar (The Prophet by Ralph Macchio, Mike Mignola and Al Williamson) Kane versus vampires/zombie...

The all-new PREQUEL to the original simian sci-fi classic from 1968 is finally over. Cornelius frees the Gibbon slaves from their gigantic prison. Our favourite hippie chimpanzee Lucius saves his aunt Zira from being trampled by horses. The Hominidae empire is actually planning an invasion of Ape City. Nova kills Sergeant Audhild. Mutant leader Ivana makes Colonel Jarl see insects, he runs away.  The Gibbons do not want to fight the Gorillas, Cornelius tries to motivate them with a stirring "Caesar" speech. Surrounded by Gorillas, Sniper Kennard wants to retreat, Ivana says no. Nova wants to fight some more. Cornelius attacks with his Gibbon allies. Ivana avenges Lyla. Cornelius runs away with Lucius and Zira. The Gibbons win the day, Ivana wants Colonel Jarl to order his troops to surrender, he refuses. Ivana takes control of Jarl and the Colonel orders his soldiers to stand down. Ivana sends the gorillas to the gigantic Gibbon prison.   Back at Hope's Point (the ruins ...

The all-new PREQUEL to the original simian sci-fi classic from 1968 is almost over. Zira spies on the Hominidae empire, a city of gorilla soldiers. Cornelius (now with a completely healed shoulder) spots our favourite hippie chimpanzee Lucius. Zira wants to go to this new city to save her nephew, Nova doesn't want her to go.  Back to Hope's Point (the ruins of Yankee Stadium). Mutant leader Ivana tells Zira that they have been at peace with the Hominidae empire FOR GENERATIONS. Zira thinks that the Gorillas could be planning an invasion of her city (Ape City). Zira selfishly suggests to the mutants that they should attack the Hominidae empire first, before they too are raided. Sniper Kennard and Lyla like the idea of invading the empire. Clairvoyant Ivana reaches again telepathically into Nova's mind, this time using "The Wizard of Oz" as a template. Ivana mentions once more Mendez, the mutant leader living beneath the radioactive ruins of New York City from Benea...

The all-new PREQUEL to the original simian sci-fi classic from 1968 continues. We start with more than 3 pages of badly reprinted and horribly coloured vintage pages by Doug Moench, Alfredo Alcala and George Roussos. Clairvoyant mutant Ivana wakes up from this Alcala dream, which is the future of Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970). Ivana and Lyla telepathically feel that sniper Kennard is about to kill our heroes. Ivana stops him and recognizes Nova from her dream. Cornelius approaches the ruins of the Yankee Stadium, last seen in 1975 in the UK exclusive ApeSlayer comic (a redrawn Killraven comic: Amazing Adventures #21 in Marvel UK's Planet of the Apes #30) and gets shot in the shoulder. Ivana puts Zira to sleep. The mutants bring our three heroes to their colony, Hope's Point. Ivana and Nova converse telepathically. We get even more vintage art by the late, great, Filipino artist Alfredo Alcala. Ivana asks about Mendez, the mutant leader living beneath the radioactive rui...

Thanks to Titan Books for giving us this opportunity to interview Simon! 1) How did the current trade paperback re-publications of your TF work come about? 1A) I'd always harboured the idea of getting my US TF run back in print in collected editions, but it wasn't really until 1997/1998 (when I attended two Botcons) that I realized that there may still be a market out there. Even so, it was another couple of years until the time seemed to be right. There was a lot of retro interest in all things 80s, TF included, and a new Gen 1 style toy line in the offing, so armed with enough potential sales information I felt confident enough to pitch the idea to Titan (without getting laughed out of the room). 2) I help run a chain of four comic book stores in America, and I just wanted to tell you that there is a great market here for collections of your U.K. stories. If these are on the horizon for the Titan collections, I think they would sell as many, if not more, than the recent Ameri...

Are you breathing heavily? Are you hearing strange electronic sounds? Your gobsmacked eyes are not deceiving you! It's the first of three fabulous Rom-nibuses. Collecting Rom: Spaceknight #1-29 and Power Man and Iron Fist #73. Offered in 4 different slipcovers: two from Frank Miller, one from Sal Buscema and one from George Pérez. All four slipcover spines are different too. Extras include: Intro by Chris Ryall. You get all the Space Notes letter columns/pages. 2 unpublished Rom #1 covers by Ed Hannigan and Mike Netzer. Parker Brothers advert. 3 Marvel house ads. Comic Reader #169 back-cover. Sales pitch to Parker Brothers (now part of Hasbro) by John Romita Jr. and Marie Severin. Original Comic Art pages from Sal Buscema (5) and Greg LaRocque/Steve Mitchell (only 1). Rom #8 cover art by Micronauts artist Michael Golden. George Pérez commission from 2013. Isn't "Read-Only Memory" just a ripoff of Gort from The Day the Earth Stood Still? No! Rom is much more than that....

Is this a banana daiquiri recipe book? No, it's a comic book. Is this a Planet of the Aches adaptation? Be serious, No. Is this an adaptation of Pierre Boulle's screenplay La Planète des Hommes by Dana Gould? Sadly, No. An all-new PREQUEL to the original simian sci-fi classic from 1968? Yes. Far from Ape City, we find our favourite hippie chimpanzee Lucius connecting with nature next to a giant tree. He saves Nova from a Gorilla patrol helmed by the helmeted General Ursus (Played excellently by James Gregory in Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970)). Suddenly, a giant someone looms over Lucius. The next day, Lucius's aunt Zira is worried about her nephew's disappearance. Her fiancé Cornelius goes looking for Lucius, but finds Nova instead. Nova "tells him" that Lucius was taken into the Forbidden Zone aka The radioactive ruins of New York City. A vexed and remorseful Dr. Zaius forbids Cornelius from venturing into the Zone... because it's Forbidden. As we ...

Predator: The Original Screenplay adaptation by Jeremy Barlow and Patrick Blaine is still not available to buy from The House of Ideas. Have mercy, Marvel! Should you stick around for Percy's PvW #4, the very last issue of PvW? Dudes and dudettes let us find out who's the best there is, the best there was, the best there ever will be. This issue: The Predator visits Logan-san in Japan. The Predator attempts to kill Charles Xavier, destroys X-Mansion, tries to kidnap Wolverine but is thwarted by gifted teenagers. Wolverine decides to hide in a bush for a full week in the "Canadian wilderness". Our favourite x-man is waiting for his extraterrestrial playmate to show up for his stolen helmet. The Predator finally arrives, puts his old helmet on and leaves his homemade bear-skull headgear full of alien tech on the ground for anyone to pick up. To catch his prey, Wolverine puts one of his own blue eyes in a human shaped pile of mud. He leaps down on the Predator, but out o...

Predator: The Original Screenplay adaptation by Jeremy Barlow and Patrick Blaine is still not on the stands... but don't be too sad, there's a comic out there waiting for you, it's PvW #3 and it features some spectacular Zama art! This issue: It's not very clear but apparently the Predator is now pining for adamantium, the indestructible metal bonded to our diminutive hero. Since the Predator isn't talking it's kinda hard to tell. What I did like: Japanese Transformers artist superstar Kei Zama is the reason to buy the book! Multiple copies would be best. You've got to support, Kei! Okay? Pilot is a Schwarzenegger homage. Other Pilot is a Carl Weathers homage. NO Xenomorph in the trophy room. Makes sense since the Predator in this story is a cowardly pullet. Reverse-engineering a Predator mask. What I did not like: A Predator killing a sleeping prey. Hard to swallow. Even if the Yautja is lusting for revenge. Filleting a comatose Logan gives out barely any b...

Robert E. Howard's Solomon Kane the dour English Puritan Swashbuckler gets a complete collection of his classic Marvel adventures. Sadly no Dark Horse Comics Guy Davis monster creations inside at all. You get All the pin-ups, adverts, text pieces + All the Kane stories from The Sword of Solomon Kane limited series, Savage Sword of Conan, Conan Saga, Kull and the Barbarians, Marvel Premiere, Marvel Preview, Monsters Unleashed and Dracula Lives. My favourite stories are: A Marvel Team-Up featuring the ectomorph: Kane in his twilight years and the mesomorph: Conan the Barbarian in his prime (The Moon of Skulls II: Death's Dark Riders by Roy Thomas and Colin MacNeil). Kane versus a ghost that kills (Skulls in the Stars by Ralph Reese). Kane versus a Lovecraftian cloud of blood (The Footfalls Within by Don Glut, Will Meugniot and Steve Gan). Kane versus the bat-people (Wings in the Night by Don Glut and David Wenzel). Kane versus vampires/zombies/the walking dead men (The Hills of t...

Predator: The Original Screenplay adaptation by Jeremy Barlow and Patrick Blaine is still unpublished, so I have to review this gory Percy comic instead. I can make it. I can make it. Our Yautja from last issue is still obsessed with Wolverine. The trophy hunting extraterrestrial really wants Logan's mint out of package adamantium spine for his collection. If you're a collector you know what I'm talking about. Sadly, we get zero retractable claws vs retractable claws action this issue. Who will be the best there is at what they do? Do I really have to ask the question? What I did like: Wolverine is an arachnologist, he knows the sounds spiders make, knows about ticks. Impressive. Alabama ticks get mentioned. Old Painless clears the jungle once again. Sabretooth avenges Jesse Ventura. He did the former Governor of Minnesota proud. The Predator (1987) score by Alan Silvestri is still playing in my head. Maybe I should see a doctor. What I did not like: Canada. Just Canada. It...

Hasbro Gaming, Nerf Pro Stryfe X Dart Semi-Auto Blaster, Nerf Elite 2.0 Double Punch Dart Blaster, NERF Elite 2.0 Jolly Dash Blaster, Nerfball, Play-Doh, Peppa Pig, Monopoly The Super Mario Bros. Movie Edition, Monopoly Chance, Monopoly: Barbie Edition, Spider-Man, Marvel Spidey And His Amazing Friends Web-Spinners Playset, Twister Air Game, Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures, Magic: The Gathering The Lost Caverns of Ixalan, Jurassic World booster insert set, The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth, Secret Lair, Dungeons & Dragons The Deck of Many Things, Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast collaborate with Burgschneider to present Dungeons & Dragons: Call to Arms, the official costuming line for Dungeons and Dragons, Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Academy, Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Club: Roll Call, Dungeons & Dragons: Behold! A Search and Find Adventure, Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse, Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk, Clue Conspiracy, Clue Escap...