BotTalk Reviews

Anyway Gang is Canada's coolest Alternative/Indie Rock supergroup quartet ever assembled:  Chris Murphy (Sloan), Dave Monks (Tokyo Police Club), Menno Versteeg (Hollerado) and Sam Roberts (Sam Roberts Band)! Additional guitars by Nixon Boyd (Hollerado). Trevor James Anderson and Gus van Go played some keys and guitars also.  Additional vocals by Alyson McNamara. Produced by Anyway Gang, Trevor James Anderson and Nixon Boyd. Additional production and mixed by Gus van Go and Werner F. Engineered by Nixon Boyd and Trevor James Anderson; Assistant Engineer: Zach Pepe. Additional Engineering by Mike Gnocato. Mastered by João Carvalho. Recorded at Noble Street Studios (Toronto) and at Banquet Sound recording studio (run by Nixon Boyd in Toronto). Cover art by Ben Marra. Band Picture by Calm Elliott-Armstrong.  Layout by Christina Zalec. A project funded in part by the Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings (FACTOR), the Government of Canada and Canada's private radi...

Creators : Gabriel Hardman, Matt Hollingsworth Story : Cobra Commander is inducting two new troops into the Crimson Guard when the Joes attack with a massive force.  The Crimson Guardsmen fight through the Joes and out of the base into the swamp, continuously being chased by the Joes and the hazards of the swamp.  They finally are able to make it another base and attempt to escape.   Writing : Another issue in the Cobra "Sssilent Missions" series this month, paying homage to Larry Hama's famous "Silent Issue" way back in Marvel's original run.  Though without dialog, there is a lot going on in this issue, with the troopers trying to get away and them being relentlessly pursued by the Joe team.  It's also hard to tell if this is supposed to set in the standard Joe-verse or its own thing; some individuals are hinted at either being seriously injured or possibly killed. But the story is fun and it's just non-stop action, along with a few "oh yeah, ...

Spoilers! Spoilers!  CHAPTER 16 (book 3 of 18): A Farewell Drink The Bat (aka Kōmori) of Kai (a ninja assassin from the Takeda clan based in Kai Province who was disfigured by Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582) in Azuchi Castle) has arrived in Kanazawa. Hotaru (aka Firefly the female ninja) is now living with Maeda Keiji (inspired by real-life samurai Maeda Toshimasu (1543-1612)).  The Bat of Kai (who is Hotaru's former ninja tutor and an opium addict) drugs Hotaru to make her poison Keiji, she commits suicide via secret Seppuku. Keiji promises to slay ALL Kaga ninjas. CHAPTER 17: High on Rage Keiji cremates Hotaru's body.  Ninja master "Flying (tobi)" Kato (Kato Danzo (1503-1569)) of the Takeda clan (Uesugi Kenshin (1530-1578) wanted Danzo killed because he was too skilled) and the Fuma clan, kills some of Yotsui Shume (leader of the Kaga ninja army of Keiji's uncle. An homage to actor Jack Nicholson)'s men with his Tang sword (Tang Dao). The Bat of Kai challenges Keij...

Sword-brothers, sword-sisters, your local spinner rack is once again brandishing another brand new issue of SSOC!  64 startling pages of barbaric savagery in black-and-white printed on newsprint paper! Inside this gorgeous magazine you will find the following: Terrific art pin-ups: Conan the Barbarian by Ivan Gil (Conan: Scourge of the Serpent) El Borak versus Samiri by Patrick Zircher (Solomon Kane: The Serpent Ring) CONAN: HEART OF DARKNESS by Chris Ryall (Mighty Marvel Calendar Book: A Visual History) and Gabriel Rodriguez (Robert E. Howard: Rattle of Bones & Other Terrifying Tales) Ghulistani Hinterlands A beast of sorceress Er'Bo'A attacks Conan, C'Kaan (a sorcerer and an homage to The Guy aka the mascot of Disturbed), Jorgus and Buterra the Wise (an homage to Heroic Signatures editor Chris Butera). Buterra dies. The dying beast infects Conan with its black magic. An old woman (Hanna, whose daughters (Suna and Suhar) are under the influence of Er'Bo'A) clea...

This volume collects the Nancy daily newspaper comic strips from 1949–1950.  We actually get 620 timeless, charming and very clever black-and-white Nancy strips by American cartoonist Ernie Bushmiller (1905-1982) in one collection! Don't worry Sluggo aficionados, Nancy's pal is very much present in this tome. We get to see Sluggo ice skating, playing in the coal yard, struggling with his weight and lack of hair, losing his bubblegum, growing taller, using his periscope, magnet and handheld mirror, working at the bank, circus and music shop, reading in his attic, ski jumping, dissipating static electricity, going to the most dangerous place in town, tightrope walking, sleeping in a hammock, mowing lawns, walking on stilts, keeping Nancy off the grass, catching a baseball, dressing for tea, painting, playing the trombone and the xylophone, getting a push on a tree swing, slicing some baloney, dancing, golfing, fishing, swimming, paddling his boat, pulling weeds, camping, learning...

Ninkugel the Harvester purloins bars (a currency) from his stingy employer, Tonkfarr. Ninkugel trades his bars for a Schema Beetle sculpture. The sculpture comes to life and gives birth to a brood that devours all of Tonkfarr's crops. Ninkugel is thrown in jail, he escapes and leaves his village that has become abandoned. Ninkugel comes across a talking lizard, Wurl. Wurl gets killed by slavers: Rolden and "Huntsman". A Bog King appears. Rolden and "Huntsman" slaughter the beast, but Ninkugel drops his blade, blade first, on "Huntsman"'s foot. Refusing to be sold into servitude in Arn-Uthyr (An homage to Uther Pendragon?), Ninkugel murders Rolden and "Huntsman". Ninkugel runs into a talking dragon (a "demon"), he kills it. Ninkugel arrives at another village, he introduces himself as a "Demon Slayer" to Arloth. Arloth introduces Ninkugel to Smekland. Smekland introduces Ninkugel to the village council members (includin...

A shōnen manga by Keiichiro Ryu, Tetsuo Hara and Mio Aso (Translation: Andrew Love) Spoilers! Spoilers!  CHAPTER 1 (book 1 of 18): The Sanctioned Kabukimono This is the story of Maeda Keiji (inspired by real-life samurai Maeda Toshimasu (1543-1612)), an eccentric, invincible Kabukimono, the illegitimate son of Takigawa Masuuji (1527-1635?) who was adopted by Maeda Toshihisa (1537-1587), the older brother of Keiji's uncle, Maeda Toshiie (1538-1599). It is the Azuchi-Momoyama period (the late  Sengoku period of feudal Japan). The soldiers of Takigawa Kazumasu (1525-1586. Military commander of Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582)) encounter a gigantic wild horse. Furuya Shichirobei (a General of Hojo Ujikuni (1541-1597). An homage to actor Kyusaku Shimada) failed to domesticate the monster steed. Keiji (who is also a Kōga-ryū ninja) tames the feral stallion in only ten days and christens it Matsukaze. Keiji defeats Furuya Shichirobei, Furuya kills himself to motivate his troops. CHAPTER 2: B...

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...

Star Trek’s first-ever interactive original graphic novel!  “Meet the new GOD of Cats!” Finally a Lower decks story where we can make T'Ana a godlike being while Brad Boimler is turned into a borg and Andy Billups is eaten by a chest bursting alien or “nutrek gorn hatchling”.  What the causality loop crazed scientist experiment was that?! Well what it is, is a choose your own adventure style story that leaves you turning to the pages you’re given until it finally leads down the path toward a very good conclusion. Along the way it gets a little confusing and would probably work better as a physical book and it could just be that way because I’m reading off a pdf file and for all I know the digital copy lets you click on the page option. It doesn’t take away from the issue itself though, which is very good. Good issue and somehow a 10/10

Sword-brothers, sword-sisters, your local spinner rack is once again showcasing another brand new issue of SSOC!  64 startling pages of barbaric savagery in black-and-white printed on newsprint! Inside this stunning magazine you will find the following: Terrific art pin-ups: Conan the Barbarian by Thomas Nachlik Conan the Barbarian by Fernando Dagnino Guerra CONAN: TATTERED WINGS chapter 1: Mirrors of the Soul by Liam Sharp Conan and his Hyrkanian mercenaries have been hired to rescue the "kidnaped" son of wizened warlord Marrik Ban Torr. Shemu, Batu and the rest of Conan's comrades get taken out by unseen Wolven (wolf-men) slingers. Conan gets tapped twice in the head and passes out. Conan wakes up the next day and builds a funeral pyre for his fallen friends.  The ancient Bel-Karun, Uruk-Tah and another guard escort Conan to "the aerie" to meet the Master of the forgotten Fortress of Ekur-Gal: King Anzu-Kur, the bird mage of the Black Pinions... who is a twin ...

A seinen manga by Osamu Tezuka  Spoilers! Spoilers!  CHAPTER 1: The Department Store Woman (Shinjuku Station (Tokyo, Japan). Young, warped, famous novelist Yosuke Mikura meets Barbara, a mysterious fuuten/vagabond who is a chronic alcoholic and the youngest daughter of Mnemosyne. Mnemosyne? The Greek goddess of memory who previously had nine daughters (all muses) with Zeus? Will Barbara be able to make Mikura realize that he's romancing a mannequin (Maname Sugata)? "Chanson d'automne" and "Le ciel est par-dessus le toit" by Paul Verlaine get quoted. The 1973 Japan National Railways strike, Bacchus (Roman god) and "Pavane pour une infante défunte" by Maurice Ravel get mentioned.) CHAPTER 2: The Woman and the Dog (Will Barbara be able to make Mikura realize that he's romancing the Afghan Hound (Sonya) of Rumi Nagahama (Hiroyuki Yotsuya's fiancé)? The Box Man by Kobo Abe, Guillaume Apollinaire and Franz Kafka get mentioned.) CHAPTER 3: The Bla...

CHAPTER 1 58 BC. Helvetii lands (Switzerland). Marcus Coax/Crow, a gigantic horseshoe moustache-wearing Gaul that looks like the long-lost brother of Robert E. Howard's Conan the Barbarian, saves Sanian Divico (an Helvetii oracle) and her entourage from Germanic scouts. Sanian invites Coax to her village. Irika and Sanian spy on Coax, while Coax has a nightmare about his recent blood oath of vengeance.  Coax informs Sanian's father, Divico (possibly the leader of the Helvetian tribe of the Tigurini) that Germanic clans are gathering on the other side of Lacus Lausonius (Lake Geneva on the north side of the Alps). The Helvetians are sure to be raided and decimated before springtime.  Flashback!  75 BC. A Rhodian galley is intercepted by Cilician pirates, a 25-year-old Julius Caesar gets captured.  Farmakonisi (island in the Aegean Sea, Greece). Caesar makes the acquaintance of a clean-shaven Coax who does not know his own tribe because his parents were slaves, killed ...