BotTalk Reviews

eBook by Cavan Scott Cover by Guillem H. Pongiluppi  Illustrations by Patrick Zircher  From Titan Books and Heroic Signatures Spoilers! Spoilers!  Solomon Kane is returning home to Devonshire, the Puritan hears laughter upon the moor. Green Hart tavern in Challaton Worthy (near Brambleheath). Solomon meets Henry Worle (a local woodcutter) who is wearing a charm made of rowan (a Faerie tree and a protection against pixy magic). Marcus Brampton and Gerald stumble into the tavern, victims of a sprite (fairies) attack. Little Masie Wilkins was left behind. Kane and Worle enter Whist Wood, they rescue Masie from a swarm of laughing pixies/Strikkan. Kane and Worle find the Fairyland gateway (a Whitethorn/Hawthorn and a Blackthorn/Sloe with their thorns tangled together). Solomon starts cutting down the Whitethorn, the Strikkan assail Kane and strip him of his axe and weapons and take Worle away.  Kane is pulled into the portal. In the realm of the Strikkan, Solomon sees a ...

Sword-brothers, sword-sisters, your local spinner rack is once again exhibiting another brand new issue of SSOC!  Sixty-four startling pages of barbaric savagery in black-and-white printed on newsprint paper! Inside this attractive magazine you will find the following: Puritanical art pin-ups: Solomon Kane by Luke Eidenschink Solomon Kane by Ace Continuado CONAN: THE BLUE ORCHID by Roy Thomas and Roberto de la Torre An ancient Hyrkanian castle on the Zaporoska river, recently seized by Yezdigerd the Prince of Turan. Atta of Shadizar (a Zamorian thief) and Conan cannot locate the Blue Orchid diamond (a gigantic jewel from Khitai, supposedly acquired months ago in Makkalet (Conan the Barbarian (1970) #26) by Yezdigerd), so Atta helps himself to a vase and some gems and Conan nicks a necklace. Zaria and three Hyrkanians (Sulimar, Arafam and Stafah/Stapha who are also interested in obtaining the Blue Orchid) witness Conan and Atta emerging from the river. Turanian horse archers kill th...

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...

SOLOMON KANE: THE SERPENT RING part 4 (of 4): Hell on Earth Solomon Kane refuses to be a tasty snack for a clan of spotted Hyenas. The Valley of the Serpent. Rolando Zarza, Nico Cassini, Mbondu, Hoto and Diamanta Bensaid have reach a guachimontón pyramid. Zarza, the disgraced Knight of Malta, makes it clear that he's the one who will possess the Ring since he's the dude who financed the expedition to the Kingdom of Ndongo. Inside the pyramid, Abramo Bensaid is the prisoner of the High Priestess of the Goddess Set, Sha-Kabet. Sha-Kabet scolds Abramo for desiring the Serpent Ring aka the Eye of Set. Sha-Kabet mentions that she's actually quite ancient and that Set placed a curse on the Serpent Ring to ensure her successor's worth. Sha-Kabet shows Abramo the past: We see Kull the Conqueror and Pictish warrior, Brule the Spear-Slayer fighting Serpent Men from "By This Axe I Rule!".  Thoth-Amon finding the ring in a nighted tomb a league beneath the earth, forgotte...

SOLOMON KANE: THE SERPENT RING part 3: Till death do us part The false Jesuit minister Father Goncallo and his novice, Mbondu are guiding Zarza, Nico Cassini, Abramo Bensaid, Diamanta Bensaid and Solomon Kane deeper into the Kingdom of Ndongo. The Aragonese, Rolando Zarza (thorny shrub in Spanish), a disgraced Knight of Malta, is still in charge of the expedition. Solomon Kane is still protecting Abramo and his daughter, Diamanta. Mbondu mentions that Abramo's brother-in-law, Paolo Laurenti brought evil on the Ndongo and that Kane and Co are here to take this evil away. The Ndongo attack, stuffing the sky with arrows, shouting "Father Goncallo must die!". Saurez and a helper get killed.   Nico gets an arrow in the shoulder. Zarza shoots Mbondu's chieftain (the one who was directing the attack). The Ndongo retreat. São Manços mission, Jesuit ministry up the Kwanza River, Kingdom of Ndongo, Africa.  Diamanta takes care of Nico's wound. Nico suggest that they should ...

SOLOMON KANE: THE SERPENT RING part 2: Deliver Us into Evil  São Manços mission, Jesuit ministry up the Kwanza River, Kingdom of Ndongo, Africa.  Jesuit priest Father Goncallo is writing to his provincial superior, Leonel Florencio, about Mbondu's ghastly discovery: the skull of a Serpent Man (straight from the King Kull tales). Sha-Kabet, priestess of Set appears on his doorstep. She demands that the cranium be returned to her. Sha-Kabet introduces Father Goncallo to his evil double/twin. Father Goncallo tries an Exorcism Prayer on the diabolical duo, this flatters the sorceress so much that she incinerates Goncallo with his own oil lamp.  Ghetto Vecchio, Republic of Venice.  Diamanta and her father, Abramo Bensaid learn from a maimed Kane that Paolo Laurenti (Abramo's brother by marriage) has "passed on". Solomon keeps mum about the specifics.  Abramo tells the Puritan about the ancient and accursed Serpent Ring of sorcerer Thoth-Amon. Flashback begins: Birgu ...

SOLOMON KANE: THE SERPENT RING part 1: Dead Man's Promise  Abramo Bensaid is writing to his wayfaring brother Paolo Laurenti, whom he has not heard from in 1.5 years. Abramo mentions Paolo's employer, Rolando Zarza (thorny shrub in Spanish), a Knight of Malta. Kingdom of Ndongo, Africa. Paolo is attacked by the owners of the artifact that he has stolen. Eight of Paolo's helpers and one marinheiro (Portuguese sailor) are murdered. Paolo shoots at his aggressors with his flintlock and flees to the safety of a Portuguese caravel sailing ship. The Barbary Coast. Solomon Kane (aka The Sword of Vengeance), the wandering Puritan from Devonshire is now a "Sea Dog", a privateer on an English galleon (Captain Wheeler's ship: The Reprisal) in the service of Queen Elizabeth (Elizabeth I). Wheeler, who has a license to attack and capture vessels belonging to "enemies" of England, decides to attack the Gaviota (seagull in Portuguese)... a Portuguese caravel. Alway...

Battle of the Black Stone part 4: The Future yet Unwritten, the epic new Conan event from Heroic Signatures and Titan Comics reaches its conclusion. St. Elmo's fire surrounds Brissa, Solomon Kane, John Kirowan and murdered author James Allison... they are fading away. Conan's soul was the anchor holding our HEROES OF MAN in the Hyborian Age.  James Allison confirms that Brissa died many years ago. Like Odin, Kirowan gives one of his eyes in return for wisdom. With this new knowledge he is able to access hidden paths of energy/power to resurrect Conan. Phantom Picts of the past appear only to Kirowan, the phantasms will guide him towards the source of the BLACK STONE curse. They reach the source of corruption! A cracked onyx BLACK STONE altar (clearly the empty BLACK STONE coffin of Thulsa Doom) is protected by crazed living Picts, spectres and the BLACK STONE BEAST. James Allison's ghost becomes whole again, Kane dies, James imagines a world where the BLACK STONE BEAST can ...

A Black Stone Novel by James Lovegrove Dedicated to the memory of Robert Ervin Howard who dreamed up whole worlds and peopled them with heroes Cover by Jeffrey Alan Love  From Titan Books and Heroic Signatures Spoilers! Spoilers!  500 years ago. The earth quakes, ruptures and destroys the city of Ghuht, most citizens perish in the cataclysm. Lovecraftian lilac/pink light bleeds out of the earth fissure and transforms the survivors's second generation into flying monsters. The flora and fauna surrounding the city also gets warped and rechristened The Rotlands. The Rotlands are constantly expanding, taking over the planet.  After centuries of inbreeding, the monsters become infertile, they decide to kidnap women from adjacent regions, it doesn't work. Their Leader Khotan-Kha gets a brilliant idea: to further his dying race he'll send emissaries to capture "mutant" children and let the light mutate the youngsters into a new generation of immunized winged creatures. H...

Battle of the Black Stone part 3: Quest into Darkness, the epic new Conan event from Heroic Signatures and Titan Comics is almost over. Only six Heroes remain, the Pict gate is behind them, the HEROES OF MAN are now deep into the Pictland jungles west of Conajohara. Brissa tells her tale from Savage Sword of Conan #4.  Our heroes are looking for the BLACK STONE BEAST's "source of corruption". Conan talks about his grandfather and past adventures. Brissa compliments multiple times the Cimmerian with the minuscule ego. Brissa reveals a tiny piece of the cursed BLACK STONE.  Slain scribe James Allison appears once again as an apparition, he's not only drawn to mighty, courageous souls, his spirit also can guide our heroes towards the source of corruption Solomon Kane is sure that he is on a mission from God, Dark Agnès de Chastillon is not so sure. Kane and Agnès converse in French, he mentions that he traveled along the Isère river in southeastern France... in 1574. Agn...

Battle of the Black Stone part 2: Bond of the Black, the epic new Conan event from Heroic Signatures and Titan Comics continues. The tortured writer James Allison appears as an apparition. He mentions that he's deceased, a former story maker, drawn to mighty, courageous spirits.  Solomon Kane is sure that Allison is suffering eternal punishment in hell. The old gunslinger El Borak wants answers. Allison confirms that not only is El Borak marked by the BLACK STONE, he's also HUNTED. A portal that looks exactly like the mysterious BLACK STONE eye symbol pops up to disgorge The Dark One aka the Master of the Monolith into our plane of existence! The Dark One starts massacring the members of the Wanderer's Club. El Borak decides to attack The Dark One with a sword and John Conrad tries to gun it down. They both fail miserably. Out of nowhere, Brissa, the time displaced Pict scout of the Gurian tribe, stabs The Dark One. She encourages El Borak, Kirowan and Conrad to fight on. ...

Battle of the Black Stone part 1: Eyes Upon Us, the epic new Conan event from Heroic Signatures and Titan Comics continues. Chicago, 1936. Professor Kirowan and John Conrad arrive late for their meeting at the Wanderer's Club. Clemants (from The Children of the Night) has organized a secret soirée and it's populated by scholars of the uncanny who are showcasing their rare relics. Francis Xavier Gordon (El Borak, now a shadow of his former self, close to madness, grizzled and drunk) is waiting for Kirowan and Conrad, they want to know more about the mysterious BLACK STONE eye SIGIL that Gordon witnessed in Savage Sword of Conan #4. Gordon nervously denies seeing the sigil in the Arabian Desert...but finally confesses that he is subconsciously marked by the BLACK STONE eye glyph... that something is watching him. Grenoble, France, 1522. Since encountering the BLACK STONE sigil, random spouts of rage have been drowning the mind of Agnès de Chastillon. The breeches wearing Sword W...