BotTalk Reviews

Jim Zub's A Nest of Serpents part 3: Power and Influence Zula from Conan the Barbarian #20 frees the Cimmerian from his chains! Conan suggests that they should kill Thoth-Amon. Zula wants to know all about Thoth-Amon's big plan. Since Conan is in Zula's debt, he will help the shapeshifter of the Black Kingdoms and then free Livia from slavery.  Zula plunges the enchantress Athyr-Bast into a deep mystic sleep and transforms into her doppelgänger. The impersonation spell will dissipate at daybreak. The Cimmerian masquerades as Athyr-Bast/Zula's armoured bodyguard. They depart to meet Thoth-Amon at his inner sanctum, Kheshatta's Dark Temple of Set. A whining wizard, a blood pact connaissance of Athyr-Bast detects that something is wrong with Zula's aura. Conan kills the escorts of the acquaintance, but gets hurt and Zula silences the sorcerer forever. Zula and Conan dump all three bodies in wine barrels.  Thoth-Amon offers Zula some Stygian wine, he refuses, Thoth-...

A seinen manga by Osamu Tezuka (Translation: Motoko Tamamuro & Jonathan Clements) Spoilers! Spoilers!  EPISODE 1: The Woman in the Box (Count Alucard/Dracula entrusts his mysterious niece, I.L/Aiel (pronounced "I’ll"), a vampire and actress who can change her physical appearance by slipping into her coffin, to a dispirited film director, Daisaku/Masterpiece Imari.) EPISODE 2: Moths (Can I.L cure Shihoko's husband from his freaky moth obsession?) EPISODE 3: The Messenger (I.L helps a cancer stricken woman find contentment one final time. Hyotantsugi (Gourdski) appears.) EPISODE 4: President Flareluno/Fralerno’s Treasure (Just before his execution, I.L will make Micronesia's former president believe that his Japanese wife Mayako never betrayed him. We get a The Reptile (1966) homage. Cornell Woolrich gets mentioned. Masami Fukushima, Shoji Otomo, Sakyo Komatsu, Hiroshi Manabe, Junnosuke Kishida, Tarō Okamoto and Shigeru Mizuki appear.) EPISODE 5: The Monster in Broc...

Sword-brothers, sword-sisters, your local spinner rack is once again showcasing another remarkable new issue of SSOC!  64 pulsating pages of barbaric savagery in black-and-white printed on newsprint! Inside this wonderful magazine you will find the following sparkling gems: Incredible art pin-ups: Conan the Barbarian by Valerio Giangiordano Kull of Atlantis by Geof Isherwood CONAN THE BARBARIAN & VALERIA OF THE RED BROTHERHOOD: THE SUNLESS ISLE part 1 by Patch/Patrick Zircher A direct follow-up to Robert E. Howard's Red Nails. Tascela, the princess of Tecuhltli lies impaled (by Valeria) on the floor. Old Tolkemec has been slain by Conan. The Xotalancas and the Tecuhltli have exterminated each other. Conan does NOT want to steal any of their possibly haunted jewels. Conan catches Valeria in his arms and they kiss. Conan thinks that they'll be on a ship before the Stygians open their ports for the trading season. The road to the coast is much too long. Conan of Cimmeria &...

Jim Zub's A Nest of Serpents part 2: Diamond in the Dirt It's Conan the Worm vs Krum-Va the Colossal. From his skybox, The Master of The Black Ring, Thoth-Amon and his buddies are barely being entertained.  Conan discovers that Krum-Va's ankle is his Achilles' heel. Conan kills Krum-Va and thus becomes the new slave-champion of The City of Magicians.  The power-hungry Athyr-Bast is pleased, finally one of her savage slaves is triumphant. The Lords of Kheshatta are taking notice too. To pass under the radar of the sorcerers, Conan uses a brilliant pseudonym: Amra from the Shemite city of Akbitana/Akbatana. Thoth-Amon wants to purchase the impressive Cimmerian, but Athyr-Bast prefers to keep the barbarian in her stable. Conan is not returned to his prison cell, he's told to "shower" for his mistress. In Athyr-Bast's chamber, the enchantress calls Conan her Diamond in the Dirt.  Off panel, Conan receives Weapon Training  (just like he did in the 1982 Cona...

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...

Jim Zub's A Nest of Serpents part 1: Slaves of the Magi We get a quick adaptation of The Vale of Lost Women (1967). Amra The Lion aka Conan is the war-chief of the Bamula tribe. The Ophirean, Livia of the House of Chelkus, is a captive of the Bakalah tribe. Conan and his warriors attack the Bakalahs. In a valley of white blossoms, Conan saves Livia from a winged devil from the Outer Dark. Conan is escorting the traumatized Livia to the Stygian borders, so that the Stygians can send her home to Ophir. They reach the town of Daynt (on the border between Kush and Stygia). They are welcome with open arms and disturbing smiles. They are invited to dine at Daynt's only inn. Conan peruses the tavern's menu and notices that the prices are much too low.  A suspicious Conan tells his Bamula brothers to "test" their food and to abstain from drinking the vino. The Bamulas and Livia gorge themselves eventually, but Conan barely touches the tainted food. Conan decides to retir...