BotTalk Reviews

Void Rivals has The Touch! It does and it continues here with issue # 14! Void Rivals is Robert Kirkman and Lorenzo De Felici’s sci-fi comic that tells the tale of two crumbling planets linked by a “Sacred Ring” (it’s not Halo), their peoples at war for generations. When a member of each culture are stranded together, the two find they must put aside their differences if they want to survive. This story takes place in the so-called “Energon Universe”, Skybound Entertainment’s initiative to relaunch properties like Transformers and G.I. Joe within a shared universe that also happens to include the original characters and setting of Void Rivals. In this fourteenth issue, Darak and Solila continue their separate journeys and come closer to learning the secrets behind the conspiracy that keeps their peoples apart. Also, the Skuxxoid continues being depressed and Hot Rod shows up on the trail of his buddy Springer! Depressed Skuxxoid, eh? Yeah, what’s the deal with that? What is Kirkman doi...

Creators : Joshua Williamson, Tom Reilly, Jordie Bellaire Story :  Duke is leading the G.I. Joe team on some training exercises - Clutch, Stalker, Cover Girl, Rock 'n Roll and the Baroness, while giving a bit of background on each.  The Baroness does struggle working with the crew and Duke feels they are not ready yet. In Springfield, Destro shows off his newest gun to Cobra Commander who is very impressed with it.  In Abu Dhabi, G.I. Joe agent Risk (the one missing a part of his left pinkie) beats up some people and tells them not to sell to M.A.R.S. Industries.  Back at the Pit, Hawk and Duke talk it over on what it means to be a leader and what the team needs. They then get their first mission; to retrieve a piece of Cybertronian tech while at the same time Cobra is going after it.  While the Joes are retrieving the tech, they come under attack by Cobra forces, who seem to have them outgunned and out-technologized with their new laser rifles.   Writing ...

Is it More Than Meets The Eye Time? You bet! With Robert Kirkman’s Void Rivals having launched Skybound’s Energon Universe, noted writer/artist rolled-into-one Daniel Warren Johnson takes the reins on the linchpin of this initiative, the flagship Transformers comic series! Well, he maintains the reins on the writing of this series at least, as does Mike Spicer on colors. Jorge Corona has taken over regular penciling duties with a style all his own. However, this fourteenth issue sees Jason Howard step in to pencil the second part of a Starscream-centric tale. More Starscream origin stuff? Yes! We see how Megatron molded Starscream into the cruel murderer he is today! And in the present, we see how the Starscream of today has been molded by his injuries and some nosy humans into… half the ‘bot he used to be! The M.A.R.S. salvage squad from last issue has fused Starscream’s upper half with a H.I.S.S. tank, resulting in a true Transformers/G.I. Joe crossover! Much of the issue is spent es...

Void Rivals has better things to do tonight than die! It does and it continues here with issue # 13! Void Rivals is Robert Kirkman and Lorenzo De Felici’s sci-fi comic that tells the tale of two crumbling planets linked by a “Sacred Ring” (it’s not Halo), their peoples at war for generations. When a member of each culture are stranded together, the two find they must put aside their differences if they want to survive. This story takes place in the so-called “Energon Universe”, Skybound Entertainment’s initiative to relaunch properties like Transformers and G.I. Joe within a shared universe that also happens to include the original characters and setting of Void Rivals. It’s the start of a new arc in this thirteenth issue, as our titular characters take separate paths again. Solila ventures deeper into the depths of Zertonia while Darak returns home to Agorria with Springer. Oh and Pythona and the Skuxxoid poke their heads into the plot. Pythona? So Cobra-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA!!! is invol...

Creators : Dan Watters (Writer), Andrei Bressan (Artist), Adriano Lucas (Colorist), Rus Wooton (Letterer). Story : Tomax and Xamot are showing Cobra Commander around their newly acquired M.A.R.S. Corporation and what they can do with it when they come across Destro and a fight breaks out.  Outside, Scrap-Iron, Chameleon and Mercer take on the Crimson Guard.  During their fight, Destro and the Twins talk about the future, all the while Cobra Commander looks on.  Finally, the Overkill system is activated but Destro keeps it from killing the Twins.  He proposes they work together, under Cobra, because of the changes the world is going to see.  They agree.  Later, Destro and Astoria Carlton-Ritz are eating dinner while Destro launches a missile to take out the Overkill system. Later, Destro and distant cousin Darklon are at their ancestral tomb and Darklon apologizes for selling M.A.R.S. but Destro says the Evader Driver needs to wear a family mask, like the f...

Is it More Than Meets The Eye Time? You bet! With Robert Kirkman’s Void Rivals having launched Skybound’s Energon Universe, noted writer/artist rolled-into-one Daniel Warren Johnson takes the reins on the linchpin of this initiative, the flagship Transformers comic series! Well, he maintains the reins on the writing of this series at least, as does Mike Spicer on colors. Jorge Corona has taken over regular penciling duties with a style all his own. However, this thirteenth issue sees Jason Howard step in to pencil a sort of one-off story. We last saw Starscream gravely wounded and thrown to his death by Soundwave. As he lies in disarray, here we get an origin tale for the treacherous Seeker that plays out in his memories. Starscream’s origin? That’s what I said. The being known as “Starscream” is born here, as we flashback to his more idealistic and youthful days on Cybertron. Then known as “Ulchtar” (a nice deep-cut reference to a pre-production name for the character), he pals around...