BotTalk Reviews

Jim Zub's The Nomad: A Tale of Conan the King A mysterious migrant arrives in Tarantia, the capital of Aquilonia, he tells the guards that he wants an audience with Conan. High councillor, Publius and King Conan (the Ruler of Aquilonia) welcome the pale stranger. To obtain his "gift", Conan needs to offer his cadaverous visitor three days of hospitality. Conan is well aware of Melnibonéans (Michael Moorcock's Elric of Melniboné appeared in Conan the Barbarian (1970) #14 & #15), so he gives the frail drifter the benefit of the doubt, a chamber and servants. Day 1 of the stranger's stay. Pallantides, the General/Commander of the Black Dragons (the king's guardsmen) thinks that Conan has gone mad. Could the offbeat foreigner be a white wolf in sheep's clothing? Conan defeats Pallantides in a sparring session. Day 2 of the stranger's stay. Queen Zenobia informs her Cimmerian husband that the newcomer is making her and her servants nervous... the nomad ...

And now the conclusion! The crew is in 1985 on Earth attempting to find extra whales to help keep the species alive in the 24th century, along for the journey are the two beluga whales, will they find these whales and make it back? For some reason there’s a Klingon ship in orbit! For reasons! This second part is an improvement over the first part if nothing else. The landing party manage to find a way out to sea, they manage to wrap everything up and for some reason there’s a Klingon ship in orbit as well that they dispatch easily as it’s a 20th century Klingon ship. For all that, the plot is pointless and throwing in a Klingon ship (for reasons!) doesn’t add anything to the story, not even tension, it’s at least an enjoyable read where you’re at least not bored and just wondering when it ends. At least it moves along if just a bit rushed, but they only have so many pages to wrap this story up, at least this time they avoided the usual time tropes of pointing out how weird and crazy th...

New World Era! With Robert Kirkman’s Void Rivals having launched Skybound’s Energon Universe, he now takes the writing reins of the flagship Transformers comic series as well, with Dan Mora now on pencils and Mike Spicer still on colors. Previous artist Jorge Corona also contributes to this inaugural issue as Kirkman begins to reshape the Energon Universe! In this extra-sized twenty-fifth issue, it’s a new day as the Autobots and Decepticons recover from their last epic clash. Megatron stews in the failures of his troops, while Optimus prepares to make new human allies. And on Cybertron, Elita One comes to a momentous decision! So what’s up with this “Kirk Man” fellow? He any good? If you’ve been reading these reviews, you know I haven’t been a fan of Daniel Warren Johnson’s writing on this series, so I was looking forward to someone, ANY-one taking over. Robert Kirkman has never been my favorite comic book writer, but he HAS a track record of producing stuff I’ve enjoyed. I’m happy to...

Creators : Tim Seeley, Juann Cabal, and Rex Lokus Story :  Decades after their fame, journalist Hector Ramirez of "Twenty Questions" tracks down the members of the Heavy Metal band Cold Slither to see what they are up to now.  We follow Hector as he visits each member in their new lives and how they remember those old days.  Writer :  What a "banger" of an issue.  This just plays up the classic "Behind the Music" trope while incorporating aspects from classic G.I. Joe (mainly, Mr. Ramirez) with a bit of modern-technology added into the storytelling.   You can tell the team had a few directions they could have taken this story and had fun doing it.  There are references galore to old G.I. Joe stories sprinkled here and there in this issue.  Art : Art is great; for their modern look, some of the Dreadnoks got some sensible updates but you can still easily tell it's them. Colors are good as well.  Some nice references to other Hasbro animated te...

Three of the red shirts dangle on the antenna array while taking sniper fire.  Meanwhile, inside the base they discover a warp core.  The base is actually a starship.  As the core is brought online two of the Romulans make it to the Beam Out point, only for one of the red shirts to jump into the matter stream.  The result is horrifying once it materializes.  The other two red shirts that were on the antenna are beamed out by a cloaked ship in orbit... one that belongs to the Klingons. One of the Romulans operating from the Bird of Prey is named Neral.  I'm not sure if this is supposed to be the same character from TNG and DS9.  As that character eventually becomes Praetor, I assume it is.  Honestly that name drop is the most interesting thing about this issue.  More red shirts perish.  The story continues to meander along.  The introduction of Klingons here could be interesting.  But I expect it will be just an excuse to up the...

Kane, a very wealthy man, travels to a remote island.  There the lead scientist tells about their recent breakthrough in virus research.  Kane is eager to take the experimental drug, as he has less than a year to live.  After some reluctance Kane is given the treatment.  He wakes up and finds everyone around him has a blank face.  He runs outside and fines the lead scientist who tells him the experiment mutated after it entered Kane's system.  Before he mutates as well he gives Kane a cure.  Once taken it will spread and reverse the effects.  Kane ponders this, but ultimately does not take the cure.  Content with his restored health, youth and millions of dollars in the bank. Written by Dan Watters and illustrated by Morgan Beem this first issue is... fine.  Twilight Zone is one of those things that is so hard to capture the feeling of.  They've tried again and again over the years.  The movie, the 80s revival, the early 2000s ...

Scourge of the Serpent part 1 (of 4): Stealing Faces & Finery. The epic new Conan event from Heroic Signatures and Titan Comics continues. The Thurian Age of Kull (from Robert E. Howard's The Shadow Kingdom). Pictish warrior, Brule the Spear-Slayer is chilling with Gonar the Seeker (from Kings of the Night). Brule wants to know if Kull the Conqueror is a camouflaged Serpent-Man. Gonar reassures Brule that if he utters the unfamiliar words: "Ka nama kaa lajerama!", it will melt away Kull's human disguise, exposing him as a Serpent-Man.  Gonar glimpses three heroes from the Howardverse: Kull of Atlantis, Conan the Barbarian and Professor John Kirowan in separate time periods... all are prepared to take on Set's servants. Brule the Spear-Slayer is wearing the gleaming, mystic armlet of the dragon; he scales the walls of the royal palace, reaches Kull's window and verifies the King's humanity. Brule shows King Kull of Valusia that his palace is jam-packed ...

The experiments continue.  The invisibility serum is tested on animals, most do not survive and are quietly disposed of.  A one eyed cat manages to not only survive but escapes.  People report hearing a squalling cat but never seeing one, of a fish seemingly walking away from the local market.  When Dr. Jack Griffin's lab rival acquires an ape for experimentation he invites the cat in... and it kills the ape.   The story continues to progress at a nice pace.  Not too fast nor too slow.  This issue opens with some time between Jack and Flora Cranley, which is much needed.  They want to be together but the demands of society seem determined to keep them apart.  Later, when Jack kisses her she is more worried about appearances.  Appearances, which is something that keeps coming up in this series.  Seen and unseen.  How things appear, and how they really are.  It is not over the top commentary nor does it bludgeon you over the...

The USS Sagan confronts a Gorn fleet.  Moments from destruction they accept an offer to join the Federation and avert an armed conflict... only for their ships to explode, as well as the Sagan.  Captain Sato and four others manage to beam out at the last minute. The Burn has just destroyed every Warp Core in the galaxy.  72 hours later the surviving Starfleet captains meet and discuss the situation on Earth.  Captain Sato suggests using Transwarp.  At this moment a Borg Queen seems to appear, taking everyone by surprise.  It is Agnes Jurati.  She proposes the use of Borg Transwarp technology in exchange for a position as Chief Engineer on a starship and access to a certain item on the Daystrom Institute Station.   A new ship is constructed, seemingly using the old frame of the USS Theseus.  Jurati visits Daystrom Station and resurrects James T. Kirk.   A lot going on this first issue, and many references.  The Burn comes from Star T...