BotTalk Reviews

Okay first off let's talk about this issue's cover. This is the image for a season six we SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN. So IDW did it for this issue and good on them. This was something we needed and I like that they homaged the Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991) movie poster. Okay and now the thrilling conclusion! The Enterprise's cloak is malfunctioning. Katherine Pulaski comes to save the day. Crew reunited with each other.  Another happy ending. This is a solid issue wrapping up the five issue story arc. The writing fits the tone of how Lower Decks should be so hopefully we get more from these current writers and hopefully they keep it at this level.  I make no secret that I trash these comics monthly, but I am also honest enough to admit when one is good, and this Laapoonia arc was actually good. I laughed at the notes daring people to send in hate mail. And the next time on Star Trek but not really page was just great. However this was a five issue arc that essential...

eBook by Robbie MacNiven Cover by E. M. Gist  From Titan Books, Heroic Signatures & Conan Properties International LLC Spoilers! Spoilers!  Conan of Cimmeria is aware that a former cabin boy of Captain Zaporavo (killed by Conan in The Pool of the Black One) of the Wastrel is aboard the Heir of Argus.  Conan is also aware that the cabin boy is actually runaway Princess Elyka (the youngest daughter of King Codrin Saldius of Nemedia who fled Belverus (capital city of the kingdom of Nemedia)).  Conan joins the Zingaran and Argossean crew of the Heir of Argus in Messantia (capital port city of Argos). The captain of the Heir of Argus learns that Conan is wanted by Strom (who will die in The Black Stranger) of the Red Hand/King of the Barachans/Lord of the pirate city of Tortage. Brought in chains to Tortage, Conan makes sure that everyone hears that his cabin boy buddy is Princess Elyka.  Captain Gavrali (of Corinthia) kidnaps Conan (to sell him on Sark's Isle) a...

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 ...

Megatron belongs to somebody! He does and in this issue we find out who! 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. Ludo Lullabi returns on pencils with Mike Spicer on colors for this “breather” issue focused on Megatron! In this thirty-first issue, the secret of Megatron’s enforced servitude is revealed as his hidden master tightens the reins on the Decepticon leader! Has this got to do with the glow-y eyes and seizures Megs has been suffering? Yep! We finally learn who is pulling the strings of the Quintesson Dezimir who had put Megatron through those “trials” and how Megatron’s gun mode can control those who wield it. It’s a concept that has been utilized in Transformers fiction before and Kirkman looks to be offering a new spin on it. Megatron must undergo another series of trials in his own mind as his not-so-mysterious benefactor pits him against Decepticon leader...

A woman orders a product called Healthy Root.  Deciding not to eat it she puts it in a pot and takes care of it until a baby pops out.  As it continues to grow people become afraid of it, her landlord asks her to get rid of it.  She takes the plant baby out of the city and into a wooded area.  She attempts to leave it in the woods but can't bring herself to strand it alone.  The baby grows massive roots, becomes a tree and the two remain together. This is a nice little story... but not a Twilight Zone story.  The art is too cartoony for one.  I'm not saying it is bad at all.  You could expand on this and make it a children's book.  It just feels like its own thing with a Twilight Zone logo slapped on.  It also takes too much time to get going, which seems to have been a problem with several of these issues.  They spend too much time building to the 'thing'.  In a TV show it is necessary to establish characters.  In a comic...

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, ...

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...

Creators : Joëlle Jones, Declan Shalvey, Mike Spicer Story : As Cobra Commander watches, the Baroness infiltrates an opera house and heads to the catwalk with a rifle.  She spots her target and Destro in the audience.  She fires a shot that bounces off Destro's armored head and races to a box to find her target gone.  She looks down and sees him running away but her target encounters Destro.  The Baroness catches up and she fights Destro.  The Baroness is able to get away and intercepts her target's date who is hiding a G.I. Joe document on her person.  Destro receives a picture of the target dead and a note with coordinates.  He meets back up with the Baroness in Paris at the Hôtel Plaza Athénée and they share a kiss.   Writing : A new series of "sssilent" issues, this time focusing on Cobra operatives.  Like all other silent issues, this one has no dialogue.  That makes it a bit tricky to place when/where this takes place.  Is it ...

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...

Christine runs into Raoul Dubert, literally, and invites him to the play as the Phantom watches from above.  Later, Christine and the Phantom discuss her upcoming performance and he says the Inspector is but a distraction.  During her performance she collapses.  Megan, her understudy, receives a note that directs her to the roof.  She celebrates Christine's downfall, thinking it is her lover waiting... but it is the Phantom. Megan falls to her death.   As with many of these Universal Monsters minis the art is the prime attraction here.  Feeling like something from a 90s Vertigo book.  Even if you know little of the Phantom of the Opera I feel there is little of surprise as far as the story goes.  It moves from one thing to the next, rarely stopping.  But when it does offer a moment of reflection it is brilliantly rendered.   six out of ten.

As the Emerald Chain threatens the Council, Agnes charges in, only to be struck down.  Put before a vote, the Emerald Chain solidifies its place in the galaxy, while the Federation is stripped of its power.  Sato and Kirk disagree on a course of action.  While the doctor attempts to save Agnes, Kirk infiltrates the Emerald Chain ship in orbit.  Kirk attempts to sacrifice himself and take the ship with him but is beamed out.  Later, Sato confronts Kirk and together they sit on the bridge. As this mini series progressed it became less and less about Kirk.  Which was a bit disappointing.  Why bring him back just to put him on the sidelines, and not even as commander of a starship even.  This issue goes into what Kirk is thinking and feeling since being brought back.  It does much to put a band aid on the situation.  But where do we go from here?  We know how things will progress, somewhat, given what we know from Discovery.  Starf...

War continues, next on Void Rivals! The Quintesson War continues in issue # 28 of Void Rivals! Void Rivals is Robert Kirkman’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. Penciler Andrei Bressan and colorist Dee Cunniffe join Robert Kirkman for the fourth part of “Quintesson War”. In this instalment, the Quint invasion continues on both Agorria and Zertonia as the Quintessons up their game and level up in response to resistance from both planets. Proximus has had his suppressed memories unlocked and Cobra-La has en...