BotTalk Reviews

Yo Joe? Uh… not yet. This is Duke # 1, a brand-new comic series published by Skybound Entertainment and starring the non-ninja frontman of G.I. Joe, Conrad Hauser AKA Duke! With Robert Kirkman’s Void Rivals having launched Skybound’s new Energon Universe, G.I. Joe is the second Hasbro property to take its place in this new world after Transformers. Rather than a typical G.I. Joe team book, they’ve opted to do solo Duke and Cobra Commander books to lead it off. After making his debut in Transformers # 2, Duke’s all set to go on his own adventure. He witnessed Starscream transform and kill his comrade Tyler Frost in that issue, but now finds himself the victim of a cover-up as the US government flat-out denies the existence of transforming alien jets! What’s a Duke to do but go rogue and try and uncover a conspiracy that has coiled its way deep under the surface of America? Yo… Larry Hama? Nope, Larry Hama’s doing his own thing, so if you’re looking for more traditional Joe fare, go chec...

At Lucy's funeral Mina and Johnathon stand in the rain. Dracula is spotted, but he will not enter the grounds. In the asylum Lucy and Renfield have a conversation, much to her father's consternation. As Dr. Seward and Van Helsing discuss the situation Dracula sinks his teeth into Mina. Again, I feel I have little to say about the actual events of the issue. There are differences with the source material... but I feel like that is a given. So many versions of Dracula exist, each with its own changes and nuances. The art is the absolute highlight of this series. Some pages feel completely soaked with blood. The feeling of dread and foreboding radiates off the pages. Even something simple as Mina in the rain feels otherworldly. eight out of ten.

Creators : Joshua Williamson (Writer), Tom Reilly (Artist), Jordie Bellaire (Colourist), Rus Wooton (Letterer) Plot : We get a brief history of Duke's exploits in the US Army while he's talking to Colonel Hawk, who is concerned about Duke's recent change due to an event where he saw a friend of his killed by a transforming jet but the government is covering it up and Duke just wants answers. He eventually meets up with Dr. Adele Burkhart and together, try to find some answers about possible aliens or high technology. With her help, he infiltrates M.A.R.S. Industries and sees the high-tech war machines that they are producing. He fights Mercer who, along with the other guards, kicks Duke out after ruffing him up a bit. Duke returns to Dr. Burkhart's house to find it ransacked and she is near death but passes what "whoever did that to her" was after to him. After a run in with the police, Duke runs off. Colonel Hawk decides to find Duke and wants the best to do ...

eBook by Jonathan Maberry Cover by Guillem H. Pongiluppi Illustrations by Patrick Zircher From Titan Books and Heroic Signatures Spoilers! Spoilers! Very loosely based on the real life of Thiess of Kaltenbrun aka the Livonian werewolf. Swedish Livonia, near the Baltic Sea, 1598 AD, about a couple of years after the events of "The Return of Sir Richard Grenville". Solomon stumbles upon a strange massacre: a farming community decimated by Kurt Grieg, a Nachzehrer from Austria and his gang of brigands. Will Kane file a grievance with the state of New York or will he unleash a world of hurt on the demonic Kurt? Will the villagers be avenged? Will our heroes get to the chopper on time? You'll have to download the ebook to find out. It's a well-researched narrative that lifts the veil on the secrets of the benandanti werewolves of Italy. We discover that these "Good Walkers" are actually benevolent Catholic lycanthropes that serve God. Each born with a caul, a mas...

Creators : Larry Hama (Writer), Chris Mooneyham (Artist), Francesco Segala (Colorist), Sabrina Del Grosso (Flatter), Pat Brosseau (Letterer) Plot : Serpentor begins his plans with his new, mutated, forces, to invade Springfield. In Arlington, the Joe team buries one of their own (killed in the last issue) with full military decorations. In Springfield, Cobra Commander addresses the citizens and prepares them for Serpentor's eventual invasion. In New Jersey, Revanche is monitoring the Serpentor/Cobra situation. Back at the G.I. Joe headquarters, they too are monitoring the Cobra situation and explain why their fallen ally was given such a burial (due to his history with Stalker, Storm Shadow and Snake-Eyes in Southeast Asia). At Snake-Eye's cabin, Timber's wolf pack drops off a puppy for them as they talk about the future. Story : This is another set-up issue. We get to see what the major story-arc is going to be going forward (Cobra vs. Serpentor's mutated forces) and h...

Over drinks Harry tells Tom that he misses Voyager. After they returned from the Delta Quadrant he didn't fit in on other ships and started taking on other, bigger jobs. As the attack begins the Tzenkethi, Starfleet and Romulans battle the attackers. In the end, Sisko is literally stabbed in the back by the Romulan Commander. This was a solid issue. We learn more of the Tzenkethi, specifically that the attackers are their evolutionary ancestors. The conversation between Harry and Tom is nice, and I really like this characterization of Harry. It fits and isn't extreme or over the top. Facing the impossible and trying to survive daily for seven years changed him from a naive ensign. As a fan of the Romulans I find them underused in this issue... though the final page certainly has an impact. seven out of ten.

Spock dreams of Captain Pike, feeling that it may not be him but some other force trying to communicate with him. On the bridge Worf informs the senior staff that Rasmussen is headed for Talos IV. He also reveals that while General Order Seven was lifted, the Talosians are not allowed to leave the planet in an unspoken quarantine policy. Suddenly, Sisko, Riker and Janeway show up telling them to turn the Defiant over to one of them. Spock arrives and informs them they are not on the Defiant, but already on the surface of Talos IV. Rasmussen plans on leaving Talos IV with a Talosian so he can sell their perfect illusions. The entire set up is a ruse created by the Keeper. He wants to leave Talos IV and explore. He used Rasmussen, allowing him to think he had control over the Keeper in a bid to eventually leave the planet. Rasmussen is arrested. The Keeper asks Worf to take him with them... but is denied. Later, Worf gives orders for Ro and B'Elanna to repair Rasmussen's...

Picard attempts to go over strategy with several other cadets during an exam. They fail. Later, an argument with Resh leads to him reading Picard's mind without permission which turns into a fistfight. Picard is determined to prove himself and pass the exam. I'm a little unclear on what exactly is going on. The issue opens with the cadets taking an evasive maneuvers exam... which they fail. But they can retake the exam the next day? Or a different exam? Having Picard butt heads with a person nearly as stubborn as him is fine, but we've seen this confrontation before. Again, I'd prefer a non YA, cutesy pie artwork Academy mini series. This just grates on my nerves as it progresses. six out of ten.

aka Les Ombres de Thulé Basil Poledouris's Conan the Barbarian soundtrack starts playing in the background... Have recent graphic novels been failing to enrich your lives lately? Time to rejoice! Humanoids, Inc. / Les Humanoïdes Associés come to us in our hour of need with a fresh new horror comic chock-full of deadly serious dark fantasy goodness. Vallum Antonini, 163 AD. With the help of the enchantress Ithome, the vengeance consumed General Horatius of Rome wants to summon the Hirudinea, dark deities known as the Shadows of Thule to destroy the Pictish people who murdered his pregnant wife. Unbeknownst to him, Ithome has an ulterior plan: Use the Hirudinea to eradicate Rome! Will the seals on the seven megaliths be reinforced in time? Will the Lovecraftian leeches be able break down this barrier that divides our dimensions? With the assistance of the Gaels and Thorfel, a Hemsworth look-alike Celtic Roman soldier, will a doppelgänger of Robert E. Howard's Bran Mak Morn: The L...

The hijacked Enterprise fires on the alien ship which is being flown by Mr Spock. Spock attempts to reason with the crew of the alien ship, to little avail. Meanwhile, Sam and the alien who hijacked the Enterprise are blown into space and rescued by Number One. After a heartfelt speech from Pike, the alien returns the Enterprise to him. As Spock arrives offering assistance the Enterprise seemingly breaks apart. There is a lot going on in this issue. Perhaps too much. The race aspect, which I have not been a fan of since issue one is downplayed here. Pike getting control of the Enterprise and Spock taking control of the alien ship are the main beats of this issue, which make it the best one thus far. six out of ten.

Is it time for fighty-robo-time?? You betcha! This is a brand-new Transformers comic series after nearly ten months of no new Transformers comics! With Robert Kirkman’s Void Rivals having launched Skybound’s new Energon Universe, noted writer/artist rolled-into-one Daniel Warren Johnson takes the reins on what will likely be the linchpin of this new initiative. In this third issue, the humans continue to be caught up in the metal-on-metal crunch as the Autobots and Decepticons continue their battle. Who will pay the price for getting in between these duelling giants?? Do more deer die?? YES! Optimus Prime has developed a lust for the feeling of innocent land mammals splattering under his boot, and declares open season on them!!! … No, of course not. Our story continues at pace as Cliffjumper follows Carly home to ensure her safety, but gets more than he bargained for when Laserbeak and angry, confused humans attack him! Remember the early-to-mid-to-late Marvel comics, when humans could...