Bottalk Reviews

Who is Rivalling the Void this month?? Void Rivals continues here with issue # 10! It’s Robert Kirkman and Lorenzo De Felici new 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 new 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 tenth issue, Springer’s battle with Proximus comes to an end, and Darak and Solila learn more about how their planets and Cybertron are connected. So we learn more about what makes the Energon Universe, the Energon Universe? Yup! The nature of Energon itself and how it interacts with Darak and Solila’s people is explored. Springer ha

Kate works with local law enforcement.  They want the Creature and Kate wants the serial killer.  In the Black Lagoon they spot something, which turns out to be a body strapped with explosives.  Kate is knocked in the water and after briefly coming face to face with the Creature, is taken to a cave.  She confronts the serial killer, but is not prepared for his appearance.  He has modified himself to resemble the Creature.   It feels like little happens this issue.  Kate struggles to work with anyone and even after seeing the Creature is seemingly unconcerned with it.  She is solely focused.  The final pages are interesting.  The twist of the killer modifying himself to look like the Creature is unexpected.  I thought perhaps we were looking at the modified Creature from the final film (The Creature Walks Among Us).  But no.  I'm not sure this comic knows what it wants to be.  Does it want to be somewhat gritty crime noir?  Or does it want to venture into a modern take on the Creat

While Worf and Ro battle the mother creature Sela attempts to shake Spock out of his mental flux, brought on by the hive mind.  Spock manages to bring the infected Starbase crew back to normal and the parasites begin to explode.  Nymira beams the crew back to the Defiant as she confronts the mother creature and sacrifices herself to defeat it and close the portal.  Two days later the crew is seemingly back to normal.  Hugh leaves the ship and Sela's father shows up.  He congratulates her on capturing the Defiant, Spock and Worf. I'm not sure I like Spock's mind being overwhelmed by the mother parasite.  We've seen this sort of thing before, V'Ger for instance.  I suppose it is one way to get across the threat the parasites pose.  Having Sela be the one to bring Spock out of his mental flux was great though.  Hugh leaving feels very abrupt.  I don't mind the somewhat rotating cast of characters this title has, I just wish it felt more organic at times.   seven ou

Creators : Larry Hama (Writer), Paul Pelletier (Pencils), Tony Kordos (Inks), Francesco Segala (Colorist), Sabrina Del Grosso (Flatter), Pat Brosseau (Letterer) Story : On Cobra Island, Revanche delivers a stealth bomber to Serpentor-Khan and he is quite impressed with it and wants more delivered. The G.I. Joe Infiltration team (Helix, Multo, Muskrat, and Wet-Suit) sees it and reports back to the Pit.  Duke, Stalker and Mainframe realize the bomber is probably intended for Springfield.  Mainframe then also shows them satellite footage of Dawn's parents being killed (from last issue).  Back on Cobra Island, Serpentor-Khan gets a report of a transmission leaving and has his forces track down the G.I. Joe team, which results in a running battle through the jungle.  At the Pit, Duke and Psyche-Out inform Dawn of her parent's death and console her, as Snake Eyes, Scarlett, and Storm Shadow remind her she has family in the Arashikage clan.  In Springfield, Cobra Commander is upset ab

Creators : Dan Watters (Writer), Andrei Bressan (Artist), Adriano Lucas (Colorist), Rus Wooton (Letterer) Story : In the Republic of Darklonia, the Prime Minister's palace is under siege by insurgents and when his troops try to fight them, they encounter a Battle Android Trooper (B.A.T.).  The troops then realize more are being dropped into the city and the BATs defeat the troops.  The Prime Minister calls Destro and surrenders; Destro arrives and says his cousin, Artyom Darklon, will take over and the Prime Minister shoots himself to avoid what the mob might do to him.  Destro is then in call with Cobra Commander, who is upset about his actions in Darklonia and they get into an argument over how M.A.R.S. Industries is working with Cobra, not subordinate to Cobra.  Destro then visits an ancestral shrine and seeks guidance from his ancestors about what to do with the Energon.  Weeks later, at Darklonia's arms convention we're introduced to other arms manufacturers - Boston,

Omnibus by John C. Hocking Dedicated to lovers of sword-and-sorcery and especially fans who waited for the Living Plague for so long Cover by Jeffrey Alan Love  Illustrations by Richard Pace From Titan Books and Heroic Signatures Also available unabridged on audiobook read by Bradford Hastings Spoilers! Spoilers!  CONAN AND THE EMERALD LOTUS (1995) Stygian mage Ethram-Fal aka the Shemite Eldred the Trader, resurrects the dormant immortal resident of the abandoned Palace of Cetriss (one of the world's mightiest sorcerers), a hybrid of plant and predatory fungus with an insatiable appetite for blood with the blood of his insolent apprentice (freshly executed by Captain Ath, also a Stygian who is given an addictive reddish leaf as a reward). The carnivorous plant's seeds are the sole source of the Emerald Lotus, an addictive green powder that enhances the abilities of sorcerers. The only side effects are growing cravings, madness and death.  Akkharia in Shem, ruled by King Sumuab

Sisko manages to talk himself into the Pleroma, along with Dr. Crusher.  Later, they enter and are confronted with the various god-like members.  Many of them familiar.  Apollo, Trelane, a Metron, a Tholian, Charles Evans, the Guardian of Forever, and several others.  T'Lir asks the assembled beings to restore the Organians.  They vote on the matter and the resurrection of the Organians fails.  As Dr. Crusher searches for her son a new entity arrives in the Pleroma... Sisko's mother.  If he does not leave the universe will burn.   The members of the Pleroma are a who's who of god-like beings from across the history of Star Trek.  Most of them are from the original series, but we get Kevin Uxbridge from TNG, The Caretaker and M'Benga's daughter from Strange New Worlds.  Even the Tholian Bright Eyes from the previous Star Trek ongoing series.  They are certainly better behaved than I expected.  The Wesley Crusher aspect I find intriguing.  I guess they are going to s

Prepare for battle! That’s right! 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 the linchpin of this new initiative, a brand-new Transformers comic series! Well, he maintains the reins on the writing of this series at least, as does Mike Spicer on colors. Jorge Corona takes over regular penciling duties with a style that barely misses a step from DWJ’s previous efforts. In this ninth issue, the Autobots take the fight to the Decepticons and drive them off Earth and everyone lives happily ever after! ...Right? No, of course not. Things go horribly, horribly awry. Wry, huh? Sounds funny. I said “A-wry”! Optimus and crew venture forth in Bizarro Action Master Jetfire to take down the Decepticons, but the Decepticons now have an operational space bridge and access to Cybertron. New characters enter the battle for Earth, and the Autobots find themselves on the back foot again! I