Bottalk Reviews

eBook by Steven L. Shrewsbury Cover by Gary Gianni (that Raven helmet is pretty fly! Brân means Raven) Illustrations by Patrick Zircher  From Titan Books and Heroic Signatures Spoilers! Spoilers!  The past... We are witnessing the last great battle of Bran Mak Morn. Picts and Romans are fighting. Bran Mak Morn, of the blood of Brule the Spear-slayer (the friend of King Kull of Valusia who reigned thousands of years ago before Atlantis sank) kills a Decurion (a Roman cavalry officer). Alaric and Bran's son Gallam are also there. Old Scottish priest Father Rogan stirs Dr. Elijah Blackthorn from his vision/reading. Dr. B, a psychometric archaeologist with the Miskatonic Institute of Technology awakens in an ancient Scottish Episcopal church, the Rosslyn Chapel. Dr. B spots Purple sashes of Advent (violet is the colour of royalty) anticipating the arrival of the King of Kings, Jesus Christ. Dr. B has a special talent, artifacts talk to him, he only has to touch them and their secrets

Jim Zub's The Age Unconquered part 1: Suffer Not the King of Wonders, starts here. Conan stabbed himself in the chest and died on the way back to his home planet? The End? Nope! Not the end. Conan gets The Terminator treatment and gets sent back in time by unknown mystical forces to the Thurian Age (The Age of Atlantis), the epoch of Atlantean King Kull of Valusia and his buddy Brule, the Spear-Slayer, a Pict of the Borni tribe. We see Brule once again piercing the loathsome Black Stone statue with his blessed spear from way back in issue #4. Lighting from heaven's grasp strikes the spear and the obelisk shatters. Time traveler Conan still alive with his clothes, horned helmet and Brule's sword, emerges from the destroyed Black Stone sculpture, you know, like in Ghostbusters with the charred Terror Dogs. Brule's Pictish warriors suggest killing the slime covered barbarian from the future. The Spear-Slayer stops them. A confused Conan does not remember Brule (from previo

Creators : Joshua Williamson (Writer), Tom Reilly (Artist), Jordie Bellaire (Colourist) Story : Picking right up where last issue left off, the Pit is being raided by Major Bludd's forces as Stalker is trying to stop them to no avail and is unable to contact anyone for support and Duke is being held at gunpoint by the Baroness as Rock 'n Roll and Clutch fight off more troops.  Duke and the Baroness exchange some words and Duke calls her bluff and they decide to (again) work together to get out of the situation.  Stalker arrives and updates everyone on the situation and they decide, seeing a hole opened in the floor, to go down deeper into the Pit to escape.  They enter an old garage/warehouse full of tanks and other experimental vehicles and Clutch and Duke come up with a plan.  Outside, Major Bludd returns, much worse for wear after getting shot and orders his troops to continue the fight.  Just then, a bunker opens and out rushes a Skystriker Combat Jet, APC [Amphibious Perso

The all-new PREQUEL to the original simian sci-fi classic from 1968 is almost over. Zira spies on the Hominidae empire, a city of gorilla soldiers. Cornelius (now with a completely healed shoulder) spots our favourite hippie chimpanzee Lucius. Zira wants to go to this new city to save her nephew, Nova doesn't want her to go.  Back to Hope's Point (the ruins of Yankee Stadium). Mutant leader Ivana tells Zira that they have been at peace with the Hominidae empire FOR GENERATIONS. Zira thinks that the Gorillas could be planning an invasion of her city (Ape City). Zira selfishly suggests to the mutants that they should attack the Hominidae empire first, before they too are raided. Sniper Kennard and Lyla like the idea of invading the empire. Clairvoyant Ivana reaches again telepathically into Nova's mind, this time using "The Wizard of Oz" as a template. Ivana mentions once more Mendez, the mutant leader living beneath the radioactive ruins of New York City from Benea

The Defiant bridge crew face off against the parasites, killing several.  Meanwhile, Sela is on route to the Defiant when her ship strikes a mine.  A message from her father is less than welcoming.  Later, he offers to restore her reputation within the Romulan government by working with him.  After a brief discussion about her mother she rejects his offer.  Meanwhile, the Defiant crew continue to battle the parasites, and argue with each other, when B'Elanna Torres attacks them.  She has been infected with a parasite.   This issue feels very rushed and jumbled.  The Defiant bridge crew continue to bicker with one another, mostly directed at Worf.  It feels out of place given their current situation though.  Instead of Star Trek it feels more like a Syfy channel action movie.  Sela's story is interesting but I'm unsure about her face turn.  It's not unwelcome.  Some of my favourite characters are those who seek redemption like Magneto.  I think it needs to grow and expan

Creators : Larry Hama (writer), Chris Mooneyham (artist), Francesco Segala (colourist), Sabrina Del Grosso (flatter), Pat Brosseau (letterer) Story : Cobra is investigating the remains of the three modified Vipers that Dawn took out last issue while Dawn is back at her parent's house, reporting to Duke.  She notices her neighbour, a Crimson Guard approaching but her parents take him out and she flees.  Duke now feels that they are in a position where they can act.  Elsewhere in the Pit, Mainframe, Airtight and Black Hat are examining the remains of one of the modified Vipers that attacked Snake Eyes and Scarlett.  One of the hands is still active and attacks but Stalker arrives and destroys it.   Elsewhere in the Pit, Spirit, Lady Jaye and Multo are preparing to take out the three modified Vipers stalking above before they actually discover the entrance and drop a nerve gas grenade down it.  After a struggle, the three Joes are able to stop the Vipers.  On Cobra Island, Serpentor K

Creators : Joshua Williamson (Writer), Andrea Milana (Artist), Annalisa Leoni (Colorist), Rus Wooton (Letterer) Story : Picking up where we last left off, Cobra Commander's companion is in the Florida Everglades looking for him as we go to the Commander, being attacked underwater by some alligators that are more than meets the eye.  We then see him get some assistance.  At a bar, Ripper and Zarana arrive and talk to the gathered individuals about "the juice" they have.  They know it's a fuel and they can sell it for a pretty penny.  We then see Zandar show up with Cobra Commander in chains.  They put him in a chain and try to take off his mask but Ripper gets zapped by it as Buzzer laughs and they get into a fight.  Torch arrives and tries to melt it off to little success.  They then each take turns torturing Cobra Commander for information and to try to get him to take off his mask but he remains silent.  When Zandar starts, Cobra Commander tells him his brother Zart

The space battle begins and the Theseus is caught in the middle.  Kim offers help but Sisko refuses, not trusting him.  Dr. Crusher sends a message informing Sisko the Tzenkethi planet core is dead.  Soon, the planet will explode.  The crew grasp for solutions.  Sisko makes a speech while the planet core is stabilized.  The space battle ends.  The Romulan commander dies... at the feet of Praetor Shinzon.  At issue's end T'Lir appears with a new mission for Sisko. I had hoped that Scotty and Crusher would be the ones to solve the problem of Tzenkethi's unstable core, especially since that story thread felt so disconnected from the main story.  Sisko's solution feels... very deus ex machina.  It just happens.  Still, I enjoyed this arc and the inclusion of Shinzon was certainly a surprise.  I would have liked a final scene between Sisko and Kim or at the very least Tom and Kim.   seven out of ten.

PREPARE FOR DEVASTATION? Well, I hope not! 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! In this sixth instalment, the Autobots are again on the back foot as Starscream has unleashed Devastator upon them! With Optimus Prime seconds from death, will someone make the ultimate sacrifice to ensure the Autobots live to fight another day? SPOILER- Yep. Someone dies? Yes, this is a “SOMEONE DIES!” issue. Not that DWJ’s been shy about killing characters before, but this one was kinda built up to and served more of a story purpose, as opposed to the “shock” deaths of previous issues. I feel like the moment itself isn’t quite as impactful as what will follow from it, but I didn’t see it coming, at least and it makes the final page hit harder. DWJ’s not been shy on action and violence either, and the Autobots’

On DS9 Sisko has a discussion with Jake and Nog.  Jake feels like being a writer is not as important to him as it once was and Nog has accepted a post on the USS Burton but admits he finds it hard fitting in.  Jake goes to interview Alexander when Q's son appears. Q Junior offers Alexander a glimpse of another way.  He snaps his fingers and Jake, Nog and Alexander are suddenly in strange Starfleet uniforms, on an unfamiliar ship, face to face with Tuvix and Mariner.  Jake hugs Jadzia but the reunion is cut short by a red alert. On the bridge Jake encounters the Captain... Dukat.  The Breen destroy the ship but Junior resets time, giving the trio another chance. When I heard about this comic I was skeptical.  But the execution is intriguing.  I felt the Day of Blood crossover did a lot of damage to the character of Alexander, especially since the old expanded universe novels had him as a successful Ambassador.  I do feel there are way too many familiar faces on the ship.  Jadzia, Tu

What’s new in the world of Skybound and Hasbro’s VOID RIVALS?? Void Rivals continues here with issue # 7! 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 seventh issue, Darak and Solila are on the run in the wastelands between Zertonia and Agorria while Zalilak frees the deadly hunter Proximus from captivity to track them down. The Zertonian premier fears that the duo could jeopardize civilization as they know it by bringing forth someone or something named “Gol

eBook by Violet Castro Cover by Jenny Frison Illustrations by Patrick Zircher  From Titan Books and Heroic Signatures Spoilers! Spoilers!  A storm is battering Bêlit's ship the Tigress, crewmates are flying overboard. First mate Seneka, an expert tracker, is trying to protect Bêlit from the storm, They've been together for five years. The Tigress stops moving suddenly, they have hit land, an island. Hassan starts assessing the damage. Bêlit hits the beach, removes her boots and devours a fallen blood fruit from a nearby tree.  Hassan needs to work on the mast and to cut down trees to repair the Tigress's belly. Seneka, Mithras and Zeke will gather fruit, coconuts and make a fire. Nora will fish. They eat under the clouds that are obscuring the stars and preventing them from knowing their position. They start exploring the island in teams. Zeke and Mithras into the jungle. Nora and Homer to the left. Horus and Ajani to the right. The teen Mithras returns to tell Bêlit that N