Transformers Comic Review...

Transformers Beast Wars #3
The Gathering

Format: Limited Series (part three of four)

Writer: Simon Furman
Artist: Don Figueroa

(Covers by James Raiz, Guido Guidi, Nick Roche and Don Figueroa)

Synopsis: Razorbeast and his team enter the Ark, moving right past Optimal Optimus, Cheetor and Rhinox without their noticing (Razorbeast and co. are still out of time phase). Elsewhere, Transquito leads a team into a swamp to locate some more reactivated protoforms. There, they are attacked by the BW Mutants (Soundwave, Icebird and Poison Bite) and Icebird warns them off. The survivors flee (Retrax and Transquito are apparently killed and Powerpinch is injured--apparently left to fend for himself). Elsewhere, Magmatron resurrects Ravage (in Tripredacus Agent's form). Back to Razorbeast and his team on the Ark who find equipment he figures they can use to activate the transwarp signal booster to work long enough to signal Cybertron. Snarl has activated a Maximal probe and observes Magmatron's Predacons moving toward Megatron's base. Magmatron and his warriors attack Megatron and subdue him then take him out of time-phase with them (before Inferno and Quickstrike come to the rescue). Razorbeast tells his men that Magmatron means to bring Megatron back with him to Cybertron to make the Tripredacus Council happy--this can work to distract them while he lays the groudwork for his coup. He orders Bonecrusher and Snarl back to base with the equipment they took while he and Optimus Minor go to try and stop Magmatron from leaving this time period. To their east, Ravage orders five Predacons at his command to search out Razorbeast's encampment and report it's location back to him--he'll do the rest. At the encampment, Ramulus, Wolfang and B'Boom wait and worry, unaware of the lurking danger. Magmatron and his team put Megatron in place, readying him for the journey back to Cybertron while Razorbeast and Optimus Minor watch them from a hiding place. Razorbeast plans to do something and tells him they'll need a distraction... just then, an intruder encroaches on Magamtron and the
group--it's Grimlock!

Comments: Whew! I was worried for a moment there that Furman might not get his favorite Transformer of all time snuck into the story somehow but it seems I was worried for naught. Here's Grimlock! The way this guy talks, he certainly seems like the classic G1 character (although whether he is or not is uncertain until next issue). Otherwise, I have to say I love Wolfang's face/head design! It, like Razorbeast's head, is really distinctive looking (and cool!) This issue was interesting and lots happened in it but I do worry that this mini-series won't resolve much ultimately. We all know Megatron can't go back to Cybertron (and certainly won't) so there's no real drama there. I also get the feeling Furman was setting up some future tale with the Mutants (or just accounting for them--but that seems like a waste of time to me). I do hope the Mutants get a future tale--their one comic tale so far (in the Botcon Wreckers comic) was terrible--they got killed in one issue, relegated to death off-camera and never got to actually do anything! Er, yeah... anyway. As to the main story... will Magmatron ultimately be defeated? And, if so, what will the follow-up comics do with the Beast Wars? Or will we have to suffer the "you beat me--THIS time!" scenario and look forward to multiple attempts on his part to undermine the timeline.
All in all, a good issue...
(My comic shop had only two copies left. One of the Figueroa cover and one of the Guidi cover--I went with the Guidi one. I liked it slightly better).


Mildly Recommended.