Transformers Comic Review... (belated)

Transformers Beast Wars #4
The Gathering


Format: Limited Series (part four of four)

Writer: Simon Furman
Artist: Don Figueroa

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


Synopsis: Grimlock and Magmatron fight it out while the Maximals prepare to try and signal Cybertron elsewhere. Magmatron bests Grimlock, who falls to the ground offline. He plans to send the unconscious Megatron back to the future when Razorbeast reveals himself and challenges him. Elsewhere, Wolfang, B'Boom and the others are found and attacked by Ravage and his Predacon force. Wolfang tells the others to get out of the cave and keep the Predacons busy while he completes sending the message off. Razorbeast uses his chronal armband to phase in and out of time sync around Magmatron and keep him off-balance. Meanwhile, Ravage's Predacons herd the Maximals together and plan to finish them off when a bunch of Maximal reinforcements show up in the nick of time and attack them. As Magmatron is busy, Optimus Minor steals the time transponder thingy off Megatron, effectively removing him from being able to return to the future with Magmatron. Razorbeast knocks Magmatron into the time machine platform and he is sent back to the future and Cybertron alone. Elsewhere, the surviving Predacons retreat and the various Maximals compare notes. The transwarp signal was successfully sent but they don't know if it got through or not--and even if it did, how long it will take for them to be found. Two weeks go by and Razorbeast thinks how he could've removed Megatron as a threat permanently but chose not to. Prowl tells him he did the right thing ultimately...

Comments: A satisfactory ending to this mini-series. Honestly, I kind of wish we could've had a more engaging story with more on the line. This story was okay and a good introduction to IDW's Beast Wars continuity but not terribly satisfying on its own. The characterization was enjoyable as was the wonderful artwork. I hope the inevitable future stories will make some more interesting plots as they come. (I bought the Guidi cover, btw).

This issue is mildly recommended.
This series on a whole is mildly recommended.