Sunday, July 16, 2006

Transformers Comic Review...

Transformers Infiltration #6

Writer: Simon Furman
Artist: E.J. Su

(Covers by E.J. Su, Guido Guidi, Klaus Scherwinski and Nick Roche)


Synopsis: Starscream charges up on the new Energon they'd discovered while his troops worry about facing Megatron. Elsewhere, Ratchet gets the three humans to safety and thanks them for their help--its time for them to step back and let the others deal with matters. Wheeljack, Jazz, Prowl, Sunstreaker and Ironhide travel to the Decepticon's current base while Bumblebee is already there and keeping tabs on what's going on. Megatron materializes and yells Starscream's name. Starscream dispatches Astrotrain, Runamuck, Runabout and Thundercracker to take him on... however, Megatron warns them they risks their lives going against him so they promptly stand down. Starscream emerges, disgusted at his warriors cowardice and attacks Megatron. The two duel while the Autobot team arrives and save Bumblebee when Runabout notices his presence. Megatron finishes off Starscream, blasting a large hole through him and takes his warriors back inside the base. He is informed of the Autobots presence but all he says to them is the words "phase two" before retreating. The Autobot team retreat to their Ark base under Lake Michigan, unaware a covert team of humans is watching them as they do. Below, the strike team talk and Prowl says its time to call in Optimus Prime, unaware he has already arrived...

Comments: So Infiltration ends and we await the direct continuation in Escalation #1. I'm not sure why IDW is taking this type of strategy, where one story is a series and then the next story starts back at issue one again. I would think that would be more confusing to the casual reader then to just continue on with issue seven. Oh well... As for the story itself, it was both what I was expecting as the pay off and simultaneously a bit of a letdown. Starscream gets his butt kicked which was cool but we know he will survive his damage and come back to scheme another day. In considering the entire six issues, I think there could've been more story although this still wasn't a bad tale overall--at least some stuff happened (unlike back during the Dreamwave days when we could go an entire series and have nothing at all happen!) I liked the human characters, who weren't annoying, and hope they continue to be in the story despite the fans who hate humans. I liked some of the gradual revealing of many of the story aspects as well. The artwork was consistent and fairly good all around. I also don't think the story was anything truly revolutionary but at least it was entertaining... in the future, I hope we get more Transformer and human characterization as well as some unexpected story twists.

Highly recommended.







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