Comic Review...

Transformers Stormbringer #2

Writer: Simon Furman
Artist: Don Figueroa

(Covers by Don Figueroa)

Synopsis: Jetfire tells Bludgeon and his followers that he's insane! He can't control a reactivated Thunderwing! Bludgeon tells him he need not control it, merely guide it toward his purpose. The two have an exchange and Bludgeon reveals that he is trying to replicate Thunderwing's grafting process. Elsewhere, Optimus Prime recieves a distress call from the Calabi-Yau and decides something is wrong on Cybertron. He tells Searchlight to contact the Wreckers. Elsewhere, the Wreckers fight a major battle against the Decepticons... Springer, their leader, is contacted and told the Wreckers are needed on Cybertron. On Cybertron, Jetfire and Bludgeon verbily spar over reactivating Thunderwing. Bludgeon orders his minions to bring him to life and Jetfire tries valiantly to stop them but fails and is taken away. In hyperspace, Springer communicates with Optimus Prime over the comm and discuss the situation. Prime believes Thunderwing may be involved in things somehow. They agree to meet up near Lunar Two and Springer advises him to burn Cybertron, if it comes to that. Prime tells him he'll consider it and ends the communication. He thinks back to how Megatron told him the very same thing at the end of the original conflict and Prime resisted--telling him he'd fight Megatron every step of the way should he try to do that. Megatron tells him fine and walks away, but tells him this will be on his head should it come back to haunt them. On Cybertron's surface, we find Afterburner and Nosecone have survived the destruction of the Autobot ship. They evade some Centurion drones and continue seeking shelter. Finally, they collapse and are found by Centurions! On Nebulos, the Decepticon infiltration unit observes something closing fast on the planet. A ship arrives and converts into the reborn Thunderwing!


Comments: Another chapter of the story... I liked it even though not a lot really happens throughout the issue. Its clear now that Thunderwing saw the coming environmental catastrophe on Cybertron and used it somehow to upgrade his power greatly, becoming a Pretender in the process (although the shell is mostly irrelevant thus far in the story. Its merely a gimmick for him to be uber powerful). I like that aspect, to be honest, since the Pretenders are often dumped on as a gimmick. The art was good, as usual.

One minor complaint is the whole cover gimmick thing. IDW has cut down to only two or three covers per issue now (two, not counting the dealer incentive one). It seems like every comic shop I go to always has the cover I don't really want in-stock...in this case, I got the b/w wrap around cover. Its not a bad image, actually, but I hate the b/w part of it--I wish they'd put all of it on the front and in color. Also, I wouldn't have minded the other cover either but never even saw it here... What's the point in having two covers when the shop will order a small amount of one and the bulk of the other? Or maybe just one cover period? Sigh...




Recommended.