Comic Review...

Transformers Spotlight
Hardhead/Revelation, part two

Writer: Simon Furman
Artist: Nick Roche

(covers by Nick Roche and EJ Su)

Synopsis: Nightbeat and Hardhead go back to Gorlam Prime to try and find out just what happened to Nightbeat when he was there (see Spotlight: Nightbeat). They find the population frozen in their tracks and undergoing some kind of metamorphosis from organic to techno-organic. They decide to go to the excavation site where Nightbeat last remembered being. Before they get too far, they’re beseiged by an army of Micromasters, who attack Hardhead. He and Nightbeat escape their attackers for the moment. Elsewhere, the Wreckers attack Thunderwing futilely. Optimus Prime and Prowl watch from screens at the Garrus-9 penitentiary and discuss their options. Jetfire reports in and tells them Omega Supreme has identified Galvatron and Cyclonus from the video footage the Autobots have took. Both were aboard the first Ark with Nova Prime. Prime decides they’ll have to send someone to the Benzuli Expanse (where the first Ark had gone to explore) and investigate. Nemesis Prime and Jhiaxus discuss their plans and Jhiaxus tells them Thunderwing has been discovered and Nightbeat has returned to the Gorlam Prime. Nemesis tells him Thunderwing is safe, for now, but that Nightbeat could threaten their plans. He tells Jhiaxus to see to that personally. Hardhead and Nightbeat get to their destination just in time for the Micromasters to find them and attack. The two get down the shaft safely when Nightbeat is possessed (presumably by Jhiaxus). He attacks Hardhead but the other escapes for a few minutes, ending up finally in the glowing pool/portal to the Dead Universe. He and Nightbeat have a showdown and the Micromasters attack Hardhead. He appears to sink into the pool, his fate uncertain. Jhiaxus tells N emesis Prime that Nightbeat is dead and Nemesis resigns himself to the fact he will have to take direct action against Optimus Prime himself. At the Benzuli Expanse, four of the Autobots report back that there is just a void now–the planets and so on nearby the Expanse are now gone. Jetfire suggest to Prime that these four Autobots undergo the Pretender process so they can go into the Expanse safely (how does he know that will protect them, though?)

Comments: Another spotlight where the spotlighted character gets shafted by the already running storyline. Unlike previous stories, this part works fairly well and actually moves the story along! Finally! It looks like things are about to hit the fan and I, for one, can’t wait. The art is by Roche this time around and looks pretty good. One thing I do wonder about is why they bothered redesigning Hardhead with an Earth mode when he was only there for five minutes. I much prefer his original mode (although the same argument could be made for any of these redesigns, I guess). I also wonder if Nightbeat is really dead or not since he’s clearly one of Furman favorites.

Recommended.