Comic Review...

Transformers: Regeneration One #82


Writer: Simon Furman
Artist: Andrew Wildman
(covers by Andrew Wildman, Guido Guidi and Geoff Senior)

Summary: DINOBOT MONTH! And ex-Dinobot commander GRIMLOCK wishes it wasn't! His quest for a means to restore his ability to change modes takes him to Nebulos--a world off-limits to TRANSFORMERS, where a welcome that's more incendiary than warm awaits him. Plus, KUP and THE WRECKERS find themselves stranded, hunted and in a whole world of pain. Quite literally!

Comments: The story continues! Kup and the Wreckers struggle to survive on a ruined Earth against Megatron's forces while Grimlock goes to Nebulos in hopes of finding a new body that can transform once more. We learn Starscream is still alive (but apparently lobotomized) as is Ratchet. Still no sign of Shockwave or Galvatron yet (hopefully they'll turn up eventually in some fashion or the other).
   To be honest, I wasn't really expecting Furman to try and explain the fate of the lost Headmaster characters original heads in this story... I had assumed they'd been disassembled and built into the binary armor somehow. The original mini-series was vague on that detail so I guess this story turn can work too, but it really wasn't high on my list of concerns. I'm actually more interested in what the heck happened to Earth in the intervening twenty one years and wonder why none of the Autobots thought to try and monitor the world discreetly in any way.
   I do hope we get past the set-up stuff and into a good story shortly. Right now, it feels like we're catching up on forgotten story threads from the original comic (or perhaps that was the point all along? :)  It's fine to relive the forgotten stuff but I want to see him press forward into new territory too. G2 didn't get too caught up in irrelevance at the time and I hope Regeneration One doesn't wallow in it any longer then it needs to in order to get things going.

Verdict:  Very Good.

Cover "A" by Andrew Wildman

Cover "B" by Guido Guidi

Retailer Incentive Cover by Geoff Senior

Comic Review...

Transformers: More Then Meets The Eye #7

Writer: James Roberts
Artist: Alex Milne
(covers by Alex Milne and Nick Roche)

Summary: DECEPTICON MONTH! The war's over - but no-one told the DECEPTICON Justice Division! Meet the five deadliest DECEPTICONS in the galaxy. Their sole purpose: to hunt down and kill anyone who has ever disobeyed MEGATRON. Who's their next target?

Comments: This issue introduces the Decepticon Justice Division (or, more accurately, its principals). Five robots, each named after a city on Cybertron. Their leader is Tarn. A malicious character (with the face of the Decepticon sigil) who delights in his job of hunting down rogue Decepticons and administering "justice".
   Roberts continues his trait of introducing an obscure character then killing them off almost immediately after. Black Shadow is the victim this time around. I kind of wish he'd stop it--I'd rather they save such characters for a later date and story then waste them in a one-off cameo like this. I can see why they do it--better some appearance then potentially none and it helps add more depth to the story universe. But I'd rather they leave them in reserve for a more appropriate appearance later on. My two cents. 
   We learn Rung has survived his brush with death this issue--except that he's missing an important appendage (his head). Also, Red Alert confides in his fallen form that he's found Overlord aboard the ship and it's some kind of conspiracy the Decepticon is there (which is confirmed when someone covertly removes the data file he planted on Rung's body). It will be interesting to see what becomes of the whole Overlord sub-plot.
   There's also a sub-plot involving some lost Decepticons on a world, lead by Krok. They find a downed Decepticon ship at the story's end and a surprising passenger aboard. I think it's cool we finally will discover what happened to said character after his prolonged absence from the story.
   All in all, MTMTE is getting a bit better as it goes. The story's been a little bit more focused these last few issues and shows signs of a potential longer term point, which I've been hoping for.


Verdict:  Good.

Cover "A" by Alex Milne

Cover "B" by Nick Roche