Comic Review...

Transformers: More Then Meets the Eye #5

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


Summary: TERROR BEYOND THE STARS! The dark secret at the heart of Delphi is revealed as Ratchet's world starts to fall apart. Time is running out for the Autobot's Chief Medical Officer and his band of followers, who must confront an enemy that literally cannot be reckoned with. Warning: not everyone will make it out alive!

Comments: This was part two of the story about Delphi and the Cosmic Rust and I enjoyed it more then the first part. It just felt more... coherent somehow. More focused on the "A" story and less on the other various plots Roberts likes to throw in there. We learn how the virus got its start, who started it and why. Ratchet is the hero of the piece as well, which is always a plus. We also get to see the holo-avatars used once again.
   The art is competent as always. Milne does some fine work here...

Cover "A" by Alex Milne

Verdict:  Very Good.

Comic Review...

Transformers: Autocracy #11 and #12

Writers: Chris Metzen and Flint Dille
Artist: Livio Ramondelli

#11 cover by Livio Ramondelli

Summary:  (#11) With CYBERTRON in the hands of the DECEPTICONS, it's up to OPTIMUS PRIME and his small band of heroes to take control. But if he wants to free a world-- PRIME will need someone to rally the people!
(#12)  Its time for the endgame! OPTIMUS PRIME comes face-to-face with MEGATRON and the fate of their world hangs in the balance! Nothing will be the same after this EXTRA-LENGTH conclusion!

Comments:  Issue #11 was a bit of a breather, with Optimus Prime rallying the troops to his banner while issue #12 wrapped everything up neatly, chronicling the final battle between the Autobots and Decepticons (well, "final" in the context of the story anyway). Issue #12 also pays homage to the final battle between Prime and Megatron from TF:TM. I'm not sure if that's cheesy or brilliant (the very definition of an in-story homage, is it not? :)
   The story wraps up on a positive note and doesn't really offer any surprises. Having said that, it's a solid tale overall and managed to hit all the right story points so I can't really complain. No, it didn't astound me but it didn't disappoint either so there's something to be said for that.

#12 cover by Livio Ramondelli

   Livio Ramondelli's art was well suited for this series and his cover images, as always, seem to be one of his strong points. The internal art was also much improved from his time on Chaos in the older TF ongoing series. I didn't have any problems figuring out what was going on anywhere this time around.

Verdict: (Issues# 11 and #12): Excellent.
(Series overall): Excellent.












The entire series is available via digital download on www.comixology.com. If you don't want to go the digital route, the series will be released in TPB form in July. 

Titan Transformers UK issue 4.8, May 2012.

Titan Transformers UK issue 4.8, May 2012.



"15 minutes of fame"

Hi all !
first an explanation.
The last entry I did was on FRIDAY, APRIL 06, 2012(search for it) dealing with Titan Transformers UK issue 4.7 and normally I would do the next one about one month later but it took a little time to get the next issue until one day I saw: Heyyy the new issue ! 4.9 ! hey ? What was the last one I got ?
After a speedy check I found out that I never received issue 4.8. So, I emailed the good and helpfull folks at Titan and they have a good service I must say, however they weren't able to supply me with a replacement issue. As compensation they kindly extended my subscription by one issue. As I said, Excellent service !
But I still did not have the issue.
On to the interwebs! Luckily there is Ebay and steveh974 provided me with the issue. I thank him for the issue!

Now let's go to the Issue!

Page 00: cover consist of PRIME art of well...Optimus Prime! Free toy is a "Ballistic Blaster!" finally a proper weapon !
Page 02-03: Index Page.
Page 04-05: The Wheeljack Lowdown Profile Page.
Page 06: Titan Magazines -get 2 transformers with subscription- offer advert.
Page 07-10: Part one of the the strip begins.

"The Mind Trap!"
Script: Chris Cooper Art: Horacio Domingues Colours: Nestor Pereya Lettering: Comicraft

Optimus is trapped by Knock Out and his mind switched to a human body! Meanwhile Knock Out orders the Vehicons to throw his body in the crusher and Optimus attempts to make contact with the human host mind and starts to fight back ! .....to be continued on page 22



Page 11: StarWars Clone Wars Magazine advert
Page 12-13: Part 8 of the PRIME episode guide, reviewing Con Job. Also a micro quiz.
Page 14-15: EPIC TRANSFORMERS QUIZ! some questions I didn't even know!
Page 16-17: Prime Poster featuring Ratchet and Bulkhead, according to the tfwiki by Augusto Barranco and Jose Lopez. Originally the cover of IDW Publishing's Transformers: Prime #2.
Page 18: Mind Trap MAZE.
Page 19: Back issue order page.
Page 20-21:Starscream's Stumpers Puzzle page.
Page 22: Win Transformers BotShots figures competition.

Page 23-26: Part 2 of the strip!

The Autobots Join the fight to try and save Optimus's body not knowing that his mind was transferred to the human Lin-Che. Bulkhead and Arcee are overpowered and Lin-Che decides that the only chance is to force a mindreverse. He succeeds and Optimus kicks Knock Out's butt! After the battle Optimus drives Lin -Che home to his family.

Page 27-29: The letterpages, hosted by Megamouth Megatron(HAIL!) (PRIME version) with a little help from Arcee (also PRIME version) With a letter from ME !.

Page 26: Starscream's Stumpers! Arms Race. Match Weapon to description.
Page 27: Spot the difference and Fighting talk
Page 30: Ratchet's Joke Page !
Page 31: Next issue blurb which looks like an Bumblebee centric cover.
Page 32: Titan Hot Wheels magazine -advert
Conclusion:
Good Comic strip scriptwise, art a lillte below standard but simple and fun! Getting your letter printed is Very very cool!

score: 8.5 out of 10 (allright you've caught me, because of the letter.... ;) )

Comic Review...

Cover by Livio Ramondelli

Transformers: Autocracy #10

Writers: Chris Metzen and Flint Dille
Artist: Livio Ramondelli


Summary:  MEGATRON victorious! All hope seems lost, as the DECEPTICONS tighten their grip! The shattered remnants of the Autobots struggle valiantly-- but their chances seem slim. If ever CYBERTRON needed a hero, the time is now!

Comments: The Autobots are under arrest. Hot Rod is offered another path by Megatron but when he realizes Megatron's true ambitions, he goes to their aid instead. Elsewhere, Optimus Prime senses some kind of presence in the ruins of Nyon and determines to discover its origin.
   Things are coming together and it looks like the story will end with a bang (we have two issues remaining). Orion/Optimus has found his way, the Autobots stand assembled and the end of the issue reveals a very big, very powerful ace up their sleeve. It looks like the real war is about to begin...

Verdict:  Excellent.




Available online only (from www.comixology.com for 0.99 USd)

Comic Review...

Transformers: Autocracy #9

Writers: Chris Metzen and Flint Dille
Artist: Livio Ramondelli



Summary:  Betrayed by MEGATRON, ORION PAX faces his future head-on! Will he rise to stop the onslaught of the DECEPTICONS...? And what will that mean for his fellow Autobots?

Comments:  After being tossed to his doom in the last issue, Orion Pax feels something to calling him in the ruined catacombs beneath the city... Meanwhile, the remaining Autobots on the surface discover Megatron has betrayed them and vow to go down fighting. Orion Pax finds the Matrix and is recreated by its power. He has a new clarity of purpose and vision. He determines to fight for a better tomorrow...
   I enjoyed this issue immensely. Sometimes it's nice to have the hero have an epiphany and reaffirm his desire to defend the weak and helpless. Too many stories of late, generally, have had selfish unheroic characters so this story is a nice breath of fresh air. It's also nice to know we're three issues from the epic conclusion. I look forward to seeing how this all plays out...

Verdict:  Excellent. 

Cover by Livio Ramondelli

Available online only (from www.comixology.com for 0.99 USd)

Comic Review...

Cover by Livio Ramondelli

Transformers: Autocracy #8

Writers: Chris Metzen and Flint Dille
Artist: Livio Ramondelli


Summary:  ORION PAX-- Autobot hero and one-day OPTIMUS PRIME-- stands side-by-side with MEGATRON, leader of the DECEPTICONS! But even together, will they be able to defeat ZETA PRIME and his forces?

Comments:  Zeta Prime has made his move and openly declared war on all who oppose him! Orion Pax, his Autobots and the Decepticons join forces and take him on.
   Another excellent issue in the mini-series...both the writing and the art are first rate. I also love Ramondelli's covers for this series overall (covers are definitely one of his strengths). Zeta Prime's destruction is satisfying yet seems to come very quickly. He fights Pax and Megatron for two and a half pages of the story--one almost wishes their fight could've lasted a tad longer after all this build up to it. Otherwise, I have no complaints regard the story.

Verdict:  Excellent. 



Available online only (from www.comixology.com for 0.99 USd)

Transmasters SPRING 2012 Magazine!

Spring is sprung! And so is the latest, greatest, most awesome-est ever issue of...

TRANSMASTERS MAGAZINE!

http://transmasters.angelfire.com/tmmag/issue14/index1.html


Read it and weep! Nay, read it and rejoice! :)


Praise, hugs and kisses, wads of cash are welcome and appreciated (but not really necessary). :D

- Thunder

Comic Review...

Transformers: Robots in Disguise #4

Writer: John Barber
Artist: Andrew Griffith
(covers by Andrew Griffith and Casey Coller)

Summary:  PROWL UNCHAINED! In what's sure to be the most shocking Transformers comic of 2012-PROWL defends the fledgling government of CYBERTRON against the DECEPTICONS. But how far will he go-and who will chose to stand by his side? The answers will shock you!


Comments:  Dirge discovers a dead Decepticon. When Prowl investigates, he finds Dirge less then cooperative so he follows him and discovers he has been brainwashed by a Cerebro Shell. Prowl, Arcee and Blurr come up against Bombshell and the Constructicons. Sunstorm shows up for a couple of panels to die at Arcee's hands. Blurr chases Bombshell but is outnumbered by the Constructicons. Prowl kills Bombshell when he refuses to give over his fellow conspirators...Dirge escapes (technically he's innocent anyway). Prowl detonates all of the Constructicons I/D chips, blowing all of their heads up. He resolves to do whatever it takes to maintain control and order from here on in.
   I still like this title better of the two. It just seems a bit more focused...  I do wonder about the logic of killing so many "named" Decepticons though. At this rate, who will be left to restart the War when it happens in the next series with the next writer (and we all know it will, sooner or later). They'll have to implausibly bring everyone back now (the usual "they're just there and alive again for no reason" thing). I think, while less dramatic, they could've opted to use the I/D chips to put the Decepticons into perma-stasis instead (thus giving them an "out" in-story).
   I guess Prowl's transitioning into more of a hardline character as of this story... I would also like some overall arc in this comic. The Autobots are slowly being pushed in a more tyrannical direction as they try to maintain order and--whatever. Right now, it also seems a bit too episodic for my liking (I do like episodic, but I also like some overall direction too). There does seem to be a hint there's more Decepticons out there planning to do something radical but right now we haven't gotten anything else to go on. I hope whenever it happens that they succeed and aren't just put down by Prowl's forces in one issue or something.
   Continuity award: This issue and MTMTE #4 each share the same joke. In MTMTE, we are told a dead TF was once called "Prowl" (but then changed his name to "Dent"). Drift is disbelieving but Ratchet reminds him "all the good names are taken". In RID #4, the dead Decepticon in the beginning is named "Skydive". "Like the Aerialbot?" :) (Incidentally, Skydive is/was a Decepticon Predator). Barber gets points for using this in his story--it was just kind of neat to see across two titles simultaneously.


Verdict:  Good. I do hope it goes somewhere bigger soon though.

Cover "B" by Casey Coller

Comic Review...

Cover "A" by Alex Milne

Transformers: More Then Meets The Eye #4

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

Summary:  DANGER IN SPACE! Investigating the abandoned AUTOBOT facility on DELPHI-one-time home of fan-favorites THE WRECKERS-RATCHET uncovers a danger greater than he's ever faced and the return of a character long thought lost! Will this bring them closer to their goal of finding the Knights of Cyberton-or kill them?!

 Comments:  The Autobots visit Delphi, where First Aid (and others are). It turns out there's a plague of Red Rust happening at the medical facility there. Of the landing party, Pipes accidentally gets infected (I think this is probably the first time I can ever remember Pipes being in a TF comic. Cool!) Then Drift gets infected too, leaving First Aid and Ratchet to try to figure out how to cure them. Elsewhere, Tailgate learns the truth of the Great War and confronts Cyclonus over it. Back on Delphi, the Decepticon Justice Division Decepticons get into the base--just in time to be confronted by a resurrected Fortress Maximus!
    This issue was better then last issue's tale about the Spark Eater. Having said that, I still didn't find it all that great. I keep wondering if Roberts comic is going to be mostly about (nearly) mundane happenings on the Autobots ship and mostly episodic--or if it will get some kind of general arc going on. I need something more to get invested in this comic and so far it hasn't delivered on it (I don't want a "writing for the trade" style like Mike Costa seemed to do but I do want to feel like we're going somewhere, at least generally, in the comic and so far it feels like the writer's making it all up as he goes). Whatever he thinks he's doing with this comic (trying to reinvent the wheel? Do an action comedy? I dunno), it hasn't been working for me so far.

Verdict:  Average.

Comic Review...

Cover by Andrew Wildman

Transformers: Regeneration One #80.5

Writer: Simon Furman

Artist: Andrew Wildman

(cover by Andrew Wildman)

Summary:  From Zero Space, we see all of time and space...past, present, future...alternate timelines? We observe Primus and Unicron engage in their grand battle, we see Unicron later devouring worlds...the rise of the Transformers and the Great War... important moments from the Transformers past (the Marvel Series) play throughout the story even as in the present Soundwave rallies his Decepticons in a call to arms. They are tired of Autobot peace and resolve to act! Kup, Ultra Magnus and Hot Rod come to Optimus Prime warning him of the Decepticons recent unrest. Kup suggest summoning the Wreckers and putting them down before they try something but Optimus vetoes him, seeming disinterested in it all. As history continues to be recalled, Soundwave and his warriors make their move, breaking into some facility. From there, Soundwave reprograms a defense satellite to strike a target on the surface--the exact location of (Spoiler. Highlight to read redacted text)The Last Autobot! He is destroyed, much to everyone's shock.

   The War has begun anew...

Comments: Most of the story serves as a continuity primer more then anything else but what parts are new--wow! Marvel's G1 continuity is, by and far, my favorite G1 continuity period. I've written fanzines and fanfics relating back to it. Fumanisms often get used in my writings (It is over. Finished!) And now, it's back. I can only hope this series reignites the magic of the original G1 comic (and G2 as well).

   If the story is classic Simon Furman then the art is classic Andrew Wildman. Stephen Baskerville inks like back in the old days and even the word balloons are done the same.

   One minor nitpick--Soundwave gives a long-winded speech in the story. It's necessary to move the plot along but I always preferred the monotone cartoon Soundwave more so seeming him giving a speech strikes me as weird.

   I also can't believe they destroyed (Spoiler. Highlight to read redacted text) The Last Autobot! I guess we'll never get to find out if he had a personality or not. :) Still, it was necessary for the story to move forward, so, oh well...

   Can't wait for the new issues to come!  Bring it on!

Verdict: Awesome! The best Transformers comic I've read in years--and that's only slightly hyperbole. :)