Another month, another crazy action packed issue of Daniel Warren Johnson, Mike Spicer and Jorge Corona’s Transformers from Skybound! Issue #9 is already back to the high stakes, high-octane (not Tankor) action we’ve all come to know and love from this definitive new comic take on the Robots in Disguise, so lets get into it.
We’re picking up from last time, with the Autobots on-route to stop the machinations of the Decepticons’ newest leader, the always awesome Soundwave. But now he’s got the equally deadly Shockwave on his side, making his first FULL re-appearance since his cameo in Void Rivals a while back, and of course discounting the stinger in last month’s issue. The real star of the show this issue, though, is Astrotrain, with this book’s aggressive but honorable take on the character. He’s one of those classic Decepticons that’s been surprisingly overlooked in other comic continuities, despite being a mainstay in the toy lines for his status as a Triple Changer. I think it’s really cool that Johnson is playing around with some of those types; ironically, it’s a bit more fresh feeling in some regards than digging into the obscurity bin for somebody new to tinker with. Anyway, this issue really brings the action and drama back up to 11, some real shocking and gut-wrenching stuff as the Autobots’ attack fails, leaving poor Cliffjumper and Ratchet behind in their escape… but taking Elita-1 and Ultra Magnus(?) back from Shockwave’s Space Bridge portal. Very crazy stuff, with some small backburner bits for Carly and Spike too… and, Beachcomber’s here now? Okay, didn’t see that one coming. Where the hell was HE all this time? Guess we’ll find out next time, exciting.
Sybound
Characterization was a bit on the lighter side with how action-packed this issue was, but everybody is being written well for what it’s worth. I like how Spike and Carly are being done a lot here, really brings some freshness to the human side of Transformers, which a lot of the time, feels like most writers either don’t care enough to try, or get way too wrapped up in the military intrigue stuff. Very happy that we’ve got that sorta stuff at an all time minimum, and even having some open relations starting to form with the locals and the Autobots. Also, this tendency for Decepticons to call themselves “brothers” does have me raising an eyebrow though, especially hearing such passionate familial language between characters like Shockwave and Soundwave of all people. Very interesting, I imagine we’ll learn more about this version of the Decepticon cause once Megatron wanders back into the action after that F.C.B special…
Skybound
Art as usual is superb. Corona was the perfect choice to follow up Johnson’s art, with a similar style and just as much hot blooded action and dynamic posing. Complemented with Spicer’s fantastic bright and saturated colors, the book looks just incredible. The expression on all the bots is top tier too, like with Astrotrain’s permanent, Judge Dredd-style grimacing frown. The horror on Cliffjumper’s face is still lingering in my mind as I write this, hauntingly real stuff.
Skybound
Another month, another fantastic issue. This book just refuses to slow down, and I love it for that. Even with the breather that was last issue, we’re right back in the thick of it in no time flat, this is some killer pacing if I ever saw it. After the relative slow burn of the Marvel and two IDW eras of the franchise in comic form, this book continues to feel like a high budget action cartoon on the printed page, no expenses spared. Johnson’s wild ride is awesome to be on, and I cannot wait to keep checking this book out and seeing how it develops.
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