Last time around in Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye, slag hit the fan: Secrets about Ultra Magnus were revealed. Mech fluid was spilled. And Chief Justice Tyrest turned out to be even crazier than we thought.
This issue sees Ratchet trying to fix a fallen comrade; Cyclonus, Whirl, and Dai Atlas fighting for their very lives against a swarm of relentless attackers; and Rodimus and crew looking for a way out of their imprisonment so they can face down Tyrest and put an end to his malign scheme. Is it good?
Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye #20 (IDW Publishing)
Jump to our review of Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye #19.
Although Transformers doesn’t seem like Transformers without Optimus Prime, Megatron, and a disingenuous Starscream in the mix — writer James Roberts has built a cast of characters with fascinating personalities and motives that can hold their own.
In this issue he gives us a good sense of the gravitas that comes with Ratchet’s job as Chief Medical Officer: So often we’ll see a battle-damaged Autobot shipped off to Ratchet to be fixed up and everything’s baby farts and roses thereafter, but here — as is the case with any true wartime medic, we see there’s not only glory to be had, but intense pressure and dire repercussions as well.
Another example of Roberts’ gift for characterization is Getaway — the dude is a riot. Roberts has gifted him with a witty, likeable demeanor and his repartee with the other Transformers, especially Tyrest, had me cheesin’ on several occasions. On top of that, his knack for Robo-MacGyver ingenuity is just plain bad-ass. Definitely one of the issue’s highlights.
Getaway… oh, you!
The art by Alex Milne impresses as usual. The amount of detail that goes into each Transformer never ceases to amaze and the colors by Josh Burcham and John-Paul Bove are vibrant and sharp. Not to hate on the CGI Transformers the kids get today on TV, but seeing Milne’s stuff makes me yearn for an animated series made in this style. Sexy stuff.
- Great artwork and robot design.
- Intricate, interesting story by James Roberts.
- Getaway is a funny bastard.
- You might need to read the dialogue and story over a few times to fully absorb what’s going on.
- A little too much “tell” and not enough “show.”
Is It Good?
Yes. The double-edged sword that comes with three fairly elaborate plotlines taking place concurrently is that there is a lot going on. This isn’t an issue you’ll flip through — in fact, you might need to read some of the dialogue and exposition a few times over just to make sure you didn’t miss something important.
Once you do though, you’ll be happy you did: this is an engrossing, intricately woven narrative with a strong cast of characters, an imposing antagonist, and clever uses of the futuristic Cybertronian tech. Props to Roberts for all of the aforementioned and also for bringing underutilized characters into the spotlight and making them intriguing and likeable enough for all Transformers fans to enjoy — from Generation 1 to brand spanking new alike.
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