This time it’s a different format, without a super detailed plot synopsis, so there aren’t too many spoilers, but then again there isn’t that much going on here.
This is a revised and, lets say improved version of the original review, I did this because of a few things:
This is the final issue, I haven't read the previous, but hey we where asked to do this so we did.
The line-work is better than what the final product shows, maybe it's something to do with the pdf, or I just don't like the coloured art in this. But then again, it's a review, it's my opinion and not the be all end all word on things.
The following is basically the same as before, just with a new rating and a few extra words and sentences thrown in, so it's kinda like the Star Wars Episode IV-VI Special Editions, if you click here you can read the original review and compare.
Foundation is another prequel comic, but not to “Dark of The Moon”, but to Transformers (2007), and it’s basically the same story we get to read every time a new movie comes out. Decepticons and Autobots fight, every time round with the new characters that will be in the new movie, and the AllSpark is removed.
So now, we have Shockwave, the magic threesome, Wheeljack, Sentinel Prime, and Megatron’s Hatchlings running around in the big fight just before the AllSpark gets sent to Earth.
Generics get killed left and right, characters, we know will survive because they’re in the movie that takes place later, have dramatic showdowns that look like they could die, and Optimus Prime gets to bore us with his stale run-of the mill narration.
Well, this is the only issue I’ve read of Foundation, however, I did not feel like I missed any previous story, I managed to just jump in. The only thing that lost me is that after a few pages of the comic’s presence it jumps into a flashback, that took place just a few hours ago, so why not start the comic there? This reminds me of a different comic I’ve read: the God of War miniseries by Wildstorm. That comic was so terrible, that I’m kind of glad Wildstorm no-longer exists, that comic was a crime to comics, storytelling, art, and the God of war franchise, and Foundation reminds me it, not a good sign.
The reason it reminds me of GOD, is just how pointless it all is. We learn nothing new in this, except that Sentinel Prime was Optimus Prime’s and Megatron’s mentor, and that he existed during the Great War, and the same counts for Hatchlings, Wheeljack, Shockwave and the bike sisters/thing. And the drama is impotent due to us already knowing which characters are going to live. Rising Storm, was better, it actually felt like it had a point, this however, is the same stuff we’ve already known since 2007 just with a few extras, it’s like the Star Wars Episodes IV - VI Special Editions – just with less bad CGI, but just as pointless.
The only exciting and cool thing about this comic is that we get to see baby Bludgeon, seriously there’s a Hatchling that keeps popping up, that has Bludgeon’s head – awesome.
There's also a part in which Sentinel Prime's ship gets blown up by Starscream, with Optimus Prime acting like he doesn't care while Megatron Yells loud "NO!"
Also, there are, like I touched upon earlier, scenes that look like they are supposed to create drama and make us feel dread for the characters involved. It’s just that the characters they choose for these scenes are, you know the main characters in the movies that take place after this comic “Oh, I wonder who’ll survive Ironhide, Starscream or Shockwave?!”.
Gee, I totally fear for the survival of the characters that are in the movie that takes place millions of years after this.
The art, well, it’s OK. That's at least what you get from the comic with colours and all, however, you might remember what I said in my previous reviews:
The colours can make or break an image.
You know, back in Rising Storm I stated that I believe the line-art to be pretty good, but that the colouring's dragging it down. Well what do you know, I stumbled across the DeviantArt account of the artist and you know what you can see there? The pure uncoloured line-work for this series - and man is it gorgeous! I love it, in fact I wish idw would release this series in pure black and white, just so I could get to see more of the artwork. I mean check out the gallery.
Sadly the line-work is still kind of ruined by the colours, as I said in the original review, I stated that the colours weren't bad, but kind of boring. They do kind of hurt the line-work, but then again, this is the Movieverse where there is a lot of gray, and it takes place on Cybertron, which is basically completely gray. So it's accurate.
We shouldn't forget that these are movie designs, that are very hard to bring onto paper.
So how do I rate it in this revised and rethought-out review?
I give it 6 out of 10 Stars for writing, it's well written, but the story structure reminds me too much of the God of War comic, with the whole thing taking place in the past, with flashbacks to the past of the past and trying to create drama with characters we know will be OK anyway. It's kind of pointless in it's existence, but it's well written pointlessness.
I will also give it 7 out of 10 Stars for the art, instead of the 6. I believe I was just too harsh, plus the line-work is awesome. This could have been 8 Stars, had it been in black and white.
A total of 6.5 Stars out of 10 on average.
While I think it's pointless, and yes I'll stick to that, I believe the full story might be better, but I won't be picking up the trade to find out. Only if it where, you know in black and white- and I'm not even a fan of black and white comics.