IDW Transformers Annual 2021 Review
Wednesday, June 9th, 2021 10:13AM CDT
Categories: Comic Book News, ReviewsPosted by: ScottyP Views: 39,246
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Editor's Note: Yes, as you saw in the title above this review is not authored by who its news posting says, but instead by guest reviewer Mr. Micromaster. With that out of the way, let's let him get to it. Thanks, Mr. Micromaster!
Overall, this book is an incredibly fun read with excellent art. If you have not been enjoying the current ongoing series you may want to pick up Transformers Annual 2021 because it has some of Brian Ruckley’s best overall writing in the series so far. Alex Milne as always delivers with the art.
Speaking of Milne’s art, lets talk about it first because it's just superb as per usual. The action scenes feel dynamic and well done. You can really feel the emotion on the characters faces especially, Lightbright's. John-Paul Bove’s excellent coloring helps Milne’s art feel different than his work in the previous IDW Transformers continuity. The lettering by Jake Wood is pretty good overall. One minor gripe with the lettering is that after Airachnid's introduction, most of a panel showing her new design is taken up by speech bubbles that maybe could have been moved around to show more of the art.
Ruckley’s writing is on point for this issue. The character moments are excellent this issue and everyone gets their chance to shine. Scattershot has a particularly epic moment where Thunderwing tries to intimidate him and Scattershot just is not having any of it. There are many other well written character interactions, including one where Lightspeed and Lightbright have a great moment together about what it is like to be a City Speaker. Another fun example is the interaction between the Technobots and Bludgeon which I found quite humorous. There is also an implied history between them. Probably one of the most interesting interactions is between Lightbright and her titan Lodestar, you can really feel that they have a deep connection.
The conversation between Lodestar and Vigilem is rather interesting. The two are starkly different, Lodestar is content with the present where as Vigilem longs for the glories of the past. In this respect Vigilem and Thunderwing are quite alike. In the past Thunderwing was a mighty figure during the expansionist days of Cybertron but now he is relegated to the backwater that is Hexagon. He is also someone who loves to hear the sound of his own voice, as Strafe puts it. Airachnid is a nice inclusion and even though she is on the cover I forgot about her, so her appearance came as a nice surprise to me. Here she is cast as a mad scientist which is an interesting take on the character.
The story is overall very engaging and kept me invested throughout. I never once checked my phone or opened another tab while I was reading. The emotional core of the book is Lightbright and Lodestar. We see their bond and how they're hesitant to hunt down and potentially kill another Titan. The ending is quite the gut punch, as while our heroes escape the clutches of Thunderwing and his cohorts, they do not escape tragedy.
This annual is all around excellent. The writing, the art and the coloring are all top tier. That is not to say it is perfect. The fight between Lodestar and Vigilem should have gotten a bit more page real estate to truly invoke the sense of Lodestar's struggle to defeat Vigilem. The characters and concepts introduced in this issue were very fun to read about, but in an issue that feels like a side-story, without follow-up it ultimately will not matter, so here is hoping we pick back up on the threads introduced in the near future.
.
out of
This issue is out today, and you can pick it up at the Seibertron.com eBay store or at your local shop, check here to find the closest shop to you.
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Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on June 9th, 2021 @ 8:38pm CDT
Posted by Mr.MicroMaster on June 14th, 2021 @ 9:41am CDT
D-Maximal_Primal wrote:Love me some Technobots. From what I've heard, this was actually a pretty enjoyable story, I'll have to give this one a go
Same the Technobots are one of my favorite combiner teams. They have a lot of great moments in this issue.
Posted by Dark Ops on June 14th, 2021 @ 11:38am CDT
Posted by ScottyP on June 15th, 2021 @ 2:09pm CDT
I think the improvement in the action scenes for this issue is almost all on Milne. No way to prove that, but the fact that it's suddenly fun to visually read makes me think this.Dark Ops wrote:This story kind of goes to what I was saying earlier about how IDW 2.0 has some nifty ideas, but you need to take the story away from Prime and Megs. They kind of drag the rest of the 'verse down around them. Ruckley can write a good tale, good action, good dialogue and characterizations, but Prime and Megatron seem less like characters and more like caricatures anymore.
Posted by Rodimus Prime on June 18th, 2021 @ 4:33pm CDT
Posted by ScottyP on June 22nd, 2021 @ 2:29pm CDT
Optimus Prime's Autobots are starting to fray. They need energon and supplies that they just don't have access to. But Perceptor has a plan-if he can supercharge Jumpstream's teleportation powers, the Autobots will have all sorts of new access to Cybertron. Of course, that relies on the experiment going right and things can never be quite so easy...
Check out the preview below and look out for this book digitally, at your local comic shop, or on the Seibertron.com eBay store tomorrow.
Posted by Bounti76 on June 22nd, 2021 @ 3:42pm CDT
Posted by AllNewSuperRobot on June 23rd, 2021 @ 5:22am CDT
Posted by Mr.MicroMaster on June 23rd, 2021 @ 12:25pm CDT
Transformers #31 is pretty good, the writing is good and the art is even better, it's great in this book. If you have not been enjoying the current IDW ongoing this issue probably will not change your mind, especially since this is another one of those issues that is pretty much all talking but it is probably the best execution of it.
Let’s start with the story of this issue. As I mentioned beforehand this issue like many issues in this series is a lot of talking but this is by far the best execution of that story format. This is probably because it is not just one conversation happening but a variety of different conversations which pick back up on various threads from past issues, and their absence has been an issue in the past. It also has a new thread with a relatively new character in Jumpstream.
Picking up on the older threads provides several nice moments in this book. The opening text crawl of the book reveals it has been 40 cycles since the end of the last issue, which is about a month and ten days, give or take. The issue picks up right where TF #30 left off with Provoke who was one of the ghosts that Cyclonus was seeing, and it turns out she is actually alive and has been in stasis for nearly two mega-cycles (nearly two thousand years). This leads to a nice scene between Cyclonus and Flatline with some emotive facial expressions from artist Anna Malkova. Another welcome moment is the catch-up scene between Ultra Magnus and Optimus, which also serves to fill the reader in as well.
Sideswipe and Bumper are also back in action in this issue after taking a beating in issue #20. There is a fun moment between Bumper and Sideswipe where Bumper asks Sideswipe for an opinion on his new arm. There are also several interactions with Jumpstream and Preceptor in his lab that give you a better sense of who these characters are in this universe.
Now on to the art. Malkova’s art as per usual is good and is complemented nicely by David Garcia Cruz’s colors. Malkova’s faces are pretty expressive, for example, you can really see the sadness on Cyclonus’ face and the insanity dripping from Sunstorm. Her cityscapes are impressive as well. Angel Hernandez’s art is also good though personally I prefer Malkova’s art. I will say though that Runamuck’s proportions seem off, but Hernandez’s art does shine in the alternate Cybertron. Jake Wood’s lettering is good as per usual and no obvious issues stuck out.
You can find full credits for Transformers #31 in our Vector Sigma Database entry for this issue
Overall, I enjoyed this issue. For me there were enough significant things happening in this issue to keep me interested throughout. I am legitimately interested to see what happens in the next issue.
.
out of
This issue is out today, and you can pick it up at the Seibertron.com eBay store or at your local shop, check here to find the closest shop to you.
Posted by ScottyP on June 23rd, 2021 @ 9:53pm CDT
The first half of this issue might have been, character-wise only, some of the strongest stuff in the run. With all the follow-up to various disparate plot threads, I thought it was leading to them coalescing in some cool way.
Instead the later part of the issue had an insultingly stupid twist to bring back a villain known only through reference and allusion, who we also learned isn't even a Cybertronian earlier in the issue.
Everytime I see hope, something else jumps in and further cements my opinion that this book is really bad. If there isn't a new writer after this arc, I'm dropping the main TF book from my pull list which is really hard to do as a collector. Only happened once before in late '09, was back in by mid-2011 for that huge turnaround so maybe they've got another one in 'em.
Posted by Mr.MicroMaster on June 23rd, 2021 @ 10:41pm CDT
ScottyP wrote:This is going to look weird following the review on the front page, but again, I didn't write the review. Moving on.
The first half of this issue might have been, character-wise only, some of the strongest stuff in the run. With all the follow-up to various disparate plot threads, I thought it was leading to them coalescing in some cool way.
Instead the later part of the issue had an insultingly stupid twist to bring back a villain known only through reference and allusion, who we also learned isn't even a Cybertronian earlier in the issue.
Everytime I see hope, something else jumps in and further cements my opinion that this book is really bad. If there isn't a new writer after this arc, I'm dropping the main TF book from my pull list which is really hard to do as a collector. Only happened once before in late '09, was back in by mid-2011 for that huge turnaround so maybe they've got another one in 'em.
I definitely agree with you the first half of this issue is probably the best part. While personally I liked the plot twist at the end I understand where you’re coming from and if the plot twist falls flat next issue it will be a dud in my opinion. Honestly while I have been enjoying this book lately there have definitely been moments where I thought about dropping it. I agree with you honestly changing writers would not be a bad thing for this book. You could give Ruckley a Galaxies style book where he could tell smaller more contained stories I think he’d be great at that.
Posted by ScottyP on June 24th, 2021 @ 11:56am CDT
The kind of story I suggested may also work better as prose. Though the stuff early on with Rubble going through that market-like area gave plenty of material to visually digest too, so who knows.AllNewSuperRobot wrote:Maybe this series would work better as prose? They're just not really doing all that much with the visual medium.
Posted by AllNewSuperRobot on June 24th, 2021 @ 1:07pm CDT
Posted by shawnmct on June 24th, 2021 @ 3:14pm CDT
It really looks like they're setting up a version of Sunstorm's Dreamwave arc. Which is one of my favorite arcs in all of Transformers, and why Sunstorm is one of my favorite characters.
I love Perceptor being front and center, but dislike the near cavalier attitude he's been displaying towards safety. But, he's still there.
How the end twist is executed will determine how I feel about it. Definitely caught my attention, though. I imagine we're about to get A LOT of backstory.
Also, during that 'universe jump' (my best description of Jumpstream's trip), what's with the black seeker?
Fun questions, now it will depend on what the answers are!
Posted by Rodimus Prime on June 24th, 2021 @ 6:05pm CDT
So would that be the fault of the writer for not setting/describing the scene well enough or the illustrator for not executing said description?AllNewSuperRobot wrote:Plenty to digest, sure. But it's not really as dynamic or interesting as it could or should be. I dug out and re-read issue one, the other day. In comparison to Infiltration #1, it really lacks a visual punch.
Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on June 24th, 2021 @ 7:42pm CDT
Posted by Mr.MicroMaster on July 14th, 2021 @ 10:16am CDT
For the most part I have been enjoying the Transformers ongoing consistently since issue #20. Unfortunately, I found this issue to be rather disappointing. Personally, I was hoping this issue would reveal more backstory to Exarchon, but alas last issue’s plot twist was honestly disappointing thanks to this issue.
Now let’s brighten up this review by talking about the only real positive of this book. That being the art. In the same vein as last issue, Anna Malkova and Angel Hernandez are on art duty for this issue. While Hernandez’s art style is not my favorite, he still delivers a plethora of dynamic action scenes in the beginning half of the book. The latter half of the book is drawn by Malkova who knocks it out of the park. David Garcia Cruz kills it on coloring with his colors working great with both Malkova and Hernandez art. Jake Wood’s lettering as always is done competently and doesn’t interfere with art.
You can find full credits for Transformers #32 in our Vector Sigma Database entry for this issue
I found the plot to be utterly lacking this issue. I felt like first half of this issue with Jumpstream could have been shortened to two or three pages, as it really didn’t amount to anything all that special or interesting. I feel like these pages would have been better spent exploring the ramifications of Jumpstream “cross overing” or more time with Cyclonus and Provoke. Something I had been enjoying about this series was its nice character moments, but this issue lacked those. I feel like the first half of this issue didn’t allow the rest of it to breathe.
The plot this issue lacked anything to make it feel special or standout. This issue really felt like I was just reading banal dialogue rather than reading an enticing Transformers story. For me there was maybe one and half interesting moments from this issue. I also found the plot twist at the end of book rather unnecessary and uninteresting. The only saving grace of this issue is the art. Malkova and Hernandez did excellent and dynamic work this issue. I am hoping next issue will better than this one, it definitely sounds more interesting in the solicitation.
. ½
out of
This issue is out today, and you can pick it up at the Seibertron.com eBay store or at your local shop, check here to find the closest shop to you.
Posted by AllNewSuperRobot on July 14th, 2021 @ 10:31am CDT
Rodimus Prime wrote:So would that be the fault of the writer for not setting/describing the scene well enough or the illustrator for not executing said description?AllNewSuperRobot wrote:Plenty to digest, sure. But it's not really as dynamic or interesting as it could or should be. I dug out and re-read issue one, the other day. In comparison to Infiltration #1, it really lacks a visual punch.
Weird that today was the first time a reply alert for this thread appeared
Not knowing the illustrator's prior work, if they are new to the business or not. If it is the former, I would put it down to a lack of story boarding/scene setting by the writer.
Posted by Moody magpie on July 14th, 2021 @ 1:17pm CDT
Posted by Windsweeper on July 14th, 2021 @ 5:45pm CDT
The alternate world/future piqued my curiosity. Interesting to see Skywarp as an army builder though it's a shame the exclusivity of his Siege mold prohibits picking up a few of the figures.
Nice to see Powerglide make an albeit short appearance and Black Jack among the rebels.
I like Flatline's portrayal so far. He's not a stereotypical, sadistic, evil doctor. He seems to care about his patients.
Not a fan of Exarchon so far but that's because I don't like seeing Megatron enthralled.
I liked the mention of Nucleon and it's effects on Bumblebee's rebels as I loved the Actionmasters growing up.
It's a shame the reviewer didn't enjoy the issue but each to their own.
Posted by ScottyP on July 14th, 2021 @ 10:29pm CDT
I know nothing if Angel Hernandez's career before Transformers, but TF 2019 #1 was his first work for TFs. He peaks early, goes away for a long time, then returns to draw the end of 31 and most of 32.AllNewSuperRobot wrote:Rodimus Prime wrote:So would that be the fault of the writer for not setting/describing the scene well enough or the illustrator for not executing said description?AllNewSuperRobot wrote:Plenty to digest, sure. But it's not really as dynamic or interesting as it could or should be. I dug out and re-read issue one, the other day. In comparison to Infiltration #1, it really lacks a visual punch.
Weird that today was the first time a reply alert for this thread appeared
Not knowing the illustrator's prior work, if they are new to the business or not. If it is the former, I would put it down to a lack of story boarding/scene setting by the writer.
His parts of 32 are a sloppy mess. Spotlight: Thundercracker level bad art. Heart of Darkness level bad. Lumpy characters in wonky settings participating in clumsy action.
Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on July 15th, 2021 @ 8:01pm CDT
Now, the annual: I actually bought the annual, courtesy of Seibs, and it's my first actual book I bought of the new continuity. I plan to get Galaxies 1-6, but I'm still salty they didn't do those 6 together in a trade and bundled them with 6 other issues from the ongoing or something like that.
anyway, annual: I got it because Lodestar is cool, Milne was on art, Thunderwing, Bludgeon, Dirge, and Airachnid were antagonists, and Computron at long last shows up in something! I will admit, I liked the story, and I really did like the Technobots. The 1 thing I didn't like was the pacing: the fight between Lodestar and Vigilem was hardly a fight, and Computron appeared but barely. It feels like those big moments got less screen time then they should have.
Outside of that, I enjoyed it. I will enjoy reading it some more too
Posted by Mr.MicroMaster on July 18th, 2021 @ 8:23pm CDT
Windsweeper wrote:I've just read this issue and actually enjoyed it.
The alternate world/future piqued my curiosity. Interesting to see Skywarp as an army builder though it's a shame the exclusivity of his Siege mold prohibits picking up a few of the figures.
Nice to see Powerglide make an albeit short appearance and Black Jack among the rebels.
I like Flatline's portrayal so far. He's not a stereotypical, sadistic, evil doctor. He seems to care about his patients.
Not a fan of Exarchon so far but that's because I don't like seeing Megatron enthralled.
I liked the mention of Nucleon and it's effects on Bumblebee's rebels as I loved the Actionmasters growing up.
It's a shame the reviewer didn't enjoy the issue but each to their own.
I am glad you enjoyed it even though I couldn't. However I do agree with you that was nice to see Powerglide and the rebels being action masters was one of the more interesting things from the book.
Posted by Mr.MicroMaster on July 18th, 2021 @ 8:55pm CDT
ScottyP wrote:I know nothing if Angel Hernandez's career before Transformers, but TF 2019 #1 was his first work for TFs. He peaks early, goes away for a long time, then returns to draw the end of 31 and most of 32.AllNewSuperRobot wrote:Rodimus Prime wrote:So would that be the fault of the writer for not setting/describing the scene well enough or the illustrator for not executing said description?AllNewSuperRobot wrote:Plenty to digest, sure. But it's not really as dynamic or interesting as it could or should be. I dug out and re-read issue one, the other day. In comparison to Infiltration #1, it really lacks a visual punch.
Weird that today was the first time a reply alert for this thread appeared
Not knowing the illustrator's prior work, if they are new to the business or not. If it is the former, I would put it down to a lack of story boarding/scene setting by the writer.
His parts of 32 are a sloppy mess. Spotlight: Thundercracker level bad art. Heart of Darkness level bad. Lumpy characters in wonky settings participating in clumsy action.
That's the weird thing about this series almost everyone involved has very little experiences in the comic realm. Hernandez probably having the most working for DC, then IDW starting with Star Trek and now TF. Next being Ruckley who wrote a handful of books for IDW before TF. Last but not least being Malkova with the TF series being her first ever work in comics.
Posted by commander shockwav on July 30th, 2021 @ 9:38pm CDT
Tell me what you think is worth reading since then. Because I know most of it is probably fluff and am looking for something with some substance. I'm partial to the US/UK Marvel run and most of IDW's stuff up to the Lost Light.
Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on August 1st, 2021 @ 5:38pm CDT
commander shockwav wrote:Okay, I haven't really read anything since the Lost Light stuff.
Tell me what you think is worth reading since then. Because I know most of it is probably fluff and am looking for something with some substance. I'm partial to the US/UK Marvel run and most of IDW's stuff up to the Lost Light.
Read issues 1-6 of Galaxies and the 2021 annual. those are the good stories so far
Posted by Big Grim on August 2nd, 2021 @ 1:42pm CDT
D-Maximal_Primal wrote:Read issues 1-6 of Galaxies and the 2021 annual. those are the good stories so far
I agree with this. During a sale, I picked up the on going and got up to date. It's terminally slow story pacing featuring boring versions of characters you love walking every where.
Galaxies 1 - 6 and the Annual were absolutely stonking reads though.
~ Grim
Posted by Mr.MicroMaster on August 3rd, 2021 @ 11:01am CDT
I found this issue to be a definite step up from the last issue. It was a joy to read rather than a chore. Issue 33 is a simple and humorous read with a seemingly important character moment for a particular character.
This issue does its job well and manages to squeeze in a smattering of humor. It delivers a story about a rescue mission that also helps set up the next arc of the series. We also get a glimpse of what it is like in occupied Iacon, well at least for the decepticons anyway. This issue like many in the past has a lot of enjoyable character moments. Charger and Firebeast were a personal highlight for me. That is not to say this issue’s plot is perfect though, as the emotional moments in this issue lack depth.
You can find full credits for Transformers #33 in our Vector Sigma Database entry for this issue
The art for this issue is done by Bethany McGuire-Smith. McGuire-Smith illustrates a myriad of emotive faces and competent action scenes. McGuire-Smith’s art is competent and well done and suits this issue well. There are a lot of interesting illustrations in this issue such as bots dancing and wrestling. David Garcia Cruz’s colors compliment McGuire-Smith’s art well. Jake Wood’s lettering is on point as per usual.
Overall, this issue is very well rounded with competent art and a nicely structured story. While this issue won’t win any awards, I thoroughly enjoyed it, but there are a few things that hold it back from soaring to above average heights, such as emotional moments that lack feeling.
.
out of
This issue is out today, and you can pick it up at the Seibertron.com eBay store or at your local shop, check here to find the closest shop to you.
Posted by ScottyP on August 3rd, 2021 @ 2:55pm CDT
(W) Brian Ruckley (A) Anna Malkova (CA) Ed Pierre
"Lord of Misrule: Swindle's II". Bumblebee is a lot of things-an ex-Ascenticon spy, a wanted fugitive, and currently working as a go-between for Swindle and Optimus Prime's Autobots. With Swindle and his crew's help, Bumblebee's got a chance to free the long-captive Elita-1 and finally finish his search for justice for Rubble's murder by bringing down Barricade. But when working with criminals, even the best laid plans are destined for trouble.
IDW Publishing has shared a five page preview of this issue, which you can check out below.
Posted by ScottyP on August 31st, 2021 @ 5:44pm CDT
(W) Brian Ruckley (A) Anna Malkova (CA) Winston Chan
"Sea of Rust," part one! Megatron has learned that his former mentor, Termagax, holds a key artifact that could tip the scales of the war firmly in the Decepticons' favor, eliminating the Autobots once and for all. The first order of business, of course, is finding Termagax's House, a mobile building on the run. And as tensions erupt between Megatron's Decepticons and his old mentor, the Autobots put themselves in the crossfire!
You can check out the five page preview provided by IDW Publishing below.
Posted by ScottyP on August 31st, 2021 @ 5:46pm CDT
Posted by Mr.MicroMaster on August 31st, 2021 @ 5:58pm CDT
ScottyP wrote:Wingstun calls the blue one Space Case, then they mention Nacelle, then "Space Case" transforms and looks like Nacelle. Huh?
Don’t worry Scotty that got me as well.
Posted by Randomhero on August 31st, 2021 @ 6:46pm CDT
ScottyP wrote:Wingstun calls the blue one Space Case, then they mention Nacelle, then "Space Case" transforms and looks like Nacelle. Huh?
No he turns into a seeker that shares G2 space case’s colors even down to his yellow/orange missiles. Not that hard to follow but I guess if you’re reading it to find something to complain about…
Guys will find anything to gripe about in the comics
Posted by Mr.MicroMaster on August 31st, 2021 @ 7:10pm CDT
Randomhero wrote:ScottyP wrote:Wingstun calls the blue one Space Case, then they mention Nacelle, then "Space Case" transforms and looks like Nacelle. Huh?
No he turns into a seeker that shares G2 space case’s colors even down to his yellow/orange missiles. Not that hard to follow but I guess if you’re reading it to find something to complain about…
Guys will find anything to gripe about in the comics
To be fair both Nacelle and Space Case share the same colors.
Posted by ScottyP on August 31st, 2021 @ 7:31pm CDT
I kinda see it, still a bit off but that's probably unfamiliarity with seeing Space Case in a G1-ish seeker body. Thanks, and please try to be polite about it next time.Randomhero wrote:ScottyP wrote:Wingstun calls the blue one Space Case, then they mention Nacelle, then "Space Case" transforms and looks like Nacelle. Huh?
No he turns into a seeker that shares G2 space case’s colors even down to his yellow/orange missiles. Not that hard to follow but I guess if you’re reading it to find something to complain about…
Guys will find anything to gripe about in the comics
Posted by Mr.MicroMaster on August 31st, 2021 @ 9:47pm CDT
Transformers #34 Review by Mr. Mircomaster
Spoilers Ahead
Issue #34 kicks off the new Sea of Rust story arc and this issue like many others in this series is heavy on the dialogue but has a decent mix of action thrown in. The writing for this issue is on par with Ruckley’s previous outings. The art in this issue as per usual is done by Anna Malkova who brings her characteristic flare and competence in the art department.
Now let’s dive into the writing of this issue. There is no denying that Ruckley is very passionate about this series unfortunately that does not seem to have translated into reader passion. However, personally I enjoyed this issue. Is the story groundbreaking? No, but I had fun reading and that is what matters. Ruckley has definitely gotten better at bouncing back and forth between the different groups of this series. We pick up with Prime, Megatron, Shockwave as well as the Insectiacons, and it will be interesting to see how everything plays into this arc. This balance was missing from earlier issues. Termagax has lot of potential and hopefully this arc delivers on that. She also gives weird vibes like she cannot be completely trusted. The way Skywarp is written makes him feel like Loki from the MCU, but he didn’t feel quite all there.
You can find full credits for Transformers #34 in our Vector Sigma Database entry for this issue
The standout of this issue has to be the art Malkova continues to deliver. Her splash pages this issue are spectacular and some of the best moments in the book. The art overall is just really fun in this issue. Malkova is just superb at facial expressions. Both David Garcia Cruz and Evan Gauntt’s colors complement Malkova’s art incredibly well. They truly bring out the best in each other. No complaints with Jake Wood’s Lettering either.
Overall, I had a splendid time reading this book and the art is just fantastic. However, that does not mean this book is great. It is an okay story with superb art, but that being said I like this book and I am interested to see where this arc is going. Hopefully we will finally see some progress in this series or at the very least some combiner goodness.
. ½
out of
This issue is out today, and you can pick it up at the Seibertron.com eBay store or at your local shop, check here to find the closest shop to you.
Posted by WiseMan on September 1st, 2021 @ 10:10am CDT
Posted by ScottyP on September 21st, 2021 @ 9:53am CDT
(W) Brian Ruckley (A) Anna Malkova (CA) Joana Lafuente
"Sea of Rust," part two! Termagax has many secrets - information that could forever tip the scales in the favor of the Autobots or the Decepticons. As the Decepticons close in, she allows Optimus Prime and the two other Autobots she respects into her inner sanctum to share her knowledge. But will the Autobots be able to act on it before the Decepticons start their siege? And where does Skywarp factor into the equation?
Check out the preview below and be sure to pick this issue up tomorrow at your local comic shop, through a licensed digital comics retailer, or via the Seibertron.com eBay store.
Posted by Big Grim on September 21st, 2021 @ 10:26am CDT
~ Grim
Posted by Razorbeast88 on September 21st, 2021 @ 1:08pm CDT
Posted by bluecatcinema on September 21st, 2021 @ 2:00pm CDT
Razorbeast88 wrote:Who is the character next to Shockwave in that last panel?
I'm guessing Shadow Striker.
Posted by Windsweeper on September 21st, 2021 @ 2:32pm CDT
Flamewar is funny, egging Hyperdrive on.
Posted by Razorbeast88 on September 21st, 2021 @ 2:37pm CDT
bluecatcinema wrote:Razorbeast88 wrote:Who is the character next to Shockwave in that last panel?
I'm guessing Shadow Striker.
Thank you!
Posted by ScottyP on September 22nd, 2021 @ 6:36am CDT
A Review of Transformers #35
A Few Spoilers Within
The long road through the Cybertronian War, or at least one of them, continues onwards with today's release of Transformers #35. Several months of build-up and maneuvering have culminated in a showdown at Termagax's house, House. While a single issue alone will never be enough to get me back "in to" this series, it came as a surprise to find plenty to like in the trenches of this series' latest installment.
Most of "Lord of Misrule: Sea of Rust II" takes place in the same setting as issue 34, though after a brief but pretty enjoyable skirmish at the beginning the action cools. An opportunity to have one very well focused issue, or at least relatively for this series, is cast aside so we can find out what "Skywarp" is up to this month. Some readers will like that, but I found it distracted from what this issue was doing on the whole. My intense dislike of what Brian Ruckley has done with the character and the series' presumable overarching villain probably doesn't help here.
That aside, and without giving too much away, what this issue does is set up and begin to execute a big, exciting, fun to read set-piece battle between a bunch of Autobots and a just-as-large group of Decepticons. It provides at least a small amount of payoff for the series' excessive cast, jumping from group to group while nearly managing to pull off the impressive feat of building up that cast in a positive way as it does so. While I didn't like every development within the battle and found Optimus Prime to be abhorrently misused during it, it was still very exciting and makes this the most entertaining issue of the series in a long while.
The art steals the show here without question, as Anna Malkova shows off every skill she's developed as a Transformers artist in as big a way as could be imagined. There are dozens and dozens of characters in this issue doing dozens of different things while conveying a wide spectrum of emotion and it's hard to pick a spot where things ever get bad, though Sandstorm's teeth are a little weird. David Garcia Cruz and Evan Gauntt provide the colors, and outside of the orange tinted hues of the Sea of Rust looking marvelous there's great lighting work as well. Jake M. Wood's letter work never distracts and some of the effects serve as a welcome compliment to Malkova's transformation sequences. You can't literally hear Sky Lynx or Sixshot transform, but you will and they sound very different. Tremendous stuff.
This section went a bit long so remember that as always, you can find all the cover images and full credits for the issue through our Vector Sigma Database page for Transformers #35.
Transformers #35 could have been another chapter of this series where I frantically looked to push this review off onto another staff member, but the art and key battle sequence provided enough entertainment that I wanted to let you all know about it. There's certainly still a healthy helping of things I really, genuinely disliked, but at least there's cool stuff here to distract from, say, one of the hands-down worst versions of Optimus Prime that has ever existed, which I'm happy to go into on the boards where spoilers can roam more freely.
If you ignore everything but the battle scenes this is a 4.5/5, but on the whole, the issue has some really excellent stuff that's dragged down by its wider circumstances and context. If you've been enjoying the series, ignore my "average" rating for this one and keep that high score in mind instead.
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out of
This issue is out today, September 22nd, and you can pick it up at the Seibertron.com eBay store or at your local shop, check here to find the closest shop to you.
Posted by ZeroWolf on September 22nd, 2021 @ 7:28am CDT
Posted by Randomhero on September 22nd, 2021 @ 7:38am CDT
I love the stories, the characters and what’s going on with them. You can complain about Skywarp all you want but he’s being handled not too dissimilar from how he was conceived by Bob Budiansky. A deadly character who is kinda off and a prankster. Hate to break it to ya but Brian Ruckley read the bios of characters and is utilizing them to a very good extent.
I’ve seen people complain about the pacing and how slow the series and how little goes on and it’s all talking. Reading it from start to current, the pacing isn’t slow. It’s not just talking and there’s tons of stuff going on! The problem have been the delays. Even I was struggling a little at a point but reading it all I blame the delays and that’s unfortunate but that’s not the story’s fault.
I’ll say it again I think this is some of the best transformers comics in over 5 years and I highly recommend it. It’s leaps and bounds better the the last 2 years of the the original IDW verse and better then the -ation start that’s for damn certain and I loved the -ation series a lot.
Posted by ScottyP on September 22nd, 2021 @ 6:18pm CDT
He spends this issue talking to Termagax while the big ol' cool battle scene happens instead of participating in it. I don't care how important that talk is to him, no Optimus should ever do that. He doesn't seem to give one crap that some of his soldiers are out there probably dying and I mean, wow, unless the point is that he's just not any better or much different from Sentinel then I don't get it.ZeroWolf wrote:You say most misused optimus...is that even worse then what they did in the latter days of IDW 1?
Posted by ZeroWolf on September 22nd, 2021 @ 6:30pm CDT
ScottyP wrote:He spends this issue talking to Termagax while the big ol' cool battle scene happens instead of participating in it. I don't care how important that talk is to him, no Optimus should ever do that. He doesn't seem to give one crap that some of his soldiers are out there probably dying and I mean, wow, unless the point is that he's just not any better or much different from Sentinel then I don't get it.ZeroWolf wrote:You say most misused optimus...is that even worse then what they did in the latter days of IDW 1?
Ah I get what you're saying.
Posted by Randomhero on September 22nd, 2021 @ 7:31pm CDT
ScottyP wrote:He spends this issue talking to Termagax while the big ol' cool battle scene happens instead of participating in it. I don't care how important that talk is to him, no Optimus should ever do that. He doesn't seem to give one crap that some of his soldiers are out there probably dying and I mean, wow, unless the point is that he's just not any better or much different from Sentinel then I don't get it.ZeroWolf wrote:You say most misused optimus...is that even worse then what they did in the latter days of IDW 1?
Oh Bullshit no he doesn’t spend the issue inside while the battle is going on. Optimus shows up over halfway through the issue and the battle doesn’t even kick off till page 22/23 spread out of 24 pages. and it’s only the beginning! This is once again a shining example of the staff, mainly you due to this review just trying to find stuff to dislike and is reaching to a point of just being sad.
You just don’t want to enjoy this series. You ignored blatant problems with roberts books and gave them perfect scores acknowledging the problems but admitting not caring about them which should have been a the last time you ever shoulda have been allowed to review comics personally because thats a bad reviewer there and you’re just looking for stuff to criticize with this series because you don’t want to like it.
He spends his time BEFORE the battle truly kicks off full force trying to talk sense into Termagax and convince her that while she refuses to join a side, she running out of options and he has his second I command with him helming the battle. Someone who is regarded as one of the greatest soldiers in cybertoanian history. Something that’s establish Optimus is not. The same second in command that refused to let him meet megatron and volunteered to go instead due to his safety and importance when he wanted to talk peace but he is here at this time during this due to how important this situation is. We don’t know Optimus’s war history because it hasn’t been explored other then he was present during the war the threefold spark. Where he’s at currently is where he should be. Trying to convince the most important person there aside from himself(because he’s a prime) to get involved and hey, guess what? Spoiler: he does.
You wanna complain Optimus isn’t there on the battlefield and that “no Optimus should do that” but that Roberts who you’ve always held in such a high regard showed Optimus sitting in a bubble surrounded by monitors watching and coordinating battles. But no Optimus should do that…unless it’s written by a writer you like. But again, MTMTE/LL. see the issues and flaws, doesn’t care because bias and likes the series.
Posted by Hydrargyrus on September 23rd, 2021 @ 11:49am CDT
As I said before, I’m not finished with IDW1 yet, but so far it seems like MtMtE was much more focused on the stories within individual issues and small story arcs (often underdeveloping some of the longer-term stuff). On the other hand, IDW2 looks like it places heavy emphasis on world-building and planting seeds for later plots. So it would make sense that each series appeals to a largely different audience.
I could be wrong, though.