IDW Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye #31 Preview

so....I want a Nautica action figure now.

What could be worse than that? (Lack of action in this setup issue maybe?)

Previous issue stuff: Last issue the crew of the LOST LIGHT found themselves having to abandon ship as whole portions of their ship (and then eventually the whole ship) just disappears...

Spoiler Free-ish plot in 31. The LOST LIGHT disappeared leaving the crew floating about in space in whatever shuttle/raft/craft they could sardine themselves into trying to rationalize the ‘WHY’ and 'HOW' they can find it. In this issue, we are privy to a conversation being had on the famous ROD-POD about what could have happened to the big LL, and Nautica explains some heavy theory based on the quantum engines.



But then, like an old soap opera mystery plot, the lights go out mysteriously, and members of the ROD-POD start disappearing. Megatron is blamed, a stowaway is found... will the ROD-POD crew led by Nightbeat deduce who or what keeps causing their fellow shipmates to disappear before their ALL gone? Are the missing offline? What is the connection between the individuals who’ve disappeared? Who will be next? How does a fifty foot human girl find her way into the story? Can the probability/improbability of something happening truly be a fuel source?





Some opinioning. MTMTE has become a fan favorite due to its smart plot and dialogue, and smarter characters. It’s fun and silly, but intellectual; brings back my childhood, but challenges me as an adult reader, and each issue seems to leave the reader wanting more. Best kind of book in my opinion. The art styles, colors, panels, and layouts are usually partnered well in telling the story.

This issue is NOT jam-packed from cover to cover with robot-blasting-robot/alien action. But it’s still makes for a very interesting read, although it is packed with dialogue and long-winded (detailed!) explanations. We’re getting introduced to the history of the LOST LIGHT, and through that, we are introduced to more of each crew member’s nuances, and even more so, about TRANSFORMER societal, and historical details that we may not have known about before.



For example, just how smart are Nautica and Highbrow? Swerve has Logorrhea (whatever that may be, but it sounds like it may be running at the mouth). Riptide has an unreliable transformation cog. Megatron fears revealing too much about himself, and still counts himself as separate from the Autobots. Crosscut likes to write dramas...the list goes on. Within those data bits, we start to get more 'flesh and blood' characters. Sure some of its silly, but much of it is actually...well..awesome.



And for me, that’s what has been one of the best things about the MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE series. It’s an enjoyable story to be sure, but it helps me to better understand the society and history of the universe my favorite characters inhabit, and just how much there is that has never been thought of. From the earlier ‘Shadowplay’, the Institute, and senate ‘stuff’ to Tyrest, the DJD, Decepticon kamikaze bombers/bombs, and made to order Autobots... there has been quite a lot to learn about that has birthed many of our favorite characters' beliefs, actions, and qualities.



“It’s strange isn’t it? So many Autobots owe their lives to you. Without your war they wouldn’t be here.” Interesting statement AMIright? Read issue #31 at least twice to take it all in, or very carefully the first time, and don't get put off by the lack of action, it's all leading somewhere...



The Writing and Letters are top notch as always, thanks to James Roberts, John Barber and Tom B. Long. (Just a few missing words here or there that were a little annoying--probably due to me reading the ‘review’ copy and not the final version).

The lines and inks by Atilio Rojo are fair (I guess I'm not feeling too generous). At times, I think it’s good stuff, the first pages with Drift for example, but at other times I feel like it goes way too simple in representing the characters (Gears and Huffer) and to me the robots feel lacking in size, weight, detail, and scale. Now, granted, there's a fairly stale setting for the issue, and a small set group of characters, so Rojo may not have been able to really get in his groove. It works, but it's rough, you may like it, but I’m missing Alex Milne a little more.

Joana Lafuente handles the colors well, most notably, skillfully making a distinction between past events and current events using color (going for that sepia-esque overall treatment in the past).

Overall, for what is action-wise, a pretty slow story that takes place in a very confined setting, I enjoyed this issue a lot. Again, it’s mainly due to the character development, as well as, the further development of the history, society, and lore of the TRANSFORMERS. Grab this issue tomorrow at your local comic shop!

-Tigertrack *of the early-dia of clones battle of Tak-ara*

Thanks for the review, looks like this issue is shaping up to tell a really good story can't wait to read it, though I'll probably pick it up along with RiD and the last part of Windblade.

ZeroWolf wrote:Thanks for the review, looks like this issue is shaping up to tell a really good story can't wait to read it, though I'll probably pick it up along with RiD and the last part of Windblade.

Hey thanks for the thanks. It's a good story, albeit without much conclusion. The TF interactions are fantastic. Nautica is a cool character. Not sure about Riptide. But both could use toys.

And this is Nightbeat!s issue. Probably the one they were going to pack in with his upcoming toy. The Ri cover shows Nightbeat's toy form using the RTS Jazz mold and not the Bumblebee based one we are getting.

Optimizzy wrote:so....I want a Nautica action figure now.

Me too. More fembots the better, but she's getting to be a good character away from the other ladies.

Tigertrack wrote:

ZeroWolf wrote:Thanks for the review, looks like this issue is shaping up to tell a really good story can't wait to read it, though I'll probably pick it up along with RiD and the last part of Windblade.

Hey thanks for the thanks. It's a good story, albeit without much conclusion. The TF interactions are fantastic. Nautica is a cool character. Not sure about Riptide. But both could use toys.

And this is Nightbeat!s issue. Probably the one they were going to pack in with his upcoming toy. The Ri cover shows Nightbeat's toy form using the RTS Jazz mold and not the Bumblebee based one we are getting.

No problem

Love me some Nightbeat His spotlight was amongst the first IDW stuff I read.

As for Nautica, I can't help but wonder what Mr Roberts has planned for her, a lone fembot in a sea of nongenders. Speaking of which, I wonder if these are the only fembots we're getting

As for toys, I would be down with a Nautica to go along with her sisters

The artwork looks terrible. What happened to Alex? Will he be back?

I have to agree with Stormrider. The art left me bored. When compared with Alex's work this penciller just doesn't compare. Hades, it even made me feel like Roberts hadn't written this issue.

And the bit with Megs and Ravage felt really out of place. It felt like Roberts was showing the story's cards way to early. (I know this probably isn't the case but it sure felt like.)

Stormrider wrote:The artwork looks terrible. What happened to Alex? Will he be back?

Going off of just Milne's Twitter account, pretty sure he's right back for 32 and 33.

I did enjoy this issue, it was a good breather between the preceding arc and the next one, which as ScottyP mentioned above, has Milne back on art and is one of Roberts' most twisted yet (Milne's words).

I liked the review, TT! I might implement the coloured names myself with the next one too.

Va'al wrote:I did enjoy this issue, it was a good breather between the preceding arc and the next one, which as ScottyP mentioned above, has Milne back on art and is one of Roberts' most twisted yet (Milne's words).

I liked the review, TT! I might implement the coloured names myself with the next one too.

My favorite thing they've said about it so far (I think this is attributable to Roberts but I don't remember) was, paraphrasing, "Just keep telling yourself it's a story arc".

Another thing about this issue: the humour was amazing.
I was reading it on an Italian campsite, translated it after the first read to a bunch of people there and had them all pissing themselves.

Gateway and Nightbeat, for example. The names, as TT pointed out. Nautica pretty much every time.

And then you get the punch in Drift's comeback to Pipes piping up. "Don't let me put my foot down." Urgh.