The Cops are out, They’re Running About, Don’t Know if They’ll Ever be Able to Block Buster out.
Autocracy Chapter 3: The Hunt for Soundwave. February 15th 2012.
What the—is that Ratbat???
The third issue continues the trend of making each chapter focused on one scene, in this case, an action scene of Soundwave being chased across Iacon and to the safe Decepticon territory of Kaon.
Starting with Pax both clarifying their capture or kill orders, but also making it clear that Soundwave is suspected of killing the old Senate, but as there’s no witnesses, no one is sure exactly what happened or who helped him.
Which, thanks to the joys of digital printing, feels like a couple of lines up in at the last second after readers of the second part complained about both the Senate not being dead and Starscream being able to hang out with them.
What the—is that Ratbat???
The third issue continues the trend of making each chapter focused on one scene, in this case, an action scene of Soundwave being chased across Iacon and to the safe Decepticon territory of Kaon.
Starting with Pax both clarifying their capture or kill orders, but also making it clear that Soundwave is suspected of killing the old Senate, but as there’s no witnesses, no one is sure exactly what happened or who helped him.
Which, thanks to the joys of digital printing, feels like a couple of lines up in at the last second after readers of the second part complained about both the Senate not being dead and Starscream being able to hang out with them.
Making waves.
With that slightly desperate bit of housekeeping out of the way, the fun can start. The gimmick here is that, as members of Pax’s team get close to stopping Soundwave, he simply ejects a cassette, who proceeds to batter the cops using their USP, letting Soundwave get further ahead.
So, Ravage mauls Bumblebee and Hound; Rumble collapses a building on Prowl and Ironhide, Frenzy uses his psycho-waves on Pax himself (in the only one of the references to prior IDW in this part that couldn’t have been a last second addition as it’s in the art) and Ratbat takes down Silverbolt. Or “Bolt” as the issue has everyone keep calling him.
The art can be a little hard to follow at times, and it is a bit silly, but it’s also great fun, with each of the mini-Cons getting to show some character along with their violence, and just how humiliated the cops get is actually quite funny. Even Silverbolt’s surprise at Ratbat now being a funny little bat guy is a good gag.
So, Ravage mauls Bumblebee and Hound; Rumble collapses a building on Prowl and Ironhide, Frenzy uses his psycho-waves on Pax himself (in the only one of the references to prior IDW in this part that couldn’t have been a last second addition as it’s in the art) and Ratbat takes down Silverbolt. Or “Bolt” as the issue has everyone keep calling him.
The art can be a little hard to follow at times, and it is a bit silly, but it’s also great fun, with each of the mini-Cons getting to show some character along with their violence, and just how humiliated the cops get is actually quite funny. Even Silverbolt’s surprise at Ratbat now being a funny little bat guy is a good gag.
Bats all folks.
The chase ends with Soundwave thinking he’s arrived in Kaon safely, only for Pax to catch up to him and, denying Buzzsaw a chance to do something, gives him a good hard punch in the chest. Soundwave (still talking in that annoying TV way) is initially smug that Pax is overconfident, but the cop ultimately wins, much to the surprise of Ironhide and Prowl, having just dug themselves out of the rubble from Rumble.
But before anyone can say “Leave it Pax, that’s Decepticon town”, a group led by Skywarp arrive and make it very clear that Soundwave is going nowhere. But they do extend an invitation to Pax to come for a chat with Megatron…
Yes, the cliffhanger is literally the threat that we’re going to get a scene that won’t line up with Chaos Theory at all.
But before anyone can say “Leave it Pax, that’s Decepticon town”, a group led by Skywarp arrive and make it very clear that Soundwave is going nowhere. But they do extend an invitation to Pax to come for a chat with Megatron…
Yes, the cliffhanger is literally the threat that we’re going to get a scene that won’t line up with Chaos Theory at all.
"Come meet the boyfriend"
Despite Livio’s art feeling a bit rushed here, that’s actually the strongest part yet, because it does just focus on a fun and well executed chase, with the cassettes allowing for variety to the action.
That leaves pretty much nothing to say about the story itself, but as a harmless diversion, it does the job nicely.
Next week, we’ll see how much Chuck Dixon really loves his craft in the second half of Infestation 2.
MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE ISSUE 2
2012
COMMENT
KO-FI
That leaves pretty much nothing to say about the story itself, but as a harmless diversion, it does the job nicely.
Next week, we’ll see how much Chuck Dixon really loves his craft in the second half of Infestation 2.
MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE ISSUE 2
2012
COMMENT
KO-FI
