Run Away! Run Away! It Seems Like a Helpful Solution.
The Transformers Issue 16: Revenge of the Decepticons Part 3: Woken Furies. February 9th 2011.
I don’t care about Skywarp. He was unable to kill me at point-blank range when I was completely taken by surprise.
I’ve given up commenting on Costa’s random use of “Real” SF book titles in order to make it look like he’s writing something more sophisticated than he really is, but I do have to give a shout out to Taylor on Twitter who pointed out “Woken Furies” (A Richard Morgan book) is a terrible tittle in this context.
We do start with a nice silly gag of a reporter outside Skywatch headquarters screaming about the Constitution being trampled on, before (in what turns out to be footage from the jailbreak), Soundwave literally tramples on her. It’s basic stuff, but got a smile, and Soundwave walked so Overlord could run.
I don’t care about Skywarp. He was unable to kill me at point-blank range when I was completely taken by surprise.
I’ve given up commenting on Costa’s random use of “Real” SF book titles in order to make it look like he’s writing something more sophisticated than he really is, but I do have to give a shout out to Taylor on Twitter who pointed out “Woken Furies” (A Richard Morgan book) is a terrible tittle in this context.
We do start with a nice silly gag of a reporter outside Skywatch headquarters screaming about the Constitution being trampled on, before (in what turns out to be footage from the jailbreak), Soundwave literally tramples on her. It’s basic stuff, but got a smile, and Soundwave walked so Overlord could run.
What happens when you doorstep Gary Lineker.
You could argue the reporter is being hyperbolic in their coverage, but it’s understandable really. Imagine how people would have reacted to the US giving sanctuary to a load of Nazis after World War II just because of the technological advances they could give Uncle Sam.
Oh.
We’re then immediately into padding, as the Autobots, in their flight to Omega Supreme, are confronted by civilians with Mega-guns, and, because of the optics if the robots fight back against civilians, they just have to keep running instead.
Ultra Magnus gets some nice moments of firm decisive leadership, but you could have simply lost half an issue by having them stay at Skywatch, or skip to them already outside Omega Supreme when the attack that closes the issue comes. Vigilantes in camo just aren’t interesting enough to justify this.
Oh.
We’re then immediately into padding, as the Autobots, in their flight to Omega Supreme, are confronted by civilians with Mega-guns, and, because of the optics if the robots fight back against civilians, they just have to keep running instead.
Ultra Magnus gets some nice moments of firm decisive leadership, but you could have simply lost half an issue by having them stay at Skywatch, or skip to them already outside Omega Supreme when the attack that closes the issue comes. Vigilantes in camo just aren’t interesting enough to justify this.
No panel can contain Ultra Magnus.
Much better is the sequence between Thundercracker and Starscream. With Starscream already trying to get rid of Megatron again, talking about what a team he and ‘Cracker were, how he has just made a tomb for himself in hiding here, the unfortunate mistake Skywarp made in trying to kill him (which gets the great rejoinder I opened with) and that Megatron has completely lost it, returning them to this worthless mudball. It’s a full charm offensive with just the right amount of insincerity for you to hear Chris Latta loud and clear.
Which gets the simplest response: The Autobot’s pitch was better.
Which gets the simplest response: The Autobot’s pitch was better.
Costa's plotting be like.
Which is enough to set Starscream over the edge, shooting Thundercracker repeatedly in the back. Which he survives, so I guess he’s no better at point-blank assassinations thank Skywarp. But, just as he’s about to deliver the killing blow, we get what is simply the best part of the entire issue. Brawn (who you might have forgotten was sent by Magnus last issue) bursts in and, with great delight, beats the crap out Starscream so hard, the Decepticon is left pleading that he’d make a better hostage than a corpse.
Brawn is one of the “Classic” 1984 characters who never really gets to do much, and this may actually be his greatest moment since he died by thinking running straight at Megatron whilst unarmed in the film was a good idea.
Brawn is one of the “Classic” 1984 characters who never really gets to do much, and this may actually be his greatest moment since he died by thinking running straight at Megatron whilst unarmed in the film was a good idea.
He's learnt his lesson and has shoulder protectors now.
And Starsceam’s insistence that he wasn’t the one who shot down Prime’s plane allows the chase sequence with Magnus to finally reach a point, as stealth bomber Megatron flies in, and cheerfully blasts the human terrorists into their bones. Though as they were carrying guns made of parts of him, you have to wonder if that hurt a bit.
He also knocks over and humiliates Ultra Magnus, which is especially interesting considering how their relationship will go.
With all looking desperate, over at a nearby harbour, Optimus, Spike and the rest of their team emerge from the water, opening up coms and ready for payback.
As the meme goes, if I had a nickel for every time there was a dramatic IDW moment of Optimus Prime leading troops out of water following the shooting down of their craft, I’d have two nickels. Which isn’t a lot, but strange it happened twice. But then, IDW have been going over 5 years at this point, their own material is probably now more than ripe enough for the referential nostalgia train.
This is another Costa issue desperately struggling under the weight of dragging the plot out. It would have made much more sense if the sequence of events had been: Prime is shot down, then Megatron leads a jailbreak on Skywatch when he takes down Magnus and kills some humans. There being two separate attacks
just lets a very boring road trip happen.
He also knocks over and humiliates Ultra Magnus, which is especially interesting considering how their relationship will go.
With all looking desperate, over at a nearby harbour, Optimus, Spike and the rest of their team emerge from the water, opening up coms and ready for payback.
As the meme goes, if I had a nickel for every time there was a dramatic IDW moment of Optimus Prime leading troops out of water following the shooting down of their craft, I’d have two nickels. Which isn’t a lot, but strange it happened twice. But then, IDW have been going over 5 years at this point, their own material is probably now more than ripe enough for the referential nostalgia train.
This is another Costa issue desperately struggling under the weight of dragging the plot out. It would have made much more sense if the sequence of events had been: Prime is shot down, then Megatron leads a jailbreak on Skywatch when he takes down Magnus and kills some humans. There being two separate attacks
just lets a very boring road trip happen.
*That Marge Simpson walking meme*
And that’s a shame, as there’s some solid, fun character work here. Not just in the Thundercracker/Starscream/Brawn scene, there’s also a couple of nice beats for serious sensible cop Magnus as well.
And Milne takes over the story mid-stride smoothly and effectively, with some lovely big wide boy panels of Magnus and Brawn.
But it’s not enough, leaving us with yet another issue where there’s almost nothing to say about it.
Next week, hopefully the conclusion to the vampire zombie miniseries will have a bit more bite.
TRANSFORMERS INFESTATION ISSUE 1
2011
COMMENT
KO-FI
And Milne takes over the story mid-stride smoothly and effectively, with some lovely big wide boy panels of Magnus and Brawn.
But it’s not enough, leaving us with yet another issue where there’s almost nothing to say about it.
Next week, hopefully the conclusion to the vampire zombie miniseries will have a bit more bite.
TRANSFORMERS INFESTATION ISSUE 1
2011
COMMENT
KO-FI
