Faces From My Past Return, Another Lesson yet to Learn.
The Transformers Issue 20: Space Opera Act 2: Out of the Silent Planet. June 1st 2011.
Haunted by ‘bots who died stupidly, just like me.
The second part, or “Act” as apparently Costa was too busy thinking of old SF novels to use for titles to focus on staying consistent on that part, of Space Opera is very much a mopping up exercise.
Literally, as Rodimus wakes up on a table with Garnak mopping the floor next to him. Which presumably is just a reflex action, trying to find something to do as they travel.
Because it turns out Wheelie has been the one doing all the important stuff, including surgery on Rodimus to separate him from the now drained Matrix (lets hope Rodimus doesn’t make a habit of burning that out) and flying them to their destination.
Which then gives us an odd moment of Rodimus asking how long they’ve been traveling for, only for Garnak to say that, because of the differing orbit of LV-118 to Rodimus’ own planet, that’s hard to judge.
Haunted by ‘bots who died stupidly, just like me.
The second part, or “Act” as apparently Costa was too busy thinking of old SF novels to use for titles to focus on staying consistent on that part, of Space Opera is very much a mopping up exercise.
Literally, as Rodimus wakes up on a table with Garnak mopping the floor next to him. Which presumably is just a reflex action, trying to find something to do as they travel.
Because it turns out Wheelie has been the one doing all the important stuff, including surgery on Rodimus to separate him from the now drained Matrix (lets hope Rodimus doesn’t make a habit of burning that out) and flying them to their destination.
Which then gives us an odd moment of Rodimus asking how long they’ve been traveling for, only for Garnak to say that, because of the differing orbit of LV-118 to Rodimus’ own planet, that’s hard to judge.
There’s absolutely no story reason for this vagueness, but it does, along with flat out confirming that the planet last issue wasn’t the one from Spotlight: Wheelie, feel like John Barber was indeed well into his own outlines and pitches and this is an editorial mandate to set that up which Costa has no idea what to do with.
Someone else with no idea is Wheelie, who has cheerfully brought them to Cybertron, much to Rodimus’ horror. And when get a genuinely nice tense scene of him desperately trying anything to not land there and, when it’s too late, to power down and hide from the Swarm, to the deep confusion of his two fellow travellers. With Rodimus’ panic only added to as something starts trying to smash its way in from outside.
Panic just turns into confusion as the force blasting its way in turns out to be an angry, and gloriously wide, Ironhide, expecting to find Decepticons.
He’s relieved to find another Autobot, but it’s a bafflement conga for Rodimus, as he’s followed by Sunstreaker and then Sunstreaker’s pet Swarm creature, Bob.
Someone else with no idea is Wheelie, who has cheerfully brought them to Cybertron, much to Rodimus’ horror. And when get a genuinely nice tense scene of him desperately trying anything to not land there and, when it’s too late, to power down and hide from the Swarm, to the deep confusion of his two fellow travellers. With Rodimus’ panic only added to as something starts trying to smash its way in from outside.
Panic just turns into confusion as the force blasting its way in turns out to be an angry, and gloriously wide, Ironhide, expecting to find Decepticons.
He’s relieved to find another Autobot, but it’s a bafflement conga for Rodimus, as he’s followed by Sunstreaker and then Sunstreaker’s pet Swarm creature, Bob.
Who, famously, Costa wanted to call Spike (a name Sunstreaker chose randomly just because he’s spikey), just to add to Rodimus’ confusion. Still, Bob is probably the last good idea Costa had on the series, being a lovable goofball, that the fans would take to their heart and would hang around for most of the rest of IDW’s first run.
Rodimus is effectively convinced he’s not only died but gone to the place where all people who died in stupid ways go, which is a bit of a brutal thing to say in front of Ironhide and Sunstreaker.
The reunion gets even more confused when Garnak, riled up by Rodimus’ claims of monsters, tries shooting Ironhide in the back. Which he brushes off, but means he misunderstands what Rodimus is apologising for when he tries to talk about his part in Red’s “death,” leading to him realising from the faces Sunstreaker is pulling that this is not a subject to continue.
Instead, Rod and Streak pop outside for a chat, where Rodimus gets even more confused by the stories of Alpha Trion and domesticating an Insecticon to sniff out the rest of the Swarm. Angstreaker talks about his own guilt and regrets, though Rodimus, remembering how Ironhide died, points out, they all have things to atone for.
Rodimus is effectively convinced he’s not only died but gone to the place where all people who died in stupid ways go, which is a bit of a brutal thing to say in front of Ironhide and Sunstreaker.
The reunion gets even more confused when Garnak, riled up by Rodimus’ claims of monsters, tries shooting Ironhide in the back. Which he brushes off, but means he misunderstands what Rodimus is apologising for when he tries to talk about his part in Red’s “death,” leading to him realising from the faces Sunstreaker is pulling that this is not a subject to continue.
Instead, Rod and Streak pop outside for a chat, where Rodimus gets even more confused by the stories of Alpha Trion and domesticating an Insecticon to sniff out the rest of the Swarm. Angstreaker talks about his own guilt and regrets, though Rodimus, remembering how Ironhide died, points out, they all have things to atone for.
This has actually been a very solid issue up to this point, with some solid character work and nice comedy of error gags as everyone is surprised to see everyone.
The downturn comes as Ironhide comes out of the ship to say it’s working, so they just need to work out how to power it. Which leaves Rodimus confused, if Cybertron is safe, couldn’t they just take a short breather, as he’s had a time of it.
Turns out the Swarm is not the big worry though, something new is on Cybertron and one of them comes flying in for a blast at that moment. As the fastest travellers, Rodimus and Wheelie are sent in pursuit, with still no idea what they’re facing.
The downturn comes as Ironhide comes out of the ship to say it’s working, so they just need to work out how to power it. Which leaves Rodimus confused, if Cybertron is safe, couldn’t they just take a short breather, as he’s had a time of it.
Turns out the Swarm is not the big worry though, something new is on Cybertron and one of them comes flying in for a blast at that moment. As the fastest travellers, Rodimus and Wheelie are sent in pursuit, with still no idea what they’re facing.
They manage to get close enough to shoot the flyer down, and then get close enough to see that it and the others swarming around it after it lands are not, well, the Swarm, but what the reader will recognise as Sweeps!
Sweeps with a leader, who does what the Wiki tells me was originally going to be killing the grounded Sweep but was instead changed to the Heart of Darkness restoring him. Though frankly, it could be just about anything. It does however give us a great three-quarter page reveal of a fantastic looking Galvatron.
Along with a caption telling you to read issue four of Heart of Darkness to find out how he got there. Which, considering that issue hadn’t come out yet, is a Galaxy brain move.
A chase then ensues back to the ship, where, with the Matrix still playing up, they decide to use the power cell Alpha Trion left to feel Ironhide and Sunstreaker, on the grounds they won’t need feeding for very long if they stay. This results in a successful blast-off (and much thanks to Alpha Trion), before a course is set to Earth. It’s time to bring in reinforcements…
Sweeps with a leader, who does what the Wiki tells me was originally going to be killing the grounded Sweep but was instead changed to the Heart of Darkness restoring him. Though frankly, it could be just about anything. It does however give us a great three-quarter page reveal of a fantastic looking Galvatron.
Along with a caption telling you to read issue four of Heart of Darkness to find out how he got there. Which, considering that issue hadn’t come out yet, is a Galaxy brain move.
A chase then ensues back to the ship, where, with the Matrix still playing up, they decide to use the power cell Alpha Trion left to feel Ironhide and Sunstreaker, on the grounds they won’t need feeding for very long if they stay. This results in a successful blast-off (and much thanks to Alpha Trion), before a course is set to Earth. It’s time to bring in reinforcements…
It’s strange how much what was otherwise another surprisingly solid Costa issue seems to lose all interest in itself once it has to move from the dead -guys-conga to the tie-in to Heart of Darkness and Chaos. It’s especially telling Galvatron doesn’t even speak.
But, as I suspect this will be the last time for me to be generous to Costa, and the better part is the majority of the issue, I’m going to call that a solid enough win, especially as Rodimus’ reactions to everything happening to him are priceless.
Guido Guidi continues to be the solid backbone of IDW as well, clearly having a lot of fun getting to draw an incredibly solid (in the with presence sense) Ironhide and a glorious Galvatron.
So, against all the odds, this story hasn’t died in a stupid way yet.
Next week, the set before this Heart of Darkness issue 4!
HEART OF DARKNESS ISSUE 3
2011
COMMENT
KO-FI
But, as I suspect this will be the last time for me to be generous to Costa, and the better part is the majority of the issue, I’m going to call that a solid enough win, especially as Rodimus’ reactions to everything happening to him are priceless.
Guido Guidi continues to be the solid backbone of IDW as well, clearly having a lot of fun getting to draw an incredibly solid (in the with presence sense) Ironhide and a glorious Galvatron.
So, against all the odds, this story hasn’t died in a stupid way yet.
Next week, the set before this Heart of Darkness issue 4!
HEART OF DARKNESS ISSUE 3
2011
COMMENT
KO-FI