Brothers and Sisters, in Every Little Part, let our Love Shine a Light in Every Corner of our Hearts.
The Transformers issue 30: Chaos Part Four: Genesis. 16th November 2011.
No, it can’t be! It can’t be! What have I done?!
The conclusion to two years of stories starts with another James Roberts opening, as Arcee and Hardhead explain to the Kimia survivors they’ve picked up exactly what is going on, something Hardhead has learnt due to his previous mind-meld with Galvatron.
Which sounds simple enough, but Roberts is really experimenting with how far he can push his style in advance of his regular writing gig and, unfortunately, gives us the most Joss Whedon his writing will ever get, as Brainstorm, Chromedome and Swerve point out this is an “info-dump”, that none of this makes sense, that D-Void is a ridiculous name and, hey, isn’t it odd how Transformers are the ones always saving the Universe?
I’ve never been a fan of “What if the characters point out something is terrible, rather than just write something not terrible” stuff, and it’s incredibly painful and unfunny to read. Thankfully, Roberts will pull it back for most of his run, though it’s entirely possible he’s only comfortable being so harsh on Costa’s writing rather than his own.
No, it can’t be! It can’t be! What have I done?!
The conclusion to two years of stories starts with another James Roberts opening, as Arcee and Hardhead explain to the Kimia survivors they’ve picked up exactly what is going on, something Hardhead has learnt due to his previous mind-meld with Galvatron.
Which sounds simple enough, but Roberts is really experimenting with how far he can push his style in advance of his regular writing gig and, unfortunately, gives us the most Joss Whedon his writing will ever get, as Brainstorm, Chromedome and Swerve point out this is an “info-dump”, that none of this makes sense, that D-Void is a ridiculous name and, hey, isn’t it odd how Transformers are the ones always saving the Universe?
I’ve never been a fan of “What if the characters point out something is terrible, rather than just write something not terrible” stuff, and it’s incredibly painful and unfunny to read. Thankfully, Roberts will pull it back for most of his run, though it’s entirely possible he’s only comfortable being so harsh on Costa’s writing rather than his own.
Thankfully, MTMTE will not be this BONK BONK on the head. At least for a few years.
It also makes following the fairly simple, probably too simple, exposition needlessly tricky: D-Void has in fact (somehow) tricked Galvatron and plugging the Heart of Darkness ™ into Cybertron’s core will in fact destroy the planet and let D-Vioid fulfil its D-Ream of consuming the Universe.
Back on Cybertron and with Costa, we get a few pages of Megatron fighting the monster (which is only ever called D-Void here, so where did Deceptigod come from?) as Autobots like Bluestreak and Wheelie react with varying degrees of horror. It’s clearly meant to be a showcase for Livio, but his art is still struggling and it’s also clearly a scene that could have been extended or shrunk to pad out the issue as needed to make the page count.
Within Cybertron, Rodimus, Optimus and Ironhide are concerned by Drift, who’ll die soon without help. Though, as the severity of his injuries will never be mentioned again, it was presumably just a flesh-wound. Rodimus and Ironhide even have a little argument over who takes Drift back to the surface for help, with Rodimus winning by using a sincerity he won’t have in a month, telling Ironhide that, this time, he makes it out alive.
This scene also has the Matrix, somehow, tell Rodimus and Optimus all the same exposition about D-Void’s double trick on Galvatron the issue opened with. Which suggests Costa didn’t even look at the Roberts pages, though he treats the idea with complete reverence.
Back on Cybertron and with Costa, we get a few pages of Megatron fighting the monster (which is only ever called D-Void here, so where did Deceptigod come from?) as Autobots like Bluestreak and Wheelie react with varying degrees of horror. It’s clearly meant to be a showcase for Livio, but his art is still struggling and it’s also clearly a scene that could have been extended or shrunk to pad out the issue as needed to make the page count.
Within Cybertron, Rodimus, Optimus and Ironhide are concerned by Drift, who’ll die soon without help. Though, as the severity of his injuries will never be mentioned again, it was presumably just a flesh-wound. Rodimus and Ironhide even have a little argument over who takes Drift back to the surface for help, with Rodimus winning by using a sincerity he won’t have in a month, telling Ironhide that, this time, he makes it out alive.
This scene also has the Matrix, somehow, tell Rodimus and Optimus all the same exposition about D-Void’s double trick on Galvatron the issue opened with. Which suggests Costa didn’t even look at the Roberts pages, though he treats the idea with complete reverence.
Still only blasting with his gun at this point...
That the two ‘Ius guys don’t need Hardhead information makes the entire subplot with the Kimia refugees completely pointless as well.
On the surface, we get what is probably, for better or worse, the image of the series, as Megatron, screaming defiance at it, fires a huge burst of energy out of his body and into D-Void that…
…well…
Look, he basically jizzes up hard in the face of all his troops.
Indeed, he does it so hard, Galvatron feels it down in what will turn out to not just be the core, but also Vector Sigma. Which I don’t think has ever been acknowledged as a thing in IDW before this issue.
Prime and Rodimus are here to stop him though, only to find out that Galvatron has already shoved the Heart of Darkness into the planet!
Yes, Costa rips off the “I already did it” twist from Watchmen.
On the surface, we get what is probably, for better or worse, the image of the series, as Megatron, screaming defiance at it, fires a huge burst of energy out of his body and into D-Void that…
…well…
Look, he basically jizzes up hard in the face of all his troops.
Indeed, he does it so hard, Galvatron feels it down in what will turn out to not just be the core, but also Vector Sigma. Which I don’t think has ever been acknowledged as a thing in IDW before this issue.
Prime and Rodimus are here to stop him though, only to find out that Galvatron has already shoved the Heart of Darkness into the planet!
Yes, Costa rips off the “I already did it” twist from Watchmen.
Rodimus desperately needs a nap in that last panel.
This has the slightly confusing effect of not seeming to do anything but make Cybertron vanish from the radar on Arcee’s ship, but as the planet is still visibly there, she cheerfully has Hardhead just crash into it. Which he not only does, but he manages to crash right into Galvatron (but not the two Autobots standing right in front of him), underground.
Hmm.
Now, you might be thinking that this is the point of the James Roberts parts of the last two issues, but Galvatron just shrugs it off like it didn’t happen.
As the Dead Universe starts “coming through,” the two Autobots are left with only one option they have both spontaneously decided upon: Use the Matrix.
Intuition? A message from Primus? Or just, you always wave the Matrix about at a time like this?
Optimus is horrified at the idea of giving up their last holy relic, which gives Galvatron the chance to shoot him down and smugly declare there’s going to be no more alliances, he’s not going to rely on anyone who could betray him anymore.
Hmm.
Now, you might be thinking that this is the point of the James Roberts parts of the last two issues, but Galvatron just shrugs it off like it didn’t happen.
As the Dead Universe starts “coming through,” the two Autobots are left with only one option they have both spontaneously decided upon: Use the Matrix.
Intuition? A message from Primus? Or just, you always wave the Matrix about at a time like this?
Optimus is horrified at the idea of giving up their last holy relic, which gives Galvatron the chance to shoot him down and smugly declare there’s going to be no more alliances, he’s not going to rely on anyone who could betray him anymore.
Hmm.
Which is followed up by an incredible example of how irony can be pretty damn ironic, as Cyclonus immediately attacks him from behind.
Now, whilst Cyclonus’ patriotism was a key part of his character in his Spotlight, there’s been no indication of it, or even any doubts whatsoever, in this story until this very panel. It clearly only happens because Costa was told to make it happen for the new series and may be the most awkward and ridiculous moment in a story overflowing with them.
It doesn’t even especially slow down Galvatron, who swats him away like a fly and is only removed from play when the Dead Universe starts eating him as well.
Which leaves Prime free, however reluctantly, to do his waving the Matrix at Vector Sigma thing. Leading us to the one good part of the issue, a completely white page to represent the energy released, which Livio managed to both submit and, by all accounts, get paid for.
The fade back in to the desolate Cybertron on the next page is genuinely very nicely done as well.
Which gives us our final splash page, a confused and deflated looking Optimus staring at a coconut that’s been split in half.
Now, whilst Cyclonus’ patriotism was a key part of his character in his Spotlight, there’s been no indication of it, or even any doubts whatsoever, in this story until this very panel. It clearly only happens because Costa was told to make it happen for the new series and may be the most awkward and ridiculous moment in a story overflowing with them.
It doesn’t even especially slow down Galvatron, who swats him away like a fly and is only removed from play when the Dead Universe starts eating him as well.
Which leaves Prime free, however reluctantly, to do his waving the Matrix at Vector Sigma thing. Leading us to the one good part of the issue, a completely white page to represent the energy released, which Livio managed to both submit and, by all accounts, get paid for.
The fade back in to the desolate Cybertron on the next page is genuinely very nicely done as well.
Which gives us our final splash page, a confused and deflated looking Optimus staring at a coconut that’s been split in half.
The best page Mike Costa ever wrote.
Oh, wait, it’s meant to be the Matrix, now empty.
I feel very similar.
This has been just an appalling issue from start to finish, not helped by the smug “Well, it is bad, isn’t it?” opening. Characters just meander through the plot with no real motivation or plan, and no urgency to their actions. The plot manages to be both slight and needlessly convoluted and the Dead Universe remains as much a dead end as it ever was.
Throw in the fact that Livio Ramondelli’s art feels rushed and hard to follow again (which is a shame after a solid start on the opening, I wonder if the people who really don’t like his stuff are especially thinking of his work here, that isn’t very typical) and you have Costa fumbling the landing on the conclusion of both his stories.
I feel very similar.
This has been just an appalling issue from start to finish, not helped by the smug “Well, it is bad, isn’t it?” opening. Characters just meander through the plot with no real motivation or plan, and no urgency to their actions. The plot manages to be both slight and needlessly convoluted and the Dead Universe remains as much a dead end as it ever was.
Throw in the fact that Livio Ramondelli’s art feels rushed and hard to follow again (which is a shame after a solid start on the opening, I wonder if the people who really don’t like his stuff are especially thinking of his work here, that isn’t very typical) and you have Costa fumbling the landing on the conclusion of both his stories.
He never skips thigh days.
No wonder it wasn’t so long after this he did his infamous Underbase interview.
The only thing that really makes this an appropriate finale for this era of comics is a confused worthless mess is kind of appropriate for it.
Except of course, it’s not the end. Next week, we get a whimsical coda to the entire franchise. We’ll see if Costa can at least say “Goodbye” easily…
THE TRANSFORMERS ISSUE 29
2011
COMMENT
KO-FI
The only thing that really makes this an appropriate finale for this era of comics is a confused worthless mess is kind of appropriate for it.
Except of course, it’s not the end. Next week, we get a whimsical coda to the entire franchise. We’ll see if Costa can at least say “Goodbye” easily…
THE TRANSFORMERS ISSUE 29
2011
COMMENT
KO-FI
