Soon Turned Out, Had a Heart of Glass.
Heart of Darkness Issue 1. March 23rd 2011.
They didn’t understand what they meant. They hardly cared.
Say what you like about the comics we’ve had over the last year, there can be many Transformers series that limped through so badly they cancelled an entire subline. Yes, Heart of Darkness was meant to be a miniseries that would properly launch the new major writers of the franchise (after Abnett and Lanning dipped their toes in the water with Infestation, which is set after this first issue despite coming out first), it instead led to an editorial decision not to do miniseries any more due to fans not biting at them.
Which in turn will lead to the ongoing going twice monthly to contain various stories that were meant to be in miniseries, which in turn lead to it being replaced by two new ongoings to keep up the same pace. Outside of digital firsts, it’ll be a while and a complete change in editorial staff for us to get another miniseries after this.
Which is quite a legacy for a widely derided and, by editorial’s own admission when they announced that shift, flop book to have. In an era where those who were still reading had generally come to be numb to whatever Mike Costa was throwing at them, this series managed to surprise and disappoint them in all new ways.
Which is putting my cards on the table very early, and maybe I’ll find something to salvage from this as we go along. But we can’t dive right in without talking about why this series didn’t land well in an era of not particularly great storytelling all round: The art.
They didn’t understand what they meant. They hardly cared.
Say what you like about the comics we’ve had over the last year, there can be many Transformers series that limped through so badly they cancelled an entire subline. Yes, Heart of Darkness was meant to be a miniseries that would properly launch the new major writers of the franchise (after Abnett and Lanning dipped their toes in the water with Infestation, which is set after this first issue despite coming out first), it instead led to an editorial decision not to do miniseries any more due to fans not biting at them.
Which in turn will lead to the ongoing going twice monthly to contain various stories that were meant to be in miniseries, which in turn lead to it being replaced by two new ongoings to keep up the same pace. Outside of digital firsts, it’ll be a while and a complete change in editorial staff for us to get another miniseries after this.
Which is quite a legacy for a widely derided and, by editorial’s own admission when they announced that shift, flop book to have. In an era where those who were still reading had generally come to be numb to whatever Mike Costa was throwing at them, this series managed to surprise and disappoint them in all new ways.
Which is putting my cards on the table very early, and maybe I’ll find something to salvage from this as we go along. But we can’t dive right in without talking about why this series didn’t land well in an era of not particularly great storytelling all round: The art.
The eyes have it.
Ulises Fariñas was a new artist on these books and so it’s hard to say what went wrong. But usually when really rushed looking art comes in, it’s more the fault of outside constraints that anything to do with the artist themselves. But, even if they were up against a bad deadline, sadly, the final result is infamous. Big dead eyes, strange proportions, bulging necks, hard to follow action. It’s all here and topped off with poor colouring to boot. This may actually be the worst looking Transformers book done up to this point. And that’s with, if not stiff, then at least interesting competition over the years.
The end result is something that mars the reputation entire project. And to be honest, may well have let the writers off the hook for its other flaws. But we’ll see as we go.
The issue opens on Gorlam Prime. Because there’s probably no more damning indication of how things have gone over the last few years than the increasing retreat into Furman ideas and concepts that were previously considered by editorial to be so unpopular, they were dumped and hastily wrapped up.
Still, the planet is now a widely recognised technological paradise (they even have women robots), where everyone is happy and contended.
At least I think those expressions are meant to be happy.
The end result is something that mars the reputation entire project. And to be honest, may well have let the writers off the hook for its other flaws. But we’ll see as we go.
The issue opens on Gorlam Prime. Because there’s probably no more damning indication of how things have gone over the last few years than the increasing retreat into Furman ideas and concepts that were previously considered by editorial to be so unpopular, they were dumped and hastily wrapped up.
Still, the planet is now a widely recognised technological paradise (they even have women robots), where everyone is happy and contended.
At least I think those expressions are meant to be happy.
Abase yourself.
Except now, Galvatron has arrived and found the entire planet dead and abandoned. Something causing great anguish within him as the Heart of Darkness reacts badly to it, having him send out Cyclonus and Scourge (who, for some reason, are written as their Headmasters comedy Laurel and Hardy level goons portrayal throughout) to find out what happened.
Letting him give us an extended recap of everything from the end of Revelation through to his Coda story. Which is fair enough as, outside of Infestation (which had to do its own tortuous flashbacks) its been a couple of years since any of this has been mentioned.
The main new information is that, when he escaped from the Solar Pool tm, he used the Heart of Darkness to “abase” two Autobot guards, who have presumably then been aware of his escape since then, but never mentioned it to anyone. I’m excited to see if this “Abasing” power will ever appear again, as it could be very useful.
Letting him give us an extended recap of everything from the end of Revelation through to his Coda story. Which is fair enough as, outside of Infestation (which had to do its own tortuous flashbacks) its been a couple of years since any of this has been mentioned.
The main new information is that, when he escaped from the Solar Pool tm, he used the Heart of Darkness to “abase” two Autobot guards, who have presumably then been aware of his escape since then, but never mentioned it to anyone. I’m excited to see if this “Abasing” power will ever appear again, as it could be very useful.
You could use this as exhibit A in showing the issues with the art.
The other thing we learn is that he really thinks Cyclonus and Scourge are idiots, especially as they don’t remember why Gorlam Prime is now dead (a handy way of explaining why it didn’t come up in the Coda issue. Though they all flew off at the end of that to go seeking, but guess they came back).
People reading in trade also get a whole extra page of Galvatron in the Pool, to counter for the fact the placement of the final double page spread of the issue wouldn’t quite line-up to have it on opposite pages otherwise (in the original issue, they just put an advert in), aren’t we lucky people?
Back in the present (though other than Galvatron being in the Pool for years and him having to have come out when Garrus 9 was under Autobot rule, there’s no real indication of when this is), they eventually decide to go do to the big pool to the Dead Universe, with some padding of them having to get past some dead Micromasters and a cave-in thrown in. The later of which is meant to show how powerful Galvatron now is as he holds it up, but, and maybe this is the art again, because it’s considerably less impressive than Cyclonus’ reaction makes it seem.
Once they get there, they find the pool inexplicably gone, but do discover a begging for death Jhiaxus, who’s had years of Arcee punishing him for her Spotlight.
People reading in trade also get a whole extra page of Galvatron in the Pool, to counter for the fact the placement of the final double page spread of the issue wouldn’t quite line-up to have it on opposite pages otherwise (in the original issue, they just put an advert in), aren’t we lucky people?
Back in the present (though other than Galvatron being in the Pool for years and him having to have come out when Garrus 9 was under Autobot rule, there’s no real indication of when this is), they eventually decide to go do to the big pool to the Dead Universe, with some padding of them having to get past some dead Micromasters and a cave-in thrown in. The later of which is meant to show how powerful Galvatron now is as he holds it up, but, and maybe this is the art again, because it’s considerably less impressive than Cyclonus’ reaction makes it seem.
Once they get there, they find the pool inexplicably gone, but do discover a begging for death Jhiaxus, who’s had years of Arcee punishing him for her Spotlight.
The effect of Spotlight Arcee on the brain.
Well, someone had to pay for that.
Arcee and Hardhead have now also vanished, leaving only him in his wrecked state. Something Galvatron is able to fix with the Power of the Heart of Darkness tm, meaning he can lead them further down.
Where they find a mysterious city, far older than the surface civilisation. Remember that for much later, because it won’t get explained here.
But they also find a new entry to the Dead Universe, a massive sphere, like something out of Michael Crichton’s Sphere.
Which excites Galvatron, until someone starts blasting him from behind… Arcee and Hardhead!
With Arcee looking... well, it won’t be the worst art we see of her in this series.
At heart (ha!), there’s a good idea here: A story about a villain presented entirely from his POV where he’s the hero. Brave gallant Galvatron wanting to bring order to the Universe and investigate a disaster on a planet.
Arcee and Hardhead have now also vanished, leaving only him in his wrecked state. Something Galvatron is able to fix with the Power of the Heart of Darkness tm, meaning he can lead them further down.
Where they find a mysterious city, far older than the surface civilisation. Remember that for much later, because it won’t get explained here.
But they also find a new entry to the Dead Universe, a massive sphere, like something out of Michael Crichton’s Sphere.
Which excites Galvatron, until someone starts blasting him from behind… Arcee and Hardhead!
With Arcee looking... well, it won’t be the worst art we see of her in this series.
At heart (ha!), there’s a good idea here: A story about a villain presented entirely from his POV where he’s the hero. Brave gallant Galvatron wanting to bring order to the Universe and investigate a disaster on a planet.
I have questions.
But, even beyond the much discussed art, it’s all very light stuff with borderline awful characterisation all round (especially for my boy Cyclonus, show this clown to a More Than Meets the Eye fan to make them cry). That there’s so much padding with exploring the caves and a more extensive flashback than was really needed (as fun as a good abasing can be) also sounds some alarm bells that getting to four full issues is going to be a struggle.
It’s certainly a more interesting issue than most of the recent Costa stuff. But interesting, and even memorable, are not automatically good things. Unless you’re a writer on a blog grateful to have something more to write about after a few weeks of trying to get blood from a stone.
And next week, we’re back to that stone as the Decepticons finally conclude their revenge.
THE TRANSFORMERS ISSUE 17
2011
COMMENT
KO-FI
It’s certainly a more interesting issue than most of the recent Costa stuff. But interesting, and even memorable, are not automatically good things. Unless you’re a writer on a blog grateful to have something more to write about after a few weeks of trying to get blood from a stone.
And next week, we’re back to that stone as the Decepticons finally conclude their revenge.
THE TRANSFORMERS ISSUE 17
2011
COMMENT
KO-FI
