This Train Don't Stop here Anymore.
Hearts of Steel Issue 4. September 27th 2006.
I must confess Sir; it amuses me to see a robber baron such as yourself shifting coal.
Coming hot on the heels of an issue that was a defining one for early IDW, it’s strange to come back to the train bots and Mark Twain save the world comic for its conclusion. It suddenly feels like it’s part of a previous, simpler era.
Of course, that’s a retroactive viewpoint as no one knew quite how significant Spotlight Shockwave was going to be at the time, but it’s still fair to say this is most definitely a more straightforward comic.
One might in fact compare it to an express train, ploughing through without diversion or distraction from point A to B on an unmoving track. Which is how we open with the Astrotrain, smashing its way through an army division of Yankees who, hilariously, think they've been mobilised to stop an unscheduled train.
I know Americans hate public transport, but that seems an over-the-top reaction.
I must confess Sir; it amuses me to see a robber baron such as yourself shifting coal.
Coming hot on the heels of an issue that was a defining one for early IDW, it’s strange to come back to the train bots and Mark Twain save the world comic for its conclusion. It suddenly feels like it’s part of a previous, simpler era.
Of course, that’s a retroactive viewpoint as no one knew quite how significant Spotlight Shockwave was going to be at the time, but it’s still fair to say this is most definitely a more straightforward comic.
One might in fact compare it to an express train, ploughing through without diversion or distraction from point A to B on an unmoving track. Which is how we open with the Astrotrain, smashing its way through an army division of Yankees who, hilariously, think they've been mobilised to stop an unscheduled train.
I know Americans hate public transport, but that seems an over-the-top reaction.
Damn Yankees.
On the track behind them, it’s time for the two sides of the plot to meet. With Tobias Muldoon and John Henry having been kept apart till near the end, it’s going to take some clever plotting to bring them and their teams together at last.
Or, the Twain express could just happen to go past Bumblebee and Muldoon could declare “That’s totally a robot” and go over. Which is the first of a few places this issue feels a bit rushed after previous instalments felt padded out, though Star Trek fans will at least be delighted to have another Mark Twain meets a yellow robot story.
More strangely, though Tobias and Henry get to have a moment, there’s no interaction between Mark Twain, the great writer of 19th century American mythology, and John Henry, the great character of 19th century American mythology. That’s a missed opportunity if you’re going to have both in the same story. Especially as Henry doesn’t really do very much here, and all Twain gets to contribute is mocking Standford Merriweather for having to shovel coal so their train can keep up with Bumblebee.
Speaking of characters who don’t really have any point in being here, this team up is witnessed by one of Bonaventure’s station men, who quickly sends a telegram to his boss on The Astrotrain.
Or, the Twain express could just happen to go past Bumblebee and Muldoon could declare “That’s totally a robot” and go over. Which is the first of a few places this issue feels a bit rushed after previous instalments felt padded out, though Star Trek fans will at least be delighted to have another Mark Twain meets a yellow robot story.
More strangely, though Tobias and Henry get to have a moment, there’s no interaction between Mark Twain, the great writer of 19th century American mythology, and John Henry, the great character of 19th century American mythology. That’s a missed opportunity if you’re going to have both in the same story. Especially as Henry doesn’t really do very much here, and all Twain gets to contribute is mocking Standford Merriweather for having to shovel coal so their train can keep up with Bumblebee.
Speaking of characters who don’t really have any point in being here, this team up is witnessed by one of Bonaventure’s station men, who quickly sends a telegram to his boss on The Astrotrain.
The plots meet!
Whilst it’s a good gag it takes an hour to get there (could you send telegrams to moving trains though?), this attempt to give a reason for the guy who’s so into capitalism he’s going to destroy New York being in the story falters because Starscream already knows the Autobots are up and about and would naturally take steps. Otherwise, the Colonel lookalike just stands around twirling his moustache and could have been dropped entirely.
Before rereading for this project, my memory was Standford and Bonaventure were the same guy (Muldoon’s potential investor on his submarine getting in on the robot action but FOR EVIL) and I suspect that it’ll be about a week before I’ll have again forgotten they’re separate characters.
But it does lead into the best sequence of the series, as Starscream sets Scourge to deal with the pursuing Autobots.
Before rereading for this project, my memory was Standford and Bonaventure were the same guy (Muldoon’s potential investor on his submarine getting in on the robot action but FOR EVIL) and I suspect that it’ll be about a week before I’ll have again forgotten they’re separate characters.
But it does lead into the best sequence of the series, as Starscream sets Scourge to deal with the pursuing Autobots.
Everything is better with blimps.
With Scourge turning into a wonderful, ridiculous blimp.
The following action scene is also very well done, with Scourge coming into attack from one side of a tunnel (and getting a wonderful reaction from the humans at the sight of a flying machine) and the Astrotrain using its big gun to bomb the other. Scourge explodes (shades of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade), but a cave-in traps several Autobots inside the tunnel and leaves saving the day to Bumblebee alone as apparently the others who got through think digging out the rest is more important than stopping The Astrotrain.
Which is where, to be fair on him, John Henry does do his one thing, of helpfully pointing out The Astrotrain is now on another track to them, and there’s a points switch up ahead.
So, they just manage to overtake the Decepticons and switch them to a line that goes over a cliff.
The following action scene is also very well done, with Scourge coming into attack from one side of a tunnel (and getting a wonderful reaction from the humans at the sight of a flying machine) and the Astrotrain using its big gun to bomb the other. Scourge explodes (shades of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade), but a cave-in traps several Autobots inside the tunnel and leaves saving the day to Bumblebee alone as apparently the others who got through think digging out the rest is more important than stopping The Astrotrain.
Which is where, to be fair on him, John Henry does do his one thing, of helpfully pointing out The Astrotrain is now on another track to them, and there’s a points switch up ahead.
So, they just manage to overtake the Decepticons and switch them to a line that goes over a cliff.
You have to learn to think four dimensionally.
Shades of Back to the Future Part 3.
Which is a wonderfully drawn page, but depends on you forgetting that, even if this Astrotrain can’t fly (and it’s unclear, though it does have a big propeller on the front), most of the other Decepticons can. Oddly not the last time IDW will have a flying villain fall to their death, and it’s equally ridiculous each time and makes for a very rushed conclusion.
Equally rushed is the wrap-up, one page where the humans, once they’re all dug out and gotten themselves together, realise the Autobots have vanished and gone back underground to sleep, to wake up again one day in what will probably be an even stranger world.
Something that gives us no goodbye between supposed heart of the series John Henry and Bumblebee.
Considering this was supposed to just be a one-off alternate timeline story, it definitely feels a waste to have the Autobots go to bed at the end again as well. Having them stick around in the Victorian era with the promise of a real steampunk 20th century would have been much more fun.
Which is a wonderfully drawn page, but depends on you forgetting that, even if this Astrotrain can’t fly (and it’s unclear, though it does have a big propeller on the front), most of the other Decepticons can. Oddly not the last time IDW will have a flying villain fall to their death, and it’s equally ridiculous each time and makes for a very rushed conclusion.
Equally rushed is the wrap-up, one page where the humans, once they’re all dug out and gotten themselves together, realise the Autobots have vanished and gone back underground to sleep, to wake up again one day in what will probably be an even stranger world.
Something that gives us no goodbye between supposed heart of the series John Henry and Bumblebee.
Considering this was supposed to just be a one-off alternate timeline story, it definitely feels a waste to have the Autobots go to bed at the end again as well. Having them stick around in the Victorian era with the promise of a real steampunk 20th century would have been much more fun.
I'm sure we'll never see these guys again.
This has definitely been a story carried by outstanding art and some fun set pieces. But the writer has veered between padding and being rushed, and it’s hard not to feel this would have been better as a two-issue series. Or the same length, but serving the anaemic characters and subplots (like Bonaventura) better.
As a strange little oddity, it’s perfectly serviceable if read in one go in half an hour, but also fairly inconsequential. Making the weight IDW will later put upon its shoulders all the odder. But, how this will eventually and very strangely be made part of the main continuity is a story for a few years from now.
More immediately, next week wraps up another four-issue series as Stormbringer concludes.
SPOTLIGHT: SHOCKWAVE
2005-2006
COMMENT
KO-FI
As a strange little oddity, it’s perfectly serviceable if read in one go in half an hour, but also fairly inconsequential. Making the weight IDW will later put upon its shoulders all the odder. But, how this will eventually and very strangely be made part of the main continuity is a story for a few years from now.
More immediately, next week wraps up another four-issue series as Stormbringer concludes.
SPOTLIGHT: SHOCKWAVE
2005-2006
COMMENT
KO-FI
