Sigmund Freud, Analyse This.
More Than Meets the Eye issue 6: Interiors. June 27th 2012.
Like it or not, High Command has a duty of care towards you.
Apologies for the unplanned two-week break (especially right before a planned two-week break), I was unfortunately very ill and even now only just back to my usual best.
Interiors (named after a Woody Allen film, the cinematic equivalent of making a Morrissey reference. What next, a Father Ted joke?) is where we once again see James Roberts’ TV thinking. After a big expensive two parter (with location filming and zombies), of course it’s time for a set entirely on the standing sets and mostly in just two rooms bottle show, with no guest cast.
This holding onto the conventions of another medium that don’t actually affect comics should of course be deeply annoying, or at least show the lack of experience the writer has. But, once again, when you’ve got a large cast that still needs fleshing out, the counterintuitive choice winds up the right one.
Our first, and what will wind up the major, location for the story is Rung’s office, which we’re introduced to by a long pull-in through the windows from outside the ship, designed to clarify some of the geography that will become important later in the issue.
Like it or not, High Command has a duty of care towards you.
Apologies for the unplanned two-week break (especially right before a planned two-week break), I was unfortunately very ill and even now only just back to my usual best.
Interiors (named after a Woody Allen film, the cinematic equivalent of making a Morrissey reference. What next, a Father Ted joke?) is where we once again see James Roberts’ TV thinking. After a big expensive two parter (with location filming and zombies), of course it’s time for a set entirely on the standing sets and mostly in just two rooms bottle show, with no guest cast.
This holding onto the conventions of another medium that don’t actually affect comics should of course be deeply annoying, or at least show the lack of experience the writer has. But, once again, when you’ve got a large cast that still needs fleshing out, the counterintuitive choice winds up the right one.
Our first, and what will wind up the major, location for the story is Rung’s office, which we’re introduced to by a long pull-in through the windows from outside the ship, designed to clarify some of the geography that will become important later in the issue.
Nick Roche, just casually being one of the GOATs.
Which is where we have one irony, this issue is based around the very carefully worked out layout of this room, but it’s an issue Alex Milne, the master of selling the Lost Light as a real and solid place, sits out. Meaning Nick Roche is having to play in an area he’s not as strong on usually.
Having therapy today is Fortress Maximus, in a scene that’s about establishing for new readers exactly what happened to him, whilst actively dancing around him saying anything at all.
Meaning he deflects, makes jokes (pointing out he doesn’t need to talk about it because everyone already knows, “Even Tailgate knows, and someone had to draw him a picture of Optimus Prime the other day”) and insists he remembers nothing.
Whilst having flashbacks to his brutal psychological torture by Overlord, showing rather than telling his torment.
It’s only let down by a couple of moments of clunky writing to set up future events, one long-term and one very short-term.
First, for some reason, Max’s traumatic memories include Overlord telling him it’s not Aequitas he’s after at all, but what the judgement computer was built over to hide. Which is irrelevant to the moment the flashback is trying to sell and won’t actually get any sort of payoff for years.
Having therapy today is Fortress Maximus, in a scene that’s about establishing for new readers exactly what happened to him, whilst actively dancing around him saying anything at all.
Meaning he deflects, makes jokes (pointing out he doesn’t need to talk about it because everyone already knows, “Even Tailgate knows, and someone had to draw him a picture of Optimus Prime the other day”) and insists he remembers nothing.
Whilst having flashbacks to his brutal psychological torture by Overlord, showing rather than telling his torment.
It’s only let down by a couple of moments of clunky writing to set up future events, one long-term and one very short-term.
First, for some reason, Max’s traumatic memories include Overlord telling him it’s not Aequitas he’s after at all, but what the judgement computer was built over to hide. Which is irrelevant to the moment the flashback is trying to sell and won’t actually get any sort of payoff for years.
Amazingly, this isn't the moment Trailbreaker decided to adopt a new name.
The other is Rung very awkwardly dropping in that “The Decepticon that hurt you” has been neutralised, dismantled and his spark sealed in a “Whiteout vacuum.”
Phew, that’s alright then. I’m glad we’ll never have to worry about Overlord again.
Of course, because good psychiatry doesn’t lend itself to good drama, Rung isn’t especially good at his job, so it’s unsurprising this weird forcing in of Overlord’s fate is the point Fort Max decides the session is over, meaning Rung has to remind him this isn’t voluntary because Ratchet wasn’t happy with how violent Max got on Delphi. This is all about a duty of care…
Which actually would have been a better title for the issue.
The other big location for the issue—if only for one, long, scene—is Swerve’s Bar. Where we get a lot of quick character and idea establishing moments. Starting with Chromedome showing he can identify someone from the sound of their transformation…err…conversion (and that Rewind is even better at this than him. He also pointedly refuses to answer a question about how he and Rewind met, though we do get a quick flashback to a “Relinquishment clinic”).
Tailgate meanwhile is exhausted by another Ultra Magnus session on the Autobot Code (and horrified to learn there’s an “Abridged version” he could be studying instead) and completely fails to get Cyclonus to join their table, much to Chromedome’s relief as he’s still pissed about Kimia.
Phew, that’s alright then. I’m glad we’ll never have to worry about Overlord again.
Of course, because good psychiatry doesn’t lend itself to good drama, Rung isn’t especially good at his job, so it’s unsurprising this weird forcing in of Overlord’s fate is the point Fort Max decides the session is over, meaning Rung has to remind him this isn’t voluntary because Ratchet wasn’t happy with how violent Max got on Delphi. This is all about a duty of care…
Which actually would have been a better title for the issue.
The other big location for the issue—if only for one, long, scene—is Swerve’s Bar. Where we get a lot of quick character and idea establishing moments. Starting with Chromedome showing he can identify someone from the sound of their transformation…err…conversion (and that Rewind is even better at this than him. He also pointedly refuses to answer a question about how he and Rewind met, though we do get a quick flashback to a “Relinquishment clinic”).
Tailgate meanwhile is exhausted by another Ultra Magnus session on the Autobot Code (and horrified to learn there’s an “Abridged version” he could be studying instead) and completely fails to get Cyclonus to join their table, much to Chromedome’s relief as he’s still pissed about Kimia.
The Triggerbot thought he had no dog in this fight.
Though of course, it’s very performative loneliness on the part of Cyclonus, sitting in a crowded bar to show how he totally doesn’t need people.
Ultra Magnus having come in to arrest and drag-off Swerve for opening a bar (with Tailgate’s claims of being good at reading body language shown to be immediately a lie. Also, depending on which edition you’re reading, his arm either now says “Bomb disposal” or, in rather an accidental spoiler, “Waste disposal”), there’s a quite but pointed moment from Skids about Magnus isn’t the same jolly quips guy he used to be.
The final piece put into place for the future is properly establishing Trailbreaker, as an insecure overly drunk guy who goes from slagging out Fortress Maximus and his ridiculous leg guns before turning into a gagging on said leg guns sycophant the moment Maximus walks in.
All of which is a lot of plates to get spinning in just one scene, some of them not all that obvious, but Roberts does a really nice job of jumping back and forth between beats so that it feels natural.
But the diversion is over, because this is the moment Fort Max decides to just shoot Pipes through the chest (we’re heading into rule of three territory for the poor guy being life’s bitch), before going on and similarly shooting other Autobots, seemingly at random. All of whom survive but are in critical condition. The “Spree” then leads Maximus to Rung’s office, where’s he’s now locked in with two hostages, the doctor, and a patient.
Ultra Magnus having come in to arrest and drag-off Swerve for opening a bar (with Tailgate’s claims of being good at reading body language shown to be immediately a lie. Also, depending on which edition you’re reading, his arm either now says “Bomb disposal” or, in rather an accidental spoiler, “Waste disposal”), there’s a quite but pointed moment from Skids about Magnus isn’t the same jolly quips guy he used to be.
The final piece put into place for the future is properly establishing Trailbreaker, as an insecure overly drunk guy who goes from slagging out Fortress Maximus and his ridiculous leg guns before turning into a gagging on said leg guns sycophant the moment Maximus walks in.
All of which is a lot of plates to get spinning in just one scene, some of them not all that obvious, but Roberts does a really nice job of jumping back and forth between beats so that it feels natural.
But the diversion is over, because this is the moment Fort Max decides to just shoot Pipes through the chest (we’re heading into rule of three territory for the poor guy being life’s bitch), before going on and similarly shooting other Autobots, seemingly at random. All of whom survive but are in critical condition. The “Spree” then leads Maximus to Rung’s office, where’s he’s now locked in with two hostages, the doctor, and a patient.
I own this original page. That's just a fact I like to drop into conversation.
Which does kind of rush through a lot to get to the hostage situation, with it being amusing how it continues to feel like a bottle episode of television, with the action scene mostly happening off-screen as reported activity to Rodimus from Drift in the “Incident Room” (a nice understated joke, it’s unlikely this ship had a dedicated Incident Room, so presumably it’s just a room that Rodimus has put some TVs in and given a pretentious name to).
But I definitely think Roberts made the right choice to give over more time to the bar scene, helping to cement this is going to be a different sort of Transformers comic to the more action first sort we’ve had in the past.
There’s a brief moment where Ultra Magnus asks about why the hell Maximus was allowed to walk around with big guns whilst emotionally unstable that’s missing the actual explanation of Rodimus throwing a pro-guns quote of Optimus Prime at him, something Hasbro asked be removed when approving the script.
The lower-case s swerve into the second half of the issue comes as Blaster gets the security camera in Rung’s office working, so they can find out who the other hostage is, with Rodimus (apparently having no faith in Rung’s job skills either) desperately hoping for a calm sensible peacemaker type. But the footage gets a little “Oh, hell” from Drift of all people as it reveals…
Whirl!
But I definitely think Roberts made the right choice to give over more time to the bar scene, helping to cement this is going to be a different sort of Transformers comic to the more action first sort we’ve had in the past.
There’s a brief moment where Ultra Magnus asks about why the hell Maximus was allowed to walk around with big guns whilst emotionally unstable that’s missing the actual explanation of Rodimus throwing a pro-guns quote of Optimus Prime at him, something Hasbro asked be removed when approving the script.
The lower-case s swerve into the second half of the issue comes as Blaster gets the security camera in Rung’s office working, so they can find out who the other hostage is, with Rodimus (apparently having no faith in Rung’s job skills either) desperately hoping for a calm sensible peacemaker type. But the footage gets a little “Oh, hell” from Drift of all people as it reveals…
Whirl!
And Siren is supposed to be the shouty one.
On a page I actually own the original art for as well, if anyone wants to guess what I’ll have to say about Nick’s work at the end.
Rung (tied to a chair) is attempting to defuse the situation as Whirl (Stabbed through the chest with a pipe ripped from the ceiling) cheerfully tries to escalate it, even going so far as to tell Maximus to kill himself like he’s Christopher Eccleston in that meme.
Which gets him a whack in the face from Maximus’ gun, and the pacing back and forth to do this means the visual geography of the room, with its big windows and pillars, gets further solidified in the reader’s mind.
Rung is aware the camera is working and manages to get sound to it from the microphone in his thumb. Boy, it’s like the guy is omnipresent.
This means they can listen in as Whirl keeps making things worse (“Don’t hostage takers have a list of demands? If you want a helicopter, you’re gonna have to ask me very nicely…”), until an increasingly irate Maximus spelling out his issue:
Three years, two months, and ten days.
The time it took High Command to send the Wrecker into Garrus 9.
His demand, called into “Hot Rod” is simple: They’re to go back to Cybertron so that he can give Prowl one chance to explain himself before doing something incredibly violent.
Rung (tied to a chair) is attempting to defuse the situation as Whirl (Stabbed through the chest with a pipe ripped from the ceiling) cheerfully tries to escalate it, even going so far as to tell Maximus to kill himself like he’s Christopher Eccleston in that meme.
Which gets him a whack in the face from Maximus’ gun, and the pacing back and forth to do this means the visual geography of the room, with its big windows and pillars, gets further solidified in the reader’s mind.
Rung is aware the camera is working and manages to get sound to it from the microphone in his thumb. Boy, it’s like the guy is omnipresent.
This means they can listen in as Whirl keeps making things worse (“Don’t hostage takers have a list of demands? If you want a helicopter, you’re gonna have to ask me very nicely…”), until an increasingly irate Maximus spelling out his issue:
Three years, two months, and ten days.
The time it took High Command to send the Wrecker into Garrus 9.
His demand, called into “Hot Rod” is simple: They’re to go back to Cybertron so that he can give Prowl one chance to explain himself before doing something incredibly violent.
Guess they won't need Nightbeat to crack this one.
Which even Whirl can see is an incredibly stupid thing to have done, as well as not liking the use of his old name, Rodimus is the sort of guy you do not get to do what you want by ordering him to do it. Asking to go away from Cybertron would have gotten a better result for Maximus.
That Rodimus is placing his own ego above anyone on the crew, not even ordering a token change of direction to buy time, is really hammered home here for the first time, and this will be a thread that plays right through to the end of the series, though with some unsatisfactory bumps near the end.
The debate on how to play Rodimus is cut short however, when he realises that thumb is dangerous, and rips it out from Rung’s hand. In a moment that is more effective for being played “Off-camera,” with us just seeing the reaction of those in the Incident Room as Rung rather sadly pleads that his thumb is “Deep-wired.”
In a brief cutaway to the medibay, we get two fast jokes. The first being Siren doing the ship-wide Tannoy announcements (considering his shouty voice wasn’t a thing the one previous time hie spoke in IDW, this one depends on you knowing his Marvel profile to get why Ratchet finds it so annoying), the second being Ratchet casually mentioning Brainstorm had claimed he’d tried to save Dogfight, when in fact we’ve already seen in the montage he was cowering in a corner.
The important thing here though is Ratchet, much to First Aid’s confusion, trying to take a step back and work out why these five victims have in common… Which turns out to be (and this is a very James Roberts idea to explore), they’re all purple and blue. The panel pullback that reveals this being very nicely done.
That Rodimus is placing his own ego above anyone on the crew, not even ordering a token change of direction to buy time, is really hammered home here for the first time, and this will be a thread that plays right through to the end of the series, though with some unsatisfactory bumps near the end.
The debate on how to play Rodimus is cut short however, when he realises that thumb is dangerous, and rips it out from Rung’s hand. In a moment that is more effective for being played “Off-camera,” with us just seeing the reaction of those in the Incident Room as Rung rather sadly pleads that his thumb is “Deep-wired.”
In a brief cutaway to the medibay, we get two fast jokes. The first being Siren doing the ship-wide Tannoy announcements (considering his shouty voice wasn’t a thing the one previous time hie spoke in IDW, this one depends on you knowing his Marvel profile to get why Ratchet finds it so annoying), the second being Ratchet casually mentioning Brainstorm had claimed he’d tried to save Dogfight, when in fact we’ve already seen in the montage he was cowering in a corner.
The important thing here though is Ratchet, much to First Aid’s confusion, trying to take a step back and work out why these five victims have in common… Which turns out to be (and this is a very James Roberts idea to explore), they’re all purple and blue. The panel pullback that reveals this being very nicely done.
Note the thugs from Chaos Theory as the ruiners of Whirl's life as well.
Back in the hostage situation, three hours have passed, with Whirl now so bored he’s just flat-out asking Max to kill them, much to Rung’s horror. Leading to Max asking what’s wrong with Whirl anyway, something he won’t divulge, even with a gun to his head, because of his “Duty of care.”
But, in one of the key bits of characterisation for him, Whirl will tell to save Rung. That he’s been kicked out the Wreckers and has to go to therapy to even stay an Autobot. And he wants to stay an Autobot.
Maximus is initially dismissive of this, considering Whirl a very different sort of psychopath to himself. Which really gets some outrage from the flyer, because he used to be a craftsman, a watchmaker. Much admired, his business had an “accident” after he refused to cut in some gangsters, starting a downward spiral that led to the Dead End, doing nasty work for the Senate he doesn’t want to remember, all whilst under the power of something called “Empurata.”
Which effectively makes Whirl a more rounded character and does more heavy lifting for the forthcoming Orion Pax story. Which Roberts was clearly worried about feeling it came out of nowhere, he’s put a lot of setup for it into the last few issues considering it wasn’t part of the original plan.
During this conversation, Rung is tapping the windows on the outside of one of his model ships, giving Rodimus and an idea and a call to make.
But, in one of the key bits of characterisation for him, Whirl will tell to save Rung. That he’s been kicked out the Wreckers and has to go to therapy to even stay an Autobot. And he wants to stay an Autobot.
Maximus is initially dismissive of this, considering Whirl a very different sort of psychopath to himself. Which really gets some outrage from the flyer, because he used to be a craftsman, a watchmaker. Much admired, his business had an “accident” after he refused to cut in some gangsters, starting a downward spiral that led to the Dead End, doing nasty work for the Senate he doesn’t want to remember, all whilst under the power of something called “Empurata.”
Which effectively makes Whirl a more rounded character and does more heavy lifting for the forthcoming Orion Pax story. Which Roberts was clearly worried about feeling it came out of nowhere, he’s put a lot of setup for it into the last few issues considering it wasn’t part of the original plan.
During this conversation, Rung is tapping the windows on the outside of one of his model ships, giving Rodimus and an idea and a call to make.
Things Whirl and Esther Rantzen have in common: Supporting euthanasia.
Out on the ship’s hull, Swerve (as punishment for opening a bar) and Rewind are replacing all the rivets. With Rewind there because those giant CDs he got from Swindle turned out to be full of Decepticon snuff movies, taken from CCTV of their atrocities.
He’s insistent he had a good reason for collecting them (obviously, as Hasbro would be unlikely to approve an Autobot getting off on this sort of thing) but doesn’t get chance to elaborate before a call from Rodimus interrupts their “Riveting” conversation.
Meanwhile, Whirl is continuing his impromptu therapy session, covering the events of Chaos Theory and its aftermath, with Prime personally recruiting him to the Autobots as a very showy gesture. With him bouncing around the ranks, changing his name (the implication being he was also Rotorstorm’s nasty instructor as mentioned in Bullets), before winding up in the Wreckers and finding happiness, for both the first time and a very short time.
All of which shocks Rung, who hasn’t heard any of this before because he really is bad at his job. Though Whirl insists it’s because no one has ever threatened a friend of his before, the notion of which shocks Rung even more.
Whirl then finishes he story by bringing us right bang up to date, as it turns out the reason he was kicked out the Wreckers was he tried to perform euthanasia on Springer, using a “Sparkeater” weapon devised by Roadbuster, who was pissed off enough as a result to use the “Veto” and get Whirl removed from the group.
Which, when we find out what Roadbuster has been up to lately, will make him a wee bit of a hypocrite.
He’s insistent he had a good reason for collecting them (obviously, as Hasbro would be unlikely to approve an Autobot getting off on this sort of thing) but doesn’t get chance to elaborate before a call from Rodimus interrupts their “Riveting” conversation.
Meanwhile, Whirl is continuing his impromptu therapy session, covering the events of Chaos Theory and its aftermath, with Prime personally recruiting him to the Autobots as a very showy gesture. With him bouncing around the ranks, changing his name (the implication being he was also Rotorstorm’s nasty instructor as mentioned in Bullets), before winding up in the Wreckers and finding happiness, for both the first time and a very short time.
All of which shocks Rung, who hasn’t heard any of this before because he really is bad at his job. Though Whirl insists it’s because no one has ever threatened a friend of his before, the notion of which shocks Rung even more.
Whirl then finishes he story by bringing us right bang up to date, as it turns out the reason he was kicked out the Wreckers was he tried to perform euthanasia on Springer, using a “Sparkeater” weapon devised by Roadbuster, who was pissed off enough as a result to use the “Veto” and get Whirl removed from the group.
Which, when we find out what Roadbuster has been up to lately, will make him a wee bit of a hypocrite.
Rung's movie nights will get better.
Still, telling his story seems to have worn Whirl out, and he’s actually happy when Max realises the view outside hasn’t changed, meaning they haven’t changed course and it’s time to kill a hostage. Which Rung tries to discourage him from doing as Whirl cheers him on.
Rung then brings out the name on one has been prepared to say (at the same time Ratchet informs Rodimus about the colour clue): Overlord. That’s what the situation is really about.
Which causes enough of a pause for Rewind and Swerve to get set up outside, with a very nervous wanting to talk to Chromedome Rewind preparing to use the laser attachment on the rivet gun (that’s a stocked tool) to take down Max. With Rodimus taking a second to decide to only order a wounding shot.
But Maximus going behind a pillar means a change of plan to lure him out again, so the order goes to give the gun to Swerve. As Whirl cheerfully goads Maximus into pretending he’s Overlord and to finish the job… a projection fills the room, of Garrus 9 CCTV footage of Fort Max being tortured by Overlord. Making the big Autobot fall into Rung’s arms, crying.
Which isn’t enough for Rodimus, ordering an incredibly reluctant (as he is a bad shot) Swerve to fire before the Rewind footage ends.
Which he does, blasting a shot clean through Rung’s head, horrifying Maximus, before Whirl uses the pipe that had been shoved through him to knock his captor out.
Rung then brings out the name on one has been prepared to say (at the same time Ratchet informs Rodimus about the colour clue): Overlord. That’s what the situation is really about.
Which causes enough of a pause for Rewind and Swerve to get set up outside, with a very nervous wanting to talk to Chromedome Rewind preparing to use the laser attachment on the rivet gun (that’s a stocked tool) to take down Max. With Rodimus taking a second to decide to only order a wounding shot.
But Maximus going behind a pillar means a change of plan to lure him out again, so the order goes to give the gun to Swerve. As Whirl cheerfully goads Maximus into pretending he’s Overlord and to finish the job… a projection fills the room, of Garrus 9 CCTV footage of Fort Max being tortured by Overlord. Making the big Autobot fall into Rung’s arms, crying.
Which isn’t enough for Rodimus, ordering an incredibly reluctant (as he is a bad shot) Swerve to fire before the Rewind footage ends.
Which he does, blasting a shot clean through Rung’s head, horrifying Maximus, before Whirl uses the pipe that had been shoved through him to knock his captor out.
They should just not stick lasers onto rivet guns.
Now, this issue completely plays the idea Rung has died straight. His head wound is the sort that has been firmly established to be instantly lethal; everyone reacts like he’s dead; Drift on the next page talks as if Rodimus has given a eulogy and he was even removed from the main cast list in the original issue.
But he’s actually going to be fine. And this became the first really contentious moment of the series as a result, making many readers feel like Roberts had copped out.
In reality, we in fact now know this is the big clue to the mystery of Rung. But done far too early, probably in case the comic did have to wrap-up after only a year, it meant Roberts would have still had his major bit of foreshadowing in place for the reveal. Ultimately though, it’ll be years before it gets any payoff, meaning it doesn’t really get any of the attention it should (Ratchet especially should be having a fit Rung survives this), making it a bit of odd and disjointed foreshadowing that would have been much better coming closer to the ultimate reveal.
Still, for now, the issue is acting like he’s dead, but there’s not huge time for mourning as Drift, talking like the sinister villain he was originally going to be, expresses his concerns to Rodimus about Red Alert going around, digging his nose into things he shouldn’t. All as Red Alert (using a drill from the body of Ore, still stuck in the engine) digs below the ship’s lowest deck…
And finds, hung up from the ceiling of a secret room and begging “Kill me” over and over…
Overlord!
Which is a great visual to end on, even if Roberts cheerfully admitted Overlord being fixed since Last Stand of the Wreckers so he’s recognisable was a conceit you just have to roll with.
But he’s actually going to be fine. And this became the first really contentious moment of the series as a result, making many readers feel like Roberts had copped out.
In reality, we in fact now know this is the big clue to the mystery of Rung. But done far too early, probably in case the comic did have to wrap-up after only a year, it meant Roberts would have still had his major bit of foreshadowing in place for the reveal. Ultimately though, it’ll be years before it gets any payoff, meaning it doesn’t really get any of the attention it should (Ratchet especially should be having a fit Rung survives this), making it a bit of odd and disjointed foreshadowing that would have been much better coming closer to the ultimate reveal.
Still, for now, the issue is acting like he’s dead, but there’s not huge time for mourning as Drift, talking like the sinister villain he was originally going to be, expresses his concerns to Rodimus about Red Alert going around, digging his nose into things he shouldn’t. All as Red Alert (using a drill from the body of Ore, still stuck in the engine) digs below the ship’s lowest deck…
And finds, hung up from the ceiling of a secret room and begging “Kill me” over and over…
Overlord!
Which is a great visual to end on, even if Roberts cheerfully admitted Overlord being fixed since Last Stand of the Wreckers so he’s recognisable was a conceit you just have to roll with.
Not Grimlock after all!
Like the best bottle episodes of any TV show, that’s about character, and does an excellent job on Whirl, fleshing him out to be more than the hothead psychopath and giving him an extra depth that will carry him right through to the end of the series.
Around this, Fortress Maximus also gets some good work as we look through his PTSD (though circumstances mean this won’t be as overall important to the rest of the series as Whirl), and orbiting characters like Rewind, Swerve and even Trailbreaker get some nice moments.
Plus, it really does show the danger Rodimus’ ego can be, something that will get them into a lot more trouble as the series goes on.
The hostage drama is also well done, largely thanks to Nick Roche working extremely hard to make it both visually interesting and logical. At the time, fans generally assumed this was how fill-in art was going to work on the series, Milne as the lead and Roche coming in on the occasional guest spot. That won’t wind up being the case—in fact, Roche will only work with James Roberts twice more before the end of IDW—but it is lovely to see the artist who established the look for the whole series getting a victory lap on it. Especially as his next and final work on a main More Than Meets the Eye issue won’t be such a well-regarded story.
It's another two-week break for the TFNation minicon, but join me back here in a fortnight as some real Turmoil comes to Cybertron.
AUTOCRACY CHAPTER 12
2012
COMMENT
KO-FI
Around this, Fortress Maximus also gets some good work as we look through his PTSD (though circumstances mean this won’t be as overall important to the rest of the series as Whirl), and orbiting characters like Rewind, Swerve and even Trailbreaker get some nice moments.
Plus, it really does show the danger Rodimus’ ego can be, something that will get them into a lot more trouble as the series goes on.
The hostage drama is also well done, largely thanks to Nick Roche working extremely hard to make it both visually interesting and logical. At the time, fans generally assumed this was how fill-in art was going to work on the series, Milne as the lead and Roche coming in on the occasional guest spot. That won’t wind up being the case—in fact, Roche will only work with James Roberts twice more before the end of IDW—but it is lovely to see the artist who established the look for the whole series getting a victory lap on it. Especially as his next and final work on a main More Than Meets the Eye issue won’t be such a well-regarded story.
It's another two-week break for the TFNation minicon, but join me back here in a fortnight as some real Turmoil comes to Cybertron.
AUTOCRACY CHAPTER 12
2012
COMMENT
KO-FI
