G.I. Joe vs. Transformers v1 TPB

I want you to imagine the craziest, most ridiculous comic book you’ve ever read. I have a promise for you. This book is crazier.

Tom Scioli is a lunatic, and from what I understand, he’s the driving force behind the madness in this book. John Barber’s work on Transformers is solid, but doesn’t have anything close to this level of insanity. That’s why I’m awarding Scioli the credit for this brilliant, insane masterpiece.

To be honest, so much happens in every single issue that the book barely has a plot. The action leaps from scene to scene, skipping over mundane details as if this were a Grant Morrison comic. When you read this comic, it honestly feels like the creative team has so much story to tell that they are just rushing to get it all out on the page. There simply isn’t time for deep characterization or motivations. There is always a new bit of madness waiting to be revealed after you flip the page!

Let me give you a quick summary. Unlike every other crossover between these properties, this one focuses on the Joes invading Cybertron. Utilizing the plant bomb technology from the old cartoon, the Joes have seeded Cybertron with oxygen, preparing it for an invasion. They rocket up there and quickly start swarming around the big ‘bots. Heck, one of the covers has a Joe dropping a grenade on poor Wheeljack’s head! The Transformers are having a hard time processing these little meat bugs, and Scioli addresses the insane sense of scale on every page. This is like two different stories that crossover due to proximity rather than logic.

Naturally, the Joes and Autobots start to make alliances, as do the Cobras and Decepticons. Of course, this had to happen since Destro is described as a “god of guns” at one point. And that’s not even the craziest thing in this collection.

Once you add in that Scioli is drawing this in his Kirby-like style, and this becomes the most exciting comic book on the stands.

This is an EXCELLENT comic, but only if you like concepts like the following:

• Tunnel Rat climbing into the nose of Fortress Maximus.
• The G.I. Joe pets forming their own combat team.
•  The October Guard re-imagined as Halloween-based, Rob Zombie-type villains in a Jack O Lantern ship.
• Broken Transformer parts used as jewelry on surviving robots.

Don’t pick this up if that type of ridiculous madness doesn’t appeal to you. 

Doomsday.1 #1-4

When these issues popped up in a dollar bin at my local comic shop, I figured I’d peruse John Byrne’s recent work for IDW. Like most other comic book readers, I’m a huge fan of Byrne’s super-hero work over the years. It’s hard not to see his versions of many Marvel and DC mainstays as the definitive version. In fact, many of my current favorite artists are those that have a distinctive Byrne influence.

From what I understand, this is a relaunch of a concept Byrne had years ago about a solar flare that kills most life on Earth. After watching the devastation from orbit, the residents of an international space station return to the Earth in a desperate attempt to survive. The core group plays like a well-rounded action movie cast; everyone is pretty heroic, but there is enough variance in approach and outlook to pick out favorites.

The story follows the astronauts as they travel around the Americas, but Byrne does have other characters play important roles too. It is common in these disaster type stories to see glimpses of folks around the Earth as the world ends. Instead of making these random people, the folks we see at the start of the emergency are all folks who show up in later chapters. The circumstances for each are very, very different, but it is a neat idea to show pretty much the entire cast in the opening issue. From antagonist to ally, most of the people who appear in the story were there from the start.

The story itself is a tad on the generic side, especially if you’ve read a lot of post-apocalyptic fiction like I have. The escaped prisoners. The submarine crew who dove to avoid the dangerous environment, even the holy man who rediscovers his faith. These are classic tropes of the apocalypse.

All these years later, and Byrne still has the ability to tell a crackerjack story. The backgrounds are well established. The action is well set and choreographed. The characters are all pretty easy to remember and each one has a unique enough personality. Even after four issues, I don’t remember all the characters names, but I’m very clear on the outlook, personality, and look of the survivors of the international space station.

I’m not going to lie; I would prefer to see Byrne drawing brightly colored spandex heroes from the big two. His commission work shows that he’s still got the touch. In the meantime, this is a FAIR way to check out Byrne’s sequential work. If you’re like me, though, reading this will just make you want to go read some Superman and Fantastic Four comics. 

Rocketeer Adventures HC

So in all honesty, this thing barely holds up as any kind of narrative. Sure, some top notch writers get to throw together some quick plots and fun dialogue, but let’s face it, this is an art book. You’re picking up this collection to see top notch artists draw a classic pulp hero and his gal Betty. If that is what you came to see, you won’t be disappointed.

Not surprisingly, my favorite sections are the ones drawn by Mike Allred and Darwyn Cooke. Both indulge in a bit of tasteful good girl art, but it is all in service to the story (wink). Gene Ha’s section has a much stronger conflict than the rest, with the Rocketeer facing down against a Nazi aeronaut with similar powers. Ryan Sook is such a great artist, seeing his gleaming Rocketeer helmet shine off the page made me long for more work from the guy. John Cassaday knocks his pages out of the park too, surprising no one.

As an art book, this thing is wonderful. I am not very familiar with the Rocketeer himself (other than the move when I was a kid), and I can’t say I know too much more about the character after reading this collection. But again, the story isn’t the point. If you want to see some EXCELLENT artists put together some beautiful pages, then this will be a GOOD comic for you.

Transformers: Regeneration One v2 TPB

Skorponok leads the charge! This second volume of the "original, continuing adventure" for the Transformers switches antagonists as Megatron fades from view. Instead, former headmaster Skorponok steps up with a pretty diabolical plan.

At the end of the series in the '80s, a bunch of the characters had used nucleon, a strange substance that removed the Transformers' ability to change forms, but souped up their energy levels or brought them back from near death. Grimlock has been searching for a cure, now that most of the recipients are unhappy or in agony after using the substance. Skorponok has a fix, but he wants Grimlock to help him with his little plan too. Skorpy has invented a device that turns Autobots evil.

This leads to a great little chase where more and more Cybertron-based Autobots are "freed" from the burden of morals. Grimlock gets the ball rolling when he turns Perceptor, but most of the Autobots quickly fall too. In the end, the Dinobots, Grapple, Hosehead, Blurr, and Crosshairs eventually represent the last 'Bots in control of themselves. (Hot Rod is still around too, but he's busy with other problems.)

In the end, Simon Furman has a nice little twist that shows the Autobots' ingenuity and gives the villain his appropriate comeuppance. There are also plenty of clues about where the rest of the series is headed. Galvatron, Soundwave, and Hot Rod all seem to have subplots percolating that should lead us into our next volume.

Andrew Wildman's art is still tremendous. I wish he was drawing a few more "classic" Transformers, though. He gets to draw a ton of Autobots as more and more of them start showing up, but since Megatron killed most of my old favorites in v1, we don't have enough cassettes, jets, or insecticons hanging around. Me Timbotron disappointed.

This isn't as strong as More Than Meets the Eye, but it is probably as entertaining as Robots in Disguise. Fans of the 80's series owe it to themselves to see how this GOOD comic ends.

Transformers: Regeneration One TPB

What a weird comic. It took me quite some time to work up the nerve to buy this trade, mostly because I was so lost after reading the free comic book day issue a few years ago. 

Listen, I’m clearly a Transformers fan, and I read the 80’s series all the way through the last issue. I’ve actually read a bunch of the Transformers UK material. And yet I had absolutely no idea what was happening when this book started.

SPOILERS AHEAD!

Let me break it down for you. Transformers Regeneration One takes place 20 years after the end of the 80’s Marvel title. Optimus Prime and his Autobots won the war. Prime is mentoring Hot Rod as a future leader. Many of the Autobots seem to have faded into the background of the story, leaving the focus on the Wreckers, the Autobots’ special strike team. Springer, Kup, Topspin, Broadside, RacknRuin, Whirl, and Roadbuster make up most of the team. Grimlock is trapped in robot form after ingesting a substance called Nucleon that has affected Inferno, Blaster, Huffer, and the other Dinobots. Maybe more! I can confirm a few other survivors like Smokescreen, Red Alert, Wheeljack, Trailbreaker, Cosmos, and Tracks.

On the Decepticon side, Soundwave now leads the Cybertron based villains. I must confess I didn’t recognize most of them, other than the 2^nd generation Insecticons. Most of the baddies I do recognize are basically zombies working for Megatron on a post-apocalyptic Earth.

Fortunately, reading these issues in order and all together kept things a lot clearer. Simon Furman does a nice job focusing on his new starring cast. While there are fewer “classic” Decepticons getting panel time in favor of guys like Bludgeon, the conflict is clear and satisfying when the metal fists start flying.

Andrew Wildman’s art is as enchanting to me now as it was when I was a kid. We are blessed with a plethora of talented Transformers artists these days, but Wildman’s art has nostalgia going for it in addition to everything else. Megatron in particular looks like he walked out of a book 20 years ago. I do lament the lack of backgrounds, but I suppose on a post-apocalyptic Earth and a monochrome robot planet, backgrounds are gonna be sparse.

This isn’t quite as excellent as IDW’s modern TF books, but it is still a GOOD comic for fans of the Transformers. 

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero vol 9 TPB

I feel like these reviews sort of write themselves. Anyone who has read the blog before knows I love Larry Hama, I love G.I. Joe: Real American Hero. Nothing new to see here.

So instead of going into the many reasons I love this book (like the pitch perfect nostalgia, exciting modernized art, or long-form, continuing story), I will recap some of the high points in this trade.

Lots and lots of Joes get a few moments to shine in this collection. With pretty much the entire Joe team captured at the end of last issue, it is great seeing Hama put a rescue team together. Made up of the dregs of the team left behind at the Pit, pickings are mighty slim when it is time to send help to Sierra Gordo. 

The Relief Team call-signs are as follows: Clutch, Cross Country, Lightfoot, Alpine, Spirit, Charbroil, Ace, Wildcard, and Hit & Run. It says something about the strength of characterization Hama has accomplished that the team is a mix of pet characters that have had moments to shine (like Ace, Spirit, and Clutch) along with near ciphers like Alpine, Lightfoot, Charbroil, and Hit & Run. It’s always fun seeing the vehicle drivers mix in with the more outlandish troops too.

After they head out, it is time to defend the Pit. That’s up to the tiny team of Snake Eyes, Scarlett, Lt. Falcon, Mainframe, and Psyche Out. I’m worried that having this command team capably repel a Cobra invasion effectively makes the villains seem helpless. I mean, if a five person team can do that, does Cobra have a chance when there are dozens of active Joes?

The fight does get exciting in Sierra Gordo, though. Roadblock takes one for the team, and Stalker’s recon team has to get creative in order to face down the super-Bats Cobra has stocked in the country. The story has some nice moments for Polly and Junkyard too; Joe pets are silly, but man, that’s part of the gig!

Shannon Gallant’s action scenes steal the show in this trade. There are all sorts of shootouts and action sequences, and the story is always clear. As always, I love his modern takes on the classic Joe costumes. I will say the faces and features seem a bit blurry on a fair amount of the cast. I’m not sure if this is a reproduction issue (do faces look better in floppy format?) or if it could be from blowing up Gallant’s art from a smaller size.

In any case, this remains one of my favorite comic. The top 3 has been entrenched for some time now; G.I. Joe Real American Hero, Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye, and BPRD. All GOOD comics on the rack. 

Am I the only one getting a flashback with that cover?

FCBD: Transformers vs. G.I. Joe #0

Wow. A lot happened in that! I’m not sure exactly what John Barber and Tom Scioli are going for in their psychedelic mash-up of Jack Kirby and Herb Trimpe, but it sure isn’t boring!

The madness opens in space, where Starscream is chasing Bumblebee towards a backwater planet. The Cybertronian dialogue all shows up like wavy lines of static, with helpful translations from the editor in the bottom of the panel. This odd presentation immediately drills in the alien-ness of the Transformers. That’s hard to do with properties we know this well. It’s an effective tactic that holds up as the point of view switches to the residents of that backwater planet. The G.I. Joes on Earth.

There are a lot of Joes in this issue, but the spotlight is a bit more focused. Hawk, Scarlett, Snake Eyes, and Duke are the leads, but they aren’t exactly the versions we know and love. Hawk carries a tomahawk. Snake Eyes is a trained ninja, but he’s a handsome blonde with no mask. Duke is a rookie hitting on Scarlett during combat. Of the group, only Scarlett has consistent characterization (as a butt-kicker) from other Joe comics I’ve read. The cast is a lot more expansive, with Stalker, Heavy Metal, Bazooka, Roadblock, Doc, Ace, Wild Bill, and more all getting little ID cards. We also see Cobra Commander shoot and kill Zap and Short Fuse along with a few unnamed Joes. I guess it doesn’t pay to wear a generic green costume in this book; Steeler, Grunt, and the rest of the originals had better get some fancy new gear quick!

Things turn out a bit rough for the heroes in this. After the battle between Autobot and Decepticon clashes into the Joe/Cobra conflict, things get confusing, with the two battles combining, but no one really realizing just what’s going on. In the end, Bumblebee has lost his head and Snake Eyes might have some scarring to blame on Cobra Commander.

I’m honestly puzzled on how to grade this book. Scioli’s art is dynamic, fun, and anatomically creative. The action is always clear, even if it isn’t exactly clean or realistic. I love that this will clearly be a book with a lot of cameos from old favorites. If this was my only option to read about the Joes or Transformers, I’d be all over this. But with IDW already publishing so many excellent books like Real American Hero and More Than Meets the Eye, I’m hard-pressed to find this required reading.

I’m not sure how the plotting and scripting split out either, since Barber and Scioli discuss their process in the back material of the book, it seems like this is pretty much a team effort. This is a FAIR comic, and an entertaining one. But the fact that it isn’t the best place to find the Joes OR the Transformers means I will probably stick with the books I’m already buying. 

Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye #28

Folks, if that cover doesn't get your attention, I'm not sure we can be friends. 

What kind of a world do we live in where my favorite comic is Transformers? Am I 10 years old again? James Roberts has done the impossible; he’s writing a toy comic that is actually at the top of my stack when it comes out.

Dark Cybertron happened, OK? Enough said. Let’s move on to “Season 2” of the Lost Light and their quest for the Knights of Cybertron. As the characters often state, the supposed destination of the Autobot ship is less important than the journey, so once again the strength of the issue lies in the characterization and in the seeding of future plots. Roberts seeded his first 20 or so issues better than any other author I can think of in MTMtE #1, so let’s see how many I can spot now.

The cast is expanding in a big way. We’ve got Bluestreak. We’ve got Nautica (how did the franchise exist for so long without female characters?) Private investigator Night Beat smells a mystery in some missing door numbers. We’ve got our old favorites coming back like Rung, Swerve, and Ultra Magnus. Do you really think Chromedome is just sitting around grieving? Or is there something else going on?

But where’s the illustrious leader? Why have we not seen Hot Rod on the ship? Did something happen between him and new Captain Megatron?

That’s right, the Lost Light, an Autobot ship, is now under the command of Megatron. And it is clearly his ship. Ultra Magnus, Blaster, and Perceptor all salute him when he finally makes it to the bridge. But not everyone is happy; we see Whirl try to instigate Megatron into a brawl. And for once, Whirl isn’t acting on his own; this is part of a bigger plan.

There are a lot of flashbacks in this issue, as we see Megatron prepare for his trial. My biggest gripe about this is that Roberts writes a fantastic Prowl, but we know that Prowl ends up in the cast of Robots in Disguise, so the police car’s time in this book is limited. (Who would have thought that Prowl would become such a valued part of the Transformers mythos?)

And then, a coffin. Who’s in it? Rewind? Drift? Another new character? I can’t get enough of this book. Roberts has done such a good job in the past, I’m certain there are more narrative seeds here to bear fruit in future issues.

Alex Milne’s art. What can I say? The guy does some of the best big robots I’ve ever seen. He has made me love characters I used to despise, Ultra Magnus being the best example. I spend each and every issue looking in backgrounds to see who Milne sneaks in so I can pore over the details. Any chance for more Hound or some more G1 classics? I’d love to see Brawn get involved again…

This is an EXCELLENT long-form science fiction comic with a top-notch cast and a rewarding story. Don’t think of it as a toy comic. Think of it as the one of the most consistently written, best illustrated books on the stands.

Transformer: Robots in Disguise #28

After the slog that was Dark Cybertron, I have been very excited about the re-focusing of IDW’s Transformers titles with Dawn of the Autobots. This seems to be the title that is tackling the classic aspect of the Tranformers’ story. There will still be “Robots in Disguise” since the Cybertronians still need to stay hidden on Earth. Plus, with the good and bad guys integrating a lot more in the other TF titles, this seems like the place to see classic Autobot vs. Decepticon carnage.

As I always say, part of the excitement for these nostalgia-based properties is seeing which characters make the cast list in each title. John Barber seems to have a pretty defined crew of Autobots in the spotlight here, and a lot of old favorites get represented. Optimus Prime, Prowl (surely Barber’s favorite character), Jazz, Kup, Sideswipe, Arcee, Cosmos, Skylinx, and Jetfire seem to be the main crew of Autobots returning to Earth. This gives us a good mix of characters, especially since Jazz is responsible for the ‘Bots getting booted off the Earth last time.

One interesting aspect of the book is that it seems the Autobot/Decepticon battle that has ceased on Cybertron is continuing on Earth, giving us a good Decepticon faction too. So Earth may end up being the frontline of the classic battle going forward. On the Decepticon side, we’ve got Galvatron, Soundwave, Blitzwing, the Constructicons, and more.

Still maintaining his neutrality (and maybe even siding with the Earthlings), Thundercracker seems to be a pretty important part of the narrative too. He sat out the last few years of TF stories, choosing to hang out on Earth to get a dog and write screenplays. (Everyone on the message boards seems to love his amateurish attempt to write human-based drama. It is pretty good, but I’m not sure how long the joke will work for…)

The art is uniformly strong, as Andrew Griffith excels at drawing giant robots. The new alt-modes look great, and even when characters have been bulked up or modernized (like Optimus’ new split-chest look), they are instantly recognizable. I suppose Griffith can’t be perfect at everything, because his humans don’t look as good as his robots. The Earthlings have lumpier faces and bodies with odd dimensions. But since this book is called Transformers, that is a trade off I can live with.

I’m certainly interested enough in this GOOD re-focusing to start my subscription again. (I took a little break for Dark Cybertron after the first chapters.)

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero v8 TPB

I’ve said it many times now, but I still mean it. Why anyone would read any of IDWs many G.I. Joe comics when they could be focusing on this one. This is what G.I. Joe is all about. Characters looking and acting like they did when we were kids while playing out new and innovative plots. Heck, Larry Hama even makes sure that most of the locations are well known.

Snake Eyes’ cabin in the High Sierras, Broca Beach, the Pitt, and Sierra Gordo are all vital to the plot. Hama makes numerous references to old stories, but I certainly can’t remember them well enough to truly appreciate it. And guess what, that doesn’t matter, because the current plots stand fine on their own.

The book opens with Chuckles, Low Light, Lady Jaye, and Jinx taking on an evil dictator. The dictator has hired Major Blud, to give us a recognizable villain. This story featured a truly ninja-level of mayhem from Chuckles. He must kill 50 people while working to break Lady Jaye loose from captivity. I love that Hama even mentions this in a great bit of dialogue later in the trade. (I won’t ruin the joke.)

Jinx and Pale Peony are assigned to look into both the Arashikage clan and the blue ninja cyborgs that have been regular villains in recent issues. I’m getting major SAW Viper vibes from some of these guys, and that is a good thing. Hama really writes the two ladies enjoying their work.

The main story has retired Joe Grunt captured in Sierra Gordo. Rather than waiting for approval, the Joes mobilize a ton of troops and start the rescue. Hama gives us some great one-liners from a ton of Joes, each line a great throwback to what we remember about that Joe’s character and motivations.

I hope you guys like the roll calls like I do, so here’s the mission breakdown to rescue Grunt:

Alpha Team: Roadblock, Rock & Roll, Zap, Gung Ho, Torpedo, Lady Jaye, Flint, Dial-Tone, Shockwave, and Mutt & Junkyard. They are the main team putting boots on the ground to get Grunt back.

Bravo team is backup: Leatherneck, Beach Head, Low Light, Downtown, Bazooka, and Life Line, with Stalker in charge. What a sweet team!

Handling intelligence and communications at HQ: Psyche Out, Lt. Falcon, Chuckles, and Mainframe.

Then you’ve got all the vehicles and pilots to support those teams, so there is a ton of face time for lots of old favorites. And when things go bad for those two units, it sure looks like the last few Joes left in the Pitt are going to have to ship out in the next trade.

This is my perfect comic. Larry Hama and S.L. Gallant have created a blend of action, characterization and nostalgia unmatched in comics (Sergio Cariello handles art duties also). For the generation that came into comic books through the G.I. Joe title like I did, there is no better comic on the stands. 

Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye #1-6

Transformers on Star Trek. That is what this title is about, plain and simple. I’m not sure if James Roberts pitched the book that way or not, but that’s what this book is all about. And guess what? It works!

I was sure I’d enjoy the “classic” title more than the clear spin-off, but here we are. It appreciate the dialogue and world building Barber is doing here, and while I like the sister title, this is the best Transformer book on the stands right now.

Hot Rod/Rodimus had big plans to go find some missing leaders of ancient Cybertron, but those plans were scrapped when the Lost Light ship blew up in Cybertron’s orbit. Now the crew is blasted to the far side of the galaxy, no closer to accomplishing their mission, AND all their comrades think they are dead.

I’ve seen some folks complain that everyone in this book is a smart-a$$, but that’s not entirely true. It’s more appropriate to say this is a true team book, and it’s going for a certain vibe. That cover is a good clue. This is a JLI-type book with snappy dialogue and personalities played for laughs. Ultra Magnus is a boring, by-the-book dork, and Red Alert is a paranoid maniac. Rodimus is overconfident; basically, he’s Ryker from Next Generation with his own ship. The problem is, it doesn’t seem like most of the Transformers on board really listen that much.

Almost every character with a speaking part gets a defining personality. Ratchet and his declining hand-dexterity. Rung as a psychiatrist with a bunch of insight, or even Pipes (or Blue Huffer as I knew him) and his love of getting to go on missions. This is a really strong comic with a stellar cast. The tone of the book changes from issue to issue. High adventure, Alien rip-offs, and even zombies all show up in the first six issues.

Nick Roche and Alex Milne stray a bit more from core designs, but that’s OK. Its got a big cast, and each character stands out. The main characters are Rodimus, Ultra Magnus, Ratchet, Drift, Rewind, Red Alert, Rung, Whirl (the ex-Wrecker), Cyclonus (yeah, that Cyclonus), Pipes, First Aid, and a dozen more. Plus the required cameos like Sea Spray, Cosmos, and Hound.

For those of us with too much nostalgia for our favorite childhood toys, this is the perfect book.

Excellent

Transformers: Robots in Disguise #1-6

I knew I couldn’t resist catching up with the Transformers titles after the relaunch, and thanks to IDW knocking the price on digital copies to $1.99 after a month, I don’t have to. In the past few weeks, I’ve read a TON of Transformers comics, and as a result, I’m way more into the universe than I have been since I was 10.

Robots in Disguise follows a group of transformers as they attempt to re-populate and rebuild Cybertron. After Optimus Prime headed out for deep space (his presence was too closely tied to the war with the Decepticons), it’s time for Bumblebee to try and take charge. The problem is, all our favorite Decepticons are still on the planet too. While those ‘Cons might claim the war is over and they are done fighting, it sure doesn’t feel that way to Bumblebee’s crew.

Further complicating matters are the Nails. These are other Cybertronians who didn’t take a side in the war. Now that the dust has settled, they are back on Cybertron and want everything to go back to normal. But for both the Autobots and Decepticons, the Nails are cowards who didn’t choose a side. It’s a neat dynamic that lets characters play very different roles than what we remember from our childhood.

This is still the classic Transformers concept, just in a new status quo. The Autobots are still fighting the Decepticons, they are just doing it in space. While More Than Meets the Eye is Transformer stories in a new context, this is a classic-feeling book. John Barber is doing a nice job keeping the characters in line with how you feel they should act. Is it entirely original? No, but it is darn entertaining.

The prominent Transformers in the first six issues are Bumblebee, Wheeljack, Prowl, Iron Hide, Streetwise, Sideswipe, Blur, Silverbolt, Ratbat, Skywarp, Dirge, the Constructicons, and Prowl’s mystery helper. That’s not counting the assumed cameos like Warpath and others. Andrew Griffith has redesigned all these bots with new alt-forms so that we get the robots we know and love, but new vehicles that look suitably futuristic.

IDW seems to put their books on sale regularly. Follow me on Twitter @mrtimbotron and I’ll post when they have their next sale!

Good

Transformers: Chaos TPB

James Roberts, Mike Costa bring the ongoing series to a close, and they do it with a bang. It took awhile as the line lost its way, but I’m firmly back in the TF fold after reading this and Police Action. While Bumblebee, Prowl, and his crew are dealing with human problems on Earth, Optimus, Ratchet, Rodimus, Iron Hide, and Drift (blerg) are back home dealing with BIG problems.

I have to say the story is fairly confusing, and you know that’s the case when characters in the actual story need help understanding the plot. There is a scene where a bunch of Autobots (I think it’s the Technobots and some of the Headmasters) are puzzling out Galvatron’s master plan, while Arcee and Hardhead try to explain it to them. It doesn’t make a lot of sense, to be honest, and the whole Chaos crossover as a whole is a failure. I mean, it hasn’t made sense from the start, so I think the creative team did the right thing in acknowledging the problems, then just barreling ahead.

Solid action. THAT’S how you can deal with a poor plot. With lots of smashing, shooting, and characterization. There are tons of ‘bots getting a moment in the sun here. We all know Optimus and his main crew (listed above) is going to get the spotlight, but Sunstreaker, Megatron, Cliffjumper (!), and Wheelie (!!) actually get moments! Devastator comes back, the familiar Decepticons make an appearance (it’s too brief, but at least I understand it.) It must have been pretty hard bringing the disparate storylines together, but Arcee and Hardhead do make a bit of a difference in the battle with Galvatron. Again, the greater plot is lacking, but the character moments make this thing work.

Livio Ramondelli has a nice, painted look. The battles are impressive at times (try to find Silverbolt leading the flying Autobots up into space against Cyclonus and the Sweeps). Powerglide, Cosmos, Tracks, it’s got every flying good guy on the roster and looks fantastic. Megatron’s new form is enormous and fun. Devastator is horrifying, bum leg and all. Now, the giant Chaos monster? Blah. I’m ignoring that bit.

I’m excited for the next stage of the IDW books. I want to see what happens to these characters. It’s nice when the plot is driving things along and enhancing the book, but to be honest, handle the characters well and consistently, and that’s enough.

Good

Transformers: Police Action TPB

Now THIS is what I was looking for in my Transformers comics! I feel the IDW line really lost its way after All Hail Megatron. The books were just sort of flopping around. The relationship with Spike and the humans isn’t why anyone is picking up the book, I figure, and the Decepticons on the run aren’t an interesting enough threat. I actually didn’t buy any Transformer trades for quite awhile. Fortunately, Comixology had a big sale and I caught back up. (I’m not going to review Heart of Darkness or the Chaos prelude, both were fairly boring.)

This trade moves along nicely. It focuses on Prowl and the other Earth-bound transformers as they try to investigate a few mysteries from earlier in the series. You see, Spike really hates the Transformers, and in a great scene, he actually states that he will never trust any of them, leaving Prowl looking like a fool for liking and trusting Spike. As always, the humans are the real bad guys. (Of course!) There’s a lot of procedure work as Prowl (and partner Streetwise) bomb around investigating who killed the Constructicon Scrapper earlier in the series. They also want to figure out who distributed all those Megatron bot-killer pistols earlier in the book too. Both masterminds have been choreographed well, so everything makes sense, and it leaves the Autobots in a position where I’m not sure they can stick around Earth much longer.

For those of you who just want to know which Transformers appear in Transformers: Police Action, here’s your list, starting with the most featured: Prowl, Bumblebee, Ultra Magnus, Jazz, Streetwise, the Protectobots, Brawl, and Swindle. (There are a few more cameos, including Seaspray and Windcharger, but that list is the main guys.)

I can’t emphasize enough how bored I was by the Transformers universe before this trade. Mike Costa and artist E.J. Su deserve a lot of credit for bringing me back on board.

Good

G.I. Joe Real American Hero TPB 4

Goodness gracious, do I love Larry Hama’s GI Joe comics. He continues playing new variations on his greatest hits. This issue features a handful of missions featuring different characters in different settings. If you have a favorite character or type of story, rest assured that Hama will get there. What a wonderful trip.

This trade has the following storylines.

Flint, Roadblock, and Lady Jaye (with Recondo, Wild Bill, and Lift Ticket) are sent on a mission to grab Cobra flunky Darklon. This is classic GI Joe action, the blend of military and heroic action fans love.

Snake Eyes, Storm Shadow, and Billy take on the new threat of the Blue Ninjas. It’s tough bringing in believable foes for the Joe ninjas, but these guys work. They’re cyborgs with cutting edge tech, and each time they go up against our heroes, the outcome actually feels a bit in doubt!

In a flashback, we see Sneak Peek (who faked his death back in Special Missions) explaining to Dusty and Chuckles how he discovered Darklon’s secret bunker. I don't remember Darklon, but he's got that Hama-villain swagger, so he works well in the role.

Hama always gives a throwaway character piece, and here it’s Steeler, Cover Girl, Wild Card, and Cross Country in a Mauler teaming up with the Oktober Guard to battle a legion of Hiss tanks. Tank battles like this seem like fun (to contrast with Garth Ennis’ Battlefields: The Tankies, which I read the same day.) These vehicle-based missions are another staple of Hama's original run; I'm glad to see he's still doing them. They work just as well now as they did in the past. How long till we get the SEALS doing something cool?

Shannon Gallant and Ron Wagner sure seem to be enjoying themselves. Every costume looks like it came out of an action figure package. The consistency in weaponry is nice too, great attention to detail.

I get so much joy seeing Hama write the same way he always has. I’ll keep saying it as long as it’s true; you can go home again.

Excellent

Transformers: Autocracy #1

I was intrigued by IDW’s Autocracy project. Basically, the company is putting out a half-length Transformers comic every other week, but only charging 99 cents for it. Chris Metzen and Flint Dille are new names to me, but after taking a quick look at some preview pages, I decided I could shell out two or three bucks for the first couple issues.

It’s pretty good! The series takes place back on Cybertron, when Optimus Prime was still Orion Pax. Orion is an idealistic cop working for the status quo-loving Autobots. The Decepticons are basically anarchist freedom-fighters. It takes some getting used to seeing Orion/Optimus bully people around, but it does seem like his heart is in the right place. And while the Decepticons are trying to take down the Autobot ruling class, they definitely aren’t good guys. (Hot Rod is another freedom-fighter, though! And we know he ends up as a good guy.) It is a neat twist seeing our heroes supporting what is clearly an evil regime. Nothing her ruins the characters, but it adds a nice level of back-story.

The book keeps its focus squarely on Orion, but he does have a small squad of familiar faces surrounding him. Prowl, Iron Hide, Bumblebee, and Hound back up Orion on the ground, while Silverbolt soars overhead providing air-support. The Decepticons are all the regulars: Megatron, Starscream, Soundwave, and the tapes. Some Omega Supreme predecessors show up around issue 5 too.

I’m only halfway through, but I really like this format and delivery system. I’m much more likely to splurge on a 99 cent comic than a $3.99 one, and to be honest, these issues don’t feel that short. There are so many ads in the back of the IDW Transformers comics, this feels pretty close to the same length!

Livio Ramondelli handles the art, and he’s good. This has got that painted feel that some Transformers artists use, where things look almost European. I’d almost say it looks as if Gabrielle Del ‘Otto was drawing Cybertron, that’s the feel of the book. It’s always neat seeing the “old” Cybertron forms for the bots too. I do like the design of the current Prime; he’s suspicious right off the bat!

Good

Transformers #80.5

Now don’t get me wrong. I absolutely loved the Transformers comics in the 1980s. In fact, that and GI Joe were a big part of the reason I’m as hooked as I am now. But I think Simon Furman is overestimating how much we all remember about what was happening in this comic 20 years ago.


I seem to remember the Autobots and Decepticons teaming up to take out Unicron. I know a lot of the original characters are dead; for example, wasn’t Bludgeon the main Decepticon leader at the close of the series? And he looked like some skeleton samurai dude!

Wasn’t Prime stuck in some “Power Master” robot-only form? Who was the last Autobot? Wasn’t Megatron merged with Ratchet somehow?

The problem is, after reading this “introductory” issue; I still don’t know what’s happening. Larry Hama filled us in a bit better when he picked up GI Joe, or at least he made everything feel like a fresh start. I’m certain I’ll stick around and buy this comic, but I do wish I had a bit more solid understanding about the status quo.

Andrew Wildman can still draw. His transformers were revolutionary to me, back in the day, and they still look fantastic. There are a ton of good TF artists now, but Wildman’s art still has a classic feel. He always puts the best shiny spots on the ‘bots faces, it really sells the unique feel.

And am I the only one who worries what this series will do to IDW’s ongoing Transformers story? Once you have the original as an option, I sort of lose interest in the “reimagined” universe. That certainly happened to me with IDW’s GI Joe titles.

Fair

GI Joe: A Real American Hero v3 TPB

I can’t express the joy that reading this series gives me. Larry Hama is certainly following a “greatest hits” type approach, but I’m not complaining at all. If he’s this good at recapturing the glory of his old storylines, count me in for the new Cobra Island and invasion of Sierra Gordo.

The trade opens with another savage battle based around the Joe hovercraft, the Whale. This time Cutter is assisted by Deep Six, Shipwreck, and Topside, (the team does use the SHARC sub too). The Joes go up against a bunch of Cobras on hydrofoils. The artist for this issue is my old fave Ron Wagner. For anyone wondering if he still draws those awesome EELs, the answer is yes, he does.

The next arc jumps between the arctic, where Iceberg, Frostbite, and Blizzard are facing Snow Serpents and Ice Vipers, and NYC; where Mainframe assists the original GI Joe and Jane in repelling Firefly and Crystal Ball. I never thought I’d love a story featuring Crystal Ball, but this thing is fun from start to finish. I’m not even sure I can choose a high point, although it is probably between Firefly doing a fist pump or Iceberg’s ID when he barges into a US military base. “All the info on this card has been blacked out except for the codename Iceberg!”

Subplots? You want subplots? Hama has them too. Sneak Peak has risen again, it turns out his dramatic death back in those old comics was a set-up for a top secret mission. Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow are ferreting out a new branch of their clan Arashikage. And Flint is busy trying to be cool and impress Lady J.

S.L. Gallant ably handles the art for the bulk of this trade, and I love his take on the classic costumes. Really, this book is so good, it actually made me stop buying IDW’s other GI Joe title. If I can get the original series and it’s this good, why get the re-make?

Excellent

Locke & Key HC

What an interesting comic. Joe Hill is Stephen King’s kid, right? It sure shows here. This series has all the elements. Sad childhood, creepy locales, depraved psychopaths. In fact, that sad childhood element is a recurring one for King, and Hill seems pretty comfortable tilling the same soil.

The series focuses on the Locke family, specifically on the three Locke children as they wrestle with their mother’s assault and father’s death. There are all sorts of interesting ties between the murderer and the victim, but it turns out that there is a much more supernatural element here. The Locke family moves back to Lovecraft, MA, where the kids start spreading out into their sprawling estate. It’s spooky, but not overly so, in fact, it seems like a pretty great place to live if it wasn’t for the creature in the old well house and the door that turns you into a ghost. And heck, who wouldn’t want to try out being a ghost?

Hill does a nice job getting in the heads of each of the core characters, but he’s not neglecting the rest of the world either. I really enjoy seeing the strength in Locke family matriarch and in the kids’ uncle. They aren’t privy to the toughest parts of the kids’ lives, but they’re doing their best.

After the first collection, I have absolutely no idea where this is going. The creature in the well is certainly giving me some Ring vibes, but it seems there is more than that going on. I’m happy to see the story sort of resolve after the first six issues, but with lots of threads for later. Growing up in the same town your mysterious Dad did is a sure recipe for lots of interesting supporting characters.

Gabriel Rodriguez has a nice style, with big expressive eyes and clear lines. At times the art gets a bit cartoony, especially when drawing Bode, the youngest Locke. That said, some of the elements in this horror story would be too upsetting if drawn realistically. His storytelling is clear, it will be neat seeing if the colors and tone of the art continues or adjusts to the dark subject matter.

Fair

GI Joe vol 5 TPB

I’ve got a bit of a problem here. I always like Chuck Dixon’s work, and I want to support this book, but why would I read about a re-booted and re-imagined GI Joe team when Larry Hama is doing such a kick-butt job on the Real American Hero title?

This trade is advertised as the concluding chapter of the “first story” in Dixon’s run on the title, and all that makes me think is “wow, this has been pretty slow.” It has been around 25 issues to see Cobra set up the Mass Device and get it working, and then Snake Eyes and Helix promptly wreck the plan in two issues. I’m not a ninja fan to begin with, so making those two cool kids the heroes who get the win annoys me. I was hopeful when the original strike team was put together (including Cover Girl, Low Light, and Flint) but then it all comes down to ninjas. Hooray.

The pacing seems very confused here too. Why have all those issues with the Joes capturing a Viper, then set that guy up in jail to get info, when it all didn’t matter anyway? The Joes just jumped back to the Mass Device anyway! I’ve got to think the more driven GI Joe: Cobra title’s big conclusion shook up the plot for this book. Frankly, this core title needed the kick in the pants. The opening story had drawn out way too long, with way too many side-missions and quests leading up to the Joes even discovering Cobra exists.

I’m not sure if I’ll pick up the next chapter of the rebooted GI Joe universe. I’m very interested in the Cobra in-fighting for leadership, and maybe this will kick the pacing in this book into higher gear. But at this point, I want to see some good reviews, because as I said, the Real American Hero title is scratching my GI Joe itch.

Robert Atkins is back on art for this whole trade, and I’m glad. His figures can be a tad stiff, but he’s fantastic at modernizing the classic figures’ looks. I still say that the Joes spend too much time in generic, matching clothing. With a few exceptions, I can’t tell the characters apart without their distinctive outfits. (That’s been one of my main complaints about this series for years.)

Fair