Transformers Lives Again!
With Robert Kirkman’s Void Rivals having launched Skybound’s Energon Universe, he now takes the writing reins of the flagship Transformers comic series as well, with Dan Mora now on pencils and Mike Spicer still on colors.
In this twenty-seventh issue, the Autobots get back into fighting shape as many are revived or repaired. Ultra Magnus makes a choice, Spike and Carly make plans, and Thundercracker settles in! Meanwhile, General Flagg and Miles Mayhem (leader of V.E.N.O.M. (Vicious Evil Network of Mayhem)) come to blows, and on Cybertron... something sinister hunts Cliffjumper.
Wow, that’s a lot.
I didn’t even finish! Kirkman drops a boatload of new plot threads, new and returning characters, and intrigue for the future here. It’s actually kind of refreshing, as I felt Daniel Warren Johnson’s plotting was a bit on the anemic side, but Kirkman seems bursting with stuff he wants to address and play with as soon as possible. It makes for a fairly dense read, which is certainly saying something for Kirkman!
Kirkman does seem eager to flex his personal Transformers fandom here, as he resurrects several characters that were unceremoniously offed in DWJ’s run and even provides potential hope for the return of even more. He formally introduces Bulkhead to the Autobot ranks, and the big klutz does seem a bit inspired by his Transformers: Animated portrayal. I was particularly happy with the Cliffjumper... I mean, cliff-HANGER which featured the return of a threat we thought we might have seen the end of in DWJ’s run.
So things are moving forward!
Yep. The pacing is still a bit slow, but Kirkman is throwing so many things out there to follow and take note of that it’s fine. I think maybe the Colonel Flagg/Miles Mayhem plot thread feels like more like setup for other things (or other books) but maybe that will migrate elsewhere. I do enjoy what Kirkman is doing with Thundercracker and he’s pushing that idea farther than anyone else has. I hope he’s committing to Thundercracker as an Autobot for the long run and this isn’t some misdirect. The introduction of another Decepticon from Bulkhead’s neck of the woods seems like it may lead somewhere with Thundercracker as well.
Thundercracker as an Autobot isn’t the only big change Kirkman might be making, as Ultra Magnus seems intent on finding a replacement for his “office”. If he truly wants Arcee to be his replacement, well, that’s going to be strange but I think the important thing is I’m interested to see where this will go. That’s really the difference so far between DWJ and Kirkman’s writing; I’m intrigued by these new elements Kirkman is introducing and not put off or exasperated.
Cube?
Again, the plot is a bit slow-moving and is beginning to sprawl a bit, but Kirkman’s enthusiasm for Transformers is pretty evident and his need to “course-correct” some things DWJ did is not as stealthy as he might think. I’m totally fine with that, considering my overall negative feels on the previous writer. Oh yeah, Dan Mora’s art is still pretty great too!
Buy Transformers # 27 this week, and watch Bulkhead supplant Shredhead as THE NEW HAWTNESS!