James Roberts (2) (1976–)

Access a version of the below that includes illustrations on my blog.

In this volume, recent events in the title formerly known as Robots in Disguise have repercussions for the whole Transformers galaxy, as an ancient Prime returns, reanimating Titans with him. This is more of the kind of Transformers stuff I haven't really cared for: ancient cosmic evils, big robot fights, blah blah blah.

The events of Titans Return connect to all three Transformers ongoings (the subtitle-less Transformers, show more More than Meets the Eye, and Till All Are One), but it is structured differently than previous Transformers crossovers. While Dark Cybertron and Combiner Wars had a unified story that alternated between the two titles involved in the crossover, Titans Return has a kick-off issue that involves all three series, then a two-issue Transformers story, and then a two-issue More than Meets the Eye one. This is good, because it lets each series maintain its own unique identity.

Sentinel Prime starts out on Cybertron, fighting Ironhide's new police force seen in Till All Are One, Volume 1, as well as Windblade and Starscream. There's some Windblade-Starscream banter, and both Tankors turn up-- it's not much of a role for TAAO, but it does allow for some reflection on how far Cybertron has already come, as Sentinel Prime views with disgust the achievements that Windblade and company have made in reintegrating postwar Cybertron. It does get a bit too technobabbly. (Relative spark temperatures are a significant plot point, and I would contend that this should never be the case.)

From there, Sentinel makes it to Earth, where the by-now normal John Barber tediousness happens. I enjoyed this guy's character driven writing at first, but since the move to Earth, it has almost disappeared. And geeze, if Garrison Blackrock and Marissa Faireborn never appeared in this comic again, I don't think I'd even notice. But now there are G.I. Joes for some reason?

I do like that Soundwave is now an ally to Optimus Prime, seeing in Optimus's leadership the best chance for the ideals that originally drew him to Decepticonism. But why has he started describing everything he does as an "Operation"?

The crossover contorts a little bit to get More than Meets the Eye involved, given that when we last saw the series, the main characters had been kicked off their own ship and the planet they were exiled to exploded. So we get a flashback to the Lost Light before the events of volume 10 that is just there to deliver some exposition (but in a funny way) and the main involvement of MtMtE is through some of its side characters no longer on the Lost Light, like Fortress Maximus and Red Alert-- Sentinel Prime runs from Earth to the planet where they're hanging out.

Prowl also turns up, but it turns out that my problem was never with Prowl, it was with John Barber writing Prowl, because in the context of MtMtE, Prowl is hilarious. Fortress Maximus kicks him as soon as he comes through the spacebridge; when Cerebros wants to know what Prowl did to make Fortress Maximus so made, it's very difficult for Prowl to remember, because, as he himself admits, "I've hacked off so many people it's hard to keep track. Whatever I did, I know for a fact it was necessary, proportionate, and staggeringly far-sighted, and I'm confident that history will prove me-- Oh! Garrus 9! There we go."

So I don't really care about Sentinel Prime and his plans, but it kind of feels like James Roberts doesn't either, because the story's best parts have nothing to do with that. Instead we get a meta-gag about how the weird conventions of comic book dialogue only make Red Alert paranoid, the story pays off contrivedly but hilariously a running gag about Prowl's propensity for flipping tables, and given that this is More than Meets the Eye's final issue, there's even a nice bit of reflection about endings themselves.

The series formerly known as Robots in Disguise also ends in this volume, and for me that makes it a nice jumping-off point-- I don't think I'll be picking up any volumes of its relaunch as Optimus Prime unless they turn up for dirt-cheap in Humble Bundles-- but I loved More than Meets the Eye more than any ongoing comic I can remember, and I can't wait to dive into its sequel series, Lost Light. Everything ends, nothing ends.

Transformers by IDW: « Previous in sequence | Next in sequence » show less

Access a version of the below that includes illustrations on my blog.

I don't normally do this, but it seems warranted here: MAJOR SPOILERS FOR MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE. That said, I went into this volume knowing some of what I'm going to talk about, and if anything, I think it made the book more effective.

BUT ANYWAY

I don't often cry at works of fiction. It happens on occasion, though, perhaps more as I get older. The death of the Tachikomas at the end of season one of Ghost in the Shell: show more Stand Alone Complex. Penelope Wilton chaining herself to the bus at the end of episode 4 of Bob & Rose. Moira taking her suicide pill in the last chapter of On the Beach. Evelyn Smythe's contemplative last moments in Doctor Who: A Death in the Family.

But I don't think I've ever cried at a comic book.

I cried three times reading this one.

The first time came in the first issue collected here. The Lost Light crew assaults a rogue Decepticon stronghold. James Roberts tells the story in two parallel tracks, switching back and forth between the attack and its aftermath. Rewind is injured, and his conjunx endura Chromedome is freaking out about it. Now, I was spoiled a while ago on the fact that Rewind would die, so as the book came to a climax, I started tearing up. Rewind doesn't die here, but the end is still fraught with emotion, as we learn how Rewind and Chromedome first met, and then the last thing we see is the moment of Rewind's near-fatal injury. It wasn't a Decepticon who injured him; rather, Whirl purposely locked him in a room with an exploding bomb because Cyclonus was also in that room. Plus, misanthropic Cyclonus actually threw himself on the bomb to save Rewind. Oh wow so many feelings as everything that's happened throughout the issue slots into place.

I didn't cry at the second issue here, but it was good fun: the Lost Light arrives at a pleasure planet, and everyone goes out drinking. Jokes are had, we get to see the crew's humanoid holomatter avatars, Ultra Magnus tries to lighten up (and fails), and Tailgate reveals his dark secret to Cyclonus. If you love when a tv show does the wacky side episode where the crew lets loose, you'll love this.

The fourth issue is where I lost it for real, not just tearing up, but genuine crying. Decepticon phase-sixer Overlord (late of Last Stand of the Wreckers) is let loose on the Lost Light, and Rewind dies for real-- but even aside from that the thing is filled with amazing character moments, paying off all sorts of character details from throughout the series so far. It's not the climax of the whole series, but it does feel like one for the first fifteen issues. Ratchet, despite being a medical officer, throws himself into battle one last time; Pipes, the ship's punching bag, is punched (to death) one last time, but using his dying moments to save the ship; Rodimus shouting "'till all are one!" saves the lives of everyone on board. That last one is a brilliant bit of writing, transforming a running gag into a key plot point and clever bit of trickery.

But worst/best of all is the climax: not only does Rewind sacrifice himself to save Chromedome/the ship, Chromedome is forced to kill Rewind in order to save Rewind from an eternity of torture at the hands of Rewind. It's horrifying and beautiful, the greatest moment in an issue of great moments, and across those last three pages, I wasn't just tearing up, I was genuinely crying.

Finally, you get the aftermath issue: funerals and mourning and all that. We learn more about Chromedome's relationship with Rewind, and what we learn is all even more tragic, culminating in Chromedome watching Rewind's last message to him, expressed in the form of a montage of clips of other people speaking. Well, I teared up again. Some of it being laid over Drift's exile from the ship (and the way Ratchet stands up for him) makes it even better.

I can't believe it's a Transformers comic that made me tear up, but really, this might be one of the very best comic books I've ever read, full stop. It has jokes, complex characterization, well-organized long-running plots, tragedy, emotions, and giant robots. It's impossible for me to imagine what else I might want out of a comic. And really, I'm just scratching the surface of what it has to offer.

The Transformers by IDW: « Previous in sequence | Next in sequence » show less

This series had been hyped beyond all belief by the Transformers fanbase, so I was excited to finally lay my hands on a cheap copy of the trade paperback. It did not disappoint. This is the kind of book that shows just how great this franchise can be when put in the hands of people who really care about and understand it. It takes place in IDW’s current series continuity, but besides a couple of scenes, it’s entirely self-contained, and it draws heavily on obscure characters from all show more throughout franchise history, meaning you don’t have to be familiar with them to enjoy this book. If you’re a hardcore fan, or just interested in seeing how good TF storytelling can get, you need to pick up this book. Besides the original 5-issue series, the trade paperback also collects a related prose story by Roberts titled “Bullets” that’s just icing on the cake. show less

Access a version of the below that includes illustrations on my blog.

Megatron has really been the focus of "season two" of More than Meets the Eye, and implausible as I found the idea of four-million-year-Hitler coming aboard the Lost Light as co-captain, his trajectory in these stories has really worked. By this point, the main cast has accepted him... and he has accepted the ways of the Autobots, even refusing to partake in combat.

But it all comes to a head here, when the show more non-main-characters decide they've had enough of Megatron leading them, and kick him and the main characters off the ship... and then they're promptly set upon by the Decepticon Justice Division, Overlord, and a whole army of Decepticons.

Once again, James Roberts does his thing, with some edge-of-your-seat writing that had me physically tense or tearing up or both. I've really come to love these characters and their adventures, and this volume is filled with both hero moments and dark ones. Particularly when Rewind reaches the goal of his own personal quest... wowza.

Plus Drift and Ratchet are back! It's the culmination of all sorts of stuff, but it also promises much more to come. More than Meets the Eye is still the best ongoing in comics. How is that possible?

Transformers by IDW: « Previous in sequence | Next in sequence » show less