AFTER the freakish weather in the real-life United States
caused a delay in the delivery of IDW Publishing’s Transformers titles, the
Cybertronian comic books are back, and we begin with “Transformers” # 37.
Once
the series received its new streamlined title, writer John Barber ironically
has packed so much material into “Transformers” that entire splashes are left
to exposition. This is because Barber has decided to go whole hog into the
mythology of this continuity. Thundercracker has been circling Bikini Atoll and
its secret armada of Earth-made Conehead (Ramjet and Thrust) clones. In Tokyo,
Arcee and the human Jimmy Pink face off against a determined Galvatron and the
Decepticons. Galvatron seems to be playing some mind tricks on Arcee, trying to
convince the Autobot assassin to change her mind about her loyalty to Prowl.
Speaking
of Prowl, he and Spike have a long discussion. Spike is taken aback when Prowl
reveals it was Galvatron who killed Spike’s father Gen. Witwicky (we know this
to be true; Galvatron is peddling the convenient lie that it was Prowl’s doing
instead). In Shanghai, we get the big one: G.B. Blackrock (that’s who he is and
I’m sticking with that) explains the entire story behind how humans found the
elusive Enigma of Combination and built civilization around it. Blackrock now
has the Enigma, and has profited handsomely from it. Now, of course, the
Cybertronians on both sides want it back.
There’s
a lot of double talk going on here. “No one should have the Enigma,” Galvatron
says (don’t quite believe him) but returns to the Decepticons at Mount Fuji
(who are playing a stupid game with Pink to kill time) with a surprisingly
quiet Arcee in tow.
Meanwhile,
Prowl and Spike have agreed to work together. Spike breaks into the Blackrock
facility. Prowl gives the word and he merges with the Constructicons to form
Devastator. “Constructicons, remember the mission, secure the Enigma, Spike is
just a target of opportunity,” Prowl says as they attack the complex.
Yes,
Prowl has just betrayed Spike. “Prowl, you bastard, we had a deal,” Spike yells
(Gotta agree with Spike on this one; Prowl’s being a douche). Blackrock isn’t
worried though, the man has a plan. He punches some buttons and—voila—the secret
Seeker armada in Bikini Atoll isn’t so secret anymore. All the Conehead clones
are heading for China.
That’s
a lot of action in one issue. “Transformers” # 37 just goes past you with
Barber and artist Andrew Griffith just pushing everything through the panels.
There’s a weird, cramped vibe to the storytelling, as if the two are being
hurried to get through this issue. It’s certainly an eventful, action-packed
issue. But the whole Prowl-will-betray-you-again thing as well as the
Galvatron-is-turning-Arcee gambit is giving me a bit of a headache. That’s
nothing, of course, compared to the nosebleed you’ll get from the Blackrock
lecture on the Engima of Combination.
Even
if the whole thing feels just a little bit jerry-rigged together, that is a lot
of story in one issue, and the overall plot of “Transformers” feels like it
moved forward a lot with # 37. Think about this: we know now where the Enigma
is, and the secret human-built robot army has been launched, narrative genies
you cannot out back in a chrome bottle. It ultimately succeeds in making you
want to find out what happens next, and that is all you can ask for.
Next time: Transformers Punishment one-shot!
No comments:
Post a Comment