The Combiner Wars Continue: Transformers # 40!

AFTER the “Opening Salvo” and Part 1 of the first two issues in IDW’s Combiner Wars crossover, “Transformers” # 40 shows the readers the pieces of the puzzle. And there’s a lot of moving pieces. The issue begins by showing a shuttle on its way to Cybertron. The shuttle is commanded by Jetfire, and is manned by the OG Protectobots. In this continuity, they’ve never been a team, much less a combiner. Despite the fact that the Protectobot Rook was introduced in the Combiner Wars toyline, here you have Hot Spot, Groove, Blades Streetwise and First Aid, who has arrived after spending a lot of time on the ship The Lost Light of “Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye” fame. Streetwise even jokingly themselves “Protectobots,” because they are composed of “a doctor, a cop, a firefighter, an infiltration expert and a fire.” Guess that team name is in continuity now. Interestingly enough, First Aid is here due to his capacity as doctor of Patient 619, who is being ferried to Cybertron for treatment. Patient 619 happens to be Mirage, who is experiencing nasty visions of a burning Cybertron. In his vision, he says “I must help them choose,” to Ironhide—who also happens to be having the same visions on Cybertron.

A Whole New World: Windblade (2015) # 1!

FROM the very first time that Windblade, Chromia and Nautica first appeared in the IDW continuity, readers have been wondering exactly where they came from. The three fembots spoke about their home, the lost Cybertronian colony Caminus, and how their home planet was running out of resources. Out of caution, Optimus Prime and the Autobots had stayed clear of Caminus. Combiners can change so many things. After the events of “Transformers # 39,” the Combiner Wars are on. At the end of that issue, the devious Starscream, after taking possession of the fabled Engima of Combination, fooled Swindle and Menasor—the combined form of the Stunticons—to travel to Caminus via the new-operational space bridge to rob the planet. The Combiner Wars continue, with its first full chapter in the second “Windblade” mini-series, which we will refer to as “Windblade (2015).” At the issue’s beginning, we get a quick look at Caminus and its inhabitants. They are clearly Cybertronians but possess what appear to be more ornate forms and a seemingly medieval form of society. There are also a lot of fembots here—but, it is important to note, not all the Camiens are female.

TransFormers Designer Desk: Combiner Wars!

11.30.2014 – The Combiner Wars is coming in 2015 and it’s the next wave of Generations toy line that’s also the upcoming major story arc in IDW Publishing’s comic book that was teased in Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye #34. For those who have witnessed the announcement during Comic-Con and have seen a teaser of what’s Combiner Wars is all about would be anticipating more in the Designer Desk segment…

Wake-Up Call: Robots in Disguise # 33!

FROM the beginning, “Transformers: Robots in Disguise” (“TF: RID”) has been considered good but not as good as its sibling title, “Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye” (“TF: MTMTE”). Since the resident artists are quite similar in talent and style (Andrew Griffith on “TF: RID” and Alex Milne on “TF: MTMTE”), the difference lies in the books’ writers (John Barber on “TF: RID” and James Roberts on “TF: MTMTE”). This is interesting since together, Barber and Roberts have ushered in the most critically acclaimed era in TF comics history. But the observation is that Roberts simply knows how to get the best out of the big ideas that have characterized the resurgence. That’s important to note because Barber is pretty good—just not as good as Roberts. “TF: RID” # 33 is typical of the kind of issue where Barber has something really interesting to run with but doesn't quite go as far as he can go with it. That being said, “The World of Tomorrow” has some fascinating moments. One of the two best moments comes at the very beginning, when a character thought dead returns to a world that he does not recognize, and Barber plays this up really well.

SDCC 2014: Generations Combiner Wars!

07.26.2014 – Comic-Con has finally descended in San Diego and the exclusives where just scratching of the surface. The much awaited part for any Transformers fans out there is the panel for future release in all aspect of the brand namely the new TV series, videogames, comic books and toys. IDW Publishing reveal the art of Livio Ramondelli’s modern take of ‘Scramble City’ dubbed ‘Combiner Wars’, which was reported by Seibertron.com as well as the new product photos of the stars of the next Generations release courtesy of BTWF.com who have friends reporting this.