“Decepticons, we’re under attack! Scramble!”Spoilers are present! Spoiler Alert!
And so we have the next STORY arc in Transformers Ongoing: Decepticons are the main focus of issue number 7. Not the Earth-bound, homeless guys that were just mostly wiped out and captured last issue by the Skywatch and Autobot team up, no, this is the Decepticon group that fled to space at the end of
‘All Hail Megatron’.
Starscream, Bombshell, and Megatron form the bulk of who this book is about. Told from Megatron’s point of view, he is somehow omnisciently observing and narrating what is going on with his Decepticons while he is
recovering/resting/imprisoned in some liquid (like bacta from Star Wars, I think). A blast to the head, again, from way back in AHM’s final episode put him in his current state. Where Megatron is contained is a mystery to us at this time, but based on statement’s made earlier in the issue by Spike’s father, it is alluded to that perhaps Megatron may be hidden deep in a Skywatch research bunker (sound familiar...like the ’07 movie?).
General Witwicky to Major Witwicky:”What do you think happens to your happy alliance when they see what has gone on in Section 82? You were personally involved in that.”
But no, if you read carefully, the excerpt explaining ‘the story to this point’ on the inside cover, we find out it is Soundwave who is diligently working to repair and recoup Megatron at the Decepticons’ new base. This does explain how to some degree Megatron knows details about the troops here, although how he is able to function to this degree, but not be able to command kind of causes an itch in my brain.
Speaking of the troops, the Decepticons are gathering on an asteroid (think Charr in Season 3 of G1), fighting for survival against one another for energy, as more and more refugees from the war make their way to where the AHM cons fled to.
A couple of things:There are a multitude of comparisons one can start making between the beginning of this arc, and the previous arc. Told from the leader’s point of view mainly, we have Optimus Prime struggling with how to lead his team when they no longer needed to be soldiers anymore in the first arc, and now we have Megatron reflecting on his faction’s status, and how his leadership is needed to right the Decepticons now, more than ever, and organize the soldiers for the next thing. Megatron as the narrator of this issue, reflects on his leadership style and Optimus Prime’s, how one shall fail, and one shall be triumphant (guess which is which).
It’s interesting to juxtapose the Autobot and the Decepticon soldiers at this point, as well. In the first arc, we saw how the Autobots struggled with their leader surrendering, and choosing and following new leadership. While there were questions of who should lead next and how, the Autobots for the most part kept civil with each other making the choice to be proactive (Hot Rod), or reactive (Bumblebee). Now that the Autobots are all back together under Bumblebee, they may feel less distress, and more organized. No longer do they have to worry about hunting their own to be allowed some semblance of freedom, or allying with former millenium long enemies. No longer do they have to worry about being hunted by their own faction brothers, or by the humans. Where this Skywatch and Autobot alliance takes us will be interesting, but the Autobots are in a much better position than previously. Well done Optimus, just as planned...
However, on the flipside, we have the actual losers of the war that happened during AHM, the Decepticons. They don’t quite handle being without their leader, Megatron, as peacefully as the Autobots did.
The Decepticons are being newly lead by Starscream, who believes the Autobot matrix has chosen him to be the new leader of the Decepticons. He struggles with maintaining his power, how to control the Decepticon troops, and of course, his next step--very similar to Bumblebee’s trials as Autobot leader at the beginning of his tenure.
The Decepticon front liners are having problems of their own. Similar in ways to the Autobot rank and file situation, the cons hunt one another for energon, as Razorclaw looks on proudly, not for the sake of protecting themselves from a third party threat like the humans, as the Autobots ‘had’ to, but to self-govern, and punish the weak, or the rule breakers. Bombshell states to Starscream that this works well, this culling of the herd to make it so only the strongest survive, a statement one would never hear coming out of any Autobot’s mouth--except maybe Grimlock.
Bombshell to Starscream:”No that problem has sorted itself out, as I thought it would. The population reached a critical level, and now it’s self-governing through cannibalism. Resources will remain stable now, recycling back into the system.
Nice to hear the Decepticons are so ‘
green’. Yes, you read that correctly, cannibalism.
Starscream:”Cannibalism is not an acceptable solution, I need functioning soldiers!”
The Decepticons have major issues. Their ‘generals’ (Shockwave, Soundwave...) are doing their own things, supporting their faction in more behind the scenes ways. The Decepticon warriors are destroying each other, and they seem to have no leadership that they care to recognize, or that can organize them.
Is Galvatron coming soon?There is hardly an Autobot in this issue, although Optimus does meet General Witwicky, to try to help Spike to further his position that the Autobots are willing to help, and are peaceful.
The human element is still a main factor in Ongoing as the Witwicky’s argue over whether the Skywatch and Autobot alliance is beneficial, and whether the higher level government officials have reasons to accept it.
Spike gives the Autobots props (finally), having outreasoned his father and gaining his support:
ART:Don Fig is off for the next few issues, and E.J. Su
(Spotlight Prowl) has taken over. I was interested in EJ’s art when it so contrasted Don’s Ongoing style when we saw it in Spotlight Prowl. EJ’s got a new look to his ‘stuff’, as said before basing things more on Classics, or classical versions of toys, rather than Don’s new designs, or his own designs as we saw him do in
INFILTRATION.
While it is yet another interesting juxtaposition, I have an issue I would like to bring up.
Why the new styles by Don and now EJ? Why are they so different? It’s like night and day, one super-detailed and smooth, another very linear, boxy, and much less detailed.
I never believe my opinion is better than anyone else’s, but I also wonder why are there all of these, for lack of a better term, ‘shadows’ on the characters that look like camouflage? I’m not sure if it’s the penciler or the colorist who put them in, but I am
NOT a fan of what they do to the characters’ looks. I think it is meant to be shine vs. dull, but it seems way too...contrived? Unnatural? I think that perhaps a more realistic use of shadow, or a texture could show this with much more effectiveness.
Overall, this looks like an interesting new start for the next story arc. Written similarly so that we see relationships between the Decepticon’s situation, and the Autobot’s situation, we are taking the next step. Where is it going? Will the Autobots ever become confident, and decisive? Will the Decepticons recover and find their way back to Earth, or Cybertron, and start the war anew? Will the pace of stories pick up quicker than the last arc, or are we in for the same lengthy slow build with the Decepticons that we had in the first arc with the Autobots? If we have a Starscream mini, we may be in for the same ride...
Check out the
five page preview, and pick up your issue tomorrow, if you are so inclined.
LAST NOTE: Denton Tipton says his goodbyes to Transformers comic editing in the letter's page at the end.
But for like every 7-10 issues would work for me. But I'm not against 6 issues though.
