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(Spoiler free-ish)
SynopsisTHE LIFE OF SIDESWIPE! A Junkion machine finally gives long-injured Sideswipe a new lease on life! But when his brother goes missing, Sideswipe and Arcee return to Cybertron—and nothing will be the same between them ever again.
Also, Bob!It's fascinating what we get to read in Transformers comics these days, really. Truly fascinating how we've had so much character development taking over the steady progression of plot for a couple of issues, and how breathers have become such a staple in the major arcs that another 'filler' issue isn't really regarded as such. But it still is. And yes, it fills.
(Up)side(down)swipeJohn Barber has shown a sharp increase (which is probably a lot more steady, but since stepping down from editorial, the writer in him has just leapt streets ahead, for me) in his talent for capturing voices, both through the established techniques like the caption narratives, and newly acquired tricks in recent issues and sidelines.
Side(lined)swipeIn this case, we mostly see the entire issue through the eyes and voice of Sideswipe, as he is awakened from the stasis he was in for a while now already, and we explore this new world to him - the old world of Cybertron in the new reality - and to some newer readers (if we consider Revolution or OP #1 as their starting point), with some assists from Arcee of course, in one of the best platonic friendships the publisher has to offer right now.
More like brobotsThe framing of story is interesting, insofar as it tries to follow up just briefly on the Jazz-centric events of the
previous issue, but then fully delves into this second spotlight in two months. It takes a deep breath - and plunges an unexpected blade into several sparks. Hard.
ArtWhat Kei Zama achieves in the issue is really quite extraordinary, bringing her heavy lines and inks back to Cybertron, making Sideswipe himself essentially look like his G2 incarnation while still keeping in tune with the continuity in design, and adding her twists to the fairly numerous cast of the issue, and with delightful composition cues from
RID #33, too.
plus dem background charactersJosh Burcham ups the amping on the grittyness in all the right spots too, playing with lighting and saturation to achieve some very Sideswipe action sequences, mixed in with more calm, tranquil palette choices for the other scenes around them, in yet more proof that he and Zama can work wonders in thick ink and grainy layers.
Yaniger smile!Tom B. Long also has more work on his hands, with plenty of captions to place around the page, some very good and in fact very subtle fonting work across the book, and carefulness not to cover up lines of dialogue and panel layouts for the overall effect. The cover we're using in the thumbnail is the variant by Casey Coller (EDIT: also on colours!), which best captures the issue's tone by the end too - all other covers can be seen in our database entry right
here!
ThoughtsSpoilerish aheadI have not commented, not one bit, on the ending / resolution / twist of this book. I talk about it now in the vaguest of terms, and only really to preface a couple of misgivings that people might have about the art or even the dialogue - both of which might seem too on the nose or to go in circle a bit in spots. There is a reason for that. Keep reading.
Keep breathing.Take your time with this one, as it closes a number of plot points that we probably wouldn't have addressed in any other satisfying way, cleverly employs known techniques to original results, and had some very strong reactions on staff - ranging from anger, to sadness, to adoration. We're warning you, and it still won't be enough.
