The Energon Pub

Due to technical difficulties, we are only now able to show a full preview of today's issue in the Robots in Disguise ongoing series by IDW. Take a look below at the Soundwave-tastic artwork, and come back later tonight for the Seibertron.com review!

Transformers: Robots in Disguise #22

John Barber (w) • Andrew Griffith and Livio Ramondelli (a) • Griffith, Casey Coller (c)

SOUNDWAVES! The origin of SOUNDWAVE concludes as the master of sound confronts SHOCKWAVE in the ruins of Cybertron! Will they be friend—or foe? Will the DECEPTICONS stand with SHOCKWAVE—or will they join the AUTOBOTS? It’s the moment of ultimate choice.

FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Bullet points:

• DARK CYBERTRON begins here!
• Leads in to the biggest TRANSFORMERS event in comic book history, beginning next month!
• Livio Ramondelli variant interlocking with issue 20 and 21!

Oh, dear. Time to get a new Ravage...

Still, this is great. The juxtaposition is a bit jarring at times, especially with Shockwave's present and past design, whereas most of the shots of Soundwave are his head, which, of course, is iconic.

I actually am liking each style... but can't STAND them together. It's SO SO SO SO SO jarring. It's like if they had two different actors playing parts every other page... or CGI Yoda and puppet yoda every other scene. It kills the suspension of disbelief. Every page I switch from... "oh my. What's happening with this intrigue over Soundwave and..." to "Oh yeah. I'm reading a comic. This is a comic. I'm reminded this is a comic because the style switched drastically."

The switch between artists AND putting one story across multiple lines has me ready to bail on BOTH comics. As a MTMTE collector, t's messing up my subscriptions at the store, annoying the clerk, and generally making a confusing mess of my collection.

Please, IDW... stick to longer sprints with each artist... one off comics, or better yet... a nice 6-comic story you can collect in a book.

Just finished reading the issue. I really liked it. Finding out more about Soundwave and his minions was such a great moment. I do agree with you guys about the changing style, but I think it's a new approach that fits well with the varying toy designs. IDW combines the entire experience of the character which is always welcome.

Yeah, I have enjoyed the story a lot as well. Just hoping they listen to the fans saying it's jarring.

It's like... I really enjoy tacos... and I like chocolate sundaes. But I really don't want to eat them TOGETHER... and I certainly don't want them mixed together in a bowl.

But I digress.

Looking forward to reading this. One question though, where did the cassettes come from? I mean, they just appeared. From the black "bubbly" stuff around Soundwave in that image when they all attack Shockwave you could almost be led to believe that they have warping technology now... or maybe some sort of cloaking power...? That scene just confuses me a bit...

Or has Soundwave incorporated the spacebridge tech into himself with his upgrade...?

[quote="lowman_x"

Or has Soundwave incorporated the spacebridge tech into himself with his upgrade...?[/quote]

That would be really awesome if they did, and a bit forward thinking on Soundwave's part. I think they were inside his chest seeing as he said eject, and they all sort of came out one after the other as usual. I can see how the panel just shows them all at once.

Look closer. His chest is open. Hence him saying "eject".

MGrotusque wrote:Look closer. His chest is open. Hence him saying "eject".

*quietly facepalms*

Yep, totally missed both of those. LOL Actually, I think in my head I saw "eject" and just thought "Eject" the Autobot tape (don't question the logic, there is none).

With that in mind, isn't Soundwave's ability to store his cassettes in his chest a known fact? Why would Shockwave assume he came alone then? It's not a particularly logical assumption on his behalf.

And here it is! Seibertron.com presents a slightly later review than usual, but a review nonetheless. Now with added bonus message from IDW, too.

For all you digital readers, Transformers: Robots in Disguise #22 is out today! It's not presently showing in the Comics by comiXology iOS app, but is available NOW online (http://read.idwpublishing.com or http:/comixolology.com), in the Transformers Comics app (http://itunes.com/apps/idwpublishing/transformerscomics) and the IDW Comics app (http://itunes.com/apps/idwpublishing/idwcomics). If you buy it in any of those locations, it will show in your purchased list in the Comics app too.

Synopsis

SOUNDWAVES! The origin of SOUNDWAVE concludes as the master of sound confronts SHOCKWAVE in the ruins of Cybertron! Will they be friend—or foe? Will the DECEPTICONS stand with SHOCKWAVE—or will they join the AUTOBOTS? It’s the moment of ultimate choice.



Story

Almost there. This issue finally marks the end of the long-winded, at times dragged out, pulled along, kicking and screaming prelude to the big event - Dark Cybertron. John Barber takes his time a little longer to give us more of a look at two (well, several) of the key players.



Continuing almost seamlessly and effortlessly from last month's story, issue 22 dives right back into Soundwave's story, weaving together his past with his present, his rise in Megatron's crew and his now questioning of Shockwave, whom we come to realise he never actually trusted all that much.



It's not just talk, as a lot of action takes place between the different characters, with some excellent fight scenes between Shockwave and Soundwave and their respective minions. But the real pulp of the story is Soundwave's own development. Barber has really pulled out all the writing pens on this one, just as Roberts did with Shockwave.



In a highly personally enjoyable Memento-with-literary-moments story, one of the most inconic characters in the franchise has finally been given a good, meaty backstory that you can sink your teeth in, revealing a whole new side to him. Top notch, I say.

Art

As with the previous one, Andrew Griffith and Livio Ramondelli alternate art duties, with the former focusing on the present and the latter working on flashbacks from the past. Some readers have complained about the stark contrast, but personally I adored the transitions, and how the script linked them.



Colour duties fall again to Priscilla Tramontano for Griffith's linework, and boy does she keep on giving. Especially compared to Ramondelli's smokey work (though still fantastic) for the flashbacks, Tramontano's work in the present is crisp, glossy and pleasure to look at.



Shawn Lee's lettering is still impressing me, and the first image of this review shows just what a good letterer can do to a script, to make it look even better. A shout out also goes to Casey W. Coller, who provides the art for cover B, assisted on colours by Joana Lafuente.


Thoughts
Spoilerish ahead

Barber knows how to play with continuity, and it's nice to see a two-parter story with some sort of closure, even if it is moving backwards through time. We see an early Soundwave and his real powers, we see the real importance of Ravage and the bird-cassettes, we get so much good stuff in here it's unbelievable.



A lot of people still complain about the art, but I adore it. Griffith, Ramondelli and Tramontano do a terrific job, and the lettering works really well. I'm really looking forward to Dark Cybertron next month, and these past two issues have definitely set it up even more for me.

great review Va'al! Me I personally hate this one. I can Barely follow Livio Ramondelli's Art and nothing really happens in this one. Huge disappointment after RID #21... Cant wait for dark Cybertron though!

I am really on the fence about this issue. I didn't really get into the last one. The way Soundwave speaks and talks about emotions and colors and stuff just kinda flew over my head a bit I will probably get it, if only because I already have the first part, but I'm in no hurry. Will get it next week along with Dark cybertron

Hm. Well, I am very eager to know for sure where Soundwave will end up...

Will anyone think harshly of me for reading this in my local comic shop and then getting the hell out of dodge before anyone can try to make me pay for it? I promise I'll get the trade paperback!

mooncake623 wrote:great review Va'al! Me I personally hate this one. I can Barely follow Livio Ramondelli's Art and nothing really happens in this one. Huge disappointment after RID #21... Cant wait for dark Cybertron though!

Thanks man! Sorry to hear it wasn't to your liking - I really enjoyed Barber in these last two, and going deeper into Soundwave's origin was just fascinating.

And I do think that Ravage and Soundwave are one of the best couplings in the franchise, especially the kitty.

sabrigami wrote:I am really on the fence about this issue. I didn't really get into the last one. The way Soundwave speaks and talks about emotions and colors and stuff just kinda flew over my head a bit I will probably get it, if only because I already have the first part, but I'm in no hurry. Will get it next week along with Dark cybertron

There is a more emotional shift taking place in Soundwave's dialogue, moving towards the very very personal. I think you'll enjoy it more than the last (if that's what got in the way), but I can see why you'd be cautious about it.

Henry921 wrote:Will anyone think harshly of me for reading this in my local comic shop and then getting the hell out of dodge before anyone can try to make me pay for it? I promise I'll get the trade paperback!

Yes. Always.