Full Preview for IDW Transformers: Lost Light #20

Who's saving roddy then? Who's the bets on?

ZeroWolf wrote:Who's saving roddy then? Who's the bets on?

I don’t know but I do know that with Thunderclash being interrupted on the last panel he’s probably dead on the next page.

Does this version of Grimlock have a toy representing it, or a figure that's at least close? (This is technically a toy question, but I didn't know where to ask in the toy discussion forum. Sorry.)

Part 2 of the final story in the larger More Than Meets The Eye and Lost Light saga has arrived, with a big promise found in the solicitation: at last, Rodimus and Getaway are set to do battle!

To make this a long, wordy review will almost definitely spoil someone on something even if I don't intend to. If you're here just to find an answer to the question "is this issue good?", then the answer is "Yes, it's great - and you can stop reading this review now."


As highlighted by Va'al in his review of issue 19, there is a great deal going on. In issue 20, there still is, but the amount that is addressed in satisfying ways is nothing short of incredible. While not every pertinent question is answered, those within the context of the main events of this particular issue get some form of an answer. Telling you how complete these answers are may imply plot details, which I'm desperately trying to avoid in this review. Praise nonetheless is deserved for the pacing and intensity delivered by every page of this important chapter of the story.


There is one side plot in particular among the several that get attention which felt somewhat truncated and short, at least upon a first reading. If you know me at all, you might know what I'm referring to, but if not, you probably will after reading. After taking some time to think about it over the last several days, it was close to the best choice that could have been made considering the wider narrative. Did it get space? Yes. Would I have liked for it to have gotten more? Yes. Would the plot have been better served with said "more" space? No. This issue had a purpose, and this part of the story was not the focus for a reason.


The focus is exactly what was promised in the solicitation: Rodimus vs Getaway. Getaway stole the Lost Light during a mutiny in More Than Meets The Eye #50, which was published on March 9th, 2016. Two years, four months, and two days later, the confrontation you've been waiting for arrives. It's the focus of the issue, it deserves that focus, and James Roberts absolutely delivers. Page 16 is absolutely chill-inducing, and the entire creative team deserves your $4 pretty much just based on it alone.


Speaking of the creative team: Casey. Freaking. Coller. One of the great missed opportunities of the IDW run is that Coller wasn't chosen for more interior work. Ever since the incredible Ironhide mini-series, I've been absolutely blown away by his work and the output on Lost Light #20 did so all over again. I couldn't post many of the best panels without spoiling stuff that shouldn't be spoiled, but his work on the action scenes breathes another level of life into them, telling a story within the story. The panels with more talking look great too (scroll up for that look at Rung and Wipe Out - wow!) and if this ends up being Casey Coller's last work on an IDW Transformers book, then it's one hell of a last hurrah.

Joana Lafuente's colors aren't to be ignored either, bringing the look right into "definitely Lost Light" territory. Despite there now being six interior artists (apologies if I missed someone) throughout the run of the series, you can always know what book it is just by taking a glance at a few pages. Tom B. Long provides all the "THUD"s, "HFF"s, and "THWACK"s you could ask for along with the usual stellar letter work, with some clever twists in the "speech" of the alien characters that calls right back to a previous plot-line. Regular series artist Jack Lawrence provides two covers, with Lafuente again on colors, with the "A" cover shown in this news story's thumbnail. As always, you can look up all the covers, credits, and potentially-spoiler-laden character appearances in our Vector Sigma Database entry for Lost Light #20.


This is what you've been waiting for. The main undercurrent for the main character of the series crashes to the shore in Lost Light #20, and it's a great ride. Read, experience, and enjoy. There are only so many more times you can.



Bonus! James Roberts' soundtrack suggestions for this issue were not available as of this writing, either that or I've forgotten how Twitter works on a desktop. Here's my own suggestion, because why not, and because it just works for this one:

• Stars - "Your Ex-Lover Is Dead"

I'm happy to hear that this delivers on the promise of getaway getting exactly what he deserves. I'm going to enjoy reading this one I think.

MrBlack wrote:This was a really enjoyable issue.

I honestly didn't expect to see this part of the plot wrap so soon, and it was VERY satisfying. Star Saber went down quickly, but he's been little more than a plot device in this series so that's to be expected. The Getaway/Rodimus confrontation was perfect.

With Getaway gone it looks like Roberts will have plenty of space to tell the Grand Architect's story. I wonder to what degree it will intersect with the Unicron event. Is he "the Beast" Tyrest spoke of? Is Unicron coming through that portal at the end?

You’re not reading the other books are you? Unicron has been slumbering pretending to be a planet for eons. There’s no portal for him to come through and lost light is not partaking in the Unicron event
. Everything we’re gettjng is what James set up 6 years ago. this is their story.

Good issue I give it an 8/10.

Loved the way one particular Bot bought the farm. Another long awaited "conclusion" was too cut and dry though.

Not sure what that was at the end though but I'm looking forward to finding out in the next issue.

Randomhero is right, not to say that James could have let barber know how things were going to end if he wanted to add anything from ll to the last issues of unicron but I sincerely doubt it. So sit back and watch the ll's last flight...then go and see Cybertron being eaten

Randomhero wrote:

MrBlack wrote:I am reading the other books.

I think it's still open to have at least a minor crossover. Lost Light seems to be running behind the other books in the timeline. We saw Unicron wake, but haven't seen exactly where he came from. I think there's enough there for it to be an open question, if unlikely.

There is no crossover. It’s been said several times for the past year that LL is not contributing or crossing with the Unicron event. They’re leaving it alone so James can finish his story without interruptions. Why do you think that all the interviews James has not been part of. It’s all John and Alex

Which works for me! I'm not even that hyped for Barber's stuff.

I can't stand most of OP's cast anyway. Or the humans, the Hasbro-verse shoe in's and now Beast War characters as Unicron's minions...? It's no wonder why JR won't be part of the this tie in or the reboot.