IDW's TRANSFORMERS 'Last Stand of The Wreckers'- Issue #2 Review

Due to hit stands this week (February 17th domestically), LSOTW, as it has become affectionately called (‘cause face it, LAST STAND OF THE WRECKERS is a mouthful), is the second issue in this five issue mini-series. This should be a nice week for Transformers fans at the comic shop, as Bumblebee #3 also comes out the same day! Read the two reviews and you can figure out which one to read first after this week’s trip!

LSOTW #2 picks up with the action and excitement right where issue #1 left off (Check out First Gen's review of Issue #1). I want to keep the spoilers for this issue vague, but intriguing, you should know I will be referencing plots and characters in issue #1 as if you have read it!

First of all, for those of us who have begged and pleaded to start seeing more variety (and Verity, I suppose) in the cast of Transformers used in the comics other than Seasons 1, 2, and 3 of the old cartoon series, this series is a ‘must read’ for you. With the introduction of uber-Decepticon baddie Overlord as this series main villain, and obscure new Wrecker recruits such as the later G1 lightformer Ironfist, UK aerial acrobat Rotorstorm, and Optimus Prime wanna-be firefighter and Pyro, we get some new blood to enjoy characterizations of.

Then there are all the numerous background robots who just make you salivate because you want to see and hear more of them. Issue #2 continues to build on this and should not disappoint. This reader was happy with a huge revelation, provided by the inclusion of one of these characters...

The plot continues to thicken as in issue #2, we learn more about Overlord’s motivations, and origins. Kup generously provides these, partially from first hand experience, as the Wreckers learn from last issues climactic character reveal... Impactor... that Overlord is the cause of the Garrus-9 situation, and then the nightmares begin to be shared. As we saw the fear created in the eyes of the Decepticons attacking Garrus-9 in issue #1 when Overlord showed up and took leadership of the mission from Skyquake, we now see the same fear reflected in the Wreckers’s eyes as they hear the Decepticon commander’s name mentioned with the incident they are now going to navigate. Overlord’s character development in this issue has made THIS Overlord fan feel like IDW has treated this Decepticon with the amount of respect he deserves.

Interested in some character development? How about learning more about Overlord and Megatron’s relationship? Or if Autobot’s are more your ‘kup of tea’, the Springer and Impactor dynamic is beginning to unfold and the rockiness of their relationship makes even the reader feel awkward for the two of them. And as the Wreckers start forming their plan of attack and retrieval, a new mystery is revealed in the name Aequitas. Who or what that is will have to wait until future issues of the mini-series.

Nick Roche and company have clearly created a book worth reading and continuing to read. The characters are new and fresh, and yet the story also gives us new insight into some previous characters. The art is top notch and fun, leaving the reader secure in knowing they are reading a Transformers comic, and that they can pretty freely identify characters, both known and unknown without too much wonder. The dialogue and writing is also witty, and yet, interwoven with a sense of straightforwardness, and also a bit of psychoanalysis, as one wonders who might betray whichever team they are routing for first, and just how will the Wreckers survive this, or will they (note, the title of the series is, “Last Stand of the Wreckers”).

There are some great moments that I don’t want to spoil, but you should enjoy this both intellectually, and artistically, but mostly as a TRANSFORMERS fane. It should leave you impatiently waiting for the next issue.

I was disappointed that, even though we have added the huge new cast of characters that may or may not be recognizable to others, they opted to leave out the “More than meets the eye” profile this time. More pages for story, or advertisements? Regardless, I really enjoyed reading more about Rotorstorm last issue, and was looking forward to seeing another on Ironfist, Overlord, Pyro, Guzzle, Impactor, Snare, Fortress Maximus, or even Skyquake, or Kick-off. There are plenty of new characters to choose from, and it can be used as a device to help tell more of the story that we are perhaps not going to see in the panels of the comic.

If the sellout, and 2nd printing of Issue #1 are any indicators, this is an issue you should not miss.

TRANSFORMERS: Last Stand of the Wreckers

Written by: Nick Roche and James Roberts
Script by: Nick Roche
Pencils by: Nick Roche
Inks by: Nick Roche and John Wycough
Colors by: Josh Burcham
Letters by: Neil Uyetake
Associate Editor: Denton J. Tipton
Editor: Andy Schmidt




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