Review of IDW Transformers: King Grimlock #1

Given all the stories about heroes being transported to other worlds, it was only a matter of time before this reached the planet Cybertron and the Transformers, and with today's release of Transformers: King Grimlock #1 we've arrived at this eventuality. On paper, the basic pitch is one hell of a concept, but is the execution any good?

Mostly yes, read on for more.


If you check out the preview pages for the issue, you'll see a decent amount of robots doing things on Cybertron. While that might seem off given the basic concept here, what's in that preview is all there is to the setup. Following along with Grimlock directly helps provide just the right amount of tonal whiplash which would be expected when jumping from Cybertron to a feudal world of swords and (presumably) sorcery. In other words, the basic setup is simple but effective.


Most of the book follows Grimlock's interactions with human characters in this new world of Menonia he's found himself in, building his character while allowing others to provide the exposition which, for the most part, doesn't feel too forced. Steve Orlando does spend some time with an antagonist that's laden with proper nouns and jargon that border dangerously close to confusing, but I suppose that lends a bit more realism to the context of how it's presented. Realism though, do we need that here?


Agustin Padilla handles the line art pretty well throughout, and you may remember this is not a first attempt at a dinobot story, as Padilla also drew plenty during the brief run of Beast Hunters comics. The art shines most in the sections showing humans and more natural-feeling environments, though Grimlock is still ever-present and most of the time his depiction is crisp and scaled appropriately next to those he's interacting with. There's an attempt at a transformation sequence which I appreciate, but it doesn't really land and it left me feeling like an attempt was being made at showing something the artist really didn't want to draw. Again though, the art is usually pretty good and never worse than acceptable through most of the book and a paper copy is probably going to look even better, especially considering it has multiple two-page layouts which shine in only the monthly stapled floppy book format. Someone should really find a way to fix how those read in trade form, especially in the hardbacks, but I digress.

Jeremy Colwell's colors are superb in communicating the tone of the story, as Cybertron's typical hues give way to a natural look that makes Grimlock feel appropriately alien in his new environment. Color is also used well for the presumable villain of the story, or at least it definitely gave him an appropriately over-the-top-in-an-unlikeable-way vibe. Jake M. Wood takes good care on letter duty, with usual Transformers editor David Mariotte handling the reins on that side of things. This section of the review's gone on for so long that some brevity feels required, so as always, remember that you can find all the cover images and full credits for the issue through our Vector Sigma Database page for Transformers: King Grimlock #1.


Transformers: King Grimlock #1 does exactly what it needs to do - it sets up the story, introduces us to our main characters and begins to define them in the context of the plot's central conflict. It's a quick read for sure, relying on action and spectacle instead of heavy doses of dialogue. First issues are tough for me though because even if the initial taste is good they typically don't have enough to really savor, which is definitely something I felt on this one, but as the picture above this paragraph alludes to I still had a smile on my face by the end. King Grimlock is off to a very good start and is likely to bring some measure of joy to your day if you pick it up, so my recommendation is to do so.

For the score below, this was a rare time that I wanted to do something like a 3¾, but let's avoid breaking the scale and just round up.



Look out for this issue today, August 4th, where you can pick it up at the Seibertron.com eBay store or at your local shop, check here to find the closest shop to you.