O Captain! My Captain!
(Spoiler free-ish)
(Spoiler free-ish)
Synopsis
EVACUATION! Is it possible for a starship to object to its captain? That’s what the AUTOBOTS are asking MEGATRON as the Lost Light becomes the most dangerous place in the universe!
Swerve, trusting the captain
Story
Everything is going amiss. Or missing. Or disappearing. On the Lost Light, that is, as we've seen so far since issue #28. And there's that coffin issue, a possible ghost, scheming and plotting and antipathies and Swerve, serving as a recap device on the first page. But that's not all going on, of course - and some things are being found, or found out.
Dun dun duuuuunn
At the same time, six months previously, the Megatron trial is coming to an end, though not necessarily as we saw it going in the first place, as some rogue 'loyal' Decepticons attempt to 'rescue' the defendant in the middle of the Luna 2 arena. And the beginning of some trialling (heh) changes in the legal process.
Clean up the bodies
Now, the end of the trial left me with mixed feelings: on the one hand, James Roberts' Megatron gains some truly great character work, but on the other, it felt, as I have mentioned before for other arcs, as if things were hurried on the lead into the rest of the plots and narratives (though not as much as the Overlord ending). On the third hand, however, so many characters are explored, from Rodimus to First Aid, to Getaway, Tailgate and even Riptide and Nautica, with a bit more of Optimus and Prowl, too. And it counterbalances it all.
There are feels emotions
Overall, then, while the 'conclusion' of the trial, on its surface, left me wondering, everything else around it makes the entire issue so developed and multifaceted that I can look over that small step I was hoping for in Megatron's story (see previous reviews for more on this, too).
Art
I will not gush on Alex Milne's artwork, but there is a lot to say about how the line- and panel-work in the issue really fits the story being told, with some excellent white-out frames, several massive spreads and splashes, and brilliant facial expressions with some manga-esque influences throughout the entire, beautiful book. And it all graces both the trial and the Lost Light scenes, equally and consistently.
Picture, words, worth
And the colours. The colours. We get to see some astonishing space-scapes from Joana Lafuente, and some fantastic lighting complementing the tone and layout of the artwork and panels, with some truly powerful dark/light contrasts for emotional moments. In addition, Tom B. Long's lettering is used to enhance only the moments that really need it, but really shines in the arena fight and scattered through the final act.
...
There is a ridiculous number of covers, and yes, they're all excellent. From the Milne/Lafuente main one to Nick Roche and Josh Burcham's subscription, to the thumbnailed Guido Guidi and John-Paul Bove magnificent Megatron (fitting, really) and the convention exclusive My Little Pony crossover by Tony Fleecs. Whew.
Thoughts
Spoilerish ahead
I have an issue with Roberts' endings, clearly, as I didn't think this packed the punch it could've - regarding Megatron's sentence and closing remarks, at least. But everything else really, really makes up for it, from a twist early on, to the characterisation of the big bad bot, to the development of the main plotline and the creation of more bonds, some of which potentially destructive for established others.
I.. um.. I.. well
And it all looks absolutely superb, from lines to panels to colours to letters to expressions to space - oh the space - and it has twists, plots, endings, beginnings, the RodPod, covers, Swerve's introdump/recap and 'bomps'. Not only that: it looks like, as of the next issue, we will return to early MTMTE, too - space horror. Grab the popcorn and/or your leg.
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