The Knowing
A Review of Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye #55
As spoiler-free as I can make it
Seriously, finding non-spoiler filled images was legitimately difficult.
A Review of Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye #55
As spoiler-free as I can make it
Seriously, finding non-spoiler filled images was legitimately difficult.
Here we are, 4 years, 7 months, and a week since The Death of Optimus Prime, which ushered in what has arguably been the best long-form run of Transformers comics in history (that includes Robots in Disguise/The Transformers and all the various one-shots and mini-series within this time period, for the record.) Now that I've read More Than Meets The Eye 55, it feels like the end of an era. Yes, the story is continuing next month, and even once this iteration of the book wraps up with issue 57 there's still the Revolution tie-in book and a relaunch under the moniker of Lost Light, but do you feel it?
It feels like an act is done, the stage set for the next, but the immediate moment finds curtains drawn, house lights brought up, and an audience filing away. They'll mingle and chatter about what's been seen, some will speculate on what's still to come, but when the lights flicker and they come back they're going to know that the immediate next act is not one with the players just seen. Behind the curtains, a director is leaving the chair, costumes are being changed, and new actors are preparing for their debuts.
This drawn out analogy is important, as the content of MTMTE 55 is much more satisfying when considering the perceived feeling of significant change in the universe of Transformers comics. With this preamble done, let's dive into more specifics about this particular issue.
Probably not a good way to get your security deposit back.
While "Season 2" of More Than Meets The Eye has been running since directly after the Dark Cybertron crossover event arc, for this reviewer, there have always been two parts of this "Season": before issue 44, and after. That was the issue where Megatron's journey began to pivot, and it was also the point where the quantitative amount of mysteries that the book held in store seemed to hit a peak. From the last Scavengers two parter and on through "Speak, Memory" and "Dying of the Light", more questions have been slowly answered compared to the amount of new questions that have arisen. With this issue, hold on to your seat - my roller coaster analogy was not just an unusually popular Tweet. This book will hit you with story beats, character moments, major revelations, floods of emotion, and heart pounding suspense in rapid succession without leaving room for much time in between.
A small sample of the intensity that awaits.
Make no mistake about it though, this issue is both the end of and very representative of "Season 2". It's all about the journey, and not every reader, including very devoted MTMTE followers, will be satisfied with every direction taken.
No really, this will be the reaction some of you have. But to which part?
As can be expected of a James Roberts penned book, each turn is clever and well explained within the words and imagery present. If you like "James Roberts clever twists", you'll love this issue to pieces, though the massive amount of content pressed into twenty pages of comic does lead some of these to feel anticlimactic. That's indeed a critique, but the immediate counterpoint is that some things just had to be quickly handled for this story to do everything it wanted to do. Maybe some initial ideas got punted or changed, especially looking back to the solicit for the issue, or maybe they didn't and I just don't fully grasp the solicitation's text yet.
Let's all talk about this in the thread below. I don't think we've got closure on this point.
Some other staff members here on Seibertron have expressed similar laments on this concluding piece of a larger arc, ranging from comments on how the book couldn't quite help "Dying of the Light" top the floor of its reach, to one about some turns not literally being 'deus ex machina' moments yet managing to feel the same way.
To me, this is more of an issue of prioritization and not even pacing anymore. Character moments are, it would seem, purposely given more real estate than answered questions (when they aren't one in the same), and not every fruit borne of promising seeds ends up tasting ripe on the first bite due to this balance. Having had the luxury of time to think a great deal before writing this review, it should be said that while there was some initial bitterness on the palette during the initial tasting, nothing lingered and it's all settled in very satisfyingly. Your mileage may vary, as MTMTE "Season 2", like many delicacies, can be an acquired taste.
I told you - non-spoiler images just aren't abound in this issue!
For the production of the book (full credits may be found here), get ready for Milne, Lafuente, and Long at their very best. Each character looks exactly as your brain tells you their MTMTE iteration looks, complete with super expressive facial features, body language, and movements. These are highlighted by all the 'choom's and 'vromp's you can shake a stick at, with the colors of the characters and environments putting a tidy bow on a beautifully presented package.
Visually speaking, this delivers everything you could want and then some. There are even some visual cues that lead me to believe the events in the latter part of the book may be, well, more than meets the eye.
I think that what is tinfoil may never a'luminate. And I'm sorry.
Hats off to the entire team, even those contributing just in the form of variant covers like Nick Roche, Josh Burcham, Brendan Cahill, and Jean-Paul Bove, and of course to outgoing editor John Barber.
... and ROM The Space Knight.
Verdict
Like the rest of More Than Meets The Eye for the past couple of years, you might read this tomorrow and feel underwhelmed by a few points. If you're someone that's looking for more passive Transformers entertainment and have been highly critical of issues 28-54, you'll be highly critical of 55. If you've enjoyed chewing through every detail, and re-read old arcs over and over looking for clues on where things will go, or if you've just really enjoyed every bit of MTMTE since issue 28 without fail, you'll love this issue.
Ultimately, I found this to be a very satisfying conclusion to a very satisfying arc. The great character work shines, the story moves briskly, and nothing feels to have happened without at least some degree of thought out cause.
Did I like every twist? No, I think at least one huge opportunity for an amazing future story had a big red "abort" button pressed, and some others felt like fanservice that just didn't add anything except for those rooting for certain characters. There were some amazing twists though, and the end in particular has me watching my calendar and eyeing the IDW release schedule thinking only "How could they do this to us?!" Waiting for December is going to hurt.
When reflecting on how long and how deeply I've had to think about this issue, I'm glad to have held off on writing this review until days after my initial read. Thinking back to the moment when I reached the start of the third to last page, and how I was involuntarily at the edge of my chair, heart pounding in anticipation of what was or was not about to happen, the realization strikes that this journey, Megatron's journey, is a story that will stick with me for a long time.
Like Megatron, it isn't perfect, but there's a great deal to love despite a few rough edges.
. 
& 1/2 out of "Don't Change Back"
aka 4.5/5
& 1/2 out of "Don't Change Back"aka 4.5/5
Bonus! James Roberts' soundtrack suggestions for this issue:
- The Sundays - Here's Where The Story Ends
- Villagers - Everything I Have Is Yours
- Ben Folds Five - Missing The War
and Glitch! Anyone who says they saw coming is a liar!im honestly not disappointed I was wrong about him being proteus. I'd rather be wrong and surprised than right
