Review – Transformers More Than Meets The Eye #24 (IDW Publishing)

Posted on December 3, 2013 in Reviews

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Publisher: IDW Publishing
Writer: James Roberts & John Barber
Artist: Atilio Rojo, James Raiz, Nick Roche, Livio Ramondelli, Robert Gill
Release Date: 4th December 2013

Big Dave at the helm here (surprised? You shouldn’t be) as we dive into part 4 of the epic Dark Cybertron! Last issue we finally got some traction in the story, with the Necrotitan unleashing it’s deadly corrosive death ore energy on the populace of New Iacon and the crew of the Lost Light setting off on one of their patented quests to find the ancient titan Metroplex. I gave last issue an 8 out of 10, will this issue crank it up a notch or will Dark Cybertron stumble in the second act like so many comicbook Events before it?

Of all the issues so far this is the one that feels most like an issue of More Than Meets The Eye. We spend 12 pages with the MTMTE cast and it feels good to get some quality time with the ‘bots we’ve come to love over the last 2 years. For the majority of this series so far they’ve felt almost tacked-on to the main story – there because they have to be, not because there’s any REASON for them to be – but this issue hints at what their ultimate role will be in the grand scheme of this crossover. Roberts nails the banter between the characters like only Roberts can (wait til you see the RodPod. Seriously.) and Mainframe finally gets a moment to shine. The rest of the pages are devoted to Starscream and Rattrap struggling to hold things together in New Iacon after the death-wave hit last issue and Bumblebee’s forces deciding how to handle the Necrotitan. Those story lines take baby steps in this issue but with 5 seperate plotlines running concurrently it’s inevitable that some will move faster than others in any given issue. We also catch up with Rodimus and his Dead Universe expedition after their conspicuous absence last time – we get some nice insight into Rodimus’s approach to leadership, ending with a confirmation of the mysterious Dead Universe denizen from our last jaunt to this side of the Benzuli expanse – although it’ll be no surprise to the more keen-eyed readers out there!

Nick Roche is back on More Than Meets The Eye, the book he helped define, for the first time since issue 6 and it’s great to see him back. MTMTE is Alex Milnes book now, the guy owns it – it’s his baby, but Nick Roche is the godfather. His style has been refined a little since we last saw it and it’s got me psyched for his new Deathshead series for Marvel. There’s a grand total of 5(!) artists on this book but it flows naturally, with no changes in artist within any given scene. Some might find it jarring but if you’re use to reading books from the Big Two you should probably be used to it by now. Covers-wise I’m going to have to give it to Casey Coller on the regular cover this time. Any time Rung makes it onto a cover is an automatic win for me. Props to the Subscription variant for showing off the Minicon Assault Team – no doubt this issue is the pack-in comic for that set of figures and hopefully the toys will be showing their Ammonite alleigance!

This issue, much like almost every issue since the series launch is completely solid. Story, art, characterisation; all are running at 100%. That said, the series is in danger of stagnating slightly. If next issue fails to deliver on Nightbeats promise then I can see me having some bones to pick. We need a big jaw-dropping moment to really kick things up a gear. Also, if we don’t get a Rung toy by the end of next year I am going to be PISSED. Seriously. Make it so, Hasbro!