Publisher: IDW Publishing
Writer: Chris Metzen & Flint Dille
Artist: Livio Ramondelli
Release Date: 13th August 2014

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Martin Says…

This new four issue arc is the third and final chapter of the pre-Civil War trilogy by the creative team of Metzen, Dille and Ramondelli, detailing the early days of the struggle that engulfed Cybertron and ultimately lead to the Autobots arrival on Earth. At this point, attempts to reach a solution through the political process have failed, and it’s time for characters to choose sides as tensions between the factions escalate into violence.

Adopting a fairly serious tone from the outset, this first issue makes a pretty obvious attempt to address some of the all too familiar issues of the Zeitgeist; insurgency and terrorism, governments restricting the flow of information in the name of security, and the insidious twisting of events to suit an agenda. It’s a bold move, if a little ham-fisted, although thankfully it doesn’t dwell too long on such matters. Battle lines are being drawn, and we are dropped into a frantic arms race, with each side looking to bolster their ranks for the inevitable conflict. The story is told from three different perspectives, chiefly here through the eyes of Hot Rod. Freshly graduated from the academy, he’s clearly witnessed some horrifying things that have informed his world view, and pledges his allegiance to the Autobot cause, much to the disgust of his Decepticon supporting friends. In Iacon, the Dinobots are undergoing a process to cleanse them of Dark Energon, and Optimus Prime seeks to enlist the help of the imposing Omega Supreme. On the other side of the divide, attention is focussed on Megatron’s attempts to awaken the mighty Trypticon, who lies defeated in Harmonex after his battle with Prime’s forces.

From his alarming visions of a desolate, primordial Cybertron to the gorgeous character splash pages, Artist Livio Ramondelli’s rendering of classic generation one characters is just sensational, and it’s easy to see why he is considered a fan favourite. His work is assured throughout and imbued with a seriousness that lends gravitas to the narrative in combination with the sombre tone of the palette.

Casual fans will recognise some names, places, and events, but the story is peppered with references to continuity and as such, a little background reading might be required to fully appreciate the nuances of the story. The groundwork has been laid for a titanic encounter; roll on the next issue!

Rating: 4/5

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Sam Says…

This is the start of the 3rd volume of Metzen and Dille’s retelling of the wars for Cybertron, and if you’ve missed (like me) Autocracy and Monstrosity, it seems like a pretty good point to jump in. The familiar faces (and G1 aesthetics) are there, and whilst a couple of lesser known bots are referenced, there’s nothing to obstructive to the new reader. Indeed, rather than giving us an extended exposition blurb, we get a lush, dark, full page opener that with a minimum of text manages to bring us right up to speed.

Ramondelli’s vision of Cybertron is more Blade Runner’s LA than Coruscant, as we often see it presented, and it certainly sets the tone well with some canted framing and bleak lighting: there’s a strong noir edge to this, and I’m hopeful that this is going to be reflected in the broader narrative. The sense of mistrust and alienation’s there, but projected at the new government of Optimus Prime, which feels like an attempt to reflect real-world concerns about western governance (albeit several years too late).

Certainly, we see some soul-searching and interesting interplay with Grimlock and Hot Rod, and more generally some good, wry dialogue. The motivations are believable, and Megatron isn’t too mustache-twirlingly crazy as he can sometimes be portrayed; more a logical and ruthless maniac. However, it does feel like an obvious setup, and is all a bit coincidental – without spoiling, you can see how things are being prepared to shape up. It suffers somewhat from trying to prepare for the storyline, and ends up trying to tell a bit too much at once with the 3 narrative strands.

Still, it’s good to see the “classic” story getting the attention it deserves, and there’s clearly a lot of love here from writers and artist alike. It’ll be interesting to see where it goes from here.

Rating: 3/5

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PREVIEW ARTWORK.

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