TFA volume 5, and "Arrival" issue 4 and 5
Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2008 10:31 am
Transformers Animated volume 5: For those of us who do not have, and have no desire to subscribe to, Cartoon Network, this book is a good crutch. As is ever the case with this sort of book, the writers have to strike a balance between being too vague and being too explication heavy. Content-wise, there is neither anything spectacular nor terrible in this issue. This series is more episodic than the main TF book, but (despite being adapted from a television series), it is less noise-heavy than many other comics, TF and otherwise. Grade: B/C Probably not worth getting if you regularly watch the show, but worth it otherwise.
Transformers Arrival #4: The sister title to "Transformers Animated" presents new stories in the "Animated" setting. As these stories are meant to tie-in with a pre-established series, they are self-contained and limited in scope. This issue features a flash-back style story, depicting Ratchet on Cybertron, where he confronts Oil-slick. The back-up story mirrors stand-alone cartoon episodes, featuring a human villain who is unwittingly serving Megatron. Both stories are predictable. But, it is likely that simplicity is one of the goals of this series, in an attempt to keep it accessible. If nothing else, Marty Isenberg is known to be be able to write much more complex stories.
Grade: B/C Worth picking up if you are at the comic store.
Transformers Arrival #5: It is a sign of just how far behind I am with reviews when there are two consecutive reviews of a monthly book that I normally pick up. In any case, this fifth issue is a bit better than the previous. The first story is exactly the sort of thing that this series should be doing, focusing on the perils of a Transformer taking a form of a copy-righted vehicle. This is a good blend of "realistic", (in the sense that the story is perfectly logical for the setting), humor, and (it seems) a reference to some of the copuy-right related troubles Hasbro has had over the years. (There is also plenty of fodder for people who like to convert their toys.) The second story is weaker, focusing on Lockdown and Blackarachnia.
Grade: A The first story is enough to carry this issue, and make me want a Bulkhead toy.
Dom
-has more reviews at the blog.
Transformers Arrival #4: The sister title to "Transformers Animated" presents new stories in the "Animated" setting. As these stories are meant to tie-in with a pre-established series, they are self-contained and limited in scope. This issue features a flash-back style story, depicting Ratchet on Cybertron, where he confronts Oil-slick. The back-up story mirrors stand-alone cartoon episodes, featuring a human villain who is unwittingly serving Megatron. Both stories are predictable. But, it is likely that simplicity is one of the goals of this series, in an attempt to keep it accessible. If nothing else, Marty Isenberg is known to be be able to write much more complex stories.
Grade: B/C Worth picking up if you are at the comic store.
Transformers Arrival #5: It is a sign of just how far behind I am with reviews when there are two consecutive reviews of a monthly book that I normally pick up. In any case, this fifth issue is a bit better than the previous. The first story is exactly the sort of thing that this series should be doing, focusing on the perils of a Transformer taking a form of a copy-righted vehicle. This is a good blend of "realistic", (in the sense that the story is perfectly logical for the setting), humor, and (it seems) a reference to some of the copuy-right related troubles Hasbro has had over the years. (There is also plenty of fodder for people who like to convert their toys.) The second story is weaker, focusing on Lockdown and Blackarachnia.
Grade: A The first story is enough to carry this issue, and make me want a Bulkhead toy.
Dom
-has more reviews at the blog.