(IDW – 2016)
Writer: John Barber
Artist: Andrew Griffith
Colors: Thomas Deer
Letters: Gilberto Lazcand
Regular Cover: Marcelo Matere
Thundercracker and Buster the dog must race to the rescue in Transformers REVOLUTION #1, as former Earth Defence Command Director Marissa Faireborn battles to save the President from the Dire Wraiths. IDW Publishingís major crossover REVOLUTION event now bring us the most unlikely alliance of all between Transformer, dog, droids, and humans, as the fight to contain Ore 13 and stop the Dire Wraiths reaches the White House itself!
Transformers REVOLUTION #1 is a special one-shot issue from writer John Barber and artist Andrew Griffith, which cleverly interlaces key elements from IDW’s range-wide crossover REVOLUTION event, but still manages to be a fun and exciting story in its own right. John Barber quickly sets the scene from the outset, with a tense meeting at the White House between Marissa Faireborn and the President. With deposits of Ore 13 suddenly exploding around the world, the blame has been firmly levelled at Optimus Prime and the Autobots; Marissa Faireborn has been relieved as the head of Earth Defense Command and replaced by Joe Colton and his G.I. JOE team. But after Colton was killed, it was discovered some of forces were actually the alien shape changing Dire Wraith, enemies of ROM the Space Knight, who, like the Transformers and the diminutive Micronauts, also have a vested interest in the mysteriously unstable crystalline Ore 13.
Marissa Faireborn and the President are at loggerheads over the what happened in Monument Valley and the current situation involving Ore 13, the dialogue here positively crackles, no quarter is given, and its great how events in this issue throws these two powerful women together against the insidious menace of the Dire Wraiths as the aliens finally make their move – revealing just how far Earth’s security has been compromised. But it is the phone call that brings former Decepticon and wannabe screenwriter Thundercracker, Buster the dog, D.O.C, and Bob into the fray where Barber splices the action with Thundercracker’s own unique brand of storytelling that Transformers REVOLUTION #1 really begins to shine.
This is an action packed and impressive looking issue. Andrew Griffith’s artwork effortlessly brings the numerous story elements and characters together in a way that nicely complements the frenetic action unfolding around them. There are some delightful moments during Thundercracker’s rescue mission in Pittsburgh as well, Griffith’s always makes the characters emotions shine though in every scene, be they human, Cybertornian, dog, or droid, and that really makes this tie-in issue feel all the more special and enjoyable. The scenes in the White House as the Dire Wraiths are revealed are also especially good, as we see Marissa battling to keep the President safe, while Thundercracker, Buster, D.O.C, and Bob fight to save the day. The colors by Thomas Deer are another big highlight: the transition between the fiery rescue in Pittsburgh and the White House interiors are seamless, Thundercracker looks amazing, the Dire Wraiths have a distinct unearthly tinge about them, and the vivid tones in the outcome of the final battle certainly gets right to the point!
As tie-in issues go in IDW’s REVOLUTION event, Transformers REVOLUTION #1 has easily been my favorite out of them all so far. Yes, I’m a big Transformer fan, so obviously I’m a bit biased, but amongst all the big action sequences, it is the sheer sense of fun and adventure that Barber has woven through every aspect of this issue that makes it such joy to read. Die-hard Transformer fans, especially Thundercracker and Buster fans, will absolutely love this issue, but there’s still enough here to give new readers a sense of what Transformers comics are like, and indeed, what’s been going on in the main REVOLUTION event overall.
With its brilliantly structured story by John Barber and dynamic artwork by Andrew Griffith, Transformers REVOLUTION #1 is a worthy one-off addition to your pull list this week, and I for one would certainly like to see the next step in Thundercracker and Buster’s journey at some point in the future.
Paul Bowler is a self-Confessed Sci-Fi Geek, Doctor Who fan, and Zombie Disposal Expert. He likes movies, comic books, and all things PS3. He likes to write about his interests, would love to write a novel one day, and also enjoys chatting to the many people he has gotten to know on Twitter. When he’s not busy being an Impossible Astronaut, he likes to take a break from his adventures in time and space to enjoy some of his favourite tv shows and movies, preferably with a nice cuppa tea & a sandwich! You can follow him on Twitter @paul_bowler, or find him at his website, Sci-Fi Jubilee.
BAG & BORED 