Variant cover detail for Transformers: Robots In Disguise #15, art by Casey Coller. Hasbro/IDW Publishing.
Transformers: Robots in Disguise #15: Plan for Everything
Cover for Transformers: Robots in Disguise #15, art by Andrew Griffith. Hasbro/IDW Publishing.
It’s with great satisfaction that I can come to you this week and say that for the second month in a row, Robots in Disguise is worth reading. Not just worth reading, but kind of great. That’s high praise coming from a guy that only slogged through the previous 13 issues because I got to read them for free. It may come to light that - once this arc reaches its conclusion - things couldn’t go down any other way, and the lengthy buildup is integral to the story. But for now, I’m just stoked that things are finally happening in this book.
Let’s start with some good old fashioned Decepticon carnage, shall we? A large portion of this issue is told from the perspective of the new Devastator, who has merged for the kill. That’s far more interesting than it sounds, and it gives some great insight into the way combiners work in the current IDW Transformers universe. There’s plenty of action between Devastator and Superion (apparently the first and only Autobot combiner), including a final page that made my jaw drop.
Meanwhile, the uneasy peace between the Autobots, Decepticons, and Non-Aligned Indigenous Lifeforms (NAILS) leads to some shocking changes to character loyalties. Bumblebee and Megatron find that they can’t count on the ‘bots they thought they could, and Metalhawk finally has to take up arms.
I can’t stress enough how impactful that final page is, and I can’t wait to see what happens next month when Megatron’s push to take over peacetime Cybertron sees its conclusion.
Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Vol. 3
Cover art for Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Vol. 3 collected trade paperback. Hasbro/IDW Publishing.
The Roll Out has only been around for about two months, but it should be pretty clear by now that I’m a big, big fan of More Than Meets the Eye. I put it right up there with Invincible and Ultimate Comics All-New Spider-Man as a book that I can’t wait to devour when I get a new issue or trade paperback. I’ll sing the praises of this book for as long as it continues delivering this much entertainment, and I totally think you should try it out, even if your knowledge of the Transformers is minimal.
Volume 3 is a great jumping on point for a variety of reasons. The MTMTE Annual that kicks off this collection not only reestablishes the reason for Hot Rod and the crew of the Lost Light to be gallivanting through space, but it hits that perfect blend of humor and drama I’ve come to expect from this comic. The annual also gives the first telling of the creationist origin of the Transformers, something that has only been hinted at in this incarnation of the story.
After that, you’re in for a treat with the three-part "Shadowplay" story. Simply put, this is an expertly woven tale told from multiple perspectives, as various members of the crew get together to talk about their lives before the war, and how they all came across a certain influential transformer by the name of Orion Pax. You may know him as Optimus Prime, though. Shadowplay is part gritty police procedural, part political drama, and part comedic farce. Do yourself a favor and pick up this trade!
(Transformers: Robots in Disguise #15 and Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Vol. 3 arrive in comic stores on Wednesday, March 26.)