Star Wars Saga (2019-) #1 Marvel Comics Writer: Jess Harold Artist: Various Star Wars comics were what first got me into the medium. Superhero books were just as impenetrable ten years ago as they are now. But Star Wars didn’t have that problem. Dark Horse ensured that their comic line was accessible without just being extensions of the movies. The emphasis on miniseries that, while in continuity, could be picked up without much previous context was invaluable for someone starting comics. This varied from book to book but speaking from personal experience, it was much easier to pick up Dark…
Author: Matthew Dillon
Transformers Galaxies #3 IDW Publishing Writer: Tyler Bleszinski Artist: Livo Ramondelli Like the rest of this reboot, Transformers Galaxies #3 veers off in a different direction from the last issue. In some ways for the better, in some ways for the worse. Artificial energon injections and cannibalistic Insecticons have scarpered out of this issue, despite the important developments that accompanied those questionable plot points. Instead, we see Termagax making a case for the Constructicons, who find themselves fighting a vicious “presence” in their combined form. The future revolutionary Termagax is the only compelling element this book has to offer. Of…
Shoplifters Will Be Liquidated #2 Aftershock Comics Writer: Patrick Kindlon Artist: Stefano Simeone Shoplifters Will Be Liquidated #2 pushes the series in a classic dystopian direction. That’s both for better and for worse. Fanatical loss prevention specialist Nussbaum explores the world beneath the Causcaus superstore and its warring factions. Things aren’t much better in the retail hell above, as various individuals vie for power. The weird world of Shoplifters Will Be Liquidated really starts to take shape this issue. However, there’s still no one to really align with. I should emphasize that isn’t necessarily an issue. Dystopian fiction is traditionally…
Transformers (2019-) #14 IDW Publishing Writer: Brian Ruckley Artists: Anna Malkova, Bethany McGuire-Smith, & Joana Lafuente While I’ve all but lost faith in IDW’s “Bold New Era,” this last issue of Transformers was one of its better showings. Most of the story shows Chromia and Springer caught in a deadlock with Rise militants. The latter have camped out in the remains of a Titan, the primordial, gigantic bots treated as holy sites by many on Cybertron. The standoff is very different from the fast-paced combat typically associated with the franchise. The apparent attempt at a diplomatic resolution by the Ascenticons…
Transformers Galaxies #2 IDW Publishing Writer: Tyler Blezinski Artist: Livio Ramondelli In Transformers Galaxies #2, see all the hallmarks of a Constructicons story. Destruction. Combining. Hard drugs? The Transformers franchise is in an interesting position where it gets away with a lot more than its peers, mainly by the merit of having robotic protagonists. This has led to lots of regrettable stories where the author desperately tries to convince you that transforming robots are nothing to play around with. Others use the mature content as a contrast with the more childish aspects of the franchise. That leads to more interesting…
Killer Groove #5 Aftershock Comics Writer: Ollie Masters Artists: Eoin Marron & Jordie Bellaire With Killer Groove’s conclusion, I now have full faith in Aftershock Comics’ decision to limit their series to five issues. It seems like every new comic these days expects to get at least fifty issues. Usually, they might not even break double digits before a reboot, reshuffle, or just poor sales interrupt it. When I pick up an Aftershock book, I know that I’m guaranteed a complete if brief story. Killer Groove #5 might not be everything I want it to be, but it’s certainly an…
Transformers #13 IDW Publishing Writer: Brian Ruckley Artists: Angel Hernandez and Alex Milne After half a year of middling to subpar stories, Transformers morphs into something pretty good. Admittedly it’s mostly because they brought on Alex Milne, the writer, and artist behind some of the best Transformers comics. The first page, nine panels of bots wordlessly receiving the Decepticons symbol, was the first time this series has truly felt at home with the franchise. It perfectly captures the gravity of the narrative while still drawing from Transformers more simplistic origins. Brian Ruckley’s writing is still suspect but Milne’s art brings…
Shoplifters Will Be Liquidated #1 AfterShock Comics Writer: Patrick Kindlon Artist: Stefano Simeone See the dark future of loss prevention in the first issue of the new AfterShock series Shoplifters Will Be Liquidated. Taking place in a hyper-consumerist future, Nussbaum is the only line of defense against shoplifting in the sprawling Causcaus SuperStore. He executes his duties with extreme prejudice, dedicating himself entirely to his job. Shoplifters Will Be Liquidated is a social satire in the vein of John Carpenter films and early 2000 AD strips. It has a lot to say, communicated entirely through absurd concepts, over the top…
Transformers Galaxies 1 IDW Publishing Writer: Tyler Bleszinski Artist: Livio Ramondelli With the main book of IDW’s Transformers’ reboot falling short of expectations, it’s the perfect time for Transformers Galaxies to shine. In the vein of the previous series like Transformers Spotlight, it will focus on characters and stories the big-name titles don’t have time for. The first arc of Transformers Galaxies reveals the origin of the Constructicons, five bots that combine to form the towering Devastator. But the Decepticons’ wrecking crew started out living up to their namesake instead of leveling cities. Or at least, leveling inhabited cities. While…
Transformers 12 IDW Publishing Writer: Brian Ruckley Artist: Sara Pitre-Durocher Transformers #11 finally made some progress with the series overarching narrative. Unfortunately, this newest issue completely derails all that. Issue 12 of the Brian Ruckley penned reboot follows Nautica, a member of Sentinel Prime’s cadre. She’s more interested in the largely unknown cultures of fleshy aliens than the ongoings of Cybertron. Consequently, she and her bodyguard Road Rage end up mediating the disputes between the organic civilizations living under the bots’ mechanical dominion. This plotline is admittedly a marked improvement over the sort of stories the book’s focused on so…