Comic Review: Transformers (2019-) #10

Transformers #10

IDW Publishing

Writer: Brian Ruckley

Artists: Angel Hernandez and Anna Malkova

Transformers #10 is thankfully more engaging than the largely forgettable previous issue. However, it also more or less ignores the events of issue 9, outside of a few details. The series as a whole alternates between drawn-out, dull periods and bursts of activity, where everything is thrown into the air. The former is dull to read and the latter feels rushed. Issue #10 has a lot going on but, as always, none of it feels developed.

Optimus Prime and Megatron finally have a confrontation. Admittedly a political one in the halls of Cybertron’s senate. It’s rare to see the twin faces of the franchise have a real debate. Or at least one where they’re not physically tearing each other apart between talking points. While Optimus and Megatron’s interactions are the highlight of the book, they’re still another reminder of Transformers’ wasted potential.

Series writer Brian Ruckley is clearly putting in an effort to tell an intellectual or at least topical story. But his characters speak almost entirely through platitudes and vague philosophical statements when it’s not just idle banter or clumsy exposition. Besides undermining the identity of Transformers, it leaves the subjects that are bringing them into conflict poorly defined. It’s difficult to make any meaningful connections to current events when it’s hard to tell what’s actually happening. I think the franchise is long due for a narrative with such an introspective approach but unfortunately, Ruckley’s writing falls victim to its own ambition.

Issue #10 does finally move the plot along in a meaningful way. It’s finally revealed what’s going on with the Rise and Megatron’s role in the splinter group’s terrorist activities. Similarly, the conflict as a whole has begun to escalate, with the time to pick sides long since past. In response to all this, Cybertronian ruler Sentinel Prime finally returns with his posse in tow. In one of the few effective beats this series manages to land, it’s immediately clear why Optimus was dreading their arrival.

The book’s art is still done by Angel Hernandez and Anna Malkova and it still hasn’t improved. Hernandez does finally introduce some more off the wall, non-bipedal bot designs. Unfortunately, his art style isn’t doing any character justice, no matter how important they might be. The two artists at least handle the largely sedentary political and philosophical clashes better than the physical ones.

This issue was definitely an improvement but I doubt it will last. The book’s introducing more and more plot threads with each issue, even as it lacks so much as a mention of previous ones. As I said before, Transformers clearly has something big in mind but seems to lack the means to actually see it through.