Comic Review: Transformers (2019-) #9

Transformers #9

IDW Publishing

Writer: Brian Ruckley

Artists: Angel Hernandez and Anna Malkova

Plenty of great comic books are a little self-important. Grant Morrison and the other members of the “British Invasion” write stories that at the very least act like they’re smarter than average. The good ones get away with it because, for the most part, it’s true. These comics avoided being pretentious because the writers and artists made an effort to live up to the intelligent storytelling they touted. Unfortunately, this new IDW Transformers series is the other kind of story, where it fails to properly engage the concepts thrown around or even rise above being a standard action comic.

Previous issues of Transformers we’re starting to build momentum or at least offer some interesting developments. But that’s over now, with the book returning to its usual content. The a=Autobots continue to fumble their way toward the truth behind the Rise’s murderous conspiracy. Otherwise, it’s just bots squabbling or poorly rendered fight scenes. I never thought I’d say that I needed a Transformers story with more Optimus Prime and Megatron. But at this point, they’re the only major characters with any real development and surprisingly few appearances. Without strong characterization, a Transformer is really just a robot and a vehicle mode. The book’s plotting isn’t doing the overall experience any favors and the cast fail to make up for that.

While the number of different artists has thankfully eased out, the quality of their work is dropping. Angel Hernandez’s art is not improving as the series goes on. If anything, it’s getting worse. The bots he draws are no less lifeless during life or death battles. The conflicts in this issue carry no weight, both narratively and visually. The already pretty unimpressive sense of perspective and layouts become even more egregious. To top it all off, the art is growing increasingly inconsistent. Hernandez’s character designs were crude and forgettable, to begin with, so this feels like a death blow for an already ugly looking series.

Anna Malkova continues to be the stronger of the two. However, I still feel her designs aren’t mechanical enough for my tastes. I’d say the mark of any good Transformers art style is one that establishes them as towering robotic aliens while still letting them convey emotion. Unfortunately, Hernandez and Malkova’s art both lean a little too much in one direction. Even then, she at least gives the bots more life than Hernandez does. At this point, I can’t recommend this book to anyone. If you’re a fan there’s nothing you haven’t seen before and if you aren’t, Transformers likely won’t make you one.

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