Comic Review: Transformers Galaxies #1

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 the Constructicons are the stars of this arc, the way this series uses Termagax is what really got my attention. In the main book, she’s a legendary thinker, outcast visionary, and founder of the revolutionary Ascenticons. Arguably all of the main book’s events stem back to her. Despite her importance, Galaxies writer Tyler Bleszinski gives her more development and dialogue than twelve issues of the main book. The presentation of Termagax stands out does a lot to elevate an otherwise average first issue. Her motivations make sense, her goals are properly explained, and she compromises for the sake of her vision. Overall, Bleszinski does what Ruckley failed to, in an issue where Termagax isn’t even the main character.

As interesting as Termagax might be, the Constructicons are a bit more in line with the rest of the reboot. Which is to say, they’re all very one-note. In Galaxies’ defense, the fan-favorite combiner team have never been the most richly developed characters. They’ve always been gimmicky adversaries, though they’re fortunate enough to have an effective, memorable gimmick. Galaxies makes some effort to give the Constructicons more nuanced personalities but Bleszinski’s dialogue and plotting are too shaky to pull it off. His writing is in an interesting middle ground between the “standard,” near mindless Transformers story and Ruckley’s ponderous, self-important vision. It’s a strange union, one that doesn’t quite work.

Livio Ramondelli takes over the art for Galaxies. I’d say his art is an improvement over the main book’s but anyone who’s been following my reviews knows that isn’t much of a compliment. His work does pull off the beaten, artificial look that makes the main book unpleasant to read. But they both commit a little too much to it, leaving Galaxies with pretty ugly art. Ramondelli does have far more consistency and gives the Transformers a sound mix of dynamism and rigidity. His faces are very passive but he uses the framing and layouts competently enough to convey the emotion of a panel or scene. Galaxies art could certainly be better but it’s a step up for the IDW reboot. You could say the same about the rest of the book.