THE TRANSFORMERS: COMICS, BOOKS AND MANGA

CURRENT TRANSFORMERS COMICS FROM IDW PUBLISHING

Beast Wars: The Gathering #4 (of 4)
Reviewed by Bombshell

So, after four months, the Gathering comes to an end. And frankly, I find myself rather conflicted. Because quite frankly, after issue #3, my expectations for this issue were rather low. Thankfully, even though this issue does have its problems, it manages to bring the series to a satisfying conclusion.

Let’s start off by pointing out the most obvious problem this issue has: Grimlock. Yes, you heard me. Setting aside for a moment the fact that Grimlock + Simon Furman is as worn out as a tire, there’s also the fact that his inclusion serves no real purpose at all. Sure, he provides a distraction, allowing Razorbeast and Optimus Minor to do their thing. But can someone explain to me why Grimlock’s position couldn’t have been given to one of the other dozen or so Maximals running around? Of course, none of them are names Furman is known for, so I guess that never really came up.

There’s also the fact that the reason given for his inclusion is rather daft. Back when I read #3, I knew that it was going to be interesting to see how he managed to explain it. I had hoped that it wouldn’t involve a flashback to G1 era Cybertron, as that would be too cliché for my liking. Ironically, I now prefer that sort of explanation, as the explanation we do get (“He was on the Axalon’s crew manifest, albeit in stasis” is even dumber.)

Aside from that, however, I found a lot about the issue that I liked. The action moves to a satisfying conclusion, managing to utilize most of the characters introduced throughout the series (even if it’s just in the role of grunt soldiers). The conclusion leaves open the possibility of an ongoing saga (something that this issue’s very letter column pretty much confirms), which means that I, and the fans, can look forward to more Beast action.

Overall, this issue, aside from Grimlock’s epic mismanagement, succeeds on all levels. And I can certainly say that it was worth my time to pick it up. Whether or not I will pick up the next miniseries...well, time will only tell.