THE TRANSFORMERS: COMICS, BOOKS AND MANGA

07 "New Dawn"
07 "Tales of Earth" (Part 4)
08 "Escalation"
08 "Tales of Earth" (Part 5)
09 "Swarm"
09 "Tales of Earth" (Part 6)
10 "Total War"
10 "Tales of Earth" (Part 7)
11 "Dark Shadows"
11 "Tales of Earth" (Part 8)
12 "A Rage In Heaven"

Marvel US G2 book 2 of 2: Rage in Heaven

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Reprinting: Transformers Generation 2, 7-12 (Marvel US)

Written by: Simon Furman
Pencils by: Manny Galan [7 pages 1-17, 8 pages 1-3, 10-22, 9, 10 pages 1-16, 11 pages 1-16, 12 pages 1-11, 20-29], Derek Yaniger [7 pages 18-22, 8 pages 4-9, 10 pages 17-22], Geoff Senior [11 pages 17-22, 12 pages 12-19, 30-36]
Inks by: Jim Amash [[7 pages 1-17, 8 pages 1-3, 10-22, 9, 10 pages 1-16, 11 pages 1-16, 12 pages 1-11, 20-29], Derek Yaniger [7 pages 18-22, 8 pages 4-9, 10 pages 17-22], Geoff Senior [11 pages 17-22, 12 pages 12-19, 30-36]
Colours by: Sarra Mossoff
Letters by: Richard Starkings with Bill OŽNeil
Editor: Rob Tokar

As if the new Decepticon Empire wasn't enough to contend with, a new threat looms for all Transformers!

The Stories:

Immediately on opening the volume, we discover to what use Megatron put the matrix energy he siphoned from Prime after almost killing him at the end of the previous volume: new troops! This represents Furman's token effort, six issues into the storyline, to use a few of the G2 toy characters other than big-green-tank Megatron. In addition to Rotorforce and the Laser Rods, we get a glimpse of Darkwing (refitted after foolishly trying to take out Megatron for Bludgeon in the previous issues.) We also learn that Megatron sent a scouting party to check out the information about the Empire which Optimus was trying to impart peacefully to him. Both parts of Prime's all-or-nothing gamble actually paid off: Grimlock waded in to the rescue with other 'Bots, and Megatron decided to heed his words.

The only survivor of the scouting party is Skullgrin, who crashes after confirming that the Empire Decepticons are not sympathetic to their predecessors' cause. Megatron vows revenge, goes up against Jhiaxus and gets belted right into a planet. Barely functional, he decides a truce with Optimus might improve his chances of revenge.

Yaniger displays a real talent for the grotesque. The fused Ratchet-Megatron being appears for a few panels, as Optimus ponders his links to Megatron. Understanding of that early story isn't particularly necessary, though, because Prime's reverie is interrupted by the arrival of Megatron... who is wrecked. G2 has already cranked up the battle damage inflicted on the cast, and being set over such a short timeframe effects are becoming cumulative.

The Autobots go up against a cyberforming party of Empire 'Cons alone, and Megatron's Decepticons end up bailing them out with a last-minute rescue and vicious tactics. Jhiaxus resolves to draw out Prime's forces by cyberforming another inhabited world, but a mysterious sentient cloud sets upon his forces. Meanwhile, Starscream is selling his allegiances to Jhiaxus and Perceptor has worked out the link between the swarm and the Transformers, when the Empire forces (directed by Starscream) home in on them. Even the combined forces are hard-pressed by Jhiaxus' attack, Starscream taking advantage of the diversion to board the warworld and take possession of the captured matrix energy.

At this point, all hell breaks loose. The swarm arrives, consumes an Empire shuttle and heads alongside them towards Earth. Optimus and Megatron face down Starscream, who has taken on the form of a new and unique threat! Somehow surviving, Prime pleads with Jhiaxus to ally with them against the threat of the swarm, but the response is an attack which wipes out most of a major city on Earth. Jhiaxus is by this point utterly obsessed with killing his 'ancestors'.

The swarm breaks in on Prime and Jhiaxus as they fight, consuming the latter. On the planet's surface, Autobots and Decepticons fight bravely but futilely against another of the swarm's tendrils. The survivors are saved by Megatron, whilst Optimus chooses not to escape but to allow the swarm to consume him.

Furman's team knew by this point they hadn't been picked up by Marvel for another year. However, permission was acquired for 12 to be a double-sized issue and it allows things to round up nicely. Things end happily for the united 'Bots and 'Cons, but there's an ominous last page introducing the Leige Maximo, potentially a bigger threat than Jhiaxus and the swarm combined! This open ending hasn't to date been explored in licensed fiction, though a number of fans have produced fiction inspired by it, including Furman himself (a text story called "Alignment" for a UK convention.) I'd suggest a continuation by Transmasters UK or HMB3 rather than "Alignment".

Geoff Senior provides art for some of these final stories and (in my personal opinion) the colouring, lettering and styles of Senior, Yaniger and Galan hang together very cohesively. G2 is very idiosyncratic, art-wise. It's bright, dynamic and generally representational rather than photo-realistic. Some people dislike the variable way facial features are rendered, particularly by Galan, who was doing his best to ape Yaniger's style at a truly frightening pace to meet deadlines. I find it works, and works well. It's a little as I'd imagine Transformers by Alan Grant and Andy Warhol would be.

The Presentation:

Wildman offers another photoshopped cover featuring a cracked Optimus, Starscream's head, a slightly dodgy rendering of what might be a spacecraft, one of the Aerialbots and some fire. In the background of the two G2 TPB covers when lined up, you can make out the face of the Leige Maximo. Inside you'll find forewords "Armageddon then" (by Simon Furman), "For Whom the Bell Tolls" (Manny Galan), "Smash and Grab" (Derek Yaniger), covers for 7-12 and a brief overview of the creative team's other work.

The Verdict:

You definitely need "Dark Designs" to read this alongside. If you're up for it, these two volumes offer a distilled form of Transformers both larger than life and offering the first true development of the Cybertronian civil war: Autobots and Decepticons fighting side-by-side. Not limited by having to promote a dozen new toys every two or three issues, G2 allowed Furman the freedom the US 'G1' title was only starting before it was cut short. The result is a cocktail which, for many of us, put the fun back into Transformers.

 
Reviewed by Denyer
With thanks to Osku for typing up the production credits.

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