THE TRANSFORMERS: COMICS, BOOKS AND MANGA

CLUB AND CONVENTION TRANSFORMERS COMICS

Crossing Over, Part 4
Reviewed by Blackjack

Is there somewhere else we can go to hash out what is becoming an increasingly complex mystery?
It focuses solely on Skyfall, Landquake and Cliffjumper, which really helps the pacing and narrative without having a good dozen G1 characters standing around as distraction... although again this is exposition-heavy. Yeech. However, this issue is particularly poorly edited, with speech bubbles all in wonky places. I had no idea that Breakaway was the statue and is uncovered by the explosion until a third rereading, which really could’ve been improved much better. It just doesn’t flow that smoothly. Also, like the Cybertron continuity this is full of G1 cartoon elements, though since this is Fun Pub material it's a given. Cliffjumper is still full of cartoony j’accuse-for-no-reason shit, although his triggerhappiness is admittedly very fun. Skyfall and Landquake slowly (very slowly) grows as characters, although they are still rather stereotypic ‘clueless Autobot’ and ‘weary angry Decepticon’. Breakaway, on the other hand, has the personality of a brick and is uninteresting.


First appearance of Breakaway, who is repainted off the Energon F22 jet (Treadshot? Whatever) mold. Breakaway demonstrates his power to cure others almost instantly with his Energon manipulating powers. Breakaway is the first so far of the candy cane combiner team that is not from the Armada/Energon/Cybertron universe.

Laserbeak seems to be killed, because he isn’t seen retreating after falling into the Energon pool, and isn’t seen later in further Classics fiction. Since this is technically Marvel comics continuity despite the cartoon elements, the two of them can talk.

Cliffjumper says ‘son of a Sharkticon’. While a neat homage, see goofs.


On page four, panel three, it would make more sense if Landquake’s bubble is on top and Skyfall’s is on the bottom. The way it is displayed, we’d read Skyfall’s reply first.

On page four, panel four, Landquake and Breakaway’s speech bubbles are switched.

When have Sharkticons been seen in the US Marvel comics?