THE TRANSFORMERS: COMICS, BOOKS AND MANGA

Cover Date: May 2004 Cover Price: $4.95

Generation 1 - "Welcome to the Jungle"
Script: Brad Mick & Adam Patyk
Pencils: Pat Lee & Joe Ng
Backgrounds: Edwin Garcia
Inks: Rob Armstrong
Colours: Alan Wang
Letters: Ben Lee

Energon - "Perspective"
Script: Simon Furman [based on an idea by Aaron Archer]
Pencils: James Raiz
Inks: Erik Sander
Colours: Elliot Kravchik & Sigmund Torre
Letters: Ben Lee

Robots in Disguise - "Ultra Magnus... to the Rescue?"
Script: Adam Patyk & Brad Mick
Pencils: Rob Ruffolo
Inks: Erik Sander
Colors: David Cheung, Josh Perez
Letters: Shaun Linsao

Beast Wars - "Ain't No Rat"
Script: Brad Mick & Adam Patyk
Pencils: Don Figueroa
Inks: Elaine To
Colours: Espen Grundetjern
Letters: Shaun Linsao

Generation 1 - "Welcome to the Jungle"

Synopsis: Megatron is on the planet Beest, where he has tracked down the long-lost Predacons, who've personality circuits have been damaged. Despite attention from the natives, and a struggle from his prey, Megatron hunts down Razorclaw and the rest of the team in the planet's jungle, and is able to recruit Predaking to his growing army, having repaired them.

Notes: This story takes place after "Runnin' with the Devil" in G1 Vol 3 #4, which is also where he was repaired by Wreck-Gar, and also acquired his Air Warrior clones. The Predacons fled the Decepticons at some point, and appear to have gone native on Beest. Megatron has been absent from the main action since being jettisoned into space by Starscream in G1 Vol 2 #1.

Beest is clearly meant to be the titular from the Japanese Headmasters episode "Rebellion on Planet Beast", complete with Battle Beasts.

Transformers Featured [in rough order of appearance]: Megatron, Razorclaw, Predaking. Plus three of Megatron's Air Warrior clones.

Notable Others: Several Battle Beasts.

Review: A break from Transformers hasn't improved Pat Lee's art, which seems more bloated than ever - maybe pairing him with his number one fan in Joe Ng wasn't such a great idea - Lee needs someone to tether his style, not run with it. When you run the company, though... Remarkably, the story isn't enough for even 9 pages, and Megatron's monologue doesn't work as well as the fantastic "Runnin' with the Devil". A weak entry in DW's generally-improving G1 canon.

Energon - "Perspective"

Synopsis: Megatron has returned to lead the Decepticons, and is berating his troops for failing to damage the Omega Supreme prototype in Ocean City. Snow Cat blames the failure on a subsea earthquake. Slugslinger, also part of the team, blames his failure on an electrostatic security perimeter. Sharkticon, the third member of the team. He blames a strategic lockdown protocol. Megatron then calls Slugslinger in and promotes him, saying his lies impressed him the most.

Notes: This story takes place outside regular Energon continuity.

Aaron Archer is part of Hasbro's design team for the Energon toyline.

Transformers Featured [in rough order of appearance]: Megatron, Snow Cat [first appearance], Slugslinger [first appearance], Sharkticon [first appearance], Jetstorm, Runway, Sonar.

Notable Others: Kicker.

Review: Inconsequential and slight. It's a pretty silly idea, and feels very kiddy. Setting it in an alternate reality doesn't help either...

Robots in Disguise - "Ultra Magnus... to the Rescue?"

Synopsis: Megatron sends Scourge and Sky-Byte to steal a nuclear generator in Arizona, while the other Decepticons keep the Autobots busy. Megatron himself attacks the Car Brothers in Oregon, but Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus head to face the assault force in Arizona. Optimus prepares to play it cool, but Magnus charges in, endangering the humans in the area. Scourge picks up on this, and tries to us the humans against Prime. However, he reckons without his rivalry with Sky-Byte, whose Predacons take the generator, distracting him. Prime and Magnus knock the Decepticon out. The Decepticons then retreat, and Magnus withdraws just as the Car Brothers appear.

Notes: The basic set-up for RiD appears to be the same as the cartoon, with the Autobots as a gloal police force, and the joint Predacons/Decepticons trying to pilfer the planet's energy resources.

Transformers Featured [in rough order of appearance]: Megatron, Sky-Byte, Scourge, Gas Skunk, Slapper, Darkscream, Armorhide, Rollbar, X-Brawn, Side Burn, Rail Racer, Prowl, Optimus Prime, Ultra Magnus.

Review: Not a great pilot. Like "Perspective", it lacks imagination, and feels very immature. It's much too like an episode of the TV show in comic form - while RiD was an enjoyable series, this seems like a very pointless development. Magnus' angsty-child characterisation hardly helps, but the biggest problem is Ruffolo's hideous, deformed art [Scourge's sword looks like it's made out of thick wood, for one example], which doesn't bode well for the forthcoming Micromasters mini.

Beast Wars - "Ain't No Rat"

Synopsis: The Maximals are transporting Megatron back to Cybertron, with Rattrap left piloting the ship. He seems to come under attack from Dinobot, but is saved by three mysterious Maximals. He's then awakened by Optimus Primal, having been asleep.

Notes: This story takes place between the Beast Wars and Beast Machines animated series.

Transformers Featured [in rough order of appearance]: Megatron, Rhinox, Optimus Primal, Cheetor, Blackarachnia, Silverbolt, Rattrap. Dinobot [the clone version], Optimus Minor, Bonecrusher and Wolfang all appear in Rattrap's dream.

Review: An interesting story which shows DW can write for Beast Wars, and there are some nice ideas which means a follow-up wouldn't be unpleasant. Easily superior in both potential and execution to the RiD story, this has some smart character writing, promising avenues and tight art.

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