[cover]

MICROMASTERS #2:

“The Grey Race”

Cover Date: July 2004
Story: James “Brad Mick” McDonough and Adam Patyk
Pencils: Rob Ruffolo
Inks: Erik Sander & Rob Armstrong
Lettering: Ben Lee

Plot Summary

The Wastelands

The Race Track patrol takes cover as the Deluxe Insecticons attack, but spring into action when they realize the Hot Rod patrol can’t retaliate. Just when all hope seems lost, Groundshaker arrives to scare off the Deluxe Insecticons and take the Hot Rod patrol away. Shortly afterward, Shockwave arrives, offering the Race Track patrol the chance to return to the Decepticons. Barricade flatly refuses, and the Race Track patrol takes off. Falcon stays behind to mouth off at Shockwave some more, and is rewarded by being tossed to the waiting Deluxe Insecticons.

Some distance away, Groundshaker takes the Hot Rod patrol to Countdown’s command center and introduces them to the Aerospace Commander, who lets them know that the Micromasters do have an important role to play in the grand scheme of things. Big Daddy says that they’re not too eager to join one group having just quit another. Countdown understands, and asks them to think about it as his gives them directions to Little Iacon.

Little Iacon

The Hot Rod patrol arrive at Little Iacon. As they mingle with the other Micromasters in the area, Big Daddy gets into Roda Handler’s face about what happened back at Autobase. To settle their differences, the two agree to a race around Little Iacon. As the race goes on, Big Daddy looks as if he will win, only to lose his lead when he grinds to a half to avoid crashing, allowing Road Handler to gain the lead and the win. This causes the assembled Micromasters to laugh at the misfortunes of the Hot Rod patrol. Big Daddy and the others take off without another word.

As this occurs, a shuttle lands on Cybertron. And from the ship come Skystalker and Skyhopper with one thing on their mind: conquest!

Review

This issue is an improvement over the past one, as we finally see the beginnings of the plot appear. We learn in this issue that something big is happening that involves the Mocromasters, and it will be interesting to see how this develops.

One of my favorite sequences in this issue is with the Micromasters at Little Iacon, particularly because it is where we get to see a large group of Micromasters of both factions in one setting, interacting and getting along. It really helps to reinforce the fact that they are considered one group as opposed to the good vs. evil groups that they’ve been portrayed as previously.

Once again, however, the art slides up and down in quality throughout the issue. At times it’s well done and incredibly detailed (like on the first few pages and at Little Iacon) and at others frankly questionable. (Like the creative liberties taken with Skyhopper and Groundshaker’s character models.) Rob Ruffolo is trying to emulate Pat Lee, but once again only succeeds at making Lee look like Leonardo Da Vinci.

At the end of the day, though, the series is finally starting to get its legs, but the fact that there are still issues means that I can’t fully enjoy it as much as I could.

Review by Bombshell