Ricky Church reviews Transformers: Lost Light #24…
The penultimate issue of Transformers: Lost Light is here and holds nothing back as Rodimus, Ultra Magnus, Megatron and the crew of the Lost Light put together one desperate plan to destroy the Functionalists and their massive Cybertron. It’s a fast paced issue that has James Roberts firing on all cylinders to deliver an action-packed and emotional battle. Its a worthy climax, though some things go by so fast that the impact is somewhat lost in the shuffle. Nevertheless, Transformers: Lost Light #24 will make fans happy as the series comes to a close.
The issue’s plot moved along at a nice, fast pace. There was barely any breathing time as the Lost Light’s crew tried figuring out how to stop the rampaging giant Cybertron and the Functionalist forces. Roberts provided a lot of great action as the characters split up into groups with some interesting pairings and did the action ever deliver. One thing that helped the book’s pace and the kinetic feel of the action was how it bounced back and forth between the various groups at their separate locations across the planet. It definitely lent a certain amount of gravitas and desperation to their situation as they had to rely on themselves as individuals rather than one massive group. That is the other aspect the issue succeeded conveying: the emotional factor to the story.
Roberts really heightened the emotion throughout the script right from the beginning. The issue’s focus was much less about the battle being waged and more about the connections the crew have made with each other over the course of the series. The beginning really dove into this as one character made a significant sacrifice for their goal and even called back to one of the earliest moments in the series. It didn’t let up there as the characters fought with everything they had, some being gravely or mortally wounded in the process. Rodimus’ speech to the crew highlighted just how far they had all come since the very beginning, particularly for characters like himself, Whirl, Ultra Magnus, Ratchet and even Megatron. The final message from one of the main characters is especially poignant given his arc and the revelations surrounding him.
Brendan Cahill’s artwork is nicely done throughout the issue with clear and concise imagery. It’s easy to tell the bots apart in the battles and though the panels or full of chaotic action, nothing ever gets lost in the process, giving the reader a clear idea of what is going on. The only confusing element to the art is a very brief flashback to one of the earliest issues of Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye. The panel doesn’t immediately convey it’s a flashback, making it seem at first like its part of the actual story and leaving it a bit confusing for even longtime readers to remember where the image is from. Aside from that, Cahill captures the emotions of all the characters very well.
Transformers: Lost Light #24 is a solid penultimate issue that pulls at the heartstrings and reflects on the character development the cast have gone through. Roberts has crafted a finely tuned story with some fantastic character work that takes importance over the action. Now with one issue left to go, Roberts has solidified himself even more as one of the best writers to ever touch the Transformers franchise.
Rating: 9/10
Ricky Church
