Luke Owen reviews the first part of Dark Cyberton in Transformers: Robots in Disguise #17…
SHOCKWAVES! The fate of Cybertron is sealed—but what is the DECEPTICON scientist called SHOCKWAVE planning? After the stunning revelations in MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE, learn the origin of the one-eyed, gun-handed master of machinations… and the countdown begins for the biggest TRANSFORMERS event in comic book history.
A new story arc begins this week in Transformers: Robots in Disguise and it brings a new (returning) artist into the soiree in the form of Livio Ramondelli – who really brings out the best in this comic.
Before I get onto the artwork, it must be said that I have really enjoyed John Barber’s run on Transformers and feel that he encapsulates everything good about this franchise. This issue takes a good look at not only the origins of Shockwave (who will play a pivotal role in this new story), but also the early days of Megatron’s Decepticons and Orion Pax (before he become Optimus Prime). There are times where it can be a bit heavy with Basil Exposition and some scenes were reminiscent of Palpatine/Anakin in Revenge of the Sith, but overall it’s an incredibly well written and beautifully executed script. Barber slowly builds on the emotion and you get a great feel for the faceless Shockwave with a rich backstory that makes for a fascinating read.
But let’s get to one of the comics greatest strengths – Ramondelli’s artwork. Over the last few months, I have slated the art of Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye and praised the beauty of Transformers Prime: Rage of the Dinobots, but while I’ve been indifferent to the art of Transformers: Robots in Disguise, Ramondelli has really raised the bar with this issue. His dark, brooding and almost Alex Ross sense of style perfectly matches the moody atmosphere of Shockwave’s rise and the early days of the Cybertronian War. Every panel is a joy to look at and the some of the final moments are simply breathtaking. For as much as I loved the story, Ramondelli’s artwork is the true star of this issue.
Fans of this franchise will get a massive kick out of Transformers: Robots in Disguise #17 and those who enjoy a good bit of character backstory will love it (it’s also a good jumping off point for anyone knew to the series). Barber has set off on the right foot with this new story arc and Ramondelli’s artwork is simply stunning. With Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye finally picking up and Transformers Prime’s imminent return, it’s becoming a good time to be a Transformers comic fan.
Luke Owen is one of Flickering Myth’s co-editors and the host of the Month in Review show for Flickering Myth’s Podcast Network. You can follow him on Twitter @LukeWritesStuff.
Originally published May 21, 2013. Updated November 7, 2019.
