Luke Owen looks at Transformers: Robots in Disguise #18 - the prelude to Dark Cybertron...
![]()
SURVIVOR'S GUILT! After the shattering events of the past two issues, we can't tell you who's alive and who's dead. But we will hint that one CYBERTRONIAN has to reconsider her worldview-while she comes face-to-face with some old enemies. We won't mention any names, but she's in for the fight of her life!
As the Prelude to Dark Cybertron continues, we see the fantastic Livio Ramondelli move on from the project after doing is “every now and again” role on the series and Atillo Rojo step in instead. Now, those who read my review of the awesome Transformers: Robots in Disguise #17 would figure that this move would really upset or annoy me. But actually, it’s a fitting switch.
Ramondelli’s artwork suited the story that John Barber was telling in the last issue. Despite having some “dark” turns in this issue (like Bumblebee in critical condition), this feels like a much lighter tale. Both the Autobots and Decepticons have been cast out if Iacon now that Starscream rules and which means the survivors need to make their choices on what to do next, especially Arcee who is the main focus of the issue. Her narration talks at great lengths about her guilt towards the Autobots and her hatred of the Constructicons as we see her battle her inner demons for a place in the new society.
As I said, this is a prelude to “Dark Cybertron”, but I don’t think Rojo's artwork truly reflects this. In the same way that Star Trek Into Darkness wasn’t all that “into darkness”, Transformers: Robots in Disguise #18 has bright colours with sharp and positive images. But, as I said before, it does reflect the tone of the story. Perhaps the series will “get dark” soon, but this is a stark contrast to the feelings conveyed in Transformers: Robots in Disguise #17.
But here’s the big shock. Are you ready for this? I actually preferred last week’s Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye to this. For those of you who read my reviews on a weekly/monthly basis will know that I really have a problem with More Than Meets The Eye but aside from a few cute moments in this issue (Arcee’s closing actions before seeing Bumblebee for example), I really didn’t rate this comic at all. I did like some of the writing, but this just wasn't as good as what the other team are offering.
I get that we’re in a prelude and so we are just building up to the story kicking in, but this just isn’t interesting enough. You’d have thought that an issue dedicated the “outcast” Arcee would be really fascinating, but this is a pretty bland and dull comic. Barber needs to find that spark (no pun intended) in the last issue because that was worlds apart from this.
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.
As the Prelude to Dark Cybertron continues, we see the fantastic Livio Ramondelli move on from the project after doing is “every now and again” role on the series and Atillo Rojo step in instead. Now, those who read my review of the awesome Transformers: Robots in Disguise #17 would figure that this move would really upset or annoy me. But actually, it’s a fitting switch.
Ramondelli’s artwork suited the story that John Barber was telling in the last issue. Despite having some “dark” turns in this issue (like Bumblebee in critical condition), this feels like a much lighter tale. Both the Autobots and Decepticons have been cast out if Iacon now that Starscream rules and which means the survivors need to make their choices on what to do next, especially Arcee who is the main focus of the issue. Her narration talks at great lengths about her guilt towards the Autobots and her hatred of the Constructicons as we see her battle her inner demons for a place in the new society.
As I said, this is a prelude to “Dark Cybertron”, but I don’t think Rojo's artwork truly reflects this. In the same way that Star Trek Into Darkness wasn’t all that “into darkness”, Transformers: Robots in Disguise #18 has bright colours with sharp and positive images. But, as I said before, it does reflect the tone of the story. Perhaps the series will “get dark” soon, but this is a stark contrast to the feelings conveyed in Transformers: Robots in Disguise #17.
But here’s the big shock. Are you ready for this? I actually preferred last week’s Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye to this. For those of you who read my reviews on a weekly/monthly basis will know that I really have a problem with More Than Meets The Eye but aside from a few cute moments in this issue (Arcee’s closing actions before seeing Bumblebee for example), I really didn’t rate this comic at all. I did like some of the writing, but this just wasn't as good as what the other team are offering.
I get that we’re in a prelude and so we are just building up to the story kicking in, but this just isn’t interesting enough. You’d have thought that an issue dedicated the “outcast” Arcee would be really fascinating, but this is a pretty bland and dull comic. Barber needs to find that spark (no pun intended) in the last issue because that was worlds apart from this.
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.