Note that if I were in charge, Bob Budiansky would be writing his own title.

Yeah, my love of Bumblebee has been brought up more than once on this site, and anybody in Transformers fancircles who know me knows that he’s my favorite Transformer. Does this translate into me being happy about current events in the comic? I’ll save that to the end.

Spoiler-blocked reviews at ComiXology, if I find time with my other project coming against deadline, but I have to start with something else first.

I got this in the mail this week. I’ve already reviewed Switch Runners the online version. Now the print version is available, as I’ve reported. Well, I have my copy. The comic version may or may not come with Mark Rudolph and Jerzy Drozd’s signatures (the “MR” doesn’t stand for “Mr Jerzy Drozd” 🙂 ) or the Sugary Serials comic from the Kids Read Comics convention. I’m pretty sure you do get the big cards with pictures of the vehicles and the Shila art. I know you won’t have this message:

I am vindicated! Or something.

At least I hope not. 🙂 There is also a link in the comic to a special section of the Sugary Serials website that can only be accessed by a password. However, I won’t tell you what’s there because a) your supposed to get the comic to get it and b) I’m not getting anything to come up. It might not be ready yet, since they’re still in “pre-order” mode. I still recommend you getting this comic.

And now for the regular stuff that I haven’t reviewed yet.

Batman: The Brave and the Bold #12

DC Comics (February 2010)

WRITER: Landry Q. Walker

ARTIST: Eric Jones

COLORS: Heroic Age

LETTERER: Rob Clark

ASSISTANT EDITOR: Harvey the Red Nosed Richards

EDITOR: Santa Claus Siglain

Yeah, joke credits.

As Batman captures Calendar Man, he’s whisked off to Rann just as the Earth is destroyed. On Rann, Batman helps Adam Strange and his wife, Alana, find the source of the anti-matter wave that destroyed Earth and other planets and reverse it, thus restoring all the destroyed planets and saving Christmas.

What they got right: References to other famous DCU planets, a bucket of fun, the usual sensational artwork. The only reason I usually have so little to say in a Landry written/Eric drawn comic is they make so many I end up repeating myself.

What they got wrong: Batman and Adam may be the source of the legend of Santa Claus and the elves. Yeah, I’m with Green Arrow on this one, even if the Batman takes the secondary seat on that one. Otherwise, it’s not really a “Christmas” story. Just an awesome one.

Recommendation: You must be new to my reviews.

Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam! #10

DC Comics (January 2010)

Note that this is one of the holdouts from my recent medical hiatus.

WRITERS: Art Baltazar & Franco

ARTIST: Byron Vaughns

COLORIST: David Tanguay

LETTERER: Travis Lanham

ASSISTANT EDITOR: Simona Martore

EDITOR: Dan Didio (but don’t hold that against the comic)

Billy and Mary head for the underground railroad to reach the Rock of Eternity. They’re hoping the Wizard can tell them why Billy goes crazy as Captain Marvel. Unfortunately, they’re drawn into a battle with Axe, who uses a hypnotizing guitar to force people, including Mary Marvel, into robbing a bank. (Axe is the son of “Mr. Banjo”, a supervillain with a similar MO.)  Axe also hits Billy and forces him to deal with his greatest fear: being taken over by the evil-ized Captain Marvel. The magic lightning also frees Billy from Axe’s control, and he’s able to take the bad guy down without his powers…but the evil seems to be creeping into Billy as well!

What they got right: First let me address the big one. Although we only get a brief appearance by Captain Marvel in the story, it looks like Vaughns has finally decided to stop trying to use Mike Kunkle’s design for the Big Red Cheese and draw his own, which looks better, especially for his art style. The cape is longer (unlike you see on the cover) and the body type is a bit more in line with Vaughns’ style.

What they got wrong: The tale of “evil Marvel” (I wonder if Darkside or Desaad is involved) (yes, I went there) is kind of sidelined by this story, but it’s not forgotten and a decent way to show just how Billy is being affected by his evil persona.

Recommendation: This is a good arc to get involved with this series, and I suggest you do so.

Doctor Who (ongoing) #6

(I’ll start writing it without the “ongoing” next week)

IDW Publishing (December 2009)

WRITER: Tony Lee

ARTIST: Matthew Dow Smith

COLORIST: Charlie Kirchoff

LETTERER: Neil Uyetake

EDITOR: Denton J. Tipton

COVER “A” (shown): Paul Grist (artist) and Phil Elliot (colorist)

COVER “B” by the comic’s artists

The Doctor and his allies are in the hands of Finch and his Judoon troops, but other troops decide to side with their current employers in the Shadow Proclamation. It’s Judoon versus Judoon until the Sontaran and Draconian forces arrive, and some Judoon are revealed to actually be Krillitanes. Finch himself is revealed to be a Gizou (the same shapeshifter species that attacked the Doctor in the holding cell some issues back and last seen in the first mini-series) and is taken into custody. The Shadow Architect reveals that she knew all along the Doctor was innocent and simply needed him to ferret out the infiltrators, and also used the ambassadors. She sends him back to Earth, his TARDIS, the emotion-draining device, and his friends from the previous arc, who (at the suggestion of Kraden) are invited to travel with him. This is good news to the Advocate who not only isn’t dead but is behind the Gizou and Krillitane infiltration, and she’s not done with the Doctor just yet.

What they got right: Lee continues to use previous stories to his advantage. This time we learn that “Brother Lassar/Mr. Finch isn’t alive after all (or at least not here), which works much better for me than having him survive (even if he was a decent villain). There are twists we don’t see coming (like the Advocate), and I’m curious to see what role she’ll play in the future. The “knocking” that’s part of Russel T’s final arc (thank God) gets a mention. And we get Matthew and Emily back again. I was hoping to see them travel with the Doctor! I also like how the Doctor says good-bye to his reluctant allies, and Kraden speaks for me as a Whovian. The Doctor DOES need companions.

What they got wrong: On the other hand, one or both of them may be evil, if I’m guessing where the story is going to go. That disappoints me, so I hope I’m wrong.

Recommendation: The same as usual. Pick this up now!

The Transformers #2

IDW Publishing (December 2009)

This comic was a week late, as others reported already having it. Thanks for nothing, Diamond.

WRITER: Mike Costa

ARTIST: Don Figueroa

COLORIST: J. Brown

LETTERER: Chris Mowry

ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Denton J. Tipton

EDITOR: Andy Schmidt

COVER “A” by the comic art team

COVER “B” (shown): Andrew Wildman

Spike is called in from “attending business” (in other words, he was with a girl) because Optimus Prime has surrendered to Skywatch 2.0. (Spike later decides to interrogate the ex-Autobot Commander.) This doesn’t sit well with the other Autobots, and Hot Rod convinces a number of other Autobots to head for Omega Supreme and leave Earth. Omega, however, won’t leave without Optimus Prime, and then they’re attacked by Decepticons who are convinced that the Autobots are ready to launch an attack on them. When they learn otherwise, the two surviving forced consider joining forces to escape Earth.  Back at the Autobots base, Bumblebee has been elected the new Autobot leader, just as Ultra Magnus arrives.

What they got right: Bumblebee in charge. About slagging time ‘Da Bee was finally recognized as the awesomest Autobot in town! Fanboy joking aside, Costa is putting together an interesting aftermath for the events of <i>All Hail Megatron</i> even if I still have a few issues with it. (More on that in a moment.) Don’s humans seem to be getting better as are Andrew Wildman’s Transformers. (See cover “b”.) I remember when he drew them like people in robot costumes.

What they got wrong: I’m still not understanding, much less thrilled with, Don’s adding of certain movie aesthetics, which is worse when you realize that none of the other artists (see the Bumblebee miniseries coming up) are going that route. I know that IDW is letting the artists have freedom of expression, and while I support it there are limits. And still we have a situation where the humans are mistreating the Autobots (been there, done that). Finally, all Bumblebee love aside, he does seem an odd choice for the new commander, as does Prowl leaving with Hot Rod. (Then again, it’s not like we’ve had a decent G1 Prowl since the cartoon–and Bob Budiansky’s run–ended.) A properly written Prowl would make a better leader, as would Ratchet now. (Thankfully, Cliffjumper wasn’t put in charge.)

Recommendation: With a few flaws still in place, I’m still enjoying the product as a whole. I say get it.

Transformers: Bumblebee #1

IDW Publishing (December 2009)

WRITER: Zander Cannon (when by rights it should have been ME!)

ARTIST: Chee

COLORIST: Moose Baumann

LETTERER: Neil Uyetake

ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Denton J. Tipton

EDITOR: Andy Schmidt

COVER “A”: Guido Guidi (artist) and Josh Burcham (colorist)

COVER “B” (shown): the regular art team

As Bumblebee deals with being in charge (and references events of the next issue of the main comic, I think), Wheeljack intercepts a transmission by a Skywatch colonel hoping to act as the Autobots’ PR man, and talks Bumblebee into meeting with him. Skywarp has been hording weapons hoping that Megatron will come back. However, he’s been stealing them from companies that design anti-Transformer weapons from Skywatch. Colonel Horiuchi convinces Bumblebee that he wants to help the Autobots restore their reputation and bring in Decepticons. However, the badges he gives them which is supposed to scramble their signal from Skywatch (Horiuchi is going against orders) also contains radios so he can listen in and countermand Bumblebee as well as the inhibitors that lock Autobots into vehicle mode and stasis lock. Even though they’ve taken down Decepticons, now Horiuchi wants them to hunt down Blurr–a fellow, yet rouge, Autobot!

What they got right: The story is believable under the circumstances, although I had thought this would be more like a “Spotlight”, a story focused on one character. Instead, it looks like the Ongoing was setting up this series, giving both teams their own title, at least for a while. That may turn out to be a good idea, as it allows for more characters to shine through. Like the Sonic The Hedgehog comics, there is a rather huge cast, and with Transformers having an even larger cast than Archie’s comics, this and the upcoming Last Stand of the Wreckers minis could do for these characters what Sonic Universe does for Sega’s heroes.

What they got wrong: While it’s nice to see the Transformers looking like Transformers, the Autobots come off a bit stiff at times. The dark colors don’t help much, either. I kind of wish the “A” cover artists were doing this comic instead. Also, when did Wheeljack become such a jerk?

Recommendation: While I want to punch the colonel and Wheeljack in the face, the fact that I care enough about the story to want to punch them in the face says a lot about the story. I’m hoping for good things in this mini-series. Since Cannon stole the Bumblebee mini-series from me (that would so be my in into IDW’s Transformers, if I ever get so lucky*), I hope it is good.

(*disclaimer: I fully acknowledge that I had a snowball’s chance in hell of getting in and it’s all wishful thinking on my part.)

Transformers Timelines #2

(listed as “Transformers Timeless Fall Special: Wings of Honor” at ComiXology and Diamond–they are wrong)

Fun Publications (released for Botcon 2009, this Diamond edition has no date given)

STORY: Rik Alvarez

WRITERS: Forest Lee and Rik Alvarez

PENCILERS: Guido Guidi and Dan Khanna

INKERS: Guido Guidi and Josh Warner

COLORISTS: Thomas Deer and Josh Perez

(other artists used for profiles)

LETTERER: Jesse Wittenrich

MANAGING EDITOR: Pete Sinclair

EDITOR IN CHIEF: Brian Savage

TIMELINES CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Lanny Lathem

(note that this story doesn’t take place in IDW’s continuity, but in the multiverse that Fun Publications/Master Collector has set up for the Botcon comics.)

Surviving a Decepticon attack, Kup tells Hot Rod and the Dinobots about his time in the early days of the Great War, as his team was sent to retrieve a cargo lost in a downed Autobot ship. (The rest of the crew would be the other toys released for the 2009 Botcon convention.) The team is able to rescue the item (which turns out to be the Autobot Matrix) and get past the Decepticons also looking for it, but there’s the possibility that a third faction (Quintessons) may actually be responsible for the attack on the Autobot ship. Kup and his team are the first to get the “Wings of Honor” and become the “Elite Guard”.

What they got right: You know what’s misssing in Transformers comics lately? Fun. This comics are a lot more fun than IDW’s stuff, even if it lacks human culture clashing. The Dinobots are the Season 3 dumb and silly versions, the characters in the “Flashback” and “Shuttle Attack” segments have more life to them, and it was otherwise more enjoyable. The art and coloring in the “Flashback” part of the story is nice and clean, looking like some of the better animated episodes. I also like the profile pages.

What they got wrong: After looking at Moose Bauman’s coloring in the IDW comics, the darker colored “Shuttle Attack” art is a bit of a downer, but I do like how the “past” and “present” are separated so we know when is when. On the other hand, using the Matrix gives the story that “fanfic” feel that plagues the Botcon/Transformers Club comics.

Recommendation: If you didn’t get this comic through the convention or the Club, track down the Diamond version. It’s a good read.

Best Scene of the Week

Transformers #2

Darn right he does! He's 'Da Bee! Bumblebadass Numero Uno, baby!

Just kidding, folks.

The REAL Best Scene of the Week

Batman: The Brave and the Bold

Wow. Murphy's Law is working overtime, isn't it?

For the next week, I’m putting the blog on automatic, bringing some much needed Christmas entertainment into play, and hopefully I’ll have my project done by Christmas Day (well, night, as my posting schedule goes.) Not a “24 Posts of Christmas” this year. I’m hoping you like this one better. Have a Merry Christmas!