Today’s Comic> Transformers: Nefarious #1

This was Optimus Prime's Christmas card last year.

Transformers: Nefarious #1

IDW Publishing (March 2010)

WRITER: Simon Furman

ARTIST: Carlos Magno

COLORIST: Kris Carter

LETTERER: Chris Mowry

ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Denton  J. Tipton

EDITOR: Andy Schmidt

takes place after “Tales of the Fallen” #5

NEST is in trouble. That pencil-pusher from the second movie is trying to squeeze NEST’s funds as payback from being pushed out of the plane (with a parachute) and getting the Autobots kicked off of the Earth. Soundwave couldn’t be happier, because then he can swoop in and take over before Megatron gets back. Unfortunately there’s a new player in the game; a bunch of humans who can evade Soundwave’s detections and are in control of Ravage. Oh, and they’re also trying to rebuild the All-Spark!

What they got right: First I have to give praise to the colorist on this one. Previous comics set in the Movieverse have been difficult to follow during fight scenes in part because the combatants’ colors were so much alike, just bunches of gray. Carter, on the other hand, broke out some some different color schemes for the Transformers, especially the new characters for this story. At this point, I will also congratulate artist Carlos Magno, who came up with some nice designs for Soundwave’s Movie-fied lackeys. (Buzzsaw was my favorite.)

What they got wrong: For all the flack I give Furman, lack of originality isn’t usually one of them. While I don’t always like what he does with certain stories, at least he doesn’t reuse story ideas. (The occasional theme, like “it’s better to die than live with the knowledge I ran”, one of his more infamous tropes in the fandom.) On the other hand, there are quite a few reused concepts. Sure he approaches them a bit different, but we already had a “rebuild the All-Spark” story in Reign of Starscream. Secret organization out to misuse Transformer tech? IDW had two of those, Skywatch and the Machination. That’s ignoring similar events in the US and UK Marvel runs, and Sector Seven in the Movieverse itself. And the whole “payback NEST” subplot? Not only unnecessary (a usual complaint of mine with Furman’s work–too many subplots!) but it could be contradicted in the next film.

Recommendation: If you actually decide whether or not to get a comic based on my reviews alone…and I’m not sure why since it’s just one guy’s opinion…I’d actually say wait on the trade. I have a feeling this story isn’t going to go well, and you might end up avoiding it. Right now, I really can’t say, but I’m not hopeful.

"Here, let me get that for you."

Up Next: Best Scene of the Week, in a special Easter edition of Jake & Leon. (Possibly no other Wrap-Up stuff, depending on how my weekend goes.)