Today’s Comic> Transformers Spotlight: Prowl

insert Planet of the Apes joke here

Transformers Spotlight: Prowl

IDW Publishing (April 2010)

WRITER: Mike Costa

ARTIST: E. J. Su (and colors, Cover “B”, shown)

COLORIST: Andrew Dalhouse

COVER “A” ARTIST: Nick Roche

COVER “A” COLORIST: Josh Burcham

ASSISTANT EDITOR: Carlos Guzman

ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Denton J. Tipton

EDITOR: Andy Schmidt

(takes place before the ongoing)

Optimus has Prowl go undercover among the NYPD as they attempt to restore order after the events of All Hail Megatron. As he does, Prowl begins to understand the humans more, and perhaps learns something about himself when he breaks cover to save a little girl.

What they got right: It’s an interesting story, and nice that Prowl isn’t written like the power-crazed jerk that Furman tends to write him as. Even before his “revelations”, Prowl is simply analytical and mathematical, seeing thing purely from a “facts and figures” perspective. This is how Prowl is supposed to be written based on his tech specs and cartoon portrayal (when he showed up), and not how he’s been written since Furman was handed the character. It’s also nice to see that E.J. Su used the “Universe/Classics 2.0” designs on both Optimus and Prowl.

What they got wrong: Can a Transformer really be killed by setting the building on fire, even if he IS low on Energon? Also, for a story that was supposed to explain Prowl’s shift in attitude between the “Coda” All Hail Megatron stories and his attitude in the ongoing, it really doesn’t do that. All it really shows is that Prowl isn’t being poorly written anymore. And while I praised the toy designs used in the character models, there are still a few liberties that make them look thin in the wrong spots, like the way Nick Roche draws Transformers. Although between the two of them, I prefer Su’s.

Recommendation: If your like me and you’ve been waiting for a writer who finally understands how to write Prowl, this is the comic for you.

"...and not an insensitive jackass." {click for full-size}

Tomorrow’s Comic: Ben 10 Alien Force: Doom Dimension Volume 1