“I claim this planet…what’s left of it…”
Transformers Spotlight: Thundercracker
IDW Publishing (January, 2013)
WRITER: John Barber ARTIST: Chee COLORIST: Ronda Pattison SELECTED COVER ARTIST: Livio Ramondelli LETTERER: Shawn Lee ASSISTANT EDITOR: Thomas Boeing EDITOR: Carlos Guzman
In days past, Thundercracker is part of a squad of Decepticons looking for Metroplex, the titan that was once Autobot Headquarters. One possible location is found, but Thundercracker finds himself caught between conscience and his duty as a Decepticon. And then the Autobots show up.
What they got right: Chee is one of the better Transformers fan artists I’ve seen so I like seeing him get work in an official capacity. Thundercracker’s tech spec states “(c)ontemptuous of anything that cannot fly. Not totally convinced of the Decepticons’ cause, but they persuaded him to continue battling Autobots.” While the latter really isn’t on display here, the former seldom is. The fact that IDW does have Thundercracker questioning the way Decepticons operate (also on display in the previous main title) is certainly a positive.
What they got wrong: I don’t know if Barber is uninformed when it comes to official groupings or just doesn’t care. Blitzwing should be teamed with the other triple-changers, the Insecticons should be a group, and even if you consider the Deluxe Insecticons a separate group only two show up. Instead we get Waspinator who isn’t even from the original line. He was from Beast Wars and later Animated, although I do like seeing him make an appearance.
Recommendation: If all I can come up with are fanboy nitpicks for “got wrong” that’s a good comic. Recommended. I wish his work on Robots In Disguise was as interesting.
Even in another continuity Waspinator can’t seem to get a break.
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