“Yesterday’s” Trade> Transformers: Autocracy

“I told them this was the best camouflage.”

Transformers: Autocracy

IDW (July 2012–collecting the digital-first miniseries)

I had reviewed the sequel, Monstrosity, in the past in individual issue format but I though I had reviewed this collection. A recent look told me I have not so it’s overdue. Taking place in the early days of the war, the Decepticon movement is still growing, and with an Autobot leader like the ruthless Zeta Prime who can tell the difference between the two factions? And when Zeta Prime unleashes a weapon of horrible results upon the very citizens, Orion Pax and his unit must make a deal with one devil to stop another. It’s a battle that will see the rise of Optimus Prime and the start of a full-on civil war!

Dille was one of the writers of the first Transformers cartoon, so seeing him back on Transformers should be cause for celebration and in part it is. However, everything I don’t like about the IDW universe (even before the current direction) is on display here, and please understand what I’m saying in this. Like the current direction of the DC Universe I’m not saying everything is bad. In fact some good stories are coming from the current DCU or in the IDW Transformers universe as well as some real stinkers. My problem in both cases is the franchise I have loved for years now bears none of the things I love about it, and in both cases it’s the same thing, but I’ll restrict my thoughts to Transformers.

The fun is not present here. This is a science fiction war story and nothing else. Autobot society seems to be something Cybertron is better off without except in comparison to a planet-destroying war. It isn’t a peaceful society. Zeta’s weapons drain energy from the very sparks of the enemy, which he releases against civilians who aren’t happy with the more ruthless Autobot rule under Zeta, giving Megatron easy access to dupes for his cause. While there is a sense of hope at the end it comes from a deus ex machina in the form of Orion becoming Optimus Prime when Megatron practically drops him in front of the Matrix. The story is focused on the horror of war, the needs of a leader to make hard decisions at wartime for the greater good of the people at large and all of that other stuff I don’t come to a Transformers story for. Again I point to the current Robots In Disguise TV show (if Cartoon Network will let you find it) for a better example of what I’m looking for.

There are also a few nods to the fans that have been used so often in Transformers stories involving Optimus Prime and Megatron that they’ve lost the magic and are just annoying outside of where they came from. “One shall stand, one shall fall”, “Till all are one”, and a few others that aren’t coming to mind. They even rewrite the scene with Optimus and Megatron’s final battle from the movie where Hot Rod is able to get out of the way after stopping Megatron from getting a shot in, which I’m guessing is one of Dille’s contributions. Because they’ve been used so much it pulls me out of the story just as much as if it was forced, which in only one case did the line used not work.

Finally, there’s the painted art. You know I’m not a fan of this style, especially the darker colors Ramondelli tends to go for. There are moments where it works very well, like Zeta’s hologram or Orion’s transformation to Optimus but as a whole I just don’t like this for a comic book.

So did I like ANYTHING? I suppose I gave that impression but from an unbiased (or as close as one can honestly get) perspective it’s IS a well-written story. I admit that I couldn’t put the book down easily as I was drawn in, wanting to see what happens next and how Optimus and the team chosen (Bumblebee of course, Ironhide, Hound, Prowl, and Silverbolt) get out of this mess. Hot Rod as a rebel not following either side but just wanting to protect people was a nice change to the character. Prime’s speech to rally other Autobots to his side in repelling Megatron worked. Even the appearance of Metroplex, which is strange considering his current status in IDW Transformers lore, was so beautifully used I find it hard to complain about it. This may not be the story I’m looking for but if I told you it was a bad story I’d be lying to you from a very biased perspective and wouldn’t hold much weight as a media critic by doing so. Despite all of the problems I have with the story it is a very good story.

So do I recommend it? Well, if you like the darker tones IDW wants to go with and aren’t bothered by any or most of the negatives I’ve listed, I would say yes you should. That said, if you’re like me and prefer a more lighthearted tale with your Transformers like the original or current series, this may not be the story for you. It depends on your preference when it comes to the Transformers.