“The next publisher to make a #0 with us answers to us!”
Transformers #0
IDW Publishing (October, 2005)
“Prelude To Infiltration”
WRITER: Simon Furman
ARTIST: EJ Su
COLORIST: John Rauch
LETTERERS: Tom B. Long & Robbie Robbins
EDITOR: Chris Ryall
Verity Carlo is a teenage drifter and pickpocket, but she may have stole the wrong thing this time, a palm computer (it’s just before smartphones, kids). Why? Ask conspiracy theorist Hunter O’Nion, who she hitches a ride from. He’s convinced that there are giant alien robots hiding on Earth. He’s right, and they want the palmtop. They also happen to be (as we the audience knows) Decepticons, who have to be rescued by an ambulance with a holographic driver.
Yes, it’s a short synopsis. It’s a 99¢ preview comic. What do you expect?
What they got right: Furman appears to be imitating the Michael Bay movies despite this comic coming out two years prior. Maybe the writers were inspired by Furman’s slow reveal of the Transformers world, rather than the “we now return you to a world you really haven’t seen” approach his Dreamwave predecessor did? Verity and Hunter don’t have a lot of characterization now of course (the story being not even a full-length comic) but there are some interesting ideas here. EJ Su’s art style works very well here, some Japanese and Western influences that come together nicely.
What they got wrong: This story leads right into the first miniseries, Infiltration, so if you didn’t bother with a preview comic you’re actually missing part of the story. This should have been the start of that miniseries rather than a prelude that doesn’t even have the name on the cover of that miniseries.
Recommendation: A good start, but it depends on what reigns IDW puts on him because we’ve seen in the past what happens when Furman has no restrictions (including his later IDW run on that cringeworthy Re-Generation One comic and the BW-infamous Arcee spotlight comic). Worth a peek at least if just for the artwork.
