You’re probably wondering why I’m opening this article with a video about the Transformers toys. Well, it’s how I’m able to do tonight’s review. For the Transformers 35th Anniversary toy reviewer Pixel Dan Eardly (and probably a bunch of other reviews but his is the review I saw as I already follow his YouTube channel) was sent a collection of toys that are part of the current Transformers line, including Cyberverse and the current adult title, Siege: War For Cybertron (not to be confused with the War For Cybertron game…geez, Hasbro, it’s Robots In Disguise all over again) plus one based on the Bumblebee movie I have yet to see and a fun line called BotBots. Why is this important to a story reviewing site?
Because in the video Pixel Dan also reveals a code that is part of this set for reviewers to share with their audience. This code, by going to the Transformers website and entering it, unlocks a PDF copy of the first Transformers comic in IDW’s new continuity. Yes, IDW took their last continuity so far off the rails and as far as they could go that they decided to reboot the whole series, but opting to keep Earth out of the picture by showing how the war happened. Long time readers may recall that I dropped IDW’s Transformers even while I had a paying job and could afford to buy new comics, and honestly I didn’t see any reason to return even if I do find paid work at some point. However, since this is a free promotional comic, why not try to get an idea of what IDW is doing with this new continuity? That’s what we’re doing tonight!
“Can you let us out of here, please? Bumblebee needs to lubricate.”
Transformers #1
(trying to figure out which series this is beyond that is a waste of time…there have been so many #1s from IDW over the years)
IDW Publishing (March, 2019)
“The World In Your Eyes” part 1
WRITER: Brian Ruckley
ARTISTS: Angel Hernandez (also selected cover) & Cachét Whitman
COLORIST: Joana Lafuente (also selected cover)
LETTERER: Tom B. Long
EDITORS: David Mariotte & Tom Waltz
The PDF contains all the variant covers…man, I’m tired of variant covers…but I chose the one that was made by the actual internal art team, or at least two of them. My favorite though may be Tim Lim’s “comics for kids” cover of a boy in a hospital bed reading Transformers comics with Optimus Prime peeking through the window to say hi. It’s one of the rare acknowledgements that this is a kids’ property IDW has done. Whether or not it reflects in the rest of the series I obviously don’t know but I wouldn’t be afraid to show kids this issue at least. That’s more than I can say for Superman comics coming out in 2019 and that makes me sad.
