Transformers More Than Meets the Eye #2

Trapped in space, their ship critically damaged, the Autobots try to rally what’s left of their forces. And to complicate matters, Skids arrives on the scene, guns blazing! Who is he? What does he want? Where does he come from? Unfortunately, not even Skids knows the answers…

Every once in a while, stars align and everything seems perfect. The stars have definitely aligned with IDW’s Transformers: More than Meets the Eye ongoing series. Everything you’ve loved about Transformers and comics is here and more.

Last issue, Rodimus and about two hundred Transformers took off aboard the Lost Light to find the mythical Knights of Cybertron via the star map found on Rodimus’ half of the Matrix shell given to him by Optimus Prime. Their hope was that the Knights of Cybertron could bring order to Cybertron. Upon departure from Cybertron, an explosion occurred on the Lost Light and an accidental quantum jump sends the ship and crew to an unknown area of the universe. As More Than Meets the Eye #2 begins, Rodimus and several other Autobots work feverishly to recover the 40 Transformers that were sucked out of the ship and sent crashing down onto an unknown planet. Meanwhile, Skids arrives via a strange ship and is originally unaware of who he is or how he ended up there.

Writer James Roberts continues authoring the ongoing series and we’re very thankful for that. His love of the subject, knowledge of the subject, and willingness to take the story on new turns are quite evident. While each panel is cluttered with more speech bubbles compared to other writers, none of the words are wasted. You feel value with every word, with every word contributing towards a goal. As a reader, you get so drawn into the story that you don’t want to see it end. It’s enjoyment from front to back. James can write action, James can write revelations, and James can write humor. Speaking of humor, More Than Meets the Eye #2 is the first comic where I have literally laughed out loud while reading. The sequence between Whirl and Cyclonus is HYSTERICAL and Swerve is pure comedy gold. James, however, doesn’t forget what happened in previous issues. Pretty much every “main” character featured in the first issue gets the spotlight again. Ongoing storylines are continued, whether it’s what caused the accidental power jump, the Cyclonus-Whirl interaction, Tailgate’s backstory, or even the potential revelation of what Prowl’s plan was for the Lost Light crew.

Alex Milne takes over ongoing art duties and does a tremendous job. If you thought Nick Roche’s art was a bit too comical for your taste, Alex’s art is a mix between Nick’s style and the more typical art seen by other artists. His art works well for the issue, with story tones ranging from comical to adventurous. Josh Burcham’s colors are brilliant and bright and he absolutely nailed the shading aspect.

Regardless of what happens beyond More Than Meets the Eye #2, IDW has earned a devout follower. In two issues, they’ve managed to make one care enough about these characters that they can’t wait to see what adventures, mishaps, or foibles follow them. As a comic book company, IDW hopes to capture that type of magic and they truly have with this series. Pick it up. No regrets.

Overall Rating: 5

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