Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews
Transformers Spotlight: Cyclonus
IDW Comics
Furman, Su, Carter & Lowry
This issue picks up many of the plot threads left when the Devastation arc concluded. The issue does an excellent job of recapping all the information that you’d need for this comic at the front of it. It also starts to bring many of the open questions together into one place. Reading this comic made me want to see what happens next which is exactly what you want when you finish a comic.
Cyclonus returns to Cybertron to find it in ruins. Though, he isn’t certain who to blame, he knows who he wants to take it out on. Enter Hound, Sideswipe and some of the other Autobots.
Hound and Sideswipe are still bickering about what they should be doing versus what they are doing. This helps to continue earlier differences the two had without alienating new readers. It’s making good use of these characters and how they have grown. With such a big cast it is refreshing to see that characters can still be built.
Cyclonus attacks their ship. They counter and destroy him. Or do they? They send for help. Enter Ultra Magnus.
Meanwhile, Optimus Prime, Jetfire, Prowl and the others are paying a visit to Fortress Magnus about the jailbreak that occurred. This furthers along yet another open story element from Devastation. Also, Nightbeat continues to act as though he has holes in his memory, which actually opens up a whole new item to this issue and arc. As if that weren’t enough, Arcee is seen torturing a Decepticon for some answers, moving along her motives from her previous Spotlight.
Eventually Magnus, Hound and company find Cyclonus and determine that they can’t kill him because he is a zombie. Now this idea is a very odd one in the world of Transformers. I’m not saying it’s a bad one, but it’s just a little difficult to fully embrace.
The issue ends with a big Decepticon getting freed by Cyclonus, one that we have seen in a few issues, but not in a long time and not very much of.
The issue is really good. Generally, many of these issues jump around from plot piece to plot piece, but this one really advances things and doesn’t just check in on them. This helps make the issue flow quickly and make sense. You actually get the idea that things are all going to collide and soon.
The artwork is excellent. There is a wide range of Transformers here and they all have a unique and distinct look to them. This issue really blends outstanding storytelling and excellent visuals into one.
Now, I give the issue credit for trying to keep new readers in the loop and it does that on a lot of levels. However, there is just so much going on that I really feel you would have to have read everything to catch all the references here.
If you can get past the zombie aspect of this comic then I definitely recommend it. The comic seems to be at its best when it isn’t on Earth. The next piece to this arc has a lot to live up to all because of this issue.
5 out of 5 geek goggles.
 Transformers Spotlight Cyclonu |
