Transformers Infiltration 1

Transformers Infiltration 1

Synopsis :

This issue opens on a  laptop showing a conspiracy website, with the title Mechatopia, operated  by  Hunter, who  firmly believes that  there is alien  life out there.

Cut to the present, where he and Verity  are  stuck in a  odd  ambulance  with  a  driver who seems to have a  frozen smile, careening through the south Californian desert  at  190 miles an hours.

It doesn't take Hunter long to realise that he has found what he has been looking for, extra terrestrial life. 

Just after  his car  was blown up  by  an unmanned plane, and him and Verity nearly with it. 

The mystery cars  return with a vengeance however  and they  like to play rough. 

The ambulance manages to shake them with  some build in weaponry,  as the  jet  turns up again.

 It never rains but it pours as they say. The ambulance releases  a sticky smokelike substance, which deals with the plane  for a  moment. But  all that this does is buy them a few minutes, they need a  place to lie low. 

A place Verity  can  provide, after  logging on  the  ultra portable.

The garage of Jimmy Pink. 

Who  wastes no time getting under the ambulance  and  soon figures out that this is no  ordinary  ambulance,  you might even say one that out of  this world.  

The jet and the cars  are prowling around, waiting  for somebody to  activate the  ultra portable again so they can home in on it's signal. 

And lo and behold, somebody  does activate it.

Hunter is putting  his  suppositions together  and  just as Jimmy finishes repairs he throws around his theory.

That  the  ultra portable was stolen by Verity. That  it's the reason why they were targeted and that it contains images that  could get them killed.

And according to the  smiling driver, it's all true. 

Fed up Verity  leaves in a prickly  huff,  before she is back in an instant  babbling incoherently. 

Something or someone  tears the door out of the garage, and we see our first transformers in robot mode.

Runabout and Runamuck.  

Credits :Writer : Simon Furman, 

Artist:  E J Su,

Colors by : John Rauch and Josh Burcham,

Letters by :  Tom B Long and Robbie Robins.

Editor  : Chris Ryall.  

Notes : second  apperances of :  Ratchett

Runamuck, 

Runabout,

Skywarp, 

and Starscream.

This issue  had  4  variant  covers.

Hunter uses Internet explorer apparently. 

His page mechatopia  isn't just  there  to fill up his laptop's screen. It's a  reference to the upcoming Spotlight : Shockwave. 

First full issue of  the IDW Transformers series, which is still going  10  years later.

IDW  has overtaken Marvel Comics output, whom held the Transformers licence from 1984 till 1994. 

And released more Transformers  comics then any  of the other license holders, bar  Marvel UK with  it's 332  issues. Marvel UK had a weekly schedule though. 

Review  :

All action, all the time. 

Compared to the slowburn of  issue 0, issue 1  is  like greased lighting.

But when you put the brakes on  it, (  yeah I think that's enough speed metaphors  ) you realise that there isn't much to the issue,  beyond  a car chase. 

But what a stylish chase it is. 

I haven't mentioned  EJ Su's art  last time, but I would be remiss  to do  so now.  He brings a  kinetic  feverous energy to the  proceedings, which helps translate what  are basically snapshots, to a thrilling action pace.

Action is hard to convey  in comics, even more so  when  it's a car chase. 

But Su manages to do  it with  aplomb.  

Sadly  Su  left  the comic  book industry behind him, and he is now  head of  R&D  for  Trident Cases. 

But he is on fine form here, firing on all cylinders and makes what  could be a very boring issue, a riveting if very shortlived read. 

Because outside  the chase we don't  get to see much, beyond a few  flashbacks which issue 0 makes  superfluous. But then again we cant  really  expect  that everybody has read issue 0 now can we?

A reiteration  of  Hunter's  alien life form's are real attitude  and Verity's  ..prickliness. 

Hunter  also seems to  have some smarts, since he twigged out fairly  early  that Ratchet is not human. 

Course Ratchets avatar has a fixed smile, so it's not that hard  to figure out. 

Then again  hunter  is smart enough to put  1 and 1  together, in regards  to the  ultra portable. 

Ratchet is mostly  understated  with some snarkiness, but he is mostly in his G1 Marvel comics mould. An unwilling  soldier, who  cant and wont sit idly by  as long as he can help  them, even if that means risking everything. 

As for Jimmy Pink, beyond his silly last name he is obviously a throwback to Sparkplug Witwicky, who all the way back in 1984  (  damn  that  long ago already  ? )  had  Bumblebee in a similar spot in his garage and also immediately noticed, that this wasn't a normal car.  Especially the suspension  remark 

But the  comic is  light on  the Transformers  in robot mode,  while this sounds dull it isn't it just  builds up the suspense  and  heightens the  subterfuge feel of the  story so far. 

It's something to look back on, because it wont last. 

But right now  Autobots and Decepticons are still in full on cold war mode, with cloak and daggers being the name of the game. 

Humans don't know they are here and they want to keep it that way,  which is why the Decepticons are after the sm40  

And  because of all the skullduggery,  we only get out first  real look at  any  transformer in this  series and in the whole  IDW- verse,  on the very last  page

and its a pair of battlechargers no less.  

Infiltration 1 is an excellent issue, it might be a bit of a retread after issue 0  but that  doesn't hurt it at all

 The art is gorgeous, the action fluid  and kinetic and the slowburn isn't that much of detriment. The story isn't  stretched to it's breaking  point or  run unnaturally  long   just to fill 6 issues. 

Later storylines will suffer from this.   

But Infiltration  at the moment  manages to balance between intrigue, decompression and speedy storytelling. 

It's also reads as a breath of fresh air where the tagline "Robots In Disguise" is  actually  more then just a spiffy tagline, but an integral  part of the  storyline.

And all this intrigue  comes crashing down  because of a few  pictures on an ultra portable. 

As far as  IDW  Transformers goes, this  issue is ground zero. This is where it all began 10  years ago. 

And it's still a great  read  10  years on.  

The Savage Dragon Mini Series 2 Of 3

The Savage Dragon  2 of 3

Born Again Patriot  

Synopsis  :

This issue opens in the sewers of Chicago where Dragons takes out the latest treat,  Arachnid  whom feeds on  the  remains of the people he has ensnared there. 

Before cutting back  to  "before" where we are introduced to an, as of yet nameless nurse  (  An Stevens  )  who calls Dragon, Mr Dragon. 

Considering he has no name,  and has no idea  who he is yet, he likes the  name. 

In his bed room Frank Darling is  worrying about something, something that is spiralling out of control. 

We aren't told yet what this something is though. 

Before cuting back  to Dragon  target practising  in the police precinct.

And then  we cut back  to  "now" reintroducing Superpatriot  as a cyborg,  having made a deal with  a devil.  Cyberdata,  an organisation  that originated from the pages of  Cyberforce. 

We cut to  dragon  locking the door on his new apartment and meeting  his  next door neighbour, Debbie Harris, whom  will be very important  later. 

Their conversation is cut short  by Dragons beeper  and he shows up  at a mall, where there is a hostage situation. 

The three superfreaks, our old friends, Basher,  Hellrazor and Mako,  want to trade the hostages  for Dragon. 

And they do, since Dragon wants the  hostages they obliged, by throwing them to him. 

Things  go worse from there on in.  Dragon is outmatched and barely able to hold his own.

When Superpatriot  smashes in through a wall and starts shooting  killing the super freak indiscriminately. 

Dragon, being a police officer  naturally disagrees with this and tries to stop him. 

After a viscous beating  Superpatriot is about to kill Dragon, before Alex Wylde intervenes and tells him that Dragon is a  police officer.

Which shocks Superpatriot into  babbling incoherence. 

The  bewilderment  gives Dragon just  enough time to  punch  Superpatriot's lights out 

But he is  hurt badly and losing  blood rapidly.

Dragon loses consciousness and crumples on the floor.

The comis ends with  everybody  seemingly dead. 

Things look bleak. 

To Be continued  ?

Credits :

Story\Art\ Ink\ Erik Larsen 

Letterer, Chris Eliopolous

Color, Gregory Wright and Steve Oliff

Editor, Jannie Wong.

Notes :

fFrst appearances : Arachnid, 

Debbie Harris,

Anne Stevens,

Cyborg Superpatriot. 

Deaths: Basher. 

Dragon sports a   bike  with a  gun  and wearing a pair of shades, no doubt a reference to the Terminator  in T2, which was  still hugely popular  at this time. 

The panel below that, sports a very Sin City, looking Dragon.

This is the  issue where  Dragon gets his name, a name he will keep for the remainder of the series.

 

this issue is  28 pages  for  1.95  again 

Review :

Issue 2  once again  opens  right in the thick off it, with  Dragon taking out a cannibalistic  man spider mutant, in  the sewers. 

This may or may not be  a  pointed attack on Marvel and Spiderman or just tongue in cheek,  poking fun, though it's a bit too barbed for that. 

For some reason or other, quite a few  of the Image founders  were  quite  vocal in their acrimony towards Marvel.  particularly,  McFarlane and Liefeld,  Larsen seemed to be more neutral on the  subject, but wasn't  above  jabbing at times.

We also find out where Dragon got his name from and at the same time introducing  burse Anne Stevens, who  once again will  play a  rather big  part  in the  coming issues. Right now she is nothing but a bit player.

We also find out that  things  are to as they may seem with Frank, as he starts to become unglued for something he did  to get Dragon on the force. 

At the second  issue  Larsen is already starting  to  lay the foundations for  long term plots 

and we are also introduced in to a staple of  The Dragon comic. 

Long term  plots will not  be dangled perpetually in front of the reader.  Some wil be played out  over a longer period of time, but they are never forgotten and they all have an end game 

We will get to  the mystery of what eats Frank as  we get there. 

Even though Debbie is introduced here, I wil have a few choice for her  later

The majority of the comic is  taken up  with a few flashbacks  and  the  battle between Dragon,  Superpatriot and  the three Vicious Circles bruisers  

The  fight it self is rather brutal  and violent, far more violent then most Marvel Comics at the  day.  

And Dragon is hopelessly  outclassed  even more so when Superpatriot barges in and starts killing indiscriminately, blowing a hole the size of a softball in  Bashers  head  and mistakes  Dragon for a Viscous Circle goon.  

But it establishes some genuine  tension  and  Dragon might be The "Great Green Hope" of Chicago, he is not  invincible. 

This introduces two  staples at once, completely random deaths that come out of nowhere.

And  death is permanent.  ( Unless it isn't ) 

Larsen never shies away from killing main characters  and the death usually sticks. 

Sometimes the character returns either from a alternate earth or different point in time but the original character is usually dead. 

The comic ends on a very bleak note  with  dozens of dead civilians,  three possibly dead Viscous Circle goons and  Dragon himself  heavily, wounded  lying in a  pool of his own blood possibly dead.  Making you wonder if  the comic is  already over, before it well and truly started.

Issue 2  is again  fully formed  with cover to cover action and giving out  dabs of  characterization and developing  plotlines. 

Unlike other Image Comics from this era, which were too busy  throwing  dozens and dozens of  new characters at you or mostly moped. 

The Savage Dragon just got on with it, helped along with Larsen's  cartoony dynamic art and Eliopolous's dynamic and  often over the top  letters  and onomatopoeia.

 

Transformers Infiltration Issue 0

Transformer Infiltration issue 0

Synopsis :  At a bus station in  phoenix Arizona, Verity  Carlo  is picking her targets.  Including a  bus ticket to  Los Angeles  and  a palmtop  by a businessman.

When the  business man  is  taking a much needed siesta, she  lifts  his ultraportable  out of his backpack  and  feigning  motion sickness, Verity  gets of  the  bus  with her latest   loot  in hand. 

She is later picked up in a  VW van, by  a young man  with  the name of Hunter O'nion  ( That's Oh, nee, ohn. )  before  taking a detour to find that  the  bus  Verity  left  not so long ago  was  ram raided by two  sports cars and the business man, disappeared in the desert.

Hunter continues on after the bus driver assured him everything will be fine.

And after some prodding from  both sides,  Hunter  reveals that he believes that there are indeed aliens  on earth. 

Exactly at that  moment a  blue  plane  scans and opens  fire  blowing the  VW van  to smithereens. Before he  can  finish the job however, the  jet is routed  by  a  well armed ambulance, with a perpetually smiling  driver who informs them that if they want to life, they had better get in.  

To be continued. 

Credits :Writer : Simon Furman, 

Artist:  E J Su,

Colors by : John Rauch,

Letters by :  Tom B Long and Robbie Robins.

Editor  : Chris Ryall.  

First appearance  :  Hunter O'nion

Verity Carlo, 

Ratchet,  (  Car mode only. )

Skywarp,  (  Plane mode only. ) 

Runabout, (  Car mode only. )

Runamuck, ( Car mode only.)

Starscream , ( Mostly hidden in shadows. )

Notes  :

This  was  a  preview  issue, that retailed for  99 cents  in October 2005. 

Infiltration 1 wasn't released until Jan 2006. 

Review:

For such a  short  issue,  16 pages. Issue 0  is densely packed, a lot more denser then  later issues would be. 

Issue 0 is the first time long time  Transformers scribe, Simon Furman has had the opportunity to lay down the foundation and build up his storyline from day one. 

Usually  he is  brought in to end somebody else's work,  ( Beast Wars. Following up on  Budianksy on marvel  US  )  or midways  through,  ( The War Within miniseries for  Dreamwave,  the Armada series and the Marvel UK series. Where Furman  penned his first story for issue 13. ) 

Infiltration  is as such, the first  time Furman  was allowed to  build it all up himself. 

Which is rather odd, when you think how much if an influence he has had over the years on the mythology as a whole. 

What we get  for a first story, however is  a  very decompressed storyline with  little actual action and even less Transformers. 

The few we do actually see Ratchet Runabout, Runamuck and Skywarp,  do not even transform. 

The focus  is mostly on the two humans.  Hunter O'nion  ( That's Oh, nee, ohn )  and  hitchhiker Verity Carlo, as the  net  around them closes in.  

It 's one of the most human centric  stories  told so far in  Transformers, with most of it taking place from the  perspective of  humans, which will remain a staple for  most of the ation arcs.  

The slow burn is par de course for comics these days, but was still a bit of a novelty back in 2005, and it's hard to believe that this comic is 10 years old already. 

Previous Transformers comics  either got going right away, with  the Transformers bursting on the scene on earth ( Marvel  UK and US  ) or  just picked up  where a previous iteration left, off and assumed  you were familiar enough with the material, to puck it up as they went along. ( Dreamwave.  ) 

Infiltration  is a deliberate slowburn, with a focus on it's two human characters. 

Verity and Hunter's characterisations are both  a bit bare bones for the moment, but  they work well enough. 

Hunter is an alien conspiracy nut, while Verity  is a  hitchhiker loner with  sticky  fingers. Who doesn't really care much about, oh' say  pick pocketing  somebody on the bus.  

Those sticky fingers  are what get her and Hunter in deep  trouble, as this  issue continues. 

Issue  0  is an effective  teaser, as well as an introduction for the series  as a whole. 

It sets up plenty  of  questions  and intrigue and while you can read Infiltration without it. Issue 0  is still  an important piece of set up and characterisation for Verity and Hunter. 

Recommended reading. 

Gold Digger Color Remix Issue 1

Gold Digger Color Remix Issue 1

Hitchhikers Guide To The Lost Cities Part 1 

Synopsis :

Somewhere over darkest  Peru,  the helicopter  charted by  the  diggers sisters are accosted by  three rather annoying, and heavily armed  helicopter.

Because of  heavy damage and  constant fire the helicopter, can't  stay in one place and the diggers sisters, Brittany and Gina, just have to jump out.

Which they do. 

As it turns out, they are  hot on the  tracks of El Dorado, the  hidden city of gold, where things are not  quite as they seem.

Along the way  they meet  the only  inhabitant of El Dorado, not turned in a mindless  stone zombie. 

Recount their family  history, in which we learn that Brittany is Gina's sister by adoption.

And  deal with  a  treacherous magician's  plan  to subjugate the  inhabitants of El Dorado.

And he almost got away with it too  !  

 Credits :

Story and Art, Fred Perry. 

Colors, GuruFX.

Cover Blurb : Oh wow, everything  looks so colorful.

Notes :

First appearances  :

Brittany Diggers,

Gina Diggers,

Ace,

Strype 

Penny Pinser

This issue is  34  pages. 

The mini series  is  NOT  part of the  free  Gold Digger  archive. 

This  issue was  $ 2,99  in  Jan  2006. 

This Mini Series  was re released in 2006  to celebrate 15  years of Gold Digger

Review :

Instead of  using the  original 1991  mini series, which I have...somewhere. 

I will be  reviewing the Color Remix series,  re released in 2006  mostly because I have those on hand. 

As far as the colors go  I can be short, while they are perfectly serviceable they don't  really fit Perry's  line art and  muddle his otherwise amazing and detailed line art  and duo tone shading.

But the colors  are  bright and colorfull  and don't  otherwise obscure the art  in anyway.   

Like The Savage Dragon, which was released around the same time, Gold Digger 1  wastes no time in getting started, exploding on the scene with a high octane action scene.  

It's  amazing  just how well formed  everybody  and their relationships already are.

Brittany and Gina have an somewhat adversary relationship, like most sisters  tend to have.  Although this one has a few more sharp edges then will be the norm  in future issues.

The rivalry with Penny, which will last for at least 50  issues,  is  in place as well. 

As are the skimpy outfits. 

And we meet Strype as well who will  be a major player in the comic as well.

This comic also establishes  the back story between Brittany and Gina,  all in one fell  swoop. 

Very  few  comics  start  running from the gate, this well formed, with this much  back story and  players and main characters already in place. 

If this issue wasn't issue 1 of a mini series,  you'd believe it was  issue  41  of a long running series.  

The art is also  quite well formed, but its obvious from the art that this is a mini series,  because of the lavish  details  laid on each and every panel. 

Perry would later pare down  his details and streamline  his figure work, for the rigors of a monthly schedule. But for the time being, the amount of detailing going on in this comic is  gorgeous, and they never bog down  the action or make things  incomprehensible. 

But there are also rough edges.

Gina is  described by Brittany as a "Boy crazy bucket of hormones"  which is a  part of her  personality that's  thankfully  dropped by the wayside most of the time.

Brittany  on the other hand, is generally  surely  and  aggressive, another  part  that will be dropped  later on in the  comic. Though she  becomes  somewhat  more ditzy and less threatening, which I am not sure is much of an improvement.

Right now however, she is an aggressive surely and moody powerhouse, that  can barely be stopped when enraged.  

The jokes also come flying fast and furious and at times it's a bit tiresome. But the  gag  with a  certain computer book is still think is funny.  Especially considering we now all have one, with tablets and all. 

Gold Digger 1 is a rollicking ride of action  and adventure. The stakes are high, the tension is build up, the jokes come fast and furious and the art is gorgeous.

No wonder this series has  gathered a small but hardcore fanbase, and has endured for well over  25  years now.

It's the start of the whole Gold Digger series  and has been reprinted several times.

In the first gold brick, in several trade paperbacks,  in  the first pocket. 

No matter which version you get, it's worth  reading. But the black and white versions with the gorgeous duotone shading, are  the best way to read it.

    

The Savage Dragon Mini Series 1 of 3

The Savage Dragon  v1 Issue  1

Baptism Of Fire. 

Synopsis  :  The issues opens with Dragon kicking in action immediately, taking  down  his  first super freak  in the  form of  Cutthroat  and  his  girlfriend Glowbug, who  are trying to rob a bank. 

As he  brings them in Dragon is greeted  by thunderous applause by  the oppressed  citizens of Chicago. 

Cut back  to  before, where Dragon is found in a  burning field  naked, with out any memory of himself by LT Frank Darling. Dragon  is aware of  the basic facts, but  knows absolutely nothing about  himself. 

As the situation  in  Chicago worsens  and  the few super hero hold outs, Superpatriot  and Mighty man, either get maimed and left for death  or  killed in  their civilian form.  The situation grows ever desperate as LT Darling impresses  the gravity of the situation on Dragon. Who reluctantly rejects Franks plea to work for the  city's  police force.

LT Darling  however did  get  Dragon a  job  and a place to stay with his cousin Fred in a warehouse.  

Not long after  however, Dragon  first hand  has to deal with the  super freaks  over running  Chicago, as three of them  try to strong arm  Frank's cousin Fred,  in to either coughing up the money or  a lung. 

Dragon  deals  with them easily, but to no avail as  the warehouse  is blown up with  him and Fred along with it. 

Dragon survives  the  explosion but cousin Fred doesn't and his mind is made up for him. 

Back in the present Dragon deals with a hostage situation, taking out  23  perps without killing  anybody. 

With a little help  from  a new vigilante named Star. 

The issue ends  with the  kingpin of the Vicious Circle, the  criminal organisation  that holds Chicago in it's grasp, Overlord. Dismissing Dragon and dispatching   3  of his  higher placed bruisers,  to do as they wish with the dragon situation. 

Credits :

Story\Art\ Ink\ Erik Larsen 

Letterer, Chris Eliopolous

Color, Gregory Wright and Steve Oliff

Editor, Jannie Wong.

Notes :

First appearance of err , well everybody ! 

Dragon, himself. 

LT Frank Darling.

Mildred Darling.

Overlord.

Cutthroat.

Glowbug.  (  last appearance as well  )

Skullface.

Cousin Fred.  ( dies this  issue)

Basher.

Mako. 

Alex Wylde. 

Hellrazor.

Amanda Payne.

And, Star.

Most, if not all of these will  play pivotal roles in the  issues to come.   

Dragon is also shot in the eye and comes off  not much worse for the wear, there by establishing he is bullet proof. 

It does seem to sting a bit, judging  by his  reaction. 

This issue is  29  pages, for  1.95.  

Review :

The first thing that you will notice, is that Larsen wastes absolutely no time in  throwing the action at us. 

Dragon comes  flying  at the camera  and the first ever  "superfreak "we  ever  see  on the first  page, which is a splash page to boot. 

Followed by  a  spread  showing Dragon punching Cutthroat in the face and getting  cut himself. 

Immediately highlighting  the difference  between Larsen's Marvel and Image work.  Lot's more  blood and  violence. 

The  violence is  fast  and  brutal, but not so brutal  it belongs in a  adult only  comic 

and the action high octane.

The plotting is fairly simplistic.  ( for now  )

Plot, story line  and motives  are all secondary to the action.  (  again for now  ) 

Characterisations are simple and come in broad strokes, but  they work. 

There are no mysterious connections, no brooding. 

It's easy to jump in to the  world of  the Dragon and despite it being a  very violent  world, with a city over run with  super powered beings, it's still a fun  place to visit.  

The enthusiasm  Larsen had  for this comic  is very obvious, and it  just radiates of the page.

Despite the plot being simple, it is rather wordy, but not overly so and it rolls along in a rollicking fast paced ride, but you the reader never get lost.

New characters are introduced left and  right, but they all have a role to play either to showcase how bad the situation has become in Chicago.    

To set up  new characters, or to  set up  story lines and plot points that will come in to play later. 

It's all remarkably cohesive and it's not hard to see how the Dragon  became  regarded as one of the better early Image books.  

This enthusiasm  is also evident  in the  introduction at the back of the book. 

Larsen finishes the intro with, "I feel like I am nine years old all over again",   

and it shows.

Not because its badly  drawn  or juvenile, but because the boundless enthusiasm  translates on to the  page. 

Of all the  launch titles of  Image Comics, this is the one that  is for a lack of a better word, the most enthusiastic, the  most intense and the most thrilling.

It packs everything  all the other Image  Comics, wanted to do in  one exiting package. And never for one second  stops to  brood  or  to let the introductions  bog down the storylines. 

The story is  simple and easy to follow.

The art crisp albeit it slightly cartoony, with the  action over the top  and even easier to follow. 

Essential reading for  anybody even remotely interested in The Savage Dragon  or  early 90's comics.