Reviews
REVIEW: Transformers: Shattered Glass #1
Book Title: Transformers: Shattered Glass #1
Book Description: Transformers: Shattered Glass takes place on Cybertron about 300 years into the future. The war between the Autobots and Decepticons is over. The Autobots have destroyed most of the Decepticons… and planet Earth.
The few Decepticons that are still alive have been hunted like wild animals. Bounty hunters, otherwise known as bodyscrappers, have been in fierce competition with one another to catch the remaining Decepticons while Pax, Prowl, and Goldbug rule from on high.
Blurr is amongst the best bodyscrappers in the game. Being the fastest being on Cybertron has its perks. He’s so fast it’s virtually impossible to physically hit him. The best chance of hurting him is shooting him when he’s distracted. Even that’s a stretch though.
When Ratchet tells Blurr that there’s a huge prize out there Blurr is completely focused. Goldbug wants Starscream brought in. There’s a catch though. The former commander of the seekers must be brought in alive to receive payment.
This job is a high risk/high reward job. Starscream isn’t an easy mark. He was second in command of the Decepticons for a reason. Will Blurr’s speed be enough to bring in Megatron’s lieutenant? Will Starscream’s blasters work better than his voice chip? This is a terrific clash for all of us to bear witness to!
Book Author: Danny Lore
Book Format: Paperback
Publisher - Orgnization: IDW Publishing
Publisher Logo:
Illustrator: Guido Guidi
- Story(3.25)
- Interior Art(3.25)
- Cover Art(3)
- Dialogue(3.75)
- Mechanics(3.5)
- Editing(3.75)
Summary
Canon: the understanding that any new content that has been created in a particular universe (Star Wars, Star Trek, etc.) will coincide with what has already been published. It’s nice because with that understanding there’s a continuity to everything in the universe.
With Transformers canon has been like the pirate code in Pirates of the Caribbean, it’s more like a set of guidelines than a rule. It’s not necessarily a bad thing. Taking some minor creative liberties that sacrifice a little bit of continuity gives fans terrific new content.
That is what we get with Transformers: Shattered Glass. We get a fresh perspective on our favorite robots in disguise. What if the Decepticons weren’t actually the bad guys? Yes, they wanted to wipe out the Autobots. They were in a war that was never ending. A key objective in war is to eliminate the enemy.
Another knock against the Decepticons is how they treated humans as a lesser species. From their point of view they’re bigger, stronger, and more technologically advanced than humans. They’re not wrong. Humans can say the same thing about the insect world. Think about the number of chemicals and traps we use to keep insects at bay. We’re just like the Decepticons.
The Autobots treated us like insects, too. We were honey bees, ladybugs, and the praying mantis. Creatures that were viewed as useful. They convinced humans that they were our friends, and then used us as bait on cannon fodder in their war with the Decepticons.
I loved this take on the Transformers. It was refreshing to get new content from a different character’s perspective. For years it has always been a story from the viewpoint of Optimus Prime, Grimlock, Bumblebee, Starscream, or Megatron. Blurr telling the story was a breath of fresh air.
The interior artwork is well done. There was something satisfying about seeing Starscream take some damage. With that being said, I really appreciated seeing Starscream use intelligence instead of his voice chip for a change.
Usually, I don’t get into lettering very much. In Transformers: Shattered Glass the lettering plays a vital role in setting the tone for the story. It places the reader on Cybertron and right in the thick of things.
As a geek on a budget, I can’t say enough good things about Transformers: Shattered Glass #1. After one issue it’s parked itself in the top five for my favorite story arcs. It’s a must-read for any Transformers fan.
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