CC Blogger - New Arrivals @ Collectors Corner : Wednesday 9/2/20
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PUBLISHER/TITLE/PRICE
ABLAZE
Cimmerian People Of The Black Circle #1 (Cover A Jae Kwang Park), $3.99
Cimmerian People Of The Black Circle #1 (Cover B Frederick Rambaud), $3.99
Cimmerian People Of The Black Circle #1 (Cover C Mirka Andolfo), $3.99
Cimmerian People Of The Black Circle #1 (Cover D Belen Ortega), $3.99
Cimmerian People Of The Black Circle #1 (Cover E Fritz Casas Detective Comics #27 Variant), $3.99
Cimmerian People Of The Black Circle #1 (Cover F Blank Variant), AR
ABSOLUTE COMICS GROUP
White Widow #6 (Cover A Ale Garza With Foil Logo), $4.99
White Widow #6 (Cover B Tim Vigil Holo Metallic Ink Variant), $9.99
White Widow #6 (Cover C Genzoman Wraparound Lenticular Variant), $19.99
AFTERSHOCK COMICS
Disaster Inc. #3, $3.99
Lonely Receiver #1 (Cover A Jen Hickman), $4.99
Lonely Receiver #1 (Cover B Elizabeth Torque), $4.99
ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS
Archie Milestones Jumbo Comics Digest #10, $7.99
Betty And Veronica The Bond Of Friendship GN, $14.99
Riverdale Varsity Edition Volume 1 HC, $29.99
AWA STUDIOS
Grendel Kentucky #1 (Of 4)(Cover A Tommy Lee Edwards), $3.99
Grendel Kentucky #1 (Of 4)(Cover B Mike Deodato Jr.), $3.99
Upshot Now Magazine #4, $5.00
BENITEZ PRODUCTIONS
Lady Mechanika (FCBD 2020 Edition), AR
BLACK MASK COMICS
Breathless TP, $16.99
Gravetrancers TP, $16.99
BOOM! STUDIOS
Bear HC, $24.99
Buffy The Vampire Slayer #17 (Cover A David Lopez), $3.99
Buffy The Vampire Slayer #17 (Cover B Marguerite Sauvage), $3.99
Buffy The Vampire Slayer #17 (Cover C Becca Carey Fire Variant), $3.99
Buffy The Vampire Slayer #17 (Cover D David Lopez), AR
King Of Nowhere #5 (Of 5)(Cover A Tyler Jenkins), $3.99
King Of Nowhere #5 (Of 5)(Cover B Martin Morazzo), $3.99
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Volume 12 TP, $16.99
Seven Secrets #1 (Dan Mora 2nd Printing Variant Cover), $3.99
Steven Universe Volume 8 To Be Happy TP, $14.99
We Only Find Them When They're Dead #1 (Cover A Simone Di Meo), $3.99
We Only Find Them When They're Dead #1 (Cover B Toni Infante Dear God Variant), $3.99
We Only Find Them When They're Dead #1 (Cover C Christian Ward), AR
We Only Find Them When They're Dead #1 (Cover D Matias Bergara Wraparound Variant), AR
We Only Find Them When They're Dead #1 (Cover E Jenny Frison), AR
COMIC SHOP NEWS
Comic Shop News #1724, AR
DARK HORSE COMICS
Alien The Original Screenplay #2 (Of 5)(Cover A Guilherme Balbi), $3.99
Alien The Original Screenplay #2 (Of 5)(Cover B Walter Simonson), $3.99
Art Of Ghost Of Tsushima HC, $44.99
BANG! #3 (Of 5)(Cover A Wilfredo Torres), $3.99
BANG! #3 (Of 5)(Cover B Matt Kindt), $3.99
Orville Season 2.5 #1 (Of 4)(Launch Day Part 1 Of 2)(Cover A David Cabeza), $3.99
Spy Island #1 (Of 4)(Cover A Lia Miternique), $3.99
Spy Island #1 (Of 4)(Cover B Lia Miternique), $3.99
Spy Island #1 (Of 4)(Lia Miternique 2nd Printing Variant Cover), $3.99
True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys California Library Edition HC, $39.99
DC COMICS
Batman #98 (Cover A David Finch), $3.99
Batman #98 (Cover B Francesco Mattina Card Stock Variant), AR
Batman #98 (Cover C Jorge Jimenez Catwoman Card Stock Variant), AR
Batman The Adventures Continue #4 (Of 7)(Cover A James Harren), $3.99
Batman The Adventures Continue #4 (Of 7)(Cover B Ben Caldwell Card Stock Variant), AR
Booster Gold Future Lost HC, $39.99
DC Connect Checklist Poster #3, AR
DC Super Hero Girls Midterms TP, $9.99
DCeased Dead Planet #3 (Of 7)(Cover A David Finch), $3.99
DCeased Dead Planet #3 (Of 7)(Cover B Francesco Mattina Card Stock Variant), AR
DCeased Dead Planet #3 (Of 7)(Cover C Yasmine Putri Movie Homage Card Stock Variant), AR
Dollar Comics Batman #663, $1.00
Dollar Comics Catwoman #1 (2002), $1.00
Dreaming Waking Hours #2 (Of 12), $3.99
Flash Savage Velocity TP, $39.99
Green Arrow The Longbow Hunters Saga Omnibus Volume 1 HC, $150.00
Hellblazer Rise And Fall #1 (Of 3)(Cover A Darick Robertson), $6.99
Hellblazer Rise And Fall #1 (Of 3)(Cover B Lee Bermejo), AR
Hellblazer Volume 23 No Future TP, $29.99
He-Man And The Masters Of The Multiverse TP, $17.99
Justice League #52 (Cover A Cully Hamner), $3.99
Justice League #52 (Cover B Nick Derington), AR
Powers The Best Ever HC, $29.99
Shazam #14 (Cover A Dale Eaglesham), $3.99
Shazam #14 (Cover B Dale Keown), AR
Spectre The Wrath Of The Spectre Omnibus HC, $125.00
Strange Adventures #5 (Of 12)(Cover A Mitch Gerads), $4.99
Strange Adventures #5 (Of 12)(Cover B Evan Doc Shaner), AR
Supergirl Cosmic Adventures In The 8th Grade TP (New Edition), $9.99
Teen Titan Beast Boy TP,
Young Justice #18 (Cover A John Timms), $3.99
Young Justice #18 (Cover B Derrick Chew Card Stock Variant), AR
DEVILS DUE
Arkworld #1 (Cover A Daniel Leister), $7.99
Arkworld #1 (Cover B Kristopher Harris), $9.99
Arkworld #1 (Cover C Jenevieve Broomall), $9.99
Arkworld #1 (Cover D Larry Watts), $9.99
DK PUBLISHING
Corpse Talk Ground-Breaking Scientists GN, $12.99
Corpse Talk Ground-Breaking Scientists HC, $19.99
Corpse Talk Ground-Breaking Women GN, $12.99
Corpse Talk Ground-Breaking Women HC, $19.99
Lego Batman Vs The Joker HC (With Mini Figure), $16.99
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT
Green Hornet #2 (Cover A Lee Weeks), $3.99
Green Hornet #2 (Cover B Anthony Marques), $3.99
Green Hornet #2 (Cover C Anthony Marques Black & White Variant), AR
Nancy Drew And The Hardy Boys The Death Of Nancy Drew #4 (Cover A Joe Eisma), $3.99
Nancy Drew And The Hardy Boys The Death Of Nancy Drew #4 (Cover B Joe Eisma Black & White Variant), $3.99
Red Sonja #19 (Cover A Jae Lee), $3.99
Red Sonja #19 (Cover B Joseph Michael Linsner), $3.99
Red Sonja #19 (Cover C Erica Henderson), $3.99
Red Sonja #19 (Cover D Alessandro Miracolo), $3.99
Vampirella #13 (Cover A Lucio Parillo), $3.99
Vampirella #13 (Cover A Lucio Parrillo)(CGC Graded Edition), AR
Vampirella #13 (Cover B Joe Jusko), $3.99
Vampirella #13 (Cover C Fay Dalton), $3.99
Vampirella #13 (Cover D Ergun Gunduz), $3.99
Vampirella #13 (Cover E Krista Lee Cosplay Variant), $3.99
Vampirella #13 (Cover F Roberto Castro Bonus Variant), AR
GEMSTONE PUBLISHING
Big Big Overstreet Price Guide Volume 50 SC, $49.50
Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide Volume 50 HC (Chris Evanhuis Wynonna Earp Cover), $37.50
Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide Volume 50 HC (John K. Snyder III Valiant Heroes Cover), $37.50
Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide Volume 50 HC (Todd McFarlane Spider-Man Spawn Cover), $37.50
Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide Volume 50 SC (Chris Evanhuis Wynonna Earp Cover), $29.95
Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide Volume 50 SC (John K. Snyder III Valiant Heroes Cover), $29.95
Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide Volume 50 SC (Todd McFarlane Spider-Man Spawn Cover), $29.95
GRAPHIX
Owly The Way Home (FCBD 2020 Edition), AR
IDW PUBLISHING
Be Gay Do Comics TP, $24.99
Canto And The Clockwork Fairies #1 (One Shot)(Drew Zucker 2nd Printing Variant Cover), $3.99
G.I. Joe A Real American Hero #274 (Cover A Robert Atkins), $3.99
G.I. Joe A Real American Hero #274 (Cover B Jamie Sullivan), $3.99
G.I. Joe A Real American Hero #274 (Cover C John Royle), AR
Godzilla Half-Century War HC, $29.99
Life In The Stupidverse TP, $19.99
My Little Pony Transformers #1 (Of 4)(Tony Fleecs 2nd Printing Variant Cover), $3.99
My Little Pony Transformers #2 (Of 4)(Cover A Tony Fleecs), $3.99
My Little Pony Transformers #2 (Of 4)(Cover B Casey W. Coller), AR
Sonic The Hedgehog #31 (Cover A Tracy Yardley), $3.99
Sonic The Hedgehog #31 (Cover B Jack Lawrence), $3.99
Sonic The Hedgehog #31 (Cover C Nathalie Fourdraine), AR
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Reborn Volume 1 From The Ashes TP, $19.99
Transformers '84 Secrets And Lies #3 (Of 4)(Cover A Guido Guidi, $3.99
Transformers '84 Secrets And Lies #3 (Of 4)(Cover B Casey W. Coller), $3.99
Transformers '84 Secrets And Lies #3 (Of 4)(Cover C Nick Roche), AR
Transformers Galaxies #9 (Cover A Umi Miyao), $3.99
Transformers Galaxies #9 (Cover B Sara Pitre-Durocher), $3.99
Transformers Galaxies #9 (Cover C Kei Zama), AR
Transformers Vs The Terminator #1 (Of 4)(Alex Milne 2nd Printing Variant Cover), $4.99
Usagi Yojimbo (FCBD 2020 Edition), AR
Usagi Yojimbo Color Classics #7 (Of 7)(Cover A Stan Sakai), $3.99
Wellington #5 (Of 5)(Cover A Piotr Kowalski), $3.99
Wellington #5 (Of 5)(Cover B Robert Hack), AR
IMAGE COMICS
Ascender #12, $3.99
Bitter Root #10 (Cover A Sanford Greene), $3.99
Bitter Root #10 (Cover B Francis Vallejo), $3.99
Coffin Bound #6, $3.99
Complete Witchblade Volume 1 HC, $49.99
Die #13 (Cover A Stephanie Hans), $3.99
Die #13 (Cover B Mike Del Mundo), $3.99
Fire Power By Kirkman And Samnee #3, $3.99
Hedra #1 (One Shot)(Jesse Lonergan 2nd Printing Variant Cover), $5.99
Ice Cream Man #20 (Martin Morazzo & Chris O'Halloran 2nd Printing Variant Cover), $3.99
Ice Cream Man Volume 5 Other Confections TP, $16.99
Inkblot #1, $3.99
Lost Soldiers #2 (Of 5), $3.99
Monstress #30, $3.99
Moonshine #20, $3.99
On The Stump #5 (Cover A Prenzy), $3.99
On The Stump #5 (Cover B Sanford Greene), $3.99
Pretty Violent #9, $3.99
Sea Of Stars #6, $3.99
Sex Criminals Sexual Gary Special #1 (Cover A Chip Zdarsky), $4.99
Sex Criminals Sexual Gary Special #1 (Cover B Katie Skelly XXX Variant), $5.69
INSIGHT COMICS
Mean Girls Senior Year (FCBD 2020 Edition), AR
KENZER AND COMPANY
Knights Of The Dinner Table #277, $5.99
KITCHEN TABLE MAGAZINE
Kitchen Table Magazine #3, $9.99
MAD CAVE STUDIOS
Stargazer #1 (Of 6), $3.99
MARRS MEDIA
Rue Morgue Magazine #196, $9.95
MARVEL COMICS
Amazing Spider-Man #850 By Ryan Ottley Poster, $8.99
Amazing Spider-Man By J. Michael Straczynski Omnibus Volume 2 HC (Joe Quesada Direct Market Cover), $125.00
Amazing Spider-Man By J. Michael Straczynski Omnibus Volume 2 HC (Mike Deodato Jr. Book Market Cover), $125.00
Amazing Spider-Man By J. Michael Straczynski Omnibus Volume 2 HC (Ron Garney Direct Market Cover), $125.00
Amazing Spider-Man By Nick Spencer Volume 8 Threats And Menaces TP, $17.99
Avengers Of The Wastelands #5 (Of 5)(Cover A Juan Jose Ryp), $3.99
Avengers Of The Wastelands #5 (Of 5)(Cover B Todd Nauck), AR
Black Cat Volume 2 On The Run TP, $15.99
Black Widow #1 (Cover A Adam Hughes), $3.99
Black Widow #1 (Cover C Gerald Parel), AR
Black Widow #1 (Cover D J. Scott Campbell), AR
Black Widow #1 (Cover E J. Scott Campbell Virgin Variant), AR
Black Widow #1 (Cover F J.G. Jones Hidden Gem Variant), AR
Black Widow #1 (Cover G NetEase Games Marvel Super War Variant), AR
Black Widow #1 (Cover H Kim Jacinto), $3.99
Black Widow #1 Poster, $8.99
Black Widow Strikes Omnibus HC (George Perez Direct Market Cover), $100.00
Black Widow Strikes Omnibus HC (John Tyler Christopher Book Market Cover), $100.00
Cable #4 (Cover A Phil Noto), $3.99
Captain Marvel #18 (Cory Smith 2nd Printing Variant Cover), $3.99
Captain Marvel #18 (Jorge Molina 2nd Printing Sketch Variant Cover), AR
Cloak And Dagger Omnibus Volume 1 HC (Rick Leonardi Book Market Cover), $125.00
Cloak And Dagger Omnibus Volume 1 HC (Rick Leonardi Spider-Man Direct Market Cover), $125.00
Daredevil Elektra Love And War Gallery Edition HC, $39.99
Empyre #6 (Of 6)(Cover A Jim Cheung), $5.99
Empyre #6 (Of 6)(Cover B Alexander Lozano Avenger Variant), AR
Empyre #6 (Of 6)(Cover C Michael Cho Fantastic Four Variant), AR
Empyre #6 (Of 6)(Cover D Mike McKone, AR
Empyre #6 (Of 6)(Cover E Mike Mignola Hidden Gem Variant), AR
Empyre #6 (Of 6)(Cover F Tony S. Daniel Kree Skrull Variant), AR
Empyre #6 (Of 6)(Cover G John Tyler Christopher Action Figure Variant), AR
Empyre #6 (Of 6)(Cover H TBD Secret Variant), AR
Fantastic Four #23 (Cover A Nick Bradshaw), $3.99
Fantastic Four #23 (Cover B Khoi Pham Empyre Variant), AR
Guardians Of The Galaxy #6 (Cover A Rafael Albuquerque), $3.99
Hawkeye Freefall #6, $3.99
Immortal Hulk Volume 7 Hulk Is Hulk TP, $15.99
Iron Man #1 By Alex Ross Poster, $8.99
Marvel Tales Captain Britain #1 (Cover A In-Hyuk Lee), $7.99
Marvel Tales Captain Britain #1 (Cover B In-Hyuk Lee Virgin Variant), AR
Marvel Zombies Resurrection #1 (Of 4)(Cover A In-Hyuk Lee), $5.99
Marvel Zombies Resurrection #1 (Of 4)(Cover B Logan Lubera), AR
Marvel Zombies Resurrection #1 (Of 4)(Cover C Peach Momoko), AR
Marvel Zombies Resurrection #1 (Of 4)(Cover D Rian Gonzales), AR
Marvel Zombies Resurrection #1 (Of 4)(Cover E Stephanie Hans), AR
Marvel Zombies Resurrection #1 (Of 4)(Cover F Greg Land), AR
Marvel Zombies Resurrection #1 (Of 4)(Cover G Patrick Zircher), AR
Marvel Zombies Resurrection #1 Poster, $8.99
Miles Morales Spider-Man #18 (Cover A Javi Garron), $3.99
Miles Morales Spider-Man #18 (Cover B Rahzzah Baby Morales Variant), AR
New Mutants #12, $3.99
Old Man Hawkeye The Complete Collection TP, $29.99
Ravencroft #4 (Of 5)(Cover A Kyle Hotz), $3.99
Ravencroft #4 (Of 5)(Cover B Ariel Olivetti), AR
Sword Master #10, $3.99
Tarot Avengers Defenders TP, $15.99
Thor #5 (Nic Klein 3rd Printing Variant Cover), $3.99
Tomb Of Dracula The Complete Collection Volume 4 TP, $44.99
True Believers X-Men Mister Sinister #1, $1.00
True Believers X-Men Nanny And Orphan Maker #1, $1.00
True Believers X-Men Wild Child #1, $1.00
Ultraman #1 By Alex Ross Poster, $8.99
Venom #27 (Juan Gedeon 2nd Printing Variant Cover), $3.99
Venom #27 (Ryan Stegman 2nd Printing Sketch Variant Cover), AR
Wolverine #2 (Adam Kubert 2nd Printing Variant Cover), $3.99
Wolverine #5 (Cover A Adam Kubert), $3.99
Wolverine #5 (Cover B Viktor Bogdanovic), AR
Wolverine #5 (Cover C Gurihiru Heroes At Home Variant), AR
Wolverine Omnibus Volume 1 HC (Frank Miller Book Market Cover)(New Printing), $100.00
Wolverine Omnibus Volume 1 HC (Steve McNiven Direct Market Cover)(New Printing), $100.00
X Of Swords By Mark Brooks Vinyl Poster, $34.99
MARVEL PRESS
Marvel Storybook Collection HC, $17.99
ONI PRESS
Backtrack #6, $3.99
Shadow Roads #10, $3.99
PANINI PUBLISHING
Doctor Who Magazine #550, $19.99
Doctor Who Magazine #551, $11.99
Doctor Who Magazine #552, $11.99
Doctor Who Magazine #553, $11.99
Doctor Who Magazine #554, $11.99
REBELLION / 2000AD
2000 AD July 2020 Prog Pack, $30.00
2000 AD June 2020 Prog Pack, $24.00
2000 AD March 2020 Prog Pack, $27.96
2000 AD May 2020 Prog Pack, $29.96
2000 AD Summer Sci-Fi Special 2020 TP, $14.99
Essential Judge Dredd America TP, $25.00
Judge Dredd Megazine #418, $13.00
Judge Dredd Megazine #419, $13.00
Judge Dredd Megazine #420, $13.00
Judge Dredd Megazine #421, $13.00
Judge Dredd Megazine #422, $13.00
Judge Dredd Megazine #423, $13.00
Judge Dredd Megazine #424, $15.99
STRANGER COMICS
Niobe She Is Death #4 (Cover A Sheldon Mitchell), $3.99
Niobe She Is Death #4 (Cover B Jae Lee), $3.99
Niobe She Is Death #4 (Cover C Jae Lee Virgin Variant), AR
TITAN COMICS
Autobiography Of Kathryn Janeway HC, $24.99
Doctor Who Time Lord Victorious #1 (Cover A Lee Binding), $5.99
Doctor Who Time Lord Victorious #1 (Cover B Priscilla Petraites), $5.99
Doctor Who Time Lord Victorious #1 (Cover C Andie Tong), $5.99
Doctor Who Time Lord Victorious #1 (Cover D Hendry Prasetya Dalek Metallic Ink Variant), $5.99
Doctor Who Time Lord Victorious #1 (Cover E Hendry Prasetya Dalek Blue Line Sketch Variant), $5.99
Horizon Zero Dawn #2 (Cover A Jung-Geun Yoon), $3.99
Horizon Zero Dawn #2 (Cover B Game Art Wraparound Variant), $3.99
Horizon Zero Dawn #2 (Cover C Loish), $3.99
Horizon Zero Dawn #2 (Cover D Stanley Artgerm Lau Black & White Virgin Variant), AR
Marvel Avengers The Extinction Key MMPB, $16.00
Marvels Avengers The Art Of Game HC, $39.95
Shades Of Magic The Steel Prince The Rebel Army TP, $16.99
TOKYOPOP
Bang Dream Girls Band Party Roselia Stage Volume 1 GN, $12.99
Dramacon 15th Anniversary Omnibus Edition GN, $24.99
UDON ENTERTAINMENT
Persona 4 Volume 12 GN, $13.99
VIZ MEDIA
Dr. Stone Volume 13 GN, $9.99
Dragon Ball Super Volume 10 GN, $9.99
ZENESCOPE ENTERTAINMENT
Belle Ghost And Goblins #1 (One Shot)(Cover A Igor Vitorino), $5.99
Belle Ghost And Goblins #1 (One Shot)(Cover B Sabine Rich), $5.99
Belle Ghost And Goblins #1 (One Shot)(Cover C Josh Burns), $5.99
Conspiracy The Black Knights Satellite #1 (One Shot)(Cover A Leonardo Colapietro), $4.99
Conspiracy The Black Knights Satellite #1 (One Shot)(Cover B Igor Vitorino), $4.9999
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P.A.T.C.H. #06: "Life After the Big Bang"
There’s a common rule of thumb when it comes to comics: you can jump in when you see a new #1 on the cover. If not, be wary –you’re not gonna get it, you’ve skipped episodes, you’re missing out. Well, you know what? Nuts to that! We here at P.A.T.C.H. like to stick it to common sense and provide a halfway decent explanation for it! So here we are, presenting a story from possibly the most popular “Transformers” comics title ever that is not a number 1 and provides a satisfying, complete story with connections to more! Enjoy!
...
No, seriously, did it take us that long to talk MTMTE?!
“LIFE AFTER THE BIG BANG”
“The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye” #4-5 (2012)/ “Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye” Volume 2
Written by James Roberts, pencils by Alex Milne, colors by Josh Burcham, letters by Shawn Lee
The amazing sogn for this wondrous edition of P.A.T.C.H.:
https://youtu.be/tvqlt7OWTOk
https://open.spotify.com/track/4p82pfEa4cayPqXLN6Rhzm
SO WHAT’S IT ABOUT? After receiving a cryptic, worrisome message, Autobot medic Ratchet, turncoat Autobot Drift and bad luck magnet Pipes land on the medical outpost of Delphi on the planet Messatine to investigate. Faced with a motley crew of doctors and patients and a deadly epidemic, our heroes have to rush both against unexpected enemies and their own worsening health... Oh, and Tailgate and Red Alert aren’t doing so hot on the ship, either.
WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW? The opening blurbs mostly fill you in on everything: the recent end of the Autobot-Decepticon War, the proposal to search for the fabled Knights of Cybertron (“Death of Optimus Prime” one-shot), the open invitation by captain Rodimus into the starship “Lost Light” and its disastrous launch (“More Than Meets the Eye” #1). Other than that, the rest are character threads picked up from previous issues of the series and can be ignored for now, to focus on the stand-alone nature of the thing. Still, let’s go over some major ones.
In terms of pre-existing character development, the most pressing issue would be Drift’s dramatic arc(s). Although he first appeared in “All Hail Megatron” #5, he already had a pretty long history behind him, mostly outlined in the first “Drift” mini-series. In those four issues (written by Shane McCarthy, penciled by Alex Milne, colored by Josh Perez and lettered by Chris Mowry), it was revealed that Drift started out as destitute and homeless before the War, and so the Decepticon vision of equality appealed to him greatly. (Not to mention giving him an outlet for his pent-up rage.) He was renamed “Deadlock” and garnered a reputation of cruelty and efficiency. That is, until a disobedience episode, an escape attempt and a brief stint with the Circle of Light, a group of pacifist warrior-scholars, changed that.
Following that, he bumped into the Wreckers (“Spotlight: Drift”, written by Shane McCarthy, penciled by Casey Coller, colored by Joana Lafuente and lettered by Chris Mowry) and started associating with the Autobots, with whom he stayed for the next few years, up to the second confrontation with the Dead Universe forces (“Chaos”, written by Mike Costa and James Roberts, with art by Livio Ramondelli and letters by Chris Mowry, which we’ve briefly talked about here). One near-death experience later, he emerged as a cheerful spiritualist, much to one famous medic’s annoyance. Just this once, Ratchet’s wrong –this latest rendition of the character is one of his most popular ones, and even if you’re not interested in his pre-history, you can go by what is said about him easily.
Though Tailgate is (rather famously) one of the breakout stars of the series, it’s not he who has the more extensive history, but his roomie Cyclonus. An ancient warrior and comrade of deranged megalomaniac Nem-, excuse me, completely stable individual Nova Prime’s, he was an undead creature under the sway of the Dead Universe for a long time (“Revelation”, written by Simon Furman and drawn by various artists). He later joined fellow Golden Age survivor Galvatron and his reformed army against Cybertron (“Chaos” and “Heart of Darkness”... I think so, at least). Following the betrayal of his commander for the love of his home planet, he joined the “Lost Light” after a misunderstanding (and beating up Whirl, but that’s perfectly normal). He’s been warned at least one on his violent tendencies by Rodimus and has expressed his doubts over the entire War; can he really make a fresh start with these people?
Finally, and although that could be considered a bit of a spoiler, certain details –locations, characters, even phrases– first appeared or were mentioned in “Last Stand of the Wreckers”, and specifically its trade paperback editions. Click here to get there immediately and (hopefully) get a few good reasons to check out the book yourselves!
WHERE DO I GO FROM THERE? To all of “More Than Meets the Eye”, obviously! These two issues, apart from being stand-alone, plant the seeds for so much more down the road, it’s dizzying! Keep up with the series, where all the characters mentioned here receive further development, and when you’re done, be sure to jump in on “Lost Light”, its continuation. If, however, you want to go to specific arcs from the first season of the series based on individual elements (most by the same team as this issue), I’d suggest “Shadowplay” (issues #7-9 or Volume 3) for Ratchet’s past with Drift (and Red Alert’s troubles), “Remain in Light” (#17-21 or Volume 5) for the comeback of Ratchet’s antagonist, “Before and After” and “Cybertronian Homesick Blues” (#12 and #13, both in Volume 4) for Cyclonus and Tailgate’s continuing development and “Under Cold Blue Stars” (issue #15 or Volume 4) for Pipes’ shining moment. Reader discretion is advised: at least one of these stories is known to cause intense pain in the feels. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
Finally, make sure to pick up the dual 2012 Annuals for “More Than Meets The Eye” and “Robots in Disguise” (both contained in Volume 3 of their respective trade collections). Both are split in two. One half of their stories are the adventures of the present cast interacting with a Titan, a huge Transformer from the distant past. The other half, drawn by artist Guido Guidi (who also colors his work) in the style of the old Marvel “Transformers” series (as well as various “cosmic”, high sci-fi titles of the publisher), provides added world-building and backstory for the entire universe. While seemingly unrelated, the origin stories explain a few holes in the pasts of key characters (Cyclonus was young once?! And he knew Dai Atlas, too?!) and become vital later on, especially in the finale of “Lost Light”.
IS IT ANY GOOD? It was a satisfying mystery that showcased how unique this world and its characters are. It featured the evolution of a true master artist. It introduced about a trillion things in 44 pages. It provided us with proof that Ratchet is, and shall forever be, one of the greatest things we have ever produced in this miserable world.
WAIT, WHY DIDN’T YOU SAY ANYTHING ABOUT DRIFT?! Oh yeah, he’s there, too! Did I forget that? Never mind, song, playlist, go!
AND YOU THINK YOU'VE FIGURED OUT EVERYTHING | PLOT AND DIALOGUE While the format of this story isn’t unfamiliar, even for this feature (this is our third mystery, after “Windblade” and “Punishment”), what separates this one is how dense it is. Within the first three pages of the story, we’re introduced to three characters, one location and an impending threat, all unrelated to the main cast so far. Various techniques –unreliable journal narration, dialogue insertion, two-page spread– are mixed to give everyone as much character as possible and make everyone suspect for what’s going on. And the onslaught of detail doesn’t stop there. This is the kind of story that would’ve been impossible with any other type of property, even a sci-fi one: the very idea of transformation is integral to how it works. Alt-mode details, in-universe cultural views, even having the ability to change shape are used both as world-building and clues for the mystery.
This is the kind of story that makes the casual, vaguely interested reader into a devotee and forces them to go back and reread it to get all the foreshadowing. This applies to the dialogue, too. Roberts’ language, which we’ve seen before here, has been praised as snappy and quotable (Ratchet and Drift here, full stop), but it also shows a deep appreciation for all “Transformers” lore. The famous joke on the best names being taken, for example? Done at the expense of an obscure character from a previous generation reusing the name “Prowl”. If there’s one downside to all that, it’s that some scene transitions can be a little clumsy (Red Alert’s scenes, though important for later, come a bit out of left field), but it’s a small price to pay for the excellence on display.
Hark! What is that I see? A vessel is leaving the port! The sirens of the “S. S. Dratchet” are blaring! All aboard!
FEELING SPACED BREATHING OUT LISTERINE | ART And speaking of excellence, the team of Alex Milne and Josh Burcham are on fire here. The amount of detail, fluidity and expressiveness on all pre-existing characters is incredible, but the new designs are a triumph on their own. Most will be distracted by Pharma (I know I was!), but it’s Ambulon’s story-important form that’s the real star here. In general, however, there’s incredible synergy between the art and the story. Background details (First Aid’s badge collection) and actions (again, First Aid’s fiddling in the second issue) are as important as anything else to solve the mystery, so make sure you read slowly and pay attention. In general, Milne’s able to pack an incredible amount of information into very tight pages. The best example is probably Drift attacking another character and transforming in a single, enlarged panel and a few mini, inserted ones.
Lastly, the backgrounds need to be highlighted. The arrival to the outpost and the climax excluded, all scenes are set indoors, but the art doesn’t feel constrained by them. Instead, it has two different approaches to interior spaces. Everything in Delphi looks used, dented, past its prime –even the very walls feel grimy. This makes it the polar opposite to the brightly lit, spacey rooms of the “Lost Light”, full of inviting light blues and pinks (the violent outburst in Cyclonus’ room is the exception). Burcham’s richly textured work favors faded browns, sickly greens and rusted reds –the liquid of the mysterious disease looks eerily much like blood. Two flashback-montage sequences (Tailgate’s narration and the final explanation for the outbreak of the epidemic) are much freer in panel construction and dreamier in color pallet, but are once again tight and informative. Add to this some splashes of robo-gore and the unobtrusive lettering (Pharma’s silent speech bubble and use of a laser scalpel is another small miracle) and this is an artistic five-course meal.
Pssst. Nobody tell Pipes “corpse-pile” isn’t an actual game. Let him figure it out on his own.
YOU'D KILLED THE BETTER PART OF ME | CHARACTERS AND THEMES But, if you’ll let me get personal for a moment, despite all the above gushing, my favorite element in this story is still its protagonist. Ratchet’s arc in IDW has been one defined by his old age, not a unique element in the franchise –same goes for his “Animated” and “Prime” incarnations, after all. Where this medic separates himself, however, is how he’s tied to the larger themes of reconstruction and moral grayness. The characters of this universe are no strangers to morally questionable actions –we have already seen one such early demonstration from the Autobots on this feature–, but the culprit behind the Delphi disease really takes the cake. He claims all sorts of survivalist justifications for his criminal actions, but the one that rubs the worst are his similarities to Ratchet –he calls attention to them to buy time and out of a need to show off, in traditional “baddie” fashion. And that hurts.
After all the effort to end the war, there’s still rot, (literal and figurative) disease and evil. How long can anyone hold onto their ideals in such a world? Won’t these ideals be corrupted, sooner or later? Why not just copy the bad guy’s tactics? If such violence is justified, why not snap and kill the bastard already? Why remain selfless and sacrificial –isn’t it tiring? The villain’s charm and Ratchet’s moral dilemma play off of each other wonderfully through Roberts’ snarky dialogue, and the final stinger remains uncomfortable. In the b-plot, this theme is further emphasized with Tailgate and Cyclonus’ scenes, where the senior bot berates the younger one on choosing a faction knowing little of their world. The younger characters introduced do offer another view –that there can be hope for the future-, so there really is no final closure offered. Instead, I wish to end this paragraph with the words of another great author: “Life persists”.
Even beaten down, rusting from the inside out and minutes before death, Ratchet is still cooler and more presentable than all of us at our best.
BUT I CAN'T STILL FOCUS ON ANYTHING | FINAL THOUGHTS While reading this story again for this feature, I had flashes of my first time reading it a few years back. At that point, I hadn’t been completely sold on “Transformers”, but processing the facts and the details and the character beats here, I started seeing that there was something great about them. “More Than Meets the Eye” is a special book, the perfect gateway to a rich, complex, beautiful universe and introduced me to one of my faves. This wasn’t the story that blew me away (that might come up later), but it definitely was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
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