Transformers Spotlight Mirage Review

Could one of the mods delete this post? I had trouble editting as the site refused to let me edit Normally is okay

Transformers Spotlight: Mirage

By George Strayton & Guido Guidi


Plot: As one can safely assume, this is a tale of where Mirage loyalties ultimately lie. It should be noted that its vague as to whether this lies within continuity. I could be wrong but I believe it was posted somewhere that this was not incontinuity. Either way, it doesn’t matter b/c ultimately

Cover: Unusual as it is. We only have 1 cover to choose from. Having seen the pencils and inked versions I must say I think the colouring let this book down. There isn’t that dynamism that there was in the online B & W version of the cover. The desert-like colours is where the cover goes wrong. It makes the cover look drab and dreary rather than sleek, introverted and fast.

Other than that, it really is nice w/ the headshot in the background and the traditional race car mode in the foreground and then Mirage in robot mode in the middle ground.


Art: Stellar. Breathtaking. G1. If you think of the G1 cartoon, you generally think it’s a bit too block and lacking in detail. That’s where artists like Don , Musso, Su, Milne have really starred. Guido’s style is clean and simplistic but it elevates the G1 style to viable form. I think. He needs more work. Pronto.

Characters: Mirage, Megatron, Soundwave, Astrotrain, Blitzwing, Starscream, Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Hound, Ratchet, Jetfire

Issue Review:

I’m surprised more hasn’t been said of this. I’m reviewing it a few weeks late and expected some comments on it by now. Guess it didn’t generate much interest.

The first thing one notices upon reading through is the lack of reference to the larger IDW universe that have been a pervasive feature of previous Spotlights. Is this jarring? No. I don’t mind done-in-one stories. I like them actually. There aren’t enough of them. They give characters a chance to shine in a fandom dominated by a curious contradiction. On the one hand there is that unquenchable thirst for fan favourites. Yet there is a contradictory countervailing desire for lesser known characters to shine. When the former happens, the latter is the complaint. When the latter occurs, fandom latches onto the former demanding more stories focused on core characters, core concepts.

What in my opinion it all boils down to is that if you’re going to do a lesser character, make sure you do it right. Otherwise, the fickle fandom that we are, you’re in for a slagging.

This is one such case. Mirage isn’t one of the fan favourites. It’s his turn under the sun. Unfortunately, the story is doesn’t live up to that. The concept of time in this issue is especially jarring. And that’s due in large part to the structure of the story. It’s based on a dream and trying to lure the audience out of their comfort zone, to question reality and illusion. It doesn’t work. It’s rather messy, thin and meaningless.

When I say meaningless, I don’t mean in a broad universe sense. I mean in with reference to the character. For the illusion to have been meaningful we needed some backstory, some explanation of why Mirage is questioning his own loyalties and motivations. In all of its immediacy, the title quickly forgets that there must be a backdrop against which the character is propelled forward. It is that backdrop that gives their actions, their choices, their illusions significance. Instead we are thrust into a one-paced story and it’s over before we know it

I’d say Hound probably gets more development here than Mirage. And that’s sad if you compare panel time each receives and the name on the front of the Spotlight. The deficiency goes a long way to explaining the weakness of the story.

Single issues or wait for the trade?

Wait for the trade. Nothing especially desirable here unless you want the gorgeous but poorly coloured cover.

Overall: 4/10
Great art. Little story. It really is unfulfilling. Its rating is only saved by the immaculate art. It is G1 in all it’s glory. That’s the only saving grace here so don’t expect much.

It is an overquick read, you flip through the 32 pages in a matter of 2 minutes or so. It's almost like an extended Mosaic piece.

Art is nice inside, but the colours are jarring, and the whole "dream" quality wash over dilutes what could have otherwise been some very nice looking pages.

Storywise... I dont know, I just don't. It's nice and all for a one-off that has no real ties to the main Furmanverse, but Kup was far superior in every which way. It's not confusing or anything, but by the end of it, I was really "meh" about it, which is a shame because I was looking forward to the book since I saw the cover earlier this year.

The biggest gripe I have about it though, was the overuse of a metal rod as a killing device. :p

I just got this today, there hasn't been enough out in the last few weeks to warrant a trip to the comic store.

I didn't mind the colours, nicer to have bright colours instead of murkiness, and it gave it a feel that matched what was really happening. I do agree that the story was just too quick a read and comparing it to an extended Mosaic is quite accurate.

I liked it - the story explored Mirage's inner demons, which is something that Mirage as a character always had. According to Mirage's G1 comics he cannot be fully trusted, which means that he has some kind of moral dilemma, but it was something that G1 writers never exploited. Ditto Thundercracker - which also sucks. Both are potentially very interesting characters who have a history of being underdeveloped in TF canon. So I liked how this story did delve into that dark element of Mirage's psyche.

And once again, Guido Guidi has done a great job as an artist - as he always has. I've always enjoyed his art. :) On the 3rd page where you see Opitmus Prime pointing forward, notice that kind of awkward way that Prime's pointing forward? That was often the way that G1 US artist José Delbo made Transformers point! A really nice and subtle visual easter egg! :D

Also a nice touch was how Jetfire was drawn to look like his traditional G1 comic and cartoon (Skyfire) form, which also tips the reader off that this is a dream world (since in the real IDW universe Jetfire looks like Classics Jetfire).

I also like how it is a self-contained story, which is a nice break from all the others which tie into the overall larger IDW universe. This one could tie in too, but it doesn't seem as "essential" as the others.

spoiler warning


2nd spoiler warning






last spoiler warning



i think they should make a transformer called "Housefire"

i flicked through the pages of this spotlight, is it meant to be a dream?

yes.

This didn't really taek my fancy, although I did like the Zodiac energy reference. As for the bumblebee hologram, isn't Mirage just able to become invisible? Yes, I know it was a dream episode, but even so...

According to Mirage's original tech specs his "electro-disrupter can cast illusions altering his physical placement and appearance for up to 6 minutes". The cartoon always portrayed this as invisibility but some other material, such as the colouring books, allowed Mirage to project a "mirage" like he did in the spotlight.

Paulbot is absolutely correct. :) In the cartoon Hound often stole this ability from Mirage - according to Hound's tech specs he's only meant to be able to project holographic 3 dimensional topograhic maps like Artoo Detoo in Phantom Menace when the Naboo-Gungan Alliance were planning the assault on Theed.

"Hologram gun projects 3-dimensional grid laser-light topographical maps"