Hi there fellow Ozformers!

I was priviliged recently to be asked by Transformers writer and IDW staffer Chris Mowry to write a review for The Reign of Starscream #1 along with a few others. You can check out all the reviews at this link, but i'll post mine below.

http://idwpublishing.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3841

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The Reign of Starscream #1 REVIEW
By Luke Barnett

Issue 1 of “The Reign of Starscream” immediately sets itself apart from any other Transformers comic. Whilst it’s the third series from IDW set in the movie universe, Chris Mowry and co-writer EIC Chris Ryall have truly set the characters in this universe apart from their cartoon and comic counterparts.
The series has evolved from a plot set to be called “The Search For Starscream”, to take on a new and more intense focus. We are introduced to Starscream as the Allspark is launched by Optimus Prime off Cybertron techno-soil into space. His point of view captures the Decepticon captain well, keeping the whine out of his voice and imparting a commanding nobility into the character not seen in previous iterations.
Through his point of view we see the Decepticons, under his tenuous command, setting off to follow Megatron and the Autobots that are on his tale, and eventually their landfall on Earth. The art is captivatingly crafted by pro-Transformer artist Alex Milne and colourist Josh Perez, who infuse both the detail of the movie designs and the fluid, active visuals that enthralled fans in 2007.
This Cybertron echoes the dark wasteland seen briefly on screens, and while they battle with the intricate designs, clever positioning and portrait panels further impart this “other” universe to the reader. The edgy and somewhat cramped Cybertron eventually is replaced by the more spacious surrounds of Earth itself, and it’s here that we see Starscream in all his glory. Some sneaky looks at additional scenes from the movie (whatever happened to Barricade you might ask?) are dealt with here by writer and artist in a crisp fashion, and then taken to the next step after Megatron is defeated and Starscream is left to ponder his next move.
To put it simply, Starscream isn’t going to leave anything to chance.
As an Autobot through and through, I was simply hoping that this series might capture some of the grandeur of the movie as well as the creativity that IDW has infused into so many of its Transformer projects. With #1, we better be ready for a new and more consummate (“Lord”) Starscream to take the mantle from his G1 roots.