Comic Review: Transformers: Autocracy

[Paulbot]

(Please post comments or even a fully comprehensive review - these are just brief details)

Comic review - Transformers Autocracy
Creators - Flint Dille, Chris Metzen (writers), Livio Ramondelli (artist)
Publisher - IDW
Retail Price - AU$1 (US$0.99) per issue (online only)
Page count per issue - 8 pages
Series length - 12 issues (limited series)
Released - January 2012 - April 2012
Collected edition - TBD

[Paulbot]

Clicked up the first issue of Autocracy today.

The story is set pre-war, when the Decepticons are a growing terrorist group, and the Autobots are a police force. This chapter, soon after the rebuilding of Orion Pax into his Optimus look, deals with him leading a strike force on an illegal weapons deal.

It's a much more violent Orion Pax than I was expecting. In the last story chronologically he was angry with the ruling system, but here that anger is coming out in his actions towards his Decepticon prisoner. It's hard to be on his side so far.

Although it's only eight pages it feels like a complete chapter (not just a third of a comic book). Overall though I still get the impression it will read better as a whole.

The art by Livio Ramondelli looks great. It's a bit brighter than in Chaos, more varied in colour, but does loose some impact reading on a phone. On a tablet or on screen would be better. The Cybertronian mode designs look good and familiar.

One thing that did bug me was the (G1 cartoon-focus) choice of cast, possibly coming so soon after the (G1-wide) selection of characters for the MTMTE ongoing. Ironhide, Prowl, Hound? Yes I can see them being part of the police forces pre-war, even working with a young Optimus and then continuing into the armed forces. Silverbolt and Bumblebee though?

To me Bumblebee is a character who joins the Autobot army after war has begun because he is brave enough to want to do his part and because he idolises fighting heroes. He's not just a regular officer.

And if Silverbolt has an aerial mode 5 million years ago and is still afraid of heights today? You had 5 million years to get a new alt mode! I prefer him as a 'younger' bot appointed to a new team of aerial warriors.

[Doubledealer]

Short but sweet is how I'd describe the first issue of Autocracy. I too enjoyed the artwork, some cells work better than others but overall it looks really nice. The lighting in particular is aces!

Story-wise it's done a great job of setting the scene, I'm definitely interested to see how things develop from here. I also like the fact that Orion Pax is a bit of a brute. I'm seeing a side of this character I've not seen before which is refreshing to say the least. Good stuff!

[Cat]

This surprised the heck out of me.

I was expecting it to be pretty poor, but I really enjoyed it.

I disliked Livio's art in Chaos, finding it to be too murky and the colouring felt like it was used in parts to hide some poor underdrawing. Autocracy was very clear, a huge step forward IMO, and everything looked fine to me.

Metzen writing had me wary - I used to play WOW. But his material worked fine for me. I didn't like Pax's 'RAARGH' moment, but it's at least explainable considering what he'd just been through.

Can't wait for the next part.

[Sky Shadow]

Issue two is stronger than #1 - it gave me as reader a far better context as to where to mentally place the events of the story, allowing me to just sit back and enjoy the issue. (In issue one I wasn't sure if I was reading something that was supposed to be in aligned continuity, old school IDW or even if Flint Dille was trying to write in the G1 cartoon universe again. Now I'm pretty sure that this is meant to fit in with other IDW comics [although there are minor contradictions]). I do have issues with Raimonelli's art, which always looks like it's being viewed through fog - I'm sure there's some fantastic art there - it would just be nice to feel like I can actually see it without getting a new prescription for my glasses, and there's a crazily dyslexic reference to "Jihauxus". Still I like this title - and it does literally have a witty title - Zeta Prime is a truly "monster"ous evil autocrat whose weapons of choice to police the state are ones that drain robots (and cities) of energy and then release it with destructive force - "a perfect circuit of death." The leader of the Autobots is basically Hitler, and it is going to require an insurrection from the Decepticons to get rid of him. Orion Pax, Bumblebee and Ironhide are on the side of the 'bad guys' and they're going to bring in Soundwave "dead or alive". This is probably leading up to Megatron killing Zeta Prime (even though we haven't actually seen Megs yet) and I'm wondering if Orion will try to stop him or join him. I really enjoyed these eight pages - possibly even more than Robots In Disguise #1 (which was great.) Which means I can now enjoy a Transformers comic every week - something I haven't been able to do in about twenty years.

[Cat]

I thought part 2 was terrible.

Also, if you're reading it via Iphone, Comixology screwed up, and they omit a line of Starscreams dialogue. You need to go to full page view to read it.

[Paulbot]

Zeta Prime is portrayed as too extreme in his measures. The heavy armor doesn't help. The supergun is rather silly altogether too. It's all a bit too over the top.

I like Decepticon 'terror' cells being supported by local citizens. It's seems an acceptable response when your ruling class is led by someone like Zeta Prime and the police/armed forces (like Orion Pax and Whirl) are using extreme force on their prisoners. The Decepticons seem the side to root for. Surely the writers actually don't want us to be for Zeta Prime's plan?

I need to refresh myself on pre-war IDW history, but I get the feeling that however 'history' has recounted it in the past, it may have been a commonly beleive lie, and in fact we may learn that Orion Pax is the killer of Zeta Prime.

Also, if you're reading it via Iphone, Comixology screwed up, and they omit a line of Starscreams dialogue. You need to go to full page view to read it.

I guess that missing line is what Zeta Prime says "What was that?" to. I did back and forth the panels a few times there trying to figure out his response.

Skyshadow, I'm not sure why the relation to the other IDW stories was in doubt? It's been marketed as "an IDW-universe story" throughout all the articles.

[i_amtrunks]

Not a fan of the Zetaj design and the artwork has a nice feel to it, but I enjoyed it far more when it was used on a grand scale like in the chaos issues, rather than these indoor political scenes.

Zeta is too over the top cartoon villain for me in this issue, and I found myself
losing interest the more time he waffled on, even with the quasi references to other tf lore. I preferred the lazy, self important WfC version in both character and design. Hopefully we see limited Zeta from here on in. And hopefully it doesnt devolve into a "Soundwave leads Prime to Megatron, they chat and Orion starts the transition to his Prime self." That would be dull.

[Sky Shadow]

Skyshadow, I'm not sure why the relation to the other IDW stories was in doubt? It's been marketed as "an IDW-universe story" throughout all the articles.

I haven't actually read anything about Autocracy - just the comic itself. Mainly the cartoon cast and 'Optimus' being called Orion Pax on page two just made me think that maybe Flint Dille was writing a new G1 cartoon prequel.

Even knowing this is in the IDW universe, it's still hard to process. Like... Zeta Prime implies that his immediate predecessor was Nominus Prime, which doesn't make much sense in IDW continuity, plus both these characters are technically retcons (in Spotlight: Optimus Prime the line of succession didn't include them). Prior to this, in Megatron: Origin, Starscream murdered an entire council and now he's serving as a delegate and no one is suspicious that he might just be a Decepticon (and if Autocracy is set after Spotlight: Blurr, it makes even less sense). There's the aforementioned spelling of "Jihauxus" that's inconsistent with IDW's other stories. And everyone's character models are completely different to how they were at similar times in the past in IDW comics.

Still - I like this series.

[Paulbot]

Hmm. Sounds like some problems with editing. I am surprised at IDW. I wonder how many more former Primes they will come up with in the next few years.

I dislike Megatron Origin enough to consider it "Decepticon propaganda" that may have stretched some truths. Yes. That should cover some of those inconsistencies. (Actually depending how this series turns out the same might be said for this one.)