Grimlock ♥ Ultra Magnus

This world is only becoming more rich: using the past issues, the history set within this continuity, and mining it for, well, everything.   Humor, lessons on life, war, peace, as character studies, as studies of the political world which is similar to ours without being quite the same.  Not only that, by adding one of the writers from Transformers Prime, they've borrowed from Aligned.   (Aligned borrowed heavily from IDW, so it seems only apropos that it goes the other way around.   The writer has spoken about wanting to explore the Breakdown/Knock Out relationship that wasn't quite there.   It was, but much like with Batman Animated, and Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy, it wasn't stated outright.   In this continuity, Knock Out has a Conjunx Endura - a husband so to speak - who looks remarkably like Breakdown.   It isn't Breakdown because they already used his name in IDW, but the writer has confirmed that he is Breakdown from Prime, and that she will use IDW to explore a relationship that was cut short with Breakdown's death in Prime.   Also, with the fact that the show was only three seasons long.)

It's not just fan service, although I suppose there is an element of that when looking at this aspect.   It's more like Buffy the movie versus Buffy the TV show: Whedon wanted to make the TV show originally, but the movie studio butchered his concept.   When he finally had the clout, he remade the concept into what he'd originally envisioned.    The writers wanted to do things, couldn't because of reasons - character death, the show ending - and they're taking those aspects to another continuity.   They did so in a way that's logical given how the world was already set up, and yes, it pleases the fans, but they're doing it for themselves, and for the story they wanted to tell. 

So far, there hasn't been much of this pairing, but there is a lot of Knock Out in this issue. And may I say, again, how much I love Knock Out from Prime?   Love, love, love.   I'm glad to see him getting a little bit more time here. 

I'm also a huge fan of Prime, and IDW, and for very similar reasons.   They were both the best in their own medium and to see them meshing so nicely is just a pleasure.    As for this issue itself, the machinations Starscream set in motion continue, although he's outsmarted by Windblade, leading to Ironhide leading security.  Not quite what Starscream had in mind! 

Still, it's a pleasure to watch this battle of wills.   People might not like Starscream all that much - when they get to know him - but he was clever enough to be voted ruler on Cybqrton, and he's clever enough to go toe-to-toe with Windblade.   Windblade is learning to cope with his scheming; she wasn't up to the task of going up against him because she was a bit naive, but she's got a quick learning curve, and is able to one up in this very issue.   

And what happened to Swindle?   Where is he - or his body?   No one knows. 

There is a large amount of distrust for the police, who seem to be more than willing to be brutal with the Decepticons, or to cover up crimes committed against them, especially if the Badgeless - the security force/police - are committing those crimes.   Given the awful news about the police deaths and the peaceful protest in Dallas, I can't help but think this is timely.   (And just to clarify: I do think that its awful when any security force/authority figures get away with brutality because of their positions.  I also think any loss of life is awful.)   There was also something horrifying, when going over this issue in my own mind, in seeing the people yelling that they weren't being listened to or protected as they should be. 

This hit pretty damn close to home, and is another reason I admire the IDW continuity so much.   Even though there was no way to anticipate that this would come out a week or so before that horrible affair in Dallas, the issues of potential police brutally, Black Lives Matter, and needless deaths where many see authority figures getting away with said brutality has been in the news and in the country's consciousness for a while.   Long enough that I could easily see IDW saying no to this story, or a couple scenes in particular.   They could have said no to gay marriage, and they didn't.  They didn't put up a fight, although the author suspected he would have a fight on his hands.   (IDW and Hasbro were both in support of the gay marriage in Transformers; they approved, gave blessings, may have thrown parties about this.   Basically, they've been really good about taking chances.)

If I would point to one issue to say 'see, real life issues that are current, controversial, and show that IDW is fearless about this,' I would pick this.   (At least in the Transformers universe.)    I cannot wait for issue three now.  Although I'm a little spooked out by how soon after this issue Dallas happened.   So I'm kinda like, 'should I really be that excited now?'