Grimlock ♥ Ultra Magnus

My main problem with this is how bloated it is: words, words, words everywhere!   Which I have no problem with as a writer when all those words are necessary; they are not here.   The message feels heavy handed, partly because there's so much here, and it's all so directly, so obviously, said.    The message is all.   

If I'm being honest, the same could be said of the Champions.   There's a definite message there, and it's just as good and important as what's being said here.   The difference is that The Champions does so with grace, without hitting us over the head with the message constantly: it says what it needs to say, it does so with grace and compassion, and then it leaves the rest be.   

This reminds us with every single sentence, bringing a desperation that's lacking from The Champions.   And maybe that's why I was so irritated: this was so desperate to make me so just how cartoony-evil the bad guys were, that it didn't really stop for anything else.   I got it, thanks!   When you make things so obvious, so black and white, so omnipresent, the message gets lost because I start to feel like someone is treating me like I'm stupid. 

That could be it, too.   

I am interested in these characters, but I've read them better done than here.  I'm interested in seeing stories with these characters - but I have zero interest in reading more of this mini-series, or to be Frank, anything else written by Mantlo. 

The art was good, but not as exquisite as some I've seen in comics.   The art basically didn't help or harm the star rating.