Grimlock ♥ Ultra Magnus

So this is a disclaimer: I have not read volume one, I have not read the volumes leading up to this (Regenration), nor do I plan on doing so.   I bought this because of the sexiness on the cover, and I’ve skimmed volume one.   It doesn’t seem to have much Dinobots, and far too many humans in it for me.   Well, that’s my best guess.  Despite having the same author and artist, I just couldn’t get into what I read of that particular collection. 

This, however?   This is, like, all Dinobots.   Mmmm.    Not only that, they play a pivotal role.  Of course, I got to the end, and went, ‘NOOOO!’   Because apparently Furman got together with Roberts and they were like, ‘how can we fuck with the fans emotions now?’   And while I bitch about this, I also love it; what greater proof of my investment in the world can there be than the fact that I care about what happens to the characters?   And while I normally hate cliffhangers, this is not the final chapter in this series.   I was initially upset to see that there wasn’t a volume three coming out at any point in the near future, but this is the nature of comics.   There tend to be arcs, or miniseries, and I expect things to be relatively solved by the end of those arcs or miniseries.   I’m okay with a massive cliffhanger like the one in this book because of the medium - monthly, and often times there can be these cliffhangers month after month until the arc is resolved.   Even then, there are usually some questions left unanswered to be solved in the future. 

Because of the serial nature of the comics, I’m okay with this.   And I’m not usually happy with serials, but seeing as comics are monthly or bi-monthly, again, I’m okay with it.   I don’t know why I’m okay with these two things in comics. and not in other genres.   Maybe it’s because that’s just the way they’ve been presented since, y’know, ever.   Maybe it’s because they do so many media tie-ins, like this, as well as X-Men and other Marvel heroes I adore.   (I read mostly Marvel and Transforemrs comics.   Trufax.)

I don’t know.   But I’m okay with it.   

Anyway, in this volume, the Dinobots are, quite frankly, fucked.  The nucleon in their bodies are making them go primal and insane.   Grimlock makes a deal with Scorponok to get the Dinobots new bodies.   All Grimlock needs to do is betray the Autobots and help make a world full of Decepticons.   

This is actually quite fascinating: watching the Autobots turn on each other, watching the Dinobots turn on each other and then realizing that Furman knows how to play everyone.   The ending, while incredibly frustrating, is totally worth that effort and frustration.   

The reason this is four stars and not five is that as much as I love Furman, I've found that Barber and Roberts are just slightly funnier, keep the characters just that much more in character, and have plot twists that are just that much twistier.   Furman's good, but he's not quite as good as the other two gentlemen I mentioned.   And Furman did indeed used to be my favorite Transformers scribe, so I was very hesitant with Barber and Roberts, figuring they wouldn't live up to the standards I had with Furman.   So take that for what it's worth, but I am certainly not a Furman hater.   

So this is a disclaimer: I have not read volume one, I have not read the volumes leading up to this (Regenration), nor do I plan on doing so.   I bought this because of the sexiness on the cover, and I’ve skimmed volume one.   It doesn’t seem to have much Dinobots, and far too many humans in it for me.   Well, that’s my best guess.  Despite having the same author and artist, I just couldn’t get into what I read of that particular collection. 

This, however?   This is, like, all Dinobots.   Mmmm.    Not only that, they play a pivotal role.  Of course, I got to the end, and went, ‘NOOOO!’   Because apparently Furman got together with Roberts and they were like, ‘how can we fuck with the fans emotions now?’   And while I bitch about this, I also love it; what greater proof of my investment in the world can there be than the fact that I care about what happens to the characters?   And while I normally hate cliffhangers, this is not the final chapter in this series.   I was initially upset to see that there wasn’t a volume three coming out at any point in the near future, but this is the nature of comics.   There tend to be arcs, or miniseries, and I expect things to be relatively solved by then.   I’m okay with a massive cliffhanger like the one in this book because of the medium - monthly, and often times there can be these cliffhangers month after month until the arc is resolved.   Even then, there are usually some questions left unanswered to be solved in the future. 

Because of the serial nature of the comics, I’m okay with this.   And I’m not usually happy with serials, but seeing as comics are monthly or bi-monthly, again, I’m okay with it.   I don’t know why I’m okay with these two things in comics, and not in other genres.   Maybe it’s because that’s just the way they’ve been presented since, y’know, ever.   Maybe it’s because they do so many media tie-ins, like this, as well as X-Men and other Marvel heroes I adore.   (I read mostly Marvel and Transforemrs comics.   Trufax.)

I don’t know.   But I’m okay with it.   

Anyway, in this volume, the Dinobots are, quite frankly, fucked.  The nucleon in their bodies are making them go primal and insane.   Grimlock makes a deal with Scorponok to get the Dinobots new bodies.   All Grimlock needs to do is betray the Autobots and help make a world full of Decepticons.   

This is actually quite fascinating: watching the Autobots turn on each other, watching the Dinobots turn on each other and then realizing that Furman knows how to play everyone.   The ending, while incredibly frustrating, is totally worth that effort and frustration.   

As far as the cliffhanger goes, volume 3 came out recently.   Am going to immerse myself in that.