The Seasons #1 Review

 

Writer: Rick Remender

Artist: Paul Azaceta

Colorist: Matheus Lopes

Letterer: Rus Wooton

Cover Artists: Paul Azaceta, Jordi Lafebre, Kent Williams & Wes Craig

Editor/Designer: Harper Jaten

Designer/Production: Erika Schnatz

Assistant Editor: Gabe Dinger

Publisher: Image Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: January 29, 2025

 

Spring Seasons has three sisters. Summer and Winter live with her in New Gaulia. She hasn’t heard from Autumn in weeks. When she gets a letter from Autumn, Spring can’t wait to read it. But a gust of wind snatches the letter away. Can Spring recapture her sister’s letter? And how might Autumn’s message relate to other mysterious events occurring in her world? Let's leap onto our scooters, zoom into The Seasons #1, and find out!

 

Story

Autumn Seasons is a senior correspondent for The Global Gazette. She has written about the silence that has fallen on Neocairo. Air Traffic Control no longer communicates with arriving airplanes. No one responds to telegrams. People who travel there do not return.

 

Recently, Autumn has gone as silent as Neocairo. So when Spring gets a letter from Autumn, and the wind blows it out of her hands, Spring hops onto her scooter. She slips between pedestrians and forces them to move out of her way. Her antics provoke outrage and endanger her future as a letter carrier.

 

Spring speaks as readily to animals and birds as she does to Humans. Perhaps she understands their vocalizations. Spring lives in a world separated from us by time in The Seasons #1. Names like New Gualia, Neocairo, Lilve River, and the University of Rexandria suggest an alternative history. Spring's world resembles ours from a century ago. Yet modern plastic bins line New Gaulian streets on trash pickup days. Workers use jetpacks instead of cherry pickers and cranes.

 

Rick Remender ushers us into a world that has known war. Yet, people get on with their lives. They wear fine clothes and uniforms when they venture outside in New Gaulia. They purchase muffins, breads, and cakes from Pat's Bakery. Readers can procure the latest vampire novel and coffee in a disposable cup from Beans N Books. A billboard promotes perfume.

 

While no one complains when the circus hits town, perhaps they should. In The Seasons #1, Neocairo fell silent when the circus left town. No one there rides a scooter through the wreckage-strewn streets. Nor do they enjoy a muffin and coffee while reading the latest vampire novel.

 

Art

Spring races down the cobblestone street past stores and shoppers. Her scooter hits the crest of the road and hurtles into the air. Spring's braids and jacket catch the wind as she races downhill. Spring bumps onto the curb and knocks hats, purses, and boxes into the air. Gilbert splashes from the water-filled globe strapped to Spring's scooter in The Seasons #1. Then Spring demonstrates feats that evoke action in the big tent as she pursues an envelope covered in stamps.

 

Compared with Spring’s frantic actions in New Gaulia, the inhabitants of Neocairo are more sedate. They sprawl on the ground. People slump against walls. Most stare into a hand mirror and smile. While Matheus Lopes paints New Gaulia in lively pastels, Neocairo burns with yellow, orange, tan, and brown. Only the festive circus brings vibrancy to the desert town. Camels lie in rubble-strewn streets, fires burn, and smoke rises into the sky.

 

Like the mirrors that fascinate Neocairo's inhabitants, purple invades Autumn’s black and orange passenger car. But Paul Azaceta leaves the windows blank in The Seasons #1 as Autumn writes her letter. After writing Urgent in big red letters, the reporter affixes stamps to an envelope.

 

Autumn writes italicized lowercase letters onto scraps of beige parchment. People express their concerns with uppercase white letters. Rus Wooton enlivens Spring's racing, flying, and crashing with enlarged colored dialogue and vibrant sound effects. But the small, lowercase excerpts from Autumn's report squeeze into off-white boxes. Barking fills the air in Neocairo, expressing outrage at the departing circus. Thanks to Image Comics and Giant Generator for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

In The Seasons #1, a traveling circus infects spectators with a strange malaise. Spring Seasons yearns to learn what Autumn has discovered about her troubled family. But Autumn's letter arrives as a circus hits town, and a clown gives Spring a gift.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

For a look inside, more covers, and creator interviews see my preview for The Seasons #1.

 

This review was originally published on Comic Book Dispatch.

Transformers #16 Review

 

Writer: Daniel Warren Johnson

Artist: Jorge Corona

Colorist: Sarah Stern

Letterer: Rus Wooton

Cover Artists: Daniel Warren Johnson & Mike Spicer; Jorge Corona & Mike Spicer; Karl Kerschl; Manabu Yashiro; Homare; John Giang; Mico Suayan; Tiago Da Silva; Jimbo Salgado; Johnny Desjardins; Chad Hardin

Editor: Ben Abernathy

Publication Design: Andres Juarez

Production: Ashby Florence

Publisher: Image

Price: $3.99

Release Date: January 8, 2025

 

Disheartened over his epic defeat on the ocean floor, Soundwave resorts to destroying a Human city to lure out the Autobots. While emerging victorious, Optimus Prime and Arcee are hurting. Jetfire and Ratchet are dead. Cliffjumper got left behind on Cybertron. And their hero, Ultra Magnus, broke down and fled before the Decepticon who tortured him for centuries.

 

Abandoned by Arcee, Beachcomber, Carly, and Spike in their search to find Ultra Magnus, Optimus tries to banish his rage by rescuing Humans from Soundwave's attack. But like Soundwave, Starscream has not been idle. With his damaged legs replaced by a HISS tank, he enlists Astrotrain and the Combaticons in his cause. Can Optimus Prime's dwindling forces withstand a two-pronged Decepticon attack? Or will Soundwave and Starscream’s forces annihilate each other? Let's recharge our Energon batteries, leap into Transformers #16, and discover the Autobots’ transformative journey!

 

Story

Wheeljack tried to bolster the Autobots’ forces with the Energon he generated at the dam. But then Soundwave and Starscream’s forces turned the dam into Damnation Alley. While Starscream’s Combaticons and Soundwave’s Constructicons combined into Bruticus and Devastator, two Human children observed the Clash Of The Titans. Already struggling with rage, unexplained visions herald Optimus Prime's (19^th) Nervous Breakdown. After the heartbreak on the ocean floor, Optimus Prime failed Elita One. In severing Shockwave's space bridge, he wreaked havoc on Cybertron and his adoptive home. Now, the sight of the two behemoths destroying the Autobot's base overwhelms Optimus Prime.

 

Unlike dour Soundwave, Starscream leaps at any opportunity to gain the upper hand. Astrotrain swore obedience to Soundwave only to suffer the disgrace of captivity again. So, Astrotrain follows the Decepticon who freed him from his bonds. Like Drax The Destroyer, Astrotrain craves revenge. He has no patience for Soundwave’s long-term strategies. Astrotrain will readily attack his former boss if it means he can get his hands on Megatron. As for Thundercracker, the Decepticon has tired of Soundwave’s merciless nature. In Transformers #16, Thundercracker must decide where he belongs.

 

Elita One has never asked this question in Daniel Warren Johnson’s story. She blames the Autobots who abandoned their planet and let the Decepticons take over. Elita One won't rest until she wrests Cybertron from the Decepticon's hands. Yet she is also devastated by failure. She sacrificed her best soldiers to invade Shockwave's domain and rescue Ultra Magnus. Either he or Optimus Prime could have inspired her people. Instead, the Autobot leaders she admired abandoned their home planet. Yet in Transformers #16, inspiration and leadership come from an unexpected source.

 

Art

With Cliffjumper and Bluestreak on either side, Elita One carries a gun nearly as big as she is. Cliffjumper remembers the attack that caused the surrounding devastation. As he raises a glowing canister, the rubble Cliffjumper stands in evokes skulls. On Earth, Optimus Prime, Wheeljack, and Jazz gaze up at behemoths that make them feel like squishy Humans. A double-page spread reveals that Devastator and Bruticus are not having a Gru and Balthazar Dance Fight. Far below, the tiny figures of Soundwave and Starscream race toward revenge.

 

Sarah Stern lavishes bright colors on Jorge Corona’s detailed and frenetic artwork in Transformers #16. Thundercracker and Starscream find disharmony amid their mutual blue and red, while purple Astrotrain reveals his love of Michael Coney's novel The Celestial Steam Locomotive. Optimus Prime resembles Soundwave in silhouette as he plans violence before the red, white, and blue Autobot kneels and removes his cannon. Another silhouette gazes down on two Human children racing through a field of purple and blue. Yet when Cliffjumper speaks to Elita, a kaleidoscope of colors puts Shockwave's harvester to shame.

 

Rus Wooton fills white dialogue balloons with black uppercase letters and the Transformers' rectangular ones with italicized words. Soundwave speaks yellow words into blue rectangular balloons. The letters grow bold for intonation, swell for raised voices, and never shrink. Colorful sound effects help us hear firefights, explosions, a hero’s loss of control, and one punch to rule them all. Thanks to Image Comics, Skybound Entertainment, and Hasbro for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Anger overwhelms Decepticons and Autobots alike in Transformers #16. While Starscream wastes another opportunity to wipe out the Autobots, one of Soundwave’s plans comes to fruition. Elita One realizes that sometimes the best gifts come in small packages. As for Optimus Prime's fatal error, only a flight around the Earth in a retrograde orbit or slingshot around the sun will correct it.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Transformers #14 Review

 

Transformers #14 Review

Writer: Daniel Warren Johnson

Artist: Jason Howard

Colorist: Mike Spicer

Letterer: Rus Wooton

Cover Artists: Daniel Warren Johnson & Mike Spicer; Jorge Corona & Mike Spicer; Viktor Bogdanovic; Jorge Fornés; Derrick Chew; Kael Ngu; Ivan Tao; Clayton Crain; Alan Quah; Livio Ramondelli; Jimbo Salgado

Editor: Ben Abernathy

Publication Design: Andres Juarez

Production: Ashby Florence

Publisher: Image

Price: $3.99

Release Date: November 13, 2024

 

After Jetfire abandoned him, and Optimus Prime and Bumblebee destroyed his life’s work, Genvo died in Ulchtar’s arms. As Starscream, Ulchtar became Megatron’s hand of death. When Megatron’s dominance grew oppressive, Starscream shook off his control and became the leader of the Decepticons on Earth. Then Soundwave challenged his leadership and threw him into an active volcano. Once again, someone made Starscream into a tool. Humans from Destro’s MARS corporation have shackled him to a HISS tank. Will Starscream enjoy rockin’ and rollin’ on his tracked treads? Let's recharge our Energon batteries, leap into Transformers #14, and discover Starscream’s transformative journey!

 

Story

Once, a guard on Cybertron called him a dumbass techno pup. But Ulchtar cherished life in all its forms. Now, Starscream worships himself. His first instinct is to kill those who are different or fail to revere him. Starscream stares down at the HISS tank that replaced his legs, sharing Private Clayton's opinion of him. The Humans have made him into an abomination! But Starscream can’t kill Horton and his Human crew. Their deaths will trigger explosive devices. Then Starscream notices that Private Martin has been sketching him. Finally, an artist yearns to capture his majesty!

 

Like Starscream, Horton yearns for greatness. His father was worshipped as a Real American Hero. MARS has relegated Horton to salvage duty. Still, Destro is always looking for the next great innovation. His Battle Android Troopers haven’t performed flawlessly in field tests. In Daniel Warren Johnson’s story, Horton’s Frankensteined Transformer-HISS Tank could help Destro keep Cobra Commander’s Energon supply flowing and secure the promotion Horton wants.

 

Yet even without his legs and shackled by Humans, Starscream proves resilient. The Autobots destroyed his life, but Megatron made Starscream a slave. Soundwave threw him into a volcano. Still, Starscream survived. This buoys his confidence. So when he meets others who could serve his needs, Starscream mixes truth and lies to bind them to his service. Ulchtar’s youth was filled with wonder. But his worldview was fragile and could not withstand the rigors of reality. Starscream’s life is one of resilience. In Transformers #14, Starscream seeks to improve his situation. His undaunted optimism transforms an otherwise debilitating defeat into an inspiring triumph.

 

Art

A clockwork cascade of images showcases Starscream’s conversion into a Transformer-Tank. Yet the fire from Horton’s lighter forges a link with Razz welding Starscream to the HISS tank. As Starscream raises his arms in horror, Horton slaps Clayton’s back with such force that it knocks the glasses off his stunned face. Starscream slams his fist into the ground, sending the MARS salvage crew flying. Yet the giant hand halts above a Human silhouette. Private Martin raises his sketchbook like Moses offered his work for inspection. The Human's sketch provokes more violence. Yet a cat cooly regards Starscream’s tantrum, evoking Optimus Prime's accidental killing of a deer.

 

Amid the surrounding greenery, the red and yellow that fill the background in closeups hint at the fire from which Starscream’s new life is forged. As Mike Spicer lavishes vibrant colors on Jason Howard’s evocative and exciting art in Transformers #14, he softens Starscream’s violent memories with pastels. Purple and gray shade falls on Starscream's head, linking him with the Humans and their HISS tank. Yet as Horton expresses his dominance within Starscream’s crushing grip, his red hair and beard link him with his giant captive.

 

Rus Wooton fills white dialogue balloons with black uppercase letters and the Transformers’ rectangular ones with italicized words. The letters embolden for intonation, occasionally swell or change color for raised voices, and rarely shrink. The red sound of a rescue victim attacking its protector elicits Starscream’s laughter in Transformers #14, while a red cry for help prompts him to investigate. Yet the sound of Private Martin’s sketching echoes Megatron undergoing mass conversion to become a gun in Starscream’s hands. Thanks to Image Comics, Skybound Entertainment, and Hasbro for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

After Soundwave left Starscream in a volcano like Obi-Wan abandoned Anakin on Mustafar, a MARS team scurries in like Jawas and puts restraining bolts on the Decepticon. But the Humans discover that Starscream isn't as docile as a protocol droid, as the aftermath of Optimus Prime's actions rocks the Cybertronians' adoptive planet in Transformers #14.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

G I Joe #1 Review

 

Writer: Joshua Williamson

Artist: Tom Reilly

Colorist: Jordie Bellaire

Letterer: Rus Wooton

Cover Artists: Tom Reilly; Jerome Opeña & Dave Stewart; Brett Booth, Livesay & Andrew Dalhouse; David Finch, Danny Miki & Dave McCaig; Lee Bermejo; Sozomaika; Jenny Frison; David Nakayama; Jeff Spokes; E J Su; Jonboy Meyers; Tom Reilly & Andres Juarez; David Finch; Andrea Milana & Andres Juarez; Nathan Szerdy; Ivan Tao; Livio Ramondelli; David Mack; Marcelo Matere; Natali Sanders; Leirix Li; Cedric Poulat; Peter Smith; Clayton Crain; Ryan Browne; Pasquale Ferrara; Mayday Trippe; Tyler Kirkham; Jaime Sullivan; Alexis Ziritt; Javan Jordan; Martin Simmonds; Joe Benitez & Peter Steigerwald; Ryan Kincaid; Marat Mychaels; Drew Zucker; Dan Panosian; Deegan Puchkors; Mico Suayan; Matthew Waite; Mike Mayhew; Ben Harvey; Tony Fleecs; Alex Sinclair; Rian Gonzales; José Lima Araújo & Chris O’Halloran

Editor: Ben Abernathy

Publication Design: Andres Juarez

Production: Ashby Florence

Publisher: Image Comics

Price: $4.99

Release Date: November 13, 2024

 

Duke’s hunt for the truth made him a fugitive. His fellow soldiers threw him into the Pit with his enemies. But when Major Bludd’s forces tried to kill him, Duke made peace with Rock 'N Roll and Stalker and turned an enemy into an ally. After Duke brought Destro's house crashing down, Colonel Hawk declared him dead. Can Duke and his newborn squad of elite soldiers take on the combined might of MARS Industries and COBRA? Let's grab our rifles, leap into G I Joe #1, and find out!

 

Story

Duke wants his team to take on giant transforming robots. But they fail while fighting drones. Cover Girl helped Colonel Hawk cover up the death of his friend. She stood by Hawk's side when he sent Rock 'N Roll and Stalker after Duke. Now, all three work with his childhood friend Clutch and the mercenary Baroness, but that doesn't mean they like or trust each other. If they can’t take on flying drones, how can they defeat COBRA, let alone murderous alien robots?

 

Destro watches COBRA soldiers march through Springfield. His is an uneasy alliance with Cobra Commander. Neither partner trusts nor feels any loyalty to his partner. After regaining control of his company, someone is attacking Destro’s suppliers. Destro knows MARS Industries must keep finding new ways to utilize Cobra Commander’s Energon, or he will lose exclusive access to Earth's most potent power source. Worse, Destro will lose his ancestors' esteem.

 

Giant transforming robots brought their battle to Earth. Alien technology litters the Pacific Ocean, and everyone wants a piece of the Energon action. In G I Joe #1, Hawk tasks Duke with protecting what the United States has recovered. It’s not much, but the space debris could provide the key to surviving the next alien battle. Or better yet, wipe out the transforming robots before their war leaves Earth in ruins. But the Cobra Commander doesn't care about Earth's survival. He wants to rule the planet, and anything from Cybertron is his rightful property.

 

In Joshua Williamson’s story, Destro must demonstrate that MARS Industries is an asset to COBRA, and Duke’s people must reward his faith in them. Duke put these disparate people together. In G I Joe #1, he needs their help to combat the alien invaders, defeat the Energon-fueled terrorist threats, and avenge his fallen friend.

 

Art

Tom Reilly introduces Duke with snapshots of his recent battles. Instead of fighting people or giant robots, his team uses jetpacks to battle training drones. After the exercise, Duke frowns at Colonel Hawk, and only one person shows interest in his teammates when they gather for a briefing. Hawk and Destro face off across a double-page spread as both apprise their troops of their objectives.

 

Unlike Duke, Destro stands on a pillar, regarding ranks of soldiers marching past his machines of war. The metal-faced modern-day Horatio Nelson strides unbidden into a darkened room to spy the ravaged skin Cobra Commander hides behind a mask. Pythona called it his mark of shame for bringing an abomination into Cobra-La. Inset panels compare the organic healing Cobra Commander traded for alien crystals while he adjusts another blasphemy against Cobra-La with a screwdriver.

 

Jordie Bellaire dispenses coloring sparingly on Tom Reilly’s art. She swathes Duke’s team in orange, green, red, yellow, and brown. Next to the heroes' textured and energizing colors, she showcases the partnership of Destro and Cobra in pink, purple, blue, and mauve. A high-energy fight explodes in Abu Dhabi fight amid yellow and purple, while a yellow, orange, and red nightmare in G I Joe #1 reminds Duke of his failure to save Tyler Frost.

 

Rus Wooton orders black uppercase letters into white dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. Duke introduces his team with yellow block letters, and yellow borders surround his offscreen briefing. Yellow often colors the sound effects as Duke fights to weld clashing personalities into an effective force. Enlarged colored dialogue enlivens battles, and white weapon fire heralds the demise of an engaging hero. Thanks to Image Comics, Skybound, and Hasbro for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

After giant alien robots made Earth their battleground, a psychopath raised a formidable army overnight. Duke and his team are under the gun to prove their worth to their commander and protect the Earth from destruction in G I Joe #1.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

For a special forces team of covers see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Cobra Commander Vol 1 Review

 

Writer: Joshua Williamson

Artist: Andrea Milana

Colorist: Annalisa Leoni

Letterer: Rus Wooton

Cover Artists: Andrea Milana & Annalisa Leoni

Editor: Sean Mackiewics

Logo & Publication Design: Andres Juarez

Publisher: Image Comics

Price: $4.99

Release Date: June 26, 2024

 

A stranger enters the No Man’s Land Rest Stop And Pub. When he requests transportation, a local pats him on the back and makes fun of his lisp. After the stranger follows Jimmy outside, the bartender realizes Jimmy didn’t pay for his drinks. Outside, he finds Jimmy lying in a pool of blood in the snow-covered parking lot. Who is the stranger, and why does he need Jimmy’s truck? Let’s leap into Cobra Commander Vol 1 and find out!

 

Story

Cobra-La is a wonder of organic design. Yet violence rocks the beautiful city as a mob storms the Bioscience Laboratories. The lead scientist gives his people weapons and orders them to attack their fellow citizens. But the lead scientist falls amid the battle. When he awakens, Pythona takes him to Golobulus to die.

 

Once, the lead scientist lacked purpose. Golobulus gave him a new home. But the lead scientist was ambitious. He found a giant robot and snuck it into a city that abhors mechanical life. The scientist uses machines powered by Energon to kill Golobulus’ guards. He convinces Golobulus to send him on a mission to secure more Energon and promises to raise an army so Cobra-La can rule the world. The scientist leaves Cobra-La with a man to protect him and a new name: Cobra Commander.

 

In Cobra Commander Vol 1, Energon radiates a signature the scientist can track. His search leads him into the bayou. Cobra Commander detests the anarchy of an amusement park. He finds the Dreadnoks more palatable, even if they try to kill him. The biker gang has found a source of Energon. Their leader, Zarana, argues that they must find ways to harness the Energon’s power. But Cobra Commander's ambition outstrips hers. When the Dreadnoks capture him, they think he is theirs to command. But Cobra Commander's confidence never falters as he wages a brutal battle of endurance and wits for control of the ultimate power source.

 

Joshua Williamson’s story shows how the Transformers’ arrival rocks the world. But Cobra Commander Vol 1 is also a haunting portrayal of a man so driven by ambition that he loses his humanity. Cobra Commander wields science as a weapon to slake his thirst for power. He doesn’t care how much he must suffer or how many corpses litter his path to success. Deception and violence are his tools. He claims loyalty to Cobra-La. But anyone who opposes him writes their death sentence, and anyone who swears loyalty becomes his tool.

 

Art

Andrea Milana portrays the grandeur of Cobra-La as a land of curves and organic beauty. The city's doctors use snakes, fish, and starfish instead of metal tools and machines in Cobra Commander Vol 1. Pythona and three guards lead Cobra Commander past giant bubbles supported by tendrils. Then, giant claws open, and Cobra Commander gazes upon the hooded figure on a serpent throne.

 

The Dreaknoks have more in common with Cobra Commander than first appears. They capture and torture uninvited guests in their wooden shack, much as Cobra Commander tortures a giant robot without arms in his laboratory. Buzzer questions uninvited guests with chainsaws while Ripper drags them behind his truck. But Cobra Commander, clad in a wide-brim hat and trench coat, ruffles their feathers. The Dreadnoks make it their mission in life to remove his mirrored mask. Annalisa Leoni bathes their confrontation in scarlet. After Cobra Commander discovers how the gang reproduces Energon, his protector makes you believe a man can fly.

 

Along with Andrea Milana’s detailed imagery and Annalisa Leoni’s loaded palette of vibrant colors, Rus Wooton fills white dialogue balloons and narrative boxes with large black letters in Cobra Commander Vol 1. Rus Wooton’s bold letters suggest intonation or raised voices. Spikes extrude from balloons to express fright or duress. Sound effects emphasize gunshots, explosions, slashing blades, and the activity of menacing machines. Thanks to Image Comics, Skybound Entertainment, and Hasbro for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

After Duke dealt MARS a punishing blow, Destro needs to rebuild his company. A new player is emerging in the world weapons market. He is raising an army by using an incredible new power source. As Cobra Commander Vol 1 charts an ambitious scientist's hunger to rule the world, the scientist's discovery offers Destro the potential to rebuild his faltering weapons empire.

 

Rating 9.6/10 

 

To view a kill squad of cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Duke Vol 1 Review

 

Writer: Joshua Williamson

Artists: Tom Reilly & Jason Howard

Colorists: Jordie Bellaire & Mike Spicer

Letterer: Rus Wooton

Cover Artist: Tom Reilly

Editor: Sean Mackiewicz

Logo & Publication Design: Andres Juarez

Publisher: Image Comics

Price: $14.99

Release Date: June 5, 2024

 

Sergeant Conrad Hauser has a sterling service record. But lately, he's been acting out. Colonel Hawk wants Duke to shape up and be an exemplary soldier again. But will Conrad, known as Duke by his fellow soldiers, pass the Psych Eval? Let’s leap into Duke Vol 1 and find out!

 

Story

Is Duke suffering from a delusion? He claims his friend Tyler Frost was killed when an enemy fighter jet attacked their plane and transformed into a robot. Colonel Hawk claims it was an accident, and the trauma played with Duke’s mind. But he refuses to show Duke the plane’s black box recording. So, Duke accepts Hawk's offer of time off to hunt for answers.

 

Where do you turn when everyone thinks you're crazy? Conrad Hauser investigates other people with similar claims in Duke Vol 1. He attends a gathering where guests speak of giant robots. Their stories merge with all-too-familiar stories about aliens and UFOs. But one person impresses Duke. Dr Adele Burkhart devoted her life to finding clean energy sources. She discovered a new element, but her superiors hushed up her research. Dr Burkhart may not have seen a giant flying robot. Still, she believes this power source could power war machines like the one Duke saw.

 

Should he trust Dr Burkhart’s claims? Duke has nothing to lose. So he investigates MARS Industries. He doesn't find a flying robot, but Duke discovers the company is making war machines that could unleash incredible destruction. Duke is a great soldier, but that doesn't make him a ninja. Sneaking into MARS arouses Destro’s ire. The head of MARS wants to protect his secrets. Still, he knows how to discredit a soldier who can’t pass a psych exam.

 

When the news media starts attacking Duke, Hawk’s hands are tied. Hawk has no choice but to send Duke’s people to apprehend him. But Duke knows how to hide out. Instead of seeking out relatives or fellow soldiers, he finds Clutch. Once, Lance built vehicles, and Conrad raced them. In Duke Vol 1, Clutch runs a junkyard. He’s willing to help Duke continue his investigation. But will Stalker and Rock ‘N Roll let him?

 

Joshua Williamson’s story is a portrait of a Real American Hero. Duke doesn’t care about fame or glory. He destroys the enemy and saves people’s lives. But now his government has turned against him, and he has incurred the wrath of a well-connected arms dealer. Can Duke convince his fellow soldiers to help him? Or must he side with the enemies of the United States to learn the truth about Frost's death? Duke must decide who he can trust and where his loyalties lie.

 

Art

We meet Duke in training, on the battlefield, and flying a jet. Then Tom Reilly shows Duke slumped in a chair. He shouts and slings files off Hawk's desk. In a flashback, a silhouette of robot arms appears on his goggles, prompting Duke to jettison his parachute, activate his wings and rocket pack, and fire at a smiling robot. Six months later, Duke drives a jeep through Washington DC. He sports long hair and a beard as he enters a four-story house and meets a woman walking with a cane. After studying drawings of power units and war machines, Duke dresses in black and rappels into MARS Industries.

 

Jordie Bellaire applies color sparingly to Tom Reilly’s art in Duke Vol 1. Vibrant green and orange highlight daytime action, while subdued browns, yellows, greens, and grays portray light streaming through the blinds in Hawk’s office. Amid the limited coloring, Destro’s statue is silver, MARS personnel sport red and gray, and deaths heaped at Duke’s door fill panels with red. Bellaire often splashes vibrant colors onto black and white panels, such as red when he sneaks into MARS and blue when Duke speaks with the Baroness. Still, orange dominates his memories of a robot who smiles while killing his friend.

 

Rus Wooton orders uppercase black letters into white dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. Sound effects highlight battles, activated technology, and a vicious slap after a one-night stand. Mike Spicer lavishes cool tones on Jason Howard's art for an epilogue featuring a reunion with colleagues and the organization of a highly trained special mission force to combat emerging threats outside the US Military’s purview. Thanks to Image Comics, Skybound, and Hasbro for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

When his superiors cover up the death of a friend, Duke risks his life to discover the truth about giant flying robots. An arms manufacturer’s bid to dominate the market shakes up the US Military, making a discredited sergeant the perfect tool to pry the lid off a conspiracy of silence in Duke Vol 1.

 

Rating 9.2/10

 

For covers of individual issues see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

To preview interior art see the announcement at Skybound.com.

Destro #5 Review

 

Writer: Dan Watters

Artist: Andrei Bressan

Colorist: Adriano Lucas

Letterer: Rus Wooton

Cover Artists: Andrei Bressan & Adriano Lucas; Sanford Greene; Nikola Čižešija; Marco Ferrari; Taurin Clarke; Tyler Kirkham

Editor: Ben Abernathy

Logo & Publication Design: Andres Juarez

Production: Richard Mercado

Publisher: Image

Price: $3.99

Release Date: October 16, 2024

 

Tomax and Xamot lead Cobra Commander through MARS. The twins assure him that the BATs are useless and they can find better purposes for his Energon power. Then, Tomax and Xamot lead him into an office and find Destro on his throne. Will the twins kill Destro as Cobra Commander watches? Or does Destro have a plan up his armored sleeves? Let’s strap on our metal masks, leap into Destro #5, and see!

 

Story

Amid the confrontation, explosions rock MARS. The Crimson Guard scrambles troops and HISS tanks to defend Extensive Enterprises' latest acquisition. Scrap-Iron wields a bazooka. Chameleon deploys her FLUKE pulse. But with MARS filled with the Crimson Guard, Destro needs inside help. But then, if Destro can sneak into his company, so can others.

 

As he tangles with the twins, Destro wants to know where he stands with Cobra Commander. The man who controls Earth's Energon supply assures him that he hasn't committed to a partnership with Extensive Enterprises. Still, as the twins argue, Destro only has three soldiers to help him reclaim his company. The Crimson Guard fills their new facility in Destro #5. How can a handful of soldiers defeat an army?

 

Destro forgave Astoria for trying to kill him. But really, she was covering for Overkill, the new global defense system she and her father invented. As it orbits the Earth, the satellite uses its artificial intelligence to assess threats to humanity. Once, Overkill believed Destro was a threat. But Destro and Astoria have conferred with the satellite, and it considered their arguments.

 

Dan Watters suggests that a few people can overcome overwhelming odds in Destro #5. He also shows that nothing and no one is ever useless. Destro's methods may be harsh. Still, he also demonstrates the capacity to forgive. Destro knows it would be easier to destroy those who turn against him. Yet he seeks strength by turning enemies into allies. Perhaps Destro will turn on his allies one day. But for now, he prefers to rely on strong and capable leaders. Destro isn’t only fighting to reclaim his family’s company. Like Astoria and her late father, he seeks to protect them against a threat that could wipe out humanity.

 

Art

The twins emphasize their strength by wearing tank tops and armor that displays their muscles. Yet as they lead Cobra Commander through MARS, the Crimson Guard struggles to master MARS’ armored walkers. As a sunken floor ringed by fire separates the twins from Destro, fire explodes the glass panels lining the ground floor. When energy waves radiate from Chameleon's arm, HISS tanks crackle with electricity. While Destro smiles from his throne, a display of arms and armor represents his family history in the art of war. Destro rises as Cobra Commander crosses his arms over his chest. Yet when Cobra Commander gestures toward the twins, Destro charges.  

 

Adriano Lucas lavishes the primary colors of red, blue, and yellow on Tomax and Xamot’s opening scenes. They regard Destro in a throne room colored red, orange, yellow, purple, and gray. Purple and gray also dominate Andrei Bressan’s depictions of the BATs. As Cobra Commander watches Destro and the twins fight, red highlights shine on his blue attire. Later, as pink, orange, and yellow fill the sky, a streak of orange and yellow through space suggests a link between Destro #5 and Transformers #12.

 

Rus Wooton fires large uppercase black lettering into white dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. Words embolden for emphasis and never shrink. Colorful and transparent sound effects accentuate gunfire, hand-to-hand fighting, and explosions. A crimson cry threatens to explode a dialogue balloon when Destro reminds someone of his family’s heritage. Thanks to Image Comics, Skybound Entertainment, and Hasbro for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Tomax and Xamot share a unique bond. It makes them formidable opponents yet leaves them open to attack. Destro will exploit that weakness to protect humanity's ability to perpetuate the art of war in Destro #5.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Scarlett #5 Review

 

Writer: Kelly Thompson

Artist: Marco Ferrari

Colorist: Lee Loughridge

Letterer: Rus Wooton

Editor: Ben Abernathy

Logo & Publication Design: Andres Juarez

Production: Jillian Crab

Cover Artists: Marco Ferrari & Lee Loughridge; Siya Oum; Gleb Melnikov; Vasco Georgiev; Taurin Clarke

Publisher: Image Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: October 9, 2024

 

Scarlett helped Jinx find the Soul Of The Arashnikage. But capturing the weapon proved difficult, so Jinx requested Storm Shadow’s help. Storm Shadow arrived, but not before Cobra aided the Mugenonami. Who will claim the ancient weapon? And which American soldiers will return to the United States? Let’s grab our crossbows, leap into Scarlett #5, and find out!

 

Story

Scarlett may have found the weapon, but Storm Shadow claims it. Storm Shadow names it the Sword Of Life. He believes it is his destiny to wield it. Like Brock Pike in the A-Team movie, a Cobra soldier puts a new face on the situation. Storm Shadow doesn’t flinch as Scarlett and Jinx flee. When the smoke clears, Storm Shadow protects her from Cobra troops and leads her to Jinx. Then Cobra Commander arrives. He leads the attack on the Arashnikage survivors. The best means of escape is leaping off the building. But the mission team only brought two parachutes in Scarlett #5. And Storm Shadow claims one of them.

 

In Kelly Thompson’s story, Scarlett must answer The Clash’s immortal question. Snowjob is waiting nearby. She can return with him to the United States and hand Striker the burn bag. Even if he wants the weapon, Striker will welcome Jinx’s intel. But returning home means leaving Jinx behind. And what does Scarlett have to return to? Her commander fired Scarlett for disobeying orders. Perhaps Striker would hire her for other missions. Still, she would always return to an empty house. And if Scarlett leaves, the Arashnikage will never welcome her back, leaving Jinx friendless among the ninja clan.

 

Scarlett #5 raises some intriguing possibilities. In the Arashnikage compound, Storm Shadow claimed she wouldn’t fit in. Yet when Jinx feigned disbelief in Scarlett’s abilities, Storm Shadow took offense. After the rocket blast separates them, Storm Shadow covers Scarlett's mouth. Then he clasps Scarlett's hand and leads her to Jinx. So perhaps Scarlett has more than one friend in the ninja clan. And while the United States disdains her abilities, the Arashnikage needs her assistance. Cobra Commander has them in his sites. And he won’t rest until he captures the Soul Of The Arashnikage.

 

Art

Clad in a white ninja uniform, Storm Shadow clasps the white blade. Panels hint at Storm Shadow’s swiftness. After Storm Shadow attacks, his opponent and sword fall apart. A slashed pillar frames Storm Shadow with his glowing sword. Lines beside a profile shot suggest Scarlett is appalled by the violent encounter. As they regard each other, a starburst divides Jinx and Scarlett into separate panels. After a page showing the hurtling rocket, inset panels of Scarlett and Jinx evoke glass shards amid another explosive page.

 

Lee Loughridge lavishes a changing color palette on Marco Ferrari’s scenes in Scarlett #5. While pink welcomes Storm Shadow's date with destiny, orange and yellow accompany the rocket explosion. As Storm Shadow finds Scarlett and leads her toward Jinx, blue, white, and gray evoke the remote Arashnikage compound. Yellow and pink circles brighten the night and tinge Tokyo streets green, while orange and tan dominate a reunion between redheads.

 

Rus Wooton fills white dialogue balloons and narrative boxes with uppercase black letters. The font shrinks for lowered voices, grows bold for intonation, and swells for raised voices. Colorful dialogue threatens to burst dialogue balloons, while sound effects relate clashing swords, gunfire, exploding rockets, a desperate escape, and soldiers declaring their dominance. Thanks to Image Comics, Skybound, and Hasbro for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Scarlett #5 ponders why people sometimes embrace causes they disagree with. Affiliations change amid a new world order as powerful forces vie to control an otherworldly energy source.

 

Rating 9.2/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

To preview interior art see the First Look at Skybound.com.

Destro #4 Review

 

Writer: Dan Watters

Artist: Andrei Bressan

Colorist: Adriano Lucas

Letterer: Rus Wooton

Cover Artists: Andrei Bressan & Adriano Lucas; Siya Oum; Nikola Čižešija; Travis Moore & Adriano Lucas; Homare; Tyler Kirkham

Editor: Ben Abernathy

Logo & Publication Design: Andres Juarez

Production: Jillian Crab

Publisher: Image

Price: $3.99

Release Date: September 18, 2024

 

Tomax and Xamot argue that an explosion claimed Destro's life amid a snowstorm in the Scottish Highlands. Destro's cousin Artyom Darklon has his hands full running Darklonia. A merger between MARS and Extensive Enterprises, facilitated by a check with many zeros, makes sense. Will Artyom accept the twins' generous offer? And why do Tomax and Xamot want MARS? Let’s strap on our metal masks, leap into Destro #4, and see!

 

Story

After his battle with Chameleon, Destro fled through a blizzard to a US Air Force base in Scotland. If Tomax and Xamot sent an assassin to Scotland, they got his secret location from someone at MARS. Like Cobra Commander, General Flagg disliked Destro's decision to invade Darklonia and install his cousin Artyom Darklon on the throne. However, the US government needs companies like MARS to supply their military. The situation has grown desperate after Soundwave and the Decepticons destroyed a US Navy aircraft carrier. So, General Flagg flew him back to the US and granted him access to secret documents to help James McCullen Destro reclaim his company.

 

But Destro doesn’t attack Tomax and Xamot in Destro #4. Instead, he seeks out friends. First, he calls on Mercer and Scrap-Iron, hoping they didn't tell Tomax and Xamot where to send Chameleon. Then, Destro visits Astoria Carlton Ritz. The new CEO of Hybrid Technologies encourages her board members to party. But when Destro meets her on the dance floor, she excuses herself to powder her nose. Destro has drawn certain conclusions about wily old Desmond's daughter. Astoria may seem like she wants to use her daddy's money to party, but there's more to her than meets the eye.

 

Dan Watters' story hints at a potential weapons source for the Arashnikage ninja clan that Scarlett wants to join. It also reveals the truth behind the attack on the weapons fair in Darklonia. Ultimately, it addresses how defensive systems can kill as readily as offensive armaments. Astoria’s father wanted peace in our time. Instead, he created a weapon that could unleash armageddon.

 

Art

With his good looks and long hair, Artyom Darklon better resembles a rock star than the ruler of a sovereign nation. Yet he sits behind a sleek modern desk uncluttered by paperwork in body armor. After Tomax and Xamot hand Artyom a check, the trio watches a BAT demonstration from the balcony of his fortified palace. Destro wears more battle armor than his cousin as he sits on a carved, upholstered wooden chair and reads. A stack of papers nestles beside tall, lit candles atop antique furniture. As Private Ferrez reports that they have lost track of Destro, General Flagg regards a flower arrangement on his serviceable desk stacked with files. Unlike the check Xamot hands Artyom Darklon and the secret documents that delight Destro, General Flagg doesn't smile as he reads the letter that came with the flower arrangement.

 

Adriano Lucas lavishes a loaded palette on Andrei Bressan’s art in Destro #4. Unlike their Crimson Guard, Tomax and Xamot wear blue in Artyom Darklon’s red, orange, yellow, and gold palace. A BAT demonstration also fills the air with red, orange, and yellow, while the red of their Crimson Guard fills the air behind the twins. Blue, purple, and red dominate the two-story ballroom as people gaze down from upper floor landings to observe those on the dancefloor. Astoria's jaw drops when Destro enters clad in slacks, a long-sleeve shirt, leather gloves, and a brown jacket hanging from his shoulders. Despite the similarity between her gold earrings and the red-and-gold pendant he wears on a gold chain around his neck, Astoria rushes into an alley filled with orange light and green darkness to confront a red missile blazing an orange and blue trail.

 

Rus Wooton propels readers through Destro #4 with large uppercase black lettering in white dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. Portions of Destro’s letter to General Flagg appear on scraps of beige parchment. Words embolden for emphasis and never shrink. Yellow sound effects enhance the BAT demonstration in Darklonia, while white sounds welcome Astoria’s meeting with Destro’s accomplice in a dark alley. Thanks to Image Comics, Skybound Entertainment, and Hasbro for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Tomax and Xamot argue that Destro is dead. Artyom Darklon assumes that his cousin is dead. Astoria Carlton Ritz of Hybrid Technologies believes her business rival is dead. But like Snake Plissken, rumors of his death are greatly exaggerated. James McCullen Destro is forging partnerships with major players in the arms industry to reclaim MARS and ensure he doesn't lose access to Cobra Commander's otherworld energy source in Destro #4.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Preview interior art at Skybound.com.