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review 2016-01-30 16:07
Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye, Vol 6
Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye Volume 6 - James Roberts

I am well overdue for my review of this. I blame house hunting. However, that did give me an excuse to go through and read the volume again, which I am absolutely not upset about! James Roberts has become my hero. As much as I think Robots in Disguise is definitely improving, MTMtE is still by far the better of the two series. It's proven time and time again! Add the fact that Megatron is now an Autobot, and co-captain of the Lost Light? Well, let's just say that things have gotten interesting. Very interesting.

 

Now, lest you think that Megatron has gotten off easily, let me tell you that putting him on the Lost Light was probably a better decision than incarcerating him. It's hilarious how much he ends up putting up with, not the least of which comes from a very miffed Rodimus. I like the way that this has shaken things up. Plus, truth be told, Megatron is even... nice... at times. Yup, it happens. There's a panel where the discussion swings around to the fact that after a certain threshold of death and destruction, it all just blends into one. None of the characters are necessarily willing to forgive Megatron, but they're willing to move forward. It's an interesting dynamic.

 

And now, panels! Which, to the surprise of no one, are mainly funny.

 

So before the Lost Light sets off in search of the Knights of Cybertron again, the crew has to be reassembled. I was thrilled that so many new characters hopped on board for this second mission. I was equally thrilled that Swerve tried to host what may have been unapproved "Crewditions". Ultra Magnus was not amused.

 

 

Then, there's the fact that Tailgate is back! I knew he was convalescing after his illness and near death experience. Still, I was so happy to see him back in action! It's adorable how Roberts has created such a friendship between him and the slightly prickly Cyclonus. They're just too cute for words. Plus, everyone is treating Tailgate like a hero, and it's the sweetest thing ever!

 

 

Meanwhile, as per normal, drinking at Swerve's bar has recommenced, which always leads to lots of hilarious and terrible decisions. Remember when I mentioned above that Megatron is now onboard the Lost Light? Well, he happens to be the main topic of drunken discussion. Most specifically, his secret cache of secrets. Hey, I'm just calling it like I see it. I mean, it is behind a particularly "Lock-y" door.

 

 

The most amusing panel, for me, was definitely the mention of comics themselves. We know that our characters have been to Earth at one time or another, and so they have a basic (read very basic) knowledge of some "Earthlet" culture. I cracked up laughing though at their acquired movie collection, and the crack at comic books. 

 

 

Ah, humor.

 

So yes, I still love this series to death! I can't post any other panels, or go too much further into the ending of this, because it has so many spoilers! What I can say, is that a very important character comes back. It made me smile. It made me cry. It made me swear that James Roberts is the most evil and brilliant author ever. I've said that before. I stick by it! He just loves to toy with the emotions of his readers, and he's great at it.

 

Onward!

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review 2016-01-21 18:06
Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye, Vol 5
Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye Volume 5 - James Roberts

WHAT JUST HAPPENED?

 

No, really. So much happened in this volume that my head is still spinning. In fact, I'm thinking that I'm going to have to read it again, just to make sure I have all my facts straight. There were so many things I thought I knew about these characters, and then James Roberts came in and totally blew my mind. There was a point while I was reading this where I just sat there, staring at the same set of panels, with my mouth open. Well done Roberts, well done. You are officially the master of complete and utter chaos, and I love you for it.

 

Interjection here to state that I also love Grim to pieces for making me love this.

 

Anyway, here's one of my favorite panels.

 

 

It's nice to know that even when things are blowing up, characters are dying, and everything I thought I knew about a certain character is being smashed to bits, Whirl is still the same. Plus, I can't deny, I have a soft spot for Cyclonus. That big metal teddy bear. He acts so tough, but he has a big heart too.

 

Here's another one of my favorite panels. Look, this volume has a lot of darkness and death. But, true to Roberts' form, it also has a lot of lighter parts too. Is it any wonder that the only person more "punch worthy" than Megatron is Whirl? Ha.

 

 

I am so completely impressed with this series. Nothing has felt forced, or convenient. Every single event has completely lined up to create a story that I just can't get enough of. These characters have become like a second family. I look forward to reading more about them, despair when they're ill or dying, and cheer when they're doing adorable family-type things. There's a panel, that I forgot to take a screen shot of, when Skids is talking about how the crew of the Lost Light is more than a group, they're his family. Truth. So much truth.

 

If you're on the fence about reading this, let Grim and I woo you. Convert! It's worth it.

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review 2016-01-17 03:43
Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye, Vol 4
Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye Volume 4 - James Roberts

Oh, I LOVED this volume. Hands down, this is my favorite so far. More Than Meets the Eye is still the superior series for me, but above and beyond that was the fact that this whole volume stole my breath away. I wish I could dish about absolutely everything that happens, but then there'd be no reason for you to read this. So, I'll do my best to highlight.

 

First off, so many layers have been slowly peeled back from these characters. James Roberts has created such depth, even in characters like Swerve. He's my favorite, because of his sense of humor. However I've learned so much about him these past volumes. That he has a deeper set of emotions. That he uses humor sometimes to disguise those. That, even poor Swerve gets lonely.

 

 

Another great example of this is Ultra Magnus. I shared the panel where he smiled, which was so totally out of character for him that it was almost terrifying. However there's more underneath that tough and strict exterior. This volume really dove in to what Ultra Magnus is, what he used to be, and how he just doesn't know what to do with himself. He wants to be liked, he's just gotten used to being feared instead. Truth time? I feel for him.

 

 

Oh, and then there's the whole idea of relationships that extend beyond just friendship. I find in interesting that I never considered that there might be actual deep relationships in this story. It's probably because I started out this whole journey with the idea that robots don't have feelings. Well, I was definitely wrong. I'm happy about that. And I've learned so much about all of these characters that the fact that they might be happy together? Just makes me smile. And weep. This time, it definitely made me weep.

 

 

There's been a lot of destruction, and even some death. I've mostly gotten used to it. In this volume though, it reached a new level. So far, James Roberts has made it feel like most of the time characters can come back. They can be saved. They might be gone for a while, but it's okay because there's always possibility. This time, I don't think that will happen. Poor Chromedome. The final set of panels in this story almost killed me. Does that tell you how invested I've become?

 

*wistful sigh* So good. So good, and so sad.

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review 2016-01-10 20:09
Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye, Vol 3
Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye Volume 3 - James Roberts

Let me start a slow clap for this volume, if I may. I absolutely adored it! Is it possible for a series to just get better? I'm terrified that it can't keep riding this high, but I think James Roberts might prove me wrong. There's so much goodness wrapped up in Volume 3 of More Than Meets the Eye. I was given so much back story. Events that happened before the war, the way some of our characters met one another, even the reason that personalities are the way they are currently. What's more brilliant, is that all of this information was given to me by way of our amazing characters sitting around, drinking, and telling stories. What could be better?

 

Remember how I keep mentioning how much real life issues make their way into these two Transformers series? Well, if one is more about politics, then MTMtE is the one that's more about common rights and the idea of religion. Some of the characters are highly religious. Some don't care at all. Still others are summed up in the panel below. That the world around us can be appreciated, no matter what you believe in. That last line in the panel hit me hard. So much truth, all in a comic.

 

 

Of course, then a few pages later you end up with a panel like the one below. Hey, it's all about balance right? 

 

 

I love following the growth of these characters also. Swerve, whom up until now has been a jokester above all else, almost broke my heart in this volume. Watching him talk about his guilt over harming someone he considers a friend, just floored me. It's so nice to see that these characters are multi-faceted. They don't always fit in just one box. They aren't afraid to break out of that shell if it's needed. Although, truth be told, sometimes that's a terrifying prospect. Like, for instance, when Ultra Magnus smiles. SMILES. *shudders*

 

 

He looks terrifying, no?

 

So anyway, what all my rambling is really leading up to is that this was my favorite volume so far! I still love this series more than anything, and it's just being proven to me over and over again that James Roberts is a stellar writer. More. And more. And more.

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review 2016-01-06 05:00
Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye, Vol 2
The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye, Volume 2 - James Roberts,Nick Roche,Alex Milne

Well, I can definitely say that this remains my favorite of the two series! It's honestly because of the thin line that James Roberts walks between tragedy, and humor. Let's be honest, these aren't always the happiest stories. Despite the fact that the war is over, well, it's not really over. Lines are still drawn in the sand. Hatred still exists. Our characters still die. Sometimes in ways that are a bit hard to stomach. If you don't think that you'd feel sad for a non-human character dying, let me assure you that you are dead wrong. Whether these characters are human or not, they have the kinds of personalities that draw you in and make you care. It's evil. It's brilliant.

 

I'll bet money you know someone like Magnus. Overly serious, possibly OCD. The life of the party? Not so much.

 

 

You probably also know someone like Swerve, who is over eager and tells terrible jokes. Or someone like Rung, who tries their best to help others to such an extent that they often end up getting hurt themselves. Trust me, these characters are easy to fall into step with. They come alive, and I can't deny that I'm absolutely hooked. It's testament to how well this is written that I actually like some of the Decepticons. Yup, they may have been evil at one point, but now they're just as lost as everyone else. And... this motley band of buddies is kind of funny too.

 

 

Survival instinct for the win.

 

What I liked most about this volume is that it's actually bunch of short story arcs all threaded together. Each one shows a little piece of something different that's currently going on. We have a mysterious plague that Ratchet and his crew have to figure out how to solve. That particular one almost made me cry. What a brutal way to go! Then, we have the crew of the Lost Light, where Skids is trying to figure out what memories he's missing, and poor Rung is having one hell of a day. Finally, there's our Decepticons in the panel above. Trying to band together, trying to get home, still kind of awful to one another. Yet, again, funny.

 

I'm really enjoying how Roberts takes the time to set up these relationships between characters. You can see who genuinely cares about others, who separates themselves from the group, and who just doesn't know how to belong. I can't deny, my emotions were all over the place this volume. Grim told me that would happen. I should have been prepared. I wasn't. I tell you, I'm more invested in this than you know.

 

Next up, RiD Vol 2! More political intrigue.

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