After the seriousness of the Combiner Wars mini-series, Windblade’s final installment to the tale adds some much-needed humor to the mix. Sure, the crew on Cybertron is facing some serious problems, but the key to their resolution makes me smile, plus it opens up the door to some amazing action in the coming issues!
Starscream hasn’t given up on his plans to create an empire, so he’s thrilled to convince representatives from Velocitron to visit Cybertron. Ostensibly, he’s inviting the colony to join a council with representatives from each Transformer world, but it seems clear that Starscream loves the idea of being top Bot. Windblade, on the other hand, is trying to manage the unrest in Cybertron caused by the resentments between the locals and the Camien refugees. The failure of Starscream’s negotiations with Velocitron allows the young Bot to use her own methods to find a way to get an answer everyone is happy about.
Windblade has come a long way from the young, naïve Transformer in her first mini-series, and this issue allows her to show what she’s learned. Rather than panic over Velocitron’s reaction to the council, she uses her talent at connecting to others to create a situation where the tables may turn in Cybertron’s favor. The end result proves that being powerful doesn’t necessarily involve being forceful; sometimes, being friendly, polite, and sweet can get the same results.
This issue of Transformers: Windblade continues the more cartoony style, and while I miss the super-detailed work, this does the job perfectly. I can identify each character easily, and Rattrap’s facial expressions caused more than one giggle. The smooth color adds to the cartoon feel of the art, which is an asset if that was the intention of the creative team.
I needed a little, lighthearted tale from Transformers: Windblade after the heavy previous issues, and this volume definitely delivers! I just hope that the next issue ramps up both the stakes and the fun like the final pages hint!
4.5 Cocky Pilots . . . er Drivers out of 5
