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‘Transformers Prime: Rage of the Dinobots #1’ Review: As MC Chris Says . . .

 

Transformers Rage of the Dinobots 1The Transformers franchise has survived and persisted through many things (the ’80s . . . obvious rip-offs . . . Michael Bay . . . ), but as we’ve seen with the Star Wars franchise, when the original source material that spawned the various incarnations is so rooted in geeky awesomeness, flashes of brilliance are guaranteed to happen. And, the Dinobots are the very definition of “rooted in geeky awesomeness.” The combination of the “Tyrant Lizards” and the robots who are “more than meets the eye” was a geek “Eureka” moment on par with the creation of something as classically awesome and impactful as the lightsaber. Perhaps Nerdcore rapper MC Chris put it best when he declared in his trademark and dignified fashion that “Dinobots kick a–!” Luckily, this sentiment can also easily be applied to their latest incarnation, IDW’s new comic book series Transformers Prime: Rage of the Dinobots.


Transformers Prime: Rage of the Dinobots
#1 is written by Mike Johnson and Mairghread Scott and features the art team of Agustin Padilla (art) and Thomas Deer (colors). It’s a talented team, especially with Johnson having previously written many IDW comics including Star Trek and the original Transformers Prime graphic novel and Scott having served as a writer on the Transformers Prime animated series that the comics are based on. I always appreciate when a publisher has the sense to bring in those who intimately know the material (we call them “fans” where I come from), and it clearly shows in the action-packed script that Johnson and Scott have delivered. Transformers Prime: Rage of the Dinobots takes place during the fall of the Transformer home world of Cybertron and immediately shows us the Dinobots in action, demonstrating why exactly they are such fan favorites. While this book could have contained a simplistic story with a superficial plot, merely providing an arena for the Dinobots to kick robot butt in sequential art form, Johnson and Scott are crafting something far more complex and nuanced, attempting to use the comic series to link together the story lines from the popular Transformers Prime video game and animated series, as well as painting the Dinobots as isolated, independent members of the Autobots who have an underlying resentment of their suspicious teammates.

Padilla’s art style is perfect for the series with his detailed depictions of the Transformers, and their spacecrafts taking the characters way beyond the action figures that the characters are based on. Deer’s colors seal the deal, with his vibrant, and literally glowing, colors pushing the visuals to a feel that’s more “sci-fi epic” than Saturday morning cartoon.

There are a few minor issues I had with Transformers Prime: Rage of the Dinobots #1, but nothing that would deter a Transformers fan from devouring the book. At times, given that humanoid versions of the robots can look similar in close-ups of arms and legs, some of the action depicted by Padilla can take a few moments to interpret correctly. I also think that despite the cool visual effect the book uses to convey the “transforming” of its robot characters, the lack of the trademark “transforming” sound effect made it slightly confusing at times as to whether a character was transforming or there was simply a fellow transformer behind them. Also, that trademark sound effect is just ridiculously cool, so I’m sure my fellow fans would agree that any excuse to throw it in should be seized upon.

You can check out a preview of Transformers Prime: Rage of the Dinobots #1 at the following link and be sure to pick up your copy at the local comic book shop this Wednesday!

That’s all for now, comic book sniffers! Keep that MC Chris album spinning!

‘Till the end of the world,
-Bryant the Comic Book Slayer

 

 

 

 

Bryant Dillon, Fanbase Press President

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Favorite Comic BookPreacher by Garth Ennis and Steve DillonFavorite TV ShowBuffy the Vampire Slayer Favorite BookThe Beach by Alex Garland

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