Transformers #14 // Review
Starscream is not having a good day. He’s awakened to find his lower extremities fused with a tank. Those who had found him thought it might have been an improvement over the legless state that they had found him In, but he’s far from satisfied in Transformers #14. Writer Daniel Warren Johnson and artist Jason Howard continue their end of the Transformers/G.I. Joe fusion with colorist Mike Spicer. It’s a fun mash-up that continues to make novel connections between the two properties in ways that could prove to be really interesting as things get more complex in the coming months.
It’s a HISS tank. They’ve fused Starscream’s lower body with a HISS tank. The weird, angular design of the tank still looks classy and distinctive, but Starscram isn’t exactly able to transform into the graceful fighter jet that he had been. Still...he IS able to maneuver around and he seems to have made uneasy allies with a few of the squishy, little life forms that inhabit the planet. And as bad as things are for him, they might be even worse for Astrotrain. With any luck, Starscream might be able to turn his awkward situation to his advantage.
Daniel Warren Johnson is cleverly playing with the pieces that he's been given. Starscream always had a great deal with potential that never really seemed to go anywhere in the animated series. Here he's given some strength in a disfigurement that would affect any transformer. So it's fun to see that play out. Decepticons traditional weren’t given much of an opportunity to truly engage in human characters. it's kind of fun to see them interact in a way that puts them on more or less equal footing. It's sharp and clever stuff that gives traditional concepts of the property interesting mutations.
Howard is having fun as well. The challenge for any artist with the transformers is to simply deliver the distinct visuals of the characters to the page. Most artists have had quite a bit of difficulty with that alone. Howard does a really good job of it. Not only is he using the distinctive look and feel of these characters and giving them the proper proportions, he's also delivering some very clever and nuanced drama to the page. Visual dynamics of the action are brought to the page from a variety of different angles that all work quite well. Spicer’s colors give the action quite a bit of atmosphere. the nighttime wilderness that serves as the setting feels quite immersive thanks to Spicer's work.
The basic format of both franchises had been so narrowly defined for so long. It doesn't take much to change things and mutate them in a way that makes them fresh and interesting. Daniel, Warren Johnson and company are doing a really good job of playing with the elements in a way that is respective to to what they've been through before a while. Also creating new and interesting dynamics. The Energon Universe continues to be fun.
