The New Avengers - Transfomers #1 of 4

Marvel Comics
The New Avengers - Transfomers #1 of 4
By Hervé St-Louis
September 7, 2007 - 01:08

Marvel Comics
Writer(s): Stuart Moore
Penciller(s): Tyler Kirkham
Inker(s): Sal Regla

The New Avengers - Transfomers #1 of 4

The Avengers are in Latveria investigating strange happenings in Doctor Doom’s country and averting a war with neighbouring Symkaria. But as they investigate the strange metallic dome that has spring up, Spider-man is captured by mechanical devices and the other Avengers grow weary of each other. Is there something influencing humans to wage war among each other. That’s the mystery Optimus Prime and his Autobots intend to solve.

The last time the Marvel universe officially meat the Hasbro universe, was way back in Transformers #3 when Spider-man teamed up with Autobot Gears to spy on the Decepticons. Many have since speculated that because of that appearance, and that of Nick Fury, in the same issue, that the Transformers and Marvel Comics super heroes were in the same universe. One could even argue that the 1980s version of Marvel super heroes like Spider-man and Hulk shared the same cartoon universe as the Transformers and GI.Joe. For the many fans who have wanted to see such a meeting, this is the comic book series to get.

But the novelty of the meeting is not enough to sustain this comic book. Here Finger borrows from IDW Publishing’s Transformers’ lore by having the Decepticons encourage humans to fight among each others to better divide and conquer. While it makes sense that the same modus operandi is used by the same characters, no matter what publishers publish them, it seems like a low jab from Marvel Comics to IDW Publishing.

The story is less than deep. It’s straightforward super heroics but at least the tensions within the Avengers’ team are introduced gradually and only become apparent later in the story. Obviously, the spotlight was on the Avengers this issue. Let’s hope the Transformers get as much air time next issue.

The artwork is fine for the Avengers. From the little seen from the Transformers, it seems that Kirkham is not a mecha design expert. His Autobots look boxy and have big nails all over their bodies. Ratchet gets another look, like usual! The Autobot’s proportions to one another are all off and both Jazz and Prowl’s chests are designed too much like Sideswipes, than their upward mounted classic frames. In other words, their male breasts, aren’t supposed to be hanging, but stand erect!