by Calvatron » Mon Mar 01, 2010 2:34 pm
This series is finally starting to gel. After four issues, i finally feel like i'm beginning to get Costa's style and the angle he's coming from. This issue really laid bare the way he characterizes the transformers and overall i'm really starting to like that. It's definitely a more mature nuanced way of doing it compared to Furman, though i wouldn't go so far as to say better. the one problem i have with this is that compared to Furman's more direct and action based method some of more 'core' characteristics can appear absent when not being shown directly on screen. I'd compare the two styles to a movie vs. television show version. Costa's characters only really reveal themselves over time and more aptly as their motivations become apparant, while Furman's characters are more outwardly recognizable and a bit more static in personality.
The scene with Ultra Magnus showing up was pure gold and was truly telling about everone involved. I must say that i'm actually wondering if Swindle will in some small way show real loyalty to Hod Rod after all of this. Even if it's as little as making sure Hot Rod has a escape route when he sets up the rest of the autobots with skywatch and steals the ship.
I've grown accustomed to the art, but there is still something off about most of the faces. A big improvement over issue 1, but i probably won't be happy with Don's new style till he's had atleast six more months to hone it.
One last note, when i got this issue i sat down and read all four in a row and i can begin to see what kind of writer Costa is and what kind of book this will be. I can't say i find him to be nearly the match to Transformers that Nick Roche is, but as a comic writer in general i'm impressed.
