Review: The Transformers: Windblade by Mairghread Scott and Sarah Stone

Comic PDF eBook, n.pag.
Published 2014 (contents: 2014)
Acquired October 2016
Read July 2017

The Transformers: Windblade

Written by Mairghread Scott
Art by Sarah Stone
Letters by Chris Mowry

Windblade first appeared in Dark Cybertron, as a female Transformer from a lost colony who ended up throwing in her lot with the Autobots. A Cityspeaker, Windblade is now the representative of the Titan Metroplex, where the majority of Cybertronians are now living following the devastating events of Dark Cybertron. Windblade actually feels more like a continuation of the first five volumes of Robots in Disguise than Robots in Disguise, Volume 6 did. Aside from Windblade and her friend Chromia, all the main characters of Windblade were characters in Robots in Disguise up until that series relocated to Earth, and the concerns of Windblade are much more like that of volume 1-5 of Robots in Disguise. That is to say, this is about Starscream, Ironhide, Blurr, Waspinator, Rattrap, and others on a rebuilding Cybertron trying to move beyond war.

I appreciate that Ironhide still has a home, series-wise.
from The Transformers: Windblade vol. 1 #2

The high point of the book is Sarah Stone's painted art, which is gorgeous and unusual for a Transformers book, but much more dynamic and lively than Livio Ramondelli's painted Transformers art. Stone does a good job capturing personality and dynamism, and the characters have distinct, interesting designs. Mairghread Scott does a good job with characterization, too, populating her story with a number of distinct, memorable people-- I particularly liked the regulars at Blurr's bar.

I appreciate the inclusion of the Beast Machines Tankor and the explanation of how he fits with IDW's other Tankor.
from The Transformers: Windblade vol. 1 #1

The story itself is a little disappointing. Big things happen, but feel underdeveloped: someone tries to kill Windblade, but it doesn't quite seem as dramatic as it ought. If Windblade really does think Starscream is trying to kill her, I'm not sure that the actions she takes make a lot of sense. You'd think she'd do more than muse suspiciously. And the ending revelation of who is responsible is kind of weird, in that it makes someone into a horrible person beyond plausibility, and I don't like the way that person's deeds are dealt with. Also, the end indicates that Windblade's conflict over her two worlds was supposed to be a driver of the book, but I don't think it entirely sold that throughout.

A beautiful moment, but it doesn't entirely feel earned.
from The Transformers: Windblade vol. 1 #4

Still, I enjoyed reading this moment to moment even if the story as a whole left me cold. Good characters, good art, good jokes, and as there are future installments of Windblade to come, I can see how this could potentially improve into something great.

Next Week: Meanwhile, in space... time travel shenanigans run amok in More than Meets the Eye!