Transformers: Beast Wars #1 out this week from IDW Publishing reunites fans with some of their favorite characters from the original TV series. Thanks to new plot elements and characters it becomes apparent this will not be a simple retelling of the original show. This reimagining is made possible by Erik Burnham (writing), Josh Burcham (art), and Jake M. Wood (lettering).
Summary
When a crew of Predacons, led by the successor to the Megatron name, steal a golden disk and a ship capable of traveling through time, it’s up to Optimus Primal and his Maximal crew—Rattrap, Rhinox, Cheetor, and new character Nyx—to catch them!
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Writing
Beast Wars: Transformers is hailed as one of the best Transformers series ever created. It’s more surprising than anything it took this long to get a full comic series based on the TV show. Writer Erik Burnham seems to be nailing the characters so far including showcasing Rattrap’s sarcastic personality and Dinobot’s honor-bound style of fighting.
The issue does offer new elements to the original story including new character Nyx who serves as the pilot of the Axalon. Though the issue has a good feel for the characters, it’s a bit slow with the need to reintroduce them. This is a small complaint but overall the issue sets up all the elements for an entertaining series moving forward.
Artwork
The art by Josh Burcham introduces designs of what the characters looked like in their original cybertronian forms. In the TV series characters were shrouded in shadows until they scanned DNA and got their alt forms. It shows the amount of planning and effort put into the creation of this series.
Burcham’s color work helps to add to the different action scenes. From the two ships traveling with the transwarp technology and their inevitable crash onto the planet, the use of colors makes these scenes striking.
The lettering by Jake M. Wood offers an auditory aspect to the comic. The different fonts and specific sound effects aid in helping the action scenes play out. Also, it’s interesting to learn the sound a ship makes as it enters transwarp is “FWASHHH.”
Conclusion
Transformers: Beast Wars #1 hits on a lot of elements found in the original TV series. It’s slow but the issue does deliver new aspects which will be interesting to see play out in the future installments. Fans of Beast Wars rejoice or at least don’t immediately dismiss this new series.
