REVIEW: ‘Transformers,’ Issue #7

Transformers #7 is published by IDW Publishing, written by Brian Ruckley, art by Angel Hernandez, Andrew Griffith, and Anna Malkova, colors by Joana Lafuente and Josh Burcham, and letters by Tom B. Long.

In Transformers #7, the murder investigation continues, only now a second body has shown up. This puts more pressure on Chromia and Prowl to find the culprit, especially considering Ratchet’s autopsy suggests two different killers are at work. At the same time, what happens to Rubble sends Bumblebee over the edge. Bumblebee blames himself and decides that Cybertron isn’t the peaceful place it’s known to be. Because of this, his secret from the last few issues culminates in a new career path as a bodyguard. However, wanting to do the right thing isn’t enough. After all, he couldn’t protect Rubble. So, he has to prove himself to his fellow bodyguards and to Elita-1. We also get a few glimpses into Cyclonus’s thought processes and background, which may allow readers to understand a bit of why he’s such a loner.

Transformers #7 finally reveals what happened to Rubble back in issue #5. The readers know things got bad in the last few panels but, whether or not you liked Rubble in the first place, this will definitely tug at your heartstrings. Especially since Bumblebee obviously blames himself for the act.  Bumblebee was Rubble’s mentor and, as such, bred false-safety into the mech by telling Rubble about the seemingly endless peace Cybertron has experienced. Obviously, Bumblebee was wrong. His grief and guilt lead Bumblebee to do what he thinks will change Cybertron for the better. He tries to become a bodyguard for the side that’s attempting to incite change.  But is this the right move? Only time will tell.

We know that there hasn’t been a death on the Transformers’ homeworld for a very long time due to the Nominus edict and the overall peaceful climate that has settled on Cybertron. However, we find out that to commit such atrocities requires a new breed of Cybertronian. I admit, at first, a single murder didn’t seem like it should be such a big deal, even for a society that hasn’t seen war in a very long time. But, this issue puts things into perspective: Cybertronians live a long time and are very hard to kill. Many have forgotten about this type of violence and what it takes to commit it. This information makes the death of Brainstorm and attack on Rubble even more atrocious. It also reveals what Chromia and Prowl are really dealing with and why Bumblebee takes such drastic measures.

On a more exciting note, there are a number of popular, big-name Cybertronians in this issue: Orion Pax, Windblade, Bumblebee, Cyclonus, Prowl, Elita-1, Chromia, Ratchet, and Ironhide. This is a large cast of characters, even if some characters listed were only in one or two panels. Hopefully, this means that we’ll see more beloved characters in the future. This comic has the potential to be quite large and far-reaching, which is rather exciting given its status as a reboot.

Considering all of the characters that show up in this issue, the personalities, and therefore the dialogue, are consistent. The art is similar to past issues so there are no surprises there. The coloring is particularly impressive in some of the panels, making for some very appealing backgrounds. As usual, the lettering is easy to follow and doesn’t crowd the panels. Overall, if you enjoyed the previous issues’ aesthetics, you’ll enjoy this one as well.

This issue is a little frustrating, for both the readers and the characters within. The murder investigation is no closer to answers, and you can see how this affects Prowl negatively. Chromia is much more put-together about the situation but she must also be feeling the pressure. We get more of a sneak peek in Cyclonus’s mind, but we’re also suddenly introduced to a new bot with questionable intentions. More questions than answers seem to be added to the mystery of the first murder on Cybertron. I can certainly tell you I’m antsy to be thrown a bone. There are so many questions needing to be answered, beyond those revolving around the murder. What are the Ascenticons up to? Why are Cybertronians going missing? Is Bumblebee making the right choice? Let me tell you, it’s going to be a good day when all of them are answered. But, for now, we wait.

Transformers #7 is available now wherever comic books are sold.