It all comes down to the end. Colton vs. Scarlett, Optimus Prime vs. Cobra and his own Transformers, MASK vs. Mayhem, this is the brawl for it all.
Max Dunbar and Ander Zarate have the honors of bring some bright color to the wild action. They bring out some of the human passion for what each side is fighting for. For those who thought this was just about a fight against the Transformers, it’s much bigger. The final chapter culminates with answers to questions such as “What makes a hero?” and “What gives you the right to decide…?”
All along the series, we’ve been given bits and pieces of conflict with Transformers, MASK, Action Man, G.I. Joe, but it all boils down to Colton and Scarlett. Each one presenting their argument, mostly with fists, of who is right and wrong, and determining who is the “good guy” versus “the bad guy.” Each one pleads their case in an effort for the others to listen, and this is where the artwork really shines.
Yes, one can’t forget this is a collaborative effort by IDW and Hasbro to enhance the bonds of their shared properties, and of course, the two payoffs at the end of the issue which introduces the next property included in this universe.
Interestingly, the backup Coda story is the big payoff, and I use the word big in a literal sense. Read it, you’ll see.
All in all, IDW put together a great story, the one-shots would have been better had they truly fit in between the main story, but still, good enough for me to continue reading despite the story ending this week.
First Strike issue #6 earns an 8 out of 10, the entire run of First Strike earns an 8 out of 10 overall. It was a great series, and again, I enjoyed the focus on the villains more than the heroes. The benefit of such a focus, gives some background and a lot of depth to characters I hope return as the Hasbroverse continues on.
