It’s over, finished! The four-issue limited series wraps it all up with a nice energon bow on it.
To start Transformers ’84 – Secrets and Lies Issue #4 off, there is a really neat little sequence of showing our narrator Punch quick change to Counterpunch as he conveys the final tale of his story, one which the change in persona is appropriate, given the change in nature of how the story unfolds.
One thing Simon Furman has done incredibly well, is provide a story, which I have said in earlier reviews, does not alter anything from the original. Furman tastefully adds a tale of what may have been, given a reveal of Punch’s limits to being “in two places at once” despite being undercover. There is no retcon, no rehash. What this was, in my opinion, a companion piece which adds a bit of extra flavor to those who were able to read the Marvel UK stories which feature The Wreckers and other characters who were absent from the Marvel US issues. This also gives the reader an opportunity to use some creative imagination to the fate of other characters we see here, yet never saw again.
The temporary final fates of beloved characters such as Grimlock, Megatron, and the notorious Shockwave are shown, as well as how Cybertron comes to be in the state found during the original run. After all, this series was called Transformers ’84 for a reason. All seen here has its elements in the original tale. However, it is notable for me to point out some characters, such as Star Saber and Deszaras (Deathsaurus) appear more for the nod to Japanese continuity, but are neither appear in the US or UK runs. In Japan, they battle in their own Manga series.
One might be disappointed there was no climactic battle or all-out assault to cap off the series, but keep in mind these events were previously unknown to all, and would lead to the status of Cybertron while Optimus Prime and the Autobots were facing the Decepticons led by Megatron on Earth.
I enjoyed this as pure nostalgia factor and in addition to the storytelling, the artwork meticulously perfected by Guido Guidi and John-Paul Bove in bringing back the feel of a comic from the eighties.
My one disappointment, is the missing nod to the banner of the first four issues of Transformers, atop the cover would read “#4 IN A FOUR-ISSUE LIMITED SERIES” which was nodded to at its conclusion with “#80 IN A FOUR-ISSUE LIMITED SERIES.”
I give this issue a 4-out-of-5 Energon Cubes, giving this series 4-out-of-5 Energon Cubes as well. Was it perfect, close, but I feel perfection would have been a disservice to future work. There’s always more to tell.
