The second issue of Transformers: Beast Wars rolls out with a continued spotlight on the Heroic Maximals and their discovery of this strange, organic new world. This world also happens to scale off the charts for an energy supply desperately needed for their homeworld, Cybertron.
Little do they realize, another entity has been watching, observing. The Vok, have arrived. For those who are already familiar with Transformers lore, or spent more than a few minutes combing through Wikipedia, will know these ancient beings are harbingers of many troubles for both Maximal and Predacon alike. On the one hand they appear as scientific explorers, conducting experiments on worlds, such as this one. The other hand, shown in this issues, are breadcrumbs of possibly more sinister elements at work.
The issue then spotlights more on our IDW-original, Nyx who takes to exploring in beast form, only to encounter peril. Things escalate rather quickly.
While I have no doubt the introduction of the alien race might be offensive to Beast Wars Bible Holders, as their introduction into Transformers lore was not until later in the original series, and only expanded briefly in BotCon comics. However, I offer a more welcoming opinion. For newer readers or those who did not grow up with Beast Wars and the tales regarded as more legend, unveiling a cast with influence over events reveals more promise and intrigue, rather than obligatory faux surprises later on. I would rather see the lineup now, and feel a sense of suspicion and curiosity to watch their intentions unfold.
Now, as a fan myself, and a user of the interwebs, I can’t help but notice artist Josh Burcham getting flak for the more animated sketch style of artwork.
I couldn’t disagree more. Beast Wars originally had a healthy mix of serious plot with light-hearted tone. Longtime fans can’t help but recall how often Optimus Primal, voiced by animated icon veteran Gary Chalk, would bellow out a hearty laugh at the antics of Cheetor or Rattrap. Burcham’s style of art is what attracted me to this comic, signaling this to be the beginnings of a fun, new spin on the Beast Wars tale.
Writer Erik Burnham adds to this flavor with crafty dialogue which flows from one page to the next. It feels like a smooth, cohesive story unfolds. The dialogue fits the new style of characters while holding true to elements of the original tale. Trust me, Megatron is still one sinister circuit away from world conquest. In short, Burcham and Burnham are crafting a fun tale for old and new fans alike.
Suspense is building and conflict appears imminent. Within the next couple weeks, we may yet see the first battles in a longer war. Plus, a certain rubber duck makes an appearance.
