I love Transformers. Best comics ever in my opinion. Yes, they aren't strictly small press, but they sure ain't no mainstream title in most senses. This latest Spotlight from IDW does not disappoint. I'm not totally happy with it, but it is definitely a shiner, even for Spotlight.
Spotlights give some page time to characters not always in the limelight, and usually show interior monlogue of the spotlighted character. This issue, on Cliffjumper, follows him to a distant planet, where he meets two peaceful children, living alone. But the Decepticons are never far away and follow Cliffjumper to the planet, and he is forced to defend his new friends from the menace. This Spotlight is poignant, sad, and makes you think about the countless deaths and "acceptable losses" that occur within the Transformer war.
The art for this - art by Robby Musso and colours by Joana Lafuente - is beautiful. Spotlight art for the Bots in Disguise is usually a cut above that of the main titles, and this one is no exception. Clean lines, amazing backgrounds and staggering colours - I'm left dumbfounded upon finishing reading. Everything about it is top quality.
But, with new writer Shane McCarthy, parts of the plot disappoint. Shane's style of writing has very little of the interior monologue seen in most Spotlights. That's the whole point - show the character's deepest internal thought, see the events through their eyes. McCarthy only has interior monologue for Cliffjumper on the last page. Disappointing.
Overall, I'm putting Spotlight: Cliffjumper down for a 9/10. This is the best Spotlight I've seen since Primus knows when. Good on you, Shane and Robby. You are bloody brilliant.
Posted by Fantom at 4:50 pm, SATURDAY 27 June
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