Spotlight: Drift is an excellent one shot comic. The only problems it has are contextual, so in the interest of a pure review of the comic itself, let’s save the contextual issues for the next section in which we will take a closer look at Drift and his emerging place in the IDW Transformer Universe.
All that out of the way, Spotlight: Drift is really enjoyable. Drift, the new character, and his past are briefly but competently explained. Shane McCarthy seems to have a gift for using implication and allusion to convey past events, allowing for a great deal of exposition with out feeling like the info was rammed down your throats. There is an interesting look into how the rest of the universe sees the Transformers. Besides humans we haven’t seen much of that.
Some notes of continuity, this issue briefly explains Kup’s recovery from his Spotlight, and may feature the beginning of Perceptor’s … change in focus. Also I get the feeling that Drifts origin will shortly lead us to a new story.
If you’re not doing either, you should be.
While a well written, well drawn comic, it’s main character’s status as new character draws extra scrutiny. The fanfic jokes are already flying (I’ve flung a few myself) and they’re not entirely unjustified. Comic books are full of cliché but much of that is “legacy” cliché. It’s established. Batman wears his underpants out side his clothes, but he’s been doing that since the 40’s you don’t have to explain it. If you make a new character however, and decide he’s fruit o’the loom challenged, your audience is going to ask “why?”.
Those are the questions Spotlight: Drift leaves unanswered. Why? Why should we care about this guy? Why is he worth reading? Why do we need a new character for this? Why is he so much cooler than the established characters?
Now having said all that, I personally think that the addition of new characters is a good thing for the G1-verse. It’s 25 years old. New blood is good. I’m just not sure if a Super Hero ‘bot was the place to start.
Disrobing, Drift then stealthily infiltrates the Decepticon ship only to be interrupted by Kup, Perceptor, and the Wreckers blowing a hole in the ship. This gets the attention of the oversized Turmoil, the ships commander. A battle ensues and Drift fights along side the wreckers, swords only, he does not use guns. Quickly questioned by Kup, and examined by Perceptor, it is noted he has no faction and has had a distinct kind of work done on him.
Drift leads the Wreckers to the Autobot captives and there is much rejoicing . Then Turmoil removes most of preceptors upper torso through a door. There is another fire fight, Drift charges the ‘cons and his voice is recognized by Turmoil, as the voice of Deadlock his former subordinate. Turmoil shoots a hole in the wall and Kup and Drift fall through plummeting to a lower level.
Here Kup confronts Drift about having been the Decepticon, Deadlock, apparently also a badass, and about the origin of his nifty longsword. Drift admits he was Deadlock and that a visit to a nameless lost third faction changed him and is the origin of his sword. Kup intimates that it was Perceptor who had put Kup back together again after the events of his spotlight. Then they decide to blow up the ship. Yay.
We jump to them riging up something volatile looking, conveniently located next to an open door. Kup is informed that the other Autobots have left the ship and intend to circle back to pick them up. Turmoil interrupts, a blast knocks Kup out the door.
Turmoil, informs Drift that he had been thought dead, Drift says that Deadlock is dead, and asserts his new name. Turmoil debates philosophy with drift as they try to stab and shoot each other. (Maybe that’s why his name is Turmoil.) Drift pins Turmoil to the wall with swords, Turmoil goads him to finish it. Drift hauls out, grabs what’s left of Perceptor and jumps off the ship. The Autobot ship can bee seen swooping in to save them as the Decepticon ship goes kablooy.
Reviewer | Ender |
Date | April 12th 2009 |
Score | ![]() |
Reads | 17738 |
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