Transformers: Monstrosity #1

Transformers: Monstrosity #1

Writers: Chris Metzen and Flint Dille
Artist: Livio Ramondelli
Letterers: Tom B. Long
Cover Artist: Livio Ramondelli

Monstrosity #1 brings the Transformers back to life in a brand new tale set in the early days of Megatron and Optimus Prime. The art is colorful, vivid and gorgeous. The story weaves hand-in-hand with action and wit. There’s lots of great dialog. Plus the story covers an ambitious amount of ground.

Monstrosity #1 has three cover variants. Cover A features Megatron. Cover B features Scorponok. Cover C features the Dinobots. All three are by Livio Ramondelli.

Set after the events of Transformers: Autocracy, Monstrosity #1 shifts the focus off Optimus Prime. One story thread follows Strongbox and the Dinobots as they go around Cybertron trying to steal enough valuables to buy their way offworld. Another thread follows the Decepticons and their new leader, Scorponok. Megatron has an awesome storyline covering his exile and savage path of self-preservation on Junkion. But there is still some attention given to Optimus who finds himself struggling with politics as he tries to lead the Autobots and whoever else will listen to him.

The story makes a good use of story jumps. Not all stories can handle jumping between a handful of different characters all in different locations and following different storylines. However, this issue pulls it off pretty well. One page might be at Decepticon headquarters while the next leaps across space only to jump right back to Cybertron but amidst a Dinobot heist. There’s just enough story before each jump to make it work. The end result is a lot of different stories all jam packed into one issue.

Meanwhile the artwork in Monstrosity #1 is great. There’s a wide variety of  lush colors and immersive settings. The lighting effects are perfect. Each bot comes across with their personality. Whether it’s the madness on Megatron’s face or the stoic badassery of Strongbox as he cleans house, the emotions really come through the artwork.

A great story combined with great artwork makes Monstrosity #1 an all around great issue. For someone who isn’t a real big Transformers fan, it’s surprising just how good this story is, both visually and through the dialog. I give it a perfect five out of five metal bikinis and look forward to what the creators can do next.

Reviewed By: Skuldren for Roqoo Depot.