Last Bot Standing TP
Writer: Nick Roche
Artists: E.J. Su and Nick Roche
Colors: Rebecca Nalty
Additional Colors: Brittany Peer
Letters: Johanna Nattalie
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Transformers: Last Bot Standing is revealed by IDW Publishing and collects the 4 problems with the titular sequence. Conceived as “the last Transformers story,” the sequence follows a lone Cybertronian making an attempt to do the proper factor in a dying universe to make up for the destruction his individuals induced throughout the celebs for generations.
Recently, tales like Last Bot Standing that focus on a protagonist from common media as they’ve their “one last go at it” have grown in reputation. This checklist consists of movies like Logan in addition to different comics like Buffy the Last Vampire Slayer or IDW’s different “Last” story, TMNT: The Last Ronin, and even video video games just like the latest God of War (2018). Last Bot Standing earns its place close to the highest of this rising style. Last Bot Standing is steeped within the neo-western subgenre of westerns.
Some of the traits that contribute to this embody a world that lacks codified guidelines, whereby morals are guided by the characters’ personal concepts of proper and improper slightly than any established legislation and order. Second is the search for justice by the primary characters. And third is guilt or regret by the character for their actions and having to take care of the implications. What makes this story notably fascinating, a stand out amongst others within the style, is its concentrate on environmentalism and the influence civilizations have on the planet, even going to date to ask deep ethical questions like “how will we resolve that our time is up?
As this story was popping out on the end of IDW’s publishing license for the Transformers, they determined to go all out in assembling a inventive workforce devoted to creating considered one of their remaining tales with the franchise memorable. Written by Nick Roche, who contributed to artwork alongside most important sequence artist E.J. Su, Roche had commonly written the robots in disguise up to now, returned right here for one remaining outing. Roche has stated “Last Bot Standing is a proper farewell” to IDW’s Transformers universe. With Su on most important artwork working with colorists Rebecca Natly and Brittany Peer, the complete sequence seems to be like how all of us keep in mind the ’80s-style Transformers trying, albeit with a post-apocalyptic, gritty, western filter thrown over prime. And that ought to come as no shock since Su has been engaged on drawing Transformers comics and contributing to their iconic look since 2005.
The look is great. Su’s motion scenes present the enormity of those beings as they battle whereas additionally showcasing the significance of motion of the Transformers whereas in car kind, sustaining curiosity within the chases that seem all through the sequence. Plus, we received a robotic carrying a cape. ‘Nuff stated.
With Johanna Nattalie on letters, SFX and balloons do their very own half in stealing the present, working naturally into Su’s scenes. You can virtually hear the robotic overtones of the Cybertronians voices that the balloons showcase contrasts sharply with the non-Cybertronians within the sequence.
In an interview with Sam Maggs for IDW’s Creator Spotlight following the discharge of the primary concern, Roche described Last Bot Standing as his personal “speculative end to the Transformer’s universe” that “could be the ending to any Transformers continuity that you want it to.” He describes the accessibility of the story itself saying, “you don’t need to have read any Transformers story” to get pleasure from this one. It’s designed to be loved by anybody who decides to choose it up with even the slightest quantity of Transformers data.
For the story itself, Roche tells the story of a Cybertronian who is simply uninterested in all of it. Tired of preventing a unending conflict. Tired of his individuals ruining the lives of different beings to allow them to proceed this conflict. Tired of feeling hopeless after eons earlier than discovering one thing true and simply to battle for one final time.
Something I feel made connecting to the Transformers franchise laborious for me was discovering a option to relate to the Cybertronians. How does one hook up with this omnipotent being that may remodel into the sickest sports activities automobile you’ve ever seen? Well, it’s simple. You put them into a comic book and you’ve got a creator like Nick Roche write it when paired up with an wonderful inventive workforce.
The outcome is a comic book about somebody hoping to rectify the errors made by their individuals in order that the subsequent era doesn’t expertise the identical cataclysmic failure and has a preventing probability although the universe is on its manner out. These are actual issues that we face day-after-day in our personal battle for our planet’s wellbeing in opposition to those that want to merely take and use what they need in order that they’ll proceed with their lives. Last Bot Standing could also be fiction, however the issues the ultimate Cybertronian faces really feel very related and actual.
I really feel fortunate having the ability to learn this sequence on this collected format, as a result of I feel if I’d have needed to wait month-to-month for every concern, I’d’ve gone loopy ready to see what occurred subsequent. Besides the advantage of having all the problems in a single place, the commerce paperback has a beautiful again gallery of all of the completely different variant covers and pinups performed by a rating of tremendous gifted artists.
Last Bot Standing is a bittersweet ebook for IDW to end its publishing of Transformers comics. This commerce assortment wraps up their time properly in enjoying with these, excuse the joke, toys. Some may even see it as a pessimistic take, however behind all that is the hope that permeates these darkest time. Hope that it doesn’t matter what we could also be dealing with, there’s nonetheless an opportunity to battle for a greater tomorrow and make issues proper.
Verdict: BUY
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