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Link to review: http://itinerantlibrarian.blogspot.com/2013/12/booknote-transformers-monstrosity... ( )

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Autocracy, the book to which this is a sequel, was the very first IDW Transformers comic I ever read. Monstrosity picks up right where Autocracy ends, with the beginning of the millions-year-long Autobot/Decepticon war underway. I found Autocracy a little difficult to follow, but over two years later, I've read another fifty-one(!) volumes of IDW Transformers comics... so you might say I have a bit more understanding and context now.

Monstrosity might take place at the beginning of the continuity, but it actually is nice to read it later on, because I can see the seeds for much of what's followed. Monstrosity shows the great exodus of nonaligned Transformers from Cybetrons (those who would be called "NAILs" when they returned in More than Meets the Eye, Volume 1); one key character is Dai Atlas, leader of the Circle of Light (the group the Lost Light was seeking until More than Meets the Eye, Volume 5); and we see the beginning of Cyberton's ecological devastation (discussed in Infiltration and All Hail Megatron, among others).

The story deals with various kinds of monstrosity: the Dinobots (called "Dynobots" here because they aren't dinosaurs yet) have alt modes that threaten to overwhelm them, there's a monster buried under the surface of Cybertron, the people of Cybetron themselves begin to turn ugly, and Megatron continues his transformation from principled zealot to genocidal maniac.

When reading a synopsis ahead of time, I was skeptical of these parts all fitting together (particularly the Dinobots), but to my surprise, they did. I particularly liked the sense of tragedy to the whole thing. Optimus Prime might be Cybetron's greatest hero, and the first Prime to carry the Matrix in many centuries (millennia?), but that's not enough to save his planet or his people. With crushing inevitability, everything falls apart. In addition, Megatron is pretty badass here, tearing up Junkion (the Planet of Junk) to reclaim leadership of the Decepticons, and willing to do whatever it takes to depose the Autobots and lay claim to control of Cybertron.

Though sometimes his action scenes are hard to follow as they occasionally are, and the art's murkiness makes identifying characters difficult, Livio Ramondelli has really defined this period of Cybetronian history. His art is good at capturing the era's mythic nature and its violence. Overall, this was an enjoyable read, an appropriate story to finally experience as IDW's Transformers universe winds itself down.

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I got this from Netgalley, but read this in original comic form. So reread. (I can't find the paper issue number three, which is why I read this from Netgalley.) The reason I took away one half a star is that I thought this was going to be Dynobot-centric - as it mostly about the Dynobots. Eh, not so much. Much of the story is centered on the Dynobots, but given the initial ads for this, not as much as I had hoped. It's a good story, and it encompasses all the factions - Autobots, Dynobots, Decepticons bots that will presumably become NAILs later on, as well as Dai Atlas, and through him the Knights of Cyberton.


Power struggles in both the Decepticon and Autobot factions are played out, as Dai Atlas invites distrust of the new Prime, without really meaning to. He doesn't help, although not out of any ill will. Dai Atlas simply doesn't trust that the new Prime - Optimus - has the strength needed to lead, and to bring peace to Cybertron. It's fair, I think, because Prime makes mistakes in this graphic novel, and stumbles, as he learns how to be a leader. However, he also has the best interest of Cybertron at heart. Given that the Matrix chooses someone to become a Prime, someone who may not have experience in leadership, but who it deems worthy... I can't really fault Prime. He agonizes over his missteps, and he tries to deal justice with a fair hand. He tries not to fight if possible, but is willing to raise arms in defense of Cybertornians. He *is* worthy.

The Decepticons, on the other hand, cut each other down. Scorponok unseats Megatron and leaves him for scrap on Junkion. They squabble, they backstab each other, and while there are occasional elements of honor shown - Megatron respecting the dead of those who fought for him, and refusing to let his Decepticons go into battle when he's sure they'll die for example - it's not a pretty picture of this faction. Not at all.

Between all this, the energon supplies are at a low point. The world is not able to sustain it's inhabitants, and this is simply causing more and more tension. Add that to the political going ons, and peace is unsustainable.

However, the Monstrosity in the title - who it refers to is debatable. A Quintesson on Junkion tells Megatron he has to become monstrous to survive that world, and Prime calls him a monster in the end. The Dynobots are portrayed as monstrous, and even Grimlock reminds the readers of this. More than once he says he has a monster in him, as does the rest of his team. They're dangerous and trying to get off world to protect everyone else from their monsters. Trypticon is monstrous, and is called on it moire than once. I would argue that Megatron learns to be more monstrous than before on Junkion, and that this is a tale of redemption for the Dynobots - they go from having a monster in them to starting to be able to control that monster, and becoming as honorable as they had been before their last mission under Nominus.

Trypticon? Trypticon is just a tragedy. He's been infected by the same energon that has turned the Dynobots into the monsters they see in themselves. It's raw energon that Prime hopes to use to restore the world, at least until he sees what it's done to the Dynobots. (Think Hulk-like rage. Their savage/beast modes are explained by their medic, Skar, who was using adaptable alt-modes to fight creatures who were savage, and dragon like - and who were infected by that same raw energon.) Trypticon has been feeing off it for Primus knows how long. I see him as neutral, as rage given form, who lashed out and devours everything. He tramples on Autobots and Decepticons alike.

All in all? There are just too many subplots, and themes, to go over in one review. This is a highly complex graphic novel that not only gives insight into Cybertron's past, but sheds light on the IDW version of the Dynobots. It's got brilliant art, and I loved the writing even more the second time around. I loved the graphic novel in general the second time around. Highly suggested. ( )