Customer Reviews

Transformers: All Hail Megatron Volume 1 (v. 1)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Thematically, "All Hail Megatron" (AHM for short) pushes Transformers comics into new and interesting territory, a closer embrace of the "grim and gritty" approach to comics and graphic novels since the advent of works such as Watchmen, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns and Sin City etc. Interestingly enough, these seminal works emerged while Transformers G1 was broadcasted: most of us G1 fans would definitely remember the first Decepticon attack on an Oil Rig, and the epic confrontation of Hoover Dam. Think about the human casualties, blood and gore the animators dared not show back in the day. With anime, manga and the aforementioned trend in comics stirring up things in the past 25 years, AHM is almost like a "what if we saw what the 'cons REALLY did to humans?" dream come true, updated via modern aesthetics.

Starting with IDW's Infiltration series, the creators have focused hard in expanding the power gap between the 'cons and the 'bots in G1 (though not as drastic as say, Transformers Animated), both in terms of physical strength and strategic prowess. Throughout the series, the 'cons are truly a threat to behold - especially good ol' Megatron - not the cookie-cutter goons in G1. In this volume we see the culmination of their might, dumped upon the U.S. Army like test subjects. As the supposed apex of the current continuity, AHM succeeds in delivering the dazzling graphics, awesome firepower and one-sided tactical capabilities of the 'cons. The storyboards are well placed and impressive, though less over-the-top than some may like, and Guidi's panels are definitely more subtle than E.J. Su's work.

However, despite the visual orgasmics, AHM falls short in terms of plot presentation. The attempts to depict the inner turmoil of the downtrodden, Cybertron-stranded Autobots came off too practiced, superficial and panel consuming at times; while the characterization of human characters held potential, we don't see any specific advancement of the plot by the end of the 1st volume. Too many loose ends, developed throughout IDW's continuity have been mysteriously tied (even worse, problematically), adding to the confusion of those who have not read previous volumes. In sum, AHM is stylistically and thematically entertaining (Jazz humiliating Springer, Blurr(?) and Kup in a skirmish, anyone?), but the story has been insufficient in comparison to those elements. Let's hope everything picks up the pace in the second volume.

I must admit I had never read a "Transformers" comic book before, even though I love the franchise. I watched the cartoon, and the many spin-offs, religiously over the years but I just could not wrap my head around seeing the characters in another format.

Then I read the premise of "All Hail Megatron" and I NEEDED to read it. So, I read it. And I was lost. I don't know if a mini-series or series preceeded this title (the book doesn't give you a clue) but it sure felt like the second chapter of a story, rather than the first.

More importantly, as near as the franchise is to my heart, I don't know or remember all the characters by name, nor their backgrounds, and here the writer doesn't help you at all. He assumes you know all the characters, their origins, and their relationships with others. This lack of information detracts from the story. There were moments that were seemingly designed to hit the reader between the eyes but if you don't know the nuances, they knock you out of the story.

On the plus side, the understandable parts of the story's premise do work. The Decepticons have won and this is the world now. Additionally the art and production values are great. "All Hail Megatron" is a slick book, but not for the uninitiated, or even casual, "Transformers" fan.

When I found out about the All Hail Megatron series from IDW, I had to check out, especially since I am a long time Transformers G1 fan. The premise of this series is quite grim for everyone. Cybertron is a dead husk of a world. The Decepticons are running rampant and the Autobots have all but lost. They were ejected from Earth and are now stranded on Cybertron. Optimus Prime lay dying. Megatron and a group of Decepticons are ripping Earth's forces and societies to shreds. And to make matters worse, the Autobots have a traitor in their midst.

This series of graphic novels reprints collections of the comic book series. As I mentioned earlier, it casts the original Generation 1 Transformers, but in a whole new light and a whole new continuity. It is definitely worthwhile for any G1 fan to grab. There is plenty of action but also some unique twists to the roles that individual characters play on both teams.

This series was very intense and very crazy at times. What happens when the Decepticons are the only transformers on Earth? With no Autobots and no one to stop them, they take over and they don't care who they squish.

At first, I was confused where this series was taking me. But as you read on, you realize what has happened and the later issues explains where the Autobots went and the betrayal and the death and the resurrection.

If you want a crazy ride, this is the story to read.

I ended up picking this up at borders (instore, its sold out online) for $20 after watching it go over $100 here.
Good story, solid art work.

"All Hail Megatron" is meant to be a jumping-on point into the IDW Transformers universe. It attempts this by sticking to the core cast of major G1 characters and giving them some of the more gritty storytelling that is common in comics today (and has been for a few decades). If you enjoyed the Transformers cartoon in the 80 and especially liked the IDW stories so far, the results are mostly successful and enjoyable. Warning: I would say that without having read Devastation, some of the bigger revelations in this and the next volume won't be as understandable.

McCarthy is a good writer--I'd say he's up there with Simon Furman. He borrows a lot from better writers though--the first page of issue 1 is pretty much ripped off from Grant Morrison's All-Star Superman #1's first page, and he uses lots of "Brian Michael Bendis"-esque dialogue. However, the Transformers haven't been this character-driven since the Furman days and it's welcome. It's good to read a Transformers comic without some of Furman's pet characters (Nightbeat, Springer, Swoop...) taking center stage.

The story is straightforward: after the events of Devastation and some Spotlight entries, Megatron and company quickly and brutally take over America. The Dreamwave reboot tried to show a bunch of Transformers doing gory bad things to humans, but this series does it a little better. Optimus Prime is near dead, and the Autobots are stranded on Cybertron, facing enemies there and low morale. The war causes some heroes to be less heroic and make tough decisions.

The story takes its time getting started, focusing on the Decepticon mayhem and on a few human stories, which despite being Sparkplug & Spike and a bunch of other nobodies, aren't as exciting to read. On the other hand, you can't have a story about Megatron conquering Earth without getting some human reaction. The Autobot side of things was more interesting and the answers took their time coming (and are not all revealed in this volume).

Shane McCarthy has reinvented some of the 1980s Transformer personalities and has, maybe for the first time, made some of these characters "fleshed-out" instead of merely defined by what they transform into. If you enjoy the original 80s cartoon, you already know Optimus Prime is heroic, Megatron is ruthless, Starscream is treacherous, Mirage was considered a traitor once, Ironhide and Kup are old war heroes, etc. McCarthy uses the decompressed format to really elaborate on some of these character sketches, and a lot of your appreciation of this will depend on how much you remember the original versions of these characters. Take Perceptor for example, portrayed here as a silent, sharpshooting, Snake-Eyes-type war machine. His sequences are fun, but you would care more if you recall his original nerdy, weakling self. Or take Jazz, my favorite character as a kid. He was always a fun-loving, slang-shouting saboteur, but here is almost deadly serious and beats two Transformers in a two-panel fight single-handedly. If you're a long-time fan, you know these are serious times for the Autobots. By the way, Kup as a no-nonsense general instead of a crotchety old geezer has made him fun to read for the first time in about 20 years.

The Guido Guidi art is in a crisp "Dreamwave" house style using (mostly) E. J. Su redesigns. Guidi isn't as inventive or detailed as E. J. Su, but it's definitely good.

I'd give this 4.5 stars for the weaker human element and pacing, but I'd rather choose 5 than 4.

Here we finally have it, the darkest TF story you'll ever find. The Autobots are exiled to a dead Cybertron, and with them out of the way Megatron starts, and wins, his war against humanity!

The art style here will blow your mind! Great drawing and coloring will make the destruction all the more epic as you witness the full unleashed fury of the enemy.

The story is dark, dark stuff. I didn't even know you could make a dark TF story and do it well, bu this proves it! When Frenzy starts drilling into soldiers with his hands, while screaming and being making them envision their own worst nightmares, you'll get just how screwed humanity is in this story.

This collects the first 6 comic issues in one book, and what a book it is! The art gallery in the back is a nice bonus.

Needless to say, if you've always wanted the baddies to win, and are fed up with the omni-victorious good guys, this is a story you need to read.

been FAN OF TRANSFORMERS SINCE 84 SEEN EVERY SERIES EVEN THE JAPANESE SERIES AND READ EVERY COMIC IS THIS DARK YES BUT THERE ARE PLENTY OF DARK TRANSFORMERS STORIES ABOUT TIME SOMEBODY WROTE A STORY ABOUT THE CONS KILLING HUMANS BEEN WAITING ON THIS FOR YEARS. love the fight between skywarp and bombshell and thundercracker saying you hit one seeker you fight them all love it and the discussion between megatron and starscream it's like we beat the autobots and earth now what does something darker lies ahead we get that hint also is starscreaM PLOTTING AGAIN LOVE THIS STORY DECEPTICONS FOR LIFE AND THE AUTOBOTS FIGHTING EACH OTHER timeless.