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

by Shane McCarthy (Author), Guido Guidi (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
The Decepticons have won, the Autobots are defeated, and the time for conquest is at hand! After finally succeeding in defeating the Autobots, the Decepticons set about ruling our planet with an iron fist. Their forces invade and control New York City where, before long, they manage to cripple the United States. It's a war between the armed forces of the United States of America and a giant species of technologically advanced killing machines - a war that suddenly becomes incredibly one-sided! Meanwhile, the battered and defeated Autobots are struggling to survive a forced exile on their dead homeworld of Cybertron. Defeated due to a traitor amongst their ranks, the Autobots struggle to maintain their trust and unity... and nothing short of a miracle will save them from utter extinction! Volume One of this collection contains issues #1-6 of this startling series.

Product Details

• Paperback: 152 pages
• Publisher: IDW Publishing (March 4, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1600103715
• ISBN-13: 978-1600103711
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 6.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #38,447 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A visual orgy that fails glamorously in many avenues. , April 11, 2009

By	Darwin Tsen (Binghamton, NY USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Intrigued but ultimately confused, March 16, 2009

By	M. Matishak (Alexandria, VA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.

5.0 out of 5 stars love this decepticons are in the house, June 16, 2009

By	Sherance Brothers "Sherance M Brothers" (Jasper Ala) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.