Transformers: Galaxies is a side storyline to the main comics, and it’s an interesting one. The art is dark and disjointed, nearly ugly, reflecting the surroundings that our main characters find themselves in. And who are our protagonists in this story of isolation and alienation? The master builders of Cybertron themselves – The Constructicons, who once built the gleaming triumph that is the capital city of Iacon, but now find themselves exiled to a dump of a planet to build yet again, but limited in both energon and fuel for fear of… what? That is the question going into this story. What happened that was so horrible for the group to be imprisoned in the back of beyond?
Issue #1 opens on the energon processing planet of Mayalx, current home of the Constructicons, as Hook and Scrapper gaze wistfully towards home. The group are grimy, beaten up, and after a quick introduction to each we go back in time to when Cybertron was rebuilt after the first great war and the Constructicons were young and eager to help turn Cybertron into a shining jewel in the cosmos under the watchful eyes of Termagax (readers of the other storyline should be familiar with who this is!) and Wheeljack. During one of the first excursions into the wastes they find a strange artifact buried beneath the ground and take it back to show to show it to Termagax and he confirms that it is the “Enigma of Combination”. You can probably see where we go from here.
One introduction to Devastator later and the potential for such a huge Transformer to help out with the rebuilding is obvious. Wheeljack has his reservations, given that the previous owner of this Enigma went completely rogue and had to be destroyed. Also, is it just me or is that silhouette a little built like Predaking, the combined form of the Predacons? It’s definitely not Menasor, or Bruticus, or perhaps it’s some old team we’ve never met. The issue ends with the Constructicons lamenting the situation, all while being watched from the shadows by a familiar visored face – The Insecticon Bombshell.
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Issue #2 shows us what the Constructicons do when they’re not building. It turns out it’s mostly beating on each other, it seems, even though they’ve been strictly forbidden to engage in any sort of combat. Bonecrusher seems to enjoy it just a little TOO much as he hands out beatings to the inexperienced Scavenger and Long Haul. During one of the training sessions they are approached by Bombshell, who tells them a story of rejection and isolation. Once lauded for their ability to consume and convert virtually any material into energon, the Insecticons are also banished to the same pile of rock and dirt as the Constructicons but unlike them, they have a more cunning plan to get out.
All they have to do is dangle the carrot of freedom before the Constructicons, a sense of belonging, and then they’ll merrily go along with whatever it is that Bombshell REALLY wants. This is an even darker issue than the first one and, well, frankly you can kind of see why the Insecticons were sent away. They enjoy eating things just a little TOO much, and they’re not picky about what it might have been before they get their mandibles on it. Scrap, junk, dead Transformer… No offence guys, but you’re really creepy. Of course, this being Bombshell he doesn’t out and out ask the Constructicons to join up with his evil master plan, he just leaves them to mull over his story and then come to the decision he wanted them to all along.
So that’s it for the first two issues. If you fancy a much bleaker and more introspective storyline in the Transformers universe, along with some creepy and disturbingly gooey Insecticon action then give Transformers: Galaxies a look.
Transformers: Galaxies #1 & #2 are out now from IDW Publishing and available digitally or from your preferred comic outlet.
