THE TRANSFORMERS: COMICS, BOOKS AND MANGA

CLUB AND CONVENTION TRANSFORMERS COMICS

Crossing Over, Part 3
Reviewed by Blackjack

You’re a very angry little robot, you know that?
Again, for something that’s supposed to be based on the Marvel comics, Classics sure owes a lot to the cartoon. Cliffjumper’s hating other people for no reason, Grimlock being a dumb happy bruiser… at the very least, Megatron and Optimus Prime don’t say too many silly things, and angry Cliffjumper is written well enough to be bearable. Skyfall gets some monologue, and while he is still kind of whiny, he’s not as irritating as before. There’s still no explanation on why Skyfall and Landquake needs to be around each other, though, and pacing is all over the place. It’s an obvious attempt to advertise Classics toys, although thankfully Cliffjumper isn’t given a red Bumblebee head. The winning scene, which deserves the only single point unto its own, is Ramjet docking Jetfire in the face. Thank goodness, or Jetfire’ll probably get more of the anal dialogue these Classics characters are so fond of.


Again, all of the new Transformers we see here, Hot Rod (that name is used instead of the lawyer-friendly Rodimus) and Cliffjumper, have toys out. Bumblebee, who also has a Classics toy out, is also mentioned by Optimus. Cliffjumper uses his G1 head instead of the red Bumblebee head that’s used in the toy. Laserbeak and Ravage have toys out as well, reissues that are one set with Soundwave.

Wheeljack is mentioned by Hot Rod.

Apparently all the Autobots can fly now. Optimus Prime apparently flies by attaching his windbreaker gun onto his back as an engine, while Cliffjumper uses the Wave Crasher accessory as a jetpack.

Even though they are flying, Optimus Prime still says ‘Autobots… roll out!’

Despite this being the comics, Cliffjumper’s personality, trying to find traitors in everybody and all, is based on the infamous G1 episode ‘Traitor’. Likewise, ‘bend some fenders’ is one of the lines that Cliffjumper has spoken in the cartoon.

Grimlock’s line ‘me love challenge’ is a misquote of his line from the 1986 movie.


While in the first panel Grimlock appears to be just floating, in subsequent panels Grimlock has jet exhausts from his back. Ditto for Hot Rod.

Grimlock’s first line of dialogue has a larger font size than the others.

Laserbeak is another case of dead-guy-that-pops-up-alive.