THE TRANSFORMERS: COMICS, BOOKS AND MANGA

TRANSFORMERS TITLES FROM TITAN BOOKS / MAGAZINES

Transformers #13 [UK]: Inside Out
Reviewed by Inflatable Dalek

Much more like it. After several turgid issues the return of Bludgeon, probably the last genuinely fun character to be introduced, sees an upswing in quality. It's still frothy nonsense, but he's a fun engaging larger than life character who still manages to have a nasty edge to him, neatly killing Breakdown rather than putting up with any shit as so many Megatron's have done with so many Starscream's.

Sadly the Autobots remain only slightly less dull than England's performance against Algeria [Yeah, get me, a football based analogy to match the issue's setting], and the need to shoehorn in the World Cup final does mean the logic of the story takes a battering. However, the final with the Autobots made to stand down and look bad in order to save lives has is serious and thoughtful in a way the comic hasn't really been since it left the alternate time-line.

With the pieces now in place for an Autobots Vs. Bludgeon's Decepticons conflict (which neatly sidesteps Megatron and any characters likely to be in the third film) hopefully we'll see the upswing continue and the comic return to some of its previous highpoints.

This issues plot ties into the 2010 World Cup, and, as it involves the final, takes place on 11th July. One of the teams playing is in yellow, suggesting Furman has money on Brazil [UPDATE: Brazil didn't make it past the Quarter Finals. The curse of Furman strikes again]. . On his blog Furman mentioned this as the plot to issue #14, which would be the issue on sale during the final. It seems at some point we lost another capture the Decepticon issue, possibly involving either Breakdown or Lockdown.

So it turns out the last few issues haven't been as standalone as we thought, with the capturing of various Decepticons building up to this. The idea of Bludgeon escaping from prison would seem to use issue #282 of the Marvel UK comic as a starting point, though his escape in that story is very different from the one shown here.

The revelation of a master plan on Bludgeon's part neatly deals with a plot hole in issue #9 where we were left wondering exactly what Bludgeon was up to in Las Vegas. Turns out it was nothing, he was just trying to get captured.

Scalpel has already teamed up with Bludgeon prior to his capture, thus confirming that the character did indeed survive the film. Breakdown is outright killed by Bludgeon for cheek, depending on how you count the retcon over Scorponok's “Death” back in issue #8 of the first volume this is the first time a non-drone toy based character has been finished off in the comic.

The cover byline of “Bend it like Optimus” is taken from the “Hilarious” Britcom Bend It Like Beckham.


South Africa is a big, big country with a lot of empty space. So why do NEST build their top secret outer space robot people prison right on top of a major population centre where lots of lives can be put at risk if any escape? Why not build in the arse end of nowhere?

Bludgeon apparently wasn't searched properly when he was put in prison, you'd have thought another Transformer hiding within him wouldn't have been so hard to spot. The other prisoners are all instantly armed once they escape, surely NEST didn't keep their weapons within easy reach?

As they blast out of prison Tankor gets Bludgeon's speech bubble (or their colours are reversed, take your pick) and Reverb is grey.

Apparently no one in the football stadium noticed the fire-fight happening right outside until Wideload nearly crushed them to death. Are those funny horn thingeys really that loud?

The 2010 World Cup final was actually held in Johannesburg.


A stationary set.
Bumblebee's guide to the Solar System covers Mercury;
Cover based poster;
Get Shirty!, design your own Transformers themed football shirt;
Way Past Cool has more computer games;
The beautiful Game, a World Cup based quiz;
Competitions for Human Alliance Bumblebee, Young Sherlock Holmes (the recent book, not the Temple of Doom wannabe 80's film)and Transformers Animated bed sheets;
Law and Disorder, featuring Starscream's Stars and more runner ups from the Build A 'Bot contest.

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