The Ark Addendum - Ravage's Transform and The AllSpark Almanac Addendum!

I thought I'd kick this week off extra early, because it's a big week for me and I'm feeling Transformersy.  And when that happens, I go trawling through my collection looking for especially nice material to share with you, my loyal readers.  People like cassettes, so I thought I'd start the week off with Ravage's transformation.

This comes from straight out of More than Meets the Eye.  I like that he winds up in the classic Ravage leap, also seen in his character model and box art and numerous comic book panels.  And who can blame the artists for reusing it, it looks fantastic!

But why am I feeling so excited this week?  Savvy readers can probably guess.  Yup, this Wednesday, Timelines #6 hits fine comic book stores everywhere.  It contains the rather excellent Isenberg / Matere collaboration that was Transformers Animated: The Stunti-Con Job.

Why this is relevant to me is that it ALSO contains a 16 page AllSpark Almanac Addendum, covering the BotCon characters and events.  The Transformers Collectors' Club was kind enough to post a preview of it, which I'll share here.  In-universe, we cover 6 Autobots, 6 Decepticons, Trypticon Prison, the events of The Stunti-Con Job itself.  Out of universe, we look at this year's BotCon, both the events and the toys.  There's also a special teaser for... well, let's just wait and see.

Oh, and if you're in the SoCal region, we're doing a special signing at Emerald Knights in Burbank.  On Saturday, December 10th, at 1:00 PM, Bill Forster, Marty Isenberg, and I are doing a signing for the book.  We'll be alongside some of the talented folks behind Transformers Prime as well as IDW's Mike Costa and Livio Ramondelli.  It's shaping up to be quite an event, so I hope to see you there.  (There being 4116 W. Burbank Blvd, Burbank, CA 91505.)

Bish's Review: Marvel UK #148 "The Legacy Of Unicron" Part 3

The Legacy Of Unicron!: Part 3 was written by Simon Furman, drawn by Dan Reed, coloured by Steve White and lettered by Annie Halfacree.

The cover was also by Dan Reed and while I sometimes enjoy his style, I don't think it works very well for covers. The advantage of Reed's organic-looking Transformers is how they look in motion but as part of a relatively static image, (despite all the explosions), all that becomes apparant are the flaws, like the fact Kup looks a bit like an outer-space potato man or Rodimus' thigh is nearly as wide as his torso. This would have made a fine interior panel, but as a cover it doesn't really measure up.

On Cybertron, a rare calm has descended. Kup doesn't like it as it doesn't feel natural. Rodimus Prime chides him for his pessimism but is forced to eat his words when a near-miss from an exploding shell heralds the arrival of their worst nightmare - a full-on Decepticon assault!

The Autobots scramble to retaliate and Rodimus throws himself into the thick of the fighting, all the while wondering what has prompted Shockwave to try such a risky move, as the evenly matched sides stand a very good chance of totally destroying one another.

There follows a dramatic two-page montage, which you can see just here, of the Autobots charging into the fray. Like the rest of the issue it's drawn by Dan Reed and his messy, line-heavy style works very well to convey the chaos of this scenario. That's not to say that I wouldn't have liked to see Geoff Senior's take on this scene but there's something abstract and almost... desperate... about Reed's style that I really like here. I think the difference is that Senior would have drawn something dramatic and precise and comic-book, whereas Reed's take is full of lovely little moments, but homogenises the combatants more than Senior would have done. Unusually, that is actually an advantage here, conveying just how unimportant individuals are in this kind of all-out battle. This isn't the clever heroics of Optimus Prime and his elite team on the Earth of the 1980s. This is proper, hand to hand, blaster to blaster total war.

(I would be very interested to see Furman's original script for these pages because Reed must have winced when he read it. I am reminded of a fan project I was involved with a long time ago where I wrote a script that contained the instruction: "Two Page Spread - Massive battle with hundreds of combatants on either side. Each should be unique." - needless to say, it was never drawn...)

Meanwhile, Scourge and Cyclonus overlook the battlefield, their minds no longer their own, and Unicron, safely ensconsed on the planet of Junk gloats over his imminent victory. The desperate final battle he wanted has begun, and now he only has to await the outcome. His enthralled Junkions are slowly, but surely, rebuilding his body and he will be ready to destroy the few pitiful survivors of this epic conflict.

Inferno, Wreck-Gar and Smokescreen decide that they have seen enough and have to get back to Cybertron to warn Rodimus Prime, hoping the matrix will be able to defeat Unicron as it did once before.

They are stopped in their tracks by an enslaved Junkion but Wreck-Gar, despite clearly hating himself, chooses the greater good and takes him out with a well-placed axe throw.

Death's Head has returned to Junk and is locked in a battle of wills with Unicron as he attempts to throw off the mental control. It's a tremendous effort, (even causing the mechanoid to sweat!) and it actually impresses Unicron, but the outcome seems inevitable, nonetheless.

The Autobots have nearly reached their shuttle when Inferno is blasted from behind and takes a tumble. Apparently Death's Head was not able to fully resist and is now back on the attack. Wreck-Gar is more alert and gives him a reasonable duel before being disabled. Death's Head/Unicron gloats over his victory before Wreck-Gar points out the shuttle taking off. Death's Head is about to execute the Junkion anyway but once again attempts to break Unicron's influence, managing to shoot wide. Unicron's mental punishment begins, causing the bounty hunter to fall to his knees in pain, but it's a small victory. Death's Head has proven that Unicron's domination is not total.

As issues go, this one is pretty huge, if a little unbalanced. In context as a part in a larger story it works very well but obviously taken as an individual installment it's hard for the final cliff-hanger to top the spectacle of all-out war on Cybertron. That said, the last page is very exciting, with interesting implications for future issues, especially for those of us who count ourselves as fans of Death's Head.

I find it interesting to compare this comic with the cartoon by Sunbow at this point. This issue came out after the three part finale episode, The Rebirth, a large part of which is concerned with a similarly all-out Decepticon attack, this time on Earth. On the cartoon the animators and writers are unable to really give us a sense that this is apocalyptic in scope. All the combatants are named characters and no-one seems to get seriously hurt. Legacy Of Unicron by contrast shows us a tough, desperate, all or nothing brawl. There are no individual heroics, no clever flanking manouvres, inspiring rallying cries or witty retorts.

There is a case here, after the comparitive sunniness of the issues set in the '80s, to regard this future as a kind of worst-case scenario. On Earth the Transformers are superheroes, on Cybertron they are meat for the grinder. Rodimus Prime is a more dour leader for a more dour time. No-one seems to think the war winnable, on either side, and the prospect of actually having a decisive battle is equally unthinkable for both.

Ultimately, of course, this future, along with the events of the Transformers: The Movie itself, will be erased from comic book reality by future UK comics and the Unicron war will happen in a rather different manner, but since there was not yet any hint that this was going to occur (and Furman probably hadn't considered it either) it could have looked like the future of all our favourite '80s characters was very bleak indeed, with the raft of shocking deaths from Transformers: The Movie still raw because those characters still featured regularly in the 1980s based issues despite the horrible fate awaiting them.

I've already written a fair bit about Dan Reed's contribution to this issue and while I don't really count him among my favourite Transformers artists he does occasionaly pull out something very memorable, and not in a bad way. This issue has to count among the high-points of his Transformers career and is a good indication of why he kept getting jobs on the comic despite his rather polarising art-style.

The Legacy Of Unicron! continues to charge ahead at a breakneck pace, introducing new story elements and testing characters to their limits. This is Transformers story-telling at its finest folks! See you next week!

Death’s Head Review: Death’s Head II – The Wild Hunt #1: Mergers and Acquisitions

The year is 1992 and, several years after his last appearance, a new Death’s Head series is being put together by Simon Furman and Geoff Senior. Unfortunately, the new editor-in-chief of Marvel UK cancels those plans and opts for a complete reinvention of the character. Death’s Head II became quite a stalwart of the US-style titles, but I’ll just be looking at the introductory limited series that saw the end of the original mechanoid.

The story was by Dan Abnett, pencils by Liam Sharp, inks by Andy Lanning and Bambos Georgiou, colours by Helen Stone, letters by Peri Godbold and the editor was Steve White. And the editor-in-chief who, according to Furman's notes, did away with Death’s Head, was Paul Neary.

The cover makes no bones about what’s about to happen: Minion, a formidable cyborg with horns, a skull-mask and a multi-purpose right arm is holding what remains of Death’s Head’s noggin. The speech bubble “Death’s Head is completely terminated, yes?” competes with the caption,” The Death of Death’s Head” for stating the obvious, but the speech does hint at some kind of rebirth. It’s a straightforward, bold and gory (from a robotic sense), with some good detailing – although the artist appears to have lost interest in finishing Minion’s lower torso, and settled for some criss-crossed lines.

There is also an alternate version on the back cover: a full portrait of Minion battling Death’s Head while a woman with a green unitard, eyepiece and flaming pink hair watches from the background. I think they made the right choice for the front cover. Minion is well-rendered and dominant (although his feet disappear into nothingness), but even with Death’s Head stooping awkwardly, Minion is proportionally too big. Both look as if they are posing, rather than actually fighting. The woman – who we learn is Dr Necker – appears too small and uninvolved in the scene. Finally Minion’s speech bubble, “When I absorb your consciousness, Death’s Head … I shall be all you were, and more!” is a tad melodramatic, although it is at least different from the caption: “Meet the new Death’s Head cyborg”

We begin in an alien landscape: ‘Tyler’s World’. Death’s Head has infiltrated the futuristic fortress of Wilson Tyler, an old acquaintance and his current target. His inner monologue is narrated in the captions as he abandons all subtlety and dives into combat with Tyler’s guards.

After a bloody brawl (during which he manages to lose most of his armour and appears curiously bare), Death’s Head moves for his quarry, silently gloating over the three million bounty:“Think I’ll show Tyler the check before I retire him. That way, even if he gets to heaven, he’ll be jealous and won’t enjoy it.”

Instead he finds another mound of dead bodyguards and Tyler strung up and pleading for his life. The perpetrator is Minion, and he completes the execution by ramming his arm-device into Tyler’s head: “Subject 103 – Tyler, Wilson. Instincts assimilated.”

Death’s Head confronts Minion, who brushes him aside, claiming to have another appointment – “but after him – you’re next!” He teleports away, although Death’s Head has placed a tracking beacon on him.

Minion reappears in a laboratory of Advanced Idea Mechanics, 2020AD. He is a project being developed by Dr Necker, who notes disapprovingly that he is displaying signs of humour and flippancy. Minion quickly teleports off after his next target as Necker reports to the A.I.M board.

We learn that the Minion project – to create a super-warrior with access to over a hundred assimilated personalities – was conceived after A.I.M. had a precognitive warning that some nonspecific threat would destroy the company in the near future. Necker is confident that Minion will be formidable enough to deal with any threat.

Which segues to Minion’s next target: a four-armed brutish alien named Lehdrox. The barbarian is torturing Phaedra, an oracular alien, for information. Minion leaps in and, after some heavy brawling, kills his opponent. “Subject 104 Lehdrox, K’Vant. Instincts assimilated.” As she vanishes, Phaedra thanks her saviour, calling him ‘Death’s Head’. Minion is surprised, but also teleports away. Moments later the actual Death’s Head teleports in, tracking Minion. He has exchanged his usual armour for a trenchcoat and locks onto his quarry’s location.

Back at A.I.M. headquarters, Minion is readying himself for the next jump. Death’s Head bursts through the ceiling and shoots Minion, claiming to want revenge for being cheated of the bounty on Tyler.

Minion reveals that Death’s Head is his next target and charges. He proceeds to tear the mechanoid apart in the space of a page. On his knees and helpless, Death’s Head can only plead “No!” as Minion decapitates him with a “Yes!”

He plunges his blade through the robotic head. “Subject 105 Death’s Head … Instincts assimilated.” Minion suddenly staggers under the force of a systems overload, as the technicians report that something has gone wrong with the implant. Minion recovers and teleports after his next and final target, now with an added inflection to his speech: “I’ll be back, yes?”

Dr Necker panics at this turn of events and resolves to chase after Minion. She takes off most of her clothes (for no obvious reason) and asks the technician to identify the last target. “A human named … Reed Richards.”

Full disclosure: the first time around, I didn’t take much to Death’s Head II, only buying the limited series and a few initial issues of the run. But I haven’t read them since then, so I’m approaching this limited series with fresh eyes.

This is a curious issue, part-introduction and part-handover. The opening is a nice parallel with the original Death’s Head series: the mechanoid stalking through the rafters of a fortress, the captions revealing his dry humour.

Abnett does a very good job of capturing Death’s Head’s character and I enjoyed the deadpan humour of the narration. He uses exclamation marks sparsely – and in comics, where everything seems to get over-punctuated, that helps to set the tone.

Having done so well with the character, it’s a real shame that it’s thrown away by Death’s Head's motives for hunting Minion. One of the cornerstones of his character (from High Noon Tex onwards) was that he never saw any profit in revenge. And yet Abnett has him do exactly that: tracking Minion to avenge the loss of his bounty, charging forward in what proves to be a fatal miscalculation.

What makes this so sloppy is that the motive is unnecessary. There are two other solid reasons why the protagonists must fight: 1) Death’s Head is on Minion’s hit list 2) Minion has threatened him, making a pre-emptive strike perfectly plausible.

It’s difficult to judge Minion’s character at this stage. Beyond a swaggering tough-guy persona, he doesn’t display much of a personality (which, given he has access to 103 of them, is surprising). But the assimilation of Death’s Head is inevitably going to be a significant factor in his development, so I’ll wait and see what comes.

The only other character – Dr Necker – is the one I found the most interesting. Aside from Death’s Head’s abortive revenge trip, she is the only one pursuing a strong motive: to complete the Minion project and prevent a future threat. Even when Minion malfunctions and vanishes, the impetus for the next issue seems to be her chasing after him.

As for the general plotline, it’s basically a series of Minion’s assimilations. Having Death’s Head discover Minion across a heap of newly-slain is a nice way to show his potential danger, yet keep an air of mystery about him (it would have worked better if Death’s Head himself had not just killed a whole bunch of the same bodyguards). The Lehdrox assimilation is an enjoyable enough brawl, although nether combatant had much personality.

During his fight with Death’s Head, Minion revealed that the mechanoid was his next target, as if this was supposed to be a surprise. Of course, everything from the series title, to the hype, to the front cover tells us that one is going to kill the other – not to mention Minion himself pointing this out 10 pages earlier. However, the repetition of “Instincts assimilated.” makes for a nice build-up.

Sharp’s artwork is strong, and owes a lot to the Rob Liefeld-style that emphasises guns, muscles and lots of them (it’s even Liefeld-esque in the avoidance of drawing feet). The detailing is good, and there’s some decent imagination in the alien scenes and characters. The robotic innards are particularly gory, although the colouring doesn’t do much to bring this out. The panels can look very crowded, however, and a lot of the movement postures seem awkward.

In terms of the characters, Death’s Head is rendered well, although his eyes are narrowed and hooded, rather than the traditional round optics and oblong eyebrows. Shedding his traditional cape, back-shield and body armour does make him look much diminished – although perhaps that was the intention. From one page to another, I found the rendering of Necker to be pretty inconsistent (possibly as a consequence of two different inkers).

As for the title character, Minion’s design seems to be a hybrid of Predator and The Alien, with the Terminator-1000’s liquid metal arm and elements of the original Death’s Head thrown in. This certainly conveys a sense of invincible menace, although seems too extra-terrestrial for A.I.M. Also, this invincible cyborg seems extremely advanced technology for just 2020AD. Since time-travel is a given here, maybe the project should have been shunted a few centuries into the future.

The biggest problem I find is that, as Minion’s face is something of a hockey-mask, it’s difficult to express any emotion or reaction through it. Still, if Death’s Head managed with a couple of eyebrows, there’s always hope…

Next week: Round 3 with the Fantastic Four in “Reed Richards Dies Tonight!”

The Ark Addendum - Dauros' Transform

Another week, another Ark Addendum.  After going to the Sunbow well for a bit, I figured I'd bounce back to Japan for a lovely Masterforce transformation.  This one belongs to Dauros, and they certainly squeezed quite a lot of info onto one page.  my favorite part is probably his hand swapping for his gun in the upper left.

When I was a kid, I had this toy, or rather Skullgrin, and would let him flip his hands around for guns while still in robot mode to do extra carnage.  It hearkened back to More than Meets the Eye, when robots would routinely replace their hands with tools and weapons.  Skullgrin was probably my favorite Pretender toy as a child.  (Favorite Pretender character: Bludgeon.)  It was fun that Budiansky gave him a spotlight issue. I suppose my like for the character is pretty evident.  I wrote a whole Monster from Mars riff into the first  Allspark Almanac (order it today!)

Bish's Review: Marvel UK #147 "The Legacy Of Unicron" Part 2

The Legacy Of Unicron! Part 2 was scripted by Simon Furman, drawn by Geoff Senior, coloured by Steve White and lettered by Annie Halfacree.

The cover was by Robin Smith and unfortunately does not really live up to the excellent issue that it is wrapped around. Firstly, it's too yellow. In lieu of a proper background we have a yellow sheet with Unicron's gloating face etched onto it. I understand that the figures in the foreground are the important bit, and Unicron's face lurking in the background is quite a good idea, and thematically relevant, but really, your first thought upon looking at the cover is "man, that's pretty yellow," rather than "look at those cool robots fighting."It fails to emphasise the important parts of the issue. Really the eye should be drawn first to Death's Head and Shockwave, as their battle is the main part of the issue and the Unicron head should be noticed second, but the huge block of yellow messes this up and detracts from this aim. Then again, Smith's versions of Death's Head and Shockwave are both pretty awkward looking, so perhaps it doesn't really matter.

Despite the shocking appearance of Unicron's head at the end of the previous issue, Part 2 does not pick up immediately after that. Instead we are back on Cybertron where we find Shockwave preparing to deal with the return of Death's Head, bearing the remains of Scourge and Cyclonus and demanding payment for them wrecking his hit on Rodimus Prime. It's both funny and creepy to see Shockwave throwing his arms wide and telling the bounty hunter that it's good to see him again. It's unlikely that Shockwave would be able to carry off this forced jollity but luckily Death's Head isn't interested in greetings, he just wants his money.

Shockwave is happy to pay if they really are dead, as he may need Death's Head in the future but he has not risen to the ranks of Decepticon commander by trusting people so he has Soundwave conduct a mental sweep of the room (Furman loves Soundwave's tech-spec mind-reading ability, no other writer really bothers with it). This sweep reveals, as Shockwave suspected, that it's all a ruse and Cyclonus and Scourge are still alive!

Death's Head, his cover blown, fires on Shockwave but the Decepticon is too quick for him. Hear starts a game of cat and mouse between the two of them while Scourge and Cyclonus "miraculously recovered" face a tide of Decepticon reinforcements. Death's Head pursues Shockwave and seals a blast door behind him, proclaiming "Shockwave's mine!"

Meanwhile, back on the planet of Junk, Wreck-Gar has come home (ostensibly this is ten minutes ago, and each subsequent panel on this page ticks down a few minutes until we get to NOW! but it's a little bit pointless - a potentially nice device rather ruined by being crammed into one page). He, Smokescreen and Inferno are a little surprised by the lack of a welcome from the Junkions. Wreck-Gar finally spots some and the trio set off to see what they are up to. Nothing can prepare them for the sight of Unicron's disembodied head giving orders, mentally, to his current pawns, Death's Head, Scourge and Cyclonus!

Back on Cybertron, Death's Head follows Shockwave into a target range featuring facsimiles of prominent Autobots. He is struggling with Unicron's influence, revealing it is based on reward and punishment, rather than a complete takeover. Original thoughts are possible, but punished with pain. Distracted, he is barely able to dodge Shockwave's surprise attack and rails against Unicron for clouding his thoughts and nearly getting him killed.

Shockwave, his usual veneer of icy calm gone, blasts furiously at the locked blast door, desperate to get hold of Scourge and Cyclonus. Soundwave is trying to get through to help him, by having Menasor attack the barrier, but he will be too late.

The Decepticon leader is unimpressed when an Autobot dummy rolls out of the darkness, thinking that Death's Head will attack from another angle. Unfortunately for him, the bounty hunter is actually hiding behind the dummy and pops out to shoot Shockwave square in the back. Further shots blast holes in Shockwave and wires pour out like entrails.

Another shot tears his arm from the shoulder and leaves him helpless on his knees, smoke and sparks pouring from horrific wounds. Death's Head approaches him and tells him that he was a worthy opponent and on a different day he might have enjoyed their fight but that in these circumstances, with his mind not his own, it just makes him feel sick. He blasts Shockwave at point blank range and the Decepticon literally comes apart. Death's Head opens Shockwave's disembodied head, removes his brain module, and crushes it between thumb and forefinger, promising all the whole to "avenge [them] both."

Meanwhile, Soundwave has Scourge and Cyclonus at his mercy. Death's Head emerges and explains that he has executed Shockwave and that Scourge and Cyclonus must take his place as leaders of the Decepticons. Soundwave disagrees but Death's Head backs his point up by threatening to blow his starship, and everyone in the base, into pieces. Soundwave, ever the pragmatist, does not argue and immediately hails Scourge and Cyclonus.

Back on Junk, Unicron is talking to himself. He explains that with Scourge and Cyclonus in command of the Decepticons, he will force them to lead a devastating attack on the Autobots which will leave few Transformers alive, paving the way for his return to Cybertron and its destruction!

The decision to take us to an unexpected place after the shock reveal of Unicron's survival pays off enormously for this issue. What could easily have turned into a simple story of Death's Head fighting the diminished Unicron on the Planet Of Junk has turned out to have dire consequences for Cybertron and the entire Transformer race - as any Unicron story really should.

One aspect I like so far about The Legacy Of Unicron! is that it focuses on Unicron's tendency to act through catspaws, as Death's Head is treated similarly to the way Galvatron was in the animated movie. This is important because Unicron himself is hard to relate to. He's so big and so destructive that he needs smaller minions to carry out his more subtle plans and to give the audience something less cosmic to follow.

Shockwave's destruction is a genuinely shocking moment. Of course this happens in the distant future (2oo8) so readers can still enjoy stories about Shockwave from the present day (1987) but we have never quite seen a major character, even a Decepticon, dismembered in such a brutal fashion. The crushing of the brain module is a particularly memorable and disturbing touch, telling us, without being so crass as to put it into words, that Shockwave isn't coming back.

Unicron's plan makes a fair bit of sense as well and has a bit more intrigue behind it than simply wanting to get stronger and attack Cybertron. I like him using Scourge and Cyclonus as his puppets, since they were created by him in the first place but I rather get the impression that picking Death's Head might have been a mistake. The strong-willed bounty hunter gives several indications in this story that Unicron's control might be less than total and one slip and he is going to come looking for revenge.

When it comes to artwork, really only Geoff Senior could be relied upon at this point in the comic to deliver the kind of dynamism that the death of Shockwave demands. He steps up, giving us one memorable panel after another. It says a lot of his art that we can feel empathy for a being without a proper face.

We're in an exciting place here. The Autobots are approaching Unicron and clearly have a big part to pay but we cannot count Death's Head yet, and will the Autobots and Decepticons be forced to break the stalemate they've been mired in at Unicron's bidding? We are promised "TOTAL WAR!" next issue, so there's a chance!

Death’s Head Review: Marvel Comics Presents #76: The Deadliest Game!

Death’s Head next appeared in the anthology title Marvel Comics Presents #76. He was in familiar hands: Simon Furman writer, Bryan Hitch pencils, Mark Farmer inks, and Richard Starkings letters. Only Joe Rosas colours and Terry Kavanagh editor were new to the character.

The cover image concerns the star of lead story, Weapon X (to be fair, poor Wolverine hardly gets any cover appearances), but Death’s Head does get to scowl from the corner box.

The story begins on the planet Yel-Jek in 8162 (so presumably this happened between issues 7 and 8 of his regular series, about the same time as the Munchkyn Contract – or else he used his TVA time-scooter to return there, whichever you please) and Death’s Head is in a jungle environment. Muddy and distressed, he is running from a stampede of massive ungulate-creatures.

A short burst of boot-jets puts Death’s Head out of danger, although the cheap fuel fails and dumps him back on the ground. He is then discovered by Thaddeus Soul, a big-game hunter dressed in paramilitary gear (right down to the Rambo-style headband) with an assortment of weapons.

We learn that Soul is Death’s Head’s target, but has turned tables on the mechanoid and has been hunting him since he landed on the planet. Being a sporting chap, Soul has been toying with Death’s Head for the sheer thrill of the hunt. After talking, the shooting starts. Soul proves the superior marksman and soon Death’s Head is back on the run.

Trying to regroup, Death’s Head encounters a green-skinned alien, wounded and helpless. The alien tried to protect the jungle’s animals, but has been left for dead by Soul. Death’s Head is uninterested in non-paying customers, until the alien offers to pay with information: how to kill Soul.

Sometime later, Soul is following Death’s Head’s tracks. He is confused by the evidence that his prey seems to be carrying extra weight, but dismisses it as the irrational behaviour of a doomed animal. The tracks lead to a watering hole of the giant ungulates – named Stakks – and Death’s Head bursts out of the water to attack.

Soul again bests the mechanoid – electrocuting him and sending him back into the water, helpless and his mercy. Death’s Head springs his trap: the alien he saved emerges and blows a leaf-whistle. Apparently Stakks have acutely sensitive ear drums and, upon hearing the sound, one of them drops dead – right on top of Soul (clearly the alien’s desire to save the animals didn’t stop him from sacrificing one).

Death’s Head congratulates the now-dead alien – although he characteristically fails to understand the revenge motive. Then he faces the problem of retrieving Soul from beneath the elephantine Stakk, as his employer wanted a trophy. “Hrm… Hope the Governor’s got a big wall, yes?”

This is a decent short: Death’s Head on a hunt, trying to figure out a way to get the better of his quarry. It skips along at a good pace and ends on a nice punchline. Not having to worry about fitting in room for character development, this kind of short story suits the mechanoid (although sadly, this was where the momentum from his original series finally petered out ).

The off-planet setting adds an extra element. I think Furman could have gone much further in this direction with the series as a whole, giving the bounty hunter new scenery and challenges, rather than trying to world-build on Earth 8162.

Thaddeus Soul is acceptable as an antagonist: nothing too spectacular, the sort of military-survivalist that seems credibly formidable without needing too much explanation. It comes across as plausible that he could give Death’s Head the run-around. His use of game-hunting metaphors seems right for the character, although it’s a little odd that he would view the mechanoid as a ‘dumb creature’ (an unfeeling machine, yes, but animal instinct isn’t often attributed to robots).

It is unfortunate that, in real-time chronology, we’ve recently seen Death’s Head as object of another hunt. Soul can’t compare with Lupex, nor does Death’s Head’s predicament ever seem so dire. Not that an 8-page story should compete with the graphic novel, but the parallels are hard to avoid.

Death’s Head acquits himself well in this adventure: resourceful, excelling in ambush tactics and casually pitiless to the pleas of the dying alien. As always, his personality is dry as a bone: reacting to the loss of power mid-flight with nothing more than a brief, “Hrm.”

It was reading this issue that I realised: in all his stories, Death’s Head doesn’t actually display any tracking skills. Once or twice, he’s used enhanced optics, but never any evidence of truly superior senses. He usually gets results with good investigative work and patience – making him a detective, not a hunter.

The art team reunites Hitch and Farmer, something I’ve wanted to see since Issue 1. The action scenes – mostly Death’s Head leaping in or out of trouble – are solidly enjoyable. But the good work is undermined by the colours, which look over-simplified or poorly-chosen. This may be the consequence of the US printing, but it would have been good to see what a colourist from earlier work, like Nick Abadzis, could have done.

There are two more stories left in the collected works, but neither of them make sense without the context of Death’s Head II. So next week I’ll be starting on the mini-series that saw Death’s Head take on Minion: The Wild Hunt #1 - Mergers and Acquisitions!

The Marvel Comics Presents #76 was republished ‘Death’s Head Volume 2’.

The Ark Addendum - Microbots (part 2)

As promised, part two of my models for Microbots.  This is one of the rare S2 episodes that I have character models for, as opposed to just backgrounds.  And what nifty models they are!  We get to see some of Megatron's internal critters, including his evil Brain Impulses, and an early version of the Electro-Sanitizers. The Impulses are pretty much what showed up in the episode, but the Electro-Sanitizers are completely different.  Maybe the producers decided that they didn't want two snake-like monsters, and so went with the more abstract threat that we saw in the episode.  Regardless, two nifty little kinds of monsters that live within Megatron.