As a child of the 80s, one of the major changes to Saturday morning cartoons was the introduction of mecha anime. The term wasn’t used then, we just saw it as cartoons with robots. We had a plethora to choose from, giving us different protagonists to root for. An example was Voltron.
One which actually was pretty great despite its comparisons to other cartoons was GoBots. The gold standard and the one which has spawned a massive franchise was The Transformers. The series at its core is a story about refugees starting a new life. In the powerhouse miniseries, Transformers ’84: Secrets & Lies, we’re transported back to that time and witness a battle for the Decepticons.
We catch up with our narrator, Shockwave, as he regales us with a tale about a time when Cybertron was still in existence. As we find Optimus and Megatron on the same side, but with differing opinions on how to guide Cybertron in its future, leading to the eventual civil war. This pushes Megatron to make hasty moves to steal power, send an unsanctioned group of Decepticons to look for the Ark on Earth in 1017. We also find the Autobots, on a mission of their own, the Ark, not knowing if they will ever be able to make it back, is also sent to Earth but to disrupt Megatron’s plans and with a double agent, Punch in their midst, every move is vital. As we soon find out Shockwave, is part of a group that keeps Cybertron alive, Project Dreadknought, turning the planet in a “war world”, something Megatron looks to use to eviscerate all life on Earth. Meanwhile, Shockwave and Skyfire, along with the Dinobots, have their own plan, which is spoiled by the Decepticons, who are killed. As we find out that this was part of Shockwave’s plan, leading Straxus to become an Ilege, in an effort to gain control for him and get Megatron out of the picture. What he didn’t count on, was a betrayal, and him taking a knee to Megatron. By the story’s end, the Autobots defeat the Decepticons but not without sacrifices, ones that would cost them dearly.
Overall, Transformers ’84: Secrets & Lies is a fun story that gives the reader some insight into why the Dinobots were buried for so long. The story by Simon Furman is layered and exciting. The art by the creative team gives the reader, the feel of those 1980s comics. Altogether, a story that gives us a ton of character insight and is well worth a trip down memory lane
Story: Simon Furman Art: Guido Guidi, John Paul Bove, Jake M Wood and Tom B Long
Story: 9.0 Art: 9.0 Overall: 9.0 Recommendation: Buy
IDW Publishing provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Purchase: comiXology – Amazon – Kindle – Zeus Comics – TFAW – Bookshop
