The Transformers: Dark Cybertron TPB [2013-2014]

      

      

      

      

TRANSFORMERS: DARK CYBERTRON TRADE PAPERBACK

As Bubblebee attempted to unify Cybertron, Starscream took over after Chaos Theory as Orion Pax and Rodiumus travel to the Dead Universe to stop Jhiaxus. Jhiaxus is Shockwave’s mentor and resides in the Dead Universe. Meanwhile Shockwave has built an eons-long plan that will fuse the Dead Universe with the Golden Age of Cybertron leading to the prophecy of Dark Cybertron. 

Six million years ago Jhiaxus, Nova Prime, Galvatron, and Cyclonus travel through an anomaly to another universe called a Dead Universe. In the present Waspinator brings Titan through a space-bridge to Shockwave. Meanwhile Orion Pax meets up with Hot Rod and Ultra Magnus. On Cybertron the Titan is released as it faces off against Bubblebee and the Dinobots while Nova Prime and Galvatron are returning home. 

Orion Pax, Rodimus, and Cyclonus head toward the Dead Universe while Shockwave is communicating with both Galvatron and Nova Prime within the Dead Universe. Meanwhile on Cybertron Soundwave attacks the Autobots with Operation: Salvation. On the Lost Light the thumb of Metroplex is pointing towards a specific direction to find him. Metalhawk returns from the dead and steals Megatron away from Starscream and delivers him to Shockwave. Megatron becomes the space bridge to bring Nova Prime back from the Dead Universe while Metroplex is found.

SERIES HIGHLIGHTS

- Bubblebee and Soundwave unite against Shockwave and his Necrotitan

- Orion Pax and Rodimus are trapped by Nightbeat who is working with Nova Prime

- Metroplex has contracted the Death Plague while Nova Prime uses Kup as a space bridge

- Bubblebee rescues Megatron, Orion Pax vs. Nova Prime, and Windblade takes care of Metroplex

- Metroplex acts as a space bridge and sends the crew of the Lost Light to Cybertron

- Metroplex takes on Shockwave’s Necrotitan as Orion Pax destroys Nova Prime

- Shockwave begins his endgame using Galvatron as a link to the Dead Universe

- Shockwave kills Bubblebee as Optimus Prime returns from the Dead Universe
- Both Megatron and Optimus Prime team up to stop Shockwave 

Dark Cybertron reintroduced Transformers from across the generations including Transformers: The Movie (Kup), Beast Wars (Rattrap), Beast Machines (Tankor), and the Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen movie (Chromia and Nautica)  acknowledging their presence in the Transformers Universe. Overall the 12-part epic is a slow burn which speeds up after part 7. However the execution of the event leaves little to the imagination. Dark Cybertron leads to the Dawn of the Autobots as Optimus Prime returns to Earth just in time for the movie Transformers: Age of Extinction. The movies seem to make the comics more predictable which kills the series. The final issue has one of the worst writings imaginable. 

This trade paperback collects

Transformers: Dark Cybertron #1-2

Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye: Dark Cybertron #1

Transformers: Robots in Disguise: Dark Cybertron #1

Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye #24-27

Transformers: Robots in Disguise #24-27

FUBAR – 1 OUT OF 5