Transformers #62

After the events of previous issue (Primal Scream) and the revelation that Unicron was now heading for Cybertron to destroy it and all of the Transformers, the mission to find the one thing that can defeat Unicron is on. The Matrix Quest has begun! Well...it has but it isn't that exciting. I'll be totally honest.

Part one of the five part Matrix Quest story line begins with the Autobot Headmasters (Nightbest, Hosehead, and Siren) searching on a mysterious planet called Pz-Zazz filled with gangsters and thugs but also shrouded in darkness. After a drive by shooting, one of the planet's inhabitants provides Siren with a statue that looks like a falcon. Meanwhile, aboard the Ark, Optimus Prime and Emirate Xaaron discuss the quest to find the Matrix. Optimus Prime reveals that the Creation Matrix was a tangible object and not just a computer program (as early readers of the Marvel Comic were led to believe). When Optimus Prime was killed in a battle with Megatron, the Autobots attempted to revive him but could not. The Earth bound Autobots then had a funeral for him, and jettisoned his body into space.

Back on the planet Pz-Zazz, the Autobots continue to search for the Matrix and also learn the importance of the statue. They run into a mysterious ally who desires the falcon. However, she agrees to help the Autobots rather than take it. She takes them to a mountain where the statue should be returned to. On their track up the mountain, they are attacked by a mob boss named Gutt who believes they are part of a group called the Robot Mob. The Autobots are able to get by him, and make it to the top. Their ally tells the Autobots that the falcon possesses great power. After a moment of considering keeping the falcon as it could be a clue to the location of the Matrix, Nightbeat decides to return it to its shrine to place it out of the reach of the mobsters. The statue's power returns light to Pz-Zazz and shrouds of shadow are replaced with pure light. As the Autobots and their ally celebrate, the Autobots are attacked. Their attackers are the Robot Mob, who turn out to be Thunderwing and a team of Decepticons (Spinister, Needlenose, Ruckus, and Windsweeper).

After the amazing run of Simon Furman since coming on board with the U.S. Marvel comic, I will admit this is the issue where he lost some steam. This issue attempted to emulate elements from classic cinema to create a good story, but I don't believe it did. The first four issues of the Matrix Quest emulate this issues style of borrowing elements from movies, but only one comes close to working and another really succeeds. That's just my opinion, but I really feel that this was not a good story from Furman. In fact, the first three parts of the Matrix Quest story line are pretty bad. This issue, Bird of Prey, had a lot of momentum coming into the story from the rest of Furman's works, but it derailed very quickly. I have read the issue once through, and every time I try to read again, I just skip to the end. The only part that feels like a part of the Transformers story is the recap told through Xaaron and Optimus as well as the appearance of Thunderwing at the end. If you wish to read about the quest for the Creation Matrix, do yourself a favor and skip to part three or even part four if you want some good story telling. This issue doesn't change my opinion of Simon Furman being the best writer ever for Transformers, but this sure wasn't his best work.