Transformers #69

After the horrible artwork in issue #68, it was excellent to see that artist Andy Wildman returned for the next issue. In Eye of the Storm, Simon Furman continues to build up steam as the threat of Unicron grows closer. After two issues, the story returns to Optimus Prime and the Ark as they travel through deep space. Most of the Autobots have taken the time following the defeat of Thunderwing to rest and recharge. However, Grimlock has become extremely restless. Waverider finds Grimlock destroying a room aboard the Ark, and learns that Grimlock is heavily focused on reviving his fallen Dinobots.

The story cuts to Optimus Prime as he begins to experience great pain from the Powermaster process. After he recomposes himself, he meets with Nightbeat who explains that Ratchet may have survived the explosion which destroyed Megatron's fortress on Cybertron. Nightbeat's theory is that perhaps Ratchet was blown into the trans-dimensional portal by the explosion, and that he could be trapped in unspace as evidenced by the fact that search teams never found Ratchet or Megatron's remains. Nightbeat suggests that they send a probe into unspace to try and locate Ratchet, to which Optimus Prime agrees.

Elsewhere in space, Unicron is congratulating Hook, Line, and Sinker for brining him Galvatron. Galvatron is not pleased with Unicron as he had been plucked from his own time where he was the master of Earth. Unicron says that he needs for Galvatron to disrupt any chances Cybertron has to prepare for Unicron's arrival to which Galvatron vows to serve Unicron no more. After some persuasion, Galvatron agrees to help Unicron, but he secretly vows to make Unicron pay for taking him from his reality. Back on Earth, Mindwipe and Triggerhappy leave the Decepticon forces after Skorponok lost Starscream. As they flee, they soon find Starscream. At first they are afraid of him (Starscream did try to destroy all of the Transformers in issue #50), but Starscream says they have a common goal to get rid of Skorponok. After Ravage (who hasn't been seen since his battle with Skids farther back than Starscream's attempt to destroy the Transformers) and Shockwave join them, Shockwave makes it clear that he intends to dethrone Skorponok. Starscream then says they are declaring war.

Back at the Ark, Grimlock steals the bodies of his Dinobots from the stasis pods and also steals a shuttle to take them to Hydrus 4. Optimus Prime announces to his crew that once they arrive on Earth, the Autobots will be surrendering to the Decepticons in order to reunite the Cybertronian race. Nightbeat reports that he has found something in unspace. He pulls the probe back, but what he has found horrifies all who were in view. They have indeed found Ratchet, but his body is fused with Megatron!

This was a great bridge issue in my opinion. Simon Furman has always shown himself to be a great story teller, and after the destruction of the Matrix, he is showing just how grave the situation is for the Cybertronian race. On the one hand, we have the Autobots on verge of a drastic move to stop Unicron, they are also about to face a horrifying creature, and Grimlock has gone awry. On another hand, the Decepticons have splintered into two factions and a civil war is about to erupt in their ranks. If you have a third hand, Unicron is preparing for his assault against Cybertron, and Galvatron is planning his own liberation. There is a lot going on here, and Furman did a great job with the pacing and story telling. Also, a return to an established artist really helped.