Transformers/G.I. Joe: First Strike

Transformers IDW #71

by Mairghread Scott, David A. Rodriguez, John Barber

A Hasbro Comic Book Event of epic proportions! The TRANSFORMERS are under attack from COBRA, G.I. JOE's greatest enemy! As Earth joins the intergalactic community, a massive explosion threatens the peace! A new COBRA—led by the worst villains to ever tangle with G.I. Joe, M.A.S.K.:Mobile Armored Strike Kommand, and the Transformers—is invading Cybertron, and only Scarlett, Optimus Prime, the Joes, and the Autobots can save two worlds! It's a race to the finish as good fights evil! Will our heroes win, or will Cobra DESTROY ALL TRANSFORMERS?!?

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels

180 pages, Paperback

First published February 7, 2018

Reviews

[Chad]

IDW seems to make it impossible to follow any kind of reading order for their Hasbro universe. It's frustrating at times because previous series are referenced a lot. That being said, this story revolves around some humans who head to Cybertron to blow up the planet. Meanwhile, Scarlet and her team of Joes and M.A.S.K. members try to stop them. There's also a crapload of Transformers I've never heard of in addition to Optimus Prime and Arcee. There's way too many characters to juggle here and that's ultimately why this book is a bit of a failure. The book really could have used a glossary of characters.

[James Bowman]

Cobra and an alliance of other assorted Hasbro villains join forces to try and destroy Cybertron. If you were obliged to keep up with all the franchises here it would be overwhelming, but fortunately you don't really need to. Still, the resulting story is just OK. Though there are some genuine surprises at the end... (B)

[Christopher Colton]

A dramatic improvement over their previous big crossover story, Revolution. It's a much more focused narrative that is supplemented by various series' concurrent one-shot issues, rather than reliant upon them. The art is also considerably more clear, though there are several pages in the middle where it seems like they skipped a final shading pass.

[Mark L]

An interesting one. It really helps to have read the earlier IDW Gi Joe/ Transformers/ M.A.S.K/ Micronauts/ ROM/ Action Man/ Visionaries crossovers, although the name ' First Strike' sounds like it would be a good starting place it isn't really. The joy of this for me is nostalgia. Baron Iron Blood! Miles Mayhem! Red Shadows! Soundwave! Scarlett! It's a bit like one of those big Marvel or DC events only with licensed toy characters but like those crossovers because there are so many characters the characterisation can be a bit thin and the characters are sometimes quite different in behaviour or incarnation to the originals. I'm generally fine with that, change is good but Optimus Prime seemed quite diminished and to me he's a Superman or Jesus type character, the legend others can only aspire to. There is lots of action and dynamic art though and it was great to see so many of these toy characters brought to life.

[B.J. Fantine]

Standout Issues: #0, #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, The Origins of Evil (#1, #2, #3, #4, #5, all Back-Up Strips)

[Sidney McKidney]

yeah this was not worth it.