Transformers: Drift: Empire of Stone #4 Review


Transformers_Drift_Empire of Stone_4_Cover BAs the last issue of the mini series, Transformers: Drift: Empire of Stone #4 has to offer resolution to everything it set out to question. Now, while it hasn’t been a perfect ride, it’s been greatly enjoyable, so how does it choose to end things?

The official description from IDW:

FINAL FATE! This is it—DRIFT and RATCHET show down against the STONE ARMY! Will DRIFT rejoin the AUTOBOTS—or forge a new fate in the farthest reaches of the galaxy?

This is one of those titles where fans will love it and readers will simply enjoy it – it takes a great deal of interest in the involved characters to become more involved with the title as a whole. That said, this issue has many minor flaws but no major ones. From start to finish, the ending is action packed and manages to pick up on all the right notes along the way.

However, the writing isn’t entirely smooth. Shane McCarthy gets so into depth with Drift that he often forgets important aspects within the robot’s own backstory. The stone army doesn’t get explained and neither does the reveleation of Drift’s past either. The issue hushes these to one side in the sake of action and, while Drift certainly gets a moment or two, I can’t help but wish McCarthy took his original concepts further.

In terms of visuals, the pencils from Marcelo Ferreria and Guido Guidi do a good enough job – they portray the fluid action well, even though there isn’t anything new to look at. The same can be said for John-Paul Bove’s colors. They’re good and do the job but there isn’t much to pop or stand out here.

All in all, I think the biggest benefit to this title is how it leaves things open for the character. If Drift doesn’t reappear, this title will be a waste, but it does serve as good staging ground to explain how such an Autobot returns… if he does, of course.

OUR RATING
8
  • + Decent resolution
  • + Action-packed finish
  • - Leaves a lot of detail out
  • - Doesn't offer any actual closure

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