An action-packed issue, Transformers: Robots In Disguise #15 has more than its fair share to offer. Whether its dialogue, developments, or giant robots kicking the crap out of each other, there’s plenty to read into here.

The official description from IDW:

THE END OF THE WORLD! When Cybertron collapses—who will pick up the pieces? MEGATRON stands poised to triumph—locked in final battle with BUMBLEBEE, STARSCREAM, METALHAWK, and PROWL! One will stand… the rest will fall.

The premise of this issue is simple. With Megatron restored, things devolve into lots of action and fighting. Throw in a couple of giant robots and you have plenty to read. There’s quite a big cast too, from Autobots, Decepticons, Dinobots and other groups, giving this a wider scope and feel. Unfortunately, it also loses this grander scale at times; the constant focus on the well-known characters (and not the masses) almost implies all these characters are in the same room or building.

That said, its still an enjoyable read. There’s a few twists and turns, and John Barber’s writing does its best to flow from scene to scene. Given the wider scale, this isn’t perfect, but its enough to get the point across. You’ve also got the likes of Megatron; certain characters instantly make any scene better simply by being cooler than everyone else. Its very well-paced and makes the most of whats available.

As for the visuals, the wider scale sometimes hinders the artwork. Andrew Griffin’s pencils offer plenty of detail, but there are few close-ups in this issue. Even the wider panels feature plenty of transformers and backgrounds, meaning there are a lot of lines to and characters to differentiate between. Brian Shearer’s inks certainly help break this up; some of the larger panels contrast the gloomy blues and purples with orange explosions quite nicely.

In short, this is an issue well worth reading. Its transformers at its most action packed, and has a lot of the hallmarks that make the franchise. Whether its giant robots or Megatron doing various rounds of gloating, there’s something for most Transformers fans here.

4/5