[IMAGE HEAVY] 'Blow Wind, Come Wrack' - kingCrackers reads Transformers: Windblade
Transformers is dumb. It is really dumb. Nothing I say will change that, nothing I show you here will ever take that away. As a person who reads superhero comics, I am here to tell you that Transformers is dumb.
But there is one thing with Transformers that I really like, and that's this mini-series. It's fascinating, introduces interesting societal dynamics to a dumb society, and is beautifully drawn. Seriously, it's really good.
So here I'm going to talk about it, not unlike what Myrmidon is doing on his thread.
Background
Gender
I'm going to assume that everyone knows what Transformers are; yadda yadda yadda, heroic Autobots Optimus Prime locked in deadly civil war against evil Decepticons, yadda yadda yadda.
Here's the deal; Transformers are supposed to be genderless. They are seeded from the light of a supreme super-computer into the metallic planet Cybertron itself, whereupon the sparks are harvested, tended to, and grown, eventually become adult Transformers. As such, they have no biological need to breed, don't have reproductive organs, and so forth and so forth.
The problem; Transformers are pretty much almost always characterized as male. Sure, they might not have a penis or testosterone, but they are frequently still portrayed as having male characteristics. They refer each other with male pronouns, and the most commonly seen familial tie is brotherhood. Female-identified robots are in the minority. This is understandable; how is one supposed to characterize a sapient species that is truly of no gender, when one has no experience with such matters? You can't.
But the mere fact that male characteristics are the default tends to not sit well with people. Which is what leads to this new status with the Transformers; there were always female Transformers, they just weren't seen until now. Just like how there are no Cityspeakers until now (more on that later).
Voting
Windblade is a fan-constructed character. What this means is that Hasbro ran a poll, allowing fans to choose components of her character. Some of it is the toy-stuff, some of it is a little more important. Faction, alternate mode, signature weapon, color, personality, name, gender, planetary origin, and combat specialty.
Stuff not in the poll: Japanese stylings (facial markings like kabuki make-up, head shaped like Onna Bugeisha warrior woman hairstyles), status as Cityspeaker, pretty much her entire actual personality. Just so you know.
On The Last Episode Of
Transformers: Windblade takes place after the most recent IDW Transformers event, wherein a giant city-sized robot starship known as a Metrotitan was reanimated into becoming a carrier of a deathly plague, in a plot to destroy Cybertron. The battle against the Titan is won, but only through the combined forces of Autobot and Decepticon, with Megatron joining the Autobots and Starscream being installed as ruler of the ruined Cybertron. (Windblade and her friends from a long-lost Metrotitan flying through space help out)
The Comic
The story begins with Windblade on top of a skyscraper, watching her first sunrise over Cybertron. She mentally notes that just before she can see the details of Cybertron's skyline, she can pretend she's still home, on the Metrotitan Caminus. Windblade jumps off the skyscraper, shifts to her jet form, and flies to the ground, noting that it's her 186th day on the planet.
Meet Chromia. She's also Windblade's bodyguard. She has a dry wit. Also, look at the faces. As David Willis puts it;
Back to the story. Apparently, in the aftermath of the previous event, there is one still-standing city on Cybertron, the Titan Metroplex. Metroplex has extensive damage, causing him to resort to low-stress languages to communicate. Languages that none but the Cityspeakers know.
Starscream barges in with lackey Rattrap in tow, all but demanding to speak to Windblade privately. Rattrap asks why Windblade and Chromia are using female pronouns from Chromia, and gets no answer.
I feel really bad for the kid.
Rattrap and Starscream leave the two ladies to their work. Chromia wonders aloud why nobody ever killed the asshole in the civil war spanning millions of years. Windblade defends his intents, mentally justifying her continued tolerance of Starscream's impatience. Even the most vicious king loves his country, she says. Even the most mild king viciously defends his home.
Windblade reports that the blackouts are getting worse, that Metroplex is losing power. Windblade tries speaking with Metroplex in the privacy of the core chamber, stating that communicating with a Titan is always difficult. She compares their thoughts to vast webs of light, that even the best Cityspeaker struggles to fully understand. "To have something so glorious hear you - and try so hard to answer - is sacred."
It's almost shamanistic.
Metroplex rambles, noting Windblade being troubled, noting off valve pressure, and quoting something about stars distant and lonely, being unable to "touch their wandering grace." Metroplex monosyllabically asks what Windblade needs. Windblade asks why the city is losing power, why Metroplex is going dark. Metroplex lists off a series of junction codes.
Windblade is so cute
Flying through the city and performing a series of aerial maneuvers, Windblade notes that rolling blackouts are not new to injured Titans, possibly the cause of damaged internal regulators. She also states that leaving them in disrepair may lead to the Titan's death. Windblade begins to recall what she knows of the Autobot Ironhide. She remembers that Ironhide was said to have attained fearlessness, total conviction, and unshakable faith by seeing a vision of the future. Unfortunately, the events that brought Windblade to Cybertron have also contridicted Ironhide's vision, and now wanders Metroplex in search of answers.
Windblade spots Ironhide, and asks about the junctions. Ironhide states that they are somewhere under the Arcolight District, and does not recall if they are damaged or not, musing that things change very fast. Windblade asks Ironhide if he knows what kind of person Starscream is. Ironhide says that to know someone, you have to ask his friends, not his enemies. Windblade tells Ironhide not to get lost, and calls Chromia to meet her in Arcolight.
The following page shows them digging and crawling underneath, through Metroplex's many tunnels. Chromia decides that it is time to end the search for the time being. Windblade initially refuses, but Chromia stands firm, stating that she's looked at Windblade's turbines for too long. She then exhorts Windblade to go relax. Windblade can't relax, as she's still shaken by Starscream's threat. She decides to follow up on Ironhide's advice.
Love that page.
The bartender and owner Blurr welcomes Windblade as an "esteemed guest" to Maccadam's Old Oil House, using his motormouth and big words to kiss Windblade's ass, as well as bring up a few issues of his own. Windblade rolls her eyes, and orders whatever Slug is drinking. She notes "Universal Truism #2", that being that old soldiers love telling war stories. Slug starts complaining about Starscream within the space of three glasses.
She looks so crest-fallen.
Windblade meets Chromia in the morning. Chromia notes the troubled mood of her friend, and asks what is going on. Windblade tries to tell her.
And that's when the bomb goes off.
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