The Transformers Robots in disguise

Well, color me impressed! Up until now, MTMtE was the superior series for me. This volume may have changed my mind! First off, I can't believe how twisted everything has gotten in the span of two volumes. Things have been stressful for Bumblebee since the beginning. As the impromptu leader of Cybertron, he's had to put up with all manner of terrible things happening. Now, we finally start to see how it's wearing on him. All he wants is for things to get better. I'm feeling that he's just not sure how to go about that though. Also in this volume, we see the emotional side of Ironhide. Poor Ironhide. He's seen the future in a vision, and he has to carry around the knowledge alone. No one believes him, except perhaps the Dinobots, but most people just think he's completely crazy. I felt so sorry for him that the one time he finally felt like he might belong somewhere things went to hell. There are a lot of characters that John Barber just refuses to let catch a break. It's brilliant, but it's also so sad. I guess what I'm trying to convey is that this is the series with a ton of emotion. It makes sense, since the whole story arc is revolving around the political side of things. These characters aren't really living, but just surviving day to day. They're having to build a whole new government, based on a tentative calm between factions. Worse yet, most of them still aren't even sure where they stand in terms of loyalty. I'm both excited and terrified to see what happens next. Open elections are imminent, and I don't know what's going to happen if Bee doesn't win.

Well, things are back on track! I knew my conflicting feelings about the last volume of Robots in Disguise couldn't last forever. Really, I just needed some forward movement and... well... John Barber gave me a lot of that in this volume. Holy moly, did he ever. I think the panel below is probably the best example of the amped up tension that hits these pages. Megatron is back, and things are getting heated. There is so much death and destruction here, and at the center of it all is the fact that the fighting just never ends because prejudices always exist. Loyalties always exist. Mostly I feel sorry for Bee, who up to this point has really done everything in his power to keep the peace on Cybertron. This story repeatedly points out the fact that when it comes to politics, and power struggles, there is really never a correct choice. Bee's heart is in every choice he makes but, as he says below, it doesn't really end up counting for anything. What a terrible lesson to learn. There is of course a ton of action in this volume too. The Dinobots and Ironhide came back! You have no idea how happy that made me, since I adore Ironhide and missed him.Oh, and Arcee! I told you before that she's pretty much my favorite in this series. This volume sealed the deal. I love stories where there's this crazy gray area in between the stark black and white. Arcee falls right into that space. Looking out for number one, but not always. It's crazy, but I love it. The final fight scene in this just floored me. Guys, let me tell you, this is getting good. I wasn't sure I was a fan of all the political intrigue flying around on the pages, but the ending of this particular volume changed all of that. I can't wait to get to the next one, and find out what happens to our heroes. I'm thinking it will be nothing good.