This is it, the final issue of Till All Are One. (Until the Annual anyway.) I wanted something that would be a satisfying ending, but still leave us with more story to be told. I think we got it, but I’m really curious to see what everybody else thinks. Read on for preview pages and the (spoiler free!) (mostly!) review of Till All Are One #12.
(Seriously, I’m not going to spoil the major plot points, but I’m going to talk around the edges of them, so if you’d rather read the issue first and then come back here, I won’t mind.)
The Story
This series started with Windblade, and we do get her story, but in the end the book really became Starscream’s journey, right up until the last page of the series. Mairghread Scott drew on a lot of Starscream’s history when she told his story, and I think a ton of the book felt like a personal letter to all the Starscream fans out there, including a lot of the words Windblade uses in a speech later on in the issue.
And we get one brilliant image, relating to Starscream, and I’m dying to know what that means for the future of this story. But I loved the idea. (No I’m not going to tell you what it was, go read the issue and then come back and tell me what you think! Personally, I’m all for it!)
On a side note, Starscream’s relationship with Megatron, wow. I’ve said it before: this book will make you look at the 1980s cartoon in a much different (and way more disturbing) light.
And this is extrapolating from the story, but I’d always seen Starscream as just power-hungry, and that’s why he was such a back-stabbing little weasel. But even though Megatron’s turned over a new leaf, he wasn’t always someone you wanted to share a ship with. He was a brutal, unstoppable, unkillable, terrifying force of nature. He could have killed Starscream any time, but he kept him around. Why? Megatron’s said it was because Starscream was a constant reminder to watch his back, but I think Megatron honestly enjoyed torturing him for millions of years.
And what could Starscream have done about it anyway? Staying with the Deceptions as Megatron’s whipping boy was one thing, but if he’d deserted he’d be lucky if it was just the DJD hunting him down. Megatron coming after him would’ve been so much worse. Maybe he thought it was better to face millennia of abuse face to face, than having to watch his back for the rest of his life, and that hurts my heart, it really does. No wonder he kept trying to overthrow Megatron. Starscream was less power-hungry and more “why not? The worst he can do is kill me.”
Though he’s power hungry too. That’s never been in doubt.
I wonder if Megatron really knows how much he traumatized Starscream, or if he’d be sorry if he did know, or if we’ll ever get to find out one way or another.
But I’m wandering. This book really gave me everything I wanted, especially since, paradoxically, it DIDN’T give me everything. There’s still a lot more of the story out there. I hope we get it.
The Art
The art you guys. What can I say that I haven’t already said, over and over (and over and over and over and over and over and over) again? The Sara Pitre-Durocher/Joana Lafuente/Priscilla Tramontano team is going to be sorely missed. They gave us this meticulous yet emotional and ridiculously appealing take on the G1 design, I loved every panel. The colors, the movement, the faces (my goodness the faces) are all just amazing. This issue was no exception. We saw a fantastic battle in an otherworldly landscape, and even though the combatants can change the world at will, it all managed to stay grounded and…is “believable” the right word when it’s a book about eons-old giant robots? Yes, yes it is.
And Starscream, you gorgeous sociopath, you. I hope the next artist who takes up your story (whatever that may be) is as kind to you as these artists were. I think you’re the best looking (former) Decepticon out there. (Don’t tell Soundwave I said that.)
I loved the book while it lasted, I’m very sorry it’s done, and I’ll be following the artists and writer to whatever they work on next. I hope it has giant robots, but I’ll be there even if it’s not something I usually like. Even humans! There I said it! That’s how far my devotion goes!
