Transformers vs. Visionaries #1

Written by: Magdalene Visaggio

Art by: Fico Ossio

Colors by: David Garcia Cruz

Published by: IDW

Going into this series, my extended knowledge of IDW’s new Hasbro Universe is still very much limited. Saying this, I wasn’t exactly sure at first who the Visionaries were… until I saw the cover of this issue. Then, old memories of a long ago toyline/tv show flooded back to me. So that is what that one toy I had that had a hologram on his chest/staff were called: Visionaries!

With that quick down memory lane completed, I started reading this issue with a little bit more knowledge than I first had and was quite frankly blown away. This is how you set up a first issue in a new mini-series. From the first page, Visaggio does a great job of establishing everyone’s motivations within this series and quickly establishes why there is a conflict to be had.

To start with the conflict, it is quite simple: the Visionaries have established themselves on Cybertron after a failed takeover and are now refugees on a strange new world. The Cybertronians for their part, have begrudgingly had to accept these new inhabitants to their world. However, not everyone on each side is happy to be in the presence of the other. Most notably, Ironhide for the Autobots and Virulina for the Visionaries.

This leads to an interesting conflict within this comic. Not only are the Visionaires and Cybertronians not happy bedfellows, but they are also pretty much direct opposites: magic vs technology.

This all leads, like most comics do, to outward conflict that the editorial team have allowed to have actual ramifications in the long run. By the end of this issue, I am sure there will be some long-time fans that will not be happy, but everything has a reason it seems within this comic.

A great debut issue for this new mini-series from IDW. I was not aware of any previous work by Visaggio, but now that I have read some of her work, definitely a creator I’ll have to keep my eye out for.