Maximum Dinobots #1 – Review

By Simon Furman (writer) Nick Roche (pencils) Josh Burcham (colors) Chris Mowry (letters)

The Story: Unsure who to trust, and trapped on Earth and on the run from the Autobots, Decepticons, and Scorponok, Grimlock is the last free Dinobot. To clear his name and rescue his fellow Dinobots, he’ll need to fight to uncover the truth behind Epsilon Holding’s CEO, who holds a secret that may enslave all the Transformers in the galaxy.

What’s Good: Grimlock. You can’t go wrong with the big guy. I really like the loner personality he’s developed over the years. I doubt a standalone series would hold up too long, but there’s some room to work a few one-shots I think. The IDW art style rarely disappoints. The battles are chaotic but clear, especially the flashback of Cybertron. I’m not sure how effective it is outside of Transformers titles, but here the exquisite details really get to shine.

What’s Not So Good: As good as the writing is, it’s difficult to determine where this story falls in the overall Transformers continuum. We have Scorponok, Headmasters, and enslaved Dinobots. There’s no real explanation or setup, which is what makes me think it’s part of the larger IDW story. But Maximum Dinobots implied a separate story to me. We’re also left with a lot of questions. How did this company capture the Dinobots? How did Grimlock escape? Why can’t they go to the other Autobots for help? The story centers on these events and none of those questions are answered in this book.

Conclusion: I’ve always thought of the Dinobots as Autobot SWAT. Not so much the weapons or tactics portion, more the taking on dirty jobs with an ends justifying the means feel. That said, other than Grimlock the Dinobots are barely in the book. I’m sure that will change, but so far it’s “Maximum Grimlock.”  The book makes a lot of assumptions about the reader’s working knowledge of the story, and you know what happens when you assume. Despite an unclear continuity, the book makes for a fun read. Be patient though, I feel like answers are coming in due time.

Grade: B-

– Ben Berger