ROM Spaceknight in IDW Revolution 1-3 Review

My comic shop only set aside the above regular edition covers for me, and while I am ok with that, I noticed that they then put some of the non regular edition cover versions of these issues on their main rack for $7.99 rather than the standard $3.99 cover price. I'll quietly laugh inside if I still see those higher priced variant covers sitting on the rack months later.

After three issues in to the Revolution mini series, I like how all the different franchises are intricately woven together in a story that is not overly complex, yet not too simplified either. I grew up liking G.I. Joe and some of the Transformers and Micronauts, but M.A.S.K. was not a cartoon I ever really cared for. I do like how M.A.S.K. is being used in this series as a way to counter the 'Cybertronians,' but it still doesn't make me want to start reading their solo comic series. Action Man gets an honorable mention, but so far he has had very little involvement in the series. Action Man plays out a lot like a James Bond type, but the jury is still out on him.

My favorite aspects of this mini series is the interaction between ROM, the Transformers, and G.I. Joe. ROM makes a great entrance in the first issue and in turn upsets G.I. Joe's Scarlett to the point she is hell bent on hunting down ROM and the Transformers.

The second issue has ROM interacting with the Transformers and my favorite part involves ROM schooling Optimus Prime on who shouldn't underestimate who. I didn't think ROM had that kind of strength in him, but I was absolutely giddy seeing an imposing Optimus Prime get a smack down from my favorite space knight. Of course Optimus shows that he can bring the smack down himself later. M.A.S.K. gets their introduction to the storyline in this issue too.

The third issue introduces the Micronauts and their involvement with this series storyline, but their introduction has been a little flat as in nothing significant happening except for exposition. Baron Karza is not that imposing of a villian, so I hope maybe that changes in future issues. ROM's and the Transformer's interaction with each other is not as exciting as when they were fighting against each other before, and ROM now has some ability to control an important substance that is at the center of this series' plot all of a sudden. This issues ends by introducing a G.I. Joe character that I was hoping to see at some point in the series, but it doesn't make up for the letdown this issue has brought to the overall story so far. Let's hope issue four picks up the excitement again.

Please comment with your thoughts on the Revolution series so far and what variant covers you got or liked the most.

Issue #1 Grade: A-

Issue #2 Grade: B+

Issue #3 Grade: C+