Comic Review - Transformers: Megatron Origin

The earliest-set complete series from IDW, Megatron Origin has a simple but fascinating premise - show how Megatron become Megatron and where exactly the Decepticons came from. Sadly, it's botched on just about every level. Eric Holmes' script was originally written for previous licensee Dreamwave and it shows. 


There's very little nuance or depth to Megatron himself while the rise of the Decepticons is shown in the dullest fashion possible, with a heavy emphasis on another Dreamwave trope - dramatic oversized pictures of well-known characters posing while showing off new bodies, not to mention crowd scenes scattered with nudge-nudge wink-wink cameos (many of which subsequently wreaked havoc with IDW continuity).

There are attempts at a political thriller angle with the machinations of Ratbat and the use of the thuggish Sentinel Prime as a catalyst but both feel like lip-service, unnecessary B-plots when there was surely more mileage in properly getting inside Megatron's head rather than serving up a rehash of Spartacus. It feels like edited highlights of a much more interesting story, the most glaring question being why exactly IDW decided to publish this thing.