"Spotlight: Soundwave"

Soundwave has finally been introduced into IDW's rich and exponentially sprawling new Transformers universe. And what an introduction! I always had an inkling that he'd be there, somewhere in the shadows, watching everything without anyone noticing.

In fact, it's got me so paranoid now that I am urged to re-read all the previous IDW comics to see if he's in tape deck mode somewhere hidden in the background!

Soundwave's self-serving character and motives really shine through here. He's not just doing the right thing, he doing the right thing for him. I was brought up on Furman's take on the Transformers, and so it's nice to see that same Soundwave from 20 years ago injected with a little more depth while retaining his original essence.

One thing did disturb me though: His comment on his owner spending too much time in the shower in the morning. I spend too much time in the shower in the morning... and now I'm worried that my waterproof Simpsons brand radio is really an alien robot sent to spy on me!

Artwork and colours are simply stunning. The fight scenes are particularly fluid and kinetic. Previous Spotlights have been very hit and miss, artwise. But Soundwave's issue is very much a hit.

If Spotlight: Shockwave was my perfect IDW comic so far, then this issue comes a very close second.

Simon Furman weaves an engaging story using threads pulled from the rest of his new universe and gives us a rare chance to see the villains of the Transformers saga painted with all sorts of shades of grey.

After all these years of seeing Soundwave getting into other people's minds, at last, we've been given a chance to see into his.



"Spotlight: Soundwave" (22 pp) was originally published by IDW Publishing
in Transformers: Spotlight #6 (March 2007)

Written by Simon Furman | Art by Marcelo Matere | Colours by Rob Ruffalo
Letters by Neil Uyetake | Edits by Chris Ryall & Dan Taylor