Transformers Spotlight: Orion Pax is the beginning of a new set of Spotlight books by IDW. The story takes place prior to Autocracy and we get to see Zeta Prime before he turned into the monster we see in that series. Orion Pax is sporting a new body (an attempt to retcon an older art mistake from what I’ve read) and he is sans faceplate. He isn’t happy about that either. The explanation of the body is that Zeta is sending Pax, Nightbeat, and Alpha Trion to the Rust Spot for a prisoner transfer and it will offer some protection.
I enjoyed the story quite a bit, but I had some issues with the art. Nightbeat’s alt-mode looks like an Earth sedan. This doesn’t make sense as its a pre-Earth story. Alpha Trion reminded me of Dark of the Moon Megatron, but this is his IDW design. Zeta looked off to me. You can’t even tell what his alt-mode is supposed to be. A big part of my enjoyment of Transformers is seeing bits of their alt-mode in robot form.
I do like that this book referenced some things that were in the main books recently like Zeta. It feels like IDW has started sprinkling a few things beginning in Shadowplay and continuing here that will eventually build into something big.
Overall I did like this book. I had a few issues with the art, but the writing was fun. I look forward tore of these pre-war stories. Rating:
- art: 7/10
- story: 9/10
- overall: 8/10