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Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye #2
The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye, Volume 2
Ratchet, Hot Rod, The Decepticon Justice Division, and Grimlock all take turns on the center stage as the war between the Autobots and the Decepticons transitions into a new phase.
124 pages, Paperback
First published October 16, 2012
12 people are currently reading
352 people want to read
About the author
James Roberts
536 books131 followersJames Roberts is a British comic book writer best known for his contributions to the Transformers franchise.
Librarian Note: There are more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Librarian Note: There are more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
July 4, 2017
With every reread, this story doesn't seem to get old. In fact, it gets better and better; it makes one's reading experience with the entire series richer and more complete.
Early on with More Than Meets the Eye, Ratchet takes on a major role. Primarily because he's one of the more famous Transformers. It also helps he's the Bones McCoy of this mismatch crew. This also marked a transition from Ratchet to the less famous members of the crews. It may have been protracted, Ratchet eventually did make First Aid the chief medical officer.
This second volume also introduced us to the Decepticon Justice Division, which would become a the main threat for our intrepid crew and heading on for a massive clash on the fiftieth issue of the series. So much potential payoff which could eventually change the direction of this series and it was all seeded from the start.
On my third reread, it has become a more complete experience as I revisit stories and plot line I may have forgotten from waiting for the release of the latest trade. It makes the latest story much more impactful. Although the series has flirted with silliness recently, reading the early stories make one realize how awesome this series is.
Early on with More Than Meets the Eye, Ratchet takes on a major role. Primarily because he's one of the more famous Transformers. It also helps he's the Bones McCoy of this mismatch crew. This also marked a transition from Ratchet to the less famous members of the crews. It may have been protracted, Ratchet eventually did make First Aid the chief medical officer.
This second volume also introduced us to the Decepticon Justice Division, which would become a the main threat for our intrepid crew and heading on for a massive clash on the fiftieth issue of the series. So much potential payoff which could eventually change the direction of this series and it was all seeded from the start.
On my third reread, it has become a more complete experience as I revisit stories and plot line I may have forgotten from waiting for the release of the latest trade. It makes the latest story much more impactful. Although the series has flirted with silliness recently, reading the early stories make one realize how awesome this series is.
Read
February 26, 2023pharma and tarn are both in this one
March 2, 2018
The series displays a fine balance between comedy and horror, featuring eccentric characters and witty banter.
May 30, 2022
Though I felt the plot-line with the DJD sort of sidetracked the true story-line, the discourse on faith and spirituality in this series astounds me. Way above and beyond anything that Marvel or DC is publishing; truly thought-provoking comic books. James Roberts is taking full advantage of revisiting and ret-conning the Cybertronian mythos; his dialogue is some of the best writing in comic books today; great sense of humour. And the artwork.... the artwork!!!!! GAWD!!! it is so beautiful to look at.
Can't wait to see where this is heading. 4/5
Can't wait to see where this is heading. 4/5
June 18, 2025
This is one of my favorite volumes from this series. Delphi is what hooked me on this series and continues to be so much fun to read.
I wrote a review for the last volume in which I frantically praised the fact that there were already bits of foreshadowing for insanely far into the future of this comic. Well, yeah. Prepare for yet another round of that. This volume was an aggressive attack against my psyche . We are gonna take a little narrative adventure before I get into the meat of this. So, I first read this series as it was coming out when I was roughly 15 years old. I remember for a fact I was a sophomore in high school and I hopped on the train around issue 25ish. I've since then reread this series a few times from the ages 18-21. What I'm getting at here is that I've only read this series with the bare minimal brain power that I had access to at those ages. So, while rereading it this time I am experiencing the mental equivalent of violent whiplash as I am seeing things I've never noticed before and making connections I somehow did not when I was 18-21. I'm also getting the bonus giggle of reading it in tandem with my dear friend Pat. The giggle being my complete distress when he told me he hates Pharma ( Sorry. I love him. I can't defend him nor my own taste at this point and I won't try. ).
I'm writing this review a little late so I can't actually tell you the exact issues these events happen in but here are some of the foreshadowing moments that really had me feeling deranged:
There is probably way more that I'm blanking on or conflating with the next point I want to discuss.
This is where my review becomes contentious and potentially thrown away by some audiences. One of the greatest pieces of Jro's writing in my eyes is the relationships of the characters. The ones they have with others, the ones the have with themselves and the ones they have with their world. This arc is where we are first hit with the real foundations of that. Delphi is the first confrontation that the crew has with a sentient enemy and you really get to see what makes a villain in this comic. This ball just keeps rolling with the introduction of the Scavengers who have almost their own social structure it seems. This volume also starts a fun little sprinkle of information that I love following which is Jro having fun writing Prowl. He always writes a really fun Prowl. My first real exposure to his Prowl was in his fan novel Eugenesis where you get to see both Prowl's POV and everyone else's POV of him. How he writes Prowl in MTMTE and Wreckers feels very similar to how he writes him in Eugenesis which is that no one really likes him very much or they outright hate him. They often question his judgement and judge how he presents himself socially. In Eugenesis Jro got to then flip it to where you get to see Prowl struggle knowing he isn't charismatic or even moderately good with people and realizing he is making so many faux pas and mistakes without knowing how to apologize or correct it in the eyes of his subordinates. This comic and Wreckers does not get to flip POVs so Jro does this fun thing were he just kind of points out how biased everyone's judgement is towards Prowl. The first instance of this we get is in this volume where Fort Max verbally blames Prowl for Garrus-9 and demands to be taken to Cybertron to be able to personally hold Prowl accountable. Rung responds back that Prowl did not do that to him. Garrus-9 is not Prowl's fault. It is Overlords. Fort Max doesn't internalize this and neither does the greater IDW fandom but objectively Rung is right. This little arc in itself is also really interesting as an example of relationships in this series because you get to see Fort Max's violence towards specifically Prowl (I almost wanted to say violence towards authority but no one holds Optimus, Magnus, Rodimus, Jazz, or Bumblebee in the same distain as they do Prowl), and his violent relationship towards things that remind him of Overlord (the color blue, and potentially one of the reasons he was so violent with Whirl was due to him being an ex-Wrecker). Although, Max has barely been in this series from this arc alone you get to see his relationship with himself (He views himself to be a very important person [making demands of the Lost Light; Expecting the Autobots to waste resources to rescue him during a war]), with the war and factions (lack of current interest. solely focus on his own traumatic history. Shows hostility towards Decepticons) and with the crew of the Lost Light (only seems attached to Rung). Beyond just somehow completely fleshing a brand new character out in 1 volume, that somehow contains 3 separate arcs in 5 issues, you get to start seeing through the cracks on some of the others. We get a little bit more information on the videos Rewind is collecting (but not why yet), and another example of Rodimus's quick problem solving that exists at the cost of the his crew's physical and mental safety. As well as Whirl's history and the real start of Swerve's character.
Okay, time to throw the intellectual thoughts away. I am CONSTANTLY rotating the "Your friend is upset" and the one where Pharma points out Ratchet is crying. They are so fun and get me EVERYTIME. I also started shaking like a chihuahua when I was forced to remember Misfire and Grimlock's relationship with each other. I love those two so much.
I can't think of anything more I'd like to say about this volume at this time and honestly at this point this is practically just a ramble of me gushing about how much I love and adore this series. So, I'll call it here.
I wrote a review for the last volume in which I frantically praised the fact that there were already bits of foreshadowing for insanely far into the future of this comic. Well, yeah. Prepare for yet another round of that. This volume was an aggressive attack against my psyche . We are gonna take a little narrative adventure before I get into the meat of this. So, I first read this series as it was coming out when I was roughly 15 years old. I remember for a fact I was a sophomore in high school and I hopped on the train around issue 25ish. I've since then reread this series a few times from the ages 18-21. What I'm getting at here is that I've only read this series with the bare minimal brain power that I had access to at those ages. So, while rereading it this time I am experiencing the mental equivalent of violent whiplash as I am seeing things I've never noticed before and making connections I somehow did not when I was 18-21. I'm also getting the bonus giggle of reading it in tandem with my dear friend Pat. The giggle being my complete distress when he told me he hates Pharma ( Sorry. I love him. I can't defend him nor my own taste at this point and I won't try. ).
I'm writing this review a little late so I can't actually tell you the exact issues these events happen in but here are some of the foreshadowing moments that really had me feeling deranged:
There is probably way more that I'm blanking on or conflating with the next point I want to discuss.
This is where my review becomes contentious and potentially thrown away by some audiences. One of the greatest pieces of Jro's writing in my eyes is the relationships of the characters. The ones they have with others, the ones the have with themselves and the ones they have with their world. This arc is where we are first hit with the real foundations of that. Delphi is the first confrontation that the crew has with a sentient enemy and you really get to see what makes a villain in this comic. This ball just keeps rolling with the introduction of the Scavengers who have almost their own social structure it seems. This volume also starts a fun little sprinkle of information that I love following which is Jro having fun writing Prowl. He always writes a really fun Prowl. My first real exposure to his Prowl was in his fan novel Eugenesis where you get to see both Prowl's POV and everyone else's POV of him. How he writes Prowl in MTMTE and Wreckers feels very similar to how he writes him in Eugenesis which is that no one really likes him very much or they outright hate him. They often question his judgement and judge how he presents himself socially. In Eugenesis Jro got to then flip it to where you get to see Prowl struggle knowing he isn't charismatic or even moderately good with people and realizing he is making so many faux pas and mistakes without knowing how to apologize or correct it in the eyes of his subordinates. This comic and Wreckers does not get to flip POVs so Jro does this fun thing were he just kind of points out how biased everyone's judgement is towards Prowl. The first instance of this we get is in this volume where Fort Max verbally blames Prowl for Garrus-9 and demands to be taken to Cybertron to be able to personally hold Prowl accountable. Rung responds back that Prowl did not do that to him. Garrus-9 is not Prowl's fault. It is Overlords. Fort Max doesn't internalize this and neither does the greater IDW fandom but objectively Rung is right. This little arc in itself is also really interesting as an example of relationships in this series because you get to see Fort Max's violence towards specifically Prowl (I almost wanted to say violence towards authority but no one holds Optimus, Magnus, Rodimus, Jazz, or Bumblebee in the same distain as they do Prowl), and his violent relationship towards things that remind him of Overlord (the color blue, and potentially one of the reasons he was so violent with Whirl was due to him being an ex-Wrecker). Although, Max has barely been in this series from this arc alone you get to see his relationship with himself (He views himself to be a very important person [making demands of the Lost Light; Expecting the Autobots to waste resources to rescue him during a war]), with the war and factions (lack of current interest. solely focus on his own traumatic history. Shows hostility towards Decepticons) and with the crew of the Lost Light (only seems attached to Rung). Beyond just somehow completely fleshing a brand new character out in 1 volume, that somehow contains 3 separate arcs in 5 issues, you get to start seeing through the cracks on some of the others. We get a little bit more information on the videos Rewind is collecting (but not why yet), and another example of Rodimus's quick problem solving that exists at the cost of the his crew's physical and mental safety. As well as Whirl's history and the real start of Swerve's character.
Okay, time to throw the intellectual thoughts away. I am CONSTANTLY rotating the "Your friend is upset" and the one where Pharma points out Ratchet is crying. They are so fun and get me EVERYTIME. I also started shaking like a chihuahua when I was forced to remember Misfire and Grimlock's relationship with each other. I love those two so much.
I can't think of anything more I'd like to say about this volume at this time and honestly at this point this is practically just a ramble of me gushing about how much I love and adore this series. So, I'll call it here.
September 5, 2019
I went into this series on the recommendation of a student. Volume 1 was tough...all the bots looked alike, I didn't understand a lot of the backstory, etc.
BUT, vol 2 has TAKEN OFF for me. The author makes a clean break from many of the "established" Transformers from the film franchise (Optimus, Bumblebee, Megatron, etc) and cobbles together a rag-tag bunch of characters that have distinct personalities, motivations, and worldviews.
This particular volume focuses on the post-war bots on a quest to find their legendary predecessors as well as a group of Decepticon torturers, and a hodge-podge band of neurotic Decepticon scrappers. Each section is FULL of amazing writing (especially tension-building plot twists) that kept me glued.
Can't wait to read vol 3!
BUT, vol 2 has TAKEN OFF for me. The author makes a clean break from many of the "established" Transformers from the film franchise (Optimus, Bumblebee, Megatron, etc) and cobbles together a rag-tag bunch of characters that have distinct personalities, motivations, and worldviews.
This particular volume focuses on the post-war bots on a quest to find their legendary predecessors as well as a group of Decepticon torturers, and a hodge-podge band of neurotic Decepticon scrappers. Each section is FULL of amazing writing (especially tension-building plot twists) that kept me glued.
Can't wait to read vol 3!
Read
July 28, 2023The war may be over, but that only means all the things it drowned out can surface - the trauma, the dodgy deals, the personality problems that seemed less like problems in soldiers. And then, of course, there are those hardliners who don't accept that the war is over and regard those who disagree as traitors... I'm not sure I fully accept the greatness claimed for this series, at least not yet - it is a pronounced case of that modern vogue for a dark story that nonetheless feels the need for a snarky line every five minutes. And regardless of its standing for Weak Anthropic Principle, a ship called W.A.P. lands very differently now to ten years ago. But it certainly has something, so I'll persevere for now.
December 26, 2018
Art is good, I can barely follow the story at the best of times. There's like 300 characters.
August 29, 2013
I've read more Transformers comics than I would readily admit, always trying to get back to the wonder that was the finale of the original Marvel series scripted by Simon Furman. I've always been disappointed, until this series came along. I purchased the first volume for my son for Christmas and sat down to preview it. I quickly realized that a) this was not a comic for kids and b) it was amazing.
The second volume just gets better. Finally, someone actually building characters and writing stories that explore what it might be like to be a mechanical life-form involved in a six-million-year old war. There are three "episodes" in this volume. The first involves Rachet solving a medical mystery on an Autobot outpost devastated by plague and actually uses the fact that Transformers transform as a pivotal plot point. The second involves a ship's psychologist and a damaged patient, and-- impossibly-- makes you start to like Whirl. And the third-- which shifts the focus from the primary players-- surprised by taking some of the misfit Decepticons that usually sat forlorn in the bottom of your toy chest and making real characters out of them.
I still read more Transformers comics than I would readily admit, but now it's usually the volumes from this series, which repay a careful re-reading.
The second volume just gets better. Finally, someone actually building characters and writing stories that explore what it might be like to be a mechanical life-form involved in a six-million-year old war. There are three "episodes" in this volume. The first involves Rachet solving a medical mystery on an Autobot outpost devastated by plague and actually uses the fact that Transformers transform as a pivotal plot point. The second involves a ship's psychologist and a damaged patient, and-- impossibly-- makes you start to like Whirl. And the third-- which shifts the focus from the primary players-- surprised by taking some of the misfit Decepticons that usually sat forlorn in the bottom of your toy chest and making real characters out of them.
I still read more Transformers comics than I would readily admit, but now it's usually the volumes from this series, which repay a careful re-reading.
March 7, 2021
I originally got into this series because I was told it was sort of Giffen and DeMatteis's Justice League International with Transformers. And in the segments of the series that are funny... yeah... it totally is. On the other hang that parts that are gim and series... and well... it's better than any comic book that exists for no other reason that to sell toys- or rather retro reproduction adult collectibles- has any right to be. Gone of the days are 'include character x because they have a new toy coming out' that plauged the old Marvel version of the series. This is-- use the weirdo, misfit, crazy Transformers that nobody really likes because you can get away with doing crazy, creative, insane shit with them.. or tell stories that will break your heart.
I was never much a fan of the toys or even the other Transformers titles but this one... I really enjoyed even when I had reread sections to try to tell characters apart.
I was never much a fan of the toys or even the other Transformers titles but this one... I really enjoyed even when I had reread sections to try to tell characters apart.
October 1, 2015
Some excellent Transformers stories here, if darkly themed. Included here are an outbreak scenario, a story about a character's violent PTSD, and the introduction of the Decepticon Justice Division, the scariest set of Decepticons yet. Despite the darkness, they're fun to read, thanks to solid characterization and the occasional bit of humor. Some interesting plotlines brewing for the future as well... (A-)
October 29, 2015
This book was great readers finally got a story from the decepticon point of view. Plus we got stories from the DJD and first aid. The ending was a cliffhanger leaving the reader suspenseful about overlord's presence on the lost light.
March 15, 2016
Review to come! :D
September 20, 2023
the holy old man yaoi texts
October 14, 2017
It's always tough writing reviews for trade paperbacks, because I didn't really stop between trades when I read this series. It was too good. I've reread the stuff in here at least 3 times, I bought the book, I've listened to sound.wav analyze it in podcast form and I've listened to a radio drama performance of the book and...I love this series.
Overall, volume 2 focused in on the characters more in a way that really helped me out sorting out which robots were which. It includes the Delphi arc, which is a delight. I love the way JR uses repetition of dialogue throughout for dramatic or comedic effect. Pharma is delightfully creepy, the reveal of Fort Max was great even for a new reader who didn't recognize anyone. Back on the ship, Tailgate makes a great reader stand-in as he tries to figure out what happened during the war and what's up with Autobots and Decepticons. The way Cyclonus treats him here is...cringe-inducing because of how much we like him later, but I'm chalking that up to good character development.
I'm not big on the DJD and Scavengers interludes, but I understand why introducing them (the DJD) early and setting them up as a credible threat was important for the series as a whole. They tend to take screen time away from the already huge cast, which is a little bit frustrating.
Overall, volume 2 focused in on the characters more in a way that really helped me out sorting out which robots were which. It includes the Delphi arc, which is a delight. I love the way JR uses repetition of dialogue throughout for dramatic or comedic effect. Pharma is delightfully creepy, the reveal of Fort Max was great even for a new reader who didn't recognize anyone. Back on the ship, Tailgate makes a great reader stand-in as he tries to figure out what happened during the war and what's up with Autobots and Decepticons. The way Cyclonus treats him here is...cringe-inducing because of how much we like him later, but I'm chalking that up to good character development.
I'm not big on the DJD and Scavengers interludes, but I understand why introducing them (the DJD) early and setting them up as a credible threat was important for the series as a whole. They tend to take screen time away from the already huge cast, which is a little bit frustrating.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 7, 2018
Decepticon "Generation Kill" with Ray Person/Misfire: check. Epidemic disaster movie: check. Psychological thriller: check. Ultra Magnus: transitive verbs and semicolons, check, check, check!
Favourite page:
Tailgate: "Ten thousand pages?" [...]
Ultra Magnus: "...subjecting each proposition to a series of ethical stress tests, scrutinizing areas of philological ambiguity, and reaching a more profound understanding of what it means to be a mechanical being in a predominantly organic universe."
Tailgate: "Ten thousand pages?" [...]
Ultra Magnus: "Relax! A few weeks of crippling intense study and it'll be over! It my even be fff...
It my even be fff... I can't-my mouth just won't-I can't say it."
Tailgate: "Fun?"
Ultra Magnus: "That's the one."
Favourite page:
Tailgate: "Ten thousand pages?" [...]
Ultra Magnus: "...subjecting each proposition to a series of ethical stress tests, scrutinizing areas of philological ambiguity, and reaching a more profound understanding of what it means to be a mechanical being in a predominantly organic universe."
Tailgate: "Ten thousand pages?" [...]
Ultra Magnus: "Relax! A few weeks of crippling intense study and it'll be over! It my even be fff...
It my even be fff... I can't-my mouth just won't-I can't say it."
Tailgate: "Fun?"
Ultra Magnus: "That's the one."
September 23, 2018
This one got very messy with its story. I was easily confused and almost bored at the mass amount of dialogue and seemingly random stuff going on. This was disappointing as the first volume was pretty good and told its story well. I do like the way the volume ended, but honestly it was not well done.
February 26, 2021
The drama continues. This is arguably the closest thing to a soap opera I'll ever get. For goodness sake, we have Good Decepticons fighting bad ones. I know that doesn't seem that groundbreaking, but for a series set only in black and white binaries, it's refreshing is all.
And it's still the sassiest comic out there.
And it's still the sassiest comic out there.
January 9, 2025
Murder Mystery? Check. Toxic yaoi and taking a body part of your friend slash enemy in a very Clamp-esque way? Check. Nightmare-inducing chapter full of gore as a way to introduce the "big bads" of season 2? Check. It is by no means perfect, but everything that makes me unable to stop reading and lock the fuck in gets a 5 from me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 4, 2018
hehe DJD funmy
November 26, 2018
Broadens the cast and plot admirably, but there are moments where the flow of the action is lost in all the boxy faces and jutting shoulder canons.
March 2, 2019
never thought i would say i would catch feelings for a transformers comic but im catching feelings for a tranformers comic
also
'its rung, forever' ;w; my heart
also
'its rung, forever' ;w; my heart
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 4, 2019
Incredible. Absolutely incredible. This is the type of Transformers story fans have needed. If this was made to an animated series, Transformers would be as alive today as it was in the 80’s.
December 22, 2019
Still pretty confused as to what's going on here.
January 21, 2023
Reread MTMTE vol 2. Spent a lot of time today just looking at James Roberts personal Spotify. Greatest mind of our generation.
October 17, 2023
I don't know how to use this app
September 18, 2024
I really love the transformers
December 19, 2024
this is way more gore and horror than i thought but the humor is really keeping me sane
July 15, 2025
What can I say, Tarn and Pharma are in this. I love it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews