PUBLISHER: IDW | FORMAT: SINGLE ISSUE | RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Transformers is a franchise that seems to be cursed with a messy continuity, regardless of media. This is partly due to the fact that all the movies, cartoons, and games exist to flog toys to fans. Even the comic books have conflicting timelines and stories, despite the legendary flexibility of the medium. Power of the Predacons brings together some of the better Transformers comic strips that feature the savage animal-themed Decepticon team, the Predacons.

These baddies are pretty easy to love and are often paired off against the Autobot heroes the Dinobots. The collection is easily a greatest hits collection, but that’s what makes it confusing. We kick off with a tale from Transformers: Spotlight – Jazz. Though it presents the Predacons as elite murderers, it’s really a story about how cool Jazz is. Meanwhile the Dawn of Predacus story, though fun, is so steeped in continuity it’s a little daunting for casual readers. The same applies to a Beast Wars story; it’s fun and all, but if you don’t know Beast Wars you’re going to be a little bit lost. On the other hand, it has robot polar bears, so it’s sort of awesome.

Nostalgia fans, however, will be well-served by some old-school tales from the ‘80s UK Transformers Marvel title, such as a dual between the Predacon Divebomb and the Dinobot Swoop. This is just an appetiser for the main event of both factions going for a full-on battle royale with each other. Much like the writing, the art is a bit of a mixed bag; we’ve a blend of simple old-school styles and the more colourful and extravagant work you get in modern IDW comics. It’s never jarring, however, and a cool robot monster is hard to mess up. Power of The Predacons is a fun romp, one that will press all your nostalgia buttons.