Firstly, I haven’t seen DOTM yet. I’ll get around to it eventually. But having heard of some of the plot differences between the film and the novel adaptation/movie comics, I have to say I’m leaning toward enjoying the latter a little more anyway.

This isn’t much of a surprise: I’m a huge fan of reading. However, I’ve also realised that I don’t really watch ANY Transformers. The comics and (occasional) books are “my definitive Transformers” for every iteration of the franchise, stretching right back to the classic Marvel UK G1 saga of comics (for me, the definitive interpretation of the G1 universe).

I have seen some old 1980s G1 episodes, but have no inclination to ever watch them again, frankly. I have never seen any of the subsequent cartoon series from Beast Wars on (though did watch the first episode of TF: Prime and thought it was quite good), but have always naturally gravitated toward the comics (I enjoyed the Dreamwave Armada series, for example) and, of course, the toys, far and above any cartoon interpretation.

So back to the movies... yeah, I like the designs; like the situations and plots; think the toys look neat, and have enjoyed (most of) the related IDW comics... but actually watching the movies... I quite enjoyed the first one, really didn’t enjoy the second, and find myself without the urgent excitement I had expected to have to see the third... but I am enjoying all the movie hoopla and related merchandise.

And so I’ve come to the conclusion that I enjoy the “Movieverse” more than I actually enjoy watching the films.

Does this make sense? Anyone else feel the same way?
(Note – I reserve the right to change my mind after watching DOTM, probably on DVD later this year!)

 

Yep, same here...although I'm not much of a reader....but I just find myself buying the toys, for liking the character designs and such.

I did read some of the G1 comics though as well as recent IDW ongoing and movieverse ROS. Those are imo, superior to the movies with
the exception of the TF1 2007 movie perhaps.

 

Never try to compare a comic book series to a mvoie, because again, they're not restricted to do a beginning-Medium-Ending kind of story in 2 hours.

That said, the Movieverse has a LOT of Potential, I've always thought it.

 

This, a book can last many hours whereas a film cannot.

Plus a film has to appeal to the general public, a book only needs to appeal to the fans.

I'm reading the novel adaptation of DOTM at the moment, it's great but I can see why they left some stuff out of the film.

 

Can't say I agree...I haven't read any of the novelizations yet, but the movie comics have been a yawn-fest.

I guess for me, the visual effects are a big part of why I enjoy the movieverse. The TFs aren't very fleshed out as characters, so IMHO you need the cool visuals to make up for the weak characterization. I would much rather see comics and novels set in continuities where the characters can carry the story without the benefit of CG.

 

@Greyley: I see where do you come from, unfortunetely, there's only 4 prequel issues per movie, so that's not really enough to cover everything neither.

I can just hope they carry on with comics or novels and felsh out the characters more.

 

Well, the first movie was amazing, though it had several flaws.
Second one had a few better battle scenes but it had too many plot holes,
annoying characters and weak portrayings of Devastator and most of the TFs
being 2nd row actors in the background.
Third movie had less plot holes but the way they displayed the TFs and their
vessels were just overall lame. Now even with assault rifles you can take down
Transformers that are 30 feet high  
the ending was so abrupt, the driller totally overused, while Shockwave was only a poser.

 

It's a shame IDW isn't continuing the Bay universe. There are so many characters they could develop and give more meaning to the films.

 

I don't like the movies but I do like the movie universe. IT has a really awesome potential for groving plus some kick ass robot designs, but the movies themselves are the weakest parts of the whole thing which is ironic.

I enjoyed reading the prequel and sequel IDW comics more than the films themselves...

 

DONT BE ON THE FORUMS , GO SEE THE MOVIE NOW! so much better then the 2nd , so i wouldn't be worried about it being as bad. GO GO GO

 

LOL... he's right! Don't wait for it on Blu Ray or DVD. It's better to watch this in the big screen!

 

I do consider myself a fan of the movie-verse. Seeing the first film got me back into Transformers. But after watching DotM, I still think the first movie was the best.

In TF1, the Decepticons were portrayed as a bigger threat. Blackout destroys an entire military base by himself, and it takes 3 Autobots and the military to take down Brawl. Throughout the movie, you can really see how BIG the robots are. Finally, there are only six or seven robots on either side, meaning that it's evenly matched, and every bot gets some personality and fight scenes.

Switch to DotM, and you have TWO HUNDRED Decepticons flying around in WARSHIPS! Not to mention a robotic worm the size of a building. It makes all the bots and cons look and feel smaller. As if that weren't enough, half the movie is taken up by Sam and his exploits, causing the Autobots to literally become background characters in their own story.

Don't get me wrong - DotM was SO MUCH BETTER than RotF, and there were many parts that I liked. Sentinel added a lot of emotion to the story. Soundwave and Laserbeak were awesome, Dutch was hilarious, and Wheelie and Brains came off as downright adorable. I felt Dotm was a good ending to the trilogy, but the first movie is and always will be my favorite.

Sorry if this kind of turned into a rant.  

 

LOL, thanks guys... maybe the wife will want to go and see it to celebrate our anniversary next week...   Who says I'm not a caring husband!?!

 

I do.

IDW and Titan's Movie-verse comics contain a plethora of interesting storylines that the films can only dream of matching. They've done the fictional universe the service that the films have not. It's like G1 all over again; the celluloid product is inferior to the printed material.

 

Couldn't have said it better myself. Up until All Hail Megatron happened and the human involvement took a serious turn for the worse (seriously, a human kills Scrapper, a warrior with millions of years of fighting experience, in a 1 on 1 fight that lasted about two pages?) , IDW was telling the best Transformers stories I had ever experienced. Any Transformers fan who hasn't read Stormbringer, the "-tion" Series, Maximum Dinobots, the Spotlights, and especially Last Stand of the Wreckers, is doing themselves a huge disservice.

Even I, who seriously dislikes all three of the films, really like the movie-universe that the comics have created.

 

I'm a reader, but I just don't like Transformer books, it's just something about them that feels weird. I've read the DOTM novel and that was pretty good, it helped answer some questions.

 

I adore the movieverse - it's what got me into Transformers, it's my focus when it comes to collecting TFs, I've read the novels and the comics..... I love the designs of the TFs, the way they are in the movies, and even love a few of the human characters.

I find the first film to be a genuinely solid movie - I think it was a perfect introduction that set up huge potential for the series. It's the sequels that I feel didn't live up to that potential.

ROTF had a few moments of awesome. DOTM had several moments of awesome. But the lack of screen time/depth for the 'bots, unnecessary filler and the idea that amazing visuals >>>> characters/story (when all three are totally possible to achieve) get in the way.

That said, I will own all 3 movies and watch them all, but I do admit to being more of a fan of what the movie series could have been than what it actually is.

 

The least IDW could do is introduce and develop some Bay characters in the ongoing. Why not have Barricade and Dino and whoever else?

 

Well as far as the comics are concerned, Dino is mirage, who already exists. Seeing barricade would be cool though. He was probably the coolest new character the films introduced