Another great read from Autocracy. This one definitely feel like there was more tension in the story. Zeta Prime is going to be such an awesome character. I almost got chills when Soundwave made his entrance!

 

I liked this issue WAY better than the first one. The story is developing nicely, and the art seems clearer here than in the first installment. Livio's art works much better in still, talky scenes than in busy chase/battle scenes. And the Soundwave reveal was kickass! I love the big panel on pg 7 of Sounders posing dramatically after he transforms.

Random thoughts:

"Jihauxus". Hmm. IDW editing strikes again!

Starscream looks like he he's wearing a saggy, pooed-in diaper on the first panel of pg 2.

I like the color contrast between the first two scenes. Zeta's senate scene was done in cool blues, then Orion's was done in warm reds and oranges. Nice!

What exactly was it that clued Zeta off about Soundwave? He says "what was that?", but there's nothing in that scene that shows what he's reacting to. Soundwave knows better than to make any unusual noises when he's spying, so how the heck did Zeta know?

This happened to me on my phone too, so it must be a glitch in the display programming. Luckily the web version shows the full panel. Now the digital haters have some ammo...I can see it now: "See?! You miss dialogue with digital comics! You never have to worry about a glitchy display with paper!!"  

And I can imagine him saying it with a smartass smirk on his face the whole time.  

According to Comixology, there are 12 eight-page issues. That's 96 pages total, which isn't enough for a full trade (though some indie companies do release trades that skinny). I'm willing to bet that Autocracy will be released as a trade eventually, but I'm not sure what else they could bundle it with since they're not doing spotlights any more...

 

Spotlight: Revelation, Bumblebee, Ironhide, and Drift consist of four 22-page issues. That's 88 pages (plus some bonus materials) total and all of them are published in TPB.

 

Good point. Also wondering why SS threw Soundwave under the bus at that point by exposing him. Or was it a heads up for Soundwave to transform and GTFO?

Also, what was the missing dialogue? I may have missed it, or it's in my version and I didn't know it.

 

cooool.   how long till the tpb is out.  

 

the other possible continuity error occurs from spotlight Blur- Starscream tried to recruit Blur, SS was branded with a decepticon badge while talking to Blurr, and SS was among the cons Blur ran through at the the end of the comic.

surely SS would not remain a good candidate for being an insider in the senate or whatever, seen as earlier he was an active recruiter for the decepticons and involved in broad daylight firefights.

not sure what he is supposed to be delegate of in autocracy?


i still enjoyed the comic, but kind of confused here...

 

I was under the assumption that it was all a ruse since Starscream almost revealed himself, had to get eyes off him and Soundwave already had a pretty decent recording of Zeta.

This takes place before Spotlight Blurr. Perhaps the big blow out at the final issues is going to be that assassination plot?

 

For continuity's sake, even PROWL knew about Starscream being a Con! He arranged for the arrest of Megatron's followers together with Sentinel, and being as high-ranking as he is he must have known about the deal SS cut with the Senate when he was released.

But who cares, M:O was a horribly written comic anyway (who in their right minds would not check Starscream for hidden weapons when admitting him to the senate?)

 

For some reason, I REALLY got a kick out of Orion and Magnus sparring. Definitely a nod to past continuities where they were brothers-in-arms.

 

What? When was that mentioned? Now I'll never have Spotlight: Starscream

so the Issue;
Starscream is a Delegate? (Also pull your pants up Starscream; no one likes baggy-style clothes.)
Wasn't Starscream openly seen with Megatron and wasn't Starscream known for working with the Decepticons and Megatron?
Autobot intelligent doesn't seem that good at information gathering when they can't even tell who's in Megatron's command rank.
He even gave himself nearly away.

So how likely is it that the public will hear of Zeta Primes plan on destroying the Decepticons and them too?

 

Just read it, there do seem to be some continuity confusions but the story itself is very compelling. Maybe Zeta Prime is a little too psycho, but what the hell. With the two new ongoings 2012 is alreay a pretty awesome year for comic stories at any rate!

 

jezzy crezzy, i thought Nova was the evil prime, seems like every prime not named Optimus or Rodimus is a jagoff

 

Just read it again... heh, maybe that's why Optimus didn't bother recollecting Nominus and Zeta in his Spotlight: he knew those two were total dicks and didn't want to think about them as part of his lineage! Sentinel was gung-ho but at least he tried to take the fight to Megatron 'robo a robo', and he hadn't yet found out that Nova was also a bot supremacist...

 

I just read Spotlight: Blurr. Zeta Prime is still alive there, and OP is called as "Optimus" by Kup.
Is that issue placed after Autocracy? I wonder how Autocracy goes...

 

It is after autocracy but in my opinion it is debatable wether or not optimus is Orion pax or not. Case in point he would have to ditch his first body for a new one only to take his old one back a little while later. Maybe its just some bot that inspired Orion so that when he bacame prime he changed his name to honor that optimus. Just a theory

 

Optimus has been referred to as "Orion Pax" in Chaos Theory and Autocracy, and his only other pre-Prime experience had him referred to as "Optimus". It's probably a simple retcon.

 

PROWL knew Starscream was with Megatron! He worked with Sentinel when they released SS when he pretended to betray Megatron... Heck, Orion was on the same taskforce, he should also know. Not to mention that in Megatron Origin the three seekers were celebrities in the gladiator games, and Skywarp and TC publicly abducted Decimus in front of a huge crowd, to be killed by Megs - it's safe to assume everyone knew who the third seeker was.

I still don't get to whom Starscream was a delegate of, and why the heck did he reveal Soundwave's presence... heck, why he even needed to put Soundwave there when a microphone could be easily, y'know, INTERGATED into a Transformer's FINGER, even! He could have done the snooping himself instead of leaving a bright blue camcorder on the benches...

And also: Jiahauxus!

Gesundheit!