For me it's just unremarkable at this point, even necessary. The last 5 years have fundamentally eroded the idea that this was an alien story with robots, and in every way just made them human. Entirely for the better imo.This felt like that last step that needed to be taken. I don't want these to become romance comics but I think there's no story telling possibilities with scenes like this than without. I'd also argue that the comedy moments should be as offputting as implied romance, simply because regardless of it being played for laughs, it's an extremely human gesture. I think once the female Autobots showed up back in the day, I just found it hard to ever see these characters as anything other than human, bar the trapping
I have all sorts of thoughts on the "almost kiss." It had to be something dramatically unsettling to set up Starscream's plot. Like, he does dodgy, slimy stuff all the time, but this had to be a gross violation of what a "protagonist" should do, and I don't think the typical confines of Transformer romance (excessive hand holding and pet names) would set the mood enough. Most of the early comments on this issue are along the lines of "I'm not sure about [Blastoff and Onslaught] but man that [Starscream Plot]." And that's the point of the issue. You could always rationalize it by saying that within the mind Transformers can view relationships in more intimate ways because imagination is a more powerful construct than reality. Or that, as with all character development in Transformers, the writer is a human, and the more humanlike a concept the characters exhibit the harder it is to write it without using human idioms and reference points. But who's counting?
Not saying you shouldnt have personal opinion on slash, but why drag slash into this here? We are talking about what happened in the comics, which is the purpose of this thread. Don't you think it's a bit off-topic and provocative, and could possibly ignite something? I don't want to see another good thread dragged off track. I think Starscream chose Blast Off because Blast Off wants something, and that something Starscream can actually hold in his hands. So that makes Blast Off more controllable. Also. Blast Off is less "crazy" than the rest of the team. Craziness is less easy to control. Blast Off definitely has a higher moral standard, but that sounds more like an obstacle than an advantage here. However it had already been overcome.
I hope there're some other ways to show intimacy that feel more natural to a robotic species. It's not the relationship that's weird. It'd not feel so out of place if in the dream the two were about to show their spark or pulled out a pair of USB cable or something. Wait, aren't there innermost energon exchange and fuel-swapping? (or are they the same?) These are better than the kiss and has been established as sorta taboos in their prewar culture. It'd be more violating if Starscream intrudes on a dream of these.
When the hell did Hellbat and Guyhawk kiss? I just finished Victory and didn't see that. Though Hellbat did hug him.
I think that's the point. Doubly so when you reframe it to what happened in the rest of the story. Well to be fair it got moderated from what I could tell from the moderator posting earlier. I don't feel a need to talk about slash because that's just a discussion that'll go nowhere and make nobody happy.
Agree. I also do not want that Transformers become romance comics (and I do not believe they ever will), but a small romance, here and there, masterly "weaved" into the story (à la Chromedome and Rewind), I don´t find bad at all. And when spiced with some humour, drama etc. I think, it can make a story, a character only better. Like I said, when it´s done right. To be quite honest, I also have nothing against a kiss between two sentimental machines. I don´t find it "weird" or unsuitable. =)
Yeah, i agree. I've no problem with the introduction of romantic partnerships and bonds equivilant to couples and marriage and whatnot, but the direct sexualization in very human form is just a bit too much of fan service and too removed from transformers. There's no established sexual reproduction (infact it is basically eliminated by the established continuity), so this just doesn't work very well. The rewind-chromedome relationship worked so well because it was folded into the context of the story, and actively didn't contradict other elements. Even idw's poorly executed insertion of "relationships!, everywhere, cause we can!" didn't cross anylines though it certainly cheapened the value of such bonds and put very little effort towards working them into the story and idw world organically. This, while not out of the blue, was simply a poor choice of how to show a good plot line of blast off having other motives for supporting onslaught than team based commraderie. Aside from that one poorly chosen panel and some usa network original cheesy dialogue (this could so easily have been written for any of their 90's shows), this was an outstanding issue and taao a genuinely entertaining and unique book. It's been really nice to have three different books that all have a niche for location, genre, and style.
Although I am not the greatest fan of possibly a very intimate relationship between Blast Off and Onslaught (although partially crafted by Starscream), I still felt this was another strong issue, reinforcing Starscream's old scheming ways. Interesting to see that Airachnid was in a group with Animated Blackarachnia. I hope more of the Eukarians are involved in the IDW universe, but unsure since the series only has a few issues left. Looking forward to where Scott goes with all of the current plotlines.
You know, if there's some context that said Blast Off was imitating earth culture intentionally, it wouldn't have felt confusing at all.
Honestly the TFs have always been pretty humanized arguably since the very beginning so the idea of some kissing or at least some attempt to kiss isn't too far off.
I don't really see the big deal. Why shouldn't this just be another instance where kissing is only implied/done off-screen? They don't even kiss in this comic. The only thing that felt really out of place was Onslaught calling it a "turn on", since y'know. Sex doesn't apply for robots. And if he doesn't mean that then what the hell does he mean? But otherwise romantic body-language is a thing, it happens between people. I feel like enough human-like behaviour has happened between these robots for the past couple of years to make it easier to digest. Then again, I'd say it's been around for even longer, since I've seen Silverbolt and Blackarachnia in this same sort of closeness dozens of times and it's never bothered me then. Like whoa, I can accept hugging, but two dudes being close and almost-not even kissing? That's too much, man. The suggestions that Onslaught should've whipped out a wire and connecting it into Blast-Off's usb port instead of them just leaning in close is the silliest thing to me.
Hi, the USB is a joke. But seriously, connecting minds seemed to be a big thing for them. With combinors being mentally unstable and the shadowplays being what it is. These all makes me want to see a good way of mind-connection.
It's an odd idiom, but humans use it without meaning sexual arousal too, just general attractiveness.
I dunno, dude, I don't think I've ever heard of anyone say they were turned on by something and meant it in a non-sexual way. Like you wouldn't tell your friends they turned you on and expected it to be taken in a platonic light.
I was referring to before the... kerfuffle. But I was agreeing with your point, that the "kiss" is supposed to set up a pretty dark narrative idea.
