So a lot of things happened this issue.

Spoiler

-One theory prevailed and Scoop is replacing Scrapper on Devastator.
-The combiners all got together and are now all fighting, first they went to Caminus, then they somehow via space bridge ended up on what I think is Garnak's planet...? (could be wrong.)
-Prowl, Mirage, Sunstreaker, Optimus and Ironhide combined (It was Prowl's plan, he used the Enigma on them when they were all together.) Final page has Optimus Maximus appearing to fight all of them.

Overall a good issue, but things were somewhat confusing and messy (as all issues of CW have been.)

 

Optimus Maximus is going to be insane.

On the other hand, seeing Superion, Defensor, and Optimus Maximus fight Menasor and Devastator sounds cool. Especially if Devs still allies himself with Prowl

 

ahahahahaha

HAHAHAHAHA

 

So does scoop get possessed or something, does he make a choice? Or are we just magicking away another guy joining up and suddenly being able to combine?

 

Enigma'd, because Starscream wants Devastator under his control and Scoop's loyalty to the "Chosen One" ensures that.

Always thought those "Scoop will get possessed by Scrapper!" theories were silly and far-reaching. I guess it could somehow happen, but this all strikes me as a temporary thing.

 

ugh...

 

Is it out on Comixology? hitting refresh but the book's status is still stuck on pre order ;/

 

It's out in the UK but I have no idea if that does you any good : /

 

BEHOLD THE FULL POWER OF THE MACGUFFIN!

Not a fan of the Enigma at all, kinda takes away from all the cool sciencey stuff, and technological advances that make the Transformers cool.

Particularly when they clearly have relatively easy to use combiner technology, as demonstrated by the way Swindle whips up Menasor in the ongoing in no time at all.

If non Scienecy types like Swinde can build a combiner with ease, why can't the likes of Wheeljack without a mystical object that does the work for them?

At any time, Starscream could have just gone to Swindle and gone, "yo, little Yellow fella, you know those instructions you have on how to build a combiner? Any chance I could take a peek? I will give you some shiny pennies"

Doesn't quite work for me.

 

I have to say, I liked that issue very much.
Yup, it's out on comixology. Read it half an hour ago.

 

Combiner Wars continues to disappoint. I don't understand what this is building up to, what is the end-game? We're about to hit the conclusion and I still don't see what's the purpose of this story other than throwing the rest of the combiners into the mainstream IDWverse.

 

To sell toys

 

Well, there's also the whole thing about trying to reunite all the Cybertronian colony worlds too, which seems to be the main objective of Windblade V2.

 

Pretty much this.

The comics are excellent source of advertisement for Hasbro.

 

The end game is establishing the gestalts as key players in the IDWverse as per the Hasbro mandate.

Yes most of us love the Combiner Wars line but the whole idea is being shoehorned in by the writers to advertise the line through the comics which really are one big toy advert. Nothing new there.

I think the writers are doing a good job considering this is a Hasbro story. While Devastator, Monstructor and occasionally Superion and Menasor have appeared in the IDWverse in the past its never been that important. Now they are to coincide with the new toyline.

All things considered they are doing a good job.

 

One of the things that spoils Combiner Wars as a story, is the solicits already show that Starscream is still in some form of power coming out of it. So it has taken one of the biggest potential resolutions away, because at the moment it seems to be about Starscream doing anything to manipulate people - but we already know it is not going to come crashing down for him.

Ah well, still quite enjoyable comics, but all of these events seem shoehorned in.

 

No question about that but again nothing new when Hasbro are releasing a new line. Happened countless times in the past and will again no doubt in the future.

 

Anyone expecting the combiners not to survive this series? Considering all 5 are connected to the enigma...destroy the engima, you eliminate the combiner energy? Particularly since the enigma allows functional combination without a shared purpose.

I could see this series ending up with Devastator et al. ceasing to be and Monstructor being the only functional combiner left. Or maybe Defensor and Op Max cease, Superion is rendered child-like again, Menasor no longer has a functional mind and Prowlastator remains?

 

Yeah, hopefully the more they do the better they will get at it. IDW will know more of what to expect, and be able to plan for it.
Hopefully.

One thing that has disappointed me about Combiner Wars so far is the almost total lack of focus on the Combiners themselves. Most of it has been on Prime,Starscream, Windblade and Prowl.

It would have been nice to see more of the actual teams, especially seeing how Alpha Bravo interacted with the Aerialbots team as the new member.


Instead we have had lots of Prime talking and being ineffective, Starscream and Prowl schemeing and Windblade being just there as an exposition device.