Just read the complete issue on Comixology.

L's art is better than it was in Chaos. Decently solid on the whole. Still a tad loose/rough on the pencils here and there, but a better, more comprehensible presentation.

The story was just a bit lighter than I'd have prefered. I mean it's a solid set up for the future threat, but that's kinda all it was. It would have been nice to have that AND deeper/expanded characterization for Optimus and his crew and maybe even the bad guys. I really don't want to compair this book to MTMTE constantly, because it has it's own charms, but I can't help but feel Roberts could have given us this exact same story with another layer of worldbuilding and interesting character revelations on TOP of what we get here.

But I don't want to be too negative either. It was a decent set up issue that gives Optimus and a number of other "left over" characters direction and story for the future.

The use of the word 13 fooled me for a minute... I'm actually glad about what it turned out to reference.


-ZacWilliam, curious if some loose ends/hints that start with "Q" from the Wheelie Spotlight might be tied in...

 

Not a big fan of the art. Everytime I read a book like this I feel like I have been reading in the dark, straining my eyes to see what is happening.

Story wise, a slower pace than what we have seen but like you said Zac, a set up issue.

I liked the decepticon characters revealed and all the references to the past IDW stories.

 

I agree with Zac, Livio's art isn't nearly as distracting to me in this issue as it was in Chaos. I still prefer his art way more for posters/covers than for inside the actual comics, but it has improved a lot.

I only read it once very, very quickly so far, during work, and ended up leaving it there on accident, did they go into what happened to Shockwave? Was it assumed he was on the Decepticon ship?

 

Ramondelli's art is becoming more and more "visible". I also loved how previous plots tied in this issues.

When will Syndromica(2) comes? Issue 12?

 

Shockwave is back on Cybertron. His presence in the opening scene - set half a million years ago, prior to his being entombed on Earth - is to set up the fact that the fate that befell Arduria was caused by one of his seeding rockets, as discovered by Prime and Hardhead later in the issue, and that Jhiaxus is now investigating the thirteen planets he seeded.

 

I loved the whole "You think my apprentice is so stupid that he wouldn't fix the one weakness in Monstructor's design?!?" bit.

Seriously, great issue. And it's VERY interesting how the guy who Jhiaxus freed back in Garrus-9 (by breaking him out to use against Jetfire as a puppet) is now working for him, and how Bludgeon's crew HAPPENS to be the same bots Jhiaxus used as a science project.

 

Wow. Great issue, maybe my favorite. It's nice to see all of those missing villains back--I really got an "-ation" vibe out of it. Excited to see where this goes.

And poor Garnak. Thanks to Bludgeon, he's got one less eye.

 

Nice issue, art was little tough on the eyes but good. RID is still my favorite of the 2 new ongoings. Good to Prime back.

 

Ok, I haven't read the issue so maybe it somehow works out to be awesome, but my general impression of IDW Jhiaxus is "will someone just kill this bastard already?"

He's no fun to read, and I'm sick of hearing about all the brilliant evil stuff he has his fingers in. Arcee leaving him in torment was actually a decent wrap-up for him.

Although if it does something worthwhile with Bludgeon and Monstructor maybe it's worth it.

 

Isn't Jhiaxus still immortal from being in the Dead Universe? Killing him might not be an option.

 

Well I THOUGHT Arcee had that pretty well figured out, but Galvatron had to interfere. Still, just dump him into a sun or something.

Also, I'm really not sure those guys are immortal anymore. Whirl defeated Cyclonus very soundly, though he was prevented from attempting to execute him. So they could be but, I wouldn't assume they are with the gateway to that universe apparently closed. (At least I think/hope it is, what a clusterfuck.)

 

When we first see Hardhead in the alien bar, he looks like a Muppet to me. I think it's the nose that does it.

Orion/Optimus's statement at the end of the book leaves me feeling a little ripped-off. He's ALREADY "tired of walking away"? We didn't get to see any of his time away from all this. I was hoping for a story or two (maybe even a 4-6 issue mini series) that would be along the lines of Spotlight:Cliffjumper, where we see Orion Pax living a peaceful life, only to have his peace disturbed by some injustice *NOT* caused by the Decepticons. Towards the end of the series you could have Hardhead call him back. A wasted opportunity, methinks.

 

I enjoyed it. I didn't love it but I enjoyed it. I'm disappointed they didn't have the balls to actually follow through at the end but oh well.

Oh, also why are we getting RiD #6 before MTMTE#6?

 

Enjoyed this issue a lot. The return of Bludgeon and Monstructor is welcomed, especially since they killed off Devastator. I also have to echo the sentiment that it's too soon for Prime to return though. Prime's "clairvoyance" about the Lost Light crew didn't sit well with me either:

Hardhead: Optimus, I'm sorry but Rodimus and several hundred Autobots died...
OP: He's probably fine.
Hardhead: But we've got several thousand eye witnesses that saw the ship explode!
OP: I know Rodimus, he's fine.

WTF???

 

Shared Matrix holders. They just should have said he could still feel Rodimus.

 

I WAS onboard with thinking it was too soon to bring Optimus back before I read the comic. But after reading it, really, this is just the prologue to some other story that we're probably not going to come back to for another six months. I'm okay with it as a one-stop look-in, and it really made me excited to see what happens with it next, whenever "next" may be.

 

so they are like Tomax and Xamot from the gijoe universe? "I can feel my brothers pain...." jk

but I agree, something with the Matrix would be the tie in to connect them in some way