Can anybody speak to when issue #21 will be out?

Thought it was supposed to be out last week, doesn't appear to be on the docket for this week. Granted, the narrows the window of possibility down quite a bit, but I tried searching all around for an updated release schedule and couldn't come up with anything.

 

I thought it will be on the 18 and MTMTE is on 25th....

 

Starscream is a hard character to write for and also people have to understand that many times MTMTE becomes too busy. All the characters start sounding the same because Roberts cannot help but make everyone witty and the plot lines become anti-climactic because they resolve themselves in 3 panels after issues of build up. So, MTMTE is not without its flaws. I wouldn't say RID is simpler but less nuanced. There is a lot of characterization going on and this is a character driven story (MTMTE is a plot driven story with interesting characters along for the ride). I feel that as I read the comics forum, that the TF community really doesn't like character based stories (Costa's run comes to mind but others too) but they really like interesting plots (Last Stand of the Wreckers and MTMTE). I think its because we already assume so much about a character, especially Starscream, that we don't like it when his character is probed because it ruins our image of him or we feel it is not needed because, what isn't there no to Starscream, hey everyone knows what he would do in 'x' situation. That is how I feel anyway.

 

Pretty sure this is it.

 

I disagree with this. There is a lot of snappy banter, but it does not make all the characters sound the same... their personalities are still distinct and often inherent in their dialogue or particular senses of humour. Having the large cast of charactes is what makes MTMTE work, as opposed to what hurts it... as long as those characters are given space to develop. I like a good talky comic, and MTMTE proves that comics don't have to be all about action.

This is a legit complaint, especially very recently. However, I would argue that this is the problem with rushed resolutions in general, so I think both titles fall prey to this problem.

I don't think that's right. RID is plenty driven by plot... as nonsensical as it gets sometimes, and the character relations are very much what pushes MTMTE forward... for the first year and a half, the hunt for the Knights of Cybertron has been little more than a conceit... a Mcguffin to provide space for the character interactions.

I have to call you this... I disagree about Costa's run, and I think your theory is an extremely problematic generalization... but whether it was character-driven or plot-driven, the essential point here is EXECUTION... I don't think TF fans liked Costa's run very much because it wasn't very good.

You raise a good point there... Transformers characters already have a long history, and fans will have their opinions about how they would or wouldn't behave. It does make them tricky characters to write for, since the big names always bring old associations to the table.

However, I wouldn't want to use that argument as a crutch, as it applies pretty universally. Not only are serial mediums like comics and television reliant on ongoing established characterizations that move through various writers, but even with characters that do not already have an identifiable pre-existing persona, you still have two important requirements...

1. they should be consistent... lots of shows have episodes where their characters are written in erratic, inconsistent ways, and it hurts the show. Dr. Baltar on Battlestar Galactica was one such example... in the early seasons he was HORRIBLY written. He had a different motivation and personality in almost every single episode. Maybe this means I'm a snob, but that show was pretty overrated in my opinion. It did get a bit better later on though...

2. they should be interesting. This does not necessarily mean the need to be likeable, but they do need to capture our imagination. We do need to be excited about them, and involved in their personal narratives.

This is where I find RID Starscream has faltered... the ONLY changes he has gone through are purely external. Things have happened TO him, but in terms of his character, outlook, motivation, etc... he is really no different than he was in RID #1. He hasn't grown, and after nigh on two years, that gets kind of tiresome.

zmog

 

Yeah, I cannot agree with the notion that MTMTE is a plot-driven comic. I mean, the entire Overlord business didn't happen for plot reasons, it happened as a vehicle for character interaction. Before Remain in Light, the most recent plot-for-the-sake-of-plot was in Shadowplay, and that was a flashback mostly unrelated to modern day events.

I also cannot fathom in what way the ongoing was character-driven. I'd say the only bits that examine character interaction or development in any way were the Thundercracker stuff and Roberts' Chaos Theory. The rest of it, in my opinion, boils down to "The Decepticons are doing a Thing! We better go stop that Thing!"

 

Not to mention Prime quitting, Bumblebee's ascension to leadership, and the continued Autobot presence on Earth were all examples of a hammered plot over actual character direction. Things need to happen to facilitate Costa's plot, so they happen... rather than seeming to grow out of any authentic character motivation or direction.

About the only exception to that is the Thundercracker stuff, as you say.

zmog

 

I recently purchased a 64 gb micro sd for my tablet and filled it with 55 gb of comics. Over a few nights, I reread AHM, The ongoing, MTMTE, and RID recently.

When you read AHM and the ongoing in one go it actually makes a decent whole. I enjoyed it much more than when it was being released monthly. It's probably in part because there were serious "writing for the trade" decompression issues. Some character issues along the way, but not so bad. Especially when you see a few points early in the ongoing + AHM that foreshadowed events and turns in Chaos, MTMTE, and RID.

*The Bumblebee and Ironhide mini-series are still trash. While I like the character, I wish Ironhide was still dead.*

As for the current stuff - I like the emphasis Starscream has gotten. I can't wait until we see him as the warrior/ruler in the Armada body. Like the titan said...he's going to be the conqueror. I don't think the titan was talking about his current position as leader of Iacon.

 

I agree. I think the prophecy is always misinterperted however I think the fact Starscream is uniting people but not the way he imagines.

 

When I read all IDW comics in one go it made a better experience for me as well. I noticed that I forgot about some things that are important later in the story, because it is months later when things finally become important. When you read everything in one go... it's possibly only a few hours ago *g*

I started reading the comics relatively late when most of the spotlights were already out. I think maybe 2 or 3 years ago.