TFW2005 Reviews Bumblebee #4

Out tomorrow, March 10th in comic book stores.

Meanwhile, an early review:
TFW2005 Reviews Bumblebee #4 - Transformers News

Easily the best issue of the mini-series.

So getting that tomorrow

Art looks like the best of the series. Will buy tomorrow!

I respect what they tried to do here, but as the other guy said its hard to keep up with The Wreckers.. Bumblebee mini series dragged on...They could of told this whole story in 1 spotlight... I know its artist's preference on drawing the bots, but all these different robot modes cross series is killing me its freeking killing me. Its like who is who and where and when? Too many questions... Too many questions...

You know I have to agree on this. I was really excited about the BB series when it was announced. But after reading them (the first 3 anyway) I have to say it is by far one of the most boring unevenful, poorly thoughtout stories and honestly had I known it was gonna be this bad I would have never bought them to begin with.

My first problem is the art. Now when the ongoing series started I also complained about the art. I felt it was too much like the Movie-verse. Some of the characters were unrecognizible, everyones faces look exactly alike and normally I really like Don's art I felt it would have worked better if their faces were still that of their G1 counterparts. Andy address most of our complaints saying it was artisitc freedom, Ok, I can get on board with that. However, the BB series is supposed to take place at the same time as the new Ongoing series and yet the art in this book goes back to the G1 forms, faces, vehicles. It is extremely confusing, extremely convoluted and honestly if there are new people getting into the comics they will be lost. That is not helping to bring new readers on board and frankly is allienating those who have been fans and supporters of the comics.

The next issue I have with the BB series is the story or plot. There is none. After coming off of an amazing All Hail Megatron series we get this. I dont want to throw spoilers in here but I couldnt wait to finish BB #2&3 and start on Wreckers #2. I was bored. I agree this could have been done in a spotlight issue and I would have liked it better if at the very least the art was the same. I am not a fan of the hazy lines and poor pencils. I like the streamline of the ALL Hail series and the new ongoing better.

I feel IDW had a winner with All Hail (atleast the first 12 issues). The story was telling, the characters were written well and most of all I was left wanting more and more. The last stand of the Wreckers is amazing and I really hope Andy takes note that this is how to write TF comics. If the stories continue to be like BB or seem to drag like the On Going, I think i might bow out of the comics all together. Which sucks and I hate to say because I have been an enthusiast since the first issue of the DW series.

So, in sumary:
BB=> Bad art, confusing with the art of the ongoing, poor story
Ongoing=> can deal with the art not the identical faces, slooooow story.
All Hail=> Great art, great story, wish it would have continued
Wreckers=> fantastic, every story needs that level of writing and characterization!

my 2 cents
Greg

looks like bee has a mohawk lol

How does it end?

Well, it sounds like the mini ends on a high note with some action and excitement. I don't know if that makes up for the lackluster previous issues, but at least it's something.

I havent read it, my copy is in vegas waiting for me to be done with this semester, but it sounds an awful lot like BB dies....

i'll post more points later at some point, but to the gentleman who said the ongoing was too slow i'd just say this--

I liked ahm and I like the ongoing, and in my opinion the former was a lot slower than the latter. more 'events' happened in the ongoing so far than in ahm for the first 6-8 issues.

that is all.

as for bb #4, the last page was kinda lame-o but the general resolution to the bades problem was pretty decently done.

How did Bee beat Skywarp?

He activated the control board, shorting out not only the Autobot's badges, but himself and Skywarp in the process. When asked by Skywarp if he's willing to sacrifice himself, 'Bee responds that he's not worried, as his side will fix him up.

Other than that, just read the comic.

I liked the issue, but the final page art was underwhelming.
Otherwise no complaints.

agreed

Okay here's my take on this. (let's just assume you've read it if your reading the discussion thread,,, if not SPOILERS may be about)

On the whole I see what they were trying to do, but as far as dialog and pacing and even character interaction it was very poorly done. Could I have done better? I'd like to think so but I'm just a poster on a web page. (Ryall,,, call me ) And frankly so are most of us so before slamming the writing remember we didn't get the job.

Probably the most painfull interaction was the Rachet/Wheeljack/Bumblebee interaction on the first few pages. The writer needed to keep his character motivations straight. Wheeljack wanted to disregard the humans as unimportant, Rachet was more sympathetic. So it should have been RACHET being apologetic and Wheeljack being more firm and "continue the mission".
Could be as simple as Zander never making the notes to the letterer though. Since all the dialog went to Rachet in the last few panels.

Okay as for the art, it really looks like Chee phoned it in in the later half of the issue. I mean we're willing to accept an "artistic take" on this book. (if you put Dali, DaVinchi, Michael Turner, Don Fig and Jack Kirby in the room with a real life transformer and had them draw it, would you get 5 identical interpertations?) But COME ON MAN! How many artists get a chance to redesign (even if only for one panel) an iconic character and you come up with the worst look for a TF since Jose Delbo? Chee's cars have been notably genaric and Bumblebee's upgrade form was proably the worst. (what is it supposed to be anyway? a 1978 oldsmoble?)

No we know EXACTLY what it's supposed to be. And this is actually one of the more interesting developments in the story. Behind the scenes Hasbro has been having a devil of a time trying get VW to let them use the likeness of one of their most iconic characters. By a quirk of fate Bumblebee was baised on a micro-change (?) car based on a VW bug. His characher became one of the most famous of all the TF's. Unfortunately this means nothing to the humorless german corporation, who refuses to allow the likeness of their products as war machines. Hasbro did everything but BEG them to get a New Beetle Alternator. No dice. Couldn't put it in the movie either. (hence the little dig at Bobby Boliva's used cars.)

Hasbro has to maintain one of their star characters but has to get him away from his "bug" persona. (In animated he was more of a Japanese Hatchback)

So it looks like Ongoing Bumblebee will be a bit more like movie Bumblebee from now on. This looks like a change that all the old school fans are just going to have to accept. I understand it, and it sucks that a toy company is more mature than a car company, but it is what it is. Old school guys like me who still have their 1984 catalog are just going to have to imagine BB with the big cars like Prowl and Jazz.

Next question: What is BB now? Well Chee' bad art makes it hard to see, but I'm hoping for a 70 camaro and not the new one. (What can I say, I like it) He could be a 'modern' import car (like a Civic SI, or Animated BB) and still be 'bigger' than he was, but still kinda small. Look for this to be resolved in Ongoing. (I'm sure Don's already got a design that will blow us away when it leaks)

Now there's one other issue I'd like to tackle. And it seems like a bit of another in-joke/easter egg to long time fans.

Did anyone else notice Skywarp's religious like devotion to Megatron?
Remind you of anyone? "HERE'S A HINT!!"
There's been a long time debate over exactly which Decepticon got turned into "captian bunny ears". I'm just saying is all,,,,

So I'm not going to say Bumblebee was a waste of money. The art was a little simplistic, but ultimately it DID move the plot along. It's part of the slow build into where this story is going. If you add all the pieces together this really is the first time a story is being built to tell an epic sci-fi tale of a race of waring robots. And not just selling toys.

These comics could be very good, if the readers support them. Remember, the alternative is more Movieverse robo-testicles that Bay & co are pumping out. Kids will buy the toys, the mass-public will buy the movie merchandise, but the ongoing comic is for the FANS.

Support them.

Chee didn't redesign Bumblebee. Don did. We've known BB was going to eventually get this makeover ever since USA Today interviewed Andy Schmidt way back in September, and the article included an image of Don's design for BB's "upgrade." (For those who don't remember this article, you can check it out in TFW's news archives by clicking here).

So yeah, I don't think it's so much that Chee gave BB a half-baked design, as it was that he had no idea how to draw Don's upgrade. To be fair, few artists can probably keep up with Don's designs, but still, just look at those feet! Bumblebee looks like he accidentally stepped in a couple of tissue boxes!

Hmmm missed that.


Still Don's design looks like a Lotus Evora.



While Chee's design looks like some sort of 70's car. Toyta Corona maybe?



And under the circumstances you can't blame me for thinking it might be a (really poorly interperted) 70's Camero.

(looking at that Corona though,,, hmm I bet I could design a pretty sweet looking Autobot off that. We need more retro/vintage TF designs)

The problem I have with the upgrade is that his design in this miniseries was already way different than his design in the ongoing, so the mini basically already said "designs don't matter" then tries to tell us at the end "We redesigned him, nothing will evar be teh same again!!!!111"

I didn't think the series was that great at all. I picked up all 4 just in case it had some bearing on the overall story, which it seems it might have to some degree. But personally, I think the writing was horrible, and the art wasn't much better.

This is an excellent point.

i thought it was a Camero as well in an attempt to update BB and merge his old look with the movie look. seeing as how Don seemed to be influenced by the movie designs, I don't think it's terribly far off for Chee to go that route (without necessarily knowing what direction Don would take it in).

Thats a point I like to keep bring up with these comics. They talk about "artistic freedom" letting the artist draw the bots in any form they want (but most times been good about consistency) and then they go and do something like this. WTF IDW, let Chee draw like Chee, let Don draw like Don, let Roche draw like Roche but TRY to be consistent with character design.

Tee hee hee, I read the last page and I thought 'boy, this is going to piss off some fans'.

It's confusing how alt mode are really different all the time (something I don't *really* mind..as long as it's vaguely familiar..unlike what happened to Blur in Ongoing/BB)..still they redesign Bumblebee.

Can't belive I forgot to post in here even though I enjoyed the mini. Kinda wish they could have done more with Skywatch & the consequences some will suffer, but a good conclusion that gave us action. I was curious if BB's new body would carry over to the ongoing, looks like it does.

I just read 1-4, and I must say that I didn't really like it. A lot of the characterisation just seemed off, especially the bit in the second issue where they have to capture Blurr (I see we're back to an amazingly fast talking Blurr again... *sigh*)

Also that art style is yuck.