Courtesy of Newsarama, we have the preview for Transformers #42:
Transformers #42THE AFTERMATH! The COMBINER WARS are over, and OPTIMUS PRIME faces the aftermath. Meanwhile on Earth, ARCEE confronts GALVATRON over the fate of two worlds
Check it all out after the break, and be sure to pick up the full issue when it’s released next Wednesday!
ultramagnus1
Starscream is great in this series.
Master manipulator and out for himself always.
ZeroiaSD
Prowl is a combination of by-the-numbers and ends-justify-the-means, who slid more in the latter direction over time. That is to say, he believes the proper response to most situations is to sit down, calculate the best solution, then carry it out. He thinks things should be orderly, and is quite willing to put a bad 'means' on an equation against a good 'end' and crunch the numbers. He's increasingly felt that 'good' means have left threats that should've been dealt with stay around unnecessarily, and thus views his actions as necessary.
As for Starscream's plan, it's already in progress. Each contact is a step in that direction, and the more he can make the colonies reliant on cybertron- on him, the better, so he'll work to make that happen.
Rob
Most likely Livio isn't going anywhere, he is a talented artist who clearly has an appeal, if not his art wouldn't be all over the place. Some may not like it which is fine, but you won't get him out no matter how loud you complain there just is not enough people complaining to warrant IDW to pull him as an artist. That is clear based on his overall exposure and usage.
After 10 years of Transformers comics they have a voice, and it is a glorious melody of the greatest Transformers stories ever.
WilyMech
The best way to get a job at IDW is attend one of the conventions and I mean major ones.
My feeling that IDW is still trying find it voice in Transformers. I mean after the Great War and trying to come up with a story how they are piecing their world together.
swarlock
Get a job working for IDW and show us what you can do then.
Starscream Gaga
There's a pretty gigantic difference between Milne and Livio. When Milne's art was terrible, he improved majorly, there's no way people would care for his art as they do now had he not rather quickly listened and learned from what people were saying. Livio's art has not even slightly improved, in fact CW was the worst he's done, which is a massive achievement when the bar is set as low as he sets it. There's only so many chances one can give and Livio has consistently shown that he is has no intention on getting better. Hell, he even blames some of his fuck ups on other people, such as with the whole Mainframe and Grotusque thing.
I have also seen that some people that I actually really respect have misinterpreted that I plan on illegally download any Livio issue. This is not the case, but something I admit I didn't make clear. When I "read" it I meant via the summaries of wikis and others such as I did for Combiner Wars after Part 2, not that I would literally steal money because I hate Livio.
Autovolt 127
I'm amazed its taken this long for these two to actually sit down and talk.
My best theory is that Livio is the only one who actually meets deadlines.
Veritas Prime
Good to see Arcee again and I'm just gonna tolerate Livio's art if I get this issue. Hopefully things return to normal with Griffin doing all of the art next issue.
Anguirus
Well observed, and well said.
Knightdramon
There should be no excuse—I thoroughly enjoyed Chaos, Autocracy and Punishment. The other two were just horrid series in regards to writing.
There can be no argument over what a consumer can and cannot buy—I know plenty of people who tried to get into the Ongoing, did not like it, and just dropped out.
I find it ironic that years ago, with Megatron: Origin, Milne suffered a very similar backlash; art too busy, not being able to tell what is going on, blah blah blah…yet nowadays people can't have enough of him in comics.
It's not that Livio or whomever cannot survive the criticism, it's about having tact.
And, I cannot stress this enough, Livio's art is not shoved down anybody's throat. You don't like it, you don't buy it, fair enough, nobody gives a cr@p. I personally detest Scott's writing and Stone's art, but because certain events are cross-referenced and build on future events, I read the books, get the story, and just move on. If it gets to the point where the actual book can be treated as a standalone [more or less like the original Windblade series], I just drop it. No two f&cks are given.
See? Easy enough. No fuss, no drama, no page long arguments over previews.
I reckon more people should try it. It's good for your health.
Starscream Gaga
So what's the excuse for Chaos, Monstrosity, Primacy, Autocracy, Punishment etc.?
Its not like my dislike for Livio's artwork only stems from the rushed cross-overs. And sometimes its a bit harsh, but Livio is constantly shoved down our throats, especially lately, and considering that comics are a visual medium I think its fair enough that if a customer doesn't like what is being produced, then they're not going to buy it. I'm sure Livio can survive the criticism. I can not enjoy a comic when I am being distracted by the artwork, which is exactly what happens when Livio is behind the wheel.
Knightdramon
I think you are entirely too harsh—-I absolutely did not enjoy the heart of darkness mini or the bumblebee mini, yet I did not make such public displays of displeasure that are demeaning to the artist/contributor themselves.
Heck, I enjoyed Josh's colours a lot more for MTMTE S1 than Joanna's, and cannot stand Scott's writing or Stone's art, which everybody behaves as its the first time such art has surfaced in the past 19 years.
It's all about tact; I think that our fandom has buried its collective head too far down its' own a$$hole to realize that artists–whether you call them pencilers, inkers, writers, toy designers, CAD illustrators– can also frequent the forums and this latest wave of couch-criticism can affect them as well.
I'm all for constructive criticism, don't get me wrong, but the reactions from various folk on -previews- and/or test shots, with the ever-present "If I shout loud enough I can change things because I, specifically me, matter!" is getting a bit tiresome.
With all the background info we now have on Dark Cybertron [ie it was written and drawn concurrently with the earlier releases in both RID and MTMTE, hence why Milne and Griffith were absent for a large part of it, toy tie-ins getting shuffled around], is it too much a leap of faith to think that something similar has happened with CW, which resulted in inconsistent art and frequent errors?
Starscream Gaga
Yeah, its unfortunate, but if people keep paying for Livio, then we will keep getting Livio. I know one person doesn't make much difference, but I think its about time IDW woke up to the fact that Livio sucks and that he doesn't deserve work on Transformer books.
Knightdramon
Oh good. Because by not paying for Livio's art, you are also not paying for Barber, Griffith and the other guys working on it.
Aren't you guys all exaggerating a little for the art in this PREVIEW? I mean, Livio's on for 3 pages, and you can clearly tell what is going on. Yeah, sometimes [especially during his first work for IDW] you are not able to tell what is going on with some panels, and his art was rushed for some CW issues, but here…?
And the one guy that said you can draw better than Livio? Cool story bro. Love to see your monthly published comic book series. Drop me a line when it's out in stores.
darkspellmaster
In regard to Prowl, from what I've gathered from some minor readings here and there and the wiki, I thought he was more a By the book sort of guy over an ends justify the means sort of thing. Hummm are we setting up a conflict sort of like Tony Start and Steve Rogers here, Prowl being Tony in that we do what we have to to get things done, and Prime being like Steve in that we should do the right thing rather then doing a bad thing to let something good happen down the road?
So how long before Lord Starscream starts in on his plans to create his empire? Or will he just hang back and see what sorts out after all of this?
Megastar
Talk about missed opportunities.
maltesefalcon
a bad thing done for good reasons is still a bad thing, prowl however cant see that. he sees it as a case of the ends justifying the means and that's what puts him at odds with prime.
as for the art its great for prints and big splash pages but for a series? in a comic series you need to see whats going on and this is too soft focused to me
Omegashark18
Ah, feels like things can now get back on track. Great to see Griffth again. Livio is decent, but his style can get tedious.
Also, love Astrotrain's vehicle design.
Prowl, I find him really hard to understand sometimes.
ebonyleopard
Sure you could.
It's one thing to say you don't like someone's are style, but let's not be stupidly over exaggerating about it.