Yeah, I was just thinking this myself. IDW didn't start out /that/ great. I was glad at the time to see G1 favorites reappear in the comics but the earlier part of the run wasn't anything I usually go back and reread. It took awhile for IDW to find its footing. By the time we got to MTMTE, Wreckers, and more they'd been developing the stories for years. So yes, probably should expect to have to be patient as the new team develops the story- and hope that eventually they're given a bit of that freedom to create the really memorable stuff. It does seem to me like nothing good happens anytime Hasbro comes in and insists on dropping everything else for an emphasis of what are basically toy commercials for their current TFs or their other toy lines (like those forced multiverse stories that were always disruptive and confusing to the main storyline- in fact, I think those harmed sales? Certainly turned me off from several issues). Granted, that will always be a factor, since Hasbro IS a toy company and is giving these comics the greenlight hoping they'll sell toys. Of course, if it's fantastic from the get-go I'll be happy to say my worries were unfounded! But if it's the "Adventures of Bee and Windblade with no really developed Con characters".... yeah, the next few years may not be that exciting for me. Already have that exact theme in Cyberverse. I'm hoping the Prowl and Chromia storyline is interesting- they're not favorite characters of mine, but at least they're not Bumblebee! Plus, Prowl is a popular character who hasn't been overused, so I think that's a good call to have him in the series. I want to see other characters developed, too. (Give Hound some long overdue development, please! He's even in the current toyline!) Personally I don't mind Windblade when she's written right but have felt Bee's been stuffed down my throat since the 80's. (But hey, maybe have a non-murderous Arcee sometimes instead of always defaulting to Windblade now?) Megatron did get mentioned in one of the solicits and I'll hope that he is given an interesting story, too. Soundwave's on a cover, too. As I mentioned before, after his previous and amazing IDW run, it's hard to imagine this Soundwave topping that one, but I hope he's at least got an interesting story here, too. Lol..and ugh, Combiner Wars, the series that had me so excited to see some combiner teams finally get more development and focus- and turned out to be "the story of Windblade, Starscream, and a few other non-combiners with combiners mostly featured as a background prop/MacGuffin". *Grumble grumble* Yeah, hopefully if they do a "combiner" thing again they'll actually FEATURE the COMBINERS as CHARACTERS. *mutter*.
The designs aren't a huge departure from the previous IDW universe, but they click a lot better for me. Initially I wasn't sure why, but it just hit me...these designs actually have pupils. Something about the faces in the past series (especially MTMTE, because I read the most of that) struck me as slightly creepy and lifeless, despite being drawn with energetic expressions. I think the glowing pupils makes them look more focused and expressive. It might sound kind of ironic since this Bumblebee looks kind of creepy here, but that's more that particular expression.
The Cons probably won't exist to BE a threat considering this is pre-war and Megatron doesn't have his insignia yet. But you're going to give up on issue 2, so I wouldn't be that worried.
Huh. Never noticed that. And now I'll never be able to not notice that. Maybe he stole the parts from Animated Longarm? Man this cover art just keeps getting weirder and weirder.
The covers are so inconsequential to me. I want to know more about the story, and what the writer is bringing to it.
When i looked at the minimised version of the picture; something about Prowl's posture seemed... feminine... I wouldn't mind a female Prowl or, to be honest, anyone else. : P
That'd be interesting. Genderswapping a few characters would be a nice way to mix things up keep things from getting to stale and repetitive.