I'm just glad that the dissenting opinions about this book are being respected and not insulted for not liking the book.
Hi Rob! Yeah, you’re right in that it’s a bit harsh to compare Ruckley (just a few months into his dalliance with the franchise), and Roberts, who has been writing TF fiction for what seems like an age. I know you thought this was a step-up from the previous issues, and I can kinda see where you’re coming from - the Windblade/Rubble scene was especially sweet - and there are some genuinely good ideas here (the Leviathan, Geomotus and the Spoiler creepy bodies embedded in the walls seeming especially fresh). There’s a lot more to wonder and think about here, even if there isn’t necessarily much going on. It’s... richer (I think that’s the word I’m looking for) than issues 1 & 2, certainly. I guess the problem with reviewing these issues is that it’s hard, without knowing how it all plays out... like trying to review Lord of the Rings based on just the first three chapters. It may be the case that, after having seen the rest of the story, I’ll look back upon these early issues a lot more fondly in hindsight, once I know what we’re leading up to. (Trying to be a bit more positive here after being really negative in my last post!!!) So yeah, I can definitely see where you’re coming from, even though I’m still unconvinced at the moment. Hopefully the next issue is one we can both enjoy!
I enjoyed this issue! The world building is something I have been growing to appreciate. Really hoping for a new Bumblebee figure based on that design.
TV shows are a different kind of medium though. And a lot of different moving parts. An issue 1 of any comic is meant to set the tone, to show you what you’re in for. It’s a fishing net, so to speak. It has the most sales so therefore the largest audience. You have to wow them to keep them. This just has no “wow”. Take a show like Game of Thrones, End it. Pull all of the actors and put them in a reboot with cheaper effects, cheaper costumes and washing machine instruction script, and you get something similar to this situation. It would make some sense if this went to another publisher, but IDW has 13 years experience with this franchise. They really shouldn’t be putting out a brand new reboot #1 with characters half drawn, no faces, etc. Their readers deserve more. Their franchise that they licensed deserves more. With IDW’s financial issues I’m not getting attached. I don’t think we will see an issue 13.
It may be that I am looking at this issue more generously based on the sharpness of my reaction to the first two, where I felt the writing really was totally lifeless! But yeah, let’s see how it pans out. Your observation about characters sounding like they were reading from cards is pretty much exactly how I felt about issues 1 and 2. They all still suffer from that somewhat but I am hoping it’s moving in a better direction.
I like the idea of Cybertron being under a fascist regime because it paints both Autobots and Decepticons in a gray light. I’m not a fan of cackling, super villain characterization for Megs and the Decepticons. I also dig having Optimus being conflicted in his role. In my head cannon Megs is fed up with the political status quo- his belief is that Cybertron’s democracy is actually controlled by a small group of Cybertronions. There’s only the illusion of democracy and no real way to break into the power structure on Cybertron. He believes this has been going on for too long and that the entire political system needs to be thrown out the window and restarted, even if it’s through violence. Optimus understands the system is broken but doesn’t believe in violence and thinks it can be fixed within the system. Which side is wrong? There’s conflict there. The system is corrupt but Optimus rightly or wrongly believes it can be fixed without extreme measures. Both sides commit crimes though.
There weren’t any copies left at the 2 stores I visited today. They must’ve sold through the several dozen copies they each ordered. Darn.
As a huge fan of Til All Are One, I'm struggling with this "had no personality" idea. I don't disagree that it took time for her to get going and her initial mini and Combiner Wars didn't do much. Anyho You can probably connect the dots pretty easily as to why that is...
Prime going to codexa has been the first thing to feel genuinely interesting. I think trying to develop the fantasy/alien world entirely through dialogue and visuals slows the comic down too much. Going back to the old school narrators box (I don’t know if that’s what it’s called) where there was a couple sentences or paragraphs of explanation could be a boon. It frees up a lot of panels when you can concisely convey necessary information to the reader that would otherwise be characters standing around spouting forced dialogue. The reader gets more story, the artist draws more exciting things, an all around win-win. I just don’t feel the “cinematic” approach seemingly every comic now takes is always the best.
I think the pace of this is too slow for me to say anything about it anymore. Just nothing is happening yet and I'm just not captured by any of it, and I think I might stop reading for a bit until the trades catch up. Still don't understand Quake's importance. Is it to establish that violent ex-militaries are a part of Megatron's faction? I feel like he's not really going to be a character, since we didn't actually get to meet him, although he'll definitely be a threat. It's just weird to me that we got all this page-time learning Quake's backstory while hammering in the fact that he's an unapologetic sadist with no positive traits. Like what's it for? Also I'm wondering if Froid's patient he's asing about is Termagax. I actually wonder how long it will be until we meet her, though I admit the story has generated some interest in her by keeping her hidden for so long. I think the Cybertronians molded into the landscape thing is awesome. The fact that Transformers age, but have the option to merge with Cybertron itself to remain alive is pretty cool to me. Still, there's the same issues with this issue as there are with the others. SO much exposition, so much telling instead of showing, so many opportunities for character moments that I feel the narrative flounders somewhat. I wonder what that previous war was about.
And a tv pilot isn’t supposed to do the exact same thing? Sometimes it takes time for writers to grow into the story they are trying to tell and very rarely does it click immediately
To start the art still looks awful. Especially the faces, Bumblebee and Chromia looks the worse. Quake's introduction was poor, and we didn't see much of him in the issue. We are told he is evil, the characters talk about him for a little bit and Quake is quickly forgotten. Show, don't tell kids! Froid was... there. He could of been replaced with anyone. Other characters like Optimus, Ironhide, and Prowl really didn't do anything. The scene with Megatron could of easily been removed from the issue. No conflict. It did have some improvements: The characters spoke with a little bit more character. Rubble was childlike, Prowl felt smug, Ironhide was violent, and Bumblebee was cocky. The new guy "Geomotus" was funny when he said "I would like it if he moved." Hinting he's possibly snarky, rude, and funny. But his design looks like something out of Metal Arms: Glitch in the System. Nothing else to say. I am slightly excited though, it was way better than issue #2. False advertising: Wheeljack, while he appears in the characters section, does not appear in the issue.
Heh... He is built like his Volkswagen body from G1, but Transforms into a cybertronian vehicle that looks nothing like it. Is it a weird coincidence that the Transformers had similar builds to their earth and cybertronian bodies?
I liked this issue. It wasn't as slow as #2, but since there's only 2 issues left for this arc I'm worried the story will rush into a lackluster conclusion. The new OCs were pretty cool: Leviathan is the most interesting to me. Hopefully she'll transform sooner than later, it's refreshing to have larger sized bots that turn into something other than a giant space/battle/air/dragon ship.
i found it rather slow and boring to be honest . I am not really feeling the character designs either . I was thinking about cancelling my order but i may give it a couple more issues before i rush into anything .
I wasn't going to post, since none of my complaints have changed I felt like it would be a bit of a broken record, but if this is a 12 issue arc, then they've just wasted the first quarter of the series. It's like this series is allergic to actual action and character definition. Instead it's bland talk and I'm absolutely certain that there has been next to zero thought on the world building process. I will say, there is a positive this time, Windblade both seemed like a character and the art for her when she was walking with Rumble--err Rubble didn't look bad. Bots mostly had faces this issue too. Bottom line, I don't get why anyone would pay for this. I'm not sure I'm going to bother downloading any further issues at this point.
