Negentropy - Wikipedia

 

Guys to clear something up. You all know that the Comichron data isn't actually the number of books sold to customers right? They represent the number of books sent to the stores from from the publisher. While it's a useful guide to know how the line is moving (especially as we get deeper into the run), it's not cold stone sales data. We don't know how many books are sitting on the shelves unsold, or pushed into useless grab bags, or lining hamster cages. The data, however, can be compared with commensurate data from several of the most recent past Transformers comics.

In doing so, the numbers indicate an interesting picture. First is that Unicron, despite it's lower bulk numbers, seemed to be the most stable of all the recent books, but perhaps that shouldn't be too much of a surprise since it was highly touted as the end of the IDW Transformers Universe. This likely encouraged readers to stick around just to see where the story went. Second it seems that IDW likely overpacked the first issue of Transformers 2019, which would account for it's 20k numbers. This is a common trick among publishers--especially for the inaugural issue of a new series--in order to encourage saturation within comic book shops and entice customers. (think offering the first hit of drugs for free). The 2nd issue crashed back to earth as actual orders reasserted themselves.

In general the bulk book orders/deliveries seem to indicate that the line is attracting more buyers than the previous few comics. In addition, considering the possible overpacking of the first issue, the book has not fallen substantially more than the previous lines. Indeed the difference between the second and third issues seem to bear this out. Compared to it's competition in the overall comic world, the 2019 line also seems to be holding its own and performing better in shipping numbers than IDW's prior Transformers Universe.

Looking at these numbers, it appears that Transformers 2019 is not reaching the "amazingly received" hyperbole that the folks at IDW are crowing about, and it's certainly not a world beater. However, it does seem to be performing measurably better the the last few series and perhaps more importantly seems to be mirroring a similar entropic readership.

Title # (pos) %change (from previous ed)

Lost Light 1-----11342(176) = NA
Lost Light 2-----7532(214) = -33%
Lost Light 3-----6702(248) = -41% (-11%)

Unicron 1-----12579(153) = NA
Unicron 2-----9351 (179) = -26%
Unicron 3-----9639 (184) = -23% (+3%)

Optimus Prime 1-----14332(153) = NA
Optimus Prime 2-----9258(200) = -35%
Optimus Prime 3-----8274(207) = -42% (-11%)


Transformers 2019 1-----21757(90) = NA
Transformers 2019 2-----12871(140) = -41%
Transformers 2019 3-----11351(161) = -48%(-12%)


Just for fun here is a comparison with Transformers: More than Meets the Eye(2012) and its companion series Robots in Disguise.

MtMtE 1-----15004(121) = NA
MtMtE 2-----11671(161) = -22%
MtMtE 3-----12064(147) = -20%(+3%)

RiD 1-----12234(144) = NA
RiD 2-----11655(162) = -5%
RiD 3-----11939(150) = -2%(+2%)

 

Megatron is so dramatic.

 

Can we just get to the war for christ sake... please? Or anything remotely interesting?

 

Next arc should be 5-6 issues on Orion and Megatron’s forgings and how they became friends. Need to set up the story.

 

Anyway, just read issue #5. This is the end of chapter one, I guess. To be honest, I found it lackluster. I was really hoping that Ruckley would be able to pull a proverbial rabbit out of his hat and wow me, but that didn’t happen.

There was some minor story progression, but the characters still seem pretty dull to me (I don’t care for rubble at all). And the preview for #6 looks like more of the same. I haven’t cared this little about Transformers since the last Unicron arc.

For those enjoying this, I’m happy for you. But this iteration is not for me. As with Cyberverse, I’m stepping away from this one. However, the bright side is that I will be saving money.

 

wouldn’t mind the lack of action if the characterization, worldbuilding and dialogue were a little better. The way it’s presented is awkward, especially whenever Optimus and Megatron are talking.

Issue 5 finally did something interesting though (and the art was so much better). Maybe there’s hope.

 

The story is picking up, and took an unexpected turn, I was expecting Rubble to be the subject of a break/corrupt the cutie arc with a hint of trauma conga line, ultimately putting him on the opposite side of the war as his mentor, \'Bee. I will admit that I didn\'t care for Rubble as a character at first, but now I really want to know what will happen to him now.

 

A more measured and extrapolated version of my earlier sentiments, and I wholeheartedly agree with your points. I didn't mention the shop overpacking and fact that the orders didn't reflect actual sales as to not ruffle any feathers or seem like I was leaning towards a negative stance, but your points are indeed accurate. It's definitely doing noticeably better in terms of sales compared to the previous series, although I suspect some of that is "good faith" buys, which is of course standard fair and normal. I'm looking forward to crunching the data on the first 6-7 issues when that's out to really gauge things. But I suspect/predict that next month's comichron numbers could see the book in the 10K range based on fan reception and current sales trends...

 

Yeah, I'll admit Quake crushing some organics to death was a surprise I liked and shows the start of the anti-organics movement on cybertron. I'm trying not to judge the series yet or get excited. I hope they can get up there with LSOTW.

 

LSOTW was five issues.

 

I'm talking about in terms of exciting story telling.

 

Yeah, a 12 issue lead-up is the problem. When the series comes out twice a month (for the most part) and is 4 bucks per issue, you'll have to excuse people for being upset that every issue so far is mostly dialogue. Contrast with Infiltration. A slow burn, sure, but by issue 5 Megatron started to throw down with his own Decepticons. Even MTMTE had big actiony things happening in issue 5.

Also, regardless of the "high culture" ideas people like to imprint on Transformers, at the end of the day it's about selling war toys. Again, excuse us for liking a little war and/or physical conflict with our toy advertisements.

 

After 35 years, it's not really just an advertisement to sell war toys. The comics aren't intended to make kids excited to buy toys. The franchise has evolved. The fiction will always have ties to the toys. Of course. It's a little disingenous to suggest it's still just "toy advertisements." That said I'll grant THIS comic with it's heavy toy-centric designs and clear focus on Siege characters seems to be more directly aligned. And that's fine.

That said part 2, holy fuck this has gone too slow. No. I'm sorry. "slow burn" nah. This didn't have to have pew pew pew pew right off but this has been interminably boring and plodding til issue 5, and even parts of this still stink. Megatron's opening monologue is terrible. It's possible that the book picks up from here. Hey, pick your poison. If you want to read a TF comic and are willing to put up with that to get to some/any good stuff, awesome. If you're bored, that's genuine as well. I see comments like "you don't understand storytelling." Come on. Nothing to do with that --- a slow build can be done well, poorly, or in the middle.

Anyhoo whatever, I'm a TF addict so I'll continue to read wiki summaries and skim the issues as I have for a decade now. It took LSOTW and MTMTE to get me to actually buy-in monthly and do more than passively follow the fiction. All good. Eventually there will be a fiction that really grabs me again. Beast Wars, Animated, MTMTE... there's just a lot of space between those...

 

My G1 Optimus reissue is really inspiring me to go to war.

 

I know I'm not making any friends by loving this book, and I can absolutely understand a lot of the criticism this book is getting. But I just gotta say that I think each issue is getting progressively better than the previous one. This series is just doing so much right. It feels like a transformers book, and not a thinly veiled sitcom with tired sci-fi tropes.

I am a fan of old school sci-fi, and this one ticks off all the relevant boxes for me. It's moving slowly, but I can see it's building to something (I hope).

 

FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFUCK YOU!!!!!!!!!!

 

Man, these guys would absolutely hate mid 2000s manga, what with having over 30+ chapters just to finish an arc, hell sometimes having that same amount to finish a final boss fight.

 

I know we need some set up and backstory. I love that kind of stuff. The issue I have is this is just dragging on. The Bumblebee/Rubble storyline is quite possibly the most boring material to come out of IDW Transformers comics period. Windblade's drop-in, drop-outs are just gratuitous for a "fan favorite" character. The main focus should be centered on Chromia and Prowl actually figuring something out, and not just stumbling from page to page accomplishing next to nothing.

 

I think you misunderstand me. Perhaps I should clarify. By war toys, I mean the vast majority of Transformers include missiles, guns, swords, and the like. These are all weapons of war, hence the term "war toys". I was not implying that Transformers inspire people to go to war. I mean, it's not entirely out of the realm of possibility for some, but obviously it is not Hasbro/Takara's ulterior motive.

Hope that clears up my meaning.

Back on topic, let's face it...how many of us are ever actually "done" with Transformers? I'll probably pop back in and try out this series again sometime in the future. Could just be us fan boys being fan boys. I recall Infiltration was initially poorly received by some.[/color]