I probably mentioned this last thread, but I'm wondering if he's "Sentinel Prime", who is forecast to return in a couple of issues.

 

What if Exarchon is still alive and he’s actually the leader of the Rise. Then he eventually forms the Decepticons.

 

I know "Jump the Shark" is a thing, but how about "Squishing the Squid"?

 

Hey! I bought a pack of cards and it came with a free comic book!

But seriously. Meh.

 

I'm on board with you regarding the plot. I think it's fine--a bit like a Cybertronian "Chinatown" but I dig it. The problem is the pacing. This should have been like episode 4 or 5. There just feels like so much filler and attempts to set a mood and atmosphere that the plot is getting dragged down. We don't need multiple panels of characters listlessly staring off into the horizon. I respect what they are trying to do, but think they need an editor to tell them to move the story along.

RE: Cyclonus-- He's giving off major Rambo: First Blood vibes in this comic.

Was that a Watchmen reference?  

 

Is anyone else bothered by Elita-1's head? Everyone else manages to use a familiar appearance. Why did they mess with hers?

 

They tried to work around the reference design, which probably seems too... kawaii?

 

Only if Red Alert shows up as a Rorschach expy.

Is... is this what passes for "kawaii"?

I don't think the Thunderblast redeco/retool is the sole inspiration for her model. Her POTP art was as follows:


Her IDW "Carcer" comic design was:


(Kinda weird and dumpy looking IMO, but whatever).

Here she is:



Note the head triangle thingy. The reference point was likely the POTP and Carcer Elitas, who got the triangle from the head lamp design of the OG Elita. The Thunderblast Elita doesn't have one - just the rhomboid crest thing.

Weird perspective aside, I think she's a mash up of all three of these designs. Specifically, her abdomen and legs have more in common with the POTP and IDW Carcer designs. Her chest and wings appears to resemble the Thunderblast model, which was referenced in her IDW Carcer design. Her shoulders are new, and that's clearly her Menasor cosplay helmet that she wears at her side job as a waitress for a sexy combiner themed restaurant.

I can't draw worth a tinker's damn, but I at least have a working understanding of design, proportion and perspective. The point being is I don't think this is a "reference model conversion" issue. I think the issue is that that she's... well, she's kinda bug ugly man.

She reminds me a bit of Cotton Hill with those odd little legs.



"I killed fiddy Ascenticons!"

 

I disagree, I think she is a Chromia repaint. Which I welcome. All the details match:


thumbnail click me ->

Further Musings:

I think Ratchet is going to look great!



Bumblebee:

Love this alt mode, hope we get it in SIEGE



Bumblebee's size seems to be small deluxe
see how these two deluxes look down at BB
and he's shorter than Prowl. As it should be I guess.

 

It'd be interesting that's for sure. Though I imagine Exarchon might be offworld. No real proof for that, just a feeling.

 

I was not convinced, then I noticed the wheels on her back, you are probably right!

 

look at the knees and chest

 

After how great last issue was, this one is kind of an underwhelming follow-up.

Don't think we spent nearly enough time with Rubble to care about his death or the characters' response to his death. We needed about 10 issues or so at least.

Cyclonus is by far the most interesting character out of the new cast.

 

At least, RUBBLE died doing something he liked, being a plot device.

 

I’m not very fond of this artist’s style. The characters look so... lifeless.

Honestly I like Elita so far.

 

Still enjoying this. The change in art style throughout is a little jarring though.

Looking forward the boss coming back, mostly because I wan't to see his design.

Also, it has occurred to me that Bumblee's loss could play into a future relationship between Bee and a vulnerable human ward (Spike/Sam/Sari/Raf/Charlie, whoever) when the war spreads to Earth. If IDW hasn't folded by then...

 

This one was a bit of a step down from the last issue. I think I'm going to wait until it's over to buy the remaining issues.

 

You know, I've come to a conclusion. In general, I don't mind "walk and talk" books. However, there needs to be a certain finesse to them - expressive art that can convey nuanced emotion or crisp, snappy dialogue. It's one of the reasons I really liked Sarah Stone's Windblade.



These characters pop, seem alive, and even if you don't like the character, plot, or what have you, this looks like a conversation. People act and sound this way.

In a medium that's effectively static imagery, some level of dynamics need to take place. The illusion of movement helps keep the reader engaged. Looking at Issue #4, there's an interrogation scene between Cyclonus and Chromia:



We have a lot of "static" panels - the first two and second two are effectively the same shots with minor variations. The characters show limited motion, largely unmoving. Arguably, you could say that this establishes Cyclonus' stoic demeanor, but Chromia isn't moving all that much either. Geomotus doesn't even have a face and is waddling with the urgency of a sleepy toddler. This might be fine for a super tense scene, but that tension hadn't really been established in this shot. By Issue 4, we barely know anything.

Again, compare this to the interrogation of Waspinator:



Each panel is dynamic, and you can see the gamut of emotions here. You can see fear, panic, and frustration even with Waspinator's weird face. Chromia runs through the anger, disgust/disdain, and that look people get when their train of thought gets derailed.

For me, the reboot's dialogue is sometimes ponderous, but more importantly lacking in life. Bland, cliche dialogue can be fixed with proper art demonstrating actual emotion, but we don't get that either. Instead, we get Picasso's "Elita One Descending A Staircase". It's not the worst ever, but this comic is, for me, the dry white toast of comics.

Walk and talk works when you make it interesting, but for me this is phoning it in on a pretty upsetting level. Even when I was sick of all the jokes, Roberts at least tried to keep me entertained by making them. So I think I'm out, too.

 

Focusing so heavily on cops and politicians and barely showing anything around Cybertron is starting to wear thin. It’s giving me Phantom Menace flashbacks. They could’ve done ANYTHING in this reboot and a half-baked mystery plot mixed with awkward political drama is what they landed on? Okay.

Everyone walks and talks and spews awkward exposition. Other than Rubble with his excitement in the first few issues at seeing Cybertron, no one feels like a real character.

I imagined someone like Senator Megatron (interesting idea for the character to begin with) would be a charismatic, persuasive leader who’d want to try to get Orion on his side, but he has one mode in the non-flashback comics (cranky) and that’s pretty much it. And Orion Pax......I don’t even know. They’re both so boring.

But here’s the thing: even the most tedious SW prequel-level political scenes between them could’ve been great with some more colorful writing.

I’m sticking with the comic and I hope it gets better.

 

I have a special place in my heart for the police procedural thanks to growing up with stuff like Hunter, Hill Street Blues, the Commish, etc. I don't mind it, but as a result I kind of need more than the stock dialogue that appeared in every cheeseball 80's cop drama ever. Nothing is new under the sun, which I get, but some things are fresh, and some things are shriveled old raisins.

If they wanted to make this a political thriller, then they should have gone all out. Give me the Sam Fishers sitting in the dark jumping out of the back corners to garrote Rubble when he wanders into a bad part of town. Give me the movers and shakers sitting in a corner, discussing the plot to kill a newborn and what that might entail. Give me the profiteer, helping the plot along simply because it lines his pocket and not because he cares.

Give me the kindhearted politician in denial of the murder. Give me the corrupt cop with the heart of gold that's investigating this case as his last chance at redemption. Give me SOMETHING I can care about, someone I find interesting, something I can sink my teeth into and relish.

Instead, we're being handed a packet of saltines and being told that if we imagine chocolate chips it's JUST LIKE a cookie.