Transformers (2019 -) #18

Discussion in 'Transformers Comics Discussion' started by Issy543, Mar 10, 2020.

  1. Issy543

    Issy543 Well-Known Member

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    We’re seeing the after effects from issue #17:

    • After parts of the tether has fallen, and will keep doing so until it has wrapped around Cybertron, the trio help survivors.
    • Gauge gets shot, and Arcee heads into the building. She manages to stop one of the shooters, and also decides to leave Cybertron.
    • They manage to board the ship leaving Cybertron, and are ready to start a new life.
    Quite a lot of moments in this issue:
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    A great issue that beings to show how Cybertron is starting to unravel. Can’t wait for issue #18 and for the next story arc in Galaxies.
     
    Last edited: Mar 11, 2020
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  2. SuperTitanHans

    SuperTitanHans Upgraded

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    Obviously it’s a pseudo spotlight issue leading into Galaxies but I thought the most interesting parts were relating to the fallout on Cybertron. I am interested in learning more about the Reversionists in Galaxies though.
     
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  3. ErbFan28

    ErbFan28 Well-Known Member

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    Another strong issue. I really like the design of the Reversionist ship. Also, don’t piss Arcee off!
     
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  4. ProtectronPrime

    ProtectronPrime Subjectively Objective

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    Gutcruncher was my favorite Action Master. I loved the idea of there being this completely merciless, amoral body parts dealer that was less of a greaseball than Swindle. Nice to see him actually appear somewhere.
     
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  5. Chubzhac

    Chubzhac Member

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    The opening paragraph of Proxima's mentoring guide and the fact that Gauge has yet to take an alternate mode has me believing that she will be revealed to be a Titan or have some kind of connection to them.

    She has a much more unique design compared to Rubble, who was also a newborn with no vehicle mode, and she somewhat resembles Lodestar's robot mode.
     
    Last edited: Mar 11, 2020
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  6. Lionheart

    Lionheart Well-Known Member

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    Let me just say that this continuity has my favorite take on Cybertronian families ever. The fact that they're government assighned and forged like, well, robots- is so fascinating and alien to me. I love the adoptive aspect of it, how none of it is biological but mentors end up loving their mentees all the same.

    Arcee having a family unit with her wife and kid is very sweet and I wish them the best. Gauge has a lot of potential to be something special in the future.
     
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  7. Scrapmaker

    Scrapmaker Hadar Sen Olmen

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    Agreed. Guess I was correct in calling the Mentor/Mentee dynamic a parent/child relationship, depending on those involved.

    Bumblebee was kind of a dad to Rubble, but we didn't get enough of their relationship beyond Bumblebee's grief over his death.
    Wheeljack treats his relationship with Gears as more Teacher/Student.
    Arcee and Greenlight are just plain Gauge's moms, and it's sweet.

    Also, interesting to see that IDW2's Arcee seems to have carried over IDW1 Arcee's aggression, though it may just be due to the circumstances.
     
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  8. Bass X0

    Bass X0 Captain Commando

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    I still like to imagine IDW Arcee being voiced by Susan Blu.
     
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  9. ProtectronPrime

    ProtectronPrime Subjectively Objective

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    I think it's a parent/child relationship, period. It's not any different than how some people treat their children, even when it appears to be a more formal mentor/mentee interaction. Some people have very outwardly warm, caring relationships with their kids. Some people are very still and formal, and some people treat their children like hideous burdens that they don't even want.

    In re: Arcee, I think a lot of it has to do with modern storytelling trends. Aggressive women are all the rage these days. Nothing wrong with it, but it's certainly more prominent. They also have to do something to balance modern sensibilities against fact that she has to match her G1 appearance of "Visible From Orbit Barbie Dream Car Pink".
     
    Last edited: Mar 12, 2020
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  10. Treadshot 2.0

    Treadshot 2.0 Action Master

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    I don't think "Arcee, the warrior" is a purely IDW thing. Let's not forget that Arcee's potential for violence was right there in her original G1 Marvel Universe profile... she was conceived of as being Mama Bear-ish. We just never really saw that play out onscreen.
     
  11. ProtectronPrime

    ProtectronPrime Subjectively Objective

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    There's "Arcee the Warrior" onscreen during her limited appearances after the movie in the Sunbow series, i.e. Five Faces of Darkness when she got to play action girl taking down Skuxxzoid's Rockeroid spaceship. She also got a few decent outings in Marvl UK:

    [​IMG]

    (Unless she's giving him the worst massage ever.)

    It's only after this where her long running, consistent characterization has been some kind of robot nanny. Japan's Headmaster series turned her into a secretary and Chromdeome's love interest for some weird reason and it was all downhill from there, oscillating from mopey sad person in the Funpub comics, to brain dead in 75% of her Animated appearances to whatever you want to call this:
    [​IMG]

    However, "Arcee the Screaming Pain In The Ass" is 100% an IDW thing, starting with IDW1's "Arcee the Sociopathic Barbarian", and then "Arcee, Who Would Like To Speak To Your Manager" from IDW2.

    ...so yeah. Poor Arcee can't really catch a break. She's rarely ever a character with any actual sense of being or motivation, just this plot device clad in pink.
     
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  12. kmc

    kmc Well-Known Member

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    Greenlight says the tether, when falling, will wrap itself around Cybertron as the planet turns. Why? Doesn't it have the same inertia as the planet?

    Edit
    And why does Greenlight keep referring Arcee as the only mentor of Gauge?
     
    Last edited: Mar 13, 2020
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  13. Lionheart

    Lionheart Well-Known Member

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    I'm also trying to understand the science behind this. I thought the tether was simply a giant pole stretching from the moon to the surface of Cybertron? How would it "wrap" so much as snapping?
     
  14. Lionheart

    Lionheart Well-Known Member

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    This I understand. Technically, Arcee is Gauges only mentor. Greenlight wasn't selected to be a mentor but because she's Arcee's spouse, naturally, they would share the responsibilities of raising this child. Bumblebee points this out in an earlier issue that Gauge is lucky because Arcee and Greenlight are inseparable.

    Edit: Bumblebee was the one who pointed this out, not Orion, so I fixed the earlier statement.
     
    Last edited: Mar 14, 2020
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  15. Autovolt 127

    Autovolt 127 Get In The Titan, Prime!

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    Don't really like that Arcee is basically like the previous IDW version minus the backstory that version had, was hoping for something different.

    otherwise fun issue. It's nice seeing Red Alert and Inferno make their debut.
     
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  16. lilcarus

    lilcarus Well-Known Member

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    this issue was decent but only because it wasnt a rise snoozefest like the past issues. the off shoot books are way more interesting than the main story.
     
  17. AshleyCuadra

    AshleyCuadra Tieria Prime

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    explanation about that and still not a fan of Arcee being with a femme
     
  18. AshleyCuadra

    AshleyCuadra Tieria Prime

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    agreed still the same with Arcee’s relationships like always lame story
     
  19. Focksbot

    Focksbot Skeleton Detective

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    The spotlight stories have consistently been the best issues so far, and this one has very dynamic artwork to boot. It's also great to get some focus on the mentor/mentee relationship for reasons of characterisation and world-building - the Bumblebee/Rubble stuff felt more like an infodumping plot device, and Rubble's heavily telegraphed death meant I never much invested in it.

    Overall, this continuity is starting to feel like a lot of interesting character sketches and incidents being hung off a fairly tepid central arc that could have happily remained in the background.
     
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  20. Androzani84

    Androzani84 Well-Known Member

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    I think it’s worth noting in a series where every character is based on either their latest or upcoming toy, Inferno seems to be modelled after his Energon counterpart (the one who was “improsoned”). I wonder what that’s saying.
     
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