Well, between a modern glacial-paced snooze-fest that might get into something interesting happening in the next future TPB and a has-been writer desperately trying to stay relevant by mutilating the old issues he didn't write... At least TF vs Terminator are fun. So there's something for me there.

 

Because they are still Transformers comics and I read them as I am a Transformers fan. I will still call out a bad product when its a bad product despite being a fan. And I have more faith in Furman to telling a good story than I do Ruckley. I am much more invested in the Marvel continuity than I ever will be of the IDW2 continuity. And for the record, I didn't like any of Cyberverse until season three. Season three is good but the first two seasons were just bad. I wouldn't call Cyberverse season three bad just because I didn't like the first two seasons. I'm hoping IDW2 will one day become a decent story that I can praise, but its not there yet.

Also, I disagree with your apathetic "if you've read a comic book, you have to either like it or ignore it - you can't call a bad comic book bad" stance.

Mosaics. I'd like for there to be official Mosaics that goes deeper into a particular plot point or character that the main story wouldn't cover.

 

I never said you couldn't call it bad, I just said why are you reading the previews for it. I also didn't ask about your opinion on Cyberverse.

 

I see Deluxe Insecticonss Battle Chargers Runamuck and Runabout, Blitzwing (TR), Octane (I will NEVER say Octone. That is NOT a word), Obviously Punch/Counter Punch

 

Why still buy it? You are telling hasbro and idw "make more of this" when you buy it.

 

If I'm being honest...the story is so predictable on what will happen:

->Optimus Prime and Megatron are no longer friends

-> The war begins

-> The evacuation of the Autobots leave Cybertron due to the war

-> Starscream shoots Megatron during a raid on the Ark

-> Bumblebee is the first to awaken on Earth

-> Megatron is MIA until he comes out again in his ER design

-> Starscream gets his ass kicked but stays around as a major character

OH wait this would be something with competence.

 

I read it because its better to be informed of something that I'm criticising. Who would have their criticisms taken more seriously? Someone who has read the book and says that they didn't like it, or someone who has not read the book?

But if this wasn't a Transformers book, I wouldn't be reading it. As soon as the quality picks up, I'll say so. My main criticism of these twenty issues so far is that Ruckley is doing his darndest to delay the war from starting and drag out the pre-war politics as long as he can. I claim that there could be huge chunks of the story so far removed and nothing of importance would be lost. The first twenty issues could be condensed down into ten issues. That would improve the pacing, as its currently so tediously slow-paced that its a chore to read each issue. Transformers comics shouldn't be bogged down with its own political issues. The politics behind the Transformers war can be interesting, but this is way too much. I think its because Ruckley is a novelist by trade and not a comic book writer. He writes these books as if he is writing a novel and what he fails to realise is that what may work for a novel doesn't necessarily work for a comic book.

 

Man feelin' bad for you catching this flak. So to throw another pointless view in the mix kudos for actually reading it and forming your own informed views. Good or bad you're actually giving it a shot.

But not me. I'm cheap.

 

Yeah, finally some potentially good transformers fiction again. Feels like years.

 

One of the artist uploaded the line art to some Transformers #21 pages:

Transformers (Vol 4) Issue 21 — The Art of Blacky Shepherd

Pages: 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 11 and 16.

 

Even more standing around and talking...

 

But there are no speech bubbles!!!

 

Oh, there will be.

I just checked #21 of the Marvel Transformers comic, Aerialbots Over America, and that too featured characters "standing around talking", but the difference there and with IDW2 #21 is that the Marvel comic was the start of a new self-contained story whereas the IDW2 book is supposed to be read as part of a trade so its the middle of a larger story.

 

Megatron finally said the word "Decepticons." And thus, we are on the brink of a war...

Can't wait to read issue #21.

 

You guys just can\'t stand a story where people stand and talk? You know what YOUR life is? Standing and talking. Occasional action.

Even as a US soldier deployed overseas these days you know what life is? Standing, talking, maintenance work.

This is character driven. The War For Cybertron is supposed to be a tragedy. They\'ve built up the world that they\'ll surely destroy. That creates IMPACT. Action all of the time without stakes creates a Bayverse scenario.

I\'ll agree Marvel and DW balanced it better, and a different writer would have included more POP. But at the same time, the resentment for any amount of characterization and dwelling on the gravity of these happenings is odd to me.

You guys just can\'t stand a story where people stand and talk? You know what YOUR life is? Standing and talking. Occasional action.

Even as a US soldier deployed overseas these days you know what life is? Standing, talking, maintenance work.

This is character driven. The War For Cybertron is supposed to be a tragedy. They\'ve built up the world that they\'ll surely destroy. That creates IMPACT. Action all of the time without stakes creates a Bayverse scenario.

I\'ll agree Marvel and DW balanced it better, and a different writer would have included more POP. But at the same time, the resentment for any amount of characterization and dwelling on the gravity of these happenings is odd to me.

 

theyre just hating it to hate it.

 

A childish and simplistic take, maybe people feel the story is treading water? Maybe they think the art is awful?

 

The art is REAL hit and miss.

But imo it's the bad art hurting a solid script. I'm sure they'll rip off the band aid and give us 'rivers of blood' soon.

Dont you guys get it? Even ONE death is enough to rattle the fragile Cybertronian society. And THEN a new forging, innocent as can be, was murdered by a TERRORIST silencing witnesses.

Think. About. This. And then the tether fell! The tether fall is massive! One death, two, now uncountable. Things are HAPPENING. It's not Brian Ruckley's fault that you're all so used to smelting pools and IDW1 style atrocities that you can't empathize with a more intimate and raw story...

That being said. Even standing around and talking requires some artistic dynamism!

 

I will say I'm *genuinely* curious to see how long before outright war breaks out, and from there seeing if Ruckley keeps the focus during the early-mid days of the war, or if he time jumps into an Earthrise setting. Things are ramping up though, and I'm interested in seeing where they lead. As is the "problem" with all prequels, it's not a matter of finding out *where* the pieces will land, but rather finding out *how* they land where they do.

 

I know this sounds too dumb and to rehashy of old IDW but...I had script of what IDW 2 can be improved. Yes it shares some of old IDW but I was mainly influenced by a CERTAIN TF stopmotion from the olden days (Nightslash 2020 fans in the forums  )

So for one you don't make Megatron, Leader of the Decepticons just automatically. I'd say make the first Leader of the Decepticons be someone from the Japanese era (Apparently the Ascenticons were lead by someone else....cool idea but let's change that). Instead the Decepticons were made as a faction due to the constant mistreatment of its members being Beastformers. They were always treated as second-class. Now why not add Megatron in? Look as cool as Megatron is rising from the pits of Kaon to a GOD among warriors. He'll be saved for later trust me. The Decepticon symbol is really the symbol of shame, dishonor, forgottened. Well our Beast former cons (Predacons) took it as a symbol of pride. Oh and also the Decepticon symbol was based on the Mask of the Fallen. Yes this sounds like fan fiction but trust me.....really trust me. Some of you guys would be more invested of what I'm going with here then what nu-IDW is rolling with.