I really, really, hated that. Prowl in particular looked like a clown.

 

There were lots of things I liked about the Marvel comics, though as I said, they did tend to be awfully inconsistent...
-Ratbat... going from potential Soundwave minion to leader of the Decepticons? Win!
-Shockwave as badass and credible rival to Megatron.
-Straxus... especially the fact that he came back in the UK comics
-blue-collar Dinobots... at least until Grimlock succumbed to progressive ******ation
-Tripticon as intellectual battle-station, not cityformer
-Blaster getting a substantial story arc
-Ratchet becoming Megatron's true psychological nemesis
-Megatron stomping over all 5 Dinobots, later Predaking
-Earth living in fear of alien robot invasion, actually affirming the necessity of "robots in disguise"

On the other hand, there were some awful, awful stories too. Carwash of Doom is not as bad as some of them, but I still think it's a good iconic example of some of those crappy throwaway stories. Also, I think it might have been one of the first of the worst, so to speak.

Errrrr... but wasn't that EXACTLY what Furman's approach to Fembots was?

I don't think Geoff Senior drew believable robots... they were still pretty simplified and stylized. He was just one of the few TF artists who seemed able to integrate Transformers into his usual comfortable style. Most TF comic artists of the time just seemed to be at a total loss when it came to drawing TFs and making them dynamic or alive. William Johnson was good (for 2 issues, sadly). Aside from those 2 guys, there are very few Marvel artists who impressed me on Transformers.

While advances in the technical side of things has lead to generally much stronger artwork in comics now, I think the main reason we have much better TF artists now is simply because the artists are actually FANS, who grew up drawing Transformers. It's not "just a job" for them. This is also why most good TF artists are also pretty weak when it comes to drawing humans, I think.

Don... Guidi... Su... you're describing IDW's artwork right there. Milne is good now too... and who's that new guy? He's not bad. Generally speaking I like the IDW art. Although stylistic consistency is not a strong point, I do like the variety as well. The thing that bugged me about DW was the way everything looked too much the same. That, and their panelling and colours were always dark, condensed and indistinct.

EJ Su is IMHO, the best TF artist to work in North America (I prefer him to Figueroa, in fact). I know that you're expressing an opinion, but to be so vitriolic and unmitigated in attacking guys like Su, Guidi, Figueroa, Milne, who all defined the early IDW style... I think it ends up simply denigrating any weight your opinion might carry.

I think it's worthwhile to be willing to make the distinction between art that is actually poorly executed, rather than simply being not to your taste. There are lots of artists I don't LIKE, but I won't say their work is AWFUL, because I can recognize the talent and ability on display in the work. Just because art has a subjective aspect, doesn't necessarily make it actually subjective. Sometimes there are objective values that opinion has very little sway over.

For example, I hate Greg Land's artwork...but it is very competent, technical work. Rob Liefeld on the other hand, is just a terrible, terrible artist, and has somehow managed not to improve over 20 years in the industry.  

I agree that colour and to some degree INKING has been weak at IDW. But for penciling, it's mostly been very strong work, by Transformers standards. The fact that you draw a line between loving DW and hating IDW, even though it's many of the same artists involved just suggest to me that you prefer the soft "anime style" computer colouring and digital painting techniques that typified the DW house style. It's a superficial difference, but I remember IDW distinguishing themselves by a marked move back towards traditional line-focused comics art. I think you're maybe putting more weight on the surface effects than the underlying drawing itself.

That this is certainly one of their biggest issues with IDW, in writing as well as the artistic side. The constant switching of styles and character models has really contributed to a careless, random tone overall.

Me too... the cartoon helped flesh out some classic characters with great voices, and the music and sound effects have permanently carved out their corner of my brain. Prime, Ironhide, Rumble, Starscream... the cartoon versions of these those guys ARE the characters. But beyond that... yeah, not my favourite continuity.

zmog

 

and a lieing ba$**** [personal hate rant over]

 

I don't even know anything about his personal/business history. The guy just can't draw. It's astounding.

zmog

 

I have personal experience.

 

Yeah, that's right... you used to work at Marvel. I remember when Liefeld started.. the first thing I remember from him was the Amazing Spider Man Atlantis Attacks Annual... which wasn't even so bad. Or was the original Hawk & Dove miniseries before that?

What I find remarkable is how so many fan-fave artists actually seem to DECAY in talent over time sometimes.

zmog

 

I think its due to age, one of my fav artist Perez has also seen a decline in his work.

and I remember the DC Hawk & Dove min

 

He made you draw hands and feet for him, didn't he...

 

dont forget his lack of wrists.

 

I loved Andrew Wildman's art. So clean and technically pretty. Geoff Senior, who was obviously grittier not as much. Personal taste.