So an interesting return to Skip, a lot of weird stuff going on and at least a sort of confirmation that

Spoiler

Tailgate has died from spontaneous spark combustion. Now does this mean he has gone not too sure but we haven't seen the empty box yet.

I found Swerve and Anode's pranks to be annoying and also if Fort Max now has Rodimus' telephone number does that mean that they are coming to pick them up?

 

Hmm. Not having read the issue. I wonder if the first sentence of your spoiler is somewhat similar to what Roberts did with Thunderclash and Galvatron at the beginning of Eugenesis. I won’t spoil it for anyone but given Tyrest likely holds a grudge and is unaccounted for...

 

Fun issue! Great art as well, Milne does a great job of making everything feel cramped. I really feel for the bigger bots.

And poor Cyclonus. Him and Whirl had a lovely little moment that shows just how much the two of them have grown as friends.

 

I really enjoyed this issue. I love it when Roberts takes a break from all the action to give us a slower and more personal story like this.

And I can't believe I'm saying this, but I actually think I'm beginning to not hate Anode. That's not to say that I actaully like her or anything, just that I'm beginning to tolerate her existence.

 

Weird issue. Don't know what to think yet.

 

Certainly different, but I enjoyed it. Loved some of the expressions, especially Lotty's grin when she takes that picture...

Overall a fun, moving, weird issue. Gets a thumbs up from me.

 

I keep thinking about Cyclonus. I feel so bad for the guy.
But on a more positive note: enjoyable issue, great art.

 

Anyone who thinks Tailgate is actually dead needs to pay more attention to the speech bubble styles being used.

 

Mmm. Agreed. It felt very slight in some ways and some of the Magnus stuff just felt a bit cheap. I like to give Roberts the benefit of the doubt and think that what seems to be (imo) poor characterisation is something that's going to pay off, much as Magnus 'season 1' arc did, but sometimes I worry.

I feel a bit conflicted about this, as I think Cyclonus response and Whirl's support were the best bits of the issue. When Tailgate inevitably turns up ok, in whatever way, this is going to feel a little like tawdry emotional manipulation. Something we've seen before in MTMTE.

But enough negativity. It's still a very likeable comic. That last panel 100% got me and I can't wait to see what happens next. Cyclonus really was a joy all the way through. Chromedome's reaction felt earned. Everyone's been playing happy families, but I doubt everyone has forgotten how many Autobots Cyclonus killed on Kimia. Seeing Milne and Roberts reunited was great. They're a fantastic pairing.

Also, I see the cover and solicitation for #17 is up in the news section and WOW that is spoilery!

 

It was funny, it did feel cramped, and it threw up some new mysteries for Ratchet and Ten. Nice character moments for Rodimus, Whirl and Cyclonus... the jokey Magnus stuff felt a wee bit off, maybe it's just that we've been to this well many times now. His funny/sad line to Cyclonus was on point, though.

LOL at Roller complaining about Chromedome and Rewind.

@Jalaguy I went back and flicked through the issue and didn't notice anything to notice about speech bubbles. Can you drop a further hint?  

@barry about the issue 17 stuff - exciting huh  

 

I've seen an interesting theory crop up for this issue that. This issue has some characters dealing with their worst fears.

Cyclonus losing Tailgate.
Ratchet becoming useless.
Chromedome unable to help an injured Rewind.
Rodimus losing track of Getaway.

Not sure I agree with all of these but it's still an fascinating theory.

 

Have a look at the style of bubble used for the phone call Rodimus receives - the border colour in particular - then see if the same bubbles are used elsewhere in the issue.

 

I was quite surprised I enjoyed this as much as I did. Maybe it was low expectations (note: expectations of quality NOT content!) given the stated intention of the issue in the preview, I dunno. Even Anode seemed to retreat a few levels of obnoxiousness. Which makes her as likeable to me as Swerve now. So...read into that what you will lol. Lug needs a bit of something extra I think. So nothingy as a character.

As @barry says the Magnus characterisation continues to bother me as well. The dialogue wasn’t as bad as it sometimes is with him, but the ongoing caricature nature of him being bureaucratic is supremely eye rolly. Give him more depth for Christ’s sake.

Having said that the little mysteries as always piqued my interest.

I bet Tailgate hasn’t combusted. Is what Maximus tells Rodimus consistent with “no one was expecting that” do we think? I don’t know. Surely him combusting might be one of the most expected outcomes? It seems significant that we didn’t hear Maximus’s end of the conversation with Rodimus after they ‘went private’.

Ten speaking is a nice twist. I think the legislators were built out of the parts of others right? Could he be somebody we know perhaps? Although I am assuming the speaking must be a recent development, else why would he have chosen not to properly explain his forcefield plan in DotL?

Good for Roller to get a bit more dialogue here, even though it was in a silly context. When I briefly spoke to Roberts at TFNation 2016 I told him how I liked the Tarn reveal because it made me realise my fixation with his identity was more because I cared about Roller, not because I cared about Tarn, and he said that was his gamble. Given this it’s a little odd Roller has received so little dialogue since.

As for Ratchet, the focus on his hands when he said “never been better” makes me think it’s something to do with that. Maybe something is happening with Pharma on Cyberutopia? Maybe it’s going to be an Evil Dead style ‘my hands are attacking me’ style deal? Lol.

 

I'm finalising a lot of thoughts on this one...so far the dominant one is that people having sex INSIDE another person is just...deeply deeply disturbing and not a comic moment.

 

Good Issue, I've always liked Cyclonus and Whirl as a pair, maybe something comes of that who knows.

I reckon Ten is gonna be revealed as one of the past Ultra Magni, if not the original, would explain his fascination with him, maybe he betrayed Tyrest and was left to this fate.

Am curious as to what has happened to Tailgate, must be bad if Rodimus had to tell Cyclonus an alternative lie instead of the truth.

Nightbeat has been quiet recently hahahaha, miss his smarminess.

I really like Roller, hope we get a bit more character from him at some point.

 

Yeah, not sure how I felt about the Whirl moment. Didn’t seem totally in character for me.

 

Wha? Really? Whirl and Cyclonus have been developing a close bond since the end of Remain in Light. There's been several moments where Whirl has helped Cyclonus deal with his releationship with Tailgate.

 

Neat detail that I just noticed - Rapidfire was wearing the Necrobot’s cape before he got headsploded.

 

I didn't read it as sex at all, just maybe some minor couple-y goofing around. We know they don't have a physical reproductive act.

 

Or, in the case of Rewind and Chromedome, lips XD

Yeah, as far as canoodling goes I wasn't assuming much beyond some fluffy nuzzling and maybe *gasp* hugging.